Ari, Author at Ari's Menu

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies with Dark Chocolate, Cherries & Coconut

January 14, 2013 · by Ari ·

Friends, these are not the prettiest cookies I’ve ever made.

In fact, when I made them for our first Ragnar team meeting, I almost didn’t serve them because I didn’t love the look, but as I kept reaching over, and over, and over for the pieces of the uglier ones I planned to throw away, I realized they were so delicious, I just had to save them, and post about them, pretty or not.

I don’t think I’ve mentioned it yet, but this February I will be running Ragnar Del Sol with 11 other amazing ladies! The line up includes Nicole, Karla, Melissa, Megan, Tara, Stacey, Jaime, Bety, Jennifer, Jenn, and Kelli. I am sosoSO excited! We had our first official meeting a couple of weeks ago, and did a potluck at my house, so of course I called dibs on making dessert. 😉 Tara and Jaime don’t eat gluten or dairy, so I wanted to make something that everyone would be able to enjoy.

So I did end up serving my visually-challenged cookies, and I’m even sharing them with you, because I love them. They are so chewy, and packed with flavor. In true Ari style, there is definitely a lot going on, which leads to my new longest title ever (I think?), but it all comes together perfectly in a way that rather than tasting each component, you taste the combination as a whole.

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies with Dark Chocolate, Cherries & Coconut

1 tbsp coconut oil, melted
3 tbsp apple butter
1 cup natural peanut butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup sugar
½ cup unsweetened almond milk
1 and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 and 1/4 tsp baking soda
2 tbsp cornstarch
dash salt
1/3 cup reduced fat unsweetened shredded coconut
3 cups raw oats (use gluten-free if you care about that sort of thing)
6 oz good quality dark chocolate, chopped into chunks (I used 2 bars—a coconut dark chocolate and a sea salt dark chocolate)
3/4 cup sweet cherries, pitted and chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silpat.
In a large bowl, beat together coconut oil, apple butter, peanut butter, and sugars until smooth. Add almond milk, vanilla, baking soda, cornstarch, salt, and coconut, and beat until well combined. Fold in oats, followed by chocolate, cherries and coconut.
Use a small cookie scoop to drop batter onto prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart (these spread quite a bit).
Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden brown around the edges. Cool completely on baking sheet before transferring to serve.

**Notes: These cookies are very sticky. I don’t recommend sealing them for storage. You also don’t want to crowd them. They work best unstacked in a large Tupperware with the lid resting on top, but unsealed.

RnR AZ One Week To Go

January 13, 2013 · by Ari ·

FYI: This post has nothing to do with any work outs of training runs I’ve done over the last week. It’s time for me to focus on the mental aspects of the marathon, so here’s a peak into my brain. It’s a hot mess in there, but you get used to it 😉

Can anyone ever confidently say “Oh, I’m TOTALLY ready to run my first marathon!” I’m pretty sure that feeling doesn’t exist, and I’m 100% certain that with how neurotic I am, I would never utter words anywhere close to that. I will say, however, that I’m not worried about whether I “trained well enough” or “did enough”. I am as ready as I could possibly get at this point in my life, and regardless of what happens on January 20^th, I have so much to be proud of.

On the flight to NYC, I began a post about things I learned while training for a marathon. I planned to finish it when I got in, and have it go up the day of the race. Well, let’s just say that emotional Post Race Cancelation Ari stepped in, and it’s not even in the data base anymore. If I had one regret over my training cycle, it’s that after the New York Marathon was canceled, a little bit of my spark faded. I didn’t really lose motivation or drive, but the awe and appreciation for my body that came with conquering these new distances faded as I became more focused on the idea that this extended training cycle needed to make me faster, and less focused on the heart of the matter—why I signed up for a marathon in the first place.

I haven’t gone into too much detail on here, although I have gently alluded to the fact that when I first started running, I was in a very bad place with food and body image. I was trapped in a negative cycle, and I honestly didn’t see a light at the end, and I could not bring myself to believe I would be able to lead a different kind of life. Then I discovered running, and I rekindled my passion to be better—the reason I began my healthy living journey in the first place. I began to focus my success on my physical accomplishments, and I found what I had been searching for: freedom.

I am not running this marathon to break any records, and despite the fact that I am document every last second of my training on pretty much every facet of social media, I’m not doing this so you will think I’ve done something special. I am running this marathon to celebrate a point in my journey. A journey that began when I was 9 years old and realized my body was “different”. I originally thought that deciding to tackle a marathon would be the celebration of my weight loss journey, but what I’ve realized is that it is the celebration of something so much bigger.

