Oats, walnuts, blueberries, and apples are baked together in this hearty breakfast dish that's so good it almost tastes like dessert!

I received free samples of California walnuts mentioned in this post. By posting this recipe I am entering 
a recipe contest sponsored by the California Walnut Commission and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.

If you have never experienced the wonders of baked oatmeal, then you must try this dish!  Oats, walnuts, blueberries and apples are baked together in a hearty and comforting breakfast dish that tastes so good it almost feels like dessert.  And the best part is, it tastes even better the next day. 

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Looking for some fun, nutritious snack ideas for your kids? Try these quick and easy snack hacks!

I’m always looking for fun and easy ways to incorporate healthy foods like fruits and vegetables into my daughter’s diet.  Most parents of young children struggle with this issue at one point or another.  My daughter Sienna is almost three now and at times it can be hard getting her to slow down long enough to eat anything at all, let alone a full meal!  Providing healthy snacks for your little one is a great way to balance out an uneven diet.  Young children need nutritious snacks throughout the day to fuel their bodies, boost their nutrient intake, and give them long-lasting energy.

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These wholesome, nutritious corn fritters are the perfect snack any time of the day!

By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by Real California Milk products and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.

We’re always on the go in my house so I usually like to keep healthy snacks around.  If a snack is nutritious, tasty and my toddler likes it too, then it’s a winner in my book.  During a recent trip to the grocery store, I saw fresh corn for the first time this year, reminding me that summer is just around the corner!  As I loaded up my cart with several ears, I started thinking about how I was going to use them.  One of my favorite dishes is Mexican street corn.  It's a simple dish that features grilled corn on the cob slathered with a chili-spiked mayonnaise and rolled in crumbly cheese.  It’s absolutely delicious but can be a bit messy to eat.  So I decided to make an easier, portable, family-friendly version of this delicious street food.     

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

At less than 150 calories and almost no fat, these healthy muffins are the perfect, guilt-free snack.

I have a confession to make- I love to bake.  It’s funny, most chefs fall firmly on one side of the savory or sweet fence- they're either savory chefs or they’re bakers, but usually not both.  It’s probably because with savory dishes, you can be more experimental while baking is much more of an exact science.  With savory dishes, you can add a little bit of this or a little bit of that, mixing ingredients until you achieve the right balance of flavors.  But with baking, you have to be very precise, measuring each ingredient; otherwise your pastries may not rise or have the proper texture.  In culinary school, practically every student in my class except for me dreaded the mandatory 6-week pastry module (of course I mean the cooking part, not the taste testing!).  I love cooking savory dishes but I also love to bake.  I guess it’s my background in science, but I actually enjoy measuring out ingredients.  Plus, it’s amazing to me that you can mix together a few simple ingredients like flour, eggs, sugar and oil and just a short while later, you have a delicious baked confection.

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Chocolate for breakfast?  Not only is this satisfying smoothie bowl delicious, it’s good for you too, packed with almost 12 grams of protein and 8 grams of fiber!

I was asked to participate in the @CocoaVia #HeartMonth campaign as a member of the Healthy Aperture Blogger Network. I was compensated for my time.

In case you haven’t noticed, smoothie bowls are all the rage right now.  Thicker than a traditional smoothie, smoothie bowls are eaten in a bowl with a spoon rather than being sipped through a straw.   A smoothie bowl is a more substantial meal than a smoothie and is a great way to jumpstart your day.  And you can have fun with smoothie bowls, customizing them with your favorite ingredients and toppings.  People go all out on social media creating beautiful smoothie bowls that look like pieces of artwork.  I was inspired to create my own delicious smoothie bowl that would satisfy my appetite, give me a boost of nutrition, and also provide me with enough energy to get through the morning.  

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Cookies that are healthy?  Yes, it’s possible.  These delightful morsels are packed with nutritious ingredients and are perfect for the holidays. 

By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by siggi’s yogurt and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest.  I received coupons for free samples of siggi's yogurt.


