Quick & Easy Holiday Desserts

Looking for quick and easy holiday dessert options? The Ginger Optimist has you covered! Click the links below for instructional videos and recipes.

Pistachio Salad is blend of creamy and crunchy and is a breeze to make! This lovely dessert is sure to delight the senses without breaking the bank. Click here for more information.

If Pistachio Salad isn’t your style, try Cranberry Jello Salad!  This sweet treat is also quick and easy but big on taste. I made this one for Thanksgiving and my family loved it.

Love pumpkin? These Gluten Free Pumpkin Muffins are an excellent option if savory sweet is more your style. And if the words “gluten free” in the title make you nervous, let me assure you there’s nothing to fear here.  These muffins don’t just smell good, they taste divine.  No cardboard flavor here!

For a tasty option that’s high in fiber, check out My Pecan Log Roll. This healthier version of the Georgia Pecan Log Rolls is the perfect option for those that like their sugar a little salty.

And for my friends who love to bake and aren’t looking for a quick and easy option, here’s a recipe that will flood your tastebuds with flavor. This Carrot Cake is a holiday favorite at my house.

These are a few of my favorites, but there are many more options to be found on The Ginger Optimist YouTube channel.

Have a great day and thank you for stopping by my kitchen!

Baked Potatoes in the Air Fryer

Who doesn’t love a yummy baked potato especially if it has a crunchy outside and a super soft inside? That’s the kind of baked potatoes I make in my Air Fryer. They are so easy to make and sure to please your taste buds.

These potatoes remind me of the ones you get at some steak houses. Feel free to add whatever ingredients you like inside your steamy hot potatoes.

Watch the video below for step by step instructions. Feel free to leave me comments. I would love to connect with you!

Black Bean Salsa

Oh my goodness! Black Bean Salsa is one of my favorite new “go to” recipes. I am so grateful to my sweet friend Liz, who shared her recipe with me. This recipe is also called Black Bean Salad.

I love easy, delicious, and nutritious recipes and this one is definitely all three. If you enjoy Tex-Mex food, you will want to make this recipe for sure.

You can eat this salsa by itself or put it on tacos, fajitas, or eat it with chips and guacamole. It’s a win win however you choose to eat it.

Watch my video for step by step instructions. The recipe is underneath the video under “show more” on YouTube.

What have you been creating in your kitchen lately? Leave me comments. I would love to connect with you.

Black Beans in the Instant Pot

I love my instant pot because it makes my life easier. Any time I can simplify my life, I am all in. Making black beans in the instant pot is super easy. You don’t need to soak the beans over night, just rinse them!

You can watch my video below to show you step by step how to make black beans in your instant pot. Feel free to leave me comments. I would love to connect with you.

Easy & Delicious

Chocolate Pumpkin Protein Muffins (gluten free)

Are you tired of “the same old same old” for breakfast? I have a great new recipe my friend Julie shared with me for a delicious breakfast muffin that is packed with protein and tastes amazing!

I am so thankful to be blessed with good friends. Not only did Julie share her recipe with me but she wanted to be on my YouTube channel. How cool is that? You can watch our video by clicking on the link down below. The recipe will be under the actual video under “show more”.

I just made a double batch of these muffins this morning. I added a bag of peanut butter chips to the mix and some chopped pecans. That took these muffins to a whole new level. I love that you can play around with recipes and add whatever you like.

What are your favorite ingredients to put in your muffins? I would love to connect with you. Feel free to leave me comments down below.

Shopping at the Thai Market

I had such an amazing time in Thailand! Visiting the market was quite interesting. The people were so friendly and helpful. You can find just about anything at the market. You will see fresh meat, veggies, clothing, beauty products, and a plethora of things.

My friend Tammy said that Thai people are very concerned about cleanliness. I was glad to hear that. She said I didn’t have to be concerned about purchasing their food. The fruit and vegetables tasted so fresh and healthy. I loved the prices too.

Feel free to watch my video so that you can experience a little Thai culture with me.

Meet my new friend whose nickname is “Tim”.

Would you like for me to write about more of my experiences in Thailand and add some photos? Feel free to leave me comments. I would love to connect with you.

Pad Thai Chicken (gluten free)

I went to Thailand for two weeks this past January. I love Thailand. The country is absolutely beautiful and the people are gracious. The food was amazing to say the least. It felt like we ate all day long every day, but boy did I sure enjoy it!

One of the fun things I got to do while there was cook Pad Thai Chicken in my friend, Tammy’s kitchen. We went to the market to pick up our supplies and then off to the grocery store where American food has been imported. I was thrilled that we were able to purchase gluten free items to cook with.

We also bought sticky rice with coconut milk and some fresh ripe mangoes for dessert. Oh my was it ever yummy!

You can watch my video for step by step instructions on how to make this delicious gluten free dish. The recipe will be below the actual video on Youtube.

Leave me comments down below.  I would love to connect with you.

Protein Packed Veggie Burgers (Gluten Free)

If you like black beans you will love this veggie burger. A friend challenged me to make a veggie burger and so I did. Not only did I like it, I really liked it. In fact, the first time I made them I cooked one and ate it and immediately cooked a second one to eat right away.

I’ve bought veggie burgers in the store and thought they were pretty good. But any time you can make something fresh, it’s going to be so much better. I played around with some ideas for making my patties and was quite pleased with the outcome.

Click on the link below for step by step instructions on how to make this delicious protein packed veggie burger. After you watch the video you will see the recipe under show more.

https://youtu.be/63NA78TLzno
Delicious & Nutritious!

Do you make veggie burgers? What are your favorite ingredients? Leave me comments down below. I would love to connect with you.

Healthy DIY Klondike Bars

I think any time of year is a great time for Klondike Bars. If you have dairy and gluten allergies then you will love this recipe. Even if you don’t have issues with gluten or dairy and just want a healthier alternative, this is the recipe for you. It’s super easy and quick to make (not counting the freezer time). It’s tastes oh so yummy too!

My husband doesn’t care for the taste of coconut oil so I used refined coconut oil for this recipe. Refined coconut oil has a neutral scent and flavor. If you love the taste of coconut then go ahead and use regular organic coconut oil. I enjoy the Klondike bars both ways.

Watch the video for step by step instructions for making these tasty frozen treats. The recipe will be below the actual video on YouTube under “show more”.

Please feel free to leave me comments. I would love to connect with you.

Super Easy & Delicious PAYDAY Candy Bars

My husband and I love PAYDAY candy bars. A few weeks ago he encouraged me to make homemade bars. So I took the challenge. Boy was I ever surprised at how yummy these things are. They are so easy to make and I personally thought they tasted even better than the store-bought PAYDAY candy bars.

These candy bars are great for snacking and great little treats to give away for Christmas. You could serve them at your holiday parties as well.

Watch the video below to see step by step instructions for making these awesome candy bars. The recipe is under the video on YouTube under “show more.”

Super easy and tastes yummy!

Are you a PAYDAY candy bar kind of person? What is your favorite candy?