Snacks | Luv What You Do

Coconut Fudge Balls April 3, 2013

Filed under: Clean Eating,Snacks — Luv What You Do @ 10:02 pm
Tags: cacao, Chocolate, coconut, dates, No Bake, Recipes

I’ve been wanting to make another batch of energy balls using my dried coconut!

I finally had some time on Monday, and was excited to combine the coconut with chocolate, kind of like the Chocolate Coconut Chew Larabars.

IMAG2016

The dried coconut is the perfect compliment to the sweet dates.

IMAG2017

Everything chopped up nicely and the flavor was exactly what I was hoping for (sometimes these ‘recipes’ end up being more like ‘experiments’).

IMAG2019

I did need to stream in some agave to help the balls come together. To be honest, I didn’t really measure it, but you’ll know when you’ve added enough because a ball of dough will form.

IMAG2020

Then you can either press the ball into a greased pan to make bars or roll it into balls.

IMAG2023

Yummy!!! Need I say more? These healthy-ish balls are FULL of flavor!

IMAG2025

Store these balls in the fridge for an afternoon or mid workout snack!

IMAG2028

Does anyone else try to make homemade Larabars?

What is your favorite flavor?

So I had plans to share with you the Strawberry Balsamic Quinoa Salad that I have been eating for lunch this week because it is awesome, but I didn’t get any pictures of it. I will definitely try to snap one later this week and share that recipe soon because it will be perfect for spring strawberries!

IMAG2045

I will get your mouth watering with pictures of tonight’s Grilled Garlic Pepper Shrimp form The Grilling Bible courtesy of the BOY!

IMAG2047

I still don’t know what’s with the Christmas plates : ) Looking for dessert, I highly recommend these Double Chocolate/Single Chin Brownies!

Coconut Fudge Balls

Adapted from German-Chocolate Fudge Bites

Ingredients

1 cup pitted dates

1 cup dried coconut

1 cup almonds

4 tbsp cacao powder

2 tsp vanilla

1-2 tbsp agave

Directions

Combine dates and coconut in a food processor and blend until combined.

Add almonds, cacao powder and vanilla. Blend until well combined.

Stream in agave until a ball of dough starts to form.

Roll dough into balls and refrigerate for ~2 hours until set. Store in an air tight container in the fridge.

Comments (13)

Coconut Balls March 19, 2013

Filed under: Clean Eating,Running,Snacks — Luv What You Do @ 9:52 pm
Tags: almonds, coconut, dates, No Bake, Recipes, Running, yogurt

It seems that you guys joined the BOY as big fans of yesterday’s Indian-Spiced Chicken Burgers.

Thanks for all of the comment love!

Reading your comments is one AWESOME way to end the day!

The day started off with a run around the track. I must admit that there was nothing speedy about today’s workout. Sore doesn’t even begin to describe how I feel (thanks Jenna!), and I had the most painful cramps that I’ve felt in decades. Yuck! Getting to the track was a victory in itself. This morning’s run looked like this…

5 minute warm up

10 minute jog

10 minute faster jog

10 minute back to jog

2 minute cool down

I believe that workouts like this are supposed to be a run/fast run combination (in case you are looking to try it out). I determined my pace by heart rate/feeling and adjusted for the above mentioned fatigue and cramps. It must have been a worthwhile workout because I was sweating when I was done and 12 hours later, I am even more sore : )

Although I have been really limiting my dairy, I have been wanting to try this new Chobani flavor. It’s one small serving and topped with KIND granola makes the perfect post run snack.

Speaking of snacks…I have an awesome new no bake energy bar recipe for you!

Confession: My first attempt at this recipe came from a cookbook and was a totally disaster!

I don’t blame the cookbook, I blame the super soft apricots that tasted sweet like candy, but just didn’t stand up to the food processor in energy bars. So I had to trash version one and start from scratch on my own version.

I was inspired by this dried coconut that we picked up at Costco yesterday. This brand makes the most amazing dried mango EVER, and so the BOY and I were excited to try this stuff too.

For the nuts, I chose a blend of almonds and walnuts because I had both in the house, and because I love the flavor combination that they create with the dates.

You do have to be patient because it takes a few minutes to break everything down and blend it together.

