Lemons and Basil

GF Vegan PB&J Breakfast Bars | Naked Nutrition

Kaylee Pauley — Tue, 31 May 2022 00:21:09 +0000

These GF Vegan PB&J Breakfast bars are a new favorite! The blueberry filling is beautifully sandwiched between the sweetened oat flour crust and crumble, making them perfect for breakfast, a mid-day snack, or after-meal dessert!

School is OUT!

And honestly, I’m not mad about it. Working from home will be a bit more of a challenge with both kiddos home full-time, but it’s not lost on me that these years while they’re young are fleeting. Already the thought of Brighton turning 7 in August has me feeling all sorts of mixed emotions. And with Addie nearly 5, they’ve hit an age where they share a lot of the same interests. Of course she’s not able to keep up with him on everything, but he’s growing in maturity, and has a new sense of tenderness towards her. Not always. They still fight, a lot. But they love each other fiercely and I’m so grateful.

Life Over the Past Few Months:

I shared in December, that our calendar had felt really full. All good, life-giving things, but full. It’s so easy to get caught up in the business and stop being present in the moment. Since then, our schedule seems to have only gotten fuller. My design work has really picked up, but aside from that, a lot of our time has been given to relationships. My husband went on staff at our church, as one of the pastors, back in November of last year. I’ll share on that more in another post. But I think we’ve had more people in our home over the course of the last five months, then perhaps the previous five years combined.

We’ve heard people’s stories, we’ve talked about hard things that matter, we’ve laughed a lot, and we’ve eaten so much good food. In many ways, I think this is what life is all about. Loving people. Lifting each other up, walking through the hard things together.

So Grateful.

So while I look back on the last five months and feel immensely grateful, I’m also hoping Summer bring s a bit of a slower pace. I think we’ll still have a lot time spent with friends, but without the need to hustle out the door each day with Brighton, I’m hoping for more relaxed days, soaking in the sun, playing outside with the kids, and impromptu meetings with our neighbors.

Along with opening our home to many new and old friends, I’ve done a LOT of baking. I guess it’s my grandma in me, but I can’t have people in our home without having something to offer them in the way of food. Mainly baked goods. Many of our guests are gluten-free and some are dairy-free and even sugar free. While this may stress some people, I actually love the challenge of finding or creating a recipe that is not only delicious but something everyone can eat, regardless of their food allergies and intolerances.

Which brings me to these GF Vegan PB&J Breakfast Bars:

I really wanted to come up with a treat that nearly everyone could eat. But of course I wanted it to taste like something everyone would want to eat. And in the way of a tasty, fruit-filled, breakfast bar, I think I did! I had a friend tell me that they reminded her of a blueberry fig newton and once she said it, I realized she was totally right!

Honestly the inspiration for combining the blueberries with a peanut butter flavor came from Naked Nutrition’s new PB Blueberry Vegan Protein powder. I had been using this protein powder in our smoothies for a few weeks and was loving the combo. The kids seemed to love it too and I realized it had sort of a PB&J effect. That sparked the idea for using it in a breakfast bar. I’ve been a long time fan of Naked Nutrition’s protein powders and was pretty jazzed to create a recipe around this new product. Their Chocolate pea protein flavor is another favorite. But I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the taste and nutritional benefits of every product I’ve used.

What I love about Naked Nutrition’s Peanut Butter Blueberry Vegan Protein Powder:

Tastes AMAZING, the blueberry and peanut butter flavors pair beautifully
Pea Protein Grown on US and Canadian Farms
No Artificial Sweeteners, Flavors, or Colors
Only 140 calories
20 grams of Vegan Protein and a Complete Amino Acid Profile
GMO Free and Soy Free
Vegan and Certified Gluten Free

I realize that by adding the PB Blueberry Vegan protein powder I’ve eliminated making this allergy-friendly for those who cannot have peanuts. You can absolutely replace the PB blueberry protein powder with their vanilla protein powder, or nix it all together and just use more oat flour instead. Still, if your family can handle the peanut butter, I think you’ll find these bars to be a hit with kids and adults alike!

If you give them a try, I’d love to hear your feedback! And for those of you hoping to step into a somewhat slower pace, here’s to being intentional and present – cheers!

GF Vegan PB&J Breakfast Bars

These GF Vegan PB&J Breakfast Bars beautifully pair a blueberry jam filling with a sweetened oat flour crust you're sure to love!

Course Bars, Breakfast, Breakfast/Dessert, Breakfast/Snack

Cuisine Cookies

Keyword breakfast bars, gluten-free, protein bars, vegan

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Resting Time 1

Servings bars

Calories 132kcal

Author Kaylee Pauley

Ingredients

Crust and Crumble Ingredients:

1 ¼ cup rolled oats
1 cup oat four*
1/2 cup Naked Protein Peanut Butter Blueberry Powder*
⅓ cup coconut sugar
¼ tsp sea salt
1 tbsp maple syrup*
1 flax egg*
⅓ cup coconut oil
melted but cooled 
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Blueberry Filling Ingredients:

2 cups frozen blueberries fresh would also work
3 tbsp coconut sugar
2 tbsp flaxseed  1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest

Instructions

Crust and Crumble Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and Line an 8x8 or 9x9 baking dish with aluminum foil, coat with nonstick cooking spray.
Add rolled oats, oat flour, Naked Protein powder, coconut sugar and sea salt to large mixing bowl. Whisk to combine.
Add maple syrup, prepared flax egg, melted coconut oil, and vanilla extract to bowl and stir until well combined. You should be able to pinch the batter with your fingers and it stick together, if it’s too dry to hold together, add 1-2 tbsp of water, stir and check again. Continue this process until you have a dough that sticks together.
Add about 2/3 of the dough to the baking dish and press down firmly with a spatula, or clean hands, until the dish is fully covered. Set reminding 1/3 of dough aside to create crumble on top.
Place baking dish and remaining dough in the fridge, while you prepare the blueberry filling.

Blueberry Filling Directions:

Add blueberries (fresh or frozen) to a small saucepan, followed by coconut sugar, flaxseed, lemon juice and lemon zest. Whisk to combine all ingredients.
Cook for over medium heat until mixture begins to bubble, reduce heat to low and simmer 1-2 minutes.
Gently mash the blueberries with the back of fork, then cook another 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning. Mixture will still be somewhat thing, but will thicken as it cooks in the oven. See photos for consistency of filling.
Pour prepared blueberry filling over the crust, then crumble remaining dough evenly over blueberry filling.
 Bake 30-32 minutes or until crumble on top turns golden brown.
Cool in baking dish for 10 minutes, then using line aluminum foil, lift from dish and cool on rack. Allow to fully cool before cutting so blueberry filling has time to set.
Cut into 16 pieces and enjoy! Store in airtight container at room temperature for 3-5 days or in the fridge for up to a week.

Notes

You can make your own oat flour by blending 1 cup rolled oats in a high speed blender or nutribullet until a smooth flour-like consistency is reached.
Additional oat flour can be used in place of protein powder.
Can use honey in place of maple syrup.
For Flax Egg: mix 1 tbsp ground flaxseed with 3 tbsp water and let sit 5 minutes to gel.

Nutrition

This post is sponsored by Naked Nutrition, but all opinions are my own. Thanks for supporting the brands that keep Lemons and Basil in action!

Recipe adapted from The Conscious Plant Kitchen.

Ruby Gold Winter Citrus and Spice Smoothie

Kaylee Pauley — Tue, 14 Dec 2021 13:00:16 +0000

This Ruby Gold Winter Citrus and Spice Smoothie packs a punch in color, flavor and best of all immune-boosting nutrition! The perfect drink to keep you healthy this Winter!

And I don’t know about you, but I need all the Immune-boosting I can get! The last few months have held a lot of sickness for me. It started with Covid in October. My son and I both had it and while I’m so grateful it was a mild case for me and my son was asymptomatic, it seems to have taken a tole on my immune system. Since that time I’ve caught a small stomach bug from my daughter, and two colds. And I think it boils down to rest. I haven’t done much of that, I struggle to rest.

And I think that’s the case for many people, especially for women. Rest is a hard thing to do this time of year. And the truth is, the busyness is set in motion by a lot of good things. And yet too many good things, is still too much. Not only do I want to build my immune system back up, but I want to be healthy mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually. And the more stretched I am, the more unhealthy I become.

It’s not who I want to be. It’s not who I believe I’m called to be.

I want to love people, let go of chasing perfection, and I want to BE PRESENT. Especially in this Advent season, I want to be present with my husband, our children, my friends and family. I don’t want to look back and think of all I missed out on because I was DOING rather than BEING.

Even as I type this, it’s 7:45am and my husband is driving us to Murfreesboro for our annual Christmas cookie baking day with my family. It’s an all day event. Last night, I got home about 10:30 from a beautiful Women’s Christmas Gathering at our church. Tomorrow, after our full day of baking today, we’ll have two services of church in the morning and a Christmas party in the evening. These are all things I WANT in my life. But it fills up our calendar fast and if I’m not careful, I find myself weary and anxious. So I’m working hard to find nights of rest. To listen to my body and and slow down and fight the urge to hurry. If you’re reading this and can identify, let me suggest a really great book – The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer. So good.

Aside from trying to live intentionally and carving out time for rest, I’m also working hard to fill my body with healthy foods every chance I get. But this time of year, it’s definitely a balance. I want to enjoy the gatherings we attend where food is at the center. There’s something special about sharing conversation and food around a table. So I’m enjoying the festive foods while we’re out, and working hard to fuel out bodies with foods rich in vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals here at home.

Which leads me to this Ruby Gold Winter Citrus and Spice Smoothie.

I love the fun bright colors and bold flavors found in this smoothie. And while it’s easy to find a smoothie combo that satisfies in taste and nutrition and then stick with it, it’s also really important that we eat foods that are in season. When we vary up our fruit and vegetable intake, we give our body a wider range of vitamins and nutrients.

This smoothie is loaded with a variety of Winter fruits that may be available throughout the year but are at their best right now! Grapefruit is probably at the top of that list, along with naval oranges and persimmons. Persimmons are new to me, but oh my, so good! They almost remind me an an apricot in both texture and flavor. The ruby layer is a blend of grapefruit, fresh beets, frozen raspberries, a frozen banana, and a little almond milk with some honey and cinnamon. While the golden layer combines frozen pineapple with a fresh persimmon, the juice of a naval orange, and a bit of honey, almond milk and some seasonal spices.

I love the blend of so many flavors, and the spices bring a warmness that makes it feel festive for this time of year. I shopped at Sprouts for all of my ingredients. Many of you know of my longtime love for this store. They have such great variety when it comes to fruits and vegetables, but especially right now with their citrus selection. The grapefruit and oranges were so fresh, sweet and juicy, and the persimmon couldn’t have been any sweeter!

If you don’t already have their app, download it and check out the digital coupon section. There are tons of buy 1 get 1 free options. They also have a weekly AND monthly ad, where loads of items, including seasonal fruits are on sale. With all the yummy sweets and rich foods this time of year, this smoothie is a great way to get in some needed nutrition to bring balance to it all.

I hope each of you are making the time to slow down a bit and be present with your loved ones while we anticipate Christmas and all this advent season holds.

Ruby Gold Winter Citrus and Spice Smoothie

This Ruby Gold Winter Citrus and Spice Smoothie packs a punch in color, flavor and best of all immune-boosting nutrition! The perfect drink to keep you healthy this Winter!

Course Snack, Breakfast, Smoothie

Cuisine Smoothie, Healthy

Keyword Winter Citrus, healthy, smoothie, grapefruit, orange

Prep Time 10

Total Time 18

Servings people

Calories 294kcal

Author Kaylee Pauley

Equipment

Blender

Ingredients

For the Ruby Layer:

1 grapefruit peeled and segmented
1 small raw red beet peeled and chopped
1 cup frozen raspberries
1 large frozen banana sliced
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk or milk of choice
1 tbsp raw honey
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon optional

For the Golden Layer:

1 cup frozen pineapple chunks
1 fresh Hachiya persimmon chopped
Juice of 1 large naval orange about 1/3 cup
1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 Tbsp raw honey
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp ground cardamom

Garnish Suggestions:

orange slices
frozen raspberries
hemp seeds

Instructions

Combine the flesh of 1 grapefruit with 1 small red beet and 1 cup frozen raspberries in a blender or smoothie cup. Then add 1 large frozen banana, 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk, 1 tbsp honey and 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon. Blend on high until consistency is smooth and creamy. Taste and add any additional honey or spices if desired.
Pour the ruby smoothie mixture evenly into two glass cups and set aside. Then rinse out the smoothie cup or blender in preparation to make the golden smoothie mixture.
Combine 1 cup frozen pineapple chunks with 1 fresh persimmon in rinsed blender or smoothie cup. Squeeze juice of 1 large naval orange over the fruit, followed by 1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk. Then add 1 tbsp raw honey, 1/2 tsp ground turmeric, 1/2 tsp ground ginger and 1/4 tsp ground cardamom and blend until consistency is smooth and creamy. Taste and add any additional honey or cinnamon if desired.
Pour the golden smoothie on top of the ruby smoothie layer and gently stir to create swirled effect. Garnish with small orange slice, frozen raspberries and a sprinkle of hemp seeds, then add a slice of lime to each glass cup, if desired. Serve and enjoy all those immune-boosting benefits!

Nutrition

This post is sponsored by Sprouts Farmers Market, but all opinions are my own. Thanks for supporting the brands that keep Lemons and Basil in action!

GF Peanut Butter Vanilla Pretzel Butterflies

Kaylee Pauley — Thu, 29 Jul 2021 14:40:30 +0000

These GF Peanut Butter Vanilla Pretzel Butterflies are a fun after-school snack that’s super easy to make and your kiddos will love! I promised I’d be back with a recipe soon and this is such a fun one!

This summer has literally flown by. Between the construction on the house from the flood, traveling for Josh’s dad’s celebration of life, and then to Virginia Beach for his niece’s wedding, the days and weeks have seemed to simply disappear.

I honestly can’t believe it’s almost time for school to start back!

Up until now, we’ve only had preschoolers, which starts back a little later in the year. But this year we have a kindergartener! How?! Where did the past 5, almost 6 years go?? 😭😭😭 In less that two weeks, our little man will officially be in school. And I’m having ALL the feelings over here.

So excited for him and all that is to come. So grateful to be zoned for such a special school. And yet, sad for how much his little sister will miss him while he’s gone. And emotional that our days of preschool years with him are officially over.

But while I know I’ll miss him so much, I can’t wait to see what God has in store for him. I can’t wait to see him continue to grow and develop into his own little person. And I’m looking forward to having fun after school snacks!

Like these adorable little GF Peanut Butter Vanilla Pretzel Butterflies.

I don’t buy pretzels on a weekly basis, so when I do, my kids are super excited. And they especially love these Cauliflower pretzel sticks and Butternut Squash Pretzel Twists. They’re gluten-free and made with cassava flour, making them thin and crispy. The perfect texture needed to create these butterfly treats.

They’re lightly salted which complements the sweetness from the white chocolate perfectly. And because our family is big-time team peanut butter, I added a couple spoonfuls! This also helped knock down the sweetness a bit.

Creating the butterflies was pretty simple. The most time consuming part was breaking apart the twists to use for the butterflies antennas. And depending on the age of your kiddos, they could likely help with this step! I used only the curved pieces and tried to pair ones that ended up similar in size and shape.

Once you get your pretzels all lined up, it’s really just a simple step of melting the chocolate, adding in a bit of peanut butter and natural food coloring, then dipping the center sticks and curved antenna pieces. While those harden, you can add in a few more drops of another food color to vary things up and prepare to decorate the wings with more chocolate. Then top with some sprinkles and voilà!

This recipe is one of those treats that could easily be a fun activity to do with your kids. OR is simple enough to whip up while they’re at school to make for a fun surprise when they get home.

I shopped Sprouts for all my ingredients. It’s forever my favorite spot for healthy options.

I’m not a big fan of typical food coloring, and how it can effect the body. I love that Sprouts carries natural options like these sprinkles and food coloring from Watkins that are colored with the natural dyes made by vegetables and fruits. The rainbow sprinkles I used are colored with Spirulina, Riboflavin (a yellow vitamin), Vegetable Juices, and Annatto (an orange-red dye from the pulp of tropical fruit).

I can get my kiddos to eat all sorts of healthy things, by just adding a small shake of these sprinkles, so it’s a big win-win.

As the summer is winding down, I hope each of you with young kiddos are enjoying this time together! And if you’re looking for a fun little treat, try these GF Peanut Butter Vanilla Pretzel Butterflies!

GF Peanut Butter Vanilla Pretzel Butterflies

These GF Peanut Butter Vanilla Pretzel Butterflies are a fun after-school snack your kiddos will love!

