Dr. Meg's Homemade Blueberry Juice.

You guys, this stuff is RAD.  It's rad both because it tastes good and because it's good FOR you!

In medical school, we received extensive education on herbal medicine. One of the great Naturopathic doctors who helped integrate the use of botanicals and primary care naturopathic medicine was Dr. Bill Mitchell. His case books tell great stories of people acheiving wellness through natural therapies. I've seen this first hand in my own practice, also, which is why I became a Naturopathic doctor in the first place!

This berry juice was one of Dr. Mitchell's passions. His family still carries on his legacy, and sells a great product. I've used that product personally and with patients, and it's delicious, but I knew I could make something easily at home and reap similar benefits.

Berries, mostly the blue and dark dark colored berries, contain anthyocyanodins. Anthocyanodins are potent antioxidants, and they have a great affinity for the vascular system. Men, young and old, should be on this berry concentrate daily. Women benefit the most after menopause, as their cardiovascular health risk increases.

Here's the recipe: get cooking! Be sure to read the whole recipe first before embarking.

Dr. Meg's Blueberry Juice.
     makes 1 quart jar + berry "compote" leftovers

8 pints organic blueberries
8 pints organic blackberries
^ I previously lived in Seattle, and had access to local farms, this equates to 2 flats of berries
1 cup filtered water
1 Tbsp coconut oil

Directions:
  1) Turn your slow cooker on to WARM setting, you want things to heat up for extraction of constituents, but not to "cook" the berries.
 2) Add all your berries to the pot, add water, and coconut oil. Replace lid.
 3) Simmer on warm for 48 hours, stirring occassionally, only about 3 times per day.
 4) When done, berries should look "shriveled" like you defrosted frozen blueberries, and the juice should nearly cover the berries and be dark blue in color.
 5) With a fine mesh strainer, gently scoop the berries out, and press-out juice lightly with the back of wooden spoot into a funnel that goes into a large 1 qt mason jar. Do this in batches. You will be left with about 1 qt of berry juice and berries.
 6) Store in the fridge. I like to eat the berry portion with breakfast (see my recipe for chia pudding) and then take shots of the juice OR add to a large portion of water and drink throughout the day.
 7) The berry juice is not very sweet, so it won't affect your blood sugar levels much.


Enjoy :)

Black Bean Brownies.

This version included walnuts!

If you've never had black bean brownies, now is the time to try them.  Like many people, I was skeptical at first, but since trying them, I can't make any other kind of brownie.  I've been making these non-stop for six months now.  These are deliciously fudgy, chocolatey, and satisfying.  I've brought them to many events and they always ellicit rave reviews!  These are great if you're new to gluten-free baking and just need a brownie recipe that works, without having to buy a bunch of gluten-free flours.

Black Bean Brownies.
    makes one 8x8 pan

    2 cans (15 oz x 2)  black beans  (make sure you get the unseasoned versions)
    1/4-1/2 cup  sugar  (or 1/3 cup is a good middle)
    1/4 cup  coconut oil, melted
    2  eggs,  large or medium sized
    1 cup  unsweetened cocoa - mine favorite is mixture of dutched and non-dutched
    1 cup  unsweetened almond milk OR milk of choice
    1/2 tsp  baking soda
    ~9 oz  dark chocolate chips, this is 3/4 of one choc chip bag
    2 tsp-1 Tbsp  vanilla extract
    1/2 tsp  real salt

Directions:
  1)  Un-can the black beans into a fine mesh strainer. Strain and run under cold water x1 minute or until water over the beans runs clear.
  2)  Place all ingredients, except chocolate chips, into Vitamix blender (or equivalent) and blend for about 30 seconds to 1 minute OR until all ingredients are incorporated, and the mixture is smooth and homogenous. Stir in chocolate chips with a soft spatula.
  3)  Pour into one greased or parchment paper lined 8x8 pan. Bake at 350 degrees non-convection for 40-45 minutes. Brownies are done when slightly pulling away from the sides of the pan, and the middle is slightly set. Bake longer to be slighly less fudgy. Let cool on counter. Store in fridge for best results.

I personally love how easy they are to make! You can have awesome brownies ready in under an hour. These are best the next day, however, after they've had some time to set. I love them straight from the fridge. GREAT with any kind of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Note on substitutions: I've made these with melted butter and water before, with coconut milk, with almond milk, and ALL versions have come out extremely yummy.


Nothing like a new brownie recipe to rock all summer long!

P.S. I'm all graduated from medical school now (Dr. Meg has finally arrived!). Maybe you'll be seeing more recipes on this space again! And my apologies for the poor photo - this was quickly snapped in clinic when I brought brownies for the whole shift.

Olive Oil Roasted Cabbage.

I thought I was a foodie before I tried roasted cabbage. I was clearly wrong. Prepare to have your culinary minds blown. After all, it's only four, if you could even call it four, ingredients!!

I've been wanting to share this recipe with you guys for a while!! It's just too good to keep to myself. But I can also hear you saying: but Meg it's a simple recipe, so how can such flavor come from such simple ingredients? Cabbage? Come on!

