Black Bean Brownies

I finally made black bean brownies. And guess what? They are good! Good, good, good!

I will admit I was skeptical. That's why it took me so long to give the recipe a try. I'll also admit to telling my six year old and husband I was just making (regular) brownies. It wasn't until after they asked for seconds did I tell them it was black bean brownies they were eating (and loving). There was a brief pause and a couple of strange facial expressions then they went back to eating them.

These brownies are easy to make. You throw all the ingredients in a food processor or blender, blend it all up, fold in chocolate chips, pour into the pan and sprinkle with more chocolate chips then bake. The hardest part is waiting for them to cool! The smell of yummy brownies will fill your kitchen (and entire home if it's as small as ours). That's why waiting for them to cool is tough, they smell so good. Initially, I thought getting 16 brownies was going to yield a teeny tiny brownie rather than a decent size piece but I was pleasantly surprised. They aren't huge but they aren't tiny either. However, I think it's safe to assume most people eating one will go back for a second.

The texture of the brownie is more cakey than fudgy in my opinion. It's cool to me that blending down black beans eliminates the need for flour. And, it's amazing to me that you cannot taste them. Chocolate can really turn anything into a dessert. Again, I was skeptical but these are good. I encourage you to give it a try. Oh, one more thing, when my youngest got home from school, I offered him a brownie. Before I could hand him one, my older son told him they were black bean brownies - he instantly said yuck and didn't want one. I knew that would happen that's why I didn't say anything initially. Funny, too, my little guy loves black beans but in a brownie? Nope. Not yet anyway. I'll get him next time!

Black Bean Brownies
Makes 16
Original recipe here.


Ingredients:

1 (14 oz) canned organic black beans, rinsed and drained
2 large eggs
1/2 cup cocoa powder
3/4 cup coconut sugar
1/2 teaspoon coconut oil
1 tablespoon unsweetened almond milk
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon of ground coffee
1 cup bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips, divided (I used both)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350° F.  Grease a nonstick 9 x 9-inch square baking pan with baking spray and line with parchment paper.

Blend the black beans, eggs, cocoa powder, sugar, oil, almond milk, balsamic, baking soda, baking powder and coffee in a food processor until smooth. Fold in 1/2 cup chocolate chips until combined. Pour the brownie batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips evenly over the top of the brownies.

Bake the brownies until a toothpick comes out clean, about 30 minutes.  Allow the brownies to cool completely before cutting. Enjoy!

Banana Cinnamon Waffles

Banana Cinnamon Waffles

Instead of making a pile of pancakes for us to eat throughout the week, I decided to make waffles. The recipe I normally use for both pancakes and waffles is great but I felt like finding something new or at least changing it up a little this week.

There is a lot of inspiration out there. I tend to start with the word "healthy" when searching for recipes on the internet. This usually gives me options most in line with how I like to cook. It mostly translates into using less oil, cream and sugar or adding fruit, veggies or flax to punch up the overall nutrition of something. For example, pasta sauce. I made a recipe that called for 1/4 cup olive oil once as is and once with two tablespoons of olive oil instead. The sauce tasted the same. Don't get me wrong, olive oil isn't bad but I like to reduce things like oil, butter and sugar where I can. However, I'm not one to replace ALL the oil or butter a recipe calls for with applesauce or yogurt. I've tried it and it just doesn't cut it. On the other hand, replacing sugar with honey or maple syrup has been successful in many things I've made. Also, it's common for waffle and pancake recipes to call for some sugar and oil in the batter. I've had no problems skipping both likely because it's usually only 1 to 3 tablespoons respectively. For me, the fun is in the experimenting. I always learn something new.

These waffles are perfect to eat right away or freeze for later. Serve with maple syrup and butter or your favorite toppings. I had maple syrup and chopped pecans on mine. Yum.


Banana Cinnamon Waffles
Makes 8 to 10 waffles
Adapted from here.

1 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup ground flaxseed
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/4 cups buttermilk*
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 large ripe banana, mashed
Cooking spray

Directions

Combine flour, flaxseed, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl, stirring with a fork or whisk.

Combine milk, eggs, and vanilla, stirring with a whisk; add milk mixture to flour mixture, stirring until blended. Fold in mashed banana.

Preheat a waffle iron. Coat iron with cooking spray. Spoon about 1/4 cup batter per waffle onto hot waffle iron, spreading batter to edges. Cook 3 to 4 minutes or until steaming stops; repeat procedure with remaining batter.**


*I haven't tried it with regular milk or non dairy milk but it works. Reduce the amount of milk to 1 1/2 cups when not using buttermilk. I have made this swap in other recipes but will be testing it in this recipe soon. If you beat me to it, let me know how it turns out.

**I have a waffle iron that beeps when the waffles are ready. I set it to the highest (7) setting to ensure some crispiness on the outside.

Peanut butter cookies and a personal project

A healthier peanut butter cookie.

