Heavenly Homemakers

Encouraging women in homemaking, healthy eating and parenting

Easy, Healthy Peppermint Patties (Plus win 5-Pounds of Chocolate!!)

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There is so much holiday goodness in this post!! These Homemade Healthy Peppermint Patties are making Christmas magical at my house. The fact that not one but three of you can win 5-pounds of incredible, high quality chocolate makes me even happier!

What’s fabulous about these Peppermint Patties is that they act like a treat, but your body will appreciate them as nourishment. Ah, such a win-win. The peppermint truly fills your mouth with Christmas. Oh, and the chocolate. Well, the combination is basic perfection.

Let’s pause a moment to talk about the chocolate in this recipe. You can use any unsweetened cocoa powder you like. But the higher the quality, the better these will taste.

Olive Nation is one of my favorite online resources. I’ve bought my vanilla beans there for years! They recently sent me a huge box of a variety of cocoa powders to work with, and now I am spoiled rotten. Just when I thought chocolate couldn’t get any better, it got even better. These cocoa powders are super fine, super rich, and super flavorful. Not all chocolate is created equal. These cocoa powders rise above the rest. The stuff in a can at the store DOES NOT compare. Just look through all the varieties they offer!

Their prices are super reasonable for the quality. (Plus when you use the code home they give HeavenlyHomemakers readers a 20% discount, so that seals the deal!) Go grab your cocoa, and sign up to win some below too!

And now for the recipe. Stay tuned for the giveaway…

Healthy Peppermint Patties

4.7 from 3 reviews
Easy, Healthy Peppermint Patties (Plus win 5-Pounds of Chocolate!!)
 
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Serves: 12
Ingredients
  • 1 cup coconut oil, divided
  • 20 drops liquid stevia
  • ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract
  • 2 heaping Tablespoons cocoa powder
  • 3 teaspoons honey (give or take)
  • 3 Tablespoons butter
Instructions
  1. In a small saucepan, melt ½ cup coconut oil.
  2. Remove from heat and add stevia and peppermint extract.
  3. Pour mixture into 12 muffin cups.
  4. Place in the freezer for about 20 minutes or until this peppermint layer has hardened.
  5. Meanwhile, melt remaining ½ cup coconut oil in the saucepan with cocoa powder, butter, and honey.
  6. Allow the mixture to cool while waiting for the peppermint layer to freeze.
  7. Pour the chocolate mixture over the peppermint layer and freeze for 20 or more minutes until the patties have hardened.
  8. Store Peppermint Patties in the refrigerator.

Don’t let the word “healthy” in this title scare you into thinking that these won’t taste like a treat. And don’t let the stevia in this recipe scare you away either. In my experience, the honey in the chocolate layer overrides anything bitter from the stevia.

Ready to win some chocolate?!

Olive Nation is giving THREE of you this amazing cocoa package:

  • 1 Pound Amber Natural 22/24 Fat Cocoa Powder
  • 1 Pound Aristocrat Dutch  22/24 Fat Cocoa Powder
  • 1 Pound Natural Cocoa Powder by Blommer
  • 1 Pound Bommer Jet Black Cocoa Powder
  • 1 Pound Olive Nation Cocoa Powder
Your chocolate recipe options will be endless! And guess what?! While just three of you will win the above prize package, everyone who signs up will get this free eBook to enjoy with your family! So sign up below, go grab your cocoa from Olive Nation, and get your chocolate on!
Sign up to win the Cocoa Package from Olive Nation! We’ll draw a random winner and email you on Friday, December 7.

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Peanut Butter Cup Whipped Cream

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Peanut Butter Cup Whipped Cream? Please pass me a spoon. Maybe two spoons: one for each hand.

If you have a high power blender like a Blendtec, you can make this jewel of a treat in about 30 seconds. Otherwise, you can use a hand mixer to blend ingredients and whip the mixture in about 5 minutes. Either way, your life just got better in a very short amount of time!

The possibilities of ways to serve this Peanut Butter Cup Whipped Cream are practically endless. If all else fails, you must truly eat this all by itself, in a bowl, with a spoon. No need to defend this choice. You simply can’t help yourself.

