I love this! It’s a healthy dessert full of fiber and dark chocolate. It’s made with no white flour, no butter, and it’s a super easy one-bowl recipe. And if you line your pan with foil, there’s almost no cleanup. You can use walnuts but I find that pecans, especially when they are toasted first, have so much more flavor so they are my nuts of choice for most baking. In fact, I toast one bag at a time and keep them refrigerated for all my baking.

Now about the chocolate: Using a 70% dark chocolate bar is the healthiest choice and I like to use the 72% bar from World Market but you do have to chop it up so chocolate chips are definitely easier. I recently discovered Ghirardelli 60% dark chocolate chips and they are great but bigger than most so I did not like the result when I added them whole. So I chopped them into smaller pieces and an added benefit was there was more chocolate in every bite.

These are the chocolate chips I used, but I chopped them up first:

And here is what the World Market bar looks like:

My favorite thing, besides the delicious, chewy taste of this healthy dessert bar, is how incredibly easy it is. One bowl, no mixer, just mix it all up and bake.  These healthy oatmeal chocolate chip bars are not just dessert – I must confess I also have them with breakfast. For a healthy dessert or a chewy oatmeal breakfast bar,  just click here for the recipe. – Jenny Jones

I found some beautiful fresh Persian cucumbers yesterday and made a full jar of my 3-hour bread & butter pickles. Today, there’s only half a jar left. You can make pickles using the traditional small Kirby cuces but Persians work just fine too, and they are available all year round. Mediterranean markets usually have the best ones. So today’s lunch will be a salmon sandwich on my multi-grain no knead bread with a bowl of these refrigerator pickles on the side, and a whole wheat double chocolate chip cookie for dessert. I should have just enough homemade pickles left for tomorrow. Click here for the recipe. – Jenny Jones

Thank you all for sharing photos of my recipes that you’ve made. I’m international! Feel free to say where you are from and send your photo to: YourPhotos@JennyCanCook.com

FARHA MADE MY NO KNEAD CRUSTY ROLLS
“Homemade sesame no knead buns inspired by your recipe of no knead crusty rolls.???Lots of love from India..thnx for ur amazing recipes.”

~  Thank you for your photo. I love that someone is enjoying my recipe in India! ~ jenny

SCOTT MADE MY SIMPLE WHOLE WHEAT BREAD
“We live at 4500 feet in Northern Utah and sometimes baking (especially cakes and sweet breads) can present a challenge. However, your whole wheat bread came out FANTASTIC!  I’ve already made 2 loaves, but I now need to work on my dough shaping & sandwich-width slicing skills.  Thanks for the tasty – and easy – recipe!”

~  That’s a good looking loaf! And I like that cardinal pot holder. ~ jenny

FREDDY MADE MY SALMON PATTIES WITH TUNA
“Really super. I used the drained oil from the Salmon for frying and taste OK. Thank you for your recipes.”

~  Thanks for the photos. It’s good to know that it works with tuna. ~ jenny…and Freddy says, “I will try Your recipe of Meat Balls in Tomato sauce too, I already made the Balls.”

DALILA MADE MY LEMON BLUEBERRY MUFFINS WITH STRAWBERRIES
“Hi Jenny! ? I used your recipe for LEMON BLUEBERRY MUFFINS and made mini strawberry muffins. All I did was substitute the one cup of blueberries for one cup of diced strawberries. I kept track of the time for baking them, these mini’s only baked for about 10-12 minutes in my oven. I was able to make 36 mini strawberry muffins.  Your recipe, again, was wonderful!! THANK YOU JENNY!!!  Making life deeee-licious! Happy Baking! ?”

~  You’re lucky to find such beautiful strawberries. Thanks for another great photo. ~ jenny

LAN PHAM MADE MY FASTER NO KNEAD BREAD
“Hi Jenny, This was my first time making bread and look at it, it turned out so beautifully. I am so amazed! Thank you and thanks to my sister for your recipe of Faster No Knead Bread! So easy you betcha I’ll make it again.”

