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Cookie Dough Stuffed Pancakes {Indulgent & Healthy!} {Gluten-Free&Grain-Free Option}

on July 31, 2015April 28, 2021 By Kelley 8 Comments

Do you like eating raw cookie dough? I certainly do. In fact, I think I enjoy it more than the baked cookies! I also love sweets for breakfast, especially on a lazy weekend morning! My go to weekend breakfast is pancakes (not cookies, usually!) with sweet sticky syrup, but I often feel hungry about an hour after I finish my stack. Does that happen to you as well!? Well there is a reason for that- your everyday pancakes are make with empty white carbs leaving you with a brief carbohydrate and sugar rush, but no sustained energy. There really isn’t much in the way of nutrition in a stack of pancakes!

So I am here to save the day! I will let you have your pancakes, and eat them too, (with no guilt and sustained energy!)!!! AND I make them even better by stuffing them with cookie dough-yummy!

Light and fluffy, these grain-free and gluten-free pancakes taste just like the real deal. Then I stuff the pancakes with a nut butter-based cookie dough to give you a healthy dose of protein and healthy fats. Voila- dessert worthy, HEALTHY, WELL-BALANCED cookie dough pancakes!

Also the trick to making the “stuffing” part very easy is thanks to Nagi at RecipeTin Eats. She has a recipe for Nutella Stuffed Pancakes where she freezes the nutella to make it a much less messy endeavor!

These are my fav weekend no-guilt indulgence, and I think they will be yours too!

Why do I use coconut oil and coconut sugar in most of my recipes? Find out why HERE.

You can also purchase the brands I use and view other products I love and recommend HERE.

Here are the basic steps to stuff your pancakes:

1. Combine your dry ingredients. Make a well in the middle and add wet ingredients. Mix, but do not over mix!

2. Smear the cookie dough on a parchment-lined cookie sheet and stick in the freezer.

3. Once the pancake is cooked most of the way through, add your frozen cookie dough disk, cover with pancake batter, and flip!

AND if you like these you will also love my CARAMELIZED SUGAR WAFFLES! Check them out too!

Cookie Dough Stuffed Pancakes {Indulgent & Healthy!}

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Stuffed pancakes that are so indulgent you’ll never know they are healthy! Also includes a bonus gluten free recipe option!

PANCAKES:

⅔ cup almond flour
2 tablespoons arrowroot flour
2 tablespoons tapioca flour
1 tablespoon coconut sugar
½ teaspoon baking powder
2 pasture-rasied eggs
¼ cup cashew milk (or almond milk)
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon coconut oil (melted)
½ teaspoon cinnamon
dash of salt
1 teaspoon of grass-fed butter (ghee or oil of choice for pan)

COOKIE DOUGH MIDDLE:

½ cup of natural cashew butter or almond butter
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
2-3 teaspoons coconut sugar
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
2 ½ tablespoons of dark chocolate chips (Enjoy Life Brand, chopped)

Combine the nut butter, cinnamon, sugar, vanilla, and chopped chocolate chips, and mix well. You may need to soften the nut butter slightly (microwave a few seconds) depending on the consistency. Or if your nut butter is particularly thick you can add a little melted coconut oil as well.
Line a cookie sheet with parchment.
Smear 1 tablespoon of cookie dough with a spoon, making a flat disk. You should have about 8.
Place in the freezer to set while you make the batter!
To make the pancakes whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, coconut sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt.
Make a well in the center and add egg, luke warm almond milk, and melted coconut oil.
Wisk all the ingredients together, it may be thick and a little clumpy, which is fine, but do not over mix the batter.
Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, and add a touch of coconut oil (or coconut oil spray).
Remove cookie dough disks from the freezer and remove them from the parchment paper.
Laddle pancake batter in the skillet (turn temp down to medium- no oil smoking!).
Allow pancake to set and you will see bubbles rising and the pancake with cook through (no wet batter). (*or for the lazy version make two pancakes and layer the cookie dough in between-it will melt between the pancakes, they just will not be officially “stuffed.”)
Check the bottom of the pancake to make sure it is not burning, if so, turn temp down.
Once there is no runny batter on the top, place a cookie dough disk on top and laddle just enough pancake batter to cover the disk, then flip pancake and finish cooking.
If you pancakes are too thick and not cooking through, dilute the batter further with additional almond milk.
Should make about 8 pancakes.