I get nostalgic around the holidays, especially since I moved to Fort Lauderdale, leaving most of my family in the Northeast.  The holidays are a time to gather with loved ones, spend quality time together and enjoy good food.  Although we won’t be going up north for Christmas this year, I’m excited that my family will be coming to Florida for Thanksgiving and I’m cooking dinner!  I’ve already started bookmarking dozens of recipes for my holiday menu.  I'm trying to narrow it down, but I’m sure I’ll end up cooking way too much.  The focus of our holiday meal is usually on the appetizers and main course and by the time dessert comes around, everyone is too full to have much more than a thin slice of pie.  Specifically, apple pie was always a staple at the holidays when I was growing up.  Although my mom is a great cook, she's not a baker so it was usually store-bought.  When I heard about a recipe contest sponsored by siggi’s yogurt through the Recipe Redux, I immediately knew what kind of dish I wanted to make.  I decided to create a lighter dessert recipe that has all of the warm flavors and spices of the holiday season but won't leave you feeling over stuffed.  My Spiced Apple Skyr Quinoa Cookies with Vanilla Maple Drizzle are small and light and bake up soft and fluffy.  These delightful morsels are perfect for a little nibble after a heavy meal and they pack all of the flavors of yummy apple pie into one nutritious cookie.

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Enjoy the delicious flavors of fall with this hearty and nutritious breakfast parfait. 

Disclosure: As a Stonyfield Blogger, I received samples of Nature's Path and Stonyfield products for use in this post. As always, all opinions expressed are my own.

Are you a fan of the pumpkin spice craze that occurs this time of year?  Once fall comes around, the stores start lining their shelves with pumpkin spice products and the internet abounds with pumpkin recipes.  Personally, I’m still a fan of pumpkin spice because I love this time of year.  Since I moved to South Florida, I definitely miss the change of seasons (but not the brutal winters!).  It’s just not the same drinking a pumpkin spice latte in 80 degree weather.  But even if I can’t have the fall weather, I can still enjoy the wonderful autumn flavors.

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Cool down this summer with my Key Lime Pie Frozen Yogurt.  Making frozen yogurt has never been so fun!

Disclosure: As a Stonyfield Blogger, I received the YayLabs Ice Cream ball and a sample of Stonyfield Organic Yogurt free to develop this post.  All opinions expressed are my own.

As the mother of a very active toddler, I’m always looking for new and fun activities to do with her.  So when Stonyfield teamed up with YayLabs!, I jumped at the chance to try out their SoftShell Ice Cream Ball.  A fun summer activity to share with my daughter and at the end of it all, we would have a delicious frozen yogurt treat- how can you beat that?

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Canned chickpeas are transformed into these crispy, delicious fritters that are packed with protein, fiber and flavor!

This month’s Recipe Redux challenge was to raid our pantry, cupboards, freezer or fridge to find hidden “treasures” and incorporate them into a healthy recipe.  I love this idea because I’m definitely guilty of forgetting what I have in my kitchen sometimes.  I often have good intentions at the grocery store and stock up on plenty of pantry items only to forget about them later.  And what about those times when you buy an ingredient specifically for one recipe and then the rest of the container sits in the fridge forever?  Guilty.  So I scoured my kitchen for this challenge and came up with two worthy contenders- canned chickpeas from the back of my cupboard and an open bottle of tahini from the fridge.  Since I couldn’t choose which one to use, I decided to use both!

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Are you looking for the perfect sweet treat to serve to your loved ones this Valentine’s Day?  These lovely bites are big on flavor and low in calories and will please adults and kids alike. 

This post was created in partnership with Stonyfield.  All opinions expressed are my own.

I’ve always preferred having a romantic meal at home over going out on Valentine’s Day.  What better way to show your loved ones how much they mean to you than to prepare them a delicious, home-cooked meal?  My Yogurt-Dipped Strawberries with Drizzled Chocolate are the perfect Valentine’s Day treat.  Using Stonyfield organic Greek yogurt helps make these treats feel really indulgent tasting even though they’re actually very nutritious. 

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