Almond Butter STUFFED Brownie Bites {Recipe ReDux}

Happy Mother’s Day!

I have a chocolate-y treat for you today that you won’t want to pass up. They’re gluten-free, paleo, and sweetened with fruit! Dried plums, to be specific. But don’t go running!

When was the last time you tried a dried plum? They’re delicious! A little sweet, a little tart, and chewy like candy. Not to mention, each serving is just 100 calories, provides 3g of fiber, 293mg of potassium, 16mg of magnesium, and more vitamin K than any other fresh or dried fruit. And in honor of May’s National Osteoporosis Month, why not give them a try?

Almond Butter STUFFED Brownie Bites

Makes 16 brownie bites

Ingredients

• 3oz. California Dried Plums [about 12-15 dried plums]
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp milk [I used cashew milk]
• 2 tbsp unsweetened applesauce
• 2 tbsp coconut oil; melted
• 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp almomd butter; divided
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup coconut flour
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt

For the Frosting

• 1/4 cup chocolate nut butter*
• 2-4 tbsp milk

*If you don’t have chocolate nut butter, you can sub regular nut butter and add cocoa powder. You will need to increase the amount of milk if you do this.

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Place the dried plums in a food processor and process into a paste. You may need to stop and scrape the sides down a few times.
3. Add the vanilla, milk, applesauce, coconut oil, and 1/4 cup almond butter to the bowl and process until smooth.
4. Add in the egg and pulse a few times until just incorporated.
5. Add the remaining dry ingredients to the bowl, pulse a few times to get it started, and finish incorporating completely by hand.
6. Using a 1/2 tbsp, scoop the mix into 16 mini muffin tins.
7. With a 1/2 tsp, scoop almond butter on top of the brownie bite base.
8. Finish off with another 1/2 tbsp of the mix to cover the almond butter and place in the oven for 8-9 minutes.
9. While baking, make your frosting. Add the ingredients to a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 30 seconds. Stir together until smooth.
10. Remove the bites from the oven and let cool completely before frosting.

Nutritional Information
75 Calories / 5g Fat / 6g Carbs / 2g Fiber / 3g Sugar / 2g Protein

Now who wouldn’t want to snack on that today?! And because I can’t make these for my mom today, you should!

Don’t miss out an all of the California Dried Plum recipes from all of the other ReDux-ers!

And, of course, happy mother’s day to my mom! I wish I could be with you today to celebrate how awesome you’ve always been and always are for me. But hey, if you want to come out here again, I have some brownie bites waiting for you!

Food for Thought

Are you a dried plum fan?
How are you celebrating your mother’s day?

Disclosure: I received free samples of California Dried Plums mentioned in this post. By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by California Dried Plum Board and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.

Foodie Friday: Banana Bread Granola & a Giveaway!

Best part of being home during the day?

Skyping with Jilly bean when Bubby is babysitting 🙂 Love her little giggles!

Anywho, the other day catastrophe struck and I found myself without granola [it’s a good thing I’m not dramatic or anything]. Having recently received a package from Bob’s Red Mill, I knew I could remedy the situation.

I also happened to have a couple bananas that were pretty much banana bread-perfect. I reached for the oats and pecans and went to work.

Banana Bread Granola

Makes 5 cups
Recipe adapted from Minimalist Baker

Ingredients
– 3 cups rolled oats
– 1 1/4 cups raw pecans; chopped
– 1 tbsp ground flax seed
– 1 tsp sea salt
– 1/2 tbsp cinnamon
– 1/4 cup coconut oil; melted
– 1/4 cup honey [Substitute agave or maple syrup if vegan]
– 1 tsp vanilla extract
– 1 1/2 medium bananas; mashed

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a large bowl, mix the oats, pecans, flax seed, sea salt, and cinnamon. Set aside. In a medium bowl, mix melted coconut oil, honey, vanilla extract, and mashed bananas. When the wet ingredients have come together, mix them into the dry ingredients until everything is evenly coated.

