Easy Greek Popsicles

Looking for a delicious yet healthy popsicle? Well, these Greek yogurt popsicles are a perfect fit. They're as easy as 1,2,3.

Why go grab froyo at expensive prices when you can have the "real" thing without all the added ingredients?

Items:

Large container of Greek yogurt (your preference)

Popsicle molds (this recipe will yield 4 popsicles)

Directions:

1. Place around 1/4 - 1/2 cup of yogurt in each mold. 

2. Freeze for several hours or overnight. 

Enjoy! 

Calories: 95      |   Total Fat: 0     |   Sugars: 13.5g    |   Protein: 8.5g 

*For easier popsicle removal run under warm water for 30 seconds to a minute and pull straight up on the stick. The popsicle should slide straight out and look flawless!

Banana Ice Cream Sundae

A banana split you won't feel guilty about eating! This sundae has a base of banana ice cream and topped with hard-shell dark chocolate. This recipe yields around four one-cup servings and the process is simple but does require some freeze time which needs to be planned for in advance. For those who enjoy a cool dessert on a muggy night this is sure to please the palate.

Not only is this sundae great for a summer night, but it is actually quite healthy and filling. By including a peanut butter spread, a banana and fruits you're actually looking at a sustainable snack instead of just a simply delicious dessert! You're looking at most all of the sugars coming from natural sources in addition to this recipe being gluten-free and vegan!

Ingredients:

5 Yellow bananas
1/2 Cup of Earth Balance Coconut and Peanut Spread


Directions:

1. Peel and slice bananas to place in your blender
2. Whip until smooth
3. Add coconut and peanut spread and whip until smooth
4. Place in freezer-safe container and freeze several hours or overnight

Enjoy!


Servings: 4
Nutrition Information:
Calories: 179  |  Fat: 4.5 g  |  Sodium: 25 mg  |  Carbs: 35.5 g  |  Fiber: 4.3 g  |  Sugar: 18.6 g  |  Protein: 3.1 g

This recipe yields two servings.

Additional calories:
--> With chocolate sauce: 137
--> With strawberries: 1/4 cup = 12 calories
--> With blueberries: 1/4 cup = 21 calories


Below is a comparison of an original banana split versus my homemade banana ice cream sundae.

Hope you enjoy the healthy banana ice cream sundae!

Yogurt Firecracker Popsicles

Looking for that perfect 4th of July dessert? Do you like popsicles but dislike all the sugar that comes along with said popsicles? So do I and that is why I wanted to share this recipe. It is healthy, simple and satisfying. It only includes three ingredients: blueberries, strawberries and vanilla Greek Yogurt.

The flash made my blueberries look like cartoon blueberries.

I prefer Oikos Vanilla Greek Yogurt but Publix didn't have any large containers. There are less calories in the Dannon Oikos Greek Yogurt than in this brand so your calories and nutrition information can vary if using that brand.

Ingredients:

1/2 Carton of Blueberries
1/2 Carton Strawberries
1 Cup Vanilla Greek Yogurt

Directions:

1. Wash fruits (de-stem strawberries) and puree separately in a blender until desired consistency.
2. If blueberries are more purple than blue feel free to add blue food coloring.
3. Layer each fruit into a popsicle mold until filled to the top.
4. Freeze for a couple of hours and enjoy!

Servings: 8   |  Calories: 61   |  Fat: .73 g   |  Cholesterol: 3.1 mg  |  Sugars: 9.45 g   |   Protein: 2.8 g

Friday Favorite: Peanut Butter Pie Battle

I decided I would go a different route this Friday Favorite edition. I have noticed two Peanut Butter Pies floating around the internet. I really, really, really, really want to try one of them. I knew which one I wanted to try out simply because it comes from my favorite food bloggers (Minimalist Baker).

Not only have I had it on my radar for several weeks, but I knew it would be healthier than the alternative pie I have seen recently. This pie looks oh, so delicious as well, but when I eat desserts I do prefer for them to be on the healthier side (or as healthy as possible).

I wanted to let this Friday Favorite post be about these two pies and which one you would choose.

1. When you look at the picture you might not notice at first which pie would be healthier.
2. You might not realize how many calories, sugar, fat, etc., is in the unhealthier alternative either. That's why I took it upon myself to actually examine the ingredients and calculate the calories based on an 8-slice pie. Please see photo below for ingredient and calorie count of the pie not from Minimalist Baker.

