Food Archives - Page 4 of 32 - Simply Happenstance

Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

May 14, 2015

Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream //

Howdy, friends! Nicole and I had the privilege of sharing a delicious dessert recipe on one of our very favorite blogs… Simple As That! I hope that you’ll make the jump over to Rebecca’s lovely site to take a peek!

The recipe is an all-time childhood favorite of mine, recreated for my own kids to enjoy! If you have an automatic ice cream maker, this dish is quick to make and you won’t believe the flavor combination – creamy cheesecake ice cream with a thick ribbon of crunchy graham cracker crumbs and delicious homemade blueberry sauce! It’s a keepsake recipe… for sure! I hope you enjoy it!

Pineapple Angel Food Cake

May 6, 2015

:: Pineapple Angel Food Cake ::

Happy Mother’s Day to all of our friends, family, and readers! Do you have something special planned? So far, all I want to do is relax. April was a busy month….speaking of which, it was someone special’s birthday! Unfortunately, she slipped under the radar; it was Sara’s birthday! She is one amazing mama and friend. She keeps her 4 kiddos going while doing the BEST to be patient, and is always above all KIND. If we lived closer together I would make her this Pineapple Angel Food Cake. It’s a WAY……oldie but one of the best goodies that I have saved in my Recipe Organization.

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Protein Packed Energy Bites

April 28, 2015

Protein Packed Energy Bites //

There are few things I enjoy more than whipping up something delicious for my four little ones. I love knowing the ingredients that go into the foods that nourish their bodies. I also love the sweet smiles on their cute little faces when they bite into homemade treats!

This recipe is a simple one that the kids can even help with. With only a handful of healthful ingredients — this snack can be made in minutes. Their little hands are perfect for rolling the (no-bake) mixture into bite-sized balls.

I must admit, once you take your first bite, you may feel a little guilty! It’s sort of like eating a ball of cookie dough… only this time, you don’t have to sneak it!

Oatmeal, flaxseed, chia seeds, natural peanut butter, unsweetened coconut, raw honey, and chocolate chips make up the ingredients. The kids will have no idea that you are really filling up their bellies with protein-packed energy food!

These energy bites are great served as part of breakfast, packed in school lunches, eaten as an afternoon snack, prepared for upcoming road trips, for a fun day hiking, or an outing to the beach. (In fact, these little goodies will be accompanying my little girl on her field trip today!)

There are so many ways that you can customize these energy balls to make them your own! Try adding nuts, pretzels pieces, dried fruit, white chocolate, peanut butter chips, and/or endless other ingredients! (Just make sure to add enough nut butter and honey to bind it all together.) Enjoy!

Print Recipe

Protein Packed Energy Bites

Prep Time10

Total Time10

Course: Healthy Snack

Servings: 20 -25

Author: Simply Happenstance

Ingredients

1 cup dry oatmeal
2/3 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
1/2 cup peanut butter or other nut butter
1/2 cup ground flax seed
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
1/3 cup raw honey
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of sea salt

Instructions

Mix all ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl until thoroughly combined. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 1/2 hour.
Once chilled, roll into balls (I used a 1" cookie scoop to make mine bite-sized for the kids). If the mixture isn't forming/staying in a ball, simply add a bit more honey to bind it all together.
Store in an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to 1 week.
Enjoy!

Notes

Recipe adapted from: https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/no-bake-energy-bites/

Peanut Butter Smoothie With Chia Seeds

April 21, 2015

:: Peanut Butter Smoothie With Chia Seeds ::

Mondays come around far too quick for me, so breakfast at the beginning of the week has to be something that picks me up with a ton of energy and taste. This Peanut Butter Smoothie With Chia Seeds is just that. Packed with protein and the right amount of sweetness, this smoothie makes me rethink my mornings!

I think I have the notorious cause of the Mondays. How do you get over that? Yoga, mantras for having a better Monday? No matter how hard I plan and prepare for the week ahead… something gets lost in the mix. Since I can’t help that (the kiddos not being responsible for their own stuff is part of it), I can take control of making myself a healthy breakfast to start the week off right!

I drink smoothies daily. I am constantly changing the ingredients and swapping them out to create new smoothies. This Peanut Butter Smoothie With Chia Seeds is actually one of my favorite staple smoothies. It gives me the energy boost that I need in the morning, while it’s peanut butter taste makes me forget that it’s a smoothie. I like to think it’s a peanut butter shake (which makes me very happy to pretend, especially if it looks to be a long week ahead). I made this Peanut Butter Smoothie With Chia Seeds yesterday, and I am proud to say one thing started off right this week {wink}!

Print Recipe

Peanut Butter Smoothie With Chia Seeds

Prep Time5

Cook Time2

Total Time7

Course: Breakfast

Servings: 1

Author: Simply Happenstance

Ingredients

1 cup almond milk
1 tablespoon chunky peanut butter
1 scoop protein powder
1 banana
1/4 cup spinach
1 teaspoon chia seeds
ice

Instructions

In the base of the blender fill with almond milk, peanut butter, protein powder, banana, spinach, and ice.
Blend until smooth.
Top with a sprinkling of chia seeds.

