Easy Homemade Granola

Simple to make and with few ingredients, this granola has become a favorite for breakfast in our home.  For a quick, well balanced snack, sprinkle over plain, unsweetened yogurt.

Maple Almond Granola with Coconut

3 1/4 cups whole rolled oats
3/4 cup chopped raw almonds
3/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1/4 cup 100% pure maple syrup (honey can be used)
1/8 cup brown sugar (optional)
1/4 tsp. sea salt

Preheat oven to 350°.  

Grease a large jelly roll pan or line with parchment paper.

Melt coconut oil and maple syrup in a small saucepan.  Combine the oats, almonds and coconut in a bowl.  Pour the melted coconut oil and maple syrup over oats mixture.  Stir to combine.  Add brown sugar and salt and mix gently.

Spread onto pan and bake for 25-30 minutes stirring every 7-9 minutes.

Let cool completely and store in an air tight container for up to 2 weeks.

Peanut Butter Balls

Try these little bites for a great dessert packed with protein, fiber and healthy fats without too much sugar!

Peanut Butter Balls

1/2 cup natural peanut butter (no sugar or oils added)

4 Tbsp. raw honey

2 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 cup rolled oats

1/4 cup brown crispy rice cereal (or more oats)

2 Tbsp. unsweetened shredded coconut

Dash Vanilla

1/8 cup mini chocolate chips (opt.)

Soften peanut butter until able to stir. Combine all ingredients. Roll into small balls (about 1 inch) Makes 10-12 balls.

*Can't have peanut butter? Try this with raw unsalted almond butter and and a drop of almond extract. Delicious!

Hearty Dumpling Soup {with garbanzo beans}

Hearty Dumpling Soup {with garbanzo beans}

Soup:

1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup onion, chopped

1 cup carrots, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. dried basil

1/2 tsp. dried Italian seasoning

3/4 cup frozen peas

1/2 cup frozen organic corn

1 1/2 cups cooked garbanzo beans, OR 1 can beans, drained and rinsed

5 cups chicken stock

Dumplings:

2 cups whole wheat flour (ground from hard white wheat)

1 Tbsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, palm oil or coconut oil

1 cup milk (dairy, almond or coconut)

For the soup:

In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, carrots and garlic. Saute for 5 minutes stirring frequently. Add dried seasoning, frozen peas and corn. Saute 2-3 minutes more. Meanwhile, drain beans and add broth and beans to a blender. Blend on high 1 minute.

Add broth mixture to soup. Bring to a simmer.

For the dumplings:

Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add oil and milk and mix until just combined. Drop about 1/4 cup scoops into simmering soup. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 20 minutes or until dumplings are baked through.

Remove dumplings and mix soup. Serve a bowl of soup with a dumpling on top.

Makes about 4 servings.

Crumbly Pumpkin Coffee Cake {Egg Free}

This is a delicious dessert but sometimes we eat it for breakfast, too! For a real treat, make a cream cheese glaze to drizzle over the top!

Can sub a gluten free flour in this recipe. (Almond and Coconut will not work)
Coconut oil and butter are interchangeable in this recipe.
Milk can be dairy, almond or coconut.

Crumbly Pumpkin Coffee Cake

----Soak overnight or at least 12 hours.

2 cups whole wheat flour (I prefer whole white wheat or spelt)

2 cups oat flour (grind whole groats, steel cut oats or rolled oats in a blender or food processor)
1 cup milk (almond, coconut or dairy)
2 cups canned pumpkin
2 Tbsp. acidic medium (whey, raw apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, or plain yogurt)

----When ready to bake, add:

3 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. nutmeg

1 tsp. sea salt

1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1 1/4 cup coconut sugar

Crumb Topping

6 Tbsp. whole wheat flour (sprouted is best)

6 Tbsp. coconut sugar

2 Tbsp. organic sugar 

4 Tbsp. organic salted butter, melted

1/2 cup rolled oats

3 tsp. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350° Grease a glass 9x13 dish with nonstick spray, coconut oil or butter).

Combine soaked flour with remaining ingredients.  Spread into greased dish.

Combine crumb topping ingredients and mix well with fork to form a crumble. Sprinkle over the top.

Bake for 30-32 minutes.

Hot Cocoa Mix

I love hot cocoa and the ready to make packets are so convenient but have you looked at what is in them? Not too great for you. I like to make a double batch of this and keep it in the pantry. Makes it a little easier to let the kids have a few marshmallows on top :)

About 4 servings

1/2 cup organic sugar or sucanat(FS)

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (FS)

3/4 cup powdered milk (FS)

1/8 tsp. salt

That's it! Mix this together and store. To serve, add 1/4 cup mix to 1 cup hot water. Add a drop of vanilla extract, mint extract or coconut extract for fun flavor!

Whole Grain Banana Mini Muffins

These are a great snack for school lunches or an after school treat. Just put 3 mini muffins in snack size ziplocs and freeze. They are ready to grab and go.

Whole Grain Banana Mini Muffins

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (ground from hard white wheat kernals)
1/2 cup oat flour (ground from whole oat groats or pulse rolled oats in a blender until fine)
1/2 cup sucanat or brown sugar
1 Tbsp. ground flaxseed meal
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup mashed ripe bananas, about 2 large
1 egg
1/2 cup milk (dairy, coconut or almond)
1/4 cup coconut oil

Mix all ingredients together. Spray muffin pans and bake for 9-10 minutes at 400°. *For regular size muffins, bake for 18-20 minutes.

Double Chocolate Brownies

Food Storage Double Chocolate Brownies

3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup sucanat OR organic sugar
2 Tbsp. coconut oil
1 Tbsp. ground golden flax mixed with 4 Tbsp. water (or 1 egg)
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350° and spray an 8x8 pan. Mix all ingredients and spread into pan. Bake for 20 minutes or until brownies pull away from edges.