This blog has moved to a new domain! I’d love to see you there 🙂
❤
Shannon
Peppermint Mocha – Starbucks Copycat Recipe!
Well…it’s 70 degrees today, but the cold weather is coming! It’s been a bit of a roller coaster weather wise and we have very cold days in the forecast. Time for hot drinks and a cozy house. And, maybe some decorating?
Today I’m at our real estate office closing out our books for the month, every once and a while checking the webcam in Old Forge, NY where we have a cabin, to see the winter wonderland of snow and ice blanketing this adorable mountain town. Wish we could be there! See for yourself HERE
Tomorrow we are going to the Christmas parade in our new town with the kids. They have never really seen a parade – but I think they will have fun (with the exception of Robbie, my spectrum kid, inevitably covering his ears when it gets loud).
So, unless you live under a rock, I’m sure you’ve seen that a popular coffee chain has a “holiday menu” out right now. The drinks look absolutely delicious! Cozy and sweet with whipped cream and fancy sprinkles on top. They are a sweet treat! But also, they are just inundated with sugar <insert sad face here>
In fact, if you look at the nutrition facts on their website you can clearly see that a Grande (medium) Peppermint Mocha has 54 grams of sugar! That’s almost twice the amount of daily sugar recommended by the American Hear Association in one drink!
The word sugar is listed several times in the ingredient list, along with other preservatives and emulsifiers. I wanted to create a junk-free, and very low-sugar recipe that’s delicious and healthy.
You can easily make a really delicious copycat version of the Peppermint Mocha at home and my recipe as less that 1 gram of sugar (or ZERO grams if you leave out the whipped cream). It also contains cacao powder which has beneficial antioxidants.
You can upgrade this drink with a teaspoon of MCT oil and/or a teaspoon of grass-feed ghee to get brain and energy boosting effects – great for a breakfast on the go!
If you aren’t used to stevia or other zero-calorie natural sweeteners, they may take some getting used to. But when you do, it’s a good switch!
Here’s how you make it:
Peppermint Mocha (Copycat Recipe)
Ingredients:
- 4 oz brewed espresso or coffee
- 8 oz unsweetened almond milk
- 1-2 drops Peppermint vitality essential oil OR 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
- 1 heaping teaspoon of cocoa powder or cacao
- 8-10 drops organic Stevia (or to taste)
- Canned whipped cream (Redi-whip dairy-free version)
- Optional -Chopped chocolate for topping (I used Lily’s stevia sweetened)
Pour brewed coffee/espresso into your favorite mug.
With a frother or wisk heat and mix the almond milk, stevia, cocoa and peppermint until hot and frothy. Pour over coffee and add whipped cream and chocolate topping if you wish.
Enjoy!
❤
Shannon
Sausage and Gorgonzola Stuffed Mushrooms
I think mushrooms are one of those like it or hate it type foods. I love mushrooms, but some people swear they hate them – and I always wonder, maybe they just haven’t had them cooked the right way!
Mushrooms can be slimy if waterlogged. They can be bland if not seasoned. If you’ve only ever had white mushroom slices on a pizza, and that’s your whole idea of mushrooms, well you might be missing out!
First of all, decide what kind of mushrooms you want to cook. White button mushrooms can be great in so many dishes. They are great just sauteed in butter with salt and pepper. Crimini mushrooms (also known as “baby bellas”) are similar in size with a more complex flavor and are great in many recipes (mushroom bisque, for example). Portobellos make a great backdrop for anyone wanting to sub for a bun or crust or a vegetarian subbing for a burger patty.
There are many other varieties of mushrooms that are fantastic. Have you ever had a Porcini rub on a steak? Yumm!
Mushrooms are a great addition to any diet or way of eating. They are low-carb, low-fat and are rich in B-vitamins, antioxidants like selenium, and a good source of vitamin-D.
Mushrooms should be cleaned properly. Never rinse mushrooms with water. Instead, use a damp paper towel to wipe any dirt off them.
This recipe is a great mix of textures a
nd rich flavors. Gorgonzola is such a flavorful cheese, especially when cooked. And the cream cheese gives it a great texture and a little tang. I can be served as a side dish or main course. I would personally serve this with a salad and green veggie.
I love cooking this dish in my Traeger because the smoke really adds another level to the flavor profile. But the oven is great, too!
It’s a very keto-friendly dish, as well! I hope you enjoy this recipe!
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Creamy Sausage and Gorgonzola Stuffed Mushrooms
Ingredients:
- 16-20 large Crimini mushrooms
- 1 lb ground sausage (breakfast or Italian)
- 4-6 oz pancetta or chopped bacon
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- cooking spray or melted butter
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 4 oz Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
- 1 tsp cream or milk
Remove stems from mushrooms and set upside down in a 9×13 casserole dish. Spray with your favorite cooking spray or brush with melted butter. Flip them over and repeat with spray/butter on the tops.
Bake in oven or Traeger/pellet grill at 325º for 15-20 minutes or until the mushrooms have softened.
Cook pancetta/bacon over medium heat in large skillet until moderately crisp. Add sausage and brown/crumble. Transfer to large bowl. Add the cream cheese, gorgonzola, garlic powder, pepper, and cream or milk and mix well.
