Liquid Diet: Part 2

I hope you enjoyed the fresh orange juice and Orange-Banana smoothie. Let me know if you tried them!

First up today on our liquid diet is some cran-orange juice. My mom got a bag of cranberries from her co-op and we already had a big box of oranges. So what better way to use them!

We used about 10-11 oranges to one bag of cranberries. It was a bit tart, but definitely a hit among the family at Sunday dinner.

I love the rich redish pink color.

Next stop: pumpkin graham smoothie

Yes, it is as good as it sounds. My mom even said she felt like she was eating a dessert – so I’d recommend making it some time when you are looking for a sweet treat that isn’t so bad for you! After all, pumpkin has a host of health benefits.

Start out with 3/4 cup of pumpkin puree and a sliced banana to pop in the freezer for about an hour or two.

Once frozen, get the other ingredients you will need: milk, 2 graham crackers, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and pumpkin pie spice.

In a blender combine the 3/4 c. pumpkin, one banana, and a cup of milk. Blend until smooth. Then add 1 tsp. vanilla, 1/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice, 1/4 tsp. nutmeg, 1/2 tsp. of cinnamon, and one crushed graham cracker.

Blend until smooth. Pour into a small cup (you only need about a half a cup serving, it is plenty sweet) and top with some crushed graham cracker and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

There ya go, folks! Pumpkin pie in a cup! And a whole lot healthier! (about 100 calories per cup)

Hope you have a wonderful Christmas holiday!

My Confession: Failed Attempts

I will just come out and say it: a lot of things I try to make come out gross and end up in the trash. Not always the whole batch of whatever it is, since my family is kind enough to try. But when 8 of the 12 muffins I made a week ago still sit in the bag on the counter, I know it is time to dump them.

As sad as that story is, it doesn’t really bother me. You see, I can’t eat pretty much anything I make because of my absurd amount of food allergies. So I see something online, adjust it a bit if I’d like, and then get my groove on in the kitchen.

My family will always humor me and try it, but the majority of the time it is a fail. However, this recipe I share with you today actually did get eaten. All of them (there were only 5…) Some liked them more than others. Like my brother-in-law who actually asked for the recipe (thanks, Tim). But now it is your turn to judge.

They are meant to be a dessert (aka, not eaten like a snack every day) and are not as sweet as the real thing. However, as Tim said, it is a great way to get your chocolate fix without all the sugar and sweetness. And you know my thing: homemade is better than processed.

So, here is my take on the infamous

Dark Chocolate Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup

Yield: 5 PB Cups

3 Tbsp. coconut oil or butter
6 Tbsp. natural cocoa
1 Tbsp. honey (or maple syrup or other sweetener)
1/4 t. vanilla
5 tsp. natural peanut butter

On the stove heat and melt the coconut oil or butter and the honey until a liquid. Take off the heat and add the natural cocoa and vanilla. If it is too thick, add a splash of almond milk until you reach a smoother consistency.

Then, in muffin liners cover the base with a smear of chocolate. Add 1 tsp. of peanut butter in the middle, then cover the top until you cannot see any peanut butter. I was able to make 5 of them. Pop them in the freezer to just get firm, maybe 10 minutes, then you can pull them out and store in the fridge until ready to be eaten.

Just so you know, I only took pictures of the pretty ones. The others looked not as smooth and nice. But I’m sure they taste just the same, so don’t worry about it!

Nutrition Facts:

	Regular Reese’s	My Reese’s
Calories	110	130
Total Fat	14 g	10 g
Sugar	19 g	4 g
Protein	4 g	3 g
Carb	23 g	8 g
Fiber	2 g	2 g
Sodium	130 mg	80 mg

 

Regular Reese’s ingredients: Milk Chocolate (Milk Chocolate contains Sugar, Cocoa Butter, Chocolate, Nonfat Milk, Milk Fat, Lactose, and Soya Lecithin and PGPR (as Emulsifiers), Peanuts, Sugar, Dextrose, Salt, and TBHQ and Citric Acid

My ingredients: cocoa, coconut oil, honey, vanilla and natural peanut butter

Try em out? Don’t tell me if they end up in the trash…

Have a great weekend!