Spread the mixture onto two parchment- or silpat-lined baking sheets. Bake for 25-35 minutes, until golden brown. I didn’t toss my granola until the very end and was able to get nice big clusters. If you’d like smaller pieces, feel free to toss throughout the baking process.

Nutritional Information
Per 1/3 cup serving

212 Calories  /  14g Fat  /  20g Carbs  /  3g Fiber  /  6g Sugar  /  4g Protein

Giveaway Time!

Bob’s Red Mill has graciously offered one reader a package of the same 4 ingredients I received above. Click here to enter!

Looking for other recipes to make using these ingredients?
Here are a few I have on my list:

• Blissful Blueberry Banana Spelt Muffins – Oh She Glows
• Cinnamon & Pumpkin Spice Almond Bread – Cotter Crunch
• Paleo Sandwich Bread – Peachy Palate
• Citrus-Pumpkin Seed Crusty Spelt Brown Bread – Healthy Happy Life

Food for Thought

What would you make with these ingredients?
What is your favorite kind of granola?

This Scramble is Bananas!

Happy Thursday almost Friday, friends! I just wanted to pop in and share a couple fun things from my day yesterday. First up: breakfast.

It was practically a miracle that I didn’t finish every last bite of my roasted butternut squash on Tuesday night so for breakfast yesterday, I clearly needed to polish it off.

Banana Butternut Squash Scramble

Serves 1

Check out the froth on that iced coffee!

Ingredients
– ~1 cup roasted butternut squash
– 1/2 banana; sliced
– 1 egg
– 2 egg whites
– Cinnamon
– Coconut oil

Toppings
– Favorite nut/seed butters [I used my homemade coconut cashew butter and maple sunflower butter]
– Granola

Directions
Heat a nonstick pan over medium heat. Melt coconut oil and toss in the banana and butternut squash. Mix in the egg, egg whites, and cinnamon. Scramble and cook through. Remove from heat and place everything into a bowl. Top with your favorite nut/seed butters and granola!

It was amazing. I’m not exaggerating either [in my mind]. Also, you could easily swap the banana for more squash and the cinnamon for other seasonings and make yourself a savory breakfast.

And speaking of amazing, we had another day of perfect weather. I went for a walk over to Marshalls and Trader Joe’s.. it’s so dangerous having both of those places so close by! I’ve been on the hunt for a new pair of running shoes since, you know, it’s been well over 2 years since my last pair. Whoops. I totally lucked out and found a pair of Brooks at Marshalls for $40! Can’t wait to give ’em a go 🙂

I also picked up a package on my way home with some delicious treats to try out from My Oatmeal. I got a custom oatmeal blend and one of their PB Lean blends. I’ll be back soon with a review.

Pretty sweet picture setup, huh?

Toward the later part of the afternoon, I decided to take my work outside. I posted up on the deck to work on my tan [read: terrible tan lines] for Jessie‘s August wedding [<– miss her]! Also, I’m extremely pale. Gotta do something about that but it could take some time with my 100 SPF sunscreen. Ha!

Gimme that sun!

Keep your eye out for a delicious and easy recipe coming tomorrow. Hint: it’s coconut cashew butter. And you want to make it 😉

Food for Thought

Are you a sweet or savory breakfast person?
What is your favorite brand of running shoes?

Link Love #27

Holy cow, Monday FLEW by! I got a bit of a late start but once everything got moving, I’m not really sure where the day went. The weather has been absolutely gorgeous here. I can never complain about 70 and sunny and daylight savings time is probably the best ever.

ALSO! We felt our very first California earthquake Sunday night. It was 6.9 magnitude off the coast of Eureka, about 4 hours north of us, and between feeling the shaking, the super creepy episode of True Detective, and hearing random noises around the apartment, we were a bit on edge. Ha! But we made it through 🙂 Anywho.. regardless of my scatterbrain thoughts, here are my faves from last week!

Health

5 “Healthy” Foods and Habits That Are Sabotaging Your Weight Loss – Megan Ware R.D.

