Easy Vegan Mug Cake

     Mug cakes are great for those late night cravings , or when you want a sweet treat but not the whole cake! Finding a good recipe can be tricky though. A lot of them can have an eggy taste..but not this one! There are no eggs in sight of this mug cake..and guess what? Its delicious!

Easy Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies

     Its hard not to love peanut butter cookies. They're gooey and crunchy, sweet and salty....a perfect balance! Peanut Butter cookies have always been a favorite in our house and we've tried several recipes, but by far this one is my favorite!

Vegan Apple Crumble Muffins - Recipe

Muffins are the perfect breakfast, snack or even dessert for just about anytime of the year! These muffins are full of fruity flavor, cinnamon-y spice, perfect sweetness and topped with a delicious crumble!

Vegan Puppy Chow

Puppy Chow or Muddy Buddies is the Perfect Holiday Treat!

     I don't know anything two things that go together as well as peanut butter and chocolate! Its a perfect blend of nuttiness, sweetness, and richness! Puppy Chow (or Muddy Buddies) pairs these two amazing ingredients together to make a delicious snack, treat or simple dessert for the holidays or anytime of the year!

     Who knew that 4 simple and easy-to-find items could come together to make such a delicious and addictive treat! I made these to take with us to our cousin's house and it was gone in a day! Thanksgiving weekend I made it for some different cousins and it was a huge hit! Needless to say, no matter where you bring it, who you serve it to, or how much you make, you probably won't have any leftover!

     This recipe is vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free, and super easy to make! Just make sure the chocolate chips and cereal you buy is dairy/egg/gluten free if you are worried about that!

Ingredients

12 cups Chex Mix Cereal (I have used both the corn and rice and both work well)

2 cups Dairy-Free Chocolate Chips

2 cups Peanut Butter

3-4 cups Powdered Sugar

     For this recipe I used Trader Joe's Semi-Sweet chocolate chips (they are dairy-free) and I have also used a brand from Kroger's Grocery Store. Just read the labels and you should be able to find a brand that works for you! Usually semi-sweet and darker are dairy-free!

    Start by pouring your cereal into a large bowl. I was lucky enough to have a huge bowl, but if you don't, just split the cereal between as many bowls as you need!

     Next, mix together the chocolate chips and peanut butter. If you are having trouble getting the peanut butter out of the container, try warming it in the microwave for a few seconds first!

     Melt it in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time until it melts completely and mixes together.

     Just give me a spoon and I could eat this whole bowl! I would probably have a huge stomach ache afterwards, but oh well! You only live once, right? :)

     Pour the melted chocolate/peanut butter mix over your cereal and use a spatula for large spoon to mix it until all of the cereal is coated.

     Then, add one cup of powdered sugar at a time, stirring in between, until all the cereal is fully coated by the sugar.

     And we are done! See how easy and simple that was? No heating up the kitchen with the oven, or slaving away for hours to have a delicious treat! Just writing this post makes me want to make more!

     Store it in an air-tight container for a few days.......if it really lasts that long! I know at our house it never lasts more than 24 hours!

     I really hope you try this recipe out and see how delicious and addictive it is! I know that you and your family will love it as much as my family and I do! Its the perfect thing to make for a holiday party, potluck, or snack! Pair it with some dairy-free ice cream, hot cocoa, or coffee and you have yourself a perfect dessert!

     Please follow the blog via email, Google or social media so you can stay up-to-date on all the posts and even get extra blog content!

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I post every Friday! Check back every week for a new post on all things healthy living!

Stay healthy, happy and laughing!

Happy Holidays!

Hannah

Harvest Time Stove Top Apple Butter

    Thanksgiving has come and gone. I hope you all had a wonderful day! Some people might go from Thanksgiving straight to Christmas, but my mind is still on 'Fall' mode, so that means more fall recipes! Apples are just one of the many wonderful foods that are popular during the fall months, and I love to use them as often as I can!

