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Dye Free Mini Red Velvet Cake Recipe

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red velvet cake recipe dye free

While Andrew may not be writing as much as we had hoped yet, he is contributing to a lot of the behind the scenes aspects of running the blog.  He’s been taking all the food pictures (soon to be all the pictures) and helps with our editorial calendar.  When we sat down to discuss what we would write about for our December Mini Chef Mondays’ posts, he immediately said something with Red Velvet Cake.  My first thought was EWW, gross.  No one here is eating that.  He looked at me with utter confusion.  He had no idea that I had never tasted red velvet cake before.  Once he heard that he said that we must change it immediately.  He had a recipe that he had used before to make one a long time ago and I glanced over it.

I immediately cringed and told him we had to figure something else out.  Again, he looked at me with utter confusion. ((this is pretty much the story of our relationship…me saying things, him looking confused…we’re working on it)). Anywho, I showed him that the recipe called for two ENTIRE tablespoons of red dye.  Dyes are one of the things that we really ty to avoid in our house.  Don’t get me wrong, Skibbles has had things with dye in them, but we try to avoid if we can, especially if it’s something that I’m making from scratch at home.  So I research my options and had heard about people doing red velvet cakes with beets before.  Don’t cringe, but I had never had a beet before either.

SAYY WHATT!?

True story.

how to make dye free red velvet cake

So here Skibbles and I were standing in the kitchen, getting ready to make this cake for the first time together. We were planning to make a cake roll. Fast forward and I failed miserably the first time.  The cake didn’t come out red once baked and when I tried to peel it off the baking sheet it cracked in like four places.  Crap.  So I turned to the internet.  Why did it turn brown?

red velvet cake with beets

Well, this is one reason I love Mini Chef Mondays.  I get to teach Skibs things and today’s recipe turned into a science experiment.  While she’s only 3, and really has no idea what I’m talking about, it was fun to teach her that things, like beets, have a pH level that needs a lot of acid in order to stay red and not brown. So I figured out a new recipe and VOILA, you have a red velvet cake recipe with no dye.

how to make mini red velvet cakes with beets

But wait….this was still supposed to be a cake roll.  Obviously it didn’t work out and it was great to start to teach Skibbles about how some times things don’t work out how we plan and we have to adapt what we are doing.  Low and behold, we give you Dye Free Mini Red Velvet Cakes.

mini red velvet cakes made with beets

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Dye Free Mini Red Velvet Cake Recipe
Author: Larisha Campbell
Ingredients
For the Cake
  • 1 1/4 cup Flour
  • 1 tsp cream of tartar
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 3 tbsp 100% Cacao Cannot be sweetened or special dark
  • 2 eggs
  • 3/4 cup sugar divided
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1/4 plain greek yogurt
  • 2 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1/4 cup oil
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 3/4 cup beet puree recipe below
  • 6 strawberries pureed
For the Frosting
Instructions
For the Cake
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease 15x10 sheet pan very well with butter.
  2. In one bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, cacao, and cream of tartar. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, beat eggs, sugar, vanilla, milk, yogurt, vinegar, oil, and lemon juice together.
  4. Fold in the beet and strawberry purees.
  5. Evenly spread onto greased sheet pan. Bake for 10-12 minutes.
  6. Cool for 5 minutes.
  7. Using a 2 inch biscuit cutter, cut out circles of cake.
For the Frosting
  1. Combine all ingredients except homemade whipped topping until very well combined. Fold in whipped topping. Spread a small on top of a cake circle and place another cake circle on top. Repeat until you have the desired amount of layers. Then frosting the top and edges if desired.
How to Make Beet Puree
  1. Preheat over to 425 degrees.
  2. Wash off beets, remove stems and placed them on a sheet of foil with edges folded up. Lightly sprinkle with salt.
  3. Roast in oven for 30-45 minutes or until a fork easily pierces through the beet.
  4. Remove beets and let cool long enough until you can handle them. Peel the skin off.
  5. Place in a high powered blender until pureed. (May need to add 1/2 to 2 tbsp of water to get consistent depending on your blender)

*If you’re looking for a round or sheet cake recipe, you will need to double the ingredients above to have enough batter

bloggers-headshots-mini-chef-mondays

I am hosting Mini Chef Mondays along with 11 fabulous bloggers!

Be sure to check out each of their Mini Chef posts as well. We would love it if you would share your Mini Chef posts with us each week, too! Follow along socially and join in on the fun by using our hashtag #MiniChefMondays to share creations your mini chef created in the kitchen. Additionally, if you have a kid-friendly recipe that kids can easily recreate link up! Don’t have a blog? Share the URL of your instagram photo in our linky below.