I made these cookies and I liked them. A lot. So did the kiddos. I didn't get to making pumpkin or banana bread yesterday so I put one of these in my big boy's lunch today.

First, these cookies have sugar. They are cookies after all! The recipe I adapted this recipe from called for half white sugar and half brown sugar. I used all brown sugar because I prefer it over the white and some say it's a tad less processed? Regardless, I used it! You know those chocolate chip/chocolate drizzled granola bars you see/buy at the grocery store? These would be a good homemade replacement. You could even shape them into more of a square or small bar rather than round like a cookie. I hope you'll give this quick recipe a try.

Now for a little something a little more personal. Here's the scoop. I'll be 40 in six months. Any birthday can be a "big" birthday. For some 40 may or may not be. For me, it is. The most important part for me is embracing it, being excited about it and being present the moments leading up to it. I plan on learning more about myself over the next six months. I want to push the limits I've put on myself (oh there are so many!). I've been moving in this direction very slowly for a very long time. My goal is to step it up. So there it is. I'd love it if you followed me here at MFM. I could use the encouragement. Oh, and you know, you could join me... maybe you want to commit more fully to yourself, feel more inspired and learn to be more mindful as well. A big birthday or not, six months from now - who knows where we'll be?

Peanut Butter and Flax Cookies
Adapted from here.
Makes 15 cookies

Ingredients
2 tbsp Coconut oil or butter, room temperature
1/2 cup Natural peanut butter
2 tbsp Milk (your favorite type)
1 egg or 1 flax egg
1 tsp Vanilla extract
1/4 to 1/2 cup Brown sugar, unpacked (I used a bit less than a 1/2 cup)
1 cup Oats
1/2 cup Whole wheat flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp Baking soda
1 tbsp Ground flaxseed
1 cup Dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Line baking sheet with parchment

Directions
1. In medium bowl, cream coconut oil or butter and peanut butter (this can take a while if mixing by hand).
2. Add milk, egg, vanilla and sugar. Mix well.
3. Add oats, whole wheat flour, salt, baking soda and flax. Stir gently to combine.
4. Mix in chocolate chips (still be gentle!).
5. Scoop with regular size cookie scoop onto lined baking sheet.
6. Bake 10 - 12 minutes.
7. Let cool (if you can wait that long) and enjoy!

Notes:
Make these vegan by using coconut oil, almond or other non-dairy milk, flax egg and vegan chocolate chips.

Swap out the peanut butter for any nut or seed butter if you like.

Let me know if you try replacing the brown sugar with honey or maple syrup. I'd love to know what adjustments were made and how they turned out.

Note: This recipe is an update from this original post.

Overnight Oats

Yum! 

I may be a little late to the overnight oats (in a jar) party but I'm so happy that I discovered this super easy and nutritious breakfast or any time snack.

It's funny, for the last six months or so, I've been saving glass jars. Any and all jars - fruit spread, salad dressing, pasta sauce, applesauce and spice jars. I decided to start saving them for storing food in, using in future craft projects, to make my own vanilla extract and for drinking out of or serving cute desserts in. So when I rediscovered this recipe I saved a while back, I was equipped!

Honestly, I wasn't sure if I was going to dig it. Maybe that's why it took me so long to get back to it. Well, I did like it and find myself thinking about all the different combinations I can try. My husband loved it, too. He's already suggested a peach combo once they're in season. Sounds awesome to me! My first time making overnight oats, I used banana and blueberries. The second time (pictured above), I used bananas and mixed berries. Both were great. The mixed berries I used are the organic frozen mixed berries from Trader Joe's. Makes using berries more affordable.

One of my goals this year is to use new ingredients. This recipe provided the perfect opportunity - chia seeds. I've had chia seeds in a drink I bought and I liked it but hadn't added them to anything myself. They're sorta plain, maybe a little nutty in flavor. They can also be expensive. The best price I've seen is at Trader Joe's. $4.99 for a 5.3 ounce bag. I feel like I'm always saying Trader Joe's but it seems they almost always offer the best price. I still can't find coconut oil cheaper anywhere even when ordering bulk. Chia seeds provide fiber (5 grams per tablespoon) and omega-3 fat. Flaxseed or hempseed would also work well in overnight oats and provide healthy benefits as well. Now that I think about it, I'm gonna add hempseed to my list of new things to try since I haven't tried it yet.

Now for the recipe. Give it a try. The combinations are endless.

Overnight Oats
Makes one serving
Adapted from here

Ingredients:
1/4 cup quick oats
1/2 cup almond milk or any milk of choice
1/4 medium banana, sliced
1 tbsp chia seeds
1/2 cup blueberries or other fruit
1 tsp maple sugar or brown sugar
pinch cinnamon
1 tbsp chopped pecans, granola, etc. (for topping)

Directions:
Put all the ingredient in a jar, cover and shake then refrigerate overnight. Add pecans or other crunchy topping right before eating. Yum!

