Snickerdoodle cashew coffee

I love coffee.  Like love, love, love it!  I'm not "addicted," I don't crave it, but I really like it.  I can go days without it, and while I'll be yawning in my patient's faces throughout the afternoon, I don't get headaches, and even recently switched to half-caf Americanos without any ill effects.  But I do LOVE the taste.  So yummy!

So when I came across this recipe for Snickerdoodle Cashew Coffee, I decided I had to try it.  I already put cinnamon and cashew milk in my coffee, so I figured it wasn't a huge change from my normal drink, but something told me I had to try it.  And since I'm not a pumpkin spice latte girl (I know, I know, what is wrong with me?!), I figured this might be a nice seasonal drink for me to try.  It did NOT disappoint!

And...I had all the ingredients on hand (I used salted cashew butter since that is what I had.  Shhh!).  I literally made this 10 minutes after I found the recipe!  I did doctor it up a little, though - no collagen peptides and skipped the cardamom, since it's not a spice that I particularly like.  I'm also pretty sure you could make this "pumpkin spice"-ified by adding pumpkin pie spice or subbing it for the cinnamon.  I'll leave that to you PSL girls (and guys) out there!

Snickerdoodle Cashew Coffee
Adapted from the Real Food Dietitians (click the link for the original recipe)
Serves 2, or one super huge caffeine fiend

Ingredients:

24 oz strongly brewed coffee (I made mine half-caf)
1 Tbsp coconut oil
2 Tbsp unsweetened, unsalted creamy cashew butter (I used salted).  Mine needed a little more for desired creaminess.
1/2 - 1 tsp ground cinnamon, or more to taste

Directions:

Place all ingredients in a blender (I used my immersion blender) and blend on high speed until frothy.
Pour into mugs and sprinkle with additional cinnamon, if desired.

Key lime larabar (balls)

Larabars are one of my emergency snack staples.  I eat them rarely, but I always feel better knowing there's one in my purse/work bag/gym bag in case I'm hungry and can't get anything Whole30 at the time.  So a while ago I had seen a recipe for Cherry Pie Larabars, and I bought the ingredients.  Which just sat there and then were eaten individually.  Then, a friend recommended homemade (key) lime Larabars.  And I randomly had all the ingredients on hand at that exact moment, and went off to make them.  I ended up making them in balls instead of bars because I thought they’d be more likely to hold their shape that way.

These are easy and delicious!  So delicious, in fact, that when we had our Whole30 info session for our October group Whole30, I made them again!  This time around, I made them even smaller.  They were so well received and everyone wanted the recipe!

Homemade Lime Lara-balls
Recipe from The Real Food RDs

Ingredients:

10 Medjool dates, pitted (or 20 pitted Deglet dates)
3/4 cup raw whole almonds
3/4 cup raw cashews
1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
Zest of 2 limes, plus more for sprinkling on top if you choose
Juice of 1 lime
Pinch of sea salt (I always forget this when I make them!)

Directions:

Place all ingredients into the bowl of a food processor.

Process the mixture until it is crumbly yet still holds together well when pinched between your fingers.
If the mixture is too dry, add another date or a splash of water, and process again.
If the mixture is too wet, add a few more nuts and process again until crumbly.

Press mixture onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and form a 9x9 inch square -- OR -- roll them into balls (I use a scoop); the number will vary depending on how big you make them.
If you choose, sprinkle some lime zest on the bars or balls.
Place in the fridge to chill, if they seem sticky.

If making bars, cut the block into 12 bars.
Wrap in parchment paper and store in a covered container in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Some of my favorite Whole30 finds (Part 2)

I love Whole30 because I spend my time and energy preparing and eating whole, delicious foods without fillers.  I also find myself cooking even more than I usually do because that way I know what’s going in my food.  But sometimes I feel the need to simplify my life a little, and purchase something that’s been made by someone else.  

Cashew Butter.

I bought it years ago, before Whole30, and was decidedly unimpressed.  It had no taste or flavor.  It was $8.99 down the drain (thanks, Whole Foods!).  But then at work recently, someone had salted cashew butter.  I thought I'd hate it, but figured it was worth a try since it was a nice Whole30 compliant nut butter (the ingredients are cashews and salt).  Frankly, my mind was blown!

Dang Lightly Salted Coconut Chips (Unsweetened).