Course Dessert/Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword after-school snack, gluten-free, Kids, pretzels

Prep Time 10

Servings

Author Kaylee Pauley

Ingredients

60 From the Ground Up Butternut Squash Pretzel Twists
20 From the Ground Up Cauliflower Pretzel Sticks
1 1/2 cups Guittard Vanilla chocolate chips divided
1 1/2 tsp organic coconut oil divided
1 1/2 tbsp creamy peanut butter divided
Watkins Natural Food Coloring
Watkins Rainbow Sprinkles

Instructions

Line two medium baking sheets with parchment or wax paper.
Using approximately 40 butternut squash pretzel twists, line them up in pairs to  create the butterfly wings, see pictures.
With the remaining 20 butternut squash pretzel twists, gently break them into  pieces to create the butterfly antennas, always using the curved pieces. Set  aside until needed.
Add 1 cup vanilla chips with 1 tsp coconut oil to a microwave safe bowl.  Microwave on high for 30 seconds, allow to sit 15 seconds or so, then stir and heat for another 30 seconds. The chocolate should be melted and smooth at this point. Add in 1 tbsp creamy peanut butter, and stir until well mixed.
Using the Watkins Natural Food Coloring, add about 4-5 drops of yellow food dye to the melted chocolate, stir until well combined.
Take the 20 cauliflower pretzel sticks and break ends off of one side so they’re about 3/4 the original length, or use at their regular length for longer center pieces.
Dip approximate 2/3 of each cauliflower pretzel stick down into the melted yellow white chocolate, then gently position it between the two pretzel twists and press together so the chocolate touches the twist/wing pieces. Next, take two small curved pieces and dip in one side of each then place those at the top of the pretzel stick to create the butterfly antennas. Be careful to make sure the pieces are fully covered in the chocolate and press slightly together so that when they harden they will become one piece. Continue in this manner until you’ve covered all center pieces in chocolate along with the antennas. See images.
Put baking sheets in refrigerator for 15 minutes or until chocolate has hardened. At this point, I picked up each butterfly and scrapped off misc chocolate drippings as needed, then re-lined my trays with fresh wax paper before moving on to next step.
If remaining yellow chocolate mixture is still melted, gently stir it and add some blue food coloring, approximately 4-5 drops and stir until well mixed. You’ll have a nice light green color to work with at this point. If needed, pop the yellow white chocolate back into the microwave for 20-30 seconds to soften again before adding the blue food coloring.
Add the remaining green chocolate to a freezer bag and snip off the very edge of the corner to create a piping bag. Pipe small amounts of the chocolate mixture into the butterfly wings/pretzel twists (see images). You’ll should only have enough chocolate to do about half of the butterflies. Once you finish off the chocolate, use a small cake frosting spatula or bread knife to smooth out the chocolate.
Sprinkle the melted chocolate with the Watkins Rainbow Sprinkles and pop the tray back into the refrigerator to allow chocolate to harden.
While that green chocolate hardens, use a clean bowl and add the remaining 1/2 cup white chocolate chips along with the remaining 1/2 tsp coconut oil. Heat on high in the microwave for 30 seconds. Remove, stir, and heat another 30 seconds, then stir. Your consistency should be smooth and creamy at this point. Stir in the remaining 1/2 tbsp peanut butter and mix until well incorporated . Finally add 4-5 drops of the natural red food coloring and stir until well mixed.
Repeat the same process as earlier, using a clean freezer bag and adding warm chocolate mixture to it before cutting off the top edge of the corner, creating a piping bag. Pipe the warm pink colored chocolate into the “wings” of the remaining butterflies, smooth once again with the cake spatula, then sprinkle with the Watkins Rainbow sprinkles and return to refrigerator for another 10 minutes or so.
Once the chocolate is fully hardened, you’re ready to serve! The kiddies will love these adorable little treats! Store at room temperature in sealed container.

Green Smoothie Bowl with Oats and Berries

Kaylee Pauley — Fri, 08 Jan 2021 17:59:55 +0000

This Green Smoothie Bowl with Oats and Berries has become my daily breakfast. It’s completely plant-based and full of nutrition, yet hearty and delicious!

I’m one of those people who finds something I like for breakfast and then just puts it on repeat, day after day. That is until I find something else I like more, ha! This smoothie bowl is where it’s at for me right now. Smoothies have been a part of my rhythm for a long time. But what I like about a smoothie bowl is the addition of texture and toppings, giving me something to chew and not just drink.

Smoothies are such an easy way to add fruits, veggies, nuts and seeds to your morning routine. These things easily boost the nutrition without altering the taste. My kiddos love this smoothie. They don’t always add the array of toppings I choose to, but even just drinking the smoothie base is a win. They’re starting their day off with bananas, blueberries, peanut butter, cacao powder, flaxseed, almond milk and a little honey. I frequently add the rolled oats and avocado to their base as well, to boost fiber and zinc and keep them full longer. I’ll throw in a whole-food protein powder when I have it, but even without the powder, the smoothie is robust in flavor and nutrition.

Healthy Benefits of this Green Smooth Bowl with Oats and Berries:

Bananas – rich in fiber, antioxidants and potassium
Blueberries – high in antioxidants, fighting against free radicals
Natural Peanut Butter – source of healthy fats and high quality protein
Cacoa Powder – good source of protein, fiber, healthy fats, minerals and flavonoids.
Flaxseed – high in fiber + some protein. One of best plant-based sources for omega-3.
Almond Milk – great source of vitamin E and Calcium + lower in calories and sugar.
Blackberries/Raspberries – high in antioxidants, fighting against free radicals
Rolled Oats – full of fiber, vitamins and minerals
Honey – a natural sweetener and source of antioxidants

As a quick note, when you’re looking to drink the smoothie, you’ll want more liquid. When you’re preparing a smoothie bowl, you want less liquid and more frozen fruit to keep the mixture thicker so it can handle your toppings and be eaten with a spoon.

While we’re talking about green things…how cute is this t-shirt I got through Rush Order Tees?! It’s so soft and I loved getting to pick from such a large variety of styles and colors. I went for the women’s scooped neck in the stoned washed green and love it! If you’ve got an event or something coming up and you’d like to have some custom tees made, I’d definitely recommend them! You can see in the image below that I had Lemons and Basil placed on the front, my logo colors are pretty light for this color, but I wanted something super subtle and that’s exactly what I got! 🙌🏻

If you’re looking to add more smoothies to your morning or afternoon routine, here are a few other favorites:

Green Smoothie Bowl with Oats and Berries

This Green Smoothie Bowl with Oats and Berries has become my daily breakfast. It’s vegan and full of nutrition, yet hearty enough to keep me full til lunch!

Course Breakfast, Lunch

Cuisine American

Keyword blueberries, green smoothie, oats

Prep Time 5

Servings person

Calories 390kcal

Author Kaylee Pauley

Equipment

High speed blender

Ingredients

FOR THE SMOOTHIE:

1 frozen banana
1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1/3 cup frozen blueberries
6-7 ice cubes
1 tbsp cacao powder
1 tbsp peanut butter or nut butter of choice
1 tbsp flax seed ground
3 packs stevia or sweetener of choice
1.5-2 cups organic spinach packed

TOPPINGS:

drizzle natural peanut nutter or nut butter of choice
drizzle raw honey or maple syrup for vegan
2 tbsp rolled oats
6-8 fresh blueberries
5-6 fresh raspberries
5-6 fresh blackberries

Instructions

Add all smoothie ingredients to blender and puree until a smooth consistency is reached and all ingredients are pureed.
Pour smoothie in bowl, then add a light drizzle of peanut butter (or nut butter of choice) and honey (or maple syrup for vegan).
Sprinkle rolled oats over one side of bowl, then add blueberries, blackberries and raspberries. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Nutrition info taken from Healthline.com

GF Baked Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

Kaylee Pauley — Tue, 17 Nov 2020 20:37:51 +0000

This GF Baked Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese is a healthier spin on the more traditional dish. It’s rich and cheesy and full of so much savory goodness – perfect for Thanksgiving!

I love the traditions that come with the holidays. The special gatherings with family and friends year after year. The chance to annually do the same customs, reflecting on the past while embracing the present. These moments aren’t always perfect, nor Instagram worthy, but there’s something comforting about familiarity. Something sweet about creating these same memories year after year with our kiddos.

Many of the family traditions on my side of the family have altered over the last five years. Between the loss of my mom in 2016 and the birth of our two little ones, life has changed in many ways. Many of those traditions are centered around gathering and eating together. My dad has actually become quite skilled in the kitchen. My mom always enjoyed cooking and so throughout their marriage, there was no need for him to do much in the way of preparing food.

But when she got sick in 2013, he didn’t have much choice. It was learn to cook, or spend way too much on takeout. Since then, he’s learned to fend for himself quite nicely on a daily basis. And has pretty much mastered my grandmother’s homemade butterhorn rolls! He also typically handles the meat and potatoes at our family gatherings, which always turn out wonderful. Occasionally my sister or I make the the potatoes, but more often than not he seems to enjoy providing these things for the family. My sister and I fill in with an array of sides, veggies, and desserts.

Life is so different with mom. Not a birthday, holiday or other family gathering passes where we don’t grieve her absence. Each one thinking how different life would be if she were still here. And yet, God is so gracious. We’ve each found our new role. We have little ones and teenagers that bring us joy and laughter. We find ways to remember and honor her at each of these gatherings.

In a year where there have been SO many HARD things, it takes such intention to step back and see the good. To see and acknowledge His goodness. And I think this Thanksgiving, perhaps more than most, I find myself sitting in that truth. He is good.

Mac and cheese is one of my niece’s favorites and a dish that often graces our Thanksgiving spread. Thankfully, no one in my family has a gluten intolerance. But when it comes to our Friendsgiving gathering, there are more than a few who aren’t able to eat gluten. And honestly, I personally prefer the chickpea pasta to traditional wheat based pasta. It’s higher in fiber and protein and the taste and texture is so similar that I’ve found I can pretty easily satisfy even the pickiest of eaters with it. I also just love knowing I have a great allergy-friendly option. So it was the natural choice for this GF Baked Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese.

Reasons to Love this GF Baked Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese:

Loaded with cheese, a necessity for Mac and CHEESE
Hidden veggies
Gluten-free, made with chickpea pasta that offers a great source of protein and fiber!
Sage, thyme and garlic bring such a lovely dose of savory goodness
Healthy enough (hello chickpea pasta + butternut squash) to not feel bad about, yet rich, delicious and Thanksgiving dinner worthy!

As with nearly every recipe I share here, I gathered my ingredients at Sprouts. I love Sprouts year round, but especially during the holidays. They have so many fun specialty finds like Pumpkin Snaps, Pumpkin Seed Tortilla Chips, and Sweet Harvest Pumpkin Holiday Tea to name a few. But even more important than the fun packaged things, they have the best array of fresh produce, and a large assortment of healthy staples with many allergy-friendly options. From the chickpea pasta, to the fresh herbs and blend of three different cheeses, I can always what I need!

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, it’s likely to be a day of mixed emotions for many. For some, like myself, it’s a day of reflection on the hard and challenging things of our current situation, while acknowledging His goodness, and just how fortunate and blessed our family has been in this season.

And for others, it may be a day that highlights all the more the pain they’re experiencing from the loss of a loved one, or the loss of jobs. With the Covid pandemic, traveling and gathering with family and friends is so much trickier than it’s been in the past. But I pray each and every one of you are with loved ones. And that you find reasons to smile and have joy. I’m thankful for my little space here, and so grateful for those who have followed along these last 7 years. 💛

GF Baked Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

This GF Baked Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese is a healthier spin on the more traditional dish. It’s rich and cheesy and full of so much savory goodness - perfect for Thanksgiving!

Course Dinner, Lunch, Side

Cuisine American

Keyword Butternut Squash, Chickpea Pasta, gluten-free, Thanksgiving

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 40

Servings people

Calories 407kcal

Author Kaylee Pauley

Equipment

High speed blender

Ingredients

Cheesy Butternut Squash Sauce:

4 tbsp unsalted butter
5-6 fresh sage leaves
3-4 fresh thyme sprigs
3/4 cup yellow onion diced
4 large cloves garlic minced
4 cups butternut squash peeled and cubed
2 tsp dried sage
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
2 cups milk
8 oz sharp white cheddar cheese shredded
4 oz Smoked Gouda shredded
4 oz Parmigiano Reggiano shredded, reserving 1/2 cup

Chickpea Pasta:

16 oz 2 boxes Sprouts Brand Organic Chickpea Fusili

Crumb Topping:

1/2 cup almond flour
1 tbsp unsalted butter melted
1/4 cup chopped fresh sage
pinch sea salt + black pepper

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Add 4 tbsp butter to a large dutch oven over medium heat. Gently stir as it begins to melt and toss in 5-6 fresh sage leaves and 2-3 fresh thyme sprigs. Stir and saute herbs for 1-2 minutes. Remove herbs, set on paper towel and reserve until later. Add the 3/4 cup diced onions and 4 minced garlic cloves to melted butter and cook 3-4 minutes or until softened.
Once onions are translucent, add 4 cups butternut squash, 2 tsp dried sage, 1 tsp dried thyme, 1 tsp sea salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper, stir to combine. Add 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth and the reserved herbs (previously cooked in butter), and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 9-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the squash is tender.
Remove the herbs and discard. Stir in the milk, then transfer mixture to a high-speed blender and puree until smooth.
Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package direction - bringing water to a boil in a large pot, then adding pasta and cooking 6-7 minutes, leaving them just slightly undercooked, as they’ll continue to cook in the oven. Once pasta is cooked, drain and set aside.
Add the pureed sauce back to the dutch oven on medium heat. Grate 8 oz white cheddar cheese, 4 oz smoked gouda and 4 oz Parmigiano Reggiano, reserving 1/2 cup of the Reggiano. Add shredded cheese a handful at a time, stirring well between each addition to ensure it melts smoothly. Stir in the pasta. Taste and add additional seasoning if desired.
Spray 9x13 glass or ceramic dish with nonstick spray. Add the cheesy butternut squash pasta mixture to the dish, then top with the remaining 1/2 cup Reggiano and lightly stir.
In a small bowl, stir together 1 tbsp melted butter, 1/2 cup almond flour, 1/4 cup chopped sage, 1 tsp fresh thyme, pinch sea salt and pepper, and sprinkle over the top.
Bake for 15 minutes, then broil another 1-2 minutes until the crumb topping is golden brown. Watch closely to make sure it doesn’t burn.
Serve immediately and enjoy!

Nutrition

Inspired by Blue Bowl’s Baked Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese.

This post is sponsored by Sprouts Farmers Market, but all opinions are my own. Thanks for supporting the brands that keep Lemons and Basil in action!

Chickpea Flour Apple Butter Snickerdoodle Bars

Kaylee Pauley — Fri, 06 Nov 2020 01:51:20 +0000

These Chickpea Flour Apple Butter Snickerdoodle Bars are incredibly moist with a rich caramel apple flavor. They’re also dairy-free (thank you coconut oil) and naturally gluten-free thanks to the chickpea flour. And did I mention, super yummy?!

I’ve made these Apple Butter Snickerdoodle Bars from Cookies and Cups numerous times. And every time, they’re a huge hit with friends and family. Having experimented with chickpea flour in baked goods a handful of times, I was intrigued to see if it’d work well in making a gluten-free version of these delicious bars. Amazingly, it did, and it was so easy!

The thing about chickpea flour – at least in my opinion – is it tastes awful raw. Which means, don’t eat the raw batter – trust me. But once it’s baked, all that “odd” flavor is gone! And the result is a lovely homemade treat that’s completely gluten-free with very little effort.

Since I was already swapping out the AP flour for Chickpea flour, I wanted to see what other ingredients I could swap to make it a bit healthier. I replaced the regular refined sugar for coconut sugar. Then used organic refined coconut oil in place of the butter. I was really happy with these changes, but I also love healthier sweets.

If these swaps are not pantry staples for you, or you don’t have to be concerned about dairy, you can simply use regular white sugar and butter. I figure baking at home, whether you use healthier alternatives or the traditional goods, is still better than store-bought with additives and preservatives.

Chickpea Flour Apple Butter Snickerdoodle Bars:

Naturally gluten-free with the Chickpea Flour
Refined sugar-free
Dairy-free
Allergy Friendly
Perfect to add to your Thanksgiving Spread
Has all the delicious Fall-flavors we all crave this time of year!

Essentially, if you’re interested in making a healthier (still super delicious), gluten-free apple butter snickerdoodle bar recipe, then try this recipe! If dairy or gluten aren’t a concern and your pantry isn’t stocked with many of these alternatives, give the recipe in the link above a try. I think they’re both delicious, but it’s nice to have options. 😊

If you try this recipe and are looking for another one made with chickpea flour, try these Gluten-Free Blueberry Zucchini Muffins!