     I have always loved apple butter! Its delicious, full of warm flavors and also really easy to make! A lot of recipes are made for the crockpot, but not everyone has a crock pot, so I wanted to make a recipe that everyone could use! With just a few simple ingredients, you can turn delicious apples into terrific apple butter!

     We ordered 2 bushels of apples a few weeks ago, and we've been eating a lot of them, but we can possibly eat both bushels before they go bad, so I had to do something with them! I made apple butter with a few and I hope to make apple sauce and apple-pie filling soon!

Ingredients:

7-8 Large Apples, peeled and chopped into small pieces

1 cup Apple Cider

3/4 cup Sugar of Choice
 
2 tsp Cinnamon

2 tsp Allspice

Pinch of Salt

1/2 tsp Vanilla

2 TBS Lemon Juice


Once you have peeled and chopped your apples, add them to a pot on the stove along with the apple cider. Turn it on to medium/high.

Bring it to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for 20 minutes. Make sure to stir every few minutes to keep it from sticking and burning.

Once the 20 minutes are up, add in the sugar, spices, salt, vanilla and lemon juice.

Bring the mixture back up to a boil and then reduce the heat back to a simmer. Cook at a simmer for 30 minutes, making sure to stir often.

Turn the heat off and taste the mixture to make sure the flavors are to your liking. You might want to add more cinnamon, vanilla or allspice! Transfer to a blender or use an emulsion blender to puree the mixture to your desired texture.

 

 Once you have it blender, add it back into the pot at medium/low heat.

Cook for around 10 minutes, stirring almost constantly to keep from sticking. Then, turn the heat off and allow the mixture to cool. Transfer to an air-tight container or Ziploc back or eat it right away! You can keep it in the fridge for a week or two, or in the freezer for several months!

 

     As I was making this batch of apple butter, I was also making homemade bread! You can imagine how good our kitchen smelled! There is nothing better than homemade apple butter on fresh homemade bread!

 

 

    This apple butter is delicious on homemade bread, biscuits, muffins, oatmeal, pancakes, waffles, French toast and so much more! It can be enjoyed warm or cold and is terrific by the spoonful!

     I really hope you try this recipe out and that you like it as much as I do! Apple butter has always been a favorite of mine and I am so excited to have made some for myself and with my own recipe! If you love it too, please share this recipe with your friends and family so everyone can make homemade apple butter!

 

Please share my blog with your friends and family to spread the love of a healthy lifestyle and help others become the healthiest version of themselves!

You can follow the blog via email, Google, and social media.

Instagram- That_Vegan_Runner

Twitter- SpinachisGood

Pinterest- Hannah Plunkett

Tumblr- justrunningforfood

I post every Friday!

Stay Healthy, Happy and Laughing!

Happy Holidays!

Hannah

Brownie Batter Balls

   Everyone loves brownies and brownie batter is almost as good (if not better!)! Its gooey, sweet, and most importantly, chocolate! You can never go wrong with chocolate and you can never have to much of it! Finding new ways to have chocolate is always fun, and finding a healthy way to have chocolate is even better!

     Dates are a fairly new food in my diet. I had never really heard of them or tried them up until a few months ago, but now I don't know how I lived without them! They are super sweet, creamy, gooey and delicious! Add some cocoa powder and some coconut to the mix and you have yourself a winner!

     These Brownie Batter Date Balls are going to become a favorite of anyone who loves chocolate, brownies, and yummy snacks! They are completely vegan, dairy-free, oil-free, gluten-free( as long as you have gluten free oats) and refined sugar free! Also, they are super amazingly delicious and I want to eat the whole batch right now!


Ingredients:
12-13 Mejool dates, pitted
2 TBS Cocoa Powder
1/2 cup Rolled Oats
1 tsp Vanilla
Pinch of Salt
1/2 cup Shredded Coconut ( Sweetened or Unsweetened is fine!)

Start by pitting your dates and adding them to a food processor.

