3 Ingredient Peach and Nut Butter Ice Cream

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Ever since a new ice cream place moved into my neighborhood, I think about ice cream a lot. Like, at least once a day, and probably even more than that.

I indulge occasionally, but in between, I am trying to keep myself satisfied with foods that are a little more wholesome and a little less sugar-bomby. I used to make Frozen Banana ice cream, but I recently needed my ice cream fix and there were no frozen 'nanas in the freezer.

But, there were some frozen peaches.

I have no idea what prompted me to freeze them, but I am so glad I did. Combined with some leftover Cinnamon Roll Almond Nut Butter and a squeeze of liquid vanilla stevia, I ended up with the most delicious homemade ice cream I have ever encountered. It might even rival the real ice cream down the street. It had all of the creamy richness that banana ice cream sometimes can lack.

Even my husband, who originally said no thanks, ended up asking me for more spoonfulls.

3 Ingredient Peach and Nut Butter Ice Cream

Servings: 1

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 frozen peaches
• 1/2 cup nut butter (I used this cinnamon almond butter, which is easy to make in a blender)
• Sweetener - I used about 10 drops of Vanilla Nunaturals Stevia, but you can also use any sweetener of choice.

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender, and blend well. You may need a stick or tamper to keep things moving.
2. Serve!

Easy Skinny Margarita

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Ever since my first trip to a local taco joint (Donkey Taqueria), I've been thinking about getting my marg on. I had a delicious, hot pink "prickly pear" margarita, and it has plagued me ever since.

In a good way.

Recently, when we had an at-home taco night, I decided it was time. Prickly pears were nowhere to be found, but I did manage to throw together something simple, healthy, and perfect for taco night.

In case you needed any more convincing, here's why you should make this margarita instead of buying store-bought mix:

• WAY LESS SUGAR. Store-bought margarita mix has 30-50 grams of sugar per glass. If you are using stevia or a sugar substitute and following this recipe, you will ring in at about 1.1grams. That means a much lower risk of waking up with a headache or getting the munchies after your second glass.
• WAY LESS CALORIES. It's hard to beat a 74 calorie cocktail. In this recipe, the calories come from the tequila itself (64 calories per shot), and the lime (10 calories per half-lime). That's it. (Note: I'm not trying to get you to count calories here, but when you make the comparison, a 300 calorie frozen margarita becomes more difficult to justify - especially if you're drinking more than one!)
• IT IS SO EASY. No blender needed. Nothing fancy required. Once you have everything out, you can throw it together in 60 seconds. Seriously, though. Try it.

Easy Skinny Margarita

Servings: 1 Per Recipe
Calories Per Serving: 74 calories

Ingredients:

• Ice
• 1 shot Tequila (I used the equivalent of 1 shot per drink, because I was prepping these in short rocks glasses - and I consume drinks rather quickly, so I try not to overload each of them with booze. If you like your margs very strong, feel free to bump that up to 1.5. And, if you are making these in a highball glass, go with somewhere in between 1 and 2 shots.)
• Juice from 1/2 Lime + 1 Lime wedge (I used the juice from 1/2 lime, plus an extra wedge to garnish, for each drink. Feel free to adjust as needed for your preferences)
• 1 tsp Stevia Syrup or 1 pack Sugar/Sugar Substitute (You can use any sugar or sugar substitute here. I used liquid stevia drops, which require about 1 tsp. If you use sugar or a granulated stevia/substitute, use one pack)
• Sparkling Water (I have used regular sparkling water, as well as cherry-lime La Croix, so feel free to experiment with anything bubbly and unflavored or mildly flavored here)

Directions:

1. Fill glass with ice. 
2. Pour tequila over the ice
3. Squeeze lime juice into the cup.
4. Add sugar substitute.
5. Top with sparkling water, stir, and serve with garnish.

Paleo Cinnamon Roll Almond Butter

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I've been in the Vitamix club for almost a year now. I've done smoothies and ice creams galore, but I haven't been particularly adventurous until now.

