Skinny Strawberry Margaritas

April 24, 2013 by

Skinny Strawberry Margaritas

So I just realized like yesterday that Cinco de Mayo is coming up. You guys know how much I love Mexican food so any holiday that will allow for me to eat copious amounts of guacamole and drink a bunch of fruity margaritas is fine by me!

These skinny strawberry margaritas are inspired by my skinny raspberry margaritas. Margaritas are one of my favorite drinks, but the amount of sugar most restaurants put in them is just horrifying. I often feel like I am just drinking pure sugar more than anything else.

It takes a little more work to strain the seeds or you can choose to leave them in if you don’t mind them! This margarita comes in at about 190 calories. I sweetened it with agave nectar, but you could also use sugar if desired. I also lightly rimmed my glasses with some raw sugar.

Skinny Strawberry Margaritas

Print
Skinny Strawberry Margaritas

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Yield: 2 margaritas

Calories per serving: 190

Ingredients

  • 4 oz. fresh or frozen strawberries
  • 4 oz. silver tequila
  • 1 lime, juiced
  • 6 oz. club soda
  • 1 tbs. agave nectar (or to taste)
  • Splash raspberry liquor and/or Triple sec (optional)
  • raw sugar, granulated sugar, or salt (for the rim, optional)

Instructions

  1. Add the raspberries to a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Place a fine mesh strainer over a bowl. Pour the puree into the strainer to remove the seeds.
  2. Add the remaining ingredients plus the strained raspberry puree into a pitcher. Stir to combine. Serve over ice.
http://eat-drink-love.com/2013/04/skinny-strawberry-margaritas/

Skinny Strawberry Margaritas

Filed Under: Cocktails, Drinks, Low-Sugar/Sugar-Free · Tagged With: , , , , 16 Comments

Apple Snack Bites

April 19, 2013 by

Apple Snack Bites

Hi guys! Forgive me for kind of being MIA this week. I’ve been trying to get over a bad stomach bug. Needles to say, food hasn’t been on my mind. And now I am in Seattle for a conference so I am happy to introduce a great guest blogger, Anne, from Teach. Eat. Love.!

I met Anne while we were both living the dorm life at FSU way back in the day (or at least it seems like it was way back in the day!). Anne is a new blogger and she is super talented! Anne’s blog is all about teaching kids how to eat healthy, natural, and wholesome foods. She creates delicious recipes that your whole family can enjoy eating so please stop by her blog sometime and tell her hello! I’ll leave it up to Anne from here to tell you about these tasty little apple snack bites she has made for us today!

Hi! I’m Anne. I love coming up with fun and healthy recipes to help my daughter become a better eater. Before my family started our journey to better eating, my daughter’s snacks used to consist of appalling amounts of cheddar bunnies. We still have bunnies every once in awhile for a special treat, but now I look for more nutrient-dense foods like these apple cinnamon snack bites. They’re kind of like a Larabar, but in a kid-sized portion.These snack bites have protein, good fats, fruit-derived sugars, and best of all, they’re delicious.

Apple Snack Bites

Print
Apple Snack Bites

Yield: 15-18 bites

Ingredients

  • 1 packed c. Mejool dates (about 20)
  • 1/2 c. packed dried unsweetened apple rings (about 10)
  • 1 cup raw almonds
  • 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
  • 2 T. water
  • 1 tsp. sunflower oil
    • Optional coating:
  • 1/4 c. almond flour
  • dash of cinnamon

Instructions

  1. In a food processor, puree the dates, apples, and almonds.
  2. Add the cinnamon and sunflower oil.
  3. Add enough water until the mixture barely clings together. I used 2 tablespoons, but depending on the moistness of the dates you use, you may need more or less.
  4. Pour the almond flour into a bowl along with the dash of cinnamon. If you don't have almond flour, graham cracker crumbs would be a delicious substitute.
  5. Using a tablespoon, scoop out the date mixture and roll it into a ball. Repeat until all of the mixture is used.
  6. Roll each ball into the coating.

Notes

Recipe from Teach. Eat. Love.

I'm not exactly sure how long these will keep since they're always devoured in a day or two at our house.

http://eat-drink-love.com/2013/04/apple-snack-bites/

Thanks for making these tasty little bites, Anne! They look fabulous!
Filed Under: Kid-Friendly, Low-Fat, Low-Sugar/Sugar-Free, Snacks · Tagged With: , , , , , 14 Comments

No-Bake Energy Bites

April 12, 2013 by

No-Bake Energy Bites

So it turns out that when you try to take pictures of brown balls, they either look like a). meatballs or b). poo. Yes, I just said poo in a food blog. Forgive me.

