Breakfast Shakes (Chocolate, Peanut butter and Banana)

Milk

1 Banana for each person

1 cup of ice for each person (Use the cup or glass you will serve the smoothie in)

Peanut Butter (I used reduced fat because it tastes the same) 

Vitamine Enriched Chocolate Powder (Like Ovaltine or Carnation*)

Special equipment: Blender

*You can find these in the breakfast cereal aisle of the grocery store. Although Carnation is delicious, I have ethical issues with the company because the falsely promote their infant formula product as being equal to or superior to breast milk for infants. That being said, I'm using it in these photos because it was all we had in the pantry. 

Slice the bananas and save the peels.

Add bananas to the blender. 

For each person, add one heaping scoop of peanut butter. 

Because peanut butter is so sticky, I use the inside of the banana peel to wipe it off the spoon. 

Add crushed ice. 

Add chocolate powder. 

Pour in milk. You only want enough milk to cover the bottom and allow the blender to work. 

Don't forget to put the lid on!

Turn blender on, select pulse and then ice crush. 

Pulse until all the ice is crushed and then puree until smooth. 

When I pour, I always have a paper towel to prevent it from dripping down the sides of the pitcher. 

Everything tastes better with a straw. 

Store left-overs in the freezer. Enjoy!

Fancy Toasts

Sliced bread (I like ciabatta bread) 

1 cup ricotta cheese

splash of milk

salt and pepper

Baby spinach leaves

1/2 onion, sliced

handfull of dried apricots

handfull of dried dates or figs

white wine

red wine

In a small bowl, combine cheese, milk, salt, and pepper. Stir until completely combined. Taste to see if it needs more salt and pepper. 

In a pan, saute onions with oil until they are soft and caramelized. 

In a pot, pour two cups of white wine and bring to a boil. Add apricots and boil for 10 minutes. Drain the apricots and slice them into thin slices. (If you want you can save the wine - once it's cold, it is delicious!)

Do the same thing with the red wine and figs. 

Lay out all the ingredients on a board. 

Toast the bread. Spread cheese on the toast. Add onions, apricot and spinach to some of the toasts. Add onions, figs and spinach to others. 

Candy bars

Sliced Almonds

Coconut

1/2 bag of chocolate chips

1 can almond paste

A dash of rum

1 table spoon butter

1 bag pretzel rods

In a glass bowl, heat the chocolate chips on 70% heat in the microwave for 30 seconds. Stir. Repeat this process until the chocolate is melted. 

When the chocolate is melted, add the butter. 

Stir until smooth.

Cut each pretzel rod in half.

Dip each pretzel in the chocolate until it's completely coated. 

Set chocolate covered pretzel on a baking sheet covered in parchment paper. 

Dip the other half of the pretzel in chocolate and set it next to the first. Put the tray in the fridge. 

In a bowl, empty 1/4 of the can of almond paste. Mash it up with a fork. 

Add a little canola oil to thin it out. 

Whip the almond paste and oil with a fork. 

Add a little coconut to the almond paste. 

Take the pretzel halves out of the fridge. 

Scoop out almond paste onto each set of pretzel bases. 

Cover each item in chocolate. 

Sprinkle salt onto each bar. (Use large grain salt like kosher salt or fleur de sel) 

Line sliced almonds up on each candy bar.

In a dry pan on medium-high heat, add coconut. 

Stir until it's toasted. 

On the sides of the candy bar, press the toasted coconut until it sticks.

If you've got left-overs, cover ritz crackers with chocolate and coconut. Snack. 

Put the candy bars in the fridge. 

After 10 or more minutes, take the candy bars out and cut the ends off to make them uniform. 

Wrap each candy bar in plastic wrap and store in the fridge until ready.

Enjoy!!

Fried Rice

1/2 onion

1/2 bell pepper

2-3 cloves garlic

2 eggs

1/2 large carrot

baby bok choi

Chinese broccoli 

Left-over white rice - DONT use fresh rice - it will be too soggy. Use day old or stale rice. 

Vegetable oil

Garlic powder

Salt and Pepper

1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce 

2 Teaspoons Oyster sauce (or teriyaki sauce) 

Before you get started, it's important to have all the ingredients ready.  When you start the actual cooking, it's going to go really really fast, so you'll need everything in place. 

Chop ALL the veggies, scramble the eggs and add salt, pepper and garlic powder to the eggs. 

Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet or a wok on high heat. 

You want the fire on high heat. 

 Add the egg and cook until the egg is firm.

Slide the egg out onto a plate. 

Clean the wok out with a paper towel. 

Add more oil to the wok and make sure it is very hot. 

Add onion, bell pepper and carrot to the wok. Cook on high and stir as you cook. 

Add in the broccoli, garlic and bok choi

Keep stirring!!

Chop up the egg on the plate. 

Add the left-over rice and egg to the veggies. 

Add the oyster sauce onto the rice and eggs. Add soy sauce. 

Stir all the ingredients together on high heat until everything is combined. Scoop out into a bowl. 

Enjoy!