Good Morning Sweet Potato

You may be asking, "Sweet potatoes for breakfast?"  Yes!  This is one of my new favorite go-to breakfasts.  Sweet potatoes are packed with good carbs - great for runners! - and keeps you feeling full.  It's a nice break from the traditional oatmeal or egg breakfast.  The blend of nuts, sweet potatoes and maple syrup will remind you a little of Thanksgiving, and who doesn't love Thanksgiving?

Good Morning Sweet Potato

Yield: 1 serving

Ingredients

1 sweet potato (however large or small you would like)

1/4 cup walnuts, chopped

1 tablespoon maple syrup

Directions

Pierce the sweet potato all over with a fork.  Microwave on high for 5 to 10 minutes, depending on the size of your potato.  Rotate once or twice during cooking until the center is soft.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine the walnuts and maple syrup.  Cook over medium-low heat until the nuts are coated and fragrant.

Slice open the top of the potato lengthwise and place the walnut mixture on top.  Serve warm.

Recipe Source: Adapted slightly from: Golub, Joanna Sayaho.  Runner's World: Meals on the Run, 150 energy-packed recipes in 30 minutes or less.  Rodale, 2015.  Print.

  

7-Layer Dip

This is such a fun, easy and yummy recipe!  It's fun to eat it at a party, as a side with dinner, with your family, with just your spouse, heck - all by yourself, or even as a meal.  Yes, this was my lunch one day.  I love all the different flavors in the layers and I love that I can adjust this to my liking.  I sometimes like green onions so I just go with how I'm feeling.  I love guacamole and tomatoes, so I add a little more to my portion.  I love the idea of individual cups so you don't worry about double-dipping!  This recipe is so versatile - it's fabulous.

7-Layer Dip
Yield: 6-8 individual cups

Ingredients
1 can refried beans
1 (1 ounce) package taco seasoning
1 cup guacamole, (homemade preferred)
1 (8 ounce) container sour cream
1 cup chunky salsa or pico de gallo
1 cup shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese
2 Roma tomatoes, diced
1 (2.25 ounce) can sliced olives, drained
Tortilla chips

Directions
In a small bowl mix taco seasoning with refried beans.
Then here are how the layers go:

Layer 1: refried beans and taco seasoning
Layer 2: sour cream
Layer 3: guacamole
Layer 4: salsa or pico de gallo
Layer 5: cheese
Layer 6: tomatoes
Layer 7: olives (and green onions if you'd like)

You can either divide all the layers amongst however many cups you would like to make or you can spread them all in an 8x8 or 9x13-inch pan.  Just depends on how thick you want each layer.  I used a slotted spoon for my salsa when I scooped it out because I didn't want to have excess liquid.  If you are making this ahead of time wait to add the last 2 layers right before you are serving so it stays fresh and looking nice.  Store in refrigerator covered with plastic wrap until ready to serve.  I wouldn't make it too far ahead of time because it can start to turn a little soupy after awhile.

Recipe Source: adapted slightly from the-girl-who-ate-everything.com
 

Banana Oat Greek Yogurt Muffins

I decided since my last post was a very sweet but not so healthy but incredibly delicious breakfast/snack recipe I should probably post a healthier breakfast/snack option for you healthy-conscious people.  Now these muffins aren't your normal muffins.  They are a little more on the dense side because they don't have flour or oil, but the ground up oats and greek yogurt still keep them soft and moist.  The chocolate chips kind of help balance out all the healthiness, but I'm sure you could substitute the chocolate for nuts or dried fruit if you'd prefer.  I prefer the chips because well, I need my daily chocolate fix, and combined with the other "good for you" ingredients I don't feel guilty about eating the chocolate chips!  And for a healthy muffin - these ones are some of the best I've come across so far.  (I just ate two while typing this up.)

Banana Oat Greek Yogurt Muffins
Yield: 12 muffins

Ingredients
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
2 medium ripe bananas, mashed
2 large eggs
2 cups rolled oats (quick or old fashioned)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup chocolate chips, regular or mini

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.  Spray a muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray or line with paper liners and spray the liners with non-stick cooking spray.  (The lack of oil in this recipe might make the muffins stick to the liners.)  Set pan aside.