Then again, is almond butter adventurous at all? It seems a lot of people have already done this.

BUT DID THEY MAKE IT TASTE LIKE A CINNAMON ROLL?

I got the pro tip from my friend Diane. She suggested freezing the almonds before blending, so that they are cold when you start. Since the Vitamix has such a powerful blade, it can overheat and turn itself off if things get too hot. So, freeze I did. And it worked like a charm.

I also added coconut oil to this recipe. I don't think it is necessary, and I have seen many, many recipes that do not use any oil at all (because nuts have a natural oil of their own that is released during blending). So, if you're not a fan, feel free to omit.

But, including it in this recipe will make your almond butter creamier and smoother, and shoot, it will just taste awesome. Not to mention that coconut oil has some crazy good benefits for your digestive system and skin. The only reason not to include it is if you are limiting your calories and fat. But, let's be real, if that's the case, why on earth are you eating nut butter?!?!?!

[This coming from a paleo afficionado... take it with a grain of salt]

^Speaking of salt, there is a sprinkle of sea salt in this recipe. Another thing you can omit, if you are limiting sodium (which I generally encourage, so go right ahead). It is a very small amount, though, and it truly does bring out the sweetness and flavor.

DID I MENTION HOW CREAMY THIS STUFF IS? It was so difficult to exercise self control as I scooped it out of the vitamix and into a jar. Thankfully, there were a few tablespoons that didn't quite fit into the jar...

Well, you know what happened to those ones ;-)

Paleo Cinnamon Roll Almond Butter

Ingredients:

• 3 cups of almonds, frozen beforehand
• 2 tbsp coconut oil (I used Carrington Farms)
• 1 dropper full of Vanilla Stevia Drops (or 1/2 tsp vanilla extract and a sprinkle of sugar or stevia)
• 1/8 tsp salt (just a sprinkle!)
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

1. Before starting, melt coconut oil in a microwave-safe container, so that it is in liquid form instead of solid. It should take about 30-40 seconds.
2. Place almonds in the blender. If you are using a vitamix, follow these steps: (1) Turn the vitamix on, on level one. (2) Immediately turn the dial all the way up to 10. (3) Then quickly turn it onto high. (Doing this quickly will help it from overheating - thanks again to Diane for the tip!)
3. Use the tamper (like a long stick - or if you don't have one, use a sturdy plastic spoon/spatula) to help push the almonds down as they quickly turn from nuts into a meal/flour and eventually into a buttery paste. It took me about 3 minutes.
4. It will start to look like thick almond butter. At this point, add the coconut oil, vanilla, salt, and cinnamon, and then turn the blender back on and continue to tamp/mix it for another minute or two.
5. Turn the blender off. Taste test and adjust sweetness/cinnamon/salt to your preferences.
6. Use a spatula to scrape the almond butter out and into a jar.

Notes:

• As far as I can tell from reading around online, this should last about two to three months if kept in the fridge. Good luck keeping it around for that long, though...
• This fit almost perfectly into a 12 ounce mason jar, with just a few tablespoons left over for you to use on something as a reward for your hard work :)
• Special ingredients used in this recipe: NuNaturals Vanilla Stevia Drops (these are amazing in baked goods, smoothies, coffee, you name it!) and Carrington Farms Coconut Oil.
• If you don't have a tamper, get one here for only 14 bucks! It makes such a difference!

WHAT ABOUT YOU?

• Do you have a special nut butter concoction you make? Any other secret ingredients? I am dying to try one with raw cacao powder, but I am worried it would be too rich for me to enjoy! 

Herbed Mint Grapefruit Cocktail

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I recently posted an update on what the heck I do all day as a blogger, writer, and freelance marketing consultant (try fitting that on a business card). At the end of my day, despite having just gone out with my husband to buy a case of beer, I decided to treat myself to a hand crafted cocktail.

