Super Tasty and Yummy Acai Bowl

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Yummy Acai Bowl 

Yummy Walnut Butter and Banana Toast

Seems 99% of know what peanut butter is, in fact many of us grew up with it in our cupboards. It's a simple formula, grind nuts to a smooth, spreadable paste. Maybe add a touch of salt, but nothing more is needed. A pretty simple concept really. But have you looked at the ingredients in PB lately?

Take a look and you'll find sugar and hydrogenated oil, both are terrible for our health. Hydrogenated oils are chemically altered, containing unsaturated fats that have had hydrogen atoms added to their structure, making them more solid and turning them into trans fats which are linked to heart disease, obesity and diabetes. Our bodies don't recognize this as food, all it can do is try to fight the free radicals clogging your bloodstream and damaging your cells.

So, what to do instead? Make your own nut butters in minutes. The benefits of making your own nut butters far outweigh a jarred variety. You can control the ingredients and what goes into your butter. For instance, how much salt and sugar, if any. But even better, you can make nut butter from any nut. AND you can add additional flavorings - like cinnamon and raw cacao! Genius.

Today we are making a simple walnut butter and then slathering it on warm toast with touch of honey, cinnamon and a few banana slices. So good and nourishing- it's great as a snack or breakfast.
Blend up a walnut nut butter today, it's one small step to healthier and giant step to yummy!

Chickpea Pancake with Pulled Pork, Lemon Gremolata and Eggs

Mixing breakfast with typical dinner items gives me great pleasure.  Why do we not have pancakes in the evening and pulled pork in the morning? Who imposed these limits?  I for one am not going to follow them.

Enter the chickpea pancake, topped with pulled pork, runny eggs and a tart lemon gremolata. Breakfast? Lunch? Dinner? Could be made for any of them- even brunch!

When you serve this, don't mention that this dish is gluten free, nobody will notice. The chickpea flour is filled with protein and gives a really yummy and hearty base for the eggs and pork. This is the perfect dish for left over pulled pork; of course you could substitute in chicken or turkey if you like. Lemon gremolata tops the dish with a touch of freshness.

Break through the meal time barriers for a fat and happy dish, you'll be glad you did!

Eggs with Orange and Sweet Potato

I'm a big fan of smoothies for breakfast, but lately my breakfast looks a lot like dinner with cooked

vegetables to ease my digestion system.

I'll take whatever is left over from the night before and top it with a runny egg- it's simple, tasty and genius way to use up left overs while getting in good fats, protein and carbs.

Try substituting or adding in cooked squash, pumpkin, carrots or any cooked veggies. Keeping the egg yolk runny helps to create a little 'sauce' that mixes so well with the fresh orange and coconut oil. Add a few walnuts on top for a little  crunch.

Fast, yummy, healthy breakfast can't be beat!

Avocado Citrus Salad

I created these adorable little devils when catering a baby shower recently- not only are they healthy and delish, but they are super gorgeous and perfect for a brunch appetizer.

Let's get something out of the way - Avocado is GOOD fat! It lubricates the body

keeping your hearth healthy and brain running efficiently. The avocado helps fight inflammation as well and is known to help with arthritis in particular.

No cooking required, just whisk, cut and assemble. Eat healthy, get happy!

Quick and Easy Quinoa Breakfast Porridge

Every Sunday I make a huge batch of grains to use for the week. Usually it's quinoa, sometimes it's brown rice or lentils and often it's a mixture of all three. Whatever it is, it's stored in the fridge and becomes a base for lunches and dinners...and yes, even breakfast!

Think of the quinoa as oatmeal- it's kind of a vessel for the cinnamon, nuts and maple syrup.  And just like oatmeal it's completely versatile- add what you like. Raw honey instead of maple syrup, bananas and almonds in place of the walnuts and goji berries. Just have fun with it!

This is a great breakfast to toss together in a glass jar on your way out of the house and then enjoy when you get to work! Easy healthy fat and happy breakfast, it's the most important meal of the day!

Avocado and Spinach Breakfast Parfait

St. Patrick's Day calls for green. Green shirts, green rivers, green beer and green eggs and ham. Last year I made this luscious homemade creme de minth. But this year I'm sticking to the healthy-side of the green holiday with a super nutritious avocado breakfast parfait.