You're right, this is a simple recipe. It's easy to prepare, easy to make, and easy to eat since it pairs well with many different foods. The taste of this dish, however, is anything BUT simple. The olive oil creates a rich flavor that compliments the sweet taste of the roasted green cabbage, and there are soft and sweet bits of cabbage intermingled with darkly browned crunchy delicious pieces.  Heaven!

Olive oil Roasted Green Cabbage. 
    makes enough cabbage for meals for one, for one week

    1 head of green cabbage - I don't buy organic here, since cabbage is part of the "clean fifteen"
    good quality olive oil for drizzling - source
    unrefined sea salt - source
    ground black pepper

To roast your cabbage:
  1)  Use a large roasting pan or baking sheet; line with either parchment paper or a Silpat silicone baking sheet.
  2)  Slice cabbage into 1/2" thick slices. The break apart leaves/pieces with your hands. (You can also cut along the inner part and keep the leaves attached in the middle - this makes "wedges" - and you can roast it that way too - I've done it both ways and like both equally)
  3)  Place in pan, drizzle liberally with olive oil (don't saturate, just get mild coverage over all cabbage), sprinkle with salt and pepper (don't be shy!) and TOSS well with your hands.
  4)  Spread cabbage evenly, and bake in a 400 degree (mine's non-convection) oven for anywhere from 20-40 minutes. Leaving in cabbage longer will give you some nicely browned pieces that get crispy and delicious. Baking for less time will give you a cabbage that isn't as fully cooked and is more on the crunchy side. I highly recommed baking it for longer :)
  5)  Remove from oven and enjoy! Keep in the fridge all week for snacks, salad toppings and as a main course side. I really enjoy pairing mine with homemade hummus, carrots and some chicken!

Yes, it's that simple, and yes, it's THAT good. Try it out!

(FYI - I haven't tried this process yet with red cabbage, but I'm sure you could do that too.)

Happy New Year my lovely readers! I go back to school today :)

Single Serving Protein Pancake.

FLUFFY

Hey everyone :) I know it's been a while, but this blog is no longer a tip top priority! Med school has me busy busy, along with all the typical life stuff that has to happen. Talk about a balancing act!

Today I bring you a recipe for a single serving pancake. I've been eyeing pancake recipes lately, especially the "single lady" ones, but I was never quite happy with the ingredients that were used, so I chose my own.

Banana slices hiding on the bottom, with greek yogurt and cooked strawberries and raspberries.

This pancake is everything I could ever want in a pancake :) It's fluffy, has a nice nutty flavor from the flaxseed, it's full of protein, and isn't too sweet, so it's easy to top it with things like a touch of maple syrup, butter or some yummy berries and yogurt.

The secret to success in this recipe is measuring the ingredients, and also using a non-stick pan. I know that non-stick pans are not at all the best choice health-wise, but there's really no alternative when you want to make some awesome pancakes.

Single Serving Protein Pancake.
    serves one or two

    15 grams / one serving of brown rice protein powder - I use Nutribiotic plain, you could use brown rice flour here also
    50 grams / ~1/2 one normal sized banana, mashed
    8 grams / 1 heaping Tbsp  ground brown flaxseed
    3 grams / 1 scant Tbsp  ground chia seed
    12 grams / ~1 tsp  runny honey
    2 eggs / about 100 grams  give or take depending on your egg size
    1 gram  baking soda (this is a very small amount)
    15 drops  vanilla extract (I used a dropper)
    pinch each: salt, ground cardamom

To make your pancake:
  1)  Combine all ingredients into a bowl and whisk well, scraping off the sides with a spatula and getting everything incorporated. The only lumps present should be a little bit of mashed banana. The batter will appear thin, and shiny from the eggs, resist adding more dry ingredients.
  2)  Preheat your nonstick pan on medium-low heat (#4 on my stove, point at small hand on the 7 in 7 o'clock).
  3)  Pour batter onto the pan. Do two batches, or pour it all in for one pancake (this is what I do).  Cook on one side for about 5 minutes. Pancake is ready when there are some bubbles on top and you can see the edges are beginning to set. Work your rubber spatual around the edges of the pancake and also the bottom. One pancake requires one massive or two normal sized spatulas to flip it.
  4)  Flip pancake and wait another 1-2 minutes.
  5)  Remove pancake to a plate with banana slices already on it. Place pancake on top of sliced bananas. Drizzle with maple syrup or whatever is desired. I like to put some butter on top, berries and homemade yogurt. ENJOY!

My first attempt; not quite right but topped with yum!

Because someone will want the stats ;) Thanks to myfitnesspal.com

I hope you are staying both warm and well this holiday season :) Love to all my readers :)
Merry Christmas!

PS - And no, this recipe will not work if you substitute the egg for something else.

My Favorite Chia Pudding.

Most likely you've seen and heard about all the hype surrounding chia seeds. And most likely you've seen a gazillion recipes for "chia pudding." And... if you're like me, you wrinkle your nose and think sarcastically "really, how can THAT be good?!" Well this food craze wasn't going away, and I decided to stop being a baby and to stop saying "eww" inside my head when I hadn't even tried it. (You know that if you're a foodie, that's rule #1: Don't knock it till you try it). So I sucked it up and haphazardly threw some chia seeds in my smoothie bottle, poured in some vanilla, some this and that, enough liquid that looked appropriate, shook shook shook shook, and left it in the fridge to do it's thing.

