Tag

healthy

Browsing
30 Minutes or Less

Stuffed Dates with Cream Cheese, Pistachios, and Honey

By
close-up overhead image of stuffed dates with cream cheese, pistachios, and honey.

Fancy, but super easy stuffed dates with cream cheese, pistachios, and a drizzle of honey! A perfect no-bake appetizer or snack that comes together in just a few minutes. They’re gluten-free with a dairy-free and vegan option!

honey being drizzled over stuffed dates.

What You’ll Need to Make Stuffed Dates

Medjool Dates – Soft and sticky medjool dates are naturally sweet and totally delicious! I enjoy medjool dates completely on their own, but stuffed with cream cheese, pistachios, and honey take them over the top. You can either buy dates with the pits removed, or buy whole dates and remove the pits yourself before eating.

Cream Cheese – Either cream cheese or goat cheese will work great in this recipe. Both are soft, creamy, and perfectly tangy. A scoop of soft cheese helps to balance out the sweetness of these stuffed dates.

Pistachios – A sprinkling of chopped pistachios contribute the perfect crunch to this dish! Without it, these dates are all one texture, and lack variety. Therefore, for an exciting appetizer, add some chopped pistachios, or your favorite chopped nut to the top of these stuffed dates.

Honey – The finishing touch to this fancy-tasting app is a drizzle of honey. After we’ve added in all our savory components, it’s always nice to round out the dish with an extra bit of sweetness.

Flaky Salt – I seriously put this Maldon flaky sea salt on everything! It instantly elevates any dish, and makes it taste like you spent hours on it, when in reality these stuffed dates come together in under 5 minutes.

stuffed dates on a plate.

Tips and Tricks

  • If your dates are too hard/dried out, zap them in the microwave for about 20 seconds. This’ll heat them up just enough to help them open with ease!
  • Prep these dates ahead of your next dinner party or potluck! If prepping more than an hour in advance, I recommend leaving the pistachios and honey off your stuffed dates until right before serving. Leaving them to sit for too long could cause the pistachios to go soft and soggy.
  • Feel free to totally customize this recipe and make it your own! Use any soft cheese you’d like, and any chopped nut you’d like. Have fun with this appetizer, and don’t overcomplicate it!
close-up image of stuffed dates on a plate.

Adjust this Recipe to Your Dietary Needs

Make it Dairy-Free: For a dairy-free version, stuff these dates with your favorite non-dairy cream cheese instead.

Make it Vegan: Make these stuffed dates vegan by taking the dairy-free option above, and replacing the honey with a drizzle of maple syrup!

close-up overhead image of stuffed dates with cream cheese, pistachios, and honey.
4.03 from 43 votes

Stuffed Dates with Cream Cheese, Pistachios, and Honey

Fancy, but super easy stuffed dates with cream cheese, pistachios, and a drizzle of honey! A perfect no-bake appetizer or snack that comes together in just a few minutes.
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 12 servings

Ingredients

  • 12 medjool dates, pits removed and sliced open
  • 4 ounces cream cheese (or goat cheese)
  • 1/4 cup chopped pistachios
  • honey, for drizzling
  • pinch of flaky salt

Instructions

  • Fill the cavity of each date with a couple teaspoons of cream cheese.
  • Press chopped pistachios into the cream cheese on top of each date.
  • Arrange stuffed dates on a serving plate, drizzle with honey, then sprinkle with a pinch of flaky salt.

Nutrition

Calories: 300kcal
View Post
By
30 Minutes or Less

Shrimp Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce

By
close-up overhead image of shrimp spring rolls on a plate with peanut sauce.

Fun and delicious shrimp spring rolls with an irresistibly good peanut dipping sauce! These spring rolls are an easy and exciting way to pack veggies into your diet – they’re super healthy and tasty.

overhead image of shrimp spring rolls on a plate with peanut sauce on the side.

What You’ll Need to Make Shrimp Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce

Spring Rolls Rice Wrappers – These light little rice-based wraps are what hold these spring rolls together! I’ve had lots of luck finding these at my local grocery store, in the ethnic food aisle. However, if you can’t seem to track these thin rice sheets down, I recommend ordering these on Amazon. Leftover rice wrappers? Try making my summer rolls recipe next!

Cooked Shrimp – Buy pre-cooked shrimp, or quickly boil it yourself before adding to your shrimp spring rolls. The only thing to note here is that you must remove the tails from your shrimp for this recipe! Removing the tails can happen either before or after cooking – it makes no difference.

