Whole wheat banana chocolate chip pancakes

Ingredients

2 cups whole wheat flour

2 tsp baking powder 

1.5 tsp baking soda 

1 Tbsp honey

1.5 tsp pure vanilla extract 

1.75 cups milk

1 large egg 

2 ripe bananas smashed

1/4 - 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (I use Enjoy Life vegan chips)

Combine flour, baking soda and baking powder. Mix in milk and vanilla extract until combined. Add eggs, honey and, mix until combined. Add smashed banana and chocolate chips and mix well with a fork smashing banana into batter. 

Heat non stick pan over medium low. Spray pan with non stick cooking spray and add batter. Allow first side to cook until bubbly and then flip using a large spatula. Cook until center rises and sides are not wet. 

The batter does not store well so I cook all of it in mini pancakes and refrigerate them for the week. I pack them cold in the kids lunches or heat them up for a quick breakfast. 

I serve these with pure maple syrup. 

This recipe was adapted from "100 Days of Real Food."

Turkey Chorizo Breakfast Tacos

INGREDIENTS (For 6 tacos)

4-6 Yukon gold potatoes unpeeled cubed into 1/2" x 1/2" pieces 

1 Package Turkey Chorizo (I used Diestel brand from Whole Foods)

1/2 Tsp cumin

6 corn tortillas

Water to boil potatoes

6 eggs

Salt & pepper

2-3 Tbsp oil as needed

1 Tbsp salted butter

 

1 Package Queso Fresco - crumbled

Cilantro - chopped

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to warm.  Bring pot of water and potatoes to a boil.   Boil for about five minutes or until just starting to get tender.  

In a large skillet (cast iron is best) heat 1 Tbsp oil over medium high heat and cook chorizo & cumin 8-10 minutes until cooked through.  With a slotted spoon remove chorizo and set aside.  

Drain potatoes and allow to dry for about two minutes.  Add potatoes and butter to pan in flat layer and cook until starting to crisp on all sides, stirring every few minutes.  If needed add another Tbsp of oil to help crisp up (my chorizo wasn't very fatty so I had to add oil).  Once potatoes are crisp add chorizo back in and combine it all together over low heat for about two minutes.  Using slotted spoon remove the mixture into a bowl and reserve it in a warming oven.  

Using the chorizo bits in the pan add remaining Tbsp oil and one at a time lightly fry tortillas over medium heat until they start to raise and blister, getting coated in the flavors from the pan.  Place tortillas in oven to warm.  

Heat a small non stick skillet over medium low heat and crack in one egg.  Season with salt & pepper to taste.  Using a lid that fits the pan or is slightly bigger then the pan, add 1 Tsp water in pan with egg and cover until Top of egg white is no longer clear and runny, but the yolk is still liquid (this is called basting the egg).  The water will produce steam cooking the top of the egg without flipping it and overcooking it.  While egg is cooking assemble one tortilla, topped with chorizo mixture.  Remove egg from the pan and place on top of chorizo mixture.  Top with crumbled queso fresco and cilantro.  

This recipe is adapted from the book "The Best Cookbook Ever," by Max & Eli Sussman

Vegan vanilla muffin base recipe / vegan chocolate chips muffins

This base can be used with any mix ins. Apples and cinnamon would be great.

1 + 1/4 Cup whole wheat flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup coconut sugar 
1/4 tsp salt
2 Tbsp chia seeds (mixed with 1/4 cup of water, pureed in a blender or food processor)
2/3 cup water
1 1/3 cup So Delicious Dairy Free Vanilla Coconut Milk
1/4 cup Coconut Oil (warmed to liquify)
3 Tbsp Honey
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips (I use enjoy life)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine dry ingredients (Flour through salt) set aside
3. Make the chia seed mixture and set aside.
4. Add in remaining ingredients leaving out chocolate chips &; chia seed mixture.
5. Mix in reserved chia seed & water mixture.
6. Allow batter to rest for 15 minutes then mix in chocolate chips.
7. Line cupcake pan with silicon liners, or spray with cooking spray and use paper liners
8. Scoop the batter into each of the liners
9. Bake for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. You may want to over cook these as they will be a little wet if you only cook them 22 minutes. These are best after being refrigerated over night. Straight out of the pan they can be a little moist. The next morning they are perfect. 

