Sweet Potato Quinoa Burger

I love veggie burgers! Now that grilling season is upon us, I thought it would be nice to try and make my own veggie burger. These were so easy to make and were so delicious. You can really load these up and add in any type of vegetables or even seasoning to these to make them your own.



Sweet Potato Quinoa Burger

• 1 cup cooked quinoa
• 1 medium baked sweet potato (with or without skin)
• 1/2 cup pinto beans smashed (you can use any type you would like)
• 3 tbsp. vegan bread crumbs

ADD all the ingredients into a bowl and mix them up! Form medium sized balls then flatten them out. I like my burgers to be big so this recipe made 3 burgers for me.

COOK these on a skillet with oil. Now it's time to put these burgers together!

Here's what I put on my burger!

• Hummus
• Baby kale
• Onions 
• Avocado

VEGAN Starbucks Inspired Mocha Cookie Crumble Frappuccino CUPCAKE

Hello my loves! If you have been following my blog or Youtube channel for a while you probably remember the Starbucks Inspired series I had. I would take Starbucks drinks and turn them into cupcakes. I've made the switch over to veganism so I thought it would be fun to re-make the cupcakes but veganise them! I was so excited to make these, mainly because this was my first ever attempt at vegan cupcakes. I know some of you are thinking, "vegan cupcakes can't taste good right?" Well you are wrong! These cupcakes taste exactly like non-vegan cupcakes! They are so chocolatey and delicious. They even have the same texture as a normal cupcake. Enough of me talking, let's start baking!

Cupcakes

Makes 10 cupcakes
Recipe adapted from allrecipes.com

• 1 & 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup coconut sugar
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. white distilled vinegar
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 cup strong brewed coffee

PREHEAT oven to 350°

WHISK all dry ingredients together. Next, mix in all wet ingredients. Fill your cupcake liners to 2/3. 

BAKE 16-20 minutes. Let cool.

Frosting

• 1/2 cup earth balance (vegan butter)
• 1 cup confectioners sugar
• 1 cup cocoa powder
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2-3 tbs. soy or almond milk

For this recipe you do not have to use these exact measurements of cocoa powder and confectioners sugar. You can add a little of each in at a time and see how you like it!

BEAT butter until light and fluffy. Slowly, add in the remaining ingredients. If the frosting seems dry, add more milk!

FROST each cupcake using a Wilton 1M or 2D tip. Crumble chocolate wafers over top and place a paper straw on the side.

ENJOY! 

Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

I recently decided to try a vegan diet. I knew doing this I would have to stop eating some of my favorite treats. Before going vegan one of my favorite sweet treats to eat were chocolate chip cookies!! I decided to try a vegan recipe out and let me tell you, they taste AMAZING! I can't tell the difference between these and non-vegan cookies!

Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies 

Makes 2 dozen

• 2 1/4 cup flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup Earth Balance (vegan butter) 
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 cup coconut sugar sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• Ener-G Egg Replacer for 2 eggs
• 1 1/4 cups vegan chocolate chips

PREHEAT oven to 375

BEAT earth balance and sugars until light and fluffy. Add vanilla, "eggs", salt and baking soda. Slowly mix in flour. Stir in chocolate chips.

MAKE small balls of dough and place on sheet. 

BAKE for 8 minutes. Let cool.

Recipe adapted from about.com

Vegan Birthday Cake Protein Shake + Vegan Whipped Cream (Coconut Cream)

I've been seeing birthday cake protein shakes all over Pinterest and I've been dying to try one! I finally decided to make one but I wanted to make it vegan since many of my viewers are vegan! This was so easy to make, especially the whipped cream! What could be a better reward after working out than a birthday cake shake?

Whipped Cream (Coconut Cream)

• 1 can Coconut Milk
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract (you can add more for extra flavor)

REFRIGERATE the coconut milk overnight. This will help the coconut milk and fat to separate. When it is time to open your can of coconut milk the top layer will be solid, this is what we will be using for the whipped cream. You can save the juice for smoothies, we won't be needed any juice for the whipped cream. Beat the coconut fat (solid part) and vanilla until it forms whipped cream. It's that easy!!

Birthday Cake Protein Shake

• 1 packet or scoop vegan vanilla protein
• 1 tsp. almond extract
• 1/2 cup frozen bananas
• 1 cup almond milk

BLEND all the ingredients together in a smoothie mixer. Pour into your favorite glass!

TOP the shake off with the whipped cream, sprinkles and a straw!

ENJOY!

