Breakfast Cookies

June 5, 2013 by

Breakfast Cookies

Breakfast is one of those meals that has to happen every morning or I get really grumpy. The problem is that I often struggle with time in the mornings. While breakfast is important, sleep is even more important so the longer I can sleep, the better. Then after my alarm goes off, I pick up my phone and start going through emails and such and then oops, it’s 30 minutes later, I haven’t showered and I am then officially running late. I usually have time to eat a quick bowl of cereal, but it really sucks on the mornings where I don’t have time. I like to keep some things on hand that I can just grab and go and that will fill me up until lunch. These breakfast cookies do just that.

Who says you can’t have a cookie for breakfast?

Breakfast Cookies

Cookies for breakfast is one of the best ideas ever. Although nothing ever really beats a chocolate chip cookie, they aren’t really the best breakfast. I need something a little heartier and these cookies are it! Granted they aren’t pretty, but oh man, are they good!

These cookies contain no added sugar which makes them perfect for breakfast or even a snack. And at only 160 calories per cookie, you can even eat two! You can easily make them vegan or gluten-free as well.

Breakfast Cookies

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Breakast Cookies

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 13 minutes

Total Time: 23 minutes

Yield: 10 cookies

Serving Size: 1 cookie

Calories per serving: 160

Fat per serving: 7.9

Ingredients

  • 2 medium ripe bananas, mashed
  • 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
  • 3 tbs. honey (or agave nectar to make vegan)
  • 1/2 cup oats
  • 1 cup dried fruit (I used blueberries, cranberries, and mango)
  • 1/2 cup sliced almonds
  • 1 1/2 tbs. ground flax
  • 1 tbs. chia seeds
  • 1/2 tsp. baking soda
  • pinch of salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or with a silicone mat.
  2. In a large bowl, stir together the mashed bananas, coconut oil, and the honey until well-combined.
  3. Stir in the oats, dried fruit, almonds, flax, chia seeds, baking soda, and the salt until everything is well-combined.
  4. Use a large cookie scoop or drop about 2 tbs. of the batter onto the cookie sheet for each cookie. Gently press down on the top of each one to flatten just slightly. Bake for about 11-13 minutes or until the cookies are slightly golden.

Notes

Please note that these cookies have a different texture than a regular cookie since there is no flour. The cookies will be soft with almost a muffin-like texture.

The final calories will depend on which dried fruits you decide to use. I used a mix from Trader Joe's that had blueberries, cranberries, and diced mango.

http://eat-drink-love.com/2013/06/breakfast-cookies/

Breakfast Cookies
Filed Under: Breakfast, Cookies, Kid-Friendly, Low-Fat, Snacks, Vegetarian/Vegan · Tagged With: , , , , , , , , 25 Comments

Cinco de Mayo Skinny Recipe Roundup

May 2, 2013 by

Ok guys, I told you I just had to do one more Mexican-themed post! But, it’s Cinco de Mayo this weekend, what do you expect?!

Although I love Mexican food, it will often cost you a LOT of calories. Between all of those chips, sugary margaritas, huge portions, and tons of cheese, you can consume an entire day’s worth of calories in one sitting.

I have made you a list of 10 great Cinco de Mayo recipes! And you know what the best part of this list is? These are all pretty healthy options! You can still enjoy the day with these recipes without feeling guilty the next day. And aside from the pork tacos, these are all vegetarian options! Trust me when I say that with these recipes, you will not miss all the calories!

Cinco de Mayo Skinny Recipe Roundup

(from left to right, top to bottom)
1. Easy Mexican Rice
2. Baked Southwestern Egg Rolls
3. Teedo’s Famous Salsa
4. Crazy Guacamole
5. Chili Lime Pulled Pork Tacos
6. Spicy Black Bean Enchiladas
7. Corn Salsa
8. Southwest Chicken Salad with Avocado Lime Dressing

Cinco de Mayo Skinny Recipe Roundup

9.  Skinny Raspberry Margaritas
10. Skinny Strawberry Margaritas
Filed Under: Dips/Sauces, Entrees, Holidays, Kid-Friendly, Low-Fat, Pork, Salads, Sides, Snacks, Vegetarian/Vegan · Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , 6 Comments

Fruit Salad with Honey Lemon Dressing

April 29, 2013 by

Fruit Salad with Honey Lemon Dressing

Why must weekends be only two days? Weekends are not long enough. Saturdays are always spent running around, grocery shopping, and then Sundays are spent cooking and taking photos. I want a day of complete laziness!

