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90+ Healthy Recipes for Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner & Dessert

January 26, 2015 · by Ari ·

90+ healthy recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner & dessert will help you with healthy meal planning for the new year with plenty of options for every meal of the day! With plenty of vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, paleo & low carb options.

It’s January, which is every healthy food blogger’s favorite time of year! To help keep you on the healthy eating bandwagon, I’ve put together 90+ healthy recipes to get you through your day for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert! This way you can have tons to choose from for each meal!

Breakfast

Above photos from Healthy Seasonal Recipes & Taste, Love & Nourish

Cranberry Almond Granola

Gingerbread Apple Pancakes from Healthy Seasonal Recipes <—OMG that shot. Gorgeous.

Sweet Potato Waffles from The Lean Green Bean

Paleo Mexican Hot Chocolate Pancakes with Salted Dulce de Leche from The Healthy Maven

Lemon Almond Meal Scones

Coconut Vanilla & Almond Butter Smoothie from The Housewife Training Files

Tropical Breakfast Quinoa from Savvy Eats

Honey Sesame Granola

Raisin Nut Granola from Savvy Eats

Whole Wheat Blueberry Scones from Yummy Healthy Easy

Portobello Breakfast Cups

Coconut Almond Quinoa Granola from Taste Love & Nourish

Berry & Banana Oat Breakfast Smoothie from Eat. Drink. Love.

Acorn Squash Egg in the Hole from The Roasted Root

Tropical Mango Muffins from Snappy Gourmet

Cranberry Orange Muffins from Texanerin Baking

Chocolate Chip Banana Bran Muffins from Amy’s Healthy Baking

Banana Maple Yogurt Parfait from Lemon Tree Dwelling

Peanut Butter Cup Smoothie from The Nutritious Kitchen

Red Potato, Bell Pepper & Spinach Breakfast Hash from Neighbor Food Blog

Peanut Butter & Fig Granola from Keep it Sweet Desserts

Protein Packed Pancakes from The Lemon Bowl

Lunch

Above photos from The Healthy Maven & Taste Love & Nourish

Cranberry Apple Chicken Salad

Avocado Tuna Salad from The Healthy Maven

Chicken & Chickpea Green Goddess Power Salad from Healthy Seasonal Recipes

Copycat Panera Hummus Chicken Power Salad from Food Faith Fitness

Guacamole Chicken Salad

Avocado Chickpea Salad Sandwiches from Yummy Healthy Easy

Spicy Kale Caesar Salad with Roasted Garlic from The Roasted Root

Black Bean Burger Salad with Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette

Southwest Chopped Salad with Salsa Vinaigrette from Taste Love & Nourish

Sweet Potato Black Bean Burgers with Cilantro Avocado Cream

Chicken Broccoli Slaw with Spicy Peanut Dressing from Eat. Drink. Love.

Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

Butternut Squash & Spelt Salad with Goat Cheese & Toasted Almonds from The Lemon Bowl

$90 + Healthy Recipes for Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner & Dessert$
Tex Mex Quinoa Salad with Lime Vinaigrette from Eat. Drink. Love.

Portobello Tuna Melts from Home Cooking Memories

Southwest Quinoa Bowls

Dinner

Above photos from The Marvelous Misadventures of a Foodie & The Roasted Root

Lasagna Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

Fajita Burgers from The Marvelous Misadventures of a Foodie

Hot & Sweet Slaw with Jerk Spice Salmon from Healthy Seasonal Recipes

10 Minute Taco Salad

Cider Chai Crockpot Pulled Pork from The Roasted Root <–Check out that perfect shot!

Crockpot Sweet Potato Chicken Chili

Crockpot BBQ Pulled Chicken Tacos from The Nutritious Kitchen

BBQ Chicken Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Butter Chicken Meatballs with Spicy Masala Sauce from The Healthy Maven

Caprese Pasta

Shrimp and Israeli Pepper Salad from Know Your Produce

Crockpot Chicken Enchilada Soup

Honey Mustard Chicken Stir Fry from Food Faith Fitness

French Onion Meatloaf

Easy Baked Chicken Cacciatore from The Kitchen is My Playground

Crockpot Curry Soup with Sweet Potato, Chicken & Kale

Skinny Chicken Broccoli Casserole from Yummy Healthy Easy

Buffalo Turkey Burgers

Loaded Mediterranean Sweet Potato Fries from Neighbor Food Blog <– OMG this is SO happening!

