Apple Pie Breakfast Bowl

Apple Pie Breakfast Bowl Apple Pie Breakfast Bowl //

Hello, friends… we hope you’re all enjoying the fall season! Nicole and I have been staying busy with our little ones. We love having spare time to share our favorite recipes here on Simply! We also are super fortunate to be contributors over at the fabulous, Simple As That Blog! We recently shared an irresistible recipe for an APPLE PIE BREAKFAST BOWL. This dish is a new favorite… and we hope it becomes one of yours, too! 

Apple Pie Breakfast Bowl - a thick vanilla chia seed pudding topped with fall favorites!

The base of this bowl is a rich, creamy vanilla chia seed pudding. Greek yogurt, almond milk, pure maple syrup, a touch of vanilla, and loads of healthy chia seeds create the thick, slightly-sweet mixture. Sliced crisp apples, crunchy granola, dried cranberries, a dash of cinnamon, and a sprinkling of brown sugar top the pudding, making it the tastiest fall breakfast that your whole family will love! Take a peek over at Simple As That to get the recipe details! Enjoy, friends! {xo}

Apple Pie Breakfast Bowl (a recipe by Simply Happenstance for Simple As That Blog)!

Find our berry version of this breakfast dish ==> HERE! 

 

Easy to make Cashew Milk

 Easy to make Cashew Milk:: Easy To Make Cashew Milk ::

Sara and I are smoothie addicts.  I have had a smoothie for breakfast for too many years to count. Lately, I have been in love with any type of smoothie that entails cashew milk.  Instead of spending more money at my favorite juice bar, I decided to try this simple recipe on my own.  This Easy To Make Cashew Milk is as simple as it gets when it comes to dairy alternatives.

With the holidays just around the corner, life is going to need a little bit of balance. Yes yes we love sweets and we can’t wait to share them with you, but SERIOUSLY we aren’t in our twenties any more. Sweets seem to hang on a bit longer no matter what we do, so more often than not we try really hard to be healthy (I mean really hard).

I love this simple recipe for homemade Cashew Milk. It requires minimal ingredients, and it is ready in a few hours to enjoy. I am highly addicted to cashew milk as a dairy alternative. I love almond and coconut milk too, but for some reason seems it to be closer to milk and it blends thicker making for a more filling smoothie or acai bowl. This Easy To Make Cashew Milk feels like a treat and it can all be made at home. So the next time you have a craving for something sweet, try making this recipe! I promise you will like it.

Easy to make cashew milk, perfect for smoothies or acai bowls.
Print Recipe
3 from 1 vote

Easy to make Cashew Milk

Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time4 hours
Total Time4 hours 5 minutes
Course: Breakfast
Servings: 3 cups
Author: Simply Happenstance adapted by The Blender Girl

Ingredients

  • 1 cup cashews
  • 2 cups water
  • 3 cups filtered water for blending
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions

  • In a shallow bowl add one cup raw cashews and two cups water.
  • Cover with plastic wrap and let the nuts soak for 4 hours.
  • Rinse and drain the nuts until rinsing water becomes clear.
  • Add the cashews and three cups filtered water to a high speed blender.
  • Add the vanilla extract.
  • Blend until smooth.

Notes

https://healthyblenderrecipes.com/recipes/home_made_raw_cashew_milk

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Frozen Hot Chocolate

 Frozen Hot Chocolate

Frozen Hot Chocolate //

We are just days away from the official start of fall… although if you’ve cruised by a Starbucks lately, you may think we are already there with their festive cups and pumpkin spice lattes! I crave autumn, especially after spending our year-long ‘vacation from life‘ in the mountains. I, like so many others, find such comfort in throwing on a cozy sweater, a pair of warm boots, cuddling by the fire with my babes, and sipping on a warm seasonal drink! However, with all of that being said, I live in sunny Southern California, which makes it difficult to get into the fall spirit when it’s still 100 degrees outside! (I’m not complaining, friends… as I know that would be crazy! We are truly blessed with lovely year-round weather!) I honestly have to remind myself each year that I will most likely be wearing tank tops, cutoff shorts, and flip flops through Halloween. #RealityCheck! 

Frozen Hot Chocolate - this delicious recipe on simplyhappenstance.com!

Frozen Hot Chocolate

So, to get into the spirit of my favorite season (while still being practical), I decided it was time to finally make the Frozen Hot Chocolate recipe that’s been bookmarked on my computer for so long! 