I tend to make recipes up on the fly in life, but especially in cocktails. I never have the exact ingredients for a recipe I've found online, and I much prefer peeking in the fridge/pantry to see what I've got to work with. It's a creative challenge! 

It must have looked good, because a few of you asked me for the recipe. Here it is:

Herbed Mint Grapefruit Cocktail

Prep Time: <5 Minutes
Calories: 80
Ingredients:

• 1/4 grapefruit, cut into pieces (size does not matter, as you will be muddling them)
• 3-4 mint leaves, ripped or cut in halves or quarters
• 1 tsp chopped basil (I actually used dried basil this time, but of course fresh is best!)
• 1 tsp stevia, sugar, sugar substitute (or 3 drops Nunaturals Liquid Stevia)
• 1.5 oz gin (or vodka)
• 3 oz soda water

Directions:

1. Muddle grapefruit, mint, and sweetener in the bottom of a glass.
2. Add gin and soda water. Stir.
3. Serve!

What about you?

What is your favorite cocktail recipe?

Do you ever create your own cocktail recipes?

Curry Roasted Cauliflower

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Cauliflower is coming back, folks. From mashed cauliflower to cauliflower crust, it is back in a big way as a substitute for the typical carby culprits (I'm looking at you, potatoes and flour).

I tried curry roasting a whole cauliflower a year or two ago, and it was just an epic failure. I am sure it can be done (in fact, I've seen it), but I clearly did not do it the right way. (Who knows the right way? Enlighten me!)

But, I was determined to make it happen, because curry is my favorite spice and cauliflower seemed like a good thing to cover in it. So, I recently took a second crack at it, making no changes other than to cut the darn thing up before roasting it.

Worked. Like. A. Charm.

Curry Roasted Cauliflower

Prep Time: 5-10 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 3-4 side dishes
Ingredients:

• 1 head of cauliflower (or a bag of cauliflower florets)
• 2 tablespoons curry powder
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tbsp melted coconut oil

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400.
2. Mix spices (curry powder, black pepper, salt) in a large bowl.
3. Cut the cauliflower into evenly sized florets.
4. Add florets to the bowl and pour coconut oil in as well. Toss until all florets are evenly coated.
5. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil (this just makes clean up faster) and spray with cooking oil. Place florets in an even spread on foil. Add another layer of foil on top to keep them from drying out too much.
6. Bake for 20 minutes, then remove the top layer of foil and turn the florets.
7. Bake for another 30 minutes, turning every 10-15.

Before roasting

After roasting

What about you?
What's your favorite cauliflower recipe? I have made mashed cauliflower with parmesan, cauliflower crust, and regular roasted cauliflower... but I am sure there are new recipes or twists on those that I have yet to discover! Enlighten me!
What other ingredients are making a resurgence? Like, besides avocado, kale, and quinoa... which I have been crushing on in a big way, too!

Red-Skin Potato, Chives, and Chevre "Pie" Casesrole

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On Sunday night, my mom brought me a bag of red-skin potatoes. I wasn't quite sure what to do about this, because I'm not really a potato person. 

But then I started cutting them up. I sliced them into small, 1/4inch thick rounds, and they were quite beautiful. And suddenly they weren't just weirdly shaped red masses. They were a gourmet meal!

Also, in case you were wondering, yes, this recipe is proof that one should always have chevre on hand. It's just math. A girl's gotta do it.

