Paleo Banana & Chocolate Chip Muffins (but I call them cupcakes)

I really enjoy treats, but I enjoy them more, when they are made from WHOLE ingredients. I've slowly made the move to consuming more Paleo desserts, and this banana muffin/cupcake is so moist and is a perfect replica of the regular "white flour" version....that I had to include it on my own blog.

I took this recipe straight from http://paleomg.com/banana-nut-chocolate-chip-muffins/

so, I give all the credit to Juli Bauer for her amazing Paleo blog. Go check it out!

Ingredients:

• 3 bananas, mashed with a fork

• 3 eggs, whisked

• ¼ cup maple syrup

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• ½ cup smooth almond butter

• ¼ cup coconut flour

• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon

• ½ teaspoon baking soda

• ½ teaspoon baking powder

• pinch of salt

• ½ cup chopped walnuts (I actually Omit these when I cook mine)

• ½ cup 72% Eating Evolved Baking Chocolate, chopped into pieces (or other chocolate chips you like)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Mash bananas in a large bowl. Add eggs, maple syrup, almond butter, and vanilla extract and mix together.
3. Then add coconut flour, cinnamon, baking soda and powder and a pinch of salt and mix well.
4. Lastly, fold in walnuts and chocolate chips.
5. Use an ice cream scoop to scoop batter into 9 cups of a silicone muffin pan.
6. Bake for 25 minutes. Let cool before removing from silicone pan.

Special thanks and credits given to: http://paleomg.com/banana-nut-chocolate-chip-muffins/

No "Grain-o-la"

I posted a recipe called Sherry's Granola a few days ago and then was introduced to this granola. I had a neighbor bring it over to me as a treat and I FELL IN LOVE WITH THE TASTE! Unlike Sherry's granola, which tastes awesome in it's own way, this granola has an incredibly nutty flavor...probably because it's made from JUST raw nuts.

Ingredients:

1 cup raw cashews, chopped

1 cup raw walnuts, chopped (I used raw pecans)

2 cups almonds, sliced

1 cup raw pumpkin seeds

1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds

2 cups unsweetened coconut flakes (I used a finely shredded unsweetened coconut)

1/4 cup melted coconut oil

1/4 cup honey

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

1 1/2 cups dried fruit, chopped (I didn't use any, but it is still amazing with dried fruit in it, like apricots and raisins)

Preheat oven to 275 degrees.

Combine nuts and seeds in a large bowl.

Add shredded (or finely shredded) coconut to the bowl.

Combine well.

In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, vanilla and honey.

Add the spices.

Whisk together and pour over granola.

Stir really well, or until you see everything is well coated.

Spread mixture on a cookie sheet (with sides) and bake at 275 for 40-45 min.

Stir every 15-20 minutes throughout entire baking time.

Remove from oven and stir in dried fruit. (fruit is NOT pictured above)
Let cool completely and store in an airtight container!

Hope you enjoy it!
My boys love this granola with almond milk or regular whole milk.
The texture is very pleasing on my palette and extremely satisfying.

Recipe courtesy of Barbara, my sweet neighbor who was thoughtful enough to give us a big container of it!

Sherry's Granola

We've always just purchased granola. 

It's something I've never really thought to make on my own... Until I tried Sherry Erickson's (She's a really amazing mother and friend to our family) granola.

  Ummmmm.....YES, I needed the recipe!

Ingredients:

4 cups old fashioned oats

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup slivered almonds

1/2 cup unsweetened coconut (if you have a WINCO store, that's the best coconut to use that's in the bulk bin)
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 cup coconut oil (bring to a liquid state)

1/2 cup real/pure maple syrup 

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Combine the dry ingredients in a medium/large mixing bowl.
(Oats, pecans, almonds, coconut, salt, sugar and cinnamon)

Mix together.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients.
(Coconut oil and Maple syrup)

Pour over the dry ingredients and mix well.

Spread it ALL onto a cookie sheet.

Bake at 300 degrees for 40 min.

Stirring after every 10 min.

...and then it's ready to be consumed!
My kids LOVE this with almond milk for breakfast.
This can also be used as a topping over Greek yogurt or ice cream (hey now....WHY NOT?)
YUMM!!!

Recipe courtesy of Sherry Erickson, a great friend and wonderful mother.

Cinnamon and Casein Pancakes

My delicious treat for breakfast!

I've been in full effect with training for my first NPC show, this is one of my STAPLES. I eat this every morning....Thanks to Kaitlyn Blair (my teammate).

Usually Casein, is a type of protein that should be taken right before bedtime, but what the heck....I like to add it into my morning pancakes. It's so delicious! I have not eaten ANY SUGAR and won't eat any sugar, so this is considered my "sugary treat".  They are great pancakes and don't even need butter or syrup!

Just a yummy little "flat stack" to start the day!

Ingredients:

3/4 Cup egg whites

1 C. Spinach or 6 large asparagus spears (the asparagus can be cooked OR raw)

3-4 tsp. Ground Cinnamon

1/2 C. oats

1/2 scoop Chocolate Casein powder or whey powder

1 tsp. baking powder

Mix everything up in a blender. I use my Blendtec Blender and just puree everything.

