Super Smoothie

You don't realize how loud the blender is until you have a baby and they look at that strange machine like, "What the heck is that thing and why is it so horribly loud?!"

Little does she know that she has the potential to be even LOUDER than a blender full of ice. And she has proved that fact, too.

Y'all know I've always been a fan of smoothies for breakfast, lunch, snack, really anytime of the day. After having a baby that didn't weigh the 23 pounds that I had somehow gained when I was pregnant, I'm an even bigger fan of smoothies. They're filling, nutritious and simple to throw together quickly and drink while I'm loving on my sweet girl....or changing a diaper, cleaning up spit-up or collapsing on the couch after she goes down for a nap. You get the idea.



This smoothie will not disappoint. Made creamy with a frozen banana, made sweet with mango and almond extract and packed with flax (great for nursing moms!) and fresh spinach!



I adapted this recipe from skinnytaste.com and she mentioned she saw it in a Superfood Smoothie book (see here) that has peaked my interest! I'm always looking for yummy, new smoothie recipes!

Mango Banana Spinach Smoothie

Adapted from SkinnyTaste.com

Makes 1 Smoothie

 

Ingredients:

1/2 frozen banana

1/4 c. frozen (or fresh) mango

1/2 c. fresh spinach

1 tbsp. ground flax seeds

1 small splash (approx. 1 tsp.) almond extract

1 c. milk

1/2 c. ice

 

Blend all ingredients together until smooth and creamy.

 

Enjoy!

Laura

Apple Spiced Scones with Spiced Glaze

I know I've told y'all this before but in case you forgot or still find it really, really odd, I'll remind you.

My hubby loves scones.

Scones? Yes, scones.

My rock climbing, triathlon competing, double black diamond skiing husband enjoys a good scone.

Funny.

And I'll give you all one guess where I found another successful recipe, this time for a scone... you guessed it- SkinnyTaste!

I made SkinnyTaste's Delightful Apple Spiced Scones with Spiced Glaze and they were a hit! Instead of forming them into a circle, I made a long rectangle and cut them into small triangles before baking. This was great as I sent some of them into my husband's work and they were the perfect size to grab on the go! Not to mention, they served a lot more people than the 12 scones it originally makes.

These are a nice, light, Autumn-ish snack or breakfast and guilt-free, at that.

(Don't let the buttermilk addition sway you from not making these- just measure 1/2 tbsp. vinegar in a liquid measuring cup then fill the rest of the way to 1/2 cup with milk. Let stand 5 minutes and, voila, 1/2 c. buttermilk!)

Click here for the link to the original recipe from SkinnyTaste!

Enjoy!

Laura



Baking Wish List

I cannot wait to bake all these things...or have someone bake them and then deliver them to me. Either way is fine by me.

Circus Animal Cookie Truffles

Apple Butter Cupcakes

Cake Batter Blondies

Peanut Butter Pie with Pretzel Crust

Chocolate Sheet Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting

Mmm mm good!

Laura

Face Saving Smoothie

I feel as though my job is to inform you of things that will happen to you during your pregnancy that nobody else will.

Such as your face reverting to it's 13 year old, pimply self. No beating around the bush. It's bad. It's not fun. At least I know how to apply make up better now than I did then, I suppose.

It explains why your face breaks out when you hit puberty. It's payback for when you were just a little fetus and you ruined your dear ol' mom's complexion. It really is karma at it's finest.

Anyways, for the past few weeks I've been drinking carrot juice to try and help calm down the ol' face. Sounds nasty, I know, but mixed into a smoothie (what else did you expect around here?) it is quite delicious!

Face Saving Carrot Smoothie

Yield: 1 large smoothie or 2 small

Ingredients:

-1 frozen banana

-5 whole strawberries

-1/4 c. greek yogurt

-1/2-3/4 c. carrot juice (I like Odwalla- look for the large jugs on sale at the grocery store or Sam's/Costco)

Blend all ingredients until smooth and creamy!

Charlotte might come out looking a little orange...

