Keyword: eat move live happy

Parmesan Herb Sweet Potatoes

Family Traditions

For my family, the holidays always seem to revolve around delicious food. The second an invite for a gathering goes out, the menu planning begins. Of all the holidays throughout the year, Thanksgiving is the one that we just don’t mess with in regards to the menu 😉 We eat the same thing every year, everyone has their signature dish that they like to bring, and we don’t veer from the usual.

With that being said, I’ve tried to sneak in a little something unexpected the last few years. The health nut inside of me just can’t help it! With all of the heavy casseroles filling our plates, I like to share a dish that’s light and fresh, too. One year it was roasted brussels sprouts with a maple citrus vinaigrette. Another year I took a paleo version of sweet potato casserole. This year, I’m taking these savory parmesan herb sweet potatoes. I’ve been experimenting with this recipe and after rave reviews, I’m making an executive decision to add them to the blog! These are perfect for a Friendsgiving, Thanksgiving, Christmas dinner or even a fun weeknight meal with your family.

Health Benefits

Before I share the recipe, I’d love to tell you about some of the health benefits of my favorite root veggie, the sweet potato. Many people know this versatile vegetable to be full of fiber but that’s not all! It’s also full of vitamins and minerals such as several B vitamins, C vitamins, iron, selenium, and calcium as well as an antioxidant called beta-carotene which gives it that vibrant orange color. So not only do they taste awesome, they are good for you, too!

So let’s get started, shall we?

First, you’ll want to peel 5 large sweet potatoes and slice them about 1/2 inch thick.

Next, in a gallon sized storage bag, toss in 1/2 of the sweet potatoes (I only prepped 1/2 of the sweet potatoes at a time because I couldn’t fit all of the potatoes in the bag at once) and drizzle with 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil. Then, add 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, 1/2 tsp italian seasoning, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, and salt and pepper to taste.

Seal the bag and toss them until all of the potatoes are evenly coated. Arrange them in a well oiled 13×9 baking dish. Repeat the process with the remaining sweet potatoes, oil, parmesan cheese, and seasonings. Arrange the second batch of potatoes in the same baking dish. To finish, sprinkle a tablespoon or so of fresh thyme on top and bake at 400 degrees for about an hour.

Pretty simple, right?

These herby (is that a word?) little round sweet potatoes are rock-your-world yummy and I can’t wait for you to try them! 🙂

Notes

Make sure you use freshly grated parmesan cheese. Don’t use the unrefrigerated kind because not only is it full of preservatives and junk, it doesn’t melt the same as the real stuff. Trust me on this one 😉

About 1/2 way through the cooking time, you can cover your potatoes with foil to avoid them getting too dark on top.

After an hour of baking, take them out of the oven. Poke one of the center potatoes with a fork to test it’s doneness. If the fork goes in easy, they are done! If not, let them bake a little longer and test them again.

This recipe would also taste great with a variety of other root veggies. You might try layering white potatoes, sweet potatoes, and purple sweet potatoes to switch it up a bit if you’re feeling adventurous!

Print Recipe
 Parmesan Herb Sweet Potatoes
These savory sweet potatoes are a delicious side to take to a gathering or even make at home for meal prep.
Course Side dish
Cuisine Christmas, Family Dinner, Friendsgiving, Italian, Thanksgiving
Keyword christmas dish, easy, easy recipe, eat move live happy, Friendsgiving, garlic, herb, holiday dish, italian, parmesan cheese, parmesan herb sweet potatoes, side dish, sweet potato, Thanksgiving
Prep Time 20 mins
Cook Time 1 hour
Servings
13x9 dish
Ingredients
Course Side dish
Cuisine Christmas, Family Dinner, Friendsgiving, Italian, Thanksgiving
Keyword christmas dish, easy, easy recipe, eat move live happy, Friendsgiving, garlic, herb, holiday dish, italian, parmesan cheese, parmesan herb sweet potatoes, side dish, sweet potato, Thanksgiving
Prep Time 20 mins
Cook Time 1 hour
Servings
13x9 dish
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. First, peel 5 large sweet potatoes and slice them about 1/2 inch thick.
  2. In a gallon sized storage bag, toss in 1/2 of the sweet potatoes (I only prepped 1/2 of the sweet potatoes at a time because I couldn't fit all of the potatoes in the bag at once) and drizzle with 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil.
  3. Add 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, 1/2 tsp italian seasoning, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, and salt and pepper to taste. Save the remaining cheese and seasonings for the remaining potatoes.
  4. Seal the bag and toss them until all of the potatoes are evenly coated.
  5. Arrange them in a well greased 13x9 baking dish. I used spray oil.
  6. Repeat the process with the remaining sweet potatoes, oil, parmesan cheese, and seasonings. Arrange the second batch of potatoes in the same baking dish.
  7. Sprinkle a few tablespoons of fresh thyme on top and bake at 400 degrees for about an hour. They are ready when a fork can easily go into the center of a potato.
Recipe Notes
  • Make sure you use freshly grated parmesan cheese. Don't use the unrefrigerated kind because not only is it full of preservatives and junk, it doesn't melt the same as the real stuff. Trust me on this one 😉
  • About 1/2 way through the cooking time, you can cover your potatoes with foil to avoid them getting too dark on top.
  • After an hour of baking, take them out of the oven. Poke one of the center potatoes with a fork to test it's doneness. If the fork goes in easy, they are done! If not, let them bake a little longer and test them again.
  • This recipe would also taste great with a variety of other root veggies. You might try layering white potatoes, sweet potatoes, and purple sweet potatoes to switch it up a bit if you're feeling adventurous!

