Tag Archives: recipe

Healthy Single Serving NuttZo Oatmeal Cake Recipe

11/21/2015 R.C. Liley 2 Comments

It’s pretty clear that the Going Family loves both NuttZo and Oatmeal, so it only makes sense to combine the two into a healthy, tasty and transportable treat. I’m not trying to win any creativity awards here, just make something the whole family will love and won’t take forever to put together.

And that’s just what I did. Voila!

The unfrosted version is better for transporting. Trust me.

Nothing fancy, but damned delicious. If you’re enjoying at home, why not put some healthy Greek yogurt frosting on that NuttZo-atmeal cake?

Need a better view?

Oatmeal Cake with Yogurt Frosting 2 — Topped with cinnamon and looking lovely. Make it go away…….via eating

I wanted a recipe for a super peanut buttery and healthy oatmeal cake, and am very pleased with the end result….so are Kelley and Avery!

NuttZo Oatmeal Cake

Ingredients

– 1/2 cup rolled oats

– 1 T melted NuttZo

– 1/4 tsp baking powder

– 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

– 1/2 tsp cinnamon

– 2 packets or 1 T stevia powder, 8 – 12 drops liquid stevia, or, if you want to use sugar, 1 – 2 tablespoons honey or brown sugar

– 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce, pumpkin puree, or mashed banana (Plain yogurt works well too)

– 1/4 cup unsweetened almond or other milk of choice

– Small dash of salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Mix all ingredients together until well incorporated. Let sit 5 – 10 minutes to allow oats to absorb liquid

Pour into one of the muffin molds in a muffin tin, 1-cup ramekin (or use a glass baking dish like I used), or just spread flat on a baking sheet for a crunchy treat. Make sure you use non-stick bake ware, spread coconut oil, or non-stick spray before pouring batter into device of choice.

Cook for 25 – 30 minutes; the top should have a nice light brown and the whole cake will feel firm. You can set your oven to broil and let cook about 3 – 4 minutes for a crispier crust; reduce baking time by 5 minutes if you do this.

Allow to cool for 10 minutes before removing.

For a quicker version, use a microwave-safe container and microwave mixture for 5 minutes.

What happens when you let your wife/kid try a "bite" — What happens when you let your wife/kid try a “bite”

This cake is bliss on its own, but try smearing more NuttZo or nut butter of choice on top for extra nuttiness! Or, get a little more creative with a banana and peanut butter mashed together and smeared on top.

Try your favorite spread and let me know what you come up with. Have fun with the flavors and making this cake.

What? You want to try the Greek Yogurt Icing? Ok, it’s extremely easy; just like this recipe…..

Greek Yogurt Icing

Mix 2 cups plain Greek Yogurt (non, low, or full fat will work) with one of the following to suit your preferences:

– 1/2 cup melted NuttZo, other nut butter, or peanut flour for peanut butter icing

– 1/2 cup vanilla protein powder (preferably organic and sweetened with stevia) and 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

– 1/2 cup chocolate protein powder (preferably organic and sweetened with stevia), 2 tsp cacao powder, and 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

– 1 very ripe mashed banana and 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

– 1/2 cup pumpkin puree, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ginger and nutmeg, and 1/4 tsp cloves

I love the single serving recipes, but just double, triple, or quadruple the measurements to make more. This would be a perfect Thanksgiving breakfast you make in a hurry since we all know the rest of the day can get hectic fast! Try making the entire mix the night before so you can cook first thing in the morning.

Food, Going Healthy

Coconut Carrot Cream Soda Zevia Pudding Recipe

09/22/2015 R.C. Liley 2 Comments

Are you looking to add something new, exciting, and different to your list of healthy treats? With the help of my favorite (and only one I drink) soda brand, Zevia, I have just the recipe for you. If you think making pudding with soda sounds impossible, prepare to be amazed.

Maybe amazed is a bit extreme, but either way, this pudding is delicious (confirmed by Avery), and healthy enough to eat for breakfast.

I’m proud (and lucky) to team with Zevia to help spread the word about their #ClearlyDifferent campaign to let the world know they are now Non-GMO Project Verified and color-free. That’s on top of being zero calorie, sugar-free, and having no artificial anything! I wrote a post about this a few months ago if you’d like to read more.

Want to give up your beloved sugar-laden soda in place of healthy alternative like Zevia but fear having withdrawals from a certain flavor? Never fear, Zevia has 15 flavors all rocking the healthy specs mentioned above. Seriously, making the healthy switch should be no problem. Here, let Avery help you out….

If you’re still confused, she can help again. Just follow her lead and put it to your lips to take a drink. The following burst of healthy deliciousness will take care of the rest. Since her first taste of #TheNewSweet of Zevia, she’s all smiles every time I bust one out.

But hold on just a minute. Technically, you don’t have to drink Zevia, they have plenty of recipes to prove it. And today, I’m adding one more to the mix. It’s one I have never seen anywhere else and am totally happy with how it turned out. I used Cream Soda Zevia to create a creamy vanilla pudding with a healthy dose of carrots and coconut.

You might think it’s difficult to make, but on the contrary; the only hard part is waiting for it to chill. Which, trust me, really is hard!