If you are having trouble getting everything to stick together, you can stream in some liquid. I chose fresh squeezed orange juice, but agave or honey would work too. The last step is to simply roll the dough into balls and coat them in more coconut.

Please excuse the poor lighting on these pictures. It was a dark and stormy day!

But don’t let that deter you from making them! I know that when it comes to coconut, you either love it or hate it. Well not me! I used to hate the stuff, but slowly it is growing on me, and these Coconut Balls are soft, chewy, sweet, and delicious!

Do you like coconut?

What is your favorite coconut recipe?

Coconut Balls

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups dried, pitted dates

1/2 cup dried coconut chunks

1 cup almonds

1/2 cup walnuts

1-2 tbsp fresh squeeze orange juice

1/2 cup organic unsweetened shredded coconut

Directions

Place dates and coconuts in your food processor and blend until combined.

Add nuts and blend for another few minutes until everything begins to get combined. Drizzle in 1-2 tbsp of fresh orange juice (or agave and honey) as needed to help everything blend together.

For the dough into balls and roll in shredded coconut.

Store in the fridge to snack on throughout the week!

Comments (16)

I Can’t Stop Eating February 17, 2013

Filed under: Life,Snacks — Luv What You Do @ 1:38 pm
Tags: Health

Every couple of months, I have a few days like this where I get some serious munchies and my mind just can’t stop my hands from grabbing a handful of this or a mouthful of that. It’s like I have a hallow leg…except I don’t. I am 31 years old with a metabolism the speed of a turtle, so a few days of eating like this does not bode well for my weight, my skin, or my confidence. Does this happen to anyone else?

I know that there are many factors that impact hunger and satiety, including sleep and hormones. Some of which we can control and others that we cannot. I have had a healthy start to the new year, and I look forward to slimming down a bit before spring. So I am trying to use the following strategies to curb my snack attacks.

1. Drink extra water

2. Pick healthier options that take time to eat, like popcorn

3. Brush your teeth…this especially helps to decrease night time snacking

4. Sleep

5. Go for a walk

IMAG0104

6. Find other ways to keep busy (ie reading and blogging)

7. Get creative with veggies-fill your soups, smoothies, and burgers with seasonal produce

8. Eat more sweet fruit

9. Close the kitchen by turning off the lights

10. Focus on the big picture!!!

What strategies do you use to stop excess snacking?

Comments (23)

Travel Plans (I hope!) February 7, 2013

Filed under: Snacks,Travel — Luv What You Do @ 10:08 pm
Tags: cold, dates, Florida, No Bake, Peanut Butter, Recipes, winter

So…we are going to Florida!

Hooray! Finger’s crossed this snow storm subsides and our plane is able to take off tomorrow!

So that we can leave this behind…

Oh and this too! Picture below is from tonight’s big storm.

IMAG1560

Somehow this trip just snuck up on me, and I haven’t even dug out my warm weather gear yet. The BOY and I are spending the weekend in Sarasota to celebrate the wedding of a long time friend of mine.

This is us on the first day of kindergarten

This week has been a busy one rescheduling patients and getting ready for the trip. Obviously, meal planning has been non-existent, and I have been relying on some of my quick and easy favorites for dinner. ie Dr. Praeger’s veggie burgers, turkey sausage, frozen veggies, and baked sweet potato. I whipped up a batch of Taco Soup for lunch and a batch of homemade energy balls to snack on throughout the week. I even have a few leftover for the plane.

IMAG1480

I found this homemade LaraBar recipe on Snack Therapy, and it was right up my alley.

IMAG1481

Dates + Peanuts = Healthy and Delicious Snack Balls

IMAG1482

The first step is to chop up your dates until a large ball is formed. Then add in the peanuts and process until smooth. This might take a minute or two, so be patient.

Then push the dough into bars or roll it into balls.

These balls make the perfect afternoon pick me up.

IMAG1492

Their sweet and salty combo will satisfy any craving!

IMAG1493

Speaking of amazing and satisfying….I just received a huge box of KIND bars!

IMAG1556

A HUGE Thank You to Averie for this generous giveaway! I have always wanted to try the KIND granola and even the BOY said he would eat these healthy bars. KIND bars are one of my favorites!

