I know the price sounds steep, but they are full of so much goodness and just remind me of a tropical island and I feel at home. If you haven’t tried a dragon fruit, you must do it NOW! Not only are they beautiful but they taste great too. They have a cool crisp inside with little black seeds that are edible (well, I eat them). These guys are not super sweet which I love and they remind me of a kiwi.  They make just the perfect snack for Summer. They aren’t cheap, so yes, I hid in the closet to eat one because I didn’t want to share (don’t judge me).

So on to the smoothie – My wonderful Mom bought me a Nutribullet for Christmas and I have been using it everyday. I’m so in love with it, I recommend it to everyone! The night before, I cut up the dragon fruit, mango (skin on! So many vitamins!) bagged it and then threw it the freezer along with a couple of other baggies with different varieties of fruits. In the morning, I threw it in to the Nutribullet with some spinach, kefir, a little water and BAM….it’s awesome It’s like a frozen smoothie, yogurt, probiotic, vitamin packed wammy.

I don’t have dragon fruit and mango in my house everyday so here’s a little list of what I usually keep on hand for my smoothies:

Greens (I prefer Spinach but you can use others such as Kale)

Flax seeds

Apples

Bananas

Other favorites are pineapples, oranges, cucumber, mint leaves, berries, chia seeds…I could go on!

For the brownies:

• 3/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 2/3 cup butter, melted and divided
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 2 cups white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/3 cup all purpose flour
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 tsp salt

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Prepare a 9 x 13 baking dish with nonstick spray or lined with parchment paper (or I used this sweet pan lining paper).

2.  Stir cocoa and baking soda in a bowl.  Stir in 1/3 cup butter, boiling water.  Stir until mixture thickens.

3.  Stir in the sugar, eggs, and remaining 1/3 cup butter.  Stir until smooth.

4.  Add flour, vanilla and salt.  Blend completely.

5.  Pour batter into prepared 9 x 13 dish.  Bake for about 30-35 minutes.  Check for doneness by sticking a toothpick in the center (if it comes out clean, the brownies are done).

6.  Let the brownies cool completely.

For the cookie dough frosting:

• 1/2 cup butter (one cube), at room temperature (not hard, not melty)
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 3 Tbsp white sugar
• 3 Tbsp milk
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 cup mini semi sweet chocolate chips

1.  In a bowl combine the butter and sugars.  Cream until fluffy and texture is very light.

2.  Beat in the vanilla and the milk.

3.  Add in the flour and salt.  Stir until well combined.

4.  Fold in the chocolate chips.

5.  When the brownies are completely cool, spread the cookie dough frosting over the top with a spatula.  Carefully but into squares and store in the fridge until it’s time to eat!

Recipe idea adapted from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe

I remember coming home from school with a friend of mine in like, 5th grade. We ran right upstairs to start gabbing about school, life, our teacher etc. I was AWKWARD at that age, and I’m not exaggerating. I was super skinny, scraggly brown hair (I totally wanted to be blonde), and all around a total dork.

Quick side note- I kind of hope our girls are dorks. I would never want them to be teased like I was or feel that horrible loneliness that accompanies it, but I am glad that I went through it. First of all, it made me grow to truly appreciate kindness and friendship, and it made me who I am today. Sometimes you just plain appreciate things, and stay out of more trouble when a good book is a great friend.

Anyway, this was practically my only friend at school and we had loads of fun together. My mom soon called us down to dinner, and to our surprise she had made macaroni and cheese with chicken nuggets. My friend thought it was so fun because her mom was all about organic and lean (gosh, I wonder now if it totally ticked her off what we ate at my house!) and I felt awesome. I don’t think we ever had mac-n-cheese and chicken nuggets again for dinner, but for one brief moment I was kinda cool, even if it was just for one person.

I may not make boxed mac-n-cheese for dinner, but I still love a good, cheesy pasta. This one definitely wins for it’s gooey cheese and the best part? Those shells totally hold even more cheese sauce which is awesomeness in every bite!!!