5 Healthy Foods and Habits That Are Sabotaging Your Weight Loss – Megan Ware R.D.
The Best Parts Of Fruits And Veggies You’re Not Eating – HuffPost Healthy Living
15 Reasons Coconut Oil is Your Best Friend – BuzzFeed
Top 4 Things You Should Know About the New Nutrition Labels – Greatist
Is nutrient timing dead? – Precision Nutrition

Fitness

15-Minute Bodyweight AMRAP Workout – Pumps and Iron

15-Minute Bodyweight AMRAP Workout – Pumps and Iron
Try it out Tuesday: x2 Performance, Inch Worms, Mochi, and More – Cotter Crunch
Warning: Reading This Will Improve Your Strength Training ASAP – Lifting Revolution
How to Determine Paces for Speed Work – Run Lady Like
30-Minute Running Intervals Treadmill Workout – It’s Progression

Food

foodie fridays: egg sandwich with balsamic roasted brussels sprouts & lemon aioli
– Climbing Grier Mountain

foodie fridays: egg sandwich with balsamic roasted brussels sprouts & lemon aioli – Climbing Grier Mountain
Chocolate Peanut Butter Dessert Hummus – The Hummusapien
Shish Tawook (Grilled Chicken Skewers) with Roasted Garlic Avocado Mayo – Half Baked Harvest
Roasted Cauliflower and Chickpea Tacos – Two Peas and Their Pod
Peanut Butter Crunch Granola – The Nutritious Kitchen

Food for Thought

What is one of your favorite posts from the last week?

Fudge Ems!

It’s certainly no secret that I’ve been loving my Vitamix. I’ve been searching for recipes to try and also trying to come up with fun little bites too. I’ve been craving little chocolatey bites at night these days, you know, to go with red wine, and I am always looking for ways to make something healthier.

At this point, I’m sure everyone has seen variations on black bean fudge or brownies so I tried my hand at my own variation and I love the way they came out! They’re creamy, chocolatey, and have a little crunch from the cacao nibs. And each square is only 69 calories.. it’s a win-win!

Makes 18 squares

Ingredients
– 1 can reduced sodium black beans; drained and rinsed
– 1/4 cup Hershey’s Special Dark cocoa powder
– 1/4 cup Peanut Butter & Co. Mighty Maple
– 1/4 cup maple syrup
– 2 tbsp coconut oil
– 2 tbsp brewed coffee [I used pumpkin coconut!]
– 1 tsp vanilla extract
– 1/2 – 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
– Pinch of salt
– 2 tbsp cacao nibs [Can substitute chocolate chips]

Directions
In a high-power blender or food processor, add everything except the cacao nibs. Blend until very smooth and scoop into a bowl. Stir in the cacao nibs until evenly distributed. Line a loaf pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper and pour the fudge mixture into the pan. Spread it out evenly and place in the freezer for 1-2 hours.

Remove the pan from the freezer and, using the foil or parchment paper, lift the fudge out of the pan. Cut into 18 equal squares and wrap individually in plastic wrap. Store in the freezer. Or eat all of them immediately.. your choice 😉

Nutritional Information
Per square

69 Calories / 4g Fat / 2g Protein / 11g Carbs / 2g Fiber / 4g Sugar

Food for Thought

Have you ever tried making sweets using beans?

Foodie Friday: Cinnamon Raisin Eggy Oats

TGIF! Wait.. do I always start my Friday posts like that? Whoops.. but this is an extra awesome Friday because Nathan and I are celebrating! I know it seems silly to celebrate a dating anniversary after you’re married, but we’ve officially been dating for 10 years. HOLY CRAP! Keep in mind we’ve only been married for 5 months now. I’m super excited for an awesome dinner tonight at Birrotecca and can’t wait to share that with you. I’ve heard such great things about this restaurant.

At my brother’s wedding.. and we’d already been dating for 4 years!