Homemade Strawberry Pop Tarts

I love pop tarts! I decided to try and make my own so that they could be a bit healthier! These were so unbelievably easy to make and only took about 40 minutes! Not only did these taste amazing but they also look so so cute! I had so much fun taking pictures of these!

I decided to make homemade dough. If you want this to be even easier you can buy pre-made dough from the grocery store. Luckily I found a 4 ingredient dough recipe on Pinterest! Let's get started!

Pop Tarts

Dough recipe from Cincy Shopper's 4 ingredient pie crust

• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 6 tbsp. cold butter
• 4 tbsp. cold water
• Strawberry Jam

PRE HEAT oven to 375 °

MIX the flour and salt together. Cut in the butter, you can use a fork and knife to cut the butter in. Once the batter is crumbly add in the water and kneed until dough forms. Roll out the dough thin, cut 10 rectangles out. Place on greased baking sheet.

FILL the rectangles with jam, place another rectangle on top and secure edges by pushing down with a fork. Poke air holes into the pop tarts.

BAKE 15-18 minutes. Let cool.

Icing

• Confectioners sugar
• Almond milk (any type of milk will work)
• Red food coloring
• Sprinkles

MIX confectioners sugar and almond milk together. I don't have an exact recipe for this, I start of with a few heaping tbsp. of confectioners sugar and slowly add a tsp. of milk. I keep adding some of each ingredient until I find the perfect consistency. It should be semi-thick. Add 1 drop of red food coloring.
FROST each pop tart and top off with some sprinkles!

Nice Cream (Vegan Ice Cream)

Nice Cream is my new obsession! Not only is it guilt-free ice cream but its actually good for you and will keep you energized!! Whenever I eat a bowl of nice cream, I feel so happy afterwards! I usually make this Sunday's before church for breakfast since it is so easy, I also love making this after dinner as a dessert. Another thing I love to add to my nice cream is chia seed pudding, it adds protein to this dessert and gives a little extra texture!

Nice Cream

• 2 frozen bananas (freeze these the night before cut in half)
• 1 handful of frozen raspberries
• 2 tbsp. almond milk

CUT frozen bananas into thin slivers. Place in a bowl add the milk. You can use a smoothie blender if you would like but I have found that using a hand mixer works even better! This is perfect for those of you who do not own a smoothie blender. After the bananas are blended add the raspberries and blend. I like to leave the raspberries chunky.

POUR into a mason jar and top it off with some coconut and berries! As I mentioned before, I also like to make chia seed pudding the night before and place the nice cream on top. It is HEAVENLY!!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Shot Glass

Hello my lovelies! I am SO excited to share with you guys this amazing treat! When I made it, I literally squealed with joy because it actually worked! I had very low expectations for these cookie shot glasses. Not only do these actually work but they also look adorable! Of course I had to add a bit of pink onto these glasses to give it a girly flair. Enough of me rambling, let's get started!!

What you'll need:

• Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough (either store bought or use this recipe)
• Wilton Shot Glass Silicone Mold
• Baking Spray
• Semi Sweet Chocolate
• Pink Chocolate
• Sprinkles

PREHEAT oven to 375°

SPRAY the mold with baking spray to ensure that the cookies come out easily. Fill each mold with the cookie dough, place on a baking sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes.

LET cool completely. (I placed my mold into the freezer for an hour to ensure that the cookies were cooled and hardened, this made them much easier to take out of the molds) Remove each shot glass from the molds.

MELT the semi-sweet chocolate and coat the inside of each glass with the melted chocolate, this will allow the milk to stay in the cup and make sure the cup stays in one piece!

MELT the pink chocolate and dip each of the tops of the glasses into the chocolate. Roll in sprinkles and waaa-laaa! Your chocolate chip cookie shot glass is complete! I placed mine in the freezer again before adding milk just to make sure the chocolate was fully hardened.

Easy Churro Recipe (Heart Shaped)

Hello my loves! Today I decided to make churros! Any 90's baby will most likely remember that episode of Even Stevens when Louis has a churro machine in his room. Ever since I saw that episode I wanted to try a churro, finally last year at the county fair I tried one and fell in love! They are so yummy! I thought they would be much harder to make than they were but they were surprisingly very easy to make and took only about 30 minutes. This was my first time deep-frying anything so I was quite nervous but I survived with no burns! I found this recipe from The Semi-Sweet Sisters!

Churros 

• 1 cup water
• 1 ½ Tablespoons sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 cup all-purpose flour

Coating

• Sugar
• Cinnamon

Oil for frying 

COMBINE all ingredients except for flour in a small sauce pan, bring to a boil. Remove from heat add in flour, stir until dough forms. Let cool 15 minutes before handling.

