Cinna-Blueberry Rolls

Do the blues have you down? 

No. Not those blues - these blues definitely shouldn't have you down, they should have you up!

(can you use the literally term to act as an opposite to the hypothetical term?)

Need a way to mix up your regular cinnamon roll?

Enter: the blueberry cinnamon roll. 

Yes, a traditional cinnamon roll (well healthier than 'traditional') with a blueberry bursting filling. 

So let's get down to business - anyone else have the Mulan song stuck in your head now?

(p.s., don't be afraid to do half the rolls in with a traditional cinnamon filling if you're leery about whomever you may be serving not appreciating the mix-up of blueberry)

Make your dough

For a delicious, whole-wheat recipe, look here-

it is done in the bread machine and ubber easy! 

As your bread is mixing up/rising, you can get started on the blueberry compote.

For that:

Turn stove on to medium/high

Add 1 1/2-2 cups blueberries (if using for complete 12 roll recipe, use close to two cups)

+ 3/4 cup water

Heat while mashing a little to aid in the process

Then add:

+ 2tsp. lemon juice

+ 2 TBSP. sugar

+ 2 tsp. cornstarch (or xanthum gum works well!)

Continue to cook until thickened

Keep about 1/2 cup whole blueberries, set aside

Spread the slightly cooled blueberry mixture on the dough, after rolling it out to a ~12 x 16 inch rectangle

Sprinkle with cinnamon, sugar (if you wish) and the remaining blueberries 

It's also about the time you want to be pre-heating your oven...

just sayin'

Now time to roll up the dough/filling...

And cut into cute little rolls

Lovingly place them in a greased 9x13 pan and introduce them to your oven that should be preheated if you listened to be about 2 steps ago...

Bake for around 20 minutes

Remove from oven, and...

DEVOUR! 

Banana Pudding

Have you ever heard the song "Banana Pudding" by the SCOTS?
Well if you have, you know how easy it is to get stuck in your head (sorry 'bout it!), and now you probably have it stuck in your head and the ONLY way to get it out is to eat banana pudding!

Wait, you haven't heard the song? And it isn't stuck in your head? And you don't want banana pudding?

Go watch this

....I'll wait...

Ok! Now is it stuck in your head? Yes? Good.

This is seriously one of the recipes, I almost feel bad calling a recipe... more like a few instructions and you are well on your way to a happy belly!

Step 1.
Gather supplies:
Vanilla wafers
banana
Cool Whip
milk
pudding mix (can use vanilla, but best to use banana of course!)
Wine glass (if you wanna get really fancy!)

Step 2.
Mix pudding according to directions on package. If your package doesn't have directions, you are getting some sketch pudding my friend!

Step 3.
Layer!

First bananas

Then pudding

Dollop of cool whip

Bananas again

Pudding again

Then top with cool whip

And stick a 'Nilla wafer on top!

Yummy huh? 

...that would be a yes!

Cinnamon Rolls

Is there anything more comforting in this world than a warm carb-product. No. No there is not and if anyone would like to argue with me, well then... ok-I'd probably just ignore it because I am very un-confrontational 

But nonetheless! Just look at this....

Mmmmm, right? 

These amazing, soft, gooey and oh-so delicious cinnamon rolls are the absolute BEST cinnamon rolls I have ever had in my life. But, unfortunately I cannot claim them- my sister made these creations. 

The best part? (ok, aside from the taste) is the fact that they are ubber easy to make- she makes them in a bread machine! Sweet huh?!

To get this recipe (and a bunch of other great recipes) go to her website here. She's awesome. And I know-she is my sister after all! :)

BZZZZ!!! Bee Pollen Buzz

Mmmmm Honey! 

I love its sweet and comforting taste, delightful aroma and encompassing texture. It truly is an amazing food God has given to us. But did you know how beneficial it can be to our health? Me neither... until now! Even the Bible tells us that honey is good for us: Proverbs 16:24 says, "Kind words are like honey--sweet to the soul and healthy for the body."

I was lucky enough to receive a sample of Bee Pollen Buzz's raw honey (they provided me with a sample, but the thoughts and opinions are completely my own, I was compensated in no other way.)