So no…I’m not “totally ready to run my first marathon”, but I am ready to have a once in a lifetime experience with one of my best friends. And I’m even starting to believe that it might actually happen this time. I haven’t asked Steve if they’re going to cancel it in a solid 72 hours which I would definitely consider progress. 😉

And because this post obviously isn’t long and wordy enough, here are some things I’ve learned while training for my first marathon:

I’m stronger than I think.
Dinosaurs are hilarious.
It’s not easy to find people that you actually enjoy being alone with for 4 hours every week, so if you find someone who clicks perfectly, enjoy it and appreciate the hell out of them (I DO!).
I am an individual, and my training plan will probably never fit 100% perfectly into my life, and the challenges that each cycle will bring. All I can do is my best, and it won’t kill me to choose drinking wine with friends once in my life over “feeling great” on my stupid recovery run. I was definitely better about this the second time, but the first time around, I had absolutely no social life, and I don’t think my husband/family/friends appreciated me kicking them to the curb. It’s not the nicest way to treat the people I love. I swear there is a way to find balance, but it’s different for everyone, and that’s okay.
Comparing myself to others never ends well. And it’s stupid, and kind of rude. It’s best to avoid it at all costs.
Coach Susan knows the answers to all of life’s questions. Also, I think my people-pleasing personality is hooked on this whole having a coach business. I had no idea what I was missing, but now I don’t want to go back (and let’s be honest….I probably won’t. Coach Susan > Lululemon running skirts).
Although running skirts are pretty awesome…
I enjoy running without music. This was the surprise of the century, but I didn’t use my ipod for a single long run the second time around. I do plan on having it on backup for the marathon if I need some extra motivation though.
Running should be fun. Last time I checked, this was not my career, and I wasn’t planning to win PF Chang’s. I know, I know, you’re shocked by this revelation. Fun doesn’t mean easy. In my sick and twisted world, “fun” means giving everything I have inside me, laughing with Nicole, enjoying the cheers, and celebrating the success of running a marathon no matter what happens. I plan to have so much freaking fun.

This is what fun running looks like.

Alright friends, now is the time—give me pre-race words of wisdom! Tell me your motivational mantras, what you’ve learned (not necessarily from running, but it could be what you learned in math class), and any other gems of positivity you want to share!

**PS: I am putting together a post this week linking up first time marathon recaps, RnR AZ recaps, and any really inspirational running recaps I come across, because I plan on doing a lot of reading to get motivated. If you have a post, email me the link to ari@arismenu.com if you’d like to be included!**

Sunflower Butter White Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake

January 11, 2013 · by Ari ·

SOMEONE’S GETTING MARRIED TODAY!!!!!

Noooo, not me silly gooses. I already have a real husband and a New York Husband, and that is plenty. Plus, you know I said some vows to my Kitchenaid…

Ummm, I know what you’re thinking, but it’s totally normal to have two human husbands and one appliance. And everyone says vows to their favorite kitchen appliance, okay?

Sunflower Butter White Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake

This is one of the most pointless food pictures I’ve ever taken. It shows you nothing about the actual cake, but for some reason I just love it.

Today my beautiful, wonderful friend Jen is getting hitched! I flew in to NYC late last evening, and today I’m road tripping down to Virginia for the wedding. It’s a long story, but the extra states saved me a night’s hotel fair, and earned me some extra time with NY Husband, so it’s well worth the extra travel. Jen is one of the most giving, loving people I have ever met, and I can’t wait to be a part of her special day!

I figured since today was extra special, I would do something I never do and post a CAKE! I very rarely make real cakes. I’m much more of a cupcake girl. I like the built in portion control of a cupcake, because lord knows I will break out a fork, and eat the entire cake if left to my own devices…

One time, I made Steve a red velvet cake for his birthday. Of course, this was before I knew how to cook, like at all, so it came from a box. I forgot the eggs (which is pretty typical for me), and the cake, although delicious, was a crumbly mess. This was also pre-weight-loss for both of us. We each ended up grabbing a fork, and almost completely devouring this double layer cake. It was really cute, I swear.