PLACE the dough into a piping bag with a Wilton 1M tip. Pipe 3 inch strips. Connect 2 strips to form a heart.

HEAT 2 inches of oil in a small pot on medium heat. Place churros in the oil one at a time and cook until golden brown. Drain oil from churros with a paper towel.

MIX sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl, coat each churro in the mixture. I melted Nutella and used it a s a dip for the churros.

ENJOY!

My Exercise Routine 2016 + FREE Workout Printable

It's that time of the year when everyone starts hitting the gym! I love seeing people inspired to want to work out and better their health. One of my most asked questions is how I stay slim when I'm surrounded by so many delicious desserts everyday? Well, to tell you the truth I usually only sample what I make. I think most people would assume I eat every single baked good that I make, but I don't! Unless it's macarons of course;) I actually love eating healthy and getting in shape. Of course there are times where I'd rather be lazy and eat a bunch of cookies (which I do) but I usually enjoy cooking healthy meals that I know will make me feel good.

I became a vegetarian last year, I definitely feel that I have learned healthier eating habits since I made the switch. It's a bit harder to figure out what to eat but the options are much healthier. If you're considering becoming a vegetarian or want to feel inspired about eating healthier go to Netflix and watch some of the food documentaries! A couple of my favorites are Food Inc. and Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead. They will both want you to change your eating habits for good! One of my favorite meals to make in the winter time is Vegetarian Taco Soup, I made a blog post on this recipe. It is so simple and tastes DELISH! I even have some delicious Vegan Dessert recipes including 3 ingredient brownies!!

Now, getting into my workout routine! I feel that when I go to the gym I push myself harder because there are people around and I feel silly giving up quickly. When I workout from home, I often take many breaks or won't do as much because there is no one around to push me. However, some people workout better from home than they do when working out in a gym! I decided to create an at-home workout that is very similar to my gym workout for you all! If you feel this workout is too much for you then simply cut the reps in half. If you feel this workout is too easy for you then double it! I also love using ankle weights and 5 pound hand weights to make my workout more challenging.

*This post may contain some affiliate links.

3 Healthy, Vegan, Gluten Free Desserts

Now that 2016 is here, I'm sure most of you are wanting to start a healthy way of life! Being healthy doesn't mean you can't eat yummy desserts! Today, I am going to share with you some easy vegan/gluten free desserts. Even if you are not vegan or looking to start a gluten free diet these deserts will still be great for you!

3 Ingredient Brownies

Let's start with my personal favorite.. the BROWNIES! These brownies are actually healthy and you won't feel an ounce of guilt after eating them!

Makes 3 brownies

• 1/2 cup mashed banana
• 2-4 tbsp. cocoa powder (add more if you want the brownies to be richer)
• 1/4 cup peanut or almond butter

PRE HEAT oven to 350 degrees

MIX together all ingredients. If you want a smoother batter you can add everything into a smoothie blender!

POUR batter into small baking dish and bake for 20 minutes. Let cool completely.

ENJOY!

Date Milk

I LOVE date milk. To be completely honest the first time I tried it I wasn't sure if I liked it or not! Now I can't get enough of it. Dates have SO many health benefits and give you the natural sugar you need to stay energized.

• 5-6 pitted dates
• 1- 1 1/2 cups almond milk

POUR the ingredients into a smoothie blender and blend until smooth. Strain milk to remove excess bits of dates.

ENJOY!

Chia Seed Pudding

Chia seed pudding is one of my favorite things to have for breakfast, chia seeds have a ton of health benefits! Look it up, you'll be surprised! This is also perfect for a late night treat.

• 2 tbsp. chia seeds
• 1 tbsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup almond milk
• Sugar (or other sweetener to) taste

POUR all ingredients except sugar into a small container and mix. Place in the refrigerator for 2 hours. Sprinkle on some sugar to sweeten the pudding!

ENJOY!

Check out my YouTube channel for more recipes! 

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If you have any questions be sure to tweet me or ask on Instagram @SweetEmelynes

Pink Champagne Cupcakes

What could be better than some pink champagne and cupcakes you may ask? PINK CHAMPAGNE CUPCAKES! Yes, I know I am overly excited for these but that is because they are just so lovely and my new favorite cupcake! 

Pink Champagne Cupcakes

• White cake mix
• 3 egg whites
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 & 1/2 cups pink champagne
• 3 drops red food coloring

PRE-HEAT oven to 350.

MIX all the ingredients together (yes it's that easy!). Fill liners 3/4 full bake for 16-18 minutes. 

