Butternut Squash Ravioli with Herb Browned Butter

I love butternut squash and I love ravioli.
So when I saw Butternut Squash Ravioli at Trader Joe's recently,
I just had to buy it to try it out.
And guys - it's really yummy!

Not only is it tasty, it's super easy to make too!
I just threw together a simple herb browned butter sauce,
but even just a little butter would be delicious too.
Let me show you how I made mine.


The Goods:
Butternut Squash Ravioli
Butter
Garlic
Thyme
Parsley
Parmesan Cheese

Melt half a stick of butter in a skillet.

Once melted, turn down the heat slightly,

then add your garlic and thyme.

While the butter is browning, throw in your pasta to cook.

Cook according to package directions.

Keep an eye on your butter, stirring it every so often.

When it starts to brown and you smell a nutty flavor, you know it's done.

Add your cooked, drained pasta to the skillet 

and toss to coat it in the browned butter sauce. 

Plate your pasta, add fresh minced parsley and Parmesan cheese.

Dig in and ENJOY!!!

Reduced Guilt Key Lime Pie

Five years ago, I dedicated an entire month to pies on my blog.
I made so many pies that month it's amazing I didn't gain tons of weight.
Please remember that all posts are from 2011, but here are five of my favorites:
Lemon Meringue Pie
Mini Pumpkin Pies
Dutch Apple Pie
Chocolate Cherry Pie
Turkey Pot Pie

With all the pies I made, it's amazing I never made a Key Lime Pie.
I changed that recently though and made one,
but decided to try to make it just a tad healthier!

The Goods:

Graham Crackers

Brown Sugar

Salt

White Chocolate Chips

Butter

Reduced Fat Greek Yogurt

Key Limes

Eggs

Fat-Free Sweetened Condensed Milk

Whipped Cream

Crush your graham crackers in a gallon bag using a rolling pin.

In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup graham cracker crumbs,

1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1 ounce chopped white chocolate.

Add 2 tablespoons melted butter and toss until evenly moistened.

Press crumb mixture into greased pie pan and bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes.

Cool completely on a wire rack.

While crust is cooling, in another medium bowl combine 1/2 greek yogurt, 

1/2 cup fresh key lime juice, 1/2 teaspoon key lime zest, 

3 large egg yolks and (1) 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk.

Pour mixture into crust and bake at 350 degrees for about 14 minutes.

Cool pie completely on wire rack. 

Chill at least 2 hours before cutting. 

And of course, serve with whipped cream!

Reduced Guilt Key Lime Pie

Adapted from Cooking Light

For the Crust:

1 Cup Graham Cracker Crumbs

1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar

1/8 Teaspoon Salt

1 Ounce White Chocolate Chips

2 Tablespoons Butter

For the Filling:

1/2 Cup Reduced Fat Greek Yogurt

1/2 Cyo Key Limes

3 Large Egg Yolks

1 (14 Ounce) Fat-Free Sweetened Condensed Milk

1. Crush your graham crackers in a gallon bag using a rolling pin.
2. In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup graham cracker crumbs, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1 ounce chopped white chocolate. Add 2 tablespoons melted butter and toss until evenly moistened.
3. Press crumb mixture into greased pie pan and bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes. Cool completely on wire rack.
4. While crust is cooling, in another medium bowl combine 1/2 greek yogurt, 1/2 cup fresh key lime juice, 1/2 teaspoon key lime zest, 3 large egg yolks and (1) 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk.
5. Pour mixture into crust and bake at 350 degrees for about 14 minutes. Cool pie completely on wire rack. Chill at least 2 hours before cutting. 

Whiskey Wednesday: Rye Maple Fizz

Happy Wednesday guys!!!

In 2015, I started a fun new blog series - 

Whiskey Wednesday!!!

If you missed them, here are past posts:
Irish Mule
 Mint Julep
Bourbon & Sparkling Lemonade
Irish Redhead
Old Fashion
Jameson Coke Floats
Bourbon Cherry Coke
Bourbon Spiked Apple Cider
Hot Toddy
Whiskey Sour
Sage Brown Derby

Strawberry Whiskey Smash
Gold Rush
Blackberry Whiskey Punch
Kickin' Blood Orange Spritzer
Cherry Lime Whiskey Fizz
Peach Mint Julep

Apple Old Fashion

When I made the Whiskey Sour earlier this year,

I discovered I wasn't a huge fan of drinks with egg whites,

but after being introduced to a Rye Maple Fizz,

I very well may have changed my mind,

and now like egg white drinks and the froth it creates!

The Goods:

Rye Whiskey

Maple Syrup

Club Soda

Bitter

Lemons

Egg White

Cinnamon

Create your lemon garnish and set aside.

Measure out 2 ounces rye whiskey per drink.

Followed by 3/4 ounce fresh lemon juice per drink.

And 1/2 ounce maple syrup per drink.

Followed by 1/2 ounce egg white per drink.

