PB & Honey "Sushi" Rolls

These cute PB & Honey "Sushi" Rolls really made all three of my kids laugh (even my middle schoolers!).  They all wanted to help me roll out the bread with a rolling pin and then roll them up. My son started scrambling through our silverware drawer looking for chopsticks - which made them even more fun.  It took hardly any time at all to put them together!  I think these will really put a smile on the kids' faces when they open up their lunchboxes come fall! I had to share this simple snack idea with you all! Have fun!

What you need:

Cutting board
Rolling pin
Butter knife for spreading
Sharp knife for cutting

Ingredients:
Your favorite sandwich bread
Peanut butter, almond butter, sunbutter, etc
Honey or your favorite jam

Cut all the crust of the bread. Using a rolling pin, roll the bread until it is flat (this took about 8 seconds - don't go crazy).

Spread with nut butter and honey or jam.

Roll up from the bottom.

 
Slice into "sushi" pieces.

Arrange on a plate and drizzle with more honey, if you like. Enjoy!

Snickerdoodle Bars

My daughter and I felt like baking this afternoon and after a quick search on Pinterest, we found a recipe for these snickerdoodle bars. They came out quite good - soft and chewy, not too sweet....they really hit the spot!

This yummy, simple recipes comes from the blog Back for Seconds (isn't that the cutest name!?).

Here is her recipe word for word:

Cookie Bars:

• 1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
• 2 cups brown sugar (packed)
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 2/3 cups all purpose flour

Topping:

• 1/8 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon

Directions

Step 1:
Preheat oven to 350 In a mixing bowl cream together the butter and sugar. Add the eggs, vanilla, and salt, and mix well. Add the baking powder and flour, a little at a time, and mix until incorporated. Spread into a greased 9x13" pan.
Step 2:
Mix together sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle evenly over cookie dough. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the pan comes out with fudgy crumbs. Do not over bake. Let cool before cutting. Store tightly covered.

Avocado Toast - Jersey Shore Style

Every summer when we go to the shore, I discover a simple dish I feel like I must recreate at home - we always have good eats down the Shore! One year is was the Acai Bowls (I still make them weekly at home); another time it was the Chilled Oatmeal with Yogurt, Berries & Honecomb - yum! This summer I have two Jersey Shore inspired recipes. I'll blog the second later this week, but today I'm blogging the Avocado Toast we ate on repeat at the Surf Snack Shack. The recipe is so simple, but so extra good!

My family is avocado obsessed, I mean OBSESSED people! We must go through at least one a day and sometimes more. My kids tend to want avocado toast for a quick, healthy and satisfying breakfast or as an afternoon snack.  This toast is kicked up a notch by adding red pepper flakes, a little balsamic and capers. Please try it and let me know if you love it as much as we do! It's wonderful when something so simple tastes so delicious! Enjoy!

2 slices of your favorite bread (sourdough, wheat, rye, etc), toasted
1 perfectly ripe avocado, pitted, halved and smashed
1-2 tsp of capers
pinch of red pepper flakes, as little or as much as you like
light drizzle of balsamic vinegar
salt to taste

To assemble:
Drizzle a tiny bit of balsamic vinegar on the toasted bread (if I had to guess I would say 1/2 tsp). Add the smashed, ripe avocado evenly between the two slices of bread. Give each bread a pinch of red pepper flakes. Top each piece with some capers and a pinch of salt. Eat immediately. Enjoy!

Chocolate Cherry Smoothie

I was REALLY craving a chocolate milk shake this afternoon....but I put the ice cream away and came up with a chocolatey smoothie that incorporated all the fresh in-season cherries I have in my refrigerator right now! Who doesn't love the combo of cherries and chocolate!? This smoothie really hit the spot and satisfied my sweet tooth! Enjoy!

This smoothie makes enough for one large serving.

• 1 cup fresh (pitted) OR frozen cherries
• 1 or 2 Medjool dates, pitted
• 1/4 cup rolled oats
• 1 Tbsp hemp seeds (optional)
• 2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 cup milk OR almond milk
• 1 small banana
• 2 Tbl plain or vanilla yogurt
• 1 -2 handfuls of baby spinach
• 6 ice cubes
• miniature chocolate chips, for garnish (optional)

If you have the time, put the fruit in the freezer for at least an hour.