Coconut Carrot Cream Soda Zevia Pudding

by RC Liley

Prep Time: 10 min

Ingredients (Approx. 32 Ounces)

1 ½ cups steamed carrots (about a 1 lb bag of baby carrots)
¼ cup cold water
1.5 Tbsp. Great Lakes Grass-Fed Gelatin
1 Can Zevia Cream Soda
¼ cup shredded unsweetened coconut
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon cinnamon
Dash of sea salt
Optional: 5 – 10 drops pure liquid vanilla stevia for extra vanilla sweetness

Instructions

1. With carrots still hot from being steamed, add all ingredients to blender or food processor and blend until carrots are pureed

2. Dissolve gelatin in the cold water

3. With blender/processor running on low, pour in the gelatin and turn up the speed to completely mix it in.

4. Pour into heatproof container and chill in fridge at least 6 hours, preferable overnight.

5. The pudding should be solid, like jello, after sitting. You can eat it like this or use electric or hand beaters to whip it into more of a pudding consistency.

6. Top with extra cinnamon and enjoy your healthy, dairy-free, egg-free, and delicious vanilla pudding!

*Alternatively, you could use a 15 oz can of pumpkin puree, just make sure to heat it before putting in blender so the gelatin will bind once added.

Now, go grab a six-pack or two (or three or four) of Zevia and try this recipe along with several others. Don’t forget to simply drink and enjoy too. While you’re savoring your soda, share a pic of you enjoying Zevia, share it by tagging them on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram with hashtag #ClearlyDifferent. If they share your pic, they’ll, as they say, thank you with a soda high 5!

Please let me know how it turns out if you try the recipe, and remember to share it with your little ones. Also, make sure you have extra Zevia to drink while cooking!

Note Avery’s bottle with the #ClearlyDifferent soda that’s free of color!

Giveaway, Promo

Zevia Tonic Water Review & Giveaway (Now Non-GMO + Color-Free!)

06/29/2015 R.C. Liley 5 Comments

Disclosure: Zevia provided free product for me to review. I was not compensated in any other way and all opinions are my own.

Zevia is no stranger in our house. I’ve published several posts on this healthy soda explaining why it means so much to me and even held a giveaway before. Oh yeah, and I’ll never forget the first time Avery took her first sips of the Smarter Soda. It take long until she was reaching for more!

Being free of artificial preservatives and sweeteners, naturally sweetened with stevia, and tasting delicious is what made us instant fans years ago. But now Zevia has stepped up their entire line of healthy beverages to be Non-GMO Project Verified and free of any added color. This means no more caramel color in any flavor, so they’ll be clean and clear, just like their list of ingredients.

It takes a lot of work to go through the process of becoming Non-GMO Project Verified, and Zevia did it for us, the health-conscious consumer. Thank you, Zevia!

When I heard of their newest addition, Tonic Water, I had to try it for myself. Lucky for me, they agreed to send some to try and review. Okay, and I’m sure a little cheesy-grinned persuasion from Avery helped too.

Upon its arrival, I was ready for my first taste. After checking out the cool white cans, that is.

Well, then we had to take a picture of her caterpillar next to the can…

Annnnnddd, THEN I opened it up to try. By itself, it tastes slightly bitter with a dry hint of citrus and a clean mouth feeling. Nothing to write home about, but who writes home about soda anyway? Just call to tell them how awesome Zevia is, no time to write!

Since tonic water is not meant to drink alone (it’s a mixer), I used the rest of the open can to make a little mocktail for Avery and myself.

Obviously, Zevia + Zevia = delicious awesomeness, so I made a 50/50 mix of Zevia Strawberry and Tonic Water after a hot walk under the Texas sun. The result did not disappoint, we both loved it and the drink was gone in no time.

After another day in the heat (I think it’ll be like this for a while), I got creative and pureed watermelon and added a little Zevia Tonic Water for a little refreshing fizz.

And we have another winner!

Yes, there were seconds……then thirds. Then I had to change her diaper from all of the liquid intake. Gotta keep’em hydrated in the heat!! But after the diaper change, someone apparently was not done….

Oh yeah, and of course their tonic water is perfect to enjoy our adult beverages without weighing us down from sugary, high calorie mixers. Vodka Tonic, anyone?

These two over ice after getting the kiddo to sleep is a nice way to wind down a crazy day with a toddler, a long day at work, or just to relax.

With plenty of summer left, I plan on finding other fun, refreshing, and most importantly, healthy ways to use Zevia’s Tonic Water as well as all of their now color-free and Non-GMO flavors. Check out the list of recipes for their Tonic Water on Zevia’s site for some creative ideas perfect for both kids and adults.

Oh, and maybe it would help if you were to win a 6 pack of Zevia to get things started, huh? Well, lucky you, I have just the thing; a chance for 3 readers, that’s you, to enter for a chance to win a voucher to pick up a six-pack of any Zevia flavor you want!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Contest ends Saturday, July 4th at midnight. Good luck and be sure to spread the Zevia Love on Twitter by sharing your photos and including the hashtag #TheNewSweet!