Chocolate Covered Trailmix Bites

A SUPER HEART HEALTHY SNACK

A wonderful recipe adapted from the Whole Foods recipe website

                       Great Snack Option For Packing Along On Long Saturday Morning Hikes

 

 

Chocolate Covered Trailmix Bites

Ingredients:

1 Cup Nuts of Choice
1 Cup Dried Berries
Optional add ins:
      1/4 Cup Shredded Coconut
      1/4 Cup Seeds
      1/2 Pretzels
    or buy a prepackaged (1lb) Fruit and Nut Trail Mix Assortment--try and find berries in the mix
1 Cup Dark Chocolate Chips- Try Giradelle 62% Cacoa

Directions:

Line a baking sheet with parchement paper and set to side

Combine all your ingredients excluding Chocolate Chips in a large bowl and mix well.

Gently melt the chocolate in a sauce pan on medium to low heat about 2 minutes.

Stir in all but 1/4 cup of trailmix

Spoon out balls onto the baking sheet

Sprinkle remaining trailmix on top and chill in the fridge for about 30 minutes

Pack these delicious babies along with you on your next outdoor adventure.

Summer Coconut Carrot Salad

I am still on my coconut and carrot kick. Ever since Easter I have been drooling over the combination of  coconut and carrots. They complement each other so well that I can't stop myself from coming up with ways to pair them.

I hope you enjoy my summer salad as much as I do!

SUMMER COCONUT CARROT SALAD

Ingredients:

4 Large Carrots
1 Tbls Plain Non Fat Greek Yogurt or 1 Tbls Olive Oil Mayo
1 Tbls Olive Oil
1/2 Cup Chunked Pineapples
2 Tbls Almonds
1/4 Cup Fresh Cilantro
3 Tbls Shredded Coconut
1/4 Cup Raisins
Optional Add In: 2 Tbls Sunflower Seeds

Directions:

1. Place your carrots in a food processor and give quick pulses to chop into small pieces, being mindful not to puree the carrots.

2. Add Yogurt/Mayo, Olive Oil, Pineapple, Almonds, and Cilantro to the food processor.
    Give 3-4 quick pulses to combine all the ingredients. Again being mindful not to puree.

3. Transfer to a bowl and stir in Coconut, Raisins, and the optional Sunflower Seeds.

4. Place in the fridge for 15 minutes to chill.

This is a great fresh side dish for your summer picnics and barbeques.

Happy Summer Friends!
~K

A Yummy Salad

 A Yummy Salad 

3 Carrots, shredded
1 Sweet Potato, shredded
1 Beet, shredded
1 Cup Kale, shredded
1/2 Cup Goji Berries
1 Tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
1 teaspoon Raw Honey
1/3 Cup Olive Oil
1 juice lemon
1 Tablespoon sesame seeds

Combine carrots, sweet potato, kale and goji berries in a large bowl. In a small bowl whisk together balsamic vinegar, honey, olive oil, lemon, and sesame seeds. Add mixture to the large bowl.

(Note: If you have a shredder blade on your food processor use it! This salad takes less than 5 minutes by using the shredded blade)

Enjoy
~D

Fresh and Free Orange Julius

One of my favorite desserts my mom would make my sister and I when we were younger was her famous Orange Julius's. They were creamy and scrumptious! She would use creamy vanilla ice cream and can of frozen orange juice! Put a little whipped cream on the top, throw in a little love, and it was an amazing treat!!!

But now that I am health conscience and food seems to stick to my thighs and belly a little more than when I was younger, I opt to skip the Orange Julius frozen treats. TOTAL BUMMER! But by combining some fresh ingredients I can still get that same great flavor an Orange Julius brings to the table.




FRESH AND FREE ORANGE JULIUS

Ingredients:

1 Medium Seedless Orange- Peeled
1 Frozen Banana - Peeled
1 Cup Dairy Free Vanilla Milk- Soy or Almond
          Or Plain Dairy Free Milk with 1 TBLS Vanilla Extract
Zest from the Orange
1 Packet Stevia
Optional: 1 Scoop Protein Powder Mix
Optional: 1/2 Cup Ice for more of an icey frozen drink


Directions:

Add all ingredients to a blender or high powered drink mixer and combine until smooth and creamy

Pour into a cup and consume!!

