Strawberry Orange Banana Popsicles

Strawberry Orange Banana Pospsicles. Easy homemade popsicles.

:: Strawberry Orange Banana Popsicles ::

It’s spring break for us this week, which means the snacking will begin at approximately 9 a.m.  Hence I have to work ahead and think of some healthier snack choices that are fun and exciting during our week off.  This Strawberry Orange Banana Popsicle recipe has to be the easiest recipe that I know.  My kids love these in the summer time, but we are on a stay cation at home, meaning that momma has to be a little more creative and these Strawberry Orange Banana Popsicles are just that.  Sweet yet healthy, they are sure to be a hit on warm day.

Strawberry Orange Banana Popsicles. Easy homemade popsicles.  [Read more…]

Key Lime Fruit Dip

Key Lime Fruit Dip

:: Key Lime Fruit Dip ::

We love a good after school snack! I don’t know about you, but it’s the first thing my kids ask for when they get home from school. This Key Lime Fruit Dip is a fun treat when the kids are craving sweets.  Madeline loves fruit and loves helping to make this easy dip.  Add a few pieces of fruit on kabob sticks and there you have an afternoon appetizer. [Read more…]

Couscous Salad

couscous salad

:: Couscous Salad ::

With or without chicken, now that is the question?  I would like to take a moment to be honest about meal planning.  Sara and I do love a good week of planned out meals and maybe that is something that you would love to see, but our lifestyle is not conducive to full planned out meals.  With both of us being married to firefighters, we are often on our own with the kids for dinner a few times a week.  This Couscous Salad is the exact type of last minute meal planning that I like to have on hand.  Simple and savory, chicken can be added last minute should Shane be home. This Couscous Salad also makes for the perfect Meatless Monday.

couscous salad [Read more…]

Walkers Shortbread Winner…

 Walker Shortbread Giveaway

:: Walkers Shortbread Winner | Strawberry Recipe Roundup ::

Sara and I are excited to announce the lucky winner of our Walkers Shortbread Giveaway!  I posted about this lovely GIVEAWAY on Thursday, along with a tasty Strawberry Shortbread Pie recipe.  Speaking of which, we have been experiencing some of the most delicious California Strawberries!  Okay, so some of you are still knee deep in snow {we are hoping for better weather for you all soon}, but in the meantime, we have listed a few of our favorite Strawberry Recipes!  We hope you like them! [Read more…]

Strawberry Shortbread Pie & Giveaway

Strawberry Shortbread Pie

:: Strawberry Shortbread Pie & Giveaway ::

Okay, so I am going to date Sara and I with this Strawberry Shortbread Pie Recipe.  We don’t talk about our age, but let’s say besides Sara being my favorite red head; Strawberry Shortcake was mine as a kid.  Luckily our girls have been able to experience one of our favorite childhood characters. Strawberry Shortcake and Cabbage Patch Kids were a big deal at the age of 5.  In fact because of Strawberry Shortcake, I had asked for a Strawberry Cake for my 6th birthday party.  From then on I loved everything that was strawberry. This Strawberry Shortbread Pie is an ode to all things strawberry.  These little red berries make me happy and their sweetness makes for a winning combination with Walkers Shortbread Round Cookies.  The mixture of the two makes for an awesome yet simple spring time pie!

Strawberry Shortbread Pie

We are a little blessed to experience these magical berries for most of the year.  Sometimes we forget that strawberries aren’t as readily available to most of the country until the summer.  Strawberries honestly, {besides all the talk of Strawberry Shortcake talk} have been a big part of my life. My Grandma Joan was a Californian Native.  She was a fourth generation Californian.  Making her family here in the state long before it was even a state.  She had a fondness for strawberries.  She liked to bake with them and she grew them in her backyard.  My sister and I loved to see the little white flowers turn into red berries.  Picking them and eating them straight from her garden was our favorite part.

In fact in a way this recipe is dedicated to her. It is my Grandma’s Strawberry Pie Recipe. I hope you enjoy it….

[Read more…]

Chewy Homemade Granola Bars

 Chewy Homemade (Gluten-Free) Granola Bars from Simply Happenstance #glutenfree #granolabars

Chewy Homemade Granola Bars //

{gluten-free}

Have you ever made homemade granola bars? They have been on my “must bake” list for quite some time. I did my research, and have read numerous reviews before finally adapting this recipe from Smitten Kitchen {which was originally adapted from the King Arthur Flour site}. What I love about these chewy, flavorful bars… is that they are so easy to adjust to your personal taste! You can customize them by adding in walnuts, pecans, chocolate chips, dark chocolate chunks, dried cranberries, cherries or apples, and sesame or pumpkin seeds… the list goes on and on. Although I think these decadent bars are already pretty healthy… you absolutely can make them healthier by changing out the granulated sugar for coconut sugar, and replacing the melted butter with coconut oil. Also… make sure if you use honey, it’s in its raw form so you can get rid of some of the processed sweeteners. 

Ingredients for Homemade Granola Bars via Simply Happenstance Blog

[Read more…]