Disclosure: I received a product package courtesy of The Sneaky Chef. All opinions expressed are my own, thank you.

Last week was a whirlwind for me. From prepping for the back-to-school season, getting ahead on blog posts, and trying to find ways to carve out more time for self-care at home, it’s been a mess. Despite all the work I’ve put in this past week, I’ve had a real nagging feeling in the back of my mind. A hankering for peanut butter cookies. A strange choice considering we didn’t have normally keep peanut butter cookies on hand, the fact that baking in the middle of the summer is nuts, and that I’m currently on a 28-day Personal Trainer food meal plan. As is life.

To satiate my cookie craving I quickly concocted a plan to maintain my current meal plan and my sweet tooth alike. I’d bake cookies, eat just one (maybe two), and then freeze the rest of the batch for my family this fall. The best part? I had everything I needed on hand to make cookies! You have to love a well-stocked pantry, am I right?

The only hitch? I wanted to make sure these cookies were somewhat healthy in nature. Because over the last several weeks, I’ve been trying to make at least the majority of my weekday meals vegan. I’ve noticed that I feel more clear-headed and full of energy when I do, so I’ve worked to make it a liveable habit.

Luckily, peanut butter cookies are a cinch to make vegan. With a few tweaks, mind you. I subbed oat flour for white flour to make sure my cookies were vegan and gluten-free. While with any baking, vegan or otherwise, the bottom line is taste. To that end, I promise you these cookies will knock the socks off even the pickiest of peanut butter lovers. Like socks on the floor, cookie crumbs galore, and you could care less about cleaning those crumbs up kind of good.  I’ll let you savor that image for a moment.

These cookies are the softest and most tender peanut butter cookies I’ve ever tasted. The use of organic coconut sugar gives them a warm caramel layer to their base that’s so good. These vegan and gluten-free cookies are every bit as decadent as their traditional counterparts! Just without yucky things like processed flour and GMO-laden junk. These vegan cookies have a melt-in-your-mouth goodness, and pair amazingly with, you guessed it, a tall, cold glass of plant-based milk.

Did I also mention that these cookies are nut-free peanut butter cookies? Yup, you read that correctly. I used No-Nut Butter by The Sneaky Chef in my mix! While we are not a nut-free family, my husband teaches many students who are. When I send baked goods to school I like the idea that all students could share in the cookie eating happiness so I try to use The Sneaky Chef products whenever I can.

Something else that’s great about The Sneaky Chef No-Nut Butters, they are soy-free (great for gals like me with PCOS) and are made of golden peas- a variety of garden peas that are sweet, naturally nutty tasting and packed with vegetable nutrition. I’ve also found that my family loves the taste of The Sneaky Chef No-Nut Butter. The Sneaky Chef No-nut butter comes in a traditional peanut butter flavor, chocolate flavor, individual to-go cups, and a new line of fruit spread in fun flavors, including Cherry Vanilla Pop, Blue Razz Berry, Caramel Apple, Watermelon Slice, and everyone’s favorite, classic grape. All perfect for back-to-school lunches this year!

I also love that The Sneaky Chef products are 100% peanut and tree nut-free, produced in a nut-free facility, all natural, soy-free, don’t contain gluten, high fructose corn syrup, artificial colors or flavors, and come in BPA-free jars! Making them perfect for nut-free schools and co-ops! And if you’d like to check out more about The Sneaky Chef click here and to find a store locator in your area click here! You can also follow The Sneaky Chef on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest too!

Folks, I’ve said all that to say this, the next time you find yourself craving peanut butter cookies, think vegan, gluten-free, no-nut butter cookies. Go healthy or go home!

And this fall when you’re getting your bake on, think outside the box when it comes to your favorite baking recipes. Consider all the super simple ways you can change things up for the better while baking this coming holiday season! Now I have to ask, do you love peanut butter cookies? Or have you tried The Sneaky Chef products before? If so, I’d love to hear about it below!

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Yum

Knock Your Socks Off Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup gluten free oat flour*
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 cup Sneaky Chef peanut butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup So Delicious unsweetened coconut milk

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare baking sheets by lining with parchment paper.
2. Sift together oat flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
3. In large mixing bowl of stand mixer, cream together peanut butter and brown sugar for 1-2 minutes. Add vanilla and beat until combined.
4. While mixer is on low, slowly add oat mixture. Mix until dough becomes crumbly. Add coconut milk and mix until just combined.
5. Roll heaping tablespoon-size scoops on cookie dough into balls. Place dough onto baking sheet and flatten by pressing with tongs of fork, creating crisscross pattern.
6. Bake cookies 8-10 minutes until golden brown. Allow to cool on pan for 2-3 minutes before placing on cooling rack to cool completely.
7. Store in airtight container or freeze double wrapped in parchment paper for up to one year.

