15
Nov 2012

Apple Cinnamon Sweet Bread (Skinnier!)

November 15, 2012 By 7 Comments

It’s 5:30 on a busy weekday night, the grocery bags are sitting on the kitchen floor and the boys are destroying the playroom creating forts, and boats, and mini restaurants, so let’s keep this short and sweet. I cannot bake, but for some reason I make a mean sweet bread.

This is lighter and a bit healthier than your average sweet bread and full of apple cinnamon for the season.

Enjoy!

XO,

Bree

Here’s What You Need:
1 1/2 cups flour
1/3 cup of organic sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsps cinnamon + 1 extra tsp
10oz of apple yogurt (like Chobani*) or 2 large ripe bananas
2/3 cup of organic cinnamon applesauce (Preferably a chunky variety)
+ ¼ cup extra for topping
2 eggs
1/3 cup of vegetable oil
1 tsp of vanilla

*This is abou 1.5 small containers. Be sure to really stir well!

Here’s What You Do:
Preheat the oven to 350. Mix the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, sugar and salt together. Whisk the eggs, vanilla, oil, yogurt or smashed bananas, and applesauce together until smooth. If you like add 1 more tsp of cinnamon. Stir in the dry ingredients. Pour into a 9×5 pan coated with cooking spray. I topped the bread with ¼ cup of applesauce and then “swirled” it around. Bake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes or until your fork comes out dry. (Check every 15 minutes starting at 45 minutes) Let the bread cool and then shake onto a plate. (It may be helpful to loosen the sides first)

Kid Tip:
My boys adored this and I hope your kids do too! To reheat it in the morning, pop it in the microwave for 15 seconds and top with a smidge of Best Life Spread. Yum :)

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Filed Under: Apple Cinnamon Sweet Bread Tagged With: ,
15
Aug 2012

Grapefruit “Julius”

August 15, 2012 By 8 Comments

Have you ever had an Orange Julius?

You know the citrusy, icy concoctions that you find at the mall?

They are good and refreshing, but did you know that a medium has 290 calories and 80 grams of sugar? (As in over FIVE tablespoons)Um, yep.

And I have always said, “Don’t drink your calories!”

So not worth it when you can save them up for some awesome pizza instead?

 Of course!

So try my Grapefruit Julius…Your waistline will thank me ;) !

Speaking of pizza, however, my employees were in town  last week and we had a great lunch at my favorite pizza restaurant, followed with some awesome brainstorming and serious getting down to business.

I love the power of strong, intelligent women and I am lucky to work with a handful of some extra super ones.

‘Hope you are also surrounded by some fantastic women in your life!

XO,

B

Here’s What You Need:
1 Can Grapefruit Zevia*
1 cup ice
1 cup Adonia Vanilla Greek Yogurt*

Here’s What You Do:
Blend ingredients and sip with straw in the sunshine!
*Both websites give store locations. I found Adonia at my local grocery store and Target and Zevia at the local organic grocery. Both worth every penny!

Kid Tip:
I don’t subscribe to giving kids soda because of all the c.r.a.p. in it, but I can make an exception for all natural Zevia on a special occassion!

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 Happy Nutritional Info: 0 grams of fat and only 65 calories!

Filed Under: Grapefruit "Julius" Tagged With:
28
Jun 2012

Better For You Floats

June 28, 2012 By 10 Comments

When the temperature tips 90 and the humidity rises up to meet it and people gather around the air conditioner complaining about the heat

I say, ” Bring. It. On.”

I absolutely love a good, hot summer day, grateful I survived another Wisconsin winter and silently convincing myself that I was Mexican in another life and don’t belong in cold. I even crack my window so I can let a bit of the hot humid air to sneak past the air conditioner and into my office to remind me it is officially summer. 

I heart summer, no doubt about it.  

When I was in Panama Andy took the boys out for rootbeer floats, which they can’t stop talking about.

I am not a huge fan of soda for kids, obviously, but gosh I have great memories myself of my mom making us Coke floats on a  hot day. So…one hot evening last week I came up with these Better For You Floats that we sat sipping on the deck… 

and they did the trick.

Here’s What You Need:
Ciao Bella Adonia Vanilla Frozen Greek Yogurt
All Natural Zevia soda (your favorite flavor)
A tall glass, a long spoon, and a straw!

Here’s What You Do:
Scoop frozen yogurt into a large glass and pour soda over. Enjoy!

Kid Tip:
Aside from not telling them this is a healthy float, no tips are really needed!