Super Easy Taco Soup

Something happens to me when the weather starts to cool and football season begins. I automatically want soup or chili and all things pumpkin spice. Last week when I heard Florida was getting a “cold front” (which means temps were in the 80’s rather than high 90’s) the cravings set in. While I’ve have never made taco soup before, I’m the queen of real deal tacos. This super easy taco soup combines all the flavors of tacos you love while also incorporating veggies for heartiness and healthiness. This is a great soup to make ahead of time, too! Warm it up for an easy week night meal. Take to work for quick lunch. Make it for a get together with friends. However you choose to do it, I promise it will be a crowd pleaser!

Let’s Get Started

I used an instant pot for this recipe but if you don’t have one, you can totally do this on the stove top or in the crock pot. Here is a link to the instant pot I use and love dearly.

With the instant pot set to saute, add in the teaspoon of oil and the chopped onions. Saute them until they are soft and caramelized. At this point, add in your chopped up chicken and saute it for a few minutes with the onions. The pieces are so tiny that they will cook fast but they don’t have to be completely cooked through since you will be cooking the soup further under pressure.

*If you are doing this on the stove top, you might want to cook the chicken all the way through.

Once the chicken is ready, add in all of the remaining ingredients and stir it up. Put the lid on your instant pot and set the soup/stew setting to 5 minutes. I use the quick release on soups because they don’t have to continue cooking, but natural release won’t hurt it either.

And that’s all you have to do! See why I call it Super Easy Taco Soup? It’s almost not even a recipe because it’s so simple!

I served mine sprinkled with cheese and homemade tortilla chips but it would also pair well with cornbread, a simple sandwich, or even a salad. The options are endless. I’d love to hear how it turns out for you and how you serve it in the comments below!

Print Recipe
 Super Easy Taco Soup
This super easy taco soup is healthy, full of bold flavors, and is the perfect cozy meal to make when the autumn air begins to turn cool and crisp.
Course Soups
Cuisine Mexican, Taco Night
Keyword chicken, dairy free, easy, easy recipe, eat move live happy, taco soup, tomato
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Servings
people
Ingredients
Course Soups
Cuisine Mexican, Taco Night
Keyword chicken, dairy free, easy, easy recipe, eat move live happy, taco soup, tomato
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Servings
people
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. With the instant pot set to saute, add in the teaspoon of oil and the chopped onions. Saute them until they are soft and caramelized.
  2. Next, add in your chopped up chicken and saute it for a few minutes with the onions. The pieces are so tiny that they will cook fast but they don't have to be completely cooked through since you will be cooking the soup further under pressure.
  3. Once the chicken is ready, add in all of the remaining ingredients and stir it up. Put the lid on your instant pot and set the soup/stew setting to 5 minutes. I use the quick release on soups because they don't have to continue cooking, but natural release won't hurt it either.
  4. Serve with tortilla chips, corn bread, or anything your heart desires!
Recipe Notes
  • This recipe can also be made in a crock pot or on the stove top. You'll just adjust the recipe accordingly. 

Pumpkin Spice Scones

pumpkin spice scone

With the first day of fall quickly approaching, I am getting so excited for pumpkin season! I have no idea where the obsession with pumpkin spice EVERYTHING came into play, but I’m not mad about it. The last few years I have incorporated pumpkin into my meals in ways that I never thought possible! Pumpkin spice coffee creamer, pumpkin oatmeal, and even pumpkin chili just to name a few. It never gets old and when you taste these pumpkin scones, you’ll see why pumpkin spice is all the rave. These babies are the epitome of autumn. Each bite is a reminder of hayrides, pumpkin patches, and changing leaves. Are you ready to jump on the bandwagon yet??

