Skinny Red Velvet Thumbprint Cookies

February 8, 2019 Amanda Plott

Sweets for your sweet!

These red velvet cookies are lightened up with a few simple swaps and are actually pretty easy to make! They start out with a rather traditional red velvet cookie and are then filled in the center with an easy-peasy white chocolate fudge.

They’re super festive right now and would be perfect for any Valentine’s Day party, get-together, or to give as a sweet treat to friends and family on the day of looove…

Dark Chocolate Oat Bars

February 6, 2019 Amanda Plott

Dark. Chocolate. Oat. Bars.

These oat bars are delicious AND easy to make. Sure. They take 2 hours of chilling in the fridge, but so long as you can wait it out. These bad boys are basically fool proof. Plus, they’re ridiculously easy to make gluten-free with a simple swap of flours.

If you’re gluten-free, you know what to do here so I’m not even going to get into it.

With a handful of whole ingredients and right at 15 minutes of hands-on prep time, you can have these bars ready to go with minimal effort. Great for breakfast, brunch, dessert, or as a snack. Kids are going to love them. Adults are going to love them. They’re good stuff.

A fin mix of a granola bar and a cookie. But. With no baking required!

If you’re scared of not baking the flour, I’ve heard it mentioned before that you can zap your flour in the microwave for a few seconds to get it up to temperature and kill off any nasties that way. I haven’t researched that myself, so I have no idea if that factually is a thing though.

Yum

Dark Chocolate Oat Bars
TheSkinnyFork.com

These easy to make oat bars are perfect as a breakfast bite, a snack, or even dessert. Delicious and made with just a few ingredients! Keep them on hand and ready to enjoy any time.

Prep Time: 15 Minutes • Cook Time: 2 Hours

The Skinny:
Servings: 9 • Serving Size: 1 Bar • Calories: 384 • Fat: 24 g • Saturated Fat: 9 g • Carb: 36 g • Fiber: 1 g • Protein: 10 g • Sugar: 6 g • Sodium: 6 mg

Ingredients:
• 3 C. Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats
• 1/2 C. All-Purpose Flour
• 1/2 C. Tbsp. Maple Syrup or Honey
• 3/4 C. Almond Butter
• 3 Tbsp. Coconut Oil
• 1 Tsp. Vanilla Extract
• 1/8 Tsp. Ground Cinnamon
• 3/4 C. Dark Chocolate Chips

Directions:
Line an 8x8” square dish with parchment paper and set aside.

In a large bowl, mix together the 3 C. oats, 1/2 C. flour, 1/2 C. honey, 1/2 C. of the almond butter, 3 Tbsp. melted coconut oil, 1 Tsp. vanilla, and 1/8 Tsp. cinnamon.

Transfer half of the oat mixture to the bottom of the prepared dish and press down (using clean fingers, the back of a spoon, or a piece of parchment paper.)

Place the dish into the fridge to chill and set for at least 30 minutes.

Melt the 3/4 C. chocolate chips and the remaining 1/4 C. almond butter together over a double boiler.

Remove the dish from the fridge and pour the chocolate out over the oat mixture and spread evenly.

Place the dish back into the fridge to chill and set for at least an hour.

Once hardened, remove the dish from the fridge and top with the remaining half of the oat mixture. Again, press the oats using fingers, the back of a spoon, or parchment.

Return the dish to the fridge for at least another 30 minutes to harden.

When firm and harder, remove from the fridge and cut into 9 bars.

Store in the fridge and enjoy for up to 2 weeks!

Step-by-Step Photos:

Nutritional Claims: High Fiber • Low Sodium • Vegetarian • Pescatarian • Egg Free • Peanut Free • Soy Free • Fish Free • Shellfish Free • Pork Free • Red Meat Free • Crustacean Free • Celery Free • Mustard Free • Sesame Free • Lupine Free • Mollusk Free • Alcohol Free • Kosher

French Dip Bites + Au Jus

February 4, 2019 Amanda Plott

Sometimes the family just wants something light and snacky for dinner. These French Dip Bites are perfect for being added to any game day or get-together spread. They’re rather quick and easy to make… and that homemade au jus? Mmm… that may just be the best part! It’s delicious and almost fool proof.

Usually au jus can be complicated and time consuming. This one though? Easy breezy with no drippings required. Plus, being as its homemade, you get to decide how to season it! While the bites themselves are delicious the au jus is really the star of the show here…

Skinny Taco Seasoning

January 26, 2019 Amanda Plott

Stop! Put the packet of taco seasoning down! I mean it! I don’t know about you, but Taco Tuesday is a REAL thing in my house. We have tacos just about every Tuesday. It’s sort of a thing now and my daughter won’t let me give it up. Not that I would anyway. Tacos are life.

Making my own taco seasoning is one of the very first things I began doing when I started cooking. My mom thought I was nuts. Why in the world would you make your own? But I post the question… Why in the world would you not make your own?…

Vegan Biscuits & Vegetarian Country Sausage Gravy (Sponsored)

January 24, 2019 Amanda Plott

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #VeggieNewYear #MorningStarFarms #CollectiveBias

YOU! Yes, you! Are you making this year a healthier year? I know I am! This year, just as with every year, I’m striving to eat less and less meat for a plethora of reasons. And just like me, once you try these Vegan Biscuits & Vegetarian Country Sausage Gravy… you’ll be convinced just like I was! There are two things that make me nervous in the kitchen though, and that’s baking and anything involving a roux.

A roux is a thickening mixture that’s made using butter and flour, and as I’ve found out over the years, it can be tricky. Or can it? Maybe it’s just all in my head and I make it more complicated than it really is. That sounds more like the truth of it. So… I figured why not try and test my limits even more by baking vegan biscuits and making a vegetarian country style sausage gravy to pair?…

Vegan Avocado Brownies

January 21, 2019 Amanda Plott

It’s been a few days worth of sweets around my house. I guess we can all blame that on being cooped up with a long weekend of cooler weather here in Texas. Then again, I think the most of the country is in the same situation. And just like the other day? Cold days mean it’s time to get your bake on!

My daughter is a chocolate fiend. A real chocoholic. And brownies? They’re one of her favorites! I mean… who doesn’t like brownies? Especially when they’re still warm and fresh out of the oven? Brownies are not without their faults though. They are usually loaded with fat and sugar. No thank you…