I had never had raw honey before and was a little curious as well as nervous - I had NO idea what to expect... raw honey? I went along with it though - would I ever turn down a review opportunity?! Of course not! 

Well, I was not let down. Not in the slightest! After a little research, I discovered that I knew absolutely NOTHING about honey! If you're like me, you're probably thinking.. well honey is honey, what more is there to know? A lot! 

Most honey is highly processed, meaning it has been heated to temperatures that kill off all the beneficial enzymes, vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients. In fact, honey should be a solid at room temperature?! Crazy baking girl say WHAT?! I know... I was shocked too! 

Raw honey hasn't been treated with the high heat or excess filtration that strips it of its amazing health properties. Just look at all the benefits raw honey has:

• Balance blood sugar

• Harmonize the liver

• Loaded with 'good' bacteria including Acidophilus 

• Neutralize toxins

• Blood pressure 

• Relieve pain

• Anti-Cancer properties 

• Wipe out toxins that cause diarrhea

• Digestion 

• Anti-Bacterial 

• Anti-Allergenic 

• Anti-Inflammatory

• Expectorant

• Laxative

• Sedative

• Anti-Toxic

• Anti-Anemic

• Fever-Reducing

If that isn't enough to get you incorporating raw honey into your life, the taste sure will! One little lick of the raw honey was enough to get me hooked! It is so sweet (obviously...) but since it is a solid at room temperature it can be spread directly on toast! (talk about convenience!) or any other way you'd like to enjoy this sweet treat! 

I am truly truly truly in love with this raw honey and will soon be out! I have used it in sooo many ways, but my two favorite are:

~1 tsp. raw honey mixed into 1 cup of hot water a squirt of lemon juice for an amazing drink when you have a sore throat or any cold-like symptoms!

~A Peanut Butter & Honey Smoothie!

-1 TBSP raw honey

-1 TBSP peanut butter

-1/2 cup yogurt (frozen in ice cube trays)

-1/2 cup milk

-Blend all together and ENJOY nearly pass out from its amazingness! 

Keep one thing in mind though, honey, as with absolutely anything should be consumed in moderation, after all - it is a saccaride and while it is completely natural and a much better alternative to white sugar, it should still be treated as a sweet.

I hope you all give raw honey a try! Both your health and your tastebuds will thank you! Bee Pollen Buzz also makes some other interesting, and crazy healthy bee products! Check them all out here

Have a sweet day!

Peanut Butter Cookie Bread

It's Christmas time... know what that means?!

COOKIE EXCHANGE! 
Ok, well first and foremost it means time with the people you love celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior JESUS CHRIST.

But for just a moment or two can we go back to that first one... mkay thanks :)

Soooo Cookie Exchanges...
Sugar cookies, so overdone. Chocolate chip-good, but get hit pretty hard at all other times of the year. Peanut Butter cookies, always a winner! But... we need to change things up a little bit... how? How you ask?

BREAD! Bread, Bread, Bread, Bread, BREAD!!!

My favorite thing (well.. for the moment-I have a short attention span so 'my favorite' changes quite often) ANYWAYS.... My favorite thing right now is mesh quick breads and desserts!

I <3 quick breads and making new flavors is probably the most fun any a weird health food obsessed college student can have!

So this recipe combines my love of peanut butter, cookies and bread to create... The Peanut Butter Cookie Bread

Honestly people, this taste like a peanut butter cookie - in a loaf form. Ah-May-Zing.

If you don't try this, the world will probably start raining tangelos, erupting with gophers and traffic lights will never-ever change to green. Do you want that to happen!? Me Neither-so go make this bread!

Ingredients:

2 cups all purpose flour (I used half white whole wheat)

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup equivalence sweetener (sugar, Stevia, etc.)

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup buttermilk

Directions:
1. Mix all ingredients together until everything is wet and combined - Do not overmix!
2. Pour into a greased and floured 8x5 loaf pan
3. Bake on 350* for 45-ish minutes... just keep a good eye on it and take out when the edges are a dark golden brown.
4. Enjoy. Enjoy in the morning as breakfast with coffee! Enjoy as a snack alongside a Peanut Buster Shake... too much peanut butter? Nah... Enjoy after a nice meal of homemade pizza. Just enjoy it! And the sooner the better :)

Fluff Frosting

While this picture may not look like anything to write home about, I assure you-it will be one of your new obsessions! 

