~clean coconut brownie bites~

The kids will never know these are somewhat healthy!

Enjoy!

xoxo

~eat your veggies~{yummy squash recipe}

Even though we hiked and walked a ton in Hawaii each day, I still managed to pack on the pounds thanks to pina coladas and fabulous local food.

I don't like to "diet" on vacation, I like to enjoy the local cuisine and sample a little of this and a little of that, and if I want a cocktail at 10 am by the pool, no ones stopping me!

With that being said, it does feel good to be back home and cooking healthier foods.

I do feel better when I eat healthy.

With little time for dinner last night, I whipped this up and it was so good, so I am going to share it with you.

All I did was cut a spaghetti squash in half and scooped out the seeds.

Then I brushed on olive oil and placed face down on a baking dish and cooked for 40 minutes at 375 degrees.

While that was baking I sautéed fresh spinach, diced onion, and garlic in a bit of olive oil.

When the squash is done baking, fill the centers with the spinach mixture and top with fresh grated parmesan cheese.

Return to the oven and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes.

Enjoy!

xoxo

~date balls~{a healthy snack}

I made these for the Super Bowl with the intent to try to stay on track with eating healthy.

Instead, I ate them, along with cheetos, skittles, meatballs, egg rolls, well~you get the picture.

What can I say? It was a sad game and I ate my feelings.

This recipe is adapted from here.

Bowls from here.

Enjoy!

xoxo

~8 delicious holiday cookie recipes~

Tis the season for holiday baking!

Making Christmas cookies is one of my favorite things to do, and for the first time this year we spent one whole day making cookies to gift to friends.

It was so fun and they turned out so cute, I thought I'd share them with you in case you want to make them all, or just some.

I wrapped them up in white boxes from the restaurant supply store. 

In between the layers of cookies inside, and again on the top, I cut down these paper placemats.

You could also use parchment paper inside and scrapbook paper on top.

I tied the top with twine and added a little sprig of cedar.

I also added the recipe cards.

Not because I think so highly of my cooking skills, but more in case people have allergies and need to see whats in them.

At the very last minute I added a candy cane to the top, drove around and delivered them to my friends!

It was a fun day baking with the kids and it really only took one full afternoon. 

A lot of these recipes have chill times in the fridge, so it allows you to get started on others while they are chilling.

And just in case you wanted to do something similar, I've created the recipe cards for you as well. All you have to do is right click on them and save them to your computer, then insert them into a word document.

{or copy and paste in a word doc}

For reference, I made my recipe cards 3 1/2 x 5 and printed them on card stock.

The paper place mats I cut down to 7 1/2 x 5.

Happy baking!

xoxo

~pumpkin, sage, & bacon soup~

This soup recipe is to die for.

I adapted the recipe from here to my liking.

Heat all the ingredients minus the bacon and cheese over low for 15 minutes, stirring often.

To serve, ladle into a bowl and garnish with bacon crumbles and parmesan cheese.

xoxo

~the best chocolate chip zucchini bread recipe~

It's that time of year when zucchini is in abundance.

I am always making zucchini bread and looking for new ways to cook with it.

Ingredients

Dry ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 T. cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Wet ingredients:

• 2 eggs, room temp.
• 1/3 cups vegetable oil
• 3/4 cups unsweetened applesauce
• 1/3 cup buttermilk 
• 1 cup organic turbinado sugar 
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 1/2 cups finely grated zucchini
• 4 oz dark chocolate chips

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Oil a 9x4 inch loaf pan and line with parchment paper.

1. In a bowl, sift together dry ingredients and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, beat eggs until foamy; beat in applesauce, buttermilk, oil, sugar, and vanilla. Combine well. Stir in grated zucchini and chocolate chips.
3. Fold flour mixture into the wet ingredients and stir until combined.
4. Spoon batter into pan. Bake for approximately 50 minutes.
5. Remove from oven and cool 10 minutes in the pan. Loosen the sides and remove from pan. Cool loaf completely before cutting.

xoxo

~good reads~

3 new books I just got and love:

Style and Simplicity, found here.

Mason Jar Salads, found here:

And, The Nesting Place, found here

The best news is that they are all under $15.00!

xoxo

~gluten free waffles~

I will admit that sometimes gluten free foods are not the tastiest.

But I can assure you that these waffles pass the taste test!

~enjoy~

xoxo

~old fashioned scones~

I like mine with a ton of dripping melted butter, raspberry jam, or honey.

enjoy!

xoxo

~baked banana donut holes~{with fresh fruit skewers}

These are a tiny bit healthier than donut holes, and when served with fresh fruit on skewers, they make a quick and colorful breakfast or snack.

