Gluten Free Recipe - Banana Oat Pancakes

Recipe - Gluten Free Banana Oat Pancakes

Surprisingly with all the clean eating and cooking I do, I have neglected to attempt making over my favorite breakfast item, Pancakes! A couple months ago I decided to remedy that by attempting a Homemade Gluten Free Clean Eating Banana Oat Pancake Recipe. Whew, thats a mouth full! 

(no pun intended)  ;-)

What I created was nothing short of delicious, and then of course, it took me a couple months to attempt them again. Thankfully, I went to bed craving these last night so when I woke up this morning I was on a mission to recreate my previous recipe.

Sometimes this can be a challenge. I am, for lack of a better term, a mad scientist when it comes to recipe creation. I tend to get inspiration from cooking shows and recipes I see, then I make them my own. Which is fun, but also can end up with a lot of fails and wasted food, whoops! The second problem with being a mad scientist is 90% of the time I do create something edible, I  do not write the recipe down, double whoops!

When I sat down to eat these, I was pleasantly surprise that my second attempt turned out just as tasty as my first, so this time I wrote it down and am now sharing the recipe with all of you!

Homemade pancakes seem like a lot of work when most pantry's have a box of remade mix readily available to pour and mix in an ingredient or two. But I promise homemade pancakes really are not that much more work and are well worth the little bit of added effort, especially when you know what you are feeding yourself and your family is clean and healthy! So here it is....

1 Ripe Banana

1 Cup Gluten Free Oats

1/2 Gluten Free Flour (I used Coconut Flour)

1 Cup Almond Milk (or your favorite type of milk) 

1 Egg

2 Tsp Cinnamon

1 Tsp Baking Powder

1 Tsp Pure Vanilla Extract

2 Tsp Honey or Pure Maple Syrup (This is optional, I did not add it to my batter since I top mine with honey)

In a medium bowl mash up the banana. 

Add oats, flour and milk. Stir until well mixed.

Add additional ingredients and continue to stir until well mixed. 

The batter will be thicker and more dense then what you are used to with store bought pancake mixes. The desired consistency of the batter should be between cookie dough and cake batter. If batter is too thick (meaning more of a paste or cookie dough consistency) you can add more milk, I suggest doing this 1 Tbsp at a time until desired consistency is reached. 

Spoon batter on a greased griddle over medium heat. Cook on each side for approximately 4 minutes.

Serve with your favorite topping and Enjoy!

Clean Recipe - Chia Seed Pudding

Clean Eating Recipe - Chia Seed Pudding

Do you want to eat a Superfood for dessert?! Well here on is!

Chia seeds are considered superfood. The main health benefits of chia seeds are that they are loaded with antioxidants (antioxidants can help prevent signs of aging and also known to aid in the prevention of cancer), and they are a great source of omega-3.

Here is a quick and simple recipe that you can use for breakfast a snack or dessert!

Ingredients:

3 Tbsp Chia Seeds

1 Cup Unsweetened Almond Milk

1 Tsp Honey

1/8 Tsp Cinnamon

1/8 Tsp Vanilla Extract

Place all Ingredients into a jar stir well and store in refrigerator at least 8 hours before serving.

*makes 1 to 2 servings 

This Chia Seed Pudding Recipe tastes delicious with fruit added to it.

Enjoy!

Clean Recipe - Gluten Free Banana Bread

Gluten Free Banana Pecan Muffins

Have you ever taken a bite out of cardboard? Ok, technically, I have not either. Let me set the scene though. You are at the grocery store strolling through the aisles curiously picking up packages of food   checking the label looking at the bold lettering claiming all these healthy things. "No High-Fructose Corn Syrup!",  "No Sugar Added!", "Low-Fat!" Then you come across a box of "Gluten-Free" chocolate chips cookies. You have heard about this Gluten-free thing on the news, on the internet, that health guru you follow on instagram, and of coarse, from that overly spunky health nut mom down the way. Every one seems to be going gluten-free. So you grab the box put it in you cart and feel proud thinking "I too will be gluten-free and proud, take that yoga pant wearing spunky mom" (no offense to yoga pant wearing spunky moms, I have to admit my friends see me as that woman! haha) You get home and crack open the box, after all who can resist a chocolate chip cookie. You take a bite and start to chew your chewing slows as you pick up to box to make sure you read the label correctly. Yep, the box still says chocolate chips cookies, however what is in your mouth is far from the known and loved taste of chocolate chips cookies, this taste is more like cardboard! So let me ask you again, have you ever taken a bite out of cardboard. Chances are more people are going to say yes this time!!