Add one heaping spoonful of the mixture to each mushroom cap and press down gently. Return to oven/grill for 20-25 minutes until fully cooked and beginning to brown on top.
Enjoy!
❤
Shannon
Cheesy Chicken Potato Chowder
Well, October is officially flying by. In 8 days my littlest girl is going to turn 2! I can hardly believe it and I have to admit, I feel a little sad as I make plans to bring the high chair up to the attic for (maybe) the last time.
We got away to the beach for a weekend and had a great time! We were sad to leave, but came back just in time for the fall weather to arrive. And it’s been GREAT! Lots of deck time, lots of cozy comfort foods.
We got back late Saturday night from a BBQ contest (2 calls, woot!) and I knew that dinner on Sunday would need to be simple and tasty. For this recipe, I literally chopped some stuff and then threw it all in a pot. Well, okay, it wasn’t that simple, but it really was pretty easy!
This chowder recipe is such a great fall soup, and it makes a large batch that you can eat for days or freeze to reheat later. It’s kind of a variation on my Ultimate White Chicken Chili and also a spoof on Ree Drummond’s Corn & Cheese Chowder which is SO TASTY!
This is a good recipe to make on a Saturday or Sunday and let it simmer all afternoon. Or make the day before (because soup ALWAYS tastes even better the second day!).
Cream cheese added at the end is what makes this good soup GREAT. Top each bowl with a dollop of sour cream and some shredded cheese.
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Cheesy Chicken and Potato Chowder
Ingredients:
- 1 each yellow, red, and orange bell pepper, finely chopped
- 2 small or 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 oz pancetta or bacon (finely chopped)
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp salt, 1 tsp ground black pepper, and 1 tbsp dried thyme
- 1/3 cup gluten-free flour mix of choice OR einkorn flour
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 6 cups plus 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 4 oz cream cheese
- 1 cup shredded cheese such as Monterrey Jack
- 2 +/- lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs, plus salt, pepper and garlic powder
- 3 lbs yukon gold potatoes
- salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Chop potatoes into 1/2 in cubes. Boil in a small pot until they begin to soften. Drain and set aside. Preheat oven to 350º. Season chicken thighs with salt, pepper and garlic powder on both sides and bake for 30-35 minutes OR until cooked through. Cool then chop into 1/2 inch cubes. Set aside.
In a large pot over medium heat cook the bacon/pancetta until it starts to get crispy. Ad 2 tbsp butter and then the garlic. Stir for 30 seconds then add the peppers and onions. Add salt, pepper, and thyme. Cook until onions become translucent and soften.
Add flour and mix well to make sure peppers and onions are coated. Pour in white wine and mix. Pour in 6 cups broth and mix. Add chicken and potatoes. Mix and set over medium low heat to simmer for about 30 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent burning on the bottom.
In a bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the cream cheese until frothy. Drizzle in 1/2 cup of broth and then mix until you get a smooth liquid. Add mixture into the soup pot.
Sprinkle in shredded cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste. Let simmer over low for as long as you like. The longer the better. And, it’s even better reheated the next day!
Enjoy!
❤
Shannon
Frosted Banana Bread Bars
Do you ever have bananas sitting out that are just begging to be baked into something? Like, the little brown spots are calling out to you…. “muffins! banana bread!”. Well, they do to me, anyway.
I saw this recipe posted on Instagram the other day and had some very vocal bananas and a little extra time on Sunday so I decided to try it out. This is my variation, because we wanted to make it gluten-free. I also try to keep the sugar content low so we don’t end up with 3 crazy monkeys terrorizing the house. But, seriously, the original website stands up so well on it’s own and the recipe creator’s website is awesome, lots of great stuff!
We do use Swerve (Erithrytol) in a lot of our baking which is a great alternative to sugar. It’s available from Thrive Market and most health food stores.
They were a really delicious dessert! And truthfully, we had some with our breakfast the next day, too. Yummm.
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Frosted Banana Bread Bars*
Ingredients:
- 4 overripe bananas, mashed
- 1/2 cup softened butter
- 1/2 cup Swerve sugar alternative OR coconut sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 1/2 cups einkorn flour or gluten-free flour mix
- 1 cup quick oats
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 375º. Great a 9×13 pan (I like Carrington Farms Ghee Spray from Thrive Market)**
Mix dry ingredients together an set aside.
Cream butter and sugar together with an electric mixer. Add bananas, eggs, sour cream and vanilla and mix well.
Slowly add in dry ingredient and mix until well incorporated without over-mixing.
Bake for about 25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
Let cool, frost, and enjoy!
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For the frosting:
Ingredients:
- 4 oz. cream cheese
- 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup Swerve powdered sugar alternative or powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
Beat the cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the Swerve/sugar and vanilla and mix well. Add the cream and beat until stiff peaks form.
*This recipe is adapted from another AWESOME recipe. The original recipe can be found RIGHT HERE.
**This post contains affiliate links.
Enjoy!
❤
Shannon
Family Wellness Journal 