Healthy Peanut Butter Balls

Peanut butter balls were a Christmas staple in our household! In fact, they still are! My mom and I would spend our evenings mixing, rolling, dipping and snacking away!

I think that maybe why I'm so obsessed with peanut butter...

However! I wanted to make a healthier version of these little bites to share with friends over the holidays and I did just that. They are SO good! No butter, no white sugar... all goodness! Plus... I added in a little extra fibre LOL. Because we all can use a little extra fibre (but really the crunch adds a delish spin)! Here's how to make them and WOW your guests:

Ingredients:
1 cup natural smooth peanut butter
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons coconut flour
*optional: 1/2 cup Smartbran cereal (OKAY, you can also use Rice Krispies or something that tickles your fancy, but the buds add such a lovely crunch)
1 dark chocolate bar

Directions:
1. Mix together peanut butter and maple syrup with a spoon. Mix it well.
2. Add in coconut flour 1 tablespoon at a time. Honestly, you may need to add more or less. You want to be able to work with your dough and not have it stick to your hands. Add more if needed.
3. Add in cereal and mix again.
4. Chill dough for like 5 minutes to harden up a bit
5. Roll into balls and place on a parchment-lined baking tray. Then put the tray in the freezer until they are hard (15 mins).

Once they are hardened:
1. Melt chocolate bar on the stovetop on low heat
2. Take out the tray from freezer and (you may need to reshape your balls here now that they are harder), and dip them into the chocolate one at a time.
3. Place back on the baking tray, top with chopped nuts if you wish
4. Put back in the freezer to harden

SO SIMPLE! SO DELISH!

Sexy Strawberry No Bake Collagen Fudge

Happy [early} Valentine's Day, beauties! Oh baby, do I have the treat for you. I got into one of those "I just need to make something sweet but I don't even want to wait for something to bake" mode. You know what I mean. And obviously, when this happens, all I want is almond butter slathered on something. 

What I came up with is a healthy, no-bake strawberry collagen freezer fudge recipe I just had to share.

So I whipped out these adorable little ice molds that I picked up at Miniso for $3 and got to the cupboard. I just pulled out a random selection of ingredients and decided I would make these sexy strawberry collagen bites. If you don't have the collagen or sex dust on hand, don't even worry! All you really need is almond butter, coconut butter and a topping. You could throw in some dark chocolate here or whatever you'd like. They take literally 10 minutes to throw together and you'll have a delish batch of "fudge" to store in your freezer for when the sweet craving hits. It's creamy, tastes kind of like a strawberry wafer and will leave you excited for the day ahead. *wink wink*

P.S.: Did I mention they are packed with healthy fats, contains no refined sugar and will improve your hair, skin, nails, joints and gut all at the same time? All thanks to the COLLAGEN.

... you know I love collagen... you can read more on that here. 

But since this is a Valentine's Day treat I thought I would pack it with a few sexy additions. A little sex dust (totally optional) which is just a natural adaptogen that spikes creativity and energy, and goji berries, which are full of antioxidants and also boost your mood and energy.

Here's the recipe and some links if you want to stock up on some goodies!

S H O P   T H E  P O S T 

Triple Berry Loaf with Berry Glaze

Taking something so simple and making it an elegant piece of art does not need to be reserved for special occasions, or take a lot of effort! Elevating the every day is the exact mantra I try to promote because why not! All you need is little creativity and a few simple garnishes to turn a basic berry loaf into a work of art.


This past weekend we hosted Brandon's family over for a casual dinner. I wanted to make a dessert that was classic yet simple, and berry beautiful to look at (wink, wink)! A few weeks back (you may have seen my Instagram stories), I made a lemon-blueberry loaf and although it was delicious, I knew I could take it up a notch! I wanted it to be fruit-filled and fabulous, so on my second time around I changed up the recipe and opted for a triple berry version of the loaf. 

The loaf batter could not have been easier to put together, just a few simple ingredients like almond flour, coconut flour (yes, it's gluten-free!), and eggs, but the real star of the show was the fruit-filled center that was just oozing with E.D. SMITH jam! Not only did I add fresh berries to the batter, but I layered the jam for a berry delightful treat! The whole loaf took about 10 minutes to throw together. No time at all! One thing I can tell you is DO NOT forgo the glaze. It is insanely delicious! I could have easily eaten it with a spoon (confession—I may have)! Don't have coconut yogurt or almost milk on hand? Use whatever milk/yogurt you have!