Red-Skin Potato, Chives, and Chevre Casserole

Prep time: 10 Minutes

Cook time: 60 Minutes

Servings: Makes 6

Ingredients:

• 4-5 medium Red-Skin potatoes. (This will also work with ANY potatoes, so feel free to experiment and know that you are safe!)
• 4oz Chevre (Any crumbly cheese, like goat or feta, will do)
• 1 tbsp Minced Garlic
• 1 tbsp Chopped Chives
• 2 tbsp Mixed Shredded Cheese (Any shredded, meltable cheese will work)
• 1 tbsp Dried Oregano (You can substitute any Italian seasoning here)
• 1/4 tsp Sea Salt
• 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
• 1 cup Milk
• 1 Egg

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375.
2. Slice potatoes into 1/4 inch thick rounds. Layer half of the potatoes into a greased pan (I used a circular cake pan), overlapping slightly. 
3. Layer half of the goat cheese on top, dispersing evenly throughout the pan. Sprinkle some dried oregano, sea salt, and black pepper on top.
4. Add a second layer of potatoes.
5. Layer the rest of the goat cheese on top, and sprinkle with oregano, sea salt, and black pepper again. Add minced garlic, dispersing evenly on top of the potatoes.
6. In a separate bowl, combine milk and egg and whisk until well combined. Gently pour evenly over the casserole.
7. Top with mixed shredded cheese, and then sprinkle chopped chives on top.
8. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until mixed shredded cheese begins to brown.' 
9. Let sit for 15-20 minutes before serving (it will be HOT HOT HOT!).

Note: For a large family party, you can double this recipe and cook in a very large cake pan.

1920s Champagne Punch (Speakeasy Party Part 3)

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Despite having a pretty full array of cocktail options at our Speakeasy party, we noticed that our guests were pounding the Champunch (Champagne + Punch = Champunch). 

At first, I thought this was the result of my frequent bragging that the punch was low sugar (I used NuNaturals and naturally sweet tea, see below). But, when I realized it was men and women alike who were pounding the punch, and I actually had to scramble to re-make a second batch to avoid a mutiny (ha), I figured something out:

This sh*t is actually just down right delicious.

On Saturday morning, I started googling around for 1920s Champagne Punch recipes. I didn't plan on legitimately following a recipe (what do you think I am, a grown up or something?), but I wanted to get an idea for what might be unique about punches during that era. The answer? Tea.

Every single 1920s recipe I found incorporated some sort of tea. So, with that in mind, I hit up my pantry in search of the most delicious tea. I have on hand four kinds: Green Tea, Mint Green Tea, Chamomile/Sleepy Time, and a Red Tea that is "Good for your skin." After about 30 seconds of contemplation with my cousin ("Do you want to be feeding people caffeinated tea at 12am?" or, really, "Do you want people staying alert and awake and thus staying at your apartment until breakfast?" I love my friends, but... no thanks), we opted for the non-caf Red Tea. It ended up being perfect because red tea is significantly sweeter than its bitter cousin, Green Tea, so it sweetened up the punch naturally.

We also added a few bottles of champagne, some white wine, rum, and some Orange-flavored NuNaturals, then topped it off with slices of oranges that we peeled to make the orange twists. In the end, we ended up with this delicious recipe:

1920s Speakeasy Champagne Punch

Ingredients:

• 3 peeled Oranges
• 3 cups Brewed Red Tea
• 1 bottle White Wine
• 1 cup Dark Rum
• 1/2 Tablespoon NuNaturals Orange (Can substitute with 1 tablespoon sugar/stevia and 1 tsp Orange extract, if absolutely necessary!)
• 1/2 Cup Rum
• 5 NuStevia Quick Dissolve Tabs (Can substitute with another tablespoon of sugar/stevia)
• 3 bottles Champagne

Directions:

1. Slice oranges horizontally (hold the orange so would naturally separate into vertical slices, then slice it the other way). Place in a bowl and put in the freezer as you prepare the rest.
2. In a large bowl, combine red tea, white wine, rum, and sweeteners (NuNaturals Orange and NuStevia, or sugars) and mix well.
3. Add Champagne and Orange slices just before serving (or before guests arrive).
4. We dumped about 5 cups of ice into the bowl, just to keep it nice and chilly!

Chocolate Banana Bread (with added Protein)

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Let's be honest, we've all let produce go to waste. Some things are unsalvageable (hello, most vegetables). But other things, just like a good wine, only get better with time.