No-Bake Energy Bites

But really, these are neither of those things. They are tasty little no-bake energy bites that I can’t stop eating. And the great thing about them is that they are healthy! These little bites are packed with fiber, antioxidants, and omega-3 fatty acids. These bites will fill you up and satisfy any sugar cravings (without there actually being a ton of sugar in them). And at only 90 calories per bite, you don’t have to feel guilty about eating them! They would also be perfect for an after-school snack for your kiddos.

No-Bake Energy Bites

Since these bites are no-bake, feel free to play around with the ingredients! I just added some mini chocolate chips to mine, but you could also add raisins, dried fruits, coconut, or nuts. Oh, and did I mention that they are also gluten-free and vegan?! You can’t go wrong with these little bites, so go make a batch right now!

No-Bake Energy Bites

Print
No-Bake Energy Bites

Total Time: 40 minutes

Yield: About 20 bites

Serving Size: 1 bite

Calories per serving: 90

Fat per serving: 5.3 g

Ingredients

  • 1 cup quick oats (use gluten-free oats if you want to for these to be gluten-free)
  • 1/2 cup natural peanut butter (or any nut butter of your choice)
  • 1/4 cup agave nectar (you can also use honey or maple syrup)
  • 1 tbs. melted coconut oil
  • 1 tbs. chia seeds
  • 2 tbs. flax seed meal
  • 3 tbs. mini chocolate chips
  • pinch of salt
  • 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
    • Other add ins:
  • raisins
  • nuts
  • dried fruits
  • shredded coconut

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, mix together all of the ingredients until well-combined. Cover and refrigerate the mixture for about 30 minutes.
  2. Using your hands, roll the mixture into balls. Mine were about 1-1 1/2-inch in diameter.
  3. Place the bites into an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for about 1 week.
http://eat-drink-love.com/2013/04/no-bake-energy-bites/

No-Bake Energy Bites

Filed Under: Breakfast, diabetic-friendly, Kid-Friendly, Low-Carb, Low-Fat, Low-Sugar/Sugar-Free, Snacks, Vegetarian/Vegan · Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , 22 Comments

No-Bake Banana Cream Cheesecakes

April 5, 2013 by

No-Bake Banana Cream Cheesecakes

While I love a good baked cheesecake, I am a horrible baker. I’ve told you guys this before. I fully admit this. I have a brand spanking new cheesecake pan sitting in my cupboard just waiting for me to work up enough guts to make a baked cheesecake. The no-bake cheesecake is basically fool-proof. Therefore I love it. I have made pumpkin cheesecakes and Irish Cream cheesecakes. The base for these little no-bake cheesecakes is the same: cream cheese and Cool Whip. From there, you can do whatever you want! For these no-bake banana cream cheesecakes, I used instant banana cream pudding. So easy!

No-Bake Banana Cream Cheesecakes

I will tell you that the banana flavor in this recipe is not overwhelming. If you want a stronger banana flavor, you can add a layer of sliced bananas in between the graham cracker crust and the filling or on top for garnish. Though I have never tried it, you can also consider using banana extract (you can buy imitation or natural versions of this on Amazon). I also noticed that these did not set quite as much as my other no-bake cheesecake recipes. This is probably due to the pudding, but believe me, these little guys are so scrumptious!

No-Bake Banana Cream Cheesecakes

Print
No-Bake Banana Cream Cheesecakes

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours

Yield: about 6 servings (will depend on the size of your serving bowls)

Calories per serving: 280 calories (without topping)

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs (divided; you can also use crushed Nilla Wafers)
  • 3 tbs. unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 8-ounce package reduced fat cream cheese, softened
  • 1 .9-ounce package JELL-O fat free sugar free banana cream instant pudding
  • 1 1/3 cup skim milk
  • 1 8-ounce tub Lite Cool Whip
    • For garnish (all optional):
  • Cool Whip (or any whipped cream/topping)
  • nuts
  • graham cracker crumbs
  • sliced banana

Instructions

  1. Divide the graham cracker crumbs evenly amongst your individual serving bowls (I used 6). Carefully drizzle the melted butter over the crumbs in each bowl. This will help the crumbs set. Stick the bowls into the freezer.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the instant pudding mix and milk. Let set for about 5 minutes.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese and pudding. Fold in the Cool Whip until well-combined.
  4. Remove the bowls from the freezer. Spoon or pipe the filling evenly into each serving bowl. Place the bowls into an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (I like to do mine overnight).
  5. Garnish with extra Cool Whip and any other desired garnishes.

