Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie Cup

This one is hands down one of my kids favorite desserts and little do they know, it’s not actually ice cream. Give this one a try - you won’t be disappointed.

Ingredients:

Banana, frozen

1 Tbsp Peanut Butter

Splash of Unsweetened Almond Milk

Mini Chocolate Chips (optional, for topping)

Directions:

1. Add banana, peanut butter and splash of almond milk to high speed blender.

2. Blend until smooth and creamy. Note - this make take a few minutes and a couple of scrapings of the blender bowl but persist because it will get smooth and creamy and adding too much almond milk will make it thinner like an actual smoothie.

3. Spoon into a bowl and top with chocolate chips.

Gluten-Free Oatmeal Scotchies...Just In Time For the Holidays

I don’t really remember the first time I had an oatmeal scotchie but I remember knowing I loved them ever since…

To me, they have a distinctly holiday flavor - probably the warm spices and butterscotch - and I never really think about them until the holidays are rolling around. I looked and looked for a healthier version, but settled on just making my own and I’m happy to report they are delightful and taste just like the real thing. And just like any “dessert,” I wouldn’t consider this a “health” food - but I cleaned them up a bit so I could feel a little better about letting the girls loose on them :)

Ingredients:

3/4 cup Vital Farms unsalted butter, brought to room temperature

1 large egg, room temperature

1 cup coconut sugar

1 T vanilla extract

1 1/2 cup oats (I used Bob’s Red Mill GF)*

1 1/4 cup flour (I used Bob’s Red Mill GF Baking Flour)*

1/2 tsp each cinnamon, baking powder, and baking soda

1/4 tsp sea salt

pinch nutmeg (optional but encouraged)

1 cup butterscotch chips*

*I used GF ingredients to make these cookies but you could certainly use regular flour and oats (oats are naturally GF but often prepared in a way that makes them not certified GF - read your labels!) if you want and everything would work just fine!

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Make sure egg and butter are room temperature.

2. Add oats, flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, salt and nutmeg to large bowl and mix to combine. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add butter and coconut sugar and beat until light and fluffy.

3. Add egg and vanilla and mix until well incorporated.

4. Add in dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Fold in butterscotch chips.

5. Scoop 1-2 Tbsp rounded scoops of dough onto a lined cookie sheet and gently press down.

6. Bake in oven for about 4 minutes. Remove and give a hard tap in order to deflate them. Put them back in the oven for another 4 minutes and then give them another tap. Let bake 1-2 additional minutes then remove from the oven and let cook on the baking sheet (this will help them crisp up even more).