grain free Archives - Page 7 of 8 -

Cricket’s Bacon and Peanut Butter Biscuits{Grain Free}

on December 3, 2015April 10, 2017 By Kelley 1 Comment

Your dog will love these healthy Bacon Peanut Butter Biscuits! They are grain free, only contain 4 ingredients, and are they are super easy and quick to make.

If you visit my blog regularly you may be familiar with Cricket’s picky eating habits 🙂 She is a princess and turns her nose up at many tasty treats and dog chow that any other pup would devour in an instant. This makes my job extra hard. Developing healthy recipes for her that she actually enjoys is difficult, but it’s a challenge I enjoy. Also, now that she is a senior dog I want to make sure she is eating healthy treats and chow to support her health.

These Bacon Peanut Butter Biscuits were a huge hit with Cricket, as you can see:

The biscuits are primarily made with ground flax, which is packed with omega’s- great for immune system support. It also may help to reduce arthritis symptoms and progression due to its anti-inflammatory properties.

You can feel good about giving your pup these treats!

Cricket’s Bacon and Peanut Butter Biscuits{Grain Free}

Your dog will love these healthy Bacon Peanut Butter Biscuits. They are grain free, and only contain 4 ingredients, making them super easy to make.

½ cup ground flax
1 egg
2 tablespoons natural peanut butter
1 strip bacon (cooked and diced)
extra ground flax for rolling dough if using cookie cutter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Line a cookie sheet with parchment.
Combine the flax, egg, peanut butter and bacon; mix well.
Sprinkle the extra flax onto the counter and roll out the dough with a rolling pin.
Use your cookie cutter to make dog bone shapes (or other shapes).
Bake for 15 minutes on parchment lined cookie sheet, remove and let cool.

Sticky Garlic Noodles {An’s Famous Garlic Noodles Copycat, 15 minutes, Gluten-free}

on August 10, 2015December 22, 2020 By Kelley 82 Comments

These sticky garlic noodles taste just like the An’s Famous Garlic Noodles and can be made in under 15 minutes! And my version is gluten free! One word of caution- they are so very addictive! I strongly advise you use chopsticks to eat these tasty noodles so you don’t inhale them too quickly (as I did ;))! I just couldn’t get enough!

On a recent date night my hubby took me to a swanky Japanese joint that had an amazing menu! Some of the mouth watering options included crispy lobster dumplings and kimchi fried rice- but one menu option stood out from the rest- AN’s Famous Garlic Noodles. It was in BOLD and set aside from the other options. This really got my mind moving- just garlic noodles? Sounds soooo simple, too simple! How good could it actually be???? My curiosity got the better of me and I went ahead and ordered it!

The minimalistic white bowl arrived at the table with a fancy pair of black chopsticks. I peered into the depths of the deep white bowl and sized up the golden colored noodles. They were arranged in a perfect swirled pattern. Rising steam brought the scent of soy and garlic. I started salivating and jumped right it! They were heavenly. Divine. Perfect. And in 5 minutes they were gone!

So ever since then I’ve been dreaming of making my very own.

So back to the sticky garlicky noodles! The simple sauce is what makes this dish.

The flavors come together beautifully and have the perfect balance of

Garlicky-Salty-Buttery-Subtle Sweetness! YUM!!

This recipe can be adapted to pretty much any diet restriction as well!

For instance:

Gluten-Free: Quinoa Noodles or Brown Rice Noodles

Vegan– use a vegan butter substitute

Paleo– Sub noodles for Zoodles (zucchini noodles) and replace butter with ghee. You can order the Spiralizer (to make Zoodles) HERE.

Meat Eaters– Add chicken, pork or beef 😉

I’ve got EVERYONE covered, right!?

Now for what you have been waiting for……Here is my secret recipe:

Looking for ANOTHER AMAZING NOODLE RECIPE??? Try my RIDICULOUSLY ADDICTIVE Peanut Noodles too:

LOVE Noodles(or zoodles!)!? Get my ASIAN NOODLE BOWLS E-COOKBOOK complete with follow-along videos for every recipe!