  1. Crispy White Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge // Courtney’s Sweets
  2. Snowman Cheeseball // Momma Lew
  3. Peppermint Almond Bark Recipe with Pretzels // Baby Loving Mama
  4. Dye Free Mini Red Velvet Cake Recipe // We’re Parents
  5. Rice Krispie Treat Presents // Frugal Novice
  6. Tasting Cooking Games for Kids // Eating Richly
  7. Magic Reindeer Food Recipe // Giggles, Gobbles and Gulps
  8. An Online Cooking School for Kids! // Step Stool Chef
  9. 3 Ingredient Apple Fruit Leather // Vegging at the Shore
  10. Baking Cookies with Cookie Monster at Beaches // Mom’s Messy Miracles
  11. 6 Must Have Kitchen Tools When Cooking with Kids // O’Boy! Organic
  12. Christmas Cookies for Your Dog! // Can’t Google Everything

Chocolate Covered Caramel Cheesecake Bites

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These Chocolate Covered Caramel Cheesecake Bites are the perfect entertaining dessert. These bites size cheesecake bites will make you the star of the day!

chocolate covered caramel cheesecake bites

I remember get togethers at my aunt’s house growing up where a family friend would always bring these amazing pepperoni rolls and cherry cheesecakes. Both were always gone in a flash. Decadent cream cheese filling with a crunchy sweet crust and topped with a rich cherry filling topping that would burst in your mouth. As a kid, there was nothing better than that. They were to die for and that’s where I know my love of cheesecake started.

For me, cheesecake is one of the things that I believe could cure world tensions. Everyone just needs to sit down and eat some amazingly delicious cheesecake together and work it all out. Am I right?

While, I personally would enjoy just sitting down with the pan of cheesecake and a fork, I know many people think it’s really indulgent and just want to have a small piece. It’s kind of awkward to cut though so we have recently been making these in a square pan and cutting into bite size pieces to take to get togethers.

What ingredients do I need to make these chocolate covered caramel cheesecake bites?

There are four parts to these chocolate covered caramel cheesecake bites.  I know that may sound like a lot, but I promise it comes together really easily. You will need to make the crust, cheesecake filling, caramel, and chocolate sauce.  For everything together for these chocolate covered caramel cheesecake bites, you will need:

  • graham crackers
  • unsalted butter
  • brown sugar
  • sugar
  • vanilla extract
  • cream cheese
  • eggs
  • brown sugar
  • heavy cream
  • vanilla
  • salt
  • chocolate chips
  • coconut oil

Even though there are four total parts to this recipe, you still only need 13 ingredients.  Not bad for a recipe that’s going to be one of your favorite dessert recipes for gatherings.

How do you make chocolate covered caramel cheesecake bites?

This amazing dessert recipe is actually fairly easy to make. To start, you’re going to want to preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Place foils on the bottom of a 9×13 cake pan.

In a food processor, crush the graham crackers to crumbs.  If you do not have a food processor you can also achieve this by adding the crackers to a gallon size ziploc bag and use a rolling pin or flat size of a meat tenderizer until you get crumbs. Add the crumbs into a bowl with the brown sugar and melted butter.  Stir this mixture together and them press onto the bottom of the pan evenly using the back of a spoon or your hands. Bake for 10 minutes, remove and let cool.

While your crust is baking, you can start the cheesecake filling.  Grab a large bowl and beat all the cream cheese together until really nice and creamy.  Add in the sugar and vanilla and blend well. Then, one at a time add the eggs and beat on low until just blended. Don’t over mix.  Pour this over the cooled crust.

Place in oven for an hour to hour and fifteen minutes.  The center should almost be set but have a slight jiggle.  Turn off the oven and allow the cheesecake to remain inside, door closed, for 30-45 minutes.  Let cool to touch, then refrigerate overnight to let set up all the way.  If you are short on time, you can freeze for 2 hours.

Caramel and cheesecake toppings

Then, you are going to want to make your caramel sauce the day you are ready to make the cheesecake bites. In a small pot, over medium heat, add brown sugar, heavy cream, butter, and vanilla.  Let cook, stirring frequently for 10-15 minutes. It will be thickened.  Let cool for 30 minutes.  Then pour over the cheesecake and place in freezer for an hour until solid.
Lastly, the chocolate covered part.  Using a double broiler, melt the chocolate chips and coconut oil together until melted. Bring the cheesecake out of freezer and remove from pan. Pull off foil from the sides.  Cut the cheesecake into bite size pieces.
If the cheesecake begins to soften too much during this phase, then place back in the freezer.  Dip or drizzle chocolate across cheesecake pieces.  Place on a wax paper lined baking sheet.  Repeat with all remaining ingredients.  Place in the freezer for 30 minutes, then move to fridge until ready to serve.  Store any leftovers in fridge or freezer.

making cheesecake bites

Can kids help make these chocolate covered caramel cheesecake bites?

We used to do a series on here called Mini Chef Mondays where we would show our oldest baking something with us and learning her way around the kitchen.  Some of the things that she could do for this recipe that you kids could also help with is:

  • Turn on and use the food processor or crushing with a rolling pin if using a ziploc bag
  • Using a mixer (with help if younger)
  • Pouring the cheesecake mixture into the crust
  • Dipping the cheesecake bites into the chocolate
  • and more

making cheesecake bites

What are other delicious cheesecake recipes we should try?

If you are looking at this recipe because you love cheesecake then we would encourage you to try some of our other amazing cheesecake recipes like:

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Chocolate Covered Caramel Cheesecake Bites
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
1 hr
Resting
8 hrs
Total Time
1 hr 20 mins
 

These Chocolate Covered Caramel Cheesecake Bites are the perfect entertaining dessert. These bites size cheesecake bites will make you the star of the day!