Laura

Rosemary Sea Salt Pretzels

Just call me Auntie Anne. (anybody?)

I made pretzels last week! I really expected this to be super difficult but after reading this recipe about 19 times, I found a bit of confidence and decided to tackle the pretzel.

And, boy, am I glad I did.

They were actually really simple and I'd say even foolproof!

I followed the recipe from Two Peas and their Pod exactly, including the rosemary cheese dipping sauce. I will absolutely be making these again! I think they'd be great for football season and a super impressive gift for someone!

via

Salty, savory, chewy and delicious. Try these, ASAP. I promise you will not be disappointed and you will feel like such a rockstar in the kitchen.

Click here for the original recipe.

Oh Auntie Anne's,
Laura

Going Banana Chai

You've heard me rant and rave about smoothies here before, and that isn't changing anytime soon.

My newest smoothie addiction is inspired by this Banana Chai smoothie from Pinterest!

Spicy, creamy and indulgent- it has a trifecta going on here.

via

Banana Chai Smoothie

Serves 1

Adapted from Choosing Raw

Ingredients: 

2 tsp. chai tea mix (I love this variety from Trader Joe's...and Amazon, apparently)

1 1/2 (or 2 small) frozen bananas (remember my frozen banana trick, here?)

2/3 c. milk 

1 tbsp. peanut butter

Combine all ingredients in a blender until smooth.

Yum!! 

(You can also make your own chai mix but I like the subtle yet spiciness from the premixed teas better. There's my two cents.)

Enjoy!

Laura

Taco Cookies

Ever seen those two words together? Taco and cookie?

I made these as an April Fool's joke but I think they'd be perfect for Cinco de Mayo this weekend!

I was inspired by this  recipe from Parenting Magazine after a quick google search for April Fool's dessert ideas! With a few adaptions, I ended up with a soft, cinnamon taco shell filled with cake, frosting, fruit roll ups and pop rocks!

Taco Cookies

Makes 12 cookies

Prep Time: 15 min. Total Time: 25 min. for cookies + time for cake and toppings

Taco Shell Ingredients:

1 c. packed light brown sugar

1 1/3 c. whole wheat flour (gives the brown color, don't use regular)

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. vanilla extract

4 eggs

2 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Stir together the brown sugar, flour and cinnamon. Whisk in the vanilla and eggs until smooth. Fold in the butter and chill for 5 minutes in the freezer.

The dough is very runny! Ladle into circle shapes and bake for 5-6 min. until golden brown.

While the cookies are baking, make an aluminum foil log and spray with cooking spray. After the cookies have cooled for about one minute, carefully drape the cookies over the foil to make the taco shell shape. They might crack a little but that's ok, it will be on the bottom of the final cookie display. Let the cookies cool completely before removing the foil.

For the fillings:

Bake a chocolate sheet cake (I used a box) and let cool. Crumble 1/4 of the cake and mix with a heaping spoonful of chocolate frosting. Frost the rest of the cake and give it away to your neighbors.

Sprinkle the taco meat (aka the chocolate cake) into the cooled shells.

Top with sour cream (piped white frosting in a ziploc bag with the corner snipped off), lettuce (green fruit roll-up thinly sliced) and tomato (red pop rocks). If you are not serving these right away, wait to put the Pop Rocks on until you are ready to present. Another option is to thinly slice up peaches and strawberries as cheese and tomatoes!

Enjoy!
Laura





Nut Organization

...what? I couldn't think of a better title so there you go.

In oatmeal, cookies, bread or even a mid-afternoon snack, I love to have fresh cashews, walnuts or other nuts on hand.

That can add up!

Nuts aren't cheap, let me tell ya. I like to buy them in bulk from the dispensers at the grocery store but, fun fact, nuts can go rancid (in other words- nasty and bad) pretty quickly. In fact, nuts only last one month at room temperature.

I can't remember where I read this tip but I've been using it ever since. I keep my nuts in a bag in the freezer (they can last up to a year there!) and within that bag are smaller bags separated by nut variety.