Enter bananas. I have to admit, it takes the pressure off knowing that I don't have to finish my bananas before they turn brown. I first experimented with low cal frozen banana ice cream. It's a delicious treat, and extremely creamy. But as it gets colder, I've decided to make something warm instead.

Banana bread is wonderful. There's really not much better than taking a bite of a steaming hot piece of banana bread, straight from the oven, with a tasty slab of butter melting on top. Nothing. Better.

...except maybe if you made it healthier. Say, by using whole wheat flour... adding in some protein powder... and some greek yogurt to keep it moist without dumping too much added fat indo the mix.

Ah, and I should mention that the protein powder is chocolate protein powder. So now we're not just working with banana bread, it's healthy protein chocolate banana bread. I know, chocolate was the only word you remember from that sentence. Go ahead and take a bite!

Whole Wheat Chocolate Banana Bread (with added protein)
Ingredients:
...for the bread

• 1 1/2 scoops chocolate protein powder
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 ripe bananas, mashed
• 2 egg whites
• 2 tbsp vanilla greek yogurt
• 1/3 cup oats
• Optional: 1/3 cup chocolate chips (if you want it really chocolatey - I skipped this step)

...for the topping

• 1/3 cup oats
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• drizzling of honey
• sprinkling of cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Mix dry bread ingredients in a medium size bowl.
3. Add bananas, egg whites, and greek yogurt, and mix well.
4. Spray a bread pan with nonstick spray, then pour mixed ingredients into the pan.
5. In the same bowl (which should now be mostly empty), mix topping ingredients with clean hands. Be sure to sprinkle enough honey into the mix so that the topping begins to stick/clump together. 
6. Sprinkle topping over the bread mix.
7. Put in the oven for 30-40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out mostly clean (the topping will still be gooey, but the bread should be solid and clean). 

Skinny Pumpkin Spice Latte Recipe (Save 200 Calories Per Drink!)

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Around 8:52 (approximately), I get the urge. The Starbucks urge. And so I make the trek downstairs for my delicious latte. Now that it's fall, I hear the same thing over and over again: "Grande Pumpkin Spiced Latte!"

And I cringe. I cringe, I tell you! Because I know the truth! The truth that just one Grande Pumpkin Spiced Latte has 310 calories in it and 50 carbohydrates! It's bordering on putting you into a coma. That, my friends, is why you're tired all fall.

Let's take a look at Starbucks' Pumpkin Spice Latte vs my DIY Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte... Here is the comparison. Roll your mouse over the image to find out the winner (as though you need help!).

(Img Credit for Starbucks Drink)

Quite a big difference, isn't it? By taking 5 minutes to make your drink before leaving the house, you're going from 310 calories and ~49 carbs to 110 calories and ~15 carbs. This will leave you happier, healthier, and more full of energy. Oh, and you might notice your waistline shrinking. Side effect of healthy eating. :) So are you convinced? Good. Here's the recipe.

It's set for one serving, but keep in mind that you can make a large batch and refrigerate it for a week. Similarly, for those of you who are coffee drinkers instead of espresso drinkers, feel free to make a large batch and use in place of milk or coffee creamer! Healthier and delicious!

Skinny Tiramisu (139 Calories Per Slice)

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Tiramisu that tastes so gourmet, you won't believe how it's made. It's rich and creamy, with just the right edge of coffee, cinnamon, and chocolate. Will keep in the fridge for days, so it's perfect to make ahead! And at only 139 calories per slice, it's pretty hard to pass up...

 Pin this recipe if it looks delish!

 Be kind and pin!

On Friday, I asked my Facebook fans what dessert they'd like a skinny version of. There were a few answers... Cheesecake, Creme Brulee, Tiramisu... and I promise, I'll take a crack at all of those recipes. 

First on my list was Tiramisu. For no reason other than that it sounded insanely appetizing when you guys suggested it! And my recipe ended up ringing in at just shy of 140 calories per slice -- sounds like heaven to me!

