Recipes | Girl Meets Life | a lifestyle blog by Gracie Gordon

perfect pairings {with new TWISTOS Snack Bites} + a giveaway!

27 March, 2014 by Gracie

After a long day at the office or running around on meetings, there’s nothing better than a relaxing evening at home, complete with a comforting meal. I don’t know about you, but a big bowl of soup is just about as comforting as it gets.

The other day I came home after a snowy, work-filled Monday, so I decided to make a big pot of one of my favorite soups – Easy Butternut Squash Soup. I’ve followed this recipe a few times, and it really is so easy! But more importantly, it is comforting and delicious. I finish mine off with a drizzle of Sriracha.

Whenever I have soup, though, I always like to pair it with something crunchy and flavorful. I was recently sent a bag of TWISTOS™ baked snack bites to try, so I figured I’d see if they paired well with the soup.

The TWISTOS™ snack bites turned out to be such a great pairing to go with my soup! The combination of the warm soup and light & crispy textured snack bites made for the perfect addition to my soup. Not to mention the creamy goodness of asiago gave the TWISTOS™ a delicious twist to the sweetness of the butternut squash.

The TWISTOS™ were so great on my soup that I topped my salad with them too. The TWISTOS™ Parmesan & Garlic flavored snack bites made for a fun alternative to croutons, adding the perfect crunch and sharp Parmesan flavor to every bite.

TWISTOS™ baked snacks come in three flavors: TWISTOS™ Parmesan & Garlic Flavored Snack Bites, TWISTOS™ Asiago Flavored Snack Bites and TWISTOS™ Bruschetta Flavored Snack Bites.

I added the Asiago flavor to my soup, Parmesan & Garlic to my salad, and really enjoyed eating the TWISTOS™ Bruschetta Flavored snack bites on their own. The tomato, garlic and basil flavors almost taste as if you’re eating real bruschetta!

What creative way would you enjoy eating TWISTOS™ Snack Bites?

Leave your answer in the comments section for the chance to win a bag of each flavor of TWISTOS™ snack bites for yourself!

How to enter:

1) Leave your answer in the comments section
2) Tweet about the giveaway: “I entered @alagracie’s #Twistos giveaway! http://tinyurl.com/oxhoyh9” and leave a comment with the link to your tweet.

~~The giveaway will end on Thursday April 3rd, so get your entries in! The winner will be randomly selected from all eligible entries. Good luck~~

Winner has been chosen and contacted!

This post is brought to you by a partnership with Frito-Lay & Girl Meets Life. All opinions are my own.
Please note I was compensated for this post.

#LEAN14: cheesy buffalo chicken dip.

12 February, 2014 by Gracie 11 Comments

Something I wanted to make really clear when I introduced LEAN in 2014 is that it’s not a specific plan – it’s open to every dietary preference, level of fitness, walk of life, etc.

So this one…this is for my low-carbers.

When I try to cut back on carbs, it’s really important to make recipes/meals that don’t make me feel at all deprived. That’s why this is recipe is not Paleo/primal – if I’m going to decrease carbs I at least need cheese!

And oh, is there cheese.

recipe from Frank’s RedHot Buffalo Chicken Dip

ingredients:

2 cups of shredded chicken (I followed this guide to poach/shred chicken)
8 ounces of regular cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup of ranch dressing
1/2 cup hot sauce
6 ounces of shredded cheddar cheese *

* you could use bleu cheese instead if you prefer it, or even 1/2 cheddar 1/2 bleu.

directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl mix together the cream cheese, ranch dressing, hot sauce, and cheese. Then add the chicken and combine well. Transfer to a (8 inch) baking dish, and bake for 20 minutes.

If you’re low-carbing it, serve with steamed broccoli, celery, or over a salad. If not, use your favorite chips or crackers for dipping.

…or you could be really classy like me and just eat it straight out of a bowl.

(Once you taste this, you’ll probably do the same.)

Whether I’m watching my carbs or not, I’m personally always a fan of using real, full fats. But if you’re watching your calorie/fat intake, here’s a lower fat version of this recipe.

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Do you ever watch your carb intake? What are your thoughts on eating low carb?

classic {christmas} sugar cookies.

24 December, 2013 by Gracie 1 Comment

This is a recipe I posted a couple of years ago, but wanted to share again since it’s one of my favorite Christmas cookies.

It was given to my mom from my kindergarten teacher (why we call them “Bobby Pin Sugar Cookies”), and it has been a family favorite ever since. It’s easy, perfect for cookie cutters, and most importantly – delicious!

ingredients:

1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
sprinkles/toppings of your choice

directions:

In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar, then beat in eggs and vanilla. In a separate bowl combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Then gradually beat dry mixture into the wet mixture. Wrap dough tightly in plastic wrap and let chill for at least 30 minutes (the longer the better).

