Make Everyday Awesome + The BEST [Gluten Free] Brownie Recipe EVER!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of International Delight. The opinions and text are all mine.

Lately I've been trying to focus on one simple goal, each and every day; that goal is to make everyday awesome. Whether I'm taking the time to shop for the nursery, cleaning up the garage, or spending the day with my family, I've been trying to find the positive in every situation and really embracing what life has to offer each day.

We all have the tools to make each day awesome, whether that means changing our mindset or just reminding ourselves to "be in the moment" and really enjoy what's happening--we're all capable of having awesome days everyday.

I can't be the only one that thinks an awesome day starts out with something delicious, though. Some days I want donuts, some days I want fruit, and today... Today, I wanted a gluten free brownie with sprinkles and a delicious cup of coffee and I made that happen so easily, I can't help but share the recipe and my secret ingredient with you!

These super moist and delicious brownies are the answer to your sweet tooth cravings and quiet possibly, the best brownies you've ever had. With a decadent caramel flavor from the International Delight Simply Pure Caramel Coffee Creamer and super rich, dark chocolate gooey melted chocolate chips, you'll be craving a brownie each and every morning... and how could you not have an awesome day after having a brownie for breakfast? I mean, really!

Plus, with International Delight Simply Pure, made with only five simple ingredients, you can enjoy a cup of coffee in a whole different way! I like to add vanilla on really awesome days, sometimes I mix things up and add hazelnut, and I fairly regularly add caramel, because it's absolutely delicious!

But let's talk about the super delicious, decadent gluten-free brownies I promised you. I know you're probably wondering, what do you need to make these brownies?

Brownie Ingredients:

6 tablespoons butter
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 Egg, slightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup all-purpose, gluten-free flour
1/2 cup International Delight Simply Pure Coffee Creamer, I used the caramel flavor but any of the delicious options will be a great addition to your recipe!
3/4 cup dark chocolate chips

For the Frosting, you'll also want to have these items on hand:

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon butter, softened
3 tablespoons International Delight Simply Pure Caramel Coffee Creamer
Colorful Sprinkles

You'll begin this recipe by preheating the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and lightly grease the pan.

Now melt the 6 tablespoons of butter in the microwave, it usually takes around 15 seconds for it to turn into a liquid.

Next you'll want to stir in the sugar and cocoa. Followed by adding in the egg and vanilla.

Mix well.

Now add the baking powder and baking soda and mix thoroughly.

The final three ingredients to add into the brownie batter are the most important.

Take the time to slowly add in flour, stir. Then add in Simply Pure Caramel Coffee Creamer in small amounts and stir, alternating pouring each item into the mix until both are completely added. Once it's all combined, add in the dark chocolate chips and mix well.

Now spread the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for around 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick (or a fork) comes out clean!

Once the brownies are cool to the touch, it's easy to whip together the frosting! You'll combine all of the frosting ingredients in a bowl, other than sprinkles. Mix the frosting well until it's the correct texture and spread over the top of the brownies.

Add a handful of sprinkles to the top of the delicious dessert and ENJOY!

It's that easy to make these colorful, delicious brownies... And I really want to know, how can you not have an awesome day starting it out with something like brownies and a nice cup of coffee with delicious, clean label creamer?

Tell me, how do you make sure everyday is awesome? Do you begin your day with some yoga or maybe you like to take your dog for a walk? I'd love to hear all about it in the comments below!

Delicious, Homemade Valentine’s Day Candies with Marshmallow Crème

It's hard to believe the day of love is only a WEEK away now, but don't fret... I'm here to save the day with this delicious, homemade marshmallow filled candy recipe so you can wow your sweetheart!

While these candies look amazing and intricately created, they are super easy to make and nearly anyone can become a candy making professional in just minutes, so go ahead and buy a cute heart shaped box and treat your sweetheart to a dozen of these adorable desserts on Valentine's Day!

Valentine’s Day Candies with Marshmallow Crème   

Time: 2 hours  
Yields: 8 Candies   

Ingredients:

½ cup Wilton Bright Pink Candy Melts     

1 tbsp. Cream Cheese     

½ cup Marshmallow Crème      

Red Coloring     

Small Candy Hearts (red, pink, or white)     

1 Wilton Stack & Melt Candy Mold  

Instructions

A Wilton Candy Melting Pot is recommended to heat candy melts. If you do not own a candy melt pot, you can simply microwave candy melts at 50% for 30 seconds. Stir. Heat at 50% for 30 seconds. Stir. Heat at 50% in 15-second intervals and stir until completely smooth. Do not over heat.   

The next step is easy, using a spoon, slowly pour candy melts into each circular cavity in your candy mold. Rotate the mold from side to side, ensuring all sides are coated. Dip out any excess. The goal is to create a thin shell. Gently tap mold onto countertop to remove air bubbles.        

Place mold in freezer for 30 minutes.       

In a small mixing bowl, combine marshmallow crème and cream cheese. Add red food coloring until desired color is achieved.       