Chickpea Flour Apple Butter Snickerdoodle Bars

These Chickpea Flour Apple Butter Snickerdoodle Bars are incredibly moist with a rich caramel apple flavor. So yummy!

Course Dessert/Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword apple butter, chickpea flour, gluten-free, healthy dessert, snickerdoodle bars

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 25

Servings bars

Calories 144kcal

Author Kaylee Pauley

Ingredients

1/2 cup organic refined coconut oil softened, see notes*
3/4 cup coconut sugar
1 large brown egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup chickpea flour more if needed*
1 tbsp coconut sugar + 1/2 tsp cinnamon
6-8 tbsp apple butter

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8 baking dish with aluminum foil and lightly spray with cooking spray.
Add coconut oil and coconut sugar to a large bowl and stir 1-2 minutes until you reach a crumbly texture.
Stir in egg and vanilla, then continue to mix another 1-2 minutes until a smooth consistency is reached.
Add sea salt, baking soda and cinnamon and continue stirring until well mixed.
Gradually stir in garbanzo bean flour, mixing until dough comes together. If the dough seems too wet, you may add another 1-2 tbsp coconut flour.
Press half of dough mixture into bottom of lined 8x8 pan, then spread apple butter over bottom dough. You want a thin layer to cover all of the first layer, this should take approximately 1/2 cup, but you may not need quite that much.
Add remaining dough by dropping small spoonfuls over dough, then gently flatten, it won’t cover all of the apple butter, which is find.
Mix the coconut sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl, then sprinkle evenly over dough.
Bake 23-25 minutes or until edges are set and center is just slightly loose.
Allow to cool completely before cutting into squares.
Bars are best served immediately once fully cooled. You can store them in an airtight container* (see notes) at room temperature for 3-4 days.

Notes

I used organic refined coconut oil so the coconut flavor was not overwhelming. You can use unrefined, but there will definitely be more coconut flavor. You can also sub with butter if preferred.
Be sure to not store bars in an airtight container until they’re fully cooled, or you’ll trap in the heat and the bars will loose their slightly crisp tops.

Nutrition

Silly Caramel Apple Faces | Fun for Halloween!

Kaylee Pauley — Mon, 12 Oct 2020 12:30:01 +0000

These Silly Caramel Apple Faces are not only incredibly delicious but they’ll have your little ones squealing with delight! Perfect for a fun Halloween treat!

I’ll be honest, while I love the Fall, Halloween has never been my favorite holiday. I can get into the fun costumes and thoroughly enjoy walking our neighborhood with close friends and our kiddos. But I don’t do much in the way of decorating around the house. And I definitely don’t get into the whole scary/gory stuff. No judgement for those who relish that part, it’s just not my thing.

But, with a three and five year old, I definitely find myself drawn to embracing some of the silly/spooky snack and treat ideas I’ve seen floating around Pinterest. They’re so easily amused at this age. And that joy and delight is contagious. So this year I set out to make a fun, healthy-ish treat for them. Thus we have these Silly Caramel Apple Faces.

My kids aren’t overly picky when it comes to fruits, but apples are definitely a favorite. And being that its apple season right now, it seemed an obvious choice when thinking about what to make for a festive treat. Once I’d decided on making silly apple faces, I started thinking through what ingredients I could use for each aspect. Strawberries seemed the natural choice for the tongues as they’re the perfect size and color Knowing they love pretty much any and all nuts, the almonds were an easy choice for the teeth. And of course they have my sweet tooth and adore chocolate. So making the little eyes out of white and dark chocolate was a no brainer.

But the Apple Pie Salted Caramels? These seasonal treats from Sprouts’ bulk bin section, are where all the yummy flavor comes in. They’re rich and delightful on their own. And once melted down, they made the perfect glue to hold these little faces together. So yummy.

Speaking of Sprouts, if you haven’t been lately, OR haven’t browsed the bulk bin section, GO. Along with these Apple Pie Salted Caramels, they have so many other fun pumpkin, apple, and maple flavored speciality items in for the Fall. I typically stick to the healthy snacks (roasted peas, corn, trail mix, etc) and pantry staples (nuts, quinoa, lentils, oats, flaxseed, etc) in the bulk bin section, but come Fall, I definitely indulge in a few fun treats!

ALL the reasons to love these Silly Caramel Apple Faces:

Your kids, like mine, will giggle in delight as them
Super fun and festive for Halloween
Apple + caramel + chocolate = incredibly delicious!
Easy way to sneak some wholesome ingredients (apples, strawberries, and almonds), disguised as a treat!
Made with pantry and fridge staples + the Apple Pie Salted Caramels

As I’m sure you can imagine, my kiddos were most definitely charmed by these little faces. In truth, the amount of time it took to assemble them was more than I had anticipated. But the smiles on their faces, and the sounds of their little giggles made it more than worth the extra effort. When I teased my five year old about eating eyeballs, he roared with laughter.

In this unsettling season we all find ourselves in with Covid and so many other tensions, these are the moments I’m hanging on to. Soaking in their sweet faces and the gleam in their eyes. These sweet children, who God has given us to raise and love, are such gifts, so full of joy and merriment.

If you’re looking for a fun activity to do with your little ones, or a festive snack to bring to a small get-together, these Silly Caramel Apple Faces might be just the thing! 🎃

Silly Caramel Apple Faces

These Silly Caramel Apple Faces are not only incredibly delicious but they’ll have your little ones squealing with delight! Perfect for a fun Halloween treat!

Course Appetizer/Snacks

Cuisine American

Keyword apples, caramels, Halloween, Kids

Prep Time 15

Assembly Time 20

Servings faces

Author Kaylee Pauley

Ingredients

3 green apples
15 Salted Caramel Apple Pie Candies
1/2-1 tbsp milk
1/4 cup yogurt chips 24-30 pieces
2 tbsp mini semi sweet chocolate chips 24-30 pieces
4-6 medium strawberries stems removed and sliced
1/4 cup slivered almonds cut in half
1 tbsp honey

Instructions

Place 24-30 yogurt chips (I made extra so I could pick and choose the ones I thought turned out best) on a flat, microwave safe plate, then microwave for 40 seconds, or until softened but not melted. Once yogurt chips are softened, place a mini semi sweet chocolate chip, flat side up, in the center of each yogurt chip to create an eyeball. Place the plate in the freezer for 8-10 minutes or until hardened.
While the little eyes are hardening in the freezer, slice 3 green apples into 4 quarters each. Carefully remove the seeds, leaving as much of the apple as possible. Then using a sharp knife, notch out a slice of the apple on the skin side. Be careful as you make each cut so you don’t cut all the way through the apple. See pictures.
Once apples are are cut and ready for assembly, make sure you have your 4-6 strawberries thinly sliced to create the tongues, and the 1/4 cup slivered almond cut in half to create the teeth.
Add your 15 salted caramel apple pie candies to a microwave safe bowl along with 1/2 tbsp milk and microwave for 30 seconds. Remove, stir and microwave another 15 seconds. Once the caramels are melted, stir until a smooth consistency is reached. If the mixture seems too thick, you can add another 1 tsp or 1/2 tbsp milk and continue stirring until you have a dark creamy consistency.
Add a small spoonful of the melted caramel mixture to each notched out apple slice, spread it on both sides and place it on a baking sheet, add the strawberry slice for the tongue, then the the slivered almonds for the teeth. I found that the closer I placed the slivered almonds to the strawberry “tongue” the easier it was to get them to stay in place. See notes.
Once you have the caramel mixture, strawberry tongues, and slivered almond teeth on each sliced apple, place each one on a large baking sheet and refrigerate for 10 minutes.
While the apple slices are refrigerating, remove the yogurt chip eyeballs from the freezer and use a small metal spatula to gently break them loose from the plate. Once you have them all ready to apply to the apple faces, add 1 tbsp honey to a small plate. Remove apple mouths from refrigerator and flip them back so they are right side up with the tongue on the lower level and so they’re ready for the eyes to be added.
Coat the back of each yogurt chip eye with a small amount of honey and stick two to each apple face. You’ll likely need to wipe away the excess honey with a clean paper towel and press the yogurt chips down so they’ll stay in place. Return to refrigerator another 5 minutes until the eyes are set.
Serve and enjoy! Refrigerate leftovers.

Notes

I started creating the eyes by placing the mini semi sweet chips with the point up then realized they look more like eyes by placing the tip down with the flat side up.

Getting the slivered almonds to hold in place was a little trickier than I thought it’d be with the sticky caramel, I found that placing them close to the apple tongue gave them the most support to allow them to hold in place until the caramel hardened.

In addition to placing the slivered almonds close to the tongue, I also found it helpful to place the apple slices so that the teeth are upside down, before refrigerating, to help them harden in place.

This post is sponsored by Sprouts Farmers Market, but all opinions are my own. Thanks for supporting the brands that keep Lemons and Basil in action!

Strawberry Burrata Bruschetta

Kaylee Pauley — Tue, 22 Sep 2020 12:00:04 +0000

This Strawberry Burrata Bruschetta with Balsamic Reduction is a sweeter take on the more traditional savory bruschetta. It’s bursting with flavors and textures that complement one another beautifully and will have you coming back for more (and more)!

Bruschetta is one of those appetizers that I rarely think to make… but can’t stop eating once I do. I love the pairing of the french baguette, coated in a light layer of olive oil and toasted to a beautiful golden brown. Then smothered in cheese (at least in many cases) and topped with chopped veggies, fruit, and herbs. SO.GOOD. It’s somehow fresh and light, while simultaneously hearty and comforting. A combination few dishes can deliver.

For this sweet version of bruschetta, I started with the two essentials – a french baguette and olive oil. For the olive oil, I used Sprouts Extra Virgin Olive oil of Australia. It’s “fresh and fruity” description looked and sounded so intriguing. And the flavor does not disappoint. It’s a fruity blend that beautifully balances the bitterness and pungency often found in olive oil, with a lovely nutty aftertaste.

With the oil’s inherently fruity notes, I knew I wanted to swap out the traditional tomatoes for something a little sweeter. Strawberries felt like the obvious choice. Not only are they still red so the dish reads as “bruschetta”, but they also pair really lovely with fresh basil and balsamic vinegar.

Burrata is a cheese that’s clearly on the upward trend.

See for yourself. So many tasty looking dishes, right?!

If you find yourself asking, what is burrata cheese? Essentially it’s a soft dairy cheese that from the outside looks much like fresh mozzarella. Both are plump white orbs of Italian cheese, however burrata is less solid than mozzarella. It has a loose, creamy texture on the inside, that is “packaged” in an outer shell of mozzarella. The soft creamy center is what makes it ideal for this bruschetta. That and the fact that the cheese is very mild and pairs beautifully with the other flavors.

Further inspired by the fruity and nutty flavors of the Australian olive oil, I decided to add both balsamic vinegar and a balsamic reduction to the olive oil. The balsamic vinegar brought in a little acidity while the reduction sweetened the dressing, creating a really lovely marinade for the strawberries. Then I garnish each slice with a small handful of chopped macadamia nuts, also native to Australia. The result? An amazing, handheld food, complex in flavors and textures, that I couldn’t stop eating.

All the reasons to love this Strawberry Burrata Bruschetta with Balsamic Reduction:

A fun sweet and savory take on the more traditional bruschetta
Perfect for a leisurely brunch, appetizer, or snack
Simple, Fresh and flavorful ingredients
Strawberries + burrata cheese + olive oil + Balsamic Reduction – enough said! 😋
An easy dish to impress your family and friends 😉

If you’re not sure where to find some of the ingredients listed in this recipe, they’re all available at Sprouts. And I’m really hoping 🤞🏻 you have one near by! It’s by far my favorite grocery story for so many reasons, bulks bins and fresh produce being at the top of that list. But among those reasons, is their large variety of oils, vinegars, and cheese. So many unique options!

If you’ve got a small get-together planned for the near future, let me highly suggest adding this bruschetta to the mix! And for a few other fresh, fun appetizers, check out this Paleo Mango Avocado Salsa and these Vegan Basil Pesto and Sun-Dried Tomato Pinwheels!

Strawberry Burrata Bruschetta with Balsamic Reduction

This Strawberry Burrata Bruschetta with Balsamic Reduction is a sweet take on the traditional savory bruschetta. It’s bursting with flavors and textures that complement one another beautifully and will have you coming back for more (and more)!

Course Appetizer, brunch, Snack

Cuisine Italian

Keyword balsamic reduction, bruschetta, french baguette, olive oil, strawberry

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 10

Servings servings

Calories 229kcal

Author Kaylee Pauley

Ingredients

1 loaf french baguette thinly sliced (approx 18-20 slices)
6 tbsp Sprouts Olive Oil of Australia divided
2 tbsp white balsamic reduction
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
2 cups organic strawberries diced
1 tbsp fresh basil finely chopped
8 oz burrata cheese drained
1/4 macadamia nuts chopped

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and have all ingredients prepped and ready to go.
Add 4 tbsp of Sprouts Olive oil of Australia to a small bowl. Then dip silicone brush into oil and brush both sides of each baguette slice. Place on large baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes, flipping half way through.
While the bread bakes, add the remaining 2 tbsp Australian olive oil, 2 tbsp white balsamic reduction, and 1 tsp balsamic vinegar to a medium bowl. Whisk until well combined.
Add the 2 cups diced strawberries to the oil mixture, along with 1 tbsp finely chopped basil and toss to coat. Allow strawberries to marinate for 10 minutes to soak up all the flavor and soften.
While the bread cools, drain the 8 oz burrata cheese (mine was in two small balls) on a paper towel for a few minutes, then pat dry carefully. Use a spoon to cut into the cheese and scrape apart small pieces to put on each slice of toasted bread. Make sure you get some of the creamy center on each slice.
Once you have the burrata cheese on each the bread pieces, top each one with a spoonful of the strawberries, followed by a sprinkle of chopped macadamia nuts. Using the remaining olive oil / balsamic reduction mixture left from the strawberries, carefully drizzle a small spoonful over each bruschetta slice. Serve fresh and enjoy!

Notes

Recipe made 20 slices for me, nutrition info is calculated based on 2 slices per serving.

Nutrition

This post is sponsored by Sprouts Farmers Market, but all opinions are my own. Thanks for supporting the brands that keep Lemons and Basil in action!

Paleo Pumpkin Scones with Spiced Drizzle

Kaylee Pauley — Mon, 14 Sep 2020 15:28:39 +0000

These Paleo Pumpkin Scones with Spiced Drizzle are incredibly tender, full of pumpkin flavor, and more than a little addicting!

Is it too soon to have pumpkin on the brain? Am I the only one? Like so many others, Fall is my favorite time of the year. It was my mom’s, too. Somehow I always feel her memory and presence more closely during the Fall. The cool crisp air and smell of drying leaves reminds me all of the hikes and outdoor adventures we did as a family. Both through childhood and as adults.

Josh and I have made a tradition the last several years of going New England in the Fall. We booked our trip for this October back in April, before we really new the extent of the odd season we’d all find ourselves in with Covid-19 and so many other issues our country is facing. There was a time we weren’t sure the trip would actually happen. But now, being a month out, we’re feeling pretty good about the plans we have in place.

It’s definitely a season to look for the good and to be grateful for both the big and the little things.

Many of the things we’ve done in the past on these trips will be closed or have modified hours. But honestly our favorite thing about New England in the Fall is the beautiful foliage, the slower pace of life, and the time we get to spend outside and as a family. So we’re feeling really grateful to still get to go. And this year my dad is going with us, which will be really special. Needless to say, we’re all looking forward to it.

Over the last few weeks, each time I head to Sprouts for my groceries, I find myself drooling over a beautiful display of fresh mums and large bins full of pumpkins and gourds. Aside from the visual appeal, they have the most heavenly scented pinecones, luring me in with their fresh cinnamon-spice smell. A time or two of this and you can easily see why I’m craving pumpkin and all things Fall-flavored!

The Deets on these Paleo Pumpkin Scones with Spiced Drizzle:

Super tender
So much pumpkin flavor
A pumpkin spiced drizzle that will keep you coming back for more and more
Gluten-free + Paleo
Perfect for an outdoor gathering with a few close friends and a hot cup of coffee! ☕

Which brings us to these Paleo Pumpkin Sconces with Spiced Drizzle. Honestly, I’ve only made scones a few times, and never a paleo version. But I could NOT BE HAPPIER with the outcome. Because of the pumpkin, they’re a little more moist than most scones, sort of a mix between a scone and a muffin, but the texture totally works. I brushed them with a little extra coconut milk to help the tops and sides crisp up a little more and this really helped give them that scone feel.

