I made these cookies for my 17-year-old one morning this week as an alternative to packaged granola bars for breakfast. They go together quickly (5 minutes to mix up, 10 minutes to bake), are packed with protein, fiber, and fat to keep him full for the morning, and are easy to grab and go before a busy day. I'm calling them breakfast cookies because I cut down on sugar from a typical cookie recipe, and added in some oats. A bit of a stretch, but in terms of nutrient density, it's better than a donut or a bowl of cereal! Compared to a packaged breakfast bar, this recipe has only 7 ingredients as opposed to 20 in the commercial version, the same number of calories, more fiber, the same amount of protein, and less sugar (see nutrition facts label for this recipe below). It contains no soy (common in packaged bars) and none of the mysterious "natural flavors" so common in ingredient lists. It also doesn't require plastic packaging, and contains no preservatives. The fats are all good for you (nuts and eggs) , and you can control whether or not the ingredients are organic. It's also more economical. Ingredients: 1 cup peanut butter (other nut butters would work as well) 1 egg 1/2 cup sugar 1 tsp vanilla 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/2 cup raw oatmeal 1/2 cup chocolate chips Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. 1. Combine all ingredients and mix well. 2. Drop dough by heaping tablespoons onto a cookie sheet. This should make 12 good-sized cookies. 3. Bake for 10 minutes. 4. Remove onto a cooling rack. Let cook for 5-10 minutes before eating. Note that these will be soft and crumbly when warm, and will set up once they cool a bit. Handle them gently when placing on the cooking rack.
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This is a simple recipe that goes together quickly, nice on a lazy weekend morning. I wanted to make a maple glaze to top these, but discovered ants in the confectioner's sugar. Gross. Instead, I mixed a few tablespoons of maple syrup into half a stick of softened butter. It makes a perfectly sweet topping for these slightly savory scones.
This is a gluten-free adaptation of a conventional recipe - it will come out great made with regular flour in place of the gluten-free blend, if you aren't avoiding gluten. Enjoy! Combine the following in a large mixing bowl: 1-1/2 cups gluten-free flour, plus 1.5 tsp xantham gum if not included in blend 1/4 cup sugar 1 Tbsp baking powder 1/2 tsp salt 1-1/4 cups old-fashioned oats (certified gluten-free variety) 1 tsp cinnamon Once well combined, add the following: 1 large egg 10 tbsp butter, melted 1/3 cup milk 1 tsp vanilla Stir until a sticky batter forms. Dump batter onto a cookie sheet and using your hands, press out into a circle, about 1 inch thick. Use a knife or spatula to cut into 8 wedges, but leave them connected in the original circle shape. Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes, or until wedges can be pulled apart and look baked through the center. Serve warm with maple butter. Today was supposed to be spent doing a 12-mile loop hike in the mountains, tagging two more 4,000 footers. But it rained. And yes, we could have gone in the rain. But it's so much more fun on a nice day. So it turned into a (much needed) day at home. Having just finished my first week at a new job, I needed some down time. In the midst of working through a large sorting/cleaning/moving project, I decided to make some banana muffins. What I really wanted was banana bread, but even the GF flours bother me sometimes, so I decided to go with a grain free recipe. This is one that I've made once before, but I tweaked it a bit and it came out much better. The coolest thing about this recipe is that it has NO FLOUR. None. Not coconut. Not almond meal. Not rice flour. So I don't have to worry about the nut issue (son is allergic to tree nuts) or the "funny taste" of coconut that both kids complain about. This is a 6-ingredient recipe, and you won't believe it unless you try it. I throw my browning bananas into the freezer and save them for smoothies or baking. Today I happened to have 3. They thaw very quickly if you put them in a bowl of water...it took about 15 minutes this morning. I used peanut butter (not paleo, strictly) because we have a kid with tree nut allergies, but I'd love to try this with cashew or almond butter. And I used maple syrup that my older son made this spring when he and a friend tapped some trees on the property and boiled it down. Ingredients 1 cup nut butter 1 1/2 cups mashed bananas 1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp vanilla 3 eggs, beaten 1/3 cup maple syrup or honey 1 cup chocolate chips (optional) 1. Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Stir until well combined. 2. Grease 12 muffin tins, and fill 3/4 full with batter. 3. