Peanut Butter Cherry Protein Oats

October 30, 2021October 31, 2021Breakfast, RecipesLeave a Comment

It tastes like a PB&J sandwich turned oatmeal bowl! It’s not overly sweet, and the textures of the oats, cherries, and creamy peanut butter topping make for a super satisfying yet ridiculously easy breakfast on hectic mornings. Bonus – They’re vegan and gluten free!

Ingredients:

1/2 Cup Quick Oats with Water (I love Bob’s Red Mill – Gluten Free)

4 Tablespoons Betty Lou’s Inc. Powdered Peanut Butter

Optional: Dash of Sweetener of Choice

1 Cup Dark Sweet Cherries

Drizzle of Traditional Peanut Butter

Directions:

Cook up the oats with water

Stir in the powdered peanut butter

Add the cherries

Drizzle the traditional peanut butter on top

Enjoy!

Cinnamon Roll Pancakes

October 26, 2021Breakfast, RecipesLeave a Comment

This is your two favorite breakfasts combined: Pancakes and Cinnamon Rolls. All you need is 3 ingredients!

Ingredients:

Birch Benders Classic Pancake Mix (or preferred)

Melted Butter

Saigon Cinnamon (such as McCormick – it’s much sweeter than traditional cinnamon)

Directions:

Whip up the desired amount of pancakes

Melt the butter in a small bowl and then stir in the cinnamon

I use the ratio of roughly 1 tablespoon melted butter to 3 teaspoons Saigon cinnamon, but this can be adjusted to taste!

Between the sweetness of the pancakes and the sweetness of the cinnamon you can leave it at that, but you can also incorporate your favorite sweetener before adding the topping to your cakes

Enjoy!

Sunflower Pumpkin Spice Oats

October 23, 2021October 24, 2021Breakfast, RecipesLeave a Comment

It’s the perfect breakfast on chilly autumn mornings! They’re creamy, vegan, and gluten free. They’re also nutrient dense with lots of Iron, Vitamin A, and Vitamin E.

Ingredients:

1/2 Cup Quick Oats with Water

1/4 Cup Canned Pumpkin Purée

Dashes of Saigon Cinnamon, Allspice, and Nutmeg to taste

Sweetener of Choice (like maple syrup)

2 Tbsp Sunbutter

Directions:

Cook up the oats with water

Stir in the pumpkin, then spices, then sweetener, then Sunbutter

Enjoy!

No Bake Manuka Energy Balls

October 2, 2021October 2, 2021Breakfast, Recipes, SnacksLeave a Comment

Are you in need of a nutritious and delicious snack for the whole family?! I’ve got you covered. These NO BAKE MANUKA ENERGY BALLS are the perfect grab-and-go breakfast, school lunch treat, or after school snack. Plus they’re all-around allergy friendly!

Ingredients:

1 Cup Sunbutter

1/3 Cup Manuka Honey

2 Tsps Vanilla Extract

1 Cup Old Fashioned Rolled Oats

1/4 Cup Salted Pumpkin Seeds

1/3 Cup Hemp Hearts

(I used the varieties linked!)

Directions:

Stir together the sunflower butter, manuka honey, and vanilla extract in a large bowl.

Stir in all of your remaining dry ingredients.

Roll into balls and enjoy!

(Leftovers can be stored in the fridge.)

The Easiest Chocolate Chip Nicecream

February 5, 2021August 10, 2021Breakfast, Dessert, Recipes, SnacksLeave a Comment

Looking for the easiest way to whip up a satisfying non-dairy frozen dessert? I’ve got you covered. (Although let’s be honest, I’ve eaten this for breakfast too!)

Ingredients:

2 frozen/sliced medium-sized bananas

3 tablespoons chocolate chips (For this recipe I love the Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet Mini chips)

Directions:

Add your frozen banana slices into a food processor & blend until smooth & creamy

Either pour your chips on top once in the bowl (what I do), or stir in to your liking

Enjoy!

“Neapolitan Ice Cream” Smoothie

September 22, 2020August 10, 2021Breakfast, Dessert, Recipes, Snacks2 Comments

4 ingredients + High in Vitamin C & Iron

This frozen-yogurty smoothie tastes just like a healthy neapolitan ice cream! It only takes a couple minutes to blend up & is awesome for breakfast / a midday sweet tooth / or a healthy dessert.

Ingredients:

1 cup greek plain nonfat yogurt

2 cups frozen strawberries

1/2 cup apple juice

1 drizzle (around a couple tablespoons) carob syrup (I use Australian Carob Company)

Directions:

Blend up the yogurt, frozen strawberries, & apple juice in a Nutribullet (or equivalent) until thick & creamy

Top with carob syrup

Enjoy!

Whole Wheat 2-Banana Muffins

April 8, 2020August 17, 2021Breakfast, Dessert, Recipes, SnacksLeave a Comment

You only need 2 bananas!

I don’t know about you, but any time I’m in need of a good banana recipe, it’s when I’ve gotten down to those last couple of brown and spotty ones. I rarely have a whole big bunch on hand as I’ve usually eaten the first few as a snack or in my oatmeal.

