Tag: Sweets

Zucchini Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Bars

Food, Recipe, Treats

Have an overripe banana lying around or a portion of a can of pumpkin puree leftover from another recipe? I feel like there is constantly a rotation of one of these in my kitchen right now. It’s no secret that I am making a lot of pumpkin recipes right now. Very few recipes use an entire can. Therefore, this means there is often a portion of some can in my refrigerator at one time or other. And bananas? There is a continual rotation of green, ripe, overripe bananas hanging or in my fruit basket.

This recipe is a great way to use up some of those ingredients. The banana adds moisture without having to add oil, and it also adds some sweetener to the recipe. The banana, along with the honey, adds the right amount of sweetness. If you are able to wait a day, the sweetness definitely intensifies as well.

Zucchini Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Bars

A wonderfully moist, nutritious bar recipe sure to satisfy your sweet craving or chocolate craving.


Ingredients

  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup pumpkin puree (120 g)
  • 46 g liquid egg whites
  • 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 100 g zucchini, shredded (1 zucchini)
  • 100 g banana, mashed (1 small banana)
  • 2 TBS I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter Light (can sub any oil or butter)
  • 3 TBS honey
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 2 TBS pumpkin spice white chocolate chips (or regular chocolate chips)
  • 2 TBS chocolate chips
  • 2 Squares of dark chocolate chunks (cut into 9 chunks – or just regular chocolate chips for the top)

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350. Prepare 9×9 pan with spray and parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, mash the banana and add the pumpkin, grated zucchini, egg whites, honey, butter substitute, vanilla. Whisk together well.
  3. Add in the flour and baking powder, whisking and stirring until smooth.
  4. Fold in the chocolate chips.
  5. Spread evenly into prepared pan. Top with chocolate chunks.
  6. Bake for 25 minutes until toothpick comes out nearly clean.
  7. Slice into 9 squares and enjoy!!!
  8. Store on the counter for up to 24 hours, and then in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Nutrition

Per Serving: 138 calories; 24 g carbohydrates; 3 g protein; 4 g fat.

What I Used To Make This Recipe

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This post may include affiliate links which won’t share your price but will share some of the commission.

Apple Cranberry Crisp

Food, Recipe, Treats

Need a fresh recipe idea that is not only beautiful but also DELICIOUS? This would be a lovely alternative to pie for your Thanksgiving meal and festivities. It’s a gorgeous dessert for holiday meals and get togethers. Or frankly, it’s healthy enough to make for breakfast, snack, or dessert for your everyday. No need for excuses. It’s perfectly nutritious enough to have at any time. But certainly, it’s wonderful for special events.

I love using fresh cranberries. They are so lovely in color, texture and give such flavor complexity. They are the perfect fruit to use in baking and cooking this time of year.

I like to microwave my fruit to soften it before baking. I want to be sure the fruit isn’t still crunchy after baking, and also, I don’t want to have to bake for so long that the crumble on top has to get too dark.

Give this recipe a try and let me know what you think!

Apple Cranberry Crisp

This is an amazing recipe for your Holiday table. It's also nutritious enough that it can be made for any day. It's not only pretty but also delicious and nutritious!


Ingredients

    For The Filling:
  • 3 cups apples, chopped
  • 1 cup fresh cranberries
  • 1 TBS flour (or cornstarch for GF)
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
    • For the Topping:
  • 3/4 cups rolled oats
  • 1/4 cup (or 40 grams) unpacked brown sugar
  • 1 TBS flour
  • 3 TBS I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter Light, melted
  • 1/3 cup (or 30 g) granola (I used Julian’s Bakery granola)

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350. Prepare 8×8 inch pan with nonstick spray.
  2. Microwave apples for 4-5 minutes until they begin to soften.
  3. Microwave cranberries 1 minute until they begin to soften.
  4. Stir together the filling ingredients.
  5. Spread evenly into the pan.
  6. Stir together the topping ingredients and crumble evenly over the fruit filling.
  7. Bake uncovered for 50+/- minutes or until the topping light brown and crisp.
  8. Cool slightly and serve warm with whipped topping, ice cream or milk.

