Make These - Banana Oatmeal Breakfast Muffins

(my muffins via instagram @lyndsylee)

 

i absolutely adore our new kitchen (i can't believe it has already been a month), and have been trying to utilize it as often as possible.  trying to eat healthy and deliciously has never been easier thanks to pintrest (not sure why i was so late to joining)! 

 

i saw this picture in my feed a few weeks back... 

 

{via}

 

i immediately told b to keep his mitts off the bananas as i needed them to get good and brown to bake these banana oatmeal breakfast muffins! 

 

added bonus besides looking so tasty...they are gluten-free and perfect healthy morning treats to grab and go.  and did i mention they were oh so moist (yeah, i realize that is a disgusting word, but it is the best way to describe them - please accept my apologies)? 

 

they were a hit with b, me and the gals at work (always good about testing out my goods).  do yourself a favor and make them.  don't even second guess my recommendation, just do it!  your tummy will thank you!

 

ingredients:

*2.5 cups old fashioned oats (i used trader joes gluten free rolled oats)
*1 cup plain low fat greek yogurt
*2 eggs
*1/2 cup honey
*2 tsp baking powder (totally forgot to add this to mine)
*1 tsp baking soda
*2 TBSP ground flax seed (bought seeds from trader joes & ground them myself)
*1 tsp vanilla
*2 ripe bananas (i used 3 - mine were on the smaller side)

*chocolate chips (optional)

 

directions:

 

1. preheat oven to 400 degrees. spray tin with non-stick cooking spray or line 12 muffin tins with silicone or foil liners.

2. place the oats in the food processor and pulse for about 10 seconds. add remaining ingredients to the food processor (i used my blender - worked great).
3. process until everything is mixed together and oats are smooth.
4. divide batter among cupcake liners, and bake for 18-20 minutes (i only cooked mine for 16 minutes), or until toothpick comes out clean.

enjoy!

Make This - Four Ingredient Cookies {psst...they're healthy}

(i pinned the recipe over on my pintrest page - lyndsylee)

 

scrolling through my instagram feed (@lyndsylee) a few weeks ago, i came across this recipe from my girl natalie moser for four ingredient cookies, and those ingredients did not include sugar or flour! 

 

oh so intrigued, i decided to attempt them at home, and must say that these cookies did NOT disappoint.  the hardest part was allowing my bananas (that i was ever so tempted to eat) to ripen to the point of grossness.  once they were there, this recipe is easy as a, b, c!

 

four ingredient cookies

2 overripe bananas

1 cup of rolled oats (i used the gluten free trader joe's brand)

1 tsp of cinnamon

1/2 cup of chocolate chips

*honey if the consistency is a little too think and needs a little help

 

*preheat over to 350 degrees*

step 1: mix bananas with kitchenaid mixer or hand held mixer

step 2: add cinnamon (or honey if needed)

step 3: mix in oats and chocolate chips

step 4: using a tablespoon, scoop and form into a ball and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper

step 5: bake for 13-15 minutes

 

that's it!  so easy, so delicious and they were quite the hit at the office.  they make a great snack, morning, noon or night! 

 

healthy sweet treats never tasted this good!

 

 

Make These - Butterscotch Pudding Double Chip Cookies

 

a few weeks back my work hosted a bake sale for our "light the night walk" in l.a.  we raised over $800 from the bake sale alone and seeing as a few weeks later one of my girlfriends was diagnosed with lymphoma the bake sale meant that much more to me. 

 

the cookies i made for the bake sale were an absolute hit!  i had numerous people email me for the recipe at work and instagram and thought the best place to share it was here on the blog! 

 

these cookies are easy to make, taste incredible and really have a fall attitude to them!  i am sharing the original recipe i found and will note the substitutions i made next to them. 

 

enjoy!

 

Butterscotch Pudding Triple Chip Cookies

fabulous recipe found via two peas and their pod

 

{ingredients}

• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 (3.4 oz) package butterscotch instant pudding mix
• (my store was out of butterscotch instant pudding, i substituted 1 (1 oz) package of sugar free butterscotch instant pudding mix + 1 (3.4 oz) package of vanilla instant pudding mix (less 1.4 oz)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose Gold Medal flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup white chocolate chips
• (i hate white chocolate, so i removed this portion and upped the butterscotch & semi-sweet chips up half a cup each)
• 1 cup butterscotch chips

{directions}

 

• 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat baking mat and set aside.
• 2. Using a mixer, beat together butter and sugars until creamy. Add in butterscotch pudding mix, eggs, and vanilla extract. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, and butterscotch chips.
• 3. Drop cookie dough by rounded tablespoons onto prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, or until slightly golden around the edges and set. Remove cookies from oven and let cool on baking sheet for two minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely.

{a few variations}

 

*surprisingly i think the pudding substitution worked in my favor.  the cookies were sweet without being overly sweet

*parchment paper is key!

*i baked the cookies for 8 minutes and 45 secs and then watched them closely for about another 15-30 seconds.

*after sampling the first batch i realized they would greatly benefit with a dusting of kosher salt before i baked them.  the cookies with salt on them were most definitely the best of the group. 

 

so if you are looking for your next sweet to bring for the fall holidays, go ahead and give this one a try.  i promise it will leave them all raving and craving another one!

Instalife Lately

blogging has been a bit of a difficulty for me lately and i hate it!  i feel like i am constantly writing things down to blog about and then never actually getting to them because of life.  and i realize it is good to live life and not be a slave to the internet, but i miss blogging.  i miss sharing things about me, things that i love and most of all i miss reading things about all of you. 

 

so in an attempt to catch up a little, here's a glimpse into my life these past few months via instagram (@lyndsylee)

 

 

a sleepy w / place setting / wedding debauchery / a lovely gift

 

a day in topanga / products to review (stay tuned!) / sweet little treat / buns all around at the whaler

 

weekends with christy!

pulled out the red lipstick finally / broken glass at brick + mortar / go cougs!

 

harvest celebration in napa / apple cider margarita / scenes from downtown l.a. / best game ever

still loving the accent nail / some tasty tequila with b

 

small wineworld in napa / a fitting sky for a tribute to an incredible guy

holy guacamole late night burrito / uggs are back / cakebread cellars is my favorite

 

i know i have said it before, and i am sure i will say it again, but i am hoping to find some more time to get back to posting and making blogging a bigger priority in my life.  here's hoping y'all are still checking in and reading it! 

 

xoxo

Make This - No Bake Peanut Butter S’mores Squares

{photo by me}

a few weeks back it was b's big dirty thirty b*day.  b and i have a shared love of sweet treats and therefore i went all out on his b*day desserts. 

per his request i made slutty brownies which turned out quite amazing and were definitely a hit at the party.  only problem is they do not photograph well at all, but are so easy to make (and can we just talk about how stinking darling rosie is?) and totally an indulgence everyone will appreciate.

i also made his favorite funfetti cupcakes which were a hit with just about everybody. 

my third dessert were these no bake peanut butter smores squares.  i'd be lying if i told you i made them for brandon.  nope.  these puppies were my treat to myself for b*day planning and also a dream since the oven is not required!  these bars were had everyone at the party asking me what they were and going in for seconds.  it helped that the birthday boy enjoyed them as well! 

the recipe makes a lot and i was able to bring the remaining treats to work for a wedding shower the next day and again, they were quite a hit. 

if you are looking for a no brainer, wow them at your next summer bbq dessert - look no further!  these treats will make you the most popular guest around!