Easter Treats - Healthy and So Good!

“Samoa” Dates! The caramely taste of dates stuffed with nut butter + toasted coconut, and a drizzle of chocolate! So easy and packed with Samoa Cookie flavors.

We love Easter for so many reasons. Easter means spring time with trees and flowers in bloom, more sunshine and longer days, and more time outside. But mostly it’s about celebrating Jesus and all He’s done for us. Easter Sunday dinner is the culmination of a week of remembering, honoring, worshiping, and celebrating Him! A feast that brings us together under the banner of joy and deep gratitude!

And when it comes to Easter dinner, we love the whole spread but especially the treats. Because many of us in the Marks fam have chosen to pursue healthier lifestyles, which largely includes what we eat, our treats have changed for the better!

So with that in mind, we’ve got a fun Easter goody line up to share with you! These are some old standby’s and new favorites - all using healthy ingredients that don’t compromise on taste. Check them out and maybe give some a try!

**all my links are just links! No ads!

1. Girl Scout Inspired “Samoa” Dates
Recipe by @lilsipper on Instagram. Pictured above

1/2 c organic sunbutter or nut butter of choice
1 cup toasted shredded coconut
10-12 Medjool Dates pitted
1/4 c dark chocolate (less sugar the darker you go)

Mix sunbutter and toasted coconut together and stuff each date with the mixture. Freeze for about 10 minutes. Melt your chocolate. Remove your dates from the freezer and dip or drizzle with the melted chocolate. You can put them back in the fridge for a few minutes to allow the chocolate to set. Done. Enjoy!

Tip: the number of dates you will get from this recipe depends on the size of the dates you use. You should be able to easily fill a dozen.

2. Peanut Butter Easter Eggs

Find the recipe here at Big Man’s World. Great option for Keto! In fact, if you’re Keto, be sure to check out his whole website. It is full of amazing Keto recipes! Picture by Big Man’s World.

3. Mango Nectarine Crumble

One of our family’s favorites! Can’t go wrong with this one!

Find the recipe here!

4. Key Lime Cheesecake!

Another family favorite! Fresh, healthy, and full of flavor.

Find the recipe here!

5. Carrot Cake Muffins

Recipe and picture by IG @goodnessavenue//goodnessavenue.com We included our personal recommendations below!

INGREDIENTS:
4 1/2 cups (450g) grated carrots
3 cups (300g) almond meal
1/3 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1/4 cup honey or maple syrup
1/4 cup tahini
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 eggs
2 tsp baking powder

frosting:
1/2 cup plain greek/ coconut yoghurt
4 tbsp melted coconut butter
2 tsp honey or maple syrup

1. preheat your oven to 160°C / 320°F.
2. combine everything together in a large bowl and mix well until combined.
3. spoon the mixture into 12 muffin liners and bake for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
4. mix together the frosting ingredients then spread on top and ENJOY!

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Our Cake batter recommendations:
Increase Maple syrup to 1/2 cup
Add 1/4 cup raisins + 1/4 cup chopped pineapple.
Depending on the Almond flour you use, you may need to increase by 1/4 cup to accommodate for the extra moisture from the maple and pineapple. We mixed up our batter and test baked one muffin to sample and then make adjustments. We ended up adding more cinnamon and a pinch of salt in addition to the extra almond flour.

Our frosting recommendation:
Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting

One Container of Kite Hill vegan plain cream cheese
2-3 Tbsp maple syrup.
1-2 tsp vanilla.

Mix well, taste and adjust with more maple if desired, spread on top of each muffin!

Store in a well sealed container in the refrigerator.

Happy Easter Friends! We hope you have a beautiful week and weekend celebrating Jesus!

Pecan Pie Bars

Pecan Pie Bars

Ingredients

Crust:
2 Cups blanched almond flour
4-5 Tbsp coconut oil melted
2 Tbsp olive or avocado oil
2 Tbsp agave nectar
dash of salt

Pecan Filling:
1 3/4 cup of pecans
1/3 cup maple syrup
2 Tbsp agave
1/4 cup coconut oil
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1 Tbsp flaxseed meal
1/2 tsp tapioca starch/flour
2 Tbsp nut milk
pinch of salt

Instructions

Crust:
Preheat your oven to 350 and line a square glass baking dish with parchment.

Combine all crust ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Once well combined, press the mixture into the bottom of the glass baking dish. Bake for 10 mins. Check - bake 5 mins more or until the crust is beginning to turn golden. Set aside to cool . 

Pecans:
Roast in a 400 degree oven in a glass baking dish, center rack. Stir every 3 minutes until pecans are fragrant and slightly darker. Usually take about 10-12 minutes. Remove, cool, and coarsely chop leaving a handful whole. Set aside.