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Filed Under: Better For You Floats
09
May 2012

Blackberry Citrus Bread

May 9, 2012 By 20 Comments

Yesterday was a sad day at our house.

I woke up to a horrible screeching that sounded like someone screaming, “Mom!” I opened both the boys’ doors to find them fast asleep in their beds. When the screeching continued, I gingerly walked downstairs, finding my kitty, Romeo, crying out in this primal, human-like way. His back legs were completely paralyzed and he was struggling to stand, frightened, and lurching forward. A horrible morning ensued  the two boys and me  in the vet’s office with the kitty howling and the boys running around me –and no one seeing us for an  hour and a half. It was miserable watching my sweet kitty suffering. Two hours later, he was gone. The same way we lost his little brother-to congestive heart failure. He was the kind of cat that never hissed a time in his life and loved to sit on people’s laps, purring so loudly you could hear him in the next room. We will miss you Romi baby! I am so glad you are in Kitty Heaven with your brother Zorro.

Now for a Sunshine recipe on a sad day….Blackberry Citrus Bread.

Here’s What You Need:
1 1/2 cups flour1/3 cup of sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsps cinnamon
2 containers of Pineaapple or Lemon Chobani Greek Yogurt
Juice & zest of 1 lemon
2 eggs
Honey
1/3 cup of vegetable oil
1/2 tsp of vanilla
60z fresh blackberries

Here’s What You Do:
Preheat the oven to 350. Mix the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, sugar and salt together. Whisk the eggs, vanilla, oil, 1 TBS of honey, lemon juice and zest together until smooth. Stir in the yogurt until completely mixed in. Very gently stir in the blackberries and then mix with the dry ingredients. Pour into a 9×5 pan coated with cooking spray. I topped with a generous squirt of honey and “swirled” it around. Bake for 45 minutes-1 hour or until your fork comes out dry. Let the bread cool and then shake onto a plate. (It may be helpful to loosen the sides first).

This was really good! I was super excited about how “professional” it looked and tasted, because I love lemon loafs. I am going to serve this for Mother’s Day when my guests are arriving.

Kid Tip:
I wish I would have just said, “Yes” when my son asked if these were raspberries, which he likes. For some reason he decided he didn’t like blackberries and so he loved this bread if I cut around them. Geez…So, next time raspberries it is! (This is good for breakfast or for a treat.)

Romeo and Zorro (Presents from Andy...)

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Filed Under: Blackberry Citrus Bread
26
Apr 2012

Skinny Raspberry Banana Bread

April 26, 2012 By 14 Comments

I cannot bake. At all. In fact, I royally suck at it. I don’t have the patience to wait and I certainly don’t like following directions. Therefore, I pretty much stick to “no bake” treats. Banana breads, on the other hand, I have pretty much mastered. I am pretty sure it has more to do with the simplicity of them than any bit of fabulousness on my part, but regardless this newest creation Skinny Raspberry Banana Bread is divine. The best part of this recipe is that you can tweak it however you like. Sub in a different flavor applesauce or instead of rasberries try blueberries, dark chocolate chips (just a few!), or walnuts. Let me know what you come up with using this simple, skinny formula…

Here’s What You Need:
1 1/2 cups flour
1/3 cup of sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsps cinnamon
2 large ripe bananas
2/3 cup of all natural applesauce (I used strawberry flavor.)
2 eggs
1/3 cup of vegetable oil
1 tsp of v anilla
2/3 cup of frozen organic raspberries
All natural raspberry jam (optional, but recommended)

Here’s What You Do:
Preheat the oven to 350. Mix the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, sugar and salt together. Whisk the eggs, vanilla, oil, smashed bananas and applesauce together until smooth. Mix in the raspberries and then stir in the dry ingredients. Pour into a 9×5 pan coated with cooking spray. I topped with about 1/3 cup of all natural raspberry preserves and “swirled” it around. Bake for 45 minutes-1 hour or until your fork comes out dry. Let the bread cool and then shake onto a plate. (It may be helpful to loosen the sides first)

Kid Tip:
My kids are huge fans of banana bread as snacks and as breakfast. If your kids are skinny minis like mine, microwave a piece for about 10 seconds and then top with butter. (For you sub in Best Life Spread)

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Filed Under: skinny dessert, Skinny Rasberry Banana Bread Tagged With:
19
Apr 2012

A Mini Dose of Peanut Buster Parfait

April 19, 2012 By 15 Comments


I have this hilarious memory of my mom being pregant with my little sister and saying to my dad,
“The baby wants a Peanut Buster Parfait!”
These big dishes of ice cream, chocolate and peanuts from Dairy Queen are pretty delicious, so I can completely  understand why the baby wanted one. They are, sadly, 31 grams of fat and 730 calories. Yikes!

