Banana Nut Muffins

All desserts are a yes in my book. My roommate however prefers baked breakfast goods, muffins in particular. Some how it took me nearly 4 years to figure this out, but now that this is an established fact, muffins make regular appearances in our breakfast rotation. One of her favorites is banana nut muffins. Once they are baked, they are devoured. She will start eating them as soon as they are out of the oven and snack on them until they are gone.

I like to make a full dozen regular sized and a full dozen mini, to satisfy your appetite for breakfast or just a small snack. I've made several loaves of banana bread and finally mixed together a few elements from my favorite recipes to develop these muffins.

Banana Nut Muffins

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes


Yields 18 regular muffins

Ingredients:

• 2 cups oat flour (gluten free)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened, or apple sauce
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 tbs triple sec or liquor of your choice
• 4-5 ripe bananas, broken in to 2 inch sized pieces
• 1/2 cup nuts of choice (optional), I love walnuts or pecans in this recipe

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F, and line a cupcake tin (either full-sized or mini) with liners. 
2. Combine the four, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a bowl and set aside. 
3. In a food processor (or you can use a mixer, it just takes a bit more time) process the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes, scraping down the bowl as needed. With the machine running, add the liquor and vanilla extract through the feed tube. 
4. Add the eggs and pulse to combine. Do not overly process the eggs or your muffins will be dense and tough. Add the bananas and process until combined and liquified. 
5. Scraped down the bowl and sprinkle the flour mixture over the banana mixture. Pulse until combined. Add in the nuts and pulse once or twice to combine. 
6. Fill prepared tins 2/3 to 3/4 full. If using a full sized tin bake for 27-30 minutes. If using a miniature tin, bake for 15-17 minutes. The muffins will be done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, but the muffins are still glossy, not dry in appearance.

Almond Cardamom Waffles

Still in pursuit of delicious and different breakfast options, I was toying with a few different breakfast ideas when I came across a recipe for Perfect Vanilla Waffles. Although they looked delicious, I didn't have a few of the ingredients on hand...so....I improvised. I also felt that I had been overloaded by cinnamon, being October and all, so I picked another route to follow and combined almond and cardamom. Yum! 


Almond Cardamom Waffles

I put chocolate chips in mine. Yummy chocolate middle!

Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour


Ingredients: 

• 1 cup almond milk, lukewarm
• 2 tsp honey or agave
• 2 tsp rapid rise yeast
• 1 cup gluten free flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tbs tapioca starch
• pinch of salt
• 1 tsp ground cardamom
• 1 tbs almond extract
• 2 tbs oil

Instructions:

1. Dissolve the honey or sweetener in the lukewarm milk. Sprinkle the yeast over the top of the mixture and set aside for at least 10 minutes. 
2. In a large mixing bowl, mix together the flour, starch, salt and cardamom. Add the almond extract and oil and whisk until the dough forms small granules. 
3. Pour in the milk mixture and mix until just combined. Once everything has been mixed, set the batter aside for at least 20-30 minutes.
4. Once your waffle iron is ready, spray it with cooking spray and pour on the batter. Cook until your waffles are a deep golden brown. Feel free to mix up the spices or add mini chocolate chips, nuts or dried fruit!

Ancient Grain Breakfast Porridge

I've lived in the north and in the south for extended periods of time. I've found that northerners and southerners are quite proud of their breakfast options, and quite loyal to them. Up north, we ate porridge, or cream of wheat/rice etc. In the south, you will almost certainly find grits, bacon and biscuits on the breakfast table. I've been fortunate enough to develop a taste for porridge and grits, so I don't feel at odds at anyone's breakfast table, but every now and then I like to branch out and try a new take on an old classic.

I've found myself experimenting with several new grains lately. I didn't even know what quinoa was 3 years ago, and now I don't remember life without it. Breakfast is said to be the most important meal, so why not pack in the healthy grains early on in your day?

Unlike instant breakfast porridge, or most cereals for that matter, this recipe is not loaded with sugar and preservatives and is delicious by itself or with fresh or dried fruit, or a spoonful of apricot preserves.

Ancient Grain Breakfast Porridge

Prep Time: 0 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

Yields 1 serving

Ingredients:

• 2 tbs quinoa, rinsed
• 2 tbs amaranth
• 2 tbs polenta
• 1 1/2 cup water or almond milk
• Any toppings you desire, fruit, jam, nuts, etc. 

