This post is created with America’s Dairy Farm Families and Importers, in partnership with the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy. However, the views and opinions included are my own.

My kids love asking for parfaits when I offer to make them as an afternoon or after dinner snack (aka dessert). I started making parfaits years ago and they get excited about eating them every single time. Parfaits are not only pretty to look at, but they can be filled with some pretty tasty ingredients. With my recent trip to a local dairy farm here in Florida, as well as a trip to a dairy farm in Rhode Island, I can’t help but think about and appreciate the hard-working families that are really behind the wholesome dairy, like the Greek yogurt in these parfaits, that my family enjoys. You can read more about my experience at the farm here.

Whether I’m making a parfait for me or my kids, I always go with whatever combination of seasonal fruit, yogurt, nuts or granola I have on hand. This particular parfait was inspired by one of our favorite fall fruits, pears. We love pears this time of year, and you can pretty much always count on finding a tub of good vanilla Greek yogurt and nuts in my fridge too. Call it a snack or call it dessert (or even breakfast!), a parfait like this creamy Greek Yogurt Parfait with Pears and Walnuts always hits the spot.

To make our parfaits extra tasty (and fancy!) I like to spice them up a bit. I added a sprinkle of cinnamon and ginger and a drizzle of sweet honey and it was the perfect touch. I like to chop the fruit and the nuts to the same size so that it’s easier for each spoonful to have a taste of everything combined. The perfect flavors for fall and my kids absolutely loved the combination.

You can make the parfaits with traditional layers, or if you are in a crunch for time and just want to keep it simple you can add your ingredients to a bowl and enjoy it all the same. If you are looking for an entertaining idea for breakfast or brunch, set out the ingredients separately and offer a build-your-own-parfait bar.

Greek Yogurt Parfait with Pears and Walnuts

Yield: 2 parfaits

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups vanilla bean Greek yogurt
• 1 pear, chopped small
• ground cinnamon, for sprinkling, to taste
• ground ginger, for sprinkling, to taste
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• honey, for drizzling

Directions:

1. Add 1/3 cup of Greek yogurt into the bottom of parfait glass. Top yogurt with chopped pears and sprinkle with cinnamon and ginger, to taste. Add chopped walnuts and drizzle with honey. Repeat layer, then top with a dollop of yogurt.
2. Serve immediately for best presentation or cover and refrigerate for up to 6 hours to serve later.

This post is created with America’s Dairy Farm Families and Importers, in partnership with the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy. However, the views and opinions included are my own.

The post Greek Yogurt Parfait with Pears and Walnuts appeared first on Aggie's Kitchen.

This recipe and post was created in collaboration with America’s Dairy Farm Families and Importers, in partnership with the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy, however the views and opinions included are my own.

Since 1970, April 22 has been known as a national day of awareness focused on our environment – Earth Day! This Earth Day I am partnering with the dairy community to tell you about how dairy farmers work hard to take great care of their cows while committing to sustainable practices on their farms. My family consumes a variety of dairy on a daily basis, such as the milk in today’s Cinnamon Peanut Butter Chia Seed Pudding recipe, and I can appreciate knowing it’s coming from a place that is strongly dedicated to preserving our environment and providing a fresh, quality product.

Food memories, they can creep up on you when you least expect them to. My daughter and I recently watched a video for chia seed pudding and she asked if we could make it together. As I was pouring the mixture into the small jars and glasses I suddenly remembered how my mom always had little homemade pudding cups for us in the fridge. Granted, it wasn’t chia seed pudding – instead flavored pudding made from the box – but it was one of my favorite snacks or dessert when I was a kid. Pistachio was always my first choice, chocolate a close second.

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Hi there!

My name is Liz Shaw, fellow blogger at Shaw’s Simple Swaps, and healthy fit foodie.
I’m honored to be here today to chat with you! I had the pleasure of meeting Aggie at the Blog Brulee sponsored trip earlier this year and grew to love her even more than I did online (is that possible?)
Anyways, as a registered dietitian nutritionist, I’m always on the hunt for simple swaps I can incorporate into those delightful holiday recipes to make the perfect homemade gift. Nothing screams the holiday season like a gift from the heart, right?