Put all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until smooth. Drink immediately. Enjoy!

Greek Tortellini Salad

This quick salad is so yummy! I have made it three times in the last couple of months. Sometimes I put kalamata olives in it, some times I sub them out for capers. The first time I made it I used feta and the last time I used freshly shredded Parmesan. The first time I made it I didn't use red bell peppers, but the last time I made it I did! One time I made it with fresh mint and the last time I made it with mint AND basil. What I'm getting at is this salad is just delicious - you can customize it to suit the likes of your family.....as long as you do not omit the balsamic glaze and dressing, you're guaranteed a tasty meal.

*Please read above before you look at the ingredients - I have made this dish many times and the ingredients are not set in stone.....

*Salad Ingredients:
20 oz package of tortellinis, cooked al dente
12 cherry tomatoes, quartered
1/2 large cucumber, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1/3 cup capers OR kalmata olives
1/3 cup pine nuts (toast them lightly for extra yummy-ness)
1/2 cup crumbled feta OR freshly shredded Parmesan
1/2 cup marinated artichokes, chopped
Store bought balsamic glaze

For the Dressing:
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried basil OR 1 Tbl fresh basil (use fresh if you can)
10 fresh mint leaves, chopped
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp dijon mustard
½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
black pepper, to taste

Cook tortellini according to directions on the package.  Set aside and let cool.

Mix all the dressing ingredients together.

Add all the salad ingredients, including cooked and cooled tortellinis, to a large bowl.  Add the dressing and toss (you may not need to use all the dressing). Chill for an hour or overnight.  Just before serving drizzle with the store bought balsamic glaze (do not forget the glaze- it really sets this dish apart!).  Enjoy!

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Oh boy, this chocolate banana bread is amazing!!! We ate it for breakfast and we ate it for dessert - it is just yummy-ness. 

I found this banana bread recipe on the blog Two Peas and Their Pod. Here it is word for word:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup Dutch process cocoa
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 3 large brown bananas  (1 1/2 cups mashed)
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
• 1/4 cup canola, vegetable oil, or melted coconut oil
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 large egg, at room temperature <I used 2 eggs>
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, divided

Directions:

1. Heat your oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and sea salt. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, mash the ripe bananas with a fork. Add the melted butter and oil and stir until combined. Stir in the brown sugar, egg, and vanilla extract. Stir until smooth.
4. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, don’t overmix. Stir in 3/4 cup of the chocolate chips.
5. Pour batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of chocolate chips over the top of the bread. Bake for 60-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out mostly clean, you might have some melted chocolate chips on the toothpick and that is fine. You just don’t want a lot of gooey batter.
6. Remove the pan from the oven and set on a wire cooling rack. Let the bread cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edges of the bread and carefully remove from the pan. Let the bread cool on the wire cooling rack until slightly warm. Cut into slices and serve.

Note-the bread will keep on the counter, wrapped in plastic wrap, for up to 4 days. This bread also freezes well. To freeze, cool the bread completely and wrap in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 1 month. Defrost before slicing.

No Bake Crispy Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

 

 

These are yummy, the ingredients are simple, and there is no baking required. Need I say more? Super tasty dessert that we all loved! 

 

Recipe is from the blog The Big Man's World:

Ingredients:

• 3 to 3 1/2 cups crispy rice cereal <I used "One Degree" Brown Rice Crisps>
• 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips 
• 1 cup peanut butter can substitute for sunflower seed or soy nut butter <I used 1/2 cup almond butter and 1/2 cup peanut butter>
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 cup coconut oil can sub for grass fed butter

Directions:

1. Line an 8 x 8-inch baking dish or deep baking tray of choice with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Add crispy rice cereal into a large mixing bowl and set aside. In a microwave safe bowl or stovetop, combine all your other ingredients and heat until melted. Remove from microwave/off stove and whisk until completely incorporated.
3. Pour the chocolate/peanut butter mixture over the crispy rice cereal and mix until combined. Pour into the lined baking dish <I use a piece of parchment paper over the top of the mixture to REALLY push the bars down so they are compact and even> and refrigerate until firm (at least an hour). Remove and cut into bars.