Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Smoothie

Sweet’N Low, drink recipe, girls night, diabetic friendly

 As I quickly approach my due date (less than 4 weeks away!) I’ve started to look for quick and easy meals and snacks to make once baby gets here. With two other kids, both in school, this will be the first time I’ll have to be somewhere in the mornings to actually be wiht all three kids once my husband has to return back to work.

One of my go-to breakfasts for myself and the kids are smoothies. Not only are they quick to make, I can make sure that I pack in enough protein, fruits, and sometimes veggies to start the day off right.

Since I’ll be nursing, I knew I also wanted to incorporate oatmeal in the mix as well so I added some quick oats to my favorite peanut butter banana smoothie recipe to create the perfect smoothie to get me going. 

Sweet’N Low, drink recipe, girls night, diabetic friendly

The best part about this smoothie is that I always have all of the ingredients on hand.

Now normally when I’m trying to lose weight I’d include a fat free greek yogurt and 1% milk but because I’m not focused on losing weight, I stick with the full fat versions for the calories.

I do, however, save some calories with the inclusion of powdered peanut butter but regular peanut butter can easily be used as well.

Sweet’N Low, drink recipe, girls night, diabetic friendly

 

Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Smoothie

  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
  • 1/2 cup quick cooking oatmeal
  • 2 tablespoons powdered peanut butter
  • 1/2 to 1 banana (sliced)
  • 1-2 Sweet n'Low packets
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  1. In a blender, add in all of the ingredients.
  2. Blend until banana slices are well combined with the other ingredients.
  3. Pour into glasses and serve!

Sweet’N Low, drink recipe, girls night, diabetic friendly

Since I’ve skipped the sugar in a flavored yogurt I add in a packet or two of Sweet’N Low to the blender to add a bit of sweetness without the added calories.

A guilt free drink that’s the perfect way to start any day whether you’re a busy mom with a newborn or simply trying to watch the waistline.

What’s your go-to quick and easy breakfast for busy mornings?

Shrimp Marinara Spaghetti

Shrimp Marinara Spaghetti Recipe

One of our family favorites in this house is spaghetti. It’s the one dish I can get everyone to eat without complaining. But sometimes I’m just not in the mood for a meat sauce. I want a different flavor.

This dish is not only tasty, but it’s pretty healthy too! And the best part is that all of the ingredients are usually in my pantry or fridge at all times. Meaning I can have dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes without having to make a special trip to the grocery store.

I used a bag of frozen cooked shrimp from Trader Joe’s instead of fresh but it worked great. And I can always keep some in the freezer so consider this an official staple meal in this household! [Read more…]

Easy Homemade Gifts: Coffee Truffles

Coffee Truffles - an easy homemade gift

This time of year is filled with holiday baking in our home. And while cookies are usually center stage, I try and get in a few different goodies like these coffee truffles to balance out the dessert spread.

These truffles are also the perfect way to share your love of baking and making with friends and family! Simply grab a few tins and pack up some truffles to gift to those you love.  [Read more…]

Coffee Gift Ideas plus a Berry Scones Recipe

review affiliate link disclaimerCoffee Gift Ideas with Keurig 2.0 - invite some friends over and share some laughs over a delicious cup of coffee

Every year I get together with my girlfriends and we do an ornament gift exchange. It’s the perfect time to sit back, relax, and enjoy each other’s company.

This year I opted to host and had the girls over for a delicious cup of coffee and some berry scones and biscotti. I also had a surprise for them…

Thanks to Keurig I would also be able to gift a brand new Keurig 2.0 to one lucky friend. How awesome is that? Plus, I put together some cute mug gifts for each friend to take home.

Coffee Gift Ideas with Keurig 2.0 and K-Cup packs

The new Keurig 2.0 features Keurig 2.0 Brewing Technology™, which reads each lid to deliver a perfect beverage every time. See – what did I tell you? Perfection!
Keurig 2.0 brewer and Cafe Mocha K-Cup packs

Not only will they be able to enjoy the perfect cup of coffee every morning but with the new K-carafe packs they can also entertain guests and brew a 4-cup pot of coffee to share!

And when one has coffee to share, you need something to pair it with. I whipped up some of my favorite berry scones and grabbed a few boxes of biscotti from the store to serve alongside our delicious coffee choices.

Coffee Gift Ideas for friends

Coffee Gift Ideas plus a Berry Scones recipe

Berry Scones Recipe

This recipe makes about 12-15 mini scones or 6 large scones.

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon table salt
  • 6 tablespoons regular butter
  • 1/4 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/4 cup dried blueberries
  • 1/2 cup 1% milk
  1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. In a food processor, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt and pulse 2-3 times to mix. Add the butter and pulse 7-8 times just until the mixture forms large, coarse crumbs the size of peas. Scatter the cranberries into the dough and pulse until just moist.
  3. Turn dough onto a lightly floured countertop or work space and press it together gently until the dough forms a ball. Using a spoon, grab a heaping scoop of dough and drop onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing scones about 1 inch apart.
  4. Bake until golden brown, 13-17 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly and serve warm.

 

Coffee Gift Ideas with Keurig 2.0 for friends

At each table setting I included a mug, two different kinds of biscotti, and k-cup packs for each guest to take home and enjoy. I also included a little candy cane (perfect for stirring) with a cute poem about the legend of the candy cane.

