Ten Minute Cherry Jam

The moment I laid my eyes on a big bag of cherries on sale in the produce section, I knew it was a sign to take them home and create something just for you and me! I will be honest, it has been a long time (a whole 7 days!) since I last created anything and I needed to start small.

Small batch cherry jam seemed to be the perfect solution! it’s something lovely, delicious and wouldn’t take a whole afternoon to make ! I had heard of this sweet and simple way to jam in the kitchen using chia seeds so I gave it a go and I was sold!

You can adjust the sweetness to your liking My cherries were sweet cherries, but they aren’t super sweet so I only used 1 tbsp of sugar but you could use two or three if you like it sweeter!

I ended up pitting the cherries by hand, and that took way longer then I would like to admit…I highly recommend getting a cherry pitter.

other then that, just make sure to have fun and feel free to experiment! add in some raspberries or black berries to the mix!

Ingredients

• 2 cups pitted cherries

• 1 tbsp coconut sugar

• 1 tbsp lemon juice

• 1 tbsp chia seeds

Instructions

• Pit your cherries and then put all your ingredients in a food processor. Pulse for about 60 seconds.

• Pour your mixture into a saucepan and heat on medium, stirring constantly until the mixture is heated through and bubbling.

• Take off the heat and let it cool.

• Store in a sealed container in the fridge or serve immediately!

• I like to use mine to make parfaits, spread onto gluten free toast, or just eat bu the spoonful from the jar!

Don’t forget to PIN it!

COOKIE DOUGH BLIZZARD // VEGAN & GLUTEN FREE

That moment when Natalie from feasting on fruit, Britt from the banana diaries and I devised a plan in quarantine to bring more edible cookie dough into the world. Toady we bring to you three incredible cookie dough recipes for your Friday night! So grab a friend, make some cookie dough treats, turn on your favorite 90’s chick flick, and enjoy!

SO get ready for Homemade Cookie Dough Blizzards, Edible Cookie Dough Oreo’s & Healthy Protein Cookie dough!

Check out Natalie’s Cookie Dough Oreo’s HERE

For Britt’s Beautiful Edible Healthy Cookie Dough click Here

For my recipe I am making a Cookie Dough Blizzard!

Not a milk shake, not a smoothie, not soft serve, but a blizzard.

When it comes to ice cream I am a tried and true expert. I have spent most nights ending my day with a beautiful bowl of slightly melted, chocolate coated ice cream that brings me all the joy! Some fall in love with their mothers baked goods, or their grandmothers homemade pies, but it was my Pas love for ice cream that won me over!

Ice cream was a staple in the house and was acceptable to eat any time of the year. It was also very important that ice cream accompanied any cake, pie, cookie, etc. that came into the house. They were simply friendly additions to a perfect bowl of ice cream.

In the summertime our go to spot was Dairy Queen! It would only open for a few months during the year and we would always make sure to be there the first day it opened!

My dad’s favorite was their soft serve cones, and who could blame him? They are the best around! The second best option was their blizzards! The consistency is thick and creamy, theirs tons of texture and it’s loaded with your favorite goodies like cookie dough, peanut butter cups, etc.

I had o figure out how to get the same texture which wasn’t easy. I tried blending frozen coconut cream, frozen bananas, ice cream and more, but nothing was coming out right. I was watching the Bon Appetite YouTube channel when Clair was making choco tacos. In order to get the ice cream piped into her taco base she simply put the ice cream in a bowl and used a spatula to mix the ice cream until it became like a thick cake batter.

I realized this was exactly what you need to make the frosty consistency at home! You simply need a bowl, spatula, your favorite ice cream & your favorite add ins!

Today I am showing you how to make your own vegan cookie dough blizzard, but feel free to use whatever you want! Get the kids involved, make it a family ordeal and most importantly have fun!

Ingredients

• 1 Pint Vanilla Ice Cream

• 1/4th cup Chocolate chips

• Almond flour

• agave

• vanilla

• sea salt

• 1/4th cup cacao Nibs

Instruction

1. In a bowl mix together your almond flour, vanilla, sea salt and agave until fully combined. fold in the chocolate chips.

