Foodie Friday: Proscuitto-Wrapped Cheesy Brussels Sprouts #Sponsored

I received free samples of Cabot Cheese mentioned in this post. By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe challenge sponsored by Cabot Creamery and am eligible to win prizes. I was not additionally compensated for my time.

Superbowl Sunday must be one of the biggest snacking days of the year. All of the chips, dips, wings, pizza, beer, and then some.. it’s amazing to see just how many calories people can consume in a short 4-hour game!

As a part of Recipe ReDux, I took on the challenge of creating a lighter snack for the big game. As I thought about what kind of poppables I love to snack on [whether it’s weird or not..], brussels sprouts came to mind. I could eat a whole tray of roasted brussels right out of the oven without giving it a second thought! And cheesy brussels? Oh yes!

I received a shipment of a variety of Cabot Creamery cheeses but knew that I wanted a bold cheddar to stand up to the flavor of the proscuitto and brussels. Seriously Sharp sounds about right, yes?

Proscuitto-Wrapped Cheesy Brussels Sprouts

Makes 48 bites

Ingredients
– 24 brussels sprouts; halved
– 4 oz. Cabot Seriously Sharp Cheddar Cheese; sliced
– 4 oz. proscuitto
– 3-4 tbsp balsamic vinegar
– EVOO
– Black pepper

Directions
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Toss the brussels sprouts with EVOO and black pepper, place sliced side down on a sheet pan and into the oven. Roast the brussels for 15-20 minutes until they begin to crisp. Remove from the oven and let cool enough to handle.

Turn the oven down to 350°F. Once cooled, place a small slice of cheese on the sprout and wrap with a slice of proscuitto. Place the wrapped brussels onto a baking wrap on top of the sheet pan. Bake for another 20 minutes or until the proscuitto crisps up.

Remove the brussels sprouts from the oven, skewer with a toothpick, and drizzle with balsamic vinegar. If you’d like, add a little more shredded cheese to the top of the brussels sprouts and serve!

Food for Thought

What’s your favorite game day snack?

Don’t forget to enter my She’s Losing It! giveaway!

Foodie Friday: Carrot Cake Energy Bites {Recipe Redux}

Thank you all so much for the birthday wishes yesterday! It was a great [an delicious] day and I’m excited to continue the celebrations this weekend! To kick it off, I have a tasty treat for you. I’m sure by now you all know how I feel about my protein bites. I’ve made peanut butter powerballs, dark chocolate powerballs, blueberry lemon cookie dough bites, apple pie protein bites, dark chocolate berry protein bites.. I think you catch my drift. So I was really excited when I saw this month’s Recipe ReDux topic:

Bars & Bites for Brown Bags

Whether you pack your lunch in a bento box, a brown bag or a retro cartoon character lunch box, don’t forget the bars and bites. Small squares or round bites can pack nutrition into a sweet or savory taste. Show us your favorite way to jazz up any type of lunch box.

A reason to make another flavor of bites? Done!

Carrot Cake Energy Bites

Makes 48 bites

 

Ingredients
– 2 cups shredded carrots
– 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
– 3 tbsp almond meal [I used Bob’s Red Mill]
– 3 tbsp coconut flour
– 1 scoop protein powder [I used Vega Sport Vanilla]
– 1/3 cup nut butter [I used Peanut Butter & Co. Old-Fashioned Crunchy]
– 1/4 cup maple syrup
– 2 tsp cinnamon
– 1/2 tsp salt

Directions
Place carrots and coconut flakes in a food processor and pulse until chunky. Add the pulsed carrots, coconut, and the rest of the ingredients into a medium bowl. Mix everything until combined thoroughly. Using a 1/2 tbsp measuring spoon, measure out and roll your bites. Store in the fridge or freezer.

Nutritional Information
Per 1/2 tbsp bite

27 Calories  /  1g Fat  /  3g Carbs  /  2g Sugar  /  1g Fiber  /  1g Protein

I love using the chunky peanut butter in these.. it’s like a 2-for-1 rather than adding the nuts separately. Plus, the Old-Fashioned Crunchy is one of my favorites from PB & Co. because the only ingredients are peanuts and salt. These bites are not only great for a little pre-workout treat, they’re great to pack up and take with you on the go or in a lunch bag. They’re slightly sweet and the almond flour gives them an extra nuttiness. All this to say you should definitely make these bad boys!

If you really want to kick them up a notch, add some raisins and roll the bites in shredded coconut. Yum!

An InLinkz Link-up

Food for Thought

What’s your favorite dessert?

