GAPS Peanut Butter Crunch

Sweet, crunchy and a quick-grab-breakfast; cereal is an excellent invention.  The food industry has really done a number on this convenience food with all it's extrusion, colors, preservatives and other chemicals and processes. I understand fully that still, it is a hard thing to give up.  There are so many varying levels of commitment in a real food journey and once "the box" is gone, you have officially turned a corner in my book.

We are three years box-free, but still enjoy the goodness of cereal now and then with homemade, make ahead recipes like this one (GAPS) or this old favorite. We try not to over do it on nuts, so this is still a special treat.  It goes great with yogurt/kefir and bananas.  It is like a tangy, extra crunchy peanut butter cookie. Thanks to The Healthy Home Economist for the inspiration, check out her Cinnamon Crunch Breakfast recipe as well.

4 cups soaked and dehydrated almonds
2 cups organic, soaked, dehydrated and roasted peanuts
3 cups kefir or yogurt
3/4 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup honey
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup coconut flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grind two cups of almonds with one cup of kefir in blender until smooth. Pour mixture into large bowl and repeat with two cups almonds and one cup kefir, pour into bowl. Grind one final batch, this time using two cups peanuts and the final cup of kefir, add this to the large bowl as well.  Place oil, honey, salt and vanilla in blender to combine well and add to nuts.  Stir the entire batter to combine, sprinkle coconut flour on mixture and mix thoroughly.  Pour batter into a half sheet pan (9 x13) and bake for 40 minutes. Let cool and then crumble onto baking sheets or dehydrator trays and dehydrate at 150-200 degrees for 12 - 16 hours. Once cooled, store in airtight container in the refrigerator.
links; Fresh Bites Friday, Finer Things Friday

Sourdough Banana Bread

Remake recipes.  This is what I do.  I love sourdough.  It is so basic and traditional and completely opposite of the modern food ideal.  Sour, dense, slow verses sweet, light and fast.  It really doesn't take long to get your tastes to change and there are many tricks to get you over the hump.  Some of my ideas are; add more sugar to start our and ease back slowly, use white flour to start and slowly start substituting whole grain flour for more and more, let your dough sour for 8 hours, then add conventional yeast for a fast final rise.

I am still new at this, however, so when I want to make sourdough banana bread for the first time, I need a place to jump from.  In this case, I used my super yummy Sourdough Chocolate Cupcake recipe.  Cut back on the oil and sugar because bananas are sweet and moist, then add more flour to compensate for the liquid the banana puree contributes.  Obviously there is a longer bake time, so I had to play around with that.  Now I don't mind when the bananas get old.

1 cup freshly fed sourdough starter
1 cup raw milk
3 cups spelt flour
3/4 cups coconut sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup coconut oil
2 cups over ripe banana puree
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

Mix starter, milk and flour. Cover and let rest at room temperature for 6-8 hours. Don’t worry if it doesn’t get really bubbly. Cream together sugar and eggs. Add oil, banana puree, vanilla, salt and baking soda smooth. Add half of sourdough mixture and pulse 3 times. Scrape out remaining mixture and pulse until thoroughly mixed but do not whip vigorously. The texture is quite gloppy. Ladle into 2 small, greased (with coconut oil) bread pans and bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes and remove from pan to cool. Delicious to eat when it is still warm with a pad of butter, but if storing, it is best to cool completely before slicing.
links; Pennywise Platter, Things I Love Thursday, Ultimate Recipe Swap, Foodie Friday, Finer Things Friday, GCC Recipe Swap

Soaked Peanut Butter Oatmeal Breakfast Cake

My grandma never bought sugary cereals for her kids, my mom was so bummed about this that she always knew that her kids were going to have sugary cereal.  And we did.  Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Cookie Crisp and Peanut Butter Captain Crunch were some of my faves.

While my elementary school had actually served edible food, middle school and high school did not.  So when I entered the 7th grade I came home VERY hungry.  I had to start eating a more substantial breakfast because I didn't touch the cafeteria lunches.  This was 2 packets of flavored instant oatmeal cooked in the microwave with extra sugar. 

So I have merged and healthified my favorite morning meals from the past to make this Soaked Peanut Butter Oatmeal.  It is has great peanut flavor, is slightly sweet and has a thin crispy crust on top.  If I forget to start the oats soaking 24 hours in advanced, I throw in ¼ cup rye flour or flakes to speed the breakdown of antinutrients.  This recipe is yummy with any nut butter, make your own with soaked and dehydrated nuts for super nutrition.

