Banana Cashew Balls

One thing that I was most surprised about after giving birth to my daughter is how ravenously hungry I was during the first few weeks. I think it was from all the breastfeeding and energy I was expending caring for my little baby. I was always looking for a quick, healthy, and filling snack. So when I offered to bring our friends who just had a baby a meal, I also took them some of these Banana Cashew Balls. I actually found the recipe from looking at my friend's Pinterest page, as she is a super healthy eater. I wanted to make something I knew she would like and she mentioned on Pinterest that bananas and cashews were two of her favorite flavors. I happen to love both flavors too so was eager to try these myself. With no refined sugar, flour, or oil, these little balls are an excellent source of potassium, protein and carbs. They keep best in the fridge and were really great cold. 

Banana Cashew Balls
From FatFree Vegan Kitchen
Printable Version
Makes about 15 balls
Ingredients
2 overripe bananas
1/2 cup cashews

2 tablespoons ground flax seeds
6 tablespoons oatmeal
4 dates, pitted
1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped (didn't have these)

Directions
Cut the bananas into about 3/4 inch thick slices and place them on a microwave safe dish. Microwave at 60% power for about ten minutes (may need to be more) or until most of the moisture has boiled out of the banana. 

Pulse the cashews in the food processor until coarsely ground. Add the flax seed and oatmeal and pulse a few more times. Add the banana and dates and seeds from the vanilla bean. 

Blend into a thick paste. Moisten your hands and scoop up the paste in about one tablespoon portions. Form into balls. Cover and keep refrigerated. 

Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Smoothie

When my sister in law visited for the Holidays we made these smoothies after a morning workout. Although the idea of oats in a smoothie may be a little off putting, they are ground into a powder so that you don't even notice them. This smoothie is my new favorite - it's uber healthy and very filling. I modified the original recipe by adding in walnuts (a pregnancy super food) and ground flax seeds. 

Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Smoothie
From This Chick Cooks
Printable Version
Makes 2 small smoothies
Ingredients
2 frozen bananas, peeled and sliced
1/4 cup oats
1/4 cup peanut butter
Sprinkle of walnuts
Sprinkle of ground flax seed
3/4 cup milk


Directions 
Put oats in a blender and blend until powdery. 

Add remaining ingredients.

Blend until smooth and no banana chunks remain. Garnish with fresh banana slices if desired. 

Low Carb Pancakes

On the weekends when hubby is around in the mornings I love to wake up and make a big breakfast for us both to enjoy. Pancakes are one of my favorite breakfast foods but hubby isn't a big fan because he says they have too many carbs. I found this recipe for low carb pancakes on Healthy and Homemade and knew that I could entice the hubs into eating them but first I had to find coconut flour. Thankfully my store carried it, so I was good to go!

I modified the recipe a little bit, using whole eggs and adding in pecans for a little protein and crunch. They were delicious! Hubby gave them two thumbs up! Next time I think I will serve fruit on top. These pancakes are a great, healthy way to start your day.

Low Carb Pancakes 
From Healthy and Homemade
Printable Version
Makes 8 pancakes
Ingredients 
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature (I used the 1/3 less fat version)
4 eggs
6 tablespoons Flax meal
2 tablespoons coconut flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup pecans

Directions
In a large bowl combine all of the ingredients and whisk to combine. Heat a nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat. Use a 1/4 measuring cup to drop your pancakes onto the skillet. Flip when golden brown on one side. 

Serve with butter and syrup. These are also great when refrigerated or frozen! :)

Pumpkin Oatmeal

The cooking blog world is being inundated with pumpkin recipes right now, so I thought I'd add one more. If you're feeling fall-ish and want a little pumpkin in your life try this clean eating pumpkin oatmeal. 

I'm going to save you the disappointment I experienced and come right out with the truth: this does not taste like pumpkin pie.  It tastes likes pumpkin oatmeal, thus I changed the title to reflect this. It is however very pumpkiny and filling and healthy. It's also a beautiful orange color and will help you get into the fall spirit. 

