Here we go again! Yet another recipe containing two of my favorite ingredients of all time-- oats and peanut butter. This time I've created a chewy granola bar that contains dates for sweetness and texture, peanut butter for protein and the perfect nutty flavor, and a mixture of crispy rice cereal and oats for substance. Sounds pretty tasty if you ask me. These bars are simple, yet delicious. Less is more sometimes, right? Oh and I almost forgot, chunks of 70 percent dark chocolate are scattered throughout the bars! Are you convinced? If so, give it a go! And if not, take a look at how easy this recipe is and you might just change your mind. 


Wrap these bars up and take them to work or school or grab a bar out the door for a quick breakfast on the go. You can even eat one as a post meal dessert! Feeling creative? Form the granola mixture into balls before baking and eat them as energy bites instead of bars. 

Recipe

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup chopped dried dates
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1 1/2 cup Kellogg's Special K cereal, chopped (or rice crispy's)
• 2 tbsp ground flax seed
• 1/4 cup 70% dark chocolate bar, chopped (or dark chocolate of choice!)
• 1/4 cup peanut butter powder (mixed with water to create peanut butter consistency)
• 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 large egg
• 1/3 cup water

Enjoy!

Recipe

Yield: 12 muffins

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2/3 cup canned pumpkin
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1/4 brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup canola oil (could sub. apple sauce instead)  
• 3/4 cup all purpose flour 
• 1 1/2 rolled oats
• 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp ground flax seed
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Whisk eggs, milk, canned pumpkin, maple syrup, brown sugar, vanilla extract, and oil (or apple sauce) until well combined. Add in the flour, oats, pumpkin pie spice, salt, flax, and baking powder and stir until combined. Do not over mix. Fold in the chocolate chips. Spray your muffin tin with canola spray and fill each cup about 2/3 full with batter. Bake for 18-20 mins.

Enjoy!

I just recently finished school for the year which means I get to sleep in, fill my time with plenty of non academic activities, and figure out ways (fun ways!) to combat potential boredom. Well, you're in luck because todays mission to tackle boredom was achieved by experimenting with a healthy alternative to a blueberry treat. Using ingredients that I had already laying around, I modified a recipe for blueberry oat bars into something tasty that can be eaten for brunch, on the go, or warmed up and with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for dessert! It is amazing the kind of things you think to create when you scour your fridge and pantry for things to whip together. That strategy doesn't always turn out as planned but in this case it did, thankfully! So now its your turn, get up and make these already! You won't be disappointed. 

Recipe

Ingredients

Enjoy!

Recipe

Yield: 5 servings

Ingredients

• 1 whole spaghetti squash  
• 1/2 cup chopped carrots
• 1/3 cup diced white onion
• 1/3 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup shredded cabbage (I used a cabbage blend from Trader Joe's)
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1/2 tablespoon freshly grated ginger 
• pepper
• garlic salt (or regular salt)
• olive oil spray (or regular olive oil)
• 1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
  

Directions

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Cut spaghetti squash in half (long ways) and scoop out seeds. Spray inside of squash with olive oil spray (or drizzle with olive oil) and season with garlic salt (or regular salt) and pepper. Cover baking sheet with aluminum foil, place squash face down on sheet and bake for 30-35 mins or until a knife can be easily inserted in shell of squash. In a large sauce pan, spray bottom with olive oil and saute carrots, onion, and celery for 4-5 mins. Add cabbage and garlic and saute for another 2-3 mins. Using a fork, scrape out the inside of the spaghetti squash from its shell and combine with sauteed veggies. Whisk together soy sauce and grated ginger and pour over squash mixture. Combine all ingredients, and enjoy! Serve warm right away or store in fridge and reheat later.

Enjoy!

 Kick off the New Year with these fudgy, guilt free blondies!

It's the new year and the pattern is always the same. Everyone has a newfound spark of energy and motivation to eat healthy and workout. I've been enjoying the daily newspaper articles on nutrition and the fact that my Pinterest feed is now entirely made up of healthy recipes. I can't say I've been enjoying the packed parking lot at the gym, but hey, what can you do. I thought I might as well jump on the bandwagon and share a healthy treat that you can save to your Pinterest board and share with your friends (haha no pressure)! 

This peanut butter blondie recipe sure is tasty! You would never guess that the base is chickpeas. Go ahead and make it for your friends and family, they'll never know your secret! You can even try giving them to your kids if they are picky eaters... sneaky chef to the rescue! Reveal the secret ingredient after the first bite or never tell them at all :).

