Valentines Day Cooking Class

Protein Balls

At my January cooking class I thought I would teach one of my favorite healthy go-to snacks.  These Protein Balls are FULL of flavor and nutrients.  They are a great thing to grab on your way to and from working out, and whenever you need a little snack.  Plus my kids love them!  If you call them a cookie, they will eat anything... right?!

Protein Balls

½ cup honey

½ cup agave

1 ½ cups peanut butter

3 cups oats

1 cup brown flax seeds

½ cup sesame seeds

½ cup shredded unsweetened coconut

½ cup diced almonds

½ cup pumpkin seeds

½ cup vanilla protein powder

½ cup mini chocolate chips

Mix the peanut butter and honey first until it is smooth.  Then slowly add the dry ingredients.  Mix the protein powder last, it helps to bind everything together.

Form them into balls the size of a golf balls and let them refrigerate overnight.  Store in an airtight container in fridge for up to two weeks.

September's Cooking Class

September's Class will be a

Fall Cooking and Baking Class

Menu

Sweet Potato Stew

(This is so amazing!)

Peach Pie

Classes will be held Tuesday September 16th and Thursday the 18th at 6:30.  Please email me for a reservation, or for any questions.

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

I love to make yummy things with zucchini when my garden is overflowing with them.  But I get a little bored with the old fashioned zucchini bread.  This is so moist and dense, not to mention Chocolate!! It doesn't get better than that.

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

2 cups Flour

2 tsp cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 c plus 2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 cup canola oil

1 cup sugar

3 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

1/2 plain greek yogurt

3 cups shredded zucchini

3/4 cup mini chocolate chips

Topping:

2 Tbsp brown sugar

2 Tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray two 8 or 9 inch bread pans and set aside.

2.  Mix topping ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

3.  Place flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder in a small bowl and whisk to combine.  Set aside.

4. With a stand or hand mixer beat oil, sugar, brown sugar, and eggs until combined and slightly fluffy.

5.  Add vanilla and yogurt and mix until combined.  Gently stir in the zucchini.  Take a spoonful of the flour mixture and stir in with the chocolate chips (that will help them to be evenly distributed.)  If you only have regular chocolate chips, chop them up to be about the size of mini chocolate chips.  Stir remaining flour mixture into batter and mix just until combined.  Add chocolate chips and stir to combine.

6.  Divide the batter between the two pans and sprinkle topping over each.

7.  Bake for 45-55 minutes.  Set your timer for 45, then keep a close eye if they need more time.  When they're done a toothpick or skewer should come out clean without any goopy batter on it.  The tops will be cracked with sugar.  Remove them from the oven and let them cool on a wire rack for 5-10 min and then remove from pans.  Then slice some up while it is still warm and Enjoy!

Introducing Monthly Cooking Classes

I was deathly afraid of teaching classes in front of lots of people, but the last little while I have had so many people ask me to teach them how to cook.  So I have started to teach a monthly class where I go over some basics, and tell some of my tricks of the trade.  They have ended up being such fun nights, I look forward to the next one the night I finish the class.  I really put in a lot of effort picking out the perfect menu for beginners, or that people who cook a lot would enjoy making. I have really begun to love teaching these classes and would love to have new excited guests to come and join us.  

The first month I taught:

 Whole Roasted Chicken and Vegetables

with my amazing Lemon Crumb Bars

Last month I taught:

Mango Avocado Bruschetta

Summer Berry Salad with a Lemon Vinaigrette

 Grilled Italian Pizza

And Grilled Veggie Pizza

This months class will be:

To die for Artisan Bread 

(everyone will be making their own and taking one home to bake the next day)

and a Late Summer Vegetable Soup

The classes will be held this month August 12th, and 26th

*If you are interested in attending a class, or hosting one of your own please contact me!

kellymheinz@gmail.com

Tropical Tacos with Jicima Slaw

This is the 2nd day of my Whole30 diet.  I decided to make great dinners every night so we had something to look forward to.  I am happy to say that I am 2 for 2! Tonights dinner was so incredible, if I do say so myself (and my husband said it too). I will make this often, it was seriously so good!

Tropical Tacos with Jicama Slaw

Serves 2-4 | Prep 15 minutes | Cook 20 minutes

Ingredients:
Slaw:
2 large carrots, grated
1 small jicama, grated
1/2 teaspoon lime zest
1 teaspoon lime juice
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
1 large head butter lettuce

Meat:
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 medium jalapeno, seeded and sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 pound ground turkey
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon coconut aminos
1 mango, cored, peeled, and diced

Directions:
1. In a large bowl, mix carrots, jicama, lime zest, lime juice, and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper to taste, set aside. Separate lettuce head into individual leaves, wash, and set aside.

2. Heat the coconut oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, then sauté the onion and jalapeño until the onion is translucent, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic, and as soon as it’s fragrant, about 30 seconds, crumble the ground turkey into the pan. Cook until the turkey is no longer pink.

3. In a small bowl, combine the ginger, allspice, salt, and pepper. Add to the pan, and stir until fragrant, then add the coconut aminos and mango. Sauté until combined and the mango is warm, about 2 minutes.

4. Spoon turkey into individual lettuce leaves and top with carrot-jicama slaw

Fruit Cups

I remember eating these fruit cups at my grandparents house when I was little.  They have always been a favorite frozen treat of mine. I thought these would be a great snack to have on hand for my kids. This is the perfect recipe to have your kids help make!

Fruit Cups

15 oz. Canned Apricots
15 oz. Sliced Peaches
20 oz. Pineapple Tidbits
3 c. Fresh or frozen Strawberries
6 oz Frozen Orange Juice
3 Bananas

Drain the apricots, peaches, and the pineapple and put them in a blender.  Cut the strawberries, and bananas and add to the blender. Put in the frozen orange juice and gently blend until everything is mixed together.  Pour into small cups and cover. Put them into the freezer and enjoy once frozen!