Meet Monique
Girl behind the blog. Ambitious by nature. Passionate about pancakes, life, and laughter. Here to inspire you.
Food Photography
Popular Posts
Crunchy Cashew Thai Quinoa Salad with Ginger Peanut Dressing {vegan & gluten-free} 
Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies {flourless, no butter} 
Nutella-Stuffed Brown Butter + Sea Salt Chocolate Chip Cookies {my favorite cookie ever} 
Healthy Chicken Chickpea Chopped Salad 
Flourless Chocolate Chip Chickpea Blondies with Sea Salt {vegan, gluten-free & healthy} 
Brown Butter Snickerdoodle Cookies 
Kale, Edamame, and Quinoa Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette 
Best Ever Vegan Avocado Chocolate Birthday Cake with Vegan Chocolate Ganache 
Vegan Detox Green Monster Smoothie {with kale, strawberry, cucumber, & banana} 
Strawberry Coconut Chia Seed Banana Bread
Nutella-Swirled Chocolate Chunk Peanut Butter Blondies {no butter, flourless, gluten-free}
Well that title is certainly a mouthful. But guess what? I wouldn’t have it any other way.
I made you another delicious flourless treat without any weird ingredients. This time it includes two of my absolute favorite things: peanut butter AND nutella. OH BABY. And if you want to get really crazy, you can add bananas into that mix! But we’ll get to the various adaptations behind these bars in a bit. First I’d like to share some VERY exciting news with all of you!
I’ve taken a new job!
I will be joining General Mills as a full-time employee managing social for Gold Medal Flour and Bisquick. I’m completely thrilled as I have been working on and off with General Mills for the past two years in social media, thus it was only natural for me to move into a full-time role.
So what does this mean for Ambitious Kitchen?
You probably won’t notice a difference at all, other than my posts may be a little sporadic as I transition into my new role. Naturally you might hear me mention cereal and yogurt a bit more often (because I will be surrounded by it at work), but other than that I will continue to stay true to what I love: creating unique, (mostly) healthy recipes and sharing my passion for healthy living with all of you.
Again, thank you so much for your continued support of Ambitious Kitchen.
Note: Everyone has different opinions on the food brands they support; please know that Ambitious Kitchen is my personal food blog, and will continue to remain that way.
Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies {flourless, no butter}
Oh hey. I noticed that it’s been a while since I’ve given you a cookie recipe. Please forgive me as I made you these ridiculously good-looking, chewy, thick, fat peanut butter oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. Without flour or butter.
Wait… WHAT? I swear this isn’t a joke.
First I need to confess that I LOVE LOVE LOVE peanut butter. In fact, I think if I was allergic I’d probably still eat it. I’m definitely one of those people who feels like it completes me in some way. Some of you may feel this way about Nutella and I totally get it; nut butters are creamy, addictive and awesome spread on just about anything. I usually do it animal-style aka straight out of the jar with a spoon.
Hmmmm I think I’m displaying signs of an addict. Are there any nut butter support groups out there?
Fudgy Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies with Toffee + Sea Salt
Out of all the brownies I’ve made, these are my absolute favorite.
Like the best evaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.
A bit dramatic but what did you expect? I love chocolate.
A mix between fudgy and a tiny bit cakey, these brownies are incredibly rich, decadent, and downright addicting.
I thought I’d share them with you, because this is as close to a Valentine’s Day dessert that I’ll make. Trust me, it’s got all the chocolate love you need.
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies with Sea Salt
I have to tell you something.
It’s kinda weird.
Here it goes…
I keep having dreams about cheeseburgers! Seriously… juicy burgers hot off the grill are haunting me every single night.
I’ve had these dreams consistently over the past two weeks. The strangest part is that I haven’t had beef in over two years, so I don’t know what’s going on in my subconscious. It’s translating over to real life too! For example, a couple of weeks ago, I found myself staring at a piece of steak on the grill like a freaking lion about to attack its prey; I almost had to wipe my drool.
I decided it was best if I tried to clear my mind of burgers and all things beef. Dessert always helps.
