Tag Archives: breakfast

Gluten Free Protein Pancakes

Breakfast is my favorite meal, and I have always loved pancakes with whipping cream and berries. Over the past four years, we have significantly changed the way we eat. With food sensitivities in our family, and with my slow thyroid, we have to be careful to get the right foods into our diets, and avoid consuming too many carbs. When I found this recipe, I was so excited because it meant that I could enjoy a meal I had always loved, with just a little twist on the ingredients. I have added my own little flare to it because I just can’t resist playing around with recipes to make them a little more personally enjoyable. These pancakes fit the criteria for our family in every way. They are gluten free, they taste good, they are appealing to the eye, they are light like a crepe, they have an excellent protein to carb ratio,  and they are filling and satisfying.

Gluten Free Protein Pancakes

Gluten Free Protein Pancakes

Ingredients

  • Topping -
  • Mixed berries pre-heated on stove
  • Whipping cream sweetened with stevia
  • Pancakes -
  • 1 cup gluten free oats
  • 1 cup cottage cheese
  • 1 cup egg whites
  • 2 tsp. aluminum free baking powder
  • dash of vanilla
  • dash of cinnamon
  • Dash of Himalayan Salt

Instructions

  1. To your blender, add the oats and blend into powder
  2. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend well.
  3. Spray a pre-heated griddle with coconut oil spray and add medium size circles of pancake batter. Usually six to eight pancakes will fit on a griddle. When batter bubbles, it's time to flip them. After cooking on second side, remove from griddle, top with berries and whipping cream and enjoy! Remember to spray the griddle with coconut oil spray in between batches.
http://heidistjohn.com/blog/recipes/gluten-free-protein-pancakes

We serve with mixed berries lightly sweetened with stevia, and we flavor the whipping cream with a dash of vanilla and stevia.

Options – 

    • To keep the carbs low, limit the amount of whipping cream you top your berries and pancakes with
    • For our family of seven, I triple the batch, use half of it, and refrigerate the rest for a second meal later in the week.

A healthy lifestyle is an important aspect to taking care of your body. God has only given us one body to house us while we are on this earth, and it matters greatly, how we care for it.

Caring for your body and feeding it well doesn’t mean you can only eat things you don’t like because they are good for you. God created food and intended it to be pleasurable as well. He is the creator of the taste bud, after all!  Researching new, healthy, recipes is one of my favorite past times and I have discovered many delicious new ways of preparing foods that my family loves. We don’t feel deprived because of our “limitations” due to foods we can’t eat, rather we see it a fun challenge to implement new ways to enjoy the core nutrition our bodies need for health and vitality.

 

“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”    I Corinthians 6:19-20

“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”   I Corinthians 10:31

Easy Allergy Free Banana Muffins

I’m not an overachiever when it come to gluten free baking.  If I see a list of more than two flours or anything I can’t easily get my hands on, I won’t even look any further at the recipe.  As often as possible, I want to use only brown rice flour and some starch, though I even avoid the extra starch as often as I can. That’s why this recipe has been a long time favorite!

It’s an adaptation from this White Lily Cookbook someone gave us as a wedding gift.

Preheat oven to 350.

Combine in a small bowl, stir together:

2 c brown rice flour
1/2 c starch (potato/tapioca/corn or mix of any of them)
1 t salt
1 t baking soda
1 t cinnamon

Combine in mixing bowl and beat until well blended:

3 eggs   (best substitute written below)
4-5 mashed bananas (about 2 c after mashing)
1/2 c shortening (I prefer Spectrum)
1 1/2 c sugar
1 t vanilla extract

Directions: Add dry ingredients to mixing bowl and mix on low (or hand stir) only until moistened.  Pour into muffin tins and bake for 18-20 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean or muffins are lightly brown on top.

Free tip for all quick bread recipes: Do not over stir or you’ll end up with rubbery muffins.

Options, because all allergy free bakers like options!
*Coconut oil substituted for shortening – I have found this to be too wet, so I don’t prefer it, but it works.
*If using a cup for cup gluten free flour blend, use 2 1/2 c of it and eliminate the starch.
*Egg substitute – 2T ground flax stirred into 2T warm water (let sit for 2-3 minutes to gel) – This is for EACH egg in a recipe and is a fabulous substitute for all breads and (non-snow white) cakes.
*Substitute 1/2 c almond flour to add some protein. Makes them a little heavy, but I don’t mind trading that for the added protein.
*Applesauce can be substituted for the oil in order to make these 2 point weight watchers muffins. The texture is different, but they’re still good.

Enjoy!

signature-melissa

Quick and Easy Delicious Donuts

Great treat for family night or a weekend breakfast--quick and easy delicious donuts!

 

Our family is on a real food journey. This means that most of what we eat is made from real, whole, quality ingredients and not chemical-laden, processed foods.

However, there are still a few things that just scream comfort, and this is one of those things.

