Author: Ashley

Espresso Ricotta No Bake Cheesecake

Espresso Ricotta No Bake Cheesecake

Chocolate and espresso are a match made in heaven.  This light no bake cheesecake comes together quickly and tastes divine.  You will savor every bite.  Recipe adapted from Food Network Ingredients: Crust- 1 sleeve chocolate graham crackers 3 tablespoons extra virgin coconut oil melted Filling- 

Chorizo Breakfast Burrito Bowls

Chorizo Breakfast Burrito Bowls

Breakfast burritos honestly taste great any time of day.  These burritos are like a taco salad in a bowl with spicy chorizo.  Recipe adapted from Food Network Ingredients: 1 pound Mexican chorizo 1 large russet potato 1 red bell pepper diced ½ white onion diced 

Funfetti Vanilla Pudding Cupcakes

Funfetti Vanilla Pudding Cupcakes

My youngest son loves sprinkles, so for his birthday I decided to make colorful funfetti cupcakes with a vanilla pudding filling and vanilla buttercream icing with more sprinkles.  I also used a few vanilla chips to add texture and flavor.

Ingredients:

Cupcakes-

One box funfetti cake mix

¼ cup vanilla nonfat Greek yogurt

½ cup unsweetened applesauce

5 vanilla funfetti chips for each cupcake

Filling-

1 package instant vanilla pudding

2 cups cold milk

Icing-

1 stick unsalted butter at room temperature

2 cups confectioners sugar

¼ cup rainbow colored sprinkles

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon milk at room temperature

Directions:

Cupcakes-

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line muffin pan with cupcake liners.
  2. Add cake mix, yogurt, and applesauce to a large mixer. 
  3. Mix on medium 2-3 minutes to combine be sure to scrape down the edges.
  4. Use a large cookie scooper to fill muffin tins 2/3. I made 18 cupcakes.
  5. Place 5 vanilla chips in a circle on the outside edge of each cupcake.
  6. Bake 20 minutes until cupcakes are set.
  7. Let cool on a wire rack.

Filling-

  1. Add pudding mixture and milk to a large bowl.  Whisk for 2 minutes.
  2. Allow pudding to set while you prepare cupcakes.
  3. Use a large icing tip or melon baller to make wholes for the filling.  (I ate the removed cake 😊)
  4. Add pudding to an icing bag or icing tool.  Use a medium to large round tip.  Fill each whole to the top.
  5. Place cupcakes in the refrigerator to allow pudding to set while you make the frosting.

Icing-

  1. Add the butter and sugar to a stand mixer.  Beat on medium until combined.
  2. Add the vanilla and beat on medium high until creamy about 3 minutes.
  3. Add milk.  Beat on medium high 1 more minute until fluffy.
  4. Add sprinkles.  Beat on medium high 1 more minute to mix in the color.
  5. Transfer icing to a piping bag or icing tool.  Use a large tip to make circles. 
  6. Place 1 vanilla chip in the center of each cupcake.
  7. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Strawberry Lime Muffins

Strawberry Lime Muffins

These muffins remind me of a strawberry margarita in the morning with the combination of strawberry and lime.  Ingredients: 1 cup whole wheat flour 1 cup almond flour 1 scoops (3 tablespoons) powdered peanut butter 1 scoop vanilla protein powder 1 teaspoon baking soda ½ 

Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes

Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes

These are my favorite sloppy joes! They are loaded with flavor and I managed to sneak in vegetables. These remind me of Philly Cheesesteaks without the calories and fat. Ingredients: 1 pound lean ground turkey ½ cup onion diced 1 green pepper diced ½ cup 

Strawberry Pie

Strawberry Pie

Pies are one of my favorite desserts.  In the spring strawberry pies made with sweet, fresh strawberries are hard to resist.  This recipe uses a graham cracker crust, but you can use a traditional homemade or store bought crust if you prefer.

Recipe adapted from Food Network

Ingredients:

Crust-

1 sleeve reduced fat graham crackers crushed

3 tablespoons extra virgin coconut oil

Filling-

3 pounds strawberries

¼ cup sugar

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Whip Cream Optional-

½ cups heavy cream

1 tablespoons confectioners sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar

Directions:

Crust-

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
  2. Add graham cracker crumbs to food processor and pulse to a fine crumb.
  3. Add melted coconut oil.  Pulse to mix. 
  4. Use a spatula to press crumbs into pie pan.  Gently press down.
  5. Bake for 10 minutes. 

Filling-

  1. Quarter 2 pounds of the strawberries.  Dice 1 pound.  Slice 1 pound.
  2. Add the pound of diced strawberries to a medium bowl.  Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of sugar and let sit at room temperature.
  3. Put the 2 pounds of quartered strawberries in a medium pot with cornstarch, lemon juice, and 1/3 cup granulated sugar.  Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook stirring often until mixture is thick and jammy in 15-20 minutes. 
  4. Remove strawberries from heat.  Let cool for at least 10 minutes.
  5. Stir the macerated strawberries into the cooked strawberries.
  6. Pour the strawberries into the crust. 
  7. Decorate the top of the pie with sliced strawberries in a concentric circle or other pattern. 
  8. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours.

Whip Cream-

  1. Whip the cream with confectioners sugar, vanilla, and cream of tartar until it holds stiff peaks.
Fennel, Arugula, and Strawberry Salad

Fennel, Arugula, and Strawberry Salad

Do you need a spring/summer salad recipe?  This salad mixes fennel, arugula, and sweet strawberries with white balsamic vinegar for a heavenly bite. Recipe adapted from Food Network Ingredients: 1 cup white balsamic vinegar 1 large fennel bulb with fronds 4 cups arugula ½  cup 

Stuffed Turkey Burgers

Stuffed Turkey Burgers

What could be better than a fresh, juicy burger stuffed with sundried tomatoes and cheese?  Recipe adapted from Food Network Ingredients- 1 pound lean ground turkey breast ½ cup diced carrots ¼ cup diced onion 1 cup diced spinach ½ cup chopped sundried tomatoes divided 

Carrot Cake Energy Balls

Carrot Cake Energy Balls

Carrot cake is one of my favorite types of cake.  The flavors pop and you can enjoy it knowing you are eating nutritious carrots.  These energy flavors have the taste of carrot cake without the carbohydrates and sugar and are packed with protein.

Ingredients:

1 cup old fashioned oats

½ cup chopped pecans

½ cup shredded carrots

¼ cup reduced fat peanut butter

1 scoop vanilla protein powder

2 tablespoons powdered peanut butter

1/3 cup chopped raisins (soak in hot water for 10 minutes first)

¼ cup honey

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon ground ginger

Directions:

  1. Add oats, pecans, and protein powder to food processor.  Pulse to mix and chop pecans.
  2. Add cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.  Pulse to mix.
  3. Add peanut butter, honey, raisins, and vanilla extract.  Pulse to mix.
  4. Add more honey if needed.
  5. Use a cookie scooper or spoon to form balls.  Refrigerate for 15 minutes if too sticky.
  6. Store in the refrigerator in an air-tight container.
  7. Enjoy!
Lightened Up Bang Bang Shrimp

Lightened Up Bang Bang Shrimp

This dish provides the flavor and heat from bang bang shrimp without the calories from fried or breaded shrimp.  I served this over spaghetti squash to soak up the sauce, but this also tastes great over a salad.  Feel free to up the sriracha and