Chocolate Tantrums

When I first started Weight Watchers, I tried to fill my cravings for the things I loved with reasonable alternatives. I realized that my love of food wasn't going to go away. I was just going to have to change the way I went about making said food.

Chocolate was a challenge. By it's very nature and in the forms that we like to eat it, chocolate is high in fat and sugar. In other words: CALORIES. Give me a chocolate rice cake and tell me to call it a brownie? Um, excuse me? Munch a carrot and be satisfied with it's natural sweetness? Not gonna. Make unsweetened hot cocoa out of baking cocoa and hot milk? Are you out of your mind?

The marketing people of food companies know they have us fat chicks held over a barrel. Chocolate cravings are almost irresistible. I've been known to try every alternative under the sun and still not feel satisfied until I have the real thing. So, when they tell us we can have a quick fix for limited calorie expenditure, of course we're going to shell out the cash, right? It just went against the grain for me to want to spend that kind of money, though. Since I also don't use artificial sweeteners, it's made the chocolate fix even harder to score.

No Pudge Brownies are great. I love the convenience of the box, although the big pig on it is a bit offensive to me. I like that you can make individual size servings of the treat, right in the microwave. That's great for portion control. But, at about $4 a box, this isn't a treat that often finds its way into this cheapskate's cart.

So, thus began the quest for the perfect Weight Watchers friendly brownie. I know the search isn't over. The recipe below is just a jumping off point. It still doesn't have that crinkly top that ooey gooey brownies get. I'm working on that. I think that the addition of espresso powder would be nice. There could be some fruit puree balancing out the yogurt for added moisture.

Damn. I'm gonna have to bake again. I know, I know. It's a rough job, but I'm up for it.

Husband Bait Brownies

Sometimes you just have to have chocolate and sometimes he does too. Cut, set on a plate, and wait for him to find it. Serves 16 at 3 WW Points per serving

1 package brownie mix (Nutritional for mix only, per serving: 110 cal/2 g fat/1 g fiber or see if you can do better!)

1 cup vanilla fat free yogurt

2 egg whites

Mix all and bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.