This Sweet Potato Smoothie turned out tasting amazing and just like pumpkin pie! ​I accidentally bought canned sweet potato puree a while ago and finally looked up a fun recipe to put it towards. I froze the remaining sweet potato puree in a 1/2 cup freezer tray and actually enjoyed this smoothie more using the frozen sweet potato. I personally only used 1/2 cup of coconut milk and added a scoop of vanilla protein powder instead of the hemp hearts. It's certainly been a tasty post workout drink or snack, and can easily be a great breakfast option as well. Tastes like pumpkin pie, packed with nutritious ingredients and anti-inflammatory spices, I mean what's not to love? 

Sweet Potato Smoothie
Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup cooked sweet potato , tightly packed
• 1 cup coconut milk (or milk of choice)
• 2 to 3 Medjool dates , pitted
• 1/2 inch knob of fresh ginger (or 1/4 teaspoon dried ginger)
• 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon hemp hearts (optional, for added protein; or add a scoop of protein powder)
• ice , as needed to thicken

Directions:

1. In a blender, combine the sweet potato, milk, 2 dates, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, and hemp hearts, if using. Blend until very smooth.
2. Taste the mixture, then blend in another date if more sweetness is desired. Once smooth, add in a heaping cup of ice cubes and blend until they are totally broken down. You can add more ice if you'd like a thicker shake, but keep in mind that more ice will dilute the overall flavor.
3. Serve chilled right away.

Notes:
If you’d prefer to skip the dates, feel free to use any other sweetener you like. I’ve made this smoothie with a frozen banana instead, and with a splash of orange juice, and it’s hard to go wrong. 
​
Original recipe found here

Was looking around for a fun strawberry recipe to make for Valentine's Day and this cookie caught my eye. Only 5 ingredients and basically what I put in my morning bowl of oats (minus the chocolate chips), so I was sold. These Strawberry Oatmeal Cookies turned out so yummy they were devoured days before Valentine's Day even got here. I ended up having to make two batches in one week and we enjoyed them all week long. I used half of the amount of chocolate chips and increased the amount of strawberries some. I also found that dipping my hand in water while forming the cookies was very helpful as it was pretty sticky otherwise. Definitely worth forming into a cookie shape though so it bakes evenly. I have a feeling I will be making these a lot now. I mean you can't get much healthier in a cookie and it was certainly something we looked forward to eating! ​

Strawberry Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients:

• 2 cups rolled oats gluten free, if needed
• 2 large bananas mashed
• 1/4 cup strawberries chopped
• 1/2 cup almond butter (can sub for any nut or seed butter of choice)
• 1/4 cup chocolate chips of choice, optional

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 175C/350F. Line a large tray with parchment paper or prepare a Silpat cookie sheet. Set aside. 
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine all your ingredients, except for your chocolate chips, and mix well. Fold through your chocolate chips. 
3. Form 16 small balls of dough and place each one on the lined tray/cookie sheet. Press each ball into a cookie shape. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until golden on the edges.
4. Remove from the oven and allow cooling on the tray/sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. 

Notes:
Store cookies in the refrigerator covered, for up to 1 week. Cookies are freezer friendly and will keep well frozen for up to 1 month.
​
Original recipe found here

Technically you can eat these for breakfast, so I am totally passing this as a meal prep recipe. These turned out so delicious and are probably my new favorite paleo cookie! I typically just enjoy the classic chocolate chip, but the walnut, coconut, raisin, banana, and dark chocolate combo is on point. Not to mention this was an extremely easy recipe to whip up and the ingredients are simple. These made about 18 cookies for me and took the full 18 minutes, which I might even stretch to 20 next time. I took most of these to a friends house to enjoy, and the rest didn't make it to the next day. Will definitely be making these many more times! 

Chunky Monkey Paleo Banana Cookies
Ingredients:

• 2 medium ripe bananas, sliced (+ slices for topping, optional)
• 1/2 cup almond butter (can sub peanut butter if not paleo)
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup almond flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/4 cup coconut
• 1/4 cup raisins

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Add the banana slices, almond butter, water, and vanilla to a large bowl and beat with electric beaters until mostly smooth. Add the almond flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt and beat until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips, walnuts, coconut, and raisins.
3. Drop the dough (it will be sticky) into 12 equal mounds on the baking sheets. Press a banana slice into the top of each cookie to flatten it out a little.
4. Bake for 16-18 minutes, or until the bottoms are golden then remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool.

