Chocolate Banana Pancakes

Here's a great way to get some greens and hemp hearts into your kids if they can be finicky like mine are. They won't even know what's in them :)  I've used sprouted flour in the recipe as well to increase nutrition, but if you do t have any, you can substitute with whole wheat flour. 

You will need:

1.5 cups almond milk (I used original)

1/4 cup hemp hearts

1 tsp vanilla extract 

1 large, ripe banana

1 large handful of baby spinach (about 2 cups)

1/8 cup pure maple syrup

3 tbsp oil (I used grapeseed)

1/4 cup raw cocoa

1 cup sprouted whole wheat flour

3/4 cup all purpose flour

1 tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp sea salt 

Combine first 8 ingredients (almond milk through cocoa powder) in high speed blender and purée until smooth. 

Combine the remaining 4 ingredients in a large bowl and stir with a whisk to combine. Add the wet ingredients from the blender and stir until all the dry ingredients are absorbed into the wet mixture. 

Heat frying pan on medium heat and cook pancakes as you normally would. These take a little longer to cook because of the banana and spinach. 

I used a non stuck pan to cook them without any oil, and I also cooked some in coconut oil. They both came out fine, so the choice is yours! :) 

Healthy and Delicious Breakfast Cookies

Yikes it has been awhile! My apologies! Two kids sure keeps a girl busy! This recipe is great for all you busy moms out there, but also great for anyone who wants a good on-the-go breakfast.
Many mornings I make a pot of oatmeal for breakfast, and usually add raisins, hemp hearts, a couple dates (for sweetness), and sometimes nuts or other dried fruit. There are many times though, when I just don't have the time, or motivation, (especially if both of my kids are in less that happy moods!), or I just want something different. So, I came up with this recipe for oatmeal in cookie form, but healthy! An oatmeal cookie is no new thang, but with these, there is no refined sugar, no egg, no butter, and they are pumped full of healthy ingredients. Make a batch or 2, keep extras in the freezer, and you are set! Fast, delicious, and nutritious. Great for kids or adults.What more could you ask for?

You will need:

1.5 medium bananas, mashed (approx 3/4 cup)
2 Tbsp coconut oil
2 medjool dates, pitted
1/4 cup hot water
1 Tbsp ground chia seeds
3 Tbsp warm water
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup hemp hearts
1/4 cup raisins
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
1.5 cups quick oats
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp xanthan gum (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Lightly grease a cookie sheet, use a silpat mat, or line with parchment paper.
Add the pitted dates to the 1/4 cup of hot water and let soak for a minute, and then puree using a magic bullet or something similar. You can do it by hand too, just make sure that it is a nice paste when you are done.
Add the 1 Tbsp ground chia to the 3 Tbsp warm water and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the bananas, coconut oil, vanilla, date puree, and chia/water mixture.
In a separate bowl, combine the coconut, hemp hearts, raisins, walnuts, oats, flour, baking soda and salt.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and combine thoroughly.
Form into balls (about 1.5 inches in diameter), and place on cookie sheet.
Lightly flatten with a fork.
Bake for approximately 15 minutes. This will produce a cookie that is soft on the inside. If you prefer a harder cookie, add 2 or 3 minutes on to the baking time.
Makes about 20 cookies (mine only made 16 because my 2 yr old couldn't wait, so he ate a little bowl of the batter for breakfast! haha).

Homemade Granola

Mmmmmmmm granola:) I adapted this recipe from one that I found in The Kind Diet. This recipe makes a big batch of hearty, filling, delicious granola. Store bought cereal often has a lot of sugar in it, and it is expensive! Especially the organic/healthy brands. This recipe is totally versatile and can be made with whatever fruits/nuts/seeds/flavors that you prefer. You can leave out about 1/4 cup of the maple syrup if you prefer a less sweet cereal.

You will need:

6 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 cup canola oil
1/4 cup raw sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon orange extract (optional)
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon  ground nutmeg
2/3 cups chopped almonds
2/3 cup sunflower seeds
1/3 cup flax seeds
2/3 cup raw pumpkin seeds (the green ones!)
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/2 dried apricots, chopped
1/3 dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Place oats on cookie sheets or in a baking dish (I used a 9x13 Pyrex dish and did 2 batches), and toast the oats slightly for 10 minutes, stirring halfway through. In the meantime, mix the maple syrup, oil, sugar, vanilla, orange extract, and salt together in s small bowl or measuring cup. Remove oats from oven and mix together with all the nuts/seeds (except coconut) in a bowl (careful, oats are hot!) Drizzle the wet ingredients over top and mix together. Sprinkle on the nutmeg and mix. Spread on the cookie sheet/ Pyrex dish once again and bake for 15 min, stirring every 5 minutes to prevent them getting to dark in spots. Add the coconut in about halfway through. You want the oats to be a toasty golden brown, 15 minutes was my magic number, but it could vary depending on your oven. Remove from oven, and add in the dried fruits. Mix  together and then let cool. Store on the counter in an airtight container.