2. Using a teaspoon measure scoop the cookie dough and form them into small cookie dough balls and set aside.

3. Scoop your vanilla ice cream it into a mixing bowl. Mix with a spatula until slightly soften. The ice cream should resemble thick cake like batter.

4. Gently fold in your cookie dough balls and cacao nibs. If your ice cream is looking runny, place the bowl in the freezer for about 10-15 minutes.

5. Serve with whipped cream, extra toppings and more chocolate if you want

6. most importantly, enjoy!

   NOTE

   totally customizable method! You can use whatever ice cream is your favorite and simply fold in your favorite cookies, cake, fudge, nuts, seeds, candy, etc!

   Pssssst! Don’t forger to Pin the recipe!

RHUBARB PEACH CRISP // GLUTEN FREE & DAIRY FREE

Daniel and I celebrated 5 years as a married couple this last weekend. I could tell you we had all these grand plans of road tripping, hanging out at a cool restaurant, going to a museum, etc. and we did have these plans! Then, we started to think about a few things…First off we live a Dave Ramsey lifestyle and are always looking for ways to save money to better our future. 

He never tells you not to enjoy what we have been given, but also to know what you can afford and if possible, live below your means! Daniel and I have found great value in coffee shops, walks, working from home, watching movies, and just plain old talking. 

So we started with going to coffee, which turned into talking, talking about working together, creating recipes, making commercials, etc. We began to discuss our budget and realized what we wanted is to create more together, even if that technically meant working. 

So we came home, devised a plan, and got to work. We laughed and joked with each other, enjoyed good food, got to think creatively, and truly enjoyed our time together. I know this might be one of those scrolls to get the recipe stories, but that’s okay with me. I just want to let you guys know that in life you can make anything fun, and it’s just the way you look at things! In the end, a road trip or a day in the city would have given us the same things that working together did. Don’t feel pressured to not do what you are passionate about, just enjoy doing what you love!

Now this recipe is amazing because Rhubarb is one of my all-time favorite summer vegetables that my mom would grow in her garden. She used to let us pick a stalk and peel the red skin off so we could have them as a snack. The thing is, we always got the stalks of rhubarb accompanied by a small cup of sugar for dipping the rhubarb in. The taste of the rhubarb coated in a layer of sugar was amazing! It wasn’t even one of those moments when kids only used the rhubarb as a vehicle to eat sugar and then the Rhubarb is left behind. We wanted to enjoy them together! 

Unfortunately, Florida and Connecticut are very different states and I have a hard time finding Rhubarb anywhere. Thankfully I was at a local farmers market and found beautiful stalks of Rhubarb just waiting to be made into something delicious! 

So on our fifth anniversary, we made this Rhubarb Peach Crisp for you to enjoy!

Ingredients

Filing 

• 2 1/2 cup peeled & chopped rhubarb

• 1 cup chopped peaches

• 2tbsp lemon juice

• 2 tbsp arrowroot powder

• 1/2 cup coconut sugar

Crumble

• 1/2 cup almond flour

• 1 1/2 cup gluten-free oats

• 1/2 cup coconut oil

• 1/4th cup coconut sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375F and spray a glass pie plate with coconut oil.

2. Peel your rhubarb so that most of the red skin on the outside comes off. 

3. Chop up your Rhubarb and peach. In a large bowl, combine your chopped rhubarb and peaches, lemon juice, arrowroot, and 1/2 cup coconut sugar, and set aside.

4. In a separate mixing bowl combine your almond flour, oats, coconut oil and 1/4th cup coconut sugar until fully mixed and there are no lumps of coconut oil. 

5. Pour your fruit mixture into your pie plate and use a spatula to spread out the fruit evenly, making sure to cover the whole bottom.  

6. Crumble your dry mixture on top until well coated. 

7. Bake in the oven for 35-45 minutes. It should look golden on the top and the fruit should be bubbling, but not burned. 

