B's Perfect Granola Bars

I like to know what goes into my granola bars, which is way I try my hardest to eat only homemade bars. I'm a huge fan of making food in my own kitchen, knowing I put only the best ingredients, and no preservatives, in my food. These Perfect Granola Bars are just that.

I like controlling the amount of sugar, fat, protein, and fiber that goes into my food. I feel better about what I'm eating, I feel healthier, knowledgeable, and definitely not guilty! It's very liberating.

I used to be hooked on Larabars; they're delicious, organic, and a perfect snack, but I found them to be way too sweet. Too sweet to eat for breakfast or pre/post workout or for a middle-of-the-day snack. The bars are primarily made of dates, which contain their own fair share of sugar. However, I do enjoy these tremendously as a dessert bar when I'm trying to eat clean. The cherry pie ones are my favorite.

But these bars are also very versatile. Use them crumbled in a bowl with some almond milk, crumbled on top of fruit, or as a crumb topping on your favorite peach cobbler or ice cream...or simply enjoy them as a bar.


Perfect Granola Bars
*makes 9 bars (recipe can be easily adjusted to amount needed)

2 c rolled oats (or gluten-free oats)
1 T chia seeds
1/4 c unsalted nuts of choice
1/4 c nut butter, melted
1/4 c honey, agave, or brown rice syrup (sometimes I forgo this and just do a full 1/2 c of nut butter)
optional add-ins: flaxseed, other nuts, dried fruit, mini bittersweet chocolate chips, protein powder

Preheat oven 350 degrees and coat a baking dish (whatever size you need; I used a 9" glass pie dish this time) with cooking spray. Mix oats, nuts, chia seeds, nut butter, and honey in a large bowl until thoroughly combined. Add in any extras, if desired. *Note: you may need to mix in a little bit more of the nut butter or honey, as needed, with each addition add-in. Press mixture into prepared dish and bake 20-25 minutes. Let cool, completely, in baking dish before cutting into bars. (This can be made vegan by excluding the chocolate chips.)


Sometimes I'll add protein powder and decrease the amount of honey. I don't like my granola bars too sweet, so if I'm adding dried fruit or mini chocolate chips (something that adds its own sweetness) I will decrease the amount of sugar I'm adding.

Depending on your add-ins, the calorie count can be anywhere between 160-200 per bar. I try to keep the sugar below 9 grams, while upping the fiber and protein.

Enjoy!

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

My Favorite Zucchini Bread

I don't have to tell Ohioans about the insane amount of rain we've had recently. It's definitely effected my garden.

The tomato plants are taller than I am, full of green tomatoes just waiting to turn (and I know just a little bit of sun will give them that much needed push). While waiting for God's candy to ripen, we harvested a bunch of basil, a few green onions, one bell pepper, and our first zucchini. When we first planted our zucchini plants, my mother-in-law mentioned how much she loved zucchini bread. I promised her I'd make my favorite zucchini bread with the first one. She picked up her loaf half while I was at work, and liked it so much she had to leave me a note telling me it was gone that very night. Unfortunately, so was my half. Mr. B just decided that he, too, was a fan of zucchini bread. Who knew?

Blueberry Zucchini Bread
*Recipe adapted from My Baking Addiction

Makes 10 slices

1 egg, lightly beaten, + 1 flax egg (1 Tbsp ground flax seed & 3 Tbsp water...let sit 5 minutes)
heaping 1/4 c plain Greek yogurt
1/3 c sugar
1/3 c brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
heaping 1 c zucchini, grated and well drained
3/4 c all-purpose flour
3/4 c whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 c fresh blueberries, washed
oats (optional)

Preheat oven 350 degrees, and lightly grease a 9 X 5 loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray. Blend together egg, flax egg, sugars, yogurt, and vanilla. Fold in grated zucchini. Slowly mix in flours, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon. Gently fold in blueberries. Bake 45-50 minutes, until knife inserted in center comes out clean. (*When there is only about 15 minutes left to go, I sprinkle some oats on the top.) Cool, in pan, on a wire rack for 25 minutes. Then remove the bread from the pan and let cool completely before slicing.