Other more elaborate Peanut Butter Cup Whipped Cream options include serving it alongside or atop:

And truly, the list goes on and on. I’d love to hear your ideas too!

Peanut Butter Cup Whipped Cream

Peanut Butter Cup Whipped Cream
 
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Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
  • 2 cups heavy whipping cream
  • ½ cup natural creamy peanut butter
  • 3 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 3 Tablespoons sugar or 20 drops liquid stevia
Instructions
  1. Blend all ingredients together in a high power blender until thick and smooth.
  2. Or blend ingredients together in a bowl with a hand mixer until thick and smooth.

 

I like making homemade peanut butter to use in recipes like this:

This Peanut Butter Cup Whipped Cream will make a lovely holiday dessert or add on to your table of treats. Or if you’re like me, you might find yourself making some and eating it in the middle of August or March because there is no reason to hold back. :)

Simple Santa Brownies (Grain Free or Regular!)

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I found this idea for Simple Santa Brownies and decided that surely I could make a healthier version of them. I was not wrong. I was very right. And come to find out, Santa is very, very delicious.

Now obviously, you can take this idea and go with it no matter if you’re using a boxed brownie mix or a healthier brownie recipe. But I loved the idea of using my Super Moist Flourless Brownie Muffin recipe for this! It turned out fabulously.

Finding good strawberries this time of year is a little bit tricky, I realize. But for the sake of creating these awesome treats, I think it’s worth your purchase.

It’s probably also worth noting that if I can make these, anyone can make these. I’m no decorator. I rarely try to make cute food because I know I’m not good at it. But whipped cream and strawberries win the prize on these. Who knew real food could be used to decorate a fun Christmas treat!

I’ll repost my flourless brownie recipe for you here. But if you want my full sugar, full flour recipe, you’ll find it here!

Flourless Brownie Muffins for Simple Santa Brownies

Simple Santa Brownies (Grain Free or Regular!)
 
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Serves: 9
Ingredients
  • 1½ cups (12-ounces) Peanut Butter or Almond Butter
  • ½ cup honey
  • ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 eggs
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • For Santas:
  • 9 strawberries, washed and with greens removed
  • 1½ cups heavy whipping cream
  • 5 drops liquid stevia or 1 Tablespoon sugar
Instructions
  1. Stir all ingredients together until well combined.
  2. Scoop batter into 9 paper-lined muffins cups.
  3. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 12-15 minutes. (Remove them from the oven when they are just slightly underdone so they come out moist!)
  4. Whip cream and stevia or sugar until stiff peaks form.
  5. Once brownie muffins have cooled, top them with whipped cream and a strawberry.
  6. Top the strawberry with a "snowball" of whipped cream.

 

What’s your favorite brownie recipe?

16 Delicious Flourless Treats

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I am a wheat eater and a gluten consumer. I use freshly ground flour several times each week. Even so, I love making Flourless Treats for a change of pace. After all, we all get plenty of grains in our diet. Making treats that are flourless is a great choice for all of us!

The beauty of this list of Flourless Treat recipes I’m sharing is that every single one of them tastes like something special. These recipes don’t include weird ingredients that make them seem “healthy.” Not that any of us are opposed to eating healthy, of course. It’s just that some healthy treat recipes are strange and awkward and leave the consumer wanting an actual cookie that isn’t made with banana paste and finely ground chicken feathers. Or some such.

So please, my friends. Enjoy the following delectable recipes that no one will suspect to be “out of the norm.” All will eat these and be delighted. They will share them with their friends, saying, “Hey, you’ve got to try this cake!” Meanwhile, over in the corner, you will be chuckling over the fact that once again, you pulled off the “I made treats without flour in them and nobody suspected” trick.

Not that we’re trying to be tricky. I mean, we can’t help it if our healthier food tastes just as good if not better than their less healthy counterparts. There’s nothing we can do about this. Making great food in healthy ways is simply what we do now. We can’t even help ourselves.