IMAG1558

They came at the perfect time for me to take on our trip, and I stocked a few away in my carryon!

Needless to say, you won’t be hearing from me for a few days. Unless of course our flight gets canceled in which case my next post won’t be so friendly. The good news is…I will have plenty to eat : )

More of my favorite homemade bars and bites…

PB&J Bars

German Chocolate Fudge Bites

Fig and Date Energy Bites

Almond Butter Cacao Balls

Afternoon Energy Bars

Peanut Butter Date Bars

From Snack Therapy

Ingredients

1 cup pitted dates, grossly chopped

1 cup peanuts

Directions

Place dates in food processor and process until combined. Scrape sides and add in peanuts. Process 2-3 minutes until mixed completely, scraping the sides as needed.

Press into the bottom of a pan or roll into balls.

Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

Optional: stir in extra peanuts or roll in raw coconut

What do you snack on when you travel?

Comments (34)

Tuesday Treats December 11, 2012

Filed under: Dessert,Snacks — Luv What You Do @ 9:17 pm
Tags: coconut, dates, hummus, No Bake, Peanut Butter, Pumpkin, Recipes, treat day, yogurt

So I didn’t mention this yet, but today was my TREAT DAY!

The timing couldn’t get any better with this weekend’s Bake-a-Thon. I had plenty of cookies, but wanted a few other snacks to round out my spread.

I stared with a few old favorites…

Garlic Hummus

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

Spinach Dip

And tried a new White Bean Dip

This recipe didn’t turn out as good as I had expected. It was a little watery. So I added in a few pinto beans, some garlic, and dill. I’m not so sure about it, but we shall see.

Upon further inspection, it seems that I thought the recipe called for 2 cups not 2 cans of white beans. Oops! The recipe looks promising, so I am sharing it as written (although these pictures don’t do it any justice). I will definitely give it another try, and see what my coworkers think of my mish mash version.

White Bean Dip

From EveryDay Food April 2010

Ingredients

2 cans (15.5 ounces each) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

1 to 2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar

1/4 cup water

2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary

Coarse salt and ground pepper

Directions

In a food processor, combine 2 cans (15.5 ounces each) rinsed and drained, 3 tablespoons 1 to 2 tablespoons and cup water. Process until smooth, adding more water if necessary. Add 2 teaspoons finely chopped and pulse until combined. Season with and Transfer to a serving bowl and drizzle with a little oil.

But Wait…There’s More!

The BOY and I loved this Pumpkin Dip when I made it this fall, so I was excited to make it again. Except this time, I spiced it up with the seasonal pumpkin pudding…sooo good!

I served it with graham and animal crackers. Here is the recipe!

IMAG1187

Along with this unbelievably sweet and rich Peanut Butter Cookie Dip. I have been wanting to make Sugar Cookie Dip from Little Bitty Bakes. But, the store was sold out of sugar cookie mix…twice!

So I decided to go with peanut butter instead!

All I can say is…good decision! This recipe takes just a few minutes, and only includes ~~three~~ four ingredients.

I added in some chocolate chips!

IMAG1188

Peanut Butter Cookie Dip

Adapted from Little Bitty Bakes

Ingredients

3 cups (1 package) peanut butter cookie mix

2 cups plain Greek yogurt

1 cup Cool Whip

1 cup chocolate chips

Directions

In a large mixing bowl, stir the cookie mix, yogurt, and Cool Whip with a wire whisk until smooth. Fold in chocolate chips.

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until serving.

Warning: Add this to your addictingly good list!

Yes….There’s More

For a healthier option, I made a batch of my favorite Date and Fig Bars with extra coconut.

They make the perfect 4:00pm afternoon snack, which I look forward to each day.

The full recipe is HERE, but you can add up to a cup of coconut.

And, Just When You Think You Can’t Eat Any More…

IMAG1189

IMAG1191

You’ll just have to be patient for the rest of these recipes!

Comments (12)

I Would be Good at Hibernating December 7, 2012

Filed under: Cookies,Dessert,Snacks — Luv What You Do @ 10:57 pm
Tags: Baking, Chocolate, nut butters, Recipes

Random…right?