Nutrition

Per Serving: 150 calories; 31 g carbohydrates; 2.8 g fat; 2.7 g protein.

What I Used To Make This Recipe

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

Peanut Butter Apple Crisp

American Dream Nut Butter, Food, Recipe, Treats

Apples are best in the fall! My particular favorite apple – always – is the honeycrisp apple. They are pricier for sure, but much more economical in the fall. Eating seasonally is not only better nutritionally, as you are getting the benefits of produce being optimal in nutrition and taste. It’s also better to eat seasonally for the pocketbook.

I had a bunch of apples, was craving something sweet for our weekend dinner, and was inspired to make an apple crisp. We have a few in our home that don’t prefer apple desserts and dishes because they don’t like the apples to be crunchy. I get that. Texture and consistency are key.

So for this recipe I used both no sugar added apple pie filling and fresh apples; however, I microwaved the chopped apples for 5 minutes to soften. Microwaving the apples lessons the time needed in the oven, takes away the crunch, and helps so that the topping doesn’t get as dark.

Apples and peanut butter pair so well together. Why not add some peanut butter to your crisp? I can think of no good answer, so I did it. Oh yes I did.

Also, you can or can not add a scoop of ice cream on top. I can’t think of a good reason not to – so how about it? I recommend Edy’s Slow Churn Vanilla. It is surprisingly VERY good on macros. Per 1/2 cup it has 100 Calories, 14 g Carbohydrates, 3 g Fat, and 3 g Protein. AND it’s incredibly creamy and delicious!! No need to skimp on quality ice cream!!!

Also, you are welcome to use regular peanut butter; however, I used Grandma’s PB Fudge by American Dream Nut Butter. I obviously recommend the ADNB, but know good old Jif would probably be delicious as well! I certainly don’t think you can go wrong with either.

Before going into the oven.

Give it a try and let me know what you think.

After baking, cooling.
  • Servings: 6
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

Ingredients

    For the peanut butter topping:
  • 121 g (1/2 cup) of Grandma’s PB Fudge American Dream Nut Butter (or peanut butter)
  • 1/4 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup rolled oats
  • 1/16 tsp baking powder
    • For the apples:
  • 3 cups (350 grams) unpeeled, cored, chopped apples
  • 1 28 ounce No Sugar Added apple pie filling
  • 1/2 tsp cornstarch
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Directions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350. Prepare 9×9 pan with nonstick cooking spray.
  2. Combine the peanut butter topping. It might be thick, so you can add a bit of water if needed. Or microwave the nut butter to soften.
  3. Cut, prep the apples, and microwave for five minutes, or until they begin to soften.
  4. Stir the cinnamon and cornstarch into the microwaved apples.
  5. Layer the apples in the bottom of your pan.
  6. Cover the apples with the apple pie filling, spread so it’s an even layer and kind of mixed with the apples.
  7. Crumble the peanut butter topping on top and press down so smooth. It will be more dense and cookie-like than other crumbles.
  8. Bake for 30 minutes or until the apples are bubbling and the crisp is browned.
  9. Let cool and serve a la mode.

Nutrition

Per Serving: 178 Calories; 21 g Carbohydrates; 8.5 g Fat; 7 g Protein.

What I Used To Make This Recipe

FITFOODIE10 to save at American Dream Nut Butter. This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Bars

American Dream Nut Butter, Food, Recipe, Treats

John’s birthday was yesterday. He is funny in that he does not love cake. We actually have a couple of those crazies in our house. Jackson is the same. Both of them would much prefer a really good chocolate chip cookie, cookie cake, or a really good brownie and ice cream sundae. I mean – I can’t say that either of these is a BAD option. I am certainly not complaining to have the excuse to eat either of these amazing desserts. Nonetheless, cake was not on the menu for my husband’s birthday dessert.

Another pantry item that he loves is peanut butter! So for his birthday treat and dessert, I made him Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookie Bars. YYYYUUUUMMMM!!!

