Granola Garden Dirt Cups

It's gardening time!

You know the super cute "dirt cups" that are so popular with little kids? They always look adorable, but my kids can never finish them. They are mostly just interested in the gummy worms anyway. And while they look awesome, is plain boxed pudding really that good? Or healthy?

But these Dirt Cups are good for you. And they are delicious. And they are a little more grown-up, so when you go digging into one of these, you won't look like you decided to join the kiddos. In fact, they would be adorable for an adult Easter Brunch or Breakfast.

Ingredients

Granola
2 cups old-fashioned oats
3 Tbsp coconut oil
3 Tbsp peanut butter
2 Tbsp cocoa
2 1/2 Tbsp honey

Yogurt
2 cups vanilla yogurt
1 cup mixed frozen berries
1 frozen banana

Supplies
3 food grade terra cotta pots (these might be available at a local cooking store) or regular terra cotta pots with muffin liners and parchment paper
3 straws
fake flowers
ribbon


Directions

1. If you didn't get food grade pots, line your terra cotta pots (wash pots ahead of time) by putting a deep muffin liner in the bottom of the pot, and then, using a long rectangle of parchment paper, wrap it around the inside of the pot, inside of the muffin tin, to prevent your "dirt" from touching the pot. Tie ribbon around the

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put the oatmeal in the blender and pulse until the oatmeal is slightly broken up but still chunky. (It should make about 1 3/4 cups by the time you are done, so it shouldn't be too broken up.)

3. In a large bowl, mix together the oats, coconut oil, peanut butter, cocoa, and honey. Break it apart and place it on a cookie sheet, leaving it in small clumps. Bake for 10 minutes. Let cool.

4. Blend together the yogurt and frozen fruit in blender until smooth. Pour the yogurt into the pot. It should be a little thicker than typical yogurt because of the frozen fruit. Place the granola on top of the yogurt. You might need to break it up a little more.

5. Cut the straws in half. Place one half of a straw in each pot, upright. The granola should hold it up. Cut a fake flower so the stem is short. Place it in the straw. The straw should prevent the flower from touching your food as well. Serve immediately.

Note: We found you could even drink the yogurt as you would a smoothie. My boys loved it!

Hello Spring! Yummy layered Spring or Easter Dessert

Hello Spring!

Spring or Easter layered Dessert

I adapted this recipe to make it a little healthier. It is still in the treat category.  The colors in it were a lot of fun for Spring. It was a light and fluffy dessert. It tasted yummy. It would make a great Easter dessert. It is like eating Spring in a dish. :) Hope you are are in enjoying the Spring season. I have been going on some nice evening walks. It is so refreshing to be outside. Love it!

Directions:
1st layer
1/2 C melted coconut oil
1 1/2 Spelt or whole grain flour
1/2 C chopped pecans

1. Blend the oil into the flour and nuts in food processor or by hand in a bowl.
2. Press into a 9x13 glass pan. Bake at 325 for about 20 min until light golden.

2nd layer 
4 oz of   neufchatel cream cheese
1 1/2 C  whipping cream *
1/4 tsp vanilla or almond extract
yellow food coloring

 1. Beat all the ingredients together until light and fluffy. Add food coloring till you get to your desired yellow color.
2. Spread onto cooled first layer. Place in the fridge while you prepare the next layer.   

3rd layer
1 to 1 1/2 C washed strawberries sliced
2 to 3 sliced and peeled kiwi

1. Place the fruit evenly over the 2nd layer. Return back into the fridge.

4th layer 
 Ingredients (for 4 servings)

4 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. salt
2 c. milk
2 egg yolks
3 Tbsp. butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
green food coloring

1. Stir together sugar, cornstarch, and salt in small saucepan. Gradually add milk. Cook, stirring frequently, over medium heat until mixture thickens and becomes bubbly. Lower heat and cook and stir 2 minutes more. Remove from heat.

2. Beat egg yolks gently. Take a small amount of cooked mixture and stir it into egg yolks to temper egg. This will prevent eggs from becoming scrambled in your pudding. Return egg yolk to the mixture, stirring constantly. Bring to a slow boil. Cook and stir 1 minute longer. Remove from heat. Stir in butter and vanilla.
Stir in the green food coloring in til you reach your desired color.

3. Cool for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Spread over the fruit layer. Place back into the fridge.

5th layer
2 C whipping cream*
2 T powdered sugar * optional
1/4 tsp vanilla or almond extract
red food coloring

1. Beat  the whipping cream till soft peaks. Beat in sugar if desired.
2. Beat in the vanilla and food coloring until desired pink is reached.
3. Spread over pudding layer. Store in fridge until you are ready to eat. Can also be frozen if well covered. Allow time to thaw.

*You could garnish with additional sliced strawberries and kiwi.
* You could replace the whipping cream with coconut milk here is directions how to use it.

Spring Veggie Slaw

This month's Recipe Redux theme is "The First Shoots of Spring," which refers not to the beautiful flowers popping up in your garden beds, but the lovely vegetables that come this time of year. We decided to make a veggie salad with a citrus dressing. Contrary to popular belief, salad dressings can be healthy!

Don't citrus and fresh snap peas just sound like spring? We thought so. The colors and freshness of these veggies are sure you get you feeling healthy and chipper.

Look at that lovely spring rainbow!

Ingredients

Dressing:
1/4 C orange
2 Tbsp rice milk
1 1/2 Tbsp honey
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 tsp lime juice
1 T chia

Salad:
1/4 purple onion
1/2 zucchini
5 radishes
7-8 baby carrots
2 Roma tomatoes
1/2 English cucumber
3 green onions
7-8 snap peas
pumpkin or sunflower seeds (optional)
salt and pepper to taste


Directions

1. Mix dressing ingredients. Put in fridge while preparing the vegetables to let thicken. The Chia works as the thickening agent in the dressing. :)

2. Chop all salad ingredients into bit-sized pieces.

3. Mix salad and dressing together. Serve.