Category Archives: Going Healthy

Healthy Single Serving NuttZo Oatmeal Cake Recipe

11/21/2015 R.C. Liley 2 Comments

It’s pretty clear that the Going Family loves both NuttZo and Oatmeal, so it only makes sense to combine the two into a healthy, tasty and transportable treat. I’m not trying to win any creativity awards here, just make something the whole family will love and won’t take forever to put together.

And that’s just what I did. Voila!

The unfrosted version is better for transporting. Trust me.

Nothing fancy, but damned delicious. If you’re enjoying at home, why not put some healthy Greek yogurt frosting on that NuttZo-atmeal cake?

Need a better view?

Oatmeal Cake with Yogurt Frosting 2 — Topped with cinnamon and looking lovely. Make it go away…….via eating

I wanted a recipe for a super peanut buttery and healthy oatmeal cake, and am very pleased with the end result….so are Kelley and Avery!

NuttZo Oatmeal Cake

Ingredients

– 1/2 cup rolled oats

– 1 T melted NuttZo

– 1/4 tsp baking powder

– 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

– 1/2 tsp cinnamon

– 2 packets or 1 T stevia powder, 8 – 12 drops liquid stevia, or, if you want to use sugar, 1 – 2 tablespoons honey or brown sugar

– 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce, pumpkin puree, or mashed banana (Plain yogurt works well too)

– 1/4 cup unsweetened almond or other milk of choice

– Small dash of salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Mix all ingredients together until well incorporated. Let sit 5 – 10 minutes to allow oats to absorb liquid

Pour into one of the muffin molds in a muffin tin, 1-cup ramekin (or use a glass baking dish like I used), or just spread flat on a baking sheet for a crunchy treat. Make sure you use non-stick bake ware, spread coconut oil, or non-stick spray before pouring batter into device of choice.

Cook for 25 – 30 minutes; the top should have a nice light brown and the whole cake will feel firm. You can set your oven to broil and let cook about 3 – 4 minutes for a crispier crust; reduce baking time by 5 minutes if you do this.

Allow to cool for 10 minutes before removing.

For a quicker version, use a microwave-safe container and microwave mixture for 5 minutes.

What happens when you let your wife/kid try a "bite" — What happens when you let your wife/kid try a “bite”

This cake is bliss on its own, but try smearing more NuttZo or nut butter of choice on top for extra nuttiness! Or, get a little more creative with a banana and peanut butter mashed together and smeared on top.

Try your favorite spread and let me know what you come up with. Have fun with the flavors and making this cake.

What? You want to try the Greek Yogurt Icing? Ok, it’s extremely easy; just like this recipe…..

Greek Yogurt Icing

Mix 2 cups plain Greek Yogurt (non, low, or full fat will work) with one of the following to suit your preferences:

– 1/2 cup melted NuttZo, other nut butter, or peanut flour for peanut butter icing

– 1/2 cup vanilla protein powder (preferably organic and sweetened with stevia) and 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

– 1/2 cup chocolate protein powder (preferably organic and sweetened with stevia), 2 tsp cacao powder, and 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

– 1 very ripe mashed banana and 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

– 1/2 cup pumpkin puree, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ginger and nutmeg, and 1/4 tsp cloves

I love the single serving recipes, but just double, triple, or quadruple the measurements to make more. This would be a perfect Thanksgiving breakfast you make in a hurry since we all know the rest of the day can get hectic fast! Try making the entire mix the night before so you can cook first thing in the morning.

Food, Going Healthy

Coconut Carrot Cream Soda Zevia Pudding Recipe

09/22/2015 R.C. Liley 2 Comments

Are you looking to add something new, exciting, and different to your list of healthy treats? With the help of my favorite (and only one I drink) soda brand, Zevia, I have just the recipe for you. If you think making pudding with soda sounds impossible, prepare to be amazed.

Maybe amazed is a bit extreme, but either way, this pudding is delicious (confirmed by Avery), and healthy enough to eat for breakfast.

I’m proud (and lucky) to team with Zevia to help spread the word about their #ClearlyDifferent campaign to let the world know they are now Non-GMO Project Verified and color-free. That’s on top of being zero calorie, sugar-free, and having no artificial anything! I wrote a post about this a few months ago if you’d like to read more.

Want to give up your beloved sugar-laden soda in place of healthy alternative like Zevia but fear having withdrawals from a certain flavor? Never fear, Zevia has 15 flavors all rocking the healthy specs mentioned above. Seriously, making the healthy switch should be no problem. Here, let Avery help you out….

If you’re still confused, she can help again. Just follow her lead and put it to your lips to take a drink. The following burst of healthy deliciousness will take care of the rest. Since her first taste of #TheNewSweet of Zevia, she’s all smiles every time I bust one out.

