Indulgence: S'more Cookies

Nothing says summer like s'mores. Am I right? Or am I right? We love s'mores, but we have one little problem... we don't have a fire pit. It's makes it a little hard to make them the traditional way, and I'm not brave enough to let my kids do it using our gas stove, so these are our next best alternative. :) And though we try to keep things healthy around here, an indulgence every now and again is just fine. Happy 4th of July!

Indulgence: S'more Cookies
24 SERVINGS 
PREP: 12 minutes           COOK: 12 minutes            READY IN: 24 minutes

SIMPLE	HEALTHY	YUM

INGREDIENTS

---

• 11 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 heaping cup of mini marshmallows
• 1-2 packages graham crackers, broken into squares (I used 24 squares, but how many squares you use will ultimately depend how much dough you put on top of them)
• 3 regular sized Hershey’s bars, broken into single squares

DIRECTIONS

---

1. Mix together the butter, brown sugar, and sugar together until nice and creamy.
2. Add in the eggs, one a a time. 
3. Once mixed, add the vanilla. Mix.
4. Add the baking soda, sea salt, and flour. Mix together.
5. With a large spoon, or spatula, mix-in the chocolate chips and marshmallows.
6. Chill the dough for one hour in the refrigerator.
7. Preheat the oven to 375º.
8. One a cookie sheet, lined with parchment paper, lay out the graham crackers, side by side. (For step by step pictures, click here).
9. On top of each graham cracker, place a tablespoon of dough on top. (I used my regular sized cookie scoop and it worked great).
10. Bake the cookies for 5-6 minutes, add the Hershey bar to each graham cracker cookie and bake for another 5-7 minutes. Let the cookies cool completely (I threw them in the freezer for about 20 minutes) and cut them with a sharp knife.

Enjoy!
Recipe from The Girl Who Ate Everything.

Skinny Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

Every spring, my mother would whip up a rhubarb crisp so I'm somehow conditioned to want to do the same everytime I see rhubarb show up in the market. :) Fun fact on this crisp, though... my mom brought me rhubarb fresh from her garden all the way from Nebraska. I'm so spoiled and there's nothing better than garden fresh food. I really wish I would have the patience for my own garden, but I'm working on it. This year, we planted 8 plants (a mixture of tomatoes and zucchini). If they fair well, I'll consider growing my garden space next year. Until then, I'll support the local farmers. Someone has to do it, right? :) Anyways, this is a nice and sweet treat that tastes delicious and doesn't cost you too much in calories.

Skinny Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp
12 SERVINGS 
PREP: 25 minutes           COOK: 55-60 minutes            READY IN: 1 hour 25 minutes

SIMPLE	HEALTHY	YUM

INGREDIENTS

---

STRAWBERRY-RHUBARB FILLING

• 1 pound strawberries, hulled and cubed
• 1 pound rhubarb (about 5 stalks), cut into bit-sized pieces
• 1/3 cup honey
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

CRISP TOPPING:

• 4 tablespoons butter, melted
• 3/4 cup old-fashioned oats
• 3/4 cup white-whole wheat flour (I used King Arthur's)
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
• 3 tablespoons plain greek yogurt

DIRECTIONS

---

1. In a 9x9 pan, mix together the ingredients for the strawberry-rhubarb filling (strawberries, rhubarb, honey, cornstarch and vanilla).
2. In a medium sized bowl, mix together the crisp topping ingredients (butter, oats, flour, brown sugar, salt and yogurt). 
3. Crumble the crisp topping mixture on top of the strawberry-rhubarb filling.
4. Bake for about 55-60 minutes, or until baked completely. Serve with a dollop of cool whip, or greek yogurt.

NUTRITION FACTS

---

    1 serving    123 calories   .8g fat   28g carbs    2.5g protein    14.4g sugar   

Enjoy!
Recipe from COOKIE + kate

Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies

I am always trying to perfect different types of cookies in the kitchen. And to help myself not feel to guilty about cooking up goodies, I try to make them as healthy as I can. And great news, I made THE PERFECT HEALTHY COOKIE!!!

I've tried about everything, and I've failed an awful lot. Trying to use no oil or refined sugar really makes things tough! I've tried substituting applesauce for the oil, but it often times makes cookies way too moist. I've tried putting yogurt in cookies, but sometimes it leaves a bad after taste. I've even tried melting down coconut oil and putting it in my cookies, but depending on the flavor I'm going for, it doesn't work all the time. Anyways, I'm here to tell you, I'm made a darn good cookie. I approve, and more importantly, so do my kids (and my husband!). It seriously won all of us over!!! It doesn't have flour, oil or refined sugar (and only a teaspoon of honey!!! so most of the sweetness comes from the natural ingredients). ***Please note that I do live in high altitude so I would suggest starting out with a little less oats than I did, unless you want a more dense cookie.

Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies
30 SERVINGS 
PREP: 15 minutes           COOK: 15-20 minutes            READY IN: 30-35 minutes

SIMPLE	HEALTHY	YUM

INGREDIENTS

---

• 4 cups of rolled oats
• 3 ripe bananas
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup vanilla almond milk, unsweetened
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 tablespoons peanut butter
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS

---

1. Preheat oven to 350º.
2. Take the rolled oats and grind them up in your food processor (or use oat flour if you want, but the measurement will most likely be different).
3. In a mixer, combine the ripe bananas, eggs, and milk until combined.
4. Add the ground rolled oats, baking powder, cinnamon, vanilla, peanut butter, and honey. Combine until all mixed together. The dough will not be completely stiff, it's more the consistency of a muffin mix. 
5. Add the the chocolate chips and mix together.
6. Line cookies sheets with parchment paper, and place the cookies on the sheet (I used a cookies scooper to put on my cookie sheets).
7. Bake for 15-20 minutes, let cool and enjoy!

NUTRITION FACTS

---

    1 cookie    77 calories   2.3g fat   12.3g carbs    2.2g protein    3.2g sugar   

Enjoy!

Indulgence: Apple Strudel Ebelskivers

 We rarely do anything fancy for Valentines Day. I'm more of a show me you love me everyday kinda girl :) Lucky for my husband, it keeps my expectations low for the holiday. The first few years we were married we had a tradition of just making a nice dinner at home. With our Healthy Habits Challenge this month I'm thinking we'll revert back to that. It gives more control over not ordering the fat-filled yummy food at the restaurants. However, you have to have at least one treat for Valentine's day, right? Breakfast is the perfect meal to do so. Plus you have all day to burn it off ;) These are so simple and delicious, yet they look fancy enough to be from a restaurant! Try these for your sweetheart this Valentine's day! He'll love them so much, maybe he'll buy you something fancy as a thank you? Here's to hoping!!

Apple Strudle Ebelskivers

makes 21 ebelskivers 

PREP: 20 minutes           COOK: 10 minutes            READY IN: 30 minutes

SIMPLE	HEALTHY	YUM

INGREDIENTS

---

Batter

• 3 large eggs, separated
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 cups buttermilk (or substitute with 2 cups milk with 1 teaspoon lemon juice added)
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted

Filling

• 2 Granny Smith apples
• 4 tablespoons butter (I never said these were healthy ;)) 
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted

DIRECTIONS

---

1. Prepare your filling. Peel and core your apples. Finely dice. 
2. In a skillet, melt 4 tablespoons of butter. Stir in sugar, cinnamon, salt and apples. Cook on low heat until apples are soft, about 10 minutes. Set aside when done. 
3. While apples are cooking, prepare your batter. 
4. With your separated eggs, beat the yolks with sugar and salt in a large bowl. 
5. In a separate bowl combine flour, baking powder and baking soda. 
6. Add dry ingredients to your egg yolk mixture. Alternate adding dry ingredients and buttermilk (or substitute mixture) until everything is well incorporated. 
7. Take your egg whites and beat with a hand mixture until they form stiff peaks. Gently fold the egg whites into the batter with a spatula. 
8. Heat your ebelskiver pan over low to medium heat. 
9. Brush pan with a little melted butter. To each well add 1 tablespoon batter, followed by 1 teaspoon of apple filling in the center with 1 teaspoon batter on top to seal it off. 
10. Let it cook for about 3 minutes. Turn ebelsikver using a wooden chopstick or skewer and cook for another 2-3 minutes until both sides are browned. 
11. Repeat steps 9 and 10 until all the batter and filling is used. 
12. Serve warm with syrup, cool whip or apples. 