Gooey Macaroni and Cheese Shells

6 Tablespoons Butter, Unsalted
2 Garlic Cloves, chopped in half
1/2 Cup Flour
1 Quart plus 1/2 Cup Heavy Cream
1/2 Cup Milk
2 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard
1/2 Teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
2 1/2 Cups Vintage White Cheddar Cheese
2 1/2 Cups Sharp Cheddar Cheese
1 Cup Colby Jack Cheese
1 1/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese
2 Teaspoons Sea Salt
1 Pound Shells Pasta

!Bread Crumb Topping
2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
1 Cup Panko Breadcrumbs

Pre heat the oven to 400 degrees.

In a large sauce pan, add the butter and turn the heat to medium high. Allow the butter to melt almost completely and add the garlic. Cook the garlic for 30 seconds and quickly add the flour, whisking to combine. Let the flour mixture clump up, and cook until nutty about 1 minute.

Slowly add the heavy cream, and milk, whisking as you pour. Allow the mixture to thicken slightly and add the Worcestershire and dijon. Whisk until combined and add all of the cheeses. Let the cheeses melt until smooth, seasoning with salt if necessary.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta shells until al dente and then add to the cheese sauce. Stir to combine and place in an 8×8″ baking dish.

Melt the 2 tablespoons of butter and toss with the breadcrumbs, Spread evenly over the pasta.

Place in the oven for 20 minutes at 400 degrees.

This is our favorite new discovery.

The golden key to this snack is, of course, the French Vanilla Coffeemate. I am not a coffee drinker so I have, in gross error, passed by this lovely product many times at the grocery store.  Now that I know, it sits alongside the milk in our refrigerator ready to be poured over fruit at any moment. It is seriously SO good that my six year old wants to marry it. I am delighted to report that Coffeemate is now sold in bulk at Costco. Sweet.

Finally, please note, I don’t pour this product on too freely. The calories in Coffeemate are not for free.

But two tablespoons over fruit can go a long way. And my whole family agrees.

More Food on Today’s Mama:

Easy Caramel Apples to Make with your Kiddos

Basil Pesto Dressing recipe and what to do with other fruits and veggies

Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

Then you top them with toasted coconut shavings and a drizzle of dark chocolate.  And your husband kisses your feet because it was in fact just the thing he was looking for after a long, exhausting day.  Your kids might not be so happy you added the coconut, but they’ll live.  Dulce de Leche Blondies.  It’s now a thing that you need to add to you “must make” board on Pinterest, or wherever you store those scrumptious looking recipes that keep calling to you.

Is there anything better than dulce de leche?  I think not.  The dulce de leche gives these blondies a nice caramely flavor, as well as making them extra soft and chewy.

Blondies are my kind of cookie because they are sort of good for those lazy afternoons when you don’t feel like babysitting tray after tray of cookies, rotating the pans backwards and forwards, upwards and downwards.  I don’t want to be a slave to the kitchen timer, you know?  There are a lot of other things to be doing–like eating the cookies.  Am I right?

So yeah, you want to make these Dulce de Leche Blondies.  Like five minutes ago.

Dulce de Leche Blondies
Top the bars with toasted coconut shavings and melted dark chocolate for an extra special treat.

Ingredients:

For dulce de leche blondies

1 stick of butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup dulce de leche (the darker, the better)
1 egg, at room temperature
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

For toppings:

1/2 cup toasted coconut shavings
1/4 cup melted dark chocolate
1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped nuts

Instructions:

For dulce de leche blondies:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Grease an 8-inch by 11-inch baking dish with butter and line with parchment paper, leaving about two inches of overhang on each side.

Beat butter until creamy with an electric stand or hand mixer.  Add the sugar and dulce de leche.  Beat until fluffy.  Add the egg and beat for another minute.  Whisk the dry ingredients and add to the creamed mixture and mix well.  (It will look crumbly at first and then come together into a nice dough.)

Press the dough into the pan.  Bake for 18-20 minutes.  They will be puffed up a little and start to turn golden on top.  Remove and let cool completely in the pan.

To cut and serve:

Transfer the blondies to a cutting board using the parchment handles.  Cut into 18 bars.  If desired, drizzle the bars with melted chocolate and sprinkle with the toasted coconut and chopped nuts.