This picture is of Fluff Frosting... an amazingly sweet, creamy, fattening frosting!

Wait a minute... fattening was not suppose to be up there! That's why I changed it-let's replace fattening with HEALTHY people! Yes... it truly is healthy. Would I lie to you? Of course not!

Here's what you do:

Easy at that. 

You will want to use this as more than just frosting (btw-it's a great frosting for my cupcake poppers)

I like to use it as a dip! (see below...) It goes great with fruit, graham crackers, oh heck-everything!

Oh-It's also really fun (especially for kids) to add sprinkles to the frosting and mix them in to create a fun pop of color to our dip!

Peanut Butter Ice Cream

Oh yes, I went there! My two favorite foods EVER combined!

Peanut Butter + Ice Cream = HAPPY TUMMY!

And get this-this recipe is (well of course healthy) but it actually is fairly easy and low calorie!

Topped with some peanut butter granola (recipe to come!) just sends it over. the. top. 

Oh-idea! Banana granola + peanut butter ice cream! YUM!

Alright, alright... little less talk-lot more action recipe! (please tell me at least some of you caught that country music song reference?)

Ingredients: 

(makes 2 servings)

-1 cup milk (can use any... skim, whole, whatever!)*

-1 cup vanilla yogurt (both regular and Greek work)

-1/4 cup powdered peanut butter (I use PB2, but to each his own!)

-1 tsp. vanilla

-1/2 tsp. salt

Optional (for creaminess factor):

-1/2 tsp. xanthum/guar gum (opt.)

-1/2 TBSP. cornstarch

-1 TBSP. pudding mix

or

-1 tsp. gelatin (dissolved in a few TBSP water)

*for a very very creamy ice cream-use fat free half & half!

Directions:

1. Mix together milk and pb2 until pb2 is fully combined

2. Add yogurt and stir until an even consistency forms (you may want to use a hand mixer)

3. Add in vanilla and salt

4. If using any of the optional creaminess ingredients - add it now, slowly-mixing well!

5. Pour into ice cream maker and patiently wait

Cupcake Poppers

Ever wanted to eat cupcakes FOR BREAKFAST and not feel any guilt*? 

Then these cupcakes are for you! They're quick, moist, delicious and require only 2 ingredients... yes two! (water doesn't count guys!)

*sidenote: Never feel guilt or beat yourself for having a treat! Everything in moderation is the answer to everything! Well ok, maybe not the question of how many licks it takes to get to the middle of a tootsie pop.. but otherwise it's a very versatile lesson! 

The secret ingredient is the secret ingredient to almost all my recipes... (I can't help it I have an addiction and am proud of it!) 

GREEK YOGURT!

Yes, you should have all seen this coming-I can't count how many things I've tried to 'healthify' by substituting Greek yogurt... and once again-this didn't let me down!

I almost think these cupcakes are more delicious than the regular kind... but then again-sometimes I think my brain's wires are a little crossed sometimes and think healthy=delicious. (Not a completely bad trait, but very odd!)

Look at all the cute little guys!

Ingredients:

-3/4 cup Greek yogurt (any kind-I'm a Dannon Oikos girl myself)

-1 box cake mix

-1 cup water

~Any Greek yogurt will work. For this recipe, I used a yellow-cake mix and vanilla Greek yogurt and the results were oh so delicious! 

Some other creative mash-ups include: 

-German chocolate cake mix and a Black Cheery yogurt

-Vanilla cake mix and Honey yogurt

-Vanilla cake mix and any of the fruit flavors! YUM! <-- You could even mix in some fresh berries with this and create one heck of a delicious fruity cupcake!

