Breakfast Cookies

 

There are no sugar or eggs in this recipe, yet they are not even missed. I just love these, and they are rather simple to make. It will bake in the same size and shape you make them, so what you see is what you get. The only dried fruit I had on hand was dried Cranberries, so that is what is in the picture, but anything you like will do.

Breakfast Cookies
1 1/2 cups Old Fashioned Oats
1 cup coconut flakes
1/4 cup Flax seed Meal
1/2 cup chopped, Mixed nuts
1 cup dried fruit(a combination or just one fruit)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice

3 ripe bananas, mashed
1/4 cup Canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a baking sheet, or line with Parchment Paper.

In a large bowl, combine Oats, coconut, Flax seed Meal, nuts, fruit, salt, cinnamon and allspice. Stir till well distributed.

In another bowl, combine, oil, banana and vanilla. Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and combine well.

With your hands, roll about two Tablespoons of batter, squeezing tightly. Place onto prepared baking sheet, press down and shape into cookies. Bake for 20 minutes or until the edges are golden brown.

Granola and Fresh Fruit Topped Greek Yogurt

 

This is a great breakfast or perfect as a snack. I've never been a fan of yogurt, but I am a fan of Greek Yogurt. I use the non-fat, and it's packed with protein, and it's so healthy.

1/2 cup Greek style Yogurt
1 Tablespoon honey
Granola
Fresh Fruit

Mix yogurt and honey, mix well. Top with Granola and fresh fruit of your choice.

Overnight Oatmeal

 

Greek Yogurt can be used in so many ways. I'm not a fan of yogurt, but the Greek Yogurt, I like. What a great healthy breakfast that is VERY filling. Just the thing we need in the morning. No cooking or baking, just mix it and refrigerate!

Overnight Oatmeal

Ingredients:
1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
½ cup plain, non-fat Greek yogurt
½ cup milk
½ cup chopped walnuts
¾ tsp vanilla
½ tsp cinnamon
1 TBSP honey

Extras
Optional toppings:
Chopped nuts or seeds
chopped dried fruit(apricots, dates, raisins, cranberries, blueberries,etc.),
pureed pumpkin, maple syrup, brown sugar, sliced apples, bananas, applesauce, fresh grapes, cantaloupe, strawberries, raspberries or other berries.

Directions:
Combine and stir well. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Serve warm or cold. If you are adding chopped nuts or seeds, you can add them in the mix, or sprinkle them on in the morning. However you like it. This makes 3 large servings.

Crepes

It's been years since I've attempted to make Crepes. Kelli went to a Mutual activity where they made crepes, topped them, and then ate them. When I went to pick her up I got to try one of them. Mine had Nutella and Strawberries and it was SOOO good! So, rather randomly this afternoon, I decided to make some for a snack. I popped the ingredients into my blender, and whisked the dry ingredients into a small bowl, then slowly, with the blender on, added the dry mixture. Then I poured it right from the blender- EASY. This recipe is from Bonnie Weeeks' blog, the recipe Kelli helped make at the activity. If you click on the title it will take you to her post, she even has a video with pictures to go along with it. I liked the quick video, since I really didn't know what I was doing when I made these. She's got some other great looking recipes I need to try, as well as Crafty things I may take a stab at trying. I found the picture from www.skinnytaste.com(another fabulous food blog, which I will be trying and hopefully posting some recipes from soon).

Crepes
About 5 servings (if you are really serving 5 adults, I would double it to have leftovers)

2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
1 cup milk
1 cup water
4 eggs (if you only have 2-3 on hand, still doable)
1/4 cup oil
1-2 tsp vanilla (almond also tastes good)

Mix all ingredients together with electric beaters. Spray frying pans with non-stick spray. Ladle into pans and cook on 1st side just until the top looks dry and the pancake won't break when flipped. Cook on the 2nd side for 1/2 the time on the first. Eat and enjoy.

Toast With Cream Cheese and Fruit

Here's one more after school snack that I wanted to include. This was also from the Martha Stewart Everyday food magazine. Again, it's my photo of the magazine page, so the quality is poor. However, you can still see what it looks like. I hardly ever buy cream cheese, but when I do, Kelli takes full advantage of it. This is her favorite.