3 cups steel cut oats

3 tablespoons whey or lemon juice

3 cups water

1/3 cup sucanat

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1/2 cup peanut butter

2 eggs

3/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons vanilla

3/4 cup milk

Soak oats with water and whey for 24 hours.  Place in fine strainer, rinse well and let drip for 5 minutes.  Meanwhile, combine sugar, butter and peanut butter, mix well.  Beat in eggs, salt and vanilla.  Carefully thin out with milk, mix in strained oats and pour into a 9 by 13 baking dish, spread evenly and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.  Serve with bananas, raisins and fresh whipped cream.

I bet this chocolate whipped cream would be divine.
links; Tasty Tuesday, Tempt My Tummy, Traditional Tuesday, Real Food Wednesday, Works For Me Wednesday

Herbed Smoked Salmon Yogurt Cheese Spread

Have you made yogurt cheese?  It is a great way to make your yogurt thicker to any degree.  Just pour into a fine cheese cloth, tie the ends, let it hang and drip into a bowl (I use a wide vase)  A short drip of 2-4 hours will just give you a creamier yogurt like a Greek yogurt.  4-6 hours yields a great sour cream replacement that makes great veggie dips.  To make a cream cheese consistency, you will need to drip for 6 hours, open cloth, scrape, stir and turn contents to loosen, then drip 4 more hours. For this recipe I used a cheese somewhere between sour cream and cream cheese.

4 ounces smoked salmon

1 small shallot, finely minced

¼ cup fresh herbs, minced

4 ounces yogurt cheese

¼ teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and refrigerate for 1 hour to let flavors meld.  Spread on a fresh English muffin.
links; Hearth and Soul Hop, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, Tasty Tuesday, Monday Mania, Happy Homemaker Monday, Menu Plan Monday

Chia Pudding

For breakfast, a snack, dessert or a cute, green furry pet. Ch-ch-ch-chia.

While the chia seed is not cheap, when you look at it's nutritional profile it kinda is.  It contains more iron than spinach, more antioxidants than blueberries, more fiber than beans, more calcium than milk, and more potassium than bananas. Not to mention that it is a complete protein and an excellent source of omega three's.  This is a super food in it's own right and versatile as all get out.

Add a couple tablespoons to your smoothies. Use to thicken sauces by just mixing in the seeds (about 1 tablespoon per 1/2 cup) and letting the mixture set up for 20 minutes.  You can make a "chia gel" by mixing 2 tablespoon seeds and 1 cup water, refrigerate overnight.  This gel is flavorless, will keep for a month and can be used in yogurt, salsa, soups, and salad dressings.  Chia gel is also a great egg replacement; 1/4 cup gel equal 1 egg in a recipe.

 One of my favorite uses for chia seeds is chia pudding.  A really flexible recipe.  You can go basic with just the seeds milk and sweetener.  Vanilla adds a nice flavor and I love the spices, but you could also go chocolate by mixing in 2 tablespoons cacao or cocoa powder, this would slightly hide the brown specks in the pudding.  My favorite milk to use in fresh coconut milk, almond milk is excellent, but cow's milk or goat's milk would do the trick too.  As always; the creamier the better!

3 cups milk
1/2 cup chia seeds
1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

Combine all ingredients in a quart jar.  Stir well and refrigerate overnight.  Especially great with sliced strawberries, bananas, peaches or mangoes mixed in before serving.

How do you like your chia?
links; Hearth and Soup Hop, Menu Plan Monday, Tasty Tuesday, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, Happy Homemaker Monday, Monday Mania, Fight Back Friday, Recipe Swap, Finer Things Friday

Huevos Rancheros

When the stars align we enjoy this classic Mexican dish; breakfast lunch or dinner.  We eat a lot of Mexican food around here. Sometimes it is nice to mix it up, same great flavors but a completely different combo.  Typically this meal is all about leftovers, hense the stars align reference.  I use my flour or corn tortillas and green chili beans.  Sautee some hash browns, fry some eggs, yummo.

If you ever find yourself at Liberty Market during breakfast hours, they have a burrito variation of this that is excellent.

