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New Year Greens

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Eggs and Greens Bake
Growing up in the Georgia, our New Year's tradition was to consumed collard greens and black-eyed peas on New Year's Day for year long health and wealth.
According to tradition, black-eyed peas represent tiny coins and symboliz wealth and financial rewards, greens being the color of cash, made you wealthier, so eating a meal with both of them would bring you health and wealth.
I still hold on to these traditions, but this year I'm preparing my greens in a whole new way, I'm baking them with eggs nestled in them. This recipe was adapted from a recipe I found in Bon Appetit's May Issue, Company Eggs. The original recipe used chard and heavy cream, I traded them out for collards and coconut cream.  Delicious, Delicious, Delicious!
Eggs and Greens Bake
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New Year Greens
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 and ½ teaspoon, Herbes de Provence
sea salt to taste
cracked black pepper to taste
1 bunches of collard greens, thick center ribs removed, leaves coaresly chopped
¾ cup coconut cream
5 large eggs
2 oz. sharp white cheddar, grated
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
3. Add onions and garlic, season with salt and pepper.
4. Cook stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, about 8 to 10 minutes.
5. Add greens to the skillet by the handful, tossing to wilt between additions.
6. Cook, tossing often, until tender, about 8 to 1 minutes; add 1 teaspoon Herbes de Provence
7. Spread green mixture evenly in a baking dish.
8. Using the back of a spoon, make 5 small divots in the green mixture.
9. Crack one egg into each divot.
10. Season eggs with salt, pepper and Herbes de Provence
11. Sprinkle grated cheese over top.
12. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, and yolks are still runny, let stand 5 minutes before serving.
Have Fun and Enjoy and Have a Very Happy New Year!

Smooth & Creamy Hot Chocolate Mix

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The Best Hot Chocolate
With winter in full swing my daughter has been asking for hot chocolate a lot lately, (she's not a coffee drinker).
Instead of buying the prepackaged kind, I decided to make my own. Adding the chips gives it a rich, smooth, creamy taste.
If you give this recipe a try, let me know what you think and share some of your flavor variations.
The Best Hot Chocolate
                                                                      Print Recipe
Smooth & Creamy Hot Chocolate Mix
Ingredients
½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
½ cup white chocolate chips
1 cup natural turbinado sugar
1 cup natural unsweetened cacao powder
1 cup non-fat instant dry milk powder
miniature marshmallows (optional)
whipped topping (optional)
Instructions
    1. Process chips in food processor until they are fine shreds, be careful not to over process or the chips will melt.
    2. Remove shredded chips to a medium mixing bowl.
    3. Process turbinado sugar in processor until it forms into a powder.
    4. Place in mixing bowl with chips.
    5. Add cacao powder and non-fat dry milk to bowl and stir to combine.
    6. Return mix to processor and pulse until ingredients are well combined and becomes a fine powder.
    7. Store in air-tight container in cool dry place, I store mine in the fridge.
When you are ready for a smooth cup of hot chocolate,
  1. Mix 2 to 3 heaping tablespoons of mix into 8 ounces of hot milk, dairy or non-dairy, adjust to your taste.
  2. Add topping of your choice.
Flavor Options
You can add ½ cup flavored non-dairy powdered creamers to mix, or add dry or wet creamer to taste when preparing.
Have Fun and Enjoy!

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

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It's my turn to bring dessert to my annual holiday gathering at work, and I've decided on red velvet cupcakes because I think they're pretty, festive and let's not forget delicious.

But there's one thing about red velvet recipes, if not done right, it can be super dry and tasteless, no chance of that with this recipe. I used a recipe from Averie Cooks, however, I switched the granulated sugar for coconut sugar. I was just a little bit concerned when I decided to use coconut sugar instead of granulated, because the texture of the coconut sugar is a bit more grainy it could change the texture of the cupcakes. So I processed the coconut sugar in a mini food processor to bring it close to the same texture of regular sugar, and it worked. This was also my first time using powdered buttermilk, and now I will always keep it on hand, this way I won't have to buy buttermilk for a recipe and have it go bad in my fridge later.

I used a cream cheese frosting recipe from Lizzy Early's cookbook, Your Cup of Cake, an awesome cookbook.

Red Velvet Cupcakes

This is the absolutely best red velvet cake recipe I have ever tried.  If you want moist and delicious red velvet cupcakes, this is the recipe.  I love that it is so easy to put together.

