Oatmeal Muffins

I LOVE it when I find a food that my kids like and it's healthy.   I remember my grandma announcing that she had made me mush for breakfast when I was a kid.  That comment may have been the WHOLE reason I disliked it.  I swore I'd never feed it to my kids.  Now I am always trying to get them to eat it.   I am learning that you should NEVER announce that a food is healthy.  That scares kids off before they even try it.  These are basically oatmeal baked  in a cup.  What kid doesn't like a muffin over a bowl of mush.

INDIVIDUAL BAKED OATMEAL CUPS- CLEAN EATING
makes 12 servings

1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cups applesauce, unsweetened
1 banana, mashed
1/4 cup honey
2 1/2 cups, Old Fashioned rolled oats
1/8 cup chia seeds (optional)
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups milk
Optional toppings: blueberries, raisins, walnuts, chocolate chips, pomegranate seeds.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix eggs, vanilla, applesauce, banana and honey together in a bowl.
Add in oats, chia seeds (if using), cinnamon, baking powder, salt and mix well with wet ingredients.
Finally pour in milk and combine.
Line a 12 cup muffin tin with paper liners.
Divide mixture evenly into muffin tin cups. I used a 1/4 measuring cup, measure just a tad under 1/4 cup to make 12 servings. 
Add the toppings.
Bake 12-15 minutes.

Gluten Free Banan Bread

I have had fun trying a bunch of healthy banana bread recipes.  This one doesn't taste healthy.  Okay, confession I did make it less healthy by adding some chocolate chips, but you can leave that out.  

Banana Bread - Gluten Free

makes: 1 9x5 loaf or 3 mini loaves

3 cups of oatmeal (blend in blender and only use 2 cups of the Oatmeal Flour)

1 1/2 tsp. Baking Powder

1/2 tsp Baking Soda

1/4 Salt

3 very ripe bananas, mashed

1/2 cup of honey

1 tsp Vanilla

2 egg whites

1 cup smashed raspberries (I have put frozen berries in without mashing him)

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 9×5 inch loaf pan with cooking spray.
Make oat flour: Place oatmeal into blender and blend for 1-2 minutes until oatmeal resembles flour. You may need to stop blender and stir oats a couple of times to ensure that all oats have been blended.
Measure out just 2 cups of the oat flour and place in a medium bowl. Whisk in baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
In a separate large bowl, beat mashed bananas, honey, vanilla extract, and eggs for 1-2 minutes until the consistency is smooth and creamy. Slowly add in flour mixture and mix until just combined.
Gently fold in raspberries and dark chocolate chips. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and bake for 35-40 minutes or until knife inserted into center comes out clean. If using individual small loaf pans, 28-30 minutes should do.  Cool 10-15 minutes, then remove from pan and place on wire rack to finish cooling.

Garbanzo Bean Cookies

Garbanzo Bean Cookies

1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
2 egg whites
2 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup honey
2 tbsp almond butter
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup quick oats
1/2 cup carob chips

Blend (in blender or food processor) all ingredients, except chips and oats. Stir in oats and chips. If too runny, add some more oats (I think I added another 1/4 cup). Drop heaping tbsp onto parchment lined baking sheet. Smash down a little with spoon or spatula. Bake at 300 degrees for about 15 min.
I am going to try them with cinnamon and raisins (instead of the carob chips) too!

Lime and Avocado Chicken Sandwich

This is healthy and super fast to make.  I LOVE anything with lime, cilantro, and avocados. 

1 can of shredded chicken
Cilantro- chop abut 1/4 of a cup
Red Onion - chopped about 1/4 a cup
Salt and Pepper - to taste
Lime Juice - about 1-3 tablespoons
Avocado
Thin hamburger buns or whole wheat pita bread. 

I just mix everything together until I like the taste.  Then I put it on a bun or in a pita with sliced avocado.  You could also serve it on top of a salad if you are trying to get in more veggies. 

Banana Cream Cake

This Recipe is good for breakfast or a healthy snack!

 This Recipe is adapted from grain meal wagon.

• 1/3 cup plus 3 TB oat flour ( I just put regular oats in my blender and made the flour)
• 1 packet or 3.5 grams of Truvia
• 3 TB. Plain greek yogurt
• 1 ripe banana
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 egg white

• Mix dry ingredients and wet ingredients separate then bake in greased loaf pan.  Bake 350 for 10-15 min.
• Allow to cool sprinkle top with cinnamon and garnish with banana 

Clean Eating Cookie Dough Babies

Healthy and Delicious!!!

3 ingredients is all this takes and 10 minutes.   If you are trying to come out of your sugar coma from the holidays like we are then you've got to try this recipe.  They satisfied my sweet tooth and didn't ruin my goal to not eat sugar.

1 cup of Dates
1/2 Cup of Almonds or Cashews
2-3 of the big squares of 100% Cacao Unsweetened Chocolate

Put it all in a food processor and pulse till it's chopped.  Then form into 1 inch balls.  I store mine in the fridge. 

Cinnamon Bear Popcorn

 

Christmas traditions are always so fun.  We like to kick off the Christmas season by watching Elf and eating this yummy treat.  Here's some of the lines that make my kids laugh hard:   [reading the note Buddy left on the etch-a-sketch] "I'm sorry I ruined your lives, and crammed eleven cookies into the VCR."  We elves try to stick to the four main food groups: candy, candy canes, candy corns and syrup. 