Until then, I’m going share with you a #StrangeButGood breakfast that I’ve been eating this week. In an effort to increase my healthy fats [thank you, Lindsay], I decided to play with some of my favorite breakfast items and I’m loving it this creation!

Cinnamon Raisin Eggy Oats

Serves 1

Ingredients
– 1/2 banana; mashed
– Ground cinnamon
– 1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
– 1/2 cup water
– 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
– 1/2 tbsp raisins
– 1 tbsp Sunbutter [or your favorite nut/seed butter!]
– 1 tsp coconut oil
– 1 whole egg
– 2 egg whites

Directions
Place a small pot over high heat and add the 1/2 banana, a sprinkling of cinnamon, almond milk, and water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add the oats and raisins and cook until desired consistency. Pour the oats into a bowl and top with the nut or seed butter.

Melt the coconut oil in the pot and add the eggs. Sprinkle the eggs with a little cinnamon and cook about 1-3 minutes per side, depending on how runny you like your yolks. When the eggs are finished cooking, slide on top of the oats, sprinkle a little more cinnamon and dive in!

Oh, and don’t forget to post a pic to Instagram, obviously 😉

The runny yolk with the Sunbutter and creamy oats is an unbeatable combination and it’s been a great post-workout breakfast!

Nutritional Information
Per serving with Sunbutter

480 Calories / 22g Fat / 51g Carbs / 9g Fiber / 16g Sugar / 24g Protein

Food for Thought

Have you ever tried sweet eggs?

Maple Cinnamon Walnut Butter Quinoa Granola

Geeze, that’s a mouthful! Totally worth it though..

Did you see my guest post on Julie’s blog today? Passover starts tonight and I had to make sure you’re all ready. Make sure to check out all of the delicious recipes I shared, including some of my favorite family dishes! Big thanks to Julie for letting me share 🙂

In honor of my guest post, I wanted to Passover-ize one of my favorite recipes from Julie’s blog—Almond Butter Granola. Because why would I ever want to go a whole week without granola?!

Makes eight 1/4 cup servings

Ingredients
– 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp homemade Maple Cinnamon Walnut Butter
– 2 tbsp maple syrup
– 1/2 tbsp coconut oil
– 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
– 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
– 1 1/2 cups quinoa; cooked
– 1/2 cup sliced almonds; raw
– 2 tbsp chia seeds
– 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

Directions
Preheat oven to 325°F and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. In a medium bowl, combine walnut butter, maple syrup, and coconut oil. Microwave for 15-20 seconds until a little melted so it easily mixes together. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well until everything is evenly coated.

Pour mixture onto your baking sheet and bake for about 30 minutes, mixing 3 or 4 times, until the quinoa is crunchy. Be sure to watch the almonds so they don’t brown too much! Let cool completely and store in an air tight container.

Nutritional Information
Per 1/4 cup serving

171 Calories  /  12g Fat  /  13g Carbs  /  2g Fiber  /  3g Sugar  /  4g Protein

Be sure to check back all this week for more tasty Passover-inspired recipes!

Food for Thought

If you’re keeping Passover, are you making any substitutes for non-kosher foods?

Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bark

Sometimes my sweet tooth tends to take over in the kitchen. Where some people might see that as a bad thing, I see it as a challenge. It’s a challenge for me to figure out how I can tame my tooth without going on sugar overload.

Not only did I put together a sweet treat that I’m pleased with, but Nathan also likes it and he’s not much of a protein powder guy. I may have done a little St. Patty’s Day-inspired jig when he said he liked it. Don’t judge.

Ingredients
– 3 tbsp coconut oil
– 3 tbsp Perfect Fit Protein
– 3 1/2 tbsp dark chocolate cocoa powder
– 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
– 15-20 drops liquid stevia or 2-3 packets powdered stevia
– 3 tbsp peanut butter; divided [I used Peanut Butter & Co. Crunch Time]
– 1 tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut
– Pinch of sea salt [Optional]

Additional Optional Toppings
– Chocolate chips
– Peanut butter chips
– Nuts
– Dried fruit
– Sunflower seeds or pepitas

Directions
Cover a small 8″x6″ pan with aluminum foil.