Toast With Cream Cheese and Fruit

Whole-grain bread is nutritious and high in fiber; and luckily, it's also delicious.
Serves 2
1. In a toaster oven or under the broiler, lightly toast 2 slices whole-grain bread on both sides.
2. Layer 1 Tablespoon cream-cheese spread on each piece of toast and top with 2 teaspoons Strawberry jam and two or three slices banana.

Pukkolla

In the picture, this is Pukkolla with fresh peaches on it, I believe. Click on the title and it will take you to theveganmouse.blogspot.com, but the recipe is below. Paula, thanks for finding this for me, I've been CRAVING this for a while now! Oh so good! This is a recipe from Jamie Oliver. He says "Pukkolla is my name for this outrageously scrumptious concoction. IT'S ONE OF THE BEST THINGS YOU CAN HAVE FOR BREAKFAST as it's got everything you need to kick start your day." It's basically a personalized composed museli. I LOVE this stuff!

Composed cereal(recipe follows)
Milk to cover
1 Granny Smith apple, washed, unpeeled, cut in half

I would definitely try to make this the night or day before you want to eat it, although it can be made at the time(although you won't get the smooth silky scrumptious texture that the milk gives it overnight). I normally place double the amount of composed cereal I need(4 portions for 2 people) into a bowl. Doubling up like this gives you enough to eat for the next couple of days. Cover with milk, grate in half an apple per person and stir immediately to stop the apple discoloring. Place in the refrigerator.

Composed Cereal:
8 large handfuls organic Scottish porridge oats(scottish oatmeal-I like Bob's Red Mill brand)
2 large handfuls ground bran
1 large handful chopped dried apricots
1 handful chopped dried dates
1 handful crumbled walnuts
1 handful smashed or chopped almonds, hazelnuts or Brazil nuts

Add poridge oats and bran to a large plastic container with apricots and dates. Crumble in walnuts and add chosen nuts (I usually bash them in a tea towel). At this point feel free to improvise, adding any other preferred dried fruits like raisins, sultanas, strawberries or figs, but personally I think the above combination works pretty well. This will keep for a good couple of months very happily in an airtight container, but you'll have eaten it by then, I guarantee. The great thing about it is that you can adjust it to your own preference, but I would suggest you stick to the basic dried ingredients that I use as they work so well together. It's very handy to have a large plastic airtight container to store your composed Pukkolla in, so try and get a hold of one.

This is from foodnetwork.com, but when I went to look for it, it's not there any more. My copy was printed 11/21/2006. I guess they rotate recipes as they add new ones on the site.

Buttermilk Waffles

 

These Buttermilk Waffles are so good and fluffy, perfect for any topping you like.

Buttermilk Waffles
serves 4-6

3 Tablespoons melted butter, plus more, if needed for waffle maker
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs, separated, room temperature
2 cups buttermilk, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. Preheat waffle maker.
2. In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk egg yolks, buttermilk, melted butter and vanilla.
4. Add wet ingredients to the dry and mix till combined.
5. In the bowl of an electric mixer, mix the egg whites till stiff peaks start to form. I check often so it doesn't get dried out. Gently fold into batter.
6. Add about a half a cup to each square in the waffle maker. Depending on your size waffle maker, you may have to adjust the amount. Serve warm.

Gingerbread Waffles

The title will take you to the site where I found the recipe, but I got the picture from marthastewart.com.

I'm a HUGE fan of waffles, and these smell and taste wonderful. I made these last month, and I'm finally getting around to posting this. I have so much I want to do, but time is limited so I just do what I can with what I've got. I'm sure enjoying the hollidays, I hope you are too!

Gingerbread Waffles

2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. salt
2 eggs, separated
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1 cup milk
-
Mix together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt. Set aside. Beat 2 egg whites and set aside. in large mixing bowl, beat butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in molasses, egg yolks, and milk. Add dry ingredients and mix until combined. Fold in beaten egg whites. Bake on waffle iron and serve with maple syrup or honey and whipped cream.

Blueberry and Nectarine Sauce

This was already posted on the first post of the blog, but now that I've tried the sauce, and the Challah Bread, I thought I'd go ahead and post it. I couldn't wait to try this because I had never tried the combined flavors of a nectarine and a blueberry before. This will be a new staple for pancakes and french toast now. I REALLY liked it. I found the blueberry pic at thedailygreen.com.

