Pumpkin Ice Cream

My kitchen is full of gadgets.  All of which I think are completely necessary.  A few years ago I got a Cuisinart Ice Cream and Sorbet Maker for my birthday.  For a while, I didn’t use it because it was right around that time that I decided to stop eating crap all the time…which ruled out ice cream.

Then I discovered that this thing can make ice cream out of pretty much anything–greek yogurt, almond milk, bananas, etc.  In other words,  I can make it as low-calorie as I want.

Still trying to use up all the pumpkin in my refrigerator, I came up with this:

Pumpkin Ice Cream

• 2 cups of unsweetened almond milk
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• 2 tablespoons of pumpkin butter
• 1 tablespoon of cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tablespoon of honey
• 1 packet of stevia
• 1 tablespoon of PB2 (optional)

Whisk all the ingredients together in a bowl.  Turn on the ice cream maker and pour in the ingredients.  It only takes about ten minutes until your ice cream is ready to go!

These ice cream makers aren’t too pricey.  If you’re interested in getting one, check Bed Bath & Beyond.  You can use a 20% off coupon there.  Sometimes Williams-Sonoma has a deal on these that includes an extra freezer bowl.  It ends up being a great deal.  As always, Amazon.com has a great price on them every day.

Peanut Butter Protein Smoothie

My mission to begin lifting weights is leaving me a little exhausted…and hungry! Today, at Sam’s Club, I bought a big bag of my favorite protein powder.  EAS makes a Lean 15 product with 15 grams of protein per serving …

Sweet Potato Smoothie

I know it sounds weird, but the sweet potato really just adds texture and some healthiness.

Growing a bit tired of my standard peanut butter waffle , I realized it’s been a while since I made a smoothie for breakfast.  When it was warm outside, I had a smoothie for breakfast almost every morning, but they make me so cold.  I just couldn’t stand it when the temperature started to drop.  Since the morning temperature today was in the mid-sixties, it seemed like a good day for a smoothie.  Here’s what I used:

• 1 1/2 cups of almond milk
• 1/2 frozen banana
• 2 cups of spinach
• half of a baked sweet potato (just scoop out the inside…no skin!)
• 2 tablespoons of PB2
• 2 tablespoons of cinnamon
• 2 table spoons of vanilla flavor
• 8-10 ice cubes

Put the almond milk and the spinach in a blender and mix until combined.  Dump the rest of the ingredients in the blender and blend away.  It filled my 24 oz. Tervis cup.  I accompanied the smoothie with a large cup of coffee to maintain my body temperature.  It was a good morning.

 

Finally a Finished Christmas Tree and Chickpea Cookies

There are other adjectives I could put in front of chickpea, but there are so many I just decided to leave it at that.  They are really peanut butter banana oatmeal chickpea cookies, but whatevs.  I’ll get to these in a second.

After a harrowing attempt at putting up my Christmas tree last night, it is finally completed.  Let’s just say don’t buy cheap lights.  There is a reason why they are cheap.  After decorating my tree, un-decorating my tree, going back to target, and redecorating my tree, it’s finally Christmas at my house.

Now, for the important part.

These cookies are so easy to make-especially if you have a food processor.  Dump the following into your food processor:

1 can of chickpeas

2 tablespoons of peanut butter (natural or homemade is best)

2 tablespoons of PB2 (Read about PB2)

1/4 cup of plain greek yogurt

A few squeezes of agave syrup (I don’t like my cookies super sweet, so I don’t use too much) OR 1/4 cup of brown sugar

1 tablespoon of cocoa powder

2 tablespoons of cinnamon

1 tablespoon of vanilla flavor

1/2 cup of oats

1/4 cup of almond milk

Process to this consistency.

Use a spatula to put the dough in bowl.  Mix in some chocolate chips.

You can always just eat it with a spoon and forget the oven (like I do).

Spoon the dough onto a cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 for about ten minutes.

This cookie dough can be doctored up with all kinds of things. I threw a banana in there for my last batch.  Gave it a little pop!

(Sort of) Peanut Butter Banana Waffle

First, you need to know that PB2 is one of greatest creations of our lifetime.  Perhaps that’s a little melodramatic, but I use so much PB2 I should own the company.  PB2 is powdered peanut butter.  It has all the flavor of peanut butter without the oil.  You simply mix the PB2 powder with some water and you have peanut butter.  It’s great for smoothies and baking, but I even mix it together with a banana and have it as my dessert at night.

It is a little hard to find in stores, so I order mine from Amazon.  You can even order chocolate peanut butter!  Click here for the best deal I can find.

YUM!

Now that you know all about PB2, I can help you make your breakfast!  Here is what you need to make this:

Putting the milk in a pretty glass makes all the difference!

2 tablespoons of PB2

2 teaspoons of cinnamon

1 soft banana

1 reduced fat Eggo waffle

1 cup of almond milk

Combine the PB2 and water to make the peanut butter.  The more water you add, the creamier the PB.  Once you have it mixed, add the cinnamon and stir.  Cut the banana in half and mash half of the banana into the peanut butter mixture.  You should have a half cup of pb/banana spread.

Toast the waffle as brown as you like it.  

Spread a thin layer of the mixture on the waffle.  Layer the banana slices on top of the mixture, and use the remaining mixture on top of the banana.  Place on a small plate.

Pour the almond milk into a pretty glass.

Eat!

This breakfast contains about 275 calories.