Process them until you get a creamy texture. You might need to add some warm water a TBS at a time if your dates were on the dry side.

Not a very pretty picture, but we'll change by adding in the cocoa powder, vanilla, salt, and oats. Processes until well combined and the oats are a chopped up a bit.

And there is your brownie batter dough! Taste it to make sure its good! :) Then pour your coconut into a bowl, ready for rolling.

 

Then start rolling your dough into balls. You can make them as big or as small as you like! I got around 16 in my batch. If the dough is sticking your hands, dip your hands in some water every once in a while. This will prevent the sticking!

 

 

And there you go! Healthy Brownie Batter Date Balls! Let them sit in the fridge for 30 minutes or so to firm up a bit before snacking on! Store them in the fridge to keep them fresh longer!

 

 

Not only are these little treats delicious but they are packed full of fiber, protein, and healthy fats! Perfect for a snack or little dessert to satisfy a sweet tooth! Make them for yourself or share them with your friends and family. You will suddenly become very popular! :)

 

 

If you make this recipe, please let me know what you thought! I hope you like this post and it has given you inspiration to live a healthier lifestyle!

 

Please share this recipe and my blog with your friends and family to spread the love of healthy living!

 

You can follow the blog via email, Google, Twitter @ SpinachisGood, Tumblr @ justrunningforfood, Pinterest @ Hannah Plunkett, and on Instagram @ the_vegan_runner. Follow on social media for more Spinachisgoodforyou content!

 

I post every Friday!

 

Stay Healthy, Happy, and Laughing!

H. Banana

Hurray For Oats!

     Oats might seem a weird thing to write an entire blog post about, but they really are amazing! My family and I have started making and selling homemade granola at our Farmer's Market, so we have been dealing with a lot of oats lately! This got me thinking.. "Why should we eat oats? How good are they really for us?" and so I did some research. This is what I found...

#1 Oatmeal is Delicious!
well, maybe not on it's own, but when oats are added to recipes they really can be delicious! Keep ready for some great recipes and ideas on how to use oats more!

#2 Oatmeal Provides Fiber and Protein
Most Americans don't get enough fiber these days, so adding it in whenever you can is important. Protein is also a important thing in your diet. Having oats for breakfast provides you with some much needed fiber and protein, and it keeps you full until lunch!

#3 Oatmeal Helps Lower Bad Cholesterol
Oats contain a special strand of fiber called beta-glucan which, studies have shown, reduces levels of bad cholesterol and can help to prevent heart disease and strokes! With the number of deaths from heart diseases grows, it is important to protect ourselves from it in every way possible!

#4 Oats Contain Important Vitamins and Minerals
Oats might seem simple, but they are packed full of nutrients! They contain B vitamins and minerals like iron and magnesium! These are so important in our diet because they keep our bodies running smoothly, like they were meant to!

#5 Oats Aid in Weight Loss
Oats contain fiber, which helps to keep us full and also acts as a natural laxative. Both of these things help in weight loss. When we eat oatmeal for breakfast, we will remain full until lunch, which keeps us from snacking, thus, helping us lose weight. Studies have shown that, those who eat oatmeal at least three times a week, lose weight and keep it off better than those who don't eat oatmeal!

#6 Oats are Cheap!
There are so many "health" foods out there that claim to help in weight loss or keeping your body healthy. And while those things might work, they are usually pretty expensive. Oats, on the other hand, are so healthy for you and they help in weight loss AND they are super cheap! Replace your morning "health" cereal with oat meal and watch your wallet get bigger and your waistline get smaller!

   So, oats are pretty great, right? With all those health benefits, why wouldn't you want to eat them everyday? Well, maybe because they are pretty boring by themselves and you don't know how to make them delicious? Worry no more! Here are some great ways to eat oatmeal everyday!

