According to Kasi: Recipes

Favorite Breakfast Smoothies

Breakfast has never been my favorite meal to eat (at breakfast anyway)

But lately I have found that breakfast smoothies are the best way to get some nutrients at breakfast and actually enjoy eating/ drinking at that time of day.

So today I'm going to share my top 5 favorite breakfast smoothies

Although to be honest you can eat them for any meal!

All of theses smoothies I have found on Pinterest and I will include the original links
For most of them, I have modified the recipe to include protein powder
I like to use these vanilla and chocolate powders as the base.
I also have cholesterol issues (yay genetics) so I tend to add a tablespoon of flax seeds to the mix as well! I have not included this in the recipes.

1. "Wendy's Frosty Smoothie"

Original recipe found here

Ingredients:
1 cup almond milk
15 ice cubes
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1-2 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/3 a frozen banana
1 scoop chocolate protein powder

2. "Strawberry Cheesecake Smoothie"

Original recipe found here

Ingredients:
1 cup frozen strawberries
1/2 cup non-fat Greek yogurt
1/3c almond milk
1/4 cup old-fashioned oats
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
pinch of salt
1-2 tsps. maple syrup, honey, or agave to sweeten
1 scoop vanilla protein powder

3. "Thin Mint Smoothie"

Recipe Via Shakeology

Ingredients:
1 scoop of chocolate protein powder
1 tsp mint extract
1 c almond milk (preferably vanilla flavored)
Ice to desired consistency

4. "Mocha Chiller"

Recipe via Shakeology

Ingredients:
1 cup of coffee
1 scoop of chocolate protein powder
Ice to desired consistency
** You can also add extract flavors like salted caramel for an extra kick of flavor!

5. "Pina Colada Smoothie"

Original recipe found here

Ingredients:
1/2 frozen banana
1/2 cup frozen pineapple chunks
1/3 cup pineapple or pina colada juice
1/4 cup coconut milk
Handful of ice cubes
1 scoop vanilla protein powder

What are your favorite recipes?

Xo, Kasi

Tuesday, June 06, 2017
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Almost From Scratch Red Velvet Cupcakes With Cream Cheese Frosting

Recipes

I love to bake cakes or hand make gifts for my friends' birthdays

And one of my good friends always requests red velvet cake!

She came into town recently and I pulled out his recipe that I thought I'd share!

I can't even remember where I found the recipe for these but its been my go to ever since.

Mostly because I can use mix from a box as a base

But also because it tastes like its home made (with a lot less work)!

Cake Ingredients:

1 package of Germain Chocolate Cake Mix

1 cup of sour cream

1/2 cup of water

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 bottle of red food coloring

3 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions:

1) Preheat oven to 350F and line 2 cupcake pans (24 cupcakes).

2) Place cake mix, sour cream, water, oil, food coloring, eggs and vanilla in a medium mixing bowl. Mix on low for 1 minute, medium speed 2-3 minutes and then divide the batter in each cupcake liner.

3) Bake the cupcakes until they spring back when lightly pressed with your finger (18-22 minutes).

4) Let cool before icing.

It wasn't looking red enough so I added more...

Cream Cheese Icing Ingredients:

1 package (8 oz) cream cheese at room temperature.

8 tbsp (1 stick) of butter at room temperature

3 3/4 cup confectioners (powdered) sugar, sifted

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. Place cream cheese and butter in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed until combined (~30 seconds). Stop the machine, and add the sugar a bit at a time blending with the mixer on low speed until the sugar is well incorporated (~1 min).

2. Add the vanilla, then increase the mixer speed to medium and blend the frosting until fluffy.

3. Ice your cupcakes! Use at once or refrigerate! (Note: I actually put my icing in a ziplock bag and cut the corner off to ice the cupcakes. Pretty much because Im lazy and it looks better than just spreading it on... it gets weird when you try it with chocolate. You've been warned).

Okay so I am not the best froster

But its not about what's on the outside.

"Don't judge a cupcake by its cover?"

Yeah, I'm pretty sure that's the saying.

Xo, Kasi

Wednesday, March 02, 2016
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Weight Watchers Breakfast Scrambled Egg Pizza

Recipes

Lately I've been having a hard time keeping motivated in diet goals

And it feels like even when I consistently go to the gym I don't see any changes.

I had joined Weight Watchers a couple years ago and saw great results so I decided to join again!

I saw this recipe on a 30 Smart Points a Day menu and it looked amazing!

Per usual, I like to make the recipe my own.

I took out the basil and used Greek Seasoning for flavor instead.

I also chose to use a couple points for coffee every day!

Ingredients:

1 Egg

1 Light English Muffin

4 Slices of Tomato, fresh

1/4 cup cheese, mozzarella (part skim, shredded)

1 Tbsp basil (or a dash of greek seasoning)

Directions:

1. Cook egg as desired. (WW website suggests to microwave in a cup, I scrambled mine in a pan.)

2. Toast english muffin (if you don't toast it first it doesn't get as crisp).

3. Place eggs, tomato slices, and cheese on top of the english muffin and put it in a toaster oven or in the oven on broil until cheese is melted and slightly golden.

