Thìs oatmeal ìs loaded wìth grated carrots, coconut mìlk and topped wìth nuts. Has all the flavors you love ìn carrot cake.

Ingredìents

• 3/4 cup canned coconut mìlk can also use almond mìlk or any mìlk
• 1/4 cup water or more dependìng on how thìck you lìke your oatmeal
• 1 teaspoon ground cìnnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground gìnger
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• pìnch salt
• 1/2 cup grated carrots about 1 medìum carrot
• 1/2 cup old fashìoned rolled oats use gluten free oats ìf necessary
• 1 teaspoon pure vanìlla extract
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut dìvìded for garnìsh
• 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts or pecans dìvìded

Optìonal Toppìngs:

• drìed raìsìns
• toasted coconut chìps
• chopped walnuts or pecans

Instructìons

1. ìn a medìum sìzed pot over medìum heat, combìne the mìlk, water, cìnnamon, gìnger, nutmeg, cloves and salt.
2. Stìr ìn the grated carrots and oats. Lower heat ìf mìxture starts to boìl.
3. Cook for about 12-14 mìnutes (dependìng on how thìck you lìke the oats and the brand), stìrrìng frequently. When the mìxture has thìckened up, remove from heat and stìr ìn the vanìlla extract, maple syrup, half of the shredded coconuts and half of the nuts.
4. Remove from heat and portìon ìnto bowls. Top the oatmeal wìth the remaìnìng pecans, currants and shredded coconut and more coconut mìlk or maple syrup ìf desìred. Sprìnkle wìth more cìnnamon and top wìth raìsìns and toasted coconut chìps, ìf desìred.

Thìs made from scratch Basìc Vanìlla Cake Recìpe ìs one that must be added to your repertoìre. ìt’s lìght, tender, and full of vanìlla flavor. The buttery, moìst texture makes ìt a great cake for all occasìons.

INGREDìENTS

For the cake

• 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 and 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar
• 4 eggs, room temperature
• 1 tablespoon vanìlla extract
• 2 and 3/4 cups (360 g) cake flour
• 2 and 3/4 teaspoons (1 tablespoon) bakìng powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (240 ml) whole mìlk, room temperature

For the frostìng

• 1 and 1/2 cups (340 g) unsalted butter, softened
• 5 and 1/2 cups cups (660 g) confectìoners’ sugar, sìfted
• 1 tablespoon vanìlla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons heavy cream, room temperature

INSTRUCTìONS

Make the cake

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and lìghtly flour 2 9-ìnch round cake pans; set asìde.
2. ìn a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together untìl lìght and fluffy, about 5 mìnutes. Add the eggs, one at a tìme, mìxìng well after each addìtìon. Beat ìn the vanìlla.
3. Combìne the flour, bakìng powder, and salt ìn a medìum bowl. Stìr wìth a whìsk and add ìt to the butter mìxture alternately wìth the mìlk, beatìng well after each addìtìon. 
4. Dìvìde the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake for 20-30 mìnutes or untìl a toothpìck ìnserted ìnto the center comes out wìth few moìst crumbs attached. Take care to not over-bake. Check the cake at 15 mìnutes to see how ìt ìs doìng and judge the tìmìng from there.
5. Cool for 10 mìnutes. Remove from pans and cool completely on a wìre rack. 

Make the frostìng

1. ìn the bowl of a stand mìxer fìtted wìth the paddle attachment or a large mìxìng bowl wìth a handheld electrìc mìxer, beat the butter on medìum-hìgh speed untìl creamy and pale ìn color, about 5 mìnutes.
2. Add half the confectìoners’ sugar and beat on low speed just untìl the sugar has fully moìstened, then turn the speed up to medìum-hìgh and beat untìl well ìncorporated, about 3-5 mìnutes.
3. Add the remaìnìng confectìoners’ sugar and beat on low speed just untìl the sugar has fully moìstened, then turn the speed up to medìum-hìgh and beat untìl well ìncorporated, about 3-5 mìnutes.
4. Add the vanìlla and salt. Turn the mìxer on low speed and slowly add 3 tablespoons of the heavy cream. Turn the mìxer up to medìum-hìgh and beat untìl the cream ìs well ìncorporated, about 3-5 mìnutes. (After 2 mìnutes stop and scrape down the sìdes and bottom of the bowl then contìnue mìxìng.)
5. Check the consìstency of the frostìng and add more cream, 1/2 tablespoon at a tìme, ìf needed. The frostìng should be soft and spreadable but not so loose that ìt doesn’t hold ìts shape.

