Pupcakes!

I have no shame in admitting that my pups are my BABIES and I LOVE to spoil them rotten! They keep me company when my boyfriend is away, they make me smile no matter what's going on, they listen without judgement... what more could I ask for! :)  They are the best companions and deserve every ounce of attention they get!

Berklee Lou Lou, Zeketer Boy & Brute Man

Well, today is my baby girl, Berklee's, 5th birthday!  I can't believe she's 5 years old already!! It seems like just yesterday I was picking her up, just a little puppy made up of fur, skin & bones, from the animal shelter. She was scared to even step out of her kennel, definitely the runt of all of her brothers and sisters.  Today she's my best friend. <3 <3

Baby Berklee ... Oh I miss these puppy days.  Always a baby in my eyes!

SO, to celebrate Berklee's birthday we made a special trip to the pet store, picked out a crinkly pink flamingo AND I baked PUPCAKES for her and her two brothers!!

The pups loved the PUPCAKES!  Brute and Zeke devoured them in ONE bite, Berklee was a lady so I had to break hers into little pieces before she would eat it!  :)

Your puppers will love you for making them this yummy treat!!  Simple, easy, healthy & delicious treat for your fur-babies! <3

Ingredients:
1 egg
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup cooking oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup honey (optional)
1 cup shredded carrots
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
Additional peanut butter & carrots for cupcake topping (Milkbone treats are an added bonus!)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 6 cup cupcake pan.
2. Combine the egg, peanut butter, oil, vanilla & honey, if desired, in a large bowl; blend well.  Stir in the carrots & mix thoroughly.  Sift together the flour & baking soda & fold into the carrot mixture.  Spoon cake batter into prepared pan.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes.  Let cake cool in pan for 10 minutes; then turn onto a wire rack to cool completely.
4. Spread extra peanut butter on top & sprinkle with grated carrots.  Top with Milkbone treat.

<3 <3 Happy Pups <3 <3

Mini Mushroom Pizzas!

I loveeeee this healthified version of pizza, instead of a CARB-LOADED crust use a Portobello mushroom cap!! (or two stacked on top of each other! They flatten a LOT as they cook!!)  This is SO good!!! Low calorie, low fat & filling... you can add any veggies to the top that you'd like!! (Green peppers are my fave!)

It's really really simple to do too!  Here are the DEETS!  

Ingredients:

5 large portobello mushroom caps

2 tbsp olive oil

Turkey Pepperoni

Shredded mozzarella cheese

Marinara sauce 

Basil or veggies of your choice

Instructions:

 Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Remove ribs of mushrooms.

Place on baking sheet (top down) & bake for 5 minutes in oven. Brush with olive oil (optional). 

Remove from the oven & add your toppings.

4. Bake for an additional 10-20 mins, depending on the thickness of your mushrooms.

There you have it, guilt free pizza! 

A Recipe Share for Saturday - Zucchini Pasta with Avocado Pesto

~~ * Zucchini Pasta with Avocado Pesto * ~~

Making noodles from raw zucchini sounds weird, until you try it. The noodles are light, delicious, super-healthy, and perfect for warm summer afternoons. Toss with a fresh basil & avocado pesto, and throw in some chickpeas and sun-dried tomatoes for a truly mind-blowing meal that takes you less than 15 minutes to prep!

Ingredients:
3 medium zucchini
2 cups fresh basil leaves
1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
1 small avocado
2 cloves garlic
1 lemon (juice + zest)
Sea salt to taste
1 can (16 oz) chickpeas
Sun-dried tomatoes to garnish
(Makes 4 Servings)

Step One – The Zucchini Noodles
Slice off the top and bottom of the zucchini. Then, using julienne peeler (OR LOOK FOR THE VEGGETTI - I'll include the link to where you can purchase it below), slice into thin pasta-like strips and set aside. Note: Julienne Peeler looks like a potato peeler- but with two blades, one straight-edge and one saw-tooth blade. It slices the veggie off in thin strips (looks super fancy lol)

Step Two – The Pesto
In a food processor, combine the basil, pine nuts, avocado, garlic, lemon juice and sea salt. Process until smooth, then taste and adjust any ingredients as necessary. Pesto comes out differently every time, and mine always needs adjustments – don’t be afraid to throw in more basil, garlic, or salt. You can even add a little water if the sauce is too thick.

Step Three – Toss
Add the zucchini noodles to a bowl and toss with the pesto. Then, add in the chickpeas and sun-dried tomatoes and toss again. Transfer to serving plates and garnish each plate with a sprig of basil.

ENJOY!!

Veggetti link: Veggitti Spiralizer