Guest post by Jen Hansard, co-founder of Simple Green Smoothies. We have a super simple and healthy recipe we’ve been itchin’ to share with you!!! As a crazy-busy passionate mom, I’ve been known to fuel my body with processed junk. Like those days when we found ourselves at Starbucks twice in one day…or driving through Taco …
5 Minute Fudge Brownies (with sugar)!
Okay, just to be clear up front - it takes only 5 minutes to stir up the batter for these homemade brownies, but of course a little longer than that to actually bake them! But as I was making this batch I was thinking how it really doesn't take much longer to make brownies from scratch than it does to add some eggs and…
Whole-Wheat Crepes (for breakfast or dessert!)
I must give my 86-year-old Grandmother all of the credit for this crepe recipe. This is her signature breakfast dish that she is kind enough to make for our entire family (all 25 of us) each time we get together. Our family has gotten so big that in recent years she got smart and started …
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Pumpkin Fluff Dessert Dip
A friend of mine recently asked me if I could make over her Pumpkin Fluff dip recipe. It was a big hit at her book club gathering, but she knew there had to be a better way than using highly processed Cool Whip and vanilla pudding mix (No comment! LOL). So after a fun afternoon of experimenting, I present to you this real food,…
Chocolate Mousse from Deliciously Organic Cookbook
Carrie Vitt with Deliciously Organic once told me that she spent four years putting together her cookbook, and I believe it. Her book is so beautifully done that it honestly puts a lot of other cookbooks to shame! Plus it has such a wonderful personal touch and page after page it’s just obvious she’s poured …
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Cinnamon Apple Crisp (and other Dinner Club recipes!)
I've got a great little dessert recipe to share with you that is both cute and easy. Trust me, it's almost impossible to mess this one up. We served this apple crisp dessert to our Dinner Club guests last weekend. And since we used up every last minute of prep cooking time (before the guests arrived) working on the appetizers and main dishes, I…
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Whole-Wheat Banana (Nut) Muffins
I've always had a thing for banana nut muffins, but not until I cut out all highly processed food did I realize that the standard muffin is kind of like a cupcake minus the icing. If you look up muffin recipes online they typically call for white (refined) all-purpose flour and sugar - lots of it.
Orange Creamsicle Yogurt Pops
I'm doing something a little different today and posting one of our favorite recipes from my cookbook! It's perfect for the warmer weather we're having.
No-Bake Peanut Butter Dessert Bars Recipe
I've got the perfect cold treat for you that's super easy to make on a hot summer day (no oven required!). I saw a similar recipe in a magazine and loved how easy it looked, thinking about when we occasionally break our rules and enjoy a sugary homemade treat.
Fruit, Nut, or Berry (or whatever you want them to be) Whole-Wheat Muffins
Oh muffins, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways… First, you can serve these muffins as part of breakfast, lunch, or just by themselves as a snack. Second, they really are easy to make and with so many possibilities of what you can add to the muffin batter I am certain you …
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Whole-Wheat Lemon Raspberry Muffins
I am in love with this new muffin recipe! It's soooo good I think I want one with frosting on top for my birthday (which is not until May, but a girl can plan ahead)! The raspberries and lemon compliment each other so well, and it's such a nice diversion from the usual muffin flavors. I hope your kids gobble up these lemon raspberry…
Dark Chocolate Whole-Wheat Brownies (and other Valentine’s Day Ideas!)
Is it just me or has anyone else noticed how so many holidays seem to be centered around junk food? From Halloween candy to Christmas cookies to Valentine’s Day treats to Easter baskets it feels like my daughters collect enough candy from the holidays alone to feed an entire army (and we actually did help …
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Homemade Fudge Pops!
Who doesn't love a frozen fudge pop? I was a BIG fan of them when I was younger so I worried that a knock-off "real food" version wouldn't taste as good as what I remembered...but, oh was I wrong! And in case we need any proof my 8-year-old actually told me I was "acting like a kid" while we were eating them together for…
A (Naturally Colored) Rainbow Party
(Guest post by our Facebook moderator, Shawn) My daughter asked if she could have a rainbow party for her 5th birthday this year, so I immediately got onto Pinterest and searched for "Rainbow Birthdays." Many of them were filled with skittles, jelly beans, lollipops, jello, and cakes made with artificial dyes. This was just not going to be okay with me! Did you know…
Berry Sauce
You might be thinking…what in the world is berry sauce? Well, it is a simple invention that makes homemade flavored yogurt, strawberry milk, and berry ice cream a piece of cake! All you have to do is mix a few teaspoons of the finished sauce into whatever your heart desires, although I do recommend sieving …
Whole-Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies (with sugar!)
This is very out of character for me, but today I am posting a dessert recipe made with sugar! Yes, regular ol’ white (and brown) sugar. And here’s the reason why. We wholeheartedly agree that junk food is okay in moderation, but as I’ve said before I think junk food can be broken down into …
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Homemade Peach Sorbet
I recently learned that fresh local peaches can easily be transformed into a delicious frozen treat. I used my ice cream maker to make this recipe, and it gave me yet another reason to be thrilled that I bought one just a few months ago. I seriously doubt I will ever buy ice cream (or …
Chocolate Torte with Whipped Cream and Chocolate Sauce
I am excited to share a wonderful – and healthier – alternative to the traditional flourless chocolate cake dessert. This dish can be served as small round tortes topped with whipped cream (or homemade ice cream) and chocolate sauce or you can simply turn the recipe into little individual chocolate truffles. I have a big …
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Banana Ice Cream
I’ve mentioned banana ice cream in a post before, but just in case someone missed it I thought it was important enough to dedicate an entire post to it today. This recipe somehow magically turns regular old bananas into delicious, creamy, cold, banana flavored ice cream without using any cream or an ice cream maker.
