Chocolate Peanut Butter Hearts

Perfect little treat for Galentine's Day tonight!!  My favorite part is the little sprinkle of salt!!  SO YUMMY!!

Serves 12

Ingredients

• ½ cup all-natural creamy peanut butter (or other nut butter)
• 1 tablespoon coconut flour
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• ¼ teaspoon of salt
• ¾ cup dark chocolate chips*
• coarse sea salt, for topping (optional)

Instructions

• In a large bowl, combine the peanut butter, coconut flour, maple syrup, and salt. Stir until a thick, smooth batter is created. It should have a texture similar to a soft play-doh. Place it in the fridge for 20 minutes, if needed, to help it firm up. (Or in the freezer for 10 minutes.)
• You can make the peanut butter hearts 2 ways. The first way is to line a baking sheet or plate with parchment paper and place your cookie cutter of choice on top of it. Use your hands to pinch off about a tablespoon of the peanut butter dough and press it into the cookie cutter, using your fingers to press the dough evenly into the shape. Feel free to use more or less batter to create the thickness you want. (This will vary depending on the size of your cookie cutter.) Use your fingers to gently press the dough into the lined baking sheet as you pull the cookie cutter upwards, releasing the dough from the cookie cutter. Repeat with the remaining batter, filling the pan, then place them in the freezer to set.
• The other way to make the heart shapes is to roll the entire batch of peanut butter filling between two sheets of parchment paper. Use a cookie cutter to cut-out as many shapes as you can, then remove the excess, leaving the cut-out hearts on the parchment paper. Repeat with the remaining dough, and transfer the parchment paper to a large baking sheet. Place the pan full of hearts in the freezer to set until firm, about 10-20 minutes.
• To prepare the chocolate coating, melt the dark chocolate chips. Remove the peanut butter hearts from the freezer, and then spoon the chocolate over the tops of the hearts. Smooth the tops quickly, as the chocolate may start to harden as it touches the cold peanut butter cups. Flip the hearts over and coat the other side. I don't worry about coating the sides of the hearts (it can be a messy undertaking) but you can if you want to.
• Sprinkle the hearts with coarse sea salt, if you'd like to, while the chocolate is still melted. Then place the pan in the freezer to set, about 10 minutes. Enjoy these hearts cold from the fridge or freezer. (We prefer the fridge for a softer experience.) They can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Cranberry Jalapeno Dip

Galentine's Day tonight so found an awesome new app - it was so easy and super yummy!!!  It would be great for Christmas too - perfect colors!!!

Serves 12

Ingredients

• ▢12 ounces cranberries fresh and whole
• ▢1 jalapeno cut in half and deseeded
• ▢4 green onions whites and light green parts
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• ▢
• ▢½ teaspoon salt
• ▢8 ounces cream cheese softened
• ▢2 tablespoons sour cream optional but recommended

Instructions

• In a food processor, add the cranberries, jalapeno, green onions, lemon juice, sugar, and salt. Pulse until chopped.
• Strain the cranberry mixture, reserving the juice.
• In a mixing bowl add the softened cream cheese and sour cream. Beat with a hand mixer (or stand mixer) until whipped and fluffy. About two minutes.
• Add in the reserved juice until you get your desired thickness. Start with 1 tablespoon. Stir in ⅓ to ½ of the cranberry mixture. Mix well.
• Spoon into your serving dish. Top with the remaining cranberry jalapeno mix. Garnish with extra green onion, jalapeno, or parsley. Serve with crackers, pretzels, or fresh vegetables.

Notes

• Sour cream will thin out the dip slightly but it adds less acidic tang than lemon juice.
• For a sweeter dip add all the reserved liquid, much of the sugar is filtered out

Caprese Phyllo Cups

Galentine's Day tonight with 4th grade boy moms and needed some new "content" :)  This was super cute and yummy BUT find the phyllo cups and don't use the sheets like I did (otherwise it's lots of pastry hahaha)

Serves 30 - Courtney Whitmore 

Ingredients:

• 30 phyllo cups - (2 boxes, 15 each)
• 8 ounces cherry tomatoes - diced
• 8 ounces mozzarella - sliced
• 1 tablespoon basil - diced
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Allow phyllo cups to thaw to room temperature.

Toss diced cherry tomatoes with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Fill each phyllo cup with the cherry tomatoes.

Cut 30 mini hearts out of the mozzarella slices

Top each phyllo cup with a mozzarella heart.

Garnish with diced basil (or swap in Italian seasoning).

Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oats

 

Raising Foxes - Makes 3 servings

Ingredients:
1 1/2c oats
1 3/4 cup milk

3/4c greek yogurt

2T pure maple syrup

3T chia seeds

2 scoops vanilla protein powder

3/4c diced apples

2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Add oats, milk, yogurt, chia seeds, protein and syrup to container.  Combine ingredients.

Top with apple and cinnamon

Store in fridge overnight and consume within 5 days.

Cheesy Enchilada Skillet

Yummy new recipe find that the whole fam loved!!  We just gobbled it right up - best part is it only took 15 minutes from start to finish!!!

Inspired by Gathered Nutrition - makes 6 servings

Ingredients:

1 bag frozen cauliflower rice

1lb ground beef

salt and pepper to taste

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon paprika

2 handfuls chopped baby spinach

15oz can black beans

1 jar of red enchilada sauce

3 flour tortillas, cut into small strips

1 cup Mexican blend shredded cheese

Optional Toppings: sour cream, Greek yogurt, avocado, tortilla chips

Heat a pan with a small splash of oil.  Add your cauliflower rice, stirring occasionally.

Add your beef and cook, breaking up, until no longer pink.

Season with salt, pepper, paprika garlic powder, and onion powder.

Reduce heat.  Add spinach, beans and enchilada sauce.  Let simmer for 2 minutes.

Stir in tortilla strips and top with cheese.  Cover and let cook for 5 minutes - or if you are using an oven safe pan or a cast iron skillet, I like to broil mine for a few minutes to get the cheese nice and toasty for a bit crispy!!

Remove from heat, serve with desired toppings (sour cream, Greek yogurt, avocado, tortilla chips) and enjoy!!