For calorie-counting purposes I separated the crust, filling and ganache respectively as breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Breakfast = Crust
Lunch = Filling
Dinner = Ganache

--> If you would like to try the left pie please click here
--> If you would like to try the right pie please click here

Disclaimer: This post is in no way related to Minimalist Baker or Best Yummy Recipes. This was simply a way for me to help make you aware of what you're putting in your mouth. Although you probably know pie is bad for you, you might not have known just how bad the pie actually is. Why not make a healthier alternative?

Some Yogurts Have More Sugar Than Twinkies

Did you know that some yogurts have more sugar than a Twinkie? Yeah, they do, and The Huffington Post put out a list that will surprise you.

I have been cutting back my sugar consumption so I already knew yogurt is loaded with sugar and it is always a good idea to stray from any yogurt with aspartame or added sugars. I like to eat Greek yogurt when I do eat it, but that has been rarely these days.

Remember that an average woman is only supposed to have 24 grams of sugar and men are supposed to have no more than 36 grams. If you'd like to view the article I posted on how to beat the sugar cravings click here.

To view The Huffington Post article click here

Homemade Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

I was reading the Food Babe's article regarding homemade coconut milk ice cream and tailored it to my own specifications. Since I don't have an ice cream machine, I would suggest to stick to her technique since she uses a machine and the end product would be better.

If you're looking for a big spoonful of mint chocolate chip ice cream such as Breyer's then this might not be what you're looking for, or at least my recipe isn't. I altered the chocolate ingredients and the preparation process.

Cons of my ice cream recipe vs. the original recipe:
1. My ice cream texture was that of homemade snow cream (if you've had that before).
2. I suggest using more mint extract than either of us mentioned. I like my ice cream to have a kick and this tasted a lot like the coconut milk as opposed to mint chocolate; although, it did taste like mint chocolate chip ice cream.
3. Use sweetened chocolate as she mentions, instead of my unsweetened cocoa and coconut milk alternative.

Please remember the nutritional content of my ice cream is exactly that, the recipe I used. Although the ice cream suffices, next time I will be using sweetened chocolate instead of unsweetened and dropping more mint extract into the mix! 

If you'd like the original recipe simply visit the Food Babe's article! She has a great explanation for why you should eat homemade ice cream instead of frozen yogurt from large chains!

Fudge Crumble

I found a recipe for the 50 Year Old Lunch Lady Brownies and decided to make my own batch. I have made these several times and have altered the preparation process each time. The way I choose to make this delectable dessert doesn't enable to brownies to set-up like a normal brownie so beware; they turn out more like a lava cake.

WARNING: this fudge crumble is not for the faint at heart and I only eat these on rare occasions! They're very high in calories, sugar, etc.

Ingredients: 

Brownie

1 cup butter
1/2 cup cocoa
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
4 teaspoons vanilla

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients together until well combined. This batter will be thick so don't worry. 

2. Pour into a well coated 9x13-inch pan. I use coconut butter to grease a glass pan. 

3. Bake at 350º for 20-25 minutes (depending on how gooey you like your brownie to be). 

4. When done remove from oven and generously poke holes throughout the cake. 

5. Let sit for 10 minutes while you make the icing. 

Icing

1/4 cup softened butter
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients until a frosting texture is created. 

2. Pour over the brownies ensuring icing seeps into the holes you just created. 

3. Let the icing soak into the brownies and repeat until icing is completely gone. 

Enjoy! 

Servings: 12

Non-iced calories: 374 per brownie 

Iced calories: 534 

*If you would like a Mint Fudge Crumble simply add a few drops of mint extract to the icing and there you go! 

Dark Chocolate Covered Oatmeal

I love oatmeal; I will be the first to admit it. I love everything about it. I have ditched the packet oatmeal and started making my own from plain quick-oats and water. I typically add sunflower butter, honey, peanut butter, bananas or strawberries to it. Not only do I fix it for breakfast, but I also fix it for dessert. The following is a dessert recipe I randomly threw together last night to satisfy a sweet tooth.