Sweetened spinach and avocado yogurt layered with fresh fruit and topped with almond and date granola. Delicious and filling! It's a great way to get your leafy greens and healthy fats in at one time. Avocado and almonds, while both calorie heavy,  are super important for energy, keeping our skin healthy and for proper functioning nerves and brain.

Do green the right way, with this Fat and Happy Breakfast Parfait.

Final moving days, napkin hoarding has begin and simple Overnight Refrigerator Superfood Oatmeal recipes

Think back to college days when money was nonexistent and healthy food was something only found in textbooks.
We raided every cafeteria and fast food joint in town for napkins, plastic silverware and assorted condiment packages, know which ones had the best of each. Funny how we always had plenty of plastic red cups though.

We are now a day away from our actual move, everything is in boxes including all silverware and my cloth napkins. I'm tempted to relive those college days of hoarding silverware packs and napkins from restaurants; my strive to be green is tested but wins out as I rip the tape off the box marked kitchen #15 to retrieve a couple of forks and knives. And aside from Chinese mustard there isn't a food in a condiment package I eat.

But that leaves me to question what can I make that doesn't involve me unpacking a lot of pans and utensils? I want to have something that is pre-made that I can just grab and go. Something fresh and healthy but hearty to keep us strong for the move but isn't nasty take-out food.

Overnight refrigerator oatmeal isn't an original Fat and Happy creation, but I really do like the variations and flavors I've come up with. It lasts in the fridge for a few days and doesn't require perishable food. Just some oatmeal, a few nuts and some fixings like frozen berries and chia seeds. Drop it all in a jar, screw on the lid and let it do its thing. Grab one out of the fridge for an easy ready made meal or snack.

Both the Blue and Goji Berry Vanilla Oatmeal and Cranberry Pumpkin Oatmeal turned out stunning for me. You could make hundreds of versions by varying the ingredients of fruit, nuts, seeds, milk or coconut flakes; they all offer endless possibilities. This is an easy recipe to add super foods like goji berries, chia seeds, maca powder, cocao and more. Use frozen fruit because it offers extra juice as it defrosts.

These are great recipes whether you are moving or not. Imaging throwing one in your bag for after a work out or as breakfast on the go; you can eat them chilled or warm them slightly. They are pretty cheap on the pocketbook and if you're a clean eater you may not even need a napkin. You will, however, need a spoon; but you know where to get that.

Spiced Candied Bacon on a Stick with Chocolate Drizzle

The end of summer is near and that means everyone is going to try to get in a final few barbecue parties before the first snow. Okay, maybe it really is too early to actually reference snow, but what I'm getting at is that you need look at these next few outdoor parties with reckless abandon. Go out with a bang. Throw caution to wind and get ready to WOW with bacon on a stick.

Bacon on a stick isn't exactly the healthiest thing I've ever made, but  everything in moderation is key. A little maple syrup, a thick slice of bacon and a dollop of chocolate - it's an appetizer and a dessert all rolled into one. It's a bacon bouquet. It's food art.

Fire up the oven or grill, warm the chocolate and tape your mouth shut so you don't accidentally eat all the bacon sticks before you get them to the party. These Chocolate Maple Bacon Sticks WILL be the hit of the party. We need more meats on sticks.

Healthy and Delicious Chocolate Fig Smoothie

I greet every day with a smoothie and my birthday day was no different. Though I did yearn for something that felt a little indulgent I didn't want to start my day down a path of destruction by 7am.

My special day smoothie would involve fresh figs, I knew that much for sure since a few figs found their way to me via a local CSA. Chocolate just seemed to be an interesting compliment to the figs.  Thanks to the raw cacao stocked in my pantry I got a great antioxidant boost without turning my healthy breakfast treat into a diner-like fattening shake. The almond milk and hemp seeds pack in a big boost of protein too.

This smoothie is so rich and delicious, you would never guess it's packed with so much nutrition and protein. Start any day with Fat and  Happy love in your glass, you just may have to admit you like healthy foods.

Coconut Chia Seed Pudding with Nuts and Berries

If you haven't heard, chia seeds aren't just for pets anymore.

Rich in Omega-3's, fiber, protein, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, manganese, copper, iron, niacin, and zinc, and the seeds help to regulate blood sugar....basically it's the superfood of super foods. Chia seeds are similar to tapioca ball, just smaller. They don't really have a flavor, except for maybe leaning on the nutty side, so I like to think of them as a vessel to carry other flavors while delivery a super healthy and filling punch.