(*If you can't wait for it to cool, like me, the bread may crumble apart when slicing and it will taste more like a muffin. Either way, it's absolutely amazing. I succeed at not slicing into it when I make this close to bedtime...that way it has all night to stand and cool, greeting me with a delicious treat in the early morning.)

Nutritional Information
Per slice: 145 Calories, 1 Fat, 12 Sugar, 4 Protein, 3 Fiber

**Next time, I plan to replace half of the sugar with mashed banana or applesauce to make it even healthier!

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

Recent Eats

I apologize. I haven't shared any recipes or eats with you lately. But no worries. Here's a post full of mouth-watering eye candy. And something I can't get enough of lately, homemade pizza. (But, glancing at this post overall, it seems to be some form of bread....hmmm.)

Just in case you're new to Sweet B's, I'm a fan of homemade pizza. ONLY. That greasy stuff that comes in a box or sits under heating lamps for hours ....ewwww. Yes, I will pass on that. But this stuff, my homemade is where it is, my friends. And I only use one pizza dough recipe (I don't buy the frozen; really it's not that hard to make it yourself). I use Pioneer Woman's pizza dough recipe, using a little less oil than called for. Each batch makes two pizza crusts. And then I throw on whatever toppings I happen to have. Like in the above photo, it was more of a rid-the fridge-of-produce-that-should-have-been-used-yesterday kind of pizza. It has bell peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella cheese on top of drizzled olive oil and minced garlic. YUM.

But this one? Yes, this one was premeditated. And a few weeks later I'm still singing it's praises. It was that good. Mr. B was quite skeptical because it is topped with nectarines and blackberries. He was quite confused, but lately (at a complete surprise to me) has been trying everything and anything new I make. He didn't speak once as he polished off over half of this "weird" pizza.

So here are the STATS for this beauty:

1 homemade pizza crust. Sprinkle on olive oil, brown sugar and a little bit of minced garlic. Top that with pieces of cooked chicken (a great way to use up leftovers), caramelized onions, nectarine slices, and fresh blackberries. Then layer on fresh mozzarella and basil, and bake at 500 degrees for about 10 minutes. (After, I leave the pizza under the broiler for a few minutes to make the cheese extra tasty.) I came across this pizza idea--and slightly adapted--while perusing through one of my favorite blogs, How Sweet It Is. Head over there for the full recipe.

*Note: I think this pizza would be an excellent addition to a brunch menu :)

Since there were no leftovers (thank you, Mr. B), I settled for a nectarine and fresh mozzarella grilled cheese for my lunch the next day. Yes, it too was just as delicious.

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

Fruit and Nut Butter Breakfast Wrap

It's National Fresh Fruit Month!! YUM-O!

I wouldn't say I dislike change, but I tend to be a fan of the familiar. For example, I had my previous phone for three years and a month ago decided I'd join the rest of the smart phone world. I will only purchase dress pants from Banana Republic (which, sadly, I haven't been in awhile, but that also explains the quality of their clothes). I always sleep with my back to the bedroom door. There are only two drinks I constantly order at Starbucks. I could eat my Strawberry Oatmeal every morning. For.ever.

Or until the humidity creeps in and the temperature jumps to the 80s by 7:00 a.m. and the thought of turning on the stove already has me sweatin'. Ha, yeah I'll pass.

That's when I bring out my trusty blender and make a delicious protein shake, like my current obsession. But sometimes I crave a little more substance, especially when I plan to workout in the mornings, and this breakfast wrap is perfect before or after my early session.

Fruit and Nut Butter Breakfast Wrap

Serves 1

1 whole wheat tortilla wrap (I personally like the Low Carb, High fiber ones)
1 Tbsp nut butter (almond, cashew, peanut, etc.)
3 strawberries, thinly sliced
1 heaping Tbsp granola (I like Bear Naked's Peak Protein)

Smear the nut butter on the tortilla, but not all the way to the edges. Layer on the berries and granola. Roll up like a burrito and slice in half. Enjoy!

