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New Year Healthy Snack Ideas!
Happy New Year! 2023 is already shaping up to be a phenomenal year! We are kicking off the New Year with our new blog Northwest Favorites! We’re excited to share the best of northwest living! We hope it will inspire you wherever you are in this great big beautiful world. Join us as we talk about foods we’re loving, festivities, fitness and fun! We hope these posts bring you joy and some good ideas throughout the year to help make it your best and most present and beautiful year yet!
In this post we’re exited to bring you some delicious and healthy snacks to kickstart your new years diet. And by “diet,” we don’t mean some obsessive quest to reduce your intake of food. Nope, we mean nourishing your body with nature’s bounty! Maybe you resolved to eat better, lose weight or just eat more healthy snacks! We’ve rounded up 7 ideas that you will love so you enjoy a different healthy snack every day of the week.
- Celery with peanut butter and everything bagel seasoning or sesame seeds! This one is sure to please, it tastes great and adds tons of good protein to your diet!
- Olives are always a great snack. They’re so good for you. Olives are rich is Vitamin E and antioxidants, which can help reduce your risk of cancer, stroke, diabetes and heart disease- I’m not a huge fan of most olives (thought Christina is), but this year I’m happy to report that I found some I LOVE – try castelvetrano olives, they’re buttery and delicious, and they don’t disappoint. If you are new to olives, this is a variety you should definitely try.
- Kale ‘chips’ are such a great choice if you like the crunch of potato chips but not the fat. They’re full of flavor and you can eat a LOT of them – perfect for snacking on when watching football! We made a great Kale chips recipe, that you might enjoy!
- Roasted Chickpeas- A great source of protein and delicious to boot. You can really customize them by adding garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, herbs, etc. Make sure they’re really dry before roasting them so they’re extra crunchy! Some people think they taste like corn-nuts.
- Airpopped Popcorn- Air popcorn is so satisfying and you can add fun herbs to it too, like herbs or dried dill.
- DIY Trail mix is a great snack for ON the Go! Be careful though because nuts can have quite a few calories so be sure to keep an eye on portion control.
- Smoothies are always a great choice – they’re great to use up leftover fruits and veggies and they’re good for you to boot!
Give some of these healthy snacks a try and let us know what you think!
Love, Erika, Christina and Evelyn
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The Best Baked Salmon Recipe
Baked Salmon is a staple in our house! It’s packed with Omega-3 fatty acids. This heart healthy entree is something you can feel good about feeding your family. Just like all of of our recipes, we keep it simple.
Start with a nice piece of fish, (Salmon Filet, about 12 make sure you check the dates on the package so that you have a very fresh one.
Preheat your oven to 400 Degrees.
Rinse the salmon, and bolt with a paper towel.
Melt 2-3 tablespoons of butter with 2 cloves of garlic (we prefer the little frozen cubes).
Sprinkle salt and pepper over the salmon.
Next, brush the butter garlic mixture on the salmon.
Slice lemon and place on top of your salmon.
Bake at 400 Degrees for 10-12 Minutes, or until it reaches at least 135 Degrees. Tent it and let it sit for about 5 minutes.
Be sure to save this dish, and include on your Pinterest board. Tag us @northwestfavorites if you make the recipe too, because we love to see!
If you’re not on the email list yet, be sure to join for complimentary recipes, feel good messages, and more!
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Pumpkin Soup Recipe
The Best Coziest Healthy Pumpkin Soup!
Who has been craving pumpkin everything?! It’s the absolute best for this time of year, so cozy and rich and gives you that hygge Autumn feeling!
Here’s our recipe for the yummiest pumpkin soup:
Ingredient list:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, very finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, grated
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon fresh sage
3 cups pumpkin purée
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon fresh ginger
2 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon maple syrup
2 tablespoons half and half
5 dashes Worcestershire sauce
1/8 teaspoon umami powder
Toasted sunflower seeds for serving! (optional)
Method:
Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, sauté for 5 minutes or until onions start to brown, add in garlic and cook another 5 minutes.
Add the Thyme and sage stir to combine, next stir in the pumpkin puree, salt, cumin, pepper and ginger.
Cook over medium-low until fragrant, about 5 minutes. At this point mix in the chicken broth and stir to combine.
Remove from heat, mix in the maple syrup and half and half, stirring constantly. Add Worcestershire sauce and umami powder. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup. Taste it and adjust salt and pepper accordingly.
The flavors meld as the soup sits so it’s best to cook this 3-4 hours before serving. Garnish with toasted sunflower seeds!
Enjoy, and be sure to save it to your Pinterest recipe board!
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Planting Ranunculus in October!
Ranunculus are such a beautiful choice of flower, and Fall is the ideal time to plant! You can plant your Ranunculus every year and it’s nostalgic. You all know tubers, bulbs, and seeds, but with ranunculus, we have “corms!”
Be sure to soak them in water for a few hours before you plant them, and then when you plant them in your well draining soil, make sure that you send the little foot like piece downward because it will be the root of the beautiful plant!
You can plant your ranunculus corms in early autumn, and in zone 7 and up you can overwinter them outdoors (though you may need a frost cloth). If your zone is 6b or below, as many of our readers, then you’ll want to grow them in a hoop house, or wait until those dramatic cold temps are finished, so you’re looking at early spring.
When you’re ready to plant, soak them in water for about 4 hours (not longer, because you don’t want them to rot!)
You should plant them 9 inches apart and about 2-3 inches deep!
Happy Gardening!
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Garbanzo and Green Bean Salad with Mint
If you’re anything like us, then you might be trying to eat a little more Mediterranean or emulate those lauded “Blue Zones,” so captivating for their lifestyle and the longevity and good healthy their inhabitants tend to have.
