May is National Strawberry Month AND National Salsa Month
Did you know that almost 14% of people think that cilantro tastes like soap? It’s true, and it’s completely scientific.
Tag: healthy
Coconut Straw-nana Chia Pudding
May is National Strawberry Month
Here’s a little known fact about me (or maybe it is a well-known fact): I love Veggie Tales. I grew up on regular doses Esther, Jonah, and King George and the Rubber Ducky (on VHS of course). I had the Madame Blueberry card game. I often fell asleep while listening to the audio cassette tape of Daniel. As time passed, my family had DVDs of Wizard of Ha’s, Lord of the Beans, and Sumo of the Opera. We knew every lyric to every song on Veggie Rocks. We even met Bob and Larry!
To this day, I regularly quote Veggie Tales. This is one of the scenes I have perfected:
You can’t eat strawberries without bananas!
So if we are celebrating National Strawberry Month, we need to have some bananas, too!
This chia pudding incorporates strawberries, bananas, and Coconut Macaroon Nut Butter!
If you have never made chia pudding, there is something you need to know. The chia seeds absorb a lot of the liquid, making the pudding thicker as it sets. When you make this pudding at night and let it sit until morning, you will get a thick, creamy pudding. If you don’t wait, you will basically be drinking milk with raw chia seeds.
But trust me, this is worth the wait!
Ingredients:
- One overripe banana
- One 5.3-oz container of coconut-flavored Greek yogurt
- Four tablespoons coconut macaroon nut butter
- One cup of milk (any milk will work. I used 2%, but I am sure this would be amazing with coconut milk)
- Eight or more strawberries
- 1/4 cup chia seeds
- Extra banana slices and strawberries for topping
Directions
- Using a fork, mash the banana and mix it with the Greek yogurt. Try to make this mixture as smooth as possible. Stir in nut butter and milk. You may have to stir for several minutes to incorporate everything. Alternately, you could use a blender.
- Dice at least eight strawberries and stir them into the mixture.
- Add chia seeds and mix until everything is well-combined.
- Cover and refrigerate at least two hours, preferably overnight.
- Top with additional strawberries and banana slices, if desired.
- Eat and enjoy!
P.S. – I am linking up with Angie and her cohost, Antonia @ Zoale.com, for Fiesta Friday.
Rainbow Pizza
A few months ago, I subscribed to a YouTube channel called Eat the Pizza.
On every episode, Christian and Alyssia create uniquely-flavored pizzas or pizza-flavored things. One challenge they haven’t tackled (but definitely should) is revamping a frozen pizza.
Salted Peanut Butter Klondike Bar
What would you do-oo-oo-oo for a Klondike bar?
Now that you are considering all sorts of crazy feats, let’s switch gears and chat about the great month of March. I love March for several reasons.
Chocolate Quinoa
Do y’all remember those word puzzles from childhood that were a series of pictures placed together to make words? I can’t remember what they were called, but they looked like this:
Rocky Road Oatmeal
This month would be wasted if I did not include at least one recipe for oatmeal in its truest form, cooked on the stove and served warm in a bowl.
But you better believe that this is NOT a recipe for brown goop!
On the contrary, I serve to you a warm winter version of rocky road ice cream. Rich chocolate, gooey marshmallows, and smooth almonds meld together and form a decadent, protein-rich breakfast. Rather than inducing brain-freeze, this steaming bowl of chocolate will thaw your heart.
Grab a spoon and dig in!
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup oatmeal
- 1 tbs cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 tbs vanilla protein powder OR 1/2 tbs sweetener (honey, sugar, stevia, etc.) plus 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- small handful marshmallows
- sliced almonds or other nut of choice (as much as you would like)
Directions
- In a small saucepan, bring water to a boil.
- Stir in oatmeal and return to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, and cook 2 minutes. Add cocoa powder and protein powder (or sweetener and vanilla). Cook 3-5 minutes (until oatmeal is desired consistency).
- Turn off the burner, and stir in the marshmallows and almonds.
- Transfer to a bowl, and let cool for a few minutes (you don’t want to burn your tongue!).
- Eat and enjoy!
I am linking up with Angie for Fiesta Friday!
Cranberry-Banana Gingerbread (with Blind Spot Nutbutters)
December is national fruitcake month.
Depending completely on your personal opinion, my childhood was either blessed or deprived. Why? Because, to my knowledge, I never tasted fruitcake.
This fact doesn’t disappoint me. Cursory research says that fruitcake was originally created to last for a full 365 days. A baked good that lasts more than a month is a little freaky. What do they put in that stuff?
So here is my version of a fruitcake with bananas, cranberries, oatmeal, and (of course) nut butter. I figure that any loaf with fruit in it can be called “fruitcake,” right?
Unlike real fruitcake, this bread will only last for about a week in the fridge (if you manage not to eat the whole loaf at once).
Makes 1 loaf, about 10 slices
Ingredients
- 3 overripe bananas
- 1 egg
- 2 cups oatmeal
- 1.2 oz (about 3.5 tablespoons) Gingerbread Cookie Blended Nut Butter
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 cup fresh cranberries, chopped
Direction
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 8X4 inch bread pan with nonstick spray.
- In a blender, combine bananas, egg, oatmeal, nut butter, and baking soda. Blend until smooth.
- Stir in spices.
- Fold in chopped cranberries.
- Pour into greased baking pan. Top with sliced bananas, if desired.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- Let cool completely.
- Slice and top with anything you would like! Butter, jam, more nutbutter, etc.
- Eat and enjoy!
