Author: Ashley Phillips

Coconut Oil Krispies (Gluten Free, Vegan)

Posted on by Ashley Phillips

Happy Easter!

It would make total sense for me to make some type of Easter themed snack this week, wouldn’t it? Well, I didn’t. I don’t know why, but I was craving Rice Krispie treats. I sent my husband into the market to get me some gluten-free rice krispie-type cereal, and he came out with a really random cereal that we’ve never tried. But you know what, it worked! krispie.jpg

Rice Krispie treats are probably the easiest treat that you can make. It takes about 5 minutes to mix it together and this recipe only requires 3 ingredients. Simplllllle.

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Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup of coconut oil
  • 1 Box of your favorite gluten-free cereal
  • 1 bag of small marshmallows

How to:

  • Melt coconut oil on the stove on low-medium heat. Once melted, add in marshmallows slowly while stirring.
  • Once thick fluffy batter is formed, remove from heat.
  • Add 1/4 of the cereal while mixing, then another forth, etc. until the full box is added.
  • Once mixed, scoop mixture into a 8×11 pan. Press down into pan. Let set for 15-20 minutes, at least, until marshmallows harden up slightly.
  • Cut into bites and eat! rk1.jpg

Green Tea Cookies (Matcha!)

Posted on by Ashley Phillips

Ok, round 2 of baking with matcha = success!

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Once I made the Pistachio Protein balls, I decided I wanted to try actually baking something with matcha to see how the flavors tasted coming out of the oven. I was not disappointed!

These green tea cookies are based off a recipe I found on Pinterest by Fortune Goodies. Just a few simple swaps from this delicious recipe to make these cookies clean & a bit healthier. I’ve gotta say, she nailed this recipe and hers were much prettier!

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PS If you haven’t read about the health benefits of matcha, I would highly encourage you to do so. Read about it here,  here, or  here – or run a few Google searches. There’s no denying matcha is a superfood powerhouse. I’ve been trying to replace my morning coffee with cashew milk matcha lattes. It works about half of the time. I just LOVE coffee!

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups organic coconut flour
  • 2 tablespoons matcha green tea powder (I prefer this one, from David’s Tea – aka my fav place in the world)
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 cup melted organic coconut oil
  • 1 cup organic maple syrup or agave
  • 1 cup unsweetened organic applesauce
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract (optional)

How to:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Mix together all dry ingredients – matcha, flour and baking powder. (Isn’t this so pretty!??) 1.jpg
  • In a seperate bowl, melt together coconut oil & maple syrup. Add wet ingredients into dry ingredient bowl and mix until well combined. I did this by hand, but a small hand mixer would help! 2.jpg
  • Roll dough into about 24 balls, 1 inch around.
  • Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until they start to brown a bit on the edges. (Only a bit! You want these to keep the lovely green color!)
  • Let these cool for a few minutes.
  • If you want some added sweetness, drizzle some melted white chocolate or frosting across these. Don’t go overboard if you are trying to keep these on the healthier side. They are already fairly sweet and don’t need too much added sugar.

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Pistachio Matcha Protein Balls (Clean, healthy, Gluten-free, no bake)

Posted on by Ashley Phillips

A co-worker has been requesting that I bake with matcha for some time now, though I’ve been nervous to try it. Matcha is not cheap when it comes to tea and I was nervous that it wouldn’t taste sweet enough without any added or artificial sugars. However, I just went for it … (YOLO)… and these were a huge hit!

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For a first go at baking with matcha, I have to say I’m pretty impressed with the results. The green color of these is natural  from the matcha – they would have been the perfect St. Patrick’s Day treat. I guess there’s always next year!

balls1.jpgThese were super quick to make. I put them in the freezer to set, but you could have eaten them right away. This recipes makes about 12 balls depending on size.

Oh, the best part? These are low calorie and HIGH protein, so they make for a great post workout snack or a healthy after-lunch treat. I’m estimating these bad boys come in around 125 calories each.

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Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup raw cashews
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut
  • 1 1/2 scoops any plant based, vegan protein powder (I used Sun Warrior, a personal fav!)
  • 2 heaping tablespoons of Matcha (If you didn’t know, I’m obsessed with David’s Tea – this matcha is great, and they have a few “flavored” options too)
  • 2 heaping tablespoons of organic coconut flour
  • 2 tablespoons pure organic maple syrup (could sub Agave if you prefer)
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin coconut oil, melted
  • 1-3 teaspoons of water
  • 1 cup of crushed shelled pistachios (to make sure these are clean, just use plain pistachios – not roasted or salted) balls1.jpg

How to: (Told you these were super easy)

  • In a food processor, blend together cashews, coconut, protein, matcha, and coconut flour until well combined and powdery.
  • Add in melted coconut oil and maple syrup. Blend for a few seconds until a heavy dough starts to form.
  • Scoop all of the mixture out and put in a seperate bowl or onto parchment paper so it’s easier to grab and roll the dough into balls.
  • At this point, if the dough isn’t sticking together, add a teaspoon of water at a time, mixing in between, until you’re able to roll these into balls. They should be dry enough, though, that they will stay together on their own and not melt all over the plate.
  • Put all crushed pistachios on a plate and roll the dough around on the plate, pushing the pistachios into the dough.
  • Set these in the freezer to set. This should only take 15 minutes or so.
  • Eat and enjoy!!

