Energy bites are a favorite snack in my household. I've even turned my immediate family on the east coast onto energy bites, because I'm always whipping them up when I visit as a healthy snack to have around. And as a big fan of keeping things interesting in the kitchen and in life in general, I'm always coming up with new energy bite combinations. Today I've got a new one to share: chocolate cake batter chia energy bites! Made with oats, plant-based protein powder and chia seeds, these vegan, gluten free bites pack a nutritious punch. They get their cake batter flavor thanks to the combo of cashew butter, cinnamon, vanilla and cocoa, and are sweetened with dates and maple syrup. They're the perfect little bite to hold you over until a meal or give you some quick ... [Read More]
snack recipes
Apple Pie Banana Bread {vegan + gf}
Hello, hello! Today I have what's quickly becoming a new favorite recipe of mine to share with you guys, so let's dive right into it! Banana bread is one of my favorite ways to use ripe bananas, and I'm sure a lot of you would agree with me on that! There's just something so comforting and yummy about a banana bread fresh out of the oven. I like to eat a slice with a cup of hot tea. Today's recipe takes a twist on banana bread - a cinnamon apple twist, because hello October! This is my last recipe creation using the fruit from my apple picking excursion in Julian. There's been lots of apple eating and baking in my kitchen over the past month! ... [Read More]
Cherry Pistachio Energy Balls [vegan, gf]
Hi friends! Today we're talking about nuts and balls! ;-) Everyone has their go-to favorite foods that they're constantly eating, and for me, one of those categories is nuts + nut butters. I usually eat a serving of one on the daily. Healthy fats like nuts keep my belly happy & satisfied. Almond butter and peanut butter are my all-time favorites, and I was pretty into cashews & cashew butter for awhile there. Somehow I tend to forget that I like pistachios too. Recently I was about to whip up a batch of energy balls, and instead of using my go-to nuts of choice, I decided to switch it up and break open a bag of pistachios. ... [Read More]
Cherry Coconut Chocolate Chunk Hemp Granola [gf, vegan]
Happy Hump Day! How's your week going? I've gotten back into the swing of things in SoCal since getting back from vacation. While Mexico was a dream, it's not too shabby coming home when you love where you live, so I can't complain! My work week is a bit more exciting than usual because an East coast friend of mine is in town and will be staying with me for a few days. I love when friends from out of town visit! But I digress, onto food... Question of the day: Coconut - do you love it, hate it, or feel indifferent to it? I used to not like coconut at all, and then all of a sudden last year, I developed a thing for shredded coconut. While I still don't love most coconut flavored things, coconut shreds are now routinely sprinkled on top of my smoothie bowls - hence why I've shared two ... [Read More]
Apricot Almond Energy Bites [vegan, gf]
Hello, hello! I hope that you had a lovely weekend. Mine was pretty relaxing except for some power outage shenanigans. My hubby was away for the Marine Corps, and on Friday night my pup and I went for a long sunset walk along the beach. We came home to the power being out and I was unable to get into my house. Let's just say I had to get creative and borrow a neighbor's garbage can to hop onto and climb over my fence to get to a spot where I could let myself in. It was eventful! I was pretty proud of myself for being resourceful. :) Besides that little bit of craziness, it was a low-key weekend. My cousin visited from Long Beach and stayed with me. We took Harley for a little hike at a nearby park, and went out for Mediterranean food, wine and live music on Saturday night. It was ... [Read More]
Blueberry Chia Oatmeal Bars [vegan, gf]
Last year when I shared a recipe for cinnamon baked apple & peanut butter oatmeal, I proclaimed that it'd probably be the only hot oatmeal recipe that I ever post since I'm not a huge oatmeal bowl fan. However, what I've realized is that I love to use oats all the time in recipes. I love what a great source of fiber oats are, which definitely keeps my belly fuller for longer. When people come to me and ask how they can add more fiber into their diets, guess what one of the foods is that I always tell them to eat more of? OATS! They're a staple in my kitchen, and there have been countless recipes incorporating use of them on the blog - including PB & J oatmeal crumble bars, oatmeal walnut hemp energy bites and dark chocolate peanut butter banana oatmeal cookies, to name a few. And ... [Read More]