Be sure to try my super popular No Bake Oreo Truffles next! (more…)

There are far things better than the ol’ peanut butter/banana combo, and when they come together in this 4-ingredient smoothie, it’s definitely heaven in a glass.

4 Ingredients

• Peanut Butter
• Banana
• Vanilla Extract
• Milk- see below for substitution options

Milk Substitutions in Smoothies

Soy milk, almond milk, and Coconut milk make great substitutions for regular milk when making smoothies.

Best Equipment For Making Smoothies

My first suggestion would be to use a NutriBullet.

• This is the one that I have and it’s super powerful. It allows you to fully extract nutrients because it breaks down pulp, seeds, stalks, and skins so finely that you don’t even realize it’s there.

You can also use a good quality blender.

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Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie

Smooth peanut butter combined with a refreshing frozen banana, milk of choice, and a splash of vanilla. This energizing smoothie is healthy and satisfying! 

Course Drinks

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 1

Calories 400kcal

Author Stephanie

Ingredients

• 1 cup milk see notes
• 1 frozen banana sliced into one inch pieces
• 1 ½ Tablespoons creamy peanut butter
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Combine all ingredients in a blender or NutriBullet, (my tool of choice). Blend until smooth. Pour into a glass and serve!

Notes

Soy milk, almond milk, and Coconut milk make great substitutions for regular milk when making smoothies. 

If you don't have a frozen banana, add 3/4 cup of ice. 

Nutrition

Calories: 400kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 216mg | Potassium: 900mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 29g | Vitamin A: 470IU | Vitamin C: 10.2mg | Calcium: 286mg | Iron: 0.8mg

(more…)

Ahhh… Christmas Cookie Dip. I love recipes that you literally cannot screw up. Because with everything going on during the holidays, I don’t have time for “Pinterest Fails”. Like instead of getting a colorful arrangement of the most perfect cookies known to man, you end up with a pile of lumpy goo on a baking sheet. Nah. No time for that. Not this month. (more…)

Heyyyyy, look at me! I’m actually posting an Easter dessert recipe before Easter actually gets here! I’m rarely organized enough to do that, which is mostly to blame on the mom-brain that I’ve developed over the past 11 months. Man, I couldn’t tell you what I had for breakfast this morning but I sure as heck can tell you how many pairs of PJ’s my daughter has left before I need to do a load of laundry. (That would be three pairs, by the way.) (more…)

Check out all of my Homemade Dog Treats!

Guys, how much do you just love your dog?! I think we can both agree that dogs are just the best.

Dogs are naturally just happy little beings, but put a slice of this dog cake in front of your furry friend, and they pretty much explode with excitement.

Bonus: Kids love making cakes for dogs. My 3-year old girl gets such a kick out of mixing the ingredients together in the bowl and watching it transform after it bakes in the oven.

My Dog Toby

My dog’s name is Toby. He’s our 6 year old Morkie (half Yorkie, half Maltese).

He finds himself torn between the two personalities of those breeds. He thinks he’s a hunter, but if he ever actually caught a squirrel I don’t think he’d have the slightest idea what to do next.

Tell me about your dog!

Dog Cake Recipe Ingredients

• Large egg
• Creamy all-natural peanut butter- Teddie brand is my favorite. Sunbutter can also be used.
• Olive or Vegetable oil
• Vanilla Extract*
• Honey- Maple syrup can also be used
• Shredded Carrots
• Almond Flour -see below for alternative options

*The alcohol in the vanilla extract cooks out during the baking process but you may also substitute alcohol free vanilla extract as well.

Can Dogs Have Flour?

In short, yes. However, flour can post an allergy to some dogs, so always proceed with caution and consult a vet if needed.

I recommend using Almond flour, because it’s healthy and easy to find. You can also use all-purpose or whole wheat flour.