If this sounds like you, then you definitely should be adding more delicious legumes to your diet!
Here’s a beautiful side for you to add to your repertoire. It features garbanzo beans/chickpeas, green beans, green onions, and is full of fresh flavor with star ingredient, mint!
Ingredients
1 lb green beans, cooked and trimmed
1 15oz can chickpeas, rinsed, drained and patted dry
6 green onions, finely chopped
12 large mint leaves, Julienned (technique tips from Jamie Oliver)
1/2 teaspoon Salt
Pepper to taste
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (we buy it on Amazon since we use it for everything from salad dressing to tea!)
1 tablespoon capers
1 tablespoon olive oilBlanch green beans in boiling salted water, 2-3 minutes or until tender. Remove immediately to an ice bath to shock them and retain their bright color. After they’re cooled, drain and pat them dry, then slice into 1 inch pieces.
In a large mixing bowl, add sliced green onions, chickpeas, mint leaves, salt, pepper, cider vinegar, capers, olive oil and green beans.
Toss to combine, taste and season with additional salt if needed.
Serve at room temperature.
Be sure to Pin this if it sounds good to you, and if you make it, we hope you tag us on instagram @northwestfavorites
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Healthy Granola Oatmeal Cookies
These healthy granola oatmeal cookies are so delicious! It’s a bit of a taste “cheat” to use the yummiest granola you can, partially because they’ve done some of the work for us, but hey, you’ll all busy enjoying life right, so saving a little time is a major “YES” in our book!Ingredients / Shopping list:
3/4 Cup Flour (any kind you like)
3/4 Cup Quick Oats
3/4 Cup of of your Favorite Granola (For this, we tried Nature’s Path Organic Pumpkin and Flax Seed, Yum!)
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tbsp chia seeds
2 tbsp butter, softened
1 large egg, room temperature
1/2 cup agave or honey
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup raisins
Here’s how to make them! Get ready for a complicated recipe, just kidding, it’s a total breeze!
Preheat oven to 325 Degrees
Prepare a cookie sheet with a sil pat.
Whisk together the Flour, Quick Oats, Granola (you may need to break it up a little), baking power, salt chia seeds, salt.
In a separate bowl (we use the kitchen aid mixer with the whisk attachment, whisk together the butter, egg, agave/honey. and vanilla.
Add the dry ingredients in with the wet ingredients.
Once blended, add in the raisins!
Get your ice cream scoop and scoop about 12-15 cookies out. Press them down slightly with a spoon.
Bake for about 12 minutes, or until the sides are golden!
Great ready to devour! They are perfect for breakfast, road trips, Fika, you name it!
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Blueberry Lemon Yogurt Loaf
This light loaf is the perfect addition to your Sunday morning coffee. It’s light, yet rich and lemony too! You could also add a blueberry compote with a scoop of ice cream and serve it for dessert. Yum, Yum!
Preheat oven to 350 Degrees
Ingredients for Blueberry Lemon Cake
- 2 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- pinch of salt
- 1/2 granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- zest of 1 large lemon (add more if you want a pucker!)
- 3/4 vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups greek yogurt
- 1 cup fresh blueberries (if using frozen, thaw before adding and drain out water)
Method
Grease a loaf pan and set aside.
In the bowl of a mixer, whisk sugar and eggs together until pale and smooth, add olive oil, coconut oil, lemon zest, and vanilla. Mix until combined. Stir in yogurt.
In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder,
and salt. Add to wet ingredients and stir until just combined.Fold in blueberries. Place the batter in the prepared baking dish, smooth the top and bake for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick comes out cleanly.
Let cool for 15 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
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Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies
These cookies are perfect for Valentine’s, Galentine’s, or any “tines” day! Cake-like, full of flavor, and fun to make, bet you can’t just eat one!
Makes 20 cookies
Ingredients
- 1 1/3 cups flour
- 3 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/3 cup brown Sugar
- 1/3 cup white sugar
- 1/4 cup butter (room temperature)
- 2 eggs
- 2 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1 tsp red food coloring
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
Method for Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies
In a bowl combine your dry ingredients; flour, cocoa powder, baking powder & salt. Give it a quick whisk and set aside.
In a large bowl cream butter and sugar together with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add in eggs and vanilla and mix together until combined. Slowly add in dry ingredients and mix together until thoroughly combined. Add in red food coloring a few drops at a time while mixing until a deep, bright red hue is achieved.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with nonstick cooking spray. Pour powdered sugar onto a plate or in a shallow bowl. Scoop chilled cookie dough into small balls and roll in powdered sugar. Once you’ve rolled all the cookie dough balls in powdered sugar repeat this step one more time, roll in the powdered sugar once more to get a good coating of powdered sugar on each cookie.
Bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes. Allow cookies to cool for 2 to 3 minutes before you transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container for later.
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Festive Chocolate Drizzled Pretzels!
These chocolate covered pretzels are so delicious, they add the perfect amount of savory and sweet, and are the perfect treat with a cup of coffee or tea!
The beauty of these, is that you can really make them for any holiday or season. Just change up the sprinkle colors for Halloween, Christmas, or even Easter with pastels and white chocolate!
Makes 16 Pretzels
Ingredients
- 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips, melted
- 16 pretzel rods
- Valentines day sprinkles
Method
Place chocolate chips in a
microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high for 1minutes at 50% power, remove from microwave and stir. The chocolate chips won’t be fully melted so continue to microwave on high in 10-15 second intervals, stirring in between until all chips are melted! Set aside.Cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat, lay 16 pretzel rods on the cookie sheet and drizzle chocolate over them. Keep drizzling until you’ve reached your desired “chocolaty-ness”
While the chocolate is still wet, add your sprinkles and place
in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes. The chocolate will be set and your chocolate Valentines day pretzels are ready to serve!Enjoy, Friends!