8. Let cool for about 20-25 minutes

9. Serve warm with vanilla & strawberry ice cream and enjoy!

Blueberry Crumble Bars // Vegan & Gluten Free

Over the last week or so, Florida sunshine has announced its summer and that summer is here to stay! Since our new normal for the next 6 months is sunny with a high of 100F we will be needing our edible cookie dough, ice cream and all of the no-bake treats we can get our hands-on.

In true Sonya fashion, this week I took to my fridge to see what I could do to satisfy my sweet tooth while doing everything I had in my power NOT to bake…or go to the store. The yogurt & blueberries caught my eye and I knew at that moment they were going to be my muse for the day!

Now I wanted to make a blueberry crumble, but as I said before, the whole baking thing is not ideal in my very tiny, very hot kitchen. Did I think to myself follow the trends? Yes. Did I listen? Nope! So this is my take on No-Bake Blueberry Crumble Bars (insert hearts emoji)!

I was worried I had too many ingredients until I looked back on the recipe. The crust has only 4 ingredients and the filling has only 4 ingredients….that’s 8 ingredients! I am so excited about it because I honestly thought I had made the recipe complicated, but that’s me as your classic over-thinker!

The fun thing about this recipe is that it is easy and can be adjusted to the ingredients you have on hand! If you don’t have dairy-free yogurt use what yogurt you have! Just make sure if you are using a sweetened yogurt you don’t have to add in the agave. If you have a crowd that might like things a little sweeter feel free to taste the yogurt filling and adjust o your taste!
You can use blueberries, but if you want to switch things up and use strawberries, raspberries, or even cherries, go for it! This is YOUR summer treat! I know this goes against all the rules but when it comes to no-bake desserts I like to tweak recipes because it help’s me to learn and lets me get creative in the kitchen! If you are a rule follower by ALL means follow the rules, but most of all I just want you to enjoy the process!

SO without any further chit-chat, although I do LOVE chit-chat…here is your guide to No-Bake Blueberry Crumble Bars!

Ingredients

CRUST

1 cup Oats

1/2 Cup Almond Flour

11 California Dates

1/2 cup Almond Butter

FILLING

2/3rd cup Blueberries

2 Tbsp. Agave

3/4Th Cup Dairy-Free Unsweetened Yogurt

2 Tbsp. Lemon Juice

EXTRAS

1/3rd Cup Blueberries for topping

Instructions

Pour your oats, almond flour, almond butter and dates into a food processor and blend on high for about 1-2 minutes. Scrape down the sides if needed and then pulse for another 1-2 minutes. you should have a crumbly, but soft mixture.

Pour into a bowl and set aside.

In the food processor pour in your blueberries, yogurt, agave & lemon juice and the blend until you have a smooth mixture. About 1-2minutes.

Feel free to taste test the yogurt mixture and adjust the sweetness to your taste.

Line a square or rectangle pan with parchment paper

Pour in 3/4ths of your dry mixture and press the mixture so it is smooth and covers the whole bottom of the pan.

Pour your yogurt mixture on top and smooth it out.

Place in the freezer for 20-30 minutes

Take your pan out of the fridge and crumble the rest of your mixture on top and if you would like to, more blueberries.

Place in the freezer for 2-3 hours. or until the yogurt has set.

Slice, serve and enjoy!

Healthy Strawberry Shake // Vegan & Paleo

There’s nothing like strawberries in the summertime! Whether you're covering them in sugar, freezing them in Popsicle molds, or picking them straight from the plant, they are the perfect summer treat!

Well, I was feeling the summer heat here in FL for the last week at we hit the mid-90s, leading me into a desperate attempt to make something refreshing and simple! I looked in my freezer and there it was, a forgotten bag of frozen strawberries just WAITING to be made into something refreshing.

I grabbed the bag and then checked the content of my fridge, almond milk, coconut cream, and dairy-free yogurt all stared back at me and I knew it was time to make a healthy Strawberry milkshake!

This shake is not meant to overload your taste buds with the sugary version of a strawberry, but offer a taste that is both sweet and slightly sour at the same time, making for the perfect summer strawberry!

using unsweetened yogurt is how you get this effect, but if all you have is sweetened yogurt omit the maple syrup. Give it a taste test once blended and dd in the agave if you want to!

