Diana's Protein Balls

So right about now I am thinking about this summer...walks at the rail trail in town...healthy teas from Fuel Good...driving around and doing "drive bys" and "Diana's Sophomore Year Play List" - a list I made based on her most played songs this past year- songs that she got excited about...songs that helped her through her heartbreak and songs that make us laugh...all popular over the last year or two like "I Can Do It With a Broken Heart" by Taylor Swift- "We Can't Be Friends" by Ariana Grande- "I Remember Everything" by Zach Bryan- "A Bar Song" by Shaboozey...anyway I digress

 

Another favorite this summer has been Protein Balls.  They make an awesome breakfast or even snack- packed with protein and flavor, they are always a good idea! 

 

I thought I would share our recipe with you today so you can try them too! 

 

What You Will Need:

 

• 1 ½ cups peanut butter
• ½ cup honey
• 1 ⅓ cups old fashioned oats
• ½ cup vanilla protein powder of your choice
  
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup mini chocolate chips OR mini M and Ms OR Raisins (you choose your mix ins- whatever you are feelin')
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• How To Whip These Bad Boys Ups:
  
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• • Add the peanut butter, honey, oats, vanilla protein powder, salt, and mini dark chocolate chips/mini M and Ms/raisins to a mixing bowl and use a rubber spatula to mix until the batter is combined
     
  • Use a mini cookie scoop or a spoon to drop energy balls with a spoon onto a wax paper covered cookie sheet. They should be around 1 inch in size.
     
  • Roll the energy balls with your hands to form the shape
     
  • Place the cookie sheet with the energy bites on it in the freezer/fridge for 1 hour, or until the balls are hardened 
  • Transfer energy balls to a ziploc bag or plastic container and store in the fridge for around a week, or the freezer for 2-3 months We found storing them in airtight containers in the freezer works best for us.  We separate them into threes for portion control! We love playing around with the mix ins- are faves are ones with chocolate chips and/or raisins :) Enjoy! 

    

    
    

    
    
    

    
    
     
    
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Peanut Butter and Jelly Muffins

 

Hi Friends!  It is time for another fun and easy recipe.  If you love peanut butter and jelly or just muffins OR using your homemade jam in different recipes, then this one is for YOU!

 

 I made these recently and they were a big hit here.  Hope you will try them out and let me know if you do.  Enjoy!

 

 

Ingredients

 

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
• ⅓ cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup milk any kind
• ¾ cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 ¼ cup flour1 tablespoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup strawberry or grape jelly or jam
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• Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. 

 
 In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and brown sugar, then mix in the eggs one a time. 

 

Lastly, mix in the milk, peanut butter, and vanilla. 
 

Stir in flours, baking powder, and salt. Mix till combined. 

 
Fill each liner ¾ the way complete and cook for 20-22 min, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let them cool for 10  min.

 
Make a hole at the top of the muffins using a knife that goes almost to the bottom of the muffins, then pipe in jelly.

Notes

If you don't have a piping bag, you can cut off the tip of a plastic pad and use that as a piping bag    These were the perfect little breakfast treat for my fam :)

Incredible Hulk Mini Blender Muffins

 

Brittany Williams is an inspiration to me.  You can find her @instaloss.  She lost over 100 pounds and did it the right way through diet and exercise.  I recently finished her latest book "Dear Body" which I flew through- it was incredible!

I peruse her websites for recipes from time to time and came across this gem.  They are so easy to whip up, delish and SO HEALTHY...great way to sneak in those veggies fellow mamas!

So without further ado and since I promised, here is this easy recipe.  Let me know if you give them a shot

Ingredients

• 1 very ripe large banana or 1 medium gala apple, cored and sliced into 4th's
• 1/4 cup raw honey or 3-5 pitted dates
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 to 2 large handfuls baby spinach
• 1 cup steel cut oats
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• Toppings of choice: granola, dairy free chocolate chips, dried fruit

Instructions

• Preheat an oven to 350°F and grease a mini muffin pan with oil or butter, set aside.
• In order, place all of the ingredients into a high powered blender capable of grinding grain, wet ingredients first. Blend until smooth, about 45 seconds.
• Fill the mini muffin pan cups 3/4th's full and sprinkle with additional toppings, if desired. Place the muffin tin inside the oven.
• Bake for 12 minutes and let cool completely before serving.

Love at First Bite!

Breakfast Cookies

 

Hi Friends!  Are you like me?  Do you get into meal ruts?  I have been eating so many egg whites and Greek yogurt that sometimes I want to change things up...enter The Breakfast Cookie.  Now, you can certainly add things to beef up the protein count (like your favorite protein powder) but hey, I kept things simple and focused more on my fiber intake.  Result?  Delish and Oh So Nutrish!