Voilà! This recipe makes between 6-8 muffins depending on how large your bananas are.

Ingredients:

2 bananas (just on the verge of being too ripe…starting to get some brown speckles)

Just under 1/2 cup sugar (I used cane sugar)

1 cup white whole wheat flour (such as King Arthur White Whole Wheat)

1 egg

6 tablespoons unsalted butter (almost melted)

3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

A pinch of salt, around 1/4 teaspoon

1 teaspoon baking soda

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°.

Add your muffin liners to the muffin tin.

In a large bowl, combine your bananas & the sugar with a fork, then whisk together once combined.

Whisk in the egg, melted butter, & vanilla.

In a smaller bowl, stir together your dry ingredients: the flour, baking soda, & salt.

Add the combined dry ingredients to the wet ingredients & whisk until batter is evenly combined.

Add the batter to the lined muffin tin. Fill them just below the tops so they have room to expand

Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean (I always choose to undercook ever so slightly)

Enjoy!

Notes:

While they’re delicious the day of baking, beyond the first 24 hours I recommend storing these in the fridge. When ready to eat, pop in the microwave for 10 or 15 seconds, top with butter if you so desire, and they’re back to their “just out of the oven” soft warm form!

Iced Lemon Cake

February 20, 2018August 17, 2021Breakfast, Dessert, Recipes, SnacksLeave a Comment

I am such a huge fan of all things lemon. Our wedding cake had three tiers; Vanilla, Cinnamon, & Lemon. The lemon was the winner by a landslide in our book! My grandmother-in-law also makes the most fabulous Italian lemon cookies. I was eating them by the dozen over our holiday visit in December!

For my husband’s birthday, I whipped up this simple lemon cake that doubles as dessert or breakfast. The glaze is a perfect textural combo with the light cake-y texture. You can easily sub in your favorite egg & butter substitutes. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

For the cake:

2 sticks unsalted butter (or cultured unsalted butter!)

1 1/2 cups cane sugar

4 eggs

1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour (I love King Arthur‘s)

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon lemon zest

For the glaze:

I cup powdered sugar

2 teaspoons lemon zest

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Directions:

For the cake:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on low, combine the butter, sugar & lemon zest.

Beat in the eggs.

Beat in the lemon juice.

In a separate small bowl, stir together the flour & salt.

Slowly beat the flour mixture into the wet ingredients.

Grease a 9 inch square pan with a speck of butter & pour the batter in.

Bake for around 35 minutes…Keeping an eye on it until a toothpick in the center comes out clean.

For the glaze:

Simply stir together the powdered sugar, lemon juice, & the lemon zest in a small bowl.

Wait until the cake has cooled to spread the glaze evenly across the top.

To let the glaze solidify, it’s best to let it sit & harden for a few hours.

Enjoy!

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

April 21, 2017August 17, 2021Breakfast, Dessert, Recipes, SnacksLeave a Comment

I’m a big believer in using whole grains whenever possible in my baking. It outranks all-purpose flour in its fiber content, vitamin content, & its more stabilizing effect on blood sugar. I honestly feel like they give my baked goods a richer taste as well, & am a life-long convert!

I can never get enough of fall flavors year round, & this pumpkin bread is such an easy way to transport me back to my favorite season. Whether it’s for an easy breakfast on the go, an afternoon coffee-time companion, or an after-dinner treat, this bread is the perfect way to pack some vitamin A into your day!

Ingredients:

3 cups whole wheat flour (I really like the organic “white-whole wheat” variety from King Arthur Flour

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

4 eggs (or your favorite vegan substitute)

2 cups canned pumpkin

1 1/2 cups canola oil

Just under 2 cups of cane sugar (or other variety of your choice)

1.5 or 2 cups of chocolate chips (depending how chippy you like it!) . If you’re not a chocolate fan, it tastes just as delicious plain!

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

Mix the dry ingredients together in a medium bowl

Beat the wet ingredients together in a large second bowl

Beat the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients

Stir in the chocolate chips

Split the mixture between 2 greased loaf pans

Bake for between 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean

Enjoy!

Blueberry Peanut butter Smoothie

February 6, 2017August 10, 2021Breakfast, Recipes, SnacksLeave a Comment

I sneak peanut butter into everything!

This smoothie is such a creamy sweet treat as breakfast, a snack, or dessert, & packed with tons of calcium, probiotics, vitamin c, and protein.

This recipe makes a small glass since it’s pretty filling, but if you’re starving go ahead and double everything!

Ingredients:

1 5oz container of plain greek yogurt

about 1/4 cup water

3/4 cup frozen blueberries

3 tablespoons of powdered peanut butter

optional: a dash of your favorite sweetener

Directions:

Layer all the ingredients in the order listed above and blend! Start it on a lower setting and then slowly increase to higher and higher settings until thoroughly blended. You may need to give it a quick stir with a spoon halfway through. Pour into a glass, top with a few frozen blueberries (optional) and enjoy!