Homemade Peanut Butter Granola Bars

Fun story: I thought I was ordering a single container of old fashioned rolled oats from Amazon, so when a package of 6 containers showed up, I knew I’d have to start getting creative in the kitchen with some recipes! I’ve also been wanting to experiment with some homemade granola bar recipes for my girls to have quick and nutritious snacks at home, so I whipped these up with Emma and they ended up being so delicious! Here’s the recipe, hope you all enjoy!

Makes 16 bars

1.5 cups rolled oats

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1/3 cup maple syrup

2 scoops protein powder (I used primal kitchens peanut butter collagen, so good!)

1/4 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Melt the peanut butter in a microwave safe bowl for 30-45 seconds. Then mix in the rest of the ingredients until smooth (I added a few tablespoons of water at the end to incorporate it fully).

Line a 8x8 baking dish with parchment paper. Then pour the mixture into the baking dish and flatten out. Freeze for 2-3 hours, then cut into squares and enjoy! These will keep in the fridge as a quick and satisfying snack!

Easiest Banana Nut Bread

If you know me, you know I LOVE to bake. But, the recipe must be easy, I don't like multiple steps or ingredients. I made this banana bread yesterday on a whim because I had 4 brown bananas that were headed to the trash but I desperately didn't' want to waste. The bread turned out PERFECT, and even my husband went nuts over it, and he isn't' really into baked goods (don't even get me started, I just don't understand how anyone could NOT love baked goods).

I shared this recipe over on my Facebook page but I thought I’d write it up in a blog post for future reference as well! It was so easy, so if you have any pancake mix and brown bananas lying around, get ready for the best banana bread of your life! 

4 mashed bananas (the browner the better!)

2.5 cups gluten free (or regular) pancake mix...I used the Trader Joe’s gluten free pancake mix

2/3 cup coconut sugar

1 cup almond milk

2 eggs

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 cup chopped pecans

Mix all that goodness together, pour into a greased bread pan, and bake on 350 degrees for about an hour! Enjoyyyyyy!

After having one slice, I realized they were just too huge, so I cut them in half. So perfect and delicious! I hope you enjoy! 

Paleo Pizookie!

I have been loving making Danielle Walker's Real Deal Chocolate Chip Cookies as a way to still enjoy treats in my gluten free lifestyle. But lately, my baking sheets have been burning the bottoms of every cookie I bake! I finally got an AirBake pan today which I have heard amazing things about so I can't wait to use it! But yesterday, I was craving the cookies before I had the magic cookie sheet, so I decided to tweak the recipe a bit and make the cookies into more of "cookie bars." They taste just like a pizookie when you add ice cream on top and are absolutely delicious!! Here's the recipe!

Makes 12 bars

1/3 cup coconut oil

1 egg

1/2 cup coconut sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1.5 cups almond flour

1 T coconut flour

1 T arrowroot starch

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 cup chocolate chips

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees and grease an 8x8 baking dish.

Cream together the coconut oil, egg, sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth.

Then add the flours, salt, and baking soda.

Fold in 1/4 cup of chocolate chips.

Pour into the baking dish and pat until it is even all around. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean!

Let it cook for about 20 minutes, then enjoy with some dairy free ice cream or just as is!!

Stuffed Peppers

This recipe turned out delicious and was so easy to whip up! There is so much flavor in these ingredients, so when you put them all together, magic happens! Plus it took under an hour to put together from start to finish, AND produced a ton of leftovers...win-win!

Here are the ingredients for my stuffed peppers recipe! 

Makes 8, 1/2 peppers, serving size is 2 halves

4 bell peppers (I did 1 each of yellow, orange, red, and green)

1.5 cups white rice

3 cups chicken broth

1 lb ground turkey

2 T taco seasoning

1 can black beans

1 can fire roasted tomatoes

1/4 cup enchilada sauce

1/2 cup shredded Mexican-blend cheese

First things first, wash the bell peppers and cut them in half. Take out the pits and place them face down on a greased or foiled baking pan. Brush the tops with olive oil and salt, then bake on 350 for about 10 minutes.

At the same time, start cooking the rice in the chicken broth. In a separate pan, cook up the ground turkey with the taco seasoning. Once the rice and meat are done cooking, mix them together in a large pot. Then mix in the black beans, fire roasted tomatoes, and enchilada sauce. 

** Don't forget to take out the peppers from the oven! We are just partially cooking them at this point ;) 

Once the peppers are done and the filling is made, it's time to assemble the peppers! Flip over the half peppers and stuff them with the filling. Sprinkle on some shredded cheese...just enough to cover the top!

Once they are all covered in cheese, pop the peppers back into the oven for another 20 minutes, until the cheese gets melty on top!

How delicious do these look!? And even better, they TASTE amazing! I had 2-halves with a side salad and the meal completely hit the spot! Healthy eating doesn't have to be complicated. Plus, this meal is jam packed with vitamin C from the peppers, protein from the turkey, fiber from the beans, and lots of flavor from the cheese and enchilada sauce! 