Healthy Flour Varieties for Dogs:

Grain: Barley, Buckwheat, Millet, Oat, Pea, Quinoa, Rice, Sorghum

Non-Grain: Chickpea, Coconut, Hazelnut, Lentil, Potato

Optional  “Frosting” for Dog Cake

• 1/2 lb. of cooked/peeled potatoes whipped with 1/2 plain Greek yogurt make a great frosting for this cake.
• 1/4 cup peanut butter + 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt works too!

Best Pan Sizes for this Cake:

I have tried both of these options and find that either works well for this dog cake recipe!

• 5.75 x 3 inch mini loaf pan
• 6 cup bundt pan

Reader Reviews:

• “Wow! I made this for my dog Pupcake’s birthday, and he LOVED it! He didn’t even sit when we showed it to him (he usually does that when we present to him a new treat.) He grabbed the piece and ran out joyously. It was a great hit for him. I tried it too, and it is really good!! Thank you for sharing this.”
• “Brilliant recipe! Not just for doggies we liked it too!”
• “I made this cake for our Lucy’s 1st Birthday and shared it with her doggy friends. WOW, I make one often now!”
• “So I totally just made these for my mother in law dog for her birthday 🎂. And I’m not even going to lie I tried a piece and they were really good I was surprised! Thank you so much for this recipe!!!!”

Storage

• Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Try These Next!

• Strawberry Banana Dog Treats
• Peanut Butter Bacon Dog Treats
• Apple Carrot Dog Treats
• Homemade Doggie Cake

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• Plus, follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. I love connecting with you guys. 😊

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Dog Cake Recipe

This homemade dog cake recipe has a tasty blend of peanut butter, honey and carrots.  Kids love to help mix up the batter for this easy birthday cake for your dog!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 10

Calories 215kcal

Author Stephanie

Ingredients

• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup creamy all-natural peanut butter
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract *See Notes
• 1/3 cup honey or maple syrup
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 1 cup Almond flour or whole wheat, see notes for other options

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• In a medium bowl, combine the egg, peanut butter, oil, vanilla, and honey (optional).
• Stir in the carrots, then gradually add the flour until well combined.
• Pour into a small and greased baking pan. I used a 5.75 x 3 inch mini loaf pan and it was perfect. a 6 cup ring mold also works.
• Bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes, (mine was done after 30). Turn onto a wire rack and let cool completely.

Notes

*The alcohol in the vanilla extract cooks out during the baking process but you may also substitute alcohol free vanilla extract as well.

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Optional  Frosting for Dog Cake

• 1/2 lb. of cooked/peeled potatoes whipped with 1/2 plain Greek yogurt make a great frosting for this cake.
• 1/4 cup peanut butter + 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt works too!

---

All-purpose or whole wheat flour may also be used.

Other Flour Alternatives for Dogs:

Grain: Barley, Buckwheat, Millet, Oat, Pea, Quinoa, Rice, Sorghum

Non-Grain: Chickpea, Coconut, Hazelnut, Lentil, Potato

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Pan Sizes that work well:

• 5.75 x 3 inch mini loaf pan
• 6 cup bundt pan

 

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Storage: 

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.

Do not feed the entire cake to your dog at once. Give them small pieces of this cake at a time. 

*When it doubt, always consult your vet regarding any diet changes.

Nutrition

Calories: 215kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 184mg | Potassium: 150mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 2160IU | Vitamin C: 0.7mg | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 1mg

I’d like to see your face when you serve these to a group of people and witness them all dispensary in literally, a matter of minutes. I mean, I like to serve a successful dessert as much as the next person but people tend to inhale these, I don’t know what it is, (other than the fact that cheesecake is amazing and I’m obsessed with it as well).

The Secret to Smooth Cheesecake

Have you ever made a lumpy cheesecake? Yeah, me too. It still tastes good but it’s not really what you aim for. The key is in the temperature of the ingredients:

Let the cream cheese and eggs sit at room temperature for at least an hour before beginning.

Beat the cream cheese separately from any other ingredient until it’s smooth and whipped. After that, you’re good to add the other ingredients as instructed.

