I like to consider EVERY MONTH National Peanut Month, but to celebrate Georgia’s most famous legume, I partnered with the Georgia Peanut Commission to do my favorite thing: Make scrumptious recipe videos and, well, taste test. Just give me a jar of peanut butter and I’m a happy girl– it’s what I consider breakfast most days!
Eating a nutritious breakfast packed with peanut powered protein really sets the tone for the dayand can even help with weight loss by keeping your blood sugar stable and fueling your metabolism. This super easy breakfast idea will keep you fuller longer– plus they can be prepped ahead of time — and they taste amazing! Hello, Peanut Butter Cranberry Energy Bites!
These are no bake, no hassle, prep ahead delish! And, you can feel even better about your peanut inspired breakfast because it’s loaded with protein and potassium which lowers your risk of blood pressure and heart disease. For more great recipes and information, check out the Georgia Peanut Commission’s website. Click the video below for the yummy recipe!
*This post was sponsored by the Georgia Peanut Commission
Peanut Butter Cranberry Energy Bites
2017-03-30 22:53:21
Perfect energy bite for breakfast, snack or on-the-go!
There’s nothing like a meat pie for breakfast…I mean, hello delicious! I’m on a “small bites” kick lately because, well, frankly, I want a taste of everything, and the smaller portions make it easier to do just that. These mini beef and spinach quiches are perfect for entertaining and also for breakfast on the go. You can make them ahead of time and freeze them– then pop them into the oven when you need breakfast on the run. And, you can swap out whatever kinds of veggies or cheese you want– I personally am a fan of ground beef and sharp cheddar, but brie is rich and fabulous– or swiss cheese, or a combination that suits your fancy.
What’s also great about these is that because the little pie shells are pre-made and frozen, you can make individual quiches or an entire party portion!
Feel free to change up the seasoning of the ground beef as well– for a Mexican twist, add taco seasoning to the beef and swap out the spinach for roasted chiles, or if you’ve got Greek on the brain, keep the Spinach and add feta. The options are limitless! This is another one of the recipes I’ve developed while on my tour with The Georgia Beef Board. Stay tuned for more delish while I’m on the road for National (and Georgia) Beef Month!
Ground Beef and Spinach Quiches
2016-05-16 14:41:08
Serves 12
A perfect "small bite" breakfast on the go or a no-hassle dish for easy entertaining.
Ladies and gentlemen…Elvis has left the building. With this Peanut Butter, Banana and Bacon Monte Cristo.
Let’s talk peanut butter, banana and bacon, y’all. It was Elvis’ favorite combination, and I assure you, once you taste this show stopper sandwich, it’ll be yours too!
I’ve been having so much fun coming up with peanut recipes during my month long tour with The Georgia Peanut Commission! And, any excuse I have to combine bacon and peanut butter— I mean, hello! Adding peanut butter to your morning routine is an awesome way to get your day started because it’s packed with protein and fiber, which means you’ll stay fuller longer and won’t be as inclined to hit the vending machine mid-morning! If you want to reduce the calorie count, substitute turkey bacon and don’t sprinkle the powdered sugar. A little drizzle of honey would be sublime. Just sayin’.
Peanut Butter, Banana and Bacon Monte Cristo
2016-03-28 13:34:00
The Elvis Special! A melty, yummy mix of peanut butter, banana, bacon and french toast.
First of all, how awesome does this set look? Big shout out to Party City for the Egg-celent Easter decorations! Now, let’s talk about what I like to call “deceptively delicious” menu planning. I don’t have kids (yet!) but I do know from my experience with children that sometimes you have to get them to be creative when it comes to eating the “good for you” stuff. It’s as easy as swapping out milk for Premier Protein in this delicious recipe. They come out thin and crispy and super delish! I added just a touch of Grade B maple syrup.
Then, the whole family gets a boost of energy without all the sugar. The recipe calls for Premier Protein’s Vanilla Shake – which is packed with 30g of protein, only 1g of sugar and 160 calories. It’s a yummy and healthy option for your family’s Easter brunch.
In the mood for a smoothie instead? You can make a Carrot Cake smoothie that you, the kids (and the Easter Bunny) will rave about!
Carrot Cake Smoothie
2016-03-24 15:53:01
A healthy alternative to carrot cake all packed into a smoothie with 30 grams of protein
What's on Parker's Plate? http://whatsonparkersplate.flywheelsites.com/
Filling the kiddos’ eggs with sweets? Swap out junk food for scrumptious, healthy Honey Bunches of Oats Crunch O’s. Fill your kids’ Easter basket with colorful eggs stuffed with the cereal. It makes the perfect snack — as well as traditional cereal.
