3-Ingredient Almond Butter Cookies

These flour-less almond butter cookies are SO good, and made with only 3 ingredients (almond butter, raw sugar and an egg)! They are so easy to make you don't even need a mixer, so these are perfect for any beginner baker.

I participated in The 4th Annual Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap to raise money for Cookies For Kids Cancer, a wonderful non-profit organization that raises money to help kids with Cancer. I swapped cookies with three bloggers, all of which requested a cookie made with no white flours or white sugar and that could handle shipping without the need for refrigeration. These cookies came to mind because they use no flour and can last for weeks in a cookie tin. They are also naturally gluten-free. I tested them a few times to see how little sugar I can get away with using and found 6 tablespoons was perfect.

I've been making peanut butter cookies for years using these same three ingredients, but this was my first time trying them with almond butter instead. I love Justin's Maple Almond Butter so I used that and they turned out wonderful. Honestly, you can use any type of nut butter you like, try it with cashew butter, pistachio butter, or you can just stick with natural peanut butter.

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Loaded Cauliflower "Mash" Bake

Creamy mashed cauliflower made with a touch of whipped butter, buttermilk, garlic and herbs and topped with cheese and bacon – you'll swear it's loaded with fat!

A few weeks ago I stopped to eat lunch with the family at Pizzeria Uno. I ordered a burger and somehow the waiter talked me into getting the loaded mashed potatoes – OMG! Yes, it was a moment of weakness but some of my best ideas come from those moments. This version is so so good, lower in carbs and makes the perfect side dish to any meal. Enjoy!

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Mini Greek Spinach Pies

These bite-sized spinach pies are a fun twist on one of my favorite Greek dishes, Spanakopita. These are great appetizers for the Holidays, football games, or anytime you get together with friends and family.

Delicious and simple to make. You can make the filling a day ahead then assemble and bake right before serving. The shells can be found in the freezer section, and now they make them already baked.

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Gingerbread Christmas Tree Cookies and a Special 3-Week Meal Plan with New Cookbook Purchases

The Gingerbread cookies are made with a fraction of the butter – yet they still have the same great flavor and texture.

Although I'm personally not a fan of gingerbread cookies, Madison LOVES baking them, decorating them and eating them so I bake them every year. I've been using this Low Fat Gingerbread Cookie recipe for years with perfect results every time.

This year I wanted to make them into Christmas tree. No cookie cutter required, all I used was a knife to cut them into triangles!

And speaking of cookies, the holidays are here again! And while it’s a wonderful season to spend with family and friends enjoying delicious (and seemingly endless) food and drink, it’s also the time of year when many of us pack on a few unwanted pounds. Since holiday weight gain is pretty universal, why not give the gift of Skinnytaste this year? It’s the gift that keeps on giving!

From now through January 1 (for all you late gifters!), if you buy a copy of The Skinnytaste Cookbook as a gift for a loved one, you’ll receive a FREE 3-week, 1,500-calorie meal plan featuring recipes from the book that you can share with them (only eligible for new purchases). That way, once the celebrations have ended, you can resolve to start the new year off right. Together! Follow the instructions on this page to get started.

Happy holidays!

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One Pot Cheesy Turkey Taco Chili Mac

Turkey chili with taco seasoning, beans, and pasta shells topped with cheese – this is pure comfort in a bowl and it's packed with protein and fiber so it fills you up. Bonus points for only dirtying one pot!

I wanted to make this a gluten free dish because my aunt who is gluten intolerant was eating with me. I've heard all good things about DeLallo Gluten Free Pasta from my friend who swears by it and I was honestly blown away.

It was by far the best GF pasta I've ever tried, in fact I even prefer it over whole wheat and I 'm thinking I might be using this pasta all the time. Great taste, firm texture with the perfect al dente bite. And I loved how it didn't get soggy after sitting in the chili hours later.

Although Madison wouldn't eat this because she won't eat beans, I gave some to my friend Tara to test out on her finicky 5 year old son and he LOVED it!

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White Chocolate Oatmeal Lace Cookies

Baking cookies for the Holidays has always been a family tradition for as long as I can remember. My Mom loves baking and has taught both my children to love it too. Oatmeal lace cookies have always been a favorite of mine, and since they don't use as much butter as most other cookie recipes, they certainly fall into the light category (as long as you have some self control of course).

Last year I shared these Dark Chocolate Lace Cookies which were sandwiched with dark chocolate in the middle, but as a white chocolate lover I wanted to change things up slightly. 

Rather then sandwiching them together this time I kept them single and dipped them in the melted chocolate a third of the way so I could add some colored sprinkles. They turned out delicious and I've also tested them with Bob's Red Mill All Purpose flour and they worked great for those of you with gluten allergies.

I also wanted to share a little info this Holiday season about santasmilkdrive.com. Did you know milk is one of the most requested items at food banks, yet it is rarely donated? Of the 46 million Americans food banks serve, the average person gets less than 1 gallon of milk per year. The entire dairy industry from dairy farmers to dairy processors has come together and joined with Feeding America food banks to help get milk to those who need it most.

You can help by donating just 1 Gallon of Milk by visiting santasmilkdrive.com to donate.
The cool part is when you do to the site to donate, type in your zip code and the donation will be distributed to a food bank in your own area, so your good will is doing good in your very own community.

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Spaghetti Squash Primavera

Spaghetti squash and fresh vegetables simmered with a quick marinara sauce and topped with fresh mozzarella if you desire - easy, cheap, gluten-free and perfect for Meatless Mondays!

I'm reviving this from the archives for those of you who may have had a little too much stuffing this Thanksgiving (I swear I'm not judging)! This recipe was inspired after watching a marathon of Diners, Drive-ins and Dives, but this time we actually decided to go to the nearest DDD restaurant, The Pit Stop which was featured on the show for their spaghetti squash primavera.

As a spaghetti squash lover myself, I ordered it and loved it and knew I wanted to re-make this at home. Super easy to make and you can use whatever vegetables you like – I used broccoli, carrots and zucchini but you can use asparagus, eggplant or bell peppers. To speed this up I made the spaghetti squash in the microwave which takes only about 8 minutes to cook, but if you have more time you can make it in the oven, the directions below are for both.

Of course, I had to top mine with fresh mozzarella which was just made and still warm when I bought it this morning! Leave the cheese out for vegan, dairy-free or paleo diets, nutritional info is provided below both ways. This dish comes together in less than 20 minutes, and you can easily double the recipe to make it 4 servings using a larger saute pan. You can also freeze this once cooked and reheat it in the oven for another day, enjoy!

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