Fresh Mint and Cilantro – These Asian-inspired rolls taste extra fresh thanks to a few sprigs of fresh mint and cilantro! I highly recommend adding fresh herbs to your rolls. Though if you don’t like cilantro, or don’t like mint, simply swap it out for a different fresh herb.

Peanut Butter – Unsweetened creamy peanut butter is the base to our peanut sauce. However, if you don’t like peanut butter, you can use cashew butter instead. Or, for a nut-free version, try tahini!

Soy Sauce – Found in most Asian recipes, soy sauce adds the perfect savory component to this dish. However, you can certainly swap out the soy sauce for tamari or coconut aminos if that’s more your thing.

shrimp spring rolls on a plate with peanut sauce and fresh limes on the side.

Tips on Handling Rice Wrappers

  • Submerge one rice wrapper at a time in the water! If you attempt more than one, they’ll stick together and you won’t be able to separate them.
  • Don’t leave the rice wrapper in the water for too long. Just 5 seconds submerged in a shallow bowl of warm water will do the trick. Leaving the wrapper to soak for too long will make it too soft and difficult to handle.
  • Place each rice wrapper (one at a time) on a damp paper towel or dish cloth before filling and rolling. The wrapper will lift easily off the damp cloth, making rolling a breeze. If you place the rice wrapper on a kitchen counter or cutting board, it’ll stick and be a nightmare to remove!
shrimp spring rolls being dipped into peanut sauce.

Adjust This Recipe to Your Dietary Needs

Make it Vegan: For vegan spring rolls, use extra firm tofu cut into strips in place of the cooked shrimp!

Make it Gluten-Free: The only non gluten-free ingredient in this recipe is the soy sauce. Therefore, use tamari instead, which tastes just like soy sauce but is 100% gluten-free!

close-up overhead image of shrimp spring rolls on a plate with peanut sauce.
No ratings yet

Shrimp Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce

Fun and delicious shrimp spring rolls with an irresistibly good peanut dipping sauce! These spring rolls are an easy and exciting way to pack veggies into your diet – they’re super healthy and tasty.
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 12 spring roll rice wrappers
  • 1-2 pounds cooked shrimp, shells and tails removed
  • 3 large carrots, peeled and sliced into matchsticks
  • 2 medium red bell peppers, seeded and sliced into matchsticks
  • 1 English cucumber, sliced into matchsticks
  • 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
  • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves

For the peanut sauce:

  • 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter, unsweetened
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
  • 1 garlic clove, grated or finely minced
  • 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated or finely minced
  • 2-3 tablespoons warm water

Instructions

  • Fill a shallow bowl with warm water. Submerge one sheet of rice wrapper in water for 5 seconds, then transfer to a clean, damp dish towel.
  • Place 2-3 shrimp, a small handful of vegetables, and a few fresh mint and cilantro leaves in the center of the wrapper. Then, fold the end closest to you over the filling, tuck sides in and towards the center, and finish rolling to create a sealed spring roll. Repeat this process with remaining rice wrappers.
  • Make the sauce by adding all ingredients to a bowl and whisking to combine.
  • Serve shrimp spring rolls with peanut dipping sauce on the side.

Nutrition

Calories: 300kcal
View Post
By
30 Minutes or Less

Sunset Spritz Mocktail Recipe

By
sunset spritz mocktail in a glass with fresh blueberries and pineapple on top.

Light and refreshing sunset spritz mocktail! Fresh blueberries and pineapples, with a hint of lime, and plenty of bubbles. This sunset spritz mocktail is so tasty, you won’t even miss the alcohol!

club soda being poured into a sunset spritz mocktail.

This mocktail is a recreation of one I enjoyed daily on my babymoon. No longer able to order an alcoholic beverage, I worked my way through the pool bar’s cocktail menu for a refreshing drink that’d still taste good without the alcohol. One day, I came across the “sunset spritz” and all ingredients sounded DELICIOUS. So I immediately ordered one …without the vodka. And OMG it was delicious! From there on out, the sunset spritz mocktail became my daily afternoon drink order. While best enjoyed poolside, I took the idea home with me and immediately recreated it. Now I can enjoy a fun, bubbly drink during happy hour (or really any hour!) that’s pregnancy-safe and oh-so good!

close-up image of sunset spritz mocktail with fresh bleuberries and pineapple on top.

What You’ll Need to Make a Sunset Spritz Mocktail

Fresh Blueberries and Pineapple – The fresh fruit in this recipe really puts it over the top! It makes this mocktail recipe feel fancy, without actually requiring a whole lot of effort. And if you don’t have fresh fruit, you can thaw frozen blueberries and pineapples instead for your drink.