Notes

Feel free to play around with the regular, reduced fat, fat free, and sugar free versions of the Cool Whip, pudding, and the cream cheese. Keep in mind that if you use all fat free products, the cheesecakes may not set as well (however, they still taste good!).

My serving bowls are from Pier 1 Imports

http://eat-drink-love.com/2013/04/no-bake-banana-cream-cheesecakes/

No-Bake Banana Cream Cheesecakes

Filed Under: Desserts, Low-Fat, Low-Sugar/Sugar-Free · Tagged With: , , , , , 16 Comments

Strawberry Banana Muffins (Dairy-Free)

February 5, 2013 by

Strawberry Banana Muffins

It’s Tuesday and I made you some strawberry banana muffins. And guess what? They are dairy-free and vegan!

Today you can find me over on my friend, Joleen’s blog, Love, Joleen. Joleen and I use to go to high school together when I lived in California so we go way back! Joleen is not a food blogger, but she is an amazing photographer and crafter. I’m super jealous of her artistic abilities! Joleen is a new mommy and is moving across the country this week so she asked me to post for her while she is in transit.

Strawberry Banana Muffins

Joleen had one request for me: Whatever I made had to be dairy-free. I don’t usually bake without dairy, but I was up for the challenge! I was very pleased with how these muffins turned out. I was worried they would be dry, but they were very moist from the coconut oil. Coconut is seriously amazing (in case you didn’t already know that!). I didn’t use very much sugar in these muffins so they are great for breakfast or a snack and are also great for kids!

So, please hop on over to Joleen’s blog for the recipe!

Strawberry Banana Muffins

Strawberry Banana Muffins

Filed Under: Breakfast, Kid-Friendly, Low-Fat, Low-Sugar/Sugar-Free, Vegetarian/Vegan · Tagged With: , , , , , , , , 27 Comments

Strawberry Cheesecake Popsicles

July 6, 2012 by

Happy Friday! I can’t believe it’s already Friday! This week just flew by. I feel like we just got to Cleveland, but we’ve already been here for a week. Fifteen days seems like a long visit, but once you start scheduling days to see all of your family and friends, it seems like there aren’t actually enough days and we are running around like crazy!

On Tuesday, we went to an Indians game. My husband really wanted to go since the Indians were playing the Angels (where he is from). I was very pleased though when he went and bought an Indians hat. I asked him if he is sure that he wants to be a Cleveland fan. Being a Cleveland sports fan is often very painful. It’s a love-hate relationship. We can’t help but love our teams, but they always seem to disappoint us!

Around the 7th inning, we saw this awfulness looming over the stadium:

Needless to say, minutes later, it started to pour which led to a rain delay. Then, it cleared up and the game started back up. Then in the 9th inning with just two outs to go, it started to pour again. We wanted to stick it out because there was supposed to be fireworks after the game. Oh, and quick sidenote: Let me just tell you guys, don’t bring your Coach bag to a game when it’s supposed to rain. I didn’t really care if I got wet, but not my poor Coach babies…

Finally the game finished up and the Indians did not disappoint us AND we got our fireworks!

Alright, so how about these strawberry cheesecake popsicles? Well, they are pretty darn good. My picky husband said that they weren’t really popsicles because they had a creamy texture. Really?! Whatever. What does he know anyway?!

I thought they were pretty good and they really couldn’t be easier to make! You can use regular whipped topping and cream cheese, or you can go for the reduced fat versions. I like these popsicles because it’s almost like eating some ice cream, but much easier to make and a little healthier!

Print
Strawberry Cheesecake Popsicles

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Yield: approx. 6 popsicles

Ingredients

  • 16 oz. (1 lb.) strawberries, rinsed and stems removed
  • 1 8 oz. container whipped topping, thawed
  • 1 block (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
  • agave nectar or sugar (optional)

Instructions

  1. Pour strawberries into a blender. Blend until smooth. If you want your popsicles to be sweeter, add agave nectar or sugar to taste and blend again to mix. If you do not want the seeds, pour the pureed strawberries through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl. If you do not mind the seeds, pour the strawberry puree directly into a bowl.
  2. In a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese and whipped topping. Stir in the strawberry puree. Pour the mixture into popsicle molds and freeze.