I hope you all get to try this recipe soon! Let me know how you like it! 

Blueberry Oat Bake

Good morning everyone! I had quite an interesting morning today, as my brain was in about 40 places at once. I have been wanting to bake a Blueberry Oat Bake recipe that I had thought up as a way to use all of the blueberries we have in the house! I brainstormed the recipe this week and finally decided to bake it this morning as a pre-workout snack before heading to the gym! After my morning quiet time, I headed to the kitchen and got to work:

Makes 16 squares (one 8x8 baking dish)

1/2 cup Gluten-free oats

2/3 cup Pamela's Gluten-free Pancake and Baking Mix

1/4 cup almond flour

1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce

1 T olive oil

1 whole egg

1/3 cup liquid egg whites

1/3-1/2 cup blueberries, washed and dried

16-20 packets stevia (optional)

I mixed all of the ingredients, first the dry...then the wet, then folded in the blueberries. In the meantime, I was separating laundry, and starting to make tea for my Mama. I sprayed my 8x8 baking dish, poured the batter into the dish, and stuck it in the oven. Then I changed into my workout clothes, continued separating laundry, and took the tea to my Mama. About 15 minutes later, I went to check on the bake and saw that it wasn't cooking! I was so confused and stared at the oven for about 30 seconds before figuring out that I had forgotten to turn the oven ON! Oh goodness, it was one of those mornings! I was definitely trying to do too many things at once, so it was inevitable that one vital component of baking would get lost in the process! I turned the oven on (350 degrees by the way) and decided to just scramble an egg while I waited for the bake in order to digest my food before my workout:

After 30 minutes, I pulled the bake out of the oven (and turned the oven OFF). I headed to the gym, resolving that I would just taste my bake when I got back. It looked so good, so I was definitely excited!

I can't wait to enjoy these little baked squares with my tea the next few days since we have some cold weather coming!

So, lessons for today: don't try to do too many things at once and always turn the oven ON when you are attempting to bake something. I hope you guys get to try this recipe soon!

Nutrition facts per square: 60 calories, 2g fat, 6g carb, 2.5g protein

Spanish Rice

My husband is a huge rice lover. I mean he will eat it every day for every meal and not get bored. Spanish Rice, Asian rice, rice pilaf…he doesn’t discriminate. But one of our favorites is definitely Spanish rice. I’ve always been intimidated by it and usually leave it to our favorite Mexican restaurants. BUT, in an effort to eat out less and eat homemade food more, I experimented a bit and finally came up with the perfect recipe! My husband couldn’t get enough of it, so that’s a win in my book! 

Spanish Rice (makes 6-8 servings…cook in bulk, it’s so much easier!) 

2-3 T olive oil 

1/2 medium white onion 

1/2 medium green bell pepper 

2 cups rice 

2, 8 oz cans of tomato sauce 

5 cups chicken broth (or veggie broth or water) 

2 tsp salt 

1/2 tsp garlic salt 

1/2-1 tsp red pepper (depending on how spicy you want it!) 

A dash of cumin (probably 1/4 tsp…not much!) 
Start by heating up the oil in a pot. Chop the onion and bell pepper finely, the smaller the better! Saute the onion and bell pepper in the oil until they are nice and soft. Then add the rice, and saute that in the oil as well, just for a minute or so.

Add the tomato sauce, water/broth, and spices. Mix well and bring everything to a boil, then let the rice simmer on low heat for 35-40 minutes, or until all the water disappears. It’s a slow and steady process, but this is what makes the rice sticky and so restaurant-like! Then, enjoy! 

We served ours with some tilapia, but I’ve also made it with a side of carne asada or chicken. You could even add black beans on top and turn it into a beans & rice bowl! So versatile! 

Hope y’all enjoy this recipe! Happy Wednesday! 

Macaroni & Cheese Casserole

Last night, I decided to make my fiancé a macaroni and cheese dish we had been brainstorming together. He LOVES anything mushy, warm, cheesy, and, of course, yummy! He is a big fan of comfort food. I wanted to make him a dish he would like, while making it semi-healthier than the typical macaroni and cheese dish. This recipe tasted much lighter than other similar recipes and left us feeling full without feeling gross. I was so happy with the way this dish turned out, and I hope you are too! 

Macaroni and Cheese Casserole (serves 8)

*4 cups whole wheat fusilli pasta

*1 lb lean ground beef

*1 T olive oil

*1 cup lite Alfredo sauce (I used Bertolli's...it was SO GOOD!)

*2 cups steamed broccoli

*1 cup lite mozzarella cheese (separate into 2, 1/2 cup portions)

*1 cup lite Mexican cheese blend (separate into 2, 1/2 cup portions)

Start out by boiling the fusilli pasta for about 8-10 minutes, or however long it advises on the package.