NUTRITION FACTS

---

   1 ebelskiver   122 calories  5.4g fat  15.7g carbs   2.9g protein   5.9g sugar   

Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from The Great Breakfast Book

Chocolate Peanut Butter Energy Bites

Have there ever been two things that go together better than peanut butter and chocolate? Maybe, but I know that for me the combination of these two is irresistible. But even though reaching for that Reese's Peanut Butter cup again and again is tempting, deep down we know it's not the best choice. These, on the other hand, are equally irresistible, but a much better choice. With only four ingredients, and no refined sugar, these little bites quench that craving without the lingering guilt!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Energy Bites
16-18 SERVINGS 
PREP: 10 minutes           Refrigerate: 60 minutes            READY IN: 1 hour, 10 minutes

SIMPLE	HEALTHY	YUM

INGREDIENTS

---

• 1/2 cup peanuts
• 10-12 dates, cut into small pieces and soaked
• 1/4 cup peanut butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup melted dark chocolate (I try to stick to 60% or higher) 

DIRECTIONS

---

1. In a medium-size food processor, blend the peanuts until they are finely ground (but not yet to a paste). Add in the dates, peanut butter, and continue pulsing until everything comes together into a semi-smooth mash. If you need to, you can add in a few drops of water to keep things moving.
2. Spoon out teaspoon-sized scoops, and form them into 16-18 balls. Place them on a parchment-lined tray and place in the freezer for about 30 minutes.
3. Once the peanut butter balls are hardened, coat them with dark chocolate by dipping them in melted chocolate and then replacing them in the fridge or freezer for another 20-30 minutes.

NUTRITION FACTS

---

    1 teaspoon-sized bite    74 calories   5.1 g fat   6.6 g carbs    2.2 g protein    4.7 g sugar   

Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from Pinch of Yum.

Pumpkin Chocolate Granola Bars

Unlike Cami, I'm still in full on pumpkin mode. I'm not ready to give it up just yet! Maybe after Thanksgiving?

(Yeah, probably not...)

I'm a pumpkin kind of gal and pumpkin pie spice is hitting the spot for me lately. The last couple weeks, I've been watching my calories. My littlest lady is finally eating all on her own (FREEDOM!!!!) and I'm ready to shed the last 10-15 pounds that I've held onto with all my three children. By the way, if you're looking for a great way to track your calories and activity, try the "MyFitnessPal" app. It makes tracking so simple and easy it barely takes any time at all, which is just my style! You can also set your own goals so you know exactly how many calories you should be taking in each day, and the breakdown of carbs, protein and fat (and more, if you want it). It's made all the difference in my life! I'm awesome at working out, but not so great at passing on the sweets.

I've noticed as I've been watching my eating habits that I would run for the cupboards after putting my little lady down for nap. The boys were (mostly) quiet and it was a time I could crouch down in the kitchen and have a little "me" time. Apparently that consisted of drowning myself in chocolate and any other sweet imaginable. Then around 2:30-3:00 p.m., I would feel so tired (go figure!). That sugar was giving me an all-time low and that's usually when I'd reach for the caffeine, but since I've kicked that for over a month now, I was left to analyze how I could put better energy boosting foods in my body instead of sugar, sugar, sugar.

This is what I came up with... Pumpkin granola bars. They leave my sweet tooth feeling satisfied, but don't give me a sugar hangover. They are a great source of energy and tide me over until dinner time (and keep me out of the kitchen cupboards!). And as added bonus, my entire family gives these a two thumbs up!

Pumpkin Chocolate Granola Bars
10 SERVINGS 
PREP: 10 minutes           COOK: 30 minutes            READY IN: 40 minutes

SIMPLE	HEALTHY	YUM

INGREDIENTS

---

• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup applesauce
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 cups rolled oats
• 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup 60% cacao chips, chopped
• 2/3 cup sliced almonds

DIRECTIONS

---

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF and grease an 8x8-inch baking pan. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, combine pumpkin puree, applesauce, honey, and vanilla. Stir until smooth.
3. Add in the oats, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt. Stir until mixed together.
4. Stir in cacao chips and almonds.
5. Evenly press oat mixture into greased pan. Bake for 30 minutes, or until golden brown. The pumpkin keeps the bars moist so make sure they are golden, you don't want to under-bake them. 
6. Let cool for 30 minutes and cut into 10 even granola bars.

NUTRITION FACTS

---

    1 granola bar    236 calories   8.8g fat   39.6g carbs    6.5g protein    17g sugar   

Enjoy!
Recipe inspired by Sally's Baking Addiction.