*Note: I usually add in banana slices as well, but the bananas in the stores lately have absolutely no green on them. Waaayyyy too ripe for me. (Any fruit will work...peaches, blueberries, apples...) And sometimes I add in plain Greek yogurt.

Nutritional Information
Per wrap (original above recipe): Calories 234, Fat 10, Protein 10, Fiber 13, Sugar 4


With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

Las Vegas and Waffles

Red Rock Canyon

Last week the hubby and I hopped a plane and spent a few days in Las Vegas for a much needed vacation. I had never been west of Indiana, but he had been before and also has family in Arizona. It was my first time seeing the desert. It was insane. All of that dry land, and desert, and the lack of anything green...I felt like I was on Mars. Even though the temperatures were a high of 57 and low of 33, just looking at the desert I felt I should be hot. But to each their own, right?

I was excited to be in Las Vegas. I'm not a gambler or a drinker, but there are other things to do.....

Like eat, and eat a lot.

Mr. B warned me about the buffets. A lot of food, and good food, for cheap because they want to keep you in their casino. Yeah, we stayed at South Point (on the same road as the famous Strip, but away from the congested areas) and the Garden Buffet was insane. I would have been happy with the salad bar alone. And had I not wanted to see Vegas, I could easily have spent the entire time in the hotel....lots of food choices, a bowling alley, movie theater, souvenir shop, ice cream and coffee shops, a huge BINGO hall, an Equestrian arena (which was closed, by the way), and, of course, clubs and the casino.

And their breakfast buffet (cheap)....everything you ever wanted. I dined on oatmeal, fruit, grits, and biscuits and gravy, while Mr. B sampled a little bit of everything. We went to the Prime Rib restaurant for dinner one night, and to be completely honest, the prime rib at the buffet was better.

The Bellagio

There is also a lot of sight-seeing opportunities in Vegas, and I was really happy we got a rental car. We drove to The Hoover Dam, which was crazy-high, and no (as my brother already asked me) I did not see any Transformers while I was there. They really keep them secret. Lots of security. Then we drove to the Red Rock Canyon (as you can see in the first picture). That was our favorite part of vacation. A 13-mile scenic drive through the desert, canyon, and mountains. It was beautiful and unworldly all at the same time. My best friend, Jessica, (the same one below) would have loved it. The geologist in her was jealous, I know. She appreciated the pictures.

We also walked through a lot of the famous hotels on The Strip. Paris, Las Vegas was the first one we went into, and I was floored by how beautiful it was. It was just like walking the streets of Paris...the ceiling was painted like the sky, brick floors, and trees and cafes...GORGEOUS. No other hotel compared, and while I thought The Bellagio was stunning from the outside (pictured above), I wasn't impressed with the inside. The Luxor was like a tomb (kind of cool), New York, New York was fun (except for the hecklers and homeless guy on the bridge...guess it was really like New York), and we saw others like the MGM Grand, The Cosmopolitan, The Mandalay Bay, and THE Hotel.

After a while it was kind of like you've seen one you've seen them all...

BUT, the best part: Jersey Boys!!!!!! Mr. B bought us tickets to this ever so popular musical and it was at the Paris, Las Vegas (which made it an even more romantic date night). The theater was packed and it was amazing! The guy who played Frankie Valli blew me away. Even Mr. B enjoyed himself. And I brought home a fancy mug :)

Overall, we had a fun and wonderful time, and I'm looking forward to scheduling our next vacation...

This was my reading material during our long flights and airport layovers (and I finished the entire thing). I first read this series a few years ago during one of my teen literature classes while getting my master's. (The 4th installment came out last October, Beautiful Redemption.) And since the movie hits theaters on February 14th, I thought I should refresh my memory. I just want to say this book will devour you, and I'll talk more about it in this weekend's "What I'm Reading" post. Stay tuned. It's ah-mazing.


Okay, but enough with my vacation musings, now onto the good stuff.

That would be my friend's waffles. Jessica's little boy (see the cutie here) is allergic to dairy (and recently, peanuts), which has caused her family to take a different route when it comes to mealtime. And, with being vegetarians, her little man consumes a vegan diet.

