Quick N Easy Valentine’s Day Caprese Salad

I have a speedy post for you today. Nothing fancy, but I was playing around with Valentine’s Day cookie cutters and I had to share:

How fun is that? I could have taken better photos…but these were with my iPhone using Hipstamatic on the fly and I couldn’t resist

If you are looking for a creative yet EASY Valentine’s dish, this may be something that you could throw together in less than 10 minutes. If your better half likes cheese and tomatoes, this just might be the recipe for you!

All you need are the salad ingredients plus the heart-shaped and/or X’s and O’s mini cookie cutters (I bought for $2 at Hobby Lobby) and you are good to go!

Waaalaaaa, I present you with a Valentine’s Day Caprese Salad!

Valentine’s Day Caprese Salad
Gluten-free, Grain-Free, High-Protein, Quick, Vegetarian, Nut-Free

Ingredients

1 log of presliced fresh mozzarella OR 1 ball of fresh mozzarella, sliced evenly into 1/2 inch slices (you may have leftover cheese depending on how many cutouts you make)
grape or cherry tomatoes (about 1/3 cup per salad)
freshly ground black pepper
pinch of sea salt
Fresh basil leaves, rough chopped (not pictured, I got too excited and snapped the photo before sprinkling!)
A drizzle of balsamic vinegar (I use about 1-2 Tbsp per salad or to taste)
A drizzle of extra virgin olive oil (I use about 2 tsp per salad or to taste)

Directions

1. Cut out shapes carefully with mini cookie cutters (hearts, X’s, O’s, I <3 U’s all etc all work). Cut out as many as you want in your salad…and have fun eating the edges or save them for another use (like melting in another dish).
2. In a small bowl, toss tomatoes with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar and olive oil.
3. Place cut-out mozzarella pieces in or on a serving dish or plate. Add tomatoes. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and basil. Enjoy!

5-Minute Cheesecake Mousse

After making my Apple Pie Cheesecake Smoothie as well as my no-bake Peanut Butter Cheesecake, this easy recipe can be whipped up for a quick dessert, breakfast or snack. Plus, the flavor combinations are endless – add your favorite fruits, nuts, spices, citrus, juices, chocolate, coconut etc to make it your own – this stuff is yummy!

If you find yourself dessert-less when your sweet tooth hits and you’re short on time, this cheesecake mousse is a great way to go. It’s creamy and rich-tasting but doesn’t sit heavy in your tummy AND it will keep you full from the high-protein ingredients — bonus!

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Mousse (see variation below)

Use your favorite fruit as the main flavor in this mousse, or combine a few like strawberry-mango for a tropical treat! I even listed a chocolate-peanut butter combo below if you aren’t in a fruity mood

5-Minute Cheesecake Mousse
Gluten-free, Grain-free, High-Protein, Vegetarian, Nut-free, Sugar-free

Basic Ingredients 

3/4 cup cottage cheese
1/4 cup frozen or fresh berries* or fruit of choice  (could try 2 Tbsp all-fruit preserves too but you may want to eliminate the sweetener)
1/4 – 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp honey, coconut nectar or agave OR 1 packet of stevia or to taste (Feel free to adjust sweetness to your liking, will depend on your fruit and ingredients)
optional add-ins: lemon zest, orange zest, lime zest, ground cinnamon, ginger, cocoa/cacao powder

Garnish ideas, optional 
Fresh fruit
Chopped nuts or seeds
Shredded or flaked coconut
Cacao nibs, chocolate shavings or chocolate chips
Citrus zest
Granola or cereal
Chia seeds

Directions 

1. Add all ingredients to the bowl of a small food processor or high-powered blender. Process or blend until smooth, about 60-90 seconds. Garnish (if desired) and serve immediately or pour into a serving dish and chill for 30-60 minutes, then garnish and enjoy!

*To make a chocolate-peanut butter version, substitution 1 Tbsp cocoa or cacao powder and 2 Tbsp peanut flour OR 1 Tbsp peanut butter for the berries/fruit. If you are allergic to peanuts, use almond butter or sunflower seed butter.

Some of my favorite combinations:
1. Chocolate covered strawberry mousse (pictured) – use strawberries as the fruit, garnish with dark chocolate chunks and fresh raspberries or strawberries
2. Tropical Dream – use mango chunks as the fruit, add a drizzle of orange juice when blending (1-2 Tbsp), garnish with shredded coconut and fresh pineapple (or more mango chunks)
3. Blueberry-Lemon Crunch- use blueberries as the fruit, add a bit of fresh lemon zest (1/2 tsp), garnish with almond granola, sliced almonds and fresh blueberries

Carrot Cake Crunch Bowl

I’ve been loving on my “crunch bowls” or “dessert soups” for snacks or breakfasts. It’s more satiating and longer-lasting than a bowl of cereal with all the texture and flavor that I crave.