Now I can easily say that the jokes on me people. The next morning, as I pulled the chia goo out of the fridge, I was skeptical. But I dipped my spoon in anyways and took a bite. My brain exploded. Holy cow how is this good?! This tapioca-like substance is SOOO not tapioca-like at all. I think I proceeded to eat half the batch I made right then and there. But then I showed restraint, because I knew I'd want some more yumminess later.

Ever since that fateful day, where I felt both like a Queen (hey hey, this girl tried chia pudding and LIKED it) and like a fool (this idiot waited too long to make omg-delicious-pudding), I've been experimenting with my own chia recipes. It is a little bit of a science and an art. You have to combine the right ratio of liquid to chia in order to get the right consistency. The right consistency may be firm after it has set overnight, or it maybe slightly more runny after setting overnight. But the best thing is, you can choose the texture of your pudding! See my tips after the recipe for getting this part right.

I've made this stuff with herbal coffee and coconut milk (divine), with coconut milk and vanilla (divine divine), and also with raw milk and vanilla. I like this recipe because it's the easiest of all, and it literally takes 1 minute to make. Have your roommate/partner/spouse come into the kitchen and time you. Real food doesn't have to take forever to make.

A couple notes, the quality of the liquid which you use as the base of your pudding makes the biggest difference here. In all the test-runs in my kitchen I've always used black chia seeds from my local Whole Foods or other awesome grocery store here in Seattle, so I can't speak for the other varieties of chia. But I do know that whatever milk you use DOES make an incredible difference. The milk I used here is non-canned Arroy-D coconut milk which comes in tetra packs. You can use other alternative milks, but it may make slightly different pudding. For instance, raw grass-fed milk has a much higher fat content than say rice and almond milks, so the end result has slight creaminess to it, and therefore milk alternatives like almond and rice probably will not. But really, this recipe is so versatile, and sure to please anyone in your family.

Someone obviously ate some already ;)

Classic Vanilla Chia Pudding.
     makes one quart mason jar

    1 qt  organic coconut milk, tetra-pak Arroy-D is my fav
    1/2 cup  whole organic black chia seeds
    1/2 tsp  vanilla extract
    15 drops  stevia clear liquid

To make your pudding:
  1)  Grab a clean mason jar with a tight fitting lid.
  2)  Add milk; add vanilla, add stevia
  3)  Pour your chia seeds into the jar.
  4)  Screw on lid and shake shake shake.
  5)  Put jar in fridge and go do something for 5 minutes. Come back, shake shake shake. Return to  fridge, come back a few minutes later. Shake, shake, shake. Repeat.
  6)  Let puddin' do it's thing and get all yummy overnight.

Getting the texture right: Now I know that pudding is like brownies (cakey or fudgey?) and smoothies (thick or thin?), everyone has their own opinion about the perfect texture. This recipe features a pudding that holds together but is not either super firm or very runny. My advice? Start here. If you want the pudding a bit more thick, add a Tbsp of chia seeds and give it time to absorb into the liquid. After a few hours, if it's still too runny, add more, but please know that as this sits in the fridge it does get progressively (just slightly) less runny and a bit more firm as it continues to sit. If you like your puddings more runny, just add 1-2 Tbsp less chia, give it time to sit (4+ hours, overnight is best) and then see where you're at. Overall, very forgiving and you can adjust from there. But in general it's good to have a baseline recipe, and then you can easily switch up some of the ingredients to make it more interesting.

On a non-recipe note, I have been trying to enjoy my summer since it's post-basic science Boards! I am still in classes though, so even though I haven't been doing much studying (me need break) I haven't been sharing my new recipes with y'all. I've got a bunch of them on Notes on my iPhone, and I really need to get cracking, buckle down and make some of these babies and take photos of the yumminess and then share them with you!

Thanks for sticking around even though my posts are less regular as they used to be. Med school kind of re-prioritizes your life.
:)

Grain-free Unsweetened Paleo Banana Bread.

I've been wanting to share this recipe with y'all for too long. Banana bread is one of my all-time favorite things (which is no secret, see below for more banana-centric recipes), and for a long-time I've been elusively searching for and experimenting with the perfect-for-me banana bread recipe. Two years ago I created my delicious grain-free unsweetened primal pumpkin bread, and I love that recipe so much that I believed it had to be possible to morph it into a banana bread instead. After a few different tries, what I'm sharing with you now is a paleo banana bread recipe I am most proud of :)

Grain-free Unsweetened Paleo Banana Bread.
    makes one standard loaf

    1 cup  blanched almond flour
    1/2 cup  organic coconut flour
    3 happy eggs - mine were large
    1/2 cup  coconut oil - mine was soft
    1 1/2 cups  mashed ripe bananas (about 2 large)
    1 tsp  baking soda
    1/2 tsp  unrefined sea salt
    1 Tbsp  raw apple cider vinegar
    1 tsp  ground nutmeg
    1 Tbsp  cinnamon
    2 tsp  vanilla
    20 drops  clear stevia

To make your banana bread:
1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2) Pour all ingredients into a high speed blender (Vitamix!)
3) Blend briefly until incorporated.
4) Pour into a glass, standard loaf pan, that has been greased with coconut oil, and floured with coconut or almond flour.
5) Bake for about 20 minutes, check on the bread and maybe rotate the pan, and bake for another 20-30 minutes depending on your oven. Let bread cool in the pan, then carefully turn out and slice. Store it in the fridge, or the freezer! But most likely your family will gobble it up in no time!