1+ tablespoon coconut oil
2 medium potatoes, grated or cut into matchsticks
1 pepper (sweet or hot) diced
1/2 onion, diced
1 cup pinto beans
4 eggs
1/4 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
salt and pepper
6 warm tortillas

Cook and brown potatoes in coconut oil in a fry pan over medium heat.  When mostly cooked, push to the side and sautee veggies.  After about 5 minutes add beans and salt and pepper to taste.  Cook and season eggs (we like over easy) in a separate fry pan.  Mash them and divide amongst the tortillas.  Sprinkle each taco with cheese and add a couple scoops of hash browns and top with the bean mixture.  Optional topping include sour cream (kefir cream), salsa and guacamole.
links; Simple Lives Thursday, Things I Love Thursday, Cooking Thursday, Fresh Bites Friday, Foodie Friday, Recipe Swap, Frugal Friday, Finer Things Friday, Fightback Friday

Orange Julius

Thanks to my eldest, we keep pretty stocked in the fresh squeezed orange juice department.  He has got a love for gadgets and has taken a liking in to my grandma's simple little electric juicer.  I can't believe that thing is keeping up!

The orange juice is amazing, but straight juice can be a little hard on the system in quantity. So I formulated this healthy beverage that is more balanced and nourishing.

I have been using coconut milk because we got two fresh coconuts in our bountiful basket last week.  You could use almond milk or whole milk.  The egg adds extra creaminess, flavor and beefs up the snack.  I have read about raw egg whites blocking absorption of B vitamins, so you may want to research that to decide if you want to leave that out.  Sweetener is also optional, it is not entirely necessary, but if you have a sweet tooth, a little bit of maple syrup or coconut sugar makes it a nice treat.  I have found that honey is hard to incorporate with cold things.

I haven't had a real Orange Julius in more than 10 years. It is probably more accurate to say this is my first real orange julius since the establishment serves something that is hardly real.  It is made with orange juice concentrate and a lot of powders.  One is called a "flavor enhancer" and contains;  Modified whey solids, maltodextrin, egg white solids, sugar, karaya gum, natural and artificial flavors, corn syrup solids, guar gum, modified food starch, dipotassium phosphate, titanium dioxide, xanthan gum, dextrose.  Yikes!! Apparently much of this stuff is illegal in Canada because the chain has to use a different formula there which only has six of the fourteen ingredients.

2 eggs
1 cup orange juice
1 cup milk or yogurt
1 cup ice
1 pinch salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
maple syrup or coconut sugar(optional)

Blend all ingredients well and serve.

We got a Magic Bullet from my mother in law for Christmas and it makes these extremely well :)
links; Simple Lives Thursday, Cooking Thursday, Things I Love Thursday, Finer Things Friday, Frugal Friday, Fightback Friday, Recipe Swap, Fresh Bites Friday.

Sourdough Waffles

I figured this one out many months ago and have been making it very regularly.  For some reason, I can’t get it to work well for pancakes, but these waffles are killer.  The sour is ever so slight and they cook up so crispy and tender.  Of coarse, a good waffle iron helps too.  These win over even the most intricate yeasted waffles that call for beating the egg whites separately and carefully folding them in.  Bah, this is too easy!

Even though I use expensive oil and sweetener, without the kefir, which I used to use to soak the batter, this recipe is cheaper too.  Besides, when you are working with sourdough, it starts to accumulate.  You have to keep feeding it twice a day for it to get really nice.  Sometimes I end up throwing out some so that there is room in the jar to feed it again. I hate waste and this recipe helps me to use the extra so I don't get a complex.  Typically, I feed 1 cup starter with 2 1/2 cups spelt flour and 2 cups water the night before.  Cover loosely and let set on the counter overnight. This is a wet starter.  You want the batter to be pretty thin, makes for really light waffles.

I serve my waffles with butter, whipped cream, berries and homemade jam.  Sometimes we go all out with this Carmel Banana Pecan Topping.  YUM.

Be sure to register now for Sourdough 101 this Wednesday, we are going to make my favorite pizza and discuss the ins and outs of baking with sourdough.  But if you must miss it, check out Jenny's online class on sourdough, another fermented food!