Sticky Garlic Quinoa Noodles {An’s Famous Garlic Noodles Copycat, 15 minutes, Gluten-free}

Crazy Good Sticky Garlic Noodles, An’s Famous Garlic Noodles Copycat. Gluten Free, Paleo and Vegan recipe options too!

8 oz of gluten-free noodles (brown rice, quinoa noodles, zucchini noodles, etc)
3 tablespoons butter (or ghee, or vegan butter spread)
1/2 cup green onions (plus a few extra tablespoons for garnish, chopped)
3 garlic cloves (diced)
2 tablespoons of coconut sugar (or brown sugar)
2 tablespoons of tamari (or soy sauce)
Optional: 1/2 tablespoon oyster sauce

Boil the noodles according to directions until al dente, drain, and set aside (add some butter so they don’t stick together after draining).
Meanwhile in a saucepan over medium-high heat melt the butter.
Add the green onions and garlic and stir for about 1 minute until fragrant.
Add the sugar and stir vigorously until it is completely dissolved.
Add tamari (or soy sauce), and mix in thoroughly.
Toss the noodles with the sauce, plate and garnish with fresh green onions.

Melt In Your Mouth Chocolate Chip Cookies {Healthy, Paleo, Gluten Free, Vegan}

on August 2, 2015April 10, 2017 By Kelley 14 Comments

Oh MY! These HEALTHY, GLUTEN FREE, VEGAN chocolate chip cookies are to die for! I’ve stumbled upon something here, that not only is good for you, but it actually rivals some of the best chocolate chip cookies I’ve had in my lifetime as a cookie-connoisseur.

Cricket was a big help in the development of these cookies. As she slept the day away on the couch (where she really isn’t suppose to be-shh!), she suddenly jumped up and made her way to the oven, using her beagle-keen nose to sniff out the rising goodness in the oven. I had her approval and I knew that was a good sign! Then when the hubby got home and tried them out he was absolutely smitten! These cookies are his new proclaimed favorite!

I usually go for the soft, thick and chewy kind of cookie over the crispy thin ones. Everyone has their preference- what’s yours? I wanted to let you know that this cookie actually doesn’t fit into the two common cookie categories of soft and chewy or thin and crispy, but don’t be disappointed! It has a texture all its own and it’s amazing! -Buttery, crumbly, almost like a shortbread that explodes with flavor and dissolves in your mouth, further enhanced by melted chocolate goodness.

A huge bonus- these are loaded with healthy fats and protein from the almond meal, and very very little sugar, these cookies are actually nutritious! So you can have an extra one if you wish and not think twice.

This recipe calls for palm shortening (which is trans fat free!!), a key ingredient in getting these cookies to be so plump and moist. You can most definitely find the palm shortening at Whole Foods or a health food store, or order the brand I use off of Amazon.

Click HERE to view “My PANTRY” (products I recommend, and option to order if you’d like).

If you LOVE these cookies then you MUST try all my other chocolate chip cookie recipes! Each and everyone one is delectable and delicious!

CHOCOLATE-DIPPED CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE ENERGY CUPS

CHOCOLATE SQUARED COOKIES

Melt In Your Mouth Chocolate Chip Cookies {Healthy, Paleo, Gluten Free, Vegan}

Healthy Melt In Your Mouth Chocolate Chip Cookies- Gluten-free, no flour, dairy-free, paleo friendly and vegan option!