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cheesecake recipes, dessert, recipes
Servings: 60 bites
Calories: 89 kcal
Author: Larisha Campbell
Ingredients
For crust
  • 3 cups crushed graham crackers ~18 whole crackers
  • 1 stick + 2 tbsp unsalted butter melted
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
For cheesecake filling
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 4- 8 oz packages of Cream Cheese softened
  • 4 eggs
For caramel
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 5 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1 tbsp vanilla
  • pinch of salt
Additional
  • 1 bag chocolate chips
  • 1 tbsp coconut oil
Instructions
For crust
  1. Heat oven to 325 Degrees F
  2. In a food processor crush graham crackers to crumbs. With a spoon, add in brown sugar and melted butter.
  3. Add foil to cover a 9x13 cake pan.
  4. Press crumb mixture onto bottom of pan evenly with the bottom of a spoon.
  5. Bake crust for 10 mins. Remove and let cool.
For cheesecake filling
  1. In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla on medium until well blended.
  2. One at a time, add eggs, and beat on a low setting until blended (don't overdo the blending here).
  3. Pour over crust.
  4. Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 mins or until center is almost set (should have a slightly jiggle).
  5. Turn off oven and allow cheesecake to remain inside oven for 30-45 mins.
  6. Let cool to touch and then refrigerate overnight or freeze at least 2 hours.
For caramel
  1. In a small pot over medium heat, add brown sugar, heavy cream, butter, and vanilla.
  2. Let cook, stirring frequently for 10-15 minutes until thickened.
  3. Let cool for 30 minutes.
  4. Pour mixture over cheesecake and put into freezer for an hour or until solid.
Additional
  1. In a microwave safe bowl or double broiler, melt chocolate chips and coconut oil together until well melted.
  2. Bring cheesecake out of freezer and gently remove from pan and pull off foil from around the sides.
  3. Cut into bit size pieces.
  4. *Tip: Move quickly (but safely) when cutting. If cheesecake begins to soften too much, place back in freezer.
  5. Dip or drizzle chocolate across cheesecake. And place on wax paper lined baking sheet. Place in freezer for 30 minutes, then you can move to fridge until ready to serve.
  6. Store any leftovers in fridge or freezer.
Recipe Notes

**Nutritional facts are just estimates. Please utilize your own brand nutritional values to double check against our estimates. 

Nutrition Facts
Chocolate Covered Caramel Cheesecake Bites
Amount Per Serving (1 bite)
Calories 89 Calories from Fat 27
% Daily Value*
Fat 3g5%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Cholesterol 16mg5%
Sodium 39mg2%
Potassium 19mg1%
Carbohydrates 12g4%
Sugar 10g11%
Vitamin A 85IU2%
Calcium 16mg2%
Iron 0.3mg2%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

 I hosted Mini Chef Mondays with these other amazing bloggers.

Be sure to check out each of their Mini Chef posts as well!

  1. Avocado Deviled Eggs // Courtney’s Sweets
  2. Strawberry Pound Cake Parfaits for Easter // Finding Zest
  3. Chocolate Covered Caramel Cheesecake Bites // We’re Parents
  4. White Chocolate Covered Grapes // Frugal Novice
  5. Bunny Rabbit Pancake // Giggles, Gobbles and Gulps
  6. No-Bake Carrot Cake Bites // Vegging at the Shore
  7. Strawberry Pineapple Kale Smoothie // The Shirley Journey
  8. Cooking with Kids: Keeping it Safe // O’Boy! Organic
  9. Peaches and Cream Pie // My Mini Adventurer

Pin these Chocolate Covered Caramel Cheesecake Bites for later: 

This post was originally published on 3/21/2016.  Updated on 3/21/2019.

The Best Sweet Potato Pie Recipe

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This is the Best Sweet Potato Pie Recipe you will find for your fall get together! Surprise everyone with this amazingly delicious homemade sweet potato pie. 

best sweet potato pie recipe

Holidays Are A Special Time

When you think about holidays, what comes to mind? For me, it’s a ton of things. I actually start to get a giddy and smirk in a way that if you seen me from afar you would think I lost it! Fantasizing about how giving everyone becomes — and I don’t mean just presents.

I mean more simple things. Like more people holding the mall door open after walking through. It’s such a simple gesture, but if your from the Jersey/Philly/New York/Bmore/DC regions — Folks walk around like “The Walking Dead” most of the year. So, when this time of the year hits, I don’t take it for granted.

The cities and town also become more beautiful. With amazing decorations and music that gets even the grinch doing the “whip and nay nay”. But, what I truly look forward to the most is family and tradition.

For me nothing compares to that quality time.

I love “people watching” in my old household. Seeing mom and dad holding hands, feeding each other. Remember you use to get all grossed out, but now you think its cute (well, I’m still grossed out). My older brother still taking advantage of me. Like tapping on one shoulder and when I look, stealing my last bite from over the other shoulder (just wait till he needs to find his key to go home later). My little sister somehow after all these years still has my parents giving her whatever she wants (so jealous).

Yet and still loving every moment.

homemade sweet potato pie recipe

Passing down family traditions

What are your family traditions for the holidays? You can see some of our holidays traditions that we do every year, but I want to focus on one in this post.