But hold on just a minute. Technically, you don’t have to drink Zevia, they have plenty of recipes to prove it. And today, I’m adding one more to the mix. It’s one I have never seen anywhere else and am totally happy with how it turned out. I used Cream Soda Zevia to create a creamy vanilla pudding with a healthy dose of carrots and coconut.

You might think it’s difficult to make, but on the contrary; the only hard part is waiting for it to chill. Which, trust me, really is hard!

Coconut Carrot Cream Soda Zevia Pudding

by RC Liley

Prep Time: 10 min

Ingredients (Approx. 32 Ounces)

1 ½ cups steamed carrots (about a 1 lb bag of baby carrots)
¼ cup cold water
1.5 Tbsp. Great Lakes Grass-Fed Gelatin
1 Can Zevia Cream Soda
¼ cup shredded unsweetened coconut
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon cinnamon
Dash of sea salt
Optional: 5 – 10 drops pure liquid vanilla stevia for extra vanilla sweetness

Instructions

1. With carrots still hot from being steamed, add all ingredients to blender or food processor and blend until carrots are pureed

2. Dissolve gelatin in the cold water

3. With blender/processor running on low, pour in the gelatin and turn up the speed to completely mix it in.

4. Pour into heatproof container and chill in fridge at least 6 hours, preferable overnight.

5. The pudding should be solid, like jello, after sitting. You can eat it like this or use electric or hand beaters to whip it into more of a pudding consistency.

6. Top with extra cinnamon and enjoy your healthy, dairy-free, egg-free, and delicious vanilla pudding!

*Alternatively, you could use a 15 oz can of pumpkin puree, just make sure to heat it before putting in blender so the gelatin will bind once added.

Now, go grab a six-pack or two (or three or four) of Zevia and try this recipe along with several others. Don’t forget to simply drink and enjoy too. While you’re savoring your soda, share a pic of you enjoying Zevia, share it by tagging them on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram with hashtag #ClearlyDifferent. If they share your pic, they’ll, as they say, thank you with a soda high 5!

Please let me know how it turns out if you try the recipe, and remember to share it with your little ones. Also, make sure you have extra Zevia to drink while cooking!

Note Avery’s bottle with the #ClearlyDifferent soda that’s free of color!

Food, Going Healthy, Life, NuttZo, Parenting, WIAW

What My Toddler Eats In A Day 2 + WIAW

09/16/2015 R.C. Liley 1 Comment

I enjoyed the first What My Toddler Eats In A Day edition of What I Ate Wednesday so much, I thought I’d do it again. Since we don’t make special “kid menu” food, it’s basically what I ate too.

Not much else to say today, so I’ll get right to it. Hope you enjoy and have a happy hump day! Big thanks to the host for this week’s WIAW!

Breakfast – We started with the usual morning green smoothie, or most of it, followed by a giant bowl of chocolate pumpkin oatmeal with NuttZo mixed in and a big spoonful on top.

If you think that looks like a lot, that’s because it is, but Avery can freakin’ eat! Guess I’ll take it as a compliment to my cooking…..or NuttZo is just that awesome, which it is.

Snack – I had a pear from our CSA delivery that I was going to use for our green smoothie later, but figured I’d give her a few bites. It was her first time to try and she gave the sign for more in sign language, so it won’t be her last.

She also had a whole sardine fillet from Wild Planet with zero fuss!

I expected at least a head shake, but she ate it and followed up with “That’s good!” #ProudParents

Lunch – Black bean and coconut quinoa balls.

Okay, so I’ll put my foot in my mouth since I just said we don’t do kid menu food, but I’m only half guilty. It’s still the same food, but they formed into balls so easily and made it 100 times easier to feed the crazy toddler we call daughter.

After Nap Snack Attack – There was a little oatmeal leftover from the morning, so I saved it (so close to just eating it myself!) knowing she’d want something later.

Extra NuttZo on top and she had an awesome snack to fuel a little outside playtime.

Throwing balls like a boss. Then I “threw” her a few times for fun flipping action.

Only a few, we didn’t want to lose what she just had for a snack!

Dinner – Black bean spaghetti with homemade salmon salad with mustard, zucchini, and tomatoes on top. The black bean pasta may not look all fabulous….

….but I think it makes a great cold “pasta” dish (I love cold noodles!), and it complimented the salmon salad perfectly.

Avery and I both enjoyed the dish, but the black noodles just weren’t doing it for Going Mom. So that one’s off the list for things to make my wife. Good thing it makes our little one happy since the extra I made will be her lunch!

She’s still surprising us with the good food she’ll eat, and we’re still hoping she keeps it up. Then again, it should come as no surprise since we simply keep the junk out. Half the picky eater problems I hear about can easily be solved it they were given fresh, whole foods from the start. But that’s a whole other ~~blog post~~ novel.

Do you love hot or cold noodles the best? Plain or with something mixed in?

Sardine lover or hater?