This is super handy, the nuts last longer and there is no need to thaw! Throw them right into batters, oatmeal or on a salad! How easy is that?

Rancid things are scary things,

Laura



Baked Oatmeal

I guess I inspired myself the other with my Bake-Ahead Breakfast post! At least somebody is getting something out of this blog! This past weekend, I made the Baked Oatmeal and it has been a hit for breakfast this week! They are simple to make and even more simple to grab and go in the mornings!





I love knowing what is in my breakfast and that it is sugar free, oil free and low in calories! Win, win!

I halved the recipe because I only had 1 c. of applesauce on hand and still came out with 16 medium sized baked oatmeal cups. For the toppings, I did some with chocolate chips, some with dried cranberries and walnuts and, lastly, fresh strawberries and walnuts. I sprinkled brown sugar on them all before baking, too.

Make sure to push your toppings into the batter before baking so it's easier (and less messy!) to eat!

I will definitely be making these again and again!

Click here for the original recipe from Sugar-Free Mom's blog!

I'm glad I could inspire myself...
Laura

Easter Bark

I am a sucker for anything holiday themed- including candy. Since I was at my parent's house for Easter, I came home with a bag full of Easter treats!

Since I know myself and know that I would want to eat all the candy and that they are in small bags so I would feel like I wasn't eating a lot of candy but then would eat multiple small bags at a time, I knew I had to do something about this. Whew. Long sentence.

Enter Easter bark. I did this same concept at Halloween when my adorable students each brought me in all the Reese's Peanut Butter Cups from their trick or treating adventures. Brown-nosing? Maybe, but I enjoyed it.

It couldn't be simpler. First, chop up your Easter candy, pulse it in a food processor or (what I did) throw it in a Ziploc bag and hit it with a Pyrex measuring cup until chopped but still has large chunks. Bonus- I didn't even have to clean my food processor! Win, win.

Next, I melted chocolate candy melts (from Hobby Lobby or Michael's) with a splash of vegetable oil in a microwave safe bowl in 30 second increments until completely smooth then poured it onto my Silpat and spread it into a thin layer. It's up to you how much chocolate and how thick you want the bark to be. I only had a half bag of candy melts and spread it pretty thin to make it easier to eat.

Sprinkle the chopped up candy onto the melted chocolate and then sprinkle with salt, to help cut out all the sweetness! Let it harden in the fridge for about 5 minutes.

After the chocolate is hardened, melt about 1/4 c. white chocolate chips and a splash of vegetable oil in the microwave. Use white chocolate melts if you have them and if not, do like I did and just melt them until somewhat smooth and stir slowly to melt the rest but not too much that it thickens up. White chocolate can be so moody.

Using your spoon, drizzle the white chocolate over the bark and let it harden in the fridge for 10 more minutes.

Break into small pieces, take to your office or hand them out to your neighbors and, I promise, you will be so glad you got rid of all that candy with bikini season right around the corner!

Everybody loves somebody that brings them dessert. It's a fact.

I really need to give all mine away,
Laura

Edible Spray Paint

Have y'all seen this?!?
Edible Spray Paint! My mind is going crazy thinking of how and when I can use this ASAP!

What will they think of next?

Laura

Cinnamon Chocolate Chip Scones

You think you know a lot about your significant other...and then you get married...and you learn that your husband likes scones. Scones? Yes, scones. He's so sophisticated.

I put a twist on chocolate chip scones by adding delicious cinnamon to create a yummy treat for any time of the day!

Gather your ingredients.

(Full recipe is at bottom of post).

White flour, wheat flour, buttermilk, sugar, butter, baking powder, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, chocolate chips, one egg and one egg white



I used a pastry blender to combine the cold butter in the dry ingredients but you could just use two knifes, as well.

I'm always a little apprehensive about rolling out dough but this dough was super easy to work with and it was compliant while I formed it into a circle about 3/4 in. thick. Good, dough.

Cut into twelve triangles and pull apart slightly.