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Disclosure: This post was made possible by Starkist. I was compensated for my participation in this campaign, but all opinions are 100% mine. Read full Disclosure Policy here.

If you’re anything like me, you love simple to make lunches. After all, no one wants to spend an inordinate amount of time in the kitchen prepping lunches, especially during the crazy hot days of Summer. As another hot summer is quickly approaching, I wanted to share one of my go-to lunch ideas, my recipe for Caribbean Cool Tuna Fish Wraps. These wraps that combine Caribbean spice with the cool, creamy richness of Greek Yogurt, featuring StarKist Tuna Creations® Bold Jalapeno pouches.

Folks- this isn’t your grandma’s tuna fish! This recipe utilizes flatbread wraps, which have been a staple in many parts of the world for centuries, which lend an air of sophistication to this recipe. I just love making tuna fish wraps for lunch as the filling can be made ahead of time and refrigerated for up to one week. You can even customize the recipe by adding your filling and any leftover veggies you may have on hand.

Then to assemble, just add your filling to your wraps, cut in half – and enjoy! These tuna fish wraps can also be made with brown or wholemeal wraps for an even healthier spin on the classic, comforting recipe.

In addition to the Caribbean cool flavors found in the StarKist Tuna Creations® BOLD Jalapeno Pouches, you can also try one of several other new StarKist Tuna Creations® including Garlic and Herb, Hickory, Ranch, Hot Buffalo Style, Sweet and Spicy, Dill, and Sweet Thai Pepper varieties too!

I love to keep  StarKist Tuna Creations® pouches on hand in my pantry for quick mid-week lunch options or for late night snacks all Summer long. They are an affordable, delicious, and time-honored way of satisfying your need for all things savory at home!

Friends, I encourage you all to check out the StarKist Tuna Creations® the next time you are at your local grocery store! You won’t regret having numerous no-heat lunch options in your pantry this coming season! So, now, I have to ask, which  StarKist Tuna Creations® would you be interested in trying at home? I’d love to hear about it below! 

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Disclosure: This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone.  #USOCarePacks #CollectiveBias

While Memorial Day traditionally marks the beginning of summer for most in this country, for our family it means so much more. It’s not just a time for families and friends to come together for a barbecue and enjoy the first long weekend of the season, it’s also a time for my family to honor the man I admire most in this world, my husband Daniel.

You see, my husband Daniel has worn many hats in his life, including a son, student, musician, educator, husband, father to many, but most importantly, veteran and former Sergeant in the United States Army. So it goes without saying that as a family, we always take time each Memorial Day to reflect on how blessed we are to not only be able to get together with our loved ones on that beautiful spring day but that our soldier came home to be able to share in these glorious days of summer.

Did you know that Memorial Day originated from Decoration Day, a day when people honored soldiers who died in the Civil War by placing flowers on the graves of memorial park headstones but was later expanded to all the men and women who have died in military service after World War I? Making Memorial Day one of the longest-celebrated federal holidays in American history.

As a family, we chose to remember the significance of the day, as well as to honor my husband, veterans, active servicemen, women, and the fallen, in a myriad of ways. We do this first, by flying our American flag in front of our home. Did you know, according to flag etiquette, the flag should be raised at half-staff from sunrise until noon and then on full-staff for the rest of the day. Before noon, with the flag at half-staff, we remember those who died in wars; in the afternoon we praise the living veterans and those who continue fighting for liberty and justice for all.

We also honor our soldiers by thanking any and all veterans we know for their service while visiting our local WWI Doughboy Memorial and attending our local Memorial Day parade. We also make a point of keeping our military history alive by asking my husband to recount his days of service and by observing the National Moment of Remembrance, where we pause for one minute at 3:00 p.m. (local time) each Memorial Day, to remember and reflect on the sacrifices made by many to ensure American freedoms.

