Monday, September 26, 2011

Banana and Peanut Butter Smoothie

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I found a recipe for banana, peanut butter and agave smoothies on an advertisement for agave syrup, and discovered you really don't need the agave, because it was sweet enough with the ripe bananas, it really didn't need more sugar in it. This smoothie is more like a milk shake, and I know its from the peanut butter, I absolutely love it...and it's a good way to get in some protein for breakfast.


Banana and Peanut Butter Smoothie
2 very ripe bananas
1 6oz container vanilla coconut milk yogurt
1 cup So Delicious Original Coconut Milk (or other non-dairy milk)
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
8-10 ice cubes

Directions:
Place everything in a blender and blend until smooth.

This post is featured on Slightly Indulgent Tuesday.

Yogurt Cheese and Walnut and Cheese Stuffed Figs

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I got some figs in my bountiful basket a little over a week ago, and I decided to play around with them a little...this is definitely my new favorite way to eat them.  I was also playing around with my yogurt. So, two recipes in one post today. :)

Yogurt Cheese

Dairy Free Yogurt (how ever much you want to use, I used two 6oz containers of So Delicious Coconut Yogurt)
A strainer
Cheese Cloth
A Bowl that the strainer can sit over

Directions
Place the strainer over the bowl and put a few layers of cheese cloth into the strainer.  Place the yogurt on the cheese cloth, cover and refrigerate until the desired texture is reached...the longer you let it sit the thicker it gets.  I let mine sit 3-4 days...it seems long, but it took that long for mine to get it to the consistency I wanted it.

You can use yogurt cheese in place of cream cheese or sour cream in recipes.

Walnut and Cheese Stuffed Figs
16 figs
1/2 cup yogurt cheese
1/2 cup toasted walnuts, chopped
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Directions:
Slice the tips off of the figs and then cut a cross pattern into them, being careful not to cut all the way through the bottom.

Mix together the yogurt cheese and walnuts. Stuff a spoonful into the middle of each fig.

Mix the honey and balsamic vinegar together until fluid, then drizzle it over the stuffed figs.

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Weekly Menu (9/25/11-10/1/11)

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Weekly Menu (9/25/11-10/1/11)
 
Sunday:
Breakfast: Banana and Peanut Butter Smoothies
Lunch:
  • Sandwiches
  • Lays Potato Chips
  • Baby Carrots and Grapes
Dinner

Monday:

Breakfast: A frozen Gogurt for my older one, and Udi's Chocolate Muffin for my little one, and overnight oats for me
Lunch 
  • School Lunch:
    • Peanut Butter and Jam Sandwich
    • Chips
    • Apple
    • kinnikinnickkinnitoos vanilla creme cookies
    • Milk
Dinner  
Tuesday:
Breakfast: Cereal and Milk 
Lunch:
  • School Lunch:
    • Ham and Swiss Sandwich 
    • Lays Potato Chips
    • Carrot Sticks and Ranch
    • Pudding
Dinner: 
  • Spaghetti
  • Salad
  • Breadsticks
Wednesday:
Breakfast:

Lunch:
  • School Lunch:
    • Schar Crispbread
    • Pepperoni and Cheese Slices
    • Lays Potato Chips
    • Apple
    • Milk 
    • Kinnikinnick 'oreo' cookies   
Dinner: 
Thursday:
Breakfast:
  • Cereal and milk
Lunch:
  • School Lunch:
    • Grilled Cheese
    • Cheetos
    • Milk
    • Apple
    • Pudding 
Dinner:
  • Breakfast for dinner
    • Pancakes
    • Hashbrowns
    • Bacon
    • Pineapple and Nectarines 
Friday:
Breakfast:
  • Choice of Cereal and milk
Lunch:
  • School Lunch:
    • Schar Crispbread
    • Pepperoni and Cheese Slices
    • Lays Potato Chips
    • Carrots
    • Milk 
    • Fruit Snacks
Dinner:
  • Hamburgers with homemade buns
  • Oven Fries
  • Pear Slices and Grapes
Saturday

Breakfast:
  • Muffins and Milk
Lunch:
  • sandwiches
  • Chips 
  • Bananas
Dinner:

Saturday, September 24, 2011

Angry Bird Birthday Cake

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It's my husband's birthday today (hence, why I haven't gotten the weekly menu up yet, I'll do that tomorrow) and if you've followed my blog at all you know I go all out for birthday cakes.  My family is really into Angry Birds right now, my kids are addicted...but we limit their play, but still they are the biggest fans I know.  They sleep with angry bird stuffed animals--and play Angry Birds with them (yes, we have the pigs, too), they have angry bird shirts (and got their Dad one for his birthday, as well), we have an Angry Bird calendar, Angry Bird tattoos on order, and the list goes on and on.

So, when I asked them what type of cake we should make for Dad's birthday, you can guess what they wanted...so that's what he got:


Really, just because you're on a special diet, doesn't mean you can't have the coolest cake around. :)

It was actually really easy to make.  I used the king arthur gf chocolate cake mix, because I really love it and it makes enough cake for what I need.

I have one of those Wilton Sports Ball pan sets (basically two aluminum bowls) and used that to make the ball shaped cake.

I freeze the cake, so it's easier to frost with the buttercream frosting. Assemble the ball and frost with a thin layer of the buttercream and place back in the freezer, or at least set for a little while, before covering with the fondant. I make my own marshmallow fondant--and really, fondant is not hard to make and not hard to work with, don't be intimidated! The directions are very detailed for the fondant recipe.  I color mine with Wilton icing colors, and just knead the color into the fondant until it's totally mixed.






Monday, September 19, 2011

Raspberry Chocolate Chip DF Icecream

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I got a new ice cream maker and I love it...it makes making ice cream as easy as freezing a bowl, because that's all the prep work you need. :)  I am also lazy when it comes to making ice cream, I'm not into cooking the cream, etc., etc...if I can through everything together and freeze it, it's not going to happen.  So, this is a super easy ice cream to make.



Raspberry Chocolate Chip Icecream

1 pint So Delicious Original Coconut Milk Creamer
1 cup So Delicious Original Coconut Milk
1 cup Fresh or Freezer Raspberry Jam (you can use my jam recipe to make some)
1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2-1 cup DF chocolate chips (or how ever many you want, I honestly just dumped until it looked good)

Mix together the creamer, milk, jam and vanilla. Add the mixture to your ice cream maker and freeze according to the system's directions.  The last 5 minutes of the freeze, pour in your chocolate chips.

This post is featured on Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays and Gluten Free Wednesdays.