Foodie Friday: Dark Chocolate Dreamy Powerballs [Giveaway!]

Last week I got a really fun package in the mail. If you know me, you know how deep my love runs for peanut butter. Swirl it with dark chocolate and now we’re really talkin!

By the spoonful!

One of my favorite things about all of PB&Co.’s peanut butter is the short list of ingredients.

Not only was I lucky enough to get a copy of this cookbook and a huge jar of Dark Chocolate Dreams, but they’re also offering a copy of the cookbook and a 28 oz. jar to one of you lucky ducks! Wanna get in on it? Click here to enter!You’ll definitely need a jar to make my new powerballs!

Dark Chocolate Dreamy Powerballs

Makes 21 bites
Based off of the original Peanut Butter Wonderful Powerballs

Ingredients
– 1/4 cup Dark Chocolate Dreams
– 1 tbsp coconut oil*
– 1/3 cup rolled oats
– 1/4 cup Perfect Fit Protein
– 1 tbsp ground flax*
– 1 tbsp chia seed*
– 1 tbsp hemp seed*
– 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

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

Directions
Scoop peanut butter and coconut oil into a medium bowl and microwave for 20 seconds. 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 1/2 tbsp per ball and roll to shape. Store in an air tight container in the fridge or freezer and try not to eat them all in one sitting 😉

Nutritional Information
Per 1/2 tbsp ball

45 Calories  /  3g Fat  /  3g Carbs  /  1g Fiber  /  1g Sugar  /  2g Protein

Don’t forget to enter the giveaway!But don’t worry, if you don’t win, you can still get your own copy and jar here.

Food for Thought

What would you do with a jar of Dark Chocolate Dreams?

Disclaimer: As part of Peanut Butter & Co.’s Yum Squad food blog group, I received the cookbook and a jar of Dark Chocolate Dreams in return for a blog post promoting the products. All opinions expressed are my own.

What I Ate Wednesday #71: In the Kitchen [Recipe]

Since having more time to play in the kitchen, I’ve tried some pretty out-of-control recipes. I’ve also found that it’s nice to not have to rely on my packed salad or snack if I’m feeling something different when my stomach starts grumbling! In true WIAW fashion, I want to share yesterday’s eats and a fun recipe!

[Pre-Workout Snack]

Perfect snack before my workout!

FlapJacked sent me some samples of their protein pancake mix. I tried the Banana Hazelnut pancakes on their own, but decided to play with the Buttermilk mix and one of their recipes that they sent along for muffin tops. I give you my Banana Nut Protein Muffin Tops! I don’t know about you, I can’t stand going to the gym hungry and this little bite [only 45 calories!] was perfect.

[Breakfast]

Sliced almonds > whole almonds in granola. Dang. Good thing for nut butters!

My favorite, as always. Oatmeal with banana, my homemade coconut cashew butter, honey vanilla-bourbon peanut butter, and crunchy quinoa granola. I always look forward to this breakfast during my workout.. whatever pushes me to finish sooner, right? 😉

[Lunch]

GIMME ALL YOUR VEGGIES!

I’ve been feeling the pizza thing lately so I decided to try STUFTmama’s No Grain Flatbread. While that was baking, I was sauteed up some mushrooms, kale, edamame, roasted corn, & a salmon patty [Trader Joe’s is the best]. I spread some of Nathan’s homemade tomato sauce on the flatbread, piled my veggies and salmon on top, and added some avocado. Delish!

[Dinner]

Totally lived up to its hype!

So many people have been raving about the Paleo Spaghetti Squash Casserole that I had to give it a try. Nathan cooked with me last night and we whipped up something pretty fabulous! We used 1/4 lb beef chorizo and 3/4 lb turkey.. tons of flavor! We also added a bunch of extra veggies and it ended up making 8 servings.. although there are only 5 left haha! This is definitely a recipe you might see on the blog in the future.. we’re going to have some fun with it next time.

And as usual, I finished my day with an apple.. but I’m pretty sure you know what that looks like 😉 Now onto the fun stuff..

Banana Nut Protein Muffin Tops

Makes 26 muffin tops

Ingredients
– 1 cup FlapJacked Buttermilk Protein Pancake Mix
– 2 medium bananas; mashed
– 2 egg whites
– 1/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk [I use Almond Breeze]
– 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
– 1/4 cup roasted macadamia nuts; chopped
– 1/4 cup raisins
– 1/4 cup dark chocolate chunks

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F and line baking sheet with parchment paper or silpat.

