Boobie Smoothie

SO I saw a recipe on Pinterest for Lactation Cookies. 

..That's right. Cookies that boost lactation. I feel entitled to eat these (and lots of them) after giving birth. It's fair, right?? I was curious about these lactation cookies and started reading the ingredients and realized the secret ingredient that really isn't so secret, is Brewers Yeast.

I also saw multiple recipes for smoothies using brewers yeast and decided to make my own. I should have been better at measuring out my ingredients for the sake of this post, but I wasn't planning on doing a blog post about it until I realized how good tasted it.

SO, here goes.

My recipe for a "Boobie Smoothie"

 

1 banana

a handful of oatmeal *great for lactation*

a handful of raspberries
a handful of spinach

Almond milk 

Honey flavored Greek yogurt

1 heaping teaspoon of Flax Meal

1 heaping teaspoon of Brewers Yeast *great for lactation*

a dash of vanilla extract 

crushed ice

 

Blend well. & Enjoy. 

 

I thought it was really sweet and delicious, plus has some great benefits for me and baby!
 

*Side note: I got brewers yeast at a specialty health and nutrition store locally. It was on the shelf listed as "nutritional yeast"*

I'm excited about experimenting with more smoothie recipes!

XOXO

One Pot Spaghetti

One Pot Spaghetti

One thing I hate about cooking is the clean up afterwards. I hate having so many dishes to clean, so this spaghetti recipe that only requires ONE POT was right up my alley! It was quick and so easy which is exactly what I need right now with a newborn. 

I found this recipe on Pinterest during a 2am feeding session and had to try it out. 

INGREDIENTS:

-1 lb ground Italian sausage

-3/4  lb uncooked spaghetti

-1 can (28 oz.) crushed tomatoes with basil, un drained

-1 box (32 oz) chicken broth or vegetable broth *I used chicken broth*

-1/2 cup whipping cream

-1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 

-shredded Parmesan cheese

STEPS:

In an 8-quart pot cook the sausage until no longer pink, then drain.

Add spaghetti, tomatoes, broth, cream & pepper flakes. Heat until it's boiling and let it boil for 15-20 minutes turning pasta frequently with tongs until the pasta is cooked and the sauce is thick and creamy. 

Top with Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

I typically don't like sausage, but I loved it in this spaghetti recipe. 

I asked Spencer what he thought of it on a scale of 1 to 5. One being he didn't want it again and 5 being he loved it and he gave it a 5.

SUCCESS! 

The Easiest Banana Bread

I always buy bananas at the store thinking they will be such a great healthy on-the-go snack. Or perfect in my cereal. Or delicious in a smoothie. 

...and it never happens.. they always go bad. 

This time I decided to make banana bread, but I needed a recipe that was quick and super easy that I could make while baby was napping. 

*Bonus: You don't need a mixer!*

QUICK & EASY BANANA BREAD

Ingredients: 

-3 or 4 ripe bananas (I used 4)

-1/3 cup melted butter

-1 cup sugar 

-1 egg beaten

-1 tsp vanilla

-1 teaspoon baking soda

-pinch of salt

-1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour

Directions:

*preheat oven to 350 degrees*

-Mash your bananas in a large mixing bowl, then Mix the butter into the mashed bananas

-Mix in the sugar egg & vanilla

-Sprinkle baking soda and salt over the mixture & mix it in.

-Add the flour last & mix together.

-Pour into a buttered 4x8 inch loaf pan.

-Bake for 1 hour. 

We thought this recipe was so good, I got another bunch of bananas just to let them ripen up to make another loaf! It was super sweet which we loved. The sugar could probably be reduced to 3/4 cup if you don't want it so sweet. 

Enjoy!
XOXOX

Summer Grape Salad Recipe

I wanted to share one of my favorite recipes! It's the perfect salad for Summer & one of my favorite things to snack on. I've made this for multiple baby & bridal showers and it has always been a huge hit!

 

SUMMER GRAPE SALAD

 

Ingredients:

1 package cream cheese softened (8 oz.) *I used light cream cheese 1/3 of the fat!*

1 Cup (8 oz.) sour cream

1/3 Cup sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 pounds seedless red grapes

2 pounds seedless green grapes

3 Tablespoons brown sugar (I probably used more than that..)

3 Tablespoons chopped pecans. (I just sprinkled them on until I thought it looked pretty)

 

Directions:

In a large bowl beat the cream cheese, sour cream, vanilla & sugar until well blended. Add grapes and toss to coat.