Original recipe found here

I've made the Almond Flour Blueberry Banana Muffins recipe a couple more times and still love that one, but wanted to try out a plain banana recipe this time around. This recipe below did not disappoint! Simple ingredients without a ton of flour, so these turned out very light tasting. Also, although it says banana nut, the only nuts the recipe calls for is almond butter. If you like a crunch I suppose you can top with nuts or just throw some into the batter. The recipe said it yields 12 muffins, but I ended up having enough batter for 18 muffins, which just means a serving is more like two. These turned out smelling and tasting delicious, and I'll definitely be making again soon! 

​Paleo Banana Nut Muffins
Ingredients:

• 4 bananas, mashed with a fork (the more ripe, the better)
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup almond butter
• 2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup coconut flour
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin tin with cups. In a large bowl, add bananas, eggs, almond butter, coconut oil, and vanilla. Using a hand blender, blend to combine.
2. Add in the coconut flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Blend into the wet mixture, scraping down the sides with a spatula. Distribute the batter evenly into the lined muffin tins, filling each about two-thirds of the way full.
3. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Serve warm or store in the refrigerator in a resealable bag.

Original recipe found here

Although these say almond flour I actually used some banana flour with these too. I stumbled upon it while I was at the store getting almond flour​ and figured what better recipe then banana muffins to try using banana flour with? I found it at Harris Teeter and it was actually WAY less expensive then almond flour. After some quick google searches, I decided not to totally substitute the almond flour, but instead used banana flour for 1/4 of the total flour called for. The exact measurements I used are indicated below if you want to see. The only other change I made to this recipe was using ghee instead of olive oil. I had both, but ghee sounded like it would go better with a muffin recipe. I've never had blueberries with my banana bread, but these turned out tasting amazing! They had all the banana taste to them with bites of blueberries that were absolutely delicious. Now these definitely weren't as sweet as your average banana bread, so if you are looking for that I would recommend increasing the maple syrup some. I personally enjoyed them just the way they were and will absolutely be making them again the next time our bananas go brown! 

Almond Flour Blueberry Banana Muffins
Ingredients:

• 3 bananas, mashed (about 1 cup)
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup olive oil (I used ghee instead)
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups almond flour (I ended up doing 1.875 cups Almond Flour and .625 cups Banana Flour)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup blueberries

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a standard muffin pan with paper liners.
2. Mash the banana in a large bowl. Add the eggs, oil, maple syrup and vanilla and whisk until well combined.
3. Add the almond flour, then sprinkle the baking powder, baking soda and salt over the top. Whisk until well incorporated and no lumps remain, then gently fold in the blueberries.
4. Divide the batter evenly between the muffin cups and bake on the middle rack of the oven for 23-28 minutes, until lightly golden brown and set. Remove from heat and place on a wire rack. Let stand 10 minutes, then remove from the pan and cool completely.
5. Enjoy!

Notes:

• Muffins will keep at room temperature in an air tight container for 3 days. Place in the refrigerator to keep for up to one week, and reheat as needed.
• If blueberries aren't in season, use frozen blueberries, tossed in an additional tablespoon of almond flour.  Omit the blueberries for almond flour banana muffins.
• Almond flour blueberry muffins are also freezer friendly.

Original recipe found here

Although the picture looks more like a blueberry, this is most certainly a Cherry Crisp! A lighter, more simple, and vegan version of the Berry Crumble Bars recipe I posted earlier this year. If making this I do suggest using a 6" skillet or small baking dish - the 8x8 dish I used thinned the crisp out a little too much, in my opinion. Also, as the recipe suggests, topping with ice cream or coconut whipped cream would totally complete this treat. I enjoyed eating this after it was in the fridge because I found that it did not stay together when cutting it warm. This might be due to using the arrowroot powder instead of the tapioca flour though. I would just reheat the slice after I took it out of the fridge and enjoy it that way. Despite all the notes I have on this one, I really enjoyed having this throughout the week as a snack or after-dinner treat. I always prefer to have homemade treats instead of packaged ones, and with extra time at home due to COVID I was happy to finally try this delicious recipe out! Super simple, easy, and enjoyable!