I can’t promise you that you will not have the same problem here, because this cake is GOOD. The edges browned and got slightly crispy while the middle stayed perfectly gooey and soft. The cake isn’t overly sweet to balance out the rich, chocolatey icing, and the white chocolate chips throughout create a perfect flavor balance. In basic terms, it tastes kinda like a HUGE, soft peanut butter cookie with white chocolate chips, that’s covered in rich chocolate cream cheese frosting. Except, it’s a cake. A cake I can get behind. Now, please pass me the fork.

Sunflower Butter White Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake

yield approx 16 servings

1/4 cup apple butter
2/3 cup sunflower butter (or any nut butter you have on hand will work)
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup white whole wheat flour
1 and 1/2 tsp baking powder
dash salt
3/4 cup brown sugar,packed
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg

For the Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting:

12 oz reduced fat cream cheese
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 and 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 and 1/4 oz dark chocolate, melted and cooled
1 tsp vanilla extract
2-3 tbsp unsweetened almond milk

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350. Line the bottom of a 9-10″ springform pan with parchment paper. Spray edges and parchment paper well with nonstick spray. Set aside.
In a medium bowl. whisk flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl (or in the bowl of a stand mixer), beat together apple butter, sunflower butter, brown sugar, and vanilla until well combined. Beat in egg. Slowly add dry ingredients and mix until incorporated. Fold in white chocolate chips.
Transfer dough to prepared pan, and use a piece of sprayed parchment paper to gently press into an even layer.
Bake for 18-22 minutes, until lightly golden. The center should be set, but soft. Cool completely in pan.
Once cooled, run a butter knife along the inside to release any areas that are stuck, then open springform, and transfer cake to your preferred frosting area.
To make frosting, beat cream cheese on medium speed until smooth. Add vanilla extract. Add in powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time, beating on low speed, followed by cocoa powder. Increase to medium speed and add melted chocolate. Beat until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl often. Slowly, add almond milk 1 tbsp at a time until frosting reaches a spreadable consistency.
Frost cooled cookie cake completely, and serve.

French Onion Meatloaf

January 9, 2013 · by Ari ·

Warm, comforting, and healthy meatloaf stuffed with 2 sweet, caramelized onions and topped with bubbly gruyere cheese. This is the ultimate in comfort food, yet still low in calories and fat, and packed with protein!

Can we just talk about beef for a second? I mean, not too much, because honestly it’s not nearly as interesting as something like FRO YO, but I do want to talk about how it can, in my opinion, be a lot healthier than people think. When I started my weight loss journey, one of the first things I did (after cutting out fast food) was cut out red meat. I don’t want to go into toooo much detail here, but I don’t “cut out” foods anymore; however, it was incredibly beneficial in the beginning when I was literally learning how to eat healthily.

For years, I was very strict and I would only consume ground turkey, but one day I read the nutrition label of my lean ground turkey and compared it to lean ground beef. They were practically identical. If you choose 99% lean ground turkey breast, it is the leanest and the healthiest, but 96% lean ground beef is pretty great too. If you buy ground turkey, it usually comes in several varieties with the leanest being 93% and 99%.

93% lean ground turkey has 170 calories, 8 grams of fat, 2.5 grams of saturated fat, and 21 grams of protein per serving.
99% lean ground turkey breast has 120 calories, 1.5 grams of fat, .5 grams of saturated fat and 26 grams of protein per serving.
96% lean ground beef has 140 calories, 4 grams of fat, 2.5 grams of saturated fat and 24 grams of protein per serving.

So, yes, ground turkey breast is clearly the healthiest, (especially if you compare it to the 80% lean ground beef I see most often at the store that contains 290 calories, 23 grams of fat, 9 grams of saturated fat and 19 grams of protein per serving) but they’re all great options, and ground turkey breast can be expensive, and many people consider it dry. I love it, and I think it works great for tacos and meat sauce, but for things like burgers and meatloaf, I think extra lean ground beef is the way to go.

So my point is, not all red meat is “bad” and not all turkey is “good”. I won’t bore you with more numbers, but check that nutrition label of the less expensive 85% lean ground turkey. Okay, enough nutrition talk, let’s talk about this meatloaf because it is bordering on life changing. First of all, please tell me you love French onion soup as much as I do??? Sweet caramelized onions in a savory beef broth with tons of bread and cheese overflowing the top of the bowl–what’s not to love?

This dish takes all of the best aspects of French onion soup and puts them together in a healthy, hearty meatloaf. It is FILLED with 2 whole onions worth of caramelized onions, bound by oats instead of crusty bread (I promise you can’t even taste them!), and topped off with melty, bubbling gruyere cheese. It’s also incredibly easy (and fun!) to assemble, making it perfect for any time!

