Creamy Choco-Cashew Banana Smoothie | Silk Cashew Milk

I gained a grand total of 26 pounds during my pregnancy. That's not a whole lot, I know, but it's enough to make you freak out a little bit once you're holding a bundle of love in your arms and still have handles of love pouring out over the tops of your jeans. Sure, pudge is the least of one's concerns when you're caring for a newborn, but in moments of lucidity there are still daydreams of wearing pants without an elastic waist once again someday. {I'm not gonna lie, though. Maternity pants are comfy.}

Thirteen of those pounds were immediately lost after giving birth, and over the next few weeks, a few more pounds were shed here and there. But, as luck would have it, my son was born right around the holidays which meant that I basically subsisted on Christmas cookies for the first month of his life. I wish I were kidding.

Anyway, I imagine that a diet consisting of holiday foods and a goal to lose baby weight aren't exactly considered a perfect match. Rats.

I've only got about 7 {stubborn} pounds left to lose until I'm back to my pre-baby weight, but I'll tell you what else I've still got: A sweet tooth.

Luckily, I've found some sneaky ways to enjoy a sweet treat without sabotaging progress. Like luscious, creamy smoothies that taste like a milkshake.

Though I've used almond milk for quite a few years, I was intrigued when I discovered that Silk came out with their newest non-dairy milk -- Cashewmilk. I pink puffy heart cashews. Always have. I remember picking them out of mixed nut canisters as a kid and leaving a sad, cashew-less collection for the next unsuspecting snacker. So cashewmilk just sounded like a genius idea to me.

And I was right. It is super creamy and rich... a perfect addition to this Choco-Cashew Banana Smoothie. With 50% more calcium than dairy milk but only 60 calories per serving, it's a great option for smart sipping. It's the perfect match of smooth, silky taste and fewer calories.

 

Combined in this smoothie with Silk's Dark Chocolate Almond Milk {another favorite} and frozen bananas, it becomes a treat reminiscent of something you'd pick up at a drive-thru window. Paired with an untamable sweet tooth, it's everything you crave without the guilt factor. I'd say that makes a pretty good match, too.

Head over to Silk's website to sign up for their newsletter where you can get coupons, recipes and more!

Choco-Cashew Banana Smoothie

1 banana, cut into chunks and frozen
1/2 cup Silk Dark Chocolate Almond milk, frozen into ice cubes
1/2 cup Silk Cashewmilk*
Roasted cashews for garnish if desired

1. Combine all ingredients in a high speed blender. Blend until completely smooth.
2. Top with roasted cashews if desired. Enjoy!

*If your smoothie is too thick and you have trouble blending, add a bit more cashewmilk.

This conversation is sponsored by Silk. The opinions and text are all mine.

Girl Scout Cookie French Toast!

It's the most wonderful time of the year: Girl Scout Cookie season!

You may notice that those smiling, uniform-clad little ladies have taken up their posts in front of every grocery store, and you may have even been successful at politely declining when asked, "Would you like to buy some Girl Scout cookies?"

But all bets are off today because I've got a recipe that's even more tempting than a sleeve of frozen Thin Mints.

Cookie-Crusted Strawberry Stuffed French Toast!

My friends at the Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida reached out to me to see if I'd help them spread the word about supporting the mission behind the Cookie Program -- teaching young girls about goal setting, decision making, money management, people skills and business ethic. And you thought it was all about the irresistible sweet snacks!

I love a program that supports the empowerment of young women {and we all know I love a cookie!}, so I jumped at the opportunity and got to work playing with creative cookie-infused recipes.

Though my initial reaction was to reach right for the Samoas and Thin Mints {I'm not even going to pretend that I don't have favorites}, I wanted to challenge myself with a flavor that may not always get a fair shot at the spotlight. So, I opened up a box of Savannah Smiles and headed to the kitchen.

Naturally, I ended up with a recipe that promotes cookies for breakfast. Sigh.

This Cookie-Crusted Strawberry Stuffed French Toast doesn't have to be served up in the morning if you'd rather not kick off the day with a sugar rush . In fact, it would make a great dessert if you're looking to impress with something original and, of course, delicious!