Sometimes a classic chocolate chip cookie brings an unexplained comfort to the soul. The aroma of butter browning in your kitchen; blending the smooth texture of the peanut butter with eggs, sugar and vanilla; the mess of flour and the delicious flavor of sweet cookie dough in your mouth. Of course, I love baking cookies. And of course I can’t think of anything else when they come out of the oven. Not even how much I’d bake cookies for somebody special if they were here with me. Well, maybe I thought about that a little, but baking cookies always gives me a little romantic feeling.
When it comes to cookies, simple is good. Oh yes, simple is perfect sometimes. But! when you want something unforgettable, then you NEED extraordinary. That’s why we add peanut butter and sea salt.
Mmmm salty sweet peanut butter and chocolate in a warm little cookie; it’s an undeniable magic. I can’t explain how much I love them! They’re crisp on the outside but chewy in the middle. Eating them straight out of the oven is an outrageous experience you must try.
It’s really like this: they’re the type of cookie you want to bring to a party, the perfect cookie to bake for your boyfriend (and his parents), and most definitely the best solution for getting rid of cheeseburger dreams.
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies with Sea Salt
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
Creamy peanut butter, chocolate chips, and sea salt combine to make one delicious, unforgettable cookie.
Author: Monique of AmbitiousKitchen.com
Recipe type: Cookie, Dessert
Serves: 24 cookies
Ingredients
- 11/4 cup all purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt, plus more for sprinkling
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter at room temperature
- 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 tablespoon honey
- 1 egg plus 1 egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon plain greek yogurt or sour cream
- 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips (I used mini chocolate chips)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, the baking soda, the baking powder, and the salt. Set aside.
- With an electric mixer, mix the softened butter and peanut butter together until thoroughly blended. Add the sugars and beat until smooth. Next beat in the egg, honey, vanilla, and yogurt until combined. Add the dry ingredients slowly and beat on low-speed just until combined. Gently stir in the chocolate chips. Chill dough in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes-1 hour, or place in freezer for 20 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Once ready to bake, roll dough into 1-inch balls and place onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 9-12 minutes (depends on size of your cookie) or until cookies begin to turn a tiny golden brown and crisp up around the edges. Do not overbake! Remove from oven and let cool on cookie sheet for 3-5 minutes and sprinkle cookies generously with sea salt. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely or just inhale them like I do. Repeat with remaining dough.
Notes
-Cookies may appear underdone in the middle, but they will become more firm as they cool. It’s important to allow them to cool a few minutes before removing them from cookie sheet.
-You may require less or more baking time depending on the size of your cookie.
-If you are using all-natural peanut butter, try adding in another 1/2 tablespoon of flour, as cookies tend to spread too thin when baking with all-natural peanut butter.
Banana Blueberry Protein Shakes + healthy breakfast ideas
I hope you had a great 4th of July with your friends and family!
I did! Summer cocktails were flowing, potato salad was piled high, burgers were chowed on, cheese and crackers were consumed, and the cake was gone; it was a day full of endless eating. In fact, I caught myself mindless munching all day. And now that my mind realizes what went down, I’m upset about it. Summer BBQs win again!
I know just what I need: some seriously good-for-you, juicing smoothie vegan stuff. With spinach, or kale… Or I don’t know… JUST GIVE ME ANYTHING BUT CHIPS AND CAKE!
Are you feeling the same way? Please say yes.
I’m a HUGE fan of protein shakes. I drink one at least once a day. And no, I do not have muscles like Arnold Schwarzenegger, thank you very much. They’re a delicious snack that fills me up and usually keeps me from reaching for Nutter Butters and chips at 3pm.
Now I definitely can’t claim to be a health or nutrition expert, but I do know how to prepare healthy snacks and meals. And since so many of you are interested in eating healthy, I wanted to take this opportunity to talk about the types of foods I normally eat and give you ideas for some healthy breakfast recipes that can be easily prepared at home.
So what do I normally eat? Usually clean, unprocessed whole foods, including whole grains, lean meats, fish, some dairy, healthy fats, and fresh fruits and vegetables. This means cooking at home, preparing meals ahead of time, and resisting the urge to bake cookies and drink margs. And let me tell you, THAT is super difficult sometimes.