Remove mold from freezer and add in marshmallow crème mixture into each circular cavity.   

Pour a thin layer of pink candy melts on top of each cavity, creating an enclosure, don't forget to wipe any excess from the side. Place mold in freezer for 30 minutes, then remove. Gently pop each candy from the candy mold.        

Add a drop of pink candy melt to some cute small candy hearts and place on each candy.

Place candies in freezer for 15 minutes, remove & enjoy!

Creamy Chicken & Pepper Pasta: This Recipe is a Winner!

Sometimes a girl just needs pasta...and a good football game to watch! Well, I'll leave the latter to my husband to decide on, but I know I'm all about a good bowl of filling, delicious, creamy pasta, any day of the week!

So it probably comes as no surprise that I like to serve up a hardy and filling dish on game day like this delicious creamy chicken and pepper pasta! Not only is this recipe amazing, it's pretty simple to make - the perfect game day recipe!

Add this simple pasta dish to your list of favorites to serve all year long and don't be surprised if you're asked to bring this to a party for the Big Game this year! Especially because it involves everyone's favorite ingredient, Mezzetta Roasted Bell Peppers!

Creamy Chicken & Pepper Pasta

4 small chicken breast 1 tsp garlic
1/4 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp rosemary

1 can cream of chicken
1 package gluten-free linguine noodles
1/2 cup whole milk
1/4 cup parmesan cheese grated
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp kosher salt
Bring to boil on med-high heat
1/2 jar of Mezzetta Roasted Bell Peppers, Diced
1 tsp flour
1/8 tsp water
1/2 cup baby portabella mushroom


Mix together the garlic, thyme, sea salt, black pepper, and rosemary, then sprinkle on each side of chicken breasts. Grill or pan sear, until lightly blackened.

Go ahead and get a large pot of water boiling for the noodles. Next, you'll want to cut the chicken into small thin strips and then set aside for a moment.

Now we'll get started on the sauce. Mix the cream of chicken, whole milk, Parmesan, black pepper, and Kosher salt together in a sauce pan and bring to boil on medium-high heat.

Mix together the flour and cold water then slowly stir into sauce, letting the mixture cook for two minutes while stirring and then reduce heat to a simmer.

Now we're almost done, so you'll want to add in the baby portabella mushrooms and the chopped Mezzetta roasted bell peppers! Let simmer while cooking noodles for a few minutes

While you're waiting for your dish to finish simmering, don't miss your chance to win big! I'm super excited to share that Mezzetta is giving away a big screen TV amongst other prizes! Which one do you want to snag the most?

Plus, check out these DELICIOUS recipes for the most amazing nachos using only the best of the best, Mezzetta and tell me all about your MVP, #MostValuablePepper!

Celebrate The Big Game with a Pineapple Party!

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

The countdown to the Big Game is on and that means we're all watching our favorite football teams a little closer and enjoying some of our favorite foods while cheering them on. With that said, this weekend I had a little shindig to celebrate and while the game was good, the food was delicious!

Are you planning on hosting a party to watch the Big Game with your family and friends? You're in luck because this Pineapple party is the sweetest and most creative way to celebrate and I'm dishing out all the details and sharing a super cute printable to set the theme for your party!

We'll start with the chow, because who doesn't love food?! I decided to keep things simple, yet pineapple-y and the end result is sweet and savory and absolutely delicious.

The Red Baron Classic Crust Hawaiian-Style makes the perfect centerpiece for a pineapple party with perfect little pieces of savory Canadian bacon and delicious little tangy pieces of pineapple in each bite!

Plus, you can snag plenty of pizza at Target for everyone to eat and score a 5% discount with the cartwheel app... and it's so easy to pop these in the oven and have a meal served in just a few minutes-- I know I won't miss a minute of the game thanks to the simplicity of fixing Red Baron Pizza and I definitely won't sacrifice any flavor either! Literally, crust perfection in every bite is that easy!

While pizza is a fan favorite, you know I had to add plenty of pineapple into the mix for a pineapple party! So I served up these adorable little pineapple cups full of freshly-made pineapple juice, straight from my juicer!

Now I know what you're thinking, what more could I add to this delicious spread? Well, the answer is simple. These two recipes I'm sharing today are the perfect pairing for your pineapple party and they both are easy to make!

We'll start with the fun and festive Pineapple Kicker Dip! It's so delicious and has the perfect amount of sweetness to it!

For the Pineapple Kicker Dip you will need:

1 pineapple
1/4 packet of vanilla pudding mix
1/3 package of whipped topping

The toughest part of this recipe is slicing your pineapple in half, which really only takes a steady hand and a sharp knife.

Once that mission is accomplished, it's all gravy from there. You'll just scoop out the inside of one half of the pineapple and place it in a bowl. Mix the inside of the pineapple with about 2/3 of the whipped topping and add in 1/4 of the pudding mix.