These  muffins will rise but they fall again once they have cooled.  You can fill them about 3/4 of the way full without having them bake over the top of the tin, and then they will settle at about 3/4 of the way full again. 

Vegan banana muffins

 I shouldn't have made these.  They are really super delicious and I want to eat the whole pan.  Also, since I don't eat egg, especially not raw egg I've never had the pleasure of eating raw cookie dough.  I was able to eat as much of this batter as I wanted while prepping.  I'm not sure if that is a good thing or not.

INGREDIENTS

1.75 Cups whole wheat flour

2 Tsp baking powder

1/2 Tsp baking soda

1/4 Tsp salt

1 Tsp vanilla extract

3 Tbsp pure maple syrup

1/8 Cup liquid coconut oil

4 Ripe large bananas smooshed up

You can add in nuts or dark chocolate chips.  My family is allergic to nuts so we left them out.  I love chocolate so I added some vegan chocolate chips to my 5 muffins. 

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350.  Prepare muffin tins.  I used silicon muffin liners and they worked amazing.  If you don't use liners you will want to grease your muffin pan. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt, and set aside.  In a large mixing bowl mash your bananas.  Add in coconut oil, maple syrup and vanilla.  Whisk until combined.  Add in dry ingredients and whisk until combined.  Toward the end I switched to a rubber spatula for mixing just to get it all off the sides.  This is a very thick batter but it comes out moist and soft.  Fill muffin cups about to the top.  They rise but not too terribly much.  Bake for 20 - 22 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Mine came right out in the silicon cups and I don't think I will ever make cupcakes or muffins again without them.

You should get about 12 full size muffins if you don't eat all of the batter.

  The chocolate chip ones are prettier then the plain ones.  My kids love them and the husband loved them.  They are very moist and they hold up for a few days if covered.  Perfect snack for my boys lunch today.

 

 

Banana cashew butter ice cream FOR BREAKFAST (raw, vegan, and so so delicious)

I was trolling around on Instagram earlier in the week when I discovered a user named @sadulifestyle she is a vegan and eats clean.  I was enamored by her entire Instagram. Being a vegetarian who doesn't eat, meat, fish, eggs, or milk; and is allergic to tofu and peanuts, has made my life miserable lately.  Then I saw her post for banana peanut butter ice cream for breakfast.  WHAT! Ice cream for breakfast blasphemy.  Surely I didn't read right.  Only I did.  She had made the easiest ice cream ever for breakfast and I'll be dammed if I wasn't trying it THE VERY NEXT DAY.  I set off to Whole Foods, bought my bananas, chopped them up and immediately threw them into the freezer.  I made sure I had cashew butter on hand and then I impatiently waited for morning.  I woke up this morning, rushed down stairs and did the following:

Ingredients

1 Banana chopped & frozen

1 Tbsp nut butter

Added the banana to my Vitamix (you need to use something stronger then your bullet for this).  Blended until creamy.  Add in cashew butter and blend until smooth.  Grab rubber spatula and scoop it out of blender.  Lick spatula.  Despair over how to get all of the remaining ice cream at the bottom of the blender that my spatula couldn't reach.

You guys. This was the creamiest most perfect thing I've ever tasted.  By my calculations the whole thing was 190 calories, had about 9 grams of fat (I used the Jiff Cashew butter, I was out of my good raw organic stuff), zero cholesterol and 13 grams of sugar (almost all from the banana).  Plus it had potassium, vitamins and flavor.  It was oddly filling, and so so refreshing during this summer heat.  After thinking about it, making the "ice cream" is really no different then my morning protein smoothies.  I topped mine with chia seeds and called it a day.  I've noticed she has used berries in hers also and I'm just dying to try a blueberry banana ice cream tomorrow.  

GO MAKE THIS RIGHT NOW!