And now, I invite you to explore my other banana lovin' recipes!

Banana Bread Muffins

Grain-free Zucchini Bread

Banownies

Banana Macadamia Nut Muffins

Almond Butter Banana Blueberry Muffins

Grain-free Post-surgery Banana Bread

Grain-free Almond Banana Waffles

Grain-free Unsweetened Banana Cake

My Original Banana Cake

Fruity Vegan Oatmeal Bake


Enjoy your banana bread. It's great spread with some almond or peanut butter or slathered with some juice-sweetened black raspberry jam :) YUM. Or even butter, if you're so inclined.

And I know the pictures aren't super great. It's been really hard to adjust to all the poor Seattle lighting!

Paleo Chocolate Sauce or Ganache.

(Hello everyone :) I am alive! I've been busy (with medical school), but here I am again!)

Sauce or ganache? Why the fuss?

Well, technically, this is a "ganache" recipe... since ganache is composed of melted chocolate + cream (coconut milk here), which makes it spreadable and allows it to just barely harden into a lovely smooth chocolate experience.

Chocolate sauce, on the other hand, tends to be more of a more syrupy/sugary composition that is perfect for drizzling. Chocolate sauces commonly include corn syrup, or a simple syrup, which gives it a characteristic sweet smoothness that holds its shape when swirled and twisted on a spoon (and on top of your ice cream!)

This recipe rides in the middle. Best of both worlds, I'd say :)

And it's paleo, primal, gluten-free, soy-free, and barely sweetened (my favorite). Which by default makes it amazing. Obviously.

Paleo Chocolate Sauce.
    makes enough for a crowd, or some for one and enough for later!
    Time to prepare = < 10 minutes

    3 oz  unsweetened Baker's chocolate* - or 3 oz of your favorite
    8 oz  unsweetened coconut milk - this one is my favorite**
    1 tsp to 1 Tbsp  runny honey*** (or more to taste)
    splash  vanilla
    dash  unrefined sea salt
    stevia drops - (optional and to taste)

To make your chocolate sauce:
  1)  In a double boiler, or a heavy bottomed pan, add chocolate chunks, coconut milk, honey. Heat on medium / medium-low until chocolate is melted. Whisk whisk whisk until smooth and entirely incorporated.
***To measure out the honey in this recipe, I usually stick a regular eating teaspoon into the honey, to get it moderately coated, and then place it into the chocolate sauce pan; I am estimating this is about 2 tsp to a whole tablespoon of honey. Feel free to use more if you want more sweetness.
  2)  Add vanilla extract, stevia (if desired) and salt. Whisk again. Taste. Add more stevia or honey if desired.
  3)  Enjoy! Dip in some strawberries, apple slices, spread on unsweetened pumpkin bread use to make into chocolate bark, use it as cake frosting (pictured); or put in a jar to use on ice cream! This sauce can do anything! Stored in the fridge this should last 1-2 weeks.

*I used the old size Baker's chocolate squares which I stocked up on right after they changed / halved the sizing of their packages.
** This brand is 100% coconut milk, and I can get it locally (if you're in Seattle, look at Central Market or PCC) for a great price (and no yucky canned coconut milk flavor!)


PS. I am now officially a third year medical student! I finished second year today. This will be a busy summer, as I am taking classes, starting clinic, and taking BOARDS in August, but you should hopefully hear more from me! I've got some recipes I've been meaning to share you guys. I hope to have some more time to get you some more yummies :) I know I've been completely MIA, and I appreciate my readers who still subscribe and share and benefit from my recipes!

PPS. The first picture is this chocolate sauce over my favorite grain-free gluten-free chocolate cake! (The sauce has harded at this point, and is exactly like a ganache!) I halved the ingredients to the cake and topped it with chocolate sauce, for a yummy dessert that is only minimally sweetened. The second picture is this chocolate sauce after being made, so it is still warm and in "sauce" vs ganache form. I love how versatile this recipe is!

XOXOOXO
Happy Day!

Protein Balls 1.0. (Cinnamon Almond).

As I talked about last time, I've changed my diet every-day-food-selection recently. More protein! Less carb! Easy to digest things! And among all that I've found the need for an afternoon or pre-dinner snack that fits the bill. I've been eating too many Lara Bar Lemon Pie ALT bars, and Quest bars, and it's just not sustainable. I needed something that I could make at home, that was less costly, portable, protein rich, with just a little fat and a low CHO content... and so this recipe was born! (Oh, and it had to be easy, since I've got a busy schedule over here!)

This photo was taken right after I rolled them, before the fridge. I made two different kinds this morning, one which I will share at a later date (notice the balls lighter in color in the lower left hand corner).