Lime Juice – A touch of citrus perfectly balances the sweetness in this drink. The original recipe I enjoyed on my babymoon actually uses fresh lemon juice, but when I tried it at home I thought lime juice tasted just a little bit better. However, if you don’t have/like lime juice, feel free to use lemon instead!

Agave Nectar – I always keep a bottle of agave nectar in my bar cart for cocktail recipes! It’s a natural sweetener, and perfect replacement to simple syrup. I use agave nectar in many of my cocktail recipes, like this skinny strawberry margarita, and my Mom’s famous lime daiquiris!

Club Soda – A little bit of bubbles will make your sunset spritz mocktail taste like an actual cocktail! Put as much or as little club soda in your drink as you’d like. I personally prefer a super light and refreshing mocktail, so I fill my glass all the way to the top with unflavored club soda.

sunset spritz mocktail in a glass with fresh blueberries and pineapple on top.

Add Alcohol

  • Turn this mocktail recipe into a cocktail recipe with the addition of 1 ounce of vodka! I look forward to giving this a try post-pregnancy.
sunset spritz mocktail in a glass with fresh blueberries and pineapple on top.
5 from 5 votes

Sunset Spritz Mocktail Recipe

Light and refreshing sunset spritz mocktail! Fresh blueberries and pineapples, with a hint of lime, and plenty of bubbles. This sunset spritz mocktail is so tasty, you won’t even miss the alcohol!
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 3 minutes
Total Time: 3 minutes
Servings: 1 drink

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup fresh blueberries
  • 4-5 pineapple chunks
  • 1 ounce lime juice
  • 1 ounce agave nectar
  • club soda

Instructions

  • Add the fresh blueberries and pineapple chunks to a glass, then muddle until fruit is broken down.
  • Add in lime juice and agave nectar, then stir to combine.
  • Fill glass with ice, then top with club soda.

Nutrition

Calories: 300kcal
View Post
By
30 Minutes or Less

Healthy Carrot Cake Cookies (gluten-free!)

By
Close-up overhead image of carrot cake cookies on a baking sheet.

Soft and perfectly sweet carrot cake cookies with a cream cheese icing! Gluten-free, dairy-free, and naturally sweetened with maple syrup. These healthy carrot cake cookies are the perfect springtime (or anytime) treat!

Healthy gluten-free carrot cake cookies on a baking sheet.

What You’ll Need to Make Carrot Cake Cookies

Oat Flour – Either homemade or store-bought oat flour will work in this cookie recipe! Oat flour replaces all purpose flour, making these cookies gluten-free.

Almond Butter – Smooth and unsweetened almond butter helps hold these cookies together. If you don’t have almond butter, you can use any other nut or seed butter you’d like. Cashew butter would make a great substitute here!

Maple Syrup – These healthy carrot cake cookies are naturally sweetened with maple syrup. The maple adds a touch of flavor, and the perfect amount of sweetness.

Shredded Carrots – Wash and peel about three large carrots, then run them down a box grater to make shredded carrots. Or, to make things even easier, simply buy pre-shredded carrots from the store for this dessert recipe!

Overhead image of healthy gluten-free carrot cake cookies on a baking sheet.

Tips and Tricks

  • Gently flatten each carrot cake cookie before baking. If you skip this step, they’ll bake up like round little balls. Therefore, for a more classic flat-looking cookie, give them a gentle press right before putting in the oven.
  • Allow your cookies to cool completely before icing! If the cookies are still too warm when iced, the cream cheese icing will melt and slide right off. (I’ve learned from my mistakes here – ha!)
  • These cookies are best stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. However, if you live in a warm client/are baking these in the summer – it’s best to store them in the fridge instead. If the cookies with cream cheese icing are left in too warm of an environment, the icing may melt and spoil.
close up image of a healthy gluten-free carrot cake cookie with a bite taken out.

Adjust This Recipe to Your Dietary Needs

Make it Dairy-Free: While the cookies themselves are already dairy-free, make a dairy-free cream cheese icing by subbing your favorite non-dairy cream cheese, butter, and milk.

Make it Vegan: For vegan carrot cake cookies, replace the egg with a flax egg, and take the dairy-free icing option above!