Brownie Batter for Breakfast-
Measure out your oats into your pan ( 1/3 of a cup is a serving size). Add in 1-2 TBS of cocoa powder, 2-3 TBS of maple syrup, a pinch of salt and your cooking liquid ( you can use water, almond milk, chocolate almond milk......). Cook your oatmeal as usual. When they are done, add them to your bowl and top with chocolate chips, almond butter and raspberries for a delicious, health and filling breakfast!

Oil Free and Vegan Granola-
My recipe for Valentine's Day Granola is oil free, vegan and delicious! I love to eat granola on top of smoothie bowls, oatmeal, nondairy or banana ice cream or just a handful for a snack!


Oatmeal Smoothie-
Add 1 banana( Frozen is best) , a handful of berries ( I like strawberries and again, frozen is best), 1 TBS nut butter of choice, 1/3 cup oats and enough nondairy milk ( coconut or almond are my favorites) to blend to your desired thickness. This smoothie is super refreshing, filling and delicious! Its perfect to start your day or to pick you up in the afternoon!

Oatmeal Cookies-
My Banana Bread Cookies are super simple to make, but they are really yummy! With just a few ingredients, these cookies can be whipped up in a flash and enjoyed for breakfast, snack or dessert!

Oatmeal Bowls-
Here are a few great ways to enjoy oatmeal-
Cinnamon, Maple Syrup, Apples and Raisins
Vanilla, Blueberries, Almonds and Maple Syrup
Peanut Butter, Banana, Chocolate Chips
Pears, Maple Syrup, Dried Cranberries and Nutmeg
Coconut Milk, Pineapple, Mango, Raspberries

     So there you have it! So many ways to enjoy oats everyday! of course there are so many more ways you can eat oats, but I couldn't fit them all in to this post! Oats can also be used in things like veggie patties, breads and other savory things! With all these options, you have no excuse not to be eating oats everyday, or at least every week!

 I hope you enjoyed this post all about oats, their health benefits, and several ways to eat them everyday! Please share this post and my blog with your friends and family to spread the love of healthy living!

You can follow the blog via email, Google, Twitter @ SpinachisGood, Tumblr @ justrunningforfood, and Pinterest @ Hannah Plunkett.

I post every Friday!

Stay Healthy, Happy and Laughing!

H. Banana

St. Patrick's Hummus

   St. Patrick's Day is just around the corner, and while its not a huge holiday, it's still a fun one to celebrate! Everything has been turning green for weeks in preparation for this Irish holiday! So, I started racking my brain to figure out what I could make that was healthy, delicious and GREEN!

What I decided to make and share with you guys, is some amazing St. Patrick's Day Hummus! I know, its not a traditional Irish food or even inspired my typical Irish flavors, but it is green and it is delicious! I think St. Patrick would approve and I hope you do too!

    To make this hummus, I started with a standard hummus recipe and began to add my own spin on it! To lighten the recipe up, I took out the massive amounts of olive oil and tahini paste that normal recipes use, and just used a little of the chickpea water (sometimes called aquafaba) for the liquid. To make this hummus the festive color green, I used some baby spinach! Not only does this add amazing color, but also an extra boost of protein! What more is there to love? Oh yeah, it's also Vegan, Gluten Free, fairly Low Fat, and a perfect healthy snack for anytime of the year!

Ingredients:
1 can of Chickpeas
2 TBS minced Garlic or 2 tsp of Garlic Powder
2 tsp Ground Cumin
2 TBS Lemon Juice
1 cup Fresh Spinach ( you could also use Kale, Arugula or any other dark leafy green you want)
(Optional) 1-2 tsp Tahini ( ground sesame seeds)
Salt to taste

Drain your chickpeas, BUT KEEP THE LIQUID. What you don't use in the recipe you can save for a later use. This liquid is called aquafaba and can me used to make vegan frostings, marshmallow fluff, sponge cakes and so much more!
Add everything to a blender or food processor EXPECT THE SPINACH.

Blend until everything is incorporated and fairly smooth. Taste and adjust any flavors if needed. If needed, add in some of the chickpea water to make things blend easier.