4. Sprinkle basil (or greek seasoning) on top after you remove from the oven and enjoy!

This recipe is 6 SmartPoints,

I added grapes to my breakfast because its 0 points,

and the coffee creamer bumps my coffee to 2

Making my entire breakfast 8 points out of 30 total.

Is this a breakfast you would try even if you weren't on weight watchers?

xo, Kasi

Wednesday, March 02, 2016
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Corn, Tomato, and Avocado Salad

Recipes

Raise your hand if your new year's resolution is to be more healthy, lose weight, eat better, or anything related to one of those three!

If you raised your hand you will love this delicious salad!

This is one of my favorite go to recipes for parties because it has tons of flavor

But is actually super healthy

(you can even leave out the cheese for a good old vegan version).

It's really fast and easy to make in a jam too.

This recipe is loosely based off of two other recipes I found on Pinterest

But I blend them and add my own ingredients!

A close up of all the veggie goodness:

Ingredients:

1 tbsp of Chipotle Infused Olive Oil (or more to taste)

~3 Cans of Corn, frozen will work as well

1 cup of cherry tomatoes, halved

1 Avocado, Chopped

Mozzarella Pearls (or cubed Mozzarella) is preferred but any cheese will do, within reason (the picture shows a longhorn colby cheese because I forgot to buy mozzarella, oops)

Salt and Pepper to Taste

Optional Ingredients:

Lime juice to taste

White Balsamic Vinegar (Jalapeño or Mango infused has worked well for me)

1 Scallion, minced

Sugar if desired

Directions:

Combine everything together and eat it.

I will note that I like to use certain corn to give it a little more flavor:

I like any can of corn that has multi colored corn kernels inside and the Fire Roasted blend on the right gives it a little extra kick to compliment the Chipotle Olive Oil and Jalapeño White Balsamic I used tonight shown below:

This can be refrigerated and kept for a day or so but if you add avocado please note it will turn brownish.

You can eat it by itself, with chips as a salsa, or on a salad!

Hope you enjoy!

Xo, Kasi

Wednesday, February 03, 2016
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Eggnog Sugar Cookies

Recipes

Every year, I try to make homemade gifts for my friends, family, and coworkers.

Part of that "handmade" usually includes a variety of cookies.

This year I tried some new recipes that made it into my recipe book

only very special, I'm going to have this again type recipes end up in the book

My favorite by far this year was the Eggnog Sugar Cookies!

I had to borrow the image from Jen's Favorite Cookies because it's just too perfect…

Also I'm definitely one of those people who can make something delicious but not always pretty!

Ingredients

¾ cup softened butter

1 cup sugar

½ cup brown sugar

2 eggs

⅔ cup prepared eggnog (store-bought)

1 tsp. vanilla

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. baking soda

¾ tsp. nutmeg

3 cups flour

FROSTING:

6 T. prepared eggnog

2½ cups powdered sugar

1 tsp. nutmeg

Instructions

1. Cream butter and sugars. Add eggs, eggnog, and vanilla, and mix well.

2. Add salt, soda, and nutmeg and mix well. Add flour and mix until combined. It should form a very soft dough.

3. Drop spoonfuls onto a lined baking sheet. (*see notes) Bake at 350F for 12-15 minutes, until lightly brown. Let cool before frosting.

4. For frosting, combine all ingredients, mixing until smooth. Frost cooled cookies, and store between layers of wax paper or parchment paper.

Notes

The kind of eggnog you purchase at the store is much different from the homemade variety. For this recipe, be sure you are using store-bought prepared eggnog in both the cookie and the frosting.

These cookies are cakey and the dough is quite soft. I recommend lining your baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat, to avoid sticking.

I actually tried to use foil instead of parchment paper because I ran out and the bottoms of those of those got burnt so maybe you should listen to the lady!

What are your favorite Christmas Cookie Recipes?

xo, Kasi

Wednesday, February 03, 2016
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Juicing

Recipes

My dad's laziness sometimes turns into my happiness…

For instance my dad doesn't like hand washing things

So I ended up with his juicer, for free, because you have to hand wash it.

You know what they say: One man's burden…

So I have already tried three new recipes

And one free for all with leftovers from my fridge

And I love them all!

Apple Carrot Ginger Juice:

2 apples

6 carrots

1 knob of ginger peeled

"Leftovers" Juice

4 carrots

1 cucumber

1/2 lemon

1 peach (pitted)

1 pint of blueberries

Beginner Green Juice:

2 handfuls of spinach

1 Cucumber

1 Apple

1/2 a lemon

4 medium carrots

Orange Pineapple Sweet Potato Juice:

2 Oranges

1 cup of pineapple

1 sweet potato

1 lemon

1 knob of ginger

Mint (two pinches)

So far so delicious.

Robert and I have decided that we will go on a cleanse AFTER our cruise.

We will see how that goes!

For now we are just trying out recipes

And I think I saw one with pineapple and jalepenos!

Until next time,

Tuesday, July 01, 2014
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What I've Been Eating...