Skinnified “Fettuccine” Alfredo

Slow Cooker Indian Butter Chicken with Cauliflower from The Lemon Bowl

Wild Rice Stuffed Acorn Squash from The Marvelous Misadventures of a Foodie

Thai Coconut Cabbage Soup from Cotter Crunch

Dessert

Above photos from Cook the Story & The Nutritious Kitchen

Toasted Marshmallow Sweet Potato Ice Cream

Soft Hazelnut Mocha Cookies from Healthy Sweet Eats

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites

Blueberry Almond Tart from Healthy Seasonal Recipes

Peanut Butter & Jelly Cookies

Tart Cherry Fro-yo {with White & Dark Chocolate Chips}

Peanut Butter Cup Hot Chocolate from The Nutritious Kitchen

Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

Greek Yogurt Peanut Butter Cheesecake with Maple Peanut Clusters from The Housewife Training Files

Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Healthy Chocolate Mockshake from Snappy Gourmet

Salted Caramel Mocha Cookies

Easy Fruit Dip: Dark Chocolate Greek Yogurt with Cinnamon & Spice from Cook the Story

Chai Spiced Coconut Cream Ice Cream

Cannoli Cups from Home Cooking Memories

Soft & Fluffy Sugar Cookies

Pumpkin Bread from The Lean Green Bean

Chocolate Frosted Orange Donuts

Paleo Cocoa Hazelnut Bread with Molasses from Cotter Crunch

Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread

Enjoy!! Happy meal planning!

Healthy Tuna Salad {Without Mayo}

January 23, 2015 · by Ari ·

Healthy, protein packed tuna salad is the perfect light lunch option. Made with creamy Greek yogurt, sweet relish, and crunchy celery–you’ll never miss the mayo!

It’s almost the end of January (ummm what?) which means two things: 1. That I only have two weeks left in my twenties (oyyyyy) and 2. That most of the world has already gotten preoccupied and forgotten about all of those lofty goals and resolutions they set on December 31st.

One of the biggest traps I fall into is being too lazy/forgetful to pack my lunch and ending up going out to eat 4x per week. It’s not the healthiest, and it’s even worse for my checking account. Morning are super busy–they are my time to get my work out in, hopefully get some blog work in before going to work-work, and coffee. So.Much.Coffee. What I mean is…I don’t have time to put together anything that takes me more than about 4 minutes.

Tuna salad is such an obvious option, but it’s one of those things I always forget how much I love it. Also, I’m not super into globs of mayo. I mean, I’ve always loved traditional tuna salad, but it’s generally not the healthiest option. Like, at all.

Tuna on it’s own is super healthy: packed with protein, and very low in calories, so when you trade in the mayo for some heart healthy Greek yogurt, you get a lunch with practically zero fat, and tons of protein and flavor!

With this tuna salad, you’ll be making and bringing your lunch all the time! It’s perfect for a quick lunch at home, to take to work, on a picnic, or however you’d like to enjoy it!

Healthy Tuna Salad {Without Mayo}

Recipe Type: Entree

Author: Ari Ziskin

Prep time: 5 mins

Total time: 5 mins

Serves: 3-4

Healthy, protein packed tuna salad is the perfect light lunch option. Made with creamy Greek yogurt, sweet relish, and crunchy celery–you’ll never miss the mayo!

Ingredients

2 x 4 ounce cans [url href=”http://clvr.li/CGbumblebee”]Bumble Bee® Tuna[/url]
1/4 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon mustard
2 tablespoons sweet relish
2 ribs celery, finely chopped
generous pinch lemon pepper
cherry tomatoes, for garnish

Instructions

In a medium bowl mix together tuna, yogurt, mustard, relish, celery and lemon pepper until well combined. Serve immediately. Top with cherry tomatoes if desired. Leftovers may be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Note: The Greek yogurt can become watery when stored. Just stir before serving again.

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Honey Sriracha Skillet Pork Chops

January 22, 2015 · by Ari ·

Sweet and spicy honey sriracha skillet pork chops are so easy and flavorful with only a handful of ingredients, and one pan. Get rid of the idea that healthy food has to be bland or complicated–this dinner is so easy and delicious, you will make it over and over again!

So when I discover something I like, I get on this kick where I have to do that same thing in, like, every single way imaginable. I like mac and cheese, so clearly it is my goal in life to develop every type of mac and cheese that could ever be even remotely delicious. Ever.

That’s how it is with me and the cast iron lately. Specifically with really, super, ridiculously easy meat dishes that start on the stove top to get that perfect sear, then transfer to the oven to keep cooking without drying out. It’s just so perfect, and it’s only one dish! It’s basically my favorite. Well, the crockpot is up there too. 😉

Ever since I made this chicken, I’ve been a woman obsessed, and that cast iron has gotten more use than ever before. It is so easy to create delicious, flavorful food because the cast iron has magical powers where it locks in all the flavor, and makes everything better.

These pork chops are cooked super simply–just coconut oil, honey, Sriracha and pepper. Yes, that’s 5 ingredients including pepper. And the perfect combination of sweet and spicy.

I just love the way spicy foods add so much flavor to a dish, and keep healthy eating exciting! That’s why I was so stoked when this month’s theme of The Recipe ReDux was all about spice. These pork chops deliver the perfect punch, with minimal effort. Win, win.