In our family, Fridays are “fun night.” We have something fun for supper and watch a family-friendly show or movie. Sometimes we make something extra fun for dessert like these donuts. “Real” donuts have their place and I love those too, but there is just something special about these biscuit donuts.

If you haven’t tried them, you are in for a real treat!

Quick & Easy Biscuit Donuts

What you need:

  • 1 Can of regular canned biscuits (10 ct)
  • Granulated sugar
  • Oil (for frying)
  • Deep Fryer (worth the investment for the ease, but not required)

What to do:

  1. Preheat oil to 350 degrees. (if you’re using a regular skillet, just fill skillet with 2 inches of oil and heat on med-high heat.
  2. Open biscuits and remove from can. Form biscuits into shapes. For “donuts,” I simply use the round end of a wooden spoon to poke a hole in the middle and then work it a bit to widen the hole. For the “holes,” I simply tear a biscuit into 3-4 pieces and roll them into loose balls.
  3. Once you have your donuts and holes ready, and the oil is thoroughly heated, you’re ready to fry them. Gently place donuts in hot oil (be careful!), cooking them on each side for about 2 minutes, until browned.
  4. Remove cooked donuts and drain onto paper towels, then toss with sugar to coat. We just use plain sugar, but you can also add in cinnamon, use powdered sugar, or make a quick glaze (1 cup powdered sugar + 2 tbsp milk + 1 tsp vanilla).

Enjoy!

signature_crystal

Chocolate Applesauce Muffins

Chocolate Applesauce Muffins

Earlier this year, our husband gave ourselves a challenge to eat real food only throughout the period of Lent (and hopefully beyond!) We are fed up with the impact that our diets have on our family and health. I was tired of the junk food marketing to kids, and tired of my own disordered eating and food addiction.

So, we decided to do away with processed foods and eat real food only. We’ve had some slip ups during that time, but overall it has been such a wonderful change for our family.

We didn’t cut out sugars, but we limit them and stick to natural ones, which we consider to be maple syrup and honey. This was especially fun since we harvested and cooked our own maple syrup this year!

Anyway, so I have been modifying recipes left and right to accommodate our new eating standards and thought I’d share this one with you today. Don’t let the “real food” or “healthy” labels fool you–these are delicious! They are light, and sweet, but not too sweet.

Chocolate Applesauce Muffins

What you need:

  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup cocoa
  • 1 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1 3/4 cup whole wheat flour (I use white whole wheat)
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt

What to do:

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
  2. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and maple syrup. Add eggs and beat well. Add cocoa and mix well. Fold in applesauce.
  4. Add dry ingredients to wet mixture and stir until just combined.
  5. Spoon batter into muffin tins and bake at 325 degrees for 25-28 minutes.

Enjoy!

signature_crystal

Fuel for the Day: Chocolate Peanut-Butter Oatmeal (GF/DF)

  Fuel for the Day: Yummy Chocolate Peanut-Butter Oatmeal (gluten and dairy free)

The clerk at the grocery store stares at my two huge bags of oatmeal and inquires why I felt the need to empty out the oatmeal from the bulk bins. Could I possibly eat that much? I look her square in the eye and announce that I have three boys and a little girl at home. And yes, I’ll be back in a few weeks for more.

We’ve already been making wagers on our food budget needs once they reach the teen years. They seem to be bottomless pits and my oldest is only 9.5 years old. Since they eat so much, I’ve felt it doubly important to involve them in the process and teach them how to prepare food themselves. It is fun to cook with them and I’m seeing the payoff now when I can send them downstairs to prepare a hot breakfast while I get the toddler ready…

In the morning I have a few goals when it comes to breakfast:

Frugal – We have four kids and a very limited budget.

Nourishing – I’m not just looking for calories. I want to make them count.

Satiating – I need these boys of mine fueled for the long haul so they don’t crash and burn mid-morning.

Easy – Mornings are busy times, and I need something that they can make themselves with little to no help. Plus, I want to involve them in the process.

Enter our family favorite:

Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal

{Enough to feed 4 voracious eaters – adjust as needed}

• 6.5 cups water

• 5 cups oatmeal (if gluten-free, be sure to use certified GF oats)

• 3 Tbs peanut butter {Almond Butter or Sun Butter substitute nicely}

• 2-3 Tbs cocoa powder

• 3 Tbs Black Strap Molasses {adds a nice dose of iron}

• 2-3 Tbs Honey {add more if you like your oatmeal really sweet}

Bring water to a boil. Add all ingredients. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Optional toppings

• Milk {we use rice milk over here} added to taste afterwards

• Sliced bananas

Your kids will think they had dessert for breakfast and the morning will be rescued from the post-cereal sugar crash…

Chocolate Peanut-Butter Oatmeal

Chocolate Peanut-Butter Oatmeal (GF/DF) <- Breakfast of superheroes

Chocolate Peanut-Butter Oatmeal (GF/DF)

Breakfast: It does a body good.

 

Have you heard the saying “oatmeal will stick to your ribs?” We like to do before breakfast and after breakfast flexing. My boys are sure that they look stronger after consuming this kind of breakfast! Can’t you tell?

