Maple cinnamon protein balls - two ways

I went to whole foods the other day for the first time in about 2 months so naturally I bought everything in sight....including dates. I don't even really like dates that much but while at whole foods......you buy everything you see...I wonder if they have special lighting or something (or as my friend refers to it as whole pay check). Anyways, I searched around for some recipes and ended up making a protein snack ball. I have been looking for some more snack foods anyways so figured I would try them out. I think the maple syrup (or the different type of dates) is really the secret ingredient because I have previously tried a couple of date ball recipes and not been a fan but had to make a second batch of these already! Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 Cup Oat Flour
• 1/4 Cup Old Fashion Oats
• 1 Cup Soft Dates (I soaked mine in warm water for about 5-10 mins I also used deglet dates because that is what the store had---this might be why I like the flavor better too rather than using medjool dates )
• 3 TBSP Pure Maple Syrup 
• 1 TBSP Vanilla Protein Powder ( I used Pe select gormet vanilla ) 
• 1 TBSP Cinnamon
• 1 tbsp raw pumpkin seeds (I used trader joes raw Pepitias ) 
• 1 tbsp raw walnuts (broken up) 

Directions: 

1. Soak dates if needed to soften

2. Place dates and oat flour ( not oats)  in a food professor or ninja and pulse dates and oat flour together  until they form a mix/paste.

 3. add in the maple syrup, protein powder and cinnamon and pulse until combined. 

4. Pour then oats over the mixture and using your hands fold them in. 

5. Create two seperate smaller balls from the one mixture. Take one and set one aside. 

6. Add in the Pepitias to one fold in with your hands. Set aside and add the walnuts into the other mixture fold in using your hands. 

7. Roll the mixture into balls and place in an air tight container. Refrigerate for a couple of hours. Store in the airtight container and in the refrigerator! 

Recipie adapted from: http://peanutbutterpluschocolate.com/?s=Dates

Tie-dye or play dough cookies as my aunt would like to call them....

It is my cousins graduation party this weekend and she is a very artsy person. She also likes to bake (kinda runs in our family....well with a few of us at least) but when she does she get super creative and also likes to make tie-dye baked goods. In her honor,  betty went out of her comfort zone and created these bad boys. Enjoy! 

Tie-dye/ play dough butter cookies (recipie adapted from a coworker) 

Ingredients:

-2 sticks of unsalted butter softened 

-1/2 cup white sugar 

-1 egg

- 2 T of milk 

-1 T pure maple syrup 

-2 tsp vanilla 

-2 cups AP flour

-1 cup of cake flour

-1 tsp baking powder 

- food coloring of choice 

Directions: 

1. Cream together butter and sugar in a mixing bowl.

2. Add in egg, syrup, vanilla, and milk. Mix until just combined. 

3. In a separate bowl combine flours, and baking powder- sift together

4. Gradually add in the flour mixture- mix until all ingredients are combined.

5. Ensure all ingredients are combined and using hands create a big ball out of the dough. 

6. Separate the ball into how many ever colors you are using smaller evenly sized balls (I did three) 

7. Add in the food coloring to the dough ( I mixed with my hands - using gloves) 

8. Using a rolling pin roll out bottom layer ( this will actually be the outside layer) 

9. Place that layer aside and roll out second layer and place on top of bottom.

10. Repeat with the final color. 

11. Roll into a log shape

12. Cut into cookie sized slices ( if you want perfectly round cookies use the dental floss method--I just sliced- but it does flatten the bottom ) 

13. Place on plate -cover and chill for at least 40 mins ( I left mine overnight) 

14. When ready to bake preheat oven to 350 and line cookie sheet with parchment paper. 

15. place sliced cookies on sheet. 

16. bake 10-15 minutes depending on thickness. 

17. Transfer to wire rack to cool. 

18. Enjoy! 

A just rhubarb tart for captain jack...

I went strawberry picking...knowing my dad loves strawberry rhubarb pie. Did I use the strawberries? Nope ( don't fret a recipe or two will be posted with them) . When getting ready to bake I remembered last time I made a strawberry rhubarb pie he might have asked why I have never just made a plain rhubarb pie....so here you go captain jack happy Father's Day. (I do not have a pie pan at my new apartment so it turned into a tart) 

Enjoy! 

Ingredients for the tart crust:

2 cups of ap flour 

1/2 cup powdered sugar

pinch of salt

3/4 C chopped butter

Splash (about 1 tsp of vanilla)

Directions for the crust: 

Preheat oven to 350

1. Wisk the flour, sugar and salt in a medium/ large mixing bowl.

2.  Add in the chopped butter. Mix together with hands until the mixture is pea sized or mirrors breadcrumbs. 

3. Add in 1 teaspoon of water and a splash of vanilla. Continue to mix with hands until mixture forms a ball. 

4. Press gently into a tart pan. Prick crust with a fork to prevent bubbling.

5. Bake for 20 minutes at 350 or until light brown on top. 

*I saved about 2 golf ball sized amount of dough to put on top. 