So the question then is what to do with these power-packed seeds? How about a real simple, healthy treat that can be breakfast or a snack?

For this recipe I made my own coconut milk. You can use store bought, but you might be shocked at how easy it is to make (5 minutes), not to mention it's cheaper and free of the extra sugar and preservative that can be found in a store brand versions.

Pets aside, put some chia seeds into your diet for a Fat and Happy nutritional boost.

Chai Tea Latte - Infused Oatmeal

Turning healthy is often confused with tasteless, unsatisfying dishes.

Flavor packed smoothies have been my breakfast of choice recently, but there are days when good old fashion stick to your ribs oatmeal is a must.

I'm also a fan of simple tea, but I still turn to a chai tea latte when I'm looking for something warmer and filling. Being dairy free doesn't mean giving up the latte, it just means it's time to get creative.

And getting really creative means building layers of unexpected flavor. Steeping almond milk with chai tea and cooking it in oatmeal is the quintessential warm, hearty, mind-blowingly healthy breakfast and it couldn't be easier.

Fat and happy is turning healthier, but not flavorless.

Gingerbread Pancakes with Buttercream Syrup

I'm going down the gingerbread path again, just can't help myself.  We were making a gingerbread house with buttercream frosting for the glue; trying to build the house proved difficult because everyone kept dipping the walls and shingling into the frosting and then their mouths. The buttery goodness just works so well with the crunchy gingery, spicy flavor. I thought about turning the cookies into a pancake, but it just wouldn't be complete without the frosting. So why not combine a little frosting into the syrup?

Yummy, hearty pancakes with a spiced molasses edge topped with a buttery maple syrup. Oh hell yes. It is worth the extra work out.
 
These pancakes were the hit of the breakfast holiday work party. I mixed the batter before heading in, brought along an electric griddle, a pre-cooked strata and all the fixings. We played 'guess the stache', a fun card game that has an image of famous mustaches on the front and hints on the back. Not sure if it was the pancakes, the game or the champagne, but it sure was a super fun gathering.

You could make these Fat and Happy Gingerbread Pancakes any time of the year for any party, but they feel right during the cold winter months.

Cheesy Squash Breakfast Sandwich

Fall is is just another name for squash. And while I love a good roasted squash, I can only eat so much of it at one sitting. The outstanding questions is what to do with the leftover squash.

Sear it, add garlicky carrots, goat cheese, sprouts and a runny egg, then smash it between two pieces of toast. Done.

An egg sandwich is the bomb and only gets better with the addition of squash. Sauteing the carrots with garlic while searing the squash adds a little crunch to the sandwich while the sprouts add a fresh flavor.

This breakfast sandwich came out better than expected- even Dave gave it two thumbs up. I happened to have left over roasted squash, but you can roast a fresh one. Do slice and sear it to get that nice, golden brown crust as noted below.

Whip up a new option for squash with this delicious fat and happy squash sandwich. It's perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Caraway Hash with Apple Salsa

Hash never used to be on my favorite list thanks to a college friend who ate hash out of a can. It was dog food with a better label. Actually, I'm not even sure the label was that great either.

Fast forward to a time when I realized hash doesn't have to be bad. Homemade hash is good. Downright fantastic, in fact, when made with fresh ingredients. This hash screams to be topped with a runny egg; there is no reason to say no.

Sweet potatoes, caraway seeds and tart green apples combine to let this hash recipe skip right to graduate school.

Step away from canned food, you'll be fat and happy with tasty, fresh hash for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Bluberry Oatmeal Smoothie: To Hemp or not to Hemp

To hemp or not to hemp? Before you answer that question, ask this one: "Are you having a drug test any time soon?"

Allow me to explain. I've been using hemp seeds as a source of protein for a few months now. Hemp seeds are nutty in flavor and slightly crunchy. They can be eaten raw, made into milk, prepared as tea or ground into meal. Besides topping my salad, I've be making a homemade hemp milk for use in my morning smoothies. Smoothies that are enjoyed not only by me, but by my guy.