Pumpkin Oatmeal
Serves 1
From The Gracious Pantry
Printable Version
Ingredients
1/4 cup dry oats, cooked (I used steel cut oats)
1/4 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (I created my own with cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and ginger)

1 tablespoon flax seeds (I used ground)
1/4 cup pecans
Maple syrup to taste

Directions
Cook oats according to package directions. In the last five minutes of cooking stir in the pumpkin puree, flax, and pumpkin spice.

Scoop mixture into a serving bowl and top with pecans and maple syrup. 

Yogurt Waffles

My husband declared these waffles the best waffles I've ever made. Coming from a guy who doesn't especially enjoy breakfast and hardly ever would choose waffles, this is a big deal. And I must agree with him, these waffles are really darn good. They are light and springy but very filling at the same time. I used greek yogurt and topped them with blackberries and raspberries. A lovely way to start the day!

Yogurt Waffles
Modified from Anne Strawberry (who adapted from a Whisk and a Spoon)
Printable Version


Ingredients
2 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon ground flax meal
1 1/2 cups plain yogurt (I used Greek yogurt)
3/4 cup milk
2 large eggs, separated
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon vanilla (I used my homemade vanilla extract, as pictured in vodka bottle)


Directions
Heat waffle iron. In a small bowl combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

 In a large bowl combine the yogurt, milk, egg yolks, oil, and vanilla. 
Use a wire whisk or electric hand mixer to beat the egg whites to soft peaks. 

With a spatula gently fold the dry ingredients into the yogurt mixture until just combined. Batter should be a little lumpy. Fold in the egged whites until just incorporated.

Grease waffle iron. Cook the batter in batches until crisp and golden. Do not stack until ready to serve. Serve as desired. 
**Anne gave me the great ida to freeze the extras and toast later for a quick scrumptious breakfast! Thanks Anne! :)

Apple Pie Baked Oatmeal

Oatmeal is such a great breakfast. It's healthy, filling, and quick. This baked oatmeal is perfect for weekday mornings when you're in a rush. It kicks the butt of the Quaker Oat envelopes I usually eat! I'd seen Baked Oatmeal on several blogs but Megan's sold me. She gives so many different variations it was hard for me to choose. I went with the Apple Pie version because I wanted to use fresh fruit and because Apple Pie is just too yummy sounding not to try. I also added in chopped pecans for a little crunch. This baked oatmeal is super easy, very comforting, and delicious when heated up with a little milk. When cut into squares, baked oatmeal also travels well for an easy snack. I'm going to try Megan's peanut butter recipe next.  

Apple Pie Baked Oatmeal
From Food and Whine
Printable Version


Ingredients
1 1/2 cups quick cooking oats
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons flax seed meal
1/4 cup honey or brown sugar
3/4 cup milk (I used Vanilla Almond Milk)
1 teaspoon vanilla (my Homemade Vanilla Extract is pictured in the vodka bottle)
1 egg
1 tablespoon melted butter (I omitted this accidentally and couldn't taste a difference!)
1 diced apple
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together the dry ingredients in a bowl. Mix wet ingredients separately and add to the dry ingredients. Mix until combined. Pour mixture into a lightly greased 8X8 pan. Cook for 20-25 minutes until the edges are golden brown. Will keep for about a week if covered in an airtight container.

Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

Here is another healthy, yummy recipe I found at Food and Whine. The original recipe used raisins, but raisins are not allowed in granola bars at my house because my husband hates raisin. Sad. So instead, I used chocolate chips. These granola bars are healthy and taste like it - they definitely need chocolate chips or dried fruits to add in some moisture and pops of flavor. I ate mine with a smudge of peanut butter on top,  a banana on the side, and big ol' glass of skim milk. Snack perfection!

Chocolate Chip Granola Bars
Modified from Food and Whine
Printable Version


Ingredients
1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 egg
2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
2 cups old fashioned oats
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl combine apple sauce, maple syrup and egg. In a larger bowl combine dry ingredients. Add in the wet ingredients and stir until fluffy and combined. 