BUT with all of these delicious options below (and in my recipe index), I think you’ll have enough recipes to start your morning off healthy and delicious.
HEALTHY BREAKFAST IDEAS
- Peanut Butter, Strawberry, and Banana Quesadillas – A reinvented peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Yum!
- Whole Wheat Banana Quinoa Pancakes – these are one of my favorites especially topped with natural peanut butter! Make a batch, pop the leftovers in the freezer, then during the week simply take out two, reheat in the microwave and enjoy! Throw in blueberries in the batter or chocolate chips if you’d like. They are pancakes made easy.
- Oatmeal or Breakfast Quinoa – Healthy whole grains in the morning are the perfect way to start your day. I have a breakfast quinoa recipe waiting to be posted but for now check out this great tribute to oatmeal (with lots of recipes) from Kath Eats Real Food.
- Gluten-free Banana Coconut Waffles with Vegan Coconut Whip Cream — This is one of my first recipes on my blog; it’s a great gluten-free option. The vegan coconut whip cream is to die for.
- Eggs — I eat eggs at least once a day for either breakfast or dinner. Sometimes I make egg sandwiches like the one in the picture above. Usually though I’ll whip up an omelet using 1 egg and 3 egg whites; I also like to mix up my fillings. Here are some suggestions of what you can stuff or top your eggs with: smoked salmon, goat cheese, asparagus, green chile, avocado or guacamole, black beans, low-fat cheese, tomatoes, onion, etc. For more great, easy egg recipes head over to Fitness Magazine’s site. I’ll also be posting a how-to make your own omelet sometime soon!
- Healthy Banana Bread – Um yes, banana bread can be healthy and low in calories. I’ll prove it to you! Try my low-fat oatmeal blueberry banana bread or my healthy coconut banana bread. Perhaps I’ll make some more banana breads soon.
- Baked Acorn Squash with Honey-Cinnamon Greek Yogurt – Don’t miss out on this! I recommend using non-fat plain or vanilla greek yogurt. You’ll be amazed by how creamy and irresistible this breakfast is.
- Things you can put on whole grain toast or english muffins: mashed avocado, hardboiled eggs, low sugar jam and natural nut butter, whipped low-fat cream cheese and smashed raspberries, non-fat greek yogurt, low-fat cottage cheese sprinkled with toasted almonds and drizzled with honey, bananas and peanut butter.
And what about this protein shake?
Well, this shake packs flavor in a glass. Bananas and blueberries are a great combination together. It will fill you up and takes less than 5 minutes to make.
You really have no excuses to miss breakfast with this delicious little thing staring at you.
My hope is that some of these ideas and recipes will inspire you to get in your kitchen, eat breakfast, and be a little healthier. We all know breakfast is easy to skip, but it’s also the most important meal of the day.
Let me know what your favorite healthy breakfast is in the comments below!
Banana Blueberry Protein Shakes
2 cups milk of choice (skim, almond, coconut, soy)
2 scoops of vanilla protein powder (I use whey protein)
1 cup of fresh blueberries
1 large ripe banana, peeled and cut into chunks (best if the banana is frozen)
3/4 cup of ice cubes
Directions
- Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into chilled glasses and enjoy.
Notes
- Feel free to add any of the following: 1 cup of spinach for a green smoothie, 1 tablespoon of peanut butter, flax seed, chia seed, etc.
- You can also use different berries or a mixture of fruit instead of blueberries
Caramel-Walnut Upside-Down Peanut Butter Banana Cake
Things I’ve learned in the past year:
1. Follow your heart. It’s the best thing you can do in life. You live once, so enjoy your life as it unfolds.
2. Embrace change. When we change, we grow and adapt. We become better. Don’t do something just because it’s comfortable. Instead, challenge yourself and learn from your failures.
3. Take chances. I moved across the country for a job and realized it wasn’t for me. I looked at what I wanted, and what I didn’t, then made a decision to pursue a different career. Without moving, I wouldn’t have figured that out. Taking chances means succeeding or learning something you didn’t before. And sometimes, it’s okay to fail.
4. Work hard. Damn hard. Success never comes easy. Dreams rarely turn into realities overnight. It’s an uphill climb full of doubts, but with enough determination, I believe anything is possible.