I like chicken and steak way too much to ever turn vegetarian, but my everyday diet is mostly vegetarian. There are so many meal options out there besides meat. I also love ice cream, yogurt, and cheese way too much. But giving up dairy has crossed my mind a few times. I read somewhere that the foods you crave most tend to be the ones that don't work well, or agree, with your body. Almost weekly I have strong cravings for ice cream, and when I go without sweets/sugar for a while I must.have.cheesecake.immediately. Maybe that will be my next fast.....

Shhhh....I took this picture from Jessica.

Anyhoo, the first time I saw her little boy eating these mouth-watering waffles, I just had to try one. He politely shared with me. These waffles are soooo darn good! I don't need butter or syrup or for them to be warm. Perfect plain and at room temperature. And, of course, I immediately needed the recipe. A few Sunday mornings later, my waffle craving hit and I pulled out my waffle iron and the ingredients and got to mixing.

(By the way, I love my waffle iron. It was a Black Friday buy. $3. Fabulous. Mainly because the waffles come apart in fourths....allowing me to feel like I'm eating more than one waffle.)

And THE best part, Mr. B loved them too.

However, I frowned when I saw the amount of calories in each waffle. (Over 200!) Good thing I chose to forgo the lemon icing that goes with it (which is in the first waffle picture).

Which just showed me that I stereo-type vegan food. Just because it says "Vegan" we think it's healthier. Definitely not always the case. The calorie count is almost double my favorite, trusted (and only) waffle recipe. (Which used to be on this blog. I can't find it any more...so I guess it's a good thing I wrote it down!)

But I did try one with a little lemon zested on top....delicious!

If you're looking for a new waffle recipe or you want to feed that vegan in your life, give my friend's recipe a try.

Jessica's Vegan Blueberry Waffles
*recipe courtesy of my friend

Makes 8 waffles (varies depending on waffle iron)

2 c whole wheat flour (her recipe called for all-purpose)
1/2 tsp salt
3 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 container blueberry soy yogurt, about 2/3 c (or whatever flavor you like)
1 1/3 c unsweetened almond milk (her recipe called for soy)
1/3 c canola oil
5 Tbsp water
1 c fresh or frozen blueberries

Preheat your waffle iron. Mix flour, salt, sugar, baking powder and soda together well with a whisk. In another bowl, whisk the together the yogurt, milk, oil, and water. Add the dry into the wet ingredients; don't over mix. Gently fold in berries. (NOTE: If using frozen berries, keep in freezer until needed. Reserve 1-2 Tbsp of the dry mixture. When ready for berries, take out of freezer and mix with dry reserve. Then fold into batter.) Then proceed with your waffle iron.

Nutritional Information
Per waffle: 233 Calories, 33 Carbs, 11 Fat, 5 Protein, 5 Fiber, 8 Sugar


*I'm so happy to be an Ohioan.

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

Happy Valentine's Day!

I woke up to this today.

M. B knows me all too well. I was giddy as I put the flower in water, full of tears as I read the card, and promptly donned the soft puppy as Patches. Mr. B rolled his eyes when I said Patches was going on our bed. He said we have too many; I told him it's his fault because he bought me all of them.


I've always loved Valentine's Day.

Maybe it's because I've always had a Valentine.

My very first Valentine was Mama. Once February hit, and we started making our Valentine mailboxes at school, I anticipated the holiday balloons that would greet me when I'd come home from school that day. I loved those heart-shaped balloons! I also enjoyed the Valentine's card my grandparents would send me in the mail. I'm happy, that as I've grown up and married, the cards haven't stopped. I just opened my card from my grandparents this morning.

I love getting valentines and chocolates from my girl friends. Who says Valentine's Day is only Valentine's Day when you have a significant other? It's important to show everyone you love love on Valentine's Day!

And I have just the thing to kick-start your day of LOVE.

Heart-Shaped Cinnamon Rolls.