 

Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed well (about 1 1/2 cups) 
• 1/4 cup rolled oats 
• 1/3 cup peanut butter  
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar 
• 2 T pure maple syrup   
• 3/4 tsp baking powder 
• 1/8 tsp baking soda 
• 1/4 tsp salt 
• 1/4 cup milk 
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract  
• 1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a food processor, combine all ingredients except for the chocolate chips (do not use a blender if possible, they tend to not blend as finely). Blend until completely smooth. Once ingredients are blended, stir in chocolate chips. Pour batter in a greased 8x8 pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes. The blondies will look a bit underdone when you first take them out of the oven but they will set up after they cool. Store blondies in the fridge. 

Enjoy!

Need a quick pick me up snack? Try a cranberry pumpkin seed granola bar! They are nutty, sweet, and the best part is they are easy to make and have super basic ingredients. If you are in need of a quick and easy breakfast idea, that's great for on the go, try making these granola bars. They do not disappoint.

Recipe

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter 
• 1/2 cup honey (or a bit less) 
• 1 tablespoon canola oil  
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
• 3/4 cup chex mix (broken into pieces) or puffed rice cereal 
• 3/4 cup rolled oats 
• 1/4 cup ground flax seed 
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries 
• 1/2 cup shelled pumpkin seeds  
• 1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  

Directions:

In a microwave safe dish combine the peanut butter, honey, and oil. Microwave on high for 30 seconds or until the ingredients are melted. Add vanilla, stir, and let sit a for few minutes to cool. In a large bowl combine chex mix/puffed rice, oats, flax, cinnamon, salt, cranberries, and pumpkin seeds. Pour the honey mixture over the dry ingredients and stir until all ingredients are evenly moistened. Add chocolate chips and stir. Line an 8x8 pan with wax paper or foil and spray with canola oil. Leave foil/wax paper hanging over the edge of the pan like handles. Pour granola into the pan and press down firmly with a spatula. Cover with plastic wrap and let chill in the fridge for a few hours or overnight- until the mixture hardens a bit. Remove bars from the pan using the handles and cut into rectangles with a sharp knife. Store bars in fridge or freezer.  

Enjoy!

Calling all quinoa lovers! 

Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 cup uncooked quinoa
• 1/3 cup chopped dried apricots
• 1/3 cup chopped pecans

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 medium orange, juiced  
• zest of 1/2 orange (or a bit less)
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric 
• 1/2 teaspoon tried thyme
• salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

To cook the quinoa - rinse 1 cup quinoa in a mesh strainer. In a medium saucepan, bring 2 cups of water to a boil (cover pot with lid). Add rinsed quinoa and bring water back up to a boil. Recover pan, lower heat, and let simmer for 15 minutes (or until all the water is absorbed). Remove from heat and fluff quinoa with a fork. Transfer to a bowl and let it cool for a few minutes while you make the vinaigrette. For the dressing - Whisk together olive oil, vinegar, orange juice, orange zest, honey, turmeric, thyme, and salt and pepper. Pour vinaigrette over quinoa, add apricots and pecans, and refrigerate for about 30 minutes (so that the flavors get absorbed). The quinoa gets better the longer it sits!

Enjoy!

The first day of Fall calls for a recipe with what ingredient? Pumpkin spice of course! Fall would not be the same without it. This Pumpkin Spice Granola recipe is so simple and delicious. Add it to yogurt, put it on top of a smoothie bowl, or just munch on it by itself. It will undoubtedly get you in the fall mood; so get your baking on and enjoy!

Recipe

Ingredients: 

• 4 cups old fashioned rolled oats
• 1 cup chopped or slivered almonds
• 2/3 cup dried cranberries
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 pinch salt
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/4 cup canola oil 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a small bowl, add wet ingredients and microwave on high for about 15 seconds. Whisk together the wet ingredients until combined. Pour wet mixture onto the oat/nut/fruit mixture and stir until combined. Line a large baking sheet with foil (you may need two baking sheets) and spread granola out evenly on baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes at 300 degrees. Let cool completely before transferring granola into a air tight container.

Enjoy!!