Now to make it even more fabulous? Top the loaf with flowers, leftover berries, and almond slices. See how easy elegant can be? Try making this one for your next springtime brunch or get together! It will be one to remember!  





Triple Berry Loaf Ingredients
1 1/3 cups almond flour
1/3 cup coconut flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1/4 cup maple syrup
3/4 cup fresh berries (I used blackberries and blueberries)
1/2 cup E.D. SMITH Triple Fruits Raspberry Strawberry Blackberry Jam

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, line loaf pan with parchment paper and spray paper with non-stick spray or spray coconut oil.
2. Whisk together almond flour, coconut flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
3. In a separate bowl whisk together eggs and maple syrup.
4. Pour dry ingredients into wet ingredients and mix until combined.
5. Fold in berries.
6. Pour half of the batter into parchment lined pan, add large spoonfuls of E.D. SMITH Triple Fruits jam, then layer rest of batter on top of jam.
7. Sprinkle top of bread with a few berries.
8. Bake for 35-40 minutes.

Glaze Ingredients
2 tablespoons almond milk
1 tablespoon Yoso Unsweetened Coconut Yogurt 
2 tablespoons E.D. SMITH Triple Fruits Raspberry Strawberry Blackberry Jam

Directions
1. Whisk together almond milk, coconut yogurt, and jam. If the glaze is too runny, add a touch of flour to thicken.
2. Pour on top of loaf once the loaf has cooled.
3. Place glazed loaf in the fridge to set.

4. Top with leftover berries, or other garnishes such as flowers, sliced almonds.

Do you love it?! How simple was that? If you make it I want to hear all about it! 

*This post was sponsored by E.D. SMITH

Baking the Most out of Galentine's Day with HomeSense

What do you do when it's Super Bowl Sunday and you have no intention of watching the Super Bowl? You invite you best galpal over for a pre-Valentine's Day celebration of course! This Sunday I got together with Eleni, one of my blogger besties, to have a little girl date. We put on our pink sweaters, poured some strawberry drinks, baked some cookies and then went to town decorating them. Our one stop shop for all the essentials to host a cookie decorating get-together? HomeSense of course! Want to host your own little Galentine day date/cookie decorating party with someone special? Here's how to do it:

{all accessories found at HomeSense ranging from $2.99-$24.99}

1. Baked Goods.
Sweet treats and Valentine's Day go hand in hand and there are so many ways to go about this. You can bake in advance to have everything ready to decorate or bake together. It just depends how much time you have. We opted for box mixes from HomeSense because they are super easy to prepare for when you want to focus on each other's company. You guys-- they even have gluten-free options that are the best quality. My favourite part was scoring Sweetapolita sprinkles for $4.99 when they are regular $13.00! The cutest addition to our pink sugar cookies! HomeSense is also great for other gourmet finds... I mean, macarons, gourmet chocolates and meringues for under five dollars! You can't beat it. Baking from scratch? Just pick yourself up a cookbook, pink spatula, cake stand, mixing bowls and you're set!

{cake stand - HomeSense $13.00}

{"Besties" glasses- HomeSense $9.99}

2. More decor.
Yes, this is the time to bring out all the pink, red and fabulous and once I have a theme I really run with it! Obviously, we needed to fill the day with flowers. Roses in every colour, please! We also picked up some adorable Meri-Meri party supplies from HomeSense (for a fraction of the price), and adorable pink plates to serve our goodies on.

{Sweetapolita sprinkles- HomeSense $4.99}

{greeting cards- HomeSense starting at $2.99}

3. Make it special.
My favourite part of Valentine's Day growing up was writing out and handing all my Valentine cards! I just loved going to school (in my pink and red best) and slipping the cards into everyone's handcrafted boxes! I still love writing out cards today. There is just something so special about it. That's why I was SO excited when HomeSense started carrying greeting cards! They are actually so fun and beautifully crafted-- think glitter, catchy sayings and pop up details! And the best part? They start at $2.99! So much cheaper than the regular card stores... Make it special by writing up a card for your pal! Such a sweet touch that they can take home. Fun fact-- Eleni and I got each other the same card! Haha.. great minds, right?!

4. Dress the part.
Pink, pink and more pink please! A true Galentine's Day would not be complete without an extra dose of pink. Obviously, Eleni and I were wearing matching pink sweaters (total coincidence), and then when we scored these adorable pink and white stripe aprons at HomeSense, we were basically twins! I'm serious when I say one-stop-shop! They were $12.00 each which was the icing on the cake! We weren't the only ones who dressed the part. So did the table! An adorable Nicole Miller table runner, and washcloths to soak up all our floury mess!