Enter a new job opportunity for said guy; an opportunity which requires a drug test. I do the first thing any normal, non-drug using individual would do at this point - I Google it. What I find is hundreds of articles, each one contradicting the last. In a skeptical and wavering voice I notify my SO that he is in the clear; no doubt he felt there was a bit of a white lie hidden in my delivery. But one of us worrying about it was enough. I offhandedly suggested we stop mixing hemp smoothies until the result of the drug test were in as a precautionary measure.

In the meantime, my research over hemp seeds deepened. My understanding is that Hemp seeds (and oil)  have a range of 5-10 ppm THC. So failing a workplace drug test is extremely unlikely. Unlikely is not a definate, but it's fairly firm.

If you need to play the straight and narrow for a few weeks, go sans hemp with my Blueberry Oatmeal Smoothie. It's made with almond milk. Then, when your results are in, fire up the hemp smoothie for a celebration.

Lemony Asparagus with Fried Yolk and Egg White Pancake

There was an old Parisian chef who argued that an egg could only be properly prepared by cooking the yolk and the white separately and then bringing them back together to serve.

This idea ran through my head as I stared at a carton of eggs and a bunch of fresh asparagus wanting to concoct a breakfast with a twist.

Cooking the yolk and white separately seemed like it would ultimately just create a fairly basic fried egg. So I began to whip the egg white with a little spoon of mustard; then I poured that in a hot, buttered pan and cooked it until it was brown. After flipping my make-shift egg cake I added the yolk to the pan and let it all cook for a minute.

It was just the creative twist I was looking for. The whites do get an interesting texture similar to a super light frittata that I didn't love by itself; but it was a great back drop to the lemony asparagus with the runny yolk gooing all over it.

Recipe Swap: Wild Rice Pancakes with Smoked Mahi Mahi

I've lost all sense of the days. So when I saw an email reminder for the February Recipe Swap happening today I nearly fell out of bed. I was sure I had another week to play in the kitchen. Nope, turns out I had about 5 hours. ACK!

This swap was to remake a wild rice salad. I sat stunned for a moment holding my coffee cup exactly 1 inch a way from my lips. The intoxicating smell snapped me out of my trance. There is always wild rice in my pantry thanks to my Minnesota connections. Hundred of wild rice salad variations have made their way through my kitchen...but I was feeling this recipe needed to be more just a salad. Savory pancakes came to mind as a wave of long forgotten creativity waved over me; then a moment of remembrance brought the whole dish home.

Just a few weeks ago we were battling to reel in beautiful Dorado (Mahi Mahi) while deep sea fishing in Cabo San Lucas. We grilled our catch for our group as a celebratory dinner on our last night; luckily we had one of the largest catches smoked to bring home with us. This smoked Mahi Mahi is a perfect accompaniment to the wild rice.

Recipe Swap: Pumpkin Maple Zabaglione over French Toast

Zabaglione - sounds fancy, doesn't it? Simply put, it's a delightfully light egg and alcohol custard. Deceivingly easy to make, the required constant whipping creates tiny bubbles that give this custard its light and airy 'foam' texture.

There are many versions of Zabaglione but traditionally it's a dessert made with Marsala and often served with fruit or spooned over a cake.

Because this is a Recipe Swap, how could I stick with a dessert version? Savory ideas from cheese to spicy pepper meandered through my mind, yet the idea of a sweet custard would not stop interfering.

A Pumpkin Liquor sent by great friends as a Strange Ingredient gave me the inspiration and base for this recipe. Imagine a Pumpkin Zabaglione with a hint of maple dripping down the side of buttery golden brown french toast. Plus Dave loves french toast and I've been forcing him to eat a lot of healthy dishes this past week, so it will be the perfect surprise breakfast.

Crispy Potato Skin Fries

Potatoes are ridiculously versatile; I believe there is something like one-million potato recipes out there...and growing! While making mashed potatoes today I happened to create these super yummy, crispy potato skins. Often I'll use the skins in my mashed potatoes for a rustic effect but this time a more refined result was required.

The mixture of red, purple and white potatoes created a pretty pile of raw skins that starred at me begging for some love. A little butter and seasoning and you've got a new option in place of hash browns at breakfast, instead of fries or chips with a burger or a fun side to a steak. I'm quite sure a little dollop of sour cream would be extra delicious.

Whether to call them skin fries, or skin browns or crispy potato skins is the least of my worries. I need to come up with more reasons to use the inside of the potato so I can have more fat and happy skins to cook up!