Directions:

1. Mix cake mix, yogurt and water just until everything is moist

2. Pour batter into a mini cupcake tin

3. Bake as directed by box 

4. Frost with Fluff Frosting

5. Enjoy the little bites with a gleam in your eye because you know you just made a semi-healthy pop-able dessert!

Nutritional Info: For a regular cake mix (not sugar-free) and Dannon Oikos Greek yogurt each cupcake popper (assuming you get 5 dozen as my cake mix suggested)*

1 Cupcake Popper: 30 calories - .7 g fat - 5 carbs

*I of course did not get this many cupcakes because... well... maybe... I snuck a little bit SPOONFUL AFTER SPOONFUL of the cake batter

Oops... 

Birthday Cake Bread

What do you get when you combine the best two tokens of joy on the face of this Earth? (no.... not myself and Taylor Swift silly! The next two tokens of joy!) 

~ Sprinkles and Birthdays! 

In case you were unaware of the new formula for happiness is: 

Sprinkles + Birthdays = :D

...it's true, it's proven!

So what do you get when you combine sprinkles and birthdays, with a side swipe of bread (another joy-bringer in my life!)

You get.... (drum roll please....)

BIRTHDAY CAKE BREAD! 

Yes... you heard me right- Birthday. Cake. Bread. 

It's sweet, it's moist, it's delicious! And best of all - IT HAS SPRINKLES!

This bread will satisfy even the strongest sweet tooth-with no guilt! It's a healthy bread! ... are you guys really surprised? The Blissful Baker never tempts you with delicious looking treats that are bad for you! 

>I've got your back!<

You could even serve these up with whipped cream or ice cream and have them instead of cake at your next birthday party! I almost definitely like this bread more than cake anyways! It tastes just like Funfetti cake! 

So why not just make Funfetti cake? Because of a few reasons.. 

1. It's healthier

2. I like to switch things up!

3. You can toast it! Or make it into sandwiches! I mean really... what could be better than a cake-like bread, toasted and made into a sandwich!? 

Nothing! That's what!

Ingredients: 

-2/3 cup Greek yogurt (vanilla or plain)

-1 egg

-1/2 cup sugar (or any sweetener)

-1/4 cup applesauce

-1 small pkg. instant sugar-free vanilla pudding

-1/2 tsp. salt

-2 tsp. baking powder

-1 1/3 cup flour (whole wheat works fine)

-1 tsp. butter flavor extract (or vanilla if you don't have butter flavor)

-Sprinkles!

Directions:

1. Cream yogurt, egg, sugar, applesauce and pudding

3. Add salt and baking powder

4. Slowly add flour

5. Fold in sprinkles

6. Dump batter into a greased and floured loaf pan and sprinkle top with more sprinkles!

7. Bake in a 350* oven for about 1 hour, use the toothpick test!

8. Remove and let cool in pan for 15-20 minutes

9. Enjoy like a little kid on their birthday! 

Mmmm... sprinkles :)

S'Mores Bars

Alright, I know what you're thinking...this is suppose to be a healthy food blog right? Well yes, but I had to get your attention somehow! :P While this first recipe post isn't the healthiest food in the world, it sure is delicious! And-everything is good in moderation... So here goes:

S'Mores Bars:

These really will taste like a big bite of a S'More that has cooked perfectly on your campfire!

Ingredients:

1 softened stick of butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup flour
1 cup cinnamon sugar graham cracker crumbs (the regular will work as well-but I like the addition of the cinnamon!)
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt

1 cup chocolate chips

1 3/4 cups marshmallow fluff

Step One:
-Preheat oven to 350*
-Beat the softened butter, and both sugars until fluffy
-Add the egg and vanilla
...It will look something like this...

Step Two:

-Slowly add flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt

Step Three:

-Press 1/2 of dough into bottom of greased baking dish (I like to use a 8x8 inch or 6x10 inch)

Step Four:

-Sprinkle chocolate chips

Step Five:

-Spread marshmallow fluff on top

 (This may get a little messy, but it is oh so worth it!)

Step Six:

-Top with remaining dough and press the layers gently together

-Let bake 30 minutes (or until marshmallow fluff starts oozing out and browning)

~They may not look the neatest, but they sure are delicious!

*Sidenote: Do not fall into the temptation of cutting these as soon as they are removed from the oven! They will be very gooey and fall apart! But, I guess if you'd like to eat it with a spoon a bowl more power to you! If you do wait to actually cut these, they will make 16 bars

Nutritional Information (1 bar):