 

Peanut Butter Banana Oat Bread (Clean, healthy!)

Posted on by Ashley Phillips

At my job, we’re lucky enough to have tons of snacks. They’re not healthy snacks, but tons of snacks in general.

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At least, though, they drop off a huge basket full of bananas every week. By the end of the week, there are always a few left over. Rather than tossing them sometimes I take them home to use for baking. (Hey, work…I hope thats ok).

b2.jpgI woke up this morning thinking I wanted to make some type of break or breakfast bar and this one hits the spot. With peanut butter as a main ingredient, how could it not?

b1.jpgIngredients:

  • 1-2 ripe bananas (Fun fact: if you have non-ripe bananas, you can put them in the oven for 30 min. at 350 degrees and they’ll brown right up!)
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup coconut or oat flour
  • 1 cup of rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup peanut butter (can use almond butter or any other nut butter if you’d like!)
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • Extra banana slices as you’d like! b3.jpg

How to:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a pan with coconut oil spray and set aside.
  • Mash bananas until they are a weird gross mush.
  • Add eggs and mix well.
  • Add peanut butter to the mixture and combine well. Add maple syrup and vanilla and mix well.
  • In a seperate bowl, mix together flour, oats and baking powder. Slowly, add the dry ingredients to the we ingredients.
  • Pour mixture into a prepared 8×8 pan to make breakfast bars, or a bread pan to make bread. (Note: bread will be thick! And you’ll need to bake it for an additional 5-6 minutes)
  • Bake for 35 minutes or until edges are slightly browned.
  • Let cool and eat!

Thin Mint Cookies (Protein packed, gluten free, clean!)

Posted on by Ashley Phillips

Its Girl Scout cookie season!(!!!!!)

When I was younger, my dad would buy boxes of Thin Mints and put them in the “outside freezer”, which meant we could only have them as an extra special treat. I was never a huge fan, but it seems as though Thin Mints have the biggest following & the most hype.

So, I set out to see if I could replicate these using mocha & chocolate protein powder, and kind of nailed it on the first try. Coworkers loved these and my husband ate a whole tray before I could get home from work the next day, so safe to say – yes, nailed these. 5.jpg

These are simple, no bake cookies and are made with super healthy ingredients. While you shouldn’t really eat the entire tray in one day (ahem, Bob…) they’re still pretty good for you! (Especially post workout, when your body needs extra protein!)

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Ingredients:

  • 2 cups oat flour or coconut flour
  • 1/2 cup dark cocoa
  • 1/4 cup agave or maple syrup
  • 1 – 2 scoops of protein powder (I used Amazing Meal Cafe Mocha protein powder)
  • Peppermint extract
  • 1/2 cup nut butter (I used Cashew butter)
  • 3-4 tablespoons (or more) Coconut milk or Almond Milk
  • 1 block dairy free dark chocolate (optional!)

How to:

  • In a medium bowl, melt nut butter for a few seconds in the microwave and then add in Agave. Add a few drops of peppermint extract per your taste. Mix well.
  • In a seperate bowl, combine all dry ingredients – flour, cocoa, protein powder.
  • Slowly, add dry ingredients in to wet ingredients and continue to stir. Mixture will be powder-y and thick. Like this. Mmm.

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  • Once combined, add in almond milk tablespoon by tablespoon until the batter becomes moldable.
  • Using your hands, form small balls of dough and line on parchment paper. Pop them in the freezer while you melt the dark chocolate.
  • In a microwave safe bowl, melt dark chocolate. (I put the chocolate block in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time, stirred, 30 more seconds, etc.)
  • Using a spoon, spread the melted chocolate over the cookies.
  • Put them in the freezer again to set.
  • This recipe makes anywhere from 12-24 cookies, depending on the size. Keep in the “outside freezer” to preserve 🙂

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Enjoy!

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Green Superfood Smoothie Bowl (Clean, gluten-free, paleo)

Posted on by Ashley Phillips

Ok, you know how oats are my “thing?” I may have discovered a new “thing”.

Smoothie bowls.

