WIAW #2

Well since people were sooo extremely supportive of me jumping on the WIAW bandwagon with them, I'm here to do round two!

So let's get going!

Breakfast = Greek yogurt with Barlean's lemon smoothie oil (awesome stuff!), with strawberries, some orange pieces, and raisin bread

Dinner = turkey, steamed veggies and mashed taters

oh and of course a side of fruit! 

...please take notice of the "couple" of peanut butter cups we 'obtained'

Snack #1 = peanut butter and raisins on celery... and if you think I just licked off the peanut butter and raisins and left the celery you'd be right 

:/

I can't help it - I just can not take celery!

Snack #2 = graham crackers and apple slices with lemon pudding... I've been pretty into pudding these days! 

Supper = toast with peanut butter, topped with bananas and strawberries and then drizzled in honey :)

Snack #3 = If you're wondering what in the #!*?@ this is... just look here

p.s. I don't actually cuss - ever. 

Well that's all - hope your day is spectacular! Mine will be filled with packing, packing and packing... oh ya-maybe studying for finals? But probably not. Oh well!

Blessings!

~Kristen 

Thanks Peas & Crayons - http://www.peasandcrayons.com/ for this awesome par-tay!

WIAW #1

So... I've never done one of these before but I'm all for jumping on the bandwagon - well unless its illegal, immoral or unhealthy.

But this is none of those - so I'm ALL in*

(*hopefully I do this right... is there a wrong way to tell the world what you put into your belly? I guess I'll find out...)

Alright - here we go! 

So breakfast...

Some egg whites, toast with honey drizzle, and a huge bowl of fruit (blueberries, grapes and pineapple) with a little yogurt and granola with pecans

My university has this great thing that lets you sign up for a sack lunch on days you have classes over the noon hour (so handy!)

And on Wednesdays, it is always a banana and peanut butter sandwich - but today I had some dark chocolate chips (that I got from the trail mix below) and threw them in... WOAH! Totally made my day.

And then some yummy grahams between classes...

Supper = giant bowl of pasta with chicken and veggies and mixed berries

Can't forget the 'snackage'

Who else is enjoying obsessed with Naked juice?

I know I am! And those cute little packages of peanut butter? Such a great idea. Genius. 

...I may or may not have 'obtained' the peanut butter and crackers from my college cafeteria... 

So this may look like a big bowl of crazy... and it it. Delicious crazy that is.

It's pistachio pudding with bananas!

So easy to make in a dorm room for any fellow college students out there!

I just mix up two TBSP of dry pudding mix with 1 cup of milk in a protein shake blender thing and shake, refrigerate and enjoy!

So that's it! I'd love some feedback from my first go at this from all you pro's out there! :)

Have a wonderful Wednesday! 

Thanks http://www.peasandcrayons.com/ for hosting this great party idea! 

Reese's Muffins (healthy!)

We all know I'm a sucker for breakfast...

anytime of the day.

And I'm a sucker for peanut butter...

So in the celebration of Easter (reminds me of Reese's Eggs-YUM!)

My friend and I decided to storm the kitchen and make an explosion of breakfast deliciousness containing peanut butter and chocolate, but in a healthy way! 

(*drum roll*)

REESE'S MUFFINS!

This recipe was inspired by Equal Exchange Cocoa

What is this Equal Exchange company you ask?

Check out my review here-

So back to the recipe!

The wet stuff (cream it all up!) ~

-2 ripe bananas (about a cup)

-1/2 cup sugar (or substitute, or 1/4 cup honey)

-2 egg whites (or one whole egg)

-3/4 cup Greek yogurt

-1 tsp. vanilla extract

-1 tsp. butter extract (optional)

The dry stuff (sift it baby!) ~

-1 cup whole wheat flour

-1/2 cup Equal Exchange Cocoa (or your favorite brand of unsweetened cocoa powder)

-1 tsp. salt

-1 tsp. baking powder

-1 tsp. baking soda

When you're done sifting...

Melt up 1/4 (heaping if you're like me!) cup of peanut butter

Mmmm... 

Use all your self control to not stick your head into the measuring cup and drink that amazing melty peanut butter!

