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 -Oatmeal-Banana Bread

Clean Recipe - Banana Bread Superfood Porridge

A cold morning comfort food you don't have to feel guilty about indulging in!! 

It really does taste like warm banana bread fresh from the oven, I could eat this every day during the winter, and the best part it is made with all clean ingredients and loaded with super foods! It is sure to get your day off to a great start.  The base of this porridge is a quinoa/steel cut oat mixture (I usually make a big pot and use through out the week) which makes this very filling and will provide you with lasting energy, while the banana, chia seeds, walnuts, maca powder and pure maple syrup provide tons of flavor and beneficial vitamins and nutrients. I have just as little self control with this breakfast as I would the most glutenous baked goodie! Its delicious, I guarantee you and your taste buds will be completely satisfied! Enjoy!

Recipe:

1/2 Cup Quinoa 

1/2 Cup Steel Cut Oats

1 1/2 Cups Water

1 Banana

2 Tbsp Chia Seeds

2 Tbsp Pure Maple Syrup

2 Tbsp chopped Walnuts (I prefer toasted walnuts)

1-2 Tbsp Maca Powder (optional/add to taste)

1 - In a medium pot bring water to a boil, add quinoa, steel cuts oats and chia seeds. Reduce heat to low and cover. Stir occasionally. Cook until a thick sticky mixture, about 25 min.

(I usually do a double batch and store it in the refrigerator and reheat on stove to shorten prep time on busy weekday mornings, you can add any of your favorite porridge toppings for a quick and easy breakfast)

2 - Once cooked turn heat off add remaining ingredients 

3- Pour in bowls and top with sliced banana and walnuts

4 - Enjoy!

Makes 2 hearty servings 

**optional tip - My favorite way to serve this it to turn it into a bake by taking 2 cups of my refrigerated precooked porridge and stir in the above listed ingredients. Pour in 6 oz ramekins top with banana slices and walnuts and place in a 350 degree pre-heated oven for 25-30 min. 

Clean Eating Dessert - Grilled Peaches

Grilled Peaches - Clean Eating Dessert

The summer months are now upon us, and with that comes the desire to slim and trim to get back our  bathing suit bodies. Another highlight this time of year is summer BBQ's and gatherings. Often these gathering become diet pit traps surrounded by yummy munchies, grilled food, and of course dessert. It tends to be hard to work towards or even maintain our bathing suit bodies in these situations. This is when I like to share my favorite clean eating dessert option with my guests. Grilled peaches (or nectarines). They are a quick, simple and clean choice. (And this time I'm talking clean as in you have no kitchen mess to clean up with these :>) What makes these so yummy? Well, once the peaches start to warm on the grill the natural juices start to leak out and the continued heat on them causes the juices to caramelize leaving a natural delicious sweetness! They are guaranteed to be a crowd pleaser at your next gathering. People will revel at the creativity, taste and the health factor of dessert.

Here's How:

Slice peaches (or nectarines) in half and take out the pits.

Place on grill at low heat for approximately 5 minutes on each side. You want to see the juices coming out and the peaches to maintain their shape.

 (If you leave them on too long they will become mush and be challenging to remove from the grill)

Top with Greek Yogurt.

Drizzle with Honey.

Sprinkle them with Cinnamon.

Serve while still warm and Enjoy!

Clean Eating Dessert - Grilled Peaches

Clean Recipe - Chocolate Goji Berry Benefits

Clean Goji Berry Recipe and Benefits

Goji Berries are a pleasant new addition to my diet. I had been seeing them included in recipes, read many articles and seen a few documentaries that mentioned that goji berries are considered a superfood and that they are highly beneficial for multiple reasons. Being that I am constantly on the hunt to expand the selection of clean natural foods in my pantry I decided to pick some up at my local health food store. Goji berries are about the size of a raison and, as seen in the above photograph, are a beautiful rich reddish-orange color. When eaten on their own they are sweet with a slight bitter quality. I have been experimenting with them over the past few weeks sprinkling them on smoothie bowls, salads, adding them to trail mixes and most recently I modified my Raw Chocolate Energy Bar recipe to include goji berries. I have enjoyed them every way I have tried though I do prefer them as and addition to other foods rather then on their own. Here are just some of the suggested benefits of adding goji berries to your daily diet.

"A remarkable concentration of antioxidants that help combat premature aging, with 10 times more antioxidants than red grapes and 10 to 30 times the anthocyanins of red wine.

A synergy of monounsaturated (healthy) fats, dietary fiber and phytosterols to help promote cardiovascular and digestive health.

An almost perfect essential amino acid complex in conjunction with valuable trace minerals, vital to proper muscle contraction and regeneration.

