Sweet Treats Archives - Page 5 of 6 Fresh and Fit

Category: Sweet Treats

Frozen Yogurt Superfood Bars

The weekend is finally here. This is a time where many people fall off their healthy eating plan, let down their hair, and indulge (that’s totally okay by the way). But in case you want a sweet treat to have on hand that won’t totally leave you feeling regretful come monday, these frozen yogurt superfood bars. Tangy, creamy Greek yogurt and fresh strawberries sit on top of a crust with hidden superfoods; chia seeds, flaxseeds, and walnuts. This recipe isn’t overly sweet and would actually make a really nice breakfast bar in the summertime due to it being chilled, high in protein, and providing ample healthy fats to keep you full.

Frozen Yogurt Superfood Bars

Ingredients

2 c pitted dates
2 c unsweetened shredded coconut
1 c ground flax seed
1 c walnut halves
2 tbsp chia seeds
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp water
FOR TOPPING
2 c Greek yogurt
2 tbsp honey
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 c strawberries, thinly sliced

Instructions

Line a 9x13, baking sheet with parchment paper.
Combine dates, coconut, and walnuts in a food processor. Pulse until a grainy texture forms throughout.
In a large bowl, combine date mixture, flaxseed and chia. Mix well.
Add honey and water. Stir once more.
Pour mixture into pan and press down using a spatula or fingers.
Set into freezer while making topping.
For topping, stir together honey, vanilla and Greek yogurt.
Pour on top of base and smooth with a spatula. Arrange strawberry slices on top. Freeze for 2 hours. If freezing longer, allow to thaw 30 minutes at room temperature before slicing.
Slice with sharp knife into 2x4 inch slices.
Bars can be frozen or stored in the refrigerator

http://freshandfit.org/frozen-yogurt-superfood-bars/

Berry Scones with Coconut Honey Glaze

Spring is a time when most of us are trying to be health minded and choose lighter fare. But we still want to indulge without feeling light we’ve abandoned our healthy way of eating. Well, these ‘Berry Scones with Coconut Honey Glaze’are low in sugar but full of fresh flavor and coco-nutty aroma. I have omitted the dairy for those who are avoiding it and instead used unsweetened almond milk. I also cut the fat using 1/2 ripe banana and 1/2 coconut oil, which adds a nice touch of natural sweetness. You can use your favorite vanilla protein powder for a boost of protein, taking this recipe from a dessert to a pre or post workout snack.

*Note* These are a very light, moist, fall-apart scone, NOT dense and solid like one might expect from the scone. If you find that they are too moist of a scone for you, omit the coconut oil and just stick with the mashed banana for moisture or vice versa.

Berry Scones with Coconut Honey Glaze

Ingredients

For scones
2 c oat flour, finely pulsed oats
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 c coconut oil, soft
1 c unsweetened almond milk, microwaved for 30 seconds.
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 ripe banana mashed
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 c blueberries
1/3 c dried cranberries
For glaze
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp coconut oil, melted in microwave 15 seconds.

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350. Cover an 8 in round pie pan in aluminum foil and spray with non-stick spray. Scones will be easier to lift out.
In a food processor or blending gadget, pulse oats until fine.
Combine oat flour, protein powder, baking soda and sea salt in a large bowl.
In a separate bowl mix together mashed banana, coconut oil, vanilla extract, and almond milk (almond milk is microwaved so it doesn't solidify coconut oil)
Stir wet ingredients into dry. Stir in cranberries and blueberries.
Pour batter into pan. Smooth with back of spoon or spatula. Bake for 30 minutes.
Whisk together coconut oil and honey for glaze.
After scones bake 30 minutes, carefully removed from oven.
Drizzle scones with honey coconut glaze and return to oven for 5 minutes.
Allow to cool at least 15 minutes before lifting from pan and peeling off aluminum foil.
Slice scones into triangles.

http://freshandfit.org/berry-scones-coconut-honey-glaze/

Triple Chip Cookies

Happy Monday!

Today I am going to share this decadent recipe for triple chip cookies I came up with using our farm fresh eggs. We started getting fresh eggs from a local farm a few weeks back. It is pretty surprising to see the difference between the local eggs and the ones we usually buy from the natural food store. The natural food store eggs are triple the price and have a thinner shell with a yellow yolk. They are pasture raised and organic, but compared to the farm fresh eggs with a thick shell and almost orange yolk, it makes me wonder if they were really all that great to began with. The farm eggs are only $3.00 for a dozen! It is a win win if you ask me.

Although this cookie recipe is not high in the health department, I do always try to use the best ingredients I can get my hands on. This is the “balance” part of a healthy lifestyle. If you told me in order to be healthy I would have to give up my sweets, well I wouldn’t be so happy, and that wouldn’t be healthy. So use great ingredients and support local. You just might end up saving in the long run.

Now onto the cookies. They are made up of chocolate, peanut butter and white chocolate chips. They came out nice and crispy on the outside with a chewy center. Great for dunking!

1/2 c grass-fed butter, softened
1 c organic brown sugar
1/2 c organic peanut butter, room temperature (I used chunky)
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp sea salt
1.5 c organic all-purpose flour
1/3 c chocolate chips (I use dark, 60% cacao)
1/3 c white chocolate chips
1/3 c peanut butter chips

Yields 24 small- medium sized cookies.

Preheat oven to 350 and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Using a hand held mixer, cream together sugar and butter, about 30 seconds.

Add egg, peanut butter and vanilla. Mix an additional 30 seconds.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and sea salt. Slowly mix dry ingredients into wet.

Stir in chips. Form into balls and place on cookie sheet 2-3 inches apart.

Bake 11-13 minutes. Allow to cool 10 minutes on cookie sheet before removing.

* I left my first batch in for 11 minutes for a softer cookie and the second batch in for 13 minutes for a more golden crunchy cookie.

* I did not allow the batter to cool before forming into balls and I did not find that they spread too much.

Strawberry Shortcake Muffin Top Cookies

In honor of the first day of spring, I want to share with you these bright and fruity strawberry shortcake muffin top cookies. That’s right, they are so light and fluffy that they are a hybrid of a muffin and a cookie. They are made with quality ingredients and fresh ripe strawberries, a seasonal springtime staple. Happy Spring!

1 and 1/4 c organic non-gmo all purpose flour
1 cup diced organic strawberries divided
2/3 c organic brown sugar packed
1 tbsp organic granulated sugar
1/2 c grass-fed butter softened
1 cage-free organic egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
2 tbsp lemon zest
1/2 c organic powdered sugar
1 tbsp organic whole milk

Preheat oven to 350. Dice strawberry, purée half in a food processor and toss the other half in a small bowl with granulated sugar.

In a medium bowl using a hand mixer, cream together butter and brown sugar. Add egg, puréed strawberries, lemon zest and vanilla, mix until just combined.