Instructions: 

1. In a small saucepan, combine the quinoa, amaranth, polenta, and water or milk. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally,  for 15-20 minutes, until the liquid has been absorbed and the grains are tender. 
2. Transfer to a bowl and top with your desired toppings.

I swirled in some pistachios and a dollop of apricot preserves

Apple Ginger Breakfast Muffins

Apple Ginger Breakfast Muffins

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes


Ingredients:

• 1 cup oat flour
• 1 cup gluten free flour (I used Bob's Gluten Free)
• 2 tsp xantham gum
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 2 ripe bananas
• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 1/4 cup apple sauce
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp ginger juice
• 1/4 cup crystallized ginger, chopped
• 2 medium apples, peeled, one diced into small pieces and one chopped into 1/2" pieces

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. 
2. In a large bowl, combine the flours, xantham gum, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon.
3. In a separate bowl, mash the bananas and add the almond milk, apple sauce, brown sugar, and ginger. 
4. Add the banana mixture to the flour mixture and stir until just combined. Stir in the apples and the crystallized ginger. 
5. Line a muffin tin with liners and fill each one 3/4 full. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool 10 minutes before removing them from the pan. 

Late Summer Harvest Peach Breakfast Muffins

In an attempt to use up the last of my delicious peaches, I whipped up some hearty peach muffins. They are filling and healthy enough to be a grab-and-go breakfast option. 

Late Summer Harvest Peach Breakfast Muffins

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes

Yields 1 dozen

Ingredients:

• 1 cup gluten free flour (I used 1/2 cup white rice flour, 1/4 cup brown rice flour, and 1/4 cup tapioca flour)
• 1/2 cup gluten free oat flour
• 1/2 cup gluten free old fashioned rolled oats
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
• 3/4 cup almond milk (or milk of your choice)
• 1 flax egg (1 tbs ground flax and 3 tbs water)
• 1/3 cup sugar or sweetener of choice
• 1/2 cup peach preserves (I used Polaner)
• 2 ripe but firm peaches cut into 1/2" cubes

 Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F and line a cupcake tin with paper liners. Mix together the flax egg ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
2. In a mixing bowl, mix together the gluten free flour blend, oat flour, oats, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. 
3. Pour the milk, flax egg, sugar, and preserves over the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Then add the peaches and stir them into the batter. 
4. Scoop the batter into the cupcake tin and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 18-20 minutes. After the muffins have baked, let them cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes before removing them from the tin.

Adapted from Pickles & Honey

Gluten-Free Greek Yogurt Waffles

These waffles are a great breakfast staple that come together very quickly and taste great. 

Gluten-Free Greek Yogurt Waffles

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

Yields 12 individual waffles, or 3 sets of 4

Ingredients:

4 eggs
1 1/4 cup almond milk
10 oz plain or flavored Greek yogurt
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbs butter, melted
2 tbs honey
1 1/2 cups white rice flour
1/3 cup buckwheat flour
1/3 cup tapioca starch
1 tsp xantham gum
3 3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt


Instructions: 

1. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs. Add milk, yogurt, vanilla, butter, and honey and whisk until combined. 
2. In a small bowl, mix the flours, baking soda, and salt. 
3. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients until combined, but don't over mix.
4. Pour the batter on to your waffle maker, close, and cook until golden brown. Top with your favorite toppings. We topped ours with blueberries and goat cheese. Delicious!

Ultimate Cherry Breakfast Smoothie

They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so why not make it the most delicious? I love smoothies because they are so fast, nutritious and delicious, and my cherry breakfast smoothie is quite possibly my favorite of all time! This smoothie is chock full of natural anti-inflammatory ingredients, so it's a great choice for either a before or after workout meal.

Ultimate Cherry Breakfast Smoothie

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total time: 5 minutes

Yields 1 serving

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup tart cherry juice
• 3/4 cup frozen sweet cherries 
• 1/2 tsp ginger juice or 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp cocoa
• 2 scoops vanilla protein powder (I use Body by Vi sweet cream)
• 1/2 cup almond milk

Instructions:

1. Combine all ingredients in the large cup of a magic bullet or blender. Blend until smooth.

Scrumptious High-Protein Quinoa Pancakes

We are big on breakfast at our apartment. When we have the time, usually on weekends, you can bet that there will be fresh pancakes, waffles, biscuits, eggs, or some other delicious breakfast option. Because we eat pancakes so often, we like to try our hand at different varieties. We came across a quinoa pancake recipe from Cooking Classy and decided to give it a few tweaks to make it gluten free, and we loved it. The original recipe produced forty 3" pancakes, so the recipe below is cut in half to produce a more reasonable quantity of pancakes.

