I love fruit. I love dip. I love fruit dip. But when I go to the grocery store I feel like all the fruit dip I see is loaded with sugar ...
I have most definitely been slacking on my posts and the accumulative guilt has finally caught up with me. It's not that I haven't been making food and doing things.. I just haven't gotten around to posting them! If you would like to see what I eat on the daily, check out my personal instagram! But for now, settle in and read one of the most delicious cookies I've ever made (and it's also the healthiest!)
I've been searching for a healthy cookie recipe for a while. I love oatmeal-raisin so that's been my test flavor. I've tried a couple but they've been dry or just not up to par. Then I found this one, and adapted it just a tiny, tiny bit! I loved them so much that I took them to work today. Since they were pretty well-received by everyone, (even after being met with "Healthy cookies? Eh, I don't know..") I figured I'd post the recipe! These babies have no sugar or butter (agave nectar and coconut oil are god-sends!) and with the brands I used clocked in at 100 calories each! Plus, this recipe made 15 cookies, so there were enough to share!
Ingredients
- 1 cup of whole-grain old-fashioned oats (use a spoon to put these into your measuring cup and then level it off, to avoid the cookies becoming too dry via the packing method)
- 3/4 of a cup of whole-wheat flour (use the same method as the oats, for the same reason)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon
- 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon of salt
- 2 tablespoons of coconut oil, melted
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup of light agave nectar
- 1/4 cup of raisins (put them in water and microwave for about a minute to re-hydrate them just a bit.. no need for dry cookies! Make sure to drain them before putting them in the batter though!)
- one large egg
First things first, pre-heat your oven to 325 degrees. After that is out of the way, add your oats, flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt into a bowl. Then, whisk this all together
Next add your egg, agave, vanilla, and melted coconut oil into a separate bowl and whisk that together.
Add the two bowls together and whisk. Then, stir in your raisins. Chill this mixture for 30 minutes!
When it's done chilling, it should look like the above photo.
Scoop the batter into 15 cookies on a non-stick sheet (I used two to fit them all). You may want to use parchment paper for easy clean-up. Flatten the cookies down a bit, as they don't spread much during the baking. Bake for about 11-13 minutes, then pull them out.
Leave them on the sheet for about 10 minutes before transferring them to cool more, this way they are definitely cooked all the way through! Don't over cook these, as they will dry out fast!
Enjoy these healthy cookies! I got tons of compliments on them and was told that they were fluffy and delicious!
I have most definitely been slacking on my posts and the accumulative guilt has finally caught up with me. It's not that I haven...
To me, summer = fresh veggies with every possible meal. So when I opened the fridge today after making stir-fry last night and saw the left-over veggies, I pulled them out and put them on the counter. I stared at them for a little bit, contemplating. I started to wish I had rice wrappers to make spring rolls and that's when it hit me--use the cabbage instead! These rolls are healthy, light, low-cal, and delicious. Adding them to your day is quick, easy, and a great idea!
For one roll:
- 2 leafs of cabbage
- 1 leaf of red cabbage
- 1/2 cup of alfalfa sprouts
- 2 tbsp of shaved/shredded carrots
- 6 sugar snap peas
- non-stick cooking spray
- 1 tbsp of thinly sliced green onions
- 3 leaves of fresh Thai basil
- sprinkle of paprika
- sprinkle of chili powder
- pinch of ground black pepper
First, spray the pan down with your non-stick spray. Cut your vegetables (except one leaf of cabbage) and green onions/Thai basil. Add the onions and basil first, then let them sit on medium-low heat for a minute before adding in the other veggies. Sprinkle on your pepper, chili powder, and paprika. I used a couple sprinkles of the chili powder because I like my food HOT. Let this all saute for about 6-7 minutes, then scoop in into the cabbage leaf.
I put my leaf back in the pan for a minute or so on low heat, just to warm it up a little. After this, you're done! Wrap it up burrito-style and enjoy! I would use this as an appetizer or side. If you want to use it as an entree, make a couple of them and add some protein to it!
To me, summer = fresh veggies with every possible meal. So when I opened the fridge today after making stir-fry last night and saw t...
This is more of a meal-idea than a recipe, since these are two things pretty much every person knows how to make. Basically, you need two frying pans: one for the grilled cheese and one for the zucchini. Spray non-stick cooking spray in both. Cut up half of a zucchini and sprinkle rosemary on top. Put that in one pan and let it saute on medium-low heat, flipping/stirring every-so-often. Once you have that going, put together your grilled cheese. I use two slices of the split-top whole wheat bread from Aldi and two slices of Kraft American cheese singles. brown on one side, then flip and brown on the other. Once both are done, put them on your plate and enjoy a quick and healthy meal!