Crazy for Coconut!

on July 31, 2015December 5, 2020 By Kelley 2 Comments

I am CRAZY for Coconut! Are you? Coconut products are now mainstream- I see them at Walmart, Target, my local grocery, and Trader Joe’s. If you visit my site often you may see these ingredients in most of my recipes. I tend to use coconut oil to replace vegetable oil and coconut sugar to replace brown or white sugar. I wanted to share with you all WHY I choose to use these, and WHY you should too!

Coconut Sugar:

In general, we should reduce the amount of sugar in our diets. The best source of sugar comes in its natural form- fruits for example, but we can’t always bake and cook with fruit! Your average white sugar (and brown sugar, ect) is heavily processed and stripped down from its original source (the sugarcane plant). So any vitamins and minerals that were present in the plant are also stripped out, leaving you with just simple carbs/calories. Processed sugars also have the highest impact on your blood glucose level because they are converted into energy extremely quickly by our bodies.

Enter – coconut sugar! Although coconut sugar, is well, sugar, it has some positive attributes, since it is less processed, that makes it a better choice! It contains minerals that table sugar lacks including iron, zinc, and potassium. It also contains some short chain fatty acids, polyphenols and antioxidants- which are nowhere to be found in white sugar! In addition, coconut sugar contains a substance called inulin, which has been shown to slow glucose absorption, making it have a lesser impact on your blood sugar level as compared to table sugar. (GI (glycemic index) of coconut sugar is 35 as compared to 60 for table sugar- lower the better!)

In addition to coconut sugar, some better choice for sweeteners include maple syrup and honey (the darker the better–less processed!)

Click HERE to see the brand of coconut sugar I use in my recipes, and you can purchase if you’d like! I only use brands with the highest quality standards, and the best prices too!
(Sources: http://authoritynutrition.com/coconut-sugar/, http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/QAA401323/Is-Coconut-Sugar-a-Healthier-Sweetener.html)

Click HERE for my post on the benefits of COCONUT OIL!

Click HERE to see the brand of coconut oil I prefer, and option to purchase if you’d like!

Pineapple Rise & Shine Smoothie Bowl

on July 30, 2015June 29, 2021 By Kelley 2 Comments

When I think of summertime I think of laying in the sun at the beach, windows rolled down in the car, the smell of flowers and fresh cut grass, and fresh tropical fruit- like watermelon and PINEAPPLE! I love fresh fruit- how sweet and juicy it is when it’s in season, and it’s so good for you too! Pineapple is packed with vitamin C, manganese, thiamin (vitamin b-1), and bromelain which aids in digestion of protein.

For more information on the health benefits of pineapple click HERE. HealthAmbition.com has an excellent article about pineapple’s health benefits and you can read that HERE.

I love to freeze fresh pineapple chunks to use in smoothies during the hot summer months. The result from using fresh frozen fruit to replace much of the ice is a more flavorful, less icey, more smooth, smoothie!

I made this smoothie extra thick, so you can eat it with a spoon and it feels more like a meal than a drink.

Everyone in your family, kids included with love this smoothie! It tastes much like the Pina Colada Julius from Orange Julius- creamy, smooth and sweet, but made with healthy and simple ingredients!

Pineapple Rise & Shine Smoothie Bowl

Healthy pineapple smoothie bowl- vegan, gluten free, paleo

¾ cup frozen pineapple chunks
¼ cup pineapple juice (you can reserve this much juice when cutting up your pineapple or use canned pineapple juice)
1/2 cup of almond milk
¼ cup of full fat coconut milk (the canned kind)
5 + ice cubes
a few drops of stevia or maple syrup if needed for sweetness
optional- 1 scoop vanilla protein powder (whey, or soy/veggie-based, chia, hemp, coconut flakes on top)

Blend all the ingredients in a high speed blender. I use my Vitamix. It has a super high powered motor that blends thick smoothies exceptionally well!

Praise the Pineapple!

on July 30, 2015December 5, 2020 By Kelley 3 Comments

Pineapple is so very sweet and juicy it may be hard to think of it as a super nutritious food, but in fact it’s packed with many good-for-you nutrients! Pineapple weighs in with over 100% of your DRI (daily recommended intake) for vitamin C, a key antioxidant for immune support. It also has a healthy dose of vitamins B-1 and B-6, both which play an important role in helping the body produce/convert energy.

Pineapple is a particularly good source of manganese, a trace mineral we do not hear much about very often! Our bodies do not need very much, but it is extremely important to support bone production, collagen formation, as well as blood sugar control. Copper is another mineral that pineapple supplies, which is important for bone and tissue integrity (supports collagen production as well) and is a component in the enzyme antioxidant SOD (Lou Gehrig’s disease is thought to be due to underfunctioning SOD).