Honey Sriracha Skillet Pork Chops

Recipe Type: Entree

Author: Ari Ziskin

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 25 mins

Total time: 30 mins

Serves: 4

Ingredients

1 tablespoon coconut oil (enough to coat the pan–more or less is fine)
4 large pork loin chops
generous pinch black pepper
1 tablespoon good quality honey
1 tablespoon Sriracha

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350. Heat coconut oil over medium heat in an oven-proof skillet, preferably cast iron. Season chops with pepper only (I found that salting them made the entire dish taste like salt) and brown in your skillet, about 3-5 minutes per side. You will know pork is ready to be turned when it easily releases from the pan. If you’re having trouble, let it continue to cook. It will release when it’s browned and ready. Add honey and Sriracha.
Transfer skillet to the oven and bake until pork is cooked through and juices run clear, about 15 minutes. Stir around the juices on the bottom of the pan to mix the pork renderings, coconut oil, honey and Sriracha all together. Serve immediately. I suggest spooning a little bit of the extra liquid on top. Leftovers may be refrigerated in an airtight container for 5-7 days.

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Southwest Quinoa Bowls

January 14, 2015 · by Ari ·

Healthy, flavorful and delicious southwest quinoa bowls filled with black beans, lots of veggies, and tons of spicy southwest flavor! Ready in 30 minutes, vegan & gluten-free.

So I don’t know about you, but my husband is the whiniest whenever I make dinner with no meat. In fact, if I even try to get him to go to a vegetarian restaurant he flat our refuses.

The funniest part is that if I just don’t say anything and feed him a veggie burger, he loves it. I’m pretty sure it’s a mental man thing. Dinner isn’t dinner without meat? It’s like he’s still stuck in 1990 when they thought all vegetarians ate no protein.

So of course the other night as this baby was cooking, he was “snacking” on beef jerky. Then about 2 bites in, he realized the err of his ways, and fell equally in love as I did. Also, he continued to eat all the leftovers sans jerky, so I’d so it was pretty much a success. 😉

Cooking the quinoa in vegetable broth adds so much flavor. Add that to every southwest flavor you can throw in the mix and you have a healthy, easy, protein-packed vegan lunch or dinner with over the top delicious flavor!

It’s only a little spicy, so if you want a spicier dish, feel free to leave the ribs and seeds in from the jalapeno, or even add a second jalapeno, or more green chile. The best part is this dish is totally customizable, so feel free to add whatever you want. Don’t have something on hand? Leave it out. There’s so much going on that it’s easy to play with. Psssst: If you’re not vegan, topping this baby with goat cheese is kinda the stuff dreams are made of. 😉

Southwest Quinoa Bowls

Recipe Type: Entree

Author: Ari Ziskin

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 20 mins

Total time: 30 mins

Serves: 8

Healthy, flavorful and delicious southwest quinoa bowls filled with black beans, lots of veggies, and tons of spicy southwest flavor! Vegan & gluten-free.

Ingredients

2 cups dry quinoa, rinsed
3 cups vegetable broth
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 x 15 ounce cans black beans, lightly drained
1 x 15 ounce can corn, drained
1 bell pepper (preferably red or orange), finely chopped
1 jalapeno, ribs and seeds removed, finely chopped
1 x 4 ounce can green chiles
1 lime, zest and juice
generous pinch cumin
generous pinch pepper
1 cup cherry tomatoes
1 avocado, peeled, pitted and cut into 1″ pieces
finely chopped cilantro, for garnish
finely chopped green onion, for garnish
Chalulah for topping, optional

Instructions

Place quinoa, vegetable broth, and garlic in a large sauce pan. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 12-15 minutes until liquid is incorporated.
Stir in beans, corn, bell pepper, jalapeno, green chiles, lime zest and juice, cumin and pepper. Remove from heat. Stir in tomatoes. Serve topped with avocado, cilantro, green onion and Chalulah if desired. Leftovers may be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to one week. Avocado will not stay fresh as long, so you should store separately (with the pit and a little lime juice), and may need a second one. This can be served hot or cold.

Parmesan Truffle Risotto with Grilled Salmon

January 7, 2015 · by Ari ·

Rich, creamy parmesan truffle risotto with grilled salmon is the perfect, FOOL PROOF comfort food! Ridiculously creamy without an ounce of cream, and tender, juicy salmon make this meal absolutely unforgettable!

Did I ever tell you about the time I made risotto like 4 times in two weeks? I’ve avoided it for so long because 1. I am the worst at cooking rice. And 2. I always thought risotto was a lot more unhealthy than it actually is. Or at least it doesn’t have to be unhealthy. Of course, I haven’t ventured out into trying brown rice and/or quinoa yet (on the list), but to accompany a healthy protein, I really don’t think it’s half bad.

Now I’ve had the risotto swimming in heavy cream, and OMG that’s delicious. I’m not one of those people that pretends they hate things like butter and heavy cream because that is the exact opposite of true, but I try to stay away for the most part. Mostly because moderation is not my thing. If I’m going to pour heavy cream into my dish, I am going to pour heavy cream into my dish, if ya know what I mean.