Banana Apple Cinnamon Baked French Toast

* We are guest posting over at High Heels and Grills today - Go check out our mouthwatering pumpkin recipe! *

About once or twice a week, we like to do something other than the traditional oatmeal or cereal routine for breakfast at our house. Most times we go for the old favorite: pancakes. But I've been ready to try something new and different. This breakfast is a great way to switch things up and enjoy a healthier version of french toast. By using almond milk in the mixture, I put only about a teaspoon on those that wanted syrup... most of our family went without. We put a little whipped cream and sprinkled almonds on top and it was delicious! My children thought it was even a little sweet so I might try unsweetened almond milk next time we make this.

Banana Apple Cinnamon Baked French Toast
6 SERVINGS 
PREP: 15 minutes           COOK: 40 minutes            READY IN: 55 minutes

SIMPLE	HEALTHY	YUM

INGREDIENTS

---

• 1 apple
• 1 banana
• 5 eggs
• 1 cup almond milk (or any milk you have on hand)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, divided
• 8 slices whole wheat bread

DIRECTIONS

---

1. Preheat oven to 375ºF.
2. Peel, core, and dice apple. Set aside.
3. Peel banana and slice. Set aside.
4. In a medium bowl, crack the eggs, whisk together. Add the milk and whisk together again. Add vanilla and 2 teaspoons cinnamon and whisk until all is combined. 
5. Slice the bread into 4 even strips. You can probably cube them if you'd like, I just go for easy and simple. (There is not exact science to this, it's just so it lays in your pan easier.)
6. Grease a large oven pan (I used a 2 quart casserole dish, but you could probably use a 13x9 or something similar- just pay attention to your cook time as it may not take as long). Lay down half the bread and pour half the milk/egg mixture over it. Stir it around so it absorbs a little bit. Lay down the remaining bread and pour the remaining milk/egg mixture over the bread. Stir again until the milk/egg mixture is absorbed. Sprinkle the apples and bananas over the bread and sprinkle cinnamon on top (approximately 1/2 teaspoon).
7. Bake in the oven for 40 minutes uncovered. 
8. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream and sprinkle with almonds. Enjoy!

NUTRITION FACTS

---

    1 serving    276 calories   14.5g fat   27.5g carbs    10.6g protein    9.5g sugar   

Recipe adapted from Healthy Tipping Point.

Pumpkin Oatmeal Cacao Cookies

My sister, Julie, gave me this incredible recipe for trail cookies a couple weeks ago, which I hope to share with you soon! But first I wanted to modify it to incorporate pumpkin, since I'll be the first to admit that is about all I can think about in the kitchen these days. That and cinnamon. I love fall and it's perfect for baking. These are so delicious and the plate of cookies was gone in less than a day at our house. They're only about 50 calories a cookie, and they are the perfect mix of what fall should taste like. It's like a fall party in your mouth!

Pumpkin Oatmeal Cacao Cookies
24 SERVINGS 
PREP: 8 minutes           COOK: 12 minutes            READY IN: 20 minutes

SIMPLE	HEALTHY	YUM

INGREDIENTS

---

• 1/2 cup applesauce
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/8 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour (I use King Arthur's white whole wheat)
• 1 heaping teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1/4 cup cacao chocolate chips, chopped

DIRECTIONS

---

1. Preheat oven to 325º.
2. In a large bowl (or mixer), combine the first 5 ingredients (applesauce, honey, pumkin puree, egg, and vanilla).
3. Add all the dry ingredients and mix together.
4. Hand mix in cacao chips.
5. Place on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 12 minutes, or until golden brown on the bottoms.

NUTRITION FACTS

---

    1 cookie serving    51 calories   .5g fat   10.5g carbs    1.6g protein    3.7g sugar   

Enjoy!
Linking up here

Cinnamon Baked Pears

I go a little overboard with cinnamon once the weather gets a little bit cooler and I crave my house beaming with cinnamon scents from the oven while the windows are open to let that yummy smell circulate as much as possible. I had a bunch of pears in the fridge that were begging to be eaten so I figured cinnamon and pears would make a great match. I was right! These were so delicious and would be a perfect way to feed that sweet tooth, while not going overboard. Everyone in the family gave it two thumbs up, though some preferred it served with vanilla ice cream rather than yogurt. My children also loved these chilled the next day and cubed up- it tasted a lot like cinnamon apples you would order from a restaurant.

