Healthy Low Fat Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie (Milkshake)

 

For This Recipe You Will Need:

• 4 Heaping Tablespoons of Fat Free Plain Yogurt (or Plain Greek Yogurt) 
• 2 Heaping teaspoons of Natural Peanut Butter (I Use Richard's Natural Peanut Butter)
• 2 Heaping teaspoons Cocoa Powder (I use Nestle)
• 2/3 Cup 1% Milk (you can add more milk if needed for desired consistency)
• 1 Ripe Banana Fresh (for sweetness)  Note: if you want this drink to be a thicker consistency and colder and more like a milkshake, you can use a frozen banana, though I haven't tried it with store bought frozen bananas. We always freeze our extra ripe bananas in a freezer bag ourselves, and we have them on hand for these smoothies. I've used our frozen ones, and fresh ones before, and it's great to me either way. It's just colder and thicker with frozen bananas. 
• 5 Ice Cubes or more depending on preference or if using fresh banana

Note: I just use teaspoons and tablespoons out of my kitchen drawer for measuring

Blend all of the ingredients in a Nutra Bullet Blender (I've not tried to make this in a regular blender, but I'm sure you could, and it would work great). 

Makes 2 Servings

You can drink this for a pick me up snack in the afternoon, or for a breakfast meal replacement. This is very filling and delicious. 

Enjoy!

Old Fashioned Blueberry Muffins

 

You Will Need: 

• 1 cup all-purpose flour unbleached
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 egg
• 1/4 milk ( whole or 2%)
• 2 Tbsp. butter (salted) melted
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup blueberries (frozen or fresh) If using frozen do not thaw

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease muffin pan with butter. 

In small bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, whisk egg, milk, melted butter (that's been slightly cooled), and vanilla together, then stir into dry ingredients, until mixed. Fold in the blueberries. Fill muffin tins 3/4 full. Bake for 18-22 minutes until golden brown. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes before removing muffins from the pan. Now, turn over pan onto a plate or wire rack. If they don't drop from the pan easily, I carefully take a knife and go around each muffin's edge, then I slowly twist the muffin and lift it out with a spoon or fork. 

Makes 6 Muffins

Top with butter, if desired. 

These aren't overly sweet, but they are delicious! 

Enjoy!

Easy Homemade Granola Bars

 

You Will Need: 

• 2 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 1/3 cup coconut oil (melted) 
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• desired amount or handful of add-ins like nuts, seeds, shredded coconut, dried fruit, and chocolate chips (optional) 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees,  line a 9 x 13 pan or casserole dish with parchment paper, (Note: I recommend using only this size pan because any other size will not allow these to crisp to the desired crispness).

 In a large bowl mix ingredients together, mix in add-ins last. I divide the mixture and make half plain bars, (I love them plain), and half with the add-ins that my husband likes. Place mixture in the lined pan and spread out evenly using another piece of parchment paper or wax paper to press the granola down. 

Bake 25-30 minutes until golden brown. 

When they are done, lift the parchment paper from the pan and place on a baking rack to cool. 

Cool completely, cut into squares, store in an airtight container or plastic bags. Will stay fresh 2 weeks. 

These are delicious! They taste similar to the store bought granola bars that are in the green package, but better.

Enjoy!

Oatmeal Carrot Muffins

 

You Will Need:

• 1 cup milk
• 1/8 cup melted coconut oil (slightly cooled)
• 2 Tablespoon melted salted butter (slightly cooled)
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
• 2 cups old fashioned rolled oats 
• 2 tsp. Ceylon cinnamon or 1 1/2 tsp. regular cinnamon
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• about 1/2 cup  or more of desired add-ins, like raisins, dates, shredded coconut, pumpkin seeds, cashews, walnuts, or other nuts, and chocolate chips.  Note: I  divide our muffin mixture evenly into two separate bowls, before adding the add-ins, so that I can make half of the muffins with just a chopped date and the other half with the add-ins that my husband likes. He likes to add trail mix with dried fruits, nuts, and coconut, and a few chocolate chips, and a few walnuts. 

Preheat oven to 350, grease muffin pans with butter

Note: Recipe makes 12-14 muffins depending on the amount of add-ins you add. 

In a large bowl mix milk, eggs, maple syrup, vanilla extract and melted coconut oil and butter until combined. Stir in dry ingredients, fold in carrots and other add-in ingredients. Spoon into buttered muffin pans, filling each muffin tin to almost full. Bake 40 minutes or until golden brown. Take out of the oven, carefully take a knife and cut around the edge of each muffin, and then let them cool in pan for a couple of minutes, then carefully twist the muffins to loosen them out of the pan, lift out with a fork. Let cool completely on baking racks. Store underneath a glass dome cake plate or in airtight container. Best if eaten within 3 days, can be reheated in the oven, if desired. (We like to reheat them on the 3rd day, for improved texture and flavor, in 350 degree oven for 8 minutes). 

Note: 

For an extra treat, you can add a glaze to the top of these after they are cool. For the glaze you don't even have to measure, just put some sifted confectioner's sugar in a small bowl, add in a tablespoon of milk, and mix, then add in more milk a little at a time until desired consistency, a few drops of vanilla extract can be added as well.....so easy and tastes yummy! 

Enjoy!

Healthy-ish Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

You Will Need:

• 2-3 bananas 
• 2 cups quick cooking oats
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup unsweetened apple sauce 
• 1/4  cup milk (I used 2%) 
• 1/4 cup raisins (a small snack size box)
• 1/2 cup walnuts chopped
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chip morsels (you can use less depending on taste preference)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, mix all ingredients together in a large bowl,  (beginning with wet ingredients). Place heaping tablespoons on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet, press gently with back of fork. Bake 18 minutes or until lightly browned. Place on wire cookie racks. Cool completely

Store up to 4 days in refrigerator.
Makes about 24 cookies

Enjoy!