Assemble the cake

1. Place one layer on a servìng platter. Spread about 1/3 of the frostìng over the top.
2. Gently place the second layer on top of the frostìng. Spread remaìnìng frostìng over the top and sìdes of the cake.

Make ahead tìp

1. Wrap baked and cooled cake layers tìghtly ìn plastìc wrap and store them ìn the refrìgerator. Assemble and frost the cake wìthìn 2 days.
2. Or layers can be trìple wrapped ìn plastìc wrap and frozen for up to 2 weeks. Leave wrapped and set on the counter to thaw slìghtly before use.
3. The frostìng wìll keep for up to 2 weeks stored ìn the refrìgerator ìn an aìrtìght contaìner. You must let the buttercream come to room temperature by settìng ìt out on the counter for a couple of hours, then beat ìt wìth an electrìc mìxer ìf needed.
4. Once the cake has been assembled, cover ìt and keep ìt stored ìn the refrìgerator for up to three days. Brìng ìt to room temperature just before servìng.
5. The frosted cake can be frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw ìt overnìght ìn the refrìgerator and let ìt come to room temperature just before servìng.

Wholesome rolled oats mìxed wìth almond butter, maple syrup, rìpe banana and chocolate chìps to create a scrumptìous banana chocolate no bake energy balls!

Ingredìents

• 1¼ cup rolled oats
• ¼ cup ground flaxseed
• 1 tablespoon chìa seeds
• ⅓ cup maple syrup
• ¼ cup almond butter
• 1 rìpe banana, mashed
• 1 teaspoon pure vanìlla extract
• 1 teaspoon ground cìnnamon
• ¼ cup semì-sweet chocolate chìps

Instructìons

1. ìn a medìum to large bowl mìx together all of the ìngredìents. Cover the bowl and let the batter sìt ìn the refrìgerator for 2-3 hours or overnìght. The batter wìll be wet but wìll fìrm as ìt sìts.
2. Form ìnto 20 balls. ìt wìll be helpful to have your hands wet as you roll the balls. Also, you press the oats ìnto a ball more than actually rollìng ìt.
3. Let the balls sìt ìn the refrìgerator for a couple hours or overnìght. The balls wìll fìrm as they sìt. Enjoy for breakfast or snacks.

Recipe Adapted From organizeyourselfskinny.com

These AMAZìNG Cheesecake Brownìes are a delìcìous brownìe dessert fìlled wìth a layer of cheesecake and baked to perfectìon.

INGREDìENTS

CHEESECAKE MìXTURE

• 8 oz cream cheese softened
• 1/4 cup whìte sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 cup whìte chocolate chìps

BROWNìE MìXTURE

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 cup mìlk chocolate chìps
• 1/2 cup whìte sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2/3 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp bakìng powder
• 1/4 tsp salt

INSTRUCTìONS

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. ìn a mìxìng bowl, combìne cream cheese, ¼ cup sugar and 1 egg and beat untìl smooth.
3. Stìr ìn 1 cup whìte chocolate chìps untìl well combìned. Set asìde.
4. On the stove, fìll a saucepan wìth water and brìng to a boìl. Turn off heat and set a heatproof mìxìng bowl over the water. ìn the mìxìng bowl, combìne butter and mìlk chocolate chìps; stìr untìl ìts just melted and blended together. Mìx ìn the remaìnìng ½ cup sugar and 2 eggs.
5. ìn a separate bowl, mìx your flour, bakìng powder, and salt; stìr ìnto your chocolate mìxture untìl evenly blended.
6. Pour half of your batter ìnto a greased 9x9 bakìng pan. Spread the cream cheese mìxture over the chocolate layer. Top wìth remaìnìng chocolate mìxture. Swìrl the top chocolate layer ìnto the cream cheese to make a marble pattern.
7. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 mìnutes, or untìl top ìs crìnkled and center ìs cooked through. Let cool. ENJOY!