Anyway, my friends from Sizzlefish sent me SO MUCH FISH (Yes, for free. No, this post wasn’t required–I just loved it! Consider yourself disclosed 😉 )! Like the most fish I have ever seen, but it’s cool because they all hung out in my freezer in their perfectly pre-portioned packages until I was ready to hang with them. It’s seriously the most helpful meal prep thing you can have. They thaw super quickly, and you can get out one package if you’re cooking for just you, or more depending. I still haven’t cooked my way through all of it, and it took me a while to figure out just what I wanted to make with the fish. I love fish, but I don’t cook it very often. Finally I settled on risotto with salmon, and it was so good that I made the exact same thing like 3 days later.

Steve grilled up the salmon and it turned out perfectly juicy, and fall apart tender, and on top of the creamy risotto, I was in heaven. Truffle oil can be a bit pricy, but you really don’t need much, and it is SO worth it for the flavor it brings! One container will last you a long time, and trust me, you’ll be wanting to use it in everything. Especially this risotto. And you’ll also want to make it 4 times in a row.

Parmesan Truffle Risotto with Grilled Salmon

Recipe Type: Entree

Author: Ari Ziskin

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 40 mins

Total time: 45 mins

Serves: 4

Ingredients

For the risotto:
1-2 tablespoons truffle oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 shallots, finely chopped
1 cup arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine (or replace with extra chicken broth if you don’t use alcohol)
32 ounces mushroom broth
1/2 cup freshly shredded parmesan
salt and pepper
parsley for garnish, optional
For the grilled salmon:
4 salmon fillets (about 6 ounces each)
olive oil
salt and pepper

Instructions

To make risotto, coat a large pan with truffle oil (this should be about 1-2 tablespoons) and heat over medium low heat. Add garlic and shallots and toss until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add in rice and toss until browned, about 5-10 minutes. Add wine and stir to combine.
Add mushroom broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring consistently. Wait until each half cup has been incorporated to add more. This process takes approximately 20-30 minutes. Season generously (to taste) with salt and pepper, and add parmesan.
To grill salmon, drizzle with olive oil and add a generous pinch each of salt and pepper. Unless you are extremely confident grilling fish, wrap salmon in tin foil (if you have a lot of experience grilling fish, you can place it straight on), then grill skin side first to desired doneness, about 4 minutes per side.
To serve, plate risotto, top with salmon and then add a touch of parsley if desired. Leftovers may be stored (preferably separately) in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Because I LOVED my Sizzlefish so much, I think you might too! Check out their website or follow on Facebook // Twitter // Instagram // Pinterest. Again, I was sent a super awesome care package from Sizzlefish, but all opinions are my own.

White Chocolate Stuffed Ginger Molasses Cookies

December 17, 2014 · by Ari ·

Ultra soft and chewy ginger molasses cookies stuffed with melty white chocolate. Filled with holiday flavor, these will become your new favorite cookies!

Oh heyyyy…we’re in full blown holiday season, and I still have most of my shopping left to do. What about you? I’m actually one of those people who really, truly loves Christmas/Hanukkah shopping. I love finding just the *right* gift for the people I love, and buying Steve 7 zillion stocking stuffers, and baking delicious treats to put into all of the stockings. It’s one of my very favorite things.

That means it’s going to be a busy week ahead, but tomorrow is my last day of work before winter break begins, and I will then spend the entire week following shoulder deep in all things holiday spirit. In fact, if you’re not into that kinda thing, you should probably steer clear. 😉

But you should still stay for the cookies, because who can resist perfectly soft and chewy ginger molasses cookies? I’m all about the gingerbread this year (well…basically all the time), and it all started with these cookies.

The cookie base is pretty ridiculous on its own, but when you add in that surprise melty, creamy white chocolate middle, they are just taken up to the next level. If any cookie can get you in the holiday spirit, it’s these babies!

White Chocolate Stuffed Ginger Molasses Cookies

Recipe Type: Dessert

Author: Ari Ziskin

Prep time: 30 mins

Cook time: 10 mins

Total time: 40 mins

Serves: 2 dozen

Ultra soft and chewy ginger molasses cookies stuffed with melty white chocolate. Filled with holiday flavor, these will become your new favorite cookies!

Ingredients

2 cups [url href=”http://arismenu.com/gluten-free-baking-blend” target=”_blank”]gluten-free baking blend[/url] (or white whole wheat flour)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
dash salt
1/2 cup apple butter
1/4 cup molasses
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
6-8 ounces good quality white chocolate squares or chopped into large chunks*
granulated sugar for rolling

Instructions

In a medium bowl, whisk together baking blend, baking soda, spices and salt.
In a large bowl, beat together apple butter, molasses, brown sugar and vanilla until smooth. Beat in dry ingredients until just combined. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350. Line 2 large baking sheets with silpat or parchment paper.Roll dough into approximately 1″ balls. Press white chocolate square/chunk inside, and roll dough back around. Make sure white chocolate is completely covered. Add more dough if necessary. Roll in sugar and transfer to prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough.
Bake until just set, about 9-11 minutes. Cookies will look underdone,. Do not over bake. Cool completely on cookie sheet. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.