Plus, I love it when I can show friends that REAL food tastes good and is GOOD for them too!

So, in the spirit of the season, here are three #shawsimpleswap tips to inspire you to build your own DIY healthy holiday gifts for teachers, friends and family this year.

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The post DIY Healthy Holiday Gifts {Guest Post: Shaw’s Simple Swaps} appeared first on Aggie's Kitchen.

This recipe was created in partnership with Fleischmann’s® Simply Homemade®.

I think it’s no secret here that I don’t bake very often. It’s not that I dislike baking, it’s just more of a process for me than cooking (and it’s hard to find the time!). Cooking comes to me very naturally, I don’t always feel the need to use exact measurements or ingredients and I can be really creative with what I have on hand. There are times where I wish baking came to me more naturally, but the reality is it doesn’t so it takes a bit of persuading from my sweet kids to talk me into baking them treats.

When I told my kids I was going to try out a new line of baking mixes for the blog, they were thrilled (and so was I!). I couldn’t wait to try the new Fleischmann’s® Simply Homemade® Muffin & Bread Mixes, not only because they are filled with ingredients I feel good about (real fruit and juices!), but they are also created to use with Greek yogurt – an ingredient I love to include in recipes whenever I can.

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Grapes are most definitely a favorite fruit in our household, I’m sure in many other households as well – and for good reason too. They are the perfect bite-sized fruit snack! Can you believe on 3/4 cup of red, green or black grapes contains only 90 calories? Not to mention, they are a natural source of beneficial antioxidants and other polyphenols. Grapes are big winners when it comes to healthy choices that also taste GREAT!

I’m excited to partner up with Grapes From California and KitchenPlay to invite you to participate in the “Endless Possiblities with Grapes from California” Twitter party on October 13, 2015 at 9PM EST (6PM PST). (I’ll be there!) With California Grapes still in season through January, we will be sharing recipes and ideas to inspire you to add grapes to more of your meals and snacks all season long. Follow the hashtag #GrapesfromCA for some deliciously fresh grape ideas and plenty of chances to win cash prizes!

Don’t forget to register for the Twitter party (so you are eligible to win!) and follow Grapes From California on Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

To get your grape ideas flowing, here are some of my favorite ways to enjoy and serve California grapes. The ideas are truly endless!

1. Smoothies – grapes in smoothies are awesome! Add a small handful of grapes to your favorite smoothie for a little added color and sweetness.
2. Salads – my mom got me hooked on adding grapes to salads, she adds them every time! Think grapes, crumbled gorgonzola and walnuts…mmmm.
3. Frozen – frozen grapes make the perfect healthy treat to satisfy late night cravings for something sweet. Eat them poolside to cool down or add them like ice cubes to your drinks.
4. On a cheese plate – you will always find a bunch of grapes when I’m entertaining and serving a cheese plate. Grapes and cheese are the best of friends, always remember that!
5. Breakfast – slice up some grapes to top your morning peanut butter toast or add them whole to a hot bowl of oatmeal.
6. Lunchboxes – my favorite fruit to add to my children’s lunchboxes. Just wash and throw into a container.
7. Snacks – my favorite snack right now is cottage cheese, grapes and sunflower seeds. Every afternoon!
8. Roasted – I have yet to actually try this on my own, but my good friend raves about a roasted sausage with grapes recipe she makes. I can’t stop thinking about it! I would think roasted grapes would be an amazing topping for crostini smeared with goat cheese too.

(Disclosure:  This post was written in partnership with Grapes From California via KitchenPlay. I was compensated for my time.)

The post 8 Ways To Love Grapes appeared first on Aggie's Kitchen.

A couple of weeks ago, my baby boy turned ONE! It’s incredibly hard to believe a year has gone by since he joined our family last October. He’s a fun little guy, full of personality. He’s also most definitely the baby of the family and I think he knows it. He certainly knows how to work his magic on us!