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Roll out the dough on a flour-dusted counter top and use cookie cutters of your choice. Place on nonstick baking pans and add sprinkles/toppings. Bake for 7-10 minutes.*

* How long you bake the cookies depends on your oven because they burn very easily. I baked mine for 7 or 8 minutes and let them cool on the pan for 1 minute before transferring to a cooling rack. That left the cookies perfectly chewy.

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What’s your (family’s) favorite Christmas cookie recipe?

the best part: made with love.

14 December, 2013 by Gracie 8 Comments

“Enjoy the little things in life, for someday you will realize they were the big things.”

That’s a popular quote – one I’ve heard maybe hundreds of times – but it’s one that still rings so very true. The more I learn, see, and experience in life, the more I realize that it really is the little moments and simple gestures that can make all the difference in the world.

I’m always on the search for new ways to inspire and uplift others, as well as realizing what it is that inspires me the most. Sometimes that looks like grand gestures. Sometimes it looks like sharing stories of courage, facing challenges, and overcoming hardships. Sometimes it’s sharing wisdom and advice.

But sometimes…the most inspiring of acts are actually the simplest ones.

To me, one of the best ways to share love and uplift others is to just spend time with them and share in celebration – to share joyful experiences together. That’s why this time of year with the holidays are so important to me – I love the opportunity to share the simple moments of love and reflection with the people who matter most to me.

As someone who loves to bake, one of my favorite ways to bring joy to the people around me is to make them something delicious. Sure, eating is something we do three times a day. It becomes habitual. But even so, there’s nothing quite as comforting as eating a delicious treat, made with love.

There’s something about food that brings people together like nothing else. Food is central to celebration, social gatherings, and evoking memories. No matter what culture or background you come from, food is a common bond that ties us together and can be symbolic of much more than just fueling our bodies.

Like Classic Apple Crisp, which my mom and I have made every fall since I can remember. Or Bobby Pin Sugar Cookies – a recipe that has been in my family for decades, and is named after a kindergarten teacher.

Life can be so overwhelming sometimes. And these days with technology, it has become even more difficult to just sit down and enjoy the simple things. That’s why I want to encourage and inspire you to slow down, and enjoy those little things, made with love. For one day you’ll realize they were the big things.

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Here are some other favorite recipes I think your loved ones will enjoy.

Heavenly Almond Bars

Buttermilk Maple Cinnamon Scones

Preacher’s Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Reese’s Pieces Cookie Bars

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What is a “little thing” in life that uplifts you?

The Best Part is an online community that’s dedicated to brightening your day—every day. How? By spreading optimism, one share at a time. The Best Part posts inspirational stories, encouraging quotes, good news and other upbeat items on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram—and encourages fans and followers to share that optimism with their friends. Because when optimism is shared, it grows, making an even more positive impact on our world. Check out what others are sharing on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

wheat-free vegan pumpkin loaf.

3 October, 2013 by Gracie 9 Comments

I think I should be clear that I’m not wheat free, nor am I a vegan. BUT. After a few too many servings of this fall favorite…

…I figured it wouldn’t hurt to “clean up” my treat of choice for a few days. So I made a handful of replacements in my favorite Classic Pumpkin Bread recipe. The result is not only delicious, but it’s like…really healthy too.

* wheat-free
* can be easily made gluten-free (just use gluten-free oats)
* vegan
* no refined sugar
* entire loaf is under 1000 calories

ingredients:

1/2 can (7.5 ounces) canned pumpkin puree
1 ripe banana, mashed
2 tbsp ground flax meal + 4 tbsp warm water (to make a flax “egg”)
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
1 1/2 cups oat flour *
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
optional: chocolate chips, nuts, dried fruit, etc.

* I actually made the oat flour myself by putting 1.5 cups of regular rolled oats in the food processor until achieving desired consistency. I kept mine pretty chunky to achieve a more hearty texture.

directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a loaf pan.
Combine pumpkin, banana, maple syrup, and flax egg large bowl.
In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture, combine.
Bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Let cool for a few minutes before removing from loaf pan. Store in refrigerator.

I feel crazy for even saying this, but I think I actually might like this loaf better than it’s classic predecessor! It’s dense, chewy, and not too sweet. Perfect for breakfast, a snack, or dessert.

What is your favorite fall treat (healthy or not)?

10 fun fall recipes {via pinterest}.

24 September, 2013 by Gracie 15 Comments

Let’s be real – chances are slim that I’ll get to make all of these over the next couple of months. But if I were to be the cooking/baking goddess I hope to one day become, these treats would be on the top of my list this fall!

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Scarecrow Treats