Notes

*To make vegan, use vegan white chocolate, swap for dark chocolate or omit completely

Crockpot Chicken Alfredo

December 2, 2014 · by Ari ·

Rich and creamy chicken alfredo with ultra tender shredded chicken made in your slow cooker! This is a lightened-up version of your favorite comfort food that will leave your body and your taste buds happy!

Are you guys ready for some creamy, dreamy, and HEALTHY Alfredo sauce? This has been my staple comfort sauce for years, and I can’t believe how long it took me to put it in a crockpot! Crockpot shredded chicken is the best. Every time. Just put any sauce you want with your chicken and cook it on low for about 5 hours and your chicken will be falling apart like magic!

This recipe couldn’t be easier–you can either make your sauce ahead of time, or you can throw everything into your crockpot and then remove the chicken and hit the sauce with an immersion blender (or throw it in a regular blender). Either way, you come home to a healthy, comforting dinner just waiting for you. It is seriously the best feeling.

Today I’m guest posting over at The Lean Green Bean, so make sure to click over for the recipe!

Ultimate Peanut Butter Cup Brownie Cookies

November 30, 2014 · by Ari ·

The ultimate peanut butter cup brownie cookies – rich, fudgy, brownie-like chocolate cookies stuffed with melty peanut butter cups. These cookies are the ultimate treat, and they will disappear in seconds anywhere you bring them.

So..I bake a lot. I’m sure you’re surprised by this. I bake a lot for the blog, and because I have a sweet tooth the size of Texas.

In terms of things I love to eat it goes something like: dessert, goat cheese, dessert, sweet potatoes, dessert, carbs, dessert.

Oh, and cilantro! For a long time I wondered WHY IS THE RICE AT CHIPOTLE SO GOOD? The answer? Cilantro. WHY CAN I NEVER GET ENOUGH MEXICAN FOOD? Cilantro.

Don’t worry, there’s not cilantro in these cookies. That’s too much, even for me.

Anyway, since there are cookies in and out (gotta get them out, always get them out!) of my house pretty much 24/7, it’s not too often that Steve and I freak out and literally lose our minds over a cookie.

In fact, I’m normally on pins and needles awaiting some huge amazed response from Steve about how he can’t believe the amazing-ness of my cookies and how Betty Crocker should pretty much hang it up because my cookies trump ALL OTHER COOKIES.

Then he normally says something along the lines of “Yep. Pretty good.”

Most of the time, we each eat a cookie or two, then we send them off to work/the bike shop/my mom’s house/pretty much anywhere to avoid temptation.

But these cookies?

Well, let’s just say neither of us quite had the willpower to send them off, and I’m pretty sure I ate something like 3 in one day because I couldn’t stop. They were that good.

In fact, as I was scrolling through my photos deciding which cookie recipe to post, as soon as I got to these I exclaimed “YES!!! MY FAVORITES!!”

Well, I didn’t realize they were my favorites, but now that I think about it, it seems pretty obvious. I’m in deep love/obsession/transfixed magic with the chocolate brownie cookie, and these are stuffed with every kind of Reese’s peanut butter cup imaginable.

I bought the variety pack, and the combo of milk, dark and white chocolate is absolutely to die for.

So what are you waiting for? Get on into your kitchen and make yourself some cookies!

Ultimate Peanut Butter Cup Brownie Cookies

Recipe Type: Dessert

Author: Ari Ziskin

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 10 mins

Total time: 25 mins

Serves: 2 dozen

The ultimate peanut butter cup brownie cookies–rich, fudgy, brownie-like chocolate cookies stuffed with melty peanut butter cups. These cookies are the ultimate treat, and they will disappear in seconds anywhere you bring them.

Ingredients

1 cup [url href=”http://arismenu.com/gluten-free-baking-blend” target=”_blank”]gluten-free baking blend[/url] (or white whole wheat flour)
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
dash salt
8 ounces dark chocolate, melted and cooled
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
5 tablespoons apple butter
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 cups mini Reese’s cups, quartered*

Instructions

In a medium bowl, whisk together baking blend, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, beat together chocolate, egg, vanilla, apple butter, and sugars until well combined, then slowly beat in dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in peanut butter cups. Cover and chill for 30 minutes. Do not chill for too long or chocolate will re-harden and dough will become stuck to your bowl.
Preheat oven to 350. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silpat. Use a small cookie scoop to transfer dough to prepared cookie sheets. Use a small piece of parchment paper sprayed with nonstick spray to lightly press down dough balls to flatten slightly (they don’t spread when they bake, so if you don’t flatten them, you will end up with round cookies).
Bake for minutes until just set, about 9-11 minutes Let stand for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container for one week (these cookies stay pretty darn soft and gooey for days!).

