Pumpkin Pie Granola

Homemade pumpkin pie spice granola!! Super easy, healthy and has that great fall pumpkin flavor!! 

Ingredients:

-2 c oats

-1 tbs light agave 

-1/2 tsp vanilla

-1 packet splenda

-1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice

-1/4 tsp cinnamon 

-2 tbs pumpkin purée

-3 tbs sliced almonds (or any other nut)

-1/2 tbs light coconut oil 

Preheat oven to 315. Mix all together until oats are coated and no lumps. Bake on lightly sprayed cookie sheet for 10-12 minutes or until slightly crisp. Cool completly. Add in any extras! (Dried fruit, enjoy life chocolate chips- I added some white chocolate chips)!

Zoodles Bolognese

Used my sprialzer for the first time and made Zoodles bolognese!!! Everything homemade including the sauce! 

This recipe was super easy, low calorie, and high in nutrients/protein! 

What you'll need:

1. Spiralizer (got mine at Williams Sonoma, $40)

2. 4 zucchinis (mine were fairly small)

3. 1 -28oz can fire roasted tomatoes

4. 3oz of low sodium tomato paste

5. Ground extra lean turkey

6. Spices of choice- I used cumin, garlic, red pepper, chili powder, and black pepper

7. 3-6oz low sodium chicken broth (optional- I use It to make my sauce a little thinner) 

8. Onion & diced garlic 

ONE

*spiralize your zucchinis! This was so fun! 

TWO:

*In a blender, pulse the tomatoes, spices, and paste. Add chicken broth as needed to desired consistency 

THREE:

*saute garlic & onion. When onion starts to swear add ground turkey and cook through. 

FOUR:

*meanwhile, boil Zoodles in pot of water for about 6-8 minutes or until tender

FIVE:

*add your tomatoe sauce to turkey mixture until heated. 

SIX:

*Serve on Zoodles and enjoy! 

Makes about 4 cups of Zoodles with some leftover sauce. Hubs and I each enjoyed a hearty 2 cups per serving.

Each: 380 calories, 14g fat, 13g carbs, 40g protein! 

Assorted RAW gluten free Dessert truffles!

It's been quite hard for me lately to stay on the healthy eating path this summer. I'm not sure why, but summers are always the hardest for me. Fall is the easiest! My theory is that sunshine brings out more socializing, which usually revolves around food, combined with the fact that I run next to nothing in the hot summer months because of the heat. SO, my love for chocolate (and food in general) tends to win that battle in the summer.

I made these because I always need some afternoon chocolate. Like always. All the time. About an hour after lunch. I couldn't tell you why, but at 2:30 I turn into a hound-sniffing-where's-the-chocolate-human being... So I made these!

They are SUPER easy to make, and as long as you use all natural raw ingredients you can pretty much use any combination of flavors! I made regular chip, chocolate cacao chip, and chocolate coconut! I think the chocolate cacao chip was my favorite.... But they are all delicious and HEALTHY!! 

Ingredients:

-2 c cashews, soaked in water for several hours

-10-12 dates, also soaked in water

-2 tbs cacao powder (natural- note: this is not the same as cocoa powder) 

-cacao nibs

-2 tbs light organic agave 

-shredded coconut

1. Using a food processor, shred up dates, set aside, using 1 tbs of the honey.

2. Do the same thing with the cashews using the other tbs of honey.

3. Mix the two together with a spoon or spatula. 

4. Pour half the mixture back into processor and add the raw cacao powder. Blend. 

5. Roll into balls and then coat with shredded coconut and/or cacao nibs. I did four balls of each flavor, which made 12 total. 

---next time I'm going to melt some dark chocolate and drizzle it on top and then refrigerate for a crisp on top!! 

Each one has 85 calories, 9g carbs, 5g fat, 2g protein!! 

Refrigerate and take with you to work or throughout the week for a treat!! 💜

Blueberry Cookie Scone!

This could be eaten anytime of the day!!! I was originally making them to take as a snack for work the rest of the week, then I just decided i need to try a big piece with some dark chocolate drizzled on top and call it my dessert! 

They are gluten free, low calorie, sugar free, and low fat! 

You will need:

-blueberries

-1/2 c oat flour

-1 c almond flour

-1 egg

-2 tbs Cornstartch

-1 tsp vanilla

-1/4 c unsweetened almond milk

-1/4 c virgin coconut oil

-1/4 c Splenda baking sugar

-optional: 1/2 square of dark chocolate to drizzle =) 

Start by beating together the coconut oil, egg, and Splenda.

Next, add in your flours, vanilla, and Cornstartch! 