2 eggs

¼ cup coconut oil

¼ cup maple syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla

¼ teaspoon salt

5 cups bubbly sourdough starter

2 teaspoons baking soda

Whip 2 eggs with oil, syrup, vanilla and salt.  Mix in starter.  Sprinkle baking soda over mixture and whip one more time.  Pour onto hot waffle iron.  Seriously, that’s it!

links; Menu Plan Monday, Monday Mania

Soaked English Muffins

English muffins are in the same category as most bread products.  Like pitas and tortillas, it is impossible to find a store bought variety made with healthful ingredients, properly prepared that tastes good.

These are great to just eat with butter and honey, or make little sandwiches with.  We like smoked salmon, egg and cheese J.

2 cups spelt flour
¾ cup kefir or buttermilk
1 teaspoon honey
¼ teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

Combine spelt, kefir and honey, mix well.  Let soak on counter about 12 hours.  Combine baking soda, baking powder and salt.  Sprinkle over soaking flour, mix well.

Heat skillet to medium (about 275 degrees).  Form dough into rustic biscut shapes.  Place on dry, preheated skillet.  Cook 4 minutes, carefully flip and cook 4 minutes on second side.  Split with a fork, serve warm.  Toast to reheat.
links; Finer Things Friday, Foodie Friday, GCC Recipe Swap

Basic Bircher Muesli

I had this delicious breakfast for the first time just last month.  My husband and I were on a Caribbean Cruise and I came across it on the breakfast buffet.  Breakfast is a hard place to find real food, and when you are eating out every meal 7 days in a row, you kinda want to find stuff that your body is used to so that you feel good.  The problem is there is so much sugar and refined foods, all the waffles, pancakes, bagels, pastries and muffins are made with white flour.  Scrambled eggs are usually made with powdered mixes and the diary is all skimmed, ultra pasteurized junk.

I mostly stuck to fruit and water, which is really a great light breakfast to eat when you are overeating for lunch and dinner.  Except on the days that we spent off the ship, we wanted a nice hearty breakfast that would last us into the afternoon so that we didn't have to stop to eat.  Luckily they did have smoked salmon and eggs over-easy, there is no tricking with egg powders there.  This was standard hearty breakfast, but I decided to try the muesli to round out the meal, even though I knew the dairy in it was terrible stuff.  What can I say?  I'm bad to the bone. It was so filling and took me through the day!  We would get back on the boat as late as 4pm without eating since breakfast without a problem.

I did come back with some wickedly congested lymph nodes thanks to that crappy dairy I suppose, but now I can make my own healthy version at home :)  I am so glad I picked this one up because it is so quick and easy to make.  It can also be changed up to incorporate different flavors.  I have listed my base recipe, but have come across some fun variations online by adding different dried and fresh fruits, nuts, spices, nuts. I saw many with grated apple, which I will definitely be trying.  The one in the picture I made super cinnamon-y.

I have found that I like to add fresh fruit and nuts just before serving, they are not as pleasant when they are soaked with the oats.  I add in some rye flakes when soaking because I heard somewhere that this helps the oats to be more digestible and now it is habit, totally your preference.  I also have been soaking this in the fridge verses the counter because I want it to be cold in the morning and I don't think ahead enough to get it started in the morning.  I have made up big enough batches to serve it a second day and it was just as good.

1 cup whole milk yogurt
1/3 cup rye flakes
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup raisins
2-3 tablespoons maple syrup
1 1/2 cups milk
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup chopped almonds
1 cup fresh fruit

The day before, place yogurt, grains, raisins, maple syrup, milk, cinnamon and vanilla in glass bowl or jar.  Mix well, cover and refrigerate.  In the morning, sprinkle with salt, mix and serve up portions in bowls.  Top each bowl with nuts, fruit and additional milk or yogurt if desired.
links; Works for Me Wednesday, Real Food Wednesday, Things I Love Thursday, Ultimate Recipe Swap, Simple Lives Thursday, Pennywise Platter

Mini Fruit Tarts

Melt in your mouth, tender, flaky, mmmm.  I kinda have a thing for puff pastry! These tasty desserts/extra special breakfast items were born out of an ancestral recipe. Kolaches are a family favorite from my beloved Czechs line again. They are made with simple sweet, yeasted dough and traditionally have a poppy seed or nut and date filling.  Puff pastry is completely different dough, and I use what ever filling is convenient, with gobs of them in my freezer, apricot and blueberry make good sense. 