New Honey Bunches of Oats Crunch O’s is made with the addition of whole grain O’s to to the traditional mix of flakes and bunches, which adds more crunch, texture and variety in every spoonful. My favorite is the Honey Crunch O’s! You know when you finish a bowl of cereal and then there’s milk left over that the cereal has been soaking in? OMG. Creamy, yummy sips of honey!
Hellmann’s just introduced 2 new products – the first-ever organic mayonnaise and plant-based, eggless spread – both of which make great bases for lighter twists on classic spring and summer recipes– from salads to dips. The organic mayo is USDA-certified with no artificial flavoring or preservatives and is available in 3 delicious flavors: Original, Roasted Garlic, and Spicy Chipotle. This creamy delish from Hellmann’s, free from cholesterol, eggs, and artificial colors and flavors.
This is going to be my new GO-TO entertaining appetizer– I was literally licking the melty mayo cheese off the toasts after the segment on Atlanta & Company!
Asiago & Prosciutto Toasts
2016-03-24 16:09:01
A creamy, melty, savory topping with asiago, prosciutto and garlic mayo on crostinis.
1/2 cup Hellmann's® or Best Foods Organic Original Mayonnaise
1/4 cup finely chopped cucumber
3 Tbsp. finely chopped red onion
1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh herbs, (dill, tarragon or parsley)
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
4 slices pumpernickel bread, toasted
1 cup lightly packed arugula
4 slices beefsteak tomato
8 ounces salmon fillet, broiled or poached, cut into 4 pieces
Instructions
Combine Hellmann's® Organic Original, cucumber, onion, herbs and mustard in small bowl.
Spread 1 tablespoon cucumber relish on each toast slice. Evenly top with arugula, tomato, salmon, then remaining relish.
What's on Parker's Plate? http://whatsonparkersplate.flywheelsites.com/
Now that the little ones have had their fill of the Easter candy, it’s time to get them to brush their teeth! The dreaded before bed task! Hello Toothpaste has flavors the kids will LOVE: choose from hello’s bubble gum, blue raspberry or fluoride free natural watermelon.
When I was a kid, my parents would always give us stockings filled with toiletries, like toothpaste, toothbrushes and shampoo. Easter is the perfect opportunity to do a “Clean and Healthy Teeth” basket! And, hello’s flavors not only get the kid’s teeth clean (after eating that chocolate Easter Bunny) the flavors tastes so good that they won’t argue with you!
Each toothpaste is as natural as can be with products free from dyes, parabens, microbeads or artificial sweeteners.
Just don’t be surprised when they start going through the tubes faster than normal! On that note, hello and Happy Easter!
*This is a sponsored post by Premier Protein, Honey Bunches Of Oats, Hellman’s and hello toothpaste, but all opinions are my own.
Who doesn’t love pancakes? When I was a kid, my Grandma Ronnie would sometimes make us pancakes for dinner and it was always the best treat! Since I started eating healthier and cut out a lot of the sugary, carb heavy foods from my diet, pancakes are something I’ve (*sob!) given up for the most part. But, when I partnered with Premier Protein for a segment on recipes you can make with their yummy shakes, I was blown away by the taste, texture and how good for you these pancakes really are! My favorite kind get crispy on the edges and these are utter perfection! (I did put a little bit of butter in my frying pan, btw.)
Perfectly golden with crispy edges
The shakes are pretty awesome on their own– and with only 1 gram of sugar, 160 calories and a whopping 30 grams of protein, there’s zero guilt and none of that chalky aftertaste you sometimes get with protein shakes. I made this recipe on set for my friend Tony Pagnotti from Fox 45 in Baltimore– he loved them so much he came back into the studio after our segment was done, looking for more!!
Now that is a man who LOVES his pancakes!
By the way, not many people make me look tiny (I’m almost 6 feet tall!) Tony is the kind of guy I love cooking for because he tells you how much he loves your food! The pancakes (and pizza) definitely did not disappoint.
Who’s hungry, y’all?
Here’s the recipe— feel free to add in blueberries, chocolate chips or nuts for even more texture and flavor. Check out the segment on Fox 45 below!
*This post was sponsored by Premier Protein, but all opinions are my own.
Why wait for dinner to have your grilled leftovers? Hello delish breakfast! (Photo Credit: Michelle Stuckey, WXIA)
Hope you guys had a fabulous Memorial Day weekend! Got steak leftovers? No need to wait for another dinner….this is the perfect, protein packed breakfast for the next day! You can crisp up your taters, warm up your veggies and fold that perfectly cooked steak into an omelet or scramble topped with your favorite cheese. Steak Leftover tip: Don’t cut up all of your steak at dinner— it will be easier to reheat without drying out it out. Pop your meat into some tin foil (it will steam a bit while in the oven) and reheat at 400 for 5-7 minutes.