Yield: 18 bar cookies.

Betcha you can’t eat just one.

Other great recipes using dulce de leche from my kitchen:
Dulce de Leche Ice Cream
Easter Coconut Cake
Banofee Pie

From other bloggers:
Brown Butter and Dulce de Leche No-Bake Cookies from Project Domestication
Churro Bites with Chocolate Dulce de Leche Dip from Sweet Basil
Dulce de Leche Cheesecake Squares from Technicolor Kitchen
Pear Dulce de Leche Pie from Beyond The Plate
Carrot Cupcakes with Dulce de Leche Buttercream from Joy The Baker
Alfajores from Roxana’s Home Baking

It does not matter if you are a Mom of toddlers or teenagers (who will sometimes come home for lunch). It does not matter if you are too busy feeding kiddos mushed up squash to think about eating yourself or if you are eating alone while working through lunch. A Mama needs to eat. So, I am sharing some of my very favorite go to lunches that hit the spot and are fast and quick. No sandwiches here. I kind of hate sandwiches for lunch. I know, weird, right? I make a bunch of lunch sack sandwiches every morning and they just don’t appeal to me.

Here are my faves.

My #1 Favorite Lunch — Homemade Bean and Cheese Burrito. Prep time 1 minute.

If I could get the bean and cheese burrito with green sauce every day at Del Taco, I probably would. But I can’t so I make my own Bean and Cheese burrito.

Go buy some nonfat lime and chile refried beans for your pantry. One can will last you several days. Buy pre-shredded cheese it just makes life easier when you are in a hurry.

Layer some beans, shredded cheese and salsa inside a burrito. Roll and nuke in the microwave for 30 seconds. Eat with a piece of fruit.

Simple Salads That Make You Feel Gourmet –

I do eat a lot of salads, since portion control is easy and they lend themselves to whatever you can grab out of your refrigerator. I always keep a bag of pre-washed baby spinach leaves in the refrigerator and I grow Arugula this time of year so I always have my favorite greens on hand.

Pear and Pecan Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette. Prep time 2-5 minutes

I used canned pears or fresh pears — whatever I have in the house that day. You can also use store bought vinaigrette instead of homemade.

Recipe Here

Taboulleh Salad prep time: 1 hour 5 minutes

I love this stuff. It does take some prep time but you can make it once and have enough for 2 or 3 lunches. And mostly the prep is just letting the tabbouleh sit and soak for an hour. Once it is done you just pull it out of the refrigerator and eat it.

Recipe Here

One more salad: Cowboy Caviar Prep time 5 minutes

Low fat and filling and lasts for days. This stuff is amazing plus it doubles as a side for dinner. Protein and veggie packed, this is one of my all time favorites with a side of corn chips.

Recipe here Courtesy of From Our Tummies To Yours

My favorite lunch for when “If I have to prepare anything I won’t eat” days.

Frozen steamable EDAMAME with Sea Salt

Soybeans are packed with protien and fiber and they are filling for those in a hurry days. Have a side of Greek yogurt and you have a power lunch. I buy the microwaveable 2 serving boxes.

What is your favorite quick but tasty lunch?

]]> http://utah.todaysmama.com/2013/04/11/mama-needs-to-eat-too-5-fast-lunch-ideas-for-mom/feed/ 1 http://utah.todaysmama.com/2013/04/05/recipe-for-the-best-cookie-bars-in-the-world-aka-fudgy-wuggies/ http://utah.todaysmama.com/2013/04/05/recipe-for-the-best-cookie-bars-in-the-world-aka-fudgy-wuggies/#comments Fri, 05 Apr 2013 10:00:34 +0000 Karen Petersen http://utah.todaysmama.com/?p=24101 Best Cookie Bars Recipe

This recipe came from my sisters Home Ec Cookbook from 1991…our family has been making them ever since.  They are the perfect combination of chocolate and cookie and oats.  These cookie bars are my favorite thing to make for potlucks or when we’re having company over for dessert.  My husband likes to eat them best hot right out of the oven with ice cream.  I like to eat them best when they are cooled completely (the fudgy part is solidified).  Either way, you’ll love this recipe.