Homemade Ice Cream Cake!
Every now and then we break the rules with a special homemade treat like this one that I'm sharing today. That's because it's unrealistic to think you'll never indulge in a sweet treat again (oh, the horror!), and I fully recognize that when there is a special occasion, the homemade from scratch version (even with sugar and a little white flour) is far better…
Peanut Butter Brownie Bars
Just in time for Valentine's Day, I've got the perfect homemade treat for you (and the one you love)! These Peanut Butter Brownie Bars would also make a fun little treat to share with teachers and neighbors in honor of the upcoming "day of love," especially if you're me and you've made this recipe three times in the last week in order to get…
How To Make Real Food Snow Cones!
Making a Real Food Snow Cone honestly couldn't be any easier... I host a little backyard end-of-school year party for our neighbors every year, and I always whip out my little snow cone machine for the kids!
Whole-Wheat Cinnamon Raisin Bread (for Bread Machine)
I recently bought a bread machine and have been experimenting with different recipes. I am still playing around to find the perfect whole-wheat sandwich loaf, but in the meantime, I hit the jackpot with this cinnamon raisin loaf. The first time I made this bread the entire loaf (pictured) was gone in just under 24 …
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Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream
My husband used to think he didn’t like strawberry ice cream, and come to find out it’s because he’d never had “real” strawberry ice cream before…only the bright pink stuff out of a box. But once I made him the real deal his mind was forever changed, and I promise you’ll be “won over” by …
Yellow Cupcakes with Homemade Frosting (better than the box!)
Both of my daughters typically request yellow birthday cake over chocolate, which consistently leaves me wondering if there was a mix up at birth.
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Whole-Wheat Cookie Cake
If you have no cake decorating skills like me then you'll love the idea of a homemade whole-wheat cookie cake. It takes very little - if any - talent to squirt some freshly whipped cream into the shape of a circle and your child's first initial or age. I do want to warn you up front though this recipe calls for a little bit…
Chocolate Rainbow Bites Recipe (+ other Allergy-Friendly Desserts!)
Though I'm fortunate that no one in my immediate family has a food allergy or intolerance (at least that we know of!), I know so many do. Which is why I'm excited to tell you in today's sponsored post about a fabulous brand that offers many different allergy-friendly options.
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Chocolate Peppermint Cookies (with sugar!)
In case you're attending any "cookie exchange" parties this year or just want to switch things up from the typical holiday sugar cookie cut outs...I have a recipe for you. This is an oldie, but goodie that I have been making for many years. They do contain refined white sugar (gasp!), which means they don't follow our real food rules to a T. But,…
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Whole Wheat Chocolate Cake with Easy Whipped Cream Frosting
This whole wheat chocolate cake recipe is the perfect solution for anyone who wants to make a cake from scratch without spending days in the kitchen or having the end result look like it was decorated by a 4-year-old. Earlier this year my daughter asked me if I could “write” Happy Birthday on top of …
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Shortcut Chocolate Pecan Pie
When making a new recipe I like to see how many steps I can skip without negatively impacting the end result. This pie is a perfect example of not only skipping a few steps, which I’ve deemed as unnecessary :), but also substituting (most of) the refined ingredients for whole ones. I replaced the white …
Chocolate Sauce
This is a super easy chocolate sauce that can be used to top homemade ice cream or a chocolate torte.
Whipped Cream
It's easy to make homemade whipped cream, which is great atop desserts, fruit, or waffles for a treat.
Pumpkin Cheesecake (+ Other Holiday Recipes)
I don't know about you, but I've personally never been a fan of pumpkin pie (is anyone really?), but I do LOVE some pumpkin cheesecake. I think this is such a great update to the traditional dessert we've all seen year after year, and with the pecan crust you can easily accommodate any gluten-free guests you might be entertaining.
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Guest Post: Strawberries and Coconut Cream Pops
Here is a quick and simple recipe for strawberry and coconut cream pops that take advantage of seasonal fresh berries and help you cool off all in one.
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Whole-Grain Donuts (for the Mini Donut-Maker)
My older daughter absolutely LOVES donuts so one day, on a whim, I saw this "Mini Donut Maker" at Target and decided to try it out. It's a plug-in machine (similar to a waffle maker) and comes with a booklet of recipes that I tweaked to use whole-wheat flour and no refined sugars. This discovery is nothing new (I've shared this maker within a…
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Whole-Wheat Christmas Cookies (with sugar!)
For all those readers who've asked...here is a whole-wheat Christmas cookie recipe! Now even though these are made with 100% whole-wheat flour please know they do contain some refined sugar (in both the cookie and the icing). I do occasionally post recipes made with refined sugar because, in my opinion, a cookie that's homemade from scratch is far better than the factory-made version (or…
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