Banana Split Shakeology - Dessert for Breakfast?!

I love finding healthy alternatives to my favorite unhealthy meals. I used to buy those mini Ben & Jerry's or a half gallon of ice-cream and sit down with a spoon. No wonder I was overweight.

I recently discovered this amazing recipe for a healthy banana split!

Ingredients:
1/2 frozen banana  (peel bananas, cut them in half, freeze)
1/2 cup frozen strawberries
1 cup almond milk
1 scoop Chocolate Shakeology


Directions:
Put all ingredients in a blender and blend well. I used my Vitamix. Started it at Variable 1 and turned it up to 10 and then HIGH. Push the ingredients into the blades using the tamper. Blend for about 30-60 seconds. Mixture will be thick like ice-cream. 

Scrape it out of the blender and into a bowl or cup. Eat with a spoon. Mmmmm! No more cravings for ice-cream! I enjoyed this dessert for breakfast. Healthy and delicious. Better than a banana split. 

You can enjoy dessert for breakfast, too. Interested in trying Shakeology?

Check it out: myshakeology.com/cara623

Pumpkin Pie Pancakes

Pumpkin Pie Pancakes
Do you like pumpkin pie? If so, you HAVE to try this recipe!
These babies seriously taste like a dessert!

For the Pancakes:
2/3 cup oatmeal
1/4 cup cottage cheese
1/4 cup pumpkin
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp cinnamon
1 egg
1 egg white

For the Icing:
1/8 cup cottage cheese
1/8 cup pumpkin
1/2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp almond milk



To make the pancakes:
Mix all ingredients. I used an immersion blender.

Just mix until ingredients are well blended. It only took a few minutes. I'm sure you could add everything to a regular blender. Or just mix well with a spatula.





Scoop the mixture onto a heated skillet to form three pancakes. Cook for a few minutes on each side.















To make the icing: Stir all of the icing ingredients together in a small bowl.
Layer the icing in between pancakes and put a dollop on top. Add pumpkin pie spice! Enjoy! 

P.S. Yes, I may have licked the plate. They really were THAT good!

Let me know what you think of the recipe!! Have a great day! 

http://beachbodycoach.com/cara623

Cookie Dough Greek Yogurt

Treat yourself to a sweet, healthy dessert!

Cookie Dough Greek Yogurt

Ingredients:
1/2 cup greek yogurt
2 tbsp PB2
1 tsp maple syrup
a few vegan carob chips (or use chocolate chips)

Mix all of the ingredients together and enjoy!

Follow me on instagram for more delicious recipes! @caralyoung

Now you can have your cookie dough and eat it, too! You're welcome!!
I love trying to create healthier versions of my favorite foods!
What's your favorite dessert?

Cinnamon Roll Protein Pancakes

I have fallen in love with Pancake Sunday! I've been trying out new protein pancakes recipes. This one is the best so far!!!

I found this recipe on Instagram. Follow @spoonfuloffit for more delicious recipes! She is awesome! Follow me @caralyoung.

I changed it up a little bit... I did not use Stevia or any sweetener in the batter, but feel free to add some. It was delicious without. I also made my own "frosting" recipe. I just used Greek yogurt and honey. Perfection!

Ingredients:

1 scoop vanilla protein powder (Sunwarrior)
1/4 cup oat flour (Put 1/4 cup oatmeal in the Magic Bullet)
2 egg whites
2 tbsp almond milk
1 tbsp Greek yogurt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp butter extract

Frosting:
Greek yogurt
honey

Directions:
In a small bowl, combine all dry ingredients.
Add wet ingredients.
Mix well.

Heat a skillet/pan. Add a couple spoonfuls of the batter to form a pancake. Cook on each side until done to your liking. Use all of the batter. Mine made about six small pancakes. 

Spread the frosting between each layer and add a dollop on top. Sprinkle cinnamon on top for extra fun and deliciousness. 

I better buy more protein powder so that I can continue to enjoy Pancake Sunday!! What's your favorite pancake recipe?? Please share! I need more ideas!

Buffalo Tempeh Pizza

We all have those trigger foods that we just LOVE! Pizza is one of my favorites, but I know that it isn't the healthiest. I enjoy making my own pizzas at home! They are healthier and it's a lot of fun!

Last night we tried a Buffalo Tempeh Pizza:

Ingredients:

1/2 Boboli Whole Wheat Pizza Crust
6 tbsp Buffalo Tobasco Sauce
1/4 cup blue cheese
1/4 cup mozzarella cheese
1/4 red onion, diced
1 8 oz. block of tempeh cut into small cubes

Preheat oven to 400

Heat the tempeh in a pan until brown. With about 1 minute left, add 3 tbsp of the buffalo sauce.

Spread leftover sauce onto the pizza crust.

Top crust with tempeh and red onion. Add blue and mozzarella cheeses.

Bake for 15 minutes.

Enjoy!

PB and J Mug Cake

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OMG! The other day, I found out it was National PB&J Day! I was so excited! I loveeeee peaut butter and couldn't pass up a reason to celebrate. I definitely had to find a healthy peanut butter recipe. This was my second time making a mug cake. They are really simple. Wasn't too sure how it would turn out, but of course...it was awesome. Peanut butter makes everything awesome!!

PB&J Mug Cake

Ingredients:

1 tbsp Cocoa Powder

1 tbsp PB2

3 tbsp egg whites

1/8 tsp baking powder

1 tbsp almond milk

Recipe:

Mix all ingredients and pour into a greased mug. Microwave for 2 minutes.

PB&J Icing:

Warm up 3 frozen strawberries and mix with 1 tbsp PB2 and a little water. Pour over top of cake. Garnish with a strawberry.

Morrocan Salmon - Simple Dinner Recipe

We just received a wine club shipment from Hawley Winery, one of our favorite wineries in Sonoma. They sent a recipe for salmon with the shipment and we decided to make it. YUMMM!! It's a must-try!

Here is the recipe they sent us:

Morrocan Grilled Salmon
(Serves 4)

Ingredients
1/2 cup plain yogurt
juice of 1 lemon, plus lemon wedges for garnish
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the grill
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
2 to 3 cloves of garlic, smashed
1 1/2 teaspoons ground corinader
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
4 to 6 ounce skinless center-cut salmon fillets
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro or parsley, for garnish

Directions

Stir together the yogurt, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, ginger, coriander, cumin, paprika, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste in a small bowl. Pour half of the sauce into a large resealable plastic bag; cover and refrigerate the remaining sauce. Add the salmon to the bag and turn to coat with the marinade. Refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes, turning the bag once.

Preheat a grill to medium-high. Remove the salmon from the marinade and blot off excess yogurt with paper towels. Lightly oil the grill and add the salmon; cook, turning once, until browned on the outside and opaque in the center, 4 to 6 minutes per side, depending on the thickness. Serve with the reserved yogurt sauce and garnish with the herbs and lemon wedges.

*Pair with Hawley Viognier or Pinot Noir*

My Notes:
We used Greek yogurt and baked the salmon in the oven. We served it with kale and whole wheat spaghetti. I also TOTALLY forgot to let it marinate, so we just put the sauce on top of the salmon before we baked it. It was still delicious.