Dessert

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Bisquick Crepes

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Bisquick Crepes

This recipe came about as a happy accident. One night (I know you love breakfast for dinner!) I was craving pancakes and decided to whip up a quick batch (carbs be damned). I only had skim milk (0% fat milk) that I use with cereal, and didn't think it would really make a difference. You know the saying "The first pancake is always a failure"? I totally thought that was the case when I poured this batter on the hot skillet. The resulting pancake was more like a crepe - thin, fluffy, and beautifully crisp along the edges. I realized I had just created a hack for crepes - until I googled it and discovered it was a thing. Either way, here's a super simple recipe for crepes that can be turned sweet or savory...whatever you like :) 

Today I'm filling them with plain yogurt and fresh strawberries, topping them with toasted coconut, lemon zest for brightness, and a scoop of non-dairy ice cream. I'm using Happy Cow Dairy-Free Ice Cream, which is made from coconut milk and brings tons of creamy decadence to this dish! Let's get cookin!

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Ice Cream Smoothie Bowls

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Ice Cream Smoothie Bowls

I'm teaming up Happy Cow HK, Hong Kong's premium dairy-free ice cream company, to develop some delicious recipes that celebrate their coconut based ice cream! These recipes will give you inspiration for using your favorite brand of ice cream, or making your own Nice Cream! Some other fantastic dairy-free brands are SO Delicious, Almond Dream, Amy's, and Coconut Bliss.

Smoothie Bowls are easy to make, pretty to look at, and are a guilt-free way to enjoy the creaminess goodness of ice cream for breakfast, lunch, a snack, or dessert. You can create them with pretty much any combination of flavors that you have on hand. Try out fresh fruit, granola, cereal, nuts, chocolate, even peanut butter! 

Today I'm using Happy Cow Mango Ice Cream and almond milk to create my smoothie base. All you've got to do is blend your fav ice cream with your choice of milk, coconut milk, or juice (just enough to loosen it up a bit), and top off your smoothie bowl with all the fruit/toppings you like! You can also throw a banana into the blender instead of milk. 

Cinnamon Apples

Cinnamon Apples

Have you ever had Boston Market's cinnamon apples? Oh my god. When I was a kid, I lived for them. They're basically just the filling of a delicious apple pie - sweet, tender apples in a warm cinnamon sauce. Once in a while, I crave them, and a few weeks ago I decided that I'd try to make a batch! Turns out they're super simple to make at home. A yummy mix of cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar, a little salt, and a good squeeze of lemon juice makes these the perfect topping for oatmeal, pancakes, waffles, or just to enjoy with a scoop of ice cream. Let's get cookin!

Grilled Pineapple Ice Cream Sundaes

Grilled Pineapple Ice Cream Sundaes

Grilled pineapple is a serious dessert hack! Throwing the fruit on the grill amps up the sweetness, and the warm, caramelized edges are so delicious. Serving this simple grilled fruit with a scoop of coconut ice cream makes the easiest decadent dessert ever. The mix of warm fruit and creamy coconut ice cream is tropical heaven. The best part about this dessert is that it's completely plant-based! I'm enjoying the option of dairy-free ice cream lately, and my tummy couldn't be more happy. 

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

This is moist, flavorful, chocolatey bread that makes your house smell unbelievable. It's delicious warm out of the oven, the next day...(if it lasts that long), and even with a scoop of ice cream on top. This recipe is unbelievably easy – all you've got to do is measure-and-dump. You don't need a mixer; just a few extra-ripe bananas and an appetite. Let's get baking!

Mint Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding

Mint Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding

Ch-ch-ch-chia :) I know you've heard me rave about chia seeds since forever, but rightfully so! They are an absolute nutritional powerhouse - an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, magnesium, zinc, iron, protein, and calcium. The craziest thing about itty bitty chia seeds is that they are FULL of fiber. Just one oz of chia seeds contains 10 grams of fiber. Why is this important? Because they have the ability to soak up 27 times their weight in liquid and bloat up! They form a thick gel that can be used in tons of recipes.

 

Chia Seed Pudding sets up in about 4 hours, so this is a great idea for overnight prep. You can keep the pudding in the fridge for 3 days. If you love the texture of rice or tapioca pudding, you'll love chia pudding! 

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Frozen Yogurt Bark

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Frozen Yogurt Bark

I am soo excited for this week's recipe. Yogurt is one of my favorite snacks, and adding fresh, seasonal fruit and granola to it is simple and delicious. Nonfat plain yogurt is a great source of calcium, protein, and probiotics. Adding your own fruit cuts down on excess sugar that comes with fruit-on-the-bottom yogurt from the grocery store. I love using Driscolls's #FinestBerries and Nature's Path Organic Pumpkin Flax Seed Granola in mine :) 

With summer heating up, Frozen Yogurt Bark is a fun alternative snack for your family. It takes minutes to put together, and once it's frozen, all you've gotta do is break up the yogurt into pieces of 'bark'! This recipe is a great activity for kids to get involved in the kitchen. I love its adaptability - Frozen Yogurt Bark can be made with any combination of fruit and granola, and can be doctored up with extras like chocolate, flax seeds, chia seeds, protein powder, maca powder...the options  are endless. I love recipes that can hide nutrition boosters but still taste great! 

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Lemon Cream Stuffed French Toast

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Lemon Cream Stuffed French Toast

Mother's Day is just around the corner! For some reason, this holiday always makes me think of French Toast. Maybe it's because Mother's Day feels like one of those mornings you wake up to sneak to the kitchen and surprise Mom with breakfast in bed. Or going out to brunch with family - either way, French Toast is pretty to look at, simple to make, and delicious to eat. Check out my other French Toast recipes for Hot Chocolate French Toast, Pumpkin French Toast, and King's Hawaiian French Toast! :) 

One of the most popular items on a brunch menu is often a Lemon Ricotta Stuffed French Toast. The idea of making this at home was intriguing to me - how hard could it be? Turns out, it's super simple and only takes 20 minutes. What I love about this recipe is that you can substitute ricotta for mascarpone or cream cheese like I did :) Adding fresh lemon zest and juice to the filling gives the perfect punch to this sweet breakfast. Top it off with your Mom's favorite fresh fruit and you'll be chalkin up all kinda Brownie points :) Let's get cookin! 

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Crack Almonds

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Crack Almonds

These almonds are crack. Crunchy, cinnamon-sugar roasted nuts are so comforting and delicious! I've been poppin em in my mouth all day :) They're easy to make - simply toss them in fluffy egg whites and a mixture of sugar, cinnamon, brown sugar, and a dash of salt and throw them in the oven. What's even better about this recipe is that you can make them in a toaster oven just like I did! I don't have an oven in my apartment here in Hong Kong, and these babies were easy enough to slow roast in my handy toaster oven. You can use this recipe with your favorite nuts - they're super addicting and make for great gifts! Let's get roasting! 

The One Minute, Single Serving Brownie

The One Minute, Single Serving Brownie

Valentine's Day is just around the corner! Whether you like to celebrate or not, I think we can all agree on one thing - chocolate. Mug Brownies are hugely popular on Pinterest, so I decided to see if it was actually as good as everyone makes them seem. Turns out, you can have a warm, fudgy, single serve brownie in a minute! This recipe is as simple as whisking together a few ingredients and then microwaving them for about a minute in a mug. You can customize your brownie off of this base recipe - add chocolate chips, caramel, ice cream, whipped cream... even chili powder :)