And then there’s the drizzle. The coconut sugar in the homemade paleo powdered sugar gives it sort of a maple, caramel flavor which pairs really beautifully with the pumpkin pie spice and ground cinnamon. In the end, it’s pretty addicting!

The dough for these came together rather quick and easy, but here are a couple tips to help ensure a successful outcome:

Be sure to use a sifter for your almond flour and coconut sugar to remove any large clumps. This gives you a really smooth dough.
Do not skip the step where you freeze the dough for 30 minutes.
I highly recommend brushing them with a little coconut milk and dusting with some of the left over homemade paleo powdered sugar.
Once you’ve chilled and cut the dough into 8 wedges, spread them about 2-3 inches apart before baking.
To create the Homemade Paleo Powdered Sugar, combine 1 cup coconut sugar with 2 tbsp arrowroot flour and blend in NutriBullet for 30-60 seconds, starting slow and stopping as needed until you have a fluffy mixture. Once you measure the 2/3 cup for the spiced drizzle, put it through the sifter as well if you have any little clumps.

If you haven’t used cassava or arrowroot flour before and aren’t sure where to get them, you can easily pick them up at Sprouts – you know, my favorite grocery store for all things healthy and yummy! 😉 The arrowroot flour is in with all the other baking ingredients, and the Cassava flour is in Gluten-free aisle. The cassava is new to me, but I’ve used it a handful of times now and have been really happy with it!

If you give these Paleo Pumpkin Scones with Spiced Drizzle a try, I’d love to hear your feedback!

Paleo Pumpkin Scones with Spiced Drizzle

 These Paleo Pumpkin Scones with Spiced Drizzle are incredibly tender, full of pumpkin flavor, and more than a little addicting!

Course Breakfast/Brunch, Dessert/Snack

Cuisine English

Keyword gluten-free, paleo, Pumpkin, Scones

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 20

Freeze 30

Servings scones

Calories 387kcal

Author Kaylee Pauley

Ingredients

FOR THE SCONES:

1 1/4 cup super fine almond flour sifted
3/4 cup arrowroot flour
1/3 cup cassava flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 cup coconut sugar sifted
6 Tbsp cold grass fed butter cut into small pieces
1/2 cup organic pumpkin puree*
1/4 cup full fat coconut milk
1 large brown egg

FOR THE PUMPKIN DRIZZLE:

2/3 cup homemade paleo powdered sugar** see notes
3-4 tbsp coconut milk
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon

Instructions

Mix 1 1/4 cup almond flour, 3/4 cup arrowroot flour, 1/3 cup cassava flour, 2 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice, and 1/2 cup coconut sugar in a large bowl.
Add 6 tbsp grass fed butter to dry ingredients, using fork, pastry blender or hands to mix in until a crumbly mixture forms.
Create a hole in the center of the crumbly mixture and the egg, 1/2 cup drained organic pumpkin puree, and 1/4 cup coconut milk. Stir well until fully incorporated, leaving you with a sticky dough.
Place the bowl in the freezer for 30 minutes (do not skip this step).
While the dough chills, preheat oven to 400 degrees and line baking sheet with parchment paper.
Sprinkle arrowroot flour on parchment lined baking sheet and place the chilled dough on top. Use hands to mould dough into approximately 8” diameter disk. You may need to wet your hands to keep them from sticking to the dough. Use a sharp knife to cut into 8 equal wedges.
Separate wedges so they’re about 2 inches apart on baking sheet. If the dough has gotten too sticky to work with, return to freezer for another 5 minutes or so.
Once wedges are ready to bake, brush them with a little of the leftover coconut milk, this gives them a slightly crispy top. Then sprinkle each with a little of the homemade paleo powdered sugar. Bake for 20 minutes or until tops are lightly brown.
While sconces are baking, prepare pumpkin drizzle by adding 2/3 cup homemade paleo powdered sugar (see notes), 3-4 tbsp coconut milk, 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract, 1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice and 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon. Whisk until a smooth consistency is reached.
Once scones are baked and cooled, drizzle each one with the pumpkin glaze and serve fresh!

Notes

Drain the pumpkin puree on paper towel before adding to mixture
To make Paleo powdered sugar, combine 1 cup coconut sugar with 2 tbsp arrowroot flour and blend in NutriBullet for 30-60 seconds, starting slow and stopping as needed until you have a fluffy mixture. You can store remaining 1/3 cup for future use.

Nutrition

This post is sponsored by Sprouts Farmers Market, but all opinions are my own. Thanks for supporting the brands that keep Lemons and Basil in action!

Paleo Mango Avocado Salsa | GF Vegan

Kaylee Pauley — Mon, 31 Aug 2020 19:06:32 +0000

This Paleo Mango Avocado Salsa makes for a fresh, addicting appetizer for this Labor Day ’s Spread! Bold in flavor and color, it’s sure to hit the spot!

It’s hard to believe Labor Day is nearly here. I can’t help but feel like time is both flying and crawling by. When I stop to think how long we’ve been in this current season we find ourselves in, with so many unsettling things happening in our world, it sometimes feels like it’s never going to end. And yet, simultaneously it feels hard to believe that so much of the year has passed by and September is already upon us.

My kiddos are both starting preschool this week and I’ve got so many feelings going into it. Honestly, I think it’s going to be a really good thing. For them and me. This is Brighton’s third year at this preschool, which thankfully brings a lot of comfort and familiarity. I think they’ll both love being with other kids on a regular basis again. And I think it’ll help to have other adults giving them instruction/direction besides just my husband and myself.

I also feel like it’ll be a really good thing for me…

Like many of you, I’ve had a LOT of togetherness with my little ones this year. Honestly, with my husband, too. He’s been working from home since this all started, and I think we could all benefit from a little time a part here and there throughout the week. Don’t get me wrong, I love them all dearly and count it a huge blessing to be healthy and together. But for those other stay-at-home mamas out there with preschool age kiddos, I think we can all relate and agree that a somewhat consistent break here and there would be a good a thing for all! 🧡

Anyway, with preschool starting, and life as it is, we don’t have a whole lot planned for this Labor Day. But as with all things this year, we’re still making the effort to do something special as a family and with close friends. Something to give the kiddos a sense of normalcy. And because food is so often the center of our gatherings, we’re planning on a spread of easy appetizers and finger foods. Including this Paleo Mango Avocado Salsa, which is seriously addicting!

Why I love this Paleo Mango Avocado Salsa:

Mango + Avocado + super delicious!
Super simple and quick to make
Bright and colorful
Paleo, Vegan, Gluten-Free
Allergy friendly and sure to be a crown pleaser

Mango is one of those fruits I don’t have a whole lot of history with. But every time I eat it, I ask myself why I don’t eat it more often!? It’s tender and sweet with a tropical flavor unlike anything else. And it blends beautifully with the avocado, whose green and butter-like texture enhances the taste. I kept this mango salsa super simple, adding only a little red onion, cilantro and lime juice, with salt and pepper. I wanted the mango to shine and it does so in such a lovely way.

For the chips, I picked up a bag of Paleo tortilla chips with a hint of lime. Which made for a really great complement to the lime flavor found in the salsa. My kiddos helped me make this salsa, and I was blown away by how much my five year old ate of it, my husband, too. I would have said it was more up my alley than either of theirs, but I apparently I was way off. They both went back for seconds, then thirds!

It’s no secret my favorite grocery spot in Franklin is Sprouts. So naturally I picked up all my ingredients there! They offer an incredible variety of produce including these sweet, juicy mangoes. If you’re like me and haven’t done much with mangoes in the past, let me highly recommend you make a quick trip to Sprouts, grab these ingredients and give this Paleo Mango Avocado Salsa a try!

Paleo Mango Avocado Salsa

This Paleo Mango Avocado Salsa makes for a fresh, addicting appetizer for this Labor Day ’s Spread! Bold in flavor and color, it’s sure to hit the spot.

Course Appetizer, Appetizer/Snacks

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword gluten-free, mango, paleo, salsa, vegan

Prep Time 15

Servings people

Author Kaylee Pauley

Ingredients

1 ripe mango peeled and diced
1 ripe avocado peeled, pitted and diced
1/3 cup red onion diced
1/4 cup cilantro finely chopped
1 tbsp fresh squeezed lime juice
1/8 tsp sea salt
pepper to taste
1 bag Paleo tortilla chips with a hint of lime

Instructions

Add 1 mango, 1 avocado, and 1/3 red onion to medium bowl, stir until combined.
Toss in 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, 1 tbsp lime juice, 1/8 tsp sea salt and a dash or two of black pepper.
Stir until well combined, then taste and add additional salt and pepper if needed.
Serve with Paleo tortilla chips and enjoy!

This post is sponsored by Sprouts Farmers Market, but all opinions are my own. Thanks for supporting the brands that keep Lemons and Basil in action!

Healthy Nut-Free Kid’s Bento Box

Kaylee Pauley — Tue, 11 Aug 2020 01:26:08 +0000

This Healthy Nut-Free Kid’s Bento Box is full of bright colors, nutritious foods, and fun details. Whether it’s the fruit kabobs, special shaped cheese, or delicious chocolate coconut rolls, your child is sure to find a few favorites!

I can hardly believe my youngest is about to start preschool. It will only be two days a week, but it still seems impossible that she’s somehow old enough for any type of school. And yet I also feel confident that she’s ready. We just got all the details from their preschool for the new protocols they’re putting in place to help protect the teachers, staff, and children. With the Covid Pandemic Addie’s first year will for sure look different than Brighton’s first year. But I’m so thankful for these new safety measures, and so thankful they’ll still be able to go.

As we begin to prepare for them starting back, I’ve found myself focusing in on the things Addie eats best to try to figure out which foods to send for her lunch these two days each week. They move fairly quickly from one activity to the next and only have about 30 minutes for lunch. While Brighton is a really good eater, Addie is definitely more finicky and realllly enjoys taking her time.🤪

So in an effort to send a lunch that I know they’ll eat, here are the things I’m focusing on:

Foods that can easily be eaten with their fingers
Favorite foods I know they eat well (and quickly)
Foods that are healthy – fruits, vegetables, hummus, cheese, etc
AND a fun little treat with instructions that it is to be eaten LAST, thankfully they’re really good at following this rule.

In addition to the things above, Brighton’s class last year was a nut-free class due to some of the other children having severe allergies. I am 100% on board for supporting those who have these allergies, as I can’t image the fear of having my child exposed to something that could be dangerous to them. Because of that, in preparing this bento box, I opted to make it nut-free as I suspect we’ll need to do so this year as well.

You’ll see here that in order to make this lunch fun for the kiddos, I used a small cookie cutter to create a little person in the Colby Jack cheese slices. My kids thought this was super fun! I used a whole grain sprouted cracker, but you could easily make this a gluten-free bento box by swapping out the whole grain for a rice based cracker or other gluten-free cracker of choice.

For the fruit, I used toothpicks as little skewers to make kabobs. Again, just another easy thing to make lunch a little more fun. I then sliced up some veggies to be eaten with hummus. I used Sprouts Organic Roasted Red Pepper hummus as it’s super fresh and household favorite. All the other ingredients found in this bento box are also from Sprouts.

It’s my preferred choice when it comes to finding fresh produce and healthy prepackaged snacks for the kids. Aside from my love of their selection, they also run the best sales and have great coupons in their app!

Speaking of prepackaged snacks, these chocolate coconut rolls are new FAV! They’re like a light wafer with a creamy chocolate filling. Not overly sweet, but just sweet enough to totally satisfy the sweet tooth. And entice my kiddos to eat everything else in an effort to get to the treat! Because let’s be real, it’s all about the treat, right?!

The Scoop on this Healthy Nut-Free Kid’s Bento Box:

Healthy and Fun
Super Colorful
Full of vitamins and minerals
Tasty and delicious
Perfect for taking on the go!

Aside from thinking about the foods and things I’ll be sending with the kiddos in a few weeks, we’ve also been talking with them about what the can expect this year. Especially when it comes to changes that have been made to help with the spreading of Covid 19. Thankfully it seems research is showing that it’s not spreading a lot among kids. So one of the main things our preschool has put in place is a system of drop-off and pick-up that eliminates parents from being in the hallways.

They are also keeping the children in their rooms more and doing less where they bring all the kids together for devotions or outdoor play.

I fully believe these choices have been made with a lot of thought and wisdom. And as parents, I think it’s our job to talk to our kids about what they can expect. And what they need to do to help with these things.

We’ve been prepping Brighton for the changes, and talking to the kids about not putting their hands to their face as much as possible. Reminding them to be sure and wash hands and/or use hand sanitizer before they eat their lunch. I know the teachers will help guide them through these things. But I really believe they are so smart and able to understand these simple things and how they help protect everyone.

In this season, I believe we have to do the best we can to take precaution and then we have to walk forward in faith and continue living our lives, trusting that He is in control.

I hope this fun bento box has inspired you to start thinking through fun and healthy lunch ideas for your own little ones! If you missed last week’s post, check out this fun after school snack!

We’re all in this together!🧡

Healthy Nut-Free Kid’s Bento Box

Course Appetizer/Snacks, Breakfast/Lunch

Cuisine Asian

Keyword bento box, kids lunch, nut-free

Prep Time 15

Servings kids

Author Kaylee Pauley

Ingredients

Crackeres and Cheese:
10-12 medium-large crackers of choice gluten-free if needed*
3-4 slices Sprouts Colby Jack cheese
Hummus and Veggies:
1/3-1/2 cup Sprouts Organic hummus
2 large carrots peeled and cut into sticks
1/2 cucumber cut into thin sticks
1/2 medium bell pepper cut into thin sticks
Fruit Kabobs:
4-5 strawberries cut into small pieces
1/4-1/3 cup blueberries
2 small kiwis peeled and cut into small pieces
Fun Treat:
10-12 Sprouts Chocolate Coconut Rolls

Instructions

For the Cheese and Crackers: Cut cheese slices with small cookie cutter to make fun special shapes. I used a small gingerbread shaped cutter. To keep the cheese from making the crackers soft, wrap the cheese slice in a small piece of plastic wrap, or put crackers in a small snack size bag.
For the Hummus and Veggies: Add 2-4 tbsp hummus to bento box, along with carrot, cucumber and bell pepper sticks.
For the fruit kabobs: Alternate strawberry, blueberry and kiwi pieces on toothpicks and add 4-5 mini fruit kabobs to each Bento box.
Finally add 5-6 Sprouts Chocolate Coconut Rolls to the box. Easy peasy and so colorful and fun!

This post is sponsored by Sprouts Farmers Market, but all opinions are my own. Thanks for supporting the brands that keep Lemons and Basil in action!

Animal Face Chocolate and Peanut Butter Rice Cakes

Kaylee Pauley — Mon, 03 Aug 2020 12:37:21 +0000

These Animal Face Chocolate and Peanut Butter Rice Cakes are the perfect after-school snack! Where fun meets healthy and tasty! Every time I make these, they’re devoured by smiling little faces!

It’s a little hard to believe that in just a few short weeks school will be back in session. I think for so many, myself included, that thought brings a lot of mixed emotions.

In the current pandemic we’re facing with Covid-19, school is guaranteed to look different. For some that means learning remote or homeschooling. And for others it means classes full of children and teachers with masks.

Teachers who are putting a tremendous amount of effort into figuring out how to maneuver through uncharted territory. Doing everything they can to keep our children safe while continuing to further their education. And for that I’m so incredibly thankful.

These teachers, and their efforts to move forward in the midst of so much uncertainty, are heroes. Truly, heroes.

Our kiddos are still little. We’re facing the decision of preschool rather than elementary or high school. I can only imagine all the emotions and decisions that have to be weighed for those with older kids.

I find myself constantly pulled between wanting to be overly cautious, and yet knowing we still have to live life and move forward. Knowing that we were not created to live in isolation and that just as I find myself needing to see my friends and family, my kids need to see other kids.

But while the details of what school looks like this Fall are still a bit uncertain, one thing that is for certain, is the need for after-school snacks. My kids, like most, live for snacks. And when the snacks are cute, tasty, and healthy, it’s a pretty big win.

Animal Face Chocolate and Peanut Butter Rice Cakes

Super simple
Gluten-Free
Sure to bring about giggles
Healthy and delicious
Vegan-Friendly

These Animal Face Chocolate and Peanut Butter Rice Cakes are simple and yummy, but most importantly, sure to bring a smile to your kiddos. And right now, I think we’re all looking for reasons to find joy in the little things.

On one of my weekly Sprouts runs earlier this year, I picked up a pack of these Organic Brown Rice Cakes. I got them on a whim as a snack for myself. But of course, as it is with most things I have/eat, my kids wanted them, too. And now we’re all pretty well hooked. Even Josh.