Luckily many of the recipes I make are relatively easy because well, I just don’t have the time or energy for more difficult ones. This fruit salad is ridiculously easy, but it is so good, it might just be my new favorite thing. It’s getting to be so dang hot here, I have been craving lots of cold fruit and smoothies. I just couldn’t resist buying so much of it so I could make this salad! The honey lemon dressing is light, but gives the salad the perfect touch of sweetness!

You can use whatever fruits you want for this. I used strawberries, bananas, cantaloupe, honey dew, grapes, and oranges. Pineapple or other berries would also be great! Live it up, go crazy!

Fruit Salad with Honey Lemon Dressing

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Fruit Salad with Honey Lemon Dressing

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Yield: Serves 4-6

Fruit salad tossed with honey lemon dressing - the perfect summer treat!

Ingredients

  • 4 cups chopped fruit of your choice
  • 3 tbs. honey (or to taste; can also use agave nectar)
  • juice of one lemon (can also use the zest if desired)
    • Suggested fruits:
  • strawberries
  • bananas
  • mango
  • cantaloupe
  • honey dew
  • pineapple
  • grapes
  • oranges
  • apples

Instructions

  1. Combine all of the chopped fruit into a large bowl.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together the honey and lemon juice.
  3. Pour the dressing over the fruit and toss to combine. Cover and chill for about 30 minutes and then serve.
http://eat-drink-love.com/2013/04/fruit-salad-with-honey-lemon-dressing/

Fruit Salad with Honey Lemon Dressing
Filed Under: Desserts, Kid-Friendly, Low-Fat, Salads, Snacks, Vegetarian/Vegan · Tagged With: , , , , , 21 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

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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

Grapefruit Brûlée

March 8, 2013 by

Grapefruit Brûlée

Citrus, citrus, citrus. I can’t get enough right now and I think that this grapefruit brûlée might be one of my new favorite treats!

Grapefruit Brûlée

Yet again, you can tell my mind is ready for spring and summer foods. While good ol’ crème brûlée is one of my most favorite desserts of all time sometimes ya just gotta have something a little lighter. This grapefruit brûlée is stupid easy to make. The hardest part is segmenting the grapefruit. Other than that all you need is your kitchen torch, brown sugar, and a little whipped cream! I took the time to segment my grapefruit, but if you do not want to do that, you can just cut one in half and prepare it that way, but I like being able to actually eat the slices instead of digging a spoon in and squirting grapefruit juice all over the place and making a huge mess which is basically what happens to me every time I eat a grapefruit.

This dessert is refreshing with just the right amount of sweetness! I think this dessert would also work nicely with pineapples if you want to use that instead or in combination to the grapefruit.

Grapefruit Brûlée

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Grapefruit Brûlée

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Yield: 1 serving

Ingredients

  • 1 medium sized grapefruit, peeled and segmented
  • 1 tbs. light brown sugar
  • whipped cream or Greek yogurt
  • ground cinnamon (for garnish)

Instructions

  1. Peel and segment your grapefruit and layer the slices onto a small bowl or creme brulee dish.
  2. Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the top of the slices.
  3. Using a kitchen torch, burn the brown sugar until it caramelizes.
  4. Scoop a dollop of whipped cream or Greek yogurt on top and sprinkle some cinnamon on top for garnish and serve immediately.

Notes

If you do not own a kitchen torch, you can use your broiler. Just place the slices into oven-safe dishes.

