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Healthy Kiwi, Mango, Kale Pops

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Anyone else not ready for summer to end!? I recently returned from vacation, and I am still dreaming of the beach, fun, fruity drinks, and relaxation. Plus, I’ve got a good tan going on! So forgive me, but I’m not ready to see pumpkin or apple anything just yet.


So these kiwi-mango-kale pops were made with summer in mind. The bright green color stands out and the sweet fruit tastes delicious! These pops are the perfect way to celebrate summer to the fullest, so go out and enjoy the final rays of sweet summer sunshine!


Kiwi, Mango, Kale Pops
 
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Serves: 7 pops
Ingredients
  • 3 small kale leaves, washed
  • ⅔ cup mango
  • 3 kiwis, cut in quarters
  • 1 cup water
Instructions
  1. Add all ingredients to a nutribullet and blend well.
  2. Pour into pop molds and place straw in center of mold.
  3. Freeze for 3 hours.
  4. To remove pops, run under hot water for 10 seconds and gently pull on straw.

 

Healthy Greek Yogurt Cups 

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These little yogurt cups are delightful and super tasty, not to mention healthy! So eat away! They are perfect to snack on any time of the day and make a great teething snack for your baby.


Healthy Greek Yogurt Cups
 
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Serves: 24
Ingredients
  • 1 cup cinnamon Quaker Life Cereal, crushed
  • 4 tsps melted butter
  • 5.3 oz Greek strawberry yogurt
  • 5.3 oz Greek peach yogurt
  • 5.3 oz Greek vanilla yogurt
  • ⅔ cup blueberries
Instructions
  1. Spray mini muffin tin with cooking spray.
  2. In a small bowl, mix crushed cereal and melted butter. Spoon about 1 tsp crushed cereal into each cup.
  3. In 12 of the mini muffin cups spoon 1 teaspoon of the strawberry yogurt and, in the other 12, spoon 1 teaspoon of the peach yogurt.
  4. Evenly distribute the vanilla Greek yogurt among the 24 muffin tins and swirl yogurts together with a knife.
  5. Top yogurt cups with blueberries.
  6. Cover with foil or plastic wrap and freeze for two hours. Allow to stand at room temperature 5 minutes before removing from muffin tins. Store in freezer bag.

 

Recipe inspired from Yoplait 

Vanilla Berry Layer Cake

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This vanilla berry layer cake is light and fruity and makes the perfect addition to your summer picnic. 


One of my favorite parts of summer is fresh berries! I could seriously eat blueberries all day long: blueberry pie, muffins, added to oatmeal or pancakes or yogurt. You get the picture. That’s why I love this dessert. It is so light and airy, you will always have room for this. It’s perfect to bring to a picnic or make for the family! 

Vanilla Berry Layer Cake


Ingredients 

  • 3 cups sifted flour
  • 1 tbsp baking power
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1 8 oz tub cool whip
  • 1 8 oz container blueberries, washed 
  • 1 8 oz container blackberries, washed 
  • 1 8 oz container strawberries, washed and sliced

Steps

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Butter and flour the sides of two 9 inch round cake pans and line each pan bottom with a piece of parchment paper cut to fit pan.
  3. In a medium bowl, sift flour, baking powder, and salt. 
  4. Using a mixer with whisk attachment on medium speed, beat the butter until its ligh and fluffy.
  5. Add the sugar and beat until blended.
  6. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each egg.
  7. Beat in the vanilla extract.
  8. On lower speed, add the flour mixture into butter mixture in thirds, alternating with the milk, scraping the bowl as needed. Beat until blended.
  9. Pour batter into prepared pans and bake for 25 minutes. 
  10. Remove from oven, place pans on cooling rack, and let cool. Remove cooled layers from pan and remove parchment paper.
  11. Place one 9 inch cake onto cake stand and spread half the cool whip evenly across. Add half the blueberries, blackberries, and strawberries on top of whip cream.
  12. Add second 9 inch cake and spread remaining whip cream and berries across top
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Inspired from food.com

Yogurt parfait

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July 4th is right around the corner, which is crazy! It feels like we just celebrated Memorial Day Weekend. I hate when the summer weeks fly by, which they always seem to do! For years I’ve never had any traveling plans for July 4th; I have always stayed local, maybe went to a cookout. But this year I’m excited for a long weekend get away with my family in Wells, Maine. We went last year when my son was 3 months old and I’m excited to return to the same resort and make it our family tradition to return every summer! 


