Author: Stephanie

Winter Citrus Salad

Winter Citrus Salad

With citrus season in full swing – grapefruit, oranges, mandarins, tangerines, you name it.  So dang refreshing and also beautiful with all the colors.  Absolutely perfect when you want a stunning side dish, or to eat with your eyes…me every meal. You can really mix…

Spicy Tuna Burgers with Cabbage Slaw

Spicy Tuna Burgers with Cabbage Slaw

I’m not gonna lie, when I first was going to make these burgers I went back and forth on if they even sounded good.  I don’t think it helped that my hubby was adamant that they wouldn’t…such an optimist.  He had a bad experience with…

Pineapple Cauliflower Fried Rice

Pineapple Cauliflower Fried Rice

When two of my favorite things collide I am overcome with joy.  For example, this mashup of my favorites -pineapple and fried rice is the best!  You could make it with regular or brown rice by swapping cooked rice for the cauliflower rice step and it would be absolutely delicious.  But, when you’re low carb-ing it watching your girlish figure, or just trying to incorporate as many veggies as possible, this cauliflower rice version is everything!

I love it, the hubby loves it, even my little guy loves it.  Plus, when you serve it in the pineapple halves it makes it so fun and pretty and you seem like a gosh darn goddess of the kitchen!  And you totally are, so eat like it!

Pineapple Cauliflower Fried Rice

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons avocado oil
  • 1-pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 1 tablespoon pink Himalayan salt
  • 1 tablespoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon ginger, minced or grated
  • 4 – 6 cloves of garlic, minced (I’m a garlic freak so I play more in the 6 realm)
  • ¼ medium red onion, finely chopped
  • 1 medium red bell pepper, finely chopped
  • 2 eggs, whisked
  • 16 oz cauliflower rice
  • ½ cup frozen peas
  • 1 pineapple, halved and inners scooped out; roughly chop 1 cup and juices reserved
  • 2 tablespoons coconut aminos
  • 3 tablespoons pineapple juice
  • ½ tablespoon sriracha, optional
  • 1 teaspoon curry powder
  • 2 green onions, thinly sliced
  • ½ cup cilantro, finely chopped, optional

 

Instructions

  1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Season shrimp with ½ tablespoon of salt and ½ tablespoon of pepper.  Add to hot pan and cook 2 minutes on each side.  Remove and set aside.
  2. Add additional 1 tablespoon of oil to pan. Add garlic, ginger, and red onion to the pan and cook about 30 seconds just until fragrant.  Add red pepper and cook additional 1 minute.  Add whisked eggs and cauliflower rice as well as remaining salt and pepper and stir constantly to coat rice in egg.  Allow rice to cook for 2-3 minutes to allow some of the moisture to escape.
  3. In a small bowl mix together aminos, pineapple juice, sriracha, if using, and curry powder. Pour into the fried rice and stir to coat.  Add shrimp and peas and allow to cook additional 2-3 minutes.  Taste and add additional salt and pepper if needed.  Stir in pineapple chunks, green onions, and cilantro.

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Sometimes I’m in need of quick grab and go breakfasts or snacks, as well as my husband who leaves for work So. Dang. Early.  These little muffins are the best!  They’re delicious and when you pop them in the microwave for like 10 seconds to…

Crispy Cumin Chickpea Buddha Bowl

Crispy Cumin Chickpea Buddha Bowl

I’m someone who could easily be a vegetarian.  Especially, when I eat Buddha Bowls.  They’re just so dang good.  I love all of the colors and different flavors.  Definitely an enjoyable meal. These Crispy Chickpeas have such a good texture and the cumin and turmeric…

Snix – a healthy candy bar

Snix – a healthy candy bar

I think my husband’s world came crashing down when he learned he developed a peanut allergy at 31.  That meant no more Snickers, which were his favorite splurge treat.  He now has turned to Twix to get his candy bar fix on those rare occasions.  He’s not sure why or how he developed the peanut allergy, but his doctor said it was something that was common once a person turns 30 to develop an intolerance to a certain food.

I wanted to make something for by hubby so he could feel like he was still eating something rather close to a Snickers, but he could eat with zero issues.  Since he now is a fan of Twix, I wanted to combine those two hit candy bars.  That’s how these Snix were born.  An almond flour shortbread only sweetened with maple syrup, with a layer of almond butter, or whatever nut butter your prefer, a layer of my Coconut Milk Caramel Sauce, and then a layer of dark chocolate. 

My husband and I are both not huge fans of chocolate, we’re in the minority I know, so I chose to do a heavy drizzle of dark chocolate over top.  If you’re a chocolate fanatic like majority of people, then you go right ahead and get heavy handed with that layer, or freeze once you get he caramel layer on, then cut into candy bars and dunk each bar in chocolate so it’s covered like the real Snickers of Twix.  I may actually try that the next time I make these to see if I can get a somewhat thin but even layer coating…

Snix – a healthy candy bar

  • Servings: about 16 candy bars
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Ingredients

Shortbread

  • 2 cups almond flour
  • 1/8 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 4 ½ – 5 ½ tablespoons granulated sugar or pure maple syrup
  • 4 ½ tablespoons milk of choice ONLY if using granulated sugar

Nut Butter Layer

  • 1 cup nut butter of choice, melted or spreadable

Coconut Milk Caramel Sauce

Chocolate Layer

  • 1 cup chocolate chips (or really however much you want)
  • 1 teaspoon oil

 

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 325⁰F. Grease an 8×8 pan and line with parchment paper.  In a large bowl combine flour, salt, baking soda and mix until combined.  Add the vanilla, sweetener and milk, if using.  Mix until combined and only slightly crumbly.  Add additional maple syrup or milk to get proper consistency.  Press mixture evenly into bottom of pan using wet hands. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until a light golden brown.  Let cool completely.
  2. While shortbread bakes, prepare the Coconut Milk Caramel Sauce and let cool completely.
  3. Spread your nut butter layer evenly over top of the shortbread mixture and refrigerate or freeze for 10-15 minutes until set. Spread about half of the caramel sauce over top of the nut butter layer.  Place in freezer for 10-15 minutes to set.
  4. Melt chocolate chips with oil in a microwave safe bowl for 30 seconds, stir, then repeat microwaving in 10 second intervals and stirring until completely melted.
  5. Drizzle or pour over top of caramel layer and refrigerate for at least 10-15 minutes until chocolate is hardened.