I sprinkled this little gem on top before baking. If you have a Trader Joe's near you- pick some up next time you are there! It would be great on french toast, too!

Ta-Da!



Cinnamon Chocolate Chip Scones

Recipe adapted from Skinny Taste

Yield: 12 servings

Prep Time: 10 min. Total Time: 30 min.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup cold buttermilk

1/4 cup sugar (plus more for sprinkling)
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 cup all purpose flour 
1 cup white whole wheat flour
1 tsp cinnamon (plus more for sprinkling)
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 tbsp chilled butter (must be cold) cut into small pieces
3/4 cup chocolate chips
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
1 1/2 tbsp sugar

Directions:
1. Whisk together the buttermilk, sugar, vanilla and egg in a medium bowl.

2. Whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Cut in chilled butter with a pastry blender (or 2 knifes) until the mixture resembles coarse meal.

3. Fold in chocolate chips and add milk mixture stirring just until moist.

4. Place dough on a floured surface and knead gently with floured hands.
5. Form dough into a 9 in. circle on a greased baking sheet and cut completely into 12 triangles.

6. Brush egg white and sprinkle scones with cinnamon and sugar.

7. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. Serve warm.

Enjoy!
Laura



Basic Smoothie

Although the pb smoothie is my fav, sometimes I have to watch my peanut butter intake, ya know? Or maybe you don't know...anyways, here is the basic recipe I follow when making my smoothies:

1 cup liquid (milk, any type of juice, water)
1 frozen banana
Scant cup greek yogurt (any flavor)

Optional Add-Ins:
Spinach (Yes, spinach. I promise you can't taste it!)
Flavored Extracts (Coconut is my fav.)

Blend together! Easy enough!

Check out this variation:

1 frozen banana, scant cup honey vanilla yogurt, 1 cup green goodness juice, splash of coconut extract



Nastiest picture ever? Perhaps.



So smooth.

I love how thick the banana and yogurt make the smoothies! We usually have a couple juice options on hand like this Green Goodness, carrot juice, V8 splash, etc. I also buy the individual yogurt cups in various flavors when they are on sale to switch things up a little bit, too!

Try it out and let me know what you think!

Breakfast of Champions,
Laura

Cookie Dough Dip

The taste of raw cookie dough without the fear factor of uncooked eggs? Genius. 

I saw this idea for Cookie Dough Dip floating around Pinterest and, after drooling over the different recipes, took a little from each to create this version!

I've made it twice now and it has been a HIT! Not to mention, how much my co-workers love the leftovers the next day!

Cookie Dough Dip

Yield: A lot...not sure of the actual amount.

Prep Time: 5 min. Total Time: 5 min.



Ingredients:

8 oz. fat free cream cheese, softened

1/2 c. unsalted butter, softened

1 c. powdered sugar

2 tbsp. brown sugar

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 c. mini chocolate chips (regular works, too!)

1. Cream together the cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.

2. Add in the powdered sugar, brown sugar, vanilla extract and stir to combine.

3. Stir in the chocolate chips.

This can be made and chilled for a few hours for easy party prep! I like it best with cinnamon graham crackers and thinly sliced apples...or even just a large spoon would work!

We had already started digging into it when I took this picture- it's irresistible!

Enjoy!

Laura

Puppy Chow

Is there a more crowd-pleasing dessert than puppy chow? Crispy cereal coated in butter, peanut butter, chocolate and powdered sugar?

Of course, I am a big fan of the traditional pb and chocolate version but these new ideas are enticing me to branch out a little!

Citrus Puppy Chow

S'Mores Puppy Chow

Puppy Chow Granola

Lemon Puppy Chow

Bacon Puppy Chow
(my sister-in-law made this for my brother for Valentine's Day and it got rave reviews!)

Cake Batter Puppy Chow

Nutella Puppy Chow

Come back tomorrow (or even better- follow me on the right side of the page!) for a different twist on the classic puppy chow made by yours truly (that's me)!

A whole post on dog food,

Laura