Healthy Double Chocolate Banana Muffins

 Ingredients

4 ripe bananas (fresh or frozen)

2 eggs

1 teaspoon almond flavoring

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cup oats

1/4 cup ground flax seeds

1/2 cup walnuts

1/4 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup spinach

1/2 large or 1 small avocado

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1 cup milk or kefir

1 cup mini chocolate chip cookies

In blender, add oats and walnuts, ground into flour. Dump into mixing bowl.

In blender, puree spinach, bananas, avocado and milk.

In mixing bowl, combine flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, flax, cinnamon, and chia. Mix in eggs and spinach/banana puree. Do not over mix. Fold in chocolate chips.

In greased or line muffin pan, fill tins to 3/4. Bake at 350 for 18 minutes or tested done. 

Broccoli salad

Broccoli Salad

1 head broccoli, chopped

4 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled

1/2 cup mayo

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup raisins

1/4 cup sunflower kernals

1/4 onion, diced

1/2 tsp garlic powder

salt and pepper to taste

Blend mayo and apple cider vinegar together. Feel free to adjust to your preference. 

Combine with remaining ingredients.

 

Strawberry Pretzel Salad

I love when strawberries come into season! We love to eat strawberries in any form. 

I have posted about a favorite dessert using strawberries in the past in my strawberry pretzel dessert recipe you can find here. I still enjoy this recipe but sometimes I just don't want to take the time for all the steps.

So I ran across this recipe on Pintrest and thought I would try it out since it seemed to use all my favorite parts of strawberry pretzel dessert but with a twist. While I liked this recipe, I decided to tweak it a little and make it slightly healthier.

Start by melting 1/2 c butter. Mix in 1/4 cup brown sugar until it dissolves. Stir in at least 1/2 cup chopped pecans and 1 cup pretzels. 

When I want to make a big batch of this dessert, I typically add more pecans and pretzels. Watch how much butter you add, it can become a mess when baking.

Bake at 400 degrees for 7-9 minutes. I usually stir at least once halfway through. Watch it carefully so the mixture doesn't burn!

I make my own whipped topping. This helps greatly reduce the added sugar and preservatives. 

I usually put my mixing in the bowl in the freezer for a few minutes so it will be nice and cold. Then add an 8 oz container of heaving whipping cream and a tsp of vanilla. I mix it on high until stiff peaks form (5 minutes maybe?). Don't over mix or it will cause separation. NO SUGAR NEEDED!!

Just right consistency. I put the cream back into the freezer until I need it.

Meanwhile, slice/dice 2-3 cups fresh strawberries.

Just before serving, combine all ingredients together. The longer the pretzels are in the cream cheese mixture, the soggier the pretzels will become.  

I usually save a few strawberries and pretzel mix to garnish with.

Strawberry Pretzel Salad

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 - 1 cup pecans, chopped

1-2 cups pretzels, chopped

8 oz heavy whipping cream

2 tsp vanilla, divided

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2-3 cups strawberries, chopped

1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine butter and brown sugar. Stir until sugar is combined. Add pecans and pretzels, stirring until fully coated. Spread mixture on jelly roll style pan. Cook for 7-9 minutes, stir at least once half way through cooking. Carefully watch mixture so it doesn't burn.

2. In a frozen mixing bowl, whip heavy whipping cream and 1 tsp vanilla until stiff peaks form. Place in freezer until ready to use.

3. Cream granulated sugar, 1 tsp vanilla and cream cheese together. Gently fold in whipped cream.

4. Reserve a 1/4 cup pretzel mixture, 1/4 cup strawberries (or a whole strawberry), and 1 Tbs chocolate chips. Combine remaining ingredients together JUST BEFORE serving. Keep refrigerated.

Chocolate Cake with Caramel Frosting

The original recipe comes from one of my new favorite books, "Made from Scratch Life" by Melissa K. Norris. I did tweak her recipe a little bit.

Grandma's Chocolate Cake

2 cups flour

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup cocoa

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg

3/4 cup Greek yogurt

1/2 cup cold water

1/2 cup brewed coffee

1 teaspoon almond flavoring

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Stir all dry ingredients together. Combine wet ingredients with dry until smooth. Pour into greased pans. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes for a 9x13 cake or 16 minutes for cupcakes. Cool completely before frosting.

Caramel Frosting

 5 Tablespoons butter

1 1/2 cup brown sugar

3 Tablespoons boiling water

1 teaspoon vanilla

Beat butter and slowly add in sugar until creamed together. Pour in boiling water and beat until creamy. Spread over cooled cake or cupcakes.

***my frosting was runny and gritty. I didn't add my sugar slowly so this is a recipe I'm in the process of tweaking. I did appreciate a different flavor of frosting to use for all the birthday cakes I'm in the middle of making!

kids can cook biscuits

Me putting the biscuits on the plate.

Me putting the things together.

how to make

preheat 450.f .

mix together2 3/4 cups of howl wheat flower.

cut 6 tbs of butter into small parts.

mix butter milk with the ingredients.

form the biscuits out of the mix.

heat it up for 14-17 minuet.

then eat.

kids can cook sloppy joes.

Me making the sloppy part.

           Me eating it. 

How to make it:

1 pound of venison.

a half a cup of chopped celery.

2 cloves of garlic, minced.

one butter nut squash pured.

half a onion, chopped .

1 pint of tomato sauce.

1 tablespoon of Worcester sauce.

1 tablespoon mustard

1 teaspoon of salt, chili power, and pepper.

 cook for 45 minuets then put on bread then eat.

kids can cook lasagna

 Me putting the lasagna in the order it is in.

Me adding the toppings on.

how to make it

in a bowl put 2 eggs, half a bag of mozzarella, ricotta cheese, and parmesan cheese. mix well.

in a separate bow combine sauce and 1 cup of water mix well.

in a 9x13 pan layer sauce, noodles cheese mix meat then do it again.

top all the mozzarella cheese .

bake at 375 degrees for 50 minuets.