Lets Get Started

As you know from one of my previous posts, I am a huge fan of sourdough anything. These pumpkin spice scones call for 1/2 a cup of sourdough starter but if you don’t have a starter at home, you can substitute milk keifer or kombucha as mentioned here (both are available at most grocery stores).

You’ll start by mixing the sourdough starter (or substitute), pumpkin, vanilla, and maple extract together in a bowl. Set aside.

Next, mix the dry ingredients (flour, coconut sugar, cream of tarter, baking soda salt, and pumpkin pie spice) together in a food processor. Cut your cold butter into small cubes and one by one, drop them into the food processor, pulsing each time to cut the butter into the flour mixture. I used Kerrygold grass-fed butter for this recipe.

pumpkin spice scones

Once all of the butter is added (it doesn’t have to be totally combined at this point), turn the mixture out into the bowl with the wet ingredients and stir together until combined.

On a parchment lined cookie sheet, form a ball with the dough and press it out into a disk, about 1 inch thick. You might have to wet your hands to prevent it from sticking. Cover with an oiled piece of plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, but overnight is better.

pumpkin spice scone

Once chilled, take out the disk of dough and cut it into 12 equal triangles. Using a spatula, pick up each pumpkin spice scone and separate them on the cookie sheet so they aren’t touching.

Bake them in a 400 degree oven for about 15 minutes. Once they have cooled, you can eat them as is, or drizzle them with the pumpkin spice glaze for a little added sweetness. Without the glaze, these scones are not very sweet, so this is a preference thing.

pumpkin spice scones

Recipe adapted from The Good Hearted Woman

Print Recipe
 Pumpkin Spice Scones
These pumpkin spice scones are perfectly paired with a warm cup of coffee when the temperatures start to drop and you begin craving those wonderful fall flavors.
Course Sweets
Cuisine Dessert
Keyword easy, eat move live happy, Healthy dessert, Healthy sweets, pumpkin, pumpkin spice, refined sugar free
Prep Time 20 minutes plus chill time
Cook Time 15 minutes
Servings
scones
Ingredients
For the pumpkin spice scones
For the glaze:
Course Sweets
Cuisine Dessert
Keyword easy, eat move live happy, Healthy dessert, Healthy sweets, pumpkin, pumpkin spice, refined sugar free
Prep Time 20 minutes plus chill time
Cook Time 15 minutes
Servings
scones
Ingredients
For the pumpkin spice scones
For the glaze:
Instructions
To make the scones:
  1. You'll start by mixing the sourdough starter (or substitute), pumpkin, vanilla, and maple extract together in a bowl. Set aside.
  2. Next, mix the dry ingredients (flour, coconut sugar, cream of tarter, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice) together in a food processor. Cut your butter into small cubes and one by one, drop them into the food processor, pulsing each time to cut the butter into the flour mixture.
  3. Once all of the butter is added (it doesn't have to be totally combined at this point), turn the mixture out into the bowl with the wet ingredients and stir together until combined.
  4. On a parchment lined cookie sheet, form a ball with the dough and press it out into a disk, about 1 inch thick. You might have to wet your hands to prevent it from sticking. Cover with an oiled piece of plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, but overnight is better.
  5. Once chilled, take out the disk of dough and cut it into 12 equal triangles. Using a spatula, pick up each pumpkin spice scone and separate them on the cookie sheet so they aren't touching.
  6. Bake them in a 400 degree oven for about 15 minutes. Allow to cool.
To make the glaze:
  1. Once they have cooled, you can eat them as is, or drizzle them with the pumpkin spice glaze for a little added sweetness. Without the glaze, these scones are not very sweet, so this is a preference thing.
  2. Combine the maple syrup, pumpkin spice, and pumpkin puree in a small bowl. Drizzle on top of the scone. Enjoy!

Easy Peach-Mango Salsa

If you follow me on social media, you know that I’m a sucker for tacos. We have tacos at least once a week in our house. The key to not getting bored with them is mixing up the flavor combos. We use chicken, beef, pork, fish, and sometimes black beans as the protein source. If you missed it, I shared my homemade taco seasoning mix here and you can add it to anything to get that authentic taco flavor. I try to get creative with sauces and salsas to change up the flavors. This peach-mango salsa is the perfect complement to your summer time taco night and pairs well with any protein source you choose. The bold flavor and sweetness will have your taste buds doing a happy dance!

Peaches are currently in season and I recently bought a hefty amount of them at a local roadside stand. These peaches were by far the best I’ve ever had in my entire life! Seriously, I can’t get over it. I guess I’ve only ever bought grocery store peaches and the difference is not even comparable. That being said, I’ve been trying to incorporate them in every meal so they don’t go bad before we eat them.