Mix it all together really well and place back into the shelled Pineapple. Serve with fruit, crackers, or whatever floats your pineapple boat!

Now that we've scored a "field goal" with the Pineapple Kicker Dip, I want to share my favorite salad recipe with you... it's definitely going to be a hit with your crew! While it's super delicious, it actually includes apple instead of pineapple... regardless, it's the perfect way to serve up something somewhat healthy without sacrificing any flavor!

For the Fabulous Football Fanatic Salad you'll need:

For the most amazing homemade dressing:
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 minced garlic clove
1/4 tsp Dijon mustard
1/8 tsp salt & pepper

For the Salad:

2 cups arugula
1 cup spinach

1/2 a pink lady apple, cored and sliced thin
1/2 oz shaved Parmesan
2 tbsp chopped pecans

The good news is this salad is super simple to make, but it doesn't taste like it! You'll begin by whisking the vinegar, oil, garlic, Dijon, salt, and pepper for about a minute; making sure it's all combined perfectly. Set aside.

Now toss the arugula, spinach, apple, Parmesan, and pecans.

Add in the dressing when ready to serve and you're all set to score a touchdown with all your team mates!

Now that I've shared how I whipped together two delicious recipes, next on my list of party foods is the delicious Key Lime Edwards Pie! While key lime obviously isn't the same as pineapple, it makes the perfect compliment with it's creamy, tart flavor and is the perfect way to end the meal!

Plus, Edwards Pies taste homemade so you're able to serve up a pie from the heart while only having to supply minimal effort to de-thaw the package! What more could a football loving gal wish for on the day of the Big Game?

Other than the food, my table decor consisted of some adorable little paper pineapples, a few handmade accessories, an inflatable "cooler" for all of our bottled beverages, some fun & festive napkins, a couple of homemade pineapple chocolate candies, a simple banner, and this free printable perfect for the pineapple party!

So now that I've shared how you can have the sweetest (and most delicious) party on the block for game day, I'd love to hear what you love about watching the game with your family? Are you a fan of the commercials, a die-hard football foodie, or do you watch the game with more enthusiasm than the coaches? Tell me all about it in the comments below and don't forget to head to Target to score your favorites and snag a deal or two with the Cartwheel app!

Stay Healthy with Smoothie Bowls: 7 Delicious Recipes - One For Each Day of The Week!

It may sound a little wild for a girl that admittedly loves food and even claims herself to be a foodie, but I'm going to try to take on a (somewhat) raw diet for the next few days. Mainly so I can cleanse my body and fulfill New Years resolutions, but also because I love eating fruits & veggies and want to fill my body with all the extra nutrients and vitamins involved in eating raw!


While there's all kinds of delicious raw food recipes on the web, I've decided to share a round up of some of my favorite "smoothie bowls" today! I'll be sharing more raw food recipes soon but for now you should check out these unique smoothie bowls! These little babies are packed full of everything your body needs and they taste so good, you'll want one every morning (and maybe another for lunch)! So here's SEVEN delicious smoothie bowl recipes from some fellow bloggers!

Get your blender (or juicer) ready, it's time to start making some bowls for every day of the week!


1. I used to be a huge fan of acai in my smoothie drinks, but I can easily say I enjoy it so much more in a bowl combined with a variety of other fruits & veggies and some granola! This delicious recipe from Chocolate Covered Katie is just like the classic bowl you can order at your local Farmer's Market, but now you can make it at home with your own ingredients!

2. This Blueberry Bliss bowl from Gratitude & Greens is seriously the perfect flavorful way to introduce everyone in your life to smoothie bowls! With just the right amount of sweetness, you can boost your body with antioxidants and chow down on deliciousness at the same time!

3. This green smoothie bowl from The Balanced Berry is a dreamy mixture of creamy deliciousness and your favorite greens! With a little bit of added Coconut, Granola, Nuts, or Seeds your mouth is sure to be in ecstasy while snackin' on this green concoction!

4. This chocolate banana bowl from Simple Vegan Blog isn't exactly diet friendly, but hey - it's vegan & healthier than choosing to eat cake, right? Make this sinfully delicious bowl when it's "that time of the month" or you just need a little bit of chocolate in your life.

5. This Mango smoothie bowl from Easy Peazy Mealz has me doing the tango! It's absolutely delicious and full of flavor (and protein)! Want a smoothie bowl with a little kick to it? This is it.

6. This Coconut Banana Oats Bowl with Crunchy Black Sesame Quinoa Cereal + Mango from Half Baked Harvest is the perfect balance of dessert flavors & healthy deliciousness! This bowl with a big glass of water is the perfect lunch for any day of the week!

7. This Carrot Cake Protein Smoothie Bowl from Whole & Healthy with Casey is unlike any other! With such amazing flavors and so much healthy-ness, you'll be craving this more than a PSL when fall and winter season roll around!

Want more healthy food in your life? These smoothie bowls are the answer and now you have one to try every day of the week! Tell me which bowl you want to try first in the comments below!