1 cup Almond Meal
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon of almond butter (alternative-cashew butter or peanut butter)
1 ½ tablespoons of butter (I always use grass-fed butter, like Kerrygold brand, Vegan option use 3 tablespoons of palm shortening and no butter, softened)
1 ½ tablespoons of palm shortening (see above on where to get it)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons coconut sugar (alternative -brown sugar)
1 1/2 teaspoon chia seed (alternative- ground flax)
1/3 cup chocolate chips (vegan alternative- dairy-free chocolate chips such as Enjoy Life brand)

Preheat oven to 350 degree F
In a bowl cream the wet ingredients- butter, shortening, and almond butter. They should be soft, not melted.
Add the coconut sugar, vanilla. and chia seed to the wet ingredients and mix.
In a separate bowl combine the almond meal, baking soda, salt and cinnamon, and mix.
Add wet ingredient to dry, and mix until dough is uniform, then mix in chocolate chips.
Form 1 ½” balls and place on a cookie sheet
Bake at 350 degrees for about 8 minutes, or just until they are slightly golden on top.
Let cool, then remove and enjoy! Makes about 10-12.

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.

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.

Molten Chocolate-Hazelnut Stuffed Cupcake with Toasted Marshmallow Frosting {Grain-Free Option}

on July 18, 2015April 10, 2017 By Kelley 4 Comments

I haven’t cooked or baked anything this week that is dog friendly and Cricket is definitely letting me know she is highly disappointed! She keep walking over to me in the kitchen, and pawing me on the foot as to say- “What’s the deal! Nothing for me? All this work and NOTHING!??” Sorry Cricket, chocolate is a big no-no for pooches, and you wouldn’t have liked the beets from yesterday’s salad even if I had offered them to you!

So I made these crazy good chocolate-filled cupcake for you all, because who doesn’t like chocolate!? Ok, ok I must admit I made them for me too 🙂 They are simple to make, and although I can’t call them healthy exactly, I did “clean them up.” Many of you may have heard the term “clean eating,” but what exactly does it mean? “Clean eating” as defined by Fitness Magazine is “ a deceptively simple concept. Rather than revolving around the idea of ingesting more or less of specific things (for instance, fewer calories or more protein), the idea is more about being mindful of the food’s pathway between its origin and your plate.” So that’s it! I would say that ties perfectly into my food philosophy! I cook and eat healthy overall but do not adhere to any specific diet or restrictions. I am very aware of the quality of ingredients in my foods, and make substitutions such as coconut oil(why coconut oil?-click here to learn more), almond milk (info here), and organic white flour and organic cane sugar. All these ingredients tend to be less processed, and/or not exposed to chemicals and pesticides. (*Update: I am now Pegan (Click to find out more about what that is!?), so I left the original recipe but also came up with an excellent grain-free version for everyone who is Paleo/Pegan/Grain-free/Gluten-fee!)

So…….Back to the chocolate cupcakes! These babies are super light and fluffy, and melt in your mouth. The molten center gives them an impressive surprise kick of chocolate on the taste buds, and they will thank you greatly! They are topped off with a light and delicate toasted marshmallow frosting, which I love.

Enjoy the chocolate overload!

Nutella Cupcake with Almond Marshmallow Frosting overhead — These Molten Chocolate-Hazelnut Stuffed Cupcakes are topped with fluffy Toasted Marshmallow Frosting! There is no better combination that this, trust me! You can male these BAKERY-STYLE cupcakes too- they’re easy! The cupcake is fluffy and moist and the molten “nutella” center oozes out on first bite! This recipe contains a traditional version and a bonus grain-free/paleo/gluten-free version.

LOVE THESE? You may also LOVE these CHOCOLATE-DIPPED Chocolate Chip Cookies!!

Molten Chocolate-Hazelnut Stuffed Cupcake with Toasted Marshmallow Frosting

Molten Chocolate Hazelnut Stuffed Cupcakes with Toasted Marshmallow Frosting.