~  Congratulations on your first bread – great photo! ~ jenny

SABINE MADE MY CINNAMON ROLLS
“Dear Mrs Jones, last weekend we had your delicious cinnamon roles. Very tasty, fluffy and yummie. Always a plessure to work with your recipes. Greetings from Germany.”

~  They look beautiful. Thank you for sharing. ~ jenny

JOSEPHINE MADE MY NO KNEAD CRUSTY ROLLS
“Again Dearest Jenny, Just made your rolls – So easy and fast! Perfect for breakfast or with pasta!! I had made your No Knead Crusty Loaf before.. Just returned from an European Oceania cruise – Think your bread are better! Really appreciate your sharing… Enjoying your bread in Hawaii?”

~  Home baking always beats food in restaurants, even ones that float. ~ jenny

DALILA MADE MY ANGEL HAIR CASSEROLE
“Hi Jenny! ? I made your ANGEL HAIR CASSEROLE recipe and you are right, easy and very tasty!! I was able to split the recipe into two separate 5X7 casserole dishes. One for eating now and froze the other one for another day. When I’m having a busy day I just reach in my freezer and I’m all set for dinner. The small change I made was that I added part-skim mozzarella. I didn’t have any reduced- fat cheddar cheese on hand.  Happy Cooking! ?”

~  That’s a good idea to freeze it for another day. ~ jenny

CHRISTINE MADE MY NO KNEAD CRUSTY ROLLS
“Hi Jenny, From London, Ontario. This was my second batch, and they were even better than the first one. We eat them when they are still a bit warm with a dab of unsalted butter. Yum!”

~  Oh, I love these rolls so much. Greetings back to my hometown! ~ jenny

RYAN MADE MY ORANGE SESAME CHICKEN
“It’s such an easy and delicious dish. I make it often! – Ryan (Redondo Beach, California)”

~  I’m glad you like it. It’s one of my most treasured recipes and I make if often too. ~ jenny

DALILA USED MY PIE DOUGH RECIPE FOR CHERRY HAND PIES
“Hi Jenny! I did make more hand pies using your PIE DOUGH RECIPE. Talk about some delicious hand pies, flaky and so tasty is what they were. I sprinkled them with white crystal sugar to give them a nice crispy top. Your pie dough is wonderful to work with, thank you for sharing your recipe! These cherry hand pies did not last at all….LOL….all gone within a couple of hours!! Happy Baking! ?”

~  They look good. Thanks for another great photo. ~ jenny

If you think roasting a whole chicken is a lot of work, I am about to change your mind. Roasting it at a higher temperature for a shorter time produces beautifully tender meat with absolutely no work at all. This method has been around for years, usually called Blasted Chicken, and it is incredibly easy. There is no basting, no trussing, no rubbing with butter or oil, and with me, no spices except salt and pepper, although you can tuck in a piece of lemon, garlic, or your favorite herb if you like.

I don’t even wash the chicken, just bring it to room temperature and pat it dry. I like to make this on Friday so we have leftover chicken to snack on, or for chicken paninis. You can roast this chicken on a baking pan but I prefer a broiler-style pan to draw away the fat and I always use a disposable one. I did not invent this method but I want to make sure everyone has this easy recipe for blasted chicken.

I serve it by removing the skin and then cut or tear the chicken into big pieces. There is no easier way to roast a chicken and my way means no cleanup. Gotta love that! Click here for the recipe. – Jenny Jones

If you ever need fast comfort food, this is it. Today I made my quick and easy mac & cheese and it was ready in 20 minutes. With only four ingredients, it’s pretty hard to mess up, and I use low fat milk and cheese so I don’t feel guilty about enjoying this American classic. Plus I always serve it with a green vegetable on the side. Sometimes this simple mac & cheese becomes a side dish to some chicken and salad. Even though it’s a quick stovetop recipe, you can also bake it in the oven for a crispy top. Here’s how I do it:

While I prepare the recipe on the stove I preheat the oven to 375.  Once the stovetop version is done I stir in some chopped & drained fresh tomato (this is optional) and I transfer it all to a greased 3-quart casserole dish. I top it with a cup of fresh breadcrumbs and bake for 20-25 minutes for a golden, crispy top. You make fresh breadcrumbs by processing a couple of slices of white or soft whole wheat bread in a food processor.

