Saturday, May 23, 2015

Two-Step No Bake Energy Bites



As of recently, I've noticed that “make your own” granola bar recipes have been very popular. I never made them because I liked store-bought granola bars just fine so I figured why bother to make my own. But recently a co-worker’s wife made homemade No Bake Energy Bars and they were amazing!  They were much better than any granola bar I've ever gotten from the store, and they were significantly more filling.

So of course I had to have the recipe. And I made a batch the very next day.

The great thing about this recipe is that the ingredients listed here can be substituted. Instead of chocolate chips, you could substitute Craisins. Instead of peanut butter, you could substitute almond butter. Instead of ground flax seed, you could substitute chia seeds. You get the idea.

No Bake Energy Bites
Servings: Makes about 24 balls
Calories per serving: 103
  • 1 cup Quick Oats
  • 2/3 cups Toasted Coconut
  • 1/2 cup Peanut Butter
  • 1/2 cup Ground Flaxseed
  • 1/3 cup Honey
  • 1/2 cup Mini Chocolate Chips
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla

 Directions
  1. Mix all ingredients in medium-sized bowl
  2. Refrigerate bowl for at least an hour before rolling into balls*

Keep balls refrigerated for up to one week.

*As a variation, you can also just press the mixture into a square pan, refrigerate, and cut into bars.



Saturday, May 16, 2015

Kylee's Kitchen shares Healthy Barbecue recipes on Fox59 Morning News

Cinnamon Honey Grilled Pineapple


Pineapple is delicious. Plain and simple. It almost tastes more like a candy than a fruit – which is why it makes for the perfect dessert when hosting a “healthy barbecue.” 

This pineapple is extra special because it’s been brushed with a cinnamon honey sauce and then grilled. Have you ever grilled pineapple? It’s awesome! Grilling the fruit brings out an extra special sweetness and the cinnamon honey sauce caramelizes with the heat. You can serve it on its own or with a side of ice cream! Either way, it’s a much less caloric option to brownies and pie and cookies.

Cinnamon Honey Grilled Pineapple
Servings: 1 pineapple makes about 8 slices
Printable Recipe

Ingredients
  • 2 Tablespoons honey
  • 1 Tablespoon lime juice
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 pineapple, cored and cut into slices


Directions
  1. Preheat your grill to about 400 degrees Fahrenheit
  2. Combine honey, lime juice, olive oil, and cinnamon in a bowl
  3. Brush mixture onto one side of each pineapple slice
  4. Stick pineapple on grill, sauce side down.
  5. Grill for 3-4 minutes
  6. Open grill and brush rest of cinnamon honey mixture on top of pineapple slices and then flip slices 
  7. Grill for an additional 3-4 minutes.
  8. Serve warm plain or with ice cream.






Grilled Sweet Potato Salad


If someone asked me “Kylee, what food could you not live without for the rest of your life?” I’m pretty sure my answer would be “Sweet potatoes!” It’s not my favorite food in the entire world, but fairly frequently I get very serious sweet potato cravings that I just can’t shake. I suppose it’s not the worst craving in the world considering they’re chock-full of beat-carotene and other nutrients.

And that’s exactly why they make the perfect addition to a healthy barbecue. 

First of all, if you haven’t ever grilled sweet potatoes, you’re missing out. Something about them being on the grill brings out a sweet, smoky flavor. I also added a few other vegetables, beans and cilantro to the salad and I tossed it with lime juice. That’s it, lime juice. So for more than one reason it’s significantly healthier than a mayonnaise-based, starchy white potato salad.

Sweet Potato Salad
Servings: Makes about 6 servings
Printable Recipe

Ingredients
  • 4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4 inch slices
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 ear sweet corn, husked
  • 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 red pepper, diced
  • 2 green onions, chopped
  • 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
  • 4 tablespoons lime juice, or the juice of 2 limes
  • Salt and pepper, to taste


Directions
  1. In a large bowl, toss the sweet potato slices with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. 
  2. Place the sweet potatoes on a grill over medium heat. Cook until tender, about 5-6 minutes on each side. (If you don’t have a grill, you can roast the sweet potatoes in your oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for about 25 minutes.
  3. When the sweet potatoes are close to being done, place the ear of corn on the grill and cook for 3-4 minutes, rotating so the kernels get slightly charred. 
  4. Let the sweet potatoes and corn cool to room temperature.
  5. Cut the sweet potatoes into cubes and place in a large bowl. With a sharp knife, remove the corn kernels from the cob. Add the corn to the bowl. 
  6. Stir in black beans, red pepper, green onions, and cilantro. 
  7. Squeeze the lime juice over the salad and stir until combined. 
  8. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve.

Note: The salad will keep in the refrigerator for 2 days.






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