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Tips to Keep your Manicure from Chipping!
Lately, I’ve been really into neutral nail colors, they’re versatile, classic, and don’t show chips as well (I’m a stickler for good-looking nails without chips). I’ve been painting my nail since I was about 12, and I’ve learned a thing or two to keep them from chipping!
Essie Colors listed in in photos:
Hubby For Dessert
Here is what I have learned:
- The shorter the better, I usually cut my nails just to the tips of my fingers, which leaves plenty of nail for color and less area for chipping!
- Use good quality polish, my personal favorites are Essie and OPI- they usually only require one coat but I typically do two since I’m a sucker for nice nails
- If you like, use a neutral color, that way if your nails do chip, it will be less noticeable! This is also a great choice for travel- since a nice manicure always goes great with a vacation (and all your Instagram worthy photos!)
- Top with a clear coat for extra protection and shine!
- Don’t rush and shake between coats for optimum coverage.
Best ‘at home’ manicure ever- #nailedit
xx,
T
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“Healthy-ish” Peanut Butter Cups
These “healthy-ish” Peanut butter cups are really tasty, loaded with protein and refined sugar-free these peanut butter cups are sure to please. These are a great snack with a cup of tea or perfect for the kids lunches!
Makes 6-8 Peanut Butter Cups
Ingredients
Chocolate Layer
- 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
In a mixing bowl, Mix together the coconut oil, cocoa powder, maple syrup and vanilla until combined. Layer into a square baking dish or muffin tin (since these are for valentines day you can use a heart shaped mold!). and place into the freezer for 15-20 minutes.
Peanut Butter Layer
- 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
- 1/2 cup peanut butter (salted, chunky peanut butter)
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 tablespoons of chia seeds (optional)
- Powdered Sugar for garnish
Mix together Coconut oil, peanut butter, maple syrup and vanilla until combined. Pour on top of chocolate layer, Sprinkle with chia seeds. Freeze for 15-20 minutes.
At this point you can either slice with a warm knife or cookie cutter, or unmold!
Place on a plate and sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Enjoy!
xx,
T
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Light, Sunday Morning Banana Muffins
Sunday Mornings call for tasty treats and these muffins are de-lish! They are a great use for those sad brown bananas and are pretty quick to prep. Bonus – you can use only 1 bowl (less dishes to wash…yes please!). Most importantly, they are scrumptious!
When you allow bananas to turn brown and almost mushy, they become extra sweet, which makes them the perfect ingredient to use when trying to bake using less sugar. These muffins use agave nectar as a sugar substitution which adds a slightly “nutty” flavor. Slivered almonds the perfect complement if you are a nut lover.
Take to bananas out of the freezer about 15 minutes before you cook start prepping!
Preheat oven to 325 degrees
2/3 cups coconut oil
1/2 cups agave nectar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed bananas
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cups slivered almonds or walnuts
Prepare your muffin tin by greasing all 12 muffin cups.
Melt coconut oil in the microwave until it’s fully liquid. Add agave and whisk, once combined, add 2 eggs and combine thoroughly. Add in bananas, baking soda, vanilla, chia seeds, salt and flour. Mix to combine and until dry ingredients are fully incorporated. Fold in nuts.
Divide batter evenly between 12 muffin cups.
Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Let these babies cool and serve!
Enjoy the perfect little snack, quick breakfast or mid morning pick me up!
xx,
gracegrl
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Truffled Rosemary Monkey Bread Muffins
Upgrade your biscuit game with these incredibly delicious, simple and fun to eat muffins! I like to serve these with soup and they would be great at your holiday table as well! The cool thing is that because they’re cut into smaller pieces and tossed in the coating all the pieces have flavor!
Makes 12 large muffins
- 2- 16 oz packages buttermilk biscuits (you can find these at the local supermarket or my favorite store, Trader Joes!)
- 1 Tablespoon fresh rosemary finely chopped
- 3 Tablespoons butter, melted
- 2 Tablespoons truffle oil
- 1/2 Teaspoon salt
- 2 Tablespoons parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Spray a muffin tin with cooking spray, set aside. Open biscuit packages and cut each biscuit into 6 pieces.
In a large bowl mix rosemary, butter, truffle oil and salt. Whisk together until combined, add biscuit pieces and toss until completely coated.
Sprinkle parmesan in the bottom of each muffin tin and fill with coated biscuit pieces until all pieces are gone. Press each one down slightly so the pieces stick together.
Bake for 9 minutes until the tops start to brown, then turn down the oven to
325 d egrees, cover with foil and bake for another 9 minutes.Remove from oven, let cool for 5 minutes before removing from muffin tin.
Enjoy these taste morsels of goodness!
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Baked Broccoli
This is one of our most favorite sides. Baking the broccoli brings out a somewhat “nutty” flavor and it can be the perfect addition to a salad, pasta dish or just have it as a side dish. This recipe is simple, foolproof and well, downright delish.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
- 3 cups broccoli, trimmed into bite-sized pieces (I usually make them smaller if they’re going into a salad)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp salt,
- 1/2 tsp pepper
Place Broccoli in a mixing bowl, toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Bake 20-25 minutes
Warning: Once this comes out of the oven a few pieces will inevitably be consumed by passers-by, for this reason, I always add a few more pieces than I think I need just to account for the missing florets.
Happy cooking!
xx,
gracegrl
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Fancified Avocado Toast
Step up your brunch game with this outside the box take on Avocado toast. Instead of using “toast” we opted for mini waffles. They sure are a crowd-pleaser, they’re hearty, healthy and they look super cute too!