Of course, I am now completely addicted to American Dream Nut Butters. I can no longer use just plain old peanut butter. However, these bars are so good that using regular old peanut butter (if you must) would be amazing as well. 😉

In this recipe I used my husband’s favorites – Double Stuffed and Fluffed and Butter My Cup. He loves Oreos and Reese’s, so I used about half of each. These were amazing, but regular peanut butter or other flavors of American Dream Nut Butters work amazing as well! Rest assured!

You can see the tiny marshmallows and cookie pieces from the nut butter in the dough here. It all just melts together for a melt-in-your mouth bar.

Trust me when I say, “Be patient with these.” I mean it. The longer you wait the better they get! They set up so well and take on this incredible soft, melt-in-your mouth texture. So bake them ahead of time, if you can. Give them several hours for the ideal consistency and sweetness.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Bars

An indulgent, balanced bar recipe for your peanut butter lovers.


Ingredients

  • 1 cup nut butter (I used American Dream Nut Butter)
  • 1/2 cup white wheat flour (can sub oat or all-purpose)
  • 1/3 cup maple syrup
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1.5 tsp baking soda
  • 1 TBS Lily’s dark chocolate chips
  • 2 Trader Joe’s Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups (can sub whatever)

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Prepare a 9×9 pan with nonstick spray and parchment paper.
  2. Combine all the ingredients in an electric mixer to mix well. Stir in the chips and chopped peanut butter cups at the end.
  3. Spread evenly into the prepared pan.
  4. Bake for 13 minutes (might look underdone but trust me).
  5. Trust me further – let them set for at least 1/2 hour. Ideally they become set perfectly and are perfectly soft as they sit. Make them several hours before serving. They get better and better.

Nutrition

Per Serving: 212 Calories; 18.8 g carbohydrate; 12.2 g fat; 9.5 g protein

Even though it was a rather normal Tuesday, it was still special to be able to celebrate a little as a family over dinner and dessert. ❤️ Happy 40th John!

Use FITFOODIE10 for discount if you do decide you need to try American Dream Nut Butter!

The discount code does share some commission with me – but does NOT change your price.

Peanut Butter Cake

American Dream Nut Butter, Food, Recipe

How about some cake for breakfast? Or snack or lunch…whenever you like…cake AND peanut butter? Well, here you go.

The only time you might not want this cake is dessert (but no judgment – just saying!). This cake is filling! It is fluffy yet hearty, satisfying and dense. Therefore, it’s not necessarily a dessert cake. It stands alone, especially with the toppings I suggest.

The inspiration for this cake began while organizing my stock of American Dream Nut Butter. I’m a bit of a food hoarder, and I love this nut butter, so I have A LOT!!!!

The food lover that I am, my mind start spinning with ideas of what I could do with this nut butter. Peanut butter cake became an urge I could not get over. I had some ideas for peanut butter bars, but cake was calling my name. So I set out on a mission to create a macro-friendly peanut butter cake recipe. Another goal of this recipe was to create a cake that could be eaten for breakfast. 😉 Peanut butter cake for breakfast…yes please!

This cake is awesome plain. If you want to up your game, I recommend a peanut butter cream cheese frosting (see below for recipe). In addition to those options, I have eaten it topped with yogurt, strawberries, strawberry jam, maple syrup, and more nut butter.

Based on personal experience, the options really are endless. 😉🥜🍰

For these recipes – both the cake and the frosting – I used Grandma’s Peanut Butter Fudge. I highly recommend this particular brand and flavor. If you want to try, be sure to save yourself some money with code FITFOODIE10.

Peanut Butter Cake

A delicious, satisfying, peanut buttery cake that can be enjoyed for breakfast, snack, or whenever you please.


Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup white wheat flour
  • 1/2 cup Kodiak pancake mix (another brand of pancake mix would work)
  • 12 grams Simply Delish SF vanilla pudding mix (or other SF pudding mix)
  • 3 TBS powdered peanut butter (I used PBFit)
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 cup Unsweetened Almond Milk
  • 46 grams liquid egg whites
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/4 cup nonfat greek yogurt
  • 2 droppers of Stevia (or calorie free sweetener)
  • 3 TBS pure maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup American Dream Nut Butter Grandma’s PB Fudge (can sub any PB, but ADNB is hard to beat in terms of flavor and macros)

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350. Prepare 9×9 baking pan with nonstick spray and parchment paper.
  2. Whisk dry ingredients.
  3. Gently warm maple syrup, water and nut butter in a saucepan on the stove or in the microwave. Warm and stir until smooth (about 5 minutes).
  4. Whisk the rest of the wet ingredients.
  5. In an electric mixer combine the wet and dry ingredients. Lastly add the warmed peanut butter, syrup and water. Mix well.
  6. Pour into the 9×9 pan.
  7. Bake for 20+/- minutes.
  8. Allow to cool and top with frosting if using.

Nutrition

Per Serving: 167 calories; 20.3 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams fat; 10.8 grams protein

Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting


Ingredients

  • 2 ounces fat free cream cheese
  • 1 TBS American Dream Nut Butter Grandma’s PB Fudge
  • 1 TBS powdered peanut butter
  • 1 ounce Unsweetened Almond Milk
  • 6 grams Simply Delish SF vanilla pudding mix
  • 50 grams nonfat greek yogurt

Directions

  1. Set out cream cheese to let it come to room temp.
  2. Mix all ingredients until smooth in an electric mixer.

Nutrition

Per Serving: 39 calories; 2.6 grams carbohydrates; 1.5 grams fat; 3.6 grams protein

Puppy Chow Recipes

American Dream Nut Butter, Food, Recipe, Treats

This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

“Why do they call it ‘Puppy Chow?'” asked my youngest. My reply was, “Honey, I have no idea.” It’s kind of a terrible name – who thinks dog food sounds appetizing? I love my dog, but I have no interest in her food!

Anyway, I recently spoke about my new cereal obsession, ADNB) and a healthier snack for the kiddos. When the kids got home from school and saw this on the counter for snack, they were pumped! They loved it! I made one batch with reduced powdered sugar and another batch with protein powder (in place of the powdered sugar).

In all seriousness, I preferred the protein powder to the powdered sugar. I don’t know if my palate has changed a bit, but the powdered sugar was just too sweet!

The protein powder recipe is more subtle in sweetness. My daughter likes the two recipes combined. My boys are in the powdered sugar only camp. Recipes for both versions are below.

On the left is the batch with protein powder, on the right is with powdered sugar.

Protein Puppy Chow

A more macro-friendly version of the beloved Puppy Chow snack.


Ingredients

  • 1 ounce dark chocolate (I used Lily’s mini chocolate chips)
  • 2 TBS Butter My Cup American Dream Nut Butter
  • 2 cups Peanut Butter Chex
  • 1 scoop vanilla protein powder (I used Ghost cereal milk flavor)

Directions

  1. Melt the chocolate chips. I did this in the microwave at 70% stirring every 30 seconds.
  2. Stir in the nut butter.
  3. Stir in the Chex
  4. Put one scoop of protein powder in a gallon-sized Ziploc baggie.
  5. Put the cereal mixture in the baggie. Zip to close and shake until the powder covers all the chocolate.
  6. Allow to cool and serve.

Nutrition

Per Serving (40 gram serving): 150 calories; 18.5 g carbohydrates; 6.2 g fat; 8.4 g protein

Reduced Sugar Puppy Chow

An equally delicious Puppy Chow recipe with less sugar!


Ingredients

  • 2 ounces dark chocolate (I used Lily’s mini chocolate chips)
  • 6 TBS Butter My Cup American Dream Nut Butter
  • 4 cups Peanut Butter Chex
  • 6 TBS powdered sugar

Directions

  1. Melt the chocolate. I used the microwave at 70%, stirring every 30 seconds
  2. Stir the peanut butter into the melted chocolate.
  3. Stir in the Chex cereal.
  4. Put the powdered sugar into a gallon-sized Ziploc baggie.
  5. Put the cereal mixture in the baggie. Zip to close and shake until the powder covers all the chocolate.
  6. Allow to cool and serve.