The last time I had kolaches was when my grandfather died 17 years ago.  Many neighbor’s and friend brought them to my grandma’s house for the family to enjoy, how comforting they were!  Though I have recipes for the sweet treat, I have never made them myself.  I always reverently think of them when I am making these tarts, which makes them extra special.

Trader Joes has their all butter puff pastry back in stock, so if you are not up for making my homemade version at the moment, grab some there.  The glaze is up to you, I think they are still wonderful without, but it is nice to add to your desired sweetness.  It is fun to have a variety of fillings and see all the colors randomly placed together.  Note that a little goes a long way, each little tart can only handle a rounded tablespoon.  Also, jam does not have enough starch to hold up in the oven.

1 cup pureed fruit (may be slightly chunky)

½ cup honey (I used sucanat with blueberries)

2 tablespoons arrowroot powder

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 recipe puff pastry

½ cup powdered sucanat

1 tablespoon butter, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Warm fruit in a sauce pan.  Stir arrowroot powder in with the honey and add to fruit.  Cook to a simmer.  Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice.  Let cool.  Cut pastry with a round cookie cutter and place circles on baking sheet 1 inch apart.  Combine the left over pieces by pressing them together lightly and cutting for more rustic rounds (this keeps the light texture, re rolling makes them tougher.) Let rise for 30 minutes.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Push your thumb in the center of every round to make a dent for the filling. Carefully place 1 heaping tablespoon filling in each dent.  Bake for 10 minutes, or until pastry is lightly browned.  Mix sucanat, butter and vanilla until smooth.  Drizzle on warm tarts or brush glaze on edges. Cool for 15 minutes before serving.

I have had good luck freezing the finished product and popping them in the toaster oven on low for 10 minutes to thaw and reheat.

links; Simple Lives Thursdays, Whole Foods for the Holiday's

Sprouted Blueberry Muffins

I reserve my sprouted flour for when I don’t have time to soak, or the recipe doesn’t turn out as well when soaked.  Sometimes my evenings get hectic and I have to think quick in the morning.  A lot of times that means soaked granola, which I try to always keep on hand.  If I don’t, my husband will default to Raisin Bran L.  Smoothies are another fast and fun option. But if I am up before the kids, muffins are a nice treat for all of us.  I love them loaded with plump blueberries!

You will find that this is plenty sweet, the sweetener can easily be cut back to your liking.  You can make cinnamon sugar with powdered sucanat mixed with cinnamon.  I bake in muffin papers because my muffin tins have a non stick coating that I don’t want baking into my food.  Also beware that many are made of aluminum, so the paper barrier is good insurance.  If you are in the market for muffin tins, seek out ones that are safe to bake in to save yourself from having to keep a stock of the special papers.

This recipe can easily be soaked by combining the flour and kefir the night before and mixing the same way.  The bake time listed here is for standard muffins, generally add 5 minutes for large muffins and subtract 5 minutes for mini muffins.  If you only have frozen berries, toss them in a little flour before lightly mixing in to keep the color from running in the batter and disperse more evenly instead of all ending up at the bottom.

1 egg

1/4 cup powdered sucanat or brown sugar

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

½  banana

2/3 cup kefir or buttermilk

3 tablespoons coconut oil

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon salt

2 cups sprouted flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup blueberries

cinnamon sugar

Place ingredients from egg to salt in blender, blend well.  Place flour, soda and baking powder on top and pulse until combined.  Drop in blueberries and give a little swirl with a spoon. Pour into muffin papers and sprinkle tops with cinnamon sugar.  Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. 

links; tuesday twister, Whole Foods for the Holiday's

Carmel Banana Pecan Topping

We were in need of a new syrup for Friday Morning Waffles. My last creation was a bomb; a goopy, grainy, bitter mess (I blame the peaches, anybody found a way to use up icky mushy peaches?) Usually fresh berries and whipped cream suffice, only one problem, berry season is gone. We have done syrups from frozen berries and those are nice too. But for this morning I came up with a nice buttery topping with bananas that was such a treat. I can see this going well on a lot of things… hot cereal, ice cream, brownies, vegetables.

For the waffles I used the same recipe as my soaked pancakes, sometimes changing up the grains to spelt and oats. Make sure you have a nice, clean, nonstick waffle iron that gets really hot to prevent sticking. Even with all that, I still spray the iron before the fist one goes on, just for good measure.