For more from this mama of super-heroes stop by my blog, Cultivated Lives.

signature_heather

Preparing for Christmas Morning the Day Before {Gluten Free Cinnamon Streusal Muffin Recipe}

Preparing for Christmas morning breakfast the day before!  Tips and a Gluten/Dairy Free recipe from The Busy Mom.

Christmas morning is such a busy time.  I always feel pulled towards both wanting to make a special breakfast for the family, but not wanting to miss out on special memories in the making.   I don’t want to spend most of my time slaving away in the kitchen.

Our family’s solution is to pre-make and pre-mix as much as we can the day before.  Muffins are a tried and true favorite.  The day before I’ll mix the dry ingredients together as well as the wet ones.  Then the following morning I simply mix them together and pop them in the oven.  Voila!  We have fresh-baked goodies and I don’t miss out on precious time with my family.

My last baby struggled with a whole slew of food allergies and sensitivities.  During her first Christmas, my diet was severely limited as a breastfeeding mama.  I was new to the whole food allergy thing and didn’t have the time or energy to think about making something special for myself.  My goal was to make sure that the rest of my family was happy.  My sister gave me the most beautiful Christmas morning surprise when she baked these yummy gluten, dairy free muffins.  I savored each and every bite.   While God healed my baby girl this summer from 7 of her 8 food allergies, she still has to be dairy free.  With another family member reacting to gluten, I’ll be pulling out this beautiful gift of a recipe that she gave me and making these special muffins again this Christmas.

For those of you with food allergies, here’s a delicious option. {Note, there are pecans in the struessal topping, but they could probably be omitted if there is a nut allergy.}

Cinnamon Streusel Muffins {Gluten and Dairy Free}

Topping
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
1/4 cup brown rice flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp grated lemon zest
2 TBS Earth Balance Dairy Free buttery spread or Coconut Oil, melted

Liquid Ingredients
2 large eggs
2/3 cup milk of choice {we use rice or almond milk}
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon vanilla

Dry Ingredients
1/2 c brown rice flour
1/2 c oat flour
1/2 cup almond flour
3/4 c sugar
3/4 cup potato or tapioca starch
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1.5 teaspoon guar gum {or xanthan gum}
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt

The day before:

Mix dry ingredients, cover and set aside.  Mix streusal topping, cover and set aside. Add liquid ingredients together in a dish, cover and put in fridge.

Christmas morning:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Grease muffin tins or line with paper cups. Mix liquid ingredients well, about 1 minute.  Add in dry ingredients and mix until blended.  Pour a spoonful into 12 muffin cups.  Add a small spoonful of the streusal to each cup.  Finish filling each of the 12 cups with the rest of the batter.  Top them with the crumb topping, gently pressing the topping into the batter.  Bake for 20-25 minutes.  Cool the muffins for 10 minutes before removing from the muffin tins.  Transfer to a wire rack and allow them to cool for another 5 minutes.

A Quick and Easy Christmas Morning Breakfast Casserole

Many of you are probably like me on Christmas morning.

A wee bit frazzled and a lot bit sleep-deprived.

Is this the scene at your house? Christmas morning generally begins with wide-eyed excitement (much too early in the morning, I might add), quickly followed by the opening of gifts, cleaning up the resulting mounds of wrapping paper and ribbon litter, and finally, excited children who just want to play?

And now it’s time to make breakfast. But making that big Christmas morning breakfast means you’ll miss out on a lot of the fun part of Christmas morning — the watching the joy spilling out all over the family room floor as your children relish in receiving “exactly what they wanted.”

I discovered the perfect solution a few years ago, when I attended a Christmas brunch for the ladies in my church and my mom surprised me by bringing along a yummy dish. This easy and delicious Christmas morning casserole is made ahead, the night before, and then quickly slipped into the oven to bake while I enjoy my family. All it needs is a side a fruit and your beverage of choice, and you have the perfect meal for Christmas morning. If you feel particularly inspired, and sometimes I do, toss some biscuits into the oven with the casserole.

the busy mom breakfast casserole

Nana’s Sausage Breakfast Casserole

Serves 8

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

1 lb. pork sausage

6 slices white bread, cubed

8 eggs, lightly beaten

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. dry mustard

2 cups sharp cheddar cheese

ground black pepper to taste

 

Directions:

1. Brown sausage in a skillet, breaking into small pieces as it cooks. Drain on paper towels.

2. Layer bread on bottom of a greased 9×13 glass casserole dish.

3. Spread sausage over bread pieces.

4. Mix eggs, cheese, salt, mustard and pepper in a large bowl.

5. Pour egg mixture over sausage and bread.

6. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.

7. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

8. Bake 45 minutes or until the center of the casserole is firm and a knife inserted comes out clean.

 

What are your tips for a stress free Christmas morning? Do you have a quick and easy Christmas morning meal idea to share. Let’s chat more in the comments!