Cookie Bars Recipe

Makes a 9 x 13 pan

• 12 oz package of semi sweet chocolate chips (use a good brand like guittard or ghiradelli)
• 1/4 cup evaporated milk
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup butter (no margarine)
• 1 tsp vanilla

Preheat the oven to 350.  In a microwave safe bowl, melt chocolate chips, milk, butter and sugar together in the microwave for one minute.  Stir and if needed cook for another minute.  Add vanilla and stir.  Set aside.

• 1 cup unsalted butter (no margarine), at room temperature (not melted, not hard)
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 3 cups quick oats
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp soda
• 1 tsp salt

Cream butter and sugar in a standing mixer until fluffy (I like to mix for about 2 minutes until it is really fluffy and changes texture and color).  Beat in the eggs until well mixed.  Add in the vanilla.  Gradually add in the dry ingredients.  Lastly stir in the oats.  Grease a 9 x 13 pan or line with parchment paper.  Spread 2/3 of mixture in bottom of pan.  Use hands that have a little water on them so that the dough doesn’t stick.  Top with the chocolate mixture and spread evenly over the dough.  Drop remaining oatmeal mixture in little chunks all over the chocolate.  It won’t cover it completely but it should be well distributed.  Bake for about 20-25 minutes until the top is just starting to get a little brown…don’t overbake.  Eat cookie bars hot or cold!  Enjoy this recipe! These cookie bars are the best!

More Cookie Bars and on TodaysMama.com:

Sugar Cookie Bars Recipe

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie Bars Recipe

These are my new favorite muffins!  They are healthy and so tasty that kids and adults alike will be happy.  I love how they don’t have any butter or oil but are still moist.  They only have 1/4 cup of sugar in them so they are not overly sweet.  I like to use muffin liners and then freeze the leftovers for school lunches or after-school snacks.  Hope you enjoy these as much as I did!

• 2 cups whole wheat flour (I like to use whole wheat flour that has been ground from soft white wheat)
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup skim milk
• 2 whole bananas, mashed
• 1-2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (I used frozen, no need to defrost)

1.  In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, oats, baking powder, cinnamon and sugar.  Stir together.

2.  Add in the mashed banana and milk.  Stir gently until all ingredients are combined.  Do not overmix.

3.  Fold in the blueberries.

4.  Use an ice cream scoop to scoop into muffin tins (line with liners or grease the pans).

5.  Bake in a an oven that has been preheated to 350 degrees F.  Bake for about 18-22 minutes.  (I noticed that using frozen blueberries will take a bit longer, just keep an eye on them.  Stick a toothpick in a muffin and when it comes out clean they are done!)

This is my rendition of her traditional coconut cake.  To make things extra easy, I use a doctored cake mix.  Time after time when I serve this cake, everyone asks for the recipe.  It tastes like homemade!  I traded in the green food coloring for toasted coconut and instead of jelly beans, I used milk chocolate Cadbury mini eggs.  Because who doesn’t love those addictive little eggs and their irresistible candy shell?  Plus their pastel colors are very pretty on top of the coconut cake in the little brown nests.

The other change I made was to fill it with dulce de leche, the favorite of my husband and children.  It’s perfect with the coconut and the next day or so, if there are any leftovers, it sort of soaks into the cake.  Think:  caramel tres leches cake.  Oh mama, this coconut cake is good!  It could also be filled with tangy lemon or lime curd, your favorite jam, or even chocolate ganache.

I really love coconut, so I like to make sure it’s in every component of the cake.  The frosting is a basic butter-powdered sugar buttercream, and instead of milk, I use coconut milk.  For even more coconut flavor, you can also melt a tablespoon or so of coconut oil and beat it in, or use a little pure coconut extract.  Not that imitation–you don’t want it to taste like suntan lotion!

Happy Easter!