It’s one that I started years before Larisha and I even got together.  That’s right, I started a tradition in the family myself. A food tradition. And this family tradition I have already started passing down to my little girls. But I want to include you too! Our big girl has been helping me make this sweet potato pie recipe since she was 2!

kids in the kitchen mini chef mondaysWhether or not you’ve ever had Sweet Potato Pie before, you really need to make it happen this year.  It’s really quite incredible and easy to make. It’s the best sweet potato pie recipe ever! I mean even my mama calls to make sure I’m making it so you know it’s gotta be good!

sweet potato pie recipe

Ingredients for Sweet Potato Pie

To make homemade sweet potato pie isn’t complicated.  It’s one of the more simple dessert recipes to make for Thanksgiving or other fall holidays. The full recipe is below, but the ingredients you need to make sweet potato pie are:

  • Sweet Potatoes
  • Unsalted Butter
  • Brown Sugar
  • Whole Milk
  • Eggs
  • Nutmeg
  • Cinnamon
  • Vanilla
  • Store bought graham cracker crust or to make your own crust you’ll need unsalted butter, brown sugar, and graham crackers

How to Make Sweet Potato Pie

If you’ve never made a homemade sweet potato pie recipe before, you may be a little intimidated. I’m here to tell you that you don’t have to be.  It’s as easy as pie (HA! – Dad joke!)

You start by boiling potatoes until soft. If you are making a homemade crust for the sweet potato pie recipe,  you’ll want to do that while potatoes are cooking. Then, mash the potatoes.  Add in butter. After that, add in the brown sugar, milk, eggs, nutmeg, cinnamon, and vanilla. Mix all that together until it’s nice and smooth. Pour into crust and let bake at 350 degrees for 65-75 minutes.  A toothpick should come out clean when inserted. Cool and serve. It’s great topped with homemade whipped topping or ice cream!

How to make sweet potato pie

Other Sweet Potato Recipes to Try

We think this is the best sweet potato pie recipe and a must have for the fall. However, with fall goes great pricing on sweet potatoes.  You should try these other sweet potato recipes sometime during the fall as well!

The Best Sweet Potato Pie Recipe

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The Best Sweet Potato Pie Recipe
Prep Time
1 hr
Cook Time
1 hr 5 mins
Total Time
2 hrs 5 mins
 

This is the Best Sweet Potato Pie Recipe you will find for your fall get together! Surprise everyone with this amazingly delicious homemade sweet potato pie. 

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: dessert, pie, sweet potato recipes, thanksgiving recipes
Servings: 8 slices
Calories: 440 kcal
Author: Andrew
Ingredients
  • 1 lb sweet potatoes
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup whole milk
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
For crust (buy a 9in graham cracker crust or make recipe below)
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups graham crackers crumbs, about 9 whole crackers
Toppings
Instructions

  1. Boil Potatoes for 50 mins making sure water is always covering the potatoes or until soft. *If making crust, see directions below and make while potatoes are boiling.

  2. Immediately drain and run cool water over potatoes and skin the potatoes.
  3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  4. In a large bowl, mash the potatoes.
  5. Add in butter and mix well.
  6. Add in brown sugar, milk, eggs, nutmeg, cinnamon, and vanilla.
  7. Mix until smooth.
  8. Pour into pie crust.
  9. Bake for 65-75 minutes or until toothpick in center comes out clean.
  10. Let cool and serve.

  11. Top with Homemade Whipped Topping if desired. 

For the crust
  1. Mix the melted butter, brown sugar, and crumbs into a pie dish. Press down evenly with the back of a spoon until all the mixtures is evenly spread on bottom and up the sides of the dish. Cook at 350 degrees for 7 minutes, then let cool completely before adding filling.
Recipe Notes

**Nutritional facts are just estimates. Please utilize your own brand nutritional values to double check against our estimates. 

Nutrition Facts
The Best Sweet Potato Pie Recipe
Amount Per Serving (1 slice)
Calories 440 Calories from Fat 207
% Daily Value*
Fat 23g35%
Saturated Fat 13g81%
Cholesterol 95mg32%
Sodium 175mg8%
Potassium 292mg8%
Carbohydrates 55g18%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 36g40%
Protein 4g8%
Vitamin A 8745IU175%
Vitamin C 1.3mg2%
Calcium 85mg9%
Iron 1.4mg8%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Pin this Best Sweet Potato Pie Recipe for later: 

This post was originally posted on 11/23/2015 as part of Mini Chef Mondays. Scroll down to see our original images. And see some other amazing recipes from our friends apart of our Mini Chef group.

  1. Peppermint Chocolate Chip Milkshake with Whipped Cream // Courtney’s Sweets
  2. One Hour Bread Recipe // Momma Lew
  3. Homemade Berry Granola // Baby Loving Mama
  4. The Best Sweet Potato Pie Recipe // We’re Parents
  5. Cranberry, Orange, & White Chocolate Bars // Frugal Novice
  6. Easy French Pastries Kids Can Make // Eating Richly
  7. Thanksgiving Fruit and Cheese Turkey Centerpiece // Giggles, Gobbles and Gulps
  8. Easy Peasy Cheesy Puffs // Step Stool Chef
  9. Twinestrone Soup // Vegging at the Shore
  10. Banana Smoothies // Mom’s Messy Miracles
  11. Harvest Kale Salad // O’Boy! Organic
  12. Zwetschgenwähe: Swiss Plum Pie // Can’t Google Everything

 

the best sweet potato pie recipe

sweet potato pie recipe

Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Ice Cream Recipe

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This easy Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Ice Cream is nicecream at the next level. Learn how to make decadently rich banana ice cream with just 3 ingredients!