My daughter and I had a lot of fun planning his party. I wanted to keep it simple, but that didn’t happen and instead it turned into a Pinterest/Etsy/crafty mama wanne-be Curious George themed party planning experience for me. If you know me, then you know that this is not normally my strength, I love parties but I tend to focus on the food more than the theme and decorations. It was the total opposite this time and I have to admit – I had a lot of fun with it. I will say, most of it pulled together at the last minute (like 5 days before) thanks to my super creative niece Sarah who happened to have every thing I needed to add the finishing touches to our Curious Micah birthday bash.

Gosh, this little boy is so loved. Our house was filled with family and friends and it was wonderful.

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The post Whole Wheat Greek Yogurt Banana Bread {and some Curious George Birthday Fun} appeared first on Aggie's Kitchen.

It’s a happy day in our house when mom bakes (mom being me). It’s not a secret that I don’t bake very often. I have guilt about it sometimes but honestly, I don’t feel the need to handle all that sugar and butter very often. And the flour gets messy. And I have to measure perfectly or the recipe gets all messed up. That’s the one that gets me big time. I’m not great at perfectly measuring and I’ve learned that’s pretty important when it comes to baking. It is what it is. We are all good at what we are good at, right? What I do love about when I bake something is that it makes everyone in my house truly happy. It makes me happy because I know they are happy – plus I know exactly what went into the baked goods they are eating. That’s a big bonus. Quick breads are actually one of my favorite things to bake. Quick breads and muffins. They are easy enough to put together and usually are full of fruit and good stuff like oats or whole grain flour. I wanted to play around with this recipe for Pumpkin Raspberry Bread I found on my friend Sandy’s blog and turn it into an oatmeal type pumpkin bread but I didn’t quite have all the ingredients I needed. I instead adapted from it slightly adding apples and cinnamon, some of my favorite fall ingredients. I think I have a good excuse to experiment some more and bake another one. That’s a good thing because this Apple Pumpkin Bread lasted about 24 hours in our house. It was delicious and put smiles on everyone’s face. And that my friends is always a good thing. Have a great weekend! Bake some pumpkin bread! (more…)

The post Apple Pumpkin Bread appeared first on Aggie's Kitchen.

Hard to believe, but this week marks Aggie’s Kitchen’s 5 year anniversary! Yep, it’s true, I’ve been posting recipes to this little space on the internet since June 3, 2008. It all started with hitting “Create Blog” on blogspot, then writing Snoop Bloggy Blog, proclaiming my favorite cookbook, then sharing my first and second recipe posts – all in the same day. Yes, I guess you could say I was a little bit excited about this whole blogging thing. 🙂

Blogging has changed SO much in 5 years. It’s hard to keep up with at times, but it’s even harder to imagine my life without it. It’s fun to go back and read old posts, see how much my kids have grown up (crazy – my daughter was just barely over the age of 1 when I started, and my son was 3! They were total babies!!), and see all the food that I’ve cooked up in the meantime. Every time I go back and read older posts, I get hit with the feeling of exactly why I started this blog and what has kept me writing it – the food. I love food, the healthier the better! And I love even more the connection with others that love good food just as much. 🙂

(Hard to imagine these two ever this little … photo taken in Sanibel Island, Summer 2008 – Gina had just learned how to walk that summer!)

In celebration of the blog turning 5, and to thank everyone that has been reading over the years – as well as new readers – I wanted to have fun and host some special giveaways throughout the month. I’ll be giving away some items that I love and use frequently in my kitchen – starting with my beloved Blendtec blender.

I first got my Blendtec back in August, 2011 and have used the heck out of it since then.

My Blendtec sits on my counter and gets used almost every day. We make mostly smoothies and whole juices in it, as well as pesto, hummus (using the Twister jar) and lots of salsa.

The other night, my friend Liz mentioned she was craving and about to make herself a Chocolate Malt. As soon as she mentioned it, I started craving the same and thinking about a “faux” Frosty I used to make back in the day when I was on the South Beach diet. It had been so long since I’ve made it, and after hearing about Liz’s version with Ovaltine Chocolate Malt powder, I knew I had to try it – immediately.

This fake out Chocolate Malted Frosty did not disappoint. It hit the spot, and will be making an appearance many a night this summer when I’m craving something sweet, I can guarantee you that.