For other smoothie ideas check out these smoothie recipes:

Avocado Mango Smoothie

Blueberry Pear Smoothie

Banana Almond Chia Smoothie

Banana Oatmeal Smoothie

Strawberry Tropical Cocktail

April 14, 2015

:: Strawberry Tropical Cocktail ::

It was a big birthday week for my family last week during our spring break. To celebrate I made a few of these Strawberry Tropical Cocktails. The taste of this tropical drink will take you back to your last vacation, or make you think of taking one real soon.

This Strawberry Tropical Cocktail is definitely on the skinny side so you can enjoy one or two. Sip them over appetizers in the late afternoon, or share them with a couple of girl friends and count down the days until schools out for summer!

What makes this drink feel like it should have a tiny umbrella in it is the mixture of coconut vodka with the muddled strawberries and pineapple. I have made this Strawberry Tropical Cocktail by either simply muddling the strawberries and pineapple with Stevia at the bottom of a cocktail glass or I have placed the strawberries and pineapple with Stevia in the blender. Either pureed or with fruit on the bottom, this recipe is easy to make and it will transport you to a quiet moment beach side with a cocktail in hand. Cheers to celebrating birthdays, counting down until schools out, and to enjoying these cocktails on a sunny day.

Print Recipe

Strawberry Tropical Cocktail

Prep Time5

Total Time5

Course: Cocktail

Servings: 2

Author: Strawberry Tropical Cocktail

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups sparkling water I used lime flavored
3 ounces of Coconut Vodka
1 ounce Cointreau
1 packet of Stevia
4 strawberries sliced
1/8 cup pineapple fresh or frozen
a splash of orange juice

Instructions

Divide the strawberries and the pineapple and place in two cocktail glasses.
Add half a package of stevia into each of the glasses.
Muddle the fruit and Stevia with a back of a spoon.
In a cocktail shaker add the Coconut Vodka, Cointreau, and sparkling water.
Shake until mixed but be careful to shake too hard as the sparkling water is carbonated.
Pour the mixture into the two glasses.
Top each glass with a splash of orange juice and serve with ice.
Serve and sip cold

Cheers!!

Beet Caprese Salad

April 7, 2015

Beet Caprese Salad //

Oh, don’t you just love that summer is approaching rather quickly? Even though we are only in the midst of this spring season, I am eagerly awaiting pretty summer days… filled with lazy pajama mornings, no frantic schedule, loads of time with the kids, endless amounts of sunshine, and light tasty dishes enjoyed alfresco! How about you?

This light Beet Caprese Salad is the perfect dish to accompany a warm day! I’ve had variations of it recently, while dining out. I decided to start lunching on this homemade salad during our Spring Break, since I had a little more time to focus on healthy meals. The combination of fresh vegetables, flavorful basil, creamy burrata cheese, crunchy pine nuts and slightly tangy balsamic dressing is brilliant! Your tastebuds will surely do a happy dance!

The preparation takes mere minutes if you start with pre-cooked beets (that would be my recommendation to you). I bought them in the refrigerator section at Trader Joe’s. The rest of the ingredients you can slice and layer into a bowl or platter to serve. You can omit the spinach leaves altogether, and serve this deliciousness as an appetizer (by itself), or as a topping on warm grilled bread to make bruschetta.

Regardless of how you decide to serve/eat it… you will be delighted! The freshness of the ingredients and robustness of flavor really shines through!

Print Recipe

Beet Caprese Salad

This deliciously fresh Beet Caprese Salad makes for an excellent first course or light lunch during the warmer months of the year!

Prep Time10

Total Time10

Course: Appetizer, Lunch or Dinner

Cuisine: Salad

Servings: 2

Author: Simply Happenstance

Ingredients

SALAD //
1/2 pound beets approx. 2-3 medium // scrubbed, steamed, cooled and sliced
1 ripe avocado // skinned and cut into bite-sized chunks
1 cup cherry tomatoes or 1/2 pound heirloom tomatoes // sliced
1/2 cup fresh basil // chopped or left whole
8 oz. fresh burrata cheese //drained and cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1/8 - 1/4 cup roasted pine nuts
2 cups of fresh spinach // rinsed and dried
BALSAMIC DRESSING //
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
sea salt and ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

DRESSING //
Add the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and black pepper together in a glass jar with a lid. Replace lid on the jar and shake vigorously until thoroughly combined OR mix in a small bowl using a fork to combine. Set aside or refrigerate until ready to use.
SALAD //
In a medium-sized bowl or platter, layer salad ingredients starting with the fresh spinach leaves.
Add the sliced beets, avocado, tomatoes, basil, burrata cheese, and pine nuts.
Drizzle on the balsamic dressing.
Serve and enjoy immediately!

Notes

* You can omit the spinach leaves and serve as an appetizer using the remaining ingredients. Eat this tasty beet caprese salad on its own, or serve with warm grilled bread (to make bruschetta).
* To make this recipe even easier, I purchased my beets all ready cooked and ready to eat from the refrigerator section of Trader Joe's.

Enjoy, friends! The warm days of summer are drawing near!

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