Ingredients:

3 cups white flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 cup butter, room temp.

4 eggs room temp.

2 cups white sugar

4 large ripe bananas

2 Tablespoons vanilla extract

1 cup whole milk

cinnamon+sugar for coating.

Directions:

In a large mixer bowl mash bananas. Add butter and sugar and still until combined. 

Add eggs and vanilla, then milk.

{you can substitute whole for nonfat or 2%} 

Slowly add in the flour and baking soda.

Mix until combined.

Grease a cake pop cake pan. 

Bake according to the instructions.

I baked mine at 325 for approx. 12-14 minutes. 

While they are still hot from the oven, roll in a mixture of sugar and cinnamon.

If you'd like, you can string them up on skewers with strawberries and blueberries, or the fruit of your choice! 

~Enjoy~

xoxo

~blueberry cardamon bread~

This is one of my favorite recipes my mom made growing up.

Blueberry cardamon bread.

3 eggs

2 cups sugar

3/4 cups milk

1 Tablespoon cardamon

4 cups flour

5 teaspoons baking powder.

Mix together gently, then fold in 2 cups fresh blueberries.

Grease and lightly flour a bread pan.

Bake at 350 for approx. 50 minutes

I am off to The Farm Chicks antique show for a fun girls weekend!

Follow me along on instagram if you wish.

xoxo

~a healthy lunch option~

It's sorta like a BLT, and really you can add anything you like.

This is just my version of one of my favorite quick lunches.

What are some of your favorite healthy go to lunches?

xoxo

~thrifty thursday~{make Easter candy out of what?}

The kids have been on Spring break this week, and since we aren't vacationing, we have been trying to make the most out of everyday doing something fun, or going somewhere fun.

So, naturally I got the kids involved for this weeks thrifty Thursday project.

It's a fun project you can do on your own, or with your kids, and it's perfect for Easter.

Here is how you can make lollipops out of shower curtain rings from the dollar store!

These come in a 12 pack and each recipe makes approx 20 lollipops.

 You will also need:

flavoring

lollipop sticks {or Popsicle sticks}

a candy thermometer

parchment paper

Pam cooking spray

and

food coloring.

Between the grocery store and the craft store you can find these items.

Spray the inside of each curtain ring

with Pam cooking spray.

 Line a baking sheet with parchment paper then lay out 20 curtain rings.

You may need 2 baking sheets.

Place a Popsicle stick in each one.

 Carefully measure out in a saucepan~

2 cups white sugar

2/3 cup corn syrup

and

70 mL of water

Attach your thermometer making sure it is not hitting the bottom of the pan, and stir.

Turn on high.

 Stir, stir, stir constantly until it reaches a rolling boil.

Then stop stirring and watch carefully until it reaches 300 degrees F.

 Remove from heat once it reaches 300 degrees F. and stir in both packages of flavoring as well as food coloring if you wish.

We used violet food coloring and watermelon flavoring.

 Once removed from the heat this mixture hardens quite fast, so working quickly, pour into your curtain rings. Let set until hard~a few hours, or longer.

The curtain rings will come off easily when they are hardened.

Tie a ribbon around each lollipop. 

You can wrap them up in cute paper

{or saran wrap works too}

or just eat them right away!

{If you wish, before pouring into the molds, you can add candy or sprinkles}

Bonus~ 

Your house will smell like a candy factory.

I bet you never thought about using curtain rings to make lollipops before huh?

Sometimes you just have to think outside the box!

xoxo

~tex-mex casserole~

An easy healthy hearty dinner,

Tex-Mex casserole:

Ingredients

• 1 cup sliced green onions 
• 
  
• 2 lbs ground turkey
• 1 (10 3/4-oz.) can cream of mushroom soup 

• 1 cup milk 
• 1 (4-oz.) can chopped green chiles
• 1 cup (4 oz.) shredded pepper Jack cheese, divided
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
• cooking spray 
• 1 (6-oz.) package buttermilk cornbread mix
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1. 1. Preheat oven to 400°. Cook ground turkey in a large skillet over medium heat stirring often, 5 minutes or until meat crumbles and is no longer pink. Add green onions, and sauté 1 minute.
2. 2. Stir in soup and next 2 ingredients. Bring to a low boil, and remove from heat. Stir in 3/4 cup cheese and 1/4 cup cilantro. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour turkey mixture into a 2-qt. baking dish coated with cooking spray.
3. 3. Stir together cornbread mix, 3/4 cup water,  3 Tbsp. cilantro, and remaining 1/4 cup cheese. Pour cornbread mixture over turkey mixture in baking dish. 
4. {I used a cast iron pan}
5. 4. Bake at 400° for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden.

xoxo

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