Homemade coconut creme larabars

This may or may not be the 5th time I have made these. Each time I make a bigger batch, hoping it will last longer but I should probably treat these like the brownies they are and tread lightly on the making of them.... After this weekend where I will top out at a 13 miler tomorrow morning. Best. Workout munchies. Everrrr. So delicious and you could shape them into balls but it's much easier for me to just pop these into snack size ziplock bags.

I finagled with the recipe I found at the oh she glows blog, and here's my version of the recipe:

Pulse the following in food processor: (process till finely chopped)

1 cup dates, deseeded and chopped into fourths

1 cup shredded coconut 

Take out, place in bowl and put the following in food processor: (process till finely chopped)

2/3 c cashews

2/3 c almonds

Add nuts to coco-date mixture and add to bowl:

4-5 tsp coconut oil, to bind it together

MIX! (I usually use a fork)

Line 8x8 baking dish with parchment appear to make it easier to cut and take out, then pour mixture and press into dish. Refrigerate.

Eat!

Makes however many bars you like.... Usually four for me ;)

Recipe 3: spaghetti squash Alfredo

I found this recipe late 2013... After a year of not really liking pasta (thank you pregnancy #2), I discovered spaghetti squash and more notably this recipe which also made me realize that there is nothing more divine than fresh parmesean! (Photo and recipe from skinny taste blog, I'm usually too starved to take a photo in the half dozen or so times I've tried it!)

Skinny Spaghetti Squash Alfredo

YIELD: Makes 2 large servings or 4 side dish servings

INGREDIENTS:

1 medium-sized spaghetti squash

1 Tablespoon butter

3 cloves of garlic, finely minced

2 Tablespoons flour

1 cup milk (I used fat-free)

1 Tablespoon cream cheese or Neufchatel cheese

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus 2 Tablespoons extra for topping

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Crushed red pepper flakes and fresh parsley, for optional garnish

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

First, prep the squash. Cut spaghetti squash in half using a large sharp knife, scoop out the seeds and place cut side down on a rimmed baking sheet covered with water. Bake until tender, about an hour.

As an alternate way of baking: Poke a few holes deep into the whole squash with a paring knife. Bake for 60 minutes, remove from the oven and let rest for 10 to 20 minutes before slicing in half with a large serrated knife. Scoop out the seedy inside leaving the spaghetti strands.

Once squash is cooked, use a fork to gently scrape the “spaghetti” strands into the center.

For the sauce, melt butter in a small pot over medium-low heat. Once hot, add garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Whisk in flour, cooking for another minute while stirring. Whisk in milk until no lumps remain. Once hot, add cream cheese and stir until smooth. Remove from the heat. Stir in Parmesan, salt and pepper.

Spoon sauce equally into each spaghetti squash half. Gently pull up the spaghetti strands to coat as much as possible with the sauce. Top with extra Parmesan and place under the broiler of your oven for 2-3 minutes, or until golden and bubbly.

Top each half with a pinch of red pepper flakes and fresh chopped parsley, if desired. Serve hot.

Enjoy!

Adapted from Food Doodles

Recipe 2! Twice baked sweet potatoes

I was looking for something different to do with my sweet potatoes back in January and this food network recipe really hit the comfort food spot! My only change was adding chopped pecans to the top to give it a little crunch!

Ingredients
6 sweet potatoes, even in size and scrubbed
4 tablespoons brown sugar
4 tablespoons butter, room temperature
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Place sweet potatoes on sheet tray and bake for 1 hour or until soft. Remove from oven and let stand until cool enough to handle.

Split potatoes and remove the flesh to a medium sized bowl, reserving skins. In another bowl, add brown sugar, butter and cream cheese and the all of the spices and mash with a fork or rubber spatula.

Add the butter and cream cheese mixture to the sweet potato flesh and fold in completely. Add the filling back to the potato skins and place on a half sheet tray. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/patrick-and-gina-neely/twice-baked-sweet-potatoes-recipe.html?oc=linkback

52 recipes in 2014. Recipe 1: sloppy joes (deceptively delicious style)

My New Years resolution with regards to food was to try and cook at least one new thing a week.

I've had this recipe in my list of things to try for ages....it was delicious and amazing and of course full of veggies which is awesome. It may be my new go-to chili because I happen to love it all by itself!

(Recipe taken from tastebook.)

Nutrition Info • Calories: 125.2 • Fat: 5.6g • Carbohydrates: 7.5g • Protein: 12.1g

Servings:Makes 8 Servings

Prep Time:

60 Minutes

Cook Time:

30 Minutes

Total Time:

90 Minutes

INGREDIENTS

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped red onion
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 pound lean ground turkey or sirloin
• 1/2 cup sweet potato puree
• 1/2 cup red bell pepper puree
• raw, finely chopped carrots (optional, but highly recommended)
• 1/2 cup reduced-fat low-sodium beef broth
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon chili powder, or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 8 whole-grain hamburger or hot-dog buns

DIRECTIONS

TO PUREE VEGGIES:

• 1

  Can be done in larger portions in advance and kept frozen in a zip lock bag in 1/2 cup batches to have on hand or in the fridge if using within a few days.

• 2

  1.Cut unpeeled sweet potato into quarters if steaming. Leave whole if roasting.

• 3

  2.Cut red pepper in half through the stem end. Remove the stem, seeds and white membrane.

• 4

  3.Steam:

• 5

  a.Sweet potato 40 to 45 minutes

• 6

  b.Red bell pepper for 10 to 12 minutes

• 7

  OR

• 8

  4.Roast: set oven to 400 degrees F.

• 9

  a.Sweet potatoes for 50 to 60 minutes

• 10

  b.Red bell pepper for 20 to 25 minutes Keep an eye on them so they don’t burn.

• 11

  5.Puree

• 12

  a.Scoop out flesh of sweet potato and puree in food processor or blender until smooth. May need to add a little bit of water to help this along.

• 13

  b.Place red bell peppers in food processor or blender and puree for about 2 minutes or until smooth.

TO MAKE SLOPPY JOES:

• 1

  1.Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and set it over medium-high heat. When the skillet is hot, add the oil. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic, and cook until the onion, celery and carrots start to soften (not brown), 3 - 4 minutes.

• 2

  2.Add the meat, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, and cook until no longer pink, 4 - 5 minutes.

• 3

  3.Add the vegetable puree, beef broth, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the liquid is reduced by about one-half, 15 - 20 minutes
  .