Russian Vareniki - Strawberry Dumplings

If you have a wonderful Russian in your life like I have one in mine, then you may have experienced the heaven that is Vareniki yourself. If not - tune in and give it a whirl yourself!

Ingredients

• 2 C flour
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tsp veggie oil
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 lb strawberries

Instructions

1. Mix flour, salt and egg into a dough.
2. Add water and knead away.
3. Egg oil and continue kneading.
4. Cover bowl of dough with a towel and move on to strawberries.
5. Chop strawberries into small pieces and place into bowl
6. Add sugar to berries
7. Mix and set aside.
8. Go back to dough and break into manageable sections
9. Roll out the dough, and use a cookie cutter to pull out circles
10. Place a small amount of strawberries (you will figure amount more as you work) on one side
11. Fold half of the circle over into a moon dumpling shape.
12. Use water to seal the edge.
13. Use a fork to seal the edge.
14. Complete this process until the dough is gone.
15. Place dumplings into boiling water.
16. Once dumplings float, remove.
17. Serve warm. You can drizzle remaining strawberries and juice over the dumplings. We added vanilla bean greek yogurt as well and it was to die for!

Blueberry and Goat Cheese Empanadas

I wanted to make something different for the boys to enjoy tonight. Josiah likes most things with strawberries, but I am about sick of strawberry everything, so I went with a blueberry option. And in honor of Millie and Billy we went with a goat cheese empanada for the win.

This was super easy to make and absolutely delicious to taste.

Ingredients

• 2 cups blueberries
• goat cheese
• 1 T flour
• 1 T brown sugar
• 1 t vanilla extract
• empanada dough (freezer section in grocer)
• egg
• table sugar

Steps

1. defrost empanada shells
2. preheat oven to 400
3. pour blueberries in a bowl and add flour, brown sugar, and vanilla extract and mix it up
4. lay out empanada shells and use water to keep them sticky
5. place a spoon of goat cheese and a spoon or two of blueberry mixture in shell
6. fold shell over
7. use a wet fork to press edges tight
8. poke holes in top
9. use egg mixed with water to wash the top of the shell
10. sprinkle table sugar over nadas
11. bake for 15-20 mins or until browned shell
12. enjoy!

Mint Chocolate Chip Frozen Yogurt

The fact that my husband has a sweet tooth will not be a surprise to my readers, as is my continuous search for healthier alternatives for him. Perhaps his greatest temptation is Ice Cream. His two favorite flavors are Mint Chocolate Chip and Peanut Butter Anything. I decided to knock one of those out this week with an idea I found on Pinterest.

• 18oz chocolate chunk vanilla low fat chobani greek yogurt
• 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 5 drops green food coloring

1. Mix all ingredients together until all yogurt is evenly green
2. Put plastic cap back on and place in freezer
3. Freeze for 3-4 hours or until appropriately frozen
4. If frozen overnight place in fridge for an hour to soften
5. When you serve, mix it up a bit so its not icey but smooth
6. Enjoy
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Kale Chips (Potato Chip Replacement)

My husband (the one with the sweet tooth) also has a salty tooth. He can take down a full bag of potato chips in a sitting. You know the bag that most people buy, have some, clip, save for later. Yeah. One sitting. So when I heard of kale chips my first thought was - could you imagine if he would eat kale chips like he does potato chips. He would have some amazing vitamins and nutrients running through his body. Anyhow I mentioned to him and he was open to trying. Above is the final result. I think I should have cooked them a bit longer because some of them were a bit soggy. Though we had enough good ones to decide that we liked it. There were a few that we ate that we thought - ok thats the consistency of a potato chip. And the taste is definitely pretty good. So anyhow here is how you can make kale chips in your house.

• kale chips
• evoo
• seasoning of your choice (salt / pepper / garlic / red pepper / sugar / ?)

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Clip your kale into bite sized pieces
3. Oil your baking dish
4. Spread out your washed and dried kale on the baking dish
5.  Drizzle with evoo and seasoning
6. Bake until chips are browned but not burnt
7. Enjoy!

Toast with Strawberry Jam and Hummus

This morning I happened upon a delightful creation by accident. I was putting strawberry jam on my flat-bread after heating it. When my son said "you putting peanut butter and jelly on it?". And I thought - hmm peanut butter would be good. But when I reached into the fridge for peanut butter my hand hit the bowl of hummus. And a lightbulb went off.... Hummus is similar in consistency and taste to peanut butter. So I spread it on lightly on one side of the toast (in case it was horrid) and left the other side with just strawberry jelly. Brought it up to my office... and tasted heaven. So here ya go.