French Onion Meatloaf

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour, 40 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours

Yield: 6 servings

French Onion Meatloaf

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 large sweet onions, sliced
salt and pepper
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/3 cup low sodium beef broth
1/2 cup raw oats (if you care about that sort of thing, use gluten-free oats)
1 lb 96% lean ground beef (if I haven't sold you on the beef thing, ground turkey works too 😉 )
2-3 oz gruyere cheese, sliced or freshly shredded

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400. Line a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan with tin foil and spray with nonstick spray. Set aside.
In a large pan, cook garlic and onions in olive oil and balsamic vinegar over medium-low heat. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until soft and caramelized, about 40 minutes.
Meanwhile, whisk together egg whites, almond milk and beed broth in a large bowl. When onions have finished cooking, remove from heat and let cool for 5-10 minutes, then add onions, oats and beef to the egg white mixtures. Add salt and pepper if desired (I didn't). Use your hands to incorporate all ingredients until combined. You don't need to overmix. The mixture may appear liquidy at first, but just keep lightly tossing with your hands, and it will come together.
Transfer to prepared loaf pan, and cook for 50-60 minutes until cooked throughout. Remove tinfoil from pan and transfer to a baking sheet. Gently remove tin foil from the sides of your meatloaf, and flatten onto baking sheet (this allows the cheese to ooze down). Top with cheese. Turn your oven to broil and cook for and additional 3-5 minutes until the cheese is melted, browned and bubbly to your liking. Let rest for 5 minutes, then enjoy.

https://arismenu.com/french-onion-meatloaf/

White Chocolate Marshmallow Cookie Bars

January 8, 2013 · by Ari ·

Sweet, soft and chewy sugar cookie bars topped with smooth white chocolate and gooey, browned marshmallows. Secretly healthy and whole grain, but you’d never know!

I’m a proud big sister! My brother graduated this winter with 2 associate degrees! He is the hardest worker I know, and I am unbelievably proud.

Charlie is a, um…picky eater. He has the oddest tastes of anyone I’ve ever met. He’s not always super into sweets, but he does clear my pantry out of any white chocolate and marshmallows I may have on hand pretty much every time he comes over. They are his two favorite things, and they are definitely two things I can get behind!

To celebrate his accomplishment, I made a simple dessert putting his favorite things together. The cookie layer is thick and soft, then it’s topped with melty white chocolate and browned marshmallows for a winning combination of flavors and textures.

And the best part? They’re health(ier) in the sneaky, secret kinda way that no one will ever guess!

White Chocolate Marshmallow Cookie Bars

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Yield: 16 bars

White Chocolate Marshmallow Cookie Bars

Sweet, soft and chewy sugar cookie bars topped with smooth white chocolate and gooey, browned marshmallows. Secretly healthy and whole grain, but you'd never know!

Ingredients

1 and 1/4 cups white whole wheat flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
dash salt
1/4 cup apple butter
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 egg white
1 tbsp nonfat Greek yogurt
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup mini marshmallows

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375. Spray a 9x9 pan with cooking spray.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl, beat together apple butter, sugar, egg white, Greek yogurt and vanilla until well combined. Slowly, add in flour mixture and continue beating until incorporated.
Transfer dough to prepared pan and use a greased piece of parchment paper to gently and evenly press dough into the pan.
Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden and set in the center. Evenly sprinkle white chocolate chips on top, followed by marshmallows.
Broil for 2-3 minutes until marshmallows are browned and puffy. Pay close attention during this step--they can burn quickly if left in too long. Cool completely, and serve.

https://arismenu.com/white-chocolate-marshmallow-cookie-bars/

Noodleless Chicken “Pad” Thai

January 7, 2013 · by Ari ·

My vacation is over. Wahhhhh. It’s been so incredibly nice having the last two weeks almost completely off. I’ve actually been cooking dinner again! You may have noticed that I actually post recipes of “real food” instead of just cookies lately (although, if you ask me, cookies are totally a suitable dinner). This is because I finally have time to cook dinner, and I haven’t been living off Chipotle and those Trader Joe’s frozen black bean and corn enchiladas. It’s been awesome.

I think Steve has been enjoying it too. In fact, I’ve been all kinds of domestic. Last week, I took out the entire contents of my kitchen and pantry, and then reorganized and cleaned ALL OF IT. If you haven’t been to my house, it’s possible you don’t understand what I project that was. Also, if you don’t know me, and know how much I HATE cleaning, this may not seem that odd, but it was completely out of character.