If you found this recipe looking for a lactation smoothie, we’re sorry. You can find the lactation smoothie here. (We are aware of the issue, just waiting for a fix soon). 

chocolate peanut butter ice cream

A few weeks back we made a Caramel Banana Ice Cream.  It was heaven.  H-E-A-V-E-N!

Problem – Ice cream actually takes a pretty long time to make.

While I prefer making as much as I can from scratch so I can control our ingredients, I really don’t like things that take a lot of time.  I mean, really, do any of us? There’s the whole instant gratification part of us, but also there’s the whole, I have a bajillion other things to be doing.  Waiting almost 24 hours for ice cream, isn’t really what I want to be doing.  And lastly, trying to explain to a toddler that we are making ice cream but it won’t be ready until tomorrow, is just setting yourself up for a huge meltdown.  And ain’t nobody got time for that.

I need something for those hot summer days that we come inside and can instantly have something within a few minutes to cool us off.  While we typically have ice pops on hand, sometimes we forget to make more before we run out. I mean I am human! HAHA.

chocolate peanut butter nice cream
What is Nicecream?

Nicecream is vegan ice cream made by blending up frozen bananas. Once you have the banana base, you can work on adding in toppings, sauces, and other ingredients to spin it into your favorite ice cream made from bananas.

Our favorite banana nice cream recipe is split between the one you are reading here and our Banana Swirl nice cream with strawberry sauce swirled into the nice cream recipe. Both of these healthy ice cream recipes are sure to please anyone!

What’s the best Nice Cream Recipe?

We almost always have frozen bananas in the freezer so it’s a quick and easy one to throw together. You can flavor the bananas with almost anything or just eat the whipped bananas by themselves. Chocolate and Peanut Butter together are the perfect combination so we are big fans in thinking this Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Ice Cream recipe is the best nice cream recipe around .

chocolate nice cream recipe

Throw the three ingredients into a blender (we use this Ninja Kitchen Professional system) and bam, instant ice cream in under 5 minutes.  You can serve right away or throw in the freezer for later if you want.  Both our girls loved this recipe and so did Andrew and I. We hope you enjoy it too!

how to make nice cream

How to Make Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Ice Cream

5 from 2 votes
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Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Ice Cream
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
Total Time
25 mins
 

THIS EASY CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER BANANA ICE CREAM IS NICECREAM AT THE NEXT LEVEL. LEARN HOW TO MAKE DECADENTLY RICH BANANA ICE CREAM WITH JUST 3 INGREDIENTS!

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4
Calories: 158 kcal
Author: Larisha Campbell
Ingredients
Instructions

  1. Set Bananas out for 15 minutes to slightly thaw.

  2. Add ingredients to high powdered blender or food processor and blend for 5 minutes, scraping down as needed, until a thick, creamy consistency is achieved. 

  3. Serve immediately or store in air tight container in freezer. 

Recipe Notes

If you are having trouble blending completely, you can wait a few minutes for bananas to thaw a bit more or add a splash of milk (dairy or dairy free) until it will blend well.

Nutrition Facts
Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Ice Cream
Amount Per Serving (1 g)
Calories 158 Calories from Fat 36
% Daily Value*
Fat 4g6%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Sodium 38mg2%
Potassium 515mg15%
Carbohydrates 30g10%
Fiber 4g17%
Sugar 15g17%
Protein 3g6%
Vitamin A 75IU2%
Vitamin C 10.2mg12%
Calcium 13mg1%
Iron 0.8mg4%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

mini chef mondays chocolate peanut butter banana ice cream

Pin this Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Nicecream Recipe for later!

vegan ice cream recipe

This post was originally posted on 6/20/2016. Same great recipe, but our photography has greatly improved. 

chocolate peanut butter banana ice cream recipe

Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Ice Cream

This post is part of a kids cooking series we did called Mini Chef Mondays– a series of posts that kids can make primarily on their own. Check out some other fun kid-friendly recipes from some of our friends! 

  1. Sundae Fundays Mini Chef Mondays // Courtney’s Sweets
  2. 6 Reasons to Take Your Kids to a Pick Your Own Farm // Momma Lew
  3. Patriotic Potato Chip Candy // Finding Zest
  4. Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Ice Cream Recipe // We’re Parents
  5. The Best Finger Foods For Baby // Eating Richly Even When You’re Broke
  6. Cooking with Kids: 5 Must Make Summer Treats // Giggles, Gobbles and Gulps
  7. Vegetarian Crockpot Baked Beans // Vegging at the Shore
  8. Real Fruit Healthy Slushies // O’Boy! Organic
  9. Homemade Tuscan Style Pizza // My Mini Adventurer

Introducing The Seasoned Kids

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Introducing

The Seasoned Kids!

logo-preview

Every week for almost the past year, we have thoroughly enjoyed getting in the kitchen to show you the recipes we make with our kids. We’ve done everything from simple popsicles, to stuffed cupcakes, to dinner casseroles, and a little bit in between. It’s been amazing and our girls love being in the kitchen with us as much as we love having them beside us.