And daaang, these babies are so good I don't know why I didn't do something like this sooner. They are also very easily customizable to make different flavors, providing you keep the general ratios the same ;)

Protein Balls 1.0. (Cinnamon Almond)
    inspired by deliciousness

    1/2 cup  homemade almond butter - or storebought - or nut butter of choice
    1/2 cup  rice protein powder - I use this one
    1/4 cup  ground flaxseed
    2 Tbsp  organic coconut oil, melted - source
    1 Tbsp  organic cinnamon - source
    1 Tbsp  local runny honey
    1/4 tsp  unrefined sea salt
    1-2 Tbsp water (optional)

(Be precise on measurements for best results. I'm an eyeballer too, but definitely get out your measuring cups for this one!)

To make your protein balls:
  1)  In a large bowl, combine almond butter, protein powder, ground flaxseed, cinnamon, salt, honey. Mix a little. Then add melted coconut oil. Mix until a dough like texture forms. Add water if necessary, I've found that every mixture is slightly different, but I've found you usually won't need to add the water.
  2)  Divide the dough equally into 10 balls. Roll dough with clean hands into balls. Then store in an air-tight container in the refridgerator. (They will soften outside of the fridge, like if you take one out and put it in your purse for later.)
  3)  Enjoy!

If you make 10 balls, here are the (approximate) stats (thanks to MyFitnessPal):

Calories - 159 kcal
Carbs - 7 g
Fat - 9 g
Protein - 13 g

Not bad, huh? I am not an advocate of counting calories, but sometimes it's good to see where recipes stand, especially if your aiming for something like a high protein snack, which I was. You can always make bigger or smaller balls to suit your own snack needs.

This is a great kid-friendly recipe as well - pour all the ingredients into a bowl - let them mix it - and let them help you roll them into balls! But no snitching, otherwise you'll throw off your macros ;)

There you go! Your very own homemade "protein bar!" Woot! Enjoy - and stay tuned for other versions soon. I have a feeling I am going to be making these alot ;)

"Good For You" Hot Cocoa.

I recently posted about this on my Instagram account, and it was one of my most popular posts, so I thought I'd better share the recipe!

Hot cocoa or hot chocolate has been one of my favorite things ever since I was little. Unfortunately what I had when I was younger was the very processed, very sugary, completely fake Swiss Miss from a package, mixed with hot water. It tasted good at the time, but it was definitely not good for me!

Hot cocoa does not have to be hard to make to be tasty, and it doesn't have to be loaded with fat and sugar either! My version is light, satisfying, and won't cause any blood sugar spikes, as it has virtually ZERO sugar. Cocoa is also rich in flavanoids and good fats. You could have this every day!


"Good For You" Hot Cocoa.
    makes one serving (mine is a large 16 oz mug)

    2 tsp - 1.5 Tbsp*  unsweetened cocoa powder
    pinch or two of real salt, to taste!
    1 cup  unsweetened organic almond milk (I like to add a touch of stevia, vanilla and real salt right to the carton to make it taste better); you can also use whatever other milk suits your fancy; I also recommend coconut milk, raw goat milk, and raw cows milk
    1 tsp  vanilla extract
    1/2 to 1 dropper  Stevia clear liquid (adjust to desired level of sweetness) 
    8-16 oz boiling water (depending on the size of the mug and how rich / thick you want it)

To make your hot cocoa:
  1)  Boil water.
  2)  In a small saucepan, heat up almond milk gently on the stove. Stir frequently!
  3)  In a dry mug, add cocoa powder and sea salt.
  4)  When water is boiled, let it settle, then pour about 1/4 cup into mug with cocoa powder.
  5)  Use a small whisk, or spoon, and stir vigorously, to incorporate all cocoa powder, and to be sure there are no lumps.
  6)  Slowly pour in hot almond milk. Stir, stir, stir!
  7)  Add vanilla and stevia. Stir. Taste. Top it off with some more hot water. Adjust if needed. You can't add more chocolate at this point, however, otherwise it will clump!
  8)  Enjoy your piping hot delicious chocolate beverage :) This does make enough for two people to have a cup, so if you're so inclined to share.. then share away! :)


*The reason there is a range on the cocoa powder is because sometimes I want it slightly less chocolatey (yes, that is possible) or sometimes even more chocolatey! There is room to vary it for taste. I usually stick around 1 Tbsp cocoa powder, though. You can use whatever type of cocoa powder you have on hand, just as long as it's unsweetened. I've made this with raw cacao powder, Ghirardelli cocoa powder, and Trader joes cocoa powder; all yield a good result, just with different flavors of chocolate!

This hot cocoa will really warm you up.  What a perfect recipe for winter!  For even greater warming effect, add a dash of warming spices like nutmeg, cinnamon and ginger!

Almond Butter Banana Blueberry Muffins.

My mother introduced me to the idea of making muffins with almond butter after she had made some yummy muffins from one of our favorite bloggers, Megan, The Detoxinista. My sister in law is currently on a special diet and she was able to have these muffins; and she loved them! Both ladies spoke so highly of them that I knew I wanted to try making them myself. So the night before our family Christmas Eve celebration, I whipped some of these up, while making a few of my own changes ;)

I really like this recipe because it's so flavorful and so easy! It takes about 5 minutes to whip up, and about 20-25 minutes to bake, so within the hour you can have warm, cooled, ready to eat muffins for your friends and family! I highly suggest you wait for these muffins to cool. When they first come out of the oven the bottoms will feel a little "soggy" but they firm up as they cool. The texture of these muffins is fabulous!