5. Baking cake is essential. No wait, THIS cake is essential. It has bananas, peanut butter and has a caramel topping to die for. It’s the stuff dreams are made of… or something like that anyway.
I don’t know about you, but sometimes a love a little reflection. Today we’ll reflect over this cake together. Join me?
Today, I slept in for the first time in what seems like forever. For brunch, I made vegan chocolate chip oatmeal cookie pancakes that I found on Pinterest. I’m so thankful I did because I had a smile on my face for the next 7 hours. What? Pancakes make me happy.
There’s one thing I’m more excited for this week: the 4th of July! It’s probably one of my favorite holidays. Laying under the sun all day and watching fireworks at night is simply the best.
And of course instead of giving you a standard with red, white, and blue dessert for the 4th of July, I thought that maybe you’d like to indulge in this cake instead.
While rummaging through recipes, I found a recipe for a Caramel-Walnut Upside Down Banana Cake in my Bon Appetit Desserts! book (a great dessert cookbook). I adapted it by adding peanut butter instead of more butter, and reducing the sugar (ripe bananas provide natural sweetness). Don’t let that fool you though, his cake is still ridiculously indulgent.
The caramel sauce is completely delicious, gooey, and warm when the cake comes out of the oven; I recommend serving the cake as soon as you are able to flip and cut into it. I thought about pairing it with a salted caramel ice cream, but they were out at the store so if you try it, let me know.
Please note that the caramel sauce tends to harden a bit once the cake it cooled, so don’t be afraid to warm up a slice in the microwave! You can even make the cake with out the caramel-walnut topping if your heart desires.
This is a cake that changes non-cake lovers into die hard fans. It can also be the cake you bring to your boyfriend’s mom. You could even bring this cake to every family gathering you ever have, they won’t mind.
It will deliver every single time.
My advice? Don’t think about the calories. Indulging every once in a while actually keeps you on track. And your taste buds will thank me later. I promise.
Come on you know you want to.
Caramel-Walnut Upside-Down Peanut Butter Banana Cake
Topping
Cooking spray
1 stick unsalted butter
1 cup dark brown sugar
3 tablespoons dark corn syrup
1/3 cup walnut halves or pieces
Cake
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup unsalted butter (4 tablespoons), room temperature
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup very ripe mashed bananas (about 2-3 large bananas)
1/2 cup all-natural creamy peanut butter
3 tablespoons plain greek yogurt or sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup skim milk
Directions
- For topping: Spray 9-inch round cake pan (or larger cake pan) with nonstick spray. Melt butter in medium saucepan; add dark corn syrup and brown sugar; bring to a boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and immediately stir in walnuts. Spread topping in cake pan.
- For cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter and both sugars in large bowl until creamy. Next, add eggs 1 at a time; beating again until mixture is smooth and creamy. Add mashed bananas, peanut butter, yogurt (or sour cream), milk and vanilla; mixing again until well combined. Add in dry ingredients slowly until just combined. Add batter to cake pan.
- Bake cake until knife into center comes out clean, about 40 to 45 minutes. Cool at least 15 minutes. To remove cake, gently cut around cake with a knife to loosen. Place plate or platter over pan. Holding pan and platter together, turn over, and remove pan. Scrape any extra caramel and walnuts on top of cake. Cool at least 15 minutes for topping to set. Serve warm with your favorite ice cream.
Notes
- Adapted from Bon Appetit’s Desserts! Cookbook
- Your baking time may be slightly longer. The original recipe called for 55 minutes of baking time, yet I found I only needed about 45
- Make sure to place a baking sheet on the bottom rack of your oven; the caramel sauce may boil over the edges of your cake pan
- This cake serves 6-8 people and is best served warm
Peanut Butter, Strawberry, & Banana Quesadillas
Hey you! Yes, YOU! I like you… a lot. You brighten my day.
I feel so lucky to have such incredible readers; readers who make me feel amazing and inspired every single day. Many of you have been tweeting with me or posting on my Facebook page letting me know which recipes you’re loving, or what’s inspiring you to cook. Some of you have even sent me an email saying how my recipes have encouraged you to eat healthier. You are all so sweet and I’m OVERJOYED that this blog has inspired you.