May is also Military Appreciation Month. So another way we appreciate our soldier’s military service is by giving back to military service projects. One of our favorite military charities is that of the United Service Organizations Inc., the USO, a nonprofit organization that provides programs, services, and live entertainment to United States service members and their families. The USO strengthens America’s military service members by keeping them connected to family, home, and country, throughout their service to the nation.

Currently at Sam’s Club, during the patriotic 6 weeks of summer, Coca-Cola™ & Sam’s Club are working to connect club members with USO charities. Families like my own can help honor our soldiers by purchasing specialty USO-labeled Coca-Cola Classic cans 35 packs, new Mini Can Coca-Cola Classic 30 packs, and Diet Coke 35 packs.

When you purchase these packages you help to send military care packages overseas, and Coca-Cola is hoping to donate 3000-5000 USO packages overseas this season. When I saw these USO Coca-Cola and Diet Coke 35-packs in-club at Sam’s I made sure to pick them both up! I knew these awesome USO 35-count packs would be a perfect way of honoring my soldier this Memorial Day, by giving him his favorite summertime meal, smoked baby back ribs, and Coca-Cola!

My husband is nothing if not a connoisseur of all things smoked and grilled. So today I’d love to continue to honor my soldier’s love of the flame by sharing his famous Smoked Curried Cajun Ribs recipe. These ribs are always a crowd-pleaser!

Here’s how to make Daniel’s Smoked Curried Cajun Ribs:

Start with a clean slate:

My husband always starts each smoking session by thoroughly cleaning his electric smoker by pressure washing the inside of the main barrel the night before cooking and allowing it to air dry overnight.

Marination is key:

The night before cooking he also makes sure to prep his ribs. He does this by first removing any excess membranes from the underside of each slab of ribs. He then marinates his ribs in a simple blend of fresh garlic, ginger, spices, and one 12-ounce can of Coca-Cola. He then adds the ribs to a glass bowl, drenches the ribs in the marinade, covers the bowl with plastic wrap, and refrigerates the ribs overnight.

Prep for success:

The next morning, an hour before he intends to start smoking, my husband starts the day by assembling the smoker and setting the external thermostat to 200 degrees Fahrenheit; you’re looking for a low and slow cooking process. For added flavor, Daniel uses Coca-Cola-soaked hickory chips (that have been soaked for up to one hour) in his internal smoking boxes. Filling each box completely before placing each box inside the smoker’s furthest bottom compartment. The Coca-Cola gives the chips a deeper, sweeter flavor.

Remember, while smoking ribs be sure to replenish your wood chips hourly while smoking to ensure even heat and consistent smoke. Then while the smoker is coming to temperature and the chips are soaking, he finishes prepping his ribs inside.

A quick tip: adding an additional 12-ounce can of Coca-Cola to the internal smoking infusion bowl, as well as the remaining rib marinade, will help to keep even moisture in your ribs while smoking.

Give it a rub:

My husband is a Memphis-style rib man, so he likes to add a rub mixture to his ribs before smoking. So after removing the ribs from the fridge, and allowing them to come to temperature on the counter for ten minutes, he pulls the ribs from their marinade bath, patting down each slab to remove excess moisture with a paper towel, and then rubs each slab with Cajun mustard.

He finishes seasoning the ribs by coating each side of his slabs with his DIY curry rub blend; the mustard acts as both a moisture barrier and helps the curry rub stick to the ribs. He then lets the ribs rest on a cutting board for ten minutes. He then adds the ribs to the smoker and smokes them for six hours.

Make the most of your downtime:

While the ribs are a low and slow cooking process, they do require an hourly inspection. So while the ribs are smoking my husband loves to sit on our patio playing with the kiddo and pets, or one of his favorite hobbies, juggling; he’s pretty adept at most forms of juggling including balls, rings, and clubs. It’s a great way to pass a lazy summer afternoon away while grilling out and smoking food for friends and family.

Check your ribs hourly:

Here you can see the overall progress of the ribs smoking at thirty-minute segments for a total of six-hours-you’ll know your ribs are done when they reach an internal temperature of 203 degrees Fahrenheit and have a visible smoke ring around the entire perimeter of each rib slab.

7) Enjoy your smoky success:

When your ribs are finished, remove them from your smoker and let them rest an additional ten minutes on a cutting board before cutting into each slab.

To finish this dish, I added sides of curried carrot and snap pea salad, fresh lemon wedges, lemon pepper couscous, and of course, an ice-cold can of Coca-Cola!