Almond Butter Banana Blueberry Muffins.
     makes one dozen muffins
     inspired by this recipe

    1 cup  almond butter (mine was raw, but you can also use roasted, store-bought, or made at home)
    1/2 cup  mashed ripe banana (mine took 1 whole banana)
    1/4 cup (or even 2 Tbsp)  maple syrup (or runny honey)
    2  happy eggs
    1/2 tsp  baking soda
    1/4 tsp  unrefined sea salt
    1 Tbsp  cinnamon
    1 cup  frozen blueberries

To make your muffins:
  1)  Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, convection; line a muffin tin with paper liners.
  2)  In a large bowl, combine almond butter, banana, maple syrup, and eggs. Mix well. Add soda, salt, cinnamon, and mix again. Lastly, fold in the frozen blueberries. Do not overmix.
  3)  Using a 1/4 cup measuring scoop, transfer batter to muffin tin. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes, depending on your oven, and remove muffins when tops are slightly springy to the touch. Cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool more. Store in the fridge to keep for longer, or outside the fridge if eaten in 2-3 days.


These will freeze well also, and are a great "make ahead" option. They are also very portable, and will no doubt please a crowd. Kids and adults alike loved these muffins when I brought them to our Christmas Eve gathering. You can feel good about giving these muffins to your loved ones, as they are low in sugar, and high in fat and protein, which makes for a great snack, or side dish to eggs for breakfast.

Enjoy! I know I will be making these way more often from now on.

Grain-free Granola 2.0.

About a year ago I made some delicious grain-free cinnamon raisin granola for the first time. It was seriously delicious. So recently I went to go make some, and the search bar in my blog wasn't working... anyone else having this problem?!  So I ended up wingining it, trying to remember just what I did, and it came out great!  Even better than the first version if I do say so myself.

This grain-free granola is crunchy, toasty, and packed full of flavor!  Everyone in your family will love it, and they will all have a hard time believing that yeah, there are no oats in here!  You could even make a batch of this granola, put it in cute little jars, and give it away as Christmas gifts!  But everyone just might hound you for the recipe ;)  No worries, feel free to share!

PS - If cinnamon and raisins aren't your thing, try another spice combo, like cranberries and cardamom, or nutmeg and dried blueberries, or apricots and cloves! Feel free to switch it up to your liking.

These were filled to the tippy tippy top, BUT I ate some ;)

Grain-free Granola 2.0.
    makes 2 gallon sized mason jars full (even with extensive recipe sampling ;)
    * these ratios are generalized, really just throw all your favorite nuts combination in a large bowl; for instance, I didn't use cashews or peanuts, but feel free to use these if you wish

1/2 cup each:
    sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, whole macadamia nuts*, whole pecans, whole walnuts
1 cup each:
    pumpkin seeds, whole pecans, sliced almonds, raisins
1 cup each:
    ground macadamia nuts*, ground pistachios, ground walnuts
1-2 cups  organic coconut "chips" (largely flaked coconut)
1 cup  organic shredded coconut (small little shreds of coconut, not traditional sized flakes)
2  large eggs
1 - 2 Tbsp  cinnamon
1/3-1/2 cup  brown rice syrup
~1/4 cup  runny honey

To make your yummy granola:
  1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees; mine was non-convection.
  2.  Combine nuts, coconuts, cinnamon, brown rice syrup, and honey.  Mix together. Add in both eggs and stir well with a wooden spoon.
  4.  On two parchment paper lined baking sheets, spread the mixture evenly between two pans.
  5.  Bake at 375 for 10-15 minutes. Watch it, uneven ovens may burn.  Stir well.  Bake another 10 minutes or so.  Stir.  Depending on your oven, you may need another a longer or shorter time. For me, it varies a little on every batch.
  6.  When done, remove from oven and let cool on pans. The granola will crisp up considerably as it cools and even more after you put it in jars and taste it the next day.

*My macadamia nuts were roasted and salted, so I did not add salt to the recipe. If you don't have any pre-salted nuts in your mixture and they are all raw, I suggest adding a teaspoon or two of salt, to your taste.

I cannot be held responsible for any granola-lovers who ingest too much granola during the making of this recipe. WARNING - This granola is dangerously good. Serve it straight out of the jar as a snack, with some cold raw milk or coconut milk in the morning like "cereal" or even on top of your favorite greek yogurt or ice cream. Or even a fruit parfait!  Use as you would any "regular" granola, but be aware that this granola is substantially more calorie dense, so you can eat way less and still feel just as satisfied ;)

Yum! Enjoy :)

Grain-free "Recovery" Banana Bread.

One of my lovely family members just recently had surgery and an overnight hospital stay [everything is going well, thanks :)], and so I thought I would share this recipe, as it has been great for her recovery.

Let me explain...

My loved one recently had to have surgery. Post-operation she was having trouble swallowing because she felt so sore. She only wanted cold, soft things, and was also barely able to eat due to the nausea caused by pain meds. Turns out that I had just made some grain-free banana bread that week, in an endeavor to start recipe development for my own grain-free banana bread recipe that I would love just as much my grain-free pumpkin bread recipe. Well, the recipe was not perfect, and was very soft and moist (ie, the texture isn't quite there yet, and therefore not bloggable), but it was still had great flavor and tasted delicious, so I had kept it and was planning on nibbling on it throughout the week.