​Cherry Crisp (Gluten Free, Paleo + Vegan)
Ingredients:

• 10 oz. dark cherries pitted and halved (I used fresh, but frozen can be used if fresh are unavailable)
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon tapioca flour (I used arrowroot powder)
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon

For the crisp

• ½ cup blanched almond flour
• ¼ cup flaked coconut chopped into bits
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil softened (use refined for no coconut flavor)
• 2 tablespoons pecans chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Lightly grease a 6” skillet or small baking dish with coconut oil.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the cherry halves, maple syrup, tapioca flour, and cinnamon. Pour into the prepared pan.
3. In the same bowl, combine the almond flour, flaked coconut, maple syrup, coconut oil, and pecans. Stir until the dry ingredients are completely moistened and then crumble evenly over the fruit.
4. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 35-40 minutes, until the fruit is bubbling and the topping is golden brown. Serve warm with ice cream or coconut whipped cream.

Original recipe found here

Tried this Berry Crumble Bar recipe this year for our NYE trip and it turned out delicious! I made one with all the berries (blue, black, red, and rasp) and another with strawberries, bananas, and peach. I prepped the filling a couple days before, then the crust and crumble were very easy to whip together the morning of breakfast. Not many ingredients whatsoever, paleo, gluten free, dairy free, and vegan, and still tastes amazing to all the people who like their gluten and dairy. It was kind of fun choosing which berries to use, and next time I'll definitely try another variation of fruits. Per the original recipe below, macros per 16 servings are 3.8g Protein, 5.6g Fat, and 18.6g Carbs. Add some eggs with this or any other protein source and you have a well-rounded delicious breakfast option. Let me know if you give this one a try! ​

Berry Crumble Bars
Ingredients:
Crust + Crumble

• 1 1/2 cups almond flour
• 1 cup rolled gluten free oats
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1/3 cup almond butter

Filling

• 2 cups frozen berries (I did 1 cup each frozen raspberries + blueberries)
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp maple syrup
• 1/4 cup chia seeds (I ended up using ground chia seeds)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F and line an 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper or nonstick spray.
2. Warm berries, lemon juice, and maple syrup in a saucepan on medium heat.
3. Continually mash with a fork or potato masher until berries are bursting.
4. Turn off heat and add in chia seeds.
5. Stir and let cool completely, putting in fridge for 30 minutes, allowing the mixture to firm up.
6. In a bowl, combine almond flour, oats, baking powder and salt.
7. Add in maple syrup and almond butter and stir, feel free to use your hands to make sure everything is blended completely. You should be able to pinch the mixture and have it stick together.
8. Save a heaping 1/2 cup of dough to the side and flatten the rest into the 8×8 dish, pressing down firmly on the bottom. Set aside.
9. After jam has chilled in the fridge, pour berry filling over top of crust.
10. Sprinkle remainder of topping evenly over top of filling and bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown.
11. Let cool before cutting. 
12. Enjoy! Store in fridge.

Original recipe found here

I've been meaning to post about this one for a while now! I typically eat oatmeal for breakfast everyday, but there are times where I need to eat it on-the-go or at a super early time in the morning, and that's when these overnight oats really come in handy. To get more protein in with this meal I always add in at least a 1/2 scoop of protein powder in with my dry ingredients before mixing in my coconut milk. If you skip that option, then I do recommend pairing this with some type of protein in the morning or adding Greek Y\yogurt to your oats! I personally like to add Trader Joe's salted almond butter and sometimes the whole banana, but that is just what I prefer. You can add whatever you enjoy to this mix - berries/fruit, seeds/nuts, cinnamon, etc. - and you can either eat it cold or heat it up in the morning if you prefer. For those who have a hard time prepping or eating breakfast in general, I recommend giving these overnight oats a try! It is extremely quick and easy to throw this breakfast together the night before, plus a perfect option for the busy person! It's awesome to have a delicious breakfast already prepared and ready to grab-and-go in the morning. Start your day right with these blueberry banana overnight oats and let me know how you like it!