We noticed something was missing though. We were, at times, creating recipes that were a bit too complex for our kids, where they heavily relied on us for help. We wanted to switch that up and give our kids, as well as you, our readers and your families, a chance to really get your kids into the kitchen and teach them lessons on important tips and tricks of being in the kitchen.

Our motto, “eat good, learn great” is the key. Food brings us all together. From the beginning of time, we all know how important family meals, family get togethers, breaking bread, etc., can be to each other. Thus, we created this concept that by seasoning our kids with knowledge on not only why they are doing something in the kitchen, but with the concepts of eating well, we are in turn empowering them to be a greater version of themselves.

New Series Starts 10/7/2016.

The Seasoned Kids series will start this Friday. We are insanely excited about this new journey and as always we really hope that you enjoy what we have planned. Each week on Fridays, we will give a lesson for your to teach your kids about a kitchen concept, and then we will share an original recipes around that lesson.

Some of our planned lessons include:

  • Stirring
  • Measuring
  • Cutting
  • Washing
  • Kneading
  • and Many More!

We’ll see you here Friday and as always thanks for following our family’s journey with us!

Here’s some pictures of our kids in the kitchen! Enjoy!

mini chef mondays loaded baked potato soup

Homemade-S'mores-Waffles-recipe1109

Homemade-S'mores-Waffles-recipe

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Caramel Apple Cider Milkshake

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caramel-apple-cider-milkshake

Growing up, fall wasn’t that exciting for me. It meant that it was getting cold and time to go back to school. The only thing exciting about fall was it meant that the Apple Butter Festival was around the corner. Apple Cider was my favorite drink (still is) and I always looked forward to that part of the year. Fast forward to adulthood with kids, and summer is exhausting and hot. I now look forward to the cooler air, where we can get outside and actually enjoy time without sweating profusely.

Just because it’s getting cooler though, don’t mean you can’t enjoy frozen treats. It’s the best of both worlds! You get amazingly delicious flavor combinations in season mixed with frozen deliciousness. Thus, we created this Caramel Apple Cider Milkshake. It’s all sorts of awesome and you need it in your life immediately.

Watch us make it!

We blended caramel crunch ice cream from Target with apple cider, topped with whipped cream and homemade caramel sauce and voila! Caramel Apple Cider Milkshake. Because why not!? It’s amazing.

caramel-apple-cider-milkshake

Now excuse me while I go consumer all the leftover apple cider.

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Caramel Apple Cider Milkshake
Author: Larisha Campbell
Ingredients
  • 3 scoops of caramel ice cream
  • 1/4 cup apple cider
  • Whipped Topping
  • Caramel Sauce
  • Cinnamon
Instructions
  1. Blend together ice cream and apple cider.
  2. Pour into a chilled glass.
  3. Top with whipped topping, caramel sauce, and cinnamon.
  4. Serve immediately.

_caramel-apple-cider-milkshake-recipe

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Caramel Apple Cheesecake Dip

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Caramel Apple Cheesecake Dip

It’s our first Mini Chef Mondays for September, which means it’s technically fall.  Am I right?

September 1st equals fall.

I know I will have a few of you that absolutely hate me for saying that, but just stick with me. I promise I have something that you are going to love.

I didn’t want to upset you too much, so I’m not starting the month of with pumpkin flavored goodies or Halloween related treats. However, we are diving into two of my favorite things.

Caramel Apples and Cheesecake.

Caramel Apples are the epitome of my childhood.  Loved them! I still do honestly. I remember growing up that I would beg for one every time that we went to a carnival, fair, boardwalk….you get the picture. Now, I don’t have to wait for any special occasion. The Amish market near our house carries them weekly and they aren’t just normal Caramel and Apple.  They are dipped in chocolate, rolled around in candies or marshmallow, drizzle with peanut butter sauce, and more.  They are amazing. But they are fussy. All that work just to have 7.5 bits of apple actually dipped in the topping, then it’s just a healthy apple.  HA!

Cheesecake is also fussy.  But we love it so much.  We’ve made cheesecake funnel cakes, cheesecake pancakes, shoot, we’ve even made peanut butter cheesecake overnight oats.  But, as much as we love all of those (and recommend you try all of them), we’d be lying to say it’s super easy.  Cheesecake is a labor of love.

how to make cheesecake dip

Thus, we bring you the less fussy version of the best of both worlds.

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Dip. 

It’s the perfect version of a fall dip that everyone will fall in love with. And, trust me, no one will believe how fast and easy this recipe is to make.

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Caramel Apple Cheesecake Dip
Author: Larisha Campbell
Ingredients
Caramel Sauce
  • 5 tbsp unsalted Butter
  • 1 cup Brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup Heavy Cream
  • 1 tbsp Vanilla
  • Pinch of salt
Dip
  • 2 8 oz packages of cream cheese softened
  • 1/4 cup each chopped chocolate and peanuts
Instructions
To Make Caramel Sauce
  1. Combine butter, brown sugar, and heavy cream.
  2. Bring to a rolling bowl, stirring very frequently, for 10 minutes.
  3. Turn off heat and add in the vanilla and salt.
  4. Let cool slightly. Begin to prep the dip.
To make the dip
  1. Beat the cream cheese on medium for 5 minutes.
  2. Add in the caramel sauce.
  3. Mix until very well combined.
  4. Pour into serving bowl, top with chopped chocolate and peanuts.
  5. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. Can make up to 3 days in advance. Keep covered and refrigerated until ready to serve.
  6. Serve alongside desired dippers. We use apples, chocolate graham crackers, and pretzel rods.

caramel apple cheesecake dip recipe

I am hosting Mini Chef Mondays along with 8 fabulous bloggers! Read how Mini Chef Mondays started.