1/3 cup sucanat
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup soaked and dehydrated pecans
2 bananas, sliced

Melt sugar and salt in butter until smooth. Add vanilla, pecans and bananas. Heat through and serve.

Feel-Good Granola

I have had a hard time finding the right granola. The bars of coarse have all the icky vegetable oils and high fructose corn syrup, tasty, conveniently packaged, deceptive health food. There are tons of “natural granolas” that use less refined oils and sweeteners, but still contain lower quality ingredients for a sky high price. Besides, I always feel yucky after eating any more than a handful. Come to find out, oats are SUPER high in this new common term “phytic acid.” Along with nuts that are heavy in enzyme inhibitors—this stuff is just plain hard to digest.

Granola is great to have on hand for a filling, shelf stable snack and a quick breakfast cereal. Commercial boxed breakfast cereals are dangerously toxic. It is so sad that so many people are eating these every day, sometimes twice a day, most of the time doubling or tripling the serving size. The media and FDA have pushed these boxes as health food. Sadly, even the low sugar, color-free, natural and organic brands are making us sick. The problem is with the way that the grain is processed; high temperature, high pressure. This process of extrusion destroys nutrients and fatty acids and renders the amino acids toxic.

This has been such a wonderful replacement for us. Same great sweetness, crunch and shelf life of the boxed variety with none of the awful effects. When I have this for breakfast I am so satisfied, for a long time. The food is easy to digest and the nutrients are easily absorbed because proper care is taken in the preparation. I love that I can keep this raw by dehydrating instead of baking. Do yourself a big favor and master the art of nourishing granola making.

4 cups rolled grains (I use oats, barley and rye) THE MUSH

1/2 cup whole flax seeds
1/2 cup whole millet
1/2 cup kefir (vinegar or lemon juice)
5 cups water
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup sucanat
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup shredded coconut, unsweetened
1 cup raisins
1 cup previously soaked and dehydrated walnuts
1/2 cup sprouted kamut flour

In a large bowl, place rolled grains, flax seed and millet. Add kefir and water, mix, cover and let soak on counter for 12 to 24 hours. The mixture will become a bowl of mush. Place mixture in a mesh strainer and rinse well. In a large bowl combine oil, sugar, syrup, cinnamon and salt. Fold in rinsed mush, coconut, raisins, nuts and flour. Spread out in a thin layer on 3 lined baking sheets. Bake on lowest oven setting until dry, turning as needed. I used my oven’s dehydrating setting at 115 degrees to preserve the enzymes and turned about every 6 -8 hours for 24 hours. The higher the heat, the more you turn and the less time it takes to dry.

Soaked Blender Pancakes

I have this book; Nourishing Traditions. I read through it every now and again because I find the information so valid, it just makes good sense. But the sense is so overwhelming. I am so far from where I want to be...still. I felt I was ready to take the next step, so I dusted off that yellow cookbook and found what I was looking for.

I am ready for the benefits of soaking grains and beans. The reason being the natural phytic acid that is present to prevent them from sprouting prematurely. This acid is an anti-nutrient, meaning it blocks the absorption of nutrients on your body. Soaking grain and beans in a slightly acidic solution (vinegar, lemon juice, cultured products) for 12 to 24 hours breaks down the phytic acid for ease of nutrient absorption and digestibility.

So I have had some messes as I experiment with my own recipes and try to change them to incorporate this soaking method. But alas, success...more than success. These pancakes are hands down the best I have ever had! It takes planing ahead and I am slowly getting the hang of it. It takes an extra step in the already elaborate meals I plan. It definatly takes the love of health and good food to drive me in my quest for knowledge.

What is your latest quest you have set out to master in the name of health?

1 cup kamut

½ cup barley

¼ cup amaranth

1 ½ cup kefir

1 cup milk

2 eggs

2 tablespoons coconut oil

2 tablespoons real maple syrup

½ teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon Rumford's baking powder

Sometime the day before, place grain and kefir in blender, mix on low until combined and cover. In the morning add milk, eggs, oil, syrup, salt and vanilla. Blend for 3 minutes until very smooth. Add baking soda and powder and pulse until combined. At this point the batter will start to grow so you may need to transfer it to a large bowl. Pour/ladle onto a preheated 350 degree skillet and cook on each side for 1 minute. For extra crispy edges, brush pan with butter or coconut oil.