Here is the good new! Gluten-free skeptics and gluten-free lovers can both rejoice over this recipe. No cardboard here. These muffins are incredibly moist and flavorful. My children loved them and my  gluten-free skeptic friends did not know they were gluten-free until I told them. Try them for yourself and Enjoy!!

Recipe:

3 overly-ripe bananas

1/2 brown rice syrup

1 large egg

1/3 Cup applesauce (I used some that had no added sugar)

1 Teaspoon vanilla extract

1 Teaspoon gluten-free baking soda

1 Teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 Teaspoon nutmeg

dash of cloves 

pinch of salt

1 1/2 Cups gluten-free flour

1/2 Cup chopped toasted pecans**

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl mash the bananas until almost no clumps are visible. Stir in brown rice syrup and egg then add applesauce and blend well. Add vanilla extract, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt. Stir all together. Stirring slowly add in flour. Once all combined add pecans and blend in.

Either spray muffin tin with a non-stick spray or insert cupcake liners. 

Pour mix in each hole and bake for 25 min or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean!

Yields 12 Muffins

**To toast pecans lay them flat on a cookie sheet and place in oven (heated to 350 degrees) until aromatic, approximately 5 min.

Clean Recipe - Granola

Making granola at home is a very quick easy and affordable alternative to buying granola at the store.  I have been making granola at home for years! Over the years I have modified and tweaked different ingredients until....Viola!

I made my favorite version yet, it not only taste delicious, but it is also an excellent combination of ingredients that will keep your body's immune system nourished and strong during the cold and flu advisory months. (see below recipe for more info on nutrients)

Recipe

1 Cup Rolled Oats

2 Tbsp Quinoa Flakes (found in most health foods stores in the "grain" department)

2 Tbsp Pepitas 

2 Tbsp Chia Seeds

2 Tbsp Brow Rice Syrup

1 Tbsp Cranberries

2 Tsp Cinnamon

Heat oven to 350 degrees; Bake for 15 minutes turning half way through.

*Makes 4 (1/2 cup) Servings

198 Cal     5.5g Fat     32g Carbs     5.25g Pro     7g Sugar      5.25g Fiber

(nutrition per serving)

Sprinkle on top of greek yogurt and top with grapefruit, blueberries and your other favorite fruit. Enjoy!!

Why is this granola good for battling the cold and flu season? 

It is loaded with Zinc and Anti-Oxidants. Pepitas and Chia seeds are excellent sources of zinc which helps to support the immune system. Pepitas are also full of vitamin E. and Chia seeds are full of vitamin C, two main vitamins that the immune system loves! Topping the granola with grapefruit and blueberries further boost the the antioxidant level to this delicious breakfast/snack. 

Over Night Oats Recipe

Over Night Oats

The quickest, easiest and healthiest breakfast I have found. Over night oats, which are essentially, just that! You put the oats in a container with the two other ingredients, let everything soak together over night in the refigerator and Voila! You wake up to a nutritious and delicious breakfast. Best part is, there is no cooking involved.

Recipe:

1 Cup Organic Rolled Oats

1 Cup Low-Fat Greek Yogurt (any flavor of your choice!)

1 Cup unsweetened Almond Milk

*makes 3-4 servings

Store in a container over night in the refigerator and wake up to a rich and creamy breakfast. Top with your favorite additions. (Mine is topped with sliced bananas, blueberries and a drizzle of honey)