Whether you need a quick 20 minute recipe or you prefer a creamy mac & cheese with a crispy top, either way you’ll get a much healthier version of almost everyone’s favorite comfort food… macaroni and cheese. Click here for the recipe. – Jenny Jones

Easy desserts are my favorite thing and when they’re fast, it’s even better. My blondies, made from scratch,  are ready in 30 minutes. Most other recipes use a stick of butter and sometimes two but I only use 3 tablespoons of butter and they are delicious. Of course, the darker the chocolate chips the better for your health so I buy the darkest I can find but I have also made these blondie bars with a 70% chocolate bar. I just chop some of it up into pieces and they become my chocolate chunks.

My favorite nuts for blondies is pecans but you really must toast them first. Of all the nuts used in baking, pecans are the most fragrant after they are toasted. You can see my video on how to toast nuts under the Videos section. I always try to make my desserts as healthy as possible and this one works well with half whole wheat pastry flour and half all purpose flour. I wasn’t sure what to call them. The long name would be “Quick & Easy One Bowl Chocolate Chunk Toasted Pecan Blondies.” Too much? Click here for the recipe. – Jenny Jones

This is a place share photos of any of my recipes you made. I love seeing my recipes made all over the world so feel free to say where you are from and send your photo to: YourPhotos@JennyCanCook.com

MARIA MADE MY NO KNEAD BREAD
“Jenny, I just made your 2-Hour No Knead Bread– take a look. Isn’t beautiful?  I cannot believe I did it.”

~  It is beautiful – congratulations! I’m pretty sure you’ll be making it again. ~ jenny

PAUL MADE MY MEATLOAF
“Hi Jenny. This was the 3rd time with your meatloaf recipe – my family love it, even though meatloaf is not really a regular dish in the UK. I make it with Turkey mince that is around 3% fat, it’s a bit softer than beef so I add a spoon of flour last just to help it bind together – tastes great, love the crispy outside. Not such a great photo, will do better next time! Thanks again for your fantastic work on this site.”

~  When you have leftovers, you might also enjoy an American classic, a meat loaf sandwich. ~ jenny

EDDIE MADE MY NO KNEAD BREAD
“Hi Jenny!  We are in absolute love with the no knead bread! It’s so easy to make and very delicious. Thank you for sharing your recipe. ~ Eddie Kay from phoenix Arizona.”

~  It looks fantastic. I’m so glad you’re enjoying it. ~ jenny

CHET IS SHARING HOW HE RISES DOUGH
“Hi Jenny, I am using a turkey cooker to rise my dough. I have found that this method works well as the ambient house temperature during winter days fluctuates. There are two vent holes in the cover of the cooker, I have enlarged one of the vent notes to allow a thermometer to be placed to monitor the temperature. I have found this method gives me the best and consistent results.”

~  Thank you for sharing this innovative idea. ~ jenny

DALILA MADE MY APPLE PIE
“Hi Jenny! ? I have to tell you that your Homemade Apple Pie recipe is a keeper! I made Apple Hand Pies and they came out very good! The one small change that I made was to the granny smith apples. I diced them into smaller pieces so they’ll fit in the hand pies. I plan on making other varieties of fruit pies using your dough recipe. Thank you Jenny! Happy Baking! ? “

~  These hand pies are beautiful. I admire all the detail and work you put in.~ jenny

CANDY MADE MY ANGEL WINGS
“My Grandmother made these a lot.  Such memories?. My first attempt. Taking them to our families Easter dinner.  So good.”

~  Every one looks perfect. What a great job for the first time making these. ~ jenny

NIKTA MADE MY EASTER BUNNY BUNS
“Happy Easter! Jenny, i had so much fun making these! I’m taking them to family brunch shortly. I made the ears smaller (I only used a 2.5 inch cutter for ears and body), but I got 12 breads with hardly any dough left.”