Recipe:

Ingredients:

1/2 cup quick oats
Cinnamon
Nutmeg
Hot water
2 tbsp brown sugar
1/8 cup coconut oil
1/8 cup unsweetened dark cocoa (or enough to mix with oil but still contain liquid form)

Directions:

1. Mix oats, how much cinnamon and nutmeg you prefer, with just enough hot water to make it the consistency you like.
2. Once mixed add the brown sugar and stir several strokes to ensure mixed.
3. In a separate bowl add liquified coconut oil and cocoa together until smooth.
4. Pour the cocoa mixture on top of the oatmeal until completely covered.
5. Freeze until desired temperature and consistency

Serving Size: 2
Calories: 265
Protein: 7g
Sugars: 14g

Enjoy!

Beat The Sugar Cravings

As most of you know I love desserts and I love to hate them also. No one really needs desserts and that is the problem because, just like me, so many of us love to crave and indulge in desserts. Of course, with desserts comes sugar and a lot of it.

I can go into this article giving you a lot of facts, conversions, statistics and this and that but I am not. I am a regular overweight woman who counts my calories, exercises daily and also struggles with my cravings. When I have a larger dinner I often times want a dessert to top it off. I am that typical person who craves a nice slice of chocolate cake or a delectable brownie around 8 p.m. on a Tuesday after dinner and that's not good.

Now, we all know that sugar is bad for us and that most all desserts have lots of sugar (and that kind of sugar we really don't need), but hey, what will one brownie or one slice of cheesecake hurt? Right? Well, if you're watching your sugar intake it could really do some damage to your day.

I will start of by giving you some basics.

1. There are simple sugars which occur naturally in your fruits
    A. These are common to most healthy diets and aren't normally a hazard if eaten in moderation.

2. Then there are added simple sugars which come in most of your desserts, cereals, juice drinks, etc.
     A. These sugars actually make you want more sugar and induce cravings which makes us eat more.

As I was doing some research on how much sugar an adult female should consume a day I came across a lot of answers given in teaspoon measurements. If you are like me though, I don't measure my sugar consumption out by the teaspoon, down it and know that my daily intake has occurred. I eat my sugars by the food I take in. So, my charts are based on grams because on nutritional labels where it has the sugar labeled, it isn't in teaspoons, so neither should my advice to you. But, for kicks I will give you a little trivia.

Do you know how much sugar a female and male should take in daily?
Females should take in no more than 6 teaspoons and males should take in no more than 9 teaspoons of sugar a day. OK, so do you know how many grams that is without Googling it? Me either, so check below for the conversions and shocking facts about some food you may eat daily!

Each day I start my morning with a bowl of oatmeal (1/2 cup of oats, a banana and two tablespoons of sunflower butter). I add no sugar besides what's in my sunflower butter and banana. Something that floored me once I started paying more attention to my sugar was how much I was eating just by having this, seemingly, healthy breakfast. Just by having this breakfast every morning I was taking in 18.4 grams of sugar! That's almost 77 percent of my daily intake, just in breakfast alone! It seems like a healthy breakfast, right? Lets see if you're able to guess which breakfast item in my bowl has the most grams of sugar.

Oats: 1 gram
Sunflower Butter: 3 grams
Banana: 14.4 grams

If you pair this with an 8-ounce glass of orange juice (and it must be 8 ounces none over) you would be over your daily intake of sugar by a whopping 15.2 grams! If you're a mathematician then you now know a glass of orange juice will set you back 20.8 grams of sugar, or well over 3/4 your daily intake. With that being said, I want to take this opportunity to remind you that if you ate an orange the sugar you took in would be less hazardous than the "added simple sugar" in the orange juice.

Is it starting to make more sense now? Most of us get an outrageous amount of sugar without even knowing it because we don't realize how "added simple sugar" is in the food items we eat. I made a chart of some of the fruits I eat the most of and how many grams of sugar each contain. If you'd like for me to create a chart of your fruits then let me know in the comment section below!

What I want you to gather from reading this article is that we all need to be more conscious of what we are putting into our bodies, feeding our family and our children. It isn't about cutting out all sugars, fruits, desserts, cereals, juices, etc., but being aware of what we are eating and whether we are consuming more simple sugars or "added simple sugars." So next time instead of having that big slice of cherry cheesecake switch it to some heart healthy fruit such as the antioxidant blueberries and some Greek Yogurt.