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Red Velvet Cupcakes
                      with Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

Cupcakes

1 large egg
1 ⅓ cup coconut sugar, before processing
⅔ cup buttermilk (or Powdered Buttermilk, use 2 ½ tablespoon plus ⅔ cup water)
½ cup canola or vegetable oil
2 rounded tablespoons vanilla Greek yogurt (plain Greek yogurt or sour cream may be substituted, I used plain Greek yogurt)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons unsweetened natural cocoa powder
¾ teaspoon baking soda
pinch of salt
1 to 2 tablespoons red food coloring, or as needed

Cream Cheese Frosting
8 ounces softened cream cheese
½ cup softened Earth Balance, butter substitute
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 ½ to 4 cups confectioners' sugar, as needed

cupcake topping of your choice

Instructions

Cupcakes

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line pans with cupcake liners.
  2. Pulse coconut sugar in food processor until it resembles regular sugar, about 30 to 40 seconds.
  3. Transfer processed sugar to bowl and measure out 1 cup.
  4. Whisk egg, sugar, buttermilk, oil, yogurt and vanilla until smooth.
  5. Whisk in the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt until just combined.
  6. Carefully whisk in food coloring to get a deep red color.
  7. Fill cupcake liners ¾ full and bake for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near center comes out clean.

Frosting

  1. Beat cream cheese and butter for about 2 minutes.
  2. Add vanilla and blend.
  3. Slowly add powdered sugar until frosting reaches desired consistency.
  4. Transfer frosting to piping bag and frost cooled cupcakes.
  5. Top with desired toppings.
Cupcake recipe was adapted from  Averie Cooks Red Velvet Cupcakes and the Cream Cheese Frosting recipe is from Lizzy Early's Your Cup of Cake cookbook.
Check out Averie's blog HERE and Lizzy's blog HERE.
Have fun and Enjoy!

Cranberry-Spinach Panini

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Cranberry-Spinach Panini
I absolutely love the sweet tarty flavor of whole cranberry sauce mixed with smooth, creamy cream cheese, add the pungent flavor of red onions, crisp spinach, all between hearty wheat bread, it's a taste explosion for the mouth.
If you don't have any leftover cranberry sauce, you may want to make some just so you can make this sandwich. You can find recipes for cranberry sauce HERE and HERE.
 When choosing your bread, make sure it's a hearty dense one that can hold up to the ingredients and the panini or grill, you don't want a soggy sandwich. I used Pepperidge Farm Whole Grain German Dark Wheat.
Pepperidge Farms Whole Grain German Dark Wheat
Spread the cream cheese on both slices of bread and pile on the rest of the ingredients, brush with a bit of olive oil, then grill using a panini press, George Foreman grill, or do it the old fashioned way we used to do when I was a child, in a plain old frying pan, flipping once or twice.
Cranberry Spinach Panini
I made this sandwich without meat, because I'm a no meat eating vegetarian, but for you meat eaters, you can easily add some sliced turkey or chicken.
I could eat this everyday, the marry of flavors are just so flipping delicious.

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Cranberry-Spinach Panini
Ingredients
2 slices of hearty whole wheat bread
1 and ½ tablespoon cream cheese
2 tablespoons whole cranberry sauce
few slices of red onions
hand full of fresh spinach
1 teaspoon olive oil
Instructions
1. Prepare panini or pan for sandwich.
2. Spread both slices of bread with cream cheese.
3. Spread cranberry sauce on one slice of bread.
4. Sprinkle red onions on the other slice of bread.
5. Pile on spinach and close sandwich.
6. Brush olive oil to outside of sandwich and place on grill or pan.
7. Grill until bread is toasty and cream cheese starts to melt.
8. Enjoy!
For meat eaters - add your meat of choice before grilling.
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Cranberry Almond Bread with Cranberry Spread

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Cranberry Almond Bread with Cranberry Spread
As I was mixing the batter for this bread I wasn't sure it would come out the way I was picturing in my mind.  After pouring the batter in the loaf pan, I thought maybe I should have used a cupcake pan, I was afraid the middle would sink, but it turned out there was no sinking, just a beautiful moist and delicious bread.
Cranberry Almond Bread with Cranberry Spread
To soften this bread I used one cup of whole wheat pastry flour to one cup plain whole wheat flour, and just so it wouldn't be to soft I added ⅓ cup of fine grain corn meal.
There are so many options when making this bread, you can use almost any kind of fruit. I chose cranberries, because it's that time of the year and cranberries seem to make anything it's added to more festive.
The tartness of the cranberries along with the sweet crunchy streusel topping work beautifully together. However, the next time I bake this I think I will put the streusel mixture in the middle and on the top.
Perfect bread to share with family and friends with a cup of coffee or tea.
Cranberry Almond Bread with Cranberry Spread
Ingredients
Batter
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
⅓ cup fine corn meal
¾ cup turbinado sugar
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup plain greek yogurt
1 egg, beaten
1 ½ cup almond milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup fresh whole cranberries
Streusel Topping
½ cup light brown sugar
½ cup sliced almonds
1 tablespoon whole wheat or all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
Cranberry Spread
½ cup fresh cranberries
½ cup water
2 ½ tablespoons turbinado sugar
8 .oz softened cream cheese
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and prepare loaf pan using cooking spray.
2. Mix together the streusel ingredients using your fingers until mixture is crumbly.
3. In a large bowl mix together the flours, corn meal, sugar, salt, and baking soda.
4. In another bowl mix the yogurt, egg, almond milk and vanilla.
5. Pour yogurt mixture into flour and stir until all combined.
6. Fold in cranberries.
7. Pour into prepared pan and sprinkle streusel topping over batter.
8. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until knife inserted in middle comes out clean.
9. Allow bread to cool slightly before slicing.
10. While bread is cooling, put cranberry spread ingredients in small saucepan and bring to a boil.
11. Reduce heat and allow to simmer, stirring occasionally until the mixture thickens.
12. Place cream cheese in a microwave safe bowl and heat 20 to 30 seconds to soften.
13. Mix together the cranberries and cream cheese.
14. Transfer to serving container.

