snack 'n go

I've been a dedicated granola bar consumer since I was in high school. They've always been a quick, convenient and portable snack that bordered the "healthy" category. I also loved that I could get away with eating these for breakfast, even though there were chocolate chips sprinkled throughout. 

But when I say "healthy" they're not even close. Most store-bought granola bars are loaded with sugar and other preservatives, so these bars contain honey, unsweetened cocoa powder and natural peanut butter to pack in the flavor. Now before I get attacked for adding mini chocolate chips... yes I know they contain sugar but if you're really being careful just don't add them. It's as easy as that!

I keep the bars in individual snack bags and store them in the fridge. I love that I can grab one, run out the door and know that I'm getting a snack with some protein and nutrients, but really it just tastes like a chocolatey treat. 

no double trouble here

I realize my blogging has been sporadic lately and when I re-vamped this blog (almost a year ago!) I was determined to keep the content at a 50/50 ratio between beauty and baking. Lately, I've been feeling a little tapped out in the beauty department. I genuinely don't want to recycle information that you can find from every other magazine or blogger, so I'm only going to post on beauty when I'm really passionate about a product or topic (or if anyone has a particular beauty question that needs answering). 

So I guess I'm saying that the blog will be a little more baking heavy and not so evenly balanced with beauty, as it used to be. With that said...

I have a toddler who is obsessed with muffins. She wants them everyday, all day. And I cannot go to the grocery store without her demanding a muffin to occupy her time in the shopping cart (the tough life of a toddler).

no rocks in this road

Blame it on the warm weather, but two different ice cream recipes in a row are an essential for this time of year. Whether they're melted, frozen, toasted or eaten plain, it's become apparent to me that I've become increasingly obsessed with marshmallows, as I've gotten older. They're a wonderful companion to chocolate and superb in a s'more (no matter what type of s'more it is!) and elevate a chocolate ice cream to sublime standards. 

I love texture in my food- especially in my ice cream, and when I flipped through this cookbook, by David Lebovitz, I wasn't dead-set on making the chocolate ice cream until I saw the footnote at the bottom suggesting some add-ins to make your own Rocky Road. Done. I zeroed in on that tiny font and clung to the idea of a rich, decadent chocolate ice cream with that crunchy and chewy texture I craved. And I was not disappointed!

no bake = cool kitchen

With the weather heating up, I crave cold foods. I know I'm not alone in this and I definitely know I'm not the only one who hates turning their oven on in the Summer. This is where the genius of no-bake desserts really shine and take center stage. 

In all honesty, I actually prefer a no-bake cheesecake to the original baked cheesecake. While I like regular cheesecake, it's very dense and rich and makes me feel a little heavier after I eat it. On the other hand, this no-bake cheesecake is literally whipped into a lightness and there's the smallest hint of that cream cheese tang.

gimme s'more

As I was perusing the internet for some South-of-the-border dessert idea's for a certain upcoming holiday, I somehow came across these little babies and was completely and utterly distracted. So distracted that I forgot all about my purpose and made these instead. 

I love it when, on a whim, I decide to make a new recipe because either I'm craving marshmallows or the recipe just looks too good to be true. It also doesn't hurt if I actually have all the ingredient's on-hand. That really seals the deal for me. 

Almond Joy's got nuts...

Ok, for all the label-lovers here they are: all-natural, preservative-free, heart-healthy, energy boosting, low-fat, blah, blah, blah. Honestly, it's more important that food tastes amazing before I consider the labels (I know I’m not alone in this, hence the reason people eat French fries) but these are really good even if they are good for you.

                            

It may sound decadent having a granola bar named after a candy bar; instead, these are all those same flavors you love (chocolate, almonds, coconut) just put in a healthier vehicle. These make for a perfect snack or even better crumbled into yogurt. Enjoy! (recipe after the jump)