When you think of July 4th, what’s the first thing that comes to mind?? Probably fireworks, right?! But before the fireworks there is usually a cookout or BBQ…burgers, hot dogs, watermelon. The works! As with any holiday gathering, it’s easy to get carried away and eat everything! I know my self-control is poor when there is delicious looking food in front of me. To help prevent over-indulgence for your 4th of July picnic, try these healthy Greek yogurt parfaits, made with fresh berries and a drop of honey! You can change up the berries to whatever you have in your fridge and they will still taste delicious!

 

Greek Yogurt Parfait


 Ingredients

  • 2 cups plain Greek yogurt
  • 2 tbsps honey
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • 2 cups granola, click here for my homemade granola recipe
  • 1 cup strawberries, washed and sliced
  • 1 cup blueberries, washed

 Steps

  1. Mix Greek yogurt, honey, and lemon zest in a large bowl.
  2. Layer ingredients in cup. Start with Greek yogurt, then granola, then fruit. Repeat a second time.

Deep dish cookie

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This cookie is unbelievable! It’s a new take on a classic dessert! Pair it with ice cream or milk and you’re in heaven! 

I used a skillet chocolate chip cookie recipe from Lodge as a guide. Their recipe calls for a 10 inch skillet and I have a 12 inch. So I added 1/4 to every ingredient (i.e. it called for 1 cup flour I used 1 and 1/4 cup flour).  I also had to adjust the cooking time a little. I baked it for 20 minutes on 375, but was worried the top was getting too browned while the inside was still gooey, so I decreased the heat to 350 and baked for another 10 minutes.  

Deep dish cookie

Ingredients 

  • 1 1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 1/4 tsp vanilla extract 
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 1/4 tsp baking soda 
  • 1 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 bag M&M’s or chocolate chips

Steps

  1. Preheat oven to 375 (see note above about cooking time) 
  2. In a large bowl, beat both sugars and butter until smooth. Add the vanilla and eggs one at a time, beating well.
  3. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt, stir well.
  4. Stir in M&M’s.
  5. Spray 12 inch cast iron skillet with cooking spray. Pat the cookie dough evenly into the skillet. Bake around 20 minutes on 375, turn down to 350 and bake for another 10 minutes.
  6. Remove skillet from oven and let cool on wire rack for 15 minutes. Cut into even wedges and serve.


Ice Cream Cookie Sandwich

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No joke, these are delicious! And even better, no baking required, just measure, mix, and freeze! These are a perfect treat to make ahead of time for a party and trust me, you won’t be mad if there are left overs!


Ice Cream Cookie Sandwich

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 1/3 cup butter, softened
  • 2/3 cup confectioner’s sugar
  • 1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
  • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1 1/4 cups vanilla wafer crumbs (about 35 cookies)
  • 1 cup mini chocolate chips
  • 4 cups vanilla ice cream, softened

Steps

  1. Mix peanut butter and butter in a large bowl until blended. Add sugars and vanilla, stir until smooth. Stir in vanilla wafer crumbs and chocolate chips
  2. Line 8-inch square pan with foil, with foil ends extending over the sides of the pan. Press 1/2 the dough mixture into an even layer
  3. Spread ice cream on top and press the remaining dough on top 
  4. Cover with foil, freeze 3 hours
  5. Remove from freezer, let it stand at room tempature for 3 minutes
  6. Cut 16 squares, wrap each in plastic wrap. Store back in freezer
 

Orginal recipe found here

Black bean brownies 

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These tasty little treats are the healthiest brownies you will ever eat! No really! They are made with black beans and ground flax seed and have no added sugar or flour.  People will NEVER guess there are black beans in them. I let my family and many friends taste them and try to guess and no one even came close! What’s even better is they don’t taste healthy. The cocoa powder and chocolate chips make this a gooey, rich, and tasty dessert. You won’t even feel bad about going back for more!

They are inspired from Chocolate Covered Katie, but l substituted oats for ground flax seed.  I served them at the Mother’s Day brunch; click here for a recap.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 2 tablespoon cocoa powder
  • 1/2 ground flax seed
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup honey, or pure maple syrup, or agave nectar
  • 1/4 cup coconut or vegetable oil
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 cup chocolate chips, more for topping (optional)

 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients except chocolate chips in a food processor and blend until smooth.

2. Stir in chocolate chips, then pour into greased 8×8 pan. Sprinkle more chocolate chips on top for an extra chocolaty taste if so desired.

3. Bake 15-18 mins, then let cool 10 minutes.