Waffles
- 1 1/4 Cup all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons sugar
- 1 Teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4
Teaspoon salt - 1/2 Cup
- 1/2
Cup plaingreek yogurt - 4 Tablespoons butter, melted
Topping
- 4 eggs
- 3 small tomatoes
- 1 small avocado
- Salt
- Pepper
Place waffle batter in a large bowl, whisk all ingredients together until smooth and combined. Drop spoonfuls onto waffle iron and cook to your desired “done-ness”
Place 1 waffle on a plate, top with fried egg, avocado slices and 2 slices tomato. Sprinkle with salt and pepper!
Enjoy this tasty weekend breakfast!
xx,
T
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Corned Beef, Cabbage, and Sweet Potato Pizza!
This is a St. Patty’s day tradition in our house, I make it almost every year and we always say “we should make this more often”! It’s a fun twist on a traditional Irish classic! Making the dish in “pizza” form is fun and interactive, you could even do mini pizzas for a party too!
- 3 carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/2 inch pieces
- 4 sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1/2 inch pieces
1 (about 3 lbs) corned beef brisket already brined. - 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese
- 2 cauliflower pizza crusts (you can use regular too!)
- 2 Tablespoons truffle oil.
- 6 cups water
- 1 lb bag shredded cabbage
- 1 tablespoon butter
- Salt
- Pepper
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
In a slow cooker, place carrots and sweet potatoes. Remove corned beef from package, and rinse (I like to rinse it to remove some of the saltiness). Place corned beef, fat side up, on top of vegetables add enough water to almost cover meat (about 6 cups). Cover and cook on high until corned beef is tender, about 6 hours on low.
Melt butter in a saucepan, once it’s heated add cabbage, salt, Pepper and broth, sauté until cabbage is translucent and completely cooked (about 5-10 minutes). Let cool.
Once meat is cooked, prepare pizza crust as directed on package. I opted for cauliflower pizza crust but you can use regular pizza crust too, Once crust is baked sprinkle generously with truffle oil and a light sprinkle of mozzarella cheese, now build your pizza! Start with veggies, shred beef and add that, then top completely with cabbage and the reminder of the mozzarella cheese.
Turn oven to broil and broil pizza on high, just until cheese is melted and browned.
Now let cool for 5 minutes, serve and enjoy with a cold Guinness.
Happy St. Patricks day!
xx,
T
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Rustic Cheesecake Bites
These cheesecake bites are rustic and delicious!
They’re lightened up so you can eat two or three and not feel guilty! They’re also not super sweet either, with just 1/4 cup brown sugar, you don’t have to worry about that sugar high. (wink wink) You can also make these ahead of time so they’re the perfect little bite for an afternoon tea or dessert with guests!
Makes 30 mini cakes
- 1 1/4 cups crushed Graham Crackers
- 4 tablespoons butter, melted
Preheat oven to 350
Line a mini muffin tin with mini cupcake liners. Put 1 package of Graham crackers into a Ziploc and whack with a wooden spoon to make crumbs! Mix crumbs with butter and place in the bottom of each baking cup, press firmly to pack and create the crust! Bake for 10 minutes, remove from oven and let cool completely (about 10 minutes).
For the Cheesecake
- 1/2 cup cream cheese at room temperature
- 1/2 cup Ricotta cheese at room temperature
- 1 cup fat-free yogurt at room temperature
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 egg at room temperature
Place all ingredients in a large bowl, mix together with a whisk until well combined and smooth. Using a teaspoon, spoon cheesecake on top of each graham
craker crust, tap gently ontable to remove any bubbles and ensure the tops are smooth after baking.Bake 20-25 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool 15 minutes, remove cheesecakes from muffin pan and let cool an additional 10 minutes. Place in an airtight container and refrigerate at least 4 hours. Chill completely before serving (chilling ensure they’re properly set!).
Special note: The reason for the “room temperature” ingredients is that it helps keep the cakes from cracking after baking and further ensures that smooth top!
Enjoy these tasty morsels, if you want to get extra fancy, top each one with a fresh raspberry! Yum Yum.
xx,
T
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Green Goodness Smoothie
Need a great, nutrition-packed smoothie? This is just the ticket. It is really tasty, and you can make it sweeter depending upon your tastes (just add some agave nectar). Healthy, delicious and bursting with superfoods! This can be your new go-to recipe when you’re craving a smoothie.
- 1 cup vanilla almond milk
- 2 handfuls spinach
- 1 handful kale
- 1/2 large banana
- 1/2 frozen blueberries
- 1/2 plain or vanilla greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup orange juice
Ready for a really complicated process? Put everything blender, and… drumroll, please?
Blend it up! Pour into your favorite glass and savor the healthy, deliciousness!
Note: depending upon your blender you may have to add the spinach and kale in batches to ensure it blends smoothly!
Happy Healthy Eating!
xx,
T
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50 Activities To Do On a Day at Home
It can be hard during times like these to stay positive and excited about life when let’s face it, folks are a little down right now. But never fear, we’ve got a list of 50 activities to keep you busy while you’re stuck at home. Whether you’re busy working from home or are taking care of your kids, this list certainly has at least a few things to keep you busy during your homestay!
Spring Cleaning:
-Move furniture and vacuum behind and under it (Goodbye 3 year old dust bunnies!)
– Detail your car- Wash, Vacuum, squirt and spray, also while you’re at it top off all fluids!
– Clean gutters- it may not be fun but it’s certainly a good thing to do and you’ll be happy you did it too!
– Wash floors- Grab that bucket and a brush and scrub away!
– Clean Grout- While you have your bucket out from washing the floors, clean your tile grout too!