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. The muffins will need to sit and cool for about 15 minutes until you attempt to eat them. They are initially quite soft, but will become a consistency such that you can pick it up and eat it just like a regular muffin. If you can't wait that long, I recommend a plate and a fork (from personal experience...). Blizzard = two days snowed in at home = banana bread. Naturally. This is adapted from the recipe found in The Moosewood Cookbook by Mollie Katzen, one of my favorite vegetarian cookbooks. I made it milk-free and allergen-free. I also cut the recipe in half and added chocolate chips. This is dairy-free. If you are opposed to using grains at all, try it with coconut or almond flour. This is very yummy warm with coffee. Especially while watching a movie on a Wednesday morning, wrapped in a cozy blanket on the couch, watching the snow come down outside the window. Ingredients 3/4 cup melted butter 3/4 cup sugar (use whatever type you like) 2 eggs 1 tsp vanilla 2 cups GF flour, plus 1/2 tsp xantham gum if your blend doesn't include it (or wheat flour if you aren't GF) 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 tsp baking soda 1 1/2 tsp baking powder 1 tsp cinnamon 1 cup mashed banana soaked in 1/2 cup black coffee (do not even think about skipping this bit) 1. Combine melted butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla in a mixing bowl. Mix until light and fluffy. 2. Meanwhile, mash bananas in a separate dish and mix in black coffee. I used cold coffee that was leftover from the morning. Let it soak while you finish combining dry ingredients. 3. Combine all dry ingredients in a separate bowl. (Original recipe calls for sifting, though I skipped the sifting myself. This is a bad habit I have - skipping the sifting - which I blame my mom for. Thanks, mom. The bread still came out light and fluffy, so I think the woman may have a point.) 4. Combine dry and wet ingredients. Mix well. Add bananas and coffee, and combine. I folded in 1 cup of chocolate chips at this point. Pour into a well-greased loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Check to make sure it's done in the middle. My loaf this morning required another 15 minutes. This was one of the better GF quick bread recipes I've tried. Enjoy! Fall time = pumpkin time, right? Pumpkin is not only delicious, but also full of nutrients including vitamin A, B vitamins, and minerals such as copper and potassium. I love pumpkin baked goods, but rarely bake them myself anymore. I saw a recipe shared on Facebook this week that looked so delicious, I thought I might try it. It was a "conventional" recipe, but I have adapted it to be dairy- and gluten-free. These muffins come out like the inside of a pumpkin pie, so if you don't like super moist cakes/muffins, this probably isn't the recipe for you. They are firm enough to hold onto and eat like muffins, but just a tad gooey. I LOVED them, as did everyone in the family, but I can imagine that there are some people who would not enjoy their texture. Saturday turned out to be a lovely fall day, cool and crisp, with some rain in the mix later in the day. It was a perfect day for baking, especially something involving pumpkin and cinnamon. I found that I had already packed my muffin tins away, but still had a mini-muffin tin to use, so that's what I did. Turns out they packed really well and tasted great at the summit of a mountain today, and were much easier to share due to their small size. This recipe would be easily "paleo-ized" by using almond meal or coconut flour in place of the GF flour I chose. Ingredients Pumpkin puree, make your own or buy a 15-oz can (I bought the can.) 3/4 cup of your favorite sweetener (I used 1/2 cup white sugar and 1/4 cup brown sugar) 2 large eggs 1 tsp maple syrup (original recipe calls for vanilla but I was out...) 3/4 cup coconut milk (from a can, stirred well before measuring) 2/3 cup flour (I used a GF blend that has xantham gum included, but remember to add 1/2 tsp xantham gum in addition to your favorite GF flour if not in the mix) 1 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp nutmeg (if desired) 1/4 tsp ginger (if desired) 1/4 tsp salt 1/4 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp baking soda Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter 24 mini muffin tins (or 12 regular sized muffin tins). Pour batter into tins until about 2/3 full. Bake for 25-30 minutes, checking occasionally for doneness. These will be very, very moist, but if you check them and they still seem too underdone, put them in for 5 minute intervals. Let stand and cool for at least 20 minutes, then remove from pan and serve. You can top them with whipped cream, or whipped coconut cream if you are dairy-free. How to make coconut cream, you ask? Buy a can of coconut milk (NOT "lite"). Scrape the solid layer off the top and add to a mixing bowl. Add about 1 Tbsp sugar. Whip with an electric mixer on high speed for several minutes, until peaks form in the cream. Serve as a topping for your pumpkin pie bites. Quiche became a family favorite when I was teaching full time. Besides making the crust, it was a relatively fast meat-free option that could be made quickly in the evening. When I went more primal in my eating, I started to make 2 quiches - one crusted quiche for the kiddos and one crustless for me. Quiche is great in its versatility, and it tastes decent reheated, making a nice, quick breakfast or leftover lunch option for a busy day.