Cinnamon Baked Pears
12 SERVINGS 
PREP: 15 minutes           COOK: 45 minutes            READY IN: 1 hour

SIMPLE	HEALTHY	YUM

INGREDIENTS

---

• 6 pears 
• 1/4 cup 100% maple syrup
• 3 teaspoons vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 lemon, squeezed (or use about 2 tablespoons lemon juice)
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

DIRECTIONS

---

1. Preheat the oven to 350º (375º if your pears aren't quite ripe). 
2. Peel all the pears. Cut pears in half and core out the middle, as well as the stem. (I used a spoon for the center and a paring knife for the stem).
3. Lay all the pears flat side down in a 9"x13" glass dish. Place maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, lemon juice, and water in the bottom of the dish. Tip the pan side to side to gently mix the ingredients.
4. Flip the pears over and divide the butter evenly between them. (I put the butter in the middle of the pear where I cored it).
5. Bake for 30 minutes, occasionally basting each pear with syrup mixture. Once 30 minutes are over, flip pears and cook for 15 more minutes, or until pears are tender and soft. Serve with yogurt or ice cream.

NUTRITION FACTS

---

(calculated if served with 1/2 cup greek vanilla yogurt, as pictured)

    1 pear with yogurt    149 calories   2.1g fat   26.7g carbs    7g protein    17.9g sugar   

Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Recipe Refresh: Date Night Mug Brownies

A familiar scene at our house...
It's Friday night. It has been a long week - work, kids, work, kids, work, kids... Our children are (finally) in bed, and my husband and I are looking at each other, exhausted, wondering if it's even worth trying to piece together some semblance of a date night. I know you know what I'm talking about here. If you have children, I'm sure you've been there too.

This is an all-too-familiar scene at our house, but we recently discovered an antidote to our date night blues. On a recent Friday, while my husband was putting the finishing touches on bedtime with our preschooler, I decided we needed something besides the usual "let's sit together on the couch while we watch something and call it a date." Not having a lot of energy left after a long week, however, I needed something quick, easy, and delectable. These mug brownies were perfect! They're quick (hello, 5 minutes!), they're easy (can you measure a tablespoon and turn on the microwave?), and their warm, fudgy, chocolaty goodness totally hits the spot. Not to mention, this makeover mug brownie is nothing to feel guilty about. At just over 200 calories (vs. more than 500 in the original), this is a dessert to kick back with your feet up and enjoy to the very last scrape (or lick - whichever you prefer to make sure you haven't missed a morsel in the bottom of that mug!) Plus, they're even customizable, so you and your date don't even have to agree on which flavor to make - you can each have it the way you like it.

Our date night was saved, and yours can be too. (Now, if you can only decide which movie to watch...) Here's hoping the kids stay in bed ... Cheers!

Recipe Refresh: Date Night Mug Brownies
1 SERVING (Double for date night) 
PREP: 4 minutes (yes, 4!)     COOK: 30 seconds (yes, seconds!)     
READY IN: 5 minutes (huzzah!)

SIMPLE	HEALTHY	YUM

INGREDIENTS

---

For one serving/mug (Hint: you'll want to make 2 for a successful date night!):

• 1 tablespoon unsweetened applesauce
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon flour (white whole wheat or all purpose)
• 1 tablespoons almond flour*
• 1/2 egg white 
• splash of vanilla 
• pinch of salt
• 1 tablespoon mini chocolate chips (or substitute as desired below)

Customize as you like it:

• For Mexican hot chocolate brownie add (per mug): 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/8 teaspoon chili powder
• For mint brownie add (per mug): 1/8 teaspoon peppermint extract and substitute 1/2 tablespoon mint chips + 1/2 tablespoon chocolate chips
• For almond delight brownie add (per mug): 1/8 teaspoon almond extract and sprinkle with almond pieces
• For French vanilla brownie add (per mug): another 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract and substitute 1/2 tablespoon white chocolate chips + 1/2 tablespoon chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS

---

1. Choose two microwaveable mugs or dessert bowls. Place one tablespoon each of applesauce, honey, cocoa powder, flour, almond flour, 1/2 egg white, splash vanilla, pinch of salt, and desired flavorings in each mug. Mix completely.
2. Add chocolate chips, and lightly stir in.
3. Microwave, one mug at a time, for 30-35 seconds (will vary depending on your microwave). Try not to overbake or the texture turns spongey - we like it when the inside is still gooey and fudgy.
4. Serve topped with a scoop of ice cream.

*Simple Tip: 

You can use 2 tablespoons flour in place of 1 tablespoon almond flour with 1 tablespoon flour. We prefer adding the almond meal, because it ends up giving it more of the gooey, fudge-like consistency that we like.