– Wash your windows, not sure about you but with the sun streaming in we’re definiltiy seeing windows in need of washing
– Tune up your lawnmower- There are tons of great lawnmower tutorials on youtube you can look at to make you mower function at its best.
– Tidy your laundry room, it’s probably one of the rooms you spend lots of time in, why not keep it clean and organized
Culinary Projects:
-Try to cook a new recipe with things from your cupboard/fridge
⁃Bake cookies- Chocolate chip, oatmeal, shortbread, so many options!
-Make homemade bread
-Try making homemade pasta
– Try a new cocktail recipe
– Make chocolates
Outdoor Activities:
⁃Do some gardening, finally prune those trees, weed that bed, org
⁃Have a picnic in your backyard
Staying Active:
-Jump rope- Good for your heart rate and it’s fun too!
-Walk with kids and make a game of finding/identifying flowers- Tulips, Daffodils, H
yacinths -Go for a bike ride
⁃Find a new workout app so you can workout at home (try fittbe!)
⁃Go for a walk
⁃Head to the local lake and go kayaking or paddle boarding
Organization Activities:
-Organize your digital or printed photos, something you probably rarely have time to do normally
-Organize your garage- it can be daunting but take it one section at a time.
⁃Organize your closet, go through clothes and figure out what you want to keep or not
⁃Organize cabinets/drawers- office and kitchen! Sort things to donate and keep!
Staying indoors:
⁃Watch a movie that you’ve been wanting to look at for a while
⁃Rearrange living room furniture
⁃Do soduko
-Make a flip book
⁃Learn a new card game, cribbage, euchre, gin, bridge
⁃Start that blog!
⁃Make seasonal cards
-Watch old family movies- you’re guaranteed a laugh or two during your trip down memory lane!
⁃Write a gratitude list
⁃Do a spa day, take a bath, paint your nails, do a facemask, drink tea and read a book
⁃Do a puzzle
⁃Tie Dye things
⁃Make homemade play dough
⁃Make homemade bath bombs
⁃Learn origami
-do your taxes (not fun but must be done!)
– Learn how to tie useful knots
– Do a funny photoshoot
– Decorate for the next holiday
Tech Things:
⁃Unsubscribe from junk emails
⁃Make a new playlist of songs for the upcoming season
⁃Organize computer files
-have a virtual happy hour with friends
-Listen to songs of praise
-research a DIY on YouTube
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Butterhorn Cookies
I love the taste of Butterhorn cookies and have recently learned that they’re quite hard to find. I checked our local coffee shops, even Starbucks and Nordstrom cafe with no luck, so on a rainy Monday afternoon I decided to make my own, and I really liked the result (By liked the result I mean I ate 5 in the first 20 minutes of cooling!!)
Preheat oven to 350
- 2 cups flour
- 1 tsp. Salt
- 8 Tbsp Cold Butter (1 stick)
- 5 Tbsp. Cream Cheese (2.5 oz)
- 3/4 Cup Plain Greek Yogurt
- One Egg yolk
Filling:
- 3/4 Cups Brown Sugar
- 1 Tsp. Cinnamon
Mix flo
ur ,salt , Butter and Cream cheese until crumbly. Stir in Greek Yogurt and Egg yolk. Just until combined (You’re basically making pie crust!). Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 3 hours or overnight. Remove dough from Fridge, Cut dough into 3 equal pieces and roll out into a thin 12” diameter circle.Mix Brown sugar and cinnamon together and spread about 1/4 cup onto dough being sure to reach almost all the way to the corners. Cut into 12 triangles with a pizza cutter, roll them up and pinch together. Place on a cookie sheet seam side down.
Repeat with all remaining dough and filling.
Bake for 18-20 minutes. Let cool completely before serving.
Enjoy with a cup of tea or coffee!
xx,
T (Peanut Butter & Jelly Chronicles)
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Delicious Chickpea Salad
This Chickpea salad is divine! We made it last week to accompany grilled salmon and it was a winning combination. It’s packed with veggies, protein and goat cheese too! It’s super versatile and you can add whatever veggies or cheese you have on hand!
Ingredients
- 2 cans chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 1 cup grape tomatos
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
- 3 green onions
- 1 avocado
- 3 tbsp goat cheese
Start by rinsing 2 cans of chickpeas. Slice grape or cherry tomatos and toss them in.
Next, slice half a cup of green onions and add them to the bowl. Follow this with one chopped bell pepper. I love avocado, and bonus for those great healthy fats, so the addition of avocado was a must for me!
Add salt and pepper to taste, and dress with your favorite vinaigrette. For a creamy treat, sprinkle goat cheese on top!
Check out the video below!
Enjoy this delicious recipe, it evokes memories of summertime on the deck. Warm weather and a nice cool glass of rose! Now that takes me to a very, very, happy place!
xx,
gracegrl
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Rustic Rhubarb Tart
I recently was given fresh rhubarb from a friend and I’ll tell you what, I couldn’t get home fast enough to bake it into something scrumptious! Tart, sweet, and well downright delicious, this will have you sitting by the oven like a child on Christmas morning!
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
- 1 package store-bought pie crust
- 4 Cups fresh rhubarb, sliced into 1/4″ slices
- 1 cup fresh strawberries, quartered
- 3 tbsp flour
- 1 tsp vanilla
- ½ cup of sugar
- 1/4 tsp orange zest
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
Slice rhubarb into 1/4 inch slices, place in mixing bowl, add sliced strawberries and mix with flour, vanilla, sugar, orange zest, and cinnamon. Set aside for 15 minutes so flavors meld.
