Pumpkin Pie Energy Bites!

If you didn't see my original post on these, you are lucky you came across this now! These amazing little treats are clean, easy, and totally fit into the portion controlled container system that I follow along with my at-home workouts- the same eating plan that has helped me lose 100 pounds, and keep it off! **If you missed my update on that, you can check out the original Facebook post I did celebrating my 3-year Health-iversary here.** It's been quite a journey!

So back to this amazing, nutrition-packed no-bake treat! If you are a lover of autumn or all things pumpkin, you MUST make these little bites. This recipe is pulled from the pages of the bestselling Fixate cookbook, tweaked a little to serve my purpose, and will make 32 Tablespoon sized balls. 

Here's what you'll need:

-A food processor (or some determination)

-2 cups pitted dates

-1 cup raw pecans

-2/3 cup pumpkin purée

-1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

-2 tsp. pure maple extract (or substitute hazelnut)

-2 tsp. pure maple syrup

-4 tsp. Pumpkin Pie spice

-large pinch pink Himalayan sea salt

Step 1! Pit the dates if you haven't already! I bought mine with the pits in because they were a steal of a deal that way. It only took about 60 seconds to pit them myself. 

Immediately soak them in a bowl of warm water for about ten minutes, while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. This will soften them up!

While they soak, put your pecans in your food processor and pulse until finely ground. 

Add all your remaining ingredients to the food processor, including the dates (with the water strained off). Save a little coconut aside for rolling later. 

Pulse until well mixed, and then refrigerate your mixture for at least a half an hour to firm it up.

Now, the messy fun part! This recipe should make 32 tablespoon sized balls, so feel free to scoop them out with the actual measuring spoon, like I did. 

Roll them between your palms until shaped, then dust with the remaining shredded coconut. I placed it on waxed paper and simply rolled them in it. :) But I love my coconut!

That's it! You have an amazing little snack that tastes every bit as good as pumpkin pie, without the guilt. And, this recipe is Gluten free, Vegan, and Paleo friendly. Win-win-win!

One serving of 2 balls will count as 1 purple and 1/2 a blue on the portion system (a la 21 day Fix). If you aren't following that plan, the breakdown for 2 balls is:

-6 Fat

-17 Carb

-3 Fiber

-1 Protein

-122 Calories

Like every good treat, enjoy it in moderation! Plan it into your menu and you can still enjoy it guilt free. Did you try this recipe? What did you think? Share it, pin it, subscribe and leave me a comment! I love hearing from you! 

If you need support or guidance on your fitness journey, I'm here! I have a group gearing up to start soon, taking us from Thanksgiving to Christmas and getting a healthy jump on the holidays- message me for details! As always, live healthy, live happy. Love, Amanda

Hummus Crusted Chicken

Tasty? Healthy? Easy? ✅✅✅ CHECK! I love this recipe! It takes less than 25 minutes to cook (only about 3 minutes to prepare!), and the whole family enjoys it. It reheats beautifully and the leftovers are super versatile (think wraps, quesadillas, and more). Give it a try and let me know what you think! 

You will need: 

4 4-6ounce Chicken breasts

1/2 cup hummus

1/2 lemon 

Cracked pepper

Rosemary/parsley for garnish

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line baking sheet with foil and lightly spray with non-stick cooking spray. place 4 chicken breasts cut to equal size for even cooking on pan. Squeeze lemon juice over all 4. 

 

Spread hummus on top and sides. Sprinkle Rosemary, parsley, fresh cracked pepper, and a dash of sea salt. Bake for 25-30 minutes (I remove it from the oven when the internal temp hits 160). That's it! Let it rest... then serve with your choice of veggie- to keep it simple and easy, I grab a steamer bag of veggies out of the freezer (busy mom pro-tip. :)

If you follow my meal plans (which of course you SHOULD!), this will count as: 1 Red, 1 green, 1/2 blue per serving. 

 Do you need support on your fitness journey? I would love to help you! Simply send me a message! I hope you'll subscribe and share this if it helped you. As always, live healthy, live happy! Love, Amanda

 

Parmesean Zucchini Bake

A lot of things went wrong in my crazy house today, but one thing that went amazingly right was this side dish. It's simple, delicious, only takes a few ingredients, and my kids not only helped make it, but they gobbled it up! The only problem I had with this recipe is when I took it to work, my coworkers tentatively took tastes... And then ate almost all of my dish! Try this out next time you need to get some veggies in with dinner. You might be surprised who eats it!

Here's what you need:

• 4 Zucchini quartered lengthwise
• Lemon (zest and wedges)
• 1/2 Cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano leaves
• Sea salt and ground pepper to taste
• Garlic, finely chopped (I used minced garlic)
• 1 T Olive Oil

 

First, preheat your oven to 350°.  Combine your cheese, lemon peel, thyme, oregano, salt, pepper and garlic in small bowl and mix well. You'll want to wash your zucchini and have it sliced lengthwise. Place it skin side down on large baking dish. Now, here was a great job for my 5 year old: I let her brush all the zucchini with olive oil and then sprinkle the cheese mixture on top. 

Pro tip: Make sure you supervise this step closely or you'll most likely have a giant pile of cheese in the middle of your pan! ;)

That's it! Now, you simply bake for 15 - 20 minutes or until they're nice and tender (poke with a fork), or a little longer if you want some crisp. You can garnish with lemon wedges, or like me, thin slice them right on top before baking for a little extra kick. My 3 year old son loved getting to have the "important job" of placing the lemon slices.

PROTIP: If you're a crazy busy mama like me, after brushing the zucchini with olive oil (you can mix a dab of lemon juice in instead of zest), grab your pre-blended Italian herb blend and sprinkle it on, then the cheese. It's just as good and twice as simple!

I truly hope you enjoyed this recipe. It's clean, simple, easy, and delicious- all my favorite things in one dish! For the 21 Day Fix (the clean eating nutrition plan I used to help myself lose 95 pounds and keep it off!), this entire dish serves four, with each serving counting as 2 greens, 1/2 a blue, and a teaspoon! If you want to learn more about that program, message me, email me here, or order it here!
 

Please share this recipe with your friends and loved ones who may enjoy it, and as always, love healthy, live happy! 

Love, Amanda

As always, I hope you enjoy this recipe, and let me know what you think