If you don't want to give up the crust, or if you have picky family members to accommodate, doubling the filling recipe and making two is relatively simple. For making the crust, here are a few options: *Make your favorite pie crust recipe and line the pie plate with that. Pre-bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes, then dump the filling in and bake. *Gluten-free pie crust is decent - I have tried a mix by the company Gluten Free Pantry that no one complained about. Also have a GF pie crust recipe posted under "desserts" on this blog. *Grate a potato, mix with one egg and some salt, press into the bottom of a greased pie plate, and bake for 10 minutes at 400 degrees (should be slightly brown and crispy). Then add the quiche filling and bake as below. Filling: 4 eggs, beaten 1 1/2 cups half and half, light cream or milk 1/4 tsp salt dash of pepper 1 1/2 shredded cheese 1 Tbsp flour (I use white rice flour) *Mix together. Then throw in any assortment of diced/chopped veggies or meats you desire, about 1 cup in total. Onions, peppers, dried tomatoes, mushrooms, spinach, nitrite and nitrate free ham, bacon...you get the idea. My boys prefer plain cheese; I like mine loaded with veggies. *Pour into prepared pan (greased for a crustless quiche). Bake at 325 degrees for 40-45 minutes. It will get slightly browned and puffy. A knife inserted into the center should come out clean. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. *Convenience options if you plan to reheat and eat for breakfast: Make a double batch, pour into a rectangular baking pan and bake. Cut into slices when cool and individually wrap and freeze. OR pour into greased muffin cups for single serving size portions ready to go. Adjust baking time - check for doneness after 20 minutes or so. My breakfast meal nearly always consists of an egg and vegetables in one form or another. I love to get a serving or two of veggies in at breakfast. The vegetables provide ample energy and nutrients, without a lot of carbohydrates. Over the last 4 years, I have found a number of ways to make tasty breakfasts, some quick and easy, others more elaborate. This is a more elaborate option. I made the caprese salad first and put it in the fridge to chill while I prepared the omelette. The flavors of the omelette, the onions, the cheeses, tomatoes, and fresh basil were great together. This is definitely a variation we'll have again. (I have been dairy-free since January 2014. This meal could easily be made without the cheeses and still be delicious.) Caprese Salad 1 cup grape tomatoes cut in half, or other tomatoes chopped into bite-sized pieces 8-10 leaves of basil, chopped 1 ounce mozarella cheese, diced 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar 1 Tbsp olive oil dash of salt and black pepper Mix everything together in a bowl. I find that smaller chopping makes for tastier salads. Let chill for 10-15 minutes. Omelette 1/2 yellow onion, sliced into thin strips 2 Tbsp fat (I used half grass-fed butter and half olive oil) 3 large eggs 1/4 cup ricotta cheese dried or fresh herbs of your choice (I used 1 tsp of dried herbs de provence) salt and pepper to taste 1. Over medium heat, heat fat and onions. Allow to cook until onions start to look light brown, about 10 minutes. 2. Turn heat down to medium low. In a bowl, beat the eggs. Pour beaten eggs over onions. 3. Mix ricotta cheese with herbs in a small bowl. 4. Once eggs are cooked on one side, flip over. Spread ricotta cheese mixture over half of the cooked egg, then fold over. Remove from heat and allow to sit for 2-3 minutes. Eat the omelette and salad side by side. Delicious! I have been in such a rut meal-wise. With moving and starting 2 new jobs, life has been busy and meals have been more about survival than creativity. I don't get nearly as excited about the daily maintenance form of cooking as I do about trying new things, but most weeknights, that just doesn't happen. To try to get out of this rut, I took advantage of school vacation to pick up a few cookbooks at the library. I chose a Barefoot Contessa book, as I have heard good things about Ina Garten in the past. The cookbook is lovely, using whole foods for ingredients, and most of the recipes are highly adaptable to my preferred primal-esque style of cooking and eating.