 

I've recently been seeing recipes for oven roasted chickpeas all over Pinterest, so I thought I should give them a try. They are a great savory snack to munch on on the go, at work, or even when watching a movie. Chickpeas are higher in protein and lower in calories compared to other popular snacks, so they will keep you feeling full for longer. For example, Lays BBQ chips have 150 calories and just 2 grams of protein per serving. 1/2 cup of chickpeas have 120 calories and 6 grams of protein -- the choice between the two is a no brainer, right? There are so many different ways you can season them: spicy, sweet, tangy... you name it. I have a recipe for BBQ flavored roasted chickpeas that I am sure you will love. The best thing about this crunchy snack is that they are so easy to make, they're practically fool proof. 

Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 15 oz can chickpeas 
• 1 T olive oil 
• 1 t smoked paprika 
• 1/2 t cumin 
• 1/2 t chili powder 
• 1/2 t onion salt or onion powder 
• 1/2 t garlic powder 
• 1/2 t salt (less if using onion salt) 
• 1 1/2 t brown sugar

Directions:

Enjoy!

It's the peak of summer, and where I live that means HOT. The perfect way to cool down is with one of these healthy, easy, and quick summer treats. All of the desserts listed below are made out of fresh, whole ingredients, so you know exactly what you are putting into your body. What makes them even better is that there is no added sugar in any of the recipes!

Banana Pops

These pops are great for breakfast on the go, a mid-afternoon snack, or an after dinner treat! Make sure that your banana is ripe when making these. The riper the banana, the sweeter the taste. I tend to make these pops using bananas that are too ripe to be eaten fresh (for my liking), so I am not wasting perfectly good fruit! You can store these treats in the freezer for a few weeks, but they probably won't last that long :).

Ingredients: 

• ripe banana, sliced into 2 inch pieces
• all natural creamy peanut butter
• popsicle sticks/skewers
• honey nut cheerios cereal
• semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Cut your bananas into 2 inch slices, then insert a skewer into each piece. Spoon the peanut butter into a small bowl and microwave for about 15 seconds, until it gets thinner in consistency. Dip the banana pieces into the peanut butter, then cover with toppings. Place the bananas on plate covered in wax paper and freeze until the bananas are frozen through. Store in freezer.
  

Frozen Yogurt Grape Bites

Ingredients: 

• red grapes
• plain Greek yogurt
• honey to taste
• toothpicks

Directions:

Wash grapes and pat dry. In a bowl, combine yogurt and the desired amount of honey. Stick grapes with a toothpick and dip into the yogurt mixture so that the grapes get covered on all sides. Place grapes on a plate covered with wax paper. Freeze until solid all the way through. Store in freezer. 

 

1 Minute Berry Crisp

Okay,  you're probably thinking, 1 minute! That's it? It's your lucky day because this Berry Crisp is just as easy as it is quick. This is the perfect dessert to whip together after dinner. You can make it personal sized or for multiple people. Best of all, this crisp doesn't have any added butter or sugar and yet it still satisfies your sweet tooth!

Ingredients: 

• 1/4 cup frozen raspberries
• 1/4 cup frozen blueberries
• 2 T uncooked old fashioned oats (could use granola instead)
• 1 T walnut pieces
• Pinch of cinnamon

Directions: 

Combine raspberries and blueberries in a microwave safe bowl. Sprinkle oats, walnuts, and cinnamon on top. Microwave on high for 1 minute, or until it begins to bubble around the edges of the bowl.  

Enjoy!

These DELICIOUS recipes are packed full of nutrients and protein. They will leave you feeling satisfied, energized and ready for the day! 

Recipe 1: Low Carb Pancakes 

Here is the recipe:

For the pancakes:

- 1 ripe banana

To top it off:

Recipe 2: Fruity and Nutty Oatmeal

Recipe:

Ingredients:

- 1 packet of Trader Joe's Oatmeal Complete instant oatmeal
- 1/4 cup almond milk
- 1/4 cup frozen (or fresh) blueberries
- 2 T walnuts
- 1/2 banana
- 1 T raisons
- 3 T granola
- honey (to taste)

Directions:

Tip:

I love to add lots of toppings to my oatmeal. The blueberries are full of antioxidants, the banana is full of potassium, and the walnuts have healthy fats; so you are working all kinds of healthy things into your diet when you eat this. I like to add granola on top of my oatmeal for an added crunch, and the frozen blueberries allow me to eat my breakfast right away when I am rushing to get to school. You should definitely try this oatmeal, you won't regret it!