Regular Version:
1 cup organic cane or white sugar
1.5 cups organic white flour
⅓ cup organic cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 egg
½ cup almond milk
¼ cup coconut oil
1 t vanilla extract
½ cup boiling water
6 tablespoons Nutella (about .38 cup, or another chocolate spread)
GRAIN-FREE/PALEO VERSION:
2 cups almond flour (*Use a fine almond flour like Wellbee's)
3 tablespoons cocao
2 tablespoons arrowroot flour
2 eggs
½ teaspoon Himalayan or sea salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cashew or almond milk
½ cup coconut oil
¼ cup maple syrup
6 tablespoons "nutella" (Make your own "Nutella:")
TOASTED MARSHMALLOW FROSTING:
4 egg whites (you can choose to use pasteurized eggs or meringue powder)
¾ cup organic cane sugar
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F
Line your cupcake tin with liners
Sift the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a bowl and mix.
In your mixer bowl add the egg, almond milk, coconut oil and vanilla, and mix with your paddle attachment (or by hand if you wish!)
Add the dry mixed ingredients to the wet ingredients in the mixer.
Beat on medium speed for 30 seconds, then stop mixer, and scrape down the sides.
Continue to mix on medium speed for 2 minutes, then add the boiling water, mix a few seconds longer only until combined and smooth.
Pour the batter into your cupcake liners filling about ⅔ way full.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 12-15 minutes, or until only the center of the cupcake is still wet, outside is cooked.
Remove from the oven and spoon ½ tablespoon of Nutella into the middle of each cupcake. It should fall into the cupcake, if not just poke it down with your spoon:).
Place the cupcakes back into the oven for another 3-5 minutes or until set. (total bake time is 18-20)
Allow to cool completely before frosting!
Toasted Marshmallow Frosting:
Place egg white, sugar, and cream of tartar into your mixer bowl(clean and dry-a must!).
Place the bowl over a pot of gently boiling water, so it’s just touching the water, and stir with a whisk briskly until all the sugar is dissolved (about 3-4 minutes)
Remove the bowl and return it to your mixer, and using the whisk attachment, beat in low for about 1 minute.
Gradually increase the speed to medium, and then high, over the course of 5-6 minutes until stiff and glossy peaks are formed.
Add in vanilla extract and mix, and it’s ready to use in your piping bag!
Finally, take a kitchen torch (I used a lighter wand- just takes longer) to brown the edges and make it “toasted.”
Serve immediately.

Rainbow Roasted Beet Salad {Grain-Free}

on July 15, 2015April 27, 2021 By Kelley 4 Comments

This dramatic salad is my go-to dish when I need to bring something to a pot luck or BBQ! It’s different, oh-so colorful, and everyone LOVES it!

The soft, buttery, earthy beets are the heart of this magnificent salad. I love using different colors/varieties of beets (golden, red, red and white strip)to make this salad look like a work of art! You can arrange this salad on a large platter, overlapping the beets, or you also can layer it in a glass bowl for another dramatic effect (and double+ the recipe for a bowl)! This salad is quick and easy to put together once the beets are roasted (which takes some time, but is very easy!).

One warning- the candied pecans are addictive so try not to eat them all before your arrange the salad otherwise you may come up a bit short! I hope you enjoy this salad as much as I do 🙂

Note: in a pinch you can used rinsed canned (organic)beets and buy candied pecans, and have this salad together in less than 5 minutes flat!

Rainbow Roasted Beet Salad

This colorful salad is comprised of earthy roasted beets topped with goat cheese, mint, candied pecans, pomegranate seeds, and drizzled with olive oil and balsamic glaze.

5-6 medium to large beets
¼ cup crumbled goat cheese
¼ cup chopped mint
¼ cup chopped pecans
1 tablespoon coconut oil or butter
½ tablespoon coconut sugar or brown sugar
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons of pomegranate seeds (optional)
2 tablespoons balsamic glaze
2 tablespoons olive oil
dash of salt and pepper

Wrap each beet individually in foil and place in a 350 degree oven for about 30 min or until fork tender (will depend on the size of your beets).
Remove beets and allow them to cool.
Skin will easily peel off using your fingers.
Slice the beets into thin ⅛” rounds.
In a skillet, melt the oil or butter over medium-high heat.
Add the chopped pecans and stir to coat evenly.
Add the coconut sugar and cinnamon, continue to stir, until the sugar melts evenly and coats the pecans.
Remove the coated pecans from the heat and allow to cool.
Arrange the beets on the platter, overlapping slightly.
Top the beets with the goat cheese, mint, candied pecans, and pomegranate seeds.
Drizzle the olive oil and balsamic glaze on top ( and add a dash of salt and pepper if you’d like)

Birthday Cake Protein Shake {Healthy, Dairy-Free, Paleo}

on July 14, 2015June 29, 2021 By Kelley 30 Comments

This dessert-like Birthday Cake Protein Shake is secretly good for you! It happens to be dairy-free and paleo too!