Which made them the natural choice for these adorable animal faces. I used a combination of peanut butter and chocolate peanut butter for the spreads, but any nut-butter would work. Then grabbed an assortment of fruits and nuts to create their ears, eyes and nose. With each new animal I created, the squeals and giggles of my kids just got louder and louder. They loved them.

If you’re looking for a fun after-school snack, these easy animal faces are a sure win! You can easily grab all the ingredients at Sprouts, my favorite spot for fresh produce and healthy snacks!

Animal Face Chocolate and Peanut Butter Rice Cakes

These Animal Face Chocolate and Peanut Butter Rice Cakes are the perfect after-school snack! Where fun meets healthy and tasty! Every time I make these, they’re devoured by smiling little faces!

Course Appetizer/Snacks, Breakfast, Dessert/Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword gluten-free, Kids, peanut butter, Vegan-friendly

Prep Time 10

Decorating Time 10

Servings kiddos

Author Kaylee Pauley

Ingredients

FOR THE CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER SPREAD:
1/2 cup Sprouts peanut butter
2 tbsp cocoa powder
2 tbsp Sprouts honey
OTHER INGREDIENTS:
10-12 Sprouts Organic Brown Rice cakes
1/3 cup Sprouts Peanut Butter
additional honey to drizzle if desired
1 banana thinly sliced
1 apple thinly sliced in circles, then cut in half
handful blueberries
handful baking chips of choice vegan if needed
handful cashews
dried fruit optional

Instructions

Mix your chocolate peanut butter spread by combing 1/2 cup Sprouts peanut butter, 2 tbsp cocoa powder and 2 tbsp Sprouts honey in a small bowl. Mix until a smooth consistency is reached and cocoa powder is all mixed in.
To assembly animal faces, line up rice cakes, then chose your base spread. I used the chocolate peanut butter spread for the monkeys and one fish, then used the regular peanut butter for the dogs and remaining fish.
FOR THE MONKEYS: Spread out your nut butter of choice, I made mine more an oval shape than completely round like the rice cake. Drizzle with a little extra honey, if desired. Then cut your banana to make the upper and lower part of the nose/snout. Finally add the cashews for ears.
FOR THE FISH: Spread out your nutter butter of choice over the whole rice cake, drizzle with a little extra honey, if desired. Then cut a small triangle out of a couple of the banana circles to make the back fin. Put that on the far side of the rice cake, slightly hanging off, then layer 3-4 round banana slices to create the scales. Finally select a small blueberry for the eye and a piece of dried from for the mouth or a little apple slice.
FOR THE DOG: Spread out your nutter butter of choice over the whole rice cake, again, drizzle extra honey if desired, then use the thinly sliced, half circle apples to create the dog ears. Use small blueberries for the eyes, then a banana slice and blueberry for the mouth/nose.
Now watch your little ones delight in their fun, tasty little snacks!

Notes

You can easily purchase chocolate peanut butter rather than making your own, or substitute with Nutella.
Store any remaining chocolate peanut butter spread in the refrigerator in air tight container. Allow to come to room temperature to spread.

This post is sponsored by Sprouts Farmers Market, but all opinions are my own. Thanks for supporting the brands that keep Lemons and Basil in action!

Raw Chocolate Almond Butter Brownies | GF Vegan

Kaylee Pauley — Mon, 06 Jul 2020 20:21:54 +0000

These Raw Chocolate Almond Butter Brownies are a serious FAV in our house. I literally make a batch just about every week and my kids beg for them – so yummy!

There are many recipes on here that I make over and over again. And then there are others that I’ve only made a couple times. Not because I don’t enjoy them but because I find I’m often working to develop new recipes to share. OR in busier seasons, I stick to my favorite 10-12 recipes and just put them on repeat.

So while today is the first day I’m sharing this recipe with you, it’s one I’ve been making for the last several months. On REPEAT.

In this odd season we all find ourselves in with Covid, I’ve definitely done my fair share of baking. And consequently my kids have come to think that we always have some sort of “treat” in the house. Let’s be real, I find myself looking for a small treat most days, too. Which is where these Raw Chocolate Almond Butter Brownies come into play.

Why we love these Raw Chocolate Almond Butter Brownies:

6 Simple, healthy ingredients
No need to heat the kitchen with the oven!
5 grams protein, 2 grams fiber
Super fudgy and yummy, yet guilt-free!
Vegan + Gluten-Free + No Added Sugar!

They’re naturally sweetened with dates and a little maple syrup. And made smooth and fudgy with the almond butter, cacao, and protein powder. Best of all, I don’t feel bad eating them, or giving them to my kids. So in an effort to curb all of our (giant) sweet-tooths with a healthier option, these brownies are my go-to!

If you’re curious what recipes on the blog we (as a family) eat on repeat, check out the links below!

Breakfasts:

Salads:

Dinner/Main Dish:

Chickpea Rice Stir Fry with Veggies + Vegan + GF
Vegan Kabocha Squash Lentil Curry
Butternut Squash Veggie Burgers
Red Lentil and Spinach Mock Lasagna
Spinach Masala with Organic Brown Rice (recently been making with chickpea rice)
Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili

Snacks/Energy Bars:

Desserts:

Raw Chocolate Almond Butter Brownies | GF Vegan

These Raw Chocolate Almond Butter Brownies are a serious FAV in our house. I literally make a batch just about every week and my kids beg for them - so yummy!

Course Dessert/Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword dates, gluten-free, healthy dessert, raw brownies, vegan

Prep Time 15

Chill Time 20

Total Time 35

Servings brownies

Calories 126kcal

Author Kaylee Pauley

Equipment

Food processor

Ingredients

1/2 cup almond butter*
1 cup packed dates*
1/2 cup cacao powder*
2 scoops chocolate protein powder* approximately 2/3 cup
3 tbsp tbsp maple syrup*
2 tbsp almond meal
2-4 tbsp water

Instructions

Line 8x8 dish with plastic wrap.
If you’re using Deglet dates in place of Medjool dates, soak them in water for 10-15 minutes before using. If Medjool dates, no need to soak.
Add almond butter, packed dates, cacao powder, protein powder, maple syrup, almond meal and 2 tbsp water to bowl of food processor.
Process for 20-30 seconds, then pause to scrape down sides and add additional water if needed. (Medjool dates tend to need less water added while dogleg dates or others need more). You’ll know the “dough” is ready when the mixture pulls away from the bowl sides and can be easily pinched and held together.
Add dough to 8x8 lined pan and press firmly until brownies are evenly spread and well packed. If desired, add chopped chocolate chips to tops of brownies and press firmly.
Refrigerate 20-30 minutes, then using plastic wrap, life the brownies out of the dish and cut into 16 pieces and enjoy!
I like to store mine in the refrigerator then allow to sit out a few minutes before eating. For a softer brownie, can store them at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Notes

Peanut butter is a great substitute in this recipe for the almond butter if preferred.
For the dates, if you’re not using Medjool dates, make sure you soak your dates first to add moisture and soften them up.
Cocoa powder can be substituted for the cacao powder.
I like to use Plant Era’s Chocolate protein, but any (plant-based) chocolate protein should work.
Honey can be used in place of maple syrup if vegan-friendly is not needed.

Nutrition

Watermelon Blueberry Sun Tea

Kaylee Pauley — Mon, 01 Jun 2020 13:00:13 +0000

This Watermelon Blueberry Sun Tea is delightfully refreshing and full of flavor – the perfect thirst-quencher as the weather warms up!

Making sun tea reminds me of my mom.🧡I can vividly remember her glass jar with the yellow lid and writing on the side sitting on the back patio table. Gosh that’s been so long ago. Why have I never thought to make my own as an adult? I can’t help but wonder if she were still here if she’d still be making sun tea and if perhaps I would have before now, too?

I guess I’ll never know the answers to some of those questions. But I’m pretty sure that if she were still with us, she’d be a fan of this Watermelon Blueberry Sun Tea. It’s a simple recipe, yet the infusion of the fruit in the tea brings so much flavor. And it was just SO easy to make!

What I Love about this Watermelon Blueberry Sun Tea:

It makes me feel nostalgic 🧡
Super simple and oh so yummy
My kids loved helping with it ☺️
Incredibly light and refreshing – picnic ready!
Pretty and festive for the warmer months ahead

As it goes with watermelon, it took a few minutes to remove the rinds and slice it up. But aside from that, the tea was ready to be placed outside within a matter of minutes. Much like my mama, I set ours on the back patio table.☺️ I got it out there around lunch time, on a partly cloudy day, with the temperature about 80 degrees. After about 4 hours, it was perfect! Had it been a fully sunny day and in the middle of Summer, I’d have probably brought it in a little sooner. So keep that in mind if you make it later in the year!

I swung into Sprouts to grab my ingredients for this sun tea. Familiar with their extensive selection of herbal teas and always a fan of their fresh produce, it was the obvious choice! I opted for Celestial’s True Blueberry tea for my sun tea. I went this route for two reasons, A.) caffeine free so my kids could partake, and B.) it was the perfect complement for the watermelon and blueberries I had in mind. 🙌🏻

If you’re looking for a refreshing drink, or a fun activity with the kiddos, give this Watermelon Blueberry Sun Tea a try!

Watermelon Blueberry Sun Tea

This Watermelon Blueberry Sun Tea is delightfully refreshing and full of flavor – the perfect warm weather drink!

Course Drink, Sun Tea, Tea

Cuisine American

Keyword blueberry, Sun Tea, Watermelon

Prep Time 10

Servings cups

Author Kaylee Pauley

Ingredients

12 cups filtered water
8 Celestial True Blueberry tea bags
4 cups watermelon rind removed and sliced or cubed
1 1/2 cup blueberries washed
sunshine
ice

Instructions

Add 12 cups water to a one gallon glass container.
Next add 4 cups watermelon, 1 1/2 cups blueberries and 8 tea bags.
Seal container and place in direct sunlight for 3-4 hours.
Serve tea over ice, add sweetener of choice if desired, and enjoy!
Store in refrigerator.

This post is sponsored by Sprouts Farmers Market, but all opinions are my own. Thanks for supporting the brands that keep Lemons and Basil in action!

Vegan Gluten-Free Carrot Muffins + Natural Sleep Aid

Kaylee Pauley — Wed, 27 May 2020 15:01:37 +0000

These Vegan Gluten-Free Carrot Muffins are super moist, full of flavor and loaded with nutrition. The perfect way to sneak veggies in your loved ones!

With a nearly 3 and 5 year old, “treats” are in high demand at our house. Is it all kids or just my kids that always want a treat? Thankfully, they’ve grown to love healthier versions of the more traditional treats.

These muffins most definitely qualify as a treat to them. Little do the know that they’re filled with carrots, rolled oats, garbanzo bean flour, applesauce and coconut oil. All they care about is the taste and texture. And this muffin scores pretty high in those categories. While it’s not overly sweet, it’s sweet enough, and with a small handful of chocolate chips on top, it’s super satisfying.

Why these Vegan Gluten-Free Carrot Muffins are a new FAV!

Wholesome and nutrition
A great way to sneak veggies and goodness into your kiddos
No added sugar
Vegan + Gluten Free, always a fan of allergy friendly snacks
An easy grab for breakfast, a bedtime snack, or anytime in between

I love when a baked good is healthy enough to stand in for a quick breakfast or snack, yet tasty enough to satisfy as dessert. I opted to use three different toppings, sprinkling some with chocolate chips, others with raisins, and a few with chopped walnuts. The raisin and walnut options make for a great after dinner snack. Keeping you full til morning without the added sugar and caffeine of some alternatives. Because as much as I love a late night snack with chocolate, I’ve found that caffeine of any kind before bed, is just not a great idea.

Speaking of a snack before bed, let’s talk sleep. Since my pregnancy with Brighton, I really haven’t had a season of good sleep. With the heartburn and difficulty finding a comfortable position towards the end of the third trimester, sleep was a challenge. Then once he was born, as it goes with newborns, there were a lot of night feedings. Once we got through the early days, the sleep regressions randomly hit. And then we had our second baby and it all started over with Addie.

They actually both sleep pretty well now, most nights we still have to go in at least one of their rooms once or twice. But even though we’re needed a lot less in the night these day, I think my body just eventually got use to getting up multiple times a night. And now, a solid, good night’s sleep is a challenge. And pretty rare.

So, when Eu Natural reached out to see if I was interested in any of their products, the SERENITY blend really intrigued me.

The days with little ones are full, and I need to be sharp and rested to be my best. In reading more about the SERENITY herbal extract, I found that it was made from a blend of Magnesium, Valerian Root, and Chamomile. All ingredients I’m familiar with and felt comfortable taking.

Within a few days, I had my own bottle and gave it a try. The first night was amazing, I remember sleeping SO good! I’ve taken it for about a month now and overall really like it. I can’t say all nights have been as restful as that first night, some nights sleep is still not ideal. But with small kids, that’s just the phase of life we’re in, and it’s a great one! I think the SERENITY has helped me get back to sleep quicker when I do have to get up with the kids, and has overall helped me get more continuous nights of good sleep than I’ve had for a while.

I’ve listed out some quick facts from Eu Natural’s website below, but click here to get even more information.

Eu Natural’s SERENITY Blend:

POTENT STRESS RELIEF – This powerful blend of L-Theanine and 5-HTP combat daily stress, promote relaxation and release you from normal anxiety.
NON-HABIT FORMING – Super ingredients Magnesium, Valerian Root, and Chamomile help you wake up feeling rejuvenated without the grogginess of other sleep supplements.
CLINICALLY-RESEARCHED — Our plant-powered multi-blends are lab-tested to be effective and bioavailable. Our team of health professionals is committed to helping you feel better.
MADE IN THE USA — We blend all our products at a cGMP Certified Laboratory to ensure strict FDA Standards and a contaminant-free product.
NATURAL, NO FILLERS, NO NONSENSE — 100% vegetarian easy-to-swallow soft capsules. No fillers, binders, artificial ingredients, gluten, wheat, or dairy. And no animal testing.
BUY A BOTTLE / DONATE A BOTTLE — And through our Vitamin Angels 1-for-1 Match program, one bottle equals one year of vitamins for a child in need.
SATISFACTION GUARANTEED— Each order is backed by an unconditional 90-day guarantee so you can try SERENITY risk-free.

Vegan Gluten-Free Carrot Muffins

These Vegan Gluten-Free Carrot Muffins are super moist, full of flavor and loaded with nutrition. The perfect way to sneak veggies in your loved ones!

Course Appetizer/Snacks, Breakfast, Breakfast/Brunch

Cuisine American

Keyword carrots, dairy-free, gluten-free, healthy, muffins, vegan

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 18

Servings muffins

Calories 167kcal

Author Kaylee Pauley

Equipment

Food processor

Ingredients

4 large carrots washed and ends removed
1 1/2 cups rolled oats certified GF if needed
6 tbsp garbanzo bean flour*
3/4 cups packed dates pits removed*
1/4 cup refined coconut oil melted*
1/4 cup applesauce
1/4 cup real maple syrup
2 flax eggs 2 tbsp ground flaxseed + 5 tbsp water
1 tbsp white vinegar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
Pinch of salt
Toppings: walnuts, raisins, or chocolate chips DF if needed

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, spray muffin pan with coconut oil cooking spray.
To prepare your flax eggs, add 2 tbsp ground flaxseed to 5 tbsp water, stir well and let sit 5 minutes.
Add carrots to the bowl of a food processor, pulse 10-15 seconds, or until carrots are chopped fine.
Add remaining ingredients - rolled oats, garbanzo bean flour, packed dates, melted coconut oil, applesauce, maple syrup, flax eggs, white vinegar, baking soda, cinnamon, and pinch of salt.
Process another 20 seconds or until all ingredients are well combined. Divide batter among 12 muffins, top with desired toppings, and bake 17-18 minutes.
Allow to cool 5 minutes, then remove and enjoy! Store in airtight container.

Notes

If using something other than Medjool dates, you may want to soak them in water for 10 minutes, then drain before using.
If you don’t have garbanzo bean flour, you can substitute with ground oat flour for gluten-free, or regular AP or wheat flour.
I like to use refined coconut oil for baking when I don’t want the coconut flavor to come through, you can substitute with unrefined, but you’ll likely have somewhat of a coconut flavor added.
The sugar count is 14, but it is all natural, there is no added sugar.

Nutrition

This post is sponsored by Eu Natural, but all opinions are my own. Thanks for supporting the brands that keep Lemons and Basil in action!

Crunchy Kale and Quinoa Salad

Kaylee Pauley — Thu, 21 May 2020 12:30:59 +0000

This Crunchy Kale and Quinoa Salad is the ideal Memorial Day salad – full of flavor and crunch, it’s bursting with color and boasting in nutrition!