NUTRITION FACTS

---

    1 brownie    206 calories   6.9 g fat   34.9 g carbs    5.9 g protein    24.9 g sugar   

Original Recipe	Refresh Recipe
535 calories	206 calories
24.8 g fat (15.5 saturated)	6.9 g fat (2.8 saturated)
79.6 g carbohydrates, 50.7 g sugar	34.9 g carbohydrates, 24.9 g sugar

Recipe adapted from Homemade Toast.
Linking up here

Indulgence Moment: Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Rice Krispies

When I crave sugar, I tend to gravitate toward a quick and easy something that I can munch on all through the day. Super healthy, huh?? Well these, my friends, are one of my absolute favorite indulgence moments. Cranberry white chocolate chip rice krispies take your average rice krispies recipe to the next level.

A little warning, we tend to go a little crazy when these are in our kitchen - the pan is empty within a day! So maybe double the recipe... just to be safe. ;)

Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Rice Krispies
18 SERVINGS 
PREP: 20 minutes           COOL: 20 minutes            READY IN: 40 minutes

SIMPLE	HEALTHY	YUM

INGREDIENTS

---

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 5 cups rice krispies
• 10 ounces marshmallows (or for a more "gooey" mixture, use a 16 ounce bag)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup cranberries
• 1/2 cup white chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS

---

1. Butter a 9x13 pan. Set aside.
2. In a large pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add marshmallows. Stir until mixture is smooth. Add vanilla.
3. Add chocolate chips. Stir until mixture is smooth. Add rice krispies and cranberries.
4. Pour into 9x13 pan. Press down until evenly distributed. Let cool.
5. If desired, melt another 1/2 cup white chocolate chips and pour on top of rice krispies. Cut into squares and serve.

NUTRITION FACTS

---

    1/2 cup serving    242 calories   6.7 g fat   44.2 g carbs    1.6 g protein    10.3 g sugar   

Enjoy!
Linking up here.

Whole Wheat Strawberry Vanilla Pancakes

My husband and 3-year-old son have a tradition of making pancakes together on Saturday mornings. They love going through the same routine every week - scooping and adding ingredients, stirring the batter together, flipping them with the special orange pancake spatula. I love watching them together in the kitchen, and, of course, that I get to enjoy a relaxing morning followed by a delicious breakfast with the ones I love. But when daddy's gone on a Saturday morning, it falls to me to follow through on the tradition. I have to admit, I'm not as good at just sticking with the same-old pancake recipe over and over, and so I am prone to experimenting with fun, new pancake recipes to liven things up. While not all of my experimental pancakes have met with my son's standard for pancake excellence (which is, of course, the way daddy makes them) these light and slightly sweet pancakes have been a hit several times over. The bonus, too, is that because they are already sweet and flavorful, they don't need to be drenched in butter and syrup to make them appealing - a tiny sprinkling of powdered sugar and they are gone in seconds!

Whole Wheat Strawberry Vanilla Pancakes
8 SERVINGS (about 2 pancakes per serving...though, I'll be honest, we usually each eat 4 pancakes!)
PREP: 10 minutes           COOK: 10 minutes            READY IN: 20 minutes

SIMPLE	HEALTHY	YUM

INGREDIENTS

---

• 1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 1/2 cups skim milk
• 1 egg
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 tablespoons vanilla extract (I buy the bottles from Costco to make it more affordable to cook with vanilla as much as I like)
• 1 cup sliced strawberries (*see my Simple Tip below)

DIRECTIONS

---

1. Combine flour, baking powder, salt, and brown sugar in a medium mixing bowl. 
2. Whisk, milk, egg, oil, and vanilla extract together in a separate bowl. Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and stir until just combined (my husband has taught me that the trick to fluffier pancakes is to never overmix).
3. Gently fold in sliced strawberries. 
4. Pour about 1/4 cup batter onto hot skillet and let cook until bubbles form on top (about 2-4 minutes). Turn pancake over and cook the other side until golden. 

*Simple Tip:

I love having fresh strawberries whenever I possibly can, but they are only in season part of the year. To cook with them all year long I buy frozen strawberries. For this recipe, I thaw the strawberries in the microwave for about 1-1 1/2 minutes (take them out before they get too mushy - still slightly frozen), then I take a knife and cut through the strawberries in the microwave dish until I have roughly cut strawberry slices to add to the pancake batter.

NUTRITION FACTS

---

     1 serving (2 pancakes)   178 calories   6.1 g fat   24.2 g carbs    5.4 g protein    8.0 g sugar   

Here's to looking forward to the weekend!
Recipe adapted from Cheese Please.