peskypippi.comBecause I have a lot to say…

When you make cookies as ugly as I do, you might as well call them what they look like: buffalo turds.

Just take your favorite oatmeal cookie recipe and healthify it. Swap the white flour with oat flour. Swap the sugar with pureed dates. Add in some coconut, dried cranberries, and flax seed. And presto, you’ve got yourself fiber-rich “buffalo turds.”

Kids! Come and get ‘em!

And you know what? They disappear about as quickly as the buffalo did a century ago. Fotunately, the American Bison are being reborn and the herds–and turds–are multiplying.

You can read more about these lovely creatures here:

http://earthjustice.org/features/ourwork/re-born-to-be-re-wild?gclid=CLLctreAuLYCFQpxQgodHUEAKQ

This peanut butter cookie recipe is my grandmother’s. I have her recipe card–stained with butter–written in her curly script. She made these cookies in the Great Depression. So not only are these suckers tasty, they are best served with a glass of American history.

Peanut Butter Cookies

• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1 egg
• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda

Combine butter, peanut butter, sugars, eggs.  Add in baking soda, Then flour. Mix dough. Roll into balls and place onto parchment paper-line cookie trays. Flatten criss-cross with a fork (can dip fork into water so it doesn’t stick). Bake about 8-10 minutes in a 375 degree oven. I take them out a little early for chewy cookies.

Then I proceed to eat about seven. These Great Depression cookies are perfect for the anti-dieters.

Here’s a recipe (and a how-to video starring Pippi) for easy fruit-and-protein smoothies you can make for your kids. These make a great, healthy after-school snack.

Here’s what you need:

• Blender
• Milk (or flavored yogurt such as peach or raspberry…or orange sherbet is even yummier)
• Frozen berries (strawberries, blueberries)
• Protein powder (I selected whey-based protein powder that is pretty much flavorless)
• Banana (the browner, the better)

As you’ll see from the video, the kids love like tolerate these. The reception from my youngest was “huh.”

You see, I forgot that they prefer smoothies made with yogurt instead of milk. Or better yet, orange sherbet. But who wants to shoot another video? Not me.

Smooth move, Pippi…

On the eve of St. Patrick’s Day, I dragged out my Cake Pop machine because I needed to redeem myself after my #CakePopFail. You see, awhile back I wrote about Cake Pops Gone Wrong.

In three easy steps, you too can make Leprechaun Balls. And just watch the faces light up!

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Sometimes you gotta play with your food.

And make some smiles.

You know Templeton, the rat in Charlotte’s Web? Well, he goes to the fair and feasts until he is so fat that he drags his belly on the ground.

I am that rat. But instead of the fair, I am in New York. You’ll probably see the headline in the New York Daily News:

PIPPI EATS HER WAY THROUGH NEW YORK CITY!

World’s best bagel, famous Ray’s pizza, mobsters’ hangouts in Little Italy, New York delis, quaint places in East Village…you name it.

Whew, glad I packed my fat jeans.

Is that spinach in your smoothie, or are you happy to see me?

I wrote about the ease and nutrition of protein breakfast smoothies awhile back. Check that here. My newest ingredient? Spinach. Yeah, you heard me. They are officially renamed to Pippi’s Peppy Popeye Smoothies. These nutrition-packed suckers are perfect for when I am running late. Getting the kids out the door for school. And oops, I forgot one of my earrings. And my navy tights don’t match my black outfit. And where is my phone and where are my keys? Time to go. NOW.

But wait! Don’t forget to eat your salad for breakfast! (Seriously, you can’t even taste it. It just looks a teensy bit gaggy.) You, too, can buzz up the smoothie while yelling “Hurry! Time to go! Finish your breakfast! Brush your teeth! Shoes on! Jackets! Backpacks!”

Just talk to my friend Sara, who also sneaks in vegetables. She’s on Twitter @Sar_Wah and her blog is http://www.tisthelife.com/. She’s a super healthy Mum who tries to eat right and have a fulfilling life. Go Sara!

Pippi’s Peppy Popeye Smoothies

• a blender
• a cup or so of nonfat milk
• a banana
• big scoop or 2 Tbs. protein powder (preferably plain)
• handful of frozen blueberries
• two ginormous handfuls of washed, fresh spinach

Check out the jumbo bag of spinach. I don’t know whether to eat it. Or sleep on it.

Breakfast is important. Partake! And maybe, with the added spinach, you can kick some ass today.

Got balls? Sagging cake balls?

I received a handy-dandy cake pop maker for Christmas. Here’s how it works:

1. Plop in some cake batter.
2. Close the lid.
3. Wait 7 minutes.
4. Presto. Your cake balls (cake pops) are ready.
5. Time to frost and decorate. Just like Martha would.
6. Stick a stick in them and serve. Or gift them to your neighbors. With pride.

They are supposed to look like these:

But mine turned out like this. My neighbors sure are lucky!