Most mornings, I have a green drink to go alongside my oats, but I have recently discovered smoothie bowls that bring in some of my favorrrrrite superfoods. This is my very first smoothie bowl and it was delicious. I had to stop myself from making 10 more after this first one because I got so excited thinking about everything I could create!

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One of the most fun parts about these is how beautiful they are! I mean… LOOK!

I started thinking/dreaming about smoothie bowls after my recent trip to Tulum, where I stumbled upon the most amazing raw vegan smoothie restaurant – Raw Love.  My husband made fun of me for discovering one of the healthiest restaurants in Mexico while on vacation, when everyone else we were with was more focused on finding the best margarita. But seriously, this place was legit. Ahhhh, I want to go backkkk.

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Ingredients:

  • Smoothie Bowl:
    • Small handful of kale
    • Small handful of cabbage
    • Small handful romaine
    • 1 cup almond milk
    • 10 ice cubes
  • Toppings: 3 large sliced strawberries
    • 1/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
    • 1/4 cup chia seeds
    • 1/4 cup blueberries
    • 1/8 cup pistachios
    • 1/8 cup cashews
    • Anything else your little heart desires!

How to:

  • Add all ingredients from smoothie bowl to Vitamix and blend until well mixed
  • Top with any toppings & enjoy immediately!

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Carrot Cake + Quinoa Cookies or Bars (Clean, Vegan)

Posted on by Ashley Phillips

Some of my favorite treats aren’t chocolate – they’re veggie based! When I was younger, I could never really get behind having vegetables as a part of my dessert, but these cookies are sweet enough to make you forget they’re actually packing some veggies. carrot2.jpg

I have made these a handful of times and we can hardly keep them in the house for a full day – which isn’t a bad thing, really, because these don’t last long unless you keep them in the fridge or freezer (since they are veggie based).

This recipe can be use to make cookies if you scoop the dough into a ball and bake on a cookie sheet but can also make some great bars if you bake in an 8×8 pan.  Either way, they’re delicious, chewy and healthy!

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup of unsweetened applesauce
  • ½ cup cashew butter (or nut butter – almond works great too)
  • ¼ cup pure maple syrup
  • 1 medium banana –  the more ripe, the better
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup cooked and cooled quinoa
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/4 cup shredded carrots
  • ¼ cup chopped walnuts (Optional)

How to:

  • Cook quinoa per directions on the box/bag and let cool
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees
  • If you have decided to make cookies, line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Or if you prefer to make bars, grease a 9×9 pan and set aside
  • Beat together nut butter, syrup, banana, vanilla and applesauce in a large bowl.
  • Add quinoa and mix.
  • In a seperate bowl, mix together baking powder, spices & salt. Stir. Fold in carrots and walnuts (optional).
  • Mix half of dry mixture into the butter mixture and stir until combined well. Then add in other half.

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Note: This is the part where I want to start shoveling the mixture into my mouth by the spoonful. LOOK! How can I resist?

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  • Either scoop into balls to make cookies or add to greased pan to make bars.
  • Bake at 360 rack for 15 – 18 minutes until edges are golden brown
  • Let cool slightly, but I think these are best a bit warm

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Espresso Granola (Gluten Free, clean!)

Posted on by Ashley Phillips

I’m using oats again – are you surprised?  Didn’t think so.

This recipe brings together a few of my favorites – oats, coffee, and coconut! Coconuts are one of my favorite superfoods and they add some extra fiber, which is always welcome in my book. If you don’t like coconut, feel free to omit it from this recipe, but I find it helps bind the clusters together better and you can hardly taste it.

Warning: This stuff is addictive. Also, you can easily customize it to almost any flavor you like.

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Ingredients:

  • 2 heaping cups  of your favorite oats (gluten free optional!)
  • 1/2 cup oat flour
  • 1/2 cup shredded coconut
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 large egg white
  • 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
  • 1/4 cup pure maple syrup (Or Agave – depends on your taste)
  • 1/3 cup of instant coffee (optional, if you want that breakfast-y taste)

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How to:

  • Preheat oven to 350 and cover a cookie sheet with Parchment paper
  • Mix together dry ingredients (Oats, flour, cinnamon, coconut, seasalt and instant coffee) in a large bowl
  • Separately, beat together eggs and egg white in a smaller bowl
  • Add melted coconut oil and maple syrup to the egg mixture
  • Add the wet mixture to the bowl with the oats and mix together until all of the oat appear covered with the mixture and clumps start to form
  • Spread the mixture out over the parchment paper
  • Bake for 15-18 minutes, depending on how crunchy you like your granola
  • Remember the granola will continue to harden after you take it out of the oven, so let it cook until it’s about 90% where you like it then let it sit to harden even more
  • Once cooled, pour it into a Mason jar or airtight container to keep

Granola will only last a few days, so sprinkle over yogurt, mix with fruit, or eat it by the handful (like I do!) right away!