 

You could leave it as is and you will still have a delicious hummus, but in the spirit of St. Patty's Day, lets make it green!

 

Add your spinach to the blender and blend until smooth.

 

 

Isn't is pretty? Its so much fun to eat things that are fun colors! Taste the hummus and make sure it is to your liking. You might need to adjust the seasonings a bit to make it perfect!

 

Then, transfer your fresh homemade hummus to a dish or container.

 

 

Chill in the fridge for a few hours before serving.

 

Now you have some beautiful and delicious green hummus that St. Patrick himself would be proud of! This hummus is perfect for a St. Patrick's Day party or for a festive touch to your lunch and dinner!

 

Hummus has become a staple food in our house. We love to eat it with pita chips, carrot sticks, slices of cucumber and bell pepper, and crackers. Its also really yummy spead on toast, used in place of mayo on your sandwiches and veggie burgers, or in wraps to add delicious flavor and extra protein!

 

 

 

I hope you enjoy this recipe for hummus! I am sure you will love it as much as I do! Whether you make it in celeration of St. Patrick's Day, or just for fun, this is a recipe you won't want to miss out on!

 

Please share this recipe and my blog with your friends and family to helpe everyone live a healthier and happier life!

 

You can follow the blog vie email, Google, Twitter @ SpinachisGood, Tumblr @ justrunningforfood, and on Pinterest @ Hannah Plunkett.

 

I post every Friday!

 

Stay Healthy, Happy and Laughing!

 

H. Banana

Pico de Gallo

    I think it's safe to say that I'm in love with Mexican food! Being born and raised for a while in Texas probably didn't help either! :) This delicious recipe for fresh and flavorful Pico de Gallo is one to add to your recipe book! It's simple and easy, like any good Pico should be, and packed full of flavor!! Also, Pico is a great healthy and low calorie side item or snack, that's full of fresh veggies and herbs to give your body some nutrients!

Ingredients:

1/2 Yellow or White Onion, finely chopped

4 Roma Tomatoes, finely chopped

1 Bell Pepper, finely chopped

3 TBS Finely chopped Cilantro

Juice from 1 Lemon

Salt and Pepper to taste

Pinch of Cayenne Pepper

This recipe is pretty simple, just chopped, juice, dump, stir, season, taste, and devour! But, I'll walk you through it with some pictures, just in case! :)

First, add your finely chopped onions to a bowl.

To this, add your finely chopped tomatoes.

And the finely diced bell pepper. I try to go with a color other than red, since the tomatoes are red, but any color with do!

 

I looks kind of like a heart or a 'Peace' sign, doesn't it?

Next, we need to add the cilantro, lemon juice, and spices.

Now, just give it a stir and a taste, to make sure it is to your liking!

 

All those bright colors make this a delicious and beautiful dish!

When you're happy the dish taste amazing, give it a final stir and then plate it to serve! I love to use our Mexican bowls to serve this Pico because the colors go so well together!

So lovely! I could eat this on anything! We love to put this with tacos, fajitas, salads, tortilla chips, quesadillas, enchiladas, or...... I sometimes eat it with a spoon, its THAT good!

 

I could go on and on with the pictures, but maybe that is enough for this post! :) I hope you try this recipe and discover for yourself the perfection of this Pico de Gallo! If you like it, please share this post and my blog with your friends and family members to encourage them to live a healthier life!

Follow the blog via email, Google, Twitter @SpinachisGood , and on Pinterest @ Hannah Plunkett. I would love to hear your feed back on my blog and post! You can do that in the comments, via email @ healthypinner@gmail.com, and on Twitter!

I have recently decided to go from Monday and Friday post to just Friday post. This is because, with school and everyday life, I don't have a lot of time to put into my post! Hopefully going to once-a-week post will allow me to put more into the blog content!

New post every Friday!

Keep Healthy and Safe!
H. Banana