While crust is baking prepare filling! 

Ingredients for filling: 

5/6 stalks of sliced/chopped/shredded  rhubarb (about 5 cups) 
1 Cup white sugar
1 and 1/2 T of cornstarch 

Juice from 1/4 an orange 

Directions for filling: 

1. Chop/slice/shred the rhubarb....make them all different sizes! 

2. Add all ingredients into a mixing bowl and mix together with your hands. 

3. Place in fridge while the crust is still baking. 

When crust is done: 

Preheat oven to 425

1. Remove crust from oven. 

2. Add the filling into the tart...be creative!  (I also placed that saved dough at this point too)

3. Bake at 425 for 15 minutes.

4. Take tart out and reduce the heat to 350 

5. Once at 350 bake for another 40-45 minutes or until the rhubarb is cooked. 

6. Let cool and enjoy with some homemade whipped cream and ice cream!

Recipe for crust and filling adapted from: 

http://culinary-adventures-with-cam.blogspot.com/2011/04/rhubarb-tart.html?m=1

I like sprinkles..... A lot

If you already can't tell by the background of the blog I really love sprinkles. Before I proceed let's clear something up for those of you not from around the same area....sprinkles are the colored ones and jimmies are the chocolate ones (except when ordering a donut at allies the colored ones are jimmies) Ok now that is cleared up moving on. I have been wanting to bake some funfetti goodness into my life since my huge birthday cake fails on my birthday! I am not a huge cupcake person so was trying to find something different. I obviously follow an Instagram account called sprinkles for breakfast and did a bit of perusing around on it to make a treat for a concert this weekend....was all set to make cupcakes but then found the recipe for the original version of these cookies and glad I did. You can find the original recipe here https://sprinklesforbreakfast.squarespace.com/sprinkles-for-breakfast/birthday-cake-cookies

but of course I put my own betty twist on it! Enjoy! 

 

Loaded with sprinkles birthday cake cookies: 

• 2 1/2 cups cake flour 
• 1 cup white wheat flour ( or AP)
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
•  A pinch of salt 
• 2 sticks of unsalted butter (softened) 
• 1 cup dark brown sugar 
• 2 eggs
• 1 and 1/2 tablespoons of pure maple syrup 
• 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract  
• 1/2 cup sprinkles ( plus extra for topping)

Directions: 

1. 1. In a mixer bowl combine butter and sugar. Mix on high until light and fluffy. Add eggs, vanilla extract, and maple syrup.  

   

   2. Add dry ingredients (minus the sprinkles) and mix until just combined. (Add flour a bit at a time) 

   3. Add sprinkles and mix until just combined. 

   
   
   
   4. Using a cookie scoop, scoop dough balls onto a plate. Cover and chill in fridge for at least 30 minutes. 
   

   

   5. Eat a lot of raw dough because it's addicting....
   6. When ready to bake preheat oven to 350 and line baking sheet with parchment paper. 
   7. Place dough on cookie sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes ( should be lightly colored....outsides will be crunchy and middles nice and chewy) 

   
   8. Move to a wire rack to cool. 
   

   
   
   * because I love sprinkles so much I made a thumbprint on the top of some and added more sprinkles :) simply just press your thumb and you have a nice little hole for the addition of more sprinkles :) 
   
   
   

   
   

   

   
   

   
   

A Quick and easy lunch

I didn't feel like cooking because it is warm enough out so made a quick and simple tuna salad. Enjoy! 

Ingredients: 

1 can of tuna 

1 cup of edamame 

1 cup (or to your liking ) of Siggi's plain yogurt 

Handful of asparagus 

Lettuce 

Optional raspberries or use grapes, apples, or cherries 

Pepper 

Directions: 

1. Cook asparagus and edamame how you normally would. 

2. Add tuna and yogurt and pepper to a bowl and mix. 

3. Place lettuce on a wrap followed by asparagus and edamame. Top with tuna and fruit of choice. 

4. Wrap and enjoy! 

 

White chocolate peanut butter fudge

I have a peanut butter and baking addiction. There I said it. Hense as to why I made this fudge. Although it is no bake so maybe it doesn't count.....either way enjoy! 

White chocolate peanut butter fudge

INGREDIENTS

1 Cup of white chocolate nuts 'n more peanut butter 

⅓ Cup pure maple syrup 

⅓ Cup of Coconut Oil (melted)

Directions:

1. Melt the coconut oil for about 30-40 second so it is a liquid. 

2. Place all ingredients in a mixing bowl 

3. Mix together until combined 

4. Line a 8x8 baking dish with parchment paper and pour mixture into the dish. 

5. Place in freezer to harden.

6. Slice and Enjoy!

 Store leftovers (if any) in freezer :)