Food & Drinks
Fabulous food and drink from NW Favorites! Who's hungry for great recipes, party tips, cocktails, and more?
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Healthy Cookies: Oatmeal Raisin Chocolate Chip
If you are like me, you have a tough time serving refined sugars to your loved ones! The great thing is, that you and truly 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.
We do debate about these “healthy cookies” in both the Fittbe and NW Faves camps. 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 me, I 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 homey
- 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 sipat. Bake for about 12 minutes, and voila, you have delicious, healthy cookies that are perfect for breakfast, afternoon tea, or even road trips, (my absolute fave – it’s a great way to make the time go by, right)! If you make these, we’d love to see! Tag us on instagram @fittbeapps or @northwestfavorites.
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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!
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
[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]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!
If you try these, be sure to tag us in your post or stories @northwestfavorites so that we can see!
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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
- 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)
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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Fresh and Fab Carrot Orange Smoothie
Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies
Butterhorn Cookies
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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
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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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!
Makes 16 Pretzels
Ingredients
- 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips, melted
- 16 pretzel rods
- Valentines day sprinkles
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 and Happy Valentines day!
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To Wine or Not to Wine?
Need a fun weekend activity? How about throwing a wine tasting party? It’s so much fun and obviously contains lots of….Wine-ing!!!
Thanks, @kelseychance for the photo! We began by inviting 4 friends…totaling (8 people..4 couples!) and had each couple bring a bottle of wine wrapped inside a paper bag, Each bag was then given to 1 person (the sommelier) for the evening and the fun began!!
What you need…
- FRIENDS…preferably ones that like wine might be a plus!
- 1 friend designated as the “sommelier” they won’t be as into the tasting as they’re somewhat “working” but they can still play along
- printable “tasting” notes cards…find one on the internet or make it up..!
- Snacks…! cheese platter, grilled meat, and my all-time favorite, smashed potatoes (scroll down for recipes!)
Viola, that’s it! All that must be done now is copious amounts of wine must be consumed, laughter must ensue and snacks must be eaten…I would say that’s an evening well done, don’t ya think?
Stay classy!
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!
xx,
T