5. Extra extra!
It's Galentine's Day... the more all out you go, the better! Turn up the music nice and loud, pour yourselves a glass of bubbly (in a cute glass, obvi), and have fun! Doesn't this sound so much better than watching the game on a Sunday? My thoughts exactly!

Thank you guys so much for reading! I hope you get some great ideas for Valentine's Day next week. Whatever your plans may be! Just enjoy the day, and don't forget to celebrate the love you have for yourself first! Make sure you head on over to Eleni's blog, Bijuleni,  to check out more ways to save and indulge this Valentine's Day!

Although this post was sponsored by HomeSense, all opinions are 100% my own. I genuinely love working with HomeSense and sharing my finds with you because I am a regular there! 

All photos by: Krenare Ali 

How to Throw a Thanksgiving Picnic

When you think of Thanksgiving get-togethers usually you think "evening time, indoors". There might be a fire burning and a turkey in the oven. However, Brandon and I will be away for Thanksgiving this year, and rarely do we do things the conventional way. This year with the help of Kelly's Bake Shoppe we decided to have a romantic Thanksgiving themed picnic for two. Who am I kidding... I decided we were having it and he so graciously went along with my idea!

Coconut Water Watermelon Spritzer

Watermelon. The sweetest, most divine creation on planet Earth. Am I right!? So fresh, so summery, so juicy. The minute the weather starts getting warmer I am craving all things watermelon! I probably eat it one way or another every day in the summer. I can't get enough, and why should I? It may be over 90% water, but it's still packed with nutrients! It has more lycopene than tomatoes, which is an essential antioxidant that fights diseases and even prevents cancer. Watermelon is known to reduce soreness, bloating and swelling, and since it's mostly water, it hydrates you to the max! How could you not love it? So, let's make sure you're getting all that lyco (I shorten everything, didn't you know?!), and enjoy the vitamin-packed fruit-- juice it, eat as a snack, add it to your salad-- the possibilities are endless.

When Thirsty Buddha came out wth their Sparkling Coconut Water with Watermelon I knew it would make the perfect electrolyte-packed sip for summer. Coconut water is amazing for hydration, and coconuts protect the heart, fighting disease and inflammation. Try making this easy drink at home for a super simple, refreshing mocktail, or spice it up as a summer cocktail! Perfect for all your summer entertaining needs!

Recipe (makes 2 servings):

Ingredients:
1-2 cups watermelon chunks
4 finger piece of cucumber
1/4 cup mint leaves
juice of 1 lime

1 can of Thirsty Buddha Sparkling Coconut Water with Watermelon

Directions:
1. Place watermelon, cucumber, mint leaves and lime juice in a blender and blend on high until combined.
2. Fill two glasses half way with the watermelon juice.
3. Top off with Thirsty Buddha Sparkling Coconut Water with Watermelon

** If you find your watermelon juice blend too chunky you could always strain it through a cheesecloth.

P.S. How to pick the perfect watermelon

Easy Easter Entertaining

Entertaining and Easter... two of my favourite E's! I love getting together with a few friends over good eats, treats and just celebrating the little things. A little springtime Easter inspired gathering?! Right up my alley! This past weekend I did just that and had a pre-Easter brunch with some of my closest. 

I've said it before, you don't need to go crazy hosting! A few little details are all it takes to put together something special. If you're short on time or want to throw something together last minute I have you covered. Some of my favourite local eateries were so eager to be a part of the brunch and supplied some seriously amazing eats to make the day go off without a hitch! One thing I've come to realize after hosting quite a few affairs is that it's okay to take off some of the pressure and not do everything yourself! I used to let myself get so stressed trying to curate the perfect menu. But, really it's so important to remember why you are having the get together in the first place-- to spend time with those who matter. After the eats were taken care off, I threw in a few little DIY details and the event was complete. It really is that simple! Let's break it down, shall we?!