Scrumptious High-Protein Quinoa Pancakes

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes

Makes 20 small (3") pancakes

Ingredients: 

• 1/3 cup quinoa, rinsed and cooked in 3/4 cups water
• 3/4 cups gluten free flour, or all purpose if not gluten free
• 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/8 tsp baking soda
• 3/8 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• dash of nutmeg
• 6 oz. fat-free Greek yogurt, (feel free to experiment with different flavors)
• 1/4 cup almond milk
• 1 large egg
• 1 1/2 tbs apple sauce
• olive oil for griddle or pan

Instructions: 

1. Boil 3/4 cups water, and add the quinoa. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer the quinoa until cooked through and water has cooked out. 
2. While the quinoa is cooking, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large bowl.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the yogurt, almond milk, egg, apple sauce, and cooked quinoa and stir to combine. 
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk to combine. Let sit for 5-10 minutes.
5. Heat a griddle or skillet to medium heat and grease with olive oil. Pour the pancakes onto the griddle and cook until they are bubbling. Flip and cook an additional 2-3 minutes. Top with your favorite toppings and dig in!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Smoothie

Okay, imagine blending Reese's peanut butter cups and oatmeal cookies (without the raisins) in a blender, adding almond milk, and drinking that for breakfast. Okay, now imagine it without all the refined sugar, butter, etc. that would make it a terrible breakfast food and you have a healthy breakfast smoothie.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Smoothie


Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes

Serves 1

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats (Use GF oats to keep gluten free)
• 1/4 cup PB2 powder
• 2 tbs cocoa powder
• 1 tbs ground flax seed
• 1 tbs honey or alternative sweetener (to keep vegan)
• 1 cup ice (optional)

Instructions

1. Place all of the ingredients, except the ice, in a high-power blender and blend until smooth. 
2. If you would like your smoothie chilled, add the ice and blend again until smooth. Enjoy!

Notes*
Add 1/2 tsp mint extract for a mint chocolate chip style smoothie.

Adapted from Desserts With Benefits

Hearty Trail Mix Pancakes

I've tried to like Bob's gluten free pancake mix, but I haven't been successful in that endeavor, until now. I previously thought the mix was too earthy and reminiscent of high-fiber cereal. It didn't taste bad, it just wasn't the consistency and flavor that I desired in my pancakes...until now. Instead of trying to combat the earthiness of the mix, I decided I'd roll with it by adding trail mix-like ingredients. A combination of tart, sweet, and crunchy proved to be great additions to this batter.

This morning reminded me of the episode of Friends where Rachel tries to make the trifle for thanksgiving and adds custard, meat, and peas all in one entree. Joey's remarks are, "What's not to like? Custard, good. Jam, good. Meat, good!" Although the combination of ingredients in these pancakes is not nearly as far fetched as Rachel's custard, my roommate's comments were similar to Joey's. As she sat down to breakfast and tasted the pancakes, she said, "I really like these! I like cranberries. I like chocolate chips. I like sunflower seeds. What's not to like. They don't even need a topping, you could use a jam, but that's not even necessary."

I hope you are as pleasantly surprised by them as she and I were!

Hearty Trail Mix Pancakes


Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Serves: 4 (3 pancakes/serving)

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup old fashioned rolled oats (use GF to keep gluten free)
• 1 cup Bob's gluten free pancake mix
• 2 tbs brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/8 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 1/2 cup almond milk (I used Almond Breeze original 30 cal)
• 1 Tbs olive oil, plus more for pan  (can substitute apple sauce)
• 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries
• 1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds

Instructions:

1.  In a food processor or high-power blender, combine the oats, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon. While the machine is running, add the almond milk and olive oil in a slow steady stream. 
2. Pour the batter into a mixing bowl and add the chocolate chips, cranberries, and sunflower seeds and mix to combine. Allow the batter to sit for at least 5 minutes to set.
3. Heat 1 Tbs olive oil on a non-stick skillet over medium-low (4 on my electric stove). Pour the batter onto the pan and flip after the pancakes begin to form bubbles around their rims, approximately 2 minutes. Flip the pancakes and cook another 2 minutes. Mix before you pour out the next batch of pancakes as the trail mix ingredients will settle to the bottom of the bowl. Yields about 12 three inch pancakes.
4. They are delicious by themselves, but feel free to top them with apple butter, syrup, jam, or any of your favorite toppings and enjoy!

Adapted from Chocolate Covered Katie