Skinny Malted Frosty Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup vanilla almond milk
• 1/2 cup lowfat cottage cheese
• 2 heaping tablespoons Chocolate Malt Ovaltine
• 1 teaspoon cocoa powder (optional, for extra chocolatey flavor)
• 2 handful of ice (or a cup of crushed ice)

Directions:

1. Add all ingredients to your blender and blend until smooth.

Notes

Using My Fitness Pal I calculated this to be 175 calories, 2.8 g fat, 14 g protein

A high protein, somewhat low calorie dessert you can feel good about. Inspired by The Lemon Bowl's Chocolate Malt and adapted from this South Beach Style Frosty Recipe

Now for the giveaway!

Giveaway Details:

Blendtec Total Wildside Blender (value $454.95) plus an additional Twister jar (Black, White or Red – your choice!)

(Blender is factory reconditioned, as the one I received is)

Starts today, Wednesday June 4 and ends Wednesday, June 12 at 12 noon (EST)

Sorry, giveaway open to US readers only. Winner will be chosen randomly using Pick Giveaway Winner plugin application. Winner will be notified by email and has 48 hours to respond before another winner will be chosen.

To enter into the giveaway:

Leave a comment on this post saying hello and telling me how long you’ve been reading Aggie’s Kitchen!

Additional Entries can be earned by:

(leave a separate comment after you complete each item, each individual comment will count as an entry)

1. “Like” Aggie’s Kitchen on Facebook. (if you already a fan, let me know, that counts as an entry!)

2.  “Like”  Blendtec on Facebook.

3. Follow @AggiesKitchen on Twitter (if you already follow, let me know, that counts as an entry!)

4. Follow @Blendtec on Twitter

5.  Share about giveaway on Twitter: “I want to win a Blendtec from @aggieskitchen and #Blendtec! http://su.pr/1hmU0M ”

6. Share about giveaway on Facebook with link to this post.

7. Subscribe to Aggie’s Kitchen posts to come to your inbox or in your reader.

8. Follow Aggie’s Kitchen on Pinterest

(note: if you are commenting on Aggie’s Kitchen for the first time, it may take some time to see your comment appear. Thanks for your patience!)

Disclosure: Blendtec is providing the blender for this giveaway.

The post Celebrating 5 Years of Blogging! Skinny Malted Frosty Recipe appeared first on Aggie's Kitchen.

Goodness gracious, Thanksgiving is seriously right around the corner. Like, 10-ish days away around the corner. Not trying to stress you out or anything…

My favorite part of Thanksgiving has never been the turkey or the ham. For me, the star(s) of the meal have always been the Thanksgiving side dishes. From sweet potato casserole to all kinds of veggies prepared all kinds of ways to my family’s favorite Italian stuffing…my plate is usually filled to the max with plenty of deliciousness. No disrespect to the turkey, I usually manage to find a spot – though small spot – for a piece of him as well, for the sake of the holiday and all.

Since most of us are already in Thanksgiving menu planning mode, I wanted to bring forward a few Thanksgiving side dish recipes I’ve cooked up for my family over the years, along with plenty of others from friends around the web. Whether you are looking for traditional or want to get a little adventurous this year, there is something for everyone. Happy menu planning!

Cranberry Sauces and Relishes

Apple Orange Cranberry Sauce (shown above)
Slow Cooker Cranberry Sauce
Simple and Amazing Cranberry Sauce
Apple Cranberry Tangerine Sauce
Boozy Cranberry Sauce with Port Wine and Cloves
Tequila and Lime Jalapeno Cranberry Sauce
Maple Cinnamon Cranberry Sauce
Cranberry Pear Ginger Relish
Pomegranate Apple Cranberry Relish
Cranberry Orange Walnut Relish

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The post 50 Thanksgiving Side Dishes appeared first on Aggie's Kitchen.

How many of us have a beautiful bowl full of fruit sitting on our counter…that never gets eaten?

My fruit bowl is always full. It’s overflowing usually. Depending on the season and what’s on sale you can almost always find apples, oranges, bananas, lemons, limes, tomatoes and an avocado or two. (the rest of the fruit I buy gets stored in the fridge…pears, peaches, grapes, berries, etc). I tend to go overboard when I’m in the produce department apparently.

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