Nutrition

Per Serving (40 gram serving): 198 calories; 28.9 g carbohydrate; 8.9 g fat; 5.4 g protein

What I Used to Make This Recipe

American Dream Nut Butter

FITFOODIE10 for discount.

As an Amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Monster Cookie Dough Bites

American Dream Nut Butter, Food, Recipe, Treats

So I have been raving everywhere about this Monster Cookie flavor of American Dream Nut Butter. It’s no secret that I have been loving this stuff! I’m just a girl who loves herself some Peanut M&M’s, and this stuff hits that sweet spot.

Yesterday, I was craving something sweet, and this little quick and easy creation came together. I played around with ingredients a little and made these awesome protein cookie dough bites.

They were devoured! Typically I will flash freeze my dough bites and then store in the freezer. However, these didn’t make it past the pan to be frozen! I had them all balled up on the pan ready to pop in the freezer, and they started getting eaten. I managed to squire away a few to the freezer, but after dinner everyone was wanting something sweet, so they were pulled back out and polished off.

Monster Cookie Protein Dough Bites

A scary fast and easy treat to fuel and satisfy your trickster's sweetest cravings.


Ingredients

  • 1 cup rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup American Dream Nut Butter, Monster Cookie
  • 30 grams pumpkin seeds
  • 1 scoop chocolate protein powder (I used PE Science chocolate cupcake)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 TBS honey
  • 2 TBS water

Directions

  1. Mix and stir all ingredients well.
  2. Using a large cookie scoop, roll the dough into 13 balls (I am lazy and am all about the big bites, less rolling).
  3. Place the bites on a parchment lined plate or pan, and place in freezer until ready to eat. Thaw for a few minutes and enjoy!
  4. If you want to take these a step further which I do recommend, you can crush up a few M&M’s, if you have some on hand. Roll the balls in the crushed M&M’s before freezing.
  5. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Per Serving/Bite: 106 calories, 9 g carbohydrate, 5 g fat, 5.5 g protein

Use FITFOODIE10 to save yourself 10% on your order at American Dream Nut Butter.

Now go treat yoself!🍬🍪🍯

Candy Corn Cupcakes

Lifestyle, Recipe

I find the cutest foodie ideas from Shay’s blog. You see, I love to celebrate! I love to celebrate all the seasons, all the days, all the holidays. If it snows, we sit by the fire and drink hot chocolate. If it’s fall – we eat all things pumpkin and spice and take lots of walks. If it’s hot and sunny we celebrate with smoothies, ice cream, popsicles, and swim, swim, swim.

When I had babies, I felt like there was so much mundane to my days – the same thing everyday – diapers, eat, sleep, clean, and repeat. However, I learned that while the days were long, time moved fast. So I found that the key to making the most of my days, celebrating the little moments, is what made those long days special.

I no longer have babies, but I still have mundane (work, laundry, cooking, cleaning, and repeat). But life is still flying, so I am doing my best to capture the days and special moments.

Shay devotes much of her blog to living life in the same way, and I love it. She celebrates the little things and makes life (and the seemingly mundane) fun and special.

She recently posted some of her favorite fall treats recipes, and one recipe grabbed my attention – Candy Corn Bundt Cake! Candy corns and cake – I mean, for me there just isn’t anything better. Candy Corn – you either love it or you hate it, and I LOVE ITTTT!!!!

Her recipe looks delicious, but I wanted to make it more macro-friendly, which I did, while maintaining the yum! My kids were excited to come home to these treats. When I bake they will ask, “Are these real or healthy?” My answer this time? They are both – real AND healthy and not scary at all! Promise! 🤣

Delicious and macro-friendly, each cupcake (without the frosting) is a mere 70 calories, 10 carbs, 5g protein and 2g fat!

For the kids I topped them with just a dollop of white frosting, sprinkles and a candy corn. The cupcakes really stand alone though, so just a dollop is all that is needed. Make sure you use white frosting, as it needs to be white in order to complete the “corn”. 😉 To keep it more macro-friendly, I also topped some with a dollop of Fat Free Redi Whip, and this was delicious. Lastly, I made a protein glaze with vanilla protein powder, almond milk and vanilla extract.