Add all the ingredients, except the chocolate chips, to a food processor or blender and process on high until the oats are broken down and the batter is smooth and creamy.  Stir in the chocolate chips.

Pour batter into prepared muffin pan, filling each cup 3/4 full.  You can sprinkle a few chocolate chips on top if you'd like.  If you do, press them lightly into the batter so they don't fall off when you take the muffins out of the oven.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the tops are set and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.  Allow to cool in pan for 10 minutes before removing.  Store in an air-tight container for up to a week.

Recipe Source: runningwithspoons.com

The. Best. Cinnamon Rolls. Ever!

So maybe in my last post I mentioned how I'm trying to eat healthier, and I really am like snacking on hard boiled eggs instead of Teddy Grahams and drinking protein powder every day and adding more good cards into my diet, but, well... I am still human and still have my weaknesses.  Sweets and chocolate are some of those weaknesses and these cinnamon rolls fall under that category but I don't feel guilty when I eat them.  I just feel happy.  I know there are thousands of cinnamon roll recipes in the world, but I have to tell you this is the best recipe I have come across so far.  

Now I cut this recipe in half to bring it down to 12 cinnamon rolls, but it doubles very nicely to make 24.  If I'm just making them for my family I leave it at 12 rolls.  These rolls are BIG!  But I really enjoy giving them away to friends so when I do that I double the batch. 

Another WONDERFUL thing about these babies (besides everything about them) is that they freeze SO nicely and still taste wonderful once you've warmed them up again.  So to freeze them: once they are completely cooled, transfer a single cinnamon roll to a quart-sized ziplock bag.  Seal the bag with as little air inside as possible and freeze them up to a month.  (They've never stayed in my freezer longer than a week!)  To reheat, remove the roll from the bag (they pop right out!) and warm them in the microwave for about 1 minute.

This girl can down these babies!

The Best Cinnamon Rolls.  Ever!
Yield: 12 cinnamon rolls

Ingredients
Rolls:
2 cups milk
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon instant yeast
2 large eggs
6-7 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
Filling:
4 tablespoons butter, softened
1 cup lightly packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Frosting:
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
4 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon maple extract/flavoring
Pinch of salt
1 pound powdered sugar
Milk for consistency

Directions
For the dough, heat the milk in a saucepan until the milk is scalded (right before it simmers - it will start steaming and little bubbles will form around the side of the pan).  Pour the milk into the bowl of an electric mixer with the dough hook attached.

Add butter, sugar and salt and mix until the butter is melted.  Let the mixture cool until warm but not hot.  Add the yeast and eggs and gradually add the flour until the dough clears the sides of the bowl.  The dough should be soft and just slightly sticky without leaving a lot of residue on your fingers.  Knead for 3-4 minutes.  Transfer the dough to a large, lightly greased bowl and cover with lightly greased plastic wrap until it has doubled in size.

Roll the dough into an 18x12-inch rectangle.  (It's soft enough you don't need a rolling pin.  You can do it by hand.  I love it!)  Spread the softened 4 tablespoons of butter over the dough.  Combine the brown sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle on top.  Gently pat it with your hands.  Starting with one long end, roll up the cinnamon rolls as tightly as possible.  With a serrated knife, cut the cinnamon roll in half.  Then cut each half in half again (forming four equal portions).  Then cut each of the four portions into three rolls making 12 rolls total.  Place the rolls evenly spaced on a silpat lined or sprayed with non-stick spray large, rimmed baking sheet.  Cover the pan with lightly greased plastic wrap and let the rolls rise until double.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Bake the rolls for about 18-22 minutes until only slightly golden on top.  Let the rolls cool almost completely in the pan before frosting.  This helps the frosting stay in place and not melt all over.

For the frosting, in a large bowl, whip together the cream cheese and butter.  Add the vanilla, maple and salt and mix until combined.  Gradually add the powdered sugar and mix until thick and creamy.  Add milk a little at a time until the frosting is smooth and at the consistency you like.  Spread on top of the cinnamon rolls.

*Note:  I've made these with a cheaper Maple Extract and they just didn't taste as good.  My favorite Maple Extract is this one.  It might be a little pricier but it is so worth it.  I use it for my Maple Syrup recipe as well.

Recipe Source: adapted slightly from melskitchencafe.com.