Mint Chocolate Chip Protein Bars

I will start this post by saying that these little protein bars may not look like much. You may right them off. You may look at their innocuous shape and size and say...


SO WHAT PROTEIN BAR.


WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR ME CHELSEA LATELY?

But the reality is. The honest to goodness truth. The only thing I can tell you is...

This is the protein bar to end all protein bars.



And I don't just mean for mint chocolate chip lovers, either.


I mean for anyone who loves. Yep. Just loves in general. Because these little bad boys and creamy and sweet and minty and chocolate and all that is good in this world into one little unsuspecting square of gluten free vegan goodness.

I literally cannot keep these in my fridge. We all fight over them and then they are gone and it's the saddest moment in all of our lives all at once.


The texture is pillowy yet chewy and satisfying. PLEASE JUST MAKE THEM!!!!!!!!!!!!

And in the off chance that you maybe enjoy...oh, I don't know. Chocolate chip cookie dough instead? Well. I have a protein bar for that.




Or if you scoff at all these juvenile chocolate chip options (watch it, buster!) then how about this NEOPOLITAN PROTEIN BAR?



Okay fine. No? Maybe you like creamsicles instead? HA HA I HAVE A BAR FOR THAT, TOO!

My goal in life is to have a protein bar for every single flavour option, ever. On earth. OR maybe in space.


Do you think aliens are protein-savvy?

Maybe I will launch one into space and see what happens.....

BECAUSE THESE BARS ARE OUTTAAAA THIS WORLDDD....



Gosh I am funny. But these bars are serious. For real. Check them out!

Neopolitan Protein Squares

You know.


This summer hasn't been much of a summer for me.


I guess that's the really sad part of not being a student anymore. Summer really doesn't mean anything special anymore.

I am actually just as stressed and then some as I would be in any other season.


And as for the WEATHER?


Pshhhhhh.


Get outta here with that. It's been either too cold or too hot or stormy or sometimes all three in the same day.

And the overall lack of ice cream in my life is pretty devastating.


I don't...'cheat' much in the formal sense on my diet. But ICE CREAM?!?!?!? If that isn't the most magical food item on this planet, then I just don't know what to say.



Sorry, kale.

I just don't have those ice-cream-needing experiences.

No pool days or leisurely afternoons at the beach. No fun dates down by the lake front.


No music festivals. No trips out with the kiddos warranting ice cream.


HOW DO I ADULT? I HATE DIS!

So it appears my old age has robbed me of all potential interactions with Mr. Ice Cream. His sweet seductive siren call to my belly and emotionally unstable heart have been for naught.



So what can I do?

I mix...da ice cream.... wif da....PROTEIN BAR?!???!!


Genius.


But what flavour? All of them.


Neopolitan has always had a soft spot in my heart.


My grandparents would always buy a huge rectangular tub and keep it at their house for us in the summers. Grandparents always have ice cream, don't they?


And I think foreign grandparents always have the big tubs of neopolitan. It's how they roll. Trust me, I have done my research.


Since my grandfather has been sick I have been having a burning desire for some nostalgia. Back to a time when life was so simple and happy all of the time.


Never more than now have I wanted to go back.


So while I can't do that. I can get a little bit of that flavour without all the guilt or long journeys to the beach ;)

World's Healthiest Cherry Pie

 

HERES MY SWEET CHERRY PIE

ALL GLUTEN FREE WHAT A SWEET SURPRISE

TASTES SO GOOD MAKES A GROWN UP CRY

SWEET  CHERRRYYY PIEEE

If you didn't sing along to that in your head...we can't be friends.

It's now the season where cherries aren't 25,000$/bag.


Which is amazing because cherries are the sweetest most beautiful wonderous fruits ever.


They are my FAVOURITE!

And I think part of their wonder and beauty is that they aren't available all year round. Summer is synonymous with cherries.


And Summer is my middle--- well actually it's my FIRST NAME!

So therefore...



Cherries are bae.

Cherries eyebrows be on fleek.

CHERRIES ARE ALL THAT AND A BAG OF APPLE CHIPS!




I made the crust extra thick around the edges and, to be honest, wanted to decorate with little cherry cut-outs.


But I realized, shockingly, that I had no cherry cookie cutter!!!!!!!!!

WHATTTTTT!


I thought I had every possible shape!


So, I decided....leaves will just have to do even though they have nothing to do with cherries.


They *DO* however, have a lot to do with Canada Day. Which is when I made this pie.

Bubbling sweet and caramelized cherries. With a flakey and rich gluten free crust. I know, I know. I'm your favourite.

If only pitting cherries wasn't...well...the pits.


Then I would probably make this pie ALL OF THE TIME!


OH MY GOSH IT WAS UNREAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



There aren't enough exclamation points.


This cherry pie is fit for Dean Winchester himself. He would love this pie.


He'd be like 'Oh my gosh this pie is amazing and also healthy? Come in my Chevy Impala and ride with me on all my demon-hunting journeys, girl!'



Yes. That's exactly how that would go down.

Can you smell the sweet vanilla and cherry scent filling your kitchen?


CAN YOU!

If not then you should read the recipe and get to bakin'!