Notes

If you do not have popsicle molds, you can use small Dixie cups. Pour the mixture into the cups, insert popsicle sticks, and freeze.

http://eat-drink-love.com/2012/07/strawberry-cheesecake-popsicles/
Filed Under: Desserts, Low-Fat, Low-Sugar/Sugar-Free · Tagged With: , , , , 42 Comments

Mini Lemon Mascarpone Fruit Pies

July 2, 2012 by

Hello, friends! Sorry I’ve been M.I.A. the last few days. We made it to Cleveland safe and sound. We have already been so busy with visiting family and friends. It’s so nice to be home! I have been enjoying catching with everyone and enjoying the lovely Cleveland summer nights. You can’t usually say anything good about Cleveland weather, but I do enjoy summer nights here. It’s nice and cool and although there are mosquitoes, there aren’t nearly as many scary bugs crawling around as there are in Florida. Oh, and lighting bugs!! I love lighting bugs!

I have another simple 4th of July recipe to share with you all today. Back when I made my Challah bread french toast topped with lemon mascarpone, I knew I needed to find other recipes that I could squeeze some lemon mascarpone in. You can never have enough lemon mascarpone, peeps.

These little pies are so perfect for summer and for the 4th of July! They are easy to make and don’t require turning on your oven! I loved them because they are not too heavy and they have such a nice light and sweet flavor with a hint lemon. They are also mini-sized! Mini-sized desserts = cute and great for portion control!

Print
Mini Lemon Mascarpone Fruit Pies

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Yield: 6 mini pies

Ingredients

  • 6 oz. mascarpone cheese
  • 1 8-ounce container whipped topping
  • 1 lemon
  • 6 mini graham cracker pie shells
  • strawberries, blueberries (or fruits of your choice)

Instructions

  1. In a bowl, beat together the mascarpone cheese and whipped topping. Add in the zest of about half of a lemon along with some lemon juice (you can use half of a lemon or more if you want the flavor to stand out more). Stir to combine.
  2. Divide the mixture evenly amongst each of the mini pie shells.
  3. Slice strawberries into thin slices. Arrange on top of the pie along with some of the blueberries. Refrigerate for about 2 hours before serving.

Notes

I thought that these little pies were perfectly sweet, but if you prefer a sweeter flavor, you can beat in some confectioner's sugar about 1 tbs. at a time until the mixture reaches your desired sweetness.

http://eat-drink-love.com/2012/07/mini-lemon-mascarpone-fruit-pies/
Filed Under: Desserts, Low-Sugar/Sugar-Free · Tagged With: , , , , , , , 32 Comments

Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirl Ice Cream

June 12, 2012 by

Summer makes me want to eat a lot of ice cream. Ice cream is one of the best things ever. I wish it was acceptable to eat for breakfast, brunch, lunch, linner, dinner, and dessert. Oh, the cruel world we live in…

I have been obsessed with making my own frozen treats lately. And I am all about making ice cream that I can feel less guilty about eating. I’ve professed my love for peanut butter and chocolate many, many, many times on this blog. It was time to make this dreamy combination into something frosty and wonderful.

I had to tell a little fib before serving this ice cream to my husband. Actually, I didn’t lie. I just chose not to say anything. He doesn’t like it when I try to “healthify” things. So, I just didn’t tell him what I did to this ice cream. First, instead of using 5 or more egg yolks, I only used 3. And instead of heavy cream, I used reduced fat half and half. But, my favorite tweak in this recipe is that there is NO added sugar! I used agave nectar as a sweetener and I am really pleased with how it turned out. The ice cream was plenty sweet.

I eventually told my husband as he was eating a bowl of the ice cream that I used agave instead of sugar. His reply was, “So, what you’re saying is that this ice cream could be even better had you used real sugar?” Ass.