This post is part of Real Food Wednesdays.

Green House Smoothie

After years of trying to cover up the green-ness of spinach in smoothies, I have finally decided to embrace the color that epitomizes nutrition. Smoothies are great for packing a big nutrition 1-2 punch. There are TONS of supplemental items that can hide in a nice, smooth, refreshing beverage. This is a sample recipe that even my husband enjoys. If I am making one for just me and the kids I will add a few more goodies, or add them after I have poured him a glass. Smoothies are a chance to get creative, use up what you have. Always remember to freeze produce that is about to go bad and just throw them into the next smoothie.

2 cups kefir
¼ cup flax oil
dash of salt
½ teaspoon vanilla
3 whole kiwis
2 bananas-frozen
core of 1 pineapple-frozen
3 cups baby spinach
2 cups ice

Place all ingredients in blender for 45 seconds. Turn into “ugly smoothie” by adding frozen berries.

Other goodies:
Seaweed
Nutritional yeast
Hydrated chia seeds
Hemp seeds
Soaked nuts
Coconut oil
Essential oil
Kale
Carrots
Avacado
Beans
Sprouts

Multi Grain Banana Bread

Sweet breads are typically white flour, laden with vegetable oil and white sugar, just because there are a couple cups of bananas or zucchini does not overcome the fact that these breads are no better than a birthday cake. With a little know how, these three major issues can be remedied.

First off, mild flavored whole grains can be used to a a whole lot of nutrition. I recommend barley, oats, kamut and soft white wheat, any combination from one to all four will give good results. To give the whole grains a lift, increase the baking powder by 1/2 teaspoon.

Next, we address vegetable oil, which is the lowest class of oil next to hydrogenated (why must they taint the glorious "V" word?) My oil of choice in this case is coconut oil, followed by light olive oil and expeller pressed canola oil. No need for a full cup, the bananas and kefir give moisture a boost, while taking care to not over bake makes a world of difference.

Lastly, the dreaded over processed white sugar. It is true that texture of, lets face it-cake, is benefited by white sugar. But surely 2 cups is over doing it. For me and my kids 1/4 cup white sugar and 1/4 cup maple syrup is sweet enough to be a treat. Jarom adds a sprinkle of powdered sugar to his slices. Consider cutting back on sugar little by little, if you go too far just garnish with powdered sugar. Another trick is sprinkling a couple tablespoons on top of the batter before cooking, coarse sugars like turbinado work great for this.

Once we had banana bread for breakfast the and kids thought I was being naughty. Layne said "We did not have a very healthy breakfast today, Mom." Of coarse I argued that we did.

1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup of white sugar
2 eggs
2 tablespoons coconut oil
3 tablespoons kefir or buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 medium bananas
2/3 cup barley flour
2/3 cup oat flour
2/3 cup soft white wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 5x9 inch loaf pan. Cut a 5x9 inch piece of parchment and place in the bottom of the pan.In blender place syrup, sugar and egg. Blend on low for 45 seconds. Add oil, kefir, vanilla and bananas. Blend again for 30 seconds. Place the remaining ingredients on top of mixture. Pulse until mostly combined, finish mixing with a spatula and pour into loaf pan. Bake for about 45 minutes.

Be sure to check the bread a couple times in the last 10 minutes for doneness. Press gently on the middle of the loaf, firm is done. When you remove loaf from the oven, let cool 5-10 minutes in the pan, then turn out on a wire rack and peel the parchment from the bottom.

Breakfast Salad

Cooking with whole grains is a lifestyle, once converted, your refrigerator shelves will forever be adorned with transient containers of steamed grains. Don’t wait for a recipe calling for something specific, get two pots of grains cooking NOW. This simple act of preparation makes way for limitless possibilities at meal time. As you make dinner, choose a grain that is waiting for you in the fridge and add it in with the sauce, vegetables, rice, meat, beans or noodles.

Begin with a sprinkle here and there with meals your family always like to eat. As little as a tablespoon per serving will give you an idea of what flavors and textures are compatible without ruining the dish. Avoid resistance by ensuring the food tastes good. If it needs a little sugar or an extra pat of butter, be liberal in order to please the palettes of you test subjects. Once you have a knack for the sprinkle, go for the scoop and in no time you will find yourself a fellow dumper.