Without further ado…

16 Delicious Flourless Treats

  1. Flourless Brownie Muffins (my very favorite!)
  2. Super Moist Flourless Peanut Butter Brownies
  3. Super Moist Flourless Brownies
  4. Chocolate Cheesecake Fudge
  5. No Bake Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
  6. Low Sugar Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies
  7. No Bake Cookie Cups 
  8. Honey-Sweetened Flourless Peanut Butter Bars
  9. Low Sugar Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies
  10. Flourless Fudge Cookies
  11. Flourless Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
  12. Honey-Sweetened No Bake Cookies
  13. The Most Amazing Flourless Cake
  14. Flourless Peanut Butter Bread
  15. Flourless Peanut Butter Muffins
  16. Flourless Pumpkin Muffins

P.S. Every single recipe on this list is a perfect choice to make for your friends and family members who eat Gluten Free. Only beware of the recipes which include oats, making sure to use GF oats!

Easy Flourless Pumpkin Muffins

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If you can’t have wheat in your diet, you will love the Flourless Pumpkin Muffins recipe I am about to share. But even if you CAN have wheat in your diet, I always recommend that we should cut back on eating so much wheat and grain to give our digestion a little break. So these muffins are for you too. :)

What’s great about these muffins, besides the fact that they are flourless and deliciously pumpkin-y is that they are also filling and super nourishing. These include creamy almond butter, which makes these Flourless Pumpkin Muffins such a great start to the day!

Truly, can you believe these don’t have flour in them? They look so normal! (Hmmm, that’s what people have said about my children. “Really? Your kids are homeschooled? But they act so normal!” Ahahaha! Can you even believe it’s possible?! But I digress…)

I mix these muffins in my Blendtec, simply because it means I can throw them together so quickly. I blend the batter, then pour it into prepared muffin tins. Easy and awesome!

Easy Flour Pumpkin Muffins

5.0 from 2 reviews
Easy Flourless Pumpkin Muffins
 
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Serves: 18
Ingredients
  • 2 cups creamy almond butter
  • 15-ounces pumpkin puree
  • 3 eggs
  • ½ cup sucanat or brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons Pumpkin Spice OR 1 teaspoon ground cloves, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and ½ teaspoon nutmeg
Instructions
  1. Blend all ingredients together in a blender or with a hand mixer until smooth.
  2. Scoop batter into 18 paper-lined muffin tins.
  3. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

*Find the recipe for our Pumpkin Spice mix here. Or substitute: 1 teaspoon ground cloves, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg in this recipe.

Need more Flourless Recipes?

 

Simple Ham and Hashbrown Casserole

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I have a secret to tell you about why I keep sharing varieties of recipes like this Simple Ham and Hashbrown Casserole.

The secret? I found an awesome and healthy option for purchasing frozen hashbrowns at the store, and this discovery has my freezer stocked with a lovely convenience item that is still real food.

I used to always make my own hashbrowns, which truly was wonderful and definitely saved us money. I made them during a season in my life that I was home more and had more time (or at least used more time) for making most of our food from scratch.

As our kids grew older and became involved in more activities, then as God began to show us more about what He meant when He said, “Love me. Love your neighbor,” and as God has introduced more and more people into our lives to love including foster kids – well, I simply choose not to use my time making homemade hashbrowns anymore.

Do I compromise and use frozen hashbrowns from the store that have lots of added ingredients in them? (Seriously, read the labels on frozen hashbrowns. What is that stuff?) Nope. I discovered Mr. Dell’s frozen hashbrowns which contains one ingredient: Potatoes.

I stock my freezer with them, both the shredded and the cubed varieties. Now I can make Hashbrown Casseroles super quickly while still feeding my family real, nourishing food.

So there you go. Laura doesn’t make homemade hashbrowns any more. She has discovered hashbrown freedom. :)

So here’s the latest, and probably our favorite of all hashbrown casseroles. I typically use leftover ham for this, which is also fast and easy. I’ve written out an oven baking option as well as a crock pot option so you can make this in whatever way that works best for you!

Simple Ham and Hashbrown Casserole

Simple Ham and Hashbrown Casserole
 
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Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
  • 3 cups ham cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 3 cups sour cream
  • 3 Tablespoons dried minced onion
  • Sea salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 (28 ounce) bag of frozen shredded hashbrowns
  • 2 cups shredded cheddar or Colby jack cheese
Instructions
  1. In a large bowl, stir together ham, shredded cheese, sour cream, onion, and salt and pepper.
  2. Fold in frozen hashbrowns until all ingredients are well combined.
  3. Spread mixture into a 9x13 inch baking dish or into a large crock pot.
  4. Sprinkle with shredded cheese.
  5. Oven Baking: Bake uncovered in a 350° oven for 45-60 minutes or until casserole is lightly browned and bubbly.
  6. Crock Pot Method: Cook on low for 6 hours or on hi for 3 hours.