Shape into bars and place on greased pan (I use cooking spray). **Note: You could also spread into a 9X13 pan and then cut into bars, probably easier that shaping and will make more bars than the measly 8 I got!!** Bake for 15 minutes and remove from pan immediately. 

Cinnamon Flax Muffins

There is not much better, in my opinion, than a piping hot muffin with a huge glass of a cold milk. I wanted to find a muffin recipe that incorporated flax seed meal since I have a bunch sitting in my fridge but unfortunately, there aren't a lot of recipes out there with flax seed. Thankfully I came across this recipe at Your Organic Child. I modified the recipe by using more carrot and adding in sweetened coconut, which I had on hand. These muffins were soooo good. Very moist, sweet, and filling. I ate a couple for breakfast and didn't feel hungry at all until late into the afternoon. They also stay moist for several days which I've found that most muffins don't do. You could add in 1/2 cup of raisins, but my hubby despises raisins and I wanted to him to eat these, so left them out. This recipe makes 18 muffins.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups flour

3/4 cups Bob's Red Mill flax seed meal

1 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt 

2 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

2 cups shredded carrots

2 peeled and shredded apples

3/4 cup sweetened coconut

3/4 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 egg

Directions

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix together flour, flax seed meal, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl.

Shred carrots and apples in a food processor. Stir in carrots, apples and coconut. Combine the milk and eggs. Pour into lightly greased muffin tins (I use cooking spray) and bake for 15 - 20 minutes. 

The Best Homemade Granola

In my quest for a healthy lifestyle I am trying to incorporate less processed foods into my diet. I really love granola, and decided that it was time to learn how to make my own so I added it to my List of 30 Things to Make Before I Turn 30. I am not sure this is the most low fat/low calorie recipe out there, but it's definitely one of the best granolas I've ever eaten and I consider myself a granola enthusiast. My favorite store bought granola is Nature's Path Organic Pumpkin Flax Granola. If you like granola and have never tried it, I whole heartedly recommend you pick a box up sometime.

I searched and searched for a good granola recipe and ended up choosing this one from Kiss My Spatula.com. With a blog name like that, I knew this recipe would be good. (I also chose this recipe because it is tweaked from Barefoot Contessa, and it contains brown sugar and flax seed - the brown sugar because I knew it would be sweeter, and the flax seed because the Nature's Path Granola that I adore has flax seeds.)

This granola is very easy to make and it made a huge batch - about 7 cups!! I decided to use low calorie apple juice and added in two tablespoons of Trader Joe's flax seed oil because I have it on hand and forget to take it! Why the kick for flax seeds? This article about flax seeds on webmd.com states that flax seeds may fight everything from heart disease, to diabetes and breast cancer. They contain Omega-3, Lignans, and Fiber. Basically, they're really good for you! Eat them!!

Another thing I loved about this recipe is that it made my home smell like apple crisp while it was baking. I didn't add in any dried fruit because I wanted to top the granola with fresh fruit instead. Note to Margaret: go make this granola!!! And please let me know when you do!

Best Homemade Granola

from Kiss My Spatula

Ingredients

4 cups organic rolled oats

1/2 cup chopped or slivered almonds

1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts (not a big fan of these, so I omitted them)

2 tablespoons flax seeds (I used ground)

1 cup shredded coconut

3 tablespoons brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup vegetable or olive oild

1/3 cup good honey

1/3 cup apple juice or apple cider

1 cup dried cranberries or your favorite dried, chopped fruit

Directions: 

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl stir together the nuts, oats, flax seeds, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Whisk the oil, honey, and apple juice in a measuring cup.

Pour the liquid mixture over the oat mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until all the oats and nuts are coated. Spread onto a large sheet pan. Bake, stirring occasionally with a spatula, until the mixture forms a nice, even golden brown, abound 30 minutes, depending on oven.

Remove granola from the oven and allow to cool completely, stirring occasionally. Add the dried fruit. Store granola in an airtight container. 

Note: The Best Homemade Granola + Oikos Greek Yogurt + Fresh Blackberries = Snack of bliss after working out!