The inspiration from this easy peach-mango salsa comes from an entree I order from Bonefish Grill. My hubby and I love going there on date-night. I sometimes order the salmon with mango salsa and it blows my mind how well the salsa compliments the fish. I wanted to recreate the taste so I came up with this simple, tangy, delicious peach-mango salsa. With only a few ingredients, you’ll have the perfect pairing for your tacos, tortilla chips, or anything else your heart desires!

Notes:

This recipe is beyond simple. It only requires chopping a few ingredients and adding in your favorite salsa. I used restaurant style salsa because I love the texture. But you can use whatever salsa you want.

Print Recipe
 Easy Peach-Mango Salsa
This peach-mango salsa is the perfect complement to your summer time taco night. The bold flavor and sweetness of the fruit, lime, and cilantro will have your taste buds doing a happy dance.
Course Condiments, Sauces
Cuisine Taco Night
Keyword cilantro, easy, easy recipe, easy salsa, eat move live happy, lime, mango, peach, salsa, sauce, tomato
Prep Time 10 minutes
Servings
cups
Ingredients
Course Condiments, Sauces
Cuisine Taco Night
Keyword cilantro, easy, easy recipe, easy salsa, eat move live happy, lime, mango, peach, salsa, sauce, tomato
Prep Time 10 minutes
Servings
cups
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Chop up the peach, mango, tomato and cilantro. Set a pinch of the cilantro aside for garnish.
  2. Place the chopped ingredients in a bowl with 1/2 cup of your favorite salsa and the juice of the 1/4 lime. Stir until combined.
  3. Finish off with a pinch of cilantro and it's ready to eat!
  4. Store any extra salsa in a jar in the fridge for 2-3 days.

Healthy{ish} Ooey Gooey S’mores Bars

Some treats I bake are healthier than others. This is one of those treats that is healthier for your soul than your body and in my opinion, those are the best kind!

These are dairy free if you use dairy free chocolate chips (Enjoy Life brand are my favorite) and can be made gluten free if you use gluten free oats and marshmallows.

These bars have 3 layers- a cookie layer, a chocolate layer, and a toasted marshmallow layer with some added goodness on top to really bring it home 🙂

In other words, they ROCK! My trusty taste testers loved them, I loved them, and you’ll love them!

Here’s how to make them:

First, you will make your cookie layer. This is the part where you will use the almond pulp that you have left over from my almond milk recipe. If you don’t have almond pulp, no worries! Just use the same amount of almond flour and it will still turn out great. When I bake, I usually only use one bowl instead of combining all the dry ingredients then all the wet ingredients separately. I know in some cases it’s necessary but for this recipe, we’re just throwing it all in one bowl and calling it a day!

To a bowl you will add the oats, almond pulp, coconut flour, salt, beaten eggs, vanilla, coconut sugar, milk, and baking powder. Stir it until combined.

In a well-greased 8×8 baking dish, add the batter, pressing it down into a thin layer with your fingers. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Right after taking it out of the oven, while it’s still hot, sprinkle the chocolate chips on top. After the heat of the cookie layer melts the chocolate, spread it into a thin layer, covering all of the cookie.

Next, turn on your broiler. While it’s warming up and while the cookie layer and chocolate are still hot, you will sprinkle the marshmallows on top of the chocolate. Place the dish on the middle rack of your oven, under the broiler. Don’t walk away! This takes less than a minute so you will want to stand there and watch to make sure you don’t burn the marshmallows. Once they are toasted, take them out of the oven and sprinkle with a few tablespoons of mini chocolate chips and crumbled up graham crackers. The link to my homemade graham crackers is here.

You will want them to cool before cutting. But if you absolutely can’t wait (speaking from experience), you can cut them while they are warm if you don’t mind getting a little messy.

Print Recipe
 Ooey Gooey S'mores Bars
These s'mores bars are the perfect indoor s'mores treat for you and your family (or just you). They can be made gluten free and dairy free.
Course Sweets
Cuisine Dessert, Sweets
Keyword eat move live happy, gluten free, graham crackers, Healthy dessert, Healthy sweets, s'mores, s'mores bars
Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 30 mins
Servings
bars
Ingredients
Cookie Layer
Chocolate Layer
Marshmallow Layer
Garnish
Course Sweets
Cuisine Dessert, Sweets
Keyword eat move live happy, gluten free, graham crackers, Healthy dessert, Healthy sweets, s'mores, s'mores bars
Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 30 mins
Servings
bars
Ingredients
Cookie Layer
Chocolate Layer
Marshmallow Layer
Garnish
Instructions
For the cookie layer:
  1. To a bowl you will add the oats, almond pulp, coconut flour, salt, beaten eggs, vanilla, coconut sugar, milk, and baking powder. Stir it until combined.
  2. In a well-greased 8x8 baking dish, add the batter, pressing it down into a thin layer with your fingers. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
For the chocolate layer:
  1. Right after taking the cookie layer out of the oven, while it's still hot, sprinkle the chocolate chips on top. After the heat of the cookie layer melts the chocolate, spread it into a thin layer, covering all of the cookie.
For the marshmallow layer:
  1. Next, turn on your broiler. While it's warming up and while the cookie layer and chocolate are still hot, you will sprinkle the marshmallows on top of the chocolate. Place the dish on the middle rack of your oven, under the broiler. Don't walk away! This takes less than a minute so you will want to stand there and watch to make sure you don't burn the marshmallows. You will take it out when the marshmallows are toasted brown but before they are burnt.
Garnish
  1. Once the marshmallows are toasted, take them out of the oven and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of mini chocolate chips and the crumbled graham crackers. Allow to cool before cutting. Enjoy!