Memorial Day weekend looks a little different for us this year, as I’m sure it does for many of you. I can’t say that we have any big plans to gather with friends and cookout. Nor do we have a quick weekend trip planned for our family.

But as with all things, we’re making an effort to keep things as normal as possible for the kids. And honestly, for ourselves. So while we may not be planning to gather with others, we are most definitely planning to eat an array of fresh, tasty foods.

Starting with this Crunchy Kale and Quinoa Salad! It’s a new favorite, one that I can eat again and again.

I’m all about great textures and interesting flavors when it comes to my salads. And this one does not disappoint. The base is simple, chopped kale + cooked quinoa. Two Superfoods, followed by a handful of cashews and pumpkins seeds, adding a lovely crunch that pairs beautifully with the sharp, slightly nutty flavor of the parmesan. The carrots and red cabbage add vibrant colors, while boosting the nutrition.

And then there’s the dressing. A friend recently text that her new fav dressing was super simple – olive oil, rice vinegar, raw honey and salt. Not having used rice vinegar in a dressing before, I was intrigued! Turns out it’s super yummy! I added a bit of apple cider vinegar and black pepper for personal preference, but it’s a seriously simple and seriously delicious dressing!

ALL the Reasons to Love this Crunch Kale and Quinoa Salad:

Simple and delicious – enough said
All ingredients can be chopping and prepped ahead of time for a quick assembly
A powerhouse in the way of nutrition – thank you kale and quinoa!
Vibrant in colors – food always tastes better when it’s full of color, right?!
Would make a great addition to your Memorial Day Spread

I picked up all my ingredients for this salad at Sprouts. Which is forever my favorite grocery store, especially this time of the year! They have such great sales on their produce items, looking at the ad this week – they’ve got melons for $.98, organic blueberries 3/$5 and organic kale 4/$5, just to call out a few! Week after week, they have a large variety of organic fruits and vegetables at an unbeatable price. And it’s always super fresh.

And of course, then there’s bulk bins – love, love, LOVE the bulk bins.

I grabbed the organic quinoa, roasted pumpkin seeds, and raw cashews from the bulk bin. They’ve done an incredible job making the bulk bins safe during this Covid season. Rather than eliminating them temporarily, they’ve taken the time to carefully pre-package bags in slightly different sizes to meet the needs of their customers.

I’m so grateful for Sprouts, their employees, and the intention they’ve put into making things as safe as possible during this time.🧡

Whether you’re planning a small gathering with friends or spending the day with family, I hope the long weekend is one that brings rest, time with loved ones, and good food.

MORE TASTY OPTIONS FOR YOUR MEMORIAL DAY SPREAD:

Appetizers and Finger Foods:

Chopped Salads:

Sandwiches/Veggie Burgers:

Cookies/Sweets:

Crunchy Kale and Quinoa Salad

This Crunchy Kale and Quinoa Salad is the ideal Memorial Day salad - full of flavor and crunch, it's bursting with color and boasting in nutrition!

Course Lunch/Salad

Cuisine Salad

Keyword cashews, kale, parmesan cheese, pumpkin seeds, quinoa, salad

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 15

Servings people, as a side

Author Kaylee Pauley

Ingredients

FOR THE SALAD:

¾ cup uncooked quinoa rinsed
1 ½ cups water
4-5 cups kale stems removed, chopped, and massaged*
2 cups purple cabbage finely chopped
2 large carrots peeled and finely chopped
½ cup raisins
1/4 cup roasted pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup raw cashews
1/2 cup parmesan cheese or parmesan/asiago blend
1 medium avocado cubed

FOR THE DRESSING:

5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
3 tbsp honey
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/8 tsp black pepper

Instructions

Rinse 3/4 cup quinoa in cold water, then add to medium pot with 1 1/2 cups water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 minutes or until fluffy. Set aside to cool. (See notes*)
While quinoa is cooling, add 4-5 cups chopped kale, 2 cups purple cabbage, and 2 chopped carrots to a large salad bowl. Toss to coat until well combined.
Once quinoa has cooled and is room temperature, add to the salad bowl, along with 1/2 cup raisins, 1/4 roasted pumpkin seeds, 1/4 raw cashews, 1/2 parmesan cheese, and medium avocado. Toss until all ingredients are well combined.
Add all ingredients for the dressing to a small mason jar, top with lid and shake until well mixed.
Divide into individual bowls and top with desired amount of dressing OR add about 1/2 of dressing recipe to the large bowl and toss to coat, taste and add more if desired (see notes*).
Garnish with additional parmesan cheese, cashews, and pumpkin seeds.

Notes

Feeds 3-4 as entree salad and 6-8 as side salad.
To speed up the assembling of your salad, cook the quinoa ahead of time so it can cool, or cook it the night before and store in refrigerator.
To massage your kale once it's chopped, add it to your large bowl first, drizzle it with a little olive oil or a bit of the dressing, then gently scrunch and massage it in your hands to soften it.
I like to add my dressing to each bowl individually as some prefer more dressing than others. It also keeps any leftovers fresher in the refrigerator if dressing has not been added.

This post is sponsored by Sprouts Farmers Market, but all opinions are my own. Thanks for supporting the brands that keep Lemons and Basil in action!

Curry Chickpea Rice and Kale Soup

Kaylee Pauley — Thu, 30 Apr 2020 19:43:25 +0000

This Curry Chickpea Rice and Kale Soup is full of vibrant colors and fresh vegetables. It packs a punch in the way of nutritional value and is loaded with bursting flavors. Essentially, it’s the perfect Spring time soup! Plus it’s both vegan and gluten free. 🙌🏻

While I know soup is often thought of as a cold-weather food, I’ve found I love soup pretty much all year long. I’ll admit that during the hottest months of the year, it’s likely not at the top of my list. But throughout Spring, Fall, and Winter, soup is often on our weekly rotation of meals. I love that it’s an easy way to get veggies in my kids. And I love that it makes left-overs.

I know not everyone is fond of left-overs, but I’m a big fan. Especially with this soup. The flavors and textures are just as good the second and third time around.

If you’re into curry flavored dishes, I think you’ll love this soup. I tend to chop the veggies extra small so they don’t overwhelm the chickpea rice. And the kale is one of those ingredients that you can add a little or a lot. You’ll see I added a lot, the more the merrier in my opinion. But my kids would prefer less, so feel free to adjust accordingly.

And if you’re not already convinced, check out all the nutritional benefits it has to offer.👇🏻

Nutritional Benefits of this Curry Chickpea Rice and Kale Soup:

Kale is high in antioxidants, vitamin C, Vitamin K, and minerals such as calcium, potassium and magnesium – making it one of the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet. It has the ability to help fight cancer, minimize blood clots, and reduces cholesterol levels. (Healthline.com)
Studies have shown chickpeas to help decrease cardiovascular risks as well as help regulate blood sugar. Chickpeas can also help reduce cholesterol levels, boost intestinal health and reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. (Livestrong.com)
Zucchini is a low calorie food with a rich nutritional profile – it’s a good source of Vitamin C, which helps protect your cells from free radicals. It also boosts your intake of manganese, an essential mineral. Like vitamin C, manganese protects your tissues from harmful free radicals and promotes healthy bone tissue development. (Livestrong.com)
Carrots contain a high dose of Vitamin A – in plant based foods, this vitamin is produced by beta-carotene which has been shown to improve the health of your eyes. They are also a good source of Vitamins K, contributing to bone strength and kidney health. As well as Vitamin C which is associated with a healthy immune system and strong teeth/gums. Finally, carrots are a great source of fiber (aides in digestion, blood sugar control and weight management) and potassium (reducing your risk of stroke, high blood pressure and anxiety). (Livestrong.com)
Curry powder is a blend of spices, typically including turmeric, ginger, garlic, and cumin, among others. Turmeric has anti-inflammatory properties, which has been shown to aide in the prevention and treatment of certain cancers. Some of the other spices often used in curry powder, such as black pepper, cinnamon, cloves, and coriander have properties that help support your digestive health. (Livestrong.com)

Curry Chickpea Rice and Kale Soup + V|GF

This Curry Chickpea Rice and Kale Soup is full of vibrant colors and fresh vegetables - the perfect Spring time soup. Vegan + Gluten-Free

Course Breakfast/Lunch

Cuisine Soup

Keyword gluten-free, Soup, vegan

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Servings cups

Calories 136kcal

Author Kaylee Pauley

Ingredients

1 bag banza chickpea rice
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 large sweet onion finely chopped
1 clove garlic minced
2 cups carrots finely chopped
1 medium bell pepper finely chopped
1 cup zucchini finely chopped
3-4 cups kale leaves stems removed, finely chopped
4 cups vegetable broth
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
2 tbsp curry powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
Garnish with hemp seeds, coconut cream and fresh herbs

Instructions

Once all vegetables are prepped, cook chickpea rice according to package direction, rinse and set aside.
Meanwhile place coconut oil, chopped onion, and minced garlic in large stock pot. Saute 3-4 minutes, then add carrots and bell pepper and cook another 2-3 minutes.
Next add in the chopped zucchini, kale, vegetable broth, almond milk and all seasonings.
Bring to a boil, then reduce and simmer for 20 minutes.
Once all veggies are cooked and just before serving, add chickpea rice to soup. Stir and add any additional desired salt/pepper. Garnish with hemp hearts, coconut cream, and fresh herbs.

Nutrition

Adapted from Cotter Crunch’s Curried Cauliflower Rice Kale Soup.

Vegan Cauliflower Walnut Street Tacos

Kaylee Pauley — Thu, 23 Apr 2020 19:52:32 +0000

These Vegan Walnut Cauliflower Street Tacos are a delightful way to fill your belly with satisfying, wholesome ingredients! While I’m still loving soups and all things warm and hearty, Spring is here and I’ve got tacos on the brain! Once the weather starts warming up, I find my taste buds quickly start to crave things like tacos, veggie burgers, watermelon, roasted asparagus, corn on the cob and other seasonal favorites.

With the Shelter In Place Order in effect and Josh working from home the last six weeks, I find I’m cooking now more than ever. And not just cooking, but baking. I’ve got to stop baking! It’s no secret I have a huge sweet tooth, and my kids have for sure inherited that love for sweets. Thankfully they’re also really healthy eaters. I’m big on making sure they eat the good stuff before the fun. But they also love sweets made with wholesome ingredients.🙌🏻

Regardless, between cookies, bread, muffins and even cake, we’ve baked and eaten a LOT of yummy things over the last month and a half. There’s just something so comforting about baking, isn’t there?

Outside of baking, we’ve been eating a lot of meals loaded with fresh produce: roasted veggies and eggs for breakfast, hearty salads for lunch, and a variety of wholesome meals for dinner. Including several purely plant based dishes like these Vegan Cauliflower Walnut Street Tacos.

These tacos are full of flavor with such a satisfying texture. I love mixing foods with different flavors and textures. The cauliflower and carrots add a tender crunch, while the walnuts + seasonings bring in a smoky, nutty flavor. Add the potent garnish of fresh onions, and the smooth creaminess of the avocado, wrapped up in a toasted tortilla and it’s one delightful bite after another!

ALL THE REASONS TO LOVE THESE Vegan Cauliflower Walnut Street Tacos:

Super filling and satisfying, whether you’re vegan or not
Wholesome ingredients
Vegan, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free
Quick and easy – just blend and roast!
SO much flavor and texture
Toasted corn tortillas are the best!

Next time you’ve got tacos on the brain…try these!

Vegan Walnut Cauliflower Street Tacos

These Vegan Walnut Cauliflower Street Tacos are a delightful way to fill your belly with satisfying, wholesome ingredients!

Course Dinner/Lunch

Cuisine Mexican, tacos

Keyword dairy-free, gluten-free, tacos, vegan

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 22

Servings people

Calories 332kcal

Author Kaylee Pauley

Equipment

Food processor

Ingredients

FOR THE WALNUT CAULIFLOWER TACO “MEAT”

2 large carrots
2 cups cauliflower
1.5 cup raw walnut pieces halves
1-2 chipotles in adobo sauce
1 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp sea salt

FOR THE STREET TACOS

12 corn tortillas
1 can refried beans
1-2 medium avocados cubed
green or red onion finely chopped
fresh cilantro chopped

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease large baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
Add carrots, cauliflower, walnuts, chipotle peppers and all seasonings to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse all ingredients until the mixture is evenly ground yet still has some smaller chunks (see pictures), approximately 10-15 seconds.
Transfer vegan taco "meat" to a greased baking sheet and spread into a single layer. Bake for 20-22 minutes, stirring halfway through to prevent over-browning. You want the carrots and cauliflower to be cooked but not mushy, leaving it with a slightly crunchy texture.
While taco “meat” cooks, heat tortillas in small skillet, one by one, about 1 minute on each side until it begins to brown. Wrap each toasted tortilla in aluminum foil to keep warm and fresh until ready to assemble
Once taco “meat” has cooked and cooled slightly, begin to assemble your tacos, adding a large spoonful of cooked refried beans to each toasted tortilla, followed by taco “meat”, avocado, fresh herbs and chopped onions. Enjoy!

Notes

Nutrition Info is for 1/4 recipe (enough for three tacos) Vegan Taco Meat ONLY, does not include tortillas, toppings, etc as those things vary depending on your preference.

Nutrition

Recipe adapted from my Vegan Green Goddess Wraps.

Lemon Cake with Lemon Cream Cheese Buttercream

Kaylee Pauley — Sun, 12 Apr 2020 01:50:58 +0000

This Lemon Strawberry Cake with Lemon Cream Cheese Buttercream is delightfully addicting and perfect for Easter and Spring! I can’t say that it’s Paleo, Gluten-free, or healthy (definitely NOT)… but it IS super yummy, and made from scratch with love!

I think this Easter is one we’ll always remember. And one that looks different than we imagined 6 weeks ago. But the day is here, and however different it may be than we initially envisioned, He is Risen, and I’m so grateful!

This past week, we’ve read the Bible stories centered around Jesus’s crucifixion and resurrection over and again. Between these readings, the devotions from Brighton’s preschool, and all our conversation around what this means for us, I think he’s getting it. It’s so sweet hearing the questions he has.

While we’ve talked a lot about the reason we celebrate Easter, we’ve also filled the week with fun festivities – including making this bunny cake. I used a homemade fondant recipe (basically just marshmallows and powdered sugar) to make the bunny and carrots. Then frosted the cake with a lemon cream cheese buttercream. The bunny and cake aren’t perfect, but the kids LOVED it, and I had a lot of fun making them and hearing their little voices call out “it’s a bunny!”. 😊

What I love about this Lemon Strawberry Cake with Lemon Cream Cheese Buttercream:

So much lemony goodness
The sweetness of the strawberry preserves is a lovely compliment to the tart lemon
Festive for Spring!
Happy distraction while we’re social distancing…
Yum, Yum, and more Yum!

I asked Josh if he wanted a lemon cake or carrot and he choose lemon. I wanted to bring in a fruit filling of some sort and kept it simple using a jar of organic strawberry preserves. And wanting to make sure the lemon flavor really shined, I went ahead and added lemon to the buttercream. In the end, I’m really happy with the turn out. It’s just so perfect for Spring.

If you’re looking for some healthier fun Easter Treats, try these Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies or these No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bird’s Nest Cookies.

I’ll be back next week with a healthy new recipe! Happy Easter 💚

Notice bites keep going missing as I photograph…😋

Lemon Strawberry Cake with Lemon Cream Cheese Buttercream

This Lemon Strawberry Cake with Lemon Cream Cheese Buttercream is delightfully addicting and perfect for Easter and Spring!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword buttercream, cream cheese, lemon, Lemon Cream, strawberry

Prep Time 1

Cook Time 22

Servings

Author Kaylee Pauley

Ingredients

FOR LEMON CAKE LAYERS:

3/4 cup unsalted butter room temperature
1 1/2 cups white sugar
3/4 cup Greek Yogurt whole milk*
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp lemon zest finely grated
3 whole eggs + 1 yolk
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tbsp
corn starch 
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup milk I used 2%
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

FOR STRAWBERRY FILLING:

12 oz strawberry preserves

FOR LEMON CREAM CHEESE BUTTERCREAM

2 sticks butter room temperature
16 oz cream cheese room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
5-6 cups powdered sugar*

Instructions

INSTRUCTIONS FOR CAKE:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Line three 8” round cake pans with nonstick spray, flour and parchment paper.
 Add butter and sugar to bowl of electric mixer, cream using paddle for 3-4 minutes or until light and fluffy, stopping occasionally to scrap down the sides.
Add Greek yogurt, vanilla extract and lemon zest, then mix until combined.
Add eggs one at a time, followed by the single yolk. Scrape sides each time you stop to add next egg + yolk.
In a separate bowl, combine AP flour, cornstarch, baking powder, basking soda and salt. Whisk to combine then set aside.
In small bowl, combine milk and lemon juice. Slowly, add dry ingredients to butter mixture, alternating with milk/lemon juice. Mix until well combined, stopping to scrap down sides as needed.
Divide cake batter evenly between the three 8 prepared pans and bake for 22-23 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with only a few crumbs.
Allow cakes to cool 3-4 minutes, then take a butter knife and run it around the outside edges of each cake then flip and remove from pans and allow to continue cooling on rack.
If you’re making the cake ahead, once the cake is almost fully cooled, wrap each layer in 2 layers of plastic wrap, then seal each one in a gallon freezer bag, add them to a large baking sheet and freeze. (I do this with all my cakes, allows me to make them in stages, helps trap the moisture and makes frosting them easier later!)