Filled with a creamy and flavorful cheesecake-like filling that has fresh strawberries, lemon zest and crumbled lemony cookie bits folded into the mix, this French toast is like no other. The crunchy outside of the slices are coated in cookie crumbs and cooked to golden perfection.

You know who else has been experimenting with Girl Scout cookie recipes? Our local Grimaldi's Coal Brick Oven Pizzeria! They're offering Girl Scout cookie inspired cheesecakes {Thin Mint and Samoa!} throughout the month of February. Best of all, the money from cheesecake sales will be donated to the Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida!

I have even better news for you: The Girl Scouts are extending their cookie sale until February 22, so that gives you some extra time to run out and grab a truckload few boxes. You'll want as many as you can get your hands on once you try out this recipe.

So, take advantage of the fact that today is Fat Tuesday and indulge a little for a good cause! ;)

Cookie-Crusted Strawberry Stuffed French Toast
Makes 2 servings

2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup milk of choice
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
15 Savannah Smiles cookies, pulverized {divided}
4 oz softened cream cheese
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 cup finely diced strawberries
4 slices bread, preferably a thick, sturdy bread like challah

1. Heat a skillet or griddle over medium heat. Add butter to melt.

2. Prepare your dipping station: In a small pan or dish, whisk together milk, egg, and vanilla extract. On a plate or small pan, pour all but 2 tablespoons of pulverized cookie crumbs and pat into one layer. Set aside.

3. In a small bowl, beat together softened cream cheese with powdered sugar, lemon zest, 2 tablespoons of cookie crumbs. Gently fold in chopped strawberries.

4. Spread filling onto 2 slices of bread, dividing the mixture evenly. Top each piece with another piece of bread to make a "sandwich".

5. Quickly dunk the each sandwich into the egg mixture {make sure to flip so both sides are coated, allowing excess liquid to drip off. Immediately place onto cookie crumbs and dredge each side, pressing lightly to adhere the crumbs to the outside of the bread. Repeat with second sandwich.

6. Place each piece in skillet. Cook about 3-4 minutes on each side until they're golden and have a bit of a crunch.*

Serve warm with powdered sugar and extra strawberries if desired.

*If you are making several servings, preheat the oven to 300 degrees and place cooked French toast onto a baking sheet to keep warm while the other pieces cook. This also helps to achieve a crisp exterior!

Beer-Steamed Sesame Ginger Shrimp Dumplings | Simply Organic #WeeknightWin

Even though I have been swept up in a baby whirlwind, cooking dinner is still super important to me.

It's what makes me feel like I still have a non-mommy purpose. It lets me unwind and decompress.

But the truth is, I probably have about 45 seconds to figure out what I'm cooking, prep the ingredients, prepare the meal and get it on the table before I collapse into a heap of exhaustion at the end of the day. It's a real conundrum.

So, what's a girl to do? {Besides pour herself a generous gallon glass of wine.}

I'm fairly certain that Simply Organic tapped into my brainwaves and created their line of Steam Gourmet Parchment and Seasoning Kits as a solution to my problems. Because look:

A healthy meal. In, like, no time at all. With minimal cleanup.

Now I got your attention, didn't I?

These little kits are pretty fantastic because 1. It basically tells you what to cook and how to cook it,  2. It gives you most of the stuff you need to make it taste good, and 3. It's organic and healthy so you can feel good about what you're feeding your family.

Each kit comes with a cooking suggestion, 2 spice packets and 2 parchment bags for steam cooking. All you have to do is buy the protein or veggies you want to make, season them, toss them into the bag and -- voila -- dinner.

Except, you know me... I like to make things complicated. So I looked at the kit and I thought, "I wonder what else I could do with this besides the obvious?"

And these dumplings were the answer.

Instead of making Sesame Ginger Salmon with the kit, I whipped up a quick batch of dumplings with wonton wraps and shrimp, nestled them on a bed of prepackaged stir-fry veggie mix, and poured some beer over them {because, why not?}. The result was a really fun and flavorful dish that took almost no time at all but still made me feel successful at creating a "Weeknight Win".