 

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Simple Creamy Layered Enchiladas (For Oven or Crock Pot)

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How simple are these Creamy Layered Enchiladas? Well, I was able to throw them together in just five minutes before running out to church on a recent Sunday morning. So I’d say they’re pretty simple!

This recipe is simple in and of itself, but if you happen to have hamburger already cooked and waiting to be used, then you really can throw the rest of this together in just five minutes. (Or use pre-cooked chicken if you prefer!)

There are two great options for cooking this casserole: Crock Pot or Oven.

I use the Crock Pot on days I don’t want to heat up the house with the oven or on Sundays when I want to have our meal ready and waiting when we get home from church. I use the oven when I have these enchiladas made up ahead of time in a casserole dish. Then all I have to do is slide it into the oven and let it bake while I get other work done!

Simple Creamy Layered Enchiladas

Simple Creamy Layered Enchiladas (For Oven or Crock Pot)
 
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Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • sea salt to taste
  • 2 cups salsa
  • 1½ cups sour cream
  • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
  • 8 whole wheat flour tortillas (or corn tortillas)
Instructions
  1. Brown meat. Stir in salt, salsa, sour cream, and ½ cup of cheese.
  2. Lay 4 tortillas in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish.
  3. Spread half of meat mixture over tortillas.
  4. Layer again with the 4 remaining tortillas.
  5. Spread remaining meat mixture over tortillas.
  6. Top with 1½ cups cheese.
  7. Bake uncovered at 350° for 20-25 minutes.
  8. OR Layer ingredients into a crock pot. Cook on Low for 6-7 hours or on Hi for 4 hours.

 

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Simple Meals Yearly Subscription
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Mini Crustless Lemon Cheesecakes (Low Sugar!)

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I’ve been wanting to try this Mini Crustless Lemon Cheesecakes recipe idea for months! (Apparently my to-do list is a little bit backed up?)

Why did it take so long to finally give these a try? Goodness, I don’t know. Life. People. Ministry. Unexpected foster care in our home. Graduation. Soccer season. Church camp. Moving not one but TWO sons into the college dorm in August.

We never quite know what God has for us each day, do we? It’s fun to look forward to learning what He has planned. So what if it takes six months to get around to trying a new recipe? Good things come to those who wait.

I met a new friend at my kids’ homeschool basketball tournament back in March. She said, “I make your Mini Crustless Cheesecakes all the time, but I always add lemon. You should try it! And top it with fruit!” Oh man, did that sound good.

Of course I couldn’t wait to try it and share the idea with you!! Except that I did wait. Six entire months.

So here we are, without further ado, and without any more delays (says the girl who actually started writing this post back in July…).

Mini Crustless Lemon Cheesecakes

Mini Crustless Lemon Cheesecakes (Low Sugar!)
 
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Serves: 12
Ingredients
  • 16 ounces softened cream cheese
  • 3 Tablespoons lemon juice (or the juice of one lemon, plus zest if you like!)
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 Tablespoons maple syrup or sugar
  • 2 full droppers of liquid stevia
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
  1. Blend all ingredients together until smooth.
  2. Pour into 12 muffin cups.
  3. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes.
  4. Turn off heat, open the oven door, and leave the cheesecakes in the oven for an additional 20 minutes. (Cheesecakes will puff up during baking but deflate while continuing to sit in the oven.)
  5. Transfer cheesecakes to the fridge and chill for at least two hours before serving.

Add fresh or frozen fruit to your cheesecakes for an added burst of flavor.

P.S. I find it easiest to bake my Mini Cheesecakes in a silicone baking pan like this. Once they’ve cooled, they pop right out and the pan is super easy to wash out!

Simple Baked Beans Recipe

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I love that Simple Baked Beans is such an easy side dish to put together and pair with so many great meats and veggies!