Wake up your sweetie with smells of butter and cinnamon. Treat your co-workers to a scrumptious breakfast. Or have this for dessert after a family dinner.

These are amazing! With cinnamon, butter, vanilla, warm bread and cream cheese icing, how can you not love? I love making cinnamon rolls on the weekend, and while Pillsbury's with the orange icing will always be my favorite, I like to create my own versions. (I also like to create fun food presentations!)

Heart-Shaped Cinnamon Rolls

Serving size depends. (Don't ask me how I know this, but it could serve 1...but not highly recommended)

1 pkg refrigerated crescent rolls
1/4 c butter
1 Tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 oz Neufchatel cream cheese

Preheat oven 350 degrees. Cream butter with cinnamon and vanilla until smooth. With a rolling pin, roll out the crescent dough, making sure to seal the seams. Spread as little or as much butter mixture on dough. (Make sure to leave some left over for the topping!) Roll dough into a log and cut into 15 slices. Arrange rolls on baking sheet as follows (working from bottom of heart up): 1 roll, 2 rolls on top of that, 3 rolls..., 4 rolls..., 4 rolls split (2 on each side forming top of heart). Then cut the last roll in half, placing each half on top to round out the heart.

Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Meanwhile, melt remaining butter mixture in a pan over medium heat. Add cream cheese, whisking until smooth. Slather Drizzle on top of warm rolls.

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

Bacon, Avocado and Egg Open-Faced Sandwich

During the week my breakfast is pretty simple. I either eat oatmeal, make a fruit or yogurt bowl, or energize with a smoothie. (Fact: My favorite is oatmeal. Love it. I could eat it every morning finding new ways to enjoy.) But on the weekends I like to mix it up. Try new things. Occasionally splurge. Fix an elaborate brunch. Whip up some homemade waffles. Cook an omelet. Sometimes Mr. B and I satisfy our morning hunger with cinnamon toast. And some mornings we reach for the cereal box.

A few Sundays ago, I decided to spice up my simple egg, bacon and toast breakfast. I was in the mood for something different and creative when I spied the avocado. It was just sitting there on the counter, begging to be eaten, slowly passing its prime. I stood amazed that I even had an avocado left. When those beautiful green things come into my house, I consume them. Quickly. They're great in my smoothies, on a salad, or chopped up in salsa. I must have missed this little guy.

But let me give you a heads up. This breakfast sandwich is super filling. I couldn't finish. It might have been because I'm not used to a heavy breakfast (I consider this heavy), or because it was quite rich. Whatever it was, it was good eats. Therefore, I think it might make a great dinner option. Actually, just go ahead and eat this whenever you feel like it!

Bacon, Avocado and Egg Open-Faced Sandwich

Serves 1

1 slice wheat toast

2 Tbsp Neufatchel cream cheese

1/2 tsp chopped chives

2 slices bacon, cooked and crispy

1 egg, over-easy

Ground black pepper

2 tomato slices

1/2 avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced

Stir together cream cheese and chopped chives. Spread over toast. Add freshly cooked egg, and sprinkle with pepper. Top with bacon, tomato and avocado slices. Serve ASAP!

With Love and God Bless,

Brindi

Cooking Club #13 {Updated}

[Updated 11/3/14: original, but separate, content, with updated photos and/or more details, if available.]


---> Cooking Club is coming up soon, and now that I'm blogging, I want to share these moments but I thought I should play catch-up first. So without further ado, here (and in other posts) is what we've been up to. Enjoy!


#13 July: Red, White and Blue

The Menu:
         Appetizers
Turkey Brie Bundles
Stromboli Minis
        Main Course
Roasted Chicken Breasts with Red and Blue Salsa
        Desserts
Raspberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake
Red Velvet Crepe Cake
Cherry and Blueberry Pie

Cooking Club Turns 1!

Happy Birthday!

It was my turn to choose the theme for this month's Cooking Club. The 4th of July is one of my favorite holidays. I love the colorful fireworks at night, family barbecues, and the colors. I was feeling a little red, white and blue, and there are tons of recipes that can fit this theme. My recipe for this month was Raspberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake, which showed up in my email one morning. Oh, Taste of Homes, how your eye-googling recipes continue to fill my SAVED inbox.