Easy Easter Coconut Cake

Ingredients:

For cake:
1 white or yellow cake mix (not prepared)
1 stick butter, cut into 8 pieces
Coconut milk to replace the water, reserve excess for icing (1 can should be enough)
3 eggs
 1 cup sweetened or unsweetened, shredded coconut

For filling:
1 cup dulce de leche, store-bought or homemade

For frosting:
1 1/2 sticks cool butter, cut into tablespoon-sized pieces
3 1/2 cups to 4 cups powdered sugar
3-4 Tbsp. coconut milk
1 Tbsp. melted coconut oil or 1/2 tsp. pure coconut extract (optional)

Topping ideas:
1-2 cups shredded coconut (I usually use unsweetened, but sweetened is fine too)
1/2 cup toasted coconut
Cadbury mini eggs or jelly beans

Instructions:
For cake:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 8 or 9″ round cake pans and dust the inside with a little flour. Line each with a round of wax or parchment paper. Grease the wax paper.

Place shredded coconut in the bowl of a food processor* and process until all the coconut is finely chopped. Remove half and place in a separate bowl for filling.

Add the dry cake mix to the food processor bowl and scatter the butter over the top. Pulse until the mixture looks like cornmeal and no large chunks of butter remain. With the food processor running on low, add the eggs and coconut milk. Process until the batter is very thick, but be careful not to over process. (Maybe 30 seconds to 1 minute tops.)

Evenly divide the batter between the two cake pans. Bake for the time recommended on the cake mix box. The cake will be done when the top is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Let the cakes cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes. Run a thin knife around the edge to loosen the cakes and turn them out onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

For filling:
Place on of the cooled cake layers on a cake platter or serving plate and top with the dulce de leche. Spread over the cake layer, leaving about 1/2″ border to allow for a little more spreading when it is topped with the second cake layer. Chill until ready to top with the frosting.

For frosting:
Beat the butter until fluffy. Add the powdered sugar alternately with the coconut milk and continue beating until the frosting is very fluffy reaches the desired spreading consistency. If using the melted coconut oil or extract, add that and beat a little longer. (It’s better to err on the side of too thick with this. Place in the fridge to firm up a little if it becomes runny.)

To finish and decorate:
On the chilled cake, apply a small amount of the coconut frosting on the tops and sides, smoothing well with a flat metal spatula. This is called a crumb coat. Let the cake chill for a little bit so the frosting will firm up.

Next, spread a good amount of the coconut frosting again on the top and around the sides or the cake. It doesn’t have to be too smooth this time. Just make sure to cover it well. Carefully use your hands to press the coconut into the sides and top of the cake. Form small circles on top with the toasted coconut and use your finger to make a hole in the center, like a nest. Place a few Cadbury mini eggs into the nest. Chill cake until ready to serve. But, remove the cake from the fridge about 20 minutes before serving so it is easier to cut into slices.

Yield: One 8-9″ layer cake, 8-12 slices.

*Note: If you don’t have a food processor, just leave the coconut whole. To make the cake with an electric mixer, place the dry cake mix into the mixing bowl along with the coconut. Add the tablespoons of butter and mix until crumbly on low speed with an electric mixer. Add the eggs and coconut milk and beat for 2 minutes. Proceed with the other directions as written.

Here are some how-to photos to help with decorating the coconut cake:

I tweaked the recipe a little of course..

Here is what the “Flour” looks like. Any guesses….. It’s Cashews and Oats.

And here is the finished treat. OH MY GOODNESS, they really are so good.

Recipe:

Raw Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites
1 C raw cashews
1/2 C oats
3 Tbsp Agave
1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
1/4 c Chocolate Chips (I used Mini chocolate chips)

I used a 1 teaspoon measuring spoon and make the balls with this and put them on parchment/wax paper in a Tupperware bowl and put them in the freezer. I actually doubled the recipe this morning because they are such a good snack. My 2 year old LOVES them. I also had my dad try them because he is diabetic and loves his treats. He said that this would be a good alternative to his bags of chips he eats. After there frozen, (which is you put on in your mouth frozen there still soft enough you won’t break a tooth) I took little cups and separated them so I could have 8 a day. YEP 8!!

Here is the original Recipe from Loves Veggies and Yoga

Photo Credit: Me (from this morning)

Other fun Recipes:

Pumpkin Pie Milkshake

Strawberry Watermelon lemonade