Blueberry and Nectarine sauce:

1 1/2 cups blueberries
1 cup thinly sliced nectarines
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon rind
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon of allspice
Place the sugar into a heavy saucepan. Heat until the sugar melts and becomes a golden brown color. Remove from the heat and add the water. The water will start to bubble and spit so be careful. Place back on the heat and simmer until the sugar is melted again. Add in the lemon juice and continue to cook for a minute. Add in the blueberries, nectarines, lemon rind, cinnamon and allspice. Cook slowly for about 10 minutes the sauce will reduce and become thickened. Taste for sweetness, add more sugar if the fruit is on the tart side. Serve cooled or warm.

Oatmeal Cookie Pancakes

This recipe is from my sister-in-law, Heidi. She's a fabulous cook, who shared this recipe with me a while back ago. These are quite filling, and quite tasty. Now I just need some more of her recipes around here. I found the picture at cookingwithbaby.com

Oatmeal Cookie Pancakes

1 cup rolled oats
1 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup chopped walnuts

whisk together in a bowl.

3/4 cup sour cream(I use fat free)
3/4 cup milk
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

whisk together in a bowl.

2 bananas, mashed
3/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup melted butter

add to the liquid ingredients, then add to the dry ingredients. Mix till combined, and then cook pancakes.

Homemade Granola

 

There are so many versions of Homemade Granola out there, and I'm sure they are good, but this one is worth trying. There are no added oils, and no refined sugar, and tastes GREAT.

Homemade Granola

3 cups old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup chopped raw, unsalted walnuts
1/2 cup chopped unsalted almonds
1/2 cup chopped unsalted pecans
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup dried cranberries, optional

Directions
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients. Pour onto a baking sheet, and spread evenly. Bake 30 minutes. After removing from the oven, loosen the granola from the pan, then transfer the baking sheet to a cooling rack to cool completely. Store in airtight container.

Brown Sugar Oatmeal Raisin Bread

I attempted to make a raisin bread with the recipe that I use to make our bread for sandwiches, but it didn't give me the results that I really wanted. This recipe, however, did! This is a real winner and I will be making this many times in the future. The pics are from the site, the title will take you right there, and under the pictures are links to the step-by-step tutorial, and a printable recipe page. I made mine in two loaf pans, and either way you make it, it tastes wonderful.

Homemade Energy Bars

 

I have made these several times and will continue to make these. I love them because they are so easy to make and taste so good! Kaleb calls them Granola Bars and I don't tell him any different-they are pretty much the same thing, right? I, personally love blueberries, so I throw in dried blueberries instead of raisins, and have done a number of substitutions and it always turns out great.

Homemade Energy Bars
1 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup raw sun flour seeds
1/2 cup raw almonds
1/2 cup dried apricots
1/2 cup dried dates
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup nonfat powdered milk (optional, for added protein)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Whir all ingredients to Food Processor. Process till everything is processed really small. Then...

Add:
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
2 eggs

Process till well combined.
Press onto cookie sheet(Be patient, it's sticky, but you can do it)
Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Cool and cut into bars, wrap individually if you want and store in an airtight container in the fridge. They will last about a week in the fridge, if you're not in my family where they can't last that long anyway. These freeze well too.

French Toast with Challah Bread

I made this French Toast with the Challah Bread- Absolutely Fantastic! It was Brilliant! This is seriously the only way to go from now on. if you want French Toast, don't go any other route, this one is the best. Stop looking, you've found it, the perfect recipe! I can't say it enough, yummo!
The recipe for the bread has you bake it for 20 minutes, then reduce the heat, rotate it and bake some more, but after 20 minutes in my oven it was perfect. If i would have baked it any longer it would have turned out black. I also left off the optional ingredient of sesame seeds and it was still beautiful. They mentioned serving this at a Bed and Breakfast place. If we had a bed and breakfast, this is what I would be serving! The title of this post is the link to the recipe, also included is the recipe for the Blueberry and Nectarine Sauce, and the Granola topping. This time I didn't make the toppings, we just topped it with Pure Maple Syrup and devoured it for breakfast. Oh, by the way, I would recommend making the bread the day before so you're not getting up 3-4 hours before you really want to. :) I hope you give this one a try, it's sooooo worth it!