I came up with this Mini Dose of Peanut Buster Parfait that aside from the nuts*, is fat FREE! The little size is absolutely perfect too, as you usually just need a few bites of dessert to satisfy that need for something a little sweet after a savory dinner. I do have to admit that I just ate one for lunch, but not feeling entirely guilty because it is Skinny!

Here’s What You Need: (For 1, but so easy to replicate and fun to serve at a dinner party)
Frozen Greek Yogurt (Adonia Vanilla Fat Free from Ciao Bella  is amazing!)
Carmel topping (fat free)
Chocolate syrup (fat free)
Peanuts*
Glass shot glass

*The Skinny on Peanuts:
Do peanuts have fat? Sure they do! But it is monounsaturated fat, which is found in the heart healthy Mediterranean diet. The legumes (Part of the peas, lentils, chickpeas family, are also a good source of vitamin E, niacin, and folate. So drop the guilt and sprinkle a few more on to this mini sundae! (I toasted mine slightly over medium low on the stove)



Here’s What You Do:
Heat about 1TBS of the caramel in the microwave for 10 seconds and the pour into the bottom of the shot glass. Top with about 3 TBS of the frozen yogurt or until it almost reaches the top of the shot glass. Add a sprinkle of peanuts and drizzle with the chocolate sauce. Sit back, relax, and indulge!

Kid Tip:
Aside from skipping the shot glass and maybe the peanuts, I am pretty sure this will be a gran hit with the kiddos. No tips needed.

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Filed Under: A Mini Dose of Peanut Buster Parfait, skinny dessert
02
Apr 2012

(Skinnier) “Ice-Cream” Turtle Pie

April 2, 2012 By 10 Comments

Remember how I mentioned I was having some kitchen snafus?! Well, this was one of them. If you look at the picture do you see something wrong?! Well, it’s the pie crust! I was all proud of my pie and taking pictures of it and then go to serve it and realize that I put it in an uncooked pie shell. Hello! Where the heck is my brain?! Anyway, I had to cook a pie shell and then transfer the whole thing, which meant it was not nearly as pretty when I served it. (It was holy ugly) It still tasted great. To skip the pie shell fiasco, stick with the graham cracker crust, which you don’t need to bake .

My two little boys and my husband all have March birthdays–within six days. We call it, “March Madness” We are in the throes of it right now. I’ts feeling a little like Christmas again at our house with all the gifts, treats and sheer excitement. I love it. What’s your favorite birthday treat?

PS-This pie is skinnier, but it is still an Ice-Cream Turtle Pie, so treat it as a treat!

Here’s What You Need:
Low-fat or fat free frozen vanilla yogurt (about 3/4qt)
Pie crust (I recommend the grahm cracker ones)
Fat free caramel 1/4 cup + 4 TBS
Pecan pieces (about 1/2 cup)
Fat free chocolate syrup

Here’s What You Do:
Spoon and then spread out the 4 TBS of carmel sauce onto the bottom of the pie shell. Top with 1/4 cup of pecans, scattering them evenly. Add the ice cream, patting it down. Put it in the freezer preferably over night. (You may want to add piece of plastic wrap over the top.) Mix remaining 1/4 cup of pecans with 1/4 cup of caramel. Top the pie with the caramel coated pecans and drizzle with the chocolate syrup. Enjoy!

So excited for birthday presents!

Kid Tip:
Really? I am not going to give an tips for twisting your kids arms to eat treats!

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Filed Under: (Skinnier) "Ice-Cream" Turtle Pie, skinny dessert
17
Feb 2012

Make Your Own Peanut Butter Chocolate Truffles-100% Naturally!

February 17, 2012 By 2 Comments
Peanut Butter + Chocolate= Unskinny combination, right?
Yes…But we all need a treat once in a while and if we are going to have one why not have it be good and good for you?!

Chocolate* is made from cocoa beans and has some great properties:
Antioxidant properties
Magnesium to protect the heart
Iron to promote energy and heart health
Anti-inflammatory procyanidins

Peanut butter is made from peanuts which are:
Rich in antioxidants and Vitamin E
High in amino acids (boost mood and brain function)
Monounsaturated fats protect agains heart disease

Feel better? Okay, now you can make these!