Homemade Graham Crackers

With National S’mores Day coming up soon, I have s’mores on my mind more than usual and to have s’mores, you need graham crackers. And not to be the ingredient police, but have you looked at the list of ingredients of store bought graham crackers? While I know I won’t die from eating the boxed ones, I wanted to give it a go at making my own to see if I could come up with something close that had wholesome ingredients. Not only did these turn out pretty darn tasty, my kids liked them, too. And by liked I mean loved. And by loved I mean they wouldn’t stop eating them. They were like two little scavengers sneaking bites when I wasn’t looking and eating them so fast I was thinking there wouldn’t be anymore to photograph for this post. That’s a mom win in my book!

I will be posting a fun s’mores recipe later today which calls for crumbled graham crackers. You can make these ahead of time so they are ready to go for that! I’ll link that recipe here once it’s up.

These are a little more time consuming than store bought obviously but totally worth the time in my opinion.

Here’s how to make them:

First you will toast your oats. To do this, lay your oats in a thin layer on a rimmed cookie sheet. Toast them in the oven for about 10 minutes at 350 degrees. After 10 minutes, stir them around, and toast another 5 minutes. Let them cool for a few minutes. They don’t have to be totally cooled for the next step. I only cooled mine for about 5 minutes before moving on.

Next, add the warm oats to the food processor and pulse until you have a rough flour consistency. It should look like this:

Leave the oats in the food processor and add in the brown sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, oil, and maple syrup. Pulse until combined. You will then add water, 1 tablespoon at a time until a dough forms. I ended up using 3 tablespoons of water for mine. You want to be able to roll it out without it crumbling but you also don’t want it sticking to your fingers. Go slow with the water and remember you can always add more but you can’t take it out.

Once you have a the right consistency, turn the dough out onto a piece of parchment paper. and form it into a ball. Roll it with a rolling pin to about 1/4 inch thick. Using a knife, cut them into 2.5 inch squares.

Transfer the squares to a parchment lined baking sheet.

To make them look like real graham crackers, press a toothpick lengthwise down the center of each square, going about a 1/4th of the way down. Then use a fork to add the dots on each side of the line, also only going about 1/4th of the way down.

Now they are ready to bake! Place them in the oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, turn the pan and bake another 10 minutes. They will feel slightly soft fresh out of the oven but they crisp up as they cool. We even thought they tasted better the next day when they crisped up even more.

They will stay fresh for about 3-4 days in an airtight container.

Print Recipe
 Homemade Graham Crackers
These thin, crispy graham crackers are perfect for making s'mores, spreading with peanut butter, or just eating plain.
Course Sweets
Cuisine Dessert, Sweets
Keyword eat move live happy, gluten free, graham crackers, Healthy dessert, Healthy sweets, refined sugar free, s'mores, s'mores bars
Prep Time 45 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Servings
graham crackers
Ingredients
Course Sweets
Cuisine Dessert, Sweets
Keyword eat move live happy, gluten free, graham crackers, Healthy dessert, Healthy sweets, refined sugar free, s'mores, s'mores bars
Prep Time 45 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Servings
graham crackers
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. 1. First you will toast the oats. To do this, lay your oats in a thin layer on a rimmed cookie sheet. Toast them in the oven for about 10 minutes at 350 degrees. After 10 minutes, stir them around, and toast another 5 minutes. Let them cool for a few minutes before using.
  2. 2. Next, add the warm oats to the food processor and pulse until you have a rough flour consistency.
  3. 3. Keeping the oats in the food processor, add in the brown sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, oil, and maple syrup. Pulse until combined. You will then add water, 1 tablespoon at a time until a dough forms.
  4. 4. Once you have a the right consistency, turn the dough out onto a piece of parchment paper. and form it into a ball. Roll it with a rolling pin to about 1/4 inch thick. Using a knife, cut them into 2.5 inch squares.
  5. 5. Transfer the squares to a parchment lined baking sheet.
  6. 6. To make them look like real graham crackers, press a toothpick lengthwise down the center of each square, going about a 1/4th of the way down. Then use a fork to add the dots on each side of the line, also only going about 1/4th of the way down.
  7. 7. Place them in the oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, turn the pan and bake another 10 minutes. They will feel slightly soft fresh out of the oven but they crisp up as they cool. Enjoy!