If you decide that you do not want to worry about peeling and segmenting the grapefruit, you can cut it half and it will serve two people.

http://eat-drink-love.com/2013/03/grapefruit-brulee/

Grapefruit Brûlée
Filed Under: Desserts, Low-Carb, Low-Fat · Tagged With: , , , , , , 16 Comments

Cobb Salad Pizza

February 22, 2013 by

Cobb Salad Pizza

Last spring, I made Greek Salad Grilled Pizza and I am not kidding when I tell you it is still one of my most favorite pizzas ever. I love the thinner crust and all that fresh Greek Salad on top. It’s so light and flavorful. It truly is the perfect pizza for spring and summer.

Cobb Salad Pizza

I’ve been wanting to try another salad pizza so I turned to one of my other favorite salads…the Cobb salad. I love a good Cobb salad loaded with great toppings! It’s all about the toppings! Thus, the Cobb Salad pizza was born!

Cobb Salad Pizza

You really can’t go wrong with this recipe. You basically just grill or bake your crust and then toss some salad on top with your favorite toppings! For the meat, I used some deli chicken we had in the fridge, but I think some grilled chicken, turkey, or even ham would be great as well. How you make the crust is also flexible. I like to use my grill pan to grill mine. First, it gives the crust a nice crisp, and secondly, it is done in a jiff! If you don’t want to grill it, you can always just bake it in the oven.

Cobb Salad Pizza

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Cobb Salad Pizza

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Yield: Serves 2

Ingredients

  • 1/2 lb. fresh pizza dough
  • 1 tbs. extra virgin olive oil, divided
  • salt and pepper
  • 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 2 cups fresh hearts of romaine (or lettuce of your choice)
  • 1/2 cup sliced cherry tomatoes
  • 2 tbs. chopped red onion
  • 1 cup meat of your choice (grilled chicken, turkey, ham, etc.)
  • 1/4 cup cooked bacon, chopped into small pieces
  • 1/2 of an avocado, diced
  • Low-Fat Buttermilk Ranch Dressing (or the dressing of your choice)
  • extra cheddar cheese or blue cheese crumbles (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat a grill or grill pan on medium heat. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pizza dough until it is about 1/4" thick. Brush half of the olive oil on one side of the dough and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place the oiled side down on the heated grill/pan and grill for about 3-4 minutes until lightly browned. While the first side is face down on the grill. Brush the remaining olive oil and sprinkle with more salt and pepper on the other side. Turn the dough over and grill for an additional 3-4 minutes until browned.*(see note)
  2. Remove the dough off the grill/pan. Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese and the cheddar cheese evenly over the top. It will melt as the dough is still warm.
  3. In a bowl, add the lettuce, onion, meat, tomatoes, bacon, and the avocado. Toss to mix.
  4. Distribute the salad evenly over the pizza. Drizzle as much of the ranch dressing (or dressing of your choice) over the pizza as you'd like. If desired, sprinkle additional cheddar cheese or blue cheese on top.

Notes

You do not have to grill the pizza dough if you do not want to. Feel free to bake it in the oven as you would other pizzas.

Traditional Cobb salads contain eggs. I chose to omit egg from this pizza as I felt it was just too much with the crust, but feel free to add some if you want!

http://eat-drink-love.com/2013/02/cobb-salad-pizza/

Cobb Salad Pizza
Filed Under: Entrees, Low-Fat, Pizzas, Salads · 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

Super Bowl Recipe Roundup and a Super Bowl Link Party!

January 28, 2013 by

With less than a week until Super Bowl Sunday, I thought I’d share some of my top recipe picks to serve at your party! I clearly have an obsession with avocado. I’m okay with that.

Super Bowl Collage

(from left to right)

1. Corn Salsa – This salsa is so stinkin’ easy and tasty! The perfect salsa to serve if you want to give your guests something a little lighter.

2. Slow Cooker Chili Lime Pulled Pork Tacos – Pulling out your slow cooker is actually a great idea for a Super Bowl party. First, it can feed a big crowd, and second, all you have to do is throw everything in and let it go!

3. Avocado Mango Crostini – So this one may be a little “fancy” for a Super Bowl party, but I just love it so much. It’s okay to be fancy sometimes.