Here’s What You Need:Dark chocolate* (About 2oz)
Natural peanut butter*Sea salt
Vanilla (optional)**Buy 70% or more cocao bar. Natural peanut butter doesn’t have any added salt, but the salt really brings out the flavor of the ingredients so be generous with it! I think next time I make these I may add a dash of vanilla to the melted chocolate to create a more complex flavor.

Here’s What You Do:Scoop out the peanut butter with a big dinner spoon and form into truffle size balls using your hands. Roll in sea salt. Put them onto a piece of parchment or tin foil on a paper plate and put in the freezer for about 2 hours. Break the chocolate into little pieces and microwave in 30 sec. intrevals, stirring well for about 90 seconds. Using a fork, carefully coat the peanut butter balls with the melted chocolate, working quickly. Place back into the freezer for about 2 more hours. Sprinkle with more sea salt and then serve. Store them in the fridge.

Kid Tip:Pretty sure you won’t have to twist your kids arms to eat this one! Instead use it as a incentive to eat their veggies like I did!
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Filed Under: Homemade peanut butter truffles, skinny dessert
02
Feb 2012

Chocolate Coconut Clusters

February 2, 2012 By 1 Comment

Every once in a while I get this crazy sweet tooth, which is strange because I am normally a “salty tooth”. (I often joke thatI would be perfectly content with a salt lick at my house…) This week, however, I have been digging in cabinnets searching for “lost” candy devouring Jolly Ranchers and Mike and Ikes like they are going out of style. After dinner tonight when the sweet tooth kicked in again I decided to find a bit healthier fix and came up with these Chocolate Coconut Clusters. They turned out great and you can have three for less than 7 grams of fat and good dose of antioxidant dark chocolate. (Or perhaps I am just trying to make myself feel better?!) Anyway, here they are…

Here’s What You Need: (Makes 7 so double accordingly)

2 organic dark chocolate coconut bars (.88oz each) (I used the organic ones here by Oskri)
1 TBS of organic skim milk
1/2 cup organic cereal (I used Nature’s Path Flax Plus Red Berry Crunch)

Here’s What You Do:Cut or break the bars into little pieces. Heat them with the milk over medium or medium low, stirring until melted. Stir in the cereal to mix completely. Line a plate with a piece of tin foil or parchment. Make the clusters with a TBS that you pack with the mixture and then press onto the plate. Feel free to use your fingers too! Refrigerate for about 2 hours. (I couldn’t wait and ate one after an hour and it was still delicious if a bit gooey!)

Kid Tip:
Really?! None needed. Though 100% organic, this still tastes 100% like a dessert.

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Filed Under: chocolate coconut clusters, skinny dessert
09
Nov 2011

Skinny Banana Pumpkin Bread

November 9, 2011 By 2 Comments

Two days ago I was strolling down the beach in the Florida sunshine in shorts and now I am back home in Wisconsin and it is SNOWING! It makes me really not look forward to the long  winter that lies ahead. (And incredibly jealous of my sister who lives in Florida) The one thing I do like about fall is all the warm, comfort cozy foods. Pumpkin is completely one of those flavors for me–Starbucks Pumpkin Spiced Latte, my Grandma’s pumpkin pie…ummm.
Last night as the wind blustered outside my window, my little guy and I made this Skinny Banana Pumpkin Bread in the warmth of our pumpkin colored kitchen. I have to be honest and say that I was crossing my fingers that it would turn out (A-Because I am not much of a baker and B-Because I completely made up the ingredients).  I was pretty excited that it worked! (And I reduced the normal 1 cup of sugar in banana bread to 1/3 and the oil from 1/2 cup to 1/3 cup. )Yay! Enjoy… and stay warm!

Here’s What You Need:
1 1/2 cups flour
1/3 cup of sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsps cinnamon
2 large ripe bananas
2/3 cup of pumpkin
2 eggs
1/3 cup of vegetable oil
1 tsp of vanilla
Pumpkin pie seasoning (optional)

Here’s What You Do:Preheat the oven to 350. Mix the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, sugar and salt together. Whisk the eggs, vanilla, oil, smashed bananas and pumpkin together until smooth. Stir in the dry ingredients. Pour into a 9×5 pan coated with cooking spray. I topped with pumpkin spice and then “swirled” it around. Bake for about 45 minutes or until your fork comes out dry. Let the bread cool and then shake onto a plate. (It may be helpful to loosen the sides first)

Kid Tip:
Make this with your kids! It is such an easy thing for them to help with-pouring and stirring. Anything they make they will be excited about.

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Filed Under: banana pumpkin bread, cook with your kids, skinny dessert, skinny treat