Pecan Pie Filling:
In a medium sauce pot, combine the maple syrup, coconut oil, and vanilla. Heat over medium heat and bring to a boil. Let boil for 5 minutes. Remove from stove top and allow to cool. You can put it in the fridge to expedite the cooling process. In a separate small bowl, combine the flaxseed meal, tapioca starch, and nut milk and let sit while your maple syrup mixture cools. Once cool, combine the maple syrup mixture, the flaxseed meal mixture, a pinch of salt, and toasted pecans together and mix well. Pour the filling onto your cooled crust. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes. Your filling should be less glossy at the end of baking. If not, bake for a few more minutes. . 

Allow to cool on the counter, then cover with saran wrap and chill in the fridge for 1-2 hours for best cutting and serving results! Enjoy! 

Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Warm Apple Cider Bacon Vinaigrette

How happy are we when Autumn arrives here in the South? I’m really happy! Coming from the Northwest originally, and specifically Central Oregon, where the Autumn days are pleasantly warm and the nights are generally very cool (we’re talking in the 30’s and 40’s) with no humidity - I am especially grateful for the cooler air and decrease in humidity! 

But it’s not just the shift in the weather that excites me, it’s also the return of some of the best Fall dishes and flavors that begin to make an appearance once again. Below is one of my favorites. A very festive, colorful, Fall salad. The perfect complement to most meals and a winner every time. Easy to assemble and all the flavors come together perfectly! 

 If I’m being honest, the thing that ties this salad altogether is the Warm Apple Cider Bacon Vinaigrette! Give it a try. I think you’ll love it. It’s so good and will be a great side for the Holidays!

Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Warm Apple Cider Bacon Vinaigrette

Ingredients

• 1 16oz bag Spinach

• 2 cups Butternut Squash cubed

• 1 cup Pecan halves 

• ¼ cup plain goat cheese crumbled

• 1 Shallot sliced

• ¼ cup of pomegranate seeds. 

• ½ cup of Blackberries (opt)

• Warm Apple Cider Bacon Vinaigrette (recipe below)

Instructions

Butternut Squash: Peel and cube the butternut squash. Toss in olive or avocado oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and roast at 350 for 20-30 minutes or until tender but not super soft. Taste, add additional salt and pepper to taste and continuing roasting in 5 min intervals, if needed, to desired doneness. *you can also purchase Butternut Squash already cubed from most produce sections.

Pecans: Toast pecans in a glass baking dish. 375 in 2 -3 minute intervals, tossing every 2-3 mins until the pecans are browned and fragrant. Usually a max of 10-12 mins. Set aside to cool.

Crispy Shallots: The salad can be made without the crispy shallots and it will be just as delish. However - I think the shallots add a great layer of flavor and texture. 

Slice shallots into thin rings and separate. Heat olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Oil is ready when you test a shallot ring in the oil and it immediately sizzles. In batches, fry the shallot rings in oil until light brown, continuously moving the shallots around in the oil to keep from over cooking. Remove with a slotted spoon and let drain on a paper towel lined plate. Sprinkle with sea salt. 

Pomegranates: De-seed a pomegranate or buy seeds ready to go.

Black Berries: For garnish! 

Goat Cheese: cut/crumble for sprinkling

Assembly:

I like using a large platter for this salad. It allows for everyone to get a little bit of all the ingredients. As you layer, use as much or as little of the ingredients as you like. Plenty of freedom to be creative.

Layer: 

Spinach, roasted butternut squash, pomegranate seeds, crispy shallots, pecans, and goat cheese. Add berries for garnish. 

Just before serving, drizzle with Warm Apple Cider Bacon Vinaigrette.

Warm Apple Cider Bacon Vinaigrette

Ingredients

• 4 strips thick cut bacon

• 2-3 cloves garlic peeled and minced

• 3 tablespoons maple syrup or honey

• 3 tablespoons smooth Dijon mustard 

• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

• 1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

1. Place the bacon in a medium saucepan over low heat and stir until some of the fat begins to render from the bacon. Raise the heat to medium and cook the bacon, stirring frequently, until it is crispy. Transfer the crisp bacon to a paper towel lined plate, keeping all of the fat drippings in the pan. Cool and crumble the bacon. OR roast bacon strips in a glass baking dish at 385 for 20-30 mins until crispy. Transfer bacon to a paper towel lined plate, cool then crumble, and transfer drippings to your sauté pan. 

2. Return the pan to the burner. Add the garlic, swirl, and immediately add the remaining dressing ingredients. Bring the mixture to a boil and let it cook for 1 minute, or until the dressing coats the back of a spoon. It should leave a trail when your finger is drawn through the dressing on the back of the spoon. Stir in the bacon.

3. Use immediately or transfer to a heat proof jar with a tight fitting lid and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, gently reheating and stirring before serving.

Tips: I like Dijon but used about half of what this recipe calls for - personal taste.

Some apple cider vinegars can be extra potent so it might work best to start with a little less and add more if you want more tang and zing.

Depending on the saltiness of your bacon, you may want to start with less salt and then add to taste once it’s all combined.

Double for a larger crowd.

Here’s to Fall! Enjoy!