You can download a printable version of this poem here

Coffee Gift Ideas with Keurig 2.0 cafe escapes cafe mocha k-cup packs

Coffee Gift Ideas with Keurig 2.0 brewing

Coffee Gift Ideas with Keurig K-Cup packs and Biscotti

Once we enjoyed the coffee, scones, and some extra biscotti it was time to exchange gifts. When we were finished opening up the ornaments it was time to draw a name for the Keurig 2.0 I was gifting away.

Now there may or may not have been a little friendly competition from my friends but I assure you that no biscotti or scones were harmed when choosing a winner.

Coffee Gift Ideas with Keurig 2.0 gift

The Keurig 2.0 brewer makes a great holiday gift for anyone on your list. You can purchase a Keurig 2.0 K300 like the one I gifted for one of your friends at Walmart. I highly suggest grabbing a box or two of k-cup packs or k-carafe packs to go along with your gift.

Who would you gift a Keurig 2.0 to?

Goldfish Crusted Chicken Tenders

This post featuring Goldfish Crusted Chicken Tenders has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #GoldfishMix #CollectiveBias

Goldfish Crusted Chicken Tenders - a fun meal for kids or adults

As the kids get older they are more and more interested in helping me with the daily chores. But the one thing the are always bugging to help me with is dinner. While it sounds like it’d be something that would take forever with kids, having them help in the kitchen is actually … well… a help!

These Goldfish Crusted Chicken Tenders are not only absolutely delicious but the kids have a blast helping cook them. The only thing I have to do is supervise and do the actual cooking!  [Read more…]

Quick And Easy Meal: Marie Callender’s Pot Pies + Apple Feta Walnut Salad Recipe

This shop featuring Marie Callender’s Pot Pies and a Apple Feta Walnut Salad Recipe has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #EasyAsPotPie #CollectiveBias

Quick And Easy Meal Pot Pies + Apple Feta Walnut Salad Recipe

One thing I always keep in my arsenal of meal ideas is something that’s quick and easy for the weekdays. Whether it’s a 10 or a 30 minute meal, as long as the family approves I’m happy!

The whole family definitely approves of Marie Callender’s pot pies. Not only do they taste like homemade but they’re so quick to make. I can use the microwave or the oven depending on how much time I actually have or need.

And when paired with a deliciously fresh salad, this meal is the perfect way to end a winter day. Plus I end up having more time to connect with my family around the dinner table since it’s so easy to throw together. [Read more…]

Spiced Citrus Sangria Drink Recipe

This week I made my Sweet’N Low Spiced Citrus Sangria as part of a sponsored post for Socialstars #SweetNLowStars

Spiced Citrus Sangria Drink Recipe - the perfect recipe to celebrate the new year! #sweetnlowstars

The holiday season is whizzing by and the New Year will be here before we know it! Now is the perfect time to start planning out the drinks you’ll be enjoying as we ring in 2015.

When I started thinking of what to serve on New Years Eve I knew I had to figure out a drink that not only tasted amazing, but also could be served as a mocktail too. Luckily this spiced citrus sangria can also be turned into a spiced citrus sparkling punch for those who can’t drink on New Years Eve.  [Read more…]

Oatmeal Recipes: Quick and Delicious Apple Crisp

This shop featuring a delicious apple crisp recipe made with rolled oats has been compensated by #CollectiveBias, Inc. and Quaker. All opinions are mine alone. #QuakerUp #MyOatsCreation

Oatmeal Recipes Quick and Delicious Apple Crisp

One thing I love about this time of year is sharing holiday memories with my family. We baked a lot during the holidays and still continue that tradition today. That love of baking during the holidays has transpired from baking for the whole family to also baking for just my husband and me.

We try to do date night once every few weeks. With the busy holidays, we have to have a plan for a night at home every once in a while. Even if we aren’t going out I still want to make it a special evening for the both of us. I love to bring out our favorite holiday recipes to enjoy together as we snuggle on the couch and watch a movie together.

I always have apples and Quaker oatmeal on hand so individual apple crisp desserts were the perfect solution to our next date night in. [Read more…]

Easy Dinner Solutions for the Busy Mom

I found easy dinner solutions with Campbell’s® Sauces as part of a sponsored post for Socialstars. #CampbellsSauces

Easy Dinner Solutions for the Busy Mom - dinner ready in less than 30 minutes! #CampbellsSauces

This pregnancy has thrown all thought of meal planning and cooking out the window. When I find myself at a loss for what to make for dinner around 4pm I frantically call the husband to see if he can save the day. But there are only so many weeks of burgers, pizza, and tacos before it all starts to taste the same.

So I’ve decided to get a bit more serious about planning. I mean… not too serious but just enough to find some good staples to keep around for those days I’m tempted to call the husband to the rescue.

Luckily I found a great cooking aid – Campbell’s Skillet Sauces!  [Read more…]

Pepperoni Recipe Ideas: Pepperoni Lasagna Roll Ups

This shop featuring Pepperoni Lasagna Roll Ups has been compensated by #CollectiveBias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #PepItUp

Pepperoni Recipe Ideas Pepperoni Lasagna Roll Ups

The one thing I love about the holidays are the meals I prepare with my family. Since we’ve hosted Christmas dinner the past few years we’ve started to change up what we serve.

A few years back I made these delicious lasagna roll ups with pancetta and spinach that were a huge hit.So for this year I wanted to try something a little different for an easy to prepare meal that was full of flavor. My change? adding Hormel Pepperoni[Read more…]



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