Homemade Almond Milk

This almond milk recipe is maybe the easiest thing you’ll ever make in your kitchen!

I know that nothing is easier than buying a carton of milk from the grocery store. And I’ll be honest, I buy milk allllll the time at the store so I’m in no way trying to make you feel bad if you have never made your own. But just in case you’re interested in making your own, I’m here to let you know it’s super simple and worth trying.

One reason I became interested in making my own milk is because I couldn’t pronounce some of the ingredients in the store bought milk I was buying and I’m not a fan of that. When I make my own, the ingredients are almonds and water. That’s it! So I feel better about putting it in my body and I know where it came from and that’s important to me.

Here’s how you do it:

First, soak your almonds overnight. This part is easy. Put 1/2 cup of almonds in a glass jar, cover them with water, and let them soak while you sleep. In the morning, drain and rinse them and they will be ready to go!

In the past I have taken all the skins off each almond after soaking. It’s not hard, but it’s a little time consuming. With my most recent round, I left the skins on and there is absolutely zero difference in taste so I will be doing it this way for now on.

After rinsing, place them in your blender with 2.5 cups of filtered water. Blend on high speed for about 5 mins. This is the step where you can add flavor if you wish. I sometimes add a splash of vanilla extract and it’s a great addition .

The last step is to strain it so you can separate the almond pulp from the liquid. I use this milk bag and I love it! [Side note: It’s actually called a “nut milk bag”. Doesn’t that sound disgusting? The term “nut milk”‘ is not the most appealing term when it comes to food! I’ll leave it at that. Haha!]

So anyways, straight from the blender you will pour the milk into the nut bag with a large container under it to catch your milk as it goes through the bag. Lightly squeeze the bag until all the liquid is out and all you have left in the bag is the almond pulp. You can go on Pinterest and find tons of recipes that use almond pulp so don’t throw it out! I will be posting a few fun recipes on the blog soon and I’ll link them here when they are available.

Transfer the milk to a glass jar with a tight fitting lid and store in your fridge for up to 4 days.

Pretty easy right?

*This recipe makes about 2.5 cups of milk. If you want more, just double it. But I have found that it only lasts a few days in the fridge before it goes bad so I make small batches to ensure it stays fresh.

Print Recipe
 Homemade Almond Milk
This almond milk is so creamy and delicious and so easy to make. It will have you wondering why you ever buy but milk at the store!
Course Condiments
Cuisine Beverages
Keyword dairy free, eat move live happy
Prep Time 10 Mins
Servings
Cups
Ingredients
Course Condiments
Cuisine Beverages
Keyword dairy free, eat move live happy
Prep Time 10 Mins
Servings
Cups
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Soak your almonds overnight. Put 1/2 cup of almonds in a glass jar, cover them with water, and let them soak while you sleep.
  2. In the morning, drain and rinse them.
  3. After rinsing, place them in your blender with 2.5 cups of filtered water. Blend on high speed for about 5 mins.
  4. Use a milk bag (linked above) to strain the almonds. Lightly squeeze the bag until all the liquid is out and all you have left in the bag is the almond pulp. Don't discard the pulp!
  5. Transfer the milk to a glass jar with a tight fitting lid and store in your fridge for up to 4 days.

Healthy Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread

This healthy banana bread recipe is sure to rock your world! Well, it rocked mine anyways. It’s gluten free and refined sugar free and it’s even been given a thumbs up by my kiddos (that’s REALLY saying something). I’ve been playing around with banana bread recipes for a while now and while I have loved them all, this one deserves to be shared with you! And the best part?? I only used one bowl so clean-up is a breeze!

Banana bread is one of those things that I always love having around and the great news is, this recipe is healthy and made with good-for-you ingredients that you can feel good about putting into your body.

I made this loaf with a few bananas that had ripened while we were away in the Bahamas for a few days. When we got home, they were sitting on the counter practically begging to be baked into this glorious banana bread, so I couldn’t let them down, right?! Make sure when you get ready to make this recipe, your bananas are super spotty or close to black. Sounds so gross but it really is the secret to great banana bread.

Soooo, are we ready to get baking??

Okay good! Me too!