4. Crazy Guacamole – This may be one of my favorite dips ever. It’s guacamole, kicked up to a new level!

5. Skinny Raspberry Margaritas – You can’t forget the drinks for your Super Bowl party! I love my Skinny Raspberry Margaritas!

6. Crock Pot Chicken Ranch Tacos – This recipe is just stupid easy and delicious. Double it to feed a bigger crowd and then set up a taco bar where your guests can put together their own tacos!

7. Low-Fat Buffalo Chicken Bites – These take a little longer to put together than some of the other recipes I listed, but they are a big crown pleaser!

8. Strawberry Avocado Salsa with Cinnamon Sugar Tortilla Chips – This is a great salsa to make if you want to give your guests a little something sweet. I can’t even tell you how wonderful strawberries and avocado are together!

9. Baked Low-Fat Buffalo Chicken Taquitos – You really can’t go wrong with buffalo chicken for the Super Bowl!

Ok, so those are some of my favorite dishes for the big game. Now, I want to know yours! Let’s have our very own virtual Super Bowl party! Link up your favorite recipes for game day below!
Filed Under: Appetizers · Tagged With: , , , , , , , , 20 Comments

Purple Monster Smoothie

January 22, 2013 by

Purple Monster Smoothie

There is something about winter time that just winter that makes us eat less fruits and veggies. Most fruits are consumed in the form of pie and cookies. Not totally a bad thing, but you know, not so great either.

I have been trying to eat more fruits and veggies since the holidays, but I know it’s still not enough so I have been trying to get more in though smoothies.

Purple Monster Smoothie

The first time I made a green smoothie years ago, I kind of wanted to barf. To mask out the taste of spinach, I used only an apple and maybe some pear and it just didn’t do it for me. After lots of tweaking, I came to realize that I was just not a green smoothie kind of gal.

Purple Monster Smoothie

So, what kind of gal am I? A purple monster smoothie gal (or a purplish brownish one, whatevs). I like berries in my smoothies. I’m okay with that.

Purple Monster Smoothie

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Purple Monster Smoothie

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Yield: 1 smoothie

Ingredients

  • 1 small banana, sliced
  • 2 cups fresh baby spinach
  • 1/2 cup plain non-fat yogurt (regular or Greek)
  • 1 cup frozen berries (I used mixed berries)
  • 1 tbs. chia seeds (optional)
  • orange juice or water to thin the smoothie out, if needed

Instructions

  1. Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

Notes

Feel free to experiment with this smoothie. You can also use pineapple and/or apple if you don't want to use the banana.

http://eat-drink-love.com/2013/01/purple-monster-smoothie/

Purple Monster Smoothie
Filed Under: Breakfast, Drinks, Kid-Friendly, Low-Fat, Snacks · Tagged With: , , , , , , , , 16 Comments

Gingerbread Cookie Dip

December 14, 2011 by

First there was Cookie Dough Dip. Then there was Brownie Batter Dip. Now, I bring your Gingerbread Cookie Dip! And as with the other dips, this dip is also made with beans!

I wasn’t quite sure how this one was gonna turn out, but it was much better than I expected! It really tastes like gingerbread cookies! I only had light brown sugar, but if you have dark brown sugar, that might make this dip a little darker and it will look more like gingerbread! I ate mine with apple slices and it was super delicious, but you can also use graham crackers, or if you want to be a little bad, cookies!

Gingerbread Cookie Dip

Ingredients:

– 1 can navy beans, drained and rinsed

– 2/3 cup dark brown sugar

– 1/4 cup natural peanut butter

– 2 tsp. vanilla extract

– 2 tbs. molasses

– 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

– 1/2 tsp. ground ginger

– 1/4 tsp. ground cloves

– 1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg

Directions:

1. Add all ingredients to a food processor and mix until smooth. I didn’t need to add any milk to this one, but if it’s too thick for you, add some skim or soy milk!

Notes:
- Just like the other sweet dips I have made, you can use sugar substitutes for this, but just keep in mind that the molasses makes the sugar content higher in this dip!
Filed Under: Desserts, Dips/Sauces, Low-Carb, Low-Fat · Tagged With: , , , , 38 Comments
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