Energizing Carrot Drink

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Energizing Carrot Drink

On most days you can find me starting my day off with the power of the greens,by way of a nutrient packed green smoothie,but sometimes I like to trade the green for some grange. This drink is loaded with vitamins and nutrients that keeps a body strong, which is important during the busy holiday, cold and flu season. Carrot

  • One of the richest source of beta-carotene, which helps fight against cancers.
  • Has vitamin A, that helps the retina of the eyes to function, vitamin A will not help you see better, but the antioxidant properties may help prevent cataracts and keep the eyes healthy.
  • Loaded with minerals from growing deep in the soil, (best to eat organic).
  • Cleanse and helps restore the liver.

Cucumber

  • Great source of B vitamins for energy.
  • Helps to hydrate the body, it's 95% water.
  • Helps to eliminate toxins from the body.
  • The magnesium and potassium may help lower blood pressure.
  • Contains cancer fighting lignans - lariciresinol, pinoresinol, and secoisolariciresinol, strongly connected to reducing breast, prostate, uterine and ovarian cancer.

Apple

  • Fiber rich.
  • Vitamin C
  • The antioxidant quercetin aids in endurance,because it helps make oxygen more available to the lungs.

Celery

  • High in vitamin K.
  • Has anti-inflammatory benefits, especially in the digestive tract.

Kale

  • Has protein and fiber and is high in beta carotene, vitamin k, c, lutein, zeaxanthin and calcium.
  • Contains sulforaphane, especially when chopped or minced. Sulforaphane is a chemical with strong anti-cancer properties.

Lemon

  • Strong antibacterial, antiviral and immune boosting.
  • Aids in digestion and helps to cleanse the liver.

 Carrot-Juice

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Energizing Carrot Drink
Ingredients
7 to 8 stalks of carrots
2 green apples
2 meduim cucumbers
2 celery stalks
2 kale leaves
1 lemon, peeled
Instructions
1. Juice all ingredients through your juicer.
2. Blend and drink up the goodness.
Best to drink as soon as it's made, don't store for later.
Pineapple is another fruit that is great in this drink.
Another option
Blend with frozen bananas or almond milk, or both for a tasty smoothie.
Happy Juicing!
Sources
http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/benefits-having-carrots-day-4028.html

Slow-Cooked Veggie Pasta Sauce

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Slow-Cooked-Veggie-Pasta-Sauce
Do you find yourself in a constant battle to get your family to eat their veggies? Or maybe you just need to add more veggies to your families diet.  It's like pulling teeth to get my daughter to eat her share of veggies, but I've finally found a way, I just add them to foods she likes without telling her.
The first time I made this my daughter was fighting me for the leftovers the next day, she had no idea she was eating cooked carrots. (she doesn't like cooked carrots).
My slow-cooked pasta sauce is one of the best ways to hide veggies those picky,non-veggie lovers.
What's great about this recipe, is it's so simple and easy.
Slow-Cooked-Veggie-Pasta-Sauce
A little chopping and everything goes into the slow-cooker, and it does the work, when it's ready, just blend and serve.
Bowl-of-Slow-Cooked-Veggie-Pasta-Sauce
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Slow-Cooked Veggie Pasta Sauce

Ingredients

12 to 15 Roma tomatoes, chopped (I quartered them)
½ cup sun dried tomatoes
5 whole cloves of garlic, add more or less depending on you personal taste
3 stalks of carrots, roughly chopped
2 large leaves of red Swiss chard, with stems, roughly chopped
1 fist full of fresh basil leaves
1 medium onion, rough chopped
3 pitted and chopped dates, or 2 tablespoons, light brown sugar (optional)
2 teaspoons, Herb De Provence
1 ½ teaspoon ground paprika
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1.Place all ingredients into slow-cooker and cook on medium for 6 to 8 hours.

2. Allow to cool to lukewarm before blending.
3. Pour into blender and blend until all ingredients are blended together, or us a stick blender.
Blend more if you desire a more smooth sauce.
Transfer to mason jar, or recycled glass pasta jar with screw top lid for storage in the fridge.
This pasta sauce can be served as is or you can add some of your families favorites, like meatballs, to make an awesome meal.
There is so much you can do with this sauce, add chili peppers if you like it spicy.

Have fun and enjoy!