Pretty awesome, right?! Simply Organic is hosting a "Weeknight Win" recipe contest and I'd love for you to vote for this tasty dish! Head over to the voting page to cast your vote!

Beer-Steamed Sesame Ginger Shrimp Dumplings

1 Simply Organic Sesame Ginger Salmon Parchment Seasoning Kit
1 bag pre-chopped stir-fry vegetables (broccoli, snow peas, carrots, cabbage, etc.)
1/2 pound shrimp, peeled, deveined and roughly chopped
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
2 scallions, chopped
Approximately 20 wonton wraps
1/4 cup Japanese beer (or vegetable, chicken or seafood broth, if preferred)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

1. Place parchment bag on a baking sheet to catch any drips. Arrange vegetables in the bottom of parchment steam bag.  Set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, drizzle sesame oil over chopped shrimp; toss to coat. Sprinkle seasoning packet over top and add chopped scallion; mix until all shrimp are well-coated with seasoning.

3. Arrange wonton wraps on a clean work surface for easy dumpling assembly. Fill a small bowl with water. (You'll use this to help seal each dumpling.)

4. Scoop about a teaspoon of shrimp filling onto each wonton wrapper. Wet the tip of your finger in the water and run it along the outer edge of each wonton wrap. Fold in half so that the corners meet and you have a sealed triangle.* Indent the flat side of the dumpling and bring the outer corners together to form a tortellini-like shape, if desired. Repeat until all the filling is used up.

5. Place dumplings on top of vegetables in the parchment bag. Pour about 1/4 cup of beer (or broth) over top, making sure to wet the dumplings.

6. Fold open end of bag under twice to seal the bag. Bake for about 15-17 minutes or until the dumplings are steamed and the vegetables are tender-crisp. (The shrimp should be pink and opaque.)

To serve, carefully open the parchment bag (there will be hot steam, so be careful!) and divide onto serving plates. Serve with soy sauce for dipping if desired.

*You may shape the dumplings any way you wish!

Sweet & Salty Popcorn Bark Valentines

The highlight of your weekend may have been Buffalo Chicken Dip or Katy Perry & her dancing shark friends, but the best part of mine was working. No, I haven't lost {what's left of} my sleep-deprived mind these days. My "job" on Saturday was to attend an event where I was forced to watch an award-winning pastry chef prepare desserts while nibbling samples of various Valentine's Day themed treats. It's hard life, I know.

Speaking of Valentine's Day, I have a love related question for you: How do you show love to your spouse or significant other?

Is it by bringing home a bouquet of flowers? Taking out the trash without being asked {HINT, HINT!}? Showering him or her with hugs and kisses? Turning a blind eye to that second serving of ice cream at the end of a long day?

In our house a whole lot of stock is put in food... it's the way we celebrate, commiserate, and most importantly, show love. It's what gets us to sit around for more than 5 seconds without a phone or computer glued to our fingertips, and talk. It's what we both get excited about planning when we're inviting people into our home.

When Steve is being thoughtful, he'll pick up half & half if I'm running low to make sure I have some for my coffee in the morning. When he's being sweet, he'll bring home my favorite bottle of wine. When he's trying to get in my pants, he'll surprise me with a pint of my favorite ice cream. {Ha!}

Basically, our love language is food.

Steve gets to reap the benefits of my blogging pretty often when boxes of food arrive at our doorstep for me to work with or review. A few weeks ago I found him happily snacking on G.H. Cretors Popcorn that was sent to me...before I got to use it for a recipe. {Bad, Steve!} He is much more of a savory fan than a sweet tooth {think bread, pretzels, pasta... etc.}, so it made perfect sense that he was drawn to the popcorn like a moth to flame. Luckily, I stopped him before he could gobble it all up and had enough left for a homemade Valentine treat for both the salty and sweet lovers in your life!