Pancake, bacon and eggs breakfast bites

I think I've posted this recipe before but I used toast instead of pancakes. Today at the suggestion of a friend I changed it up. You will need the following:

Eggs

Frozen mini pancakes (unless you want to take the time to make some fresh ones before hand)

Precooked bacon

Salt & Pepper

Syrup

I don't list quantities because you will need one of each item for the amount of bites you want to make.  Preheat the oven to 350.  Spray a muffin tin with cooking spray.  Cook your mini pancakes in the microwave for about 35 seconds until soft.  Wrap the bacon around the inside of the pan and then press a pancake into the bottom.  Crack one egg inside the bacon on top of the egg.  Season to taste.  Bake for 13 minutes for soft runny yolk bites and 16 minutes for the yolk to set mostly.  Once the eggs are cooked to your liking remove from the oven and use a knife to go around the edges of the eggs.  They should pop right out into one perfect bite. Serve with syrup for dipping.  This is such a fast, fun weekend breakfast.  My kids really like it.  Sometimes I use a circle of bread at the bottom and add a sprinkle of shredded cheddar cheese to spruce it up.  I was in a hurry this morning so I used freezer pancakes but if you have more time you can make your own fresh pancakes to use.  This tasted and smelled just like those pancake breakfast sandwiches McDonalds sells, only it was home made with farm fresh eggs and way less preservatives.  Try it out sometime you will like it!

Bacon & Egg breakfast bites

Ingredients

Eggs

Bread

Shredded cheese

Precooked bacon

Salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400. Spray muffin tin with pan. Using a glass or 3" ring cutter cut a circle out of your bread. Take one piece of bacon and form it around the inside top of muffin tin. Take piece of bread and smoosh it into the muffin tin so that the bacon is between the bread and the pan. Put a small amount of shredded cheese on top of the bread and crack on egg on top of the cheese. (Note, if you use Large eggs, you might want to keep some of the white out or it will overflow). Season with salt and pepper to taste. Bake for 15 minutes until whites are set. Use a knife to loosen the edges and remove. Allow to cool for a few minutes before eating.

*Note: I saw this floating around on pinterest and I had been dying to try it. The recipes I read didn't tell me that I might need more then one piece of bacon to fit around the tin. I used the precooked bacon and just put it straight in the pan. If you want to use real bacon you have to cook it without letting it get crispy because it will continue to cook in the oven, and if it is crispy it will break when you try and form it into the pan.

Chocolate Banana Bread

INGREDIENTS
4-5 overripe bananas
1 cup sugar
2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup cocoa powder
3/4 cup butter, melted and cooled
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
1/2 cup chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a 9 by 5 inch loaf pan.
2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
3. Mash 2 of the bananas with a fork in a small bowl so they still have a bit of texture.
4. Whip the remaining bananas and sugar together for 3 minutes.
5. Stir in the melted butter, eggs, and vanilla.
6. Mix in the dry ingredients.
7. Fold in the mashed bananas, nuts, and chocolate chips with a rubber spatula. Pour the batter into the loaf pan.
8. Bake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.
9. Cool the bread in the pan for 10 minutes, and then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

Strawberry Bread

INGREDIENTS
4 cups strawberries, finely chopped with juice
3 cups flour
1 1/2 cups plus 3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 1/4 cups pecans, chopped

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray two 9x5 loaf pans with cooking spray.
2. Sprinkle chopped strawberries with a tablespoon of sugar and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, combine flour, 1 1/2 cups sugar, cinnamon, salt and baking soda. Blend in oil, vanilla, eggs and strawberries. Then stir in pecans.
4. Pour batter evenly into two loaf pans. Sprinkle a tablespoon of sugar over the top of each loaf.
5. Bake for 1 hour or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Cinnamon Rolls

INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup warm water
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/2-3.4 ounce package instant vanilla pudding mix
1 cup warm milk
1 egg
1 tablespoon white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 cups bread flour
1-.25 ounce package active dry yeast
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3/4 cup chopped pecans
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 teaspoons milk

DIRECTIONS
1. In a large bowl stir together warm water, melted butter and tablespoon of white sugar. Once combined add in yeast. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and allow yeast to foam.
2. Meanwhile in a small bowl stir together pudding mix, warm milk and egg. Add pudding to the yeast mixture and stir well. Then mix in salt and flour.
3. Form dough into a ball. Let rise in a warm place for an hour.
4. Place dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll into a large rectangle, approximately 17x10 inches. Spread with 1/4 cup softened butter then sprinkle with brown sugar, cinnamon and pecans.
5. Roll up dough, beginning with long side. Slice into 12 one inch slices and place in 9x13 buttered pan. Let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45 minutes.
6. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake 20 to 25 minutes.
7. While cinnamon rolls bake, stir together cream cheese, 1/4 cup butter, confectioners' sugar, vanilla and milk. Remove rolls from oven and top with frosting.