This is more of a meal-idea than a recipe, since these are two things pretty much every person knows how to make. Basically, you need t...
I adore anything and everything banana-flavored. My problem is that it's really hard to eat healthy and have banana flavored pastries/breads when most banana muffins/breads are full of butter and sugar. So naturally, I took to pinterest and found this recipe. Since I'm also obsessed with the blender that my mom has recently gifted my fiance and I, I had to try making them. I've made these muffins twice now, and I love them! No sugar or butter in these tasty treats, plus if you have a gluten-free diet (I don't, but I know some people who do), they are perfect for you!
Banana-Oat Blender Muffins
- 2 ripe bananas
- 2 cups of oats (I used old-fashioned, but quick-cooking would also work)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup of plain greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons of honey
- 1/8 teaspoon of salt
- 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract (I used baker's imitation vanilla and it was still great!)
You can also add 1/2 a cup of blueberries, chocolate chips, nuts, butterscotch chips, or whatever your heart desires.. but I think that they taste amazing plain!
This recipe is so simple, too. Put paper liners in your muffin tin and then preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Add all of the ingredients to your blender. I sliced the bananas before adding them. Then blend, blend, blend!
Your batter will resemble a smoothie when done. Add equal parts to each of the 12 liners in your muffin tin.
Put these into your oven for 15 minutes, or until you can put a toothpick in and have it be clean when you pull it out.
Let them cool, then transfer them to a wire cooling rack. They will last for about five days (if you don't eat them all before then!). Without add-ins, these came out to around 97 calories per muffin. Different brands of honey, oats, or yogurt may change this (although I can't imagine by much). They taste like they were made with butter and sugar, but are much better for you!
I adore anything and everything banana-flavored. My problem is that it's really hard to eat healthy and have banana flavored past...
Chicken Parmesan Roll Ups
- two chicken breasts
- 2 large eggs
- mozzarella cheese
- parmesan cheese
- bread crumbs
- 2 oz of tomato sauce
First, set up your station. Pre-heat your oven to 405 degrees. You'll need to scramble the eggs in one bowl, set up your bread crumbs in another, cut up your mozzarella into chunks about an inch big, and get your parmesan cheese ready, too. You should also have your baking pan ready. I used a 9x13. Next, flatten and cut your chicken into strips. Then, one by one, dip the chicken into the egg and then the bread crumbs. Take a chunk of mozzarella and some parmesan (I used shaved) and wrap the chicken around the cheese.
Place it in the pan. Do this for each. Put these in the oven and cook them for 35 minutes. When that time is up, open the oven, spoon some sauce onto each roll-up. Then, add more mozzarella and parmesan on top.
Cook those for another 5-7 minutes and you'll have a great dinner that my fiance says is "fantastic and delicious!"
Penne With Vegetables in a Creamy Tomato Sauce
- two cups of penne pasta
- 2 oz of tomato sauce
- 1/4 cup of heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 of a zucchini
- 1 yellow zucchini
- 1 clove of garlic
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
First, get your water boiling for the pasta. Next, in a frying pan, place your olive oil and garlic, minced. Set that on medium heat. Cut up the vegetables and put those in. Let them cook, flipping them every-so-often for about 10-15 minutes. Once your water is boiling, add the pasta. When that is done, strain it and put it back into the pot. Add the tomato sauce and cream, letting that cook with the pasta on medium heat. Add the vegetables and cook all of that for about 5-10 more minutes. It's super easy and could even be a main dish!
Chicken Parmesan Roll Ups two chicken breasts 2 large eggs mozzarella cheese parmesan cheese bread crumbs 2 oz of tomato sa...
French tips are really pretty, but sometimes nails need a little more edge. So instead of the normal clearish-pink and white, I thought glitter and black would be a nice change! First, I used "All In One Base" by Essie. Then I put three layers of the glitter on, for which I used "In The Spotlight" by Sally Hansen Hard As Nails Xtreme Wear. I love this polish because it's silver, but when the light hits it there's a rainbow sheen in each glitter piece. For the tips I used "Time Off" by Sinful Colors Nail Art. I just swiped it over the white tips of my nails. Then, I topped it all of with Sally Hansen Dries Instantly Top Coat. Easy, edgy, and chic!