Pasta-Dinner

 

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Slow-Cooked Veggie Pasta Sauce

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12 to 15 Roma tomatoes, chopped (I quartered them) ½ cup sun dried tomatoes 5 whole cloves of garlic, add more or less depending on you personal taste 3 stalks of carrots, roughly chopped 2 large leaves of red Swiss chard, with stems, roughly chopped 1 fist full of fresh basil leaves 1 medium onion, rough chopped 3 pitted and chopped dates, or 2 tablespoons, light brown sugar (optional) 2 teaspoons, Herb De Provence 1 ½ teaspoon ground paprika salt and pepper to taste

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 12 to 15 Roma tomatoes, chopped (I quartered them)
  • ½ cup sun dried tomatoes
  • 5 whole cloves of garlic, add more or less depending on you personal taste
  • 3 stalks of carrots, roughly chopped
  • 2 large leaves of red Swiss chard, with stems, roughly chopped
  • 1 fist full of fresh basil leaves
  • 1 medium onion, rough chopped
  • 3 pitted and chopped dates, or 2 tablespoons, light brown sugar (optional)
  • 2 teaspoons, Herb De Provence
  • 1 ½ teaspoon ground paprika
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

 

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Slow-Cooked Veggie Pasta Sauce

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Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Place all ingredients into slow-cooker and cook on medium for 6 to 8 hours.
  2. Allow to cool to lukewarm before blending.
  3. Pour into blender and blend until all ingredients are blended together, or us a stick blender.
  4. Blend more if you desire a more smooth sauce.
  5. Transfer to mason jar, or recycled glass pasta jar with screw top lid for storage in the fridge.
  6. This pasta sauce can be served as is or you can add some of your families favorites, like meatballs, to make an awesome meal.
  7. There is so much you can do with this sauce, add chili peppers if you like it spicy.
  8. Have fun and enjoy!

 

Apple Cinnamon Donuts

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Apple-Cinnamon Baked Donuts

 

I've been seeing donuts everywhere it seens.  I haven't had a donut in quite a while, but I had a craving for cake donuts and decided it was time to satisfy my craving with a homemade batch.

So off to the store I went to pick up a donut pan and a few more ingredients. I wasn't quite sure what flavor I would make, but after finding cinnamon chips and I knew exactly what I would make.
Apple-Cinnamon oven baked donuts. Much easier than frying and less calories too.

 

I had so much fun topping these donuts, there's so many ways.
  • Glazed and topped with chopped cinnamon chips.
  • Covered in powdered cinnamon sugar.
  • Topped with melted cinnamon chips with sprinkles on top.
  • Covered in chocolate if you are a chocolate fan.
I could go on and on. Yeah, I had fun topping these donuts, but I had more fun eating them.
                                                                                                Print Recipe
Apple-Cinnamon Donuts
Ingredients
2 cups, oat flour
½ cup coconut sugar
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoon melted coconut oil
½ cup almond milk
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup grated apple
¾ cup cinnamon chips
Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon warm water, use more if needed
Powdered Cinnamon Sugar
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a donut pan.
2. Whisk flour, sugar, salt, baking powder,  and cinnamon together.
3. Mix in the oil, milk, egg and vanilla.
4. Stir in the grated apple and cinnamon chips until combined.
5. Transfer batter to piping bag for easy filling or just spoon each cup to about ¾ full.
6. Bake until donuts are light golden brown and spring back when touched, about 15 to 20 minutes.
7. Let cool slightly before removing from pan.
8. Blend powdered sugar and warm water to make dipping glaze in a small bowl.
9. Dip or pour glaze over donuts.
10. Sprinkle chopped cinnamon chips or candy sprinkles over glaze.
Powdered Donuts
Mix together powdered sugar and cinnamon, dust cooled donuts with sugar mixture.
Enjoy!
 This post was shared with The Naptime Review, Consider Me Inspired, DIY's (Do It Yourself), and My Life as Robins Wife, for Mom's Monday Mingle.

 

Pumpkin French Toast

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Pumpkin French Toast

I remember when having french toast for breakfast was reserved for weekends only and regular pre-sliced bread was used instead of french bread, but now I like to use unsliced bread, I can make the slices larger than a half inch and not have soggy toast.

Sliced French Bread
When I prepare these I make extra to freeze. Just like the ones you purchase from the grocery, but only better and you control the ingredients.
What a great breakfast to serve to friends and family Thanksgiving morning.

Print Recipe

Pumpkin French Toast

Ingredients

4 eggs
1 ¼ cup milk, dairy or non-dairy
½ cup pumpkin purée
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
8 to12 slices of French bread
Instructions
1. Beat eggs and milk together until well combined, in a large bowl.
2. Whisk in the pumpkin purée, pumpkin pie spice, salt and vanilla until smooth.
3. Heat griddle pan or large non-stick pan to medium-low heat.
4. Spray griddle or pan surface with non-stick cooking spray.
5. Dip bread into egg mixture coating both sides.
6. Transfer bread slices to griddle or pan, heat until bottom is golden brown, turn to cook other side.
7. Serve hot with syrup.