F O O D

What could be more fitting than pastel coloured eats?! We served up The Burger Pawty's "Dream Burger"-- a delicious chickpea/corn patty sandwiched between perfectly pastel lavender coloured waffles. Add in the cilantro-lime sauce, sprouts and pickled pineapple and you have one seriously tasty slider! The Burger Pawty was founded by Louise Mangalino for her love of burgers, and girl power! She was reviewing burger joints on her blog and was inspired to create something new, fun, and girly around her love of burgers. I can't get over the aesthetic. One look at her Instagram and you'll see why. With names such as The Barbie Burger and The Dream Burger which feature pink and purple waffles as the buns, this is definitely not your run-of-the-mill caterer! Louise even made sure the waffles were gluten-free for me! So accommodating. They cater to all kinds of events. Definitely look her up if you're looking for something totally different and fun (and delicious)!

N I B B L E S

Light bites are a brunch essential and since fruit is the perfect nibbling snack I knew I wanted to serve up all the colours of the fruit rainbow. The Fix + Co is my just my jam. They are my go-to spot for any sort of healthy eats, juices and smoothies. Now that they do platters and catering, life is complete! The ladies put together such an amazing holiday inspired spread for my Christmas gathering, so I knew they would knock it out of the park with this one for spring. We went with a refreshing fruit platter that was also stacked with nuts, dried coconut and fruit, and their amazing cashew nut cheese which was served alongside crackers. Check out this interview I did with Adrianna and Tamara, or their 3 wellness tips to learn just what they are about!

S I P S

This time around I wanted to try something totally unconventional and fun. Enter in the homemade blueberry-blue latte. Pink lattes have become all the rage, so I took the lavender spin on this one to match the waffle bun sliders. I started my muddling some blueberries in a pot on the stove with a touch of maple syrup and water. Using a fresh cold pressed juice from The Fix + Co (I used On The Mend -- a blend of beets, celery, apple, swiss chard, and carrots) I mixed it with fresh blueberry syrup and 1/2 cup of almond milk on the stovetop. I then frothed up some almond milk with the beet juice and topped it off with some edible flowers. A subtly sweet drink and pretty to look at!

T R E A T S

No brunch is ever complete without dessert! Kelly's Bake Shoppe is my go-to spot for all things dessert... always! They do everything to gluten-free, vegan, dairy-free, nut-free perfection (as you've seen here, and here). They come out with seasonal menus and I knew their Easter features would be too good to pass up! They were so kind to give me a sneak peak of their menu before it's release this Easter weekend, and sure enough, everything was divine! We went with the Bugs Bunny cupcake (carrot cake topped with cream cheese buttercream and a toasted coconut birds nest), and the Lemon cupcake (lemon cupcake, filled with lemon sauce and topped with an adorable lemon buttercream chick). Sprinkle donuts and sugar cookies fit in perfectly with the pastel brunch spread. Kelly's cookies are seriously my weakness, I think I ate all of these sprinkled cuties! Owners Kelly and Erinn and two seriously inspiring ladies and their cookbook, 'Made With Love' divulges some of the famous recipes of their bakery and restaurant in Burlington, ON. In light of the book's one year anniversary I'm going to have some exciting news next week, so stay tuned!

D I Y / D E C O R 

I kept the party decorations to a minimum this time around to keep things fresh. A table backdrop doesn't need to be intimidating to make or time consuming! Some fresh flowers, a DIY backdrop, and some floral-crowned eggs adored the tablescape to create a simplistic but playful Easter vibe.

The DIY backdrop was inspired by Tiffany Pratt's latest book 'This Can Be Beautiful' where she has instructions for creating coffee filter rosettes. All you need is some white coffee filters, a little dab of paint and some string to hang! Voila! I scrunched about 3 filters together and twisted the backs of them to keep them bunched. I chose colours like lavender, pink, orange and gold and just went to town painting until I felt they looked pretty. No method at all! I used some raffia and washi tape and got to hanging the rosettes above the tablescape. So easy, but adds such a nice touch! You can also use the filters to wrap the treats/sliders in, use as coasters, or just place around the table! Confession-- the backdrop is still hanging... I just can't take it down yet! Too pretty!

The little white eggs I got from Dollerama, along with the mini rosettes. It took no time at all to glue the roses to the top of the eggs and place them on the table. A few minutes and you have yourself some homemade touches!

Delicious eats, simple sips and a little creativity are all it takes to elevate your get-togethers with friends. Keeping it simple is sometimes best! I hope you found this inspiring enough to throw a little Easter or spring time brunch together for your nearest and dearest! I can't thank The Burger Pawty, The Fix + Co, and Kelly's Bake Shoppe for helping me bring my Easter vision to life! They are seriously some of my favourite local shops to work with for their kindess, generousity and all around amazing eats!