CHEWY GRANOLA BARS

Here is a great little recipe for some homemade granola bars...way better than the store-bought kind and perfect for a summer treat now the kids are out of school. 

• CHEWY GRANOLA BARS
• Makes 12 bars 

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups quick-cooking/instant oats, such as Bob's Red Mill, Gluten Free, Quick Cooking Oats (do not use regular old-fashioned oats)
• 1-3/4 cups Rice Krispies
• 1/3 cup chocolate chips

Optional Add ins:

• sliced almonds
• dried fruit 

seeds

• Spray 9 x 9-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray
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• In a pot, combine the butter, brown sugar and honey. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Lower the heat and simmer until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. 

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla and salt.Add the oats and rice cereal to the pan and fold with a rubber spatula until well combined. Sprinkle in a few chocolate chips (they may melt a little).

Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and press down lightly with a rubber spatula to even out. 

Sprinkle the chocolate chips over top, adding more or less to suit your taste, and press down firmly with the spatula so the chips stick.The mixture should be tightly compacted in the pan. Place the pan in the refrigerator for 1 hour to cool.

Using a sharp knife, cut into bars. Store the bars in an airtight container/baggie in the refrigerator.

Note: If you are substituting dried fruit for the chocolate chips, mix it in along with the other ingredients as opposed to sprinkling over top.

PRINTABLE RECIPE

CINNAMON BANANA BUTTER

I took my kids to Hawaii to show them my old stomping grounds. It was so much fun to show them places I used to live, where I went to school and beaches I used to explore. I love everything about Hawaii: the people, the smells the food...it truly is paradise.

We went to the market one day and my son found a woman who indulged him; she offered him about 30 samples of her jam. He was in love with a banana-apple jam so we bought a jar and he was able to have a little taste of paradise on his peanut butter sandwiches for about a week after we returned home.

We don't have those sweet little apple bananas here but we thought the regular bananas tasted just as good!


CINNAMON BANANA BUTTER
Makes Approx 2 cups
Adapted from chiquita 

1 cup mashed banana (about 2)
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

In a large saucepan, stir bananas, lemon zest and lemon juice; bring to boil over medium heat. Stirring constantly. Stir in sugar: bring to full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat stir in vanilla and cinnamon.
Keep refrigerated and eat within one week.

Hawaiian Sunsets...

Kona Ice Cream...

and Coconuts...what more could a girl ask for!

PRINTABLE RECIPE

GROUND BEEF, SWEET POTATO AND ZUCCHINI

This is a delicious healthy meal that you can make for a weekly meal prep. I prepared Cauliflower Rice (Recipe Here) as a side. My goal was to have this portioned out for myself for the week; however, my family finished it off before I could get my Tupperware out!

Ground Beef, Sweet Potato and Zucchini - Clean Eating

Serves 4

Recipe adapted from Primaverakitchen.com

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 lb extra-lean ground beef or ground turkey
• ½ cup onions
• ½ cup red bell pepper
• 2 ½ cup sweet potato, diced (cubed small)
• ¼ cup bone broth or water
• 1 medium zucchini, quartered
• 1 tsp minced garlic 
• 1/3 cup tomato sauce
• ½ teaspoon of oregano
• 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Heat a frying pan to medium-high and add ground beef. Use a wood spoon to break up the beef while it cooks. Stir occasionally and cook for about 7 minutes. Once browned place in a colander and run water over beef until grease is drained then set aside.

Heat a little olive oil to pan and add onions, red bell pepper and cook for 3-4 minutes or until the onions are soft. 

Add sweet potato and bone broth and cook for 5-6 minutes. Put a lid on the pan. The steam will help to cook faster the sweet potato. Stir occasionally.

Add the zucchini and cook for 3 minutes. Add garlic, salt, pepper and oregano.

Add the ground beef to skillet again and mix everything together.

Add the tomato sauce. Stir and serve. Goes well with cauliflower rice.

Summer is almost here...

PRINTABLE RECIPE