So whip up some pina coladas on me (heavy on the pineapple and light on the booze)! (You ALL know by now I love coconut as well :))

You can read a great article on pineapple by HealthAmbition.com HERE.

(Sources: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=34, http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=nutrient&dbid=77,http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/benefits-vitamins-b1-b6-b12-7897.html)

SKINNY Spinach & KALE Artichoke Dip

on July 28, 2015April 27, 2021 By Kelley 8 Comments

Creamy and bubbling hot spinach artichoke dip is a very popular appetizer! Have you ever looked up the nutrition facts? Ugh! Its terrifying! I just can’t comprehend how they can pack so many calories and so many grams of fat into a “serving size” that fits onto one, maybe two, chips (if you’re a serious over-dipper, like me!). It’s crazy!!

So I thought a Skinny Spinach KALE Artichoke Dip was in order to save us all from the shame of indulging in the heavy and unhealthy version.

This dip is easy and quick to make. Its a great go-to appetizer for when you have last minute guests coming over to watch the game!

There is no mayo. I swapped it out for low-fat, protein dense greek yogurt. I also use fresh baby spinach and kale to pump up the nutrients, so you can munch away happily knowing you’re getting a healthy dose of vitamins and minerals (K,A, and C to be exact along with iron, calcium, magnesium and potassium). Ok- can you repeat ALL of those to me?(Click HERE to see my Spinach vs Kale duke out post.) I also minimized the cheese, but it’s still VERY cheesy!

Try it- you won’t be disappointed!

SKINNY Spinach & KALE Artichoke Dip

A lightened-up version of spinach artichoke dip with added kale. All the flavor and cheesiness and creaminess, but so much healthier!

½ cup reduced fat cream cheese
1 cup of plain greek yogurt (recommend Fage)
2 tablespoons of butter (or olive oil)
1 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon Sriracha or hot sauce
¼ teaspoon of salt
¼ teaspoon of pepper
1/3 cup of mozzarella
1/3 cup parmesan (a kind that melts, not the granular kind, I have also used mozzarella and cheddar combo- also good!)
1 can of artichokes (14 oz, drained and chopped)
2/3 cups baby spinach (chopped)
2/3 cup baby kale (chopped)

Heat butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat.
Add garlic powder, sriracha, salt and pepper, and stir until garlic browns slightly.
Add cream cheese, reduce heat to medium if it seem too hot, and mix until melted.
Add greek yogurt, spinach and artichokes, and mix.
Finally add in the mozzarella and parmesan.
Return to burner and stir over medium-low heat for a few minutes until bubbling.
If the dip is too thick for your liking you may add milk (unflavored almond milk/skim milk ect.) until desired consistency is reached.

Kale VS Spinach: The Super Greens Duke it OUT!

on July 28, 2015December 5, 2020 By Kelley 4 Comments

Kale has been celebrated as the ultimate green in recent years. This is the go-to green superfood that EVERYONE should be eating for breakfast, lunch and dinner (and in your shakes, green juice, and on and on!) It deserves the spotlight for its nutrients for sure, but what happened to the OTHER green? You know, the one that was swallowed by the can-full by Popeye (the cartoon…anyone?)? YES SPINACH! Old fashioned spinach is a super green too! I think it’s best to incorporate both kale and spinach in your diet. A wide variety of different whole foods will yield the best array of vitamins, minerals, and other important nutrients for the healthiest and best balanced diet!

Here is how kale and spinach measure up to one another:

Calcium 14% 10% (promotes bone health)

Iron 9% 15% (more energy via oxygenating the blood)

Magnesium 11% 25% (metabolism, aids in muscle relaxation and neuromuscular transmission)

Potassium 10% 12% (builds muscle, synthesizes proteins, ensures healthy cell function)

Vitamin C 160% 37% (immune support

Vitamin A 659% 401% (bone growth, supports healthy vision and immune system)

Vitamin K 907% 537% (regulates blood clotting, assists in transporting calcium)

(Source: http://www.prevention.com/content/whats-healthier-kale-or-spinach, http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/286839.php,http://www.webmd.com/diet/the-benefits-of-vitamin-c?ecd=, http://www.drweil.com)

Sweet Potato Fry Breakfast Skillet with Avocado Mash

on July 28, 2015June 29, 2021 By Kelley 13 Comments

I have a confession to make…… I sometimes go to that place, you know, the one with the Golden Arches….. It’s only for breakfast (unless I have a french fry craving!) and I always order an egg mcmuffin and a hash brown. Then what I do next may shock some of you- I put the hash brown IN my egg sandwich! If you haven’t discovered the amazingness of hashbrowns in your eggs you are missing out!