Frozen Hot Chocolate

As I was savoring every sip of the creamy concoction, I was trying to find the right words to describe the heavenly drink. You might think that it’s as simple as emptying a sleeve of hot cocoa mix in hot water, stirring it up, and then blending with ice. It’s more than that…. so much more, friends! In fact… I wouldn’t say I would typically make this recipe on a whim. It takes a tiny bit more prep work (still easy, I promise!)… but it’s really worth it! The rich chocolatey flavor depends on the brand you choose. Knowing I was sharing this tasty drink with my four children, I chose to use Lindt Milk Chocolate versus a deeper dark chocolate. If I were you… I would put a little thought into what your favorite chocolate bar is, and use that as the base of your recipe! You’ll love how it turns out! 

Frozen Hot Chocolate - the perfect fall treat when the weather is still HOT outside! (simplyhappenstance.com)

So getting back to the simple deliciousness of this drink… it’s rich, chocolatey, sweet (but not too sweet), cold, thick, and frothy! It doesn’t just taste like chocolate milk, or a chocolate shake… it’s FROZEN HOT CHOCOLATE! Perfect for when you are ready for some fall faves… but it’s still hot outside! Enjoy!  

Frozen Hot Chocolate (simplyhappenstance.com) #frozenhotchocolate

Print Recipe

Frozen Hot Chocolate

This Frozen Hot Chocolate is a deliciously festive seasonal drink to enjoy when it's still hot outside! Creamy, rich, chocolatey, cold, and frothy this will quickly become a traditional family favorite! Enjoy!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
Total Time15 minutes
Course: Beverage
Servings: 2 -4
Author: Simply Happenstance (Adapted from Paula Deen - Food Network)

Ingredients

  • 4-5 ounces best-quality chocolate I used one 4.4 oz. Lindt Milk Chocolate bar
  • 2 teaspoons store bought hot chocolate mix
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups whole milk
  • 3 cups ice
  • Spray Whipped Cream optional, for garnish
  • Chocolate shavings optional, for garnish

Instructions

  • Chop/break the chocolate bar into small pieces and melt in a small heavy saucepan or in the top of a double boiler over simmering water. Stir occasionally until melted.
  • Add the hot chocolate mix and sugar, stirring constantly until combined (consistency will be smooth).
  • Remove from heat and slowly add 1/2 cup of the milk, stirring until well mixed. Cool to room temperature (about 15-30 minutes).
  • In a blender, place the remaining 1 cup of milk, creamy chocolate mixture, and the ice. Blend on high speed until smooth and the consistency of a frozen daiquiri. Immediately pour into one giant goblet (to share), or in 4 small cups. Top with whipped cream and chocolate shavings, if desired. Enjoy!

Notes

Tips // Don't use baking chocolate! Make sure you buy your favorite chocolate bar for this recipe!
Original Recipe // https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/frozen-hot-chocolate-recipe.html

Check out some of our other Fall Favorite recipes here! Happy Fall! 

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Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

Easy weeknight meal, Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

:: Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup ::

Happy day after LABOR DAY! Sara and I started school a few weeks ago, but many of our California friends are just starting today. Though, I am extremely jealous that most of my friends were able to enjoy a few more weeks of summer, I am not envious of having to establish the back to school schedule during this incredibly hot week we have ahead. Not to worry friends, we aren’t firing up the oven or stovetop just yet, we are breaking our go to recipe for Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup.

[Read more…]

Wine and Cheese Platter

The Cellar Cheese and Layer Cake Sauvignon Blanc Wine

:: Wine and Cheese ::

It’s the last “official” weekend of summer…we can’t believe that! Since I am not ready to give up white, well white wine that is, I am sharing some of my favorite cheeses paired with wine to celebrate the last days of summer and welcoming fall and all it has to offer!

How to create a cheese platter

Though summer has gone by with a blink of an eye, I am super excited for fall and the holidays. Some of my favorite times are spent over a tasty cheese platter with a fruity glass of white wine or a full bodied-red. Either way you choose, you always need a tangy cheese to go with your wine.

My favorite white wine is a crisp Sauvignon Blanc. Right now I am loving this bottle of Layer Cake. It screams summer and makes for a fun and mild white wine. It pairs perfectly with my favorite cheese choices and it is a wonderful bottle of wine to enjoy at a barbecue. 

Cheese and wine are good any time. Easy entertaining.

Okay so now for the goods, what kind of cheese do you prefer, and how do you arrange your platter? It’s all fairly simple and completely up to your taste buds. As for myself, I am not a fan of goat cheese. No matter how I have tried, I don’t like it, but that doesn’t mean I don’t add goat to my cheese platters, especially if I know that my company likes it. Buy different types of cheese if you are hosting or creating an appetizer, you don’t have to eat it! Just fill your cheese platter with a few others you love.

