Banana Split Protein Popsicles

I got new popsicle molds! It was totally going to happen as I completely have a popsicle addiction, it was just a matter of time. And that time is now. I got little ring pop molds for the Bear too (perfect kid-sized popsicles on a ring, how awesome is that? Sooooo awesome), I just haven't had a chance to photograph them yet because she has popsicle radar and starts climbing up my leg the second I get them out.

Edit: Derp. Just take a picture of me wearing one.

And what better way to celebrate the maiden voyage of new pop molds but to fill them with banana splits! Everything you love about a banana split down to the chocolate, strawberry, and pineapple topping in one splendiferous popsicle. I know, right? Genius idea. These popsicles are so splendiferously delicious I dare you to try and only eat one. The only way these could possibly be any better is dipped in chocolate. Mmm magic shell, anyone? 

These are a new favorite in our household. 4ft can't get enough of them and Bear growls at hers as she eats it (I'm pretty sure that's a good thing) The banana haters of the house make gross faces but we ignore them because there's something wrong with them anyway. How can you not like banana? 

Oven-Fried Onion Rings

This all started with having a craving. I wanted something fried, crunchy, and dippable in ketchup. French fries are high in starch which my body likes to gain weight just looking at. I rarely eat potatoes. I used to miss them like crazy but now I'm all, "Meh" about them so it's not so bad. I love oven-fried zucchini but I didn't want ranch, I wanted ketchup, and while 4ft has no problem dipping everything under the sun in ketchup, I can't. I had half an onion sitting all alone in the fridge looking for love in all the wrong places (that vanilla yogurt isn't interested, leave it alone for goodness sake).

Normally, I'd do onion rings because they'd be prettier and anyone who knows me, knows that food doesn't only have to taste good, it has to look good too. Say it with me, "We eat with our eyes before we ever eat with our mouths." I know some of you are rolling your eyes at me (my best friend hears this a lot when she's trying to tell me how crazy I am -- so I know her eyes are) but it doesn't make it any less true. However, I couldn't do rings because I had half an onion cut the opposite way so I did what I had to do and made peels instead. 

It actually worked out better that way because I made slider burgers to go with them (OMG best slider burgers ever -- recipe is coming) and the peels held more real estate on the burger so I got some onion-y goodness in every bite. They made better scoops for dip (which is totally my thing. I love dipping things) and they were easier to keep the breading on when making them.

4ft ate a couple, but the rest of the family are firm onion haters unless they're cooked in something and can't be seen (as they are with most things delicious), and they were missing out because these onion peels were delicious and tasted like regular onion rings without all the grease. Definitely worth the effort to make them!

Barbecue Bacon Jalapeno Popper Chicken Bombs

I have a weakness for bacon. Who doesn't, right? I like to buy the center cut kind because it's a little less fatty than the normal cut and while some people swear by turkey bacon, I'm all about the real stuff so I cut the fat where I can. One, by buying center cut and two, by only eating one or two pieces. Yes, I'm the queen of willpower, why do you ask? And of course the piece I snitch while I'm cooking the bacon doesn't count. 

When I posted the Witch Doctor's Angry Chicken one of my friends told me she did something like that but put bacon in it. I thought that sounded like an amazing idea and I just so happened to have a partial package of bacon in the fridge. Serendipitous, you say? I agree. I also had some Apple-Bourbon Barbecue Sauce in the fridge as well and I thought that sounded even more amazing. Bacon, barbecue, and jalapenos -- could it get any better than that?

I'm telling you now my friends, it CANNOT! This chicken was amazing. It's a little more work what with pounding the chicken super super thin and rolling it up like a burrito but it's totally worth it. You get jalapeno cheesiness with barbecue bacon in every bite and you don't need toothpicks to hold it closed like when you stuff the chicken like pockets. 

Picky Eaters' Seal of Approval: Big eyes, wide smiles, and lots of piggy noises as the food was devoured. 

Protein-Packed Ranch Dip

I've got to be honest, I feel a little silly for posting this recipe because it seems like such a no brainer, but what if it's not? I mean, I've had my sleeve for nearly 8 months now, and this is the first time I've ever thought to do this. Mix ranch dip powder with plain Greek yogurt? Uh yeah, why not? Genius idea, right? Get all the go to protein power of Greek yogurt with the delicious taste of veggie dip with veggies? It's like a vegetable platter on steroids! And let me tell you, it's truly splendiferously delicious. 

This is my new go to dip and the whole family loves it. They don't even know how good for them it is. Insert evil genius laugh here. I love it when that happens.

So... if you knew about this the whole time and you're all like, "Derp, Lisa, ya noodle, I've been making this a hundred years!" why didn't you tell me? We need to talk about our serious lack of communication. And if a light bulb just went off over your head and you're all like, "Lisa, you total gorgeous genius, I never thought of that but how amazing it is you did!" you're totally welcome!

Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Bananas

I love frozen bananas. I mean who doesn't? Well, those who don't actually like bananas in general but they're just sick and twisted so I pretend they don't exist. Which makes being married to my husband and having a Grumpers hard because they loathe bananas. There is something just not right about that but atleast Bear and 4ft love bananas as much as I do, so I'm not alone in my love affair. But now that I think of it, I kind of wish I was because when I make this snack, I'd get to eat them all myself instead of having to share with my munchkins. It's a good thing they're cute and I love them.

These are a great snack on a hot day (who am I kidding? Any day). You get all the health benefits of a banana, protein from the peanut butter, crunch from the pretzel, and sweet from the dark chocolate -- which actually has health benefits. So, it's like dieting when you eat these. Okay, it's really not but don't you love how I justify some of the treats that I make.

And really they're so good at being filling and silencing the sweet cravings, it's not a problem to share a banana with the kids because I can only eat a couple anyway. And if you need another excuse, other than they're splendiferously delicious, to make these -- it's just fun! My kids love making these with me. They dip their banana slices in chocolate and then add sprinkles -- candy, pretzels, nuts, sea salt, granola, grape nuts, rice crispies, (the list is as long as your imagination).