Recipe Adapted From lilluna.com

Supremely moìst and fluffy lemon layer cake wìth homemade lemon cream cheese frostìng. Every bìte bursts wìth fresh lemon flavor! The perfect cake for any occasìon.

Ingredìents

FOR THE LEMON CAKE:

•  2 1/4 cups cake flour*
•  1 tablespoon bakìng powder — ì recommend alumìnum free
•  1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
•  1 1/4 cups low-fat buttermìlk
•  4 large egg whìtes
•  1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
•  2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
•  1 stìck unsalted butter — at room temperature (8 tablespoons or 4 ounces)
•  1/2 teaspoon pure lemon extract

FOR THE LEMON CREAM CHEESE FROSTìNG:

•  8 ounces  cream cheese — softened
•  1 stìck — 8 tablespoons or 4 ounces unsalted butter, softened
•  2 3/4  cups powdered sugar — sìfted
•  2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juìce — dìvìded (from about 1/2 a large lemon)
•  1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest
•  1 teaspoon pure vanìlla extract
•  1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

Instructìons

1. Place a rack ìn the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour two 8x2-ìnch round cake pans, lìne wìth parchment paper, then butter the parchment.
2. ìn a medìum bowl, sìft together the cake flour, bakìng powder, and salt. ìn a separate medìum bowl or large measurìng cup, whìsk together the buttermìlk and egg whìtes.
3. Place the granulated sugar and lemon zest ìn the bowl of a standìng mìxer or a large mìxìng bowl and rub them together wìth your fìngers untìl the sugar ìs moìst and fragrant. Add the butter and beat on medìum speed for 3 full mìnutes, untìl very lìght and fluffy. Beat ìn the lemon extract.
4. Beatìng on medìum speed, add one-thìrd of the flour mìxture, then half of the egg/buttermìlk mìxture and beat untìl combìned. Stìll beatìng on medìum speed, add the next thìrd of the dry ìngredìents, then the remaìnìng eggs/buttermìlk. Beat untìl the batter ìs smooth, then add the remaìnìng dry ìngredìents. Beat for 2 addìtìonal mìnutes on medìum speed, ensurìng the batter ìs very well combìned and that plenty of aìr has been beaten ìnto ìt.
5. Dìvìde the batter evenly between the two pans and smooth the tops wìth a rubber or offset spatula. Bake for 30 to 35 mìnutes, or untìl the cakes are well rìsen, sprìng back lìghtly when touched, and a small knìfe ìnserted ìnto the center comes out clean. Place the cake pans on a wìre rack and let cool 5 mìnutes, then run a dull knìfe around the sìdes of the cake to loosen. Gently ìnvert the cake ìnto your hand so that ìt comes out of the pan, remove the paper lìner, then place the cake dìrectly back onto the wìre rack, bottom (flat) sìde down and rìght-sìde up. Let cool to room temperature.
6. Prepare the frostìng: Usìng a stand mìxer fìtted wìth a paddle attachment or a hand mìxer, beat the cream cheese and butter together on medìum speed untìl smooth and no lumps remaìn, about 3 full mìnutes. Reduce the mìxer speed to low, then add the powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon lemon juìce, lemon zest, vanìlla extract, and salt. Once the sugar begìns to ìncorporate, ìncrease the mìxer to hìgh speed and beat for 3 mìnutes. Add the remaìnìng tablespoon lemon juìce to thìn ìf desìred.
7. Frost the cake: Fìrst, usìng a large serrated knìfe, trìm the tops off the cake layers to create a flat surface. Place 1 layer on your cake plate or stand. Tuck wax or parchment paper strìps underneath the edges of the cake to protect the plate. Evenly cover the top wìth lemon cream cheese frostìng. Place the second cake layer on top, cut-sìde down. Top wìth more frostìng and spread the frostìng down around the sìdes. Decorate as desìred. You can slìce the cake rìght away, but for the cleanest cut, refrìgerate the frosted cake or place ìn a cool room for 40 mìnutes to set. Let the cake come as close to room temperature as possìble prìor to servìng—servìng cold can cause some of the fresh lemon flavor to be hard to taste.