All three are amazing topping options. Like I said before, the cupcakes are great plain as well. So however, you want to top and serve is completely up to you.

    Candy Corn Cupcakes

    A fun and healthy fall treat for you and your little tricksters.


    Ingredients

    • 1.25 cups yellow cake mix
    • 1.25 cups Kodiak cake mix
    • 1 box Simply Delish or sugar free vanilla pudding mix
    • 6 TBS liquid egg whites
    • 2 large eggs
    • 1/2 cup greek yogurt (I used Two Good Vanilla)
    • 1 tsp cake pop extract
    • 1 tsp vanilla extract

    Directions

    1. Preheat oven to 350. Prepare muffin tins.
    2. Combine all ingredients and mix well in electric mixer.
    3. Separate the batter into two bowls. One bowl add in orange food coloring. The other bowl add in yellow food coloring.
    4. With a cookie dough baller add in one scoop of orange batter in all of the muffin tins. Clean the baller and then add a scoop of yellow batter.
    5. Gently bang the tins to even the batter.
    6. Bake for 15 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out fairly clean.
    7. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely.
    8. Top with a dollop of white frosting, protein glaze or whipped topping (if serving right away), and of course a candy corn or two.

    Nutrition

    Per Serving: 70 calories; 10 g carbohydrate; 2 g fat; 5 g fat

    Happy Fall Treating!

    Pumpkin Streusel

    Recipe

    Another pumpkin recipe for you. I keep thinking I need to take a break from pumpkin, but then I’m inspired and suddenly craving more of that pumpkin flava!

    My daughter mentioned the other day having a coffee cake at a friend’s house for breakfast and how good it was. Ever since her comment, I could not stop thinking about how good a coffee cake sounded! Think I might have a problem? I think I might as well. 🤣 🤷🏼‍♀️

    I had about a cup of pumpkin leftover from a former recipe, so I decided to incorporate pumpkin into my quest to create the perfect macro friendly pumpkin coffee cake (which I actually landed on creating more of a streusel). I wasn’t feeling the thick, crumbly topping. I wanted more of a sugary topping with the sugary crunch. I love a little sugar crunch atop a softer bar, muffin or cake.

    I also love a good glaze on my coffee cake or streusel. However, I realized I am somehow out of powdered sugar!? So I thought I would up the protein and make a glaze with protein powder. I liked the result! My kids were like – “Is this icing with protein powder 😒?” However, when they had it, they all agreed the icing made the streusel even better!

    In this recipe I used this Kodiak Cakes mix as my flour base. This Buttermilk Pancake mix creates such great breads, muffins, and pancakes (obviously). It somehow manages to create foods that are both moist and fluffy.

    Give this recipe a try. It’s the perfect breakfast on a cool, fall morning or midday snack. Serve warm. This reheats very well in the microwave. Also, I find that it stores best in the refrigerator and freezes wonderfully as well!

    • Before baking with the cinnamon sugar swirl. 😍
    • Out of the oven, glazed and sprinkled. 😁
    • Looks good enough to eat!
      🍁🙋🏼‍♀️🍂

    Pumpkin Streusel

    A macro friendly yet delicious treat for those cool, fall mornings or mid-day break.

    Ingredients

      For the Cake:
    • 2 cups Kodiak Cakes Buttermilk mix
    • 2 tsp cinnamon
    • 1 tsp pumpkin spice
    • 1 cup pumpkin puree
    • 1/3 cup Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk (can sub any dairy or nondairy milk)
    • 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
    • 1 TBS vanilla extract
    • 1 large egg
      • Sugar Topping:
    • 1/4 cup brown sugar
    • 1 tsp cinnamon
      • Optional Protein Glaze Icing:
    • 1 scoop Devotion Nutrition Angel Food Cake protein powder (can sub any PP)
    • 6 TBS Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk (the PP I used gets thick really fast, so add only enough milk to create a drizzle)
    • 1/2 tsp (or dash) of vanilla extract
    • optional sprinkles for added fun and crunch

    Directions

    1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 9×9 pan with nonstick spray and parchment paper.
    2. Whisk together the Kodiak mix and spices.
    3. Whisk together all the wet ingredients.
    4. Combine and stir until smooth. Batter will be thick!!!
    5. Spread in prepared pan. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture over the top. Can swirl this in with a butter knife – leave some on top of crunch.
    6. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.
    7. Remove and let cool some before icing, and drizzle with icing, if you are using.