​Blueberry Banana Overnight Oats
​Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup GF oats
• 1/2 cup coconut/almond milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup blueberries
• 1/2 banana, sliced
• 1 teaspoon chia or flax seeds (optional)
• 1 teaspoon honey (optional)
• 1-2 Tbsp nut butter (optional)
• 1/2 - 1 scoop protein powder* (optional, can also add Greek Yogurt instead)

Directions:

1. Add GF oats to your container of choice and pour in milk* and vanilla.
2. Add a layer of blueberries and then a layer of banana slices.
3. Top with seeds, drizzle of honey, and/or nut butter, if desired.
4. Place in fridge and enjoy in the morning or a few hours later!

Notes:
*If adding a scoop of protein powder, blend with dry mix before adding liquid. Alternatively, you can also mix protein powder in a shaker bottle with milk before adding to the container. 

Original recipe found here

I've been prepping my moms meals for over a year now with the goal to just help improve her overall health and quality of life. Well just like in my own nutrition journey, once you find your groove with one thing you never stop and live there satisfied. Instead, this is a point where you ask yourself, "how can I make this better?". Now I'm not looking for something drastic to implement, but rather just find one small thing to improve on. With my mom, it's easy to pack her lunch and dinner with vegetables, but breakfast is more difficult. I mean really, how many vegetables can I pack into egg muffins? I decided a Super Greens supplement was worth the try to get more nutrients into her diet. I personally enjoy the original version, but I purchased the berry one to hopefully mask the "green" taste. Unfortunately, even the flavored ones are super strong tasting, so I came up with the smoothie recipe below to help mask the taste and make it a delicious smoothie she enjoys each morning. Side note, I never tell her when I implement these nutrition changes (err experiments), so she has no idea I did this, and she didn't complain once! My mom is not one to hide her distaste for foods either, so this was a huge success and indicator that the smoothie was indeed delicious!

I'll probably continue to experiment with adding other nutritious ingredients like chia seeds, berries, spinach, or even some avocado. Just use the recipe below as an outline and swap ingredients for ones you know you enjoy! I love the Vanilla Nut Paleo Protein because it has a probiotic blend in it, but I have used both the Vanilla Nut and Double Chocolate in these smoothies. Note, the chocolate flavor does cover up the green color of the smoothie better, so I might do a combination of half and half in the future. As for the Amazing Grass Super Greens, the product is organic, vegan, and free of soy and sugar. The main ingredients include wheat grass, barley grass, spirulina, a blend of antioxidants, and a blend of digestive enzymes and probiotics. For the quality and price, I prefer using this brand, but there are a ton of other super green products out there to choose from. I typically will prep the recipe below and store in mason jars in the freezer. I recommend taking one out of the freezer and leaving in the refrigerator the night before to thaw out, or you can defrost it in the microwave for 5 minutes the morning of. For those interested, I also included a snapshot of the nutrition facts below with the ingredients that I used and indicated. Let me know if you try a version of this out and what you think!

Super Green Strawberry Banana Smoothie
(Servings: 5)
Ingredients:

• 1 Can of Coconut Milk** 
• 1 Cup Water
• 5 x ½ ripe frozen Bananas (or 2½ bananas, frozen)
• 10 oz bag frozen Strawberries
• 3 Tbsp Almond Butter (or your favorite nut butter)
• 4 Tbsp Flaxseed (I used this Golden Flaxseed) 
• 1 Tbsp Honey
• 5 scoops Protein Powder (I used this Paleo Protein)
• 5 scoops Super Greens (I use Berry)

Directions:

1. Add all the ingredients to your blender. Place the lid on and puree (use the “smoothie setting” if your blender has one) until smooth and desired consistency is reached.
2. Serve immediately, or portion into freezer safe canning jars and store in the freezer for later use.
3. Enjoy!​

**Canned coconut milk is more rich in flavor, but you can also use boxed coconut or almond milk if you prefer, just check the ingredient label for one with no unwanted additives and sweeteners.