Coldstone Creamery introduced me to CAKE BATTER ICE CREAM, and my life was forever changed! Pre-cake batter ice cream I’d opt for mint chocolate chip or chocolate chocolate chip, but the cake batter flavor has officially made me leave the world of chocolate ice cream behind, and never look back!

Knowing it wouldn’t be a great idea to indulge in cake batter ice cream on a daily basis, I have tried to create the flavor in a variety of healthy ways. I am so happy to say that this thick Birthday Cake Protein Shake is a pretty excellent healthy reproduction of the flavor and festiveness of the original! With two scoops of vanilla whey protein (from grass-fed cattle preferably) this shake has over 20 grams of protein, leaving you full, energized, and satisfied! After you suck this shake down, you may be leaving your chocolate shakes behind as well 🙂

**The Birthday Cake Protein Shake has been featured on the Huffington Post! You can see the article HERE!

And if you like this shake you will also love this Cotton Candy Blizzard!!:

Birthday Cake Protein Shake

A birthday cake flavored protein shake made from wholesome and healthy ingredients

1 cup of frozen organic banana (chopped into small pieces prior to freezing)
¼-½ cup vanilla almond milk (adjust amount depending on desired thickness)
2 scoops of vanilla whey protein or vegan or paleo protein of choice (no sugar)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 few drops of almond extract
1 teaspoon of maple syrup
1 tablespoon sprinkles (optional- but always fun)

Mix all the ingredients in a high speed blender, or food processor, adding more almond milk as neccessary.

Protein Shake

Cheddar & Bacon Stuffed Sliders {Gluten-Free, Grain-Free Option}

on July 12, 2015March 11, 2021 By Kelley 5 Comments

I’m not a big meat eater usually. Throughout my life I’ve been some form of a vegetarian, or “cute-itarian” (more on that later), for periods of time starting when I was 14. This is because I adore animals! I’ve had many animals in my life including, but not limited to, hermit crabs, gerbils, hamsters, cats, dogs (including my love Cricket, of course!), and horses. There may even have been a fish or two in there as well! I even rescue the occasional injured bird or abandoned baby mouse in hopes of nursing them back to health and releasing back into the wild! When I was little I would make my mom pull off the side of the road to feed any grazing horses that I had spotted, and I was always on the lookout! So when I got old enough to understand more about meat and where it comes from I decided not to eat it.

Eating no meat at all was difficult and since my family ate meat I often was left with some bleak choices for dinner, so I decided to become a self-proclaimed “cute-itarian.” I defined that as: only avoid eating animals that are cute (according to me)- such as cows and pigs, but since fish, chicken, and turkeys didn’t really do it for me in the cuteness department they were good-to-go to be placed on the menu.

I stuck to my “cute-itarian” theory for a while, and somewhere along the way, I don’t quite remember when, I gave up on that too and went back to being unrestricted. I learned more about how animals are raised for production in college and then decided to at least try to eat meat and eggs from animals that are raised humanely and as naturally as possible- ie grass fed, no growth hormones, grain-free, etc. This was both for the betterment of the animal’s well being and for mine as well. I am now a strong advocate for buying local, natural, organic, pastured meats and eggs. And did I mention that they taste amazing as well- so much better than their conventional counterparts at the grocery. (For more information on the benefits of pasture raised beef click HERE.)

So in celebration of local pastured BEEF, I made some delicious Cheesy Bacon Stuffed Sliders that are so delightful! They are easy to make, and I love stuffing the cheese inside, as opposed to on top! Dress them up with some dark green lettuce, fresh tomatoes, red onion, and avocado and you’ve got the burger of champions!