Having a healthy lifestyle isn't about blocking out a dessert on a night out or not having that soda every blue moon, but it is about making the small changes as much as possible in order for us to live a happier, healthier life. Constantly choosing soda, cheesecake, sugary cereals and sugary juices will only lead you to craving more sugary foods and ultimately result in weight gain.

Be good to your heart and choose foods that make you and your heart function to its longest and best life!

If you have any questions please feel free to comment below!

Three Ingredient Healthy Peanut Butter Balls

Is your sweet tooth managing your diet? Are you looking for something that will quiet your sweet tooth all the while letting you fit into those snug pants? Look no further my friends. If you're anything like I am you think peanut butter was sent from the heavens and that it is worth its weight in gold. OK, maybe that is an exaggeration, but still, it is really good! Even though I have made the switch to Sunflower Butter I still prefer the good old peanut butter in my peanut butter balls!

The good thing about these peanut butter balls is that you can easily make them with the kids and feel OK in letting them have a couple.

This three-ingredient dessert is sure to please!

Additional Information:
Calories: 120 per ball
Servings: 12 balls 
Prep Time: 20 minutes 
Freeze Time: 30 minutes 

St. Patrick's Day Rice Krispies

I've seen a lot of St. Patrick's Day recipes and here is one of my favorites. It is green Rice Krispies with green and gold sprinkles.

Luck O' The Irish Treats

1 bag of miniature marshmallows
6 cups of Rice Krispies
4 tablespoons of butter
Green food coloring
Green and gold sprinkles
9x13 baking dish

1. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat
2. Add marshmallows and stir constantly until melted
3. Add food coloring until desired color is achieved
4. Add 6 cups of Rice Krispies
5. Stir together until melded
6. Transfer the Rice Krispie mixture from saucepan to baking dish and let cool
7. Top with green and gold sprinkles
8. Slice and enjoy!

This recipe should yield right at 12 treats weighing in at 169 calories each! 

Save Money Now

If you know me, you know I am a HUGE fan of Harris Teeter. Each week I check their specials and can guarantee they'll have something I need at a steep discount. This week their e-VIC deal for my household consisted of milk for $2.87. You can read about my stipulations regarding milk and cash back here. So as sure as the sun sets Nick and I made our trip to grab two gallons along with a few other items today.

I have listed a few items below that I found to be a great deal as opposed to Wal*Mart. I thought about matching Harris Teeter, Publix and Wal*Mart prices and if you would like too see that please comment below and I will start doing that. 

1. Harris Teeter brand milk for $2.87. The same gallon of milk at Wal*Mart would cost $3.50+
2. Halos, which are awesome clementines that I LOVE to eat with my breakfasts, are $5.49 at Harris Teeter as opposed to $6+ at Wal*Mart.
3. Sub sandwiches are a steal at Harris Teeter. I am convinced that they don't measure their meat portions out, resulting in receiving a lot of meat on your sandwich. Now, I can't vouch for Wal*Mart's sub sandwiches but I can say that they taste a lot better than Subway! For a footlong (which I also promise seems larger than Subway's footlong) rings in at only $4.99 for any type. The cheapest footlong at Subway is $5 and that is a selected few starting at that price.

Now, for the REAL STEAL! Harris Teeter has this Meal Deal special each week. The Meal Deal allows you to get multiple items which enable you to make a meal for a deal. Below is the Meal Deal for this week which Nick and I did purchase.

This meal includes five items:
1. Bertolli Pasta (your choice) - Regular $8.49  | Meal Deal Price $4.40
2. Alexia Rolls/Garlic Bread   - Regular $3.65  | Meal Deal Price $1.89
3. Harris Teeter Frozen Veg.  - Regular $1.65  | Meal Deal Price $0.79
4. Coca-Cola (Diet of course) - Regular $1.99  | Meal Deal Price $1.03
5. Bertolli Dessert (Tiramisu) - Regular $3.49  | Meal Deal Price $1.81
                                           = Total $19.27   |             = Total $9.92 

Recap: 
1 gallon milk - $2.87 vs $3.50+
Bag of Halos - $5.49 vs $6+
12" Sub        - $4.99 vs $5+
Meal Deal     - $19.27 vs $9.92



Happy saving!