 

Transfer to a serving bowl. Cover & refrigerate until serving.

Sprinkle with brown sugar & pecans just before serving.

 

 

 

 *I also like sprinkling the brown sugar/pecans on the grapes before I put it in the fridge. I like how the cream cheese mixture soaks up the sugar a little bit in the fridge!*

 

 

who doesn't like grapes when it's warm outside??

Especially when they are coated in cream cheese & sugar.

Yum!

 

XOXO

Light Pasta Carbonara

This is considered "Light" Pasta Carbonara because it has HALF the calories of the restaurant favorite!!

 

PASTA CARBONARA

 

Makes: About 6 Servings

Prep: 15 minutes

Cook: 15 minutes

 

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb Spaghetti

6 slices of bacon, diced

1 Cup of milk

2 Large eggs + 2 egg yolks

1/4 tsp salt

1 Tbsp all-purpose flour

3/4 Cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 1/2 tsp freshly cracked pepper

 

 

1. Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add spaghetti noodles & cook as directed on package. Drain the spaghetti & reserve 1 CUP of the pasta water!

 

2. Meanwhile add bacon to a large saute pan & cook over medium heat until slightly crispy. Drain on paper towel & reserve 2 TBSP of the bacon grease. Chop bacon into small pieces.

 

3. Blend milk, eggs, egg yolks & salt.

 

4. Heat bacon drippings over medium heat. Whisk in flour & cook for about a minute. QUICKLY pour in milk mixture whisking constantly to make sure the eggs do not scramble. Cook 2-3 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat and whisk in 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese.

 

5. Toss drained pasta with sauce, bacon, remaining 1/4 Cup of cheese & some of the reserved pasta water. Sprinkle with black pepper & Parmesan cheese just before serving.

 

 

ASPARAGUS

 

INGREDIENTS

1 bunch of fresh asparagus

1-2 Lemons (depending on how much you are making/lemon to taste)

chopped garlic to taste (I buy the little glass jars)

Freshly cracked pepper

 

 

1. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Cut about 1- 1 1/2 inches off the bottom of each piece of asparagus. Line a cookie sheet in tin foil and place asparagus on the cookie sheet.

 

2. Fully cover each piece of asparagus in olive oil. Squeeze lemon juice (to taste- I like a lot) on asparagus and use a pastry brush to lightly cover in garlic.

 

3. Bake for 5-10 minutes.

(our oven is absolutely nutso- we cooked ours for 7 minutes- I would keep an eye on your asparagus- you may need to leave them in the oven longer!)

 

 

Enjoy!

Both of these recipes are super easy. From start to finish dinner was READY & on the table in less than 30 minutes!



V-Day Treat!

Chocolate Covered Strawberries..

*Sigh*

..I don't think I've told you about the story about my GIGANTIC Chocolate covered strawberry...

 

Right when City Creek Mall opened Spencer and I went down to check it out. We went into an extremely appealing store that sold lots of chocolates & treats.

I decided that I deserved a treat so I'd get a choco strawberry.

 

The girl behind the counter said, "7 or 9?"

... clearly I don't know what that means but of course I want the 9...

So as she rings me up for a $9.50 strawberry I almost peed right there on the floor.

"7 or 9" meant price.

That's right folks.. a NINE DOLLAR SINGLE STRAWBERRY WITH CHOCOLATE.

Just one.

ONE!

Needless to say I didn't want to eat such a thing of beauty. So I carried it around with me for two whole days admiring it. Eating it one lick at a time to make it last.

I will admit it was worth it.

 

SO.

Now here we are with Valentine's Day just a few days away.

Do not go buy chocolate covered strawberries.

This is quick & easy, and only cost me around $8.00

 

WHAT YOU NEED:

-A case of strawberries

(they were 2 cases for $4.00 at my local grocery store!)

-Chocolate Almond Bark

(I bought this for about $3.00 at my local grocery store!)

-A cookie sheet covered with wax or parchment paper

 

*Use a smaller saucepan for this so it's easier to dip the strawberries. You won't use as much chocolate if you use a small saucepan!*

 

Turn the burner on LOW. (the lowest setting possible!)

Melt a few chunks of almond bark at a time. BE PATIENT or it will burn!

 

While your chocolate is melting, wash off all of your strawberries.