Close-up overhead image of carrot cake cookies on a baking sheet.
5 from 3 votes

Carrot Cake Cookies

Soft and perfectly sweet carrot cake cookies with a cream cheese icing! Gluten-free, dairy-free, and naturally sweetened with maple syrup. These healthy carrot cake cookies are the perfect springtime (or anytime) treat!
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 27 minutes
Servings: 24 cookies

Equipment

  • 1 large bowl
  • 1 medium bowl
  • 1 large baking sheet

Ingredients

For the dry ingredients:

  • 1 cup rolled oats
  • 1 cup oat flour made by pulsing rolled oats in a blender until ground into a flour
  • 1/2 cup almond flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

For the wet ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup almond butter unsweetened
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil melted (or butter)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 egg at room temperature
  • 1 cup shredded carrots
  • 1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans unsalted
  • 1/4 cup raisins

For the cream cheese icing:

  • 1/4 cup cream cheese softened (I used non-dairy cream cheese)
  • 3 tablespoons butter softened (I used non-dairy butter)
  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 2-3 tablespoons milk (I used non-dairy milk)
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Add all dry ingredients to a large bowl and whisk to combine.
  • Then, in a separate bowl, add all the wet ingredients except the carrots, walnuts, and raisins, and whisk to combine.
  • Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and use mix until fully combined. Then, fold in the carrots, walnuts, and raisins.
  • Scoop tablespoon-sized balls of cookie dough onto your prepared baking sheet and slightly flatten each ball with the palm of your hand.
  • Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown around the edges. Then, transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
  • While cookies cool, make the cream cheese icing by adding all ingredients to a bowl and whisking until smooth and well-combined. Then, spread or pipe cream cheese icing on top of each cooled cookie.

Notes

Nutrition info is for one cookie out of 24 cookies and does not include the cream cheese icing.
  • These cookies are best stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. However, if you live in a warm client/are baking these in the summer – it’s best to store them in the fridge instead.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 119kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 6g | Sugar: 5g
View Post
By
30 Minutes or Less

Spring Mix Salad with Blueberries, Almonds, Feta, and Honey Vinaigrette

By
Close-up overhead image of spring mix salad in a bowl.

Fresh and seasonal spring mix salad with blueberries, almonds, feta cheese, and a simple honey vinaigrette! The perfect warm-weather lunch or side dish, loaded with healthy ingredients.

Overhead image of spring mix salad in a bowl with water on the side.

What You’ll Need To Make Spring Mix Salad

Spring Mix Lettuce – Spring mix is a simple assortment of dark leafy greens. Each brand makes theirs a little differently, but every batch of spring mix is flavorful and super healthy. If you can’t find any spring mix, you can certainly turn this into a spinach salad instead, with 5 ounces of fresh baby spinach.

Sliced Almonds – Every salad needs a little crunch! I love buttery, lightly toasted sliced almonds in my spring mix salad. However, if you don’t have any almonds, any chopped nut will go great in this recipe. Or for a nut-free version, add in some roasted sunflower seeds instead!

Feta Cheese – Some salty feta cheese takes this spring mix salad over the top! Add as much to your salad as your heart desires. Or, if you don’t have any feta, a nice soft goat cheese also tastes great here. And for a vegan or dairy-free option, simply leave the cheese out of the salad – still super tasty!

Honey – A touch of honey balances out the otherwise extremely savory vinaigrette. With plenty of balsamic vinegar, the vinaigrette needs a little sweetness to help mellow it out. And for a vegan version, replace the honey with two tablespoons of maple syrup.

Honey vinaigrette being poured over spring mix salad.

Tips and Tricks

  • Dress the salad right before serving! Avoid storing this salad already dressed, since the vinaigrette will cause the spring mix to wilt. So if prepping ahead of time, keep the honey vinaigrette on the side until ready to eat.
  • Have fun with this healthy salad recipe! This simple lunch or side dish is a great way to use up any fresh veggies or berries you might have on-hand. Strawberries taste delicious in place of the blueberries, and a yellow onion can be subbed in for the red onion.

Add Protein

For a heartier meal, add any of the following:

Close-up overhead image of spring mix salad in a bowl.
5 from 1 vote

Spring Mix Salad with Blueberries, Almonds, Feta Cheese, and Honey Vinaigrette

Fresh and seasonal spring mix salad with blueberries, almonds, feta, and a simple honey vinaigrette! The perfect warm-weather lunch or side dish, loaded with healthy ingredients.
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 6 side servings

Ingredients

  • 1 5-ounce package spring mix lettuce
  • 1 cup fresh blueberries
  • 1/2 English cucumber, chopped
  • 1/2 red onion, chopped
  • 1/2 cup sliced almonds
  • 1/4 cup feta cheese or goat cheese

For the honey vinaigrette:

  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

  • Assemble all salad ingredients in a large bowl.
  • Make the dressing by adding all ingredients to a jar with a lid, secure the lid then shake until combined. Drizzle over spring mix salad and enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 300kcal

View Post
By