French tips are really pretty, but sometimes nails need a little more edge. So instead of the normal clearish-pink and white, I thou...
Another simple nail art tutorial? Yes!
This time I did a super easy, bright, and minimalist look. I think this particular nail art works best with colors in the same family, but one light and one dark. I chose to do corals, with the lighter being "Tart Deco" by Essie and the darker being "Craving Coral" by Revlon. Other color combos you could try would be lilac and plum, baby blue and navy, and even mint and forest green. My base coat is Essie "All In One Base" and my top coat is Sally Hansen "Dries Instantly Top Coat." To achieve this look, I put on my base coat, then the lighter coral over all my nails. I used two coats and let that dry thoroughly. Then, I used washi tape and taped over the top half of my nails. I used the darker coral on the bottoms/not taped portions. Once that was done I put a clear top coat on and wha-la! Done!
Another simple nail art tutorial? Yes! This time I did a super easy, bright, and minimalist look. I think this particular nai...
Cooking is a hobby of mine. I love making food. Even more, I love watching people enjoy what I make. Some days, I have mornings open but I am too busy to cook right around dinner time. That's why crock-pots were made! Or at least that's why I use them! I searched online for a couple different recipes, picked what I liked from each, and came out on top with a lovely meal that my fiance and I loved (my mom, who was visiting took some home and her and my dad loved it too!). I also made fresh salsa and guacamole to go with this dish, but as I make those both weekly, they will be different recipes for a different post on a different day.
Fajitas
Produce:
- boneless and skinless chicken breast (2-3, depending on size)
- two orange bell peppers
- two green bell peppers
- two yellow bell peppers
- two red bell peppers
- 1 yellow onion
- 1 lime
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 2 tbsp cilantro (I use fresh, so adjust the amount if you're using dried!)
- 1 tsp of salt
- 1/2 tsp of ground pepper
- 2 1/2 tsp of chili powder
- 1/2 tsp of ground coriander
- 2 tsp of ground cumin
- 1 tsp of paprika
It's about to get spicy--literally. Mix all of this in a bowl:
- 1 tsp of salt
- 1/2 tsp of ground pepper
- 2 1/2 tsp of chili powder
- 1/2 tsp of ground coriander
- 2 tsp of ground cumin
- 1 tsp of paprika
Then, sprinkle it on. Also add the cilantro, chopped.
Next, chop up the rest of the peppers and onion, and lay that on top. Also mince the second clove of garlic and sprinkle that over the top layer of vegetables. Juice your lime on top of all of this.
Cook all of this on low for 6-8 hours and you'll have some yummy fajitas to come home to!
Also, if you don't want to buy your tortillas, here's a super easy way to make some:
What you'll need:
- 3 cups of all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp of baking powder
- 4 tbsp of olive oil
- 1 cup of hot water
Add the flour and baking powder into a large mixing bowl. In another, add the oil and water. Combine these two bowls and then mix until thoroughly combined. Next, on a floured surface, knead the dough until smooth. Separate the dough into about 18 balls. Let these sit for about 25 minutes with a damp kitchen towel on top, otherwise when you go to roll them out, they'll still be too elastic-y! After they have sat for enough time, roll them out on a floured surface to about an eighth of an inch thick. When you're done rolling, grab a frying pan and put it on the stove. You're going to want your burner set between medium and high. Have a plate next to you to place them on post-cooking. Place your tortilla on the pan, wait for it to bubble (about 45-60 seconds), then flip it with a spatula. When that side is done too, place it on the plate. Repeat until done! Scoop some of that yummy fajita on top and enjoy!
Cooking is a hobby of mine. I love making food. Even more, I love watching people enjoy what I make. Some days, I have mornings o...
I love-love-love nail art that matches the time of year. I also love-love-love when said nail art is simple, that way I can enjoy doing it instead of becoming frustrated and messing it up a million times. For the cloud & sky nails, I used a base coat, top coat, and two colored polishes. My base coat is Essie "All In One Base" and my top coat is Sally Hansen "Dries Instantly Top Coat." For the blue, I used Sally Hansen Smooth and Perfect Color Care in "Air." For the white, I used Sinful Colors Nail Art in "Bad Chick." To create this look, paint on your base coat. Next, layer your blue polish until the color is solid, then use your white to make tiny dots in cloud shapes. Brush on a clear top-coat and you're ready to go! Simple and summer-y!
I love-love-love nail art that matches the time of year. I also love-love-love when said nail art is simple, that way I can enjoy d...