Mini Chef Mondays Team
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Join the Mini Chef Mondays newsletter to get the latest recipes delivered to your email each week! Don’t worry, we will only use your email for Mini Chef Mondays recipes, pinky promise!

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S’mores Waffles

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S'mores-Waffles

The first day of school is a really big deal.  Whether you homeschool or send your child out of the home for school, the first day is always super important.  Not only to us as parents, but most importantly to the children themselves. When we thought we were going to start Pre-K homeschool last year, I wanted to start our first day off amazing. What better way to do that than with a super amazing, fun, and delicious breakfast.

While Pre-K homeschool didn’t work out for us last year (Skibbles just wasn’t ready), we think she will be this year. We have started prepping our homeschool room and I’ve started planning out our first few weeks of materials. But what I was most excited about was when I thought of this genius first day of school breakfast. S’mores Waffles! I don’t know many kids that wouldn’t enjoy this for their first day breakfast, or any day breakfast if we are being truthful here.

I promise you read that right. We made S’mores Waffles.

We cooked golden delicious Belgian style waffles, cut them almost all the way apart, then stuffed with chocolate chips and mini marshmallows. Snack style you can eat them just like that. Or, top with crushed chocolate graham crackers and maple syrup. WHATTT!? S’mores Waffles are the bomb.com y’all. These need to be on your must make list.

Watch us make them ! Just click play 🙂

We use this waffle maker in our video.

Both girls went crazy over them, but admittedly, so did Andrew and I. This was definitely a fun back to school Mini Chef Mondays recipe to prepare for you all.

Now, I’m faced with the truth that we are giving Pre-K homeschool another go around.  This time more focused with a ready to learn pre-schooler this year.  The mama in me just wants to go hide in a corner and cry.  Why is she about to turn 4 guys? FOUR!?  I feel like I just had her. But she’s growing into this fiercely fun, crazy, independent, and intelligent child, and I couldn’t be more proud of that.

Okay, let me stop being such a mom. Here’s the recipe your dying to have!

S'mores-Waffles-recipe

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S’mores Waffles
Author: Larisha Campbell
Ingredients
  • 6 eggs
  • 1/3 cup coconut oil melted
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • mini marshmallows
  • chocolate chips
  • chocolate graham crackers crumbled (optional)
  • maple syrup
Instructions
  1. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, coconut oil, milk, and both sugars.
  2. In a separate small bowl, combine, flour, salt, and baking powder.
  3. Slowly combine, dry ingredients into wet ingredients.
  4. Cook batter according to your waffle maker.
  5. Once down, carefully slice waffles almost all the way through.
  6. Stuff with desired amount of mini marshmallows and chocolate chips.
  7. Put back into waffle maker to melt, about 15-20 seconds.
  8. Eat as is for a snack or top with crumbled chocolate graham crackers and maple syrup for breakfast.

Homemade-S'mores-Waffles-recipe

Homemade-S'mores-Waffles-recipe1109

I am hosting Mini Chef Mondays along with 8 fabulous bloggers! Read how Mini Chef Mondays started.

Mini Chef Mondays Team
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Join the Mini Chef Mondays newsletter to get the latest recipes delivered to your email each week! Don’t worry, we will only use your email for Mini Chef Mondays recipes, pinky promise!

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Be sure to check out each of their Mini Chef posts as well!


Italian Ham Pasta Salad

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Homemade-Italian-Ham-Pasta-Salad

For many of you, school has already started.  For the rest, it’s right around the corner. For all, the chaos of everything has already begun. Within a few weeks, you will likely be scratching your head wondering what in the world to put in that lunchbox or what to make for dinner in the 30 minutes you have between end of school, extracurriculars, and bedtime.  Here’s your answer.

This Italian Ham Pasta Salad has a little bit of everything that will make everyone happy. What I love, is that it’s 8 minutes of cooking, 10(ish) minutes of chopping, and BAM! DONE!. You have a delicious, protein packed, vegetable filled dish, that even picky ones will eat some of it.

WATCH SKIBS MAKE IT!!

I grew up never knowing I liked pasta salad. My aunt would make a pasta salad at every get together, but it wasn’t until I was in my teens that I tried it.  Once I did, I couldn’t get enough of it.  It was one of those things that you prayed was at every get together. And it was always gone if you went to grab a take home plate which always annoyed you. Luckily, I watched my aunt make her pasta salad enough that I can make it myself now. Here’s that pasta salad recipe.

Even though I still, to this day, love her pasta salad dearly, I wanted something more. Something fresher. Something packed with protein to fill us up. Thus, you get our Italian Ham Pasta Salad. Skibs and I got into the kitchen and got to work.  She almost did this recipe entirely by herself.  I had to chop and help with mixing at the end, but otherwise, it was all her. She absolutely loved making this Italian Ham pasta salad because of that too.