Steve came into the kitchen and the first words out of his mouth were “Where are you hiding the crack?” If by crack you mean coffee, then it’s on the counter….

So I cracked out on my kitchen, and I cooked things. It was a pretty productive two weeks for me. Also, there’s something else you need to know about me: I almost never make a meal twice. If I do, it’s either super ridiculously easy, or one of my very favorites, or both. I make this one a lot. In fact, the recipe has been up here for a while, but it’s an oldie that needed a serious update.

Chicken Pad Thai is one of my very favorite meals in the world. I know I’ve told you guys about how I used to think I hated Thai food, then discovered I loved it and someone told me that it was “healthy” so I believed them, and ate it like 4 x per week, but then I realized how calorie dense it is, and never ate it anymore. It was so sad. Don’t worry though, my story has a happy ending!

No, not that kind of happy ending. Or maybe your brain didn’t even go there? Sorry, mine did. Anyway….ever since I first made this dish, I’ve been in love. Everything you love about the bold flavors of chicken pad Thai–spicy with a slight sweetness, peanut sauce with lime and cilantro–perfection. This dish proves the true magical powers of spaghetti squash. Seriously, any meal you love that includes noodles or pasta, just sub in some spaghetti squash, and you will be hooked!

Obviously, I am.

Noodleless Chicken “Pad” Thai

1 large spaghetti squash, split length wise and seeds removed
2 tsp olive oil, divided
1 large sweet yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 zucchinis, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup snow peas or sugar snap peas
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, cubed
1 1/2 tbsp peanut butter
1 tbs reduced sodium soy sauce (if you don’t eat gluten, use gluten-free)
1 1/2-2 tsp chili paste
1 tbsp lime juice
handful fresh cilantro, chopped
1 small bunch green onion, sliced
salt and pepper to taste
Sriracha for topping (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400. Drizzle inside of spaghetti squash with 1 tsp olive oil and rub in with fingers. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer face down to a large roasting pan. Roast spaghetti squash for 45-60 minutes until tender.
Meanwhile, in a large wok pan over medium heat, drizzle remaining 1 tsp olive oil and add yellow onion, garlic, zucchini, red pepper and snow peas. Cook 5-10 minutes until tender. Add chicken and season with salt and pepper. Continue cooking until all pieces of chicken are cooked throughout.
In a small bowl, whisk together peanut butter, soy sauce, chili paste, and lime juice. Set aside.
Use a fork to remove the insides of cooked spaghetti squash and transfer into wok pan. Pour sauce into pan, add lime juice and cilantro and toss all ingredients together for 2-3 minutes. Serve and top with green onions and Sriracha if desired. And if you’re like me, add even more cilantro 😉

RnR AZ 2 Weeks to Go

January 6, 2013 · by Ari ·

Hey, remember how I used to actually talk about my marathon training? Those were the good ol’ days. Then I just stopped for 3 weeks. Well, I haven’t been writing because there hasn’t been too much to report, other than working really hard to fight off injury and sickness. I could feel really down in the dumps about it, and decide that my training has been ruined forever (that’s pretty typical over in these parts), but actually, I’ll take it now rather than at the starting line. And I haven’t missed a single long run, so I’m honestly not that worried. I mean, I’m a nervous wreck, but I’m no more nervous than if I had done every run exactly as planned. I’ve been training for 7 months. I can run this marathon. Umm, I just accidentally typed “marathong” which I’m guessing is something completely different. Moving on…

In the last 3 weeks, I’ve probably run 6 times. Right when I decided I wanted to push to make it to 1,000 miles for 2012, I woke up the day after a 14 mile run with a scary knee pain I had never felt before. There was definitely some freaking out, and crazy texts and calls to Coach Susan, my nurse friend Laurel, and anyone else who would listen. Susan told me to take at least 3 days off, and said most injuries can be prevented if you just listen to your body and take time off immediately. I’m not usually very good at that, but as I told EVERYONE about a million times, I can’t not run another marathon. So I listened. I took an entire week off running (WHO AM I??), went to the gym and lifted weights one of the days (more shocking news), and did a 55 mile bike ride on Christmas which was awesome except for the fact that I am pretty sure I need a different seat, like, yesterday. It was pretty painful in all the wrong ways, but I was happy to be doing something “endurancy” and “athletic”.