Recipes

Let's just start this off by the fact that I have NOT been doing well on the diet front

I had been doing excellent… but then it was cold and I stopped walking

Then I was busy and I stopped tracking my food

Then it all fell apart.

And that brings us to

What I've been eating lately!

My (horrible for you) but horribly amazing recipes as of late:

Beer Fondue:

Obviously the picture to the left is the beer fondue.

Ingredients:

16 oz cheese (3 different kinds- I usually pick a goat cheese gouda, and 2 others)

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 clove garlic

1 (12oz) can/bottle beer (I've tried hard cider too which is good)

1 dash of hot pepper sauce

Directions:

1. Combine cheese, flour, salt & pepper in a bowl.

2. Rub cut side of garlic clove around bottom and sides of fondue pot.

3. Pour beer into fondue pot and slowly bring to a simmer over medium-low heat (about 5 minutes)

4. Gradually stir cheese mixture into beer adding small amounts at a time, until cheese is melted and blended (10-15 minutes)

5. Stir hot pepper sauce into cheese mixture.

To dip:

We usually get a baguette from Harris Teeter

Unsliced pepperoni

(and last time I even made) Bacon Wrapped potatoes

Bacon Wrapped Potatoes:

Found through Pinterest on this site

I made mine without the sauce, since I used it for the fondue.

Ingredients:

1 pound small or medium red potatoes

2 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided

1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary

1 tablespoon olive oil

Freshly ground pepper

12 ounces to 1 pound thick-cut bacon

1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream

1-3 teaspoons hot sauce

Salt and pepper

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Wash and dry the potatoes. Chop them into 1-inch pieces, keeping the chunks roughly the same size even if they aren't the exact same shape. Put the potatoes in a medium pot, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil. Season the water with 2 teaspoons of salt. Once the water begins to boil, cook the potatoes for 3 to 4 minutes, until you can stick a fork into them without too much resistance. You want the potatoes to be almost, but not fully, cooked through so they won't fall apart during the next steps.

Drain the potatoes and put them in a large bowl. Add the rosemary, olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and a few grinds of pepper, and toss until the potatoes are evenly coated.

Cut the strips of bacon into thirds. Wrap each potato bite in a piece of bacon, securing it with a toothpick. Put the potatoes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil spaced an inch or two apart. You may need to cook the potatoes in two batches.

Cook the potatoes for 15 minutes, then flip each piece. Cook for another 15 to 20 minutes, until the bacon is cooked through and as crisp as you like it. Mix the sour cream and hot sauce in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Pile the potato bites on a plate and serve alongside the dip.

It seems like a lot of work but really it didn't take that long at all.

Also, I skipped tossing the potatoes in the rosemary, olive oil, etc mixture

I was hungry.

Honey Lime Chicken Taquitos

The picture on pinterest looks much more yummy…

But you can find this recipe here

Ingredients:

3 cups cooked shredded chicken (I used a rotisserie)

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1/3 cup honey

1 tablespoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

2 cups shredded cheese

10 soft taco sized flour tortillas

Cooking spray

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine chicken, lime juice, honey, chili powder, and garlic and mix to coat.

Lay out your tortillas, and divide chicken evenly on the center of each tortilla. Top each one with cheese.

Roll each tortilla tightly, leaving the ends open, and place them on a baking sheet sprayed with nonstick spray or olive oil.

Spray the tops of the taquitos and sprinkle with salt.

Bake for 10 minutes, then serve with Cilantro Lime Cream.

Cilantro Lime Cream

Ingredients:

1 cup sour cream

1/3 cup green taco sauce (mild)

1 teaspoon fresh lime juice

1/4 cup fresh cilantro

Directions:

In a food processor or blender, combine all ingredients and pulse until smooth.

Note: this particular recipe for the cream makes a LOT more than you will need. I doubled the taquitos recipe and did not double the cream and still had too much left over.

St. Germains Margaritta

Ever since I first tried St. Germains at the Busy Bee (in the Queen Bee)

I've had a slight obsession with it.

I incorporated the Queen Bee into my wedding

But I've been getting a little tired of it

AND I love margaritas

So when I found this recipe here, I had to try it.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 ounces silver tequila

1 1/2 ounce St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur

1/2 ounce fresh squeezed lime juice

Coarse sea salt

(optional 1 1/2 ounce of orange juice)

Directions:

1. Rub a slice of lime around the rim of a margarita glass or tumbler and dip into coarse sea salt. Fill with ice cubes and set aside.

2. Combine tequila, St. Germain and lime juice in an ice-filled cocktail shaker and shake until cold. Strain into prepared glass.

3. Sip and enjoy!

I found it a little strong so I also added a shots worth of orange juice to the mix.

And what do you know, it goes great with all of the things I've been eating.

Do yourself a favor and try at least one of these recipes

(especially the bacon wrapped potatoes)

Monday, April 21, 2014
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Favorite Breakfast Smoothies

Almost From Scratch Red Velvet Cupcakes With Cream Cheese Frosting

Weight Watchers Breakfast Scrambled Egg Pizza

Corn, Tomato, and Avocado Salad

Eggnog Sugar Cookies

Juicing

What I've Been Eating...

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