Enjoy!

For more Fall Treats click HERE.

This post was shared with The Naptime Review, Consider Me Inspired, DIY's (Do It Yourself), My Life as Robins Wife, and 2Crochet Hooks for Mom's Monday Mingle.

Pumpkin Crockpot Applesauce

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Pumpkin Applesauce
Growing up in Georgia, we had several apple trees in our yard, and I can remember sitting at the kitchen table with my two sisters and brother peeling apple after apple, seemed as we would never reach the bottom of the basket. My mother made, apple pies, sauteed apples and loads and loads of applesauce that she stored in the freezer.  I don't miss peeling all those apples, but I do miss having apple trees in my yard.
Pumpkin Applesauce
I have been craving some homemade applesauce, but with my busy schedule, I haven't had a lot of time to prepare, and then it hit me, why not use my crock-pot. So, so easy, everything goes in, apple peel and all, and for an extra special taste, I added the flavor of the season, pumpkin!
Pumpkin Applesauce

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Pumpkin Crock-Pot Applesauce

Ingredients

14 t0 16 medium apples
1 ¾ cup apple cider
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 ½ cup coconut sugar
1 ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½  teaspoon nutmeg
Instructions
1. Clean, slice and core the apples. (leave skin on)
2. Put all ingredients into crock-pot, stir and let it do it's thing.
I set my crock-pot on the low setting because it would be cooking for more than eight hours and I didn't want it to burn. If you will be away for less hours you can set to a medium or high setting.
3. Transfer crock-pot ingredients to a blender or food processor and pulse until sauce is smooth or transfer to a bowl and use a stick blender to combine until smooth. Process less if you want a more chunky style sauce.
4. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.
Enjoy!
 This post was shared with The Naptime Review, Consider Me Inspired, Janine's Conessions of A Mommyaholic, Lilla Rose and Tin Tin and Livia for Mom's Monday Mingle.

On-The-Stalk Roasted Brussels Sprouts

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As a child I cried every time I ate Brussels Sprouts, I think it was the fact that I was forced to eat them, you know that, "you can't leave the table until you cleaned your plate" thing, and they were always the last thing on my plate. My mom prepared them simply by putting them into a pan with a little water, salt and pepper and sometimes she would put cheese over them, the cheese made them easier to eat.  Over the years I have had Brussels Sprouts prepared several ways and I have acquired a taste for them. Sometimes it's the preparation of a food that makes the difference.

When I saw these on-the-stalk Brussels Sprouts at Trader Joe's, I was excited to purchase and roast them on-the-stalk. Such a simple recipe, but loads of flavor.
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Balsamic Glaze Roasted On-The-Stalk Brussels Sprouts

Ingredients

1 Brussels Sprout stalk
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
sea salt and cracked black pepper to taste
⅓ cup, balsamic glaze (I used Trader Joe's )
Don't have Trader Joe's glaze, that's OK.
to make your own glaze, mix 1 cup of balsamic vinger with 3 tablespoons of honey, bring to a boil in small saucepan, reduce to simmer and cook until thickened.

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Rinse stalk well in fresh water and trim any unsightly parts.
3. Brush olive oil over sprouts.
4. Wrap sprouts in parchment paper, and wrap parchment covered sprouts in aluminum foil.
5. Place in oven for 20 to 25 minutes.
6. Remove parchment and foil, brush on glaze, season with salt and pepper and return to oven.
7. Tent sprouts with foil to prevent burning.
8. Roast for about 45 minutes or until sprouts are fork tender.
9. Rotate and brush on more glaze halfway through roasting.
10. Remove foil and glaze once more during the last 15 minutes of roasting.
11. Brush on more glaze just before serving.
 Roasted tomatoes anyone?  Add some in for a flavor variation.



This post was shared with The Naptime Review, Janie's Confessions of Mommyaholic, Adventures with Jude, Krystal's Kitsch for Mom's Monday Mingle.





Almond Date Dip

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Crisp, cool, delicious apples, they are as good for you as they are good to eat. Apples have phytonutrients that help regulate blood sugar levels, fiber, vitamin c, and they're so many varieties.
My favorites are granny smith, honeycrisp and pink lady. One of my favorite ways to enjoy apples are simply sliced and served with this quick and easy Almond Date Dip.
This dip is reminisent of caramel apples,without all the clean up mess.
                                                  Print Recipe
Almond Date Dip with Apple Slices

Ingredients

8 to 10 pitted, medjool dates
½ cup water
½ teaspoon, cinnamon
½ cup, sliced almonds
apple slices of any variety

Directions

1. Place dates and water in blender or food processor and blend until creamy. (add more water if needed).
2. Add cinnamon and blend well.
3. Add almonds and blend until almonds are blended into small pieces. (I added a few chopped almonds just before serving).
4. Slice apples for dipping.

Happy National Apple Month!