And lastly, 2 dashes bitters per drink. 

Shake for about 10 seconds.

Fill shaker with ice and shake vigorously for about 30 seconds.

Strain into frosted cocktail glasses.

Top with club soda.

Garnish with the lemon and sprinkle cinnamon on top.

And last but not least, cheers your friends and enjoy!!

Baked Donut Monday: Raw Peanut Butter Donuts

Happy Monday everyone!!!

I'm back again for another Baked Donut Monday post

and today I'm going to tell you about something a little different...

not baked at all, but the opposite in fact

RAW PEANUT BUTTER DONUTS!!!

Even when I'm not looking for anything in particular,

I seem to stumble upon recipes that would be perfect for the blog.

And that's exactly how I found this recipe!

I know it's not baked, but that didn't stop me 

and of course I had to still include it in the blog series!

The Goods:

Steel-Cut Oats

Pitted Dates

Coconut Syrup

Peanut Butter

Vanilla Extract

Vegan Dark Chocolate Chips

Nutritional Yeast

Salt

Cacao Powder

Raw Coconut Cacao Butter

Maple Syrup

Blend the oat in a food processor until roughly ground.

Add the dates and pulse until dates are in tiny pieces and mixed in.

Add the peanut butter, vanilla, maple syrup, water and pulse until 

mixture is incorporated and holds together.

Add more water if needed.

Mix in the chocolate chips in by hand.

Press mixture into donut pans and form top so they aren't flat.

Refrigerate until donuts are firm - anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour.

While waiting for the donuts, make the peanut butter cups!

Stir together the cacao powder, coconut cacao butter and maple syrup.

Put 1 tablespoon of chocolate into mini baking pan,

making sure to reserve half of it for later.

Place into the freezer for 15 minutes to harden.

Stir together peanut butter, nutritional yeast, salt and coconut syrup in a bowl.

Place peanut butter filling on top of hardened chocolate mixture.

Place into the freezer for 5 minutes to harden.

Cover peanut butter with remaining chocolate mixture.

Place in freezer for 15 minutes to harden.

Remove the peanut butter cups from the silicon pan.

I was in awe at how great they turned out if I'm being honest.

They looked amazing...

But tasted even better!

But before I get ahead of myself,

back to the donuts!!!

Once donuts have firmed up, remove them from the pans.

And here's where you pretend there's a picture of me making the chocolate sauce...

And also dipping the donuts into said chocolate sauce...

OOPS!

To do so you mix together cacao powder, coconut cacao butter and maple syrup.

Stir mixture until it resembles a thick chocolate sauce.

Dip the top of each donut into the mixture and place on cooling rack to harden.

Just before they're fully dry/hardened,

add bite-sized pieces of the peanut butter cups you made.

Raw Peanut Butter Donuts

Adapted from: Raspberry Fields

For the Donuts:

1 Cup Steel-Cut Oats

1 Cup Pitted Dates

2 Tablespoons Coconut Syrup

3/4 Cup Peanut Butter

1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

3 Tablespoons Water

1/3 Cup Vegan Dark Chocolate Chips

For the Peanut Butter Cups:

Filling

4 Tablespoons Peanut Butter

1 Teaspoon Nutritional Yeast

Pinch of Salt

1 Tablespoon Coconut Syrup

Chocolate Coating

1/2 Cup Cacao Powder

1/2 Cup Raw Coconut Cacao Butter

115 Grams Maple Syrup

For the Chocolate Sauce:

1/4 Cup Cacao Powder

1/4 Cup Raw Coconut Cacao Butter

6 Tablespoons Maple Syrup

1. Blend the oat in a food processor until roughly ground.
2. Add the dates and pulse until dates are in tiny pieces and mixed in.
3. Add the peanut butter, vanilla, maple syrup, water and pulse until mixture is incorporated and holds together. Add more water if needed.
4. Mix in the chocolate chips in by hand.
5. Press mixture into donut pans and form top so they aren't flat. 
6. Refrigerate until donuts are firm - anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour.
7. Stir together the cacao powder, coconut cacao butter and maple syrup.
8. Put 1 tablespoon of chocolate into mini baking pan, making sure to reserve half of it for later.
9. Place into the freezer for 15 minutes to harden.
10. Stir together peanut butter, nutritional yeast, salt and coconut syrup in a bowl.
11. Place peanut butter filling on top of hardened chocolate mixture.
12. Place into the freezer for 5 minutes to harden.
13. Cover peanut butter with remaining chocolate mixture.
14. Place in freezer for 15 minutes to harden, then remove from the silicon pan.
15. Once donuts have firmed up, remove them from the pans.
16. Mix together cacao powder, coconut cacao butter and maple syrup.
17. Stir mixture until it resembles a thick chocolate sauce.
18. Dip the top of each donut into the mixture and place on cooling rack to harden.
19. Just before they're fully dry/hardened, add bite-sized pieces of the peanut butter cups you made.