If you are like my husband and enjoy sour strawberries omit the maple syrup and sweetened yogurt all together!

Prep Time: 10 Minutes

Ingredients

• 1 & 1/4th cup frozen strawberries

• 1/4th cup almond milk

• 1/2 cup almond milk yogurt

• 1/4th cup coconut cream

• 2 Tbsp. Maple Syrup

Instructions

It’s simple! Add in all of the ingredients into a blender and blend until you have a smooth consistency.

If need be add in a little extra almond milk, but just keep in mind this will alter the taste a bit.

Pour, sip and enjoy!

MInt Chocolate Chip Smoothie // Dairy Free & Gluten Free

Smoothies have a special place in my heart because they are piqued my interest in how healthy food can taste like a real treat! It all started when I was 14 and got a job babysitting. I would go every Thursday morning where the family was just finishing breakfast and the mom would set aside a cup of whatever smoothie they were making for me! it was awesome and helped me to learn that breakfast could be more than just cereal. Their family always had healthy treats around and near the end of work the mom and I would usually chat for a bit about life over a piece of dark chocolate.
It was one of the best jobs I have ever had and helped me learn about how to care for other people, but also how to care for my health with food!
As you guys might know, once life hit college life got tough and the idea of living a healthy and balanced life changed. I was at a job that made me miserable, my fiance lived in another country, I was convinced I would fail college, and felt a lack of control. What I knew I could control was what I put into my mouth, which made my love for living a healthy and balanced life, just an unhealthy obsession.
Thankfully after many years of recovery I have learned that intuitive eating was what I needed to get back to. It’s what I did in high school and I knew that if I wanted to regain my love for food I needed things to change.
I had all the rules beforehand that stemmed from me having to restrict my diet for medical reasons, that carried over into a “healthy diet”. it took months and months to break the cycle and to test the waters. For me it was having carbs in the morning. I loved smoothies, but the ones I was making were not what I genuinely loved or enjoyed. Even though I was eating enough food, I wasn’t satisfying my emotional connection with food. This leads me to overeat the Sonya approved food, leading me to an unbalanced diet.

After acknowledging these issues, and consistently working to break the bad habits and mindset I was stuck in I noticed things started to change.
I began eating dessert, every day, sometimes twice a day! But I also started doing my favorite exercises, having fun, and switching it up. I wasn’t focused on the calories I consumed or burned, I was simply enjoying the things that I loved! I felt like I did in high school were my favorite activities were ether doing something active or eating great food with the people I loved.
I stopped obsessing and started living again.
Thankfully living included eating a lot of yummy things, and that’s when this page truly began to change for the better!

Now I can bring to you fun recipes like this Mint Chocolate Chip Smoothie that you can conveniently enjoy for breakfast or dessert! All you have to do is switch up the ingredients and voila! You have a tasty meal that brings joy!
If you want this Mint Chocolate Chip Smoothie for Breakfast all you need is…

If you want this Mint Chocolate Chip Smoothie for Breakfast all you need is…

• 1 Frozen Banana

• 1 Cup nut milk (I like almond)

• 1 scoop collagen of vanilla protein powder

• 1 Tbsp. Cocoa powder

• 1 Tbsp cacao nibs

• 1 Tbsp sunflower butter

• handful of spinach

• 1/2 tsp. peppermint extract

• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

• 3 ice cubes

• pinch of sea salt

• 1 Tbsp. avocado (optional)

• 1 Tbsp. Flax meal (optional)

  And if you want to enjoy it as a tasty dessert…

• 1 Frozen Banana

• 1 Tbsp. cocoa powder

• 1 Tbsp. cacao nibs

• 1/4th to 1/2 cup milk (less milk = thiccc like ice cream)

• 1 Tbsp. sunflower butter

• pinch of sea salt

• 1/2 tsp peppermint extract

• 1/3 tsp vanilla extract

  Directions

  FOR BOTH**In a blender pour the almond milk in first and then add in all other ingredients and blend away!