Once pureed, I slap the contents on a 375 preheated and "pam"ed up griddle.

Cook as normal pancakes.Watch for bubbles...etc.

I make 5-6 small pancakes. Whatever size you want.

Mason will even eat these! Kid-approved! 

AWESOME!

(**also, you can add some simple mix-ins. For example, you can add 1/2-1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice, you can add 1 tsp cocoa powder or even nutmeg.--Those are some simple ways to create a delicious NON-sugary pancake breakfast)

357 calories, 4g fat, 0 cholesterol, 43g carbs, 40g protein. 

(for the entire stack---try getting that quality at any I-HOP!---NOT gonna happen)

Cinnamon Honey French Toast

Tonight, I made my Homemade bread for my boys....Buuuuut, it didn't stop there. 

We had one of his friends over after school today, and I distinctly remember Asa (Mason's friend) saying how much he LOVED French Toast!

So, I knew EXACTLY what I wanted to do today; Make bread and then make an awesome rendition of a hearty and sweet french toast.

I looked online and found this recipe from Alton Brown, and changed it just a little bit.

Ingredients:
1 C Whole Milk (I'm sure Fat free would work just fine too)
3 large eggs
2 Tbsp. honey (warmed in the microwave for 20 seconds)
1/4 tsp. salt
6 (1 inch) slices of a thick bread (Alton's original recipe calls for day old, or stale country loaf, brioche)
1 tsp. cinnamon

In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, honey, cinnamon and salt. Pour this mixture into a pie pan and set aside.

Preheat oven to 375, and prepare a griddle to 375.

Dip bread into mixture, allow to soak for 30 seconds on each side, and place on a hot griddle. Cook all 6 pieces of bread for 2-3 min each side. (To allow a nice crunchy layer to form around the outside)

Remove from Griddle and place on a rack in the oven. (What I did was get another rack and placed it on a cookie sheet that had sides on it. It allowed for the french toast to continue to brown underneath and bake within)

Once all the french toast were in the oven, I let it all cook for an additional 15 min, until I saw each piece of bread slightly bulge (which meant the eggs and milk were cooking completely inside the bread)

Once fully cooked, serve immediately with fresh fruit, maple syrup or whipped cream.
As Josh and the 2 boys (Asa and Mason) were eating, they all kept saying...."Mmmmm delicious!"

SCORE!!! This now is going on my food blog!
Recipe courtesy of Alton Brown, foodnetwork.com

Oatmeal Pancakes with a Sweet Sauce

This morning, I received an email from my Auntie stating that I needed to try this recipe that she received. 

Well, of course! 

I love to try new things....and it's a breakfast item! DOUBLE BONUS! I love having breakfast for breakfast or breakfast for dinner. 

So, here we go.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 C. Oats

1 C. flour

2 Tbsp. brown sugar

2 Tbsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1 1/2 C. milk

2 eggs. slightly beaten

2 Tbsp butter (softened)

1/2 C. Chopped pecans

(SEE SAUCE RECIPE BELOW)

Combine dry ingredients except pecans.

Mix together.

Add the milk and butter. Slightly beat 2 eggs in a separate bowl and add.

Add chopped pecans and mix.

Pour onto griddle.
I set my griddle for 325 degrees.

...and flipped over after seeing bubbles appear.

Then, in a small saucepan (over medium heat) mix together:

1 1/2 C. Sugar

3/4 C. Buttermilk

1/2 C. Butter

2 Tbsp. Karo Syrup

1 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. Vanilla

Serve warm sauce over oatmeal pancakes.
Or, just serve the pancakes with whatever topping you'd like. 

Recipe Courtesy of Susan Savage (my aunt's food-tastic-friend)

Super food "GREEN" smoothie

When I first heard about this smoothie, it sounded gross.  Blended up veggies???  Doesn't sound appetizing does it?  But its a weeks worth of fruits and veggies in one serving so I tried it, and I have to say that I have developed a love for it and drink it EVERY MORNING.

2 cups cold water
6 cups chopped spinach
5 cups chopped kale (you can substitute romaine lettuce)
1 fresh squeezed lemon
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1 ripe pear (chopped)
1 ripe apple (chopped...Gala apples are the best)
1 ripe banana

Pour 2 cups of water into a blender.  Add spinach & kale then blend.  Add the rest of the ingredients and blend.  This batch makes 4 servings.

*To give it a "Smoothie Consistency", add Ice and blend.
*To give it a sweeter taste add a splash of Orange Juice

Recipe courtesy of www.kimberlysnyder.net

German Pancakes

German Pancakes

1 half cube butter

7 eggs1 cup milk1 cup flourPreheat oven to 350, melt butter in a pan in the ovenmix eggs, milk, and flour togetheronce butter's melted, pour mixture into your panbake in the oven at 350 degree's for about 20-30 minIt's done once the sides have curled up and are golden brownserve it with your favorite fruit, jams, & syrups...whip cream is always good tooENJOY!!!!