Roll pie crust out into a 15″ diameter, place rhubarb/strawberry mixture in the center of the crust, leaving about 1.5 inches of crust around the filling. Fold crust over fruit creating the ‘rustic’ tart, brush crust with water (to keep it from burning) and sprinkle with granulated sugar if you’d like.
Bake for 35-45 minutes or until filling is bubbly and crust is browned, take out and let cool for 15 minutes before serving.
Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
Enjoy this tasty dessert!
xx,
T (Peanut Butter & Jelly Chronicles)
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Fresh and Fab Carrot Orange Smoothie
This smoothie is SO delicious. It’s sweet and slightly nutty from the hemp seeds. Great for breakfast or a mid-day pick me up or just your daily dose of vitamins!
Makes 4 smoothies
- 1/4 cup Hemp Seeds
- 1/2 Teaspoon Tumeric
- 3/4 cup yogurt
- 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
- 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
- 1 scoop collagen powder
- 1/2 banana
- 1/3 cup chopped carrot
- 1/2 cup orange, peeled and cut into small pieces
- 1/2 teaspoon orange zest
- 1
cup frozen mango
Place all ingredients in blender, blend until smooth. Pour into glasses and serve!
Enjoy this tasty treat!
xx,
T (Peanut Butter & Jelly Chronicles)
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Summertime Fish Tacos
These tacos are great for a hot summer evening, they don’t require very much cooking and best of all, most of this recipe can be made ahead of time. All you need is a margarita and some cute summertime cocktail napkins and you’re good to go!
Fish:
- 1 1/2 lbs cod or white fish
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
- 1 lime, juice and zest
Place fish in a ziplock bag, sprinkle with taco seasoning and add lime zest and juice, let marinate for at least 4 hours or more.
Salsa:
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed in a garlic press
- 1 cup frozen fire-roasted corn or regular frozen corn (but I like the trader joes fire-roasted option)
- 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 avocado, cut into cubes
- 1 lime, zest, and juice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt or more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper or more taste
Extras:
- 1 package small “street” taco tortillas
- Fresh cilantro for garnish
Mix tomatoes, garlic, corn, black beans, avocado, lime juice and zest, salt, and pepper together in a large bowl, set aside and let it sit so that flavors meld.
Cook fish in saucepan for 5-8 minutes or until cooked through, place fish and salsa inside a tortilla and voila, your dinner is served!
Garnish with fresh cilantro.
xx,
T (Peanut Butter & Jelly Chronicles)
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Rainbow Smoothie
Lately, we have been trying to “eat the rainbow” everyday! Focusing on healthy food choices and eating as many fruits and veggies as possible. This smoothie contains all the colors, Red berries, Orange zest, Yellow banana and mango, green spinach, and Blueberries! Not only is it nutritious but it tastes great too!
Makes 4, 1 cup servings
- 1/2 cup greek yogurt
- 1 1/4 cups almond milk
- 1 cup frozen blueberries
- 1/2 cup frozen fruit medley (we used mango, banana, strawberry medley, you can use any berry assortment that you like)
- 3 tablespoons oats
- 2 big handfuls spinach (definitely an official measurement!)
- 1/4 teaspoon orange zest
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon (really good for reducing inflammation!)
- 2 teaspoons flax seed
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- pinch of salt
- Optional: 1 scoop of protein powder or collagen powder
Blend all ingredients together, if the smoothie is too thick for your taste just go ahead and add more almond milk!
Enjoy this tasty treat and daily dose of nutrients too!
xx,
T
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Superfood Breakfast Cookies
This is the perfect ‘grab and go’ cookie. They are not only nutritious and loaded with superfoods like pumpkin, flax seeds, cinnamon and of course some chocolate but they’re also really durable, I like to pop one into a baggy and toss it into my purse to curb my afternoon “hangriness”!
Preheat oven to 325
- 1 cup oats
- 1 cup flour
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup walnuts
- 1/2 cup pepitas
- 1/2 cup rasins
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 tablespoon flax seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- Pinch salt (about 1/4 teaspoon)
- 1 cup canned pumpkin
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 tablespoons agave nectar
- 1 tablespoon milk
Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl and set aside.
Mix pumpkin, butter, and agave together until fully incorporated. Add dry mixture and fold together until partially combined, add milk to moisten the mixture and continue to mix until fully incorporated.
Drop equal sized cookies on a cookie sheet and flatten each cookie.
Bake 18-20 minutes or until golden brown.
Makes 18-20 cookies depending upon your scoop size!
Enjoy these tasty morsels, they’re exceptionally good with coffee or tea.
xx,
T
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Healthy Coffee Breakfast Smoothie
Smoothies are a great way to start the day, especially if one contains coffee and an entire banana! It’s a great way to get some good protein to kick start your day and be the best version of you! 😉
- 1 cup of coffee- cold
- One banana
- 1/2 Greek Yogurt (I used plain but vanilla would be awesome too
) - 1/4 cup quick-cooking rolled oats
- 2 tablespoons peanut butter
- 1 tablespoon half and half
- 1 tablespoon collagen or vanilla protein powder
Place all
ingredients in the blender. Mix on high untilcompletelty blended. Pour into 2 glasses and serve. If you like it a little sweeter just add some agave nectar.Enjoy your protein forward smoothie, giving you the power to conquer your day!
xx,
T
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Salmon “Nicoise” Salad
I’m a HUGE fan of ‘main course’ salads, Nicoise Salad definitely fits that bill. Since I love salmon I decided to mix it up a bit and use salmon for the fish! I also opted to use asparagus, another springtime staple in my house and when I walk by it at the grocery store, I just can’t resist it! This salad will be your new favorite way to get your greens!
