Blueberry Pie Oatmeal

April 8, 2014 by Christine Skari

One of the most important things in life to me is the pursuit of pie. Pie is very, very dear to me.

It’s that one food that really just drives me crazy. That flaky crust and gooey caramelized fruit…oh baby! The trick is to get juuusst the perfect ratio of crust to fruit and then you stuff the whole thing in your mouth and just… Bliss. Someone catch me, I’m fainting.

And don’t you DARE forget that big scoop of vanilla ice cream to compliment each bite. You see, I’ve got it all worked out. You get slow-churned, half-fat vanilla ice cream so you can justify an extra piece of pie. Life is all about balance. That is, until you eat twice the amount of ice cream to go along with pie round #2 because it is a sin to have one without the other. And who wants to be a sinner? NOT ME.

But sometimes you just don’t have access to pie. If you’re like me, you leave it at your boyfriend’s apartment because you don’t have any self control and would literally make yourself gloriously sick off of it. It’s those sad, sad moments when you need to improvise on how to get your pie fix.

And sometimes miracles happen. Like when you’re able to get all the flavor and deliciousness of pie into a bowl of oats and your mind is blown and your tastebuds start to dance!

Not only can I satisfy my primordial need for pie, but I can do so in a healthy way! Instead of lathering on the processed sugar, the blueberry pie compote is made with just a half tablespoon of natural honey per serving and the rest of the sweetness comes from the blueberries alone. Oh! And it’s fast too! From start to finish, this recipe takes me just 10 minutes, which is perfect for someone who is always rushing in the morning like me.

This is one of those breakfasts that can get me out of bed in a jiffy. I kid you not when I say I look forward to waking up so I can get myself perched next to a bowl of these oats. They’re that good!

So if you’re like me and have an insatiable sweet tooth, give these fabulous Blueberry Pie Oats a go and get ready to load the train to flavor town. Choo choooooo!

Today I’m linking up with What I Ate Wednesday to share this recipe! Thanks, Jenn for hosting!

White Chocolate Cranberry Protein Bars

March 2, 2014 by Christine Skari

While I do as much strength training as I do cardio, I’m pretty bad about getting in enough protein for the amount of working out I do. I’m a carb-girl (my laptop just auto-corrected that to crab girl, yes, computer, I’m a crustacean) at heart and would much rather have a bowl of pasta or oats than a chicken breast. Along with that, I’m not a huge fan of protein shakes and I find that most store-brought protein bars can get pretty expensive.

That’s why I’m in love with these White Chocolate Cranberry Protein Bars. They taste like a candy bar and are smothered in white chocolate, but also are sizable, filling, and have 9 grams of protein. This way, I can have my carbs and eat them too!

As always, I would really appreciate it if you could help share these on Pinterest! (Just hover over any of the pictures to pin!) Thank YOU!

They’re absolutely perfect with a warm cup of coffee or tea and genuinely taste good. And not in a “LOL OMGZ this is sooo good for healthier food” way, but in a “I want to eat this for dessert” way. In fact, I’m nibbling on one right now and just got a piece with a big glob of chocolate on it. Sugar euphoria!

But in all seriousness, this recipe is delicious! I highly recommend it if you’re tired of eating protein bars with ingredients you can’t pronounce, or if you’re just looking for a genuinely tasty snack.

Also, shoutout to Amanda for inspiring me with her Almond Fudge Protein Bars! If the white chocolate and cranberry combo ain’t your thangg, you can’t go wrong with her recipe!

I’m haring these with WIAW! Thanks, Jenn for hosting!

Fudgy Dark Chocolate Avocado Cookies

February 18, 2014 by Christine Skari

I know, I know.

Avocados and chocolate? What the heck? I’ll I can say is, don’t judge it till you try it.

I first became a big fan of the combination when I tried my Dark Chocolate Avocado Truffles back in August. They became one of my most popular recipes and have gotten rave reviews from readers who have tried them! They were featured on Greatist, as well as adapted by The Detoxinista, where a huge number of people have reported that they tried them and were amazed at how rich and delicious they taste :). If you need any convincing, just go check out some of the comments on my truffles or on the Detoxinista’s page!

Anyways, these Fudgy Dark Chocolate Avocado Cookies are just as good and oozing chocolate flavor and decadence. I mean, just check out that chocolate gooey-ness! The avocado completely replaces all the butter that normal cookies are made with and add a wonderful richness without adding any avocado flavor.

It’s a cookie miracle!

I can’t stress enough how tasty these are. And not in your “this is pretty good for being healthier”, but genuinely mouthwatering. If you dished these fudgy cookies up to a bunch of kids or brought them to a potluck, no one would be able to tell that avocados make up the primary fat source!

Enjoy!

I’m linking up to WIAW to share these tasty treats! Thanks, Jenn, for hosting!

Healthier Glazed Chocolate Muffins

February 9, 2014 by Christine Skari

On a rainy day, there isn’t anything more comforting to me than a morning spent with a hot cup of coffee, a sweet treat, and a good book. There’s a sort of magic to it. I sit at the kitchen table by a closed window, watching droplets race down the glass, and sip on a strong brew punctuated with bites of its soulmate, chocolate. It’s the kind of peace that makes your heart sing and overflow with a simple and quiet sort of happiness. I’m perfectly content and want nothing more than to hold on to that feeling of a seemingly slowed-down world, where nothing matters but the dripping of both the rain outside and the coffee brewing in its pot.

And that’s where these Healthier Glazed Chocolate Muffins come into play:

I love them because they let me savor those types of mornings and play the important role of balancing that bitter sip of caffeine with a perfectly sweet bite of chocolate-glazed deliciousness. They have a fluffy inside that Kyle raves about and they give you a satisfying chocolate-y kick without leaving you with an aching sweet tooth.

Not to mention they’re made with whole wheat flour, no butter, and greek yogurt! Delicious and healthier for you than a giant grocery store muffin. Yum.

Mocha Avocado Truffles

January 23, 2014 by Christine Skari

So these:

But first, this:

I’ve been busy lately. The combination of studying, classes, exercising, making time for friends and Kyle, and balancing my blog don’t leave me with much time to spare. In fact, as I write this, I’m sitting in my college’s library taking a break from writing a tedious French essay. Now that I think about it, I should probably just live here since I already spend the majority of my free time sitting at a desk with a textbook and a latte. Woohoo! Don’t I sound like a regular party animal!

Anyways, while I am finding time to cook dinner most nights, it’s always a welcomed relief to have healthy and delicious snacks waiting for me when a craving strikes. Even better if they include chocolate, because chocolate makes everything better. True fact. Think about it. World hunger? Chocolate. Diseases and progress in science and technology? There’s a bizarre juxtaposition between a country’s chocolate consumption and the number of Nobel Peace Prize winners per its population density. Shoutout to my motherland, Norway! You go, Glenn Coco!

So that’s why I’m in love with my new version of my Dark Chocolate Avocado Truffles. Enter: Mocha Avocado Truffles! Not only do I get to eat a tasty truffle made with dark chocolate, but I also get my caffeine fix, which will lead me to be successful in life. Let me explain with this helpful diagram.

Absolutely foolproof.

But seriously, they taste just as rich and chocolate-y as truffles made with tons of sugar and heavy whipping cream. And, you can hardly taste the avocado, if at all- pinkie swearsies. I’ve tested them on at least 10 different people, and every single one of them is shocked when I tell them that they’re made primarily from an avocado. If you don’t believe me, go check out some of the reviews in the comments of my original version.

This is one of Kyle’s favorite recipes and he loves enjoying them with his morning coffee while immersed in a good book!