FOR BUTTERCREAM:

 Beat cream cheese and butter in mixer until well combined. Scrap down sides as needed.
Add vanilla and lemon juice, then continue mixing until well blended.
Add powdered sugar, one cup at a time until sugar is incorporated. Store Lemon Cream Cheese Buttercream in refrigerator until ready to frost cake.

TO ASSEMBLE CAKE:

Spread a small amount of frosting on cake board or cake pedestal to keep first layer in place, followed by first cake layer. Again I freeze my layers first, so I just pull them out of the freezer and start the assembling while still frozen. Once first layer is on board/pedestal, pipe or layer frosting around the outside edge of the cake. This creates a boarder to keep the strawberry preserves from running out the sides.
Add the strawberry preserves, spreading out in an even layer. You’ll use half of the 12 oz jar on the bottom layer and the rest on the middle layer, none on top.
After you have your layer of strawberry preserves, add a layer of the buttercream and smooth into an even layer. Add middle layer of cake and repeat with piping the frosting around outer edge, layer of preserves, then buttercream. Finally top with top cake layer, add frosting to top and outer edges, then smooth and decorate as desired.
Store cake in refrigerator. Allow cake to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes or so before serving.

Notes

Substitute with sour cream if needed in place of Greek Yogurt.
I always make my cakes ahead of time and freeze them.
If you’re not piping the frosting, you can taste buttercream as you go and use less sugar. If you are planning to pipe, you’ll likely need the full 6 cups

Cake layers adapted from Life Love and Sugar.

Gluten-Free Easter Sugar Cookies | The Value of Friends

Kaylee Pauley — Tue, 07 Apr 2020 20:31:50 +0000

These Gluten-Free Easter Sugar Cookies are made with oat flour, almond butter and honey. They’re sweet without being too sweet, and the optional confetti sprinkles make them a lot of fun for the kiddos!

As difficult and confusing as this time has been the last several weeks, it’s also been a really beautiful thing to watch people be incredibly intentional in loving others well. A friend sent me this video of John Krasinski highlighting Some Good News and as I watched it, I laughed and cried, deeply moved. In this time of crisis, if I tune in to the typical news channels, good news is definitely lacking. Taking in the news that IS shared, day after day, is weighty. Burdensome. I’m not saying I should be naive to it, nor should I check out. But I do want to be a person who is intentional in seeing and finding the good.

Because now, maybe more than ever before in my lifetime as an adult, I am seeing organizations, churches, neighborhoods, and friends coming together, united. Accomplishing things that would be impossible individually, but collaboratively they’re having a tremendous impact.

One of my favorite Bible teachers, Kristi McLelland, teaches how the Israelites looked up and out, rather than down and in. That when they found themselves in the desert, in trials, they didn’t ask God to get them out of the desert as quickly as possible. Rather they asked “what do you want me to learn about You, here in the desert?” Both of those are hard. But I do believe God wants me to look up to Him, and out to those around me during this time. And I believe there are things I am learning about who He is, about myself, my priorities, here in the “desert”.

My own experience of His goodness…

These Gluten-Free Easter Sugar Cookies and the flowers photographed with them, are living proof of the impact friends have had in my life over the last month. Even when physically apart, they have loved me, and my kids, with such intention.

The flowers were sent to me from one of my best friends for my birthday. We had planned to go to breakfast or lunch, but with the need for physical distancing, those plans had to be delayed. For the unforeseeable future. And then one day, a vehicle pulled up to my house and a lady walked to my door with a beautiful vase of flowers. A gift from my friend. Maybe we couldn’t get together, but that didn’t stop her from loving me well. From making me feel seen and special.

And then…

Fast forward a couple weeks and another wonderful friend text me to see how things were going at home with the kiddos. My response… “🤪🥴”. We’ve come a long way in finding a new rhythm the last few weeks, but at the time, I was feeling somewhat anxious and exhausted. Things were new and different for the kids as much as for us. They, especially Brighton, were missing friends and activities and it had been raining FOR DAYS. Meaning we couldn’t play outside. Behaviors were just not good. I felt like the more I did to engage, occupy and entertain, the less grateful they were. And Josh was suddenly working from home everyday. Having Zoom meetings and phone calls in a house without an office space. It was tough few weeks for all of us as we adapted.

My friend didn’t respond, but the next day she text and said to check my front porch when I had a chance. I went out and there was a huge paper bag FULL of craft and art supplies. Including the ingredients and recipe to make homemade play-dough. Along with these adorable Spring/Easter cookies cutters and sprinkles. She put so much time and intention in going through her own things, to see what she had, that could help make our lives a little easier. Talk about feeling SEEN and LOVED.

I’m so grateful for these friends. Even in this season of physical distancing, we can still do small or BIG things to connect. To love others well.

Why you NEED these Gluten-Free Easter Sugar Cookies in your life?

Cheerful and festive with Easter upon us
Fun, edible activity for you and the kiddos
A healthy treat to then feed those kiddos 👆
Gluten-Free
Dairy-Free
Cookies with sprinkles in cute shapes, I mean…do we really need any other reasons?

The inspiration for these cookies clearly came from the cookie cutters my dear friend shared with me. Along with wanting to make a fun, healthier treat for the kids. They LOVED them. Brighton’s exactly words were “Mommy, can we always make these cookies?” Sweet boy.

They’re sweet without being overly sweet. And the texture is slightly firm and chewy, without being too crispy. I opted to skip the frosting and just decorate with the sprinkles. But you could definitely up the sweetness by adding a layer of frosting.

Baking has been one of my favorite things to do, with and without the kiddos, these last few weeks. If you find yourself in the same boat, I hope you’ll give these Gluten-Free Easter Sugar Cookies a try. Then let me know what you think!

For other Festive Easter Favorites, check out a couple sweet and savory options below!

Gluten free Easter Sugar Cookies | DF + Vegan Friendly

These Gluten-Free Easter Sugar Cookies are made with oat flour and almond butter - the perfect amount of sweetness and a fun treat to make with the kiddos!

Course Dessert/Snack

Cuisine Cookies

Keyword dairy-free, gluten-free, Vegan-friendly

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 18

Servings cookies

Calories 130kcal

Author Kaylee Pauley

Ingredients

2 1/4 cup rolled oats ground into fine flour
3 tbsp almond butter
2 tbsp refined coconut oil room temperature*
1/4 cup raw unfiltered honey substitute maple syrup for vegan*
1/4 cup coconut sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
1-2 tbsp almond milk if needed
1/4 cup Confetti sprinkles, OPTIONAL + more for decorating

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, then line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Add rolled oats to NutriBullet or Ninja and grind into fine flour consistency, set aside.
Add almond butter and coconut oil to large mixing bowl. Use electric mixer with paddle to cream 2-3 minutes until smooth and creamy. Stopping to scrape down sides as needed.
Add coconut sugar and honey, cream another 1-2 minutes, pausing midway and adding vanilla extract.
Add baking powder and salt to oat flour, then slowly add to mixing bowl while paddle attachment is moving on low speed until all flour has been added. Slowly increase speed until blending on medium high.
Pause mixer, scrap down sides and determine if dough needs almond milk. If it’s too dry and hasn’t come together as dough, add 1 tbsp almond milk, blend and check again. Add small amounts (1/2-1 tbsp) of oat flour or almond milk as needed until you have a semi sticky dough.
Sprinkle extra oat flour on clean flat surface or parchment paper, and begin to roll out the cookie dough. Add the oat flour to your rolling pin as well.
Once dough is rolled out into 1/8”-1/4” thickness, press cookie cutters down firmly, use a metal spatula pick them up and move them to parchment lined tray. Once your pan is full of cut out shapes, add additional confetti sprinkles, if desired, and press down into batter gently.
Bake cookies for 8-10 minutes depending on size of cookies. I baked mine for 8 minutes. Allow cookies to cool on pan 2-3 minutes before removing. Repeat process with remaining dough. Yield 12-14 medium-large cookies.

Notes

You can use virgin coconut oil in place of refined but there will be a slight coconut flavor to the cookies
I haven't actually tested with maple syrup, but it should work just fine.
Nutrition info does include the optional confetti sprinkles.

Nutrition

Paleo Lemon Blueberry Raspberry Bread

Kaylee Pauley — Tue, 31 Mar 2020 12:00:50 +0000

This Paleo Lemon Blueberry Raspberry Bread is a tasty Spring-inspired quick-bread made with almond and coconut flour. It’s healthy enough for breakfast and just sweet enough to satisfy as a lovely dessert!

In a world where most of our rhythms and routines are a little out of sync, is it odd that a grocery store somehow brings a sense of normalcy to things? In an effort to respect the requests of the government and love those who are more at risk to the Covid 19 virus, our family has been social distancing ourselves. My kids haven’t been in the car to go to a destination in weeks. Josh has worked from home for nearly three weeks now and aside from a couple doctors appointments and the grocery store for food and essentials, I’ve been home, too.

Honestly, visiting Sprouts feels like a little treat for me. I’m there once a week and so many of the employees have become friends. As silly as it seems, it’s nice to go somewhere and have brief face-to-face (even at a distance) conversations with other adults. To be able to check in on them and have them ask about my little ones. It’s amazing how hard and challenging times bring to the surface all the little things we take for granted. And suddenly we find ourselves super grateful.

Why I love this Paleo Lemon Blueberry Raspberry Bread

Beautiful Spring-inspired colors – need pretty things to distract from “real life”
Paleo, Gluten-Free, Dairy-free, thank you Almond Flour and Coconut oil!
Refined Sugar-Free, Hello Honey!
So many fresh berries!
Healthy enough for Breakfast, sweet enough for dessert!
A lovely addition to whatever Easter spread you do or do not have planned.

Clearly I love Sprouts for other reasons, too. With an abundance of fresh produce, plus their seasonable bulk-bin scoopables, I will forever be hooked on this place. Their produce and bulk-bins are what bring me back again and again. But I also really love their extensive options in the way of health foods. Whether you enjoy any and all foods, eat a strict gluten-free|vegetarian|paleo|vegan diet, or fall somewhere in between, Sprouts has endless options to make it easy.

For this Paleo Lemon Blueberry Raspberry Bread, I used almond flour in place of traditional AP flour, combined with a little coconut flour and arrowroot flour. The almond flour creates a lovely based for the fresh lemon, blueberries and raspberries to really shine. The coconut flour adds a hint of sweetness and the arrowroot helps keep the bread from being too dense. I opted to sweeten the bread with raw unfiltered honey. The honey sweetens the bread without making it overly sweet.

The glaze is super fun, but also totally optional. It’s made with coconut cream, seedless jam, honey, and a little lemon. You can easily up the lemon flavor by adding more zest, or mellow it out by skipping the zest altogether.

This Paleo Lemon Blueberry Raspberry Bread would make a lovely addition to your Easter Brunch spread.

Without question, Easter will be different this year. There’s no guarantee churches will be gathering again. It’s likely restaurants and many non-essential stores will still be closed. And highly likely that we will still need to keep distance from others. But none of that diminishes what Jesus did on the cross, nor the victory that changed everything when he rose from the grave.

As a family, we will celebrate! And while my main priority with my children will be to focus on Jesus, I also plan to to make it a day of fun for them. An egg-hunt in the back yard, Easter baskets with sweet odds and ends, and of course – a traditional picture taken in our Easter outfits.

PLUS a yummy spread of food. Because where there is celebration, there will also be good food. And this Paleo Lemon Blueberry Raspberry Bread will likely be among that food. 😊

Looking for other healthy baked goods, check out some of my favorites below:

Paleo Lemon Blueberry Raspberry Bread

Course bread, Breakfast/Brunch, Dessert/Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword dairy-free, gluten-free, paleo, refined sugar-free

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 50

Servings slices

Calories 248kcal

Author Kaylee Pauley

Ingredients

FOR THE BREAD:
1 1/2 cups fine blanched almond flour
1/4 cup coconut flour
1/4 cup arrowroot flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
1/4 cup melted coconut oil
1/3 cup raw unfiltered honey
1 tsp vanilla
3 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
Zest of 1 large lemon
3 large eggs room temp
1/2 cup fresh blueberries
1/2 cup fresh raspberries
FOR THE GLAZE:
1 1/2 tbsp whole coconut milk from the can the top solid part*
1 tbsp raw unfiltered honey
1 tbsp seedless raspberry jam
1/2-1 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice**
1 tsp lemon zest

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a medium loaf pan with parchment paper - I used an 8.5” x 4.5” glass dish.
Add 1 1/2 cup almond flour, 1/4 cup coconut flour and 1/4 arrowroot flour to large bowl, followed by 1 tsp baking soda, 1/4 tsp baking powder and pinch of salt. Whisk until well combined.
In a separate large bowl, add 1/4 cup coconut oil (melted and slightly cooled) with 1/3 cup raw unfiltered honey, 1 tsp vanilla and3 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice. Whisk to combine, then add 3 eggs and zest of one large lemon. Continue to whisk until well combined.
Add almond flour mixture to wet ingredients and mix until well incorporated. Finally, fold in blueberries and raspberries (I gently cut some of my larger raspberries so they weren’t so big), keeping a few to add on top.
Pour batter into prepared loaf pan, spread evenly and top with few remaining blueberries and raspberries. Bake for 35 minutes, then cover with foil and bake additional 10-15 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow loaf to cool completely in the pan/dish before removing.
Once loaf has cooled completely, make the glaze by adding 1 1/2 tbsp coconut milk, 1 tbsp honey, 1 tbsp seedless raspberry jam and 1/2-1 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice, and 1 tsp lemon zest to small pot, cook over low heat, stirring continuously, until smooth consistency is reached. Remove from heat, allow to cool slightly and drizzle over bread. Cut into 8-10 slices and enjoy!
Store in refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature before serving or heat in oven or toaster oven at 250 degrees for 2-4 minutes.

Notes

Do not shake coconut milk in can, instead open from top and scoop off only the solid cream for the glaze.
Amount of lemon depends on your personal preference
Nutrition info based on 10 slices with glaze.

Nutrition

This post is sponsored by Sprouts Farmers Market, but all opinions are my own. Thanks for supporting the brands that keep Lemons and Basil in action!

Southwest Veggie Omelet | GF + DF

Kaylee Pauley — Thu, 26 Mar 2020 20:22:11 +0000

This Southwest Veggie Omelet is so yummy and super filling! AND my husband said it’s the best omelet he’s ever eaten..what?! Woohoo! You can easily add additional protein/dairy, but it’s pretty amazing on it’s own!

It’s sorta a strange thing to talk about food right now. With each new recipe I share from week to week, things are so different.

There are just SO many hard things going on in the world. People are hurting and fearful. Lives have been lost. Sickness is rampant. Jobs have been eliminated. Schools are closed. Churches aren’t gathering. Businesses are temporarily closed. People are isolated and for some that means they’re also very lonely. High school seniors are missing their prom and all the fun activities they’ve been anxiously waiting to experience. Food and paper goods that have always been so easily accessible are suddenly hard to find. The list of changes and difficult circumstances seems endless.

I don’t want to be insensitive to any of these things. My heart breaks for the pain so many are experiencing.

We’ve been really intentional in talking to the kids about all we have to be grateful for, each taking turns to list things specifically. Honestly, this is as much for them as it is for us. We’re also spending time vocally praying with the kids for those around us in hard situations.

Our own routine has been rocked a bit during these last couple weeks. With so much rain we’ve been indoors with little to nothing to break up the monotony. I’m not big on screen time for the kids. I have no judgement towards others for the use of it, we definitely do have some here and there, I’ve just found my kids behavior is better without it. But it takes a lot of energy to keep the kids from being board and playing well together.