This "recipe" failure ended up being a blessing, as it's smooth and soft texture was very easy to swollow for my patient, but also gave her the feeling that she was "eating something solid." Win win!

For this recipe I used a smaller loaf pan, not the standard size. It was a medium sized Pyrex glass loaf pan which probably measures 4" x 8" and is tall, not wide, like standard loaf pans. It's very easy to whip up, and is a great idea to bring to the hospital to help your loved one recover! It sets up best in the fridge. So after the bread cools, turn it out, and place it in the fridge.

Grain-free "Recovery" Banana Bread.
    makes one loaf pan, size above

    2  very ripe bananas (or 3 small)
    1 cup  almond flour 
    1/3 cup  coconut flour
    2  medium/large eggs
    1/4 cup runny honey
    1/3 cup  coconut oil - mine was not melted
    3/4 cup  coconut milk - mine is always unsweetened
    1 Tbsp raw apple cider vinegar
    1 tsp  baking soda
    1-2 tsp  cinnamon or more if desired
    1.5 tsp vanilla

To make your recovery bread:
  1)  Preheat oven to 375 degrees; mine is non-convection.
  2)  Put ingredients in order listed into Vitamix or blender. Blend. Pour into coconut oil greased loaf pan (mine is a glass loaf pan).
  3)  Bake for over 1 hour. LET COOL. Store in fridge. Bread will be moist but will firm up in the fridge.
  4)  Eat with a spoon, or slice it thick. Spread with your favorite nut or coconut butter, for even more nutrition!

Enjoy this bread! I hope it will help your recovering family members, as it did mine, whether they are sick at home or are recovering from major surgery! In fact, we ate up this banana bread so fast because it was so tasty, and I am baking another one right now!

xoxo :)

P.S. I am home for Christmas break. This in the medical school world are going very well. I am tired, but loving my classes and assignments. Stay tuned for some delicious recipes that I can hopefully share with you during the time I am home. As always, thanks for continue to read my blog even though things are slow now-a-days!

"Reverse" Nourishing Protein Bars 1.0.

Cocoa butter is one of those ingredients that I've been wanting to flirt with for a while, yet the "high" price tag has always bothered me. Recently, however, some of my blogger friends have been using cocoa butter in their recipes, effectively making me jealous (well, more so curious!), so I jumped in and got some myself.

Cocoa butter is the fat that is extracted from the cocoa bean; and that's why it is white/yellowish in color, and not brown. Good quality cocoa butter should be at least $15/lb, and if it's less than that, you're either getting scammed or you just happened on a good deal. Look for a brand that has good reviews, is raw and organic, and can be used to make both food items and lotions. If you're using your cocoa butter for food applications, like here, you do not want to buy a non-food grade cocoa butter, so be sure to read the description on the product before you buy. I am a fan of Tisano brand organic cocoa butter, which you can find the link to on my ingredients page.

Cocoa butter comes in chunks or wafers (look for the kind made of chunks) and is easily meltable. For best results, store in the fridge before you're ready to work with it. And don't be afraid to try a chunk on it's own. I think it texture is like a bit like really smooth fatty coconut, but instead of coconut flavor, a hint of chocolate flavor instead! That being said, it's super versatile, and you can use it in chocolate sauces, puddings, and in things like these delicious protein bars :) I actually had a little bit left after making my protein bars, so I mashed some ripe bananas into it, added some cocoa powder, a little coconut sugar, ground chia, salt, and vanilla, and Viola! Chocolate pudding!

"Reverse" Nourishing Protein Bars 1.2.

    a spin off my original protein bars

 
    1 cup  whole raw walnuts
    1 cup  whole raw pumpkin seeds
    1/4 cup  ground chia seed
    1/2 cup  organic whole cranberries - mine were from Trader Joes
    1/2 cup  organic unsweetened coconut chips
    1/2 cup  organic sunbutter - mine was homemade :)
    1/2 tsp  unrefined sea salt
    1/2 cup  organic coconut oil, melted
    1-2 Tbsp  organic local wildflower honey
    2-3 tsp  vanilla
    ~  1 cup  organic raw cocoa butter, melted - source
    ~  1 cup  coconut cream concentrate - source
    ~  1/4-1/3 cup  organic coconut oil
    1 dropper  vanilla creme liquid stevia (optional)
    1 Tbsp  vanilla
 
* Please note the ingredients with an "about" sign in front of them are just estimates of amounts. I really just added some cocoa butter, ccc, and coconut oil to a double boiler and melted it together, adding the stevia (for sweetness) and vanilla (for flavor) at the end. I wanted a lot chocolate coating on my protein bars, but feel free to use less if desired.