I think that when the days get short, the weather gets cold, and the world gets dark that I would be a fantastic hibernator! With thoughts like this, I swear I spend way too much time sitting in traffic with only myself to amuse me : ) But seriously, I could curl up and nap for the next few months and wake again when the sun is shining at 9pm. Although I would miss unseasonably warm weekends like this last one, which was warm enough that the BOY even got himself outside to BBQ.

Since hibernating is out of the question, I try to find some winter days to hide out in my house making a permanent dent on my couch catching up on my ‘Want To Do’ list.

First up…Blog Research!

aka flipping through cookbooks and reading blogs looking for ideas for holiday cookies and future meal planning. I happen to be the lucky recipient of a box full of cookbooks, which could keep me busy for months. A close friend of mine is moving to Australia and can’t take them with her, so she knew that I would take good care of them!

Also on my list of things to get done this week is some holiday shopping and cards. I can’t tell ya’ll what you’re getting but let’s just say that Amazon and I are GOOD friends! Since I was online and had my credit card out, I went ahead and got myself signed up for the 2013 Shamrock Shuffle. What can I say, I’m a sucker for Chicago races and swag!

It wouldn’t be a day checked out from the world without a little time in the kitchen. I’m sure that you notice that I tend to be the recipe follower kind of gal. I don’t always have time to experiment and play around with cooking and baking, so it’s safer to stick with the tried and true. However, when I get the chance, I love an original recipe…although some turn out better than others!

I had some leftover mint dark chocolate chips and a new obsession with homemade peanut butter, so I thought it might be nice to combine the two. Last fall, I made Mint Chocolate Chip Almond Butter, and loved every sticky and sweet bite.

The peanut butter was no different. However, knowing that if it was left in the house, I might head back to my dent in the couch and eat the entire container with a spoon, I needed to find a way to share it. The obvious choice…cookies!

Although my mint chocolate peanut butter was tasty, it was a little thin so I threw in a dab of sticky generic peanut butter from the jar.

I’m a huge fan of flourless peanut butter cookies, so I stuck with what worked!

Then added in some chocolate chips (because when it comes to cookies, the more chocolate chips the better).

It’s amazing how much prettier my cookies are now that I have a new cookie scoop!

I could go on and on and tell you how excited I am to have my cookie scoop fixed, but instead I will just show you the pictures of my beautifully rounded cookies!

I think my favorite part of these cookies would have to be the warm and gooey chocolate chips!

And the BOY totally agreed!

The other amazing about these cookies is how soft and chewy they are!

It was definitely a successful original recipe! That could work with you favorite peanut butter (homemade or store bought).

Hooray!

What is your favorite original cookie recipe?

I am making my list for this weekend’s bake-a-thon, so please share your links!

Mint Chocolate Peanut Butter

Adapted from White Chocolate Peanut Butter

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup roasted, unsalted peanuts, preferably organic

1/3 cup mint chocolate chips

Directions

Place peanuts into the bowl of a food processor. Process until peanuts break down into a paste, scraping down the sides as necessary, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt the mint chocolate chips in the microwave until fully melted. Set aside to cool slightly.

With the motor of the food processor running, spoon in the melted chocolate, and process until combined.

Mint Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients

1 cup mint chocolate peanut butter (or your favorite flavored peanut butter)

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 egg

1/2 cup chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine all ingredients in a bowl with a wooden spoon. Fold in chocolate chips.

Scoop onto cookie sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes until edges start to darken.

Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.

Store in airtight container or freeze!

Comments (12)

PB&J Finale Take 2 November 27, 2012

Filed under: Clean Eating,Snacks,Vegan — Luv What You Do @ 9:23 pm
Tags: almonds, dates, No Bake, Peanut Butter, Recipes

So this recipe almost didn’t happen. Which would have been so sad because how can I end Peanut Butter Month without a peanut butter recipe?!

To Start…

I found the perfect 4th recipe for a Vegetarian Peanut Soup. But after looking through our meal plans for the week, I just didn’t think we needed another meal. Not that I won’t be making this recipe soon, it just will have to wait until next month. I knew that I didn’t want to make another super sweet dessert. Since Thanksgiving, we’ve had more than enough sweets in the house, and I knew we didn’t need another one. In the spirit of healthy holiday eating, I was inspired by this recipe on Nutrionella to make a peanut butter themed energy bar (with homemade peanut butter of course).

