Tag: easy healthy recipes

Healthy Frosty

This has been my go-to of how to satisfy my lingering pregnancy sweet tooth, without giving in to all the treats my kiddos seem to have around the house lately! Operation lose the baby weight is in full effect.

It is delicious. Enjoy!

Healthy Frosty

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 -1 cup almond milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1-1.5 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1-2 tbsp honey (or to taste)
  • 1/2 frozen banana
  • Ice cubes

Directions:

  1. Put it all in a blender and blend! Then, enjoy- guilt free!

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Dark Chocolate & PB bananas

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Do I have a treat for you! These scrumptious desserts are so easy to make and HEALTHY! Probably not when you eat the entire batch like I seem to be doing lately, but still- better than a pan of brownies, right?! Healthy and delicious. I was sold.

Ingredients:

  • 2-3bananas
  • creamy peanut butter (read your labels! It should only include peanuts)
  • 1 cup 60% cacao baking chocolate
  • 1.5tbs coconut oil

Directions:

  1. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper. Slice the bananas into thin slices and place half of them on the baking sheet. Spread peanut butter onto each of those banana slices, then top with a banana slice. Place these in the freezer until frozen.
  2. Place your chocolate and coconut oil in a bowl and microwave until melted. Make sure and stir until smooth! Use a fork, spoon, your fingers- whatever you want- to cover each banana bite in the chocolate. Then, place them back in the freezer!
  3. Store them in the freezer for quick snacking/a tasty treat! Mine didn’t last very long..

Happy treat making!

xox

aj

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Granola

I introduce to you my recipe for yummy granola- which is adapted from the granola recipe of the lovely Kristin Andrus  {check her out for amazing recipes!} You can really add anything you want to this! Make it your own. Remove the things your family doesn’t love and add the things they do. We love coconut around here so sometimes I add extra! IMG_3776Granola

  • 5.5 cups Old Fashioned Oats
  • 1.5 cups sliced almonds
  • 1/2 cup pecans- chopped
  • 1/2 cup walnuts- chopped
  • 1 cup flaxseed
  • 1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes or shredded coconut
  • cinnamon to taste 
  • 1/2 cup oil
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup or brown sugar (if you like it sweeter- add more!) we use maple syrup in our house 
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract

Mix together the oats, nuts, flaxseed, coconut, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Mix the oil, honey, brown sugar and vanilla together in a pot on the stove- heat until slightly bubbly and completely combined. Then, pour over the dry mixture and mix together. Once everything is coated, divided the mixture between two large baking/jelly roll pans. Bake at 300 for 15- 20 minutes. You do not want this to burn! It will not look golden- it will continue to cook/harden when you bring it out of the oven. Once cooled, keep in an airtight container. Enjoy 🙂 Use as a cereal, on top of yogurt, mixed with peanut butter & an apple!

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protein balls

These protein balls are probably my favorite snack- as well as my kids. They think they are cookies! They are the perfect after lunch treat- or post run protein fix.

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Protein Balls

  • 1 cup oats
  • 2/3 cups unsweetened coconut
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened peanut butter (read your labels! It should just contain peanuts)
  • 1/4 cup Ghirardelli Chocolate 60% Cacao chips
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 2 tbsp chia seeds
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Refrigerate for 30 minutes

Roll and compress the mixture into 1 inch rounds and place in an air tight container. Refrigerate and enjoy for up to one week… if they last that long!

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easy breakfast. zucchini muffins

Marathon training is underway, which means- I am hungry all the time! I have a few staple things I make weekly that my family lives on. Typically, every Monday, I am in the kitchen whipping up our protein cookies, protein balls, granola (more on those two soon!) and zucchini muffins. Today I am going to share the healthy zucchini muffin recipe!

Zucchini muffins have been a life saver for me on busy school mornings. A bonus with these muffins is you can make big batches, freeze them, and pop some out the night before for the next morning!

Zucchini muffins

  • 1 2/3 cups white whole wheat flour (or all-purpose)
  • 1/2 cup ground flaxseed
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup
  • 1/2 cup almond milk (or whatever you prefer)
  • 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups grated fresh zucchini (about 1 zucchini)
  • 1/3 cups old-fashioned oats (uncooked)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease, or line with paper liners a 12-count muffin pan.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, flaxseed, and salt.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, maple syrup, milk, coconut oil and vanilla extra. Pour this mixture into the dry ingredient mixture and stir them together JUST until combined. Do not over mix. Once combined, stir in the grated zucchini and oats.

Divide batter evenly between the 12 muffin cups- sprinkle the top of each muffin with some oats. Bake for 18-20 minutes.

Let cool to room temperature and store in a sealed container for 2-3 days or freeze them for an easy, yummy, fast, future breakfast!

**if you want a sweeter muffin- throw in 1/4 cup brown sugar to the dry mixture

happy cooking!

xox

aj

 

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cookies and kale

I declared April my get healthy month, but I’ve done little to change my diet and (currently non-existent) exercise habits.  Shame on me.  Once upon a time not long ago I was in great shape, so I know what I’m missing… I’m just having a hard time getting going.

My sister is pretty solid on the healthy eating front.  She sent me these recipes and claims that even her kids love them.  I plan to give them a try and thought I’d share in case anyone else wants to play along!

cookies

Protein Cookies

  • 3 cups oat flour (rolled oats ground into a flour)
  • 2 scoops vanilla protein powder (OR just sub an extra 1/2 cup oat flour)
  • 2 T sugar (optional)
  • 1/2 t sea salt
  • 1/2 cup + 2 T nut butter of choice (i.e. peanut butter, almond butter..)
  • 3/4 cup honey (OR brown rice syrup if vegan)
  • 1/4-1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
  • White chocolate chunks (OR chocolate chip of preference)
  • Dried raspberries and cranberries

Directions:

  1. Line a large baking tray with baking paper and set aside.
  2. In a large bowl mix together oat flour, protein powder, sugar, and sea salt.
  3. In microwave or on stove, heat the nut butter and honey until melted and stir together.
  4. Add the liquid mixture to the dry mixture and stir until fully combined.  The mixture should be crumbly.  Slowly add almond milk until a very thick dough is formed.  Stir in the chocolate pieces, dried raspberries and cranberries until fully incorporated.
  5. Using your hands, form small balls with the dough and press into a cookie shape on the baking tray.  You can use a fork to smash in decorative lines.  Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before eating.

kalechips

Kale Chips

  • Juice and pulp of one lemon
  • 1 1/2 T apple cider vinegar
  • 2 T extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 T minced garlic
  • 3/4 t sea salt
  • 1 large bunch kale

Directions:

  1. Whisk all of the ingredients except the kale together in a really big bowl.  Set this “marinade” aside.
  2. Wash and spin kale dry.  Cut the leaves from the stalks and tear into chip sized pieces.
  3. Add the kale pieces to the marinade.  Coat the kale in the marinade, kneading it into the leaves.
  4. Lay the kale out in a single layer on food dehydrator sheets.  Set dehydrator to 145 degrees for 3-4 hours (OR just use your oven set on 140-150 degrees).  Kale chips are done when they are crisp and snap in half when bent.

 

Enjoy!

xoxo

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