Cheddar & Bacon Stuffed Sliders

Cheddar Bacon stuffed hamburger sliders made with local pastured ground beef on top of a whole wheat bun

1.5 lbs local pastured ground beef
2-3 strips of pastured bacon (chopped into small pieces)
½ cup shredded pasture-raised cheddar
1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce (or coconut aminos)
1 teaspoon mustard
salt and pepper to taste
lettuce (tomato, red onion, avocado for toppings)
8 gluten-free or grain-free slider buns (Recipe at Lexi’s Clean Kitchen: http://lexiscleankitchen.com/2014/08/24/the-ultimate-paleo-sandwich-rolls/ or you can use iceberg lettuce or as a “bun”)

Place the ground beef in a bowl, and add the worcestershire sauce, mustard, and a few dashes of salt and pepper, mix thoroughly
Place the chopped bacon in a pan and saute over medium-high until crispy.
Remove the bacon once it is done and let it cool on a paper towel to absorb the excess fat
Place the shredded cheese and bacon pieces in a bowl and mix so they are distributed evenly.
Next, with your hands, make bacon cheese balls about ½” to ¾” large by smooshing the mixture with a decent amount of pressure, this will make them easier to stuff.
Form 2” ground beef patties and use your finger to poke a hole in the middle of one side, but not all the way through.
Insert a cheese and bacon ball and cover the hole up completely.
Grill the stuffed patties on medium-high until they are cooked according to your preference.
I also like to brush the buns with a little olive oil or butter and grill them as well, and press down with the spatula to flatten them.
Top your sliders with condiments and toppings and enjoy!

The BEST Healthy Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies {Gluten-Free, Paleo & Grain-Free Option}

on July 8, 2015April 10, 2017 By Kelley 27 Comments

These yummy peanut butter and chocolate chip cookies will make you sing with happiness, and don’t stop as just one-their secretly healthy!

I have many favorite foods- but chocolate chip cookies is definitely near or at the top of the list depending on the day. When I’m craving something sweet and chocolatey, but don’t want to ruin a day of eating super healthy, I bake up some of these oat-based peanut butter chocolate chip cookies. They do not contain any wheat-based flour- just oat flour (high in fiber!), so they are gluten free. I also used coconut sugar instead of refined sugar and here is why:

“Compared with table and brown sugars, coconut sugar has impressive amounts of nutrients like zinc and iron as well as antioxidants. Coconut sugar also contains good amounts of inulin, a type of dietary fiber you don’t digest in your upper gastrointestinal tract. Instead, inulin acts as a prebiotic, feeding your intestinal bifidobacteria (a probiotic).” (huffingtonpost.com)

I baked these cookies the other day, the recipe makes 12-14 cookies, and by the same time the following day they were gone. Really, I’m not joking!… And I only had 3, maybe 4. My husband really took a liking to these chocolatey peanut butter cookies and since they are healthy he obviously wasn’t bashful about having a few extra here and there. He even had one for breakfast!

The BEST Healthy Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Healthy Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies- no flour, no butter!

3/4 cups of old fashioned oats (measured before blending into a flour, OR for paleo SUB almond flour)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg
2 tablespoons natural peanut butter (for paleo sub almond butter)
2 tablespoons coconut oil (softened)
4 tablespoons coconut sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4-1/3 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a bowl mix/cream the egg with the coconut sugar, vanilla, softened coconut oil, and peanut butter.
In a larger bowl mix the dry ingredients- oat flour (blend your oats in a high speed blender until a flour consistency is reached), salt, baking soda, and baking powder.
Mix the wet and dry ingredients together thoroughly. The batter will be fairly wet and sticky.
Add in the chocolate chips and refrigerate the batter for 10 minutes to make it easier to work with.
(You can skip this step, it’s just a messier operation if you skip it)
Form 1″ balls and place on greased cookie sheet (I used coconut oil to grease the sheet).
Bake at 350 degree F for about 8-10 minutes or until slightly golden.
Allow to cool a few minutes before removing.