Eat Your Apples!

This post was shared on The Naptime Review, Janie's Confessions of A Mommyaholic , Adventures with Jude, and Mama"s High Strung for Mom's Monday Mingle.


Skinny-Chocolate Mug Cake

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Cake
 
My daughter found a delicious mug cake recipe on Pinterest a few months ago and loves how fast she can mix, bake and enjoy a sweet treat. I love it too, but I don't like the calorie count, so I've come up with a recipe that lowers the calorie count. In place of the sugar I used monk fruit sweetener. This is a new sweetener on the market made from vine-ripened monk fruit and it has 0 calories. Monk fruit is native to southern People's Republic of China and is used for medicinal purposes, as well as a sweetener. Read more about monk fruit here.
Before adding the whip topping, using traditional sugar the calorie count is 702 calories, the skinny version has a calorie count of 444.
 
Cake
 
I used Reddi Wip to top it off, it's only 15 calories per serving, the calorie count with the whip cream is 459.
 
 
                                      Print Recipe
 
 
 

Skinny-Chocolate Mug Cake

Ingredients

4 tablespoons, gluten free oat flour
4 tablespoons, unsweetened cocoa powder
1 ½ to 2 tablespoons, monk fruit
Dash of salt
2 tablespoons, vegetable oil
¼ teaspoon of vanilla
2 tablespoons, dark coffee
whip topping (optional)
chocolate shavings (optional)
 

Instructions

1. Place all dry ingredients in a microwave safe mug, mix well.
2. Mix in wet ingredients.
3. Microwave on high for 1 minute, checking after 30 or 40 seconds.Microwave longer if needed.
4. It will be done when cake is springy and just a bit gooey in the center. Use caution, cake will be very hot.
5. Top with whip topping and chocolate shavings or top with ice cream.
6. Have fun and enjoy!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
This post was shared on The Naptime Review, Janie's Confessions of A Mommyaholic and Adventures with Jude for Mom's Monday Mingle.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Pumpkin Blondies

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When I think of fall I think of pumpkins!  This weekend the air was much cooler and it put me in the mood to cook with pumpkins, so I whipped up these yummy pumpkin blondies.  Add a hot cup of tea, cider or coffee and you're all set to enjoy a taste of fall.
                                                                                           Print Recipe

Pumpkin Blondies

Ingredients

3 eggs
1 cup, light brown sugar
⅔ pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon, fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon, baking powder
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoon, pumpkin pie spice
Cream cheese mixture
2 8oz. packages of light cream cheese (softened)
2 eggs
½ cup, maple syrup
1 ½ teaspoons, vanilla
Sugar topping
½ cup, light brown sugar
¾ cup, sliced almonds

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and spray a rectangle baking pan with cooking spray.
2. Combine flour, baking powder and pumpkin pie spice together in small bowl, set aside.
3. Blend the eggs and sugar together in a large bowl until completely combined.
4. Fold in the pumpkin puree and lemon juice, until combined.
5. Slowly add in the flour mixture.
6. Pour into pan, set aside.
7. Combine softened cream cheese, eggs, syrup and vanilla in med. mixing bowl.
8. Beat until smooth using hand held mixer.
9. Spread cream cheese mixture over pumpkin mixture.
10.Mix together sugar topping and sprinkle on top of cream cheese.
11.Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean.
You can easily make these brownies by adding cocoa powder.
This post was shared with The Naptime Review, All She Cooks, Moe Talks ALOT, My Fashion Foward Blog, and Hand and The Heart for their Mom's Monday Mingle.
This post was also  shared with Tatertotsandjello for Link Party Palooza.


Kale Avocado Brownie

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What do you do when you want to eat more veggie? Include them in your desserts!  I've made breads and cakes with zucchini, but I wanted to try something different today, and my go to veggie was kale. Yes, you read right, kale, kale and avocado, what a wonderful combo. They're awesome together in salads and in these brownies, they're no different.
The perfect way to hide veggies is to do it with chocolate, no one will know they're there unless you tell them.  I used avocado to replace the unhealthy fat, it also helps to make these brownies moist.
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Kale Avocado Brownie

Ingredients

Brownie Cake

2 cups, all-purpose flour
2 cups, unrefined coconut sugar
⅔ cups, cacao powder
1 teaspoon, baking soda
½ teaspoon, baking powder
1 teaspoon, sea salt
2 cup, chopped kale
2 tablespoons, water
1 medium avocado, mashed
½ cup, Greek yogurt
2 teaspoon, vanilla
3 eggs
½ cup, strong black coffee

Avocado Cream Topping

2 medium, avocados, mashed
3 tablespoons, fresh lemon juice
1 8oz. package of Green Mountain cream cheese and Greek yogurt spead (can use plain)
½ teaspoon, vanilla
1 ¼ cup, unrefined coconut sugar

Chocolate Sauce

½ cup, cacao powder
⅛ cup, maple syrup or honey
dash of sea salt
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a square or rectangle cake pan.
2. In a large bowl combine, flour, sugar, cacao, baking soda, baking soda and salt and set aside.
3. Place kale, water and avocado in blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
4. Add yogurt, vanilla, eggs and coffee to kale mixture and blend until combined.
5. Slowly mix in the flour mixture until batter is smooth.
6. Pour batter into prepared pan.
7. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of brownies, comes out clean.