After my week hiatus, I came back and ran the best freaking 21 miles of my life.

READY TO RUN!!!

Actually, I’d never run 21 miles before, so I have nothing to compare it to, except for the fact that I did it in less time than it took me to run 20.5 the last time, so that’s a good sign. I actually still can’t get over how much better I felt this time. The last time, after mile 18, it seriously felt like there was glass inside my joints, and every step felt like I was just going to break. It was so incredibly difficult, but this time, I just felt…right. I mean, it was ridiculously tough, but more in an “I’m exhausted, where is the ‘finish line’???” type of way than a “Are you sure there are not shards of glass in my ankles?” type of way. I finally got to run the route I had planned out the first time with Nicole, and she kept me so positive in the middle miles (around 15-17) where I was struggling. By the end we were so pumped that we ran the final mile in something ridiculous like 8:30. I really doubt that will be happening at mile 26, but even after we were finished, I felt energized and I couldn’t believe how great it went.

The next day, I got sick. So then I took more time off, then I ran again and my knee kinda hurt, blah blah blah. Sooooo, I’m just trying to embrace the taper. I felt an injury come on during taper last time, and Susan told me that it really wouldn’t hurt me to take it easier during that time, so that’s what I’m doing. I’ve been training for 7 months, and never missed a long run. My body knows what to do. Sorry, I have to keep reminding myself as well.

So, there you have it friends. Two weeks to go, and I’m feeling the taper craziness in full force, but I know that by this time on January 20th, it will all be worth it. I will finally be able to call myself a marathoner, and more importantly, I will be able to rewrite my thank you notes (I wrote them after NY, but I hated how pessimistic they sounded, so I decided to wait until after the journey was complete and I could thank everyone who donated for helping me to become a marathoner), and I will be able to feel the reward of crossing the finish line after 26.2 miles. I can’t freakin’ wait.

Honey Roasted Peanut Butter

January 4, 2013 · by Ari ·

If there’s anything I’ve learned since entering the blog world, it’s that sometimes the simplest recipes are best.

I knew ever since I saw this little gem that it was going to be a must try in my house. I’ve almost entirely stopped buying nut butter as the store because, well, there’s just no need to anymore. I’m so in love with the ones I create at home, and this peanut butter is no different.

The sweet simplicity of honey roasted peanuts ground up to creamy, slightly crunchy, sweet perfection. You will love the natural, subtle crunch. It’s not like where they chop up more peanuts, fold them in, and call it “crunchy”; it’s like a caramelized, toffee tasting crunch if that even makes a little bit of sense? It makes sense to me. 😉

I don’t think I’ve been this obsessed with a peanut butter since I discovered PB&Co. And I’m not the only one. My whole family has resolved to stop buying the store bought stuff, and just eat this forever and ever.

And as if the universe was working just for me, all of the sudden honey crisps are back!! Is this just where I am? I thought they were gone for the year, but they’ve come back to all of my stores, and I can’t stop eating them with a huge helping of this peanut butter to dip them in. Best.Snack.Ever.

I only wish I could take credit for this brilliance, but that is all this girl. Click over to see her awesome step by step photos and instructions.

Lemon Coconut Cupcakes {vegan}

January 2, 2013 · by Ari ·

Hi. There’s cupcakes. But first, can we please talk about Les Miserables for a hot minute? My poor, sweet, perfect husband ~~got forced~~ volunteered to go with me to see it. When I first saw the trailer, I was convinced it was going to be horrible, but as time went on, the hype got bigger and bigger, and I started to believe I was actually going to love it.

And I’m really sorry, because if you saw it, I’m sure you probably loved it too. But we walked out and Steve said “My favorite part was when he jumped off the bridge because that meant he couldn’t sing anymore.” Spoiler alert: Javert jumps off a bridge. Spoiler #2: I kind of agree. I don’t want to talk about everything that was wrong with the movie, because flaws and all, I still enjoyed all 2.5 hours of it. Well maybe like 2 of them, but what was sooooo funny was listening to Steve go on and on and ON about it the whole car ride home. I’ve never seen him hate a movie so much!

His other finest quote was “No wonder they couldn’t get anything done in that French revolution! They had to sing about everything first!” If you didn’t love the movie, you should really ask him about it, but if you’re one of the people who cried in the theatre, then it’s probably a subject best left untapped. Okay, musical theatre snobbery is over. Let’s talk about cupcakes!

