Strawberry Decadence Bars

Strawberry Decadence Bars

Feel the need for something sweet today?  This recipe uses 100% healthy, natural, powerhouse foods and doesn't even require any baking.  And unlike a lot of "raw", "vegan", "paleo" posts I see circulating around social media, this doesn't have any weird ingredients that you have never heard of before.  Just simple, healthy fruits, nuts, cocoa, maple syrup and coconut.  It only took me about 20 minutes to assemble and they lasted in the freezer for over a week, and after a few minutes thawing on the counter, tasted just as good each time I served them.  Both of my kids loved them and I love the bright pink, all natural, color of the middle layer.  A slightly thicker chocolate layer, might be nice next time so if you want a little more chocolate I would recommend doubling up on the final three ingredients. And you could always use a different fruit or nut depending on what you have in your kitchen or what your family prefers.  And then serve this treat knowing that you are providing a healthy snack disguised as a dessert!

Orange Blondie Brownies

Orange Blondie Brownies

This past Christmas, my family was fortunate to spend a week in Florida.  While I was there I picked up a jar of fruit sweetened tangerine marmalade that has since been sitting in the back of my fridge waiting to be enjoyed.  I am not one to often eat toast and jam and for some reason most of my family doesn't like orange marmalade, despite loving orange juice, so I decided to use it to bake with before it got forgotten behind the cartons of milk and became a science experiment. Since it is March 1st, and although it is snowing, I feel glad that the coldest, stormiest month of the season is (hopefully) behind us, and what better way to celebrate than by baking a little sunshine into my kitchen.  These treats are made with organic whole wheat flour, almond flour,coconut oil and Greek yogurt, so there are plenty of nutrients your body needs and a sweetness your taste buds want. Now if it would only stop snowing!  

Cherry Almond Beer Bread

Cherry Almond Beer Bread

It's another snowy day here in PA, and what better way to warm up than to bake a loaf of bread!  OK, I know it might be more fun to sit under a blanket with a good book or watch a movie while snuggling someone you love, but honestly, I don't think there is any better smell in the world than bread baking in the oven.  And when it only takes a couple of minutes to mix a dough from scratch, I swear the aroma is even sweeter.  This recipe is a simple twist on my original Beer Bread, with a few extra flavor enhancers added in.  The result is a bread with just enough sweetness to serve as a dessert, but not so much that you think it's a cake. I like using different flavors of beer as the inspiration and with all the varieties available today, the options are honestly endless.  So experiment with your favorite and get baking!

*I know I usually take a photo of the bread after cutting a few slices, but this bread was so delicious that as soon as I cut it and tried a piece, my kids and I devoured it. Sorry!