Notes

*I used a variety of dark, white and milk chocolate mini Reese’s, which is what I’d recommend. Measure mini cups before quartering.

Gingerbread Pecan Butter & Gingerbread Smoothie

November 24, 2014 · by Ari ·

This post is sponsored by FitFluential LLC on behalf of Blendtec. All recipes and opinions are my own.

Get your gingerbread fix with this smooth, creamy gingerbread pecan butter, and a healthy, protein-packed gingerbread smoothie. Both are so easy to make, you’ll be eating them over and over again!

Stay tuned to the end of this post for an amazing BLENDTEC GIVEAWAY!!

So I get excited for pretty much every holiday flavor, but gingerbread is the one I always go crazy with. Ginger molasses cookies, ginger molasses cake, gingerbread ALL THE THINGS!

Okay so first let’s chat about this gingerbread pecan butter. It’s been a while since I shared a new nut butter. I usually just stick to my normal salted almond butter or honey roasted peanut butter, but I wanted to try something a little different. I’ve made pecan butter once before and it turned out so amazing, so I was super excited to use it again with some ginger and molasses. The result is so smooth, creamy and gingerbread-y! I tried to keep the sugar level down, so if you want more of a dessert spread, I suggest adding a little more brown sugar. This is pecan butter with a gingerbread flavor, not like a cookie butter or nutella type spread. I’ve been spreading it on my waffles with pumpkin butter, and let me tell you, that combo is pretty fantastic. I also used it to make this gingerbread smoothie! Blenders are most commonly used for smoothies, even though the good ones, like this Blendtec Designer 725, can do so much more! I also used the Blendtec Twister Jar to make this pecan butter, and then used the Blendtec WildSide Jar to make this smoothie, but you can make soups, blend ice cream bases, grind nuts to make things like almond meal, and so much more! These two recipes are just the tip of the iceberg! Okay, back to the smoothie. It is protein-packed without protein powder. I have a confession that will probably get me booted from all of my fitness friend circles, but I’m just not into protein powder. There was a time (a long time) where I used it because I thought I was “supposed to”, ya know, to be “healthy”, but I honestly just prefer to get my protein naturally in my diet, and I never seem to have a problem getting enough. In fact, getting enough anything when it comes to food has never been my problem, if ya know what I mean. 😉 Anyway, the smoothie, again, is not a dessert smoothie. It has a natural tartness from the Greek yogurt, and I wanted to use the sweetness from the banana with just a hint of molasses. Trust me, a little molasses goes a long way, so if you want a sweet smoothie, I recommend adding a little brown sugar. Otherwise, like the pecan butter, it is a healthy smoothie with gingerbread flavors, not like a gingerbread milkshake (which now I also want to make in my Blendtec 😉 ).

Gingerbread Pecan Butter & Gingerbread Smoothie

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Yield: 2 cups pecan butter; 1 smoothie

Serving Size: 2 tablespoons pecan butter; 1 smoothie

Gingerbread Pecan Butter & Gingerbread Smoothie

Ingredients

For the Gingerbread Pecan Butter:

3 cups roasted pecans
1 tablespoons molasses
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

For the Gingerbread Smoothie:

1 frozen banana
1/2 cup nonfat vanilla Greek yogurt (or dairy-free alternative)
1/3 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
big handful ice cubes
1 tablespoon gingerbread pecan butter
1/2 teaspoon molasses
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/16 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon almond extract (optional)

Instructions

To make the Gingerbread Pecan Butter:

Place roasted pecans in a high quality blender or food processor (such as Blendtec) and blend/process until smooth, about 3-5 minutes. Add molasses, brown sugar and spices and blend/process until smooth and combined. Store in an airtight container for 3-4 weeks at room temperature.

To make the Gingerbread Smoothie:

Place all ingredients in a high quality blender (such as Blendtec) and blend until smooth. Serve immediately.

https://arismenu.com/gingerbread-pecan-butter-gingerbread-smoothie/

Wait! There’s more! Blendtec has generously offered to give away an extra Designer 725 model with Wildisde+ Jar plus an additional Wildside+ Jar! That’s a $750 value! I know you guys will love it as much as I do. Good luck! Giveaway starts at 10:00pm MST November 24th 2014 and ends at 11:59 pm MST December 3rd 2014. Open to US residents age 18 and older.

This post is sponsored by FitFluential LLC on behalf of Blendtec.

Toasted Marshmallow Sweet Potato Ice Cream

November 23, 2014 · by Ari ·

With all the flavor of classic sweet potato casserole, this Toasted Marshmallow Sweet Potato Ice Cream is the perfect Thanksgiving or any time dessert. Perfectly spiced, made with sweet potato puree and torched marshmallows.

It’s my favorite week of the year!! I go absolutely nuts for Thanksgiving. It’s my second favorite holiday (my birthday is my favorite because I love to be the center of attention 😉 ), and it’s my holiday to host. The first year I hosted, I made Thanksgiving brunch and dinner. It was exhausting, and it never happened again. Now I just put all my effort into the one meal, which is eaten as dinner, like a normal person, at 6pm. I don’t understand eating Thanksgiving “dinner” at noon. That is Thanksgiving lunch.