In a large bowl, mix all of the ingredients. Using a tablespoon, drop the batter onto the baking sheet. Bake for 11-13 minutes until golden brown.

I love that these little guys are so light and fluffy from the pancake mix!

Nutritional Information
Per 1 muffin top

45 Calories  /  1g Fat  /  7g Carbs  /  3g Sugar  /  1g Fiber  /  2g Protein

Food for Thought

Have you tried any of these recipes from the other bloggers?
Have you ever baked using a pancake or waffle mix?

Foodie Friday: Peanut Butter Cup PARTY Popcorn

Last night was the premiere of the Tone It Up girls’ new show on Bravo, Toned Up. Aside from creating a wonderful fitness and health plan [that really works!], these girls have also formed an incredible community around the world. In Baltimore, this community brought me together with a group of ladies who happened to make an appearance at my wedding 😉

Don’t mess!

Knowing what a strong community this is, I quickly took advantage when I came to California. I’ve been welcomed to the Bay Area group with open arms and when I was invited to a Toned Up premiere party, I jumped at the opportunity to get to know these girls too! Obviously I couldn’t show up empty-handed so I needed to figure out a figure-friendly snack to bring.. that I could make in the hotel room.

Peanut Butter Cup PARTY Popcorn

Serves 6

Ingredients
– 12 cups popped popcorn
– 1/3 cup sliced almonds; toasted
– 1/3 cup Trader Joe’s Roasted Coconut Chips [these are the best!]
– 2 oz dark chocolate squares
– 2 tbsp Dark Chocolate Dreams
– 4 tbsp Old Fashioned Smooth
– Pinch of salt

Directions
Lay popcorn, almonds, and coconut chips out in one flat layer on a couple trays. In one small bowl, add dark chocolate squares and Dark Chocolate Dreams. Microwave for 30 seconds, remove from microwave, and stir the mixture. If it’s not melted, microwave in additional 30 second intervals until fully melted. Using a spoon, drizzle over the popcorn mixture.

In another small bowl, add Old Fashioned Smooth and microwave about 15-20 seconds until melted. Using another spoon, drizzle the peanut butter over top of the popcorn mixture. Sprinkle a pinch of salt over all of the popcorn, almonds, and coconut. Place the trays in the freezer to setup.

MMM toasted almonds!

This recipe is what I call “dangerous.” It makes enough to serve about 6 people, but if you’re anything like me, by the time it makes it out, it might only serve 1 😉

And how could I show up without the proper accompaniment?

Red wine is better with chocolate than milk.

I’m not too picky when it comes to my wine, but this is one of our faves! Trader Joe’s is the best. How did I ever live without wine in grocery stores?!

I’m so happy to have had the opportunity to meet up with these girls for the premiere of the show and I hope to meet more of the Bay Area girls next time!

Food for Thought

Did you watch the Toned Up premiere?
What is your favorite drink with chocolate?

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?

Sweet Potato Dippers

Have you entered my Peanut Butter & Co. giveaway yet?

I am definitely in the frame of mind that if two things are awesome separately, then putting them together would be out of this world! Take sweet potatoes and peanut butter, for instance. [Really, take peanut butter with anything!] They are both delicious foods, so why not put them together?

I recently found a way to make chips in the microwave instead of frying them or in the oven and was instantly intrigued.

Adapted from theKitchn

Ingredients
– 1 medium sweet potato
– 2-3 tbsp Mighty Maple peanut butter

Directions
Slice your sweet potato to about 1/8″ rounds. A mandolin would be easiest for this! Soak the potatoes in a bowl of water for 5 minutes. Drain and rinse the potatoes, then lay them out on paper towels to dry for another 5 minutes.

Cover a microwave-safe plate with a couple paper towels and lay a flat layer of potatoes out. Make sure the potatoes are not touching. Microwave on high for 3 minutes. Flip the potatoes and microwave another 3 minutes at 50% power.

At this point, you may have a few potatoes crispy, but if they’re not yet crisp, continue to flip and microwave at 50% for 1 minute at a time until each piece is done.

Scoop some peanut butter into a small bowl and microwave to thin out. Dip each piece of sweet potato in the peanut butter, place on a cooling rack, and let the peanut butter setup. And now try not to eat all of them at once! 🙂

The best part about this recipe? Not only does it work for sweet potatoes, but it works for other root vegetables too! I also sliced up some regular potatoes, coated them with a little EVOO, and spiced them up with different seasonings. BAM! Healthy chips 🙂

Food for Thought

Have you ever made anything in the microwave that is typically made in the oven or otherwise?