Whipped Greek Cheese Frosting

Brodie's just celebrated his 4th Birthday. He informed me he wanted a Pirate Cake. So with my task in hand, I was on the verge to create an amazing and healthy frosting for his cake. And I am pretty sure I succeeded!

Whipped Greek Cheese Frosting

Prep time: 12 hrs

Ingredients:
10 oz Plain Fat Free Greek Yogurt
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 tsp Lemon Juice
2 packets Stevia
2 Cheese Cloths
1 tub TruWhip or 1 tub Cool Whip Sugar Free


Directions:
In a bowl add yogurt, vanilla, lemon juice, and stevia. Stir well to mix.

In a clean bowl fold a cheese cloth in half two times and lay open in a bowl.
Pour the yogurt mixture on top of the cheese cloth.
Fold your second cheese cloth in half two times and place on top of the yogurt.
Place your yogurt in the fridge for 12 hrs.

After your yogurt is firm, place in a large bowl.
Mash the yogurt cheese with a fork to break up.
Add half of the tub of Whipped Topping to bowl and mix with an electric mixer.
Add second half of Whipped Topping and mix for 1 minute.

Your frosting should be thick and creamy.

Keep in the fridge until you are going to serve to keep frosting firm.

Top on Cupcakes, Cakes, inbetween Cookies or Waffles, or use as a nice fruit dip.



Try subing different extracts or juices to your yogurt before placing in the fridge for new icing flavors:
1 tsp Coconut Extract
1 tsp Orange Extract (Orange Meringue)
2 tbls Cocoa Powder and 1 tsp Mint Extract (Mint Chocolate)
1 tbls Lime Extract (Key Lime)
1 tbls pineapple juice and 1 tsp coconut extract (Island Frosting)


Or try Flavored Greek Yogurts (tip: there is a lot of sugar in pre-flavored yogurts, so sometimes it's best to create your own flavor)

Coconut Carrot-Cake Dairy Free Milkshake

  

  "  My milkshake brings all the boys to the yard..and they're like, it's better than yours....."

I can't make a milkshake without busting out this song and jumping around the kitchen; and then my 4 year old starts singing it, which let me assure you he has never heard the radio version!

"My milkshake" is a bit classier than this song and it is the perfect indulgence on a warm spring day for enjoying out in the yard...LOL

It must be that Easter was recently in the air, but I have been digging carrots and coconut lately. So I whipped up this super yummy dairy free milkshake. I love that I can enjoy this without calorie and fat consumption guilt.

Coconut Carrot Cake Milkshake

Ingredients:

1 Large Frozen Banana

3/4 Cup Almond Breeze "Coconut Almond Blend Milk"

1 Medium Raw Carrot

1/8 tsp Coconut Extract or 1 Tbls Shredded Coconut or BOTH

1/4 tsp Cinnamon

1/4 tsp Allspice

1/8 tsp Ground Ginger

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

1 packet Stevia

Great Optional Add Ins:

1 Scoop Protein Powder (add 1/4 Cup additional milk if powder makes your milkshake too thick)

1 Tbls Pumpkin Puree

Combine all your ingredients in blender or drink mixer. Blend until carrot and banana are well blended.

Pour into a cup and  .......    Get Your Milkshake On!!

RAW Thai Cashew Curry

RAW Thai Cashew Curry

3 Carrots, peeled
2 medium Parsnips, peeled
1 medium cucumber, chopped
1 Tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
1 teaspoon Raw Honey
1/3 Cup Olive Oil
2 teaspoon Curry Powder
1 teaspoon Ginger Powder
1 juice of lemon
1/2 cup cashews

Chop carrots and parsnips in food processor. Add carrots, parsnips, and cumber in a large bowl. In a small bowl whisk balsamic vinegar, honey, olive oil, curry powder, ginger powder, and lemon. Add to large bowl along with cashews. Stir ingredients together and enjoy!