This breakfast skillet is a healthy take off from the hashbrown egg sandwich. There is no cheese, no super greasy fried white potato hashbrown, and no bread. This skillet is loaded with sweet potato fries, eggs, avocado mash and hot sauce. It’s super easy to make too!

I use palm oil to fry up my eggs often. I love the taste, and it has a higher smoke point than many other oils, as well as having many healthy attributes. You can read more about palm oil HERE.

Sweet Potato Fry Breakfast Skillet with Avocado Mash

2 eggs (I use pasture-raised organic eggs- taste the best and the best for you!)
6 or more sweet potato fries (pre-made, or see below)
1 tablespoon palm oil (or olive oil or butter)
½ avocado
2 tablespoons cilantro (chopped)
salt and pepper
½ tablespoon hot sauce

Heat your cast iron skillet (I have a personal-sized one that works perfect, but a large one is fine too) over medium heat.
Add the palm oil and distribute it evenly over the pan.
Place your sweet potato fries in the skillet (I just use frozen organic sweet potato fries, but you can just cut up a sweet potato, add a little oil and salt and pepper to make your own- just make sure they get crispy before you crack the eggs.)
Place foil over the top of the skillet to trap some heat and flip the fries occasionally. You may need to increase the heat once they are soft to get them to crisp.
Once they are crispy and brown on the edges crack the eggs over top of the fries and place the foil (or lid) back on top to make sure the top of the eggs cook as well.
Once they are done to your liking, remove from heat.
Mash the avocado and chopped cilantro with a fork and add a dash of salt and pepper.
Top the egg skillet with avocado mash and hot sauce.

Powerful Palm Oil

on July 28, 2015December 5, 2020 By Kelley 2 Comments

Are you using palm oil for pan frying? I am! What is palm oil anyway??? If you want to find out more keep reading!

I have been using palm oil in my skillet pan recently for two reasons- its health benefits, and its high smoke point. Palm oil has a smoke point of 450 degrees F, compared to around 350 degrees F for coconut oil and extra virgin olive oil (my two other favorite oils :)). As you may know, heating oil to the point at which it smokes can be bad for your health, so you want to use an appropriate oil for the task at hand!

Palm oil (aka red palm fruit oil, NOT palm kernel oil) is harvested from the palm oil tree and can be distinguished by it vibrant red-orange hue, due high amounts of beta-carotene. It also contains another carotene called lycopene. Both are powerful antioxidants that help neutralize damaging free radicals.

Palm oil is high in vitamin E as well. “ In fact, studies funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have shown that a natural form of vitamin E called alpha tocotrienol, which is the form found in high amounts in red palm fruit oil, can help reduce the effects of stroke by 50% by protecting your brain’s nerve cells.” Vitamin E also is good from brain health, by increasing blood flow, and can help prevent Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

Palm oil contains both medium-chain and short-chain fatty acids, which are good for our bodies (in moderation). These types of fatty acids actually help to increase metabolism, and are more readily used as energy. Studies have shown that incorporating palm oil into your diet can help to remove plaque from the arteries, helping to prevent blockages. It also has been shown to decrease inflammation and improve cholesterol levels and blood pressure.

In addition, palm oil “help(s) in protecting against a variety of health problems, including osteoporosis, asthma, cataracts, macular degeneration, arthritis, and liver disease. It can even slow down the premature aging processes by protecting the skin against damaging UV rays.”

(Sources: http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-1139-palm%20oil.aspx?activeingredientid=1139&activeingredientname=palm%20oil, http://www.doctoroz.com/article/why-you-should-give-red-palm-oil-try, http://jonbarron.org/diet-and-nutrition/healthiest-cooking-oil-chart-smoke-points#.VbUsZs7N9UQ)

Eggplant Involtini {Paleo, Gluten-Free, Dairy-free, Vegan}

on July 26, 2015December 22, 2020 By Kelley 12 Comments

Eggplant parmesan was among one of my favorite dishes growing up. The crispy breading surrounding the soft delectable eggplant, smothered in tomato sauce and melted mozzarella would be my go-to dish at the local Italian restaurant. Although the meal tasted so good going down, I never felt great in the aftermath. The heavy cheese and fried breading would leave my stomach feeling like I had swallowed a brick!