Lemon Loaf

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon lemon extract
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon lemon extract

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder & salt in a small bowl.
3. In a large bowl blend together eggs, sugar, butter, vanilla, lemon extract and lemon juice in a medium bowl. Pour in dry ingredients and blend until smooth. Add oil and mix well.
4. Pour ingredients into a greased 9x5 inch loaf pan. Bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick stuck into the center of the cake comes out clean.
5. In a small bowl mix powdered sugar, milk and lemon extract. When the lemon loaf is cool, remove it from the pan and frost the top with the lemon icing.

Apple Strudel Muffins

INGREDIENTS
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
2 eggs
1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla
2 medium apples, one shredded one chopped
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter, softened

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line muffin tins with paper liners.
2. In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
3. In a large bowl, beat together butter, white sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar and eggs until smooth. Mix in vanilla, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and nutmeg. Stir in apples, and gradually blend in the flour mixture. Spoon the mixture into the muffin pan.
4. In a small bowl, mix brown sugar, flour and cinnamon. Cut in butter until mixture is like coarse crumbs. Sprinkle a spoonful over the tops of the muffins.
5. Bake 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.

Banana Crumb Muffins

INGREDIENTS
3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
6 bananas, mashed
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2/3 cup butter, melted
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
4 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoon butter

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease muffin cups, or line with muffin papers.
2. In a large bowl, mix together 3 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, beat together bananas, white sugar, egg and melted butter. Stir in the flour mixture just until moistened. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.
3. In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, 4 tablespoons flour and cinnamon. Cut in 2 tablespoon butter. Top each muffin with a spoonful of sugar mix.
4. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean.

Big kid french toast

Four year old french toast

The other morning Brandon wanted french toast but I had no eggs. I hemmed and hawed for a while until I spotted the graham crackers. And low, the best french toast ever was born.

(Yield one serving)
1 whole graham cracker mashed
1/4 cup milk
1.5 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp butter
.25 tsp vanilla extract
1 slice Wonder Bread
(yes, if I am making this ghetto of a breakfast only Wonder Bread will work)

First you put the graham cracker in a bag and pulverize it. Pour that on a plate and put .5 tsp of cinnamon and .5 tbsp sugar in it. Stir it up. On a second plate ad milk, .5 tsp cinnamon, vanilla and remaining sugar. Mix it up. Pour your syrup in a microwave safe bowl, add cinnamon and butter and nuke for about 15 seconds. Stir it up until butter is good an mixed in. Pre-heat non stick pan to about medium low. Quickly dunk bread in your cinnamon milk mixture and then roll both sides in your graham cracker concoction. Spray your pan with nonsick spray and away we go. I flipped mine about four times so it didn't burn and got super crispy. When you are done, cut it up and pour your sinful buttery syrup right over the top. Then watch the look on your four year olds face when his taste buds explode.

Now. I'm sure your asking why I put butter in the syrup. The answer is, IT TASTE GOOD. When I was small and I would eat Eggos (remember I said I'm ghetto) I always loved to find the buttery part of my waffle and swirl it in the syrup making a buttery syrup to dunk the rest in. Try it, and then comment below to tell me I'm right Mmmkay!

Next. Graham crackers on french toast PURE GENIUS. It was so crispy and cinnamony that I almost stole Brandons breakfast and ran away.

My favorite part of this, your kid can totally help you. Then can mash, and mix, and dunk and roll. Basically they only need you for the hot pan part.

So, why are you still here, go make your kids the best breakfast ever so you can be a hero mom for a day!

Right now is a great time to mix up the graham crackers and dunk your finger in to "taste" a few times.

Oh baby, look at the way the sugar caramelized whoo boy I wanted to lick that shit up!

I may or may not have added a hint of whip cream to make it even more sinful.