healthy eating

Strawberry, Banana, Chocolate Neopolitan Layered Oats

June 3, 2014 by Bethany And Rachel 2 Comments

Can you guess what my favorite ice cream flavor is from the title of this post? Well, if you can’t, it’s obviously Neapolitan! The vanilla, strawberry and chocolate flavors combine perfectly in your mouth while the ice cream slowly melts resulting in a great childhood memory. If you didn’t know, Neapolitan ice cream is extremely processed, only fake ingredients. The vanilla is made with artificial vanilla extract, the strawberry layer is made with strawberry “flavoring”, and the chocolate is not even made with real cocoa. Yes, I know, it’s a sad truth, but I have some great news. I recreated these flavors in a breakfast parfait that I like to call Neopoliatian Layered Oats, the all-natural version. The pink layer is made with real strawberries, the “white” layer is made with bananas and real vanilla extract and the chocolate layer is made with real cocoa. Preservative free and great tasting, you will be wondering why you have not had Neapolitan flavors in oats, ever. Bye-bye Preservative and sugar-filled fake ice-cream, and hello to the fresh, new and all-natural way to have your favorite flavors for breakfast!

Strawberry, Banana, Chocolate Neopolatian Layered Oats

Strawberry Layer

1/4 cup dry oats
1/4 cup almond milk
4 strawberries
1 tsp. Honey

1. In a food processor, blend all ingredients together until fully blended

2. Place oats in a bowl and microwave for 1 minute or until fully cooked

Banana Layer

1/4 cup dry oats
1/4 cup almond milk
1/2 ripe banana
1 tsp. Pure vanilla extract

1. In a food processor, blend all ingredients together until fully blended.

2. Place oats in another bowl(not the same as the strawberry layer) and microwave for 1 minute or until fully cooked

Chocolate Layer

1/4 cup dry oats
1/4 cup almond milk
1 heaping tbsp. Cocoa powder
1 tsp. Honey

1. In a food processor, blend all ingredients together until fully blended.

2. Place oats in another separate bowl and microwave for 1 minute or until fully cooked

Toppings (optional)

Sliced Strawberries
Plain or vanilla Greek yogurt
Unsweetened coconut
Fresh Blueberries

Layering Directions

1. Get a bowl or a glass jar and place the strawberry layer on the bottom, top with sliced strawberries

2. Place banana layer on top of strawberries and cover with some plain yogurt

3. Layer chocolate oats on top of yogurt and top off with some coconut and fresh blueberries, if desired

Health Benefits

Fiber
Antioxidants
Calcium
No preservatives
Natural flavor and colors
No added sugar
Low fat

This breakfast is guaranteed to fill you up, and taste like the ice-cream flavor! What more could you want!!! What’s your favorite ice-cream flavor???

Caprice Eggplant Dumpling Appetizers

June 2, 2014 by Bethany And Rachel Leave a Comment

You know those certain words that just put a smile on your face every time you hear/say it? Well that’s what the word Dumpling is to me. It’s just makes me happy! Well after reflecting upon the word Dumpling, I really wanted to make some! Traditional dumplings are heavily processed and usually deep fried/pan fried containing a lot of saturated fats. I had a surplus amount of eggplant in the fridge and was thinking about a creative way to use it, so naturally, I put two and two together to create an eggplant dumpling. Being Italian, it was quite natural to add the caprice salad touch with an unexpected yet delicious surprise, hummus! These little dumplings are great for a healthy and easy appetizer if you are looking to wow someone (which, lets face it, we are always trying to impress someone). Go ahead and show these little gems to your friends and family, I promise you won’t let them down!

Caprice Eggplant Dumpling Appetizers

One Small Eggplant
1/3 cup hummus
1 large tomato
Mozzarella cheese
Fresh basil leaves

Cut eggplant lengthwise into thin strips then place on baking sheet coated with cooking spray, sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook at 350 degrees for about 20-30 minutes or until tender
let eggplant strips cool and then divide hummus among the strips and spread evenly
place a tomato slice in the center of each eggplant strip and fold over
Place a small piece of mozzorella cheese in the center (where the two ends meet from strip)
Place Dumpllings on a baking sheet coated with baking spray and cook for about 10 minutes, or until cheese melts
Place a fresh basil leaf in the center of the cheese

Health Benefits

All natural
Fiber
Vitamins, minerals and antioxidants
No added sugar
Good fat
Low calorie
No preservatives

What are your favorite healthy appetizers???

Dessert for Breakfast: Banana Creme Pie Layered Oats

June 2, 2014 by Bethany And Rachel 5 Comments

Every morning I make my Dad breakfast. I know I don’t have to, but I like to make life a little easier for him so he can have a hassle-free morning. My Dad is a big eater, meaning he will eat literally anything and everything. He especially has a sweet tooth for cakes and pies. I wanted to make him something extra special for breakfast this morning and decided to recreate one of his favorite pies for a sweet surprise. Banana creme pie, in my opinion, is the absolute best pie known to man. The flavor of the banana and vanilla wafers blend together into a wonderful explosion in your mouth. Unfortunately it’s very high in fat and calories, plus a ton of preservatives add up to this pie’s downside. The good news, however, is I made a healthy breakfast version of this dessert, so not only can you enjoy the same flavors without the fat,sugar and calories, but you can also enjoy it for breakfast! This healthy replica of this dessert will satisfy your sweet-tooth and all of your body’s needs in one shot!

Banana Creme Pie Oats

1/2 cup dry oats
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup plain yogurt
1/2 tbsp. honey
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 small banana, cut into slices
1 tbsp. crushed walnuts

1. Place oats and water in a bowl and microwave for about 1 1/2-2 minutes

2. Place yogurt in a small bowl and mix in honey and vanilla extract

3. Get a jar, or another bowl and start to layer ingredients. Place 1/2 of the oatmeal on the bottom, then place 1/2 the banana slices on top of the oats. Next, place all of the yogurt mixture on top of bananas. Place rest of oatmeal on top of yogurt and top off with the remaining banana slices and crushed walnuts.

Health Benefits

Lots of fiber
Vitamins and minerals
Calcium
Low glycemic carbs
low-fat
All-natural
No added sugar or preservatives

This decadent breakfast will be guaranteed to fill your stomach, and your taste buds. Comment your favorite flavor of pie and I will recreate it into a healthy, yet tasteful breakfast!

healthy eating

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