Take One…

I threw the ingredients into the food processor, pressed start, and an eruption occurred. The mixture was way to thick and my food processor started dancing like it was standing on coals. Checking back in with the recipe, it appeared that I used 2x as many nuts as I was supposed to.

I made a few attempts to make things work, but my processor started to sound like ‘the little engine that could…so sad. Then, I discovered that I had used dates with pits. Yikes! Note to self (and fellow bloggers)…never put dates with pits in your food processor. Nothing good will come of it!

I pulled everything out and started looking through the mush…there were definitely pits. What to do??? The answer seemed obvious. Start over!

Take Two…

When you don’t have enough dates left to remake bars you already messed up once, prunes sub in just fine! I de-pitted my dates, threw in some prunes and ran the food processor.

Once they formed into a big ball, I added the correct amount of nuts. Much better! Everything looked fantastic, so I added in a few more peanuts and dried cranberries to drive home that Peanut Butter and Jelly taste.

The last step was easy as I pushed the bars into the pan and sprinkled in a few more cherries.

And of course had a taste test…it was pure PB&J love! They bars taste just like everyone’s favorite sandwich!

Funny end to Take One…

I de-pitted the original dough, threw it back into the food processor with some extra dried fruit, gave the processor a break by drizzling in some agave and then threw the ball of dough into the bottom of a round tuperware and put it in the fridge before starting dinner.

When the BOY came home, he devoured dinner and went in search of dessert. He asked what the bars were and when I said Peanut Butter and Jelly bars, he dug right in! Surprisingly, he liked them! Why is this a surprise, because there is just healthy ingredients like dried fruits and nuts which is not is usually snacking MO. ‘But there’s Jelly’ he said to me after his first bite. Not quite BOY, but I won’t tell him if you don’t!

Other Peanut Butter Month Recipes…

Reece’s Brownies with Peanut Butter Frosting

Peanut Butter M&M Blondies

Double Chip Peanut Butter Cookies with Pretzels

What is the best PB recipe you made/ate this month?

The End…

Why the foggy brain and messy kitchen? I blame my relaxing massage earlier in the day. BTW, if you live in my area, I highly recommend this place. I had one of the best massages of my life! My ITband has never gotten such TLC and I felt so amazing that I slept for nearly 11 hours last night. I am so refreshed and ready to head into the fun holiday season.

IMAG1163

The Recipe…

PB&J Energy Bars

Inspired by Ella Bars on Nutrionella

Ingredients

8 ounces of PITTED dates

1/2 cup peanut butter (I used homemade)

1/4 cup oats

1/4 cup almonds

1/4 cup walnuts or cashews

1/2 + 1/4 cup dried cherries

1/2 cup peanuts

Directions

Place dates in food processor and blend until combined. A big ball will start to form.

Add in the peanut butter, nuts, and oats. Blend well.

Add in 1/2 cup cherries and peanuts and pulse until coarsely chopped.

Place dough into a baking pan covered with parchment paper and press evenly into the bottom of the pan using your hands.

Sprinkle with the last 1/4 cup of cherries and place in fridge for about 2 hours.

Note: You can also shape the dough into balls or cut them with a cookie cutter. These freeze well!

Comments (25)

Fudge Bites November 20, 2012

Filed under: Clean Eating,Snacks,Vegan — Luv What You Do @ 9:26 pm
Tags: cacao, dates, No Bake, Recipes

It is no secret that I have been having tons of fun with my food processor making energy bars and chocolately treats. I had some leftover dates in the fridge, so I was excited to try out some new RAW recipes. I started off simple making Chocolate Covered Katie’s famous Fudge Babies, but instead of cocoa powder, I subbed in this tasty superfood.

I also used a walnut/cashew mix for the nuts.

Wow, these guys made quite a mess in my kitchen.

But it was totally worth it. I must admit, I wasn’t sure if this dough would come together. I checked it out after a few minutes in the food processor, and it was still really crumbly. I considered adding in some agave, but instead scraped the sides down and turned the processor back on. A few minutes later, I had what I was looking for. A thick, rich, sticky dough.