Scoop coconut oil into a small bowl and microwave about 15 seconds until liquified. Mix in protein powder, cocoa powder, cinnamon, stevia, and 2 tbsp peanut butter until everything is well combined. Adjust sweetness to taste.

Pour the mixture onto the pan. Scoop the remaining 1 tbsp of peanut butter into a small bowl and microwave 15 seconds until liquified. Pour on top of the chocolate mixture and swirl with a knife. Sprinkle the top with shredded coconut and a little sea salt.

Store this in an air tight container in the refrigerator or freezer.

Nutritional Information
For 1/12th of the recipe [This is difficult to measure as they break up into uneven sized pieces]

60 Calories  /  5g Fat  /  2g Carbs  /  1g Fiber  /  0g Sugar  /  3g Protein

Food for Thought

How do you tackle your sweet tooth? Do you have a favorite go-to recipe?

Minty Irish Powerballs

With St. Patrick’s Day right around the corner, I had to take advantage and make something green. And because my original powerballs were such a hit [read: gone in an instant], why not play with that recipe? These new “Irish” powerballs are fun and delicious.

Makes 15 balls

Ingredients
– 1/3 cup homemade cashew butter [I chose cashew butter over other nut butters because of the lighter flavor, but any nut butter will work!]
– 1 tbsp coconut oil*
– 1/3 cup rolled oats
– 3 tbsp Perfect Fit Protein
– 1 tbsp ground flax*
– 1 tbsp chia seed*
– 1 tbsp hemp seed*
– 2 tbsp cacao nibs
– 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
– 1 tsp ground cinnamon
– 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
– 1/4 tsp mint extract [adjust according to taste]
– 30 drops green food coloring

*These ingredients can be found on iHerb.com. Use code ZAF482 to receive $5 off of your first order.

Directions
Scoop cashew butter and coconut oil into a medium bowl and microwave for 30 seconds. Add your green food coloring to this mixture and mix until fully incorporated. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well until combined. Refrigerate the mix for 10-15 minutes until it hardens up a bit. This will make it easier to roll the balls.

After refrigerating, measure out 1 tbsp per ball and roll to shape. Store in an air tight container in the fridge or freezer and hide from everyone else in the house 😉

Nutritional Information
Per 1 tbsp powerball

117 Calories  /  9g Fat  /  6g Carbs  /  2g Fiber  /  1g Sugar  /  4g Protein

Food for Thought

Do you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day? Do you have any favorite St. Patty’s Day foods?

Foodie Friday: Cashew Butter

My obsession with nut butters is no secret and when I recently fell in love with cashews, I knew what my next project would be. Homemade cashew butter. I have been happily topping my sweet scrambles with this deliciousness!

I had made almond butter before but never tried any other nut and I’m thrilled with how successful this turned out to be. Seriously, I was jumping up and down in the kitchen. Ask Nathan.

Cashew Butter

Makes 16 2 tbsp servings

Ingredients
– 1 lb raw cashews
– 2 tbsp coconut oil
– 1 tsp salt [Optional]

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread the cashews onto a baking sheet and place in the oven for about 10-15 minutes until toasted. Remove from the oven and let cool.

Add the cashews to the food processor and start blending! The processing takes about 10 minutes, stopping at times to scrape down the sides. Add the coconut oil 1/2 tbsp at a time until it works into the mix. Also slowly add salt to taste.

Once fully processed, store in a jar in the refrigerator. Don’t forget to eat a few spoonfuls before refrigerating.. there’s nothing better than fresh nut butter! 😉

Nutritional Information
Per 2 tbsp serving

171 Calories  /  14g Fat  /  9g Carbs  /  2g Sugar  /  1g Fiber  /  5g Protein

Food for Thought

What is your favorite nut or seed butter? Have you ever made your own?