Lately I’ve been in the mood for carrot cake and warm spices so when I was short on time and had an abundance of baby carrots, I knew just how to use up a few. Too lazy to pull out the juicer (and clean it), I opted for a speedy blender bowl with a carrot cake-inspired recipe!

Side note: I had good intentions when I bought a juicer but I have yet to use it since the first few times I’ve pulled it out. I have a weakness for kitchen gadgets but ones that require a bit of cleaning have been set to the side with my schedule these days…excuses, excuses My speedy blender came to the rescue, again!

If you aren’t keen on slurping this “dessert soup” from a bowl, sip this from a glass in smoothie form

Carrot Cake Crunch Bowl (inspired by my Recovery Crunch Cereal Bowl)

Ingredients

6-7 baby carrots, chopped
1/2 cup plain coconut milk yogurt (can use cottage cheese, tofu or other yogurt for variations)
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk  (or other non-dairy milk)
1/4 cup fresh or frozen pineapple (can omit
1/2 scoop vanilla protein powder, optional
splash of pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon (or more to taste)
1/8 tsp ground ginger
1 medjool date or drizzle of honey or agave (do not use honey if vegan)
4-5 ice cubes

For serving
2 Tbsp raw buckwheat groats (granola can be subbed)
1 -2 Tbsp chopped pecans, walnuts or almonds (or a combo)
1 -2 Tbsp unsweetened coconut flakes (or shredded coconut)

Directions

1. In a blender, combine carrots through ice and blend until smooth, about 1 minute.
2. Pour into a bowl, top with buckwheat groats, nuts and coconut flakes and enjoy!

Raw Cacao-Coconut Fudge Bites (Vegan)

I hope everyone is enjoying (or surviving) the summer heat!

It’s hot here. Plus, there’s no air conditioning in my apartment so I refuse to turn on the oven in the middle of the day. I would much rather stick my head in the fridge…that might have something to do with the fact that these little squares are waiting for me

No bake, quick and oh-so-delicious — these dense little blocks satisfy not only my craving for chocolate but any decadent dessert or after-meal treat. They can also stand in as a speedy afternoon pick-me-up when you need a little burst of energy and/or to quench a midday sweet tooth.

Did I mention they are chock-full of healthy fats, fiber, protein and antioxidants (you gotta give it up for raw cacao!).

The base of these fudgy bites are homemade coconut butter (though a store bought version works here too) and your favorite nut or seed butter. Tailor these filling squares to your liking with various extracts, nut/seed butters and add-ins. The addition of dried fruit would be delicious – cherries, raisins, apricots, cranberries, goji berries, banana or dates would be delicious!

Raw Cacao-Coconut Fudge Bites

Ingredients

12 oz unsweetened shredded coconut (or about 1 1/2 cups coconut butter)
1/2 cup of your favorite nut or seed butter, or combo (I’ve used both almond and peanut butter)
1/3 – 1/2 cup raw cacao powder (or cocoa powder but would not be raw or even carob powder for caffeine-free)
1/2 tsp pure vanilla
3-4 Tbsp agave (honey or maple syrup can be subbed) and/or stevia or your favorite sweetener to taste
3 Tbsp flaxseed meal (ground flaxseeds but can be subbed for your
2 Tbsp chia seeds
optional: for a protein boost, add 2 scoops of good-tasting chocolate or vanilla protein powder (be sure you like the flavor!)
optional add-ins: 1/3 – 1/2 cup chocolate chips, chopped nuts and/or or dried fruit of choice

For sprinkling/garnish:
2 Tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut
2 Tbsp raw cacao nibs

Directions

1. Line a large loaf pan with parchment paper and set aside (Can use small or large pan for different thickness).
2. In a food processor, add coconut and process for about 10 minutes or until the coconut turns into a butter. See my post here on to make homemade coconut butter.
3. Add in nut butter through sweetener and process for another minute until smooth (the more liquid sweetener used will result in more of a fudgy texture)
4. Add in flaxseed meal, chia seeds and protein powder (if using) and process for 30 seconds. Stir in add-ins at this time, if using.
5. Pour into prepared pan and refrigerate until hardened, about 30 minutes. Cut into squares/blocks and enjoy!

Makes 20-30 squares (depending on size)

Tip: I put these in the freezer to harden and tried to cut them and they didn’t cut as easily. I think hardening in the refrigerator next time would be my preference, but I was impatient