Candy bark in general is a fun and easy way to make homemade gifts because you can add just about anything that you desire to make it tasty and festive. This bark gets it's a savory note from G.H. Cretors Organic Simply Salted Popcorn and some tart chewiness from dried cherries. Using heart shaped cookie cutters as molds, they turn out to be the perfect little goody to wrap up and give as a Valentine's treat.

Then again, if your sweetheart is anything like mine, the bag of popcorn alone would suffice! A big thanks to my friends at G.H. Cretors for sending over a yummy treat that we both enjoyed. :)

Disclosure: I was sent a box of G.H. Cretors Popcorn for review. All opinions here are my own. 

Sweet & Salty Popcorn Bark Valentines
Adapted from a G. H. Cretors recipe

Special tools: Heart shaped cookie cutters
1/2 lb. dark chocolate chips or bars, melted -- set some aside for drizzling
2 cups G.H. Cretors Organic Simply Salted Popcorn
1/4 cup dried cherries
{Optional} White chocolate or pink candy melts, Festive sprinkles

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.

2. Place heart cookie cutters on parchment or silicone mat. Pour a few tablespoons of melted chocolate into each one, spreading with a spoon or spatula to evenly distribute.*

3. While the chocolate is still wet, sprinkle with popcorn and dried cherries, pressing down lightly to ensure they stick. Place in the freezer for about 5 minutes to harden.

4. Remove from freezer and carefully pop the set chocolate hearts out of the cookie cutters. {You may need to wait a minute or two so they're easier to separate from the cookie cutters.} Repeat as needed with remaining chocolate and cookie cutters.

5. Once hearts are set, drizzle reserved melted chocolate on top. This would also be the time to apply any sprinkles or drizzle with melted colored candy melts, etc.

5. Return to the freezer until they're completely set. Once they're ready, you can wrap them up in cellophane bags and tie with ribbon or baker's twine to give as a sweet treat!

*I made mine about 1/8 inch thick, but you can make them as thick as you'd like -- simply add more chocolate to each cookie cutter mold. The yield will vary based on how big your heart cookie cutters are and how thick you make them.

Loaded Chicken "NOTchos"

 

I've noticed that over the past few years that more and more friends have redefined their diets in an attempt to live healthier lives. While that's a big "yay!" it can make it interesting to entertain and feed everyone things that fit into their food lifestyle. Vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy intolerant, Paleo, Whole 30 or just "health conscious"... there's always something to consider when preparing dishes for friends.

It can be tricky when your goal is to serve something that the masses will enjoy all while "keeping it clean." Luckily, I'm always up for the challenge!

Many of you will be throwing or attending Super Bowl parties this weekend and you may be finalizing your menus and grocery lists and finding yourself in the same food-prep predicament. Before you write "tortilla chips" on that little piece of paper, consider this: Chip-less nachos.

Or, as I like to call them, "NOTchos." Because they're NOT what you're used to. They're better {for you}!

Who doesn't love a platter piled high with crispy tortilla chips, gooey cheese and all those hearty toppings while they're watching some football? {My husband, that's who. Not a fan of nachos. But we already knew he was weird -- the man hates chocolate.}

The problem is, when you serve up a mountain of naughty nachos to friends who are trying to keep things healthy, not only will you get the stink-eye, but you'll also end up eating most of them on your own. Not good.

These "not-chos" are the perfect solution! A game day favorite, healthied up by using crisp, fresh peppers as the vehicle for all the stuff you want to shove in your face. So smart, right?!

Topped with shredded chicken, black beans and all kinds of good stuff, you won't even think about the fact that you're not eating traditional nachos. I swapped out the sour cream for thick, Greek yogurt and used just a tiny sprinkle of cheese for decadence. The black olives and pickled jalapenos give these a briny zing to keep it interesting.

These are totally customizable and can be made to fit in to any specific diet preference. Leave out the yogurt and cheese for non-dairy eaters. Sub out the chicken for shredded lettuce or chunky salsa for veg-heads. The rest is totally up to you! There's no wrong way to pile on the goodness.