This dish that I created has all the wonderful flavors of eggplant parm but transformed in a fresh, light and healthy way.

It is easy to make- no pan frying and excessive baking!

It’s dairy free and gluten free! It’s so DELICIOUS!

For you all that avoid dairy, KITE HILL makes and amazing almond milk ricotta that is just like the real thing, maybe even better. You can find it at most Whole Foods. I highly recommend it! You can also make your own almond milk ricotta- here is a great recipe by Beard and Bonnet.

The key to getting the eggplant soft and pliable without it becoming soggy is to bake it first. I got this idea from America’s Test Kitchen. Do you watch that show? It’s one of my favorites! I occasional binge watch it on the weekends and keep a notebook nearby to scribble down ideas. Sounds exciting, eh? Well for this kitchen nerd it’s a wonderful and exciting time! 🙂

This dish is sure to be a family favorite!

Eggplant Involtini {Paleo, Gluten-Free, Dairy-free, Vegan}

2 medium eggplants (peeled and sliced lengthwise ⅓” thick)
2 tablespoons olive oil
few dashes of salt and pepper
1 cup almond milk ricotta (I used Kite Hill brand, or you can make your own, see above for recipe)
½ cup panko (omit for Paleo, and increase ricotta by ¼ cup)
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon garlic salt
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast (optional)
2 tablespoon chopped basil
½ tablespoon lemon juice

Tomato Sauce:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 can of organic whole peeled tomatoes (chopped, save the juice)
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
¼ teaspoons red pepper
salt and pepper (½ teaspoon of each)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
Slice each eggplant lengthwise into ⅓ “ thick sections.
Line cookie sheet (you may need 2) with parchment paper and grease with olive oil.
Brush both sides of the eggplant slices with olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper.
Lay them on the lined cookie sheet, not touching.
Cook at 375 degrees F for around 25-30 min or until tender.
Remove eggplant once tender and place them on a drying rack or flip occasionally while cooling to prevent condensation making them too moist.
While eggplant is in the oven heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.
Add the chopped garlic, red pepper, ½ teaspoon of salt, and ½ teaspoon of black pepper.
Cook for about 30 seconds and then add chopped tomatoes and the juice from the can.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes to thicken the sauce, then remove from heat.
In a bowl combine the ricotta, panko, basil, lemon juice, garlic salt, nutritional yeast, salt and pepper, stir to combine.
Pour the tomato sauce in the bottom of a casserole dish (Or if you used a cast iron skillet to prepare the sauce you can lay the eggplants on to the sauce in the cast iron skillet.)
Spoon about 2 tablespoons of ricotta mixture on the wider end of the eggplant and roll them up.
Place each roll seam side down into the sauce.
Place the skillet or dish into the oven for 15-20 minutes more until hot then you can increase heat to broil and move the dish up to the top rack to brown and crisp the top of the eggplant if you wish.

Cricket’s Chicken Jerky Treats

on July 23, 2015April 10, 2017 By Kelley 7 Comments

Cricket is a picky pooch with a refined palate! She turns her nose up at many kinds treats that any other dog would wolf down in one second flat!

Beggin Stips? Cricket gives it a weary sniff and says “no thanks.”

Pupperoni? “I’m not hungry!”

Milk Bone? “No way Jose!”

Greenies????? “What the heck is that and WHY is it green!?”

After much trial and failure, I finally did come across a treat Cricket does love and they cost $9.99 for a bag of 6! It’s basically just dried chicken, or chicken jerky. So I decided to get smart and protect my wallet and make my own of course! These treats are so easy and simple to make and if Cricket loves them then your furry family members will love them too!

Cricket's Chicken Jerky Treats

Easy Chicken Jerky treats

1 lb chicken breast
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon salt (celtic sea salt or Himalayan salt is a good choice)

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.
Cut the chicken breasts into long thin strips about 1/4″ wide. (You can partially freeze the chicken for a hour to make it easier to slice.)
Place the chicken in a ziplock bag with the oil, apple cider vinegar and salt, and give it a shake.
Allow to marinate overnight or for a few hours at least.
Lay the chicken strips (not touching!) on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
Bake at 250 degrees F for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until dry (if browning too much turn tempature down) and then turn the oven off and allow them to cool and fully dry out in the oven for an additional 1/2 hour.