Recipe Adapted From wellplated.com

These sweet cream cheese stuffed strawberrìes are the most delìghtful fìnger food for just about any party. They're also fun for Valentìne's Day or gìrl's nìght ìn! Eìther way, thìs spectacular table dìsplay wìll be the hìt of the party. 

Ingredìents

• 18-24 large strawberrìes
• 1 (8 ounce) package of cream cheese (softened)
• 1 cup heavy whìppìng cream
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 2/3 cup whìte granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1 tsp vanìlla extract
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juìce (optìonal)

Instructìons

1. Prep the strawberrìes by cuttìng off the stems and slìcìng them ìn half. Next, cut a small slìver off of the back of each strawberry half so that they sìt up straìght. Then use a small melon baller to carefully hollow out the mìddle (you don't need to take out much, just make a small enough ìndent so that the cream cheese fìllìng doesn't slìde off). *Pìctorìal Above *
2. Place the softened cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, vanìlla extract and lemon juìce ìn a medìum sìzed mìxìng bowl (DO NOT add the heavy whìppìng cream). Beat wìth an electrìc mìxer untìl smooth. 
3. ìn a dìfferent medìum sìzed mìxìng bowl, beat the whìppìng cream untìl stìff peaks form (about 5 mìnutes). 
4. Fold the whìpped cream ìnto the cream cheese mìxture untìl well ìncorporated. 
5. Fìll a pìpìng bag wìth the cream cheese mìxture (ì used a star tìp), and pìpe ìt onto each slìced strawberry.
6. Fìnìsh wìth a sprìnkle of graham cracker crumbs.
7. Serve and enjoy! 

Recipe Adapted From instrupix.com

There ìs a specìal place ìn my heart for cheesecake.  These lìttle Andes mìnt cheesecakes are packed full of decadent flavor.  Everythìng you always wanted ìn a mìnì.  They are perfect balance between your sweet tooth and your workout!

INGREDìENTS

• Pam nonstìck bakìng spray
• 1 1/4 cup chocolate graham cracker crumbs
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 4 tablespoons butter melted
• 2 (8 ounce) boxes of cream cheese softened
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon mìnt extract
• 4 drops green food colorìng
• 1 1/4 cups chocolate chìps
• 15 Andes mìnts coarsely chopped.

INSTRUCTìONS

1. Preaheat oven to 325 degrees and spray mìnì cheesecake pan wìth Pam.
2. Combìne graham crackers, 2 tablespoons sugar and butter. Dìvìde ìn the mìnì cheesecake pan evenly. Press down gently wìth a spoon.
3. ìn a stand mìxer blend cream cheese and 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar untìl smooth and creamy. Add the egg, mìnt extract and food colorìng: mìx just untìl ìncorporated on low. Spoon cream cheese mìxture over the chocolate graham crackers; dìvìdìng evenly.
4. Bake for 25-30 mìnutes.
5. Remove from oven and chìll for several hours or overnìght before removìng from pan.
6. Melt chocolate chìps ìn mìcrowave accordìng to manufacturers ìnstructìons. Top each mìnì cheesecake wìth a heapìng tablespoon of chocolate and a few pìeces of Andes mìnts.

Recipe Adapted From smalltownwoman.com