Truly, it is the simplest of foods that make our meals so much better! (Did you download our Simple Ingredients for Simple Meals list yet? It’s FREE! And oh so helpful!)

These Simple Baked Beans take little effort, and are just sweet enough to make us all fall in love. I love adding these as a side dish (along with other veggies and fruits) to a basic meaty main dish.

Consider these Simple Baked Beans when you decide what to serve with any of these Simple Meals recipes:

Phew, so many possibilities!!

If you haven’t joined Simple Meals yet, I encourage you to take the plunge! We do all the planning for you, then provide you each week with a beautifully laid out menu plan, grocery list, side dish ideas, bonus recipes, and so much more. Every week. For one dollar. Seriously.

Get a sample Simple Meals menu plan here.

As for these Simple Baked Beans, you’ll love having this recipe in your back pocket to add protein and goodness to your Simple Meals.

Ready for the super simple recipe? Soak and cook your own beans, or keep some canned beans on hand to throw these together at a moment’s notice.

Simple Baked Beans

Simple Baked Beans Recipe
 
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Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
  • 32-ounces canned pork and beans (or soak and cook your own pintos or navy beans!)
  • ¼ cup ketchup (give or take)
  • 1 Tablespoon prepared yellow mustard
  • 3 Tablespoons dried minced onion
  • 1 Tablespoon honey or brown sugar (optional)
Instructions
  1. Stir ingredients together in a 8x8 inch baking dish.
  2. Bake uncovered in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes or until bubbly.
  3. (In a hurry? Cook in a pot on the stove for 10-15 minutes in a pinch!)

I love that if I plan ahead, I can bake these in the oven. Or if I need to throw these together in less time (story of my life), I can simply stir this recipe into a pot and heat it to bubbly on the stove. So simple and good!

P.S. Make these beans into a main dish by adding leftover cooked hamburger and/or cooked bacon!

Stick of Butter Rice – AMAZING!

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Now that I have discovered how to make this Stick of Butter Rice, I will never go back to making it “the regular way.” Wow, wow, and then some. It’s because of the butter, of course. Wait until you try this!

Some people be like, “Go easy on this rice because it’s so high in fat because of the butter!” But Laura be like, “What a great and delicious way to add good fat to a whole grain carb dish!”

I’m not a huge fan of empty carbs, which turn to sugar in our bodies, which offer little if any nourishment, and therefore can turn to fat in our bodies as they try to serve some sort of purpose for us. So if there’s any reason to go easy on this rice, it is because our bodies don’t need loads of carbohydrates or grains for nourishment (unless we are avid athletes with rigorous daily workouts).

As for me? I enjoy this wonderfully flavored, high fat rice in small quantities with a large side of veggies and a delightful portion of meat.

The flavor of this rice, though!!! Wow, you must try it. Between the broth, the onion, and the butter (the obvious MVP of this dish), I think you’ll be like me and decide to never go back to making plain rice again!

See how simple this Stick of Butter Rice is?

Measure uncooked rice and minced onion into a baking dish. Cut butter into pats and add to rice.

Add salt and chicken broth and stir.

Cover and bake in a 350 degree oven for one hour. Your job here is done.

We love serving some sort of shredded meat with this rice, such as:

Those are our favorites, though this Stick of Butter Rice makes a great side dish with just about any meal!

Enjoy the simplicity of this wonderful dish! Once you try it you’ll never go back!

Stick of Butter Rice

5.0 from 1 reviews
Stick of Butter Rice - AMAZING!
 
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Author:
Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
  • 2 cups brown rice (uncooked)
  • 4 cups beef or chicken broth
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
  • 2 Tablespoons dry minced onions
  • 1 stick of butter (1/2 cup)
Instructions
  1. Measure rice, broth, salt, and onions into a 9x13 inch baking dish and stir.
  2. Cut a stick of butter into 8ish "pats" and spread over the dish.
  3. Cover dish and bake in a 350 degree oven for 1 hour.

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Your yearly subscription equips you with a 52 week's worth of meal plans, grocery guide, recipes, and bonus tips! Your Simple Meals plan will arrive in your inbox each Thursday morning.
Price: $52.00