First, you want to mash your super ripe bananas in a mixing bowl. I use a fork and go to town until most of the lumps are out (a few are okay). Next, add in the eggs and whisk them up with the bananas until they are mixed well. In the same bowl, add the almond flour, gluten free flour, and baking powder, vanilla, and salt. Stir until combined.

In a separate small bowl (I used a ramekin), add in the cinnamon and coconut sugar and stir it up. Don’t add this to the batter. This is going to be for that smiling cinnamon layer in the center of your loaf.

Told you it smiles 🙂

In a well-sprayed loaf pan, add 1/2 of the batter. Sprinkle 1/2 of your cinnamon/sugar mixture on top. Make sure all the batter is covered. Then add the other 1/2 of the batter to the loaf pan and sprinkle the remaining cinnamon/ sugar mixture to the top, again covering all the batter. Put your loaf pan in the preheated oven and bake for 50 mins. The cinnamon and sugar top should be dark and crispy. If it is, you did everything right!

Keep scrolling for the printable recipe and be sure to let me know in the comments how it turned out!

Print Recipe
 Healthy Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread
This healthy banana bread has the perfect blend of sweetness and cinnamon to make this a family favorite! It's gluten-free, dairy free and refined sugar-free, too!
Course Sweets
Cuisine Dessert, Sweets
Keyword banana bread, cinnamon swirl, dairy free, eat move live happy, gluten free, Healthy dessert, Healthy sweets, refined sugar free
Prep Time 30 mins
Cook Time 50 mins
Servings
loaf
Ingredients
For the batter:
For the swirl/topping
Course Sweets
Cuisine Dessert, Sweets
Keyword banana bread, cinnamon swirl, dairy free, eat move live happy, gluten free, Healthy dessert, Healthy sweets, refined sugar free
Prep Time 30 mins
Cook Time 50 mins
Servings
loaf
Ingredients
For the batter:
For the swirl/topping
Instructions
  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees while you make your batter. 1. First, you want to mash the super ripe bananas in a mixing bowl until most of the lumps are out (a few are okay). 2. Next, add in the eggs and whisk them up with the bananas until they are mixed well. 3. In the same bowl, add the almond flour, gluten free flour, baking powder, vanilla, and salt. Stir until combined. 4. In a separate small bowl, add in the cinnamon and coconut sugar and stir it up. Don't add this to the batter. This is going to be for that smiling cinnamon layer in the center of your loaf. 5. In a well-sprayed loaf pan, add 1/2 of the batter. 6. Sprinkle 1/2 of your cinnamon/sugar mixture on top. Make sure all the batter is covered. 7. Add the other 1/2 of the batter to the loaf pan and sprinkle the remaining cinnamon/sugar mixture to the top, again covering all the batter. 8. Put your loaf pan in the preheated oven and bake for 50 mins. When it's done, the cinnamon and sugar top should be dark and crispy. If it is, you did everything right! 9. Let it cool for at least 30 mins and slice into 8 slices. ENJOY!
Recipe Notes

Make sure you use super ripe, or almost black bananas for best results.

 

Lemon Rosemary Roasted Chicken

This whole chicken recipe has been one that is tried and true in our household and I wanted to share it with you because something this good shouldn’t be kept a secret!

I’ve tested the recipe over and over again to make sure it’s perfect, and I feel like it just keeps getting better and better. Even my 6 year old can’t stop eating it when I’m cutting it up for dinner time. He reminds me of the dad on A Christmas Story who can’t stay away from the turkey!

The key to making this amazing chicken recipe is using a cast iron dutch oven. I was gifted mine for Christmas from my mama but this is the link to the exact one. I used to bake chicken in a regular pan before and while it was really good, this dutch oven is a game changer. If you don’t have one, just bake it in a pan. You’ll still get amazing results!

To prep your chicken, you’ll want to loosen the skin by sliding your fingers under it. It’s a dirty job but somebody’s gotta do it!

Under the skin you’ll rub in few cloves of roasted garlic and put in a few sprigs of rosemary to infuse the meat as it cooks. On top of the skin, I like to sprinkle it with lots of seasonings. I don’t measure this part but you’ll want to be liberal with the garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, and sea salt. Then thinly slice 1 lemon and place them all over the top of the chicken. It should look something like this…

Once it’s ready, you are going to put it in the oven at 475 degrees for 15 mins. Then reduce the heat to 350 degrees and bake it for an additional 20 mins for every pound. So a 4 pound chicken will need an additional 80 mins. You’ll bake it without the lid but if it starts to get too dark on top, you can put the lid on to avoid burning.