That I could roll into dessert bites.

You’ll notice that these balls are super shiny. I’m not sure what happened there. It may be because I kept them in the food processor too long.

But not to worry, I don’t think it impacted their taste. I placed the balls immediately in the freezer, and I look forward to snacking on them throughout the week.

Even after this recipe, I had a few dates left. I was feeling adventurous and thinking about the amazing Gingersnap Larabar I had last weekend when I spotted this recipe on Katie’s site. I know that I am not creative enough to make these adorable little gingerbread people, but I can roll a mean energy bite. I decided to throw in a little pumpkin too.

Sadly, things just didn’t blend together like I would have hoped, but with all of the incredible spices, it tasted sooo good. I tried adding a few sticky additions to help pull this into a dough, but no such luck. I couldn’t abandon it completely. Not because I don’t like failure (it happens quite a bit in the kitchen) but because it tasted like the kind of bar you want to be eating. I was about to dig out a pan when I spotted this adorable pumpkin.

With nothing to lose, I threw the mixture into the fridge. Who knows? I could end up with the perfect pumpkin shaped power bar!

No such luck! Just a pile of good tasting mush!

I’ll keep working on this recipe and get back to you! Feel free to link me any other fun energy bite recipes too!

I also wanted to follow up after this morning’s Home Workout. I had so much energy all day and was seriously in the best mood. I think this was a good lesson about how 15 minutes of exercise in the morning is worth getting up a few minutes early. And, my pecs are definitely sore from the burpees and pushups. Hooray! Speaking of hooray, I have just a few hours left of work before Thanksgiving. Can you tell that I am psyched?! Hip, hip hooray!

Fudge Babies

From Chocolate Covered Katie

1 c walnuts (120 grams)

1 and 1/3 cups pitted dates (220 grams)

1 tsp vanilla extract

optional: 1/8 plus 1/16 tsp salt

3-4 tablespoons cocoa powder (I used 3 T Cacao)

Blend all the ingredients, using a food processor. Be patient and wait for everything to start sticking together. Roll into little balls. (Use plastic wrap if you wish, or smush it all together in a plastic bag so it’ll stay together better.) Or, if you want true brownies, shape the dough into bars! You can also use this as a pie crust.

Comments (9)

It’s Still Peanut Butter Month November 17, 2012

Filed under: Dessert,Snacks — Luv What You Do @ 8:24 pm
Tags: Banana, nut butters, Peanut Butter, Recipes

Which means we I am due for another peanut butter recipe!

Recipe #1: Reece’s Brownies with Peanut Butter Frosting

Recipe #2: Peanut Butter M&M Blondies

But before we go even further, I HAVE to share with you the easiest, tastiest, purely dangerous recipe for Homemade Peanut Butter. For my baking needs, I am fine to use a plain or generic peanut butter. But when it comes to smearing over bread for a peanut butter and banana sandwich, I always go with the real thing. I love the grind your own nut butters from Whole Foods, and their honey roasted peanut butter is utterly addictive.

And super easy to make at home.

You just throw some peanuts into the food processor and blend.

No oil needed. It just takes a little patience to allow everything to smooth out. Luckily, this leaves you plenty of time for taste testing, which in my opinion is the BEST part of homemade nut butters!

Thankfully, I stock pile leftover jelly and jam jars, so I have the perfect place to store my peanut butter and jars to share with my friends and family.

Like with hummus, once you’ve tried homemade peanut butter, it’s hard to go back to the store bought variety!

Don’t you just want to dive into this jar with a spoon???

You should! It’s worth it!

Quite possibly (and embarrassingly), I licked the bowl (and spatula) clean!

I have big plans for my peanut butter, so stay tuned for Peanut Butter Recipe #3 (coming tomorrow)!

But until then…you might as well keep your food processor out for dessert. You don’t even need to clean it.

Just add some frozen banana and whip up a bowl of Banana (and Peanut Butter) Soft Serve! If I had some chocolate chips, I would have stirred them in too.