• strawberry jam
• hummus
• toast

1. Spread jam and hummus on toast
2. Enjoy :)

Cider Soda

yummmmm

• apple cider
• diet ginger ale

1. pour glass with 3/4 apple cider
2. complete glass with 1/4 ginger ale
3. enjoy :)

Peach Pineapple Kale Green Smoothie

Today I put a peach twist on the pk smoothie and man was it a good choice. Enjoy my friends, enjoy!

• 1/2 C cut pineapple
• 1/2 C frozen peaches
• 1C kale
• 1/4 t raw agave nectar
• 1/2 C ice
• 1 C lite coconut milk

1. Blend
2. Enjoy

Blueberry Oatmeal Breakfast Smoothie

So, I am in a competitive weight loss competition with my bestie, and yes I need it can't you tell from my recipes? hehe. So if you are on a diet and that is why you are reading this - make sure when you are off the diet you come take a look at my yummy yummy nondiet recipes hehe.

This smoothie is an adaption on some recipes that I found online. Having cholesterol problems I am always looking for ways to get more oatmeal in to my diet. I was skeptical on what a smoothie with oatmeal would taste like, but let me tell you - this was awesome. I can't wait to try it again!

• 1 C ice
• 1/2 C frozen blueberries
• 3T lowfat greek yogurt
• 1 banana
• 1/2 C old fashion rolled oats
• 1t raw agave nectar
• 1C water

1. Insert into fancy blender
2. Blend
3. Pour and enjoy

Makes 1 big serving

The Non-Cookie Dough Balls

So, when I saw this on Pinterest I was not sure what to expect. I didn't exactly have all the same items so I had to modify it a bit of course. But I was so happy with the end result I can't wait to make it again. Now let me make a disclaimer - this doesn't exactly taste like cookie dough. It tastes quite a bit like oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. But when I said nanacream tastes exactly like ice cream i meant it. This doesn't taste exactly like cookie dough, but pretty darn close. Enough that it was yummy enough to try again.

• 1 cup oatmeal flakes
• 2/3 cup raw almonds
• 1/3 cup raw pistachios 
• .25 t cinnamin
• quick shake of salt
• .25 cup raw agave nectar
• 2t vanilla
• 3T dark chocolate chips

1. add the nuts, flakes, spices to a food processor and grind until it is a powder
2. combine the nectar and vanilla and continue to process to mix well
3. fold in the chips
4. roll little balls of dough and place in a glass baking dish into the freezer for 1 hour
5. take out and serve

NanaCream - Natural Healthy Dairy Free Ice Cream

OK. I am about to share a secret with you. But don't let everyone know or we are going to put ice cream shops out of business and my Bryan will be heartbroken. This is our most favorite recipe these days and every single time it blows us away. Are you ready? Can you handle this?

• Bananas

[yes. really. thats it. no. im not kidding. thats all. ok if you want you can add other things like peanut butter, cocoa, others. but yes this is all]. You will need a food processor for this.

1. Take 3-4 bananas and peel them
2. Cut them into slices
3. Place them on a plate and stick them in the freezer for a few hours or overnight
4. Once they are frozen hard and almost stuck to the plate, throw them in a food processor
5. Turn on
6. First the banana will turn into a gravel like substance.
7. Keep a spoon on hand to push back towards the center and unstick pieces.
8. After it is gravelly keep going and keep going. It will start to get creamy.
9. Once your entire thing is creamy like the consistency of soft serve ice cream, you are done.
10. If you want to add things (we add a spoonful of peanut butter here cause bry LOVES peanutbutter ice cream) do it now and process it until its smooth in your food processor.
11. Scoop into bowls and enjoy. [you can also put it into the freezer for scoopable ice cream if you prefer]

I promise you will be surprised at how this will trick your mouth into thinking it is ice cream. The texture and taste will hardly give away that it started as a banana. So so good.

White Trash Truffles aka Junk Balls

Our friend Jessica introduced us to white trash truffles this week. My sister and I don't like to call them that though. We prefer junk balls, or trashy balls. or junk truffles.... anyhow.. they are a party for your tongue, and you have to try them just once. We have put people in awe this week of their amazingness, a great addition to a cookie plate or just to satisfy your sweet tooth.

• oreo cookies (mint and peanut butter work best)
• dipping chocolate (white or dark)
• cream cheese (we opted for 1/3 less fat)
• sprinkles or coconut for decor

1. place a bag of cookies into a ziploc bag and use a rolling pin to crush them
2. once they are pulverized mix them with a mixer and a package of cream cheese
3. make little balls you roll out of the mixture
4. place balls into freezer for 30 minutes or until hard (the harder the easier the next steps are)
5. once balls are hard put dipping chocolate into microwave to melt
6. when chocolate is liquified remove balls from freezer
7. dip each ball into the chocolate, one side at a time helps your fingers from burning
8. before chocolate hardens top with sprinkles or coconut
9. place back into freezer for an hour or so
10. eat and be merry

Candied Ginger Recipe

Seeking an ideal finishing touch for my cookie plates this year, I turned to crystallized (candied) ginger. The recipe was actually so easy. Give it a try yourself and save some money on sweet and spicier candied ginger.