While brownies are baking.....

8. Blend avocados, lemon juice, cream cheese, vanilla and sugar until smooth.
9. Transfer to storage container, cover and place in fridge.

Next ....

10. Slowly mix together cacao powder and salt with syrup or honey, adding more or less to suit your taste, you can thicken or thin out  the sauce using some water.
11.Cool brownie completely before spreading with avocado cream.
12. Strip with chocolate sauce.
13. Take a toothpick,skewer or tip if pointy knife, and drag it through the icing in zig-zag motion to create pattern.
14. Place in fridge to set.

Slice and enjoy!

Such a delicious way to get more veggies, in don't you agree!

This post was shared on Naptime Review, All She Cooks, Moe Talks A Lot, Redefining Mom, My Fashion Forward Blog, My Love For Words, The Happy Handicap and Mom To Many Girls for Mom's Monday Mingle.

Summer Squash Creamy Soup

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I didn't really want to eat anything heavy for dinner after having a late lunch, so soup was the answer.

I had some yellow summer squash and zucchini in the fridge, a quick chop, cook and blend and I was in soup heaven.
This soup can be made with just about any veggie or veggies of your liking, and if you like a more chunky soup, blend less and reserve some veggies to stir in before serving. Add a salad and crusty bread and you really have a satisfying meal. For you meat eaters, add chopped chicken.

Creamy Summer Squash Soup

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Ingredients

1 tablespoon, extra virgin olive oil
3 to 4 yellow squash
3 to 4 zucchini
1cup, chopped onion
1cup, vegetable broth
1cup water
sea salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons, pesto sauce (optional)
1 ⅓ cup, Greek yogurt
¼ cup, grated parmesan cheese for garnishing

Instructions

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add squash and onions and cook until tender.
2. Add vegetable broth, water, salt and pepper to taste, bring to a boil.
3. Reduce heat and simmer 20 to 25 minutes.
4. Remove from heat, stir in pesto and greek yogurt.
5. Transfer to blender and blend in batches, or use an immersion blender to blend.
6. Serve topped with grated parmesan and crusty bread.


Frozen Goodness

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For most, Labor Day marks the end of summer, but not the end of the heat, especially here in Texas.

To help cool me down I made some tasty Zip pops, using Zipzicle, a zip-top ice-pop mold. I love these things, because I control the ingredients without the worries of allergies, dyes or too much sugar.

 

It's so simple and easy to transform fresh fruits and veggies, yes, I said veggies, into ice-pops. this is a great way to get more veggies into your little ones or big ones.  Although fresh fruits have natural sweetness, I added maple syrup to sweeten just a bit more.

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Basically, take your smoothies and  transformed them to ice-pops. These frozen treats can be loaded with powerful disease fighting foods, making them, not just tasty, but good for you too!

Raspberry Smoothie Ice-Pops

Ingredients

1lb. fresh raspberries
2 tablespoons, fresh lemon juice
6 oz. plain Greek yogurt
3 tablespoons, maple syrup

Instructions

1. Place raspberries into blender and blend until smooth.
2. Pour mixture thur a mesh strainer to rid the mixture of the seeds.
3. Blend raspberry sauce with lemon juice, Greek yogurt and maple syrup until smooth.
4. Pour mixture into Zipzicle bags to the fill line, zip and place in freezer to freeze.
5. When all frozen, ENJOY!

Variations 

Green Smoothie Pop

Use 2 bananas, juice of 2 lemons, 2 kiwis
and two handfuls of kale.
The combinations are limitless, use whatever fruit and veggies you have on hand, if you are on a dairy free diet, omit the yogurt.

This post was shared on The Naptime Review, All She Cooks, Gloriously Made, My Fashion Forward Blog and  This Motherhood is Brought to You By Xanax  for the Mom's Monday Mingle Link Party.


Plumcot Crisp

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I'm loving the plumcots I found at Trader Joe's last weekend!

Even my daughter's guinea pig, Kimmie likes them, that's a big deal because Kimmie is unlike all other guinea pigs, she turns away from all fruits, but not plumcots.

I tried something different this weekend, I made Plumcot Crisp.

 

I almost didn't have enough, I was eating them, they were so good mixed with the coconut sugar and cinnamon.

