Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Gluten-Free Banana, Cacao, Chia & Coconut Pancakes

banana pancakesLately, I have been so sick of making the same things for dinner… chicken, pasta, bean tacos, fish on Fridays because it’s Lent, food limitations for the sake of the baby, no dairy for my little guy, it is starting to make cooking a bit of a drag lately. So I asked the kids what they wanted for dinner, they said cereal! I never let them have cereal for dinner unless someone is sick. They actually would rather eat “organic fiber o’s” for dinner, just because it’s breakfast foods.

So we mixed it up for a Monday night and  I dug through the pantry and yelled out what about pancakes! They were racing into the kitchen and fighting over who got to help cut the bananas and who got to add the coconut to the cakes so here’s our new recipe to share with you for those nights you need something fast and quick and something a little bit more sinful while mixing it up and making breakfast for dinner!

Ingredients: Makes about 10 medium sized thick pancakes

  • 1 1/2 C of Gluten-free pancake mix. (Trader Joe’s has a great one!) ( You can also make your own flour mixes, but a box already together is way faster and cheaper! Just read the label for good quality ingredients)
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 C of water (may need a little extra if it’s too thick)
  • 1/4 C of Coconut oil-melted down
  • 2 Tbsp Cacao Powder
  • 1 Banana sliced thinly
  • 1/2 C unsweetened coconut
  • 2 Tbsp Chia seeds
  • 2 Tbsp Cacao Nibs
  • Coconut oil or spray for the pan while cooking

Directions:

  1. In a bowl add flour mix, eggs, water, cacao powder, coconut oil and mix well. Add more water if it seems too thick.
  2. Preheat and oil pan so pancakes will not stick. Keep heat on medium once the pan has warmed up.
  3. Scoop in pancake mix to the pan, whatever size you would like. Remember these will be thicker so make them a little smaller.
  4. Top with a pinch of chia seeds, coconut, and cacao nibs, and 2-3 slices of banana. Once the pancake begins to bubble you can flip them so they cook all the way through.
  5. Stack them high on a plate add some fresh berries to the side or top with a few more banana slices and a little syrup if you wish.
  6. Dig in and enjoy!

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Monday, February 22, 2016

Sea Salt & Smoky Paprika Roasted Chickpeas!

chickpeasSick of the same old snacks to munch on day in and day out? Winter time makes it tough on healthier options to chose from because vegetables and fruits are limited to their growing seasons. Loading up on greasy and fatty things like chips, cookies, candy, and binge watching your favorite tv series during these frigid dreary months can set the scale flying. Reach for these winter healthy snacks instead.

 

Sea Salt & Smoky Paprika Chickpeas:

Ingredients:

  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 2 cans chickpeas/Garbanzo beans-drained, rinsed, and patted dry
  • 2 Tbsp ground sea salt
  • 2 Tbsp smoky paprika

Directions:

  1. In a baking pan, drizzle olive oil. Pre-heat oven 350 degrees
  2. Spread beans across the pan and cover with salt and paprika. Make sure to cover both sides
  3. Place in oven for 40-45 minutes. Make sure to stir them around a couple times to prevent burning.
  4. Once they crisp up, let them cool add more paprika and salt if needed.

 


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Monday, February 15, 2016

Blueberry Smoothie Bowl

blueberry smoothie bowlHad enough Valentine’s sweets and treats? Need something to make you feel better and get you back on track? Here’s a yummy treat that won’t leave you in a slump or feeling guilty or groggy afterwards. I just fed my crazy kiddos this too after the Valentine Cake pops, cookies, and hot chocolate from the newly fallin’ snow they needed a detox!

I tend to pick my fruit in the summer and freeze it for my smoothies in the winter. Blueberries aren’t in season in the US right now but you can probably still find fresh ones in the grocery store or look in the freezer section and buy some frozen. They’re picked at the peak and then frozen so they’re going to taste so much sweeter!

Here’s what you’ll need…

Ingredients:

  • 1 C blueberries fresh or frozen
  • 2 C unsweetened coconut milk
  • 2 Kiwi- peeled and sliced
  • 1 Starfruit- sliced
  • 1 Mango- peeled and sliced
  • 1/4 C Buckwheat Groats
  • 4 Gooseberries or any other kind of berry will work
  • 1/8 C Cacao nibs
  • 1/4 Cup raw oats

Directions:

  1. In a high-speed blender add coconut milk, raw oats and blueberries. Blend well.
  2. Pour into a bowl.
  3. Layer in rows the Starfruit, mango, gooseberries, kiwi, cacao nibs, and buckwheat groats.
  4. Grab a spoon and dig in!

 


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Tuesday, February 9, 2016

Grilled Bananas, Pineapple & Mango with Spiced Coconut Yogurt & Hazelnuts

grilled fruitCan you say “YUM!!” Loving this new recipe! I wanted something different to serve for the Super Bowl. I was already grilling so I scanned the counter top to see what else I could throw on out there with the giant pan of wings! And this is what came out! The picture does no justice at all! But you could do this for breakfast, lunch, afternoon pick me up, and of course dessert. It’s possibly pretty much guilt-free. I’m actually eating the rest of it as I sit here and type this up.

 

Here’s what ya need! It will make about 4-6 servings

Ingredients:

  • 1 Pineapple-peeled, cored, and cut long ways
  • 2 Mango- peeling and cut in large chunks
  • 2 Bananas- slightly under ripe, cut in half and down the center for long halves
  • 1/4 cup of chopped hazelnuts
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk yogurt
  • 1 tsp local honey
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • splash of organic vanilla extract (alcohol free)
  • 1 Tbs cacao nibs

Directions:

  1. Warm Grill to about 200 degrees. In a piece of foil place pineapple on the bottom, then mangos and bananas. (They will burn on the bottom)
  2. Cook until they get a few char marks and begin to soften up, the bananas will start to caramelize a bit. About 15 minutes
  3. In a bowl add the yogurt, honey, cinnamon, vanilla and mix well.
  4. On a plate, place your fruit, drizzle yogurt mix and place a big spoonful to the side for extra dipping.
  5. Sprinkle cacao nibs and hazelnuts on top.
  6. Grab a spoon and savor!

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Wednesday, February 3, 2016

Butternut Squash and Fiji Apple Soup

bsquashDuring the winter months I tend to reach for the heavier, richer foods that are more comforting. Now with a 10 week old, time seems to blow by even faster everyday which makes it a little harder to make some of the dishes I so love to make. So I’ve been on a search for something a little more filling but quick and hearty.

So today I threw in some butternut squash and roasted it, in between the laundry, emails, phone calls, and baby feedings. This is what I got! So good! Healthy, hearty, and filling!

Ingredients:

  • 1 butternut squash
  • 2 medium Fiji apples-cored and sliced (save a little for garnish- if ya want)
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk
  • 1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds
  • sea salt
  • fresh ground pepper
  • Herbs de Provence
  • 1 tsp olive oil

Directions:

  1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Peel, core, and seed the squash. In a pan, drizzle olive oil and place squash on top. Cook for about 25 minutes or until it becomes tender
  2. Once it’s tender. Chop squash roughly and add to a high-speed blender. Add sliced apples, coconut milk, salt, pepper, and herbs. Blend well until smooth.
  3. In a dry pan, toast pumpkin seeds on medium heat until they become fragrant and become darker in color. About 2 minutes. Make sure to watch them they will burn quick!
  4. Add soup to a bowl. Top with apples and pumpkin seeds!

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