My go to cheeses can be found at my local cheese shop The Cellar or I do love me a crumbly Unexpected Cheddar from Trader Joe’s. I like to have a hard cheese, a semi-soft cheese, and a crumbly cheese that can be easily placed on a cracker. I mix these with nuts such as marcona almonds, pecans, and or walnuts. I also add a fruit and a sprinkling of honey that can be drizzled over cheese and crackers or nuts.  The fats from both the nuts and cheese help to bring out the flavors in the wine.

My wine and cheese platter includes the following:

Sara and I hope you enjoy this holiday weekend. We hope it’s spent well with family, friends, and of course food! For more recipe ideas, check out our recipe index under appetizers.

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Triple Berry Smoothie Pops

Triple Berry Smoothie Pops -15Triple Berry Smoothie Pops // For School Lunches

Well, it’s hard to believe… but summer vacation is officially over for my crew. Boy that went by fast! Two months out of school surely wasn’t enough! We fit in a couple road trips to far off places, a week of VBS, and some time visiting with close friends. Besides that…. we soaked up the down time together.

I’m still in denial about the school schedule and extra curricular activities. I don’t personally love being tied down to a schedule, so it’s something I struggle with every year. We’ve embarked on quite a few big changes in our family… one being the start of middle school for my oldest (wish us luck)! I hope to update the blog with photos of our summer adventures and news about this new chapter in our lives. Until then… let’s talk school lunches! 

I have to admit that I fell into a rut last year when packing their daily lunches. My oldest is pretty picky and won’t eat typical lunch items. I found myself making three to four different lunches every day. My goal was always to provide them with a healthy variety of foods, but towards the end of the school year… I was completely over it all! 

This year, I’ve started thinking about different things I could include to mix things up. I watched a few videos on school lunches, including this one from 100 Days of Real Food. I really appreciated her ideas about making at least one thing in their lunches ahead of time (like soup, homemade uncrustables, muffins, or even frozen smoothie pops)!

Triple Berry Smoothie Pops -7

That brings me to this post! I purchased these super cool silicone mighty pop reusable holders from Sunsella. They’re durable, dishwasher safe, and easy to use! Simply fill with your favorite smoothie recipe, freeze, and pop into your kids’ school lunches! 

Triple Berry Smoothie Pops -3

I don’t tend to use smoothie recipes… I prefer throwing in the fresh/frozen fruit that I have on hand. I always add a few things to make them even healthier, too … such as almond milk, coconut water, greek yogurt, nut butters, and/or chia seeds. I included some helpful tips, links to buying the molds, and also a Triple Berry Smoothie Pop recipe for you to try out! Happy lunch packing, friends!

Triple Berry Smoothie Pops -11

TIPS & LINKS //

  • Mix up your favorite healthy smoothie recipe and use a funnel to fill your silicone molds. I used this funnel from Oxo. (There is also an optional strainer you can attach to the funnel for those of you that have picky kids that don’t like chunks of fruit in their frozen pops). I used these Sunsella Mighty Pops for the mold.  
  • Leave approximately one-inch of room at the top of the mold to allow for expansion once the smoothie mixture freezes. 
  • Freeze overnight or for a minimum of 4-6 hours. 
  • Depending on your insulated lunch box, the pops may stay frozen, or turn into a cold drinkable smoothie! 
  • This is a simple recipe that the kids can help with! From my experience, if they help, they tend to be more open to trying new things! 
Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Triple Berry Smoothie Pops

A simple way to add healthy smoothies to your kids' school lunches!
Prep Time10 minutes
Total Time10 minutes
Course: School Lunches
Servings: 6
Author: Simply Happenstance

Ingredients

  • 2 cups of coconut water
  • 2 cups of fresh or frozen berries I used strawberries, blueberries and raspberries
  • 1 ripe banana
  • 1 tablespoon chia seeds
  • 1-2 tablespoons honey

Instructions

  • Add all of the ingredients into your blender.
  • Blend on high for approximately 1 minute until smooth.
  • Add in more coconut water if the mixture appears too thick.
  • Using a funnel, pour smoothie mixture into silicone molds. (I used large plastic tumblers to hold the molds in place while I poured in the liquid.)
  • Leave one-inch of room at the top of the mold to allow for expansion when the smoothie freezes.
  • Place lids on molds and freeze (standing upright -- I placed my tumblers in the freezer) for 4-6 hours.
  • These can be made ahead of time and used as desired in school lunches, for quick breakfasts, or for snacks!
  • Enjoy!

 

Triple Berry Smoothie Pops -19

Triple Berry Smoothie Pops || For School Lunches!

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