~  They turned out beautifully! They’re sure to bring smiles to the whole family. ~ jenny

JOSEPHINE MADE MY NO KNEAD BREAD
“Dearest Jenny, Thanks for ur recipe n video.. Made it & We love it-ate half together as dinner! Aloha?Josephine.”

~  Aloha back to you. Thank you for your photos. ~ jenny

BLAKE’S WIFE MADE MY SIMPLE WHOLE WHEAT BREAD
“My wife’s home baked loaf all thanks to Jenny Can Cook.”

~  That’s a good looking loaf. Thanks for sharing. ~ jenny

MARIA MADE MY BAKED DOUGHNUTS
“Hi Jenny, We loved the Baked Donuts, Jenny!  We had them with a cup of coffee and they were DELICIOUS. Thanks, Jenny! ~ Maria L.”

~  Thanks for the pretty photo.  I love the sprinkles! ~ jenny

DALILA MADE MY FALL-OFF-THE-BONE RIBS
“Hi Jenny! I am in rib-heaven thanks to your ‘FANTASTIC’ recipes!! YAY YOU!! I made your homemade BBQ sauce, your homemade dry rub and followed your instructions for your oven-baked ribs…..AWESOME!!! All three of your recipes that I made were easy to follow. The one small change that I made was that I used boneless-pork ribs. I didn’t have any bone-in pork ribs so I substituted those for what I did have in my frig. The ribs were soooo moist, tender and flavorful. I served our ribs with a side of pineapple coleslaw and rolls. Talk about an appetizing dinner that not only looks great, it also made my taste buds dance with joy!! Thank you for sharing your cooking ideas! Happy Cooking! ? ~ Dalila.”

~  Great photos! Now you know why this is my most popular video. ~ jenny

JANA MADE MY NO KNEAD BREAD, CRUSTY ROLLS & WHITE BREAD
“Hi Jenny! Hello from Seoul, South Korea! I am Czech, living temporarily in South Korea. I have discovered your recipes few months ago and I cannot explain how happy I am. As a Czech, I love my bread, bread rolls, poppy seed rolls etc. everything that is impossible to find here. Thanks to you, I can bake everything now and with the great taste I remember even from my childhood. Thank you! I am slowly trying to go through all of your recipes, but of course bread and bread rolls were the first I had to bake. I am sending the pictures of them. And then was this white bread, and because I have here „czech“ size of the baking pan, the bread is longer and slimer, but we don´t care, the taste is great. Oh, and I made the poppy seed roll yesterday, it was a great hit, but I was not fast enought to take a picture… 🙂 Thank you for all your recipes and funny videos. I wish you happy and healthy days from Seoul, ~ Jana Sulkova.”

~  Bringing happiness to your house makes me feel so rewarded. Thank you for these photos. ~ jenny

I’m so excited to share this way of making no knead bread even faster than my “faster no knead bread” recipe, which takes over four hours. And that was fast compared to the original overnight method, which took over 12 hours. But now, I am making it in two hours! This recipe uses the same ingredients as my original loaf but with more yeast. Instead of 1/4 teaspoon, I use 2 teaspoons (one packet) of instant yeast.

Most bread connoisseurs will agree that the longer the dough rests, the better flavor the bread will develop. This is true but I don’t care. Some days I want bread and I want it fast! Click here for the recipe. – Jenny Jones

I love this simple vegetarian casserole. It’s a healthier  way to enjoy Mexican food because it uses fresh tomatoes, whole wheat tortillas. I use my own homemade tortillas, the whole wheat version, and they turn nice and soft in this dish. I wanted to try it with store-bought tortillas but could not bring myself to buy them after reading the ingredients. If you make the tortillas ahead of time this meal can be made in about 45 minutes.

If you like things super spicy, you can switch from jalapeño pepper to a spicier one like serrano or the super hot habanero. For me, the jalapeño version is perfect – not too spicy at all. And I always say it: don’t use pre-shredded cheese. It will never melt like fresh cheese because they add some type of stabilizer to the pre-shredded kind. It takes less than a minute to shred six ounces of cheese. I always serve this dish with a little sour cream on the side. Click here for the recipe. – Jenny Jones