My favorite dish has always been my mom’s sweet potatoes. The recipe came from her mom, and she has made it for Thanksgiving every year for as long as I can remember. I just die over those perfectly browned, gooey marshmallows sitting on top of my favorite food. I still refuse to make them because they will never taste as good as hers.

This year I set out to make my favorite side dish into an ice cream, and oh my gosh…you guys. I can’t even handle it. I can’t go a single day without dipping my little spoon into that container. In fact, I knew I had to make a whole other batch to have enough for Thanksgiving! The good news? The recipe is super hands off. It has a lot of components, but the most time consuming part is toasting the marshmallows, and if you want to do that more quickly, you can broil them in the oven. I prefer to use a brulee torch for even toasting, but that is me being type A, and you certainly don’t have to be that meticulous. 😉

Now before you go writing this off as super indulgent, I have to tell you that each serving has only 5.1 grams of fat and 155 calories. I usually don’t count these things, but I was curious because I figured the sweet potato, marshmallows and lower ratio of heavy cream (most ice cream recipes call for 2 parts heavy cream to 1 part whole milk, and I reversed that) would lighten it up a little. Those are the same nutrition figures as many varieties of frozen yogurt! The marshmallows do hike up the sugar content a bit, but this is dessert after all. And it is a Thanksgiving (or any time!) dessert that you can enjoy in moderation any time!

Toasted Marshmallow Sweet Potato Ice Cream

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 16 hours

Yield: about 6 cups

Serving Size: 1/2 cup

Toasted Marshmallow Sweet Potato Ice Cream

Ingredients

1 medium sweet potato
1 x 10 ounce bag of marshmallows (mini or regular)
2 cups whole milk
2 cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons brown sugar (dark brown sugar preferred)
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon bourbon, optional

Instructions

Pierce sweet potato several times with a fork. Roast at 400 degrees until very soft (you should easily be able to slide a fork right into the sweet potato), about 60-80 minutes. Let cool for about 15 minutes until it is easy to handle, then remove skins.
Place marshmallows on a large cookie sheet lined with silpat or parchment paper. Either torch with a brulee torch, or broil until browned, about 5-10 minutes. Once marshmallows are well browned all around, place them and peeled sweet potatoes in a blender or food processor and blend/process until smooth and combined.
In a small sauce pan, combine 1 cup whole milk with brown sugar and maple syrup. Bring just to a boil, then reduce heat and stir constantly until brown sugar is fully melted and combined. Transfer to blender/food processor and add remaining milk, heavy cream, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg. Blend/process to combine for about 15-30 seconds. Transfer to a large bowl or tupperware. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.
Freeze according to ice cream maker instructions. Add vanilla and bourbon (if desired) in the last 2 minutes of freezing. Transfer to a freezer safe container to finish freezing completely.

Notes

Before serving, let the ice cream soften for about 10 minutes at room temperature for optimal scooping.

https://arismenu.com/toasted-marshmallow-sweet-potato-ice-cream/

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

November 22, 2014 · by Ari ·

Creamy, silky pumpkin cheesecake bars are my family’s Thanksgiving tradition. All the flavor you love from pumpkin pie in a rich, creamy cheesecake!

Heyyyy! Notice anything different around here? Ari’s Menu got a big makeover, and I couldn’t be more in love with the new look! My old design had been what I wanted at the time, but after a few years, I really felt like I had outgrown it, and there were a lot of new things I wanted. The amazing Julie from White Lights On Wednesday did an absolutely incredible job, and has been so kind and responsive to all of my questions. Even the dumb ones. If you’re in the market for a redesign, I seriously cannot recommend her enough! And if you’re on your phone or on a reader, please come over and look around. It’s so pretty and BRIGHT here now. Like my bright, sparkling personality. 😉

Okay, now let’s talk about food. Five years ago, I had just moved back from college and I had barely begun my cooking adventures. I was inspired by my college roommate/best friend who always created amazing things in the kitchen, and I knew I wanted to contribute a special Thanksgiving dessert.

I made these pumpkin cheesecake bars. Except they were a whole cheesecake. Anyway, the cheesecake was the hit of Thanksgiving, and no one had any idea it was secretly healthier. These days we have up to 20+ people over for Thanksgiving, so I make a big batch of cheesecake bars to make serving easier, but it’s the one tried and true recipe and tradition I’ve had in my family since I began hosting Thanksgiving, and it holds a special place in my heart.

As a food blogger, I am always looking to create new and interesting dishes, so I rarely make the same thing twice, but when The Recipe ReDux asked us to share a food memory, I knew I had to share with you one of my two Thanksgiving traditions. The other is this cornbread sausage stuffing which is also hugely popular in my family. So please join our family tradition, and make these cheesecake bars! Your guests will thank you!