MAKE SURE THEY ARE DRIED COMPLETELY!

(ANY trace of moisture will cause the almond bark to solidify!)

*make sure any spoons you use to stir stay dry as well!*

 

Once all of your chocolate is melted dip each strawberry very carefully by holding the stem.

(you can use a fork or something else to dip your strawberry, but I like to hold the strawberry greens up so they don't get chocolate on them!) 

 

Lay your chocolate covered strawberries to dry on your wax/parchment paper.

 

EASSSSYYYY!

If your chocolate starts to thicken, you used too much heat or heated it too quickly!
You can thin your chocolate by using a SMALL amount of vegetable shortening.

DO NOT use water or milk!!

 

SOO..

I paid $9.00 for one chocolate covered strawberry &

I made 24 myself for under $8.00

 

 

I ate at least 5.

Awesome.

 

 

XOXO



Apple Crisp

This was by far the best Apple Crisp I've ever had!
Ya'll know how much I love Martha Stewart, but I try to steer away from her recipes. They usually consist of cheeses or spices I've never even heard of. When I read those ingredients I immediately go to the next recipe.

 

I found this Martha Stewart Apple Crisp recipe and it was SO EASY I couldn't believe it.

You'll love it, and your house will smell DELICIOUS!

 

All of the ingredients you'll need are listed above!

 

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, mix together flour, brown sugar, salt, & 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar. Cut butter into flour using pastry blender or two knives, until mixture is the texture of coarse meal. Add oats, and use your hands to toss and squeeze mixture until large moist clumps form. Transfer to freezer to chill while you prepare your apples!

**Right now Winegars has Gala apples on sale- two 3lb bags for $5.00!**

2. In another large bowl, toss apples with lemon juice, cinnamon, and remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar. Transfer to a shallow 2-quart baking dish and sprinkle with topping mixture. Place baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake until golden and bubbling- about 55 to 65 minutes.
Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

 

I even went full out for the occasion and bought myself some vanilla bean ice cream.

AND ate my apple crisp and ice cream in my VS Sweats.

 

 

THE END.
 



Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

 

OKAY, THIS pumpkin chocolate chip cookie recipe is SO GOOD!

..and SO easy..

 

[All of the ingredients needed are listed above]

 

1. Combine pumpkin, sugar, vegetable oil & egg. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon & salt. Dissolve the baking soda with the milk and stir in. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture and mix well.

 

2. Add vanilla & chocolate chips

{if you like nuts, you'd add about 1/2 cup with the chocolate chips- I think they're disgusting so I didn't add them}

 

3. Drop by spoonful on greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

 

SERIOUSLY THAT'S IT!

this made EXACTLY two dozen cookies.

 

And they were freaking good.

 

At this point there was only 1 cookie missing after this picture was taken there were 4 missing, and I was home alone.

 

 

Was my cookie dinner delicious you ask??

Why yes, yes it was.

 



Sweet Treats.

I'm sure everyone has had this cake at some point or another..
Better Than Sex Cake!

I made this cake for my bridal shower on Saturday and it was GONE. After an ENTIRE MONTH of ZERO sweets in February I couldn't have picked a better treat to ring in March.

Holy hallelujah for sugar!

I thought I'd post the recipie I used for everyone to have. Yum!

BETTER THAN SEX CAKE

Ingredients:

-One chocolate cake mix- I used the 'extra moist' cake mix.

-Ingredients listed on cake mix

-One can of Sweetened Condensed Milk- (NOT Evaporated!)

-One jar of hot caramel sauce (like the kind you put on ice cream)

-One 8 oz tub of Cool Whip

-3 Heath Bars

Follow the instructions on your cake mix box- bake as directed.
As SOON as you pull your cake out of the oven, poke holes all over in the cake with a wooden spoon handle.
Once you've poked the holes pour the entire can of sweetened condensed milk all over the cake and let it cool COMPLETELY in the fridge.
Once it's cool, heat up your caramel sauce just enough to get it to pour out, and pour the entire jar of caramel evenly over the cake. Let it cool COMPLETELY.
Next, you'll spread the cool whip evenly on the top of the cake.
Crush the 3 heath bars and sprinkle them on top of the cool whip.

This cake is to die for, and even better the next day!

It's super easy to make and everyone LOVES it!

(P.S. pictures from my bridal shower to come later. It was the cutest and I LOVED it!)