Pink Champagne Frosting

•  1/2 cup butter
• 3-4 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup pink champagne
• 2-3 drops red food coloring

CREAM butter, sugar, coloring and vanilla. Slowly add in powdered sugar and champagne.

FROST cupcakes, top off with some pearl sprinkles and enjoy! 

DIY Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte

Pumpkin Spice Lattes are pretty much all I hear about once the fall season arrives! I love making Starbucks drinks from home, so I thought I would give this one a try. After making it, I know I will be making many more this fall season! I found this recipe from Betty Crocker however ,I did make some slight changes. 

What you'll need

*Makes 1 serving*

• 1 cup milk
• 2 tbs. canned pumpkin
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 cup brewed coffee or espresso

POUR all the ingredients into a small pot, bring to a light boil and remove from heat. Place the delicious drink into your favorite mug and top it off with whipped cream and a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice.

Here is my video on Pumpkin Spice Latte CUPCAKES!

Vegetarian Taco Soup

Now that the weather is getting chilly I have been craving soup! This is my first Autumn season being a vegetarian so I am constantly looking for new recipes to make! I stumbled upon this recipe on "This Silly Girls Life's" blog and decided to try it out! I did make some changes to it to make the recipe a little easier as well as thicker. It is definitely going to be a go to meal for me!

Here's what you'll need

• 1½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 1 yellow, 1 green & 1 red pepper diced
• ¼ cup chopped jalapeño
• 4 cups vegetable stock
• ¼ cup taco seasoning
• 2 cans of 14.5 oz. garlic fire roasted diced tomatoes
• 2 cans of 15 oz. black beans, rinsed and drained
• ¼ cup tomato paste
• 1 cup quinoa (optional, but great for extra protein)

*TIP: Many grocery stores sell pre-diced vegetables in their produce section. My grocery store sells red, green and yellow peppers as well as onions diced up and in 1 package. If you get that it will save you some time!

HEAT a large pot over medium heat. Add the olive oil, peppers and onions. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until the unions are translucent.

STIR in the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Next, let simmer for 20-25 minutes.

GARNISH with tortilla chips, avocados, cheese, sour cream or anything else that you like.

No Bake Healthy Protein & Energy Balls

School is starting up soon so I have been trying to make some healthy alternatives for this school year. I am excited for this "school year" because I will not be going back to school this coming semester. As you may or may not know I got my Associates degree in Business this past spring. I decided to take this summer and fall off to let myself relax and focus on YouTube and this blog! I am so excited to see what is to come. I am keeping an open mind with the possibility that I may go back to school in the spring for something completely different like interior design. I am excited to see what these next few months have in store for me!

Now that I have rambled about my life, let's talk about these delicious energy balls. I used to make these in between classes and bring them to school with me because they are the perfect snack and they are guilt-free. You can add pretty much anything into these and they would taste amazing; cranberries, nuts, protein powder, ect. Let's get started!

Double Chocolate Energy Balls

• 1 cup oatmeal
• 2/3 cup coconut flakes
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

MIX all the ingredients together, if the mixture seems dry add some warm water in.

SCOOP 1 tablespoon of the mixture into balls and place in an air tight container.

KEEP refrigerated. They will last 4-5 days.

MAKES 2 dozen balls.

Adapted from GiveMeSomeOven

Energy Balls

• 1 cup oatmeal
• ½ cup peanut butter
• ⅓ cup honey
• 1 cup coconut flakes
• ½ cup chocolate chips

MIX all the ingredients together.

SCOOP 1 tablespoon of the mixture into balls and place in an air tight container.

KEEP refrigerated. They will last 4-5 days.

MAKES 2 dozen balls.

Birthday Cake Rice Krispie Treats

Rice krispie treats were always my go to snack when I went to Starbucks, recently I realized they weren't selling them anymore (at least at my Starbucks) so it gave me the idea to make some! These are not just any rice krispie treats, these are birthday cake rice krispie treats! They came out so girly and colorful! I wish I could have them in my house as a decoration!

 

I know that a lot of my viewers LOVE anything funfetti/birthday cake flavored so that is why I chose to make these.

What you need

• 3 tbsp. butter
• 20 oz. mini marshmallows
• 6 cups rice krispie cereal
• 1 cup funfetti cake mix
• 1 cup pastel marshmallows

MELT the butter in a medium sized pot. Add in the marshmallows and mix until melted. Next, stir in the funfetti cake mix.

POUR in the rice krispie cereal and mix until combined. Lastly, fold in the pastel marshmallows. I added in the pastel marshmallows last so that their color would show in the treats!

SPRAY a baking pan with cooking spray and add in the mixture. Smooth the top and top it off with more pastel marshmallows! Let cool before cutting.