You guys know how I’m always talking about perfect flavor combinations. I’m not one to just have one flavor. I like variety. I get bored easily, and I need a lot going on in order to stay interested. I hadn’t ever had lemon and coconut together before (that I can remember), but I had a hunch it was going to be pretty great, and it may not be peanut butter and chocolate, but it is definitely a contendor for my secret mental list. 😉

The light, citrusy flavor of the lemon complements the rich, creamy coconut flavor in these soft and fluffy cupcakes. They are definitely dessert, but not too sweet, and that slightly tart lemon glaze is the perfect finishing touch. And I promise, the best part is not when they jump off a bridge. Unless the bridge is your hand and they are jumping into your mouth. Worst joke ever?

Lemon Coconut Cupcakes

yield 1 1/2 dozen cupcakes

2 cups white whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
dash salt
1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp coconut extract
2/3 cups sugar
zest of 1 extra large lemons
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 2/3 cups canned light coconut milk
reduced fat unsweetened shredded coconut and yellow sprinkles for topping (optional)

For the glaze:

½ cup powdered sugar
dash lemon extract
1-2 tbs hot water

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F. Line 18 muffin tins with paper liners. Set aside
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cornstarch. Set aside.
In a large bowl, beat together sugar and lemon zest until fragrant. Add applesauce and coconut extract and beat until combined. Slowly pour half of the coconut milk and beat until well incorporated. Add half of the flour mixture, beating until incorporated, followed by remaining coconut milk. Beat until smooth, then add remaining flour mixture, and continue beating until well incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl when necessary.
Evenly divide batter between cupcake tins (they should be about 2/3 full) and bake for 18-25 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
To make the glaze, in a small-medium mixing bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, lemon extract and 1 tbs hot water. Slowly continue to add more water (and I mean very slowly. A little bit of liquid goes a long way with powdered sugar) until desired drippy consistency. Spread onto cooled cupcakes, and top with sprinkles and coconut if desired.

Buffalo Chicken Salad

January 1, 2013 · by Ari ·

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! I made you a present.

Whenever I’m coming out of a self imposed sugar coma, I always want flavors that a bold, flavorful and spicy. My palet gets used to too much sugary goodness, and I need equally strong and delicious flavors to combat my cravings. And if I don’t have to put too much effort in, well, that’s just an added bonus. 😉

Have I shared my undying love of buffalo sauce? It’s on my menu scanning list. Please tell me you have one of those too? You know, you sit down at a new restaurant, open the menu, and scan for your favorites which, if you’re me, include goat cheese, avocado, roasted red peppers, bleu cheese, cilantro, and buffalo sauce. Two menu scanners in one recipe. Also, fresh crumbled blue cheese would be AWESOME on this when served, especially if you make it into a sandwich.

But let’s be honest. This only actually ever made it to sandwich form for this photo. The rest of the time it was lucky if it made it onto a plate, and wasn’t eaten straight out of the container. What can I say? I’m kind of a gross human. And I’m lazy, but I swear I have lots of redeeming qualities. I do really great impersonations.

And I make chicken salad. Chicken salad that is bold and spicy without being overpowering. It breaks all the chicken salad rules using no mayo and fresh, fall-off-the-bone rotisserie chicken combined with zesty ranch seasonings, crisp celery, and fresh cilantro. You will love how quickly and easily this meal comes together. It is perfect for make ahead lunches, or serving a large group. It is the ultimate taste-good-feel-good kinda meal. Just the way I like it!

Buffalo Chicken Salad

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Yield: 6-8

Buffalo Chicken Salad

Healthy, bold and spicy buffalo chicken salad with no mayo. A super addicting and easy make ahead lunch or dinner.

Ingredients

2/3 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
2/3 cup buffalo sauce (I recommend Frank's Red Hot)
pinch freshly ground pepper
1-2 tsp ranch seasoning
1-2 tbs chopped fresh cilantro
meat from 1 rotisserie chicken, skin removed
1 cup chopped celery

Instructions

In a small bowl, whisk together yogurt, buffalo sauce, pepper, ranch seasoning and cilantro. Set aside. Place remaining ingredients in a large bowl, and lightly toss. Stir in dressing until well combined. Eat immediately, or store in refrigerator for up to 7 days.

Notes

**Note: I would call this a medium on the spice level. If you'd like to make it more/less spicy, just adjust the yogurt/buffalo sauce ratio.

https://arismenu.com/buffalo-chicken-salad/

DIY Whole Wheat Cake Flour

December 31, 2012 · by Ari ·

You know what is not easy? Taking pictures of flour.