Your game day will be guiltless, and your friends? They may never leave. Serve with caution. ;)

Loaded Chicken "NOTchos"

This recipe is more of a suggestion as you can top these with whatever you'd like! Each pepper makes 8 "NOTchos", so plan accordingly & adjust the topping amounts to suit your serving size.

2-3 red peppers, sliced in half, seeded and diced
Shredded chicken
Black beans
Mexican shredded cheese blend
Plain Greek yogurt
Pickled jalapenos
Sliced black olives

1. Cut red pepper halves in quarters to form 8 little pepper cups. Place on a foil-lined baking pan.

2. Top pepper pieces with a mound of shredded chicken and a scoop of black beans. Sprinkle with cheese.

3. Place in the oven under the broiler for 2-3 minutes or until the cheese is melted. {Keep an eye on them, I tend to forget when things are under the broiler!}

4. Remove from oven and top with a dollop of Greek yogurt, pickled jalapenos and black olives.

Enjoy without guilt!

Valentine's Day Desserts with Chef Johnny Iuzzini | Macy's Culinary Council

Gentlemen, listen up: Impressing your lady this Valentine's Day isn't as difficult as you think.

Sure, you can go the safe route, make dinner reservations and show up with a bouquet of roses. {::yawn::} Oh, excuse me. I fell asleep for a second.

OR... you can get your gal to brag on you to all of her girlfriends by sweetening up the evening with HOMEMADE DESSERT. {Yes please!}

Before you get all frazzled about the prospect of stepping foot in the kitchen and wielding your spatula, I've got good news for you. There's an expert who wants to show you how to wow your woman and he's coming to town to share his arsenal of sugary secrets. Who better to learn from than a master chef with award winning dishes??

Macy's Culinary Council Chef Johnny Iuzzini will be at Macy's Aventura on Saturday, January 31 at 1pm and he'll be demonstrating how to make some dazzling Valentine's Day desserts that you can recreate at home!

Chef Johnny was given the title of "Pastry Chef of the Year" by the James Beard Foundation in 2006, and it's easy to see why when you flip through his cookbooks, Dessert FourPlay: Sweet Quartets from A Four Star Pastry Chef (2008) and his more recent work, Sugar Rush: Master Tips, Techniques, and Recipes for Sweet Baking.

Whether you're looking to schmooze your sweetie or just want to learn a little from a master chef, this event is for you! I'll be attending and I can't wait to try out some of Chef Johnny's decadent creations.

While I wait {im}patiently, I'm trying my hand at one of his recipes and sharing it with you today!

These Balsamic Cherry Crisps are such a fantastic treat for two {or more!}. Sweet and tart cherries get a kick from rich balsamic vinegar. For a little texture, a combination of oats and almonds {and a surprise cameo from chili powder} creates a crunchy crumble topping that works perfectly with the tender cherry filling.

Hope to see you at Macy's for this sweet celebration of Valentine's desserts!

Disclosure: I am a member of the Everywhere Society and Everywhere has provided me with compensation for this post. However, all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Balsamic Cherry Crisp
Adapted from Reader's Digest

Crisp Topping:
1/4 cup almonds
1/4 cup rolled oats
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch of chili powder
Pinch of salt
3 tablespoons butter, melted

Cherry Filling:
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cups frozen cherries, thawed and drained
1/3 cup powdered sugar
3 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water

For Crisp:

1. Combine almonds, oats, flour, sugar, cinnamon, chili powder and salt in a food processor or blender and pulse until coarsely ground.

2. Pour mixture into a bowl and stir in melted butter. The mixture should resemble wet sand and form small clumps. Set aside.

For Filling:

1. In saucepan over medium high heat, melt butter and olive oil together. Add thawed cherries and powdered sugar and allow to come to a bubble. Cook for about 5 minutes or until the liquid has slightly thickened.

2. Remove from heat and stir in balsamic vinegar and vanilla extract. Cool slightly, and then add slurry of cornstarch and water. Stir until well incorporated.

For assembly:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Divide cherry mixture among 4 ramekins. Divide crisp topping evenly among ramekins.

2. Place ramekins on a baking sheet and bake for about 30-35 minutes or until the tops are just starting to become golden and the filling is bubbly.

3. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly.

Serve warm. {With a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top is even better!}

Baked Rosemary Parsnip "Fries"

Oh, hi. Remember me? I took a little blog break because I had a baby...two months ago. I had grand plans to have some guest posters fill in for me in my absence, but guess what? It never happened because I gave myself a few too many projects and ran out of time to organize guest posts before the little one arrived.

I am still wrapping my brain around the fact that he's actually here. I think it takes a while to truly grasp the immensity of this kind of event. I mean, I'm responsible for a brand new little person. Who came out of me. Crazy. {More on my very, very lonnnnng birth story in a later post.}

And speaking of "crazy", I got back into the kitchen just days after giving birth. Did you really expect anything less? {P.S. I don't actually recommend this, ladies. You do need rest.}

I started out slow with simple meals and worked my way up to bigger projects like my annual biscotti-baking tradition for Christmas. Nothing too complicated. Because you probably shouldn't be playing with sharp knives and hot burners when you are functioning on zero minimal sleep. Thank God for sweet friends and family bringing over food to keep us going when we couldn't muster the energy for more than just a quick reheat.

Babies are some serious work, y'all.

But, it's kind of amazing how quickly you begin to adapt to the insanity that is parenthood. Your body, your mind and your routine all go through a period of shock, followed by a quick recovery so that you can do what you gotta do.

And you gotta do a lot.

Well, sort of, but not really. It's the same five things on repeat 24/7. Like Groundhog Day.

Feed. Burp. Change. Cuddle. Attempt to sleep. Repeat. Somewhere in that firestorm of milk and poop you're supposed to still find time to be, like, human.

It does not make for the most entertaining of days, but it is a necessary rite of passage for keeping a tiny person alive and happy.

Except, pardon me for saying so, but I think mamas need to be happy, too. Because I think happy mamas make happy babies.

So, even though I know that moms are supposed to be all, "I haven't showered or shaved in 3 weeks." "I've decided to wear diapers instead of actually take time for a bathroom break." "The only meals I've eaten are handfuls of crumbs out of an old box of cereal." for the first few months of their babies' lives... I've still managed to carve out a few seconds for those little things like hygiene and sustenance. Most of the time, anyway. I'll warn you before you come too close if you happen to catch me during one of those "no time for bathing" spells.

I'm not gonna lie, you've got to squeeze these activities in MUCH faster than you did in the pre-baby days. And maybe you only get to drink half of your coffee piping hot in the morning before you have to put on your cape and bring your crying child back from the brink of starvation. But it's doable. Except if you have twins. Then all bets are off.

Anyway, it is thanks to an iron will and Pandora's lullaby station that I've been able to get in the kitchen a few times and make stuff. Because being in the kitchen is part of what keeps this mama sane, as crazy as that may seem to some.

With the holidays behind us, many of us are focused on being on our best eating behavior. Especially those of us who are still trying to lose a pound or two and fit into our jeans without having any excess pudge spilling over the top.

Like I said, most of the things I've been making have to fit into the brief moments when I'm not tending to the kidlet. These Rosemary Parsnip "Fries" fit the bill. The only real work required is peeling and chopping, which is a welcome break from wiping and pumping.

A quick toss with olive oil and seasonings creates a surprisingly flavorful snack. And you don't even have to feel guilty because they're veggies and they're oven baked, so you can still fit them into your healthy eating resolutions. Score.

If I had time to make these with a brand-spankin' new little one beckoning me every few minutes, then, surely, you can too.

But you certainly don't have to. Especially if you're among the "haven't showered in 3 weeks" crowd. Because in that case you might want to prioritize a little differently. ;)

Baked Rosemary Parsnip "Fries"

1 lb parsnips, peeled and cut into "fries"
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Sprinkle of rosemary

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking pan with foil.
2. Place parsnips on baking pan and drizzle with oil. Toss to coat and spread them out so they have room to crisp up.
3. Sprinkle with onion powder, garlic powder and rosemary.
4. Bake for about 10-15 minutes or until parsnips are browned and crisp.