• granulated sugar
• ginger root

1. peel and slice 2 ginger roots into coins
2. pour 3 cups of water and 3 cups of sugar into a pot to under medium heat, stir
3. once the syrup is warmed add your ginger coins to the mixture, mix and keep an eye on it
4. after 30 minutes and ginger is tender remove ginger with a strainer (you can save the sweet ginger syrup for homemade ginger ale)
5. place your ginger in a single layer to dry on a cookie rack
6. after 5 hours at least your ginger should be dry, fill a bowl with sugar
7. place ginger in bowl and shake it up
8. remove ginger and let dry another hour before serving or adding to cookie plate

Peanut Butter & Chocolate Croissants

So last night I had planned to make Bryan a dessert of mango sticky rice, and then I realized we didn't have lite coconut milk, and his brother decided to come watch movies with us and his limited palate would not have enjoyed the rice I am sure. So, in the end it all worked out, but there I was in the kitchen trying to figure out what to make with the ingredients at my disposal. When I saw the tubes of crescent rolls in the fridge my first thought went to a trick I learned in college to make donut holes and roll them in confect sugar. But I was trying to be a bit more creative than that. I recalled my friend recently went to Epcot and I advised her to stop by France and visit the bakery for a croissant. She not only did that but had a croissant with chocolate in it. And lets see, nothing goes better with chocolate than some creamy peanut butter :)

• tube of crescent rolls
• peanut butter
• semisweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat to 375
2. Unroll the dough
3. Place a smear of dough on the wide side
4. Top with a small pile of chocolate chips
5. Roll it up from the wide side to the thin side
6. Curve it like a crescent
7. Bake in oven as directed
8. Serve and enjoy :)

South Beach Chocolate Pie

So - I happen to be married to a man with a SWEET tooth. When the ice cream truck sings through the neighborhood we loses his mind and its everything he can do to keep from drooling and chasing after the singing truck of sweet cream. Of course, being that his mother and grandmother have diabetes I am staunch in trying to prevent as much sugar to pass his lips as possible. So here is a quick and easy recipe that he LOVES and minimizes the calories and sugar. Best of all it is south beach. :)

• 1 box sugarfree instant pudding mix
• 2.5C skim milk
• 2T low sugar peanut butter (creamy)
• 2C crispy rice cereal

1. Heat peanut butter in frying pan under low heat (make sure its low or you will burn it - low is enough to melt it really fast anyhow)
2. Fill a pie pan bottom with cereal
3. Once peanut butter has melted a good bit, drizzle it over the cereal mashing it into the pie pan and up the sides to build your crust
4. Put the pie crust in the freezer for 1 hour (or until it hardens)
5. Pour pudding mix in a bowl and mix it with milk and wisk it as directions call for
6. Once your pudding is well mixed pour it into your pie pan and stick it in the fridge to harden

Thats all - so so good :)

*We like to use that new whipped creamy peanut butter - so good

*Bryan likes to throw a chunk of peanut butter on top of his

*As you can see above we are having trouble making it a solid pie piece, but trust me - well keep trying ;)

Royal Icing Recipe

So Bryan and I realized we had never made a gingerbread house before and decided this was the year to start/practice/give it a go. We wanted it to look like our house, but realized after construction we didn't have enough skill graham crackers. I bought gingerbread graham crackers, lots of candy and ingredients for royal icing (the cement that would hold the gingerbread house together). Here is the recipe I ended up using and it worked AWESOME!

8 cups of confectionary sugar
18 tablespoons (or 6 eggs) egg whites
1 teaspoon cream of tartar

1. I blended this concoction with a hand mixer for about 7-10 minutes until it became white, shiny, and stiff.
2. I scooped it into a plastic sandwich bag, removing air, and leaving much room for squeezings and so it wouldnt come out too fast.
3. cut a tiny corner off the sandwich bag for squeezing out of
4. Have a couple wet cloths on hand to cover the tip of the sandwich bag so it doesnt harden in between using. Also cover any leftover icings so it doesnt cement before you can use it

Voila - its done. One batch did the entire house and candy and protective layers. We used four sandwich bags about half full each - to separate and make it easier to handle. You will definitely want to be careful until it cements - but at that point its hard as a rock. :)

Quickest Desert you will ever make.

All you need for this little masterpiece is:

Large can of canned yams
a few large marshmallows
backing dish of any kind
oven

Open the can, drain the juice (but not all). Pour yams in the dish.Put marshmallows on top, leaving some space between them. Stick int he oven for a few minutes (about 300 degrees). Take out when marshies start browning.

Easiest way to impress someone with homemade desert.