- 1.5 lbs Wild Caught Salmon (For purchasing tips check out this website)
- Salt
- Pepper
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 lemon slices
Preheat oven to 425. Rinse and pat dry salmon, line a cookie sheet with foil. Cook salmon at 425 for 15 minutes. Bake salmon for 15 minutes or until completely cooked through (about 145 degrees)
- 4 eggs, hard-boiled
- 1 lb. gold potatoes
- 1 lb asparagus, cut diagonally
- 1/2 cup green onions, thinly sliced
- 6 cups Spinach
- 2 large tomatoes, sliced into wedges
- 1/2 cup olives
- Vinaigrette dressing (purchased at my local TJ’s!)
Place eggs in a saucepan, cover with water, bring to a full boil. Turn off heat and let the eggs sit for 15 minutes, then douse in an ice bath to cool. Peel and cut into wedges.
Boil potatoes in salted water for about 20 minutes or until tender. Drain potatoes and slice into quarters. Sauté potatoes in olive oil, add salt, and pepper to taste for 5-7 minutes or until they just start to brown. Set aside.
Place asparagus in a corning ware dish, add 1 tablespoon water, cook on high for 7 minutes in the microwave. Drain water and douse in an ice bath. Set aside.
To assemble the salad, dress Spinach greens in a large bowl and arrange on a serving platter. Place salmon fillet across the spinach greens and now get your creative juices flowing! Add eggs, potatoes, asparagus, tomatoes and olives.
Serve immediately!
Imagine yourself sitting on the patio of a French villa surrounded by clipped boxwoods and cypress trees, you see your glass of Chardonnay glistening in the hot Italian sun, This colorful, fresh salad is on the table, as you take your first bites you think, “this is the epitome of the perfect French meal”. Bon Appetit!!
ENJOY every bite!!
xx,
gracegrl
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Monster Cookies
Monster cookies are truly the perfect cookie. Once you make the ‘base’ dough, you can really add anything you’d like. Have fun and make these cookies your own! They’re the perfect companion for your afternoon cup of coffee or tea!
Makes 30 scrumptious cookies
- 1 1/2 cups creamy or chunky organic peanut butter
- 3/4 cup agave nectar or maple syrup
- 1 stick of butter at room temperature
- 3 eggs
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 3 1/2 cups rolled oats
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 cup walnut baking pieces
- 1/2 cup golden raisins
- 1/4 cup chia or flax seeds
- 1/2 cup peanut butter M&M’s
- 1/2 cup peanut M&M’s
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with silicone baking mats
In the bowl of an electric mixer combine the peanut butter, agave nectar, and butter until smooth. Beat in the eggs and vanilla
unti combined.Add the oats through flax seeds stirring with a spatula until all ingredients have been fully incorporated. With a medium ice cream scoop, drop batter onto the prepared cookie sheets. Place 3 M&M’s
each cookie and flatten slightly before baking. I chose peanut butter and peanut M&M’s but you can choose your favorites. They taste amazing with caramel as well!Bake 10 to 14 minutes or until golden brown. Let cookies cool for about 5 minutes before placing them on metal racks to cool completely.
Bet you can’t just eat one!
Happy tea time!
xx,
T
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Antipasto On A Stick!
Antipasto is top on my list of “go-to” appetizers! The only problem is that most require plates, and cutlery, leaving you with even more dishes to do at the end of your soiree! Enter Antipasto Skewers! They offer the perfect mixture of everything and are a tasty “2 biter”. Be sure you have some cute cocktail napkins, and cocktails of course, and you’re good to go!
Antipasto Skewers: Purchase your favorite Antipasto fixings. I always opt for a combination of the following:
- Olives
- Salami
- Artichoke hearts
- Sun-dried tomatoes
- Mozarella cheese
- Fireroasted peppers
Gather some cute skewers and start building! It doesn’t get much more simple than that!
My formula usually starts with mozzarella and ends with an olive!
Happy Hosting!
xx,
T
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50 things that make us happy!
Because we’ve been feeling like life is really, really good, we’re sharing with you 50 things that make us smile!!
1. That first cup of morning coffee
Thanks, Jametlene Reskp for the photo! 2. Puppy’s (always make anyone smile)
3. Sunflowers
4. Jade Roses
5. Little kid hugs
6. Spotting a deer
7. Going to bed with freshly washed sheets!
8. Watching a Gossip Girl Marathon
9. Joel Kanitz’s voice (if you don’t know who this is…you NEED to…voice of an angel!)
10. Driving down the Pacific Coast Highway on a perfect day
11. Country music sing-alongs
12. Watching it snow (not this time of year…but in the winter)
13. Hanging out with our girlfriends
14. Christmas Dinner
15. Getting a new pair of shoes
16. Getting a cute text
17. Eating a box of French Macarons in the bubble bath with Chardonnay ala Ms. Blair
18. Discovering a new recipe
19. Tom Ford scents
20. Getting the newest issue of Instyle magazine
21. Receiving a compliment
22. Finding the perfect gift for a loved one
23. Getting invited to a party! (always exciting especially when you usually host!)
24. Sunshine when rain was predicted
25. Freshly clean and waxed car!
26. Making eye contact with a cute stranger
27. Pilates
28. Feeling like you could run forever
29. Freshly painted toes
31. A really good glass of rich, smooth Cabernet
32. Finding your favorite jeans at half price
33. Finding money in your pocket when you go to do the laundry
34. Getting a handwritten letter in the mail
35. The smell of freshly cut grass
36. Eating peanut butter right out of the jar!
37. A book you can’t put down
38. Filet Mignon
39. Silk robes
40. Baby chicks
41. Friday nights
42. Smell of the air after a spring rain
43. Rainbows
44. Paris…everything Paris
45. Receiving a beautiful bouquet
46. Watching Dynasty on the telly
47. In our crazy world finding out that Gentlemen still do exist!
48. Playing Scrabble with funny people
49. Harvesting crops from the Garden that you’ve grown
50. Reading comments from people on our blog
That’s 50 things that make us smile! Leave us your comments and tell us what your top 10 are! Have a phenomenal day!
xx
T
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Little Lemon Olive Oil Cakes
If you’re trying to bake and cook with more olive oil rather than butter, then you simply must try baking this cake. It’s the perfect Fika cakes and the frosting is particularly wonderful, but sweetened with honey for a more natural and organic taste! The topping of sliced almonds looks delightful. All together, it’s a homey cake, ideal for any season. Your can make it into a small 6 inch cake, as well as cupcakes!