The fatty acid content in Goji berries resembles that of olive oil, and is rich in monounsaturated oleic acid. Oleic acid is important for a number of reasons. It helps omega-3 fish oils penetrate the cell membrane; together they help make cell membranes more supple. By keeping the cell membrane supple, all hormones, neurotransmitter and insulin receptors function more efficiently. This is particularly important because high insulin levels create an inflammatory state, and we know, inflammation causes aging."

For more detailed information on goji berry benefits visit this site: http://www.gojiberrieshealthbenefits.com

                          And now for the recipe:

Ingredients

12 pitted organic Dates

2 Tbsp Flaxseed Meal

1 Tbsp Goji Berries

4 tsp organica Cacao Powder (+ additional 2 tsp for topping)

3 tsp Maca Powder

2 tsp Carob Chips or Cacao Nibs

2 tsp raw organic Honey

2 tsp organic Coconut oil

Blend all ingredients together in a food processor. Roll a full tablespoon of dough into a ball. Sprinkle  2 tsp cacao powder on cutting board and roll balls until fully coated. (this last step is optional but I it is a great way to add more superfood qualities and helps the balls to not be so sticky when storing and holding them) Store in refrigerator for up to a week and Enjoy!!

            

 

Raw Recipe - Chocolate Energy Bar

Raw Chocolate Recipe

Im sure by now it has become apparent to those who have visited my site before that I have a major sweet tooth. Im constantly trying to find new ways to get cure my sweet tooth and ensure that my body is still fed with the proper nutrients it needs to look and feel its best. I love baked goods. Brownies, cakes, muffins, mmmmm. But the longer I go sticking to a mostly clean diet the harder it is for me to eat the versions of those things I can find in a store. So instead I make my own. These bites (which can also be made into a bar) are close to being a 100% raw food, gluten free and are infused with several superfoods! They taste as though I rolled brownie batter into a ball, The perfect healthy sweet tooth cure that can be eaten as a snack or dessert. Best part is they only take 10 minutes to make and are ready to eat immediately!

Ingredients

12 pitted raw Dates

3 Tbsp Cashews

3 Tbsp raw un-sweetend Coconut Flakes (2 for batter, 1 reserved for topping)

1 Tbsp Coconut Oil

4 Tsp raw Cacao Powder

4 Tsp raw Maca Powder

2 Tsp raw organic Honey

Place all ingredients into a food processor.

Once all ingredients are well blended together (dough will be coarse and have small chunks) take a full tablespoon full of dough and squeeze and roll into a ball using your hands.

Once all dough is rolled sprinkle the remaining coconut flakes on a cutting board and roll the balls in it until well coated (optional step)

Yields about 12 balls.

Store in refrigerator for up to a week.

Clean Recipe - Overnight Oats - Peanut Butter and Jelly

Overnight Oats Recipe - Peanut Butter and Jelly

If you have yet to try overnight oats, I highly recommend you remedy that real soon!! :)

Overnight oats have become a standard addition to my refrigerator. Once you try them it is easy to tell why these are my go to breakfast. With no more then five minute of prep time, endless flavor possibilities, and the ability to "grab and go" overnight oats will quickly become a busy body's best breakfast companion!

This recipe is a great standard base for overnight oats. You can add just about any fruit or flavor addition and it will taste delicious.  The other morning as I was running out the door to a hike I grabbed a jar of the peanut butter oat base, added banana slices and a drizzle of honey.... All I have to say is Yum!

Oat Ingredients:

1 cup Organic Rolled Oats

1 cup Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk

1 cup Plain Greek Yogurt

2 tbsp Fresh Nut Butter (or 2 tbsp PB2)

2 tsp Honey

2 tsp Maca Powder

Place all ingredients in a medium jar stir well and store overnight or up to 5 days in refrigerator. Makes 2 Servings

Jelly Ingredients:

1/2 cup Strawberries

1/2 cup Frozen Rasberries

Puree together add to oats and Enjoy immediately!

Want to try other delicious overnight oat recipes? Here are more of my favorites.

Lemon Chia Overnight Oats Recipe

Simple Overnight Oats Recipe

Clean Eating Recipe - Lemon Chia Overnight Oats

Lemon Chia Overnight Oats

I am a sucker for anything lemon or chocolate flavored! I really wanted to get some chocolate into this dish but I wasn't brave enough. That will have to be an experiment for another day ;-)

These overnight oats were so refreshing, they just tasted clean zesty. The best part was they left a great sweet after taste in my mouth. They would go well with just about any berry, I can't wait to try them with blueberries!

Recipe

1 Cup Organic Rolled Oats

6 oz Lemon Flavored Greek Yogurt

2 Tsp Chia Seeds

3/4 Cup Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk

1 Tsp Fresh Lemon Zest 

*optional for extra strong lemon flavor squeeze the juice out of half a lemon in to mixture

Mix all ingredients together in a jar store in refrigerator overnight and serve with your favorite berry!!

Makes two servings. 

Hope you enjoy your  Lemon Chia Overnight Oats!!