 

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Plumcot Crisp
 
Ingredients 
4cups, sliced plumcots, about 6
1 tablespoon oat flour
2 tablespoons, coconut sugar
1teaspoon, vanilla
1tablespoon, fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon, cinnamon
Topping
¾ cup, oat flour
½ cup, old fashioned oats
½ cup, coconut sugar
¼ teaspoon, sea salt
½ cup, Earth Balance non-dairy butter
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In medium bowl, toss together plumcots, coconut sugar, vanilla, lemon juice and cinnamon.
3. Transfer to baking dish.
4. In another bowl, combine all the topping ingredients, and mix with pastry blender or fork to form course crumbs.
5. Sprinkle crumb mixture evenly over plumcots.
6. Bake  40 to 45 minutes or until topping is golden brown.
You can easily substitute plums or any other fruit of your choice, and you can use all-purpose flour if you don't want to use oat flour.
Whatever you do,
Enjoy!
 


Roasted Fig Spread

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When I say this recipe is quick and easy, that's definitely an understatement. This spread can be made in under 10 minutes.
This is a great spread for toast, waffles, muffins, smoothies, hot cereals and sandwiches.

Ingredients

1cup, roasted figs (sprinkled with cinnamon and coconut sugar and roasted in 350 degree oven for 20 to 35 minutes.
3 dates, chopped
½ teaspoon vanilla
dash of sea salt
about ½ cup of warm filtered water

Instructions

1. Place ¼ cup of the water in processor or blender, with dates and pulse until smooth.
2. Add figs,vanilla and salt to the dates and blend until smooth, adding remainder of water as needed.
3. Transfer to airtight container for storage.

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Enjoy!


Super Moist Vegan Brownies

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Last weekend I whipped up a batch of tasty vegan brownies, using xylitol as a sweetener to replace the refined sugar, much to my dismay, my digestive system couldn't handle the xylitol.

Next I tried using stevia, I didn't like it, so I decided to use coconut sugar and it was a winner.
These brownies were so moist and full of flavor, hard not to eat the whole pan.

I have been obsessing over Trader Joe's sunflower seed butter lately, so I made a sunflower seed cream to top off the brownies.

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Super Moist Vegan Brownies

Ingredients
4 tablespoons ground flax seed
6 tablespoons warm water
½ cup (1stick) Earth Balance non-dairy butter
1 cup of coconut sugar
1teaspoon vanilla extract
1 & ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ cup carob powder
2teaspoons, espresso powder
⅛ cup of almond milk
1cup oat flour
11/2 to 2 oz. dark chocolate candy bar, chopped (optional)

Sunflower Seed Butter Cream

8 oz. softened vegan cream cheese
½ cup sunflower seed butter, or nut butter of your choice
¼ cup coconut sugar

Instructions
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a square 9-inch baking pan with cooking spray
2. Mix together softened vegan cream cheese, sunflower seed butter and sugar.
3. Cover and place in fridge.
4. Mix ground flax seeds with the warm water, and set aside.
5. In a large mixing bowl, melt the non-dairy butter in a microwave.
6. When butter is all melted, mix in sugar, vanilla, baking powder, salt, carob powder, and milk. Mix to combine.
7. Add in oat flour.
8. Lastly stir in the chopped chocolate bar.
9. Pour batter into prepared pan.
10. Bake on the middle rack of oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until brownies pull away from side of pan and it springs back when slightly touched.
11. Remove from oven and let cool. When cooled, top with sunflower seed topping. Cut into squares and enjoy.

Store in airtight container to keep fresh.


Sweet Creamy, Dreamy Dairy Free

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Hello August, boy is it hot!
and I've been longing for some creamy ice cream, but being lactose intolerant I have to have the dairy free version. I've tried many a recipe, but none have wowed me, until today.
I experimented using one can of full fat coconut milk and a cup of unsweetened almond milk, and for sweeteners, I used agave nectar and coconut sugar, I was blown away with the taste,it was like having a bowl of rich creamy cappuccino. The next batch I make, I will add a bit of espresso for a bolder coffee taste.  I topped it off with some Buckwheat-Oat Granola, (recipe coming soon). I think what made the difference was the use of full fat coconut milk and my choice of sweeteners. I never have white sugar on hand, and all of the recipes I have found, use white sugar, so my first few trys were with honey or agave nectar, and I didn't like the taste and using a lower fat milk, I had trouble with the ice cream getting to hard because ice crystals formed.  Using the mix of agave and coconut sugar made all the difference in the sweetness and flavor.

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I am already thinking of more flavors to try.
Creamy, Dreamy Dairy Free Coconut Ice Cream
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
 
   1 13.5 oz. can of full fat coconut milk
   1 cup of unsweetened almond milk
   ⅓ cup agave nectar
   2 tablespoons of coconut sugar
Instructions
  1. Blend all ingredients in a high speed blender, if you don't have a high speed blender,you can use   mixer.  chill in the fridge for 2 hours or more.
  2. Prepare according to your ice cream maker manufacturers instructions.
 3. When done transfer to freezer safe container and store in freezer. If you don't have an ice cream maker, you can transfer to a freezer safe container and freeze for several hours.
If you try this recipe, please let me know how it works for you.
If you have a good dairy free ice cream recipe, please share.