    Nutrition


    Per serving: 159 calories; 27 g carbohydrates; 2 g fat; 9 g protein

    Enjoy!

    Trader Joe’s Tuesday

    Recipe, Trader Joe's

    Another EASY PEEZY recipe coming at you, courtesy of Trader Joe’s fall finds. If you haven’t already concluded, I am thoroughly enjoying all the fall, seasonal items at Trader Joe’s.

    Last weekend I was not feeling super well. My allergies have gotten crazy bad. They always do this time of year. Harvest in Indiana is a very exciting time for my family, as I come from a family of farmers. However, the season sends my sinuses and allergies into full on inflamed and plugged ears, sinuses, itchy and watery eyes…Every. Single. Year. Like clockwork it happens, but I just know when it comes, it is what it is.

    John and Abigail were at a soccer tournament. The weather was rainy and cold! So I stayed home with the boys. It was the perfect weather to lay around and stay inside. While lying around, Harrison decided he wanted to bake. (?!?) How in the world he was inspired in this way I do not know. Normally I am DOWN to bake something, but that day in particular? The LAST thing I felt like doing was trying to wrangle a 5 year old boy in the kitchen, having him bake something while doing my best to prevent the entire contents of flour, or something like flour, falling on the floor.

    OK I’m maybe being slightly dramatic. He does pretty well in the kitchen actually, but I was not about to choose something complex.

    Trader Joe’s to the rescue. I knew just the thing I had been wanting to try…Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Oatmeal Cookie Mix!

    Look at how pretty and easy…3 simple ingredients…actually 4. It calls for water as well. 😉 Seriously, Trader Joe’s products are so amazing for busy moms and busy people. They do such a great job of providing quality foods with quality ingredients in a convenient package, helping us all to eat well without requiring hours spent in the kitchen.

    You know that I love to spend time in the kitchen, but life doesn’t always support this. Frankly there are times when I don’t want to be in the kitchen for hours on end. I would rather be somewhere else, doing something else, or snuggling under a cozy blanket with my loved ones.

    I mean how cute. Wouldn’t you want to cuddle with this munchkin?

    This cookie mix is Da Bomb. Sooo delicious. The chocolate chunks are the perfect ratio of dark chocolate, and they are VERY generous with amount of chunks. They weren’t kidding, calling it the Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Mix.

    I do have to warn you that, if you are on the fence with pumpkin spice flavor, you might not prefer these. They do have a strong pumpkin spice flavor to them. Though for me, the pumpkin spice flavor combined with the chocolate chunks, is perfection.

    Also, this is how incredibly lazy I was feeling…cookies just frankly sounded like too much work. LOL. Seriously. Scooping and measuring 24 cookies and baking in more than one batch was just more than I wanted to commit to doing. So we made these in a 9×13 baking pan lined with parchment paper. I’m winning at efficiency people. 😁

    Clearly this pan has been well-loved. 😉

    TJ's Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Oatmeal Bars

    • Servings: 24 bars
    • Difficulty: EASY
    • Print

    Ingredients

    • Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Oatmeal Cookie Mix
    • 8 TBS I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter Light
    • 1 large egg
    • 2-4 TBS of water (the recipe calls for 2 TBS, but the batter was so thick I added 2-4 more TBS)

    Directions

    1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9×13 pan with parchment paper.
    2. Mix all the ingredients well.
    3. Bake for 15 +/- minutes per your preference. We like our cookies and bars a little underdone and gooey. Mission accomplished at 15 minutes for us.

    Nutrition

    Per Serving: 154 calories; 21 g carbohydrates; 7.5 g fat; 2.2 g protein

    Enjoy!