This is my first attempt at making jelly. Getting knee deep in pectin and the whole process always freaked me out, but this is super easy and no pectin is needed to get the jelly to set up. I was so inspired after spending the day with the family who runs Countryside Citrus, in Vero Beach, Florida. They brought me down to their gorgeous grove to shoot a segment for The Weather Channel.
With Rusty Banack from Countryside Citrus, shooting my segment for AMHQ.
I’ve never see a fruit like this— Honeybells are basically the love child of tangerines and grapefruit. Super juicy and sweet– nectar of the Gods kinda good! And they’re only in season in January, so order yours now! You’ll be so happy you did!
And, um, by the way, this marmalade was so dang good, I gave up my low-carb mantra for 3 days and feasted on grilled, buttered bread with the Honeybell marmalade. OOOHHHHHEEMMMMGGGGG.
With a sharp paring knife, remove the peel and white pith of the Honeybells. Cut the peel into thin matchsticks. Cut up the Honeybells and remove the seeds. Place Honeybells in food processor and pulse for 2 minutes. Pour the pulp into a pool, add the peel and put in the fridge for 3 hours-- overnight is fine.
Pour the pup, peel and water into a heavy pot. Add sugar, vanilla and ginger and bring to a boil. Keep boiling for 30 minutes, making sure the bottom of the pan doesn't burn.
Prepare the jars. Sterilize 3 half pint jars and bands. I just simmered them in hot water for about 5 minutes. Spoon the marmalade into jars, leaving about 1/2 inch from the top.
Place in a pot with a rack and cover with 2-3 inches of water. Bring to a boil and boil for 10 minutes. Remove the jars and place on a rack to cool.
This is a recipe from my Grandma Ronnie’s cookbook. Her sister, whom we called, Aunt Marj, was a phenomenal bread baker. I modified her recipe slightly by adding the pecan and ginger snap crust— OMG. Pumpkin Heaven. Slather a little salted butter on that hot bread—- LIGHTS OUT. I made it for my segment on The Weather Channel this morning and the crew completely devoured it! Sign of a successful recipe if all you have are crumbs to clean up!
1/2 cup ginger snap cookies pulsed in the food processor
2 Tb brown sugar
1/2 tsp cayenne
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350. Grease 2 (9x5x3 inch) loaf pans.
In a standing mixer, cream butter, sugar, eggs, pumpkin and water.
Sift and blend into wet mixture: flour, baking soda, baking powder, slat, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and ginger.
For the crust: Melt stick of butter in sauce pan and combine pecans, ginger snaps, brown sugar and cayenne. Set aside.
Pour into pans and bake for 30 minutes. Take out of oven and scoop crust ingredients onto top of each loaf. Continue baking for another 30-35 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
I had the pleasure of cooking up some peanut butter delish in the Atlanta Plugged in Kitchen with Don Koehler, from the Georgia Peanut Commission….his recipes are phenomenal– and I want to share them with you here! Also, click above for video as we “spread the love” with peanut butter!
Peanut Butter Breakfast Wrap
2 – 8 inch sandwich wraps
4 eggs
4 TBSP peanut butter
4 bacon slices, cooked
½ cup shredded cheese
Cooking Spray
Spread 2 TBSP of peanut butter on one side of each wrap. Sprinkle half the cheese on one half of each wrap on the peanut butter side. In a small greased skillet, scramble the eggs. Spread scrambled eggs on top of the cheese on the wrap and sprinkle the balance of the cheese on top of the eggs. Top with 2 bacon slices. Roll up the wraps and put in a larger greased skilled and brown on both sides. Slice in half and serve.
Maple Peanut Syrup
½ cup maple syrup
¼ cup creamy peanut butter
In a saucepan, combine the syrup and peanut butter. Whisk over medium heat until peanut butter is melted and blended thoroughly. Serve over waffles, pancakes or French toast and top with whipped cream, berries and chopped peanuts.
You know by now that as Resident Bacon Babe, I normally opt for fatty pork for breakfast….BUT, my dude is sick with some sort of cold/upper respiratory thing so I decided to make him a delish smoothie to help flush out the crud. Poor guy couldn’t really taste anything, but I did, and this is pretty freaking awesome. Maybe even enough to convince me to give up my bacon a couple days a week. I added a Tb of coconut oil for the countless medicinal properties….you could also add some spinach for green effect, but I didn’t have any in the fridge.
And notice the multiple uses for the mason jar….Just this weekend I was sipping a big ‘ol margarita while painting our living room! Another reason for the uh, DETOX necessity!
Ladies and gentlemen…Elvis has left the building. With this Peanut Butter, Banana and Bacon Monte Cristo.
Let’s talk peanut butter, banana and bacon, y’all. It was Elvis’ favorite combination, and I assure you, once you taste this show stopper sandwich, it’ll be yours too!