Cinnamon Bear Popcorn

3 bags of microwave popcorn or 1 C unpopped popcorn

1  16 oz bag cinnamon bears

1 C butter

1/2 C corn syrup

1 1/2 C sugar

1 t vanilla

4 C mini marshmallows

red food coloring

1. Pop popcorn.

2. Cut cinnamon bears in half with kitchen sheers.

3. In a medium sized pan melt butter.  Add Corn Syrup, and Sugar.  Bring to a boil and 

    cook for 5 minutes.  

4. Remove from heat and add marshmallows, vanilla, and food coloring.

5. Stir in Cinnamon bears.

6. Add to popped popcorn. 

ENJOY!!!!

Banana Ice Cream

If you want a healthy treat that satisfies your sweet tooth, then here's a recipe for you.  This ice cream is CREAMY and made of nothing but bananas.  I have no idea what a banana's chemistry is that makes this MAGIC happen.......but you can make ice cream with 

ONE INGREDIENT!!!!

 First - chop up bananas and freeze.

 It's sweeter if you use bananas that have brown spots on the peels but not on the inside yet. 

Second- Put frozen pieces into food processor. I had to scrap the sides occasionally with my spatula.

Third- Mix till it looks like ice  cream.  It took almost 5 minutes with my processor.

4th ENJOY!!!

Bran Muffins

Get ready to eat some bran muffins this recipe makes a bunch! This recipe is also called 6 week bran muffins because it makes 6 dozen muffins and the batter will last up to 6 weeks in the fridge.  My kids love these muffins and ask for them regularly.

Recipe

Mix

2 cup boiling water

2 cups bran ( you can find bran at any health food store I bought mine in bulk at Winco)

Set aside to cool

 

 

 

Cream

3 cups sugar

1 cup coconut oil or shortening (remember this makes 6 dozen that is 1/6 cup of oil for every dozen)

4 eggs

4 cups plain non fat yogurt

Add in bran and mix everything together

 

Sift In

5 cups flour

3 TB. baking soda

1 TB. salt

mix together well

add 4 cups cereal bran flakes (plain bran flakes)

 

 

Cover the batter and refrigerate overnight for best flavor, stir well before baking. bake at 400 for 17-20 min.

These muffins freeze really well, I individually freeze them first on a pan, then stick them in a freezer bag. 

 



 





This is my go to recipe if I need to feed a crowd and I want them to LOVE it. It's also known as Texas Sheet Cake. 

CAKE

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup buttermilk or sour milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

Preparation:

Grease and flour a 15X10X1-inch or jelly roll pan or a 13X9X2-inch baking pan; set aside. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In a medium saucepan combine 1 cup butter, 1/3 cup cocoa, and 1 cup of water. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. With an electric hand-held mixer on medium speed, beat chocolate mixture into the dry mixture until thoroughly blended. Add eggs, 1/2 cup of buttermilk, and 1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla. Beat for 1 minute (batter will be thin). Pour batter into the prepared pan.
Bake in a 350° oven about 22 to 25 minutes for the 15X10-inch pan or about 30 to 35 minutes for the 13X9-inch pan, or until a wooden pick or cake tester inserted in center comes out clean.
Pour warm chocolate frosting over the warm cake, spreading evenly. Place cake in pan on a wire rack; cool thoroughly before cutting.
Makes 24 servings.

Frosting

Ingredients: 

1/2 cup butter, softened
2 2/3 to 3 1/2 cups of confectioners' sugar
1/3 to 1/2 cup half and half cream or unwhipped whipping cream.
1 tsp Vanilla
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (add more for dark chocolate flavor)

Directions:
Beat butter for a few minutes.  Add the rest of the ingredients.  Mix till it's the consistency you'd like it.  It you want it thicker add more powdered sugar.  If you want thinner frosting add more whipping cream.

Breakfast Rolls

 

Everyone has at least one recipe they can call their own, and for me this is one of my favorites! It is cheese, eggs, and ham all wrapped in the comfort of bread.



Recipe

• 1 batch of no fail white bread (posted on the blog)
• Roll the dough out like you would for cinnamon rolls
• Fork the dough
• Beat together 4-5 eggs and pour them on top of the dough
  
  
  
  
    
• Then sprinkle with salt and pepper
• Spread grated cheese on top
• Add ham or bacon
• Top with chives, onions, and parsley

• Roll it like a cinnamon roll
• Cut and place them on a greased cookie sheet
• Bake in the oven at 350 for 20 min.



Homemade Granola

Applesauce Granola

 (recipe from Back to the Cutting Board)

This recipe is fabulous!! It can be used in so many different ways, for breakfast, snacks, and granola bars. We love it with raisins and chocolate chips, get creative and enjoy!

• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/4 cup brown sugar (optional)
• 1TBS. honey
• 1 TBS olive oil or coconut  oil
• 3 cups old fashioned oats
• 1 tsp cinnamon (optional)
• 1/2 tsp. salt

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees 
2. line a baking sheet with parchment paper
3. heat the applesauce, brown sugar (I always leave this out), honey and oil
4. mix oats, cinnamon, and salt 
5. mix the applesauce mixture with the oats until evenly coated
6. spread evenly on prepared cookie sheet
7. bake 45 min. stirring every 15 minutes 
8. cool completely 

BEST EVER!

 



       A little Known fact abut me is that I have a weakness for banana bread. In the fall I make it for breakfast, my kids love it.  I have tried a TON of recipes some were healthy, some were to fating, but none of them were as delicious as this recipe!!

Recipe

2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
4 ripe banana's

Mix the wet and dry ingredients separately. Then combine and mix with mixer.  Divide batter into 2 regular size loaf pans. Bake 350 for 40-45 min.