These ribs are amazing, and affordable, and make the perfect pairing with the USO Coca-Cola 35-count packs which can be found in-club from Sam’s Club. Even better, this recipe can be made ahead of time, refrigerated, and reheated in an oven or toaster oven at 350 degrees Ferenheight for 10 minutes, served immediately. 

I encourage you all to check out the USO Coca-Cola 35-count packs next time you are in-club or consider donating online to the USO to help join Coca-Cola in donating care packages to military soldiers overseas, and if you’d like to make Daniel’s famous Smoked Curried Cajun Ribs, as a way of honoring your own soldier at home this upcoming Memorial Day weekend, well I’d like to think I can speak for Daniel in saying that would be pretty awesome too!

Now, friends, I have to ask, how will you be honoring servicemen in your own life? I’d love to hear about it below!

Here’s to the brave, and may they always keep marching along,

Daniel’s Memorial Day Ribs Recipe

Serving Size:

6

Time:

8 hours and 30 minutes

Difficulty:

Easy

Ingredients

• 6-pound bone-in pork ribs
• 3 cups Coca-Cola soda
• 1 cup Flavor God dry ketchup seasoning
• 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 6 tablespoons chili powder
• 4 tablespoons ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons dry mustard
• 2 tablespoons dry curry powder
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon Kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon cajun seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon marjoram

Directions

1. Place the ribs into a large baking dish.
2. Pour 2 cups of Coca-Cola over them. Reserving one-third cup of the soda for a sauce to be made later. Cover the pan securely with plastic wrap and let the ribs marinate in the fridge overnight.
3. Pour the remaining 1 cup of soda into a blender or food processor and add the ketchup seasoning, brown sugar, chili powder, pepper, dry mustard, cinnamon, and dry curry powder. Blend until smooth.
4. Put the ribs in a roasting pan that has been coated with cooking spray, brush liberally with part of the sauce, cover the pan with a lid, and refrigerate for one hour.
5. Add the ribs to the smoker. Smoking for six hours-checking every two hours. The initial temperature of the smoker should be 225 degrees Fahrenheit, cooking the ribs, until tender.
6. To finish, pull the ribs out of the smoker, selling aside for 10-15 minutes. Serve with vegetables and cous cous.

Happy Pi Day, everyone! Today I wanted to post about what Pi is for those who may not know, and for the kiddos at home on Spring break!

Pi Day falls on Mar. 14 (3/14) wherein some parts of the world, people celebrate the never-ending mathematical constant: Pi (Greek letter “π”). While National Pi Day did not become official until 2009, when the U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution to the effect, the day was celebrated since 1988 by physicist Larry Shaw, at the San Francisco Exploratorium. Shaw and his colleagues celebrated the day consuming fruit pies.

Here are a few Pi Day Facts:

• What is Pi? It’s a symbol used in math to represent a constant — the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter, approximately 3.14159.
• Pi is considered to be an irrational and transcendental number, which means it will continue infinitely without repetition or pattern.
• In 1706, William Jones made it popular to use the Greek letter pi to represent the mathematical constant of 3.14. Incidentally, Pi is the 16th letter in the Greek alphabet and “P” is the 16th letter in the English alphabet.
• The value of Pi has been calculated to over more than two trillion digits, beyond its decimal point.
• William Shanks, in 1882, is said to have calculated the first 707 digits of Pi. Unfortunately, he made a mistake after the 527th place and as such, every other calculation after that was incorrect. Chemistry student Chao Lu, meanwhile, set the world record in 2005 by memorizing the first 67,890 digits of pi. Chao reportedly practiced for four years and it took 24 hours and 4 min to accomplish the feat.
• Albert Einstein was born on Pi Day: March 14, 1879.
• Mankind has studied pi for over 4,000 years, dating back to 2000 B.C. when the ancient Babylonians determined that the circle ratio constant was 3-1/8 or 3.125.
• The ancient Egyptians computed a value that was a little different at 3-1/7 or 3.143. That said, the earliest written record of pi is on the Rhind Papyrus by Ahmes (c. 1650 BC), an Egyptian scribe.

And what better way to celebrate Pi Day than with an awesome pie recipe? Which is why I’m sharing my favorite Strawberry Pie Recipe. This recipe is super simple and will be one of your new favorites this season at home!

Friends, do you have a favorite pie recipe? Share your favorites in the comments below!