Due to making an angel food cake for Noah's birthday, I had a bowl full of 12 egg yolks sitting in the fridge, waiting to be used. I was going to make a quiche, but decided to try a recipe entitled potato basil frittata instead, in an effort to break out of the above-mentioned rut I've been in. It was one of those unusual moments in which I just happened to have the necessary ingredients on hand, including 2 items I don't always have - half a tub of ricotta cheese and fresh basil - to make the recipe without cutting any corners. I did substitute sharp cheddar for the Gruyere cheese called for in the original recipe, as I did not have Gruyere on hand, and am not entirely sure the kids would like the strong taste. This frittata turns out wonderfully. Where quiche can be a bit too eggy for my liking, this recipe is almost cake-like in consistency - dry and slightly spongy, but in a good way. The fresh basil added a crisp, clean flavor, which complimented the heaviness of the eggs and cheese. The fried potatoes on the bottom added a nice savory flavor to the whole thing. We had it for our evening meal, with a generous helping of fresh, green salad drizzled with balsamic and olive oil. I definitely plan to add this in to our regular meal rotation. I like that it's meat-free and lower carb. I tweaked the recipe to make it gluten-free, as well. I'd like to experiment with different flavors - sundried tomato, feta, and fresh thyme? Onion, peppers, and olive? How about sweet potatoes on the bottom instead of white? I will update with any successful experiments! Ingredients 4 Tbsp butter 2 cups potatoes, peeled and diced 8 extra large eggs (I used my 12 leftover yolks and added 2 more whole eggs) 15 oz ricotta cheese 8 oz cheese, grated 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp black pepper 3/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves 1/4 cup brown rice flour (or all-purpose flour if you're not gluten free) 3/4 tsp baking powder 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt the butter in a cast-iron skillet or other oven-proof omelet pan (10 inch) over medium low heat. Add the potatoes and fry them until cooked, stirring often, about 10-15 minutes. 2. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs. Stir in ricotta, grated cheese, salt, pepper, and basil. Sprinkle flour and baking powder on top and stir in. 3. Pour the egg mixture over the cooked potatoes and place in oven. Bake until brown and puffy, about 50 minutes. A knife inserted into the middle will come out clean when it's done. This tastes great reheated, too. Cut into slices and store individually wrapped portions for breakfast on busy mornings. I have been looking lately at different protein drinks, partly just to educate myself about what's out there since so many people drink them, and partly because I've been considering adding one in to my daily diet. I find that often after preparing breakfast, packing lunches, and thinking about dinner, I have absolutely no desire to prepare food for myself. I want something nourishing and easy that I can have after I workout or just as an afternoon snack, but not something I have to spend a lot of time making. Sometimes this means I end up eating some plain yogurt and nuts of my choosing; other days it's a big bowlful of greens, feta cheese, and walnuts topped with balsamic and olive oil. But even that feels like too much work sometimes.
As I've looked at a wide array of protein beverage options, I've noticed a trend: everything is super processed, most of them contain at least one ingredient I'd rather not ingest, and they are pricey. Plus they still have to be mixed with a form of milk, ideally in a blender. Sure, they advertise that they contain vitamins and minerals, probiotics, the ideal forms of protein...but ultimately, all of that is available in whole foods, without weird oils, artificial sweeteners, and highly processed proteins. So I set out today to make a smoothie that met a few criteria: 1) Low carb, with no added sugar or sweeteners 2) Full of fresh fruits/vegetables 3) But also satisfying, with plenty of fat and protein. I arrived at the following recipe, which made about, in my estimation, 3 servings. I really enjoyed it. And I'm not just saying that because this is my blog...I swear. If I were to create a package label for this smoothie in order to sell it in a store like GNC, I could make the following claims: -Full of vital micronutrients and fiber direct from raw fruits and vegetables! -Provides a dose of probiotics, important for health and well being! -Loaded with medium chain triglycerides, a superior form of fat for the athlete! -Contains complete proteins from natural, whole food sources, including branched chain amino acids for post-workout recovery. -No additives, preservatives, or sugar! How's that for marketing? Cost wise, I estimate that the ingredients to make 3 servings cost approximately $3.00 total, or $1/serving, a great deal considering that a container of Muscle Milk or some other packaged brand will run you between $3-$5 for 1 serving. You WILL need a decent blender to make this smoothie. I used my Vitamix, which could probably make a smoothie out of bookshelves if I needed it to. But I think a standard blender would handle these ingredients just fine. Ingredients 1 can coconut milk (NOT "Lite" or "Lower Fat". Get the good stuff. It won't hurt you - I promise. Thai Kitchen brand does not contain any weird preservatives - read labels before you ingest things.) 