Add your almond milk until a consistency lighter than cookie dough.

Fold in your blueberries....

Place in a pie pan lined with parchment paper.

Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes or until golden brown and just barely soft in the middle! 

Let cool, cut into 6 slices, and serve slightly warm! 

If you want a chocolate drizzle, mix 1/2 piece dark chocolate with 1 tsp coconut oil melted together in microwave! 

Enjoy, and don't get cookie crumbs in the bed! =)

Raw Vegan Chocolate Coffee Cheesecake Bars

This was a HUGE success!!!! Not only is it EXTREEMLY healthy (even with the 12g fat still healthy fats!), but I probably would have a difficult time knowing this is a raw, unprocessed dessert if I tried it with my eyes closed! 

My husband had... Well... 3 of them... In less than 5 minutes =) that means it was good! 

Ingredients:

CRUST

-1 cup dates

-1 cup soaked cashews (I soaked for 3-4 hours)

-1 packet (approx 1-2 tbs) instant coffee

-2 tbs water 

FILLING

-1 cup soaked cashews

-1/4 tbs organic maple syrup (no sugar added)

-1 packet stevia or similar sweetener

-1 tsp vanilla

-3 tbs cocoa

-1/4 c water

-1/4 c organic virgin coconut oil

CHOCOLATE TOPPING

-2 tbs cocoa

-2 tbs coconut oil

-2 tbs maple syrup

-1/4 tsp vanilla

1. Make crust by blending together dates and cashews in processor. Add in coffee and water. If too watery, add a few more dates or cashews. If too thick, add a little more water until has a super thick paste like consistency. 

Keep on blending.. Then press into bottom of 8x8 parchment lined pan.

Place in freezer while you make filling.

In a clean processor, add all ingredients and process....

Keep processing for a while until smooth! 

Have a taste.... Mmmmm. If it needs a little more cocoa, or stevia, or vanilla, add whatever you like here! 

Spread on top of crust....

Now make the chocolate topping.

Melt all three ingredients in a microwave safe bowl ONLY 15 seconds at a time.... Stir... If it needs more melting, only another 10 seconds or so, or you will pass the point of no return and it might congeal. 

Spread randomly in clumps on top of cheesecake layer...

Use a toothpick to make it all swirly and pretty! 

Freeze for a few hours (in my case, 2) and enjoy!!!!! 

Cheesy Spicy Cauliflower Bake!

This was one of the best cauliflower things I've made yet!! Easy, healthy, and hardly any ingredients!! 

Makes about four cups or servings, and each one is about 131 calories! 

-1 head cauliflower

-any spices you like (I used cayenne pepper, red pepper, and garlic)

-3 tbs olive oil

-2 tbs whole wheat flour

-1/2 c almond milk (unsweetened)

-1/2 c lowfat cheese (I used low fat mozz)

Spread chopped cauliflower into baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Heat oven to 400 degrees 

Season with 1 tbs olive oil and your spices . Bake for 30 minutes. 

In saucepan heat your 2 tbs olive oil whisked with the flour until it forms a chunky like paste. Stir in milk and whisk until blended

Add cheese. Whisk some more until thick!

Once cauliflower timer is up, place into a baking dish and drizzle over the cauliflower! Bake for 10 minutes and eat a big ol scoop!! 😏 

Sooooooo cheesy and gooey 

Just a big mouthful of oozing spicy cheese and cauliflower!!

Enjoy! 💜

Southwest Stuffed Bell Peppers!

Been forever since I've posted!! We bought a home (yay!), and it has been quite the ride waiting for all of our appliances to come in. Therefore, it's been a lot of Whole foods ready meals =). Got our fridge this past week and was finally able to cook in our new home!! 

Anywho, these are easy to make- take about 40 minutes to cook, and can even be made for the next day! 

Stuffed bell peppers are delish! I remember when I was little eating the frozen beef stuffed peppers.... Not healthy.... Packed with sodium... Not to mention I don't eat red meat anymore! 

Ingredients:

-2 red bell peppers, tops cut off and cored

-1 1/2 c ground lean turkey

-1/4 c diced onion

-1/4 c diced green bell pepper

-1/4 c drained no salt added black beans

-1/4 c fresh corn from the cob

-1/2 can low sodium diced tomatoes, drained

-1 green onion stalk

-low fat mexican cheese blend 

1. Sautee onions and peppers for a few minutes, add ground turkey. Cook through

2. Heat oven to 350.

3. Add corn, black beans, and tomatoes 

4. Stuff peppers with mixture

5. Cook for 40 minutes or so!