To make your protein bars:
  1.  Place walnuts, pumpkin seeds, ground chia, cranberries, coconut, sunbutter and salt in a food processor. Pulse to combine.
  2.  In a small sauce pan, melt coconut oil using LOW heat. Remove from heat and add vanilla and maple syrup.
  3.  Add melted oil mixture to the food processor and pulse/grind ingredients until it forms a coarse paste.
  4.  Scoop out the mixture and press down hard into an square bar pan.
  5.  Melt coconut and cocoa butter in a double boiler, add stevia and vanilla last when finally melted. Pour the white mixture on top of the already pressed down bars, it should be liquid. Place into the fridge until chocolate has hardened. To serve, take bars out of fridge for at least 2 minutes. Work a knife around the edges gently, or insert a large knife on side and gently pop out the bar  and place pieces of plastic wrap or small baggies. Freeze for later or munch right away :)


You can even cut them into smaller or easier to bite shapes, like in the second photo. Enjoy this easy + nutritious option on the go!

Banana Macadamia Muffins.

 

For the past two weeks I've been on a muffin craze, which has me seriously thinking why I don't make muffins more often. Perhaps the one thing between me and muffin-land is the belief that muffins take longer from start to finish. Well, after making 4 different batches of muffins in the past 2 weeks, I can definitely say, I am so totally wrong! Muffins are easy. Easy easy easy. Which means... More muffins! More muffins! Yay!

You will certainly feel my enthusiasm once you taste these muffins. I orginally found the recipe on Tropical Traditions coconut recipe website (which is great for inspiration), but have never made a recipe from there before. I never make a recipe from someone I don't know, or a blogger I don't respect. I've done it before, and they don't work out. Anyways! So these muffins looked so great, and after looking at the ingredient list I figured they couldn't go wrong, so I whipped up these muffins. I am so glad I did! They are moist, with just the right texture and not overloaded on any one ingredient. My favorite thing is that you can make these in one bowl quite easily, then pop them into the oven and you've got some delicious muffins to share!

I made some minor changes to the recipe, like subbing coconut water vinegar for lemon juice, since it's what I had on hand, and I didn't toast the coconut before adding it to the batter, since that would just be another step. I've also found that the recipe makes 14 muffins, so you'll need more than one muffin tin. Head over to thepaleomom.com for the original recipe!

Banana Macadamia Muffins.
    makes 14 muffins

    2/3 cup  macadamia nuts of choice, chopped
    2/3 cup  unsweetened coconut flakes
    1 cup  blanched almond flour
    ¼ cup  organic coconut flour - source
    3  ripe bananas, peeled and mashed
    2  eggs, room temperature
    1/3 cup  raw creamy honey
    1/3 cup  organic coconut oil, melted and cooled
    ¾ tsp  baking soda
    ½ tsp  unrefined sea salt
    1 tsp  coconut water vinegar or apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
    1 tsp  vanilla extract

To make your muffins:
  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees convection. Take out 2 muffin tins and place muffin liners inside.
  2. In a large bowl, add nuts, coconut, flours, baking soda, salt; mix to combine.
  3. To the same bowl, add eggs, bananas, honey, coconut oil, vinegar, vanilla; mix again to combine.
  4. Drop by tablespoons into the muffin tins. Fill 14 muffins full. *This will make 14 full sized muffins as long as there is no batter eaten in the process.
  5. Bake for about 30-35 minutes, rotating the pans at 20 minutes for best results. Let cool in pan for 5-10 minutes. Then move muffins to a cooling rack, which helps to firm up their bottoms. Enjoy!

These muffins can be frozen or refridgerated! I recommend storing them in the fridge, versus the countertop before eating. Be sure to share these with your family and friends, they're quite tasty!

Banana Bread Muffins.

Banana bread is one of my favorite things in this whole wide world. After being inspired by some banana macadamia nut muffins I made, I knew that I could make some banana bread muffins that were absolutely delicious! So that's what I did. They're also grain-free and gluten-free (and wicked tasty)!

These little muffins taste just like banana bread, but are more portable! They're also super easy to whip up too, which will be great for when I start classes again.

Banana Bread Muffins.
    makes 14 muffins

    2/3 cup  walnuts, chopped
    2/3 cup  unsweetened coconut flakes
    1 cup + 2 Tbsp  blanched almond flour
    ¼ cup  organic coconut flour - source
    3  ripe bananas, peeled and mashed
    2  eggs, room temperature
    1/4 cup  raw creamy honey
    1/3 cup  organic coconut oil, melted and cooled
    ¾ tsp  baking soda
    ½ tsp  unrefined sea salt
    1 tsp  coconut water vinegar or apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
    1½ tsp  vanilla extract
    1½ tsp  cinnamon
    ½ tsp  freshly ground nutmeg
    toppings - optional

To make your banana bread muffins:
  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees convection. Take out 2 muffin tins and place muffin liners inside.
  2. In a large bowl, add nuts, coconut, flours, baking soda, salt; mix to combine.
  3. To the same bowl, add eggs, bananas, honey, coconut oil, vinegar, vanilla; mix again to combine.
  4. Drop by tablespoons into the muffin tins. Fill 14 muffins full. *This will make 14 full sized muffins as long as there is no batter eaten in the process.
  5. Bake for about 30-35 minutes, rotating the pans at 20 minutes for best results. Let cool in pan for 5-10 minutes. Then move muffins to a cooling rack, which helps to firm up their bottoms. Enjoy!

I am such a fan of banana bread, I know I will be making these often! And they are sure to please a crowd, so try bringing them to parties and sharing with friends and family!!