This dessert was so awesome that even the banana hating BOY was checking it out! I sat down to watch a movie for a quiet Saturday night in and happily dug into my bowl (almost licking it clean too). The BOY and I are getting a little spoiled with these quiet weekends, but we are loving our unplanned Saturdays! It’s the perfect time to refresh before all of the holiday excitement (and law school finals) ahead!

Do you ever make nut butters?

What is your favorite recipe?

One Ingredient Homemade Peanut Butter

Ingredients

1 Canister of honey roasted peanuts

Directions

Place 3 cups of honey roasted peanuts into a food processor. Combine until a thick peanut butter paste forms, about 5 minutes. Stop and scrape the sides of the food processor as needed. Store in a glass jar.

Optional: Add in honey, maple syrup, sea salt, or chocolate.

My all time favorite is this White Chocolate Peanut Butter!

Banana and Peanut Butter Soft Serve

Serves 1

Ingredients

1 frozen banana, sliced

2 tbsp peanut butter

1/4-1/2 cup almond milk

Optional: stir in peanuts, chocolate chips, or cover with sprinkles and whipped cream

Directions

Place banana and peanut butter in food processor and blend until smooth. Stream in almond milk until desired consistency is reached. Add toppings as desired.

Comments (20)

Happy Halloween! October 31, 2012

Filed under: Dessert,Holidays,Snacks — Luv What You Do @ 6:29 am
Tags: Pumpkin, Recipes

I hope that everyone on the East Coast is back in power, healthy and safe with your family and friends! We are thinking about you!

So I saved the easiest and tastiest pumpkin recipe to share with you on this fabulous fall day!

These 4 ingredients will change the way you look at pumpkin, I promise!

Step 1

Combine pumpkin with instant vanilla pudding (the smaller size). FYI-this is already a super tasty combination!

Step 2

Fold in thawed Cool Whip.

Step 3

Stir in pumpkin pie spice and sprinkle more across the top.

Step 4

Eat with graham crackers, apples, a spoon, cinnamon pita chips, or just lick your fingers!

The BOY and I found our favorite way to enjoy this incredible dip…

On a graham cracker and covered with whipped cream!

No matter how you eat it, your face will be smiling! Just eat it quickly because it won’t last long in your fridge!

Did you dress up today?

My costume will look something like this!

The only thing missing….some bangs!

Spiced Pumpkin Dip

Ingredients

1 15 oz can of pumpkin

1 8 oz container of Cool Whip, thawed (can use light or free)

1 small package of vanilla pudding, unmade (can use sugar free)

2 tbsp pumpkin pie spice

Graham crackers, apples, cookies, or cinnamon sugar pita chips for dipping

Directions

Stir together pumpkin and vanilla pudding powder.

Fold in Cool Whip. Then stir in pumpkin pie spice. Add more to taste.

Refrigerate a few hours or overnight to let flavors set.

Can make a few days in advance and store in the refrigerator.

Click HERE for more PUMPKIN love!

Comments (10)

Luv What You Do

Balancing a Busy Life with a Healthy Lifestyle

Coconut Fudge Balls April 3, 2013

Coconut Balls March 19, 2013

I Can’t Stop Eating February 17, 2013

Travel Plans (I hope!) February 7, 2013

Tuesday Treats December 11, 2012

I Would be Good at Hibernating December 7, 2012

PB&J Finale Take 2 November 27, 2012

Fudge Bites November 20, 2012

It’s Still Peanut Butter Month November 17, 2012

Happy Halloween! October 31, 2012

Being Me

Email Subscription

Recent Posts

Archives

Follow “Luv What You Do”

Luv What You Do

Balancing a Busy Life with a Healthy Lifestyle

Coconut Fudge Balls April 3, 2013

Coconut Balls March 19, 2013

I Can’t Stop Eating February 17, 2013

Travel Plans (I hope!) February 7, 2013

Tuesday Treats December 11, 2012

I Would be Good at Hibernating December 7, 2012

PB&J Finale Take 2 November 27, 2012

Fudge Bites November 20, 2012

It’s Still Peanut Butter Month November 17, 2012

Happy Halloween! October 31, 2012

Being Me

Email Subscription

Recent Posts

Categories

Archives

Follow “Luv What You Do”