But really. Bf couldn't believe how gourmet it tastes, for something made with a combination of Nilla Wafers, Greek Yogurt, and Whipped Topping (among other things). It tastes incredibly gourmet, like you're ordering it at a tried and true Italian restaurant.

Not to mention how easy it is. I made two large tupperware bins of it so that we could eat it for days or bring it to work to share. With such good ingredients, I might even have some for breakfast...

Skinny Tiramisu

Calories Per Serving: 139

Servings: 10

Ingredients:

• 14 Oz Greek Yogurt, Plain (I used Chobani Plain 0%)
• 1 tsp Cinnamon
• 4 tsp Vanilla
• 2 tsp Shaved Chocolate
• 1 cup strong brewed coffee
• 2 tbsp Dark Rum (Optional)
• 45-50 Nilla Wafers Reduced Fat (My pan fit 3 layers of 16 just perfectly, so I used 48)
• 6-8 oz Light Whipped Topping (Depends on how thick you want your whipped layers to be)

Directions:

1. Mix together greek yogurt, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and 2 tsp shaved chocolate. Freeze for an hour. Remove from freezer and stir before using in recipe.
2. Brew appx 1 cup of strong coffee. Add 1 tbsp dark rum and stir well, then freeze for 30 minutes. Remove from freezer and stir before using in recipe.
3. In a tupperware or pan (I used a 9x9 tupperware), begin layering. First, dip Nilla wafers into the coffee/rum mixture and place into the pan, side by site, laying flat. Spoon a few drops of coffee/rum over the Nilla wafers, if desired.
4. Next, spoon in one layer of whipped cream. Be careful to spread the whipped cream (to cover all of the wafers) without disturbing the Nilla wafers too much. On top of the whipped cream, add a thin layer of chocolate shavings.
5. Add another layer of coffee/rum-dipped Nilla wafers, then spoon a few drops of coffee/rum over, if desired.
6. Spoon in one layer of greek yogurt mixture (you'll probably use about 2/3 of it here). Spread the mixture over the wafers the same way you did with the whipped cream. On top, add a thin layer of chocolate shavings.
7. Next, add another layer of coffee/rum-dipped Nilla wafers, then spoon a few drops of coffee/rum over, if desired.
8. Next, drop in a few spoons full of the greek yogurt mixture and a few spoon fulls of whipped cream, dispersing fairly evenly. Spread over the Nilla wafers, mixing as you do so. Don't try too hard to mix it perfectly - it should look a bit swirled.
9. Finally, add another thin layer of chocolate shavings.
10. Freeze for one hour, then refrigerate until serving!

6 Skinny Cocktail Recipes You'll Love

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Not sure if you'd noticed, but today's Friday. You're probably shedding tears of joy right now, aren't you? Me too, folks, me too. I'm pretty sure Friday is my favorite day of the week, simply because there's so much anticipation for the next few days of not working. And by not working, I mean exercising, baking/cooking/making things/taking pictures for this blog, finishing my book and/or editing, doing laundry... WAIT, stop, Carly! Now you're just depressing everybody. The weekend is supposed to be about relaxing... right?

Apparently my way of sending you all off to relax is by getting you drunk. Seriously - I looked it up. I've given you cocktail recipes every Friday for almost the entire summer. No, I'm not trying to kill you.

How about, instead of shoving just one recipe in your face, I give you 6? Look, now you have choices! People love choices! It's true, I asked my mom!

P.S. If thou goest shopping this weekend, I charge thee to instagram/tweet a picture of thy shopping cart with the hashtag #inmycart. 

P.S.S. Apparently, Old English and talking about social media don't exactly mix well. Oh well. These drinks do!

1. Blueberry Chambord Cocktail

2. Red In The Morning Cocktail (Sparkling Vodka Sunrise)

3. Whiskey Sweet 'N' Sour

4. Moonlight Basil Mojito

5. Skinny Strawberry Daiquiri

6. Purple People Drinker