 

making homemade pasta salad

Baby was with us too.  On my back, babywearing, as normal. She was just enjoying eating as usual.

baby in the kitchen

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Italian Ham Pasta Salad
Author: Larisha Campbell
Ingredients
  • 1 lb tri-color rotini cooked
  • 1 lb cooked ham cubed
  • 1/2 pint cherry tomatoes cut into thirds
  • 1/2 each: red green, orange, and yellow bell pepper, cut into small cubes
  • 1 cucumber skin on, cut into slices or half slices
  • 4 oz colby jack cheese cubed
  • 4 oz fresh mozzarella cubed
  • 1/8 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 1/2 cups homemade zesty Italian Dressing see below
Italian Dressing
  • 1 cup olive oil
  • 1 cup apple cider vinegar
  • juice from half a lemon
  • 5 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/8 cup red onion finally chopped
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
Instructions
  1. In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients.
  2. Stir well until all the ingredients are covered with dressing.
  3. Cover bowl with lid, or foil, and place in the fridge for at least 4 hours (up to overnight).
  4. Save remaining Italian dressing for another recipe or serve on the side.

Italian-Ham-Pasta-Salad

I am hosting Mini Chef Mondays along with 8 fabulous bloggers! Read how Mini Chef Mondays started.

Mini Chef Mondays Team
Join our facebook group to find even more recipes and share recipes too!

Join the Mini Chef Mondays newsletter to get the latest recipes delivered to your email each week! Don’t worry, we will only use your email for Mini Chef Mondays recipes, pinky promise!

Get featured and follow us too!
  • Pinterest: Each post/recipe linked up will be added to our Mini Chef Mondays board
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  • Twitter: We retweet every post with #MiniChefMondays

Be sure to check out each of their Mini Chef posts as well!


Brown Sugar Banana Oatmeal Recipe

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Brown-Sugar-Banana-Oatmeal-recipe

We know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, especially when we have school-age children, yet we struggle getting a quality, wholesome meal on the table in the morning more often than not. This brown sugar banana oatmeal recipe proves though that you can have easy, delicious, quick, AND filling, all in one bowl.

how to make oatmeal

Skibbles LOVES oatmeal.  No lie, she asks for it two to three times a day.  I think if I let her, she would eat it for every meal. I can’t say I mind too much though because it’s so simple to make. So simple that she can even make it on her own for the most part. At only 3.5 years old, she can measure out the oatmeal and milk, add in the brown sugar and cinnamon, and mash the banana. The only thing she needs help with is on the stove or pulling the hot bowl out of the microwave depending on how we make it.

Giving she can do all of that, not only is this brown sugar banana oatmeal recipe the perfect wholesome breakfast for back-to-school season, but it’s an amazing recipe to get kids into the kitchen and get them practicing independence and choosing healthy options.

Homemade-Brown-Sugar-Banana-Oatmeal

What I love about making oatmeal recipes for breakfast too is that the possibilities are really endless. Skibbles has added blueberries, even kiwi, to this recipe and I love letting her explore creativity in the kitchen, even if it may seem a little odd to me. 

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Brown Sugar Banana Oatmeal Recipe
Author: Larisha Campbell
Ingredients
  • 1/4 cup quick oats
  • 1/2 cup almond milk
  • 1/2 ripe banana mashed
  • 1 tsp brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
If making on the stove
  1. Add in milk, over medium heat, until just starting to boil.
  2. Add the oats.
  3. Cook for 2 minutes.
  4. Pour into a bowl.
If making in the microwave
  1. Add milk and oats to a microwave safe bowl.
  2. Cook for 2 minutes.
  3. Carefully remove.
Finish up
  1. Add in the mashed banana, brown sugar, and cinnamon.
  2. Stir until combined

As with all our recipes, we truly hope you enjoy!

Brown-Sugar-Banana-Oatmeal

I am hosting Mini Chef Mondays along with 8 fabulous bloggers! Read how Mini Chef Mondays started, plus how to link up!
Join our facebook group to find even more recipes and share recipes too!

Join the Mini Chef Mondays newsletter to get the latest recipes delivered to your email each week! Don’t worry, we will only use your email for Mini Chef Mondays recipes, pinky promise!

Get featured and follow us too!
  • Pinterest: Each post/recipe linked up will be added to our Mini Chef Mondays board
  • Instagram: Use our hashtag #MiniChefMondays so we can repost your mini chef
  • Twitter: We retweet every post with #MiniChefMondays

Be sure to check out each of their Mini Chef posts as well!

    1. Strawberry Banana Yogurt Recipe // Courtney’s Sweets
    2. 3 Easy Back to School Breakfast Ideas // Momma Lew
    3. Homemade French Toast Sticks // Finding Zest
    4. Brown Sugar Banana Oatmeal Recipe // We’re Parents
    5. Microwave Omelette To Go Recipe // Eating Richly
    6. 10 Quick and Easy Back-to-School Breakfast Ideas // Giggles, Gobbles and Gulps
    7. Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Sandwiches // Vegging at the Shore
    8. Healthy Zucchini Cookies // O’Boy! Organic
    9. Fresh Rice Krispies Treats Lunch Box Notes // My Mini Adventurer


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