Salted Caramel Apple Almond Bars + Almond Pesto

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It’s literally NOVEMBER 10.

November 10?! How did time FLY past this year? So quickly, so steadily. And here we are, marching towards Thanksgiving.

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Since I know all of you most likely have food on the brain, these next couple weeks we will be highlighting recipes- and ingredients- that I think would be a FAB fit for your Thanksgiving table.

This week, we are all about some almonds! Almonds are not only full of healthy fats, protein, and magnesium, they are a super tasty way to add both a sweet and savory element to your Thanksgiving meal planning.

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On the sweet side, these salted caramel almond bars are perfect for a pre-meal snack, or post-Thanksgiving dessert. They are perfect for everyone from your little one to your oldest guest in attendance. And, you can even crumble them up and use them atop roasted apples or creamy ice cream.

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And for your savory needs, this sun dried tomato almond pesto was SO addictive that both Jake and I could not. stop. eating. it. And not only does it work for spaghetti squash, it’s a perfect add-in for a pasta salad or used as a sauce for a leftover turkey pizza.

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So, my lovelies. Here’s to a month full of JOY, celebration, and all the fun and fabulous recipes that will make your holiday table special.  And as always, we are so grateful to partner with Birmingham magazine on these recipes.

Happy Friday!

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Salted Caramel Almond Bars
These no-bake, easy-to-assemble oat bars are packed with healthy ingredients, and the addition of salted caramel sauce adds a buttery, sweet richness just decadent enough for even the pickiest eater. A surprise hint of cardamom will leave your friends and family guessing the secret ingredient–and wanting another bar!
Yield: 9 bars

What You Will Need:

  • 1 cup dried apple chips, chopped
  • 1/2 cup sliced almonds
  • 1/2 cup store-bought salted caramel sauce
  • 2/3 cup old fashioned oats
  • 2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon cardamom
  • 1/2 cup toasted coconut chips, caramel sea salt flavor
  • 2 tablespoons chia seeds
  • 1/4 cup roasted, salted, seeded sunflower seeds
  • 1/4 cup dried cranberries
  • Flaky sea salt, for topping

What You Will Do:

  1. Grease an 8-by-8-inch baking dish and spray a rubber spatula with cooking spray.
  2. Use greased rubber spatula to stir all ingredients (except sea salt) together in large bowl. Once the mixture comes together, is easy to stir, and all ingredients are fully covered in caramel, it’s ready to spread. Top with flaky sea salt.
  3. Spread oat mix into greased dish. Spray hands with cooking spray and press mixture into pan until even. Cover and put in fridge for at least 1 hour to set.
  4. Cut into nine bars using a sharp-tipped knife and enjoy. Drizzle with even more caramel sauce and sea salt if you are feeling adventurous!

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Sun-dried Tomato Almond Pesto with Spaghetti Squash and Goat Cheese

This pesto highlights the robust flavor of almonds by pairing them with zesty sun-dried tomatoes and creamy goat cheese. Combining the pesto with spaghetti squash creates a low-carb, filling option for vegetarians and carnivores alike. Pair the pasta with a green salad, and call it a meal!

Yield: 4 servings

What You Will Need:

  • 1 large spaghetti squash, halved and seeds removed with a spoon
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus 1 teaspoon olive oil, divided
  • 5.5 ounces julienned sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and oil reserved
  • 1/4 cup roasted and unsalted almonds, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, skins removed and crushed
  • 3/4 cup fresh basil leaves, packed
  • 2 ounces goat cheese
  • 1 tablespoon, plus 1 teaspoon reserved oil from tomatoes
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
  • Ground black pepper, to taste
  • 2 ounces herbed goat cheese, for topping
  • Fresh parsley, for topping

What You Will Do:

  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees and spray baking sheet with cooking spray.
  2. Drizzle spaghetti squash with 1 teaspoon olive oil. Place cut side down on baking sheet. Bake at 450 degrees for 45 minutes; let squash cool for at least 10 minutes.
  3. While the spaghetti squash is roasting, assemble pesto. Put tomatoes, almonds, garlic, basil, regular goat cheese, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and reserved oil from tomatoes into the bowl of a food processor.
  4. Chop in processor until almonds are blended to a fine grind and mixture comes together into a thick paste.
  5. When spaghetti squash is done, shred into strips with a fork. Transfer “noodles” to a large bowl.
  6. Stir in fresh pesto and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if desired. Put mixture back into spaghetti squash shells.
  7. Turn oven to high broil.
  8. Top squash with 2 ounces herbed goat cheese. Broil for 3-4 minutes, or until cheese turns a bit golden on the edges. Garnish with parsley and serve immediately.