I know, I know….food blogger problems…

There have always been a lot of recipes that I pass up on making because I reallllly don’t like to use white flour. It’s a weird thing. I don’t freak out if someone else makes something with it, but I just really prefer to use whole grains, especially when I’m creating things for Ari’s Menu.

Of course there are exceptions to the rule, but it always seems silly to buy an entire container of something I know I’ll only use once. In fact, I only really buy two flours: whole wheat pastry, and white whole wheat, but you know what? I would package this up and buy it in a heart beat!

I’ve never seen whole wheat cake flour in the grocery store, so I decided to get creative, and make my own. There are a lot of tutorials out there that teach you how to make your own cake flour, so I used to same concept, and just used whole wheat pastry in place of all purpose. You could probably do the same thing with white whole wheat flour as well, I’d imagine, and even plain old wheat, although it would probably bake a bit denser.

As soon as I made this, I used it to whip up a batch of cookies. Very special cookies. They came out amazing, so I’d say the flour was a big success! They baked up fluffy, and cake-like (which is perfect for these cookies). Creating the cake flour took me all of an extra 2 minutes in the process, so I would highly recommend giving it a try next time you find a recipe that calls for cake flour–here’s an easy way to healthy it up in minutes.

DIY Whole Wheat Cake Flour

yield 1 cup

1 cup minus 2 tbsp whole wheat pastry flour
2 tbsp cornstarch

Directions:

Measure out 1 level cup of whole wheat cake flour and transfer to a medium mixing bowl. Remove 2 tbsp of flour and replace with 2 tbsp cornstarch. Lightly whisk together. Use immediately, or store in an airtight container just as you would any other flour.

Best of 2012

December 28, 2012 · by Ari ·

This has been an incredible year for my little blog. This time last year, I had my first day with over 100 visitors, and I was thrilled! Since then, I’ve gotten a little better with the camera and in the kitchen, and I have put out a lost of posts and recipes that I am really proud of. I love seeing what posts you guys love most. So here are your favorite recipes of 2012!

10. Gluten-Free Cannoli Bars

9. Spinach Artichoke Mac & Cheese

8. Salted Chocolate Cookie Butter Cups (vegan)

7. Cookie Butter Brownie Bars

6. Vegan Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

5. Skinnified Pumpkin Spice Latte Cupcakes

4. Skinnified “Fettuccine” Alfredo (gluten-free)

3. Vanilla Bean Cookie Butter Cup Cupcakes

2. Cake Batter Dip

annnndddd dun duh duh dunnnnnn

1. Cranberry Apple Chicken Salad

I have to say, I was pretty surprised by #1! I mean, I LOVE that recipe, and I literally make it all the time, but for some reason, I didn’t think you guys would love it as much as I do. However, it was the clear winner, and it has inspired an other awesome dish that is sitting in my fridge, and will be coming your way very soon. 😉

I also wanted to share my favorites from the year. Ummm, that’s hard. I truly do love every recipe I share. If I don’t love it, I’m not going to tell you to make it. That’s silly. But there are definitely some that stand out to me, so in no particular order, here are my 10 favorites. Some of them are repeats because you guys have great taste! 😉

#3 & #4 above (probably my top two of all time actually).
Skinny Mini Corn Dogs
Brown Sugar Sweetened Condensed Milk (vegan)
Spaghetti & Spinach Avocado Pesto (gluten-free option)
Skinnified Chicken & Waffles
Peanut Butter & Jelly Cookies (vegan)
Cinnamon Chip Granola Cookies
Hawaiian Macadamia Butter Cookies
Fro-yo Cake with Nutella Cookie Crust
Red White & Blue Cookies

Okay, I fibbed. That was 11, but I just really loved them!

YOUR TURN!! Tell me your favorite recipes of the year–from my blog, your blog, anyone’s blog, ANYWHERE! 🙂 Feel free to leave links to some of yours and hopefully get some love on your favorites!

« Previous Page

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies with Dark Chocolate, Cherries & Coconut

RnR AZ One Week To Go

Noodleless Chicken “Pad” Thai

RnR AZ 2 Weeks to Go

Honey Roasted Peanut Butter

Lemon Coconut Cupcakes {vegan}

Buffalo Chicken Salad

DIY Whole Wheat Cake Flour

Best of 2012

Featured Here

Member Of…

Archives