Alright.

Now- add the wet to the dry and fold in 1/4 cup peanut butter chips and 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips

Then fill your muffin tins (will make about 15ish) 3/4 full with batter

Then add a heaping spoonful of peanut butter to each muffin tin and swirl, swirl, swirl!

Ahhh Yeahhh.... 

Bake at 350* for about 15 minutes

Remove

and 

DEVOUR!

Let me hear ya- what's your favorite muffin?

Hit me up with some new recipes friends!

adapted from: Sally's Baking Addiction

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! 

Tropically Coconutty Bars

Need a new granola bar recipe?
Are you kidding?!
Who DOESN'T?!

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup rolled oats

1/4 cup rice crispies 

1/4 cup cereal (can be anything really~as in grape nuts, granola, shredded wheat, etc.)

1/4 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

2 tbsp coconut oil 

1/4 cup coconut

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup sugar (sugar substitute works fine)

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking soda

2 tbsp juice (like apple juice)

THE DRILL:

-Heat oven to 350*, get a 9x13 pan and cover bottom with parchment paper

-Melt coconut oil, add honey, sugar, salt, soda, vanilla extract and juice... mix well

-Throw together the dry ingredients; flour, oats, crispies and cereal

-Heat in microwave again

-Add the wet and mix well until all the dry is completely covered with gooey amazingness

-Dump into a 9x13 pan, cover with parchment paper and step, yes step on it to press it down completely

-Bake in oven about 10 minutes (edges will be golden)

Oh yum oh yum oh yum

These are slightly sweet. Coconutty and tropical in delicious ways.

Yes, coconutty is a word.

I don't care what the red line under my about to be published blog post says. It is. 

~highly adapted from: http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2012/05/17/quaker-style-chewy-granola-bars/

"Date" Newton

If you thought this title had something to do with a romantic relationship between me and 'Newton' you are on the wrong post.

....but if you clicked on this post hoping to find a recipe for a "Fig Newton" like cookie, but with a sweet date filling instead - you are in the right place!

These may seem a little difficult, and I won't lie - there are a bunch of steps.. BUT they are all pretty straight forward and difficult to screw up!

Believe me - I tried... 

I got this idea from - eatliverun.com, but she used actual figs... and, well-I didn't have any, so what's a girl to do? 

SUBSTITUTE and pray it all works out!

First things first-get 2 tbsp. of ground flax seed soaking in 1/3 cup warm water (this is going to act as your egg in the recipe) 

Meanwhile... cream together brown sugar, butter and yogurt

1/2 cup + 2 tbsp. brown sugar

2 tbsp. yogurt

3 tbsp. butter

Then add your flax/water mixture

and 2 tbsp. of milk

Now add your tsp. of baking powder, and 1/2 tsp. each of cinnamon, baking soda, and salt

Add your flour- 1 1/2 cups each of whole wheat flour and all-purpose

Mix until a soft dough forms

Then you can get your filling going while the dough is resting in the frig

In a sauce pan combine 1 tbsp. honey, 1 cup water, 1 cup apple juice (or any fruit juice), and 1 1/2 cup dates

Heat on stove until boil, then allow to simmer for 10-15 minutes

Then puree in blender, place back into sauce pan, add 2 tsp. of cornstarch (already mixed with water) and heat again to thicken

Then remove from stove and allow to cool (about 30 minutes)

Take your dough out of the frig, and roll out to about 1/8 inch thickness

*Preheat oven to 350*

You will want a rectangle that is 12 inches tall (will probably be 20 inches or so wide)

Cut strips of dough that are 4 inches wide (and then of course 12 inches tall)

Place your cooled filling in the center and roll up both sides.

Pinch together to seal the dough and cut into cookie sized pieces

Bake in a 350* oven for 20-ish minutes (until they are golden)

Remove and enjoy with a BIG glass of milk

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

2 tbsp. ground flax

1/3 cup warm water

3 tbsp. butter

2 tbsp. yogurt

1/2 cup + 2 T brown sugar

2 tbsp. milk

1 1/2 cups dates

1 tbsp. honey

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup water

1 cup apple juice

2 tsp. cornstarch