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes

Total Time: 10 hours

Yield: 16-20 servings

Serving Size: 1 bar

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

Creamy, silky pumpkin cheesecake bars are my family's Thanksgiving tradition. All the flavor you love from pumpkin pie in a rich, creamy cheesecake!

Ingredients

For the crust:

12 ounces gingersnap or graham cracker crumbs (I used gluten-free)*
4-5 tablespoons pumpkin butter

For the cheesecake:

1 pound fat free cream cheese (2 x 8 ounce packages), at room temperature
1 pound reduced fat cream cheese (2 x 8 ounce packages), at room temperature
1 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup granulated sugar
5 large eggs
1 x 15 ounce can pumpkin puree (or about two cups homemade pumpkin puree)
2 tablespoons bourbon, optional
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup gluten-free baking blend (or white whole wheat flour)
3 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 9x13" pan with nonstick spray. Set aside. In a small bowl, combine gingersnap/graham cracker crumbs and pumpkin butter. Start with 4 tablespoons pumpkin butter and add a fifth if mixture seems too dry. Press crust into prepared baking pan and bake until browned and set, about 7-10 minutes.
In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat cream cheese until fluffy and smooth. Add sugars and beat until combined. Beat in eggs one at a time until just combined, then beat in pumpkin, bourbon (if desired), and vanilla. Beat in baking blend and pumpkin pie spice. Pour over prepared crust and bake until set and center no longer jiggles, about 70-90 minutes.
Cool completely to room temperature then cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours. Cut into bars to serve. Cheesecake bars will last about 1 week in the refrigerator.

Notes

*I've made these bars with a gingersnap crust and a graham cracker crust, and both ways work great! Choose whichever taste you prefer.

https://arismenu.com/pumpkin-cheesecake-bars-2/

Salted Caramel Mocha Banana Bread

November 9, 2014 · by Ari ·

Ultra soft banana bread with espresso, dark chocolate and a salted caramel swirl. All the flavors of your favorite cold weather beverage turned into your new favorite banana bread.

So I don’t know if I’ve mentioned it, but I have this teeny, tiny, huge, ridiculous obsession with salted desserts. It all started when Starbucks first released their salted caramel mocha. I turned my nose up, and asked the barista if that was even good. She must have been really convincing because I wasn’t one for trying new things back then, but for some reason I gave it a shot. That was a big mistake.

I’m pretty sure I ended up drinking at least one daily for that entire winter. Ya know that whole balance/self control thing? I don’t really have it. This year I rediscovered Bahama Bucks, and all of the sudden I was going multiple times per week. I am the biggest weakling when it comes to my sweet tooth.

As much as I love dessert, I love the bite and depth of flavor that adding a little salt brings. I don’t love things that are too sweet. Steve drinks his coffee with like 700 sweet ‘n lows (also…really? Why would anyone choose the pink packets???) in his coffee and it always grosses me out! You also won’t find me digging into those loft house sugar cookies that taste like they are made entirely of frosting. I like my dessert with a little attitude.

I must not be alone because this is one of the most popular desserts I have ever made. I brought the leftovers into work and it disappeared in minutes. Everyone kept raving about it and asking for the recipe! So soft, tender and decadent, this will be your go-to snack for to make for your out of town guests this whole holiday season!

Salted Caramel Mocha Banana Bread

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes

Yield: 12-16 slices

Serving Size: 1 slice

Salted Caramel Mocha Banana Bread

Ultra soft banana bread with espresso, dark chocolate and a salted caramel swirl. All the flavors of your favorite cold weather beverage turned into your new favorite banana bread.

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups gluten-free baking blend (or white whole wheat flour)
1/4 cup cocoa powder (preferably Dutch process)
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons espresso powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 extra ripe medium bananas, mashed
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup reduced fat buttermilk*
1/2 cup fleur de sel caramel sauce* (+ more for drizzling)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 9x5" loaf pan with nonstick spray. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together baking blend, cocoa powder, cornstarch, espresso powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat together bananas, applesauce, sugars and vanilla until well combined. Stir in half the flour mixture, then buttermilk, then remaining flour mixture.
Transfer half the batter to prepared loaf pan. Pour caramel sauce on top, then add remaining batter. Use a butter knife to gently swirl caramel into the batter. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few crumbs, about one hour. Set loaf pan on a wire rack to cool completely. Serve drizzled with extra fleur de sel caramel sauce, if desired. Store in an airtight container for up to one week.

Notes

*To make vegan, replace buttermilk with 3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk + 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar and use a vegan salted caramel sauce.

https://arismenu.com/salted-caramel-mocha-banana-bread/

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White Chocolate Stuffed Ginger Molasses Cookies

Crockpot Chicken Alfredo

Gingerbread Pecan Butter & Gingerbread Smoothie

Toasted Marshmallow Sweet Potato Ice Cream

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

Salted Caramel Mocha Banana Bread

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