I don’t know what to say other than… THANK YOU! It’s appreciated more than you know!
Now, let’s talk about quesadillas.
I love them. Adore them. Salivite over them! Yeah, I’m pretty weird but you’re probably okay with that by now if you’re still reading this.
Quesadillas are a traditional mexican dish that usually involves cheese and a savory mixture of vegetables and/or meat. They’re one of my favorite meals to put together at the last-minute because it involves throwing delicious combinations in a tortilla and toasting or frying it until crispy and golden brown. These days the traditional quesadillas have evolved into something wonderful: breakfast (or dessert) quesadillas!
It’s as simple as this: I am obsessed with the peanut butter and banana combo. Typically when I’m in a rush I put the duo on an english muffin and barely remember inhaling my breakfast, but I was getting a little bored with that. So instead of the usual, I thought I’d make it interesting by making peanut butter and banana quesadillas and adding in seasonal, ripe strawberries for a sort of PB&J twist.
My mind was BLOWN AWAY after one bite. In all seriousness, yours probably will be too.
If you’ve never experienced the peanut butter, strawberry, and banana combo–prepare to be amazed!
First of all–the strawberries in the quesadilla! They almost taste like they were roasted–exploding with flavor and juicyness from the heat. It reminds me of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, except with a fresh, more interesting appeal. The crunch of the tortilla and the warm, creamy peanut butter makes me wish I could go back to grade school and demand ask nicely for this in my lunchbox.
When making quesadillas I always use whole wheat-low carb tortillas because I love the nutty flavor of them, plus whole grains keep you fuller, longer. I recommend using Joesph’s Tortillas, but any whole grain tortilla would work well. This also would be an optimal pre or post-workout snack or meal because of the good carbs and healthy fats.
Additionally I HIGHLY recommend trying this for dessert. It’s pretty guilt-free, perfect for sharing, and kids will even love them. Plus they are vegan, and you could certainly make them gluten-free by using GF tortillas.
The possibilities are endless! Think about it.
Wouldn’t replacing nutella for peanut butter be dreamy? Or perhaps sprinkling in a few mini chocolate chips? What about dipping them in a warm chocolate sauce?
THAT could be like tasting a little bite of heaven. But those are just suggestions, feel free to get creative!
As requested, nutritional information is included.
Just please note that after this quesadilla, you’ll never want to settle for a traditional PB&J again. If you try them, be sure to let me know what you think.
Peanut Butter, Strawberry, & Banana Quesadillas
Cooking spray or butter
2 tablespoons natural creamy peanut butter
2 whole grain tortillas
1 large ripe banana, sliced
4-5 strawberries, sliced
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon (if desired)
Directions
- Heat a medium skillet over medium high heat and spray pan with cooking spray.
- Spread 1 tablespoon of the peanut butter evenly over each tortilla. Arrange both the banana and strawberry slices over one tortilla, sprinkle with a pinch of cinnamon, and top with the remaining tortilla, peanut butter side down. Press gently to help them stick together.
- When the skillet is hot, add the quesadilla, flipping once, until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Cut each quesadilla into halves or quarters. Serves 2-4.
Notes
- For a dessert version try adding 1 teaspoon of mini chocolate chips in
- Serve with honey, maple syrup, vanilla greek yogurt, or chocolate sauce
- Try with different nut butters, nutella or almond butter would be good
- The nutritional information below is based on using a flour tortilla. Using a low carb, whole grain tortilla would lower the calories and carb count. It would also increase the fiber.
| Servings Size: 2 Servings | |
| Amount Per Serving | |
| Calories 263 | Calories from Fat 102 (39%) |
| % Daily Value * | |
| Total Fat 11g | 17% |
| Saturated Fat 2g | 17% |
| Monounsaturated Fat 7g | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat 2g | |
| Trans Fat 0g | |
| Cholesterol 0mg | 0% |
| Sodium 211mg | 9% |
| Potassium 415mg | 12% |
| Total Carbohydrate 36g | 12% |
| Dietary Fiber 4g | 16% |
| Sugars 9g | |
| Protein 8g | 15% |