Brownie Recipe Round-up + 5 Fridge Must-Haves!

Brownie Prep!
Brownie shot from Food Faith Fitness blog!

Lovelies!

Today is a fantastic day. You know why? Because, BROWNIE RECIPES! As you know, I share a deep, deep love for brownies, wish they were a part of the food pyramid (*awkward! I realized this no longer exists, hah, as you can see in my Luv Cooks video for the week) and I have a unique ability (some say it could be considered an athletic ability) to relentlessly daydream about recipes. Caramel, pecan, peanut butter, spicy chili, coconut, dark chocolate, cookie dough- name the add-in, I’ll eat it. Well, unless it contains cricket flour. But that’s for a whole other discussion.

Rest assured that none of this week’s recipes involve cricket flour-and oh my geez MY STOMACH IS GROWLING thinking about these!!

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  1. Coconut Almond Skillet Paleo Brownies– WHAT?!! Do you SEE these photos? I am seriously going to make a surface like that as soon as I can. Stunning! And how cute is Taylor?!

Bailey's Brownies

2. Bailey’s Brownies– I am a sucker for Bailey’s, and that cream layer on the top?! Dreamy! This recipe and photo from Spend with Pennies looks delicious!

Brownies 2!

3. Yammie’s Flourless Crunch Marshmallow Brownies I was literally so excited about these brownies that I clicked to open them three times from Pinterest. They have: peanut butter, Rice Krispies, chocolate, marshmallows, more marshmallows…

Salted Caramel Brownies!

4. Salted Caramel Brownies– My mouth is now watering. Something Swanky is the cutest site! Full of so much color, fun, and mad dessert love. My kind of gal!

Tiramasu Brownies!

5. Tiramisu Brownies: You had me at COFFEE BROWNIES! These photos and recipe by Broma Bakery are so beautiful, so lovely, and so perfect for breakfast. And dessert. And a snack. And really anytime you feel you need a tiramisu brownie.

Also this week- The 5 Things I Keep in My Fridge!! Because who doesn’t like to spy in other people’s refrigerators? **

**Note: Cleary there is often MORE than five things in my fridge. Especially if I am prepping for a food shoot (normally I am banging my head against a shelf in my freezer during that time; Lord send us a double fridge!).  But on a weekly basis, Jake and I have developed some staples that keep us going and on a (somewhat) healthy track. After all, what is a routine if you don’t have easy access to coffee bombs?:)

So, here’s our list in a non-video form:

Fruit is a fridge staple!
Fruit is a fridge staple!
  1. Almond milk: I love unsweetened vanilla almond milk! I drink it all the time with cookies; add it to my cereal, and smoothies, and to powdered peanut butter. I also sometimes substitute the unsweetened original flavor for dairy in soups! It’s a good swap if you need it. We buy ours in the three-pack from Costco.
  2. Yogurt: Whole milk, plain yogurt has become a fridge staple for us. I love Stonyfield Organic whole milk yogurt and my current FAVE thing to do with yogurt is stir in some powdered or regular peanut butter, cocoa powder, a bit of stevia and cinnamon, and voila! It’s like a pseudo peanut butter cup.
  3. Green apples: Green apples cold from the fridge are the best! I chop them up, toss them with cinnamon, add them to oatmeal, dip them in peanut butter- lots of fiber and possibilities there.
  4. Eggs: We also get a 24 count flat of these from Costco! My favorite use is to soft-boil them. Just lower eggs into boiling water, cover, and then take your pot off the heat for about 8 minutes. Rinse the eggs under cold running water and peel. The centers are beautifully runny and fabulous on toast and in broth or with Asian food.New-Year-Smoothies-063

5. Coffee bombs: Y’all know how passionate I am about Ladybird Provisions and their coffee bombs. They are a part of my coffee routine on the daily and I try to always have stacks of them in the fridge! The smoothie above was made with a coffee bomb in it:)

Happy weekend everyone! May your tummies, and fridges, stay full!