Once it’s done cooking and reaches an internal temp of 165 degrees, you’ll take it out of the oven and let it rest for about 20 minutes before cutting it. This is an important step because it lets all the juices settle so they don’t run all over your cutting board instead of in your mouth. Ha!

Notes:

If you’d like to make this a whole meal in one pot, you can add veggies like carrots, onions, and/or potatoes under and around the chicken before you put it in the oven. Those veggies will absorb the flavors of the chicken and spices and will taste amazing!

To roast the garlic, drizzle a few cloves in olive oil, add them to foil and make a little packet. Roast it at 450 for 20 mins. It should come out caramelized, brown(ish), and soft.

If your lemons slide off, secure them with a toothpick. You can remove the toothpick before serving.

Remember, you’ll bake the chicken for 15 mins at 475 then an additional 20 mins at 350 for every pound that your chicken weighs. When it’s done, the internal temp of your chicken should be 165.

Print Recipe
 Lemon Rosemary Roasted Chicken
This chicken recipe is cooked in a cast iron dutch oven and is sure to be a crowd favorite!
Course Main Dish
Keyword chicken, eat move live happy, garlic, lemon, rosemary
Prep Time 10 min
Cook Time 95 min (depending on the size of your chicken)
Servings
chicken
Ingredients
Course Main Dish
Keyword chicken, eat move live happy, garlic, lemon, rosemary
Prep Time 10 min
Cook Time 95 min (depending on the size of your chicken)
Servings
chicken
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Step 1: Prep your chicken. You'll want to loosen the skin by sliding your fingers under it. It's a dirty job but somebody's gotta do it! Step 2: Under the skin you'll rub in few cloves of roasted garlic and put in 2 sprigs of rosemary to infuse the meat as it cooks. Step 3: On top of the skin, sprinkle with lots of seasonings. You'll want to be liberal with the garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, and sea salt. Step 4: Thinly slice the lemon and place the slices on top of the chicken. Add the last sprig of rosemary to the top. Step 5: Put it in the oven at 475 degrees for 15 mins. Then reduce the heat to 350 degrees and bake it for an additional 20 mins for every pound. See recipe notes. You'll bake it without the lid but if it starts to get too dark on top, you can put the lid on to avoid burning.

Lemon Garlic Cashew Sauce

This sauce is seriously the yummiest, creamiest, most delicious non-cheese sauce my taste buds have ever experienced. I’ll be honest, I’m not opposed to eating dairy at all. I actually love it. But I also love dishes that don’t have it. I’ve experimented with recipes that meet the guidelines of all different ways of eating simply because they sound delicious. This creamy cashew sauce is vegan, paleo, and Whole30 if you’re into that but it’s also just plain delicious if you’re not.

I first started making is sauce about a year ago and the first time I made it, it knocked my socks off. I’ve changed the recipe a little bit and this version is probably my favorite so far.

We’ll start with the garlic. This recipe calls for roasted garlic because raw garlic is a little too overpowering and it’s all you taste. With the roasted garlic, the flavor is there but subtle. The best part is, roasting garlic is super easy! Just lay out a piece of foil, put the whole cloves of garlic on top and drizzle with oil. Wrap it up like a little packet and roast it in the oven at 350 degrees for about 30 mins. It should be slightly brown and easy to mash when it’s ready. Your house will smell amazing, too.

For the cashews, this recipe calls for them to be soaked. This is as simple as putting them in a glass jar, covering with water, and letting them soak. I soaked mine overnight but even a few hours will do the trick. To tell the truth, I’ve made this with frozen cashews before and it was amazing so you really can’t screw it up! After soaking, drain and rinse them before adding to the food processor/blender.

That’s it for the prep work! The rest of the recipe just has you adding all of the ingredients to the food processor and blending it for about 5 minutes until it’s thick and creamy. After it’s blended, you can warm it up if desired, or eat it room temp. Personally, I like to pour it over spaghetti squash or pasta and just let the heat of that warm it up.

I can’t wait to hear your thoughts on this recipe after giving it a try!

Print Recipe
 Lemon Garlic Cashew Sauce
This thick and creamy cashew sauce tastes delicious on meats, veggies, pasta and more!
Course Sauces
Keyword cashew, eat move live happy, garlic, lemon, sauce
Prep Time 15 minutes
Servings
cups
Ingredients
Course Sauces
Keyword cashew, eat move live happy, garlic, lemon, sauce
Prep Time 15 minutes
Servings
cups
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. 1. Drain your cashews and rinse. 2. Add all ingredients to a food processor or high speed blender and blend for about 5 minutes until all of the ingredients are combined. Stop periodically to scrape the sides. You may need to add more milk to reach the desired consistency. It's best when it's thick but still pourable. 3. You may use this sauce right away or store in a jar in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.