Other Pie Filling Options

• Strawberry
• Blueberry
• Blackberry
• Berry Medley

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Cherry Cheesecake Cupcakes

A sweet, buttery crust topped with a creamy cheesecake filling and beautiful cherries. 

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 24 cupcakes

Calories 171kcal

Author Stephanie

Ingredients

Crust

• 1.5 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1/2 cup butter melted
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 24 cupcake liners

Filling

• 16 oz. cream cheese *at room temperature*
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs *at room temperature*
• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 21 oz. cherry pie filling

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Line each tin with a cupcake liner. Combine all of the crust ingredients in a large bowl & divide evenly on the bottom of each cupcake liner and press down until firm to form the crust.
• Bake for 5 minutes and remove from the oven. Let it cool completely in the tin.
• Use a hand mixer to beat the cream cheese until light and fluffy, the cream cheese must be at room temperature to ensure a smooth consistency. Add the sugar together until smooth.
• Whisk the eggs in a small bowl. Use a silicone spatula to carefully fold in the eggs until just combined. Add the lemon juice and vanilla extract and mix gently until just combined. Do not overmix.
• Transfer into each muffin tin, leaving each 2/3 full.
• Bake for 15 minutes.
• Top each with cherry filling and chill in the fridge until cooled completely.

Notes

I love to freeze these in an airtight container 😉 They defrost well and even taste good frozen if you ask me!

Nutrition

Calories: 171kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 44mg | Sodium: 138mg | Potassium: 66mg | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 445IU | Vitamin C: 1.2mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 0.4mg

Strawberry Cheesecake Pops

I have been making these cute little pops for at least 6 years. (Warning, they are addicting.)

They make a great idea for birthday parties, graduations, or just a fun dessert idea!

The Secret to Smooth Cheesecake

• Using ingredients that are completely at room temperature is the key to ensuring you won’t have lumpy batter.
• Beat the room temperature cream cheese with an electric mixer first, until it’s nice and smooth, before you add in the other ingredients.
• Once other ingredients are added, the mixture should not be over-mixed.

Fillings Options

In addition to diced strawberries, you stuff lots of different sweet treats into these pops!

• Oreos
• Sprinkles
• Brownie Bites
• Chocolate Chips
• Toffee Bits

More Dessert Ideas

• No Bake Peanut Butter Pie
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownies
• Cherry Cheesecake Cupcakes
• No Bake Oreo Delight

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No Bake Cheesecake Pops

These deliciously creamy No-bake Strawberry Cheesecake pops are SO tasty- great for any occasion and freezable until ready to serve.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 8 hours hours

Total Time 8 hours hours

Servings 14 pops

Calories 163kcal

Author Stephanie

Ingredients

• 16 oz. cream cheese softened
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 5 Tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 3/4 cup strawberries finely diced

Instructions

• Note: The ingredients should be at room temperature for them to combine smoothly.
• Use an electric mixer to mix the cream cheese. Set one Tablespoon of sugar aside and add the remaining 4 to the cream cheese. Add the powdered sugar and blend until combined.
• Add the sour cream and vanilla, mix until combined.
• Sprinkle the diced strawberries with the tablespoon of sugar. Fold into cheesecake mixture. Place in a container to freeze overnight (or 7-8 hours)
• Remove from the freezer and allow it to sit out for 15-20 minutes to soften. Take small handfuls and roll into balls. The shape doesn't have to be perfect at all, we can fix them later. Set them aside and place them in the freezer in groups as you go.
• Pour graham crack crumbs on a plate. Remove cheesecake balls from freezer (in groups). Perfect the balls a bit, clean your hands, and one by one, cover them generously with graham cracker crumbs. Have your hands full of crumbs as you cover them. As you do so, perfect the shape of the balls and place them in a container to freeze as you finish each one.
• When ready to serve, slide a popsicle stick in the middle of each one (I had kabob sticks so I cut those in half and used those!)

Nutrition

Calories: 163kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 40mg | Sodium: 111mg | Potassium: 68mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 486IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 1mg