Coffee cake, yum.

Cream cheese, heaven.

Isn't it beautiful? Don't you want to take a swim in that pan? I do. This cake is moist and full of flavor. The raspberries jump out as you cut into the perfect slice. I can't help smiling and drooling every time I look at this picture. I.Cannot.Help.It.

I have no words. Check out the recipe and make it today! (And invite me over for a slice, and some coffee. Black, please!)

Kelly's Turkey Brie Bundles were my second favorite on this month's menu. So good and the brie melted perfectly.

Jessica's Red Velvet Crepe Cake took center stage for our one-year birthday celebration. It turned out beautifully, and she earned bonus points for incorporating all of the colors, but it was a little.too.rich for my liking. Double bonus points because she had the patience actually to create this multi-layer crepe cake, turning it into two cakes instead of one towering dessert.

The frosting = Amazing.

Check out all of those crepe layers! (Yes, you need patience for this kind of cake. Something I seriously lack. I definitely won't be making this any time soon.)

*I hope you enjoyed these Cooking Club snippets. I've finally caught up! I hope these themes, and even Cooking Club itself, inspire you to gather with your friends and family in the kitchen, and make sweet moments (and delicious food) of your own.

**I've only included the recipes to the dishes I made. Only because I'm unsure of where everyone got theirs...and hey, we gotta give credit where credit is due. If you have any questions about the other dishes, I'll ask the other members where they got their recipes and pass it along!

Check out our previous meetings!
Cooking Club #1-4
Cooking Club #5-8
Cooking Club #9-12

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

Gravy SO Good

Check this out. Nothing takes me back to my childhood quicker than a plate piled high of biscuits and gravy (except Grandma Bays' fried pork chops...so good, and my arteries are clogging as I think of them). My family loooooves biscuits and gravy. Being from the south, Grandma Bays was no stranger to eating this meal for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

When I was little I looked forward to weekends, summer and breaks because my cousins and I would stay at my grandparents house. I remember sleeping in and waking up to the smell of gravy coming from the kitchen. My cousins and I would strive to be the first one in the kitchen. We'd sit with pride and a huge smirk on our face, with a full plate, as we watched the "sleepy heads" finally make their way to the kitchen.

I loved being the first one because Grandma would let me taste the gravy and judge if it needed any more seasoning. That's definitely where my love for food began. In the kitchen with Grandma. My grandma passed away almost four years ago from breast cancer, and even though I don't get to spend my weekends with her in the kitchen, smells like this take me back instantly.

Mama would also make me sausage gravy and biscuits, and it was delicious. And I love Cracker Barrel's gravy recipe...it's sooo rich and creamy. So when I found Bobby Flay's Biscuits with Cream Gravy, I jumped on that gravy train. Figuratively speaking, sort of.

These Black Pepper Buttermilk Biscuits were the perfect pillows for my gravy. They were extremely easy to make, and I didn't mind getting my hands wrist-deep in flour, butter, buttermilk and cream.

But the gravy was the best part. It was all I could do to not jump inside this pot of creamy heaven. I mean I already licked the spoon...multiple times. Ohemmgeee. I could drink this. It's that good.

Gravy. So. Good.

A small warning, definitely not figure-friendly. But everything in moderation, right?

Cream Gravy
* adapted from Bobby Flay's recipe

Makes about 2 cups
2 c whole milk (but I was out, so I used 1 3/4 c 1% milk + 1/4 c heavy cream)
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 Tbsp flour
1 tsp Kosher salt and 1/4 freshly ground pepper
Put milk in small saucepan and bring to simmer over medium heat. Melt butter in small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute without browning. Slowly whisk in warm milk. Raise heat to high and continue whisking until sauce begins to thicken and the raw taste of flour has been cooked out, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. (And try your hardest to leave some to actually top the biscuits.)


**Make this for breakfast, lunch, dinner, brunch. Whenever. Whatever. Just make it!


With Love and God Bless,
Brindi