2 ice cubes 2/3 cup frozen or fresh berries (I used frozen blueberries and raspberries) 1/2 cup whole fat yogurt with live cultures OR cultured coconut milk 1 cup kale leaves 1/2 cup pasteurized egg whites (or non-pasteurized if you have a trusted source for eggs. I actually bought a carton of Just Whites, which adds to the convenience factor.) Dump everything in the blender and blend. I used the variable 10 setting on the Vitamix for about 20 seconds and it was done. It was everything I hoped it would be - creamy, cold, frothy, satisfying, a little bit sweet without added sugar. Let me know what you think. Breakfast in Turkey is not a meal - it is an event. In fact, in Turkish, you don't say you "ate" breakfast - you say you "did" breakfast. Like so many of our cross-cultural experiences in Turkey, my first instinct was usually (and I am not proud to say this...) annoyance. I would ask questions (internally) like Where are the things WE want? Why do they do it like THAT? And then, wouldn't you know, within a few months I was wondering why I had never tried this or that, or done it this way, or seen that before. (See my post on yogurt as an example.) Our first introduction to Turkish breakfasts came at a hotel we stayed at. We brought our 2 sleepy kids (ages 4 and 7 at the time) to the breakfast buffet in the morning and looked around. Where was the cereal? Where was the toast? Not an English muffin to be found. And WHAT was up with all of the vegetables, olives, and cheese? As we took the kids through the line to get food, we had trouble finding things they would eat. They did have a cold cereal option, but it was muesli, which is essentially raw oats that you pour milk over. No Cheerios. No hot oatmeal. No sweet, fruity yogurt. I can't remember what we found for them to eat - probably some white bread and fruit. We experimented at the hotel with eating cheese and olives, fresh tomato and cucumber slices, roasted red pepper strips, boiled eggs, white bread all together on the same plate. It was surprisingly good. I had never enjoyed olives while living here, but Turkish olives were amazing. The only coffee option was instant coffee, so we drank the tea. It all tasted really good together. I still wasn't sure that I liked the idea of crunchy vegetables at breakfast time, after years of eating bread or cereal products first thing in the morning, but I opened my mind (and mouth) to the possibility. And within 2 years, we would be preparing that very breakfast every morning for ourselves. In actuality, Turkish breakfast goes far beyond veggies and eggs. There is often a large selection of different breads, fresh butter, jams and jellies and honey, salads, sausages in various forms, and yogurt. And as always, the tea flows freely. Some of our best memories from Turkey involve "doing" breakfast with friends and neighbors. Let it be known that Turkish hospitality truly does rival anything you will ever experience. But I digress. Since I don't eat much fruit, and I don't eat many grains, I depend pretty heavily on vegetables in my diet. Vegetables and nuts are the main sources of carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals for me. I try to make vegetables the central part of my meal, with eggs, dairy, and meats being simply side dishes. I don't think I would have ever considered breakfast to be a time for vegetables if not for our time in Turkey, outside of the occasional veggie omelet. But in actuality, it's a great way to start the day. I skip the bread and have veggies instead. Here are a few of my favorite options for veggie-centric breakfasts: 1) Turkish breakfast: Fresh vegetable slices, white cheese (Turkish cheese can be found at international markets, but any type will do), marinated olives (cured black olives stored in a bath of olive oil, lemon juice, dried oregano, and a bit of crushed red pepper), an egg or two. 2) Veggie Scramble (easier than an omelet): Gently saute onions, garlic, and finely diced vegetables of your choosing or grated zucchini. Stir up a few eggs and pour them over the sauteed vegetables; gently scramble. Sprinkle cheese over the top. 3) Substitute fruit juice with vegetable juice. Make your own or buy it prepared. Make sure there is no added sugar. 4) Leftovers! Re-heated stir frys, stews, and curries can make great breakfasts. 5) For breakfast on the go, try a boiled egg, raw vegetable slices, and a cheese stick. This can easily be packed and eaten in the car or at your desk at work. If you have other ideas or other favorite breakfasts involving vegetables, please share below! |
AuthorI'm Emily. I currently work in online education management, but I also have a Masters degree in Nutritional Sciences (my true passion). In addition, I am a mom, cook, avid reader, novice gardener, and enjoy all kinds of outdoor activities. On my blog, you will find articles on food, fitness, weight management, and eating issues. ALL recipes on my blog are gluten-free. Many are low-carbohydrate. Most are grain free. Enjoy! Categories
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