We’ve been doing a lot of craft time, reading books, kid-friendly fun exercises or dance parties, and recently we’ve upped our game in the way of pretend clothes. Brighton especially loves to pretend to be things by matching his clothes and adding a hat, cape, necktie, etc. Some of his favorites are a king, ladybug (an outfit we made for his preschool Bug Ball), office worker, camper, and of course – Batman. He’s also got halloween costumes from past years that he loves to change in and out of throughout the day. I’m thankful to be home with them, but the days are definitely exhausting.

Cooking and baking have become things we’ve done more of together the last couple weeks.

We’ve made pancakes and waffles a few times as a fun start to the day. They’ve helped make muffins and cookies for fun snacks, and at least a couple nights a week help me with dinner. It’s one of my favorite activities to do with them. And while there are many things we don’t need or aren’t doing right now, food is not one of them. We have to eat.

We all have to eat, right? And perhaps for some, there’s actually a little more time for homemade meals right now. I love to cook with fresh produce, but I’m also hoping to focus on meals that are made with pantry staples and ingredients that have a decent shelf life. This Southwest Veggie Omelet falls into both categories. Pantry/Fridge staples and ingredients with a fairly long shelf life.

I know eggs are one of the highly sought commodities right now. While I may not be able to find the exact brand or color of eggs I typically buy, I’ve been fortunate enough to find some sort of eggs available each time I’ve shopped in the recent weeks. Hoping that’s the case for you, too!

What makes this Southwest Veggie Omelet a great choice during the Covid 19 Pandemic?

Eggs have a great shelf life and add lots of protein for those who are Vegetarians AND for those who are unable to find meat right now. (According to the USDA, raw eggs in their shells will store in refrigerator for 3-5 weeks)
Sweet potatoes, golden potatoes, onions, bell pepper and kale add a healthy dose of fiber, vitamins and minerals. BUT they also hold up for at least a couple weeks if not longer in the fridge. So for those who are buying a little extra each trip in an effort to shop less often, these are a great choice.
Naturally gluten-free for those with Celiacs or gluten intolerances.
Super adaptable to meet the preferences of each person in your home! In many cases, all members of the family are home right now and making meals that suit everyone can sometimes feel like an impossible feat. Omelets are so great for easily satisfying everyone’s specifics likes and dislikes.
For those wanting meat, but needing to use it sparingly, a little goes a long way in these omelets. I chopped up one small, cooked sausage patty and used it for both Josh and Brighton. 🙌🏻
Endless garnishing options – salsa, fresh herbs, hemp hearts, pumpkin seeds, and sour cream or Greek yogurt for who can tolerate dairy. A little garnish does a lot for making our food extra flavorful and extra pretty! Because we’re all looking for small things to make us smile right now, right?

If you find yourself at a loss for what to fix for dinner and with the bulk of these ingredients on hand, give this Southwest Veggie Omelet a try. Don’t be afraid to free-style it, adding in whatever veggies you have on hand. The seasonings – chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, salt and pepper – are the essentials for the Southwest attribute. I think you’ll find they add a really lovely flavor to the fresh veggies, eggs, and avocado. Whether you make it for breakfast or dinner, I feel fairly confident you’ll find it to be hearty and satisfying.

Until next time, wishing you and yours good health and special moments with your loved ones. 🧡

Southwest Veggie Omelet (GF + DF)

This Southwest Veggie Omelet is so yummy and super filling! ANNNND my husband just said it’s the best omelet he’s ever eaten..what?! Woohoo! You can easily add additional protein/dairy, but it's pretty amazing on it's own!

Course Breakfast, Breakfast/Brunch, Healthy

Cuisine American

Keyword dairy-free, gluten-free, Omelet, vegan

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Servings people

Calories 367kcal

Author Kaylee Pauley

Ingredients

FOR THE OMELET:

1 tbsp coconut oil
1 garlic cloves minced
1/3 cup onion finely diced
1/3 cup bell pepper finely diced
2/3 cups sweet potato chopped small
1/3 cup gold potato chopped small
1/3 cup zucchini diced
1/2 cup chopped kale finely chopped
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
salt and pepper to taste
4 large brown eggs

FOR AVOCADO MIX

1/2 large avocado mashed
1 tbsp favorite salsa

OPTIONAL DAIRY/PROTEIN ADD-INS:

turkey sausage cooked and chopped
shredded cheese
sour cream

GARNISHINGS:

fresh herbs chopped
favorite salsa
avocado sliced
pumpkin seeds
hemp hearts

Instructions

For the avocado mixture, add 1/2 large avocado to small bowl along with 1 tbsp favorite salsa, mash with back of a fork untill well combined, then set aside.
Add 1 tbsp olive or coconut oil to large sauce pan, followed by minced garlic and onion. Cook over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until garlic starts to gently brown and onion becomes somewhat translucent.
Add diced sweet potato and gold potato, stir and cook another 1-2 minutes, then add the zucchini, kale, and all seasonings, and cook another 5 minutes or until all veggies are tender. Stir occasionally throughout cooking time.
While the veggies cook, add two eggs to a small bowl, sprinkle with salt and pepper if desired, then whisk. Heat a small round skillet over medium heat, spray with nonstick cooking spray and add two whisked eggs to pan. Cook 2-3 minute until the bottom side is cooked, then flip.
Spread half of the avocado mixture on 1/2 of the round omelet while still in the pan. Add half of veggie mixture, along with any dairy/protein add ins you’d like, then flip top half off the omelet so it covers the veggies, see photos, and cook another minute or two. Remove from pan.
Spray the small round skillet a second time with nonstick cooking spray, add the other two eggs to small bowl with salt and pepper, whisk, then repeat process. Cooking eggs only for 2-3 minutes, flip and add avocado mix, veggies and any optional add-ins, and cook another 1-2 minutes. Remove from pan.
Once both omelets are done, garnish with fresh herbs, salsa, avocado, pumpkin seeds and hemp hearts - enjoy!

Nutrition

Vegetarian Zucchini Lo Mein + Meal Delivery Services

Kaylee Pauley — Thu, 19 Mar 2020 16:06:42 +0000

This Vegetarian Zucchini Lo Mein is ready in under 30 minutes, full of fresh Asian-Inspired flavors, and bursting with vitamin-packed ingredients! PLUS it’s soy-free, gluten-free, and vegan-friendly!

I initially planned to share this recipe with you on St. Patrick’s Day. Intending to gush over the various shades of green to be found in this delightful dish. But honestly, with everything that’s going on in our world right now, it just seems somewhat insignificant. I am excited to share this recipe with you and it does have a significant amount of green. But rather than playing up the fun tradition this year, let’s just focus on the health benefits this dish has to offer. And the importance of nourishing our bodies with foods packed with vitamins and minerals. Perhaps now more than ever.

Because in a world where the flu, strep and COVID 19 seem to be spreading at a rapid rate, taking care of our bodies, and building our immune systems seems like our best course of action.

Aside from taking the necessary precautions with some social distancing, washing of hands and disinfecting things, of course.

Truly, I don’t want to be in a state of panic right now. I don’t want to live in or make decisions based on fear. God’s Word says that He has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and of a sound mind. It’s not always easy to hold on to that peace. If I’m not intentional in where I fix my thoughts and hope, I quickly find myself rattled and anxious. Especially when I think about those in my life who are more at risk to the Coronavirus. But I’m making an effort to commit my worries to Him and praying for wisdom in this odd season of life.

I’m also doing my best to make sure my family and myself are taking our vitamins, drinking lots of water, and eating wholesome foods. We’re definitely having a few fun things, too. The kids are going a little stir-crazy being home so much. So a treat here and there, along with a change in activity, seems to be a good way to keep the days moving along in a positive way.

Okay, getting back to the reason for this post – this Vegetarian Zucchini Lo Mein! I love Asian-inspired dishes, and this is for sure a new go-to. It’s quick and easy and bursting with flavor, texture and nutrition. Plus, it’s so colorful, an added benefit to help counter the dreariness of all the rain we’ve had the past several days/weeks.

Reasons to Love this Vegetarian Zucchini Lo Mein:

Ready in 30 minutes
Vegetarian and Vegan-Friendly
Soy-Free, Gluten-Free
Bursting with colorful, nutritious vegetables
SUPER flavorful
Easy to boost the protein with the addition of tofu, shrimp, chicken, or steak

One of my favorite things about this dish, aside from the flavor, is the texture. The carrots, cabbage and kale bring in a lovely, heartiness, that blends perfectly with the tender zucchini noodles. The cashews lend a needed crunch that perfectly balances the overall texture. The sauce is sweet without being too sweet, and while there is no soy in the sauce, the spices and seasonings used in the Oceans Halo sauce beautifully replicate the traditional soy flavor found in Asian dishes.

If your favorite Asian restaurant has its doors temporarily closed for the near future, let me highly recommend trying this dish! That’s of course assuming that all grocery stores keep their doors open! Surely they have to..right?!

Speaking of doors closed, that leads me to another thought. Meal Delivery Services. Have any of you tried them? Do you like them or have a favorite?

With the government recommending we stay home as much as possible, and with more and more companies temporarily closing their doors, are meal delivery services exactly what we need? I can’t help but think perhaps what started as a convenient way to help busy families eat home-cooked meals, might now be the perfect way to help families stay home and keep potential germs from spreading.

Or at least maybe now is the ideal time to try a meal delivery service if you’ve been on the fence?

On the fence is exactly where I find myself. I love cooking at home, and I love being creative in the kitchen. But I can also see the benefit and convenience of using a service where the meal planning, developing ingredient list, and shopping is done for you. Add in the bonus of it being delivered to my door at a time when we’re all being encouraged to go out as little as possible, and maybe now it is the ideal time for a trial.

I would so LOVE to hear from you. Would love to know which ones you’ve tried and what strikes you as the most beneficial aspect. Do you feel like the money is worth the time saved for those of you with such busy schedules?

From the research I’ve done, it seems like nearly all services are set to easily accommodate a variety of eating styles – vegan, vegetarian, meat, gluten-free, etc. We don’t seem to struggle with wasted leftovers in our house. But I know several of my friends who have said the home delivery services help with the appropriate proportions, eliminating so much wasted food.

Considering a Meal Delivery Service?

For those of you who have been considering a meal delivery service, especially with the circumstances as they are, here is a list of all the available meal delivery services in different areas along with honest reviews here. The website meticulously ranks the best meal kit delivery services and their specialties so that you get exactly what you ordered. Which is important right? No one wants to place an order based on what their family needs or can eat, only to not get what you ordered…

I’ll keep you posted if I decide to give one a go over these next few weeks. With all the recommendations of staying home, I just might! And I’d really love to hear from you on your own experiences of having recipes and ingredients delivered to your door.

Until next time, wishing you and yours good health!

Vegetarian Zucchini Lo Mein

Course Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine Asian, Asian Inspired

Keyword lo mein, stir-fry, Vegan-friendly, Vegetarian, Zucchini noodles

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Total Time 30

Servings people

Calories 260kcal

Author Kaylee Pauley

Ingredients

FOR THE SAUCE:
1/4 cup Oceans Halo No Soy Soy-Free sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp raw honey substitute with maple syrup for vegan
FOR THE LO MEIN:
2 large zucchini spiraled into noodles
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 bunch green onion chopped (white and green divided)
2 large carrots julienned
1 large bell pepper matchstick
1 cup cabbage shredded
1 cup kale chopped
1 cup mushrooms chopped
3 tbsp cashews roughly chopped
Protein of choice optional*
GARNISH:
chopped green onion
hemp hearts
fresh herbs

Instructions

Add all ingredients for sauce, no soy soy-free sauce, sesame oil and honey, to a small mason jar and whisk or add lid and shake.
Then add 1 tbsp sesame oil to large skillet with the chopped onions (white pieces) and cooked 1-2 minutes. Once onions begin to become translucent, add carrots, bell pepper, and cabbage, cook additional 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently.
Finally add mushrooms and kale and cook until all veggies are soft, 3-4 minutes.
Add fresh zucchini noodles and sauce to skillet, stir to combined, cover with lid and cook approximately 3 minutes, or until zucchini noodles are cooked to your preference. Careful not to overcook.
Divide among 2 or 3 bowls, add roughly chopped cashews and optional protein (chicken, steak, tofu) garnish with onions, fresh herbs and hemp hearts. Enjoy!

Notes

For additional protein, top with cooked chicken, steak, or tofu. I added Caulipower’s Spicy Chicken to my husbands and he loved it!
Nutrition info does not include optional protein.

Nutrition

Turmeric Ginger Banana Muffins | GF + DF

Kaylee Pauley — Wed, 11 Mar 2020 12:03:48 +0000

I’m so excited to share these Turmeric Ginger Banana Muffins with you today! Inspired by one of my top-viewed recipes on the site, this Turmeric Banana Smoothie, these muffins are a delicious way to boost your immune system while fueling your body with healthy, whole foods!

Before I dive in and share all the details of these new-found favorite muffins, let’s talk life. This week marks a fairly big life-moment for me. As I type out these words, Josh and I are relaxing in a hotel room in New York City. Without the kids.

This is our first time to travel without the little ones. My first time away from both of them overnight, and our first time leaving them in the loving care of someone else. Papa and Gigi (Josh’s parents) drove in Sunday to stay for the week and keep them, so Josh and I could take this short trip. Just the two of us, to celebrate his completion of his masters degree and my birthday.

So many emotions. This time together, a break, is so needed. But my babies, leaving them was hard. Releasing control, trusting they’d be well cared for and protected. All hard. Do I trust Papa and Gigi? Completely! They love them deeply and have so been looking forward to this time with them, just as Brighton and Addie counted down the days until their arrival.

The past couple days have been so good! Do I miss my babies? YES!

But this time with Josh, we needed this! Aside from the occasional date night, we haven’t had this sort of time together in over 4 years! Time to just stroll hand in hand. Time and energy for intentional conversation. And the chance to enjoy good food without the rush or angst of trying to feed little ones.

We had tickets to a jazz club Monday night, which was amazing! The level of talent was insane. It was pure enjoyment, sharing a pear and almond cobbler, sipping coffee, and soaking in the music.

And last night, we saw Hamilton at Richard Rodgers Theater. Oh my, where to start. It was everything we had read/heard and more! Someone recommended we listen to the soundtrack and learn the music before going, which we did and definitely added to the experience. But the creativity, the cleverness, the immense talent of the cast, by far the best musical I’ve ever seen!

We fly back home today, and I’m feeling so thankful for this time, for the leisure, the rest, and the fun. And so ready to snuggle my kiddos!

Okay, enough about New York – let’s talk about these muffins. These Turmeric Ginger Banana Muffins are made with oat flour (gluten-free) and have such a lovely texture. A little different from traditional banana muffins, I added a dose of ground cinnamon, turmeric, and ginger. So good! The spice is a bit reminiscent of my favorite Fall flavors, but the turmeric paired with the ginger and banana flavors make it totally Spring appropriate.

Plus with all the crud that’s been going around, we need ALL the immune boosting foods, right?!

HEALTH BENEFITS OF THESE TURMERIC GINGER BANANA MUFFINS:

Turmeric is a great anti-inflammatory (WebMD)
Ginger can help ward off germs and keep viruses at bay (WebMD)
Cinnamon can lower blood sugar and boost metabolism and fight bacteria. (WebMD)
Rolled oats can help lower cholesterol and reduce risk of heart disease. (WebMD)
Bananas are a great source of fiber and potassium (supports bone and muscle healthy). (Web MD)

Turmeric Ginger Banana Muffins (GF + DF)

These Turmeric Ginger Banana Muffins are a delicious way to boost your immune system while fueling your body with healthy, whole foods!

Course bread, Breakfast/Brunch, Breakfast/Snack/Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword dairy-free, gluten-free, muffins, turmeric

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 20

Servings muffins

Calories 168kcal

Author Kaylee Pauley

Ingredients

1 3/4 cup oat flour*
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp turmeric
1 cup ripe mashed banana
1/2 cup coconut sugar
1/4 cup coconut oil melted and slightly cooled
1/2 cup almond milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 organic eggs
3/4 cup rolled oats
Garnish with additional coconut sugar and rolled oats
optional

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and spray muffin tin with nonstick coconut oil or avocado spray.
In a medium mixing bowl, add all dry ingredients and whisk together - oat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, turmeric and ginger.
In a separate large bowl, add all wet ingredients - melted coconut oil, mashed banana, coconut sugar, almond milk, vanilla and eggs, whisk until well combined.
Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir them together until just mixed. Fold in rilled oats.
Divide into 12 grease muffin, approximately 1/4 cup batter in each. Garnish with extra rolled oats and coconut sugar if desired, then bake 17-18 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Enjoy!

Notes

Oat flour: add rolled oats to Nutribullet or high power smoothie maker and blend until fine flour-like consistency.

Nutrition