This is a clean-out-the-refrigerator salad for those fruits and grains way in the back that are screaming with their last breath. The sweet and fresh flavors of the dressing liven up any produce. Use what ever grains, fruits, nuts, sweetener, vinegar or oil you have lurking. As the name reflects, we usually enjoy this salad as our breakfast. But it is a wonderful side dish, fruit salad alternative or even a light lunch when served on a bed of lettuce.

1 cup barley, cooked
1 cup oat groats, cooked and rinsed
1 cup strawberries, sliced
2 bananas, sliced
1 cup pecans, chopped

Dressing:
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup raw honey
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
½ teaspoon salt
1/3 cup flax oil
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Blend dressing thoroughly. Pour over salad, toss to coat.

links; Whole Foods for the Holiday's

Coconut Rice

11.7.09 I revised this recipe to involve a traditional soaking method that breaks down anti-nutrients found in whole grains, yielding a nutrient superior end result.

We have this bowl of delish for breakfast weekly. It reheats well and makes a great snack or even dessert (think rice pudding without so much pudding). I am a HUGE coconut fan and it happens to be really good for you too. In the summer I use coconut oil almost exclusively. I have been missing it, but am not going to wish hot weather on us yet. Coconut oil liquefies at 75 degrees making it pourable and easy to use. When it is below 75 degrees it solidifies and taking the time to melt before using takes too much forethought some days. I buy it in a 5 gallon bucket from Nourishing Traditions, it is great food storage since it lasts for years. Coconut oil is great for your skin, inside and out. Try using it as a natural moisturizer.

Any rice, nuts, fruit and sweetener would work here, but I am partial to this particular combination. Blueberries and walnuts are both super foods, how great to start the day like that? Frozen blueberries warmed through are my choice over fresh because they add a little sauce to the mix. The kids like the berries straight from the freezer to act as little ice cubes, they always prefer their food cold.

6 cups water

3 tablespoons kefir (lemon juice or apple cider vinegar)
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups brown basmati rice
1 can coconut milk
2 cups blueberries
3/4 cup soaked and dehydrated walnuts, coarsely chopped
½ cup shredded unsweetened coconut
1/2 cup pure maple syrup

Soak rice in 3 cups water plus 3 tablespoons kefir overnight (6 to 12 hours). Strain and rinse rice. Bring 3 cups water to a boil, add salt and stir in rice. Pressure for 6 minutes on high, natural release or simmer 20 minutes. Stir in coconut milk. Serve up in bowls and top with blueberries, shredded coconut, and maple syrup to taste.

Clean Your Plate Recipe Challenge July; Coconut Milk

Multi Grain Belgian Waffles

Crispy on the outside, tender on the inside; waffles make breakfast special. This recipe includes high quality, fresh and nutritious ingredients.

Pure maple syrup is the real stuff from the maple tree, not processes with corn, artificial flavorings, colorings and preservatives. It has a strong flavor on its own, but works well in baked goods.

Whole grain flours are interchangeable, they fall into two categories; mild flavors and strong flavors. Since waffles are a non yeasted bread we don’t have to take into account gluten content. I use the mild flavor flours for the majority of the flour: soft white wheat, kamut, oats, spelt, hard white wheat, barley, brown rice. I use the strong flavor flours in small amounts: quinoa, buckwheat, amaranth, teff, millet, flax. Soft white wheat is perfect for the main flour in pancakes and waffles. It is low in gluten which makes for a tender end product without the worry of over mixing. Of coarse all the flour can be replaced with white flour, but where’s the fun in that?

Rumford’s baking powder is aluminum free. Aluminum has a bad after taste and is bad for you. You will find that whole grain recipes call for more baking powder in general because they are heavier and need more “lift.”

2 eggs
2 tablespoon pure maple syrup
2 tablespoon coconut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
2/3 cup kefir or buttermilk
1 cup milk
1 cup soft white wheat flour
1/2 cup kamut flour
¼ cup white quinoa flour
1 tablespoon Rumford’s baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Beat together wet ingredients. Stir in dry ingredients. Pour onto a hot greased waffle iron. I suggest a Waring Pro or Villaware Makes 8 waffles.