 

Here is what you will need:

 

 

• 2 cups rolled oats gluten free, if needed
• 2 large bananas mashed
• 1/4 cup strawberries/raspberries chopped
• 1/2 cup almond butter can sub for any nut or seed butter of choice
• 1/4 cup chocolate chips of choice optional

Here is how to put these bad boys together:

 

• Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a large tray with parchment paper. Set aside. 
• In a large mixing bowl, combine all your ingredients, except for your chocolate chips, and mix well. Fold through your chocolate chips. 
• Form 16 small balls of dough and place each one on the lined tray/cookie sheet. Press each ball into a cookie shape. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until golden on the edges.
• Remove from the oven and allow cooling on the tray/sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
  

Enjoy with your coffee...go ahead...you will thank me!

Strawberry Lemon Muffins and a look at Strawberry Festivals Past

So....when I think STRAWBERRY...I think Spring...I think Summer and I often think of our Annual Windham Strawberry Festival.  For the first time in many years, the festival has been cancelled this year.

I have been going every year since I moved to town...2003 was the first year I attended AND I missed it last year as we were in Nashville BUT my girls got to enjoy it with Ally and Papa and Diana even danced with her fellow Lorax cast members.

I was excited to get back this year but God had other plans.  It really is such a hokie and fun festival where the kids get to see different friends from town...jump on bouncy structures...play games...get prizes and eat fun food like hot dogs and chips...and the Strawberry Shortcake...oh the Strawberry Shortcake...it's authentic...old school and just delish!

In recent years, with Rob being on the school board, he has been volunteering by manning the grills and really enjoys that too.  (He may have been suckered into going into the dunk tank a time or two as well- ha!)

Let's take a look down memory lane shall we?  (Just humor me- it's bringing me some joy)

Here are some shots from over the years....

Anyway, this is one event that I hate to miss and will miss dearly this year but hope to see it return next year as it is one of the most special traditions in our town.  So...back to strawberries...and lemon too!  I made some Strawberry Lemon Bread last weekend for my friend Jill and our beloved Mrs. Mullen...after that I was determined to try making muffins and I actually liked the way those came out better so brought some to my friends Janie and Jess....they didn't fall apart the way the bread did and they were a perfect little spring treat!  Thought I would share the recipe with YOU!

Ingredients

2 cups (250g) plain/all-purpose flour
3/4 cup (150g) caster/granulated sugar
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup (60ml) vegetable oil
1 cup (240g) Greek-style yogurt
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 and 1/4 cups (250g) fresh strawberries, chopped

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350F

Line a 12-hole muffin pan with muffin cases, then set aside.

Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

Whisk together the egg, vanilla, vegetable oil, yogurt, lemon juice and zest. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, and mix until just combined. Gently fold in the strawberries.

Divide the batter evenly between the muffin cases, filling them almost to the top, and bake for 18 - 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean with a few moist crumbs.

Allow to cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Enjoy the tastes of Spring and Summer!

Buffalo Chicken Breakfast Casserole

When Rob and I were following the Whole 30 program a couple of years back, we fell in love with this recipe...not only for breakfast but for any meal...it is chock full of yummy ingredients, protein and it is so easy to make!  It also makes a big pan and you can get several meals out of it!  I figured this was a good time to share this when everyone is cleaning up their eating act- hope you try and enjoy!


Here it is....

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground chicken
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 lb sweet potato, peeled and shredded
• 1/2 cup scallions, sliced
• 8 eggs
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 1/2 cup franks hot sauce

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a large skillet over medium heat, brown and break apart ground chicken. Season with salt, pepper and garlic powder.
3. Place chicken in the bowl with shredded sweet potato and sliced green onions.
4. In a large bowl, beat together eggs, coconut milk and hot sauce.
5. Combine chicken mixture with eggs until well combined.
6. Pour into a greased 2-3 quart or 9x13 casserole dish.
7. Cook for 40-45 minutes or until the eggs are set.

Breakfast Bake

I don't know about you but I love eggs!  Most of the time, for breakfast, I eat egg whites or some type of egg dish with either veggies or fruit.

On a Sunday morning, a few weeks back, Pidge and I were going to visit my parents and try and cheer my mom up as she continues her recovery from hip surgery.  We agreed that we would stay for breakfast and Papa Pete was picking up some sweet treats.

I thought it would be fun to surprise them with an egg dish and so I got to work...very spur of the moment...and concocted this yummy little dish.  It was quick, simple and delish and something I plan on making regularly.

Here is what I did.....

Ingredients:

8 eggs

 Splash of Non Dairy Creamer

 Salt and Pepper to Taste

3 cups of fresh spinach, chopped

1 cup of mushrooms, chopped

1/2 red onion, diced

1/4 cup cheddar, shredded cheddar

1/4 cup mozzarella, chopped 

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Spray a 9 x 11 baking dish with Pam

Whisk together eggs

Add Cream, Salt and Pepper to taste

Fold in spinach, mushrooms and onion

Then fold in cheeses

Pour mixture into prepared dish

Bake for 20-30 minutes or until firm and edges are golden brown

Cut into squares- serve and enjoy!

You really can add any veggies, meats and cheeses you like

I was aiming for healthy!  Next time I may even add tomatoes and/or roasted red peppers for some more color and fun :)