While the pasta is boiling, heat up 1 T olive oil in a skillet and cook the ground beef until it is brown and in little itty bitty pieces.

Once the pasta cooked, I drained the noodles and rinsed them with water. I added the noodles back into the pot (without the water of course!) and added the ground beef. I steamed the broccoli in the microwave (what can I say, it was a Friday night!) and added that to the pot as well. I added 1/2 a cup of each kind of cheese and the cup of Alfredo sauce, and mixed it all thoroughly in the pot.

I transferred the mixture to a casserole dish (I sprayed with non-stick spray first!), and topped it with the remaining 1/2 cup of each type of cheese.

I baked it uncovered in the oven for about 20 minutes on 375 degrees, then let it broil on high for another 5-7 minutes until it got a little golden brown on top.

We let it cool for about 5 minutes, then dug right in. This recipe is supposed to make 8 servings, but we may or may not have eaten 75% of the dish!!! It was that good!

This dish pulled together in about 45 minutes and was super easy to make! I hope you all get to try it out. You can also add any type of veggies you want like kale, spinach, peppers, onions, anything! Get creative! :)

Have a happy Saturday everyone!

Paleo Banana Bread Bars

This is my first time trying a paleo baking recipe. I've tried making a few grain free ones in the past, but they always included whey, which has been disagreeing with me lately. I decided to try this all paleo (except for a bit of stevia!) and it turned out incredible!!! I can say it's even better than typical baked goods!! I hope you all are able to try my paleo banana bread bars soon!

Makes 24 bars

3 bananas, mashed 1 cup almond flour 1/3 cup coconut flour 1/2 cup almond milk 1 t baking powder 1 t baking soda 3 eggs 1 T coconut oil 1/2 cup almond butter 1 cup stevia 2 T enjoy life dark chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 baking pan with coconut oil and set aside. 

Mash the bananas, then add the coconut oil and almond butter. Place in microwavable bowl and heat for about a minute, until it is easy for all of the ingredients to melt together.

Wait for the mixture to cool a bit, then add all the rest of the ingredients! Mix together, then pour into your greased pan. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

And there you have it!!! This is suchhhh a delicious recipe, you would never know that there was no wheat in it!! I am definitely going to be experimenting with more paleo baking soon!! :)

Parmesan Garlic Chicken

Sometimes, you can get sick of healthy food. It happens, and it's normal. Chicken is one of those dishes that can get boring fast. Grilled chicken and salad is a meal one of my best friends and I joke about, because we ALWAYS have it. However, there are many ways to make even the blandest food a little more exciting. This week, I made a chicken dish that was so different and SO delicious. The parmesan and garlic combination was amazing, and kale was a great supplement to the meal! This meal was also super easy to whip up! Here is my easy and tasty chicken recipe!

Makes 2 servings

6 chicken tenders 2-3 T olive oil 2 garlic cloves, crushed Garlic salt Parmesan (I used about 2-3 T grated) 2 large handfuls of kale 

Heat the oil over medium heat in a skillet. Crush the garlic cloves, and sauté the garlic with the oil for a few minutes. 

Cut the chicken tenders into cubes. Add the chicken to the oil and sprinkle some garlic salt on top. Once the chicken is cooked through, add 2-3 tablespoons of Parmesan. Lastly, add a few handfuls of kale to the skillet and sauté everything together until the chicken starts to brown and the kale is wilted. 

I let these cool in two small containers so they would be ready for my lunches! This chicken was such a treat and a meal I looked forward to instead of dreaded! I highly recommend you all trying this dish if you feel yourself getting bored of your usual chicken meals!

Banana Oatmeal Nut Muffins

Good morning all and happy Tuesday! How was everyone's Monday? Mine was a busy, stressful, but great one all at the same time! It started with a wonderful run and leg day workout, busy day at work, yummy dinner, yoga, and hanging out with the fiancé! All in all, I'd say a pretty successful start to the week. And I got home to beautiful red roses my fiancé had left for me earlier in the evening...it doesn't get much better than that! This morning, I thought I'd share my banana muffin recipe. This recipe turned out pretty amazing and makes the perfect quick morning snack before hitting the gym. It's healthy and delicious and I know you all will love it. Here is the recipe! 

Makes 12 muffins 

3/4 cup Pamela's gluten free pancake mix 1/2 cup oatmeal 2 T coconut flour 3 scoops vanilla whey (I use Jaime Eason's because it's THE BEST) 2 mashed bananas 1/2 cup applesauce 1 T olive oil 2 eggs 1/2 cup coconut milk 1/4 t Baking powder 1/4 cup walnuts Dash of cinnamon 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix all the ingredients in a mixing bowl. 

For your muffin pan, either spray or brush some melted butter or coconut oil to grease the muffin pots. I used melted butter since our home as become a no-fake-spray zone, and it worked beautifully!! Drop about 1/4 cup batter in each muffin pot. 

Bake for 20-25 mins until a toothpick comes out clean. Then, enjoy!