Ingredients for Cake:
- 4 eggs
- 1 lemon
- 1 cup Olive oil
- 2/3 cup bakers sugar
- 3/4 cup very fine polenta
- 1 cup almond meal
Ingredients for Frosting:
- 3/4 cups mascarpone
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1/2 teaspoons vanilla paste
- 1/4 cup greek yogurt
Method for Little Lemon Olive Oil Cakes
Preheat your oven to 325. Grease a muffin tin and a 6 inch cake tin.
Cook the lemon for 20 minutes in water. Once cooled, cut it the lemon into small pieces, and remove the seeds. Blend the lemon with the olive oil in a cuisenart or blender.
Whisk your eggs and sugar together, then add in your olive oil and lemon mixture.
Add in almond meal and polenta.
Bake at 325 for 28 minutes. Make sure a toothpick comes out cleanly.
For the frosting, mix together the mascarpone, honey, vanilla paste and greek yogurt.
Lastly, you know what to do! Once the cakes are cooled, spread the frosting on them, and enjoy them for your afternoon Fika!
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London Fog Latte
How to Make a London Fog Latte
Let’s Make a London Fog Latte today! Cozy warm drinks. You take that first sip and they warm you from the inside out. They give you that gemutlich and hygge feeling of contentment.
The London Fog latte is a special cozy drink that’ll fit perfectly into your gemutlich & hygge routine. The Earl Grey taste featuring bergamot oil is so unique, and with the milk, it’s just heavenly. Here’s how we make it, with a few variations.
What you need to make the London Fog Latte
2-3 Earl Grey Tea Bags (tea from Stash is great!)
1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
1 – 2 tbsp Honey or Maple Syrup (we like to stay away from refined sugars when possible, and thankfully, honey and maple syrup are great options that in our minds taste better too!)
3 Cups Milk
Dried Lavender buds for garnish if you like (We choose not to do this, but traditionally, many people do).
Nespresso milk frother
.What you need to make the London Fog Latte
2-3 Earl Grey Tea Bags (tea from Stash is great!)
1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
1 – 2 tbsp Honey or Maple Syrup (we like to stay away from refined sugars when possible, and thankfully, honey and maple syrup are great options that in our minds taste better too!)
3 Cups Milk
Dried Lavender buds for garnish if you like (We choose not to do this, but traditionally, many people do).
Nespresso milk frotherHow to Make your Cozy London Fog Latte: Method
Pour your milk into a 3 cup Pyrex measure. Heat it in the microwave until it’s quite warm, but not boiling. Add the 3 teabags into the hot milk and stir. Let steep for about 3-5 mins. Don’t worry if the milk starts to cool because it will be heated again in your Nespresso brother, Add in your vanilla and honey. Pour the mixture bit by bit into your milk frother. Be sure to note the do not fill over proportions inside the frother. Pour into mugs and enjoy!
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Energy Givers for When you need a Pick me Up!
We all have low moments. That just goes without saying. Sometimes we’re simply not “feeling it!” But chin up buttercup, you can give yourself an energy boost by simply enjoying these energy givers!
You can change your energy at any moment. You can shift your mindset and change your momentum. Try these energy givers to shift your day and get back to that best version of yourself!
Energy Givers:
- Sunlight and Twinkly Lights
- Comfortable & Cozy Hygge Space
- Hydration (Naturally Flavored Waters or Tea)
- Good Restful Sleep
- Nature
- Dance, Yoga, Movement
- Decluttering
- Fresh Outdoor Air
- Journaling
- Thinking or Writing Positively about the Future!
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Healthy Cookies: Oatmeal Raisin Chocolate Chip
A healthy cookie is the perfect complement to an afternoon cup of earl grey, or for breakfast. The great thing is, you get a great tasting cookie with this combo of agave nectar and honey. Bonus, if you are trying to lean toward more healthy fats – you can feel good about just using a bit of olive oil instead of butter.
Some of us are all for the healthy choices, and some say, “hey, if I’m going to eat a cookie,” it better be a real treat and somewhat of splurge. Which one are you? Let us know on Instagram at either our NWFavorites account or Fittbe, depending upon which one is more your jam. And speaking of jam, we have some favorite jam picks for your cozy autumn tea and toast morning.
On to the cooksters… These are so easy to make, and you don’t even need to putt out your Kitchen Aid. Believe us, we love it – but the thing is heavy and I don’t keep it out on the counter, lol!
Recipe:
Preheat oven to 375 Degrees.
Wet Ingredients
- 1 egg beaten
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 3 tablespoons agave nectar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Dry Ingredients
- 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
- 3/4 cups old fashioned oats
- 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/8 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Method: Ready for this easy method?! Simply blend together the wet ingredients and set aside. Then mix up your dry ingredients. Add the wet ingredients into the dry, and then add in your raisins and chocolate chips.
Scoop with an ice cream scoop onto a cookie sheet with silpat. Bake for about 12 minutes, and voila, you have delicious, healthy cookies that are perfect for breakfast, afternoon tea, or even road trips!