Print
Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirl Ice Cream

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Yield: about 1 1/2 quarts

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup agave nectar
  • 1/2 cup milk (any kind will do)
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 2 1/2 cups reduced fat half and half
  • 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chunks (or roughly chop semi-sweet chips)
  • 1/2-2/3 cup natural peanut butter

Instructions

  1. In a small sauce pan, add the milk, agave nectar, and the cocoa powder. Bring to a simmer until the agave dissolves. Pour the mixture into a large bowl. Place a mesh strainer over the bowl and set aside.
  2. Whisk together the egg yolks in a bowl and set aside. In a sauce pan, add the half and half and vanilla extract and heat until warm. Gently pour the warm half and half into the bowl with the egg yolks, whisking constantly. Gently pour the half and half and egg mixture back into the sauce pan. Heat until it reaches 170 degrees.
  3. Pour the mixture through the mesh strainer into the large bowl with the chocolate mixture. Stir until well-combined. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours (I like to let mine cool overnight).
  4. Pour the cooled custard into the bowl of an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions.
  5. Transfer the churned ice cream into a container. Fold in the chocolate chunks. Pour the melted peanut butter evenly over the ice cream. Then take a knife and swirl the melted peanut butter around in the ice cream with the knife. Cover and place in the freezer to harden.
http://eat-drink-love.com/2012/06/double-chocolate-peanut-butter-swirl-ice-cream/
Filed Under: Desserts, Low-Fat, Low-Sugar/Sugar-Free, Vegetarian/Vegan · Tagged With: , , , , , 51 Comments

Sandwich Kabobs

June 7, 2012 by

Hi friends! Today, you can find posting for Shawn over at I Wash…You Dry! Shawn contacted me to ask if I would like to be a part of her Summer Kid Lunch series. Of course I said yes! Coming up with new ideas for lunches is not easy. Kids can be so picky. And who has the time to spend all morning packing up a lunch? So, I made sandwich kabobs!

I mean, seriously, look how cute they are!! And they are so easy to make! I also mixed up a strawberry blueberry smoothie to go with them!

So, please head on over to Shawn’s site and check them out! Click here!

And to see some other great lunch ideas, Go here!
Filed Under: Low-Fat, Low-Sugar/Sugar-Free, Sandwiches, Snacks · Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , 39 Comments

Chewy Granola Bars

May 22, 2012 by

After making my own protein bars last month, I have been really wanting to have a go at making some homemade granola bars. Yesterday was the first part of my dissertation defense. And yes, I passed! Yay! Now to just finish my analyses and writing the results up, and then one more final defense and I will be D.O.N.E.! So anyway, when you do a defense, it’s wise to bring some snacks for your committee members. A hungry committee member is not a good thing, folks. My defense was at 10am so I didn’t want to bring anything that was too sweet. Homemade granola bars it was!

I loooooove these bars! Like, I am never going to buy them again. I love that these bars do not contain any added sugar or corn syrup. They are also no-bake! Gotta always love that!

Unfortunately because I was busy prepping for my defense the day before, I didn’t get around to making these until late and wanted to slice them up before bed so I didn’t have to worry about it in the morning. So, I attempted to cut my bars after about 3 hours and I think that was too soon as some kind of fell apart. Doh! So, I recommend letting them set for a good 4 hours or overnight before slicing them up.

Print
Chewy Granola Bars

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Yield: 10-15 bars (depending on pan size)

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup oat flour or almond flour
  • 1 cup quick oats
  • 3/4 cup dried cranberries, raisins, pomegranate (whatever dried fruit you want!)
  • 1/2 cup sliced almonds
  • 2 tbs. sesame seeds (or chia seeds)
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tbs. honey
  • 3 tbs. coconut oil
  • 1/3 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp. almond extract
  • 1/8 tsp. cinnamon (optional)
  • Other add-ins: other nuts, mini chocolate chips, etc.

Instructions

  1. In a bowl, combine the flour, oats, dried fruit, sesame seeds, and any other add-ins.
  2. Add the coconut oil, honey, vanilla and almond extract, and salt in a small sauce pan. Heat on medium heat until the mixture begins to foam. Remove from the heat and pour into the bowl with the dry mixture. Mix well to coat all of the ingredients.
  3. Prepare a baking dish that is no larger than a 9x13 baking dish or a half-sheet pan with saran wrap. Make sure to leave some of the wrap hanging over the sides. Press the mixture into the dish and spread evenly. Cover with additional saran wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.
  4. Remove the bars by lifting them out of the pan with the excess saran wrap. Cut into bars. I wrapped mine in some saran wrap for an easy take-and-go snack. Store left over bars in the refrigerator.

Notes

Adapted from Iowa Girl Eats

http://eat-drink-love.com/2012/05/chewy-granola-bars/
Filed Under: Breakfast, Low-Fat, Low-Sugar/Sugar-Free, Snacks · Tagged With: , , , , , 31 Comments
« Older Posts