Healthy Pumpkin Spice Nut Truffles

Okay, so sometimes I sit down to write my little intro to a recipe, and I get a little bit of writers' block. I'm sure that's no surprise, because really, who doesn't get writers' block when they have to write something? But I'm just putting it out there that I do.

Often, my writers' block is followed by a series of not-so-interesting ideas about what I could say about my recipe -- many of which include cheesy stories about my children, too-much-information memories from my childhood, or stupidly academic facts about the food I'm about to share. Today was one of the latter, and I have to admit I had written at least two (complete … but not diagrammed … I'm not that nerdy!) sentences of dry textbook talk about hot amazingly nutritious walnuts are before I had to give myself a little reality check pep-talk that went something like, "Wow! I sound really enthusiastic about nutrition facts there. That's really nerdy of me … (backspace, backspace, backspace)" This, of course, brought me back to a blank screen and my original writers' block, which has now led me to the probably equally nerdy narrative that I have just given you about how my brain works when writing.

Anywho, back to the recipe … Here's the deal in a nutshell (pun intended, of course!): walnuts are good for you, pumpkin spice is yummy, and these truffles are amazingly delicious ... Try them! (Oh, and don't hesitate to hide them in the freezer so that you get them all to yourself!)

Healthy Pumpkin Spice Nut Truffles
15 SERVINGS 
PREP: 10 minutes           COOK: 0 minutes            READY IN: 15 minutes

SIMPLE	HEALTHY	YUM

INGREDIENTS

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• 1 cup walnuts
• 8 dates, diced (and soaked if very dry)
• 1/2 tablespoon pumpkin spice
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/2-1 teaspoon water
• 1/4 cup white chocolate, melted

DIRECTIONS

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1. Place walnuts in a food processor, and pulse until nearly smooth.
2. Add in dates and pumpkin pie spice. Continue pulsing food processor until the dates are combined with the nuts, making a mostly smooth mash. (You may need to add in water, a small amount at a time, to help keep things mixing.)
3. Roll the mixture into small balls, about 1 inch in diameter, and place on a sheet of waxed or parchment paper. (If the mixture is too warm and/or mushy, you can chill it in the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour to help make it easier to manage.) Place the balls in the freezer for 2-3 hours. 
4. Once the nut balls have hardened in the freezer, you can then roll them in a light coating of melted chocolate. Replace them in the fridge or freezer to allow the chocolate to set.
5. Once the chocolate is set, these can be stored (i.e. hidden) in a plastic bag in the freezer to enjoy as a small snack, or served to (very grateful) friends.

NUTRITION FACTS

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    1 truffle   79 calories   5.8 g fat   5.8 g carbs    2.6 g protein    4.6 g sugar   

Enjoy! (And don't forget to enter this week's giveaway … just one day left!)

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

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• 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

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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

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    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.

Baked Berry Oatmeal

This breakfast dish is a huge crowd pleaser and will leave your guests singing your praises until they leave. You can add just about any toppings you like on your traditional oatmeal and it turns out with little effort. And with a little cinnamon, it makes your kitchen smell yummy too. We like to make this over the weekend and the leftovers make a great reheat in the microwave for busy weekday mornings.

Baked Berry Oatmeal
12 SERVINGS 
PREP: 15 minutes           COOK: 35-40 minutes            READY IN: 50-55 minutes

SIMPLE	HEALTHY	YUM

INGREDIENTS

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• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• Dash sea salt
• 1/2 cup strawberries
• 1/2 cup blueberries
• 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
• 2 cups milk
• 1 large egg
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 ripe banana, peeled, 1/2-inch slices

DIRECTIONS

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1. Preheat oven to 375º and spray an 9" x 13" baking pan.
2. In a large bowl, mix the oats, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, sea salt, half of the berries, and half of the white chocolate chips. Pour mixture into the baking pan.
3. Place the remaining berries and chocolate chips on top of the oatmeal as well as the cut up banana.
4. In another bowl, wisk together the milk, egg, butter and vanilla extract. Pour this mixture on top of the oatmeal.
5. Gently shake the baking pan to make sure the milk mixture is spread throughout the dish.
6. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the top of the oatmeal is golden brown and the milk mixture has set.

NUTRITION FACTS

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    1/2 cup serving    174 calories   7.3g fat   23.3g carbs    4.3g protein    12.5g sugar   

For variations of this dish, try substituting any berries you have on hand, nuts, regular chocolate chips, etc. The options are endless! Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Annie's Eats.