Note: you can omit the instant coffee and add dried fruit, if you prefer sweet over savory.

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Chewy Chocolate & Coconut Protein Bars (No bake, Vegan, Gluten Free, Clean!)

Posted on by Ashley Phillips

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As you know, I’m a workout fanatic. Recently, I have started using protein powder after working out to help my body refuel. Not everyone believes your body actually needs protein supplements, but since I don’t normally eat protein in the morning I find it’s an easy add to my breakfast that helps keep me full all day.

Honestly, I could probably eat the entire pan of these. I am thinking of having my husband lock them away somewhere so I don’t do that.

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My plan is to cut these up and put them into individual Ziploc bags for a quick breakfast I can grab on my way out the door. You could even freeze them to make them last a few weeks. Just be sure to thaw them overnight!

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups gluten free oat flour
  • ½ cup coconut flour, sifted
  • ½ cup of your favorite protein powder (I like Sun Warrior because it’s vegan and tastes great!)
  • 2-3 T cocoa powder (Or more, depending on your taste)
  • ½ cup almond butter (any nut butter would do)
  • ½ cup pure maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup Almond Milk or Cashew milk (I’m newly obsessed with creamy unsweetened vanilla cashew milk!
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

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Ingredients:

  • 2 cups gluten free oat flour
  • ½ cup coconut flour, sifted
  • ½ cup of your favorite protein powder (I like Sun Warrior because it’s vegan and tastes great!)
  • 2-3 T cocoa powder (Or more, depending on your taste)
  • ½ cup almond butter (any nut butter would do)
  • ½ cup pure maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup Almond Milk or Cashew milk (I’m newly obsessed with creamy unsweetened vanilla cashew milk!
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

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How to:

  • Spray a 8×9 or 9×9 pan with  coconut oil spray
  • Mix all of the dry ingredients together (Flour, Protein powder, cocoa powder) and mix well
  • Separately, mix together nut butter and maple syrup and warm over the stove until they’re melted together
  • Once they’re melted, add the vanilla and stir
  • Add all wet ingredients to the bowl with the dry ingredients. It should be pretty chunky and hard to stir
  • Spoonful by spoonful, add the milk util a super thick batter is formed
  • Scoop batter into the greased pan and push down firmly to flatten the dough into the pan
  • Sprinkle coconut flakes over
  • Pop in the fridge or freezer and let them set 1-2 hours, or until they become bar-like
  • Slice – makes somewhere between 12-16 bars, depending on size

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Protein Packed Superfood Oatmeal Raspberry Cups

Posted on by Ashley Phillips

More oats. Can you blame me? They’re just so good and so filling.

These are easy to eat on the run – perhaps in a cab on the way to work from an intense Soul Cycle class? 🙂 Or maybe thats just me.

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Either way, these  breakfast bars are a variation of one of my favorite superfood breakfast concoctions ever made. My coworkers absolutely love these, mostly because of the health factor and the fact that they taste absolutely delish. You can have a 2×2 inch square and be full for breakfast because they’re loaded with so many nutrient dense superfoods. I chose to make these in a muffin tin so that they are perfectly portioned and easy to throw into a Ziploc bag in the morning.

You can make a batch of these and freeze them and they will last for weeks but they’re better warm or at room temp, so make sure you take them out of the freezer the night before you want them.

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Ingredients: (Base)

  • 2 cups of old fashioned oats
  • 1 cup of silvered almonds
  • 4 tablespoons agave
  • 1/2 cup of whole almonds
  • 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamnom
  • 2 very ripe bananas – the more ripe, the better!
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1 scoop whey protein or any type of protein you like

More ingredients: (Topping)

  • 1/2 cup old fashioned oats
  • 1/2 cup silvered almonds
  • 2 cups of raspberries – or whatever fruit you’d like! Blueberries are also good!
  • 1/2 cup of almond milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

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How to:

  • Preheat oven to 350. Spray a muffin tin quickly or grease with coconut oil.
  • Add all of the “base” ingredients to a food processor or Vitamix. Blend until a creamy consistency forms. This could take a few minutes until the mixture is blended well.
  • Scoop the mixture into the muffin tin. This recipe should make at least 12 breakfast cups.
  • Bake for 10 minutes.
  • While they’re baking, combine the ingredients for the topping in a medium bowl.
  • Once the timer for the base goes off, add the toppings to each cup.
  • Bake for an additional 15 minutes. Let cool before eating.

I could see these being really good with some added nuts – pistachios will be my next addition! Also, almost any berry would work. Blackberries, you’re next 🙂

What other type of berry would you use?