I bought these while on my first Whole30, and frankly I'm not sure why I haven't bought them since.  They're crispy, slightly salty, and have a little natural sweetness from the coconut.  No sugar added.  Just salt and coconut.  I'll be honest with you, I eat these straight from the bag.  They'd also be good as a topper for smoothies, salads, or soups!

Rind Snacks.

I mentioned these in a recent post, but figured I'd mention them again here.  I bought these online on a whim to try.  Something about dried kiwi sounded interesting.  I was a little perturbed by the rind on some of the dried fruits (kiwis, oranges, pineapples) but not the others (apples, persimmon, peaches).  I have to say that (although I've only tried 2 of the three varieties), the kiwis were surprisingly my favorite.  I love the tanginess of the kiwi with the crunch of the seeds.  I can't explain it entirely.  But I do recommend these.  They come in three varieties: kiwi, orchard (peach, persimmon, apple), and tropical (kiwi, pineapple, orange).

Everything but the Bagel Seasoning.

A Trader Joe's exclusive (I'll have a homemade version posted soon).  I LOVE it on my hard boiled egg whites or on top of avocado.  I'm sure it would be great on a baked potato with ghee or even on some proteins.  Gives a punch of flavor without any added sugar and very few calories!

Seltzer

Not all seltzers are created equally. I wouldn’t say I’m particular about my seltzers generally, but when it comes to flavored seltzers, that's a different story!  While generally I love anything lime or peach, those seltzer flavors don’t do much for me.  My go-to flavors are typically plain (with a squeeze of fresh lime), grapefruit, or black cherry.  Unless we’re talking about Spindrift, in which case my all time favorite, hands down, is the raspberry lime.  Spindrift also just came out with a cranberry raspberry one that I really enjoyed.  

Hal’s New York Seltzer has had some great limited edition flavors (in addition to their Black Cherry, which is a favorite in our household): mango and black raspberry are pretty darn awesome, too!  My hubby also loves the orange and is also a big fan of the vanilla creme (which tastes just like cream soda, which I happen to not like).  And the watermelon (while artificial tasting) sometimes hits the spot for me.

Another favorite in our house is the Alta Palla Grapefruit sparkling water.  It’s hard to find, and can be a little pricey, but it’s super delish!  La Croix pomplemousse is also a great grapefruit option, as well as the grapefruit Spindrift. 

What are your favorite sparkling waters or seltzers?

Snack Emergency! (Part 2)

About two and a half months ago I posted about snack emergencies and some of my favorite transportable Whole30 compliant emergency snacks.  I have a few new additions that I wanted to share: 

• Mango Pineapple Rx bars*.  I mentioned in my last update that I love the Blueberry and Mixed Berry ones.  This flavor came out recently and I needed to get my hands on it.  They're definitely harder to find than the other flavors (you can order online, so fret not, you can have them in your hands in a matter of time).  Just in time for the fall, Pumpkin Spice Rx bars have made their return!  Although I'm not a pumpkin spice fan, I've added them to the list.  For those of you who love your Pumpkin Spice Lattes but can't have them on Whole30, these may be right up your alley!

• Rind snacks.  I randomly discovered these snacks and I have to say, they're delicious!  They come in three flavors.  The tangy kiwi is AWESOME!  I haven't tried the Tropical Blend yet, but I really enjoyed the other two.  Warning: these dried fruits have the skin on!  I thought the kiwi skin would be weird but it's totally not!

• Two words: chicken sriracha.  These Epic bars have great flavor and a lot of spice!  I eat them as is, with some avocado and veggies for a quick makeshift lunch, but I've heard of people mixing them in their eggs and making a Whole30 Western-ish omelette. There's also a cranberry turkey strip that's pretty good. {oops....I realized this is a repeat from my first Snack Attack post}.

• Chomps turkey sticks. I mentioned the beef ones were great in my last post, but I think I might like the turkey ones even more!  They taste good and don't have any discernible after taste, and they clock in at 70 calories.  Trader Joe's recently started carrying them (it's the only place I've found them), and they can also be ordered online. 

• Spindrift Raspberry Lime Sparkling Water.  Sparkling water/seltzer isn't really a snack, and I have a few seltzers that I love (I'll address those in another post soon), but this one is seriously delicious.

*Warning: these are emergency snacks, I do not eat bars every day, and neither should you!