Popcorn

Recently inspired by my cousin and a friend that has her own popcorn business, I've kicked up the popping here at home. I've always liked popcorn. Not the buttery stuff you get at the movies or the fake tasting kind from a microwave bag but plain with a little salt.

My cousin, Della and I share a love for coconut oil and seeing all her talk (gotta love facebook!) about her popcorn made with coconut oil and salt, I decided to make a batch of my own. I normally skip the oil by throwing some kernels in a brown paper bag and then putting it in the microwave for a couple of minutes. Season with a little salt and it is good to go. But popping with coconut oil is right up my alley and between my cousin raving about it and me helping my friend pop and package her popcorn in a commercial kitchen, I was ready to give it a try. The results were yummy!

Popcorn can be nutritious. It's a whole grain and contains a bit of fiber. Did you know most of the nutrition in popcorn comes from the hull? Yeah, the part that often gets stuck in your teeth. The hulls contain polyphenols - antioxidants that prevent damage to cells. Although, there is some debate about how much we actually benefit from the antioxidants in popcorn because how much we absorb may not be significant enough. Regardless, if not slathered in butter, excess oil, excess salt or a fake sugary or cheesey topping, it is a healthy snack option. Popcorn is also very economical. A 28 oz. bag of organic popcorn kernels was only $1.99. That makes for a lot of popcorn. Conventional kernels are probably cheaper but being that I'm avoiding GMOs as much as possible, I opt for organic.

I talk about and use coconut oil often. But this was my first time popping with it. It was easy and tasted great. So great in fact the entire batch was gone in less than 24 hours. It wasn't oily but could have been I suppose if too much oil was used. I highly recommend popping with coconut oil if you haven't already done so. Here's how I did it:

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Organic popcorn kernels
2 tablespoons Coconut oil
Sea salt

Using a large pot with a lid, heat up coconut oil over medium high heat. Add kernels, cover with lid and wait for popping to begin. Continuously shake pot back and forth to avoid burning (I wear oven mitts). Remove from heat once popping slows down and/or stops. Sprinkle with salt while popcorn is still hot.

Blueberry Oat Scones with Coconut Oil

Scones in production!

I've been on a scone kick lately. It's been tough to resist the scones at Whole Foods, really tough. So I decided to get in the kitchen and make a bunch of my own. I started with pumpkin. They were really good. I'll post the recipe soon. Then I made blueberry. Coming off a successful pumpkin scone, I had the confidence to do a little experimenting with the blueberry version.

I took inspiration from Weelicious (as I often do) and combined it with my style of baking. The results were terrific. That's why I decided to post this one first. My kids are always taste testers and since I create most of my recipes with them in mind, it's important they dig it. And they certainly loved these.

My palate is accustomed to nutty flavors from hearty grains and sweetness from fruit or honey not white sugar. So for me, these are perfect. My boys are also used to these flavors but that's not to say it can't be too much in some of the food and baked goods I make because it can and has. Sometimes it's just not balanced enough for them to like it. Hearty grains can get dense and occasionally (depending on the recipe and other ingredients) bitter and a bit harsh. Combine that with only a little sugar and it can be a "no thanks" recipe very easily. Oh, and I always like to be clear, I like sweet stuff as much as any one else, my chocolate chip cookies for instance, but I ultimately prefer treats like this scone. Give me a cup of coffee and one of these and I'm good. And the bonus is, I feel better afterward. Not guilty or like I need to add two miles to my run. Win win.

Okay, back to the experimenting. Scones are typically made with all-purpose white flour and butter. Makes for a tasty scone for sure. I decided to use my favorite white whole wheat flour in place of white flour and coconut oil in place of butter. Also instead of three tablespoons of white sugar, I used two tablespoons of brown sugar. I was going to leave out the sugar entirely but back to what I mentioned before, I was trying to avoid a "no thanks" result. I will say though, these might be just fine without the brown sugar, I really didn't taste it. I'll give it a try next time. Finally, the recipe I based this recipe on called for buttermilk. I didn't have any and somehow I was out of vinegar so I couldn't make my own. I substituted low fat yogurt and milk for the buttermilk. With all my substitutions, the texture and flavor were what I'd expect from a scone. I hope you'll give it a try.

Blueberry Oat Scone with Coconut Oil
Makes 8
Adapted from here.


2 cups white whole wheat flour
1 cup old fashioned oats
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup coconut oil, chilled & cubed*
1/4 cup low fat plain yogurt
1/2 cup 1% milk
1 egg
1 cup frozen blueberries

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

2. In a bowl, whisk together flour, oats, sugar, baking powder and salt.
3. Using your fingers, massage the coconut oil into the flour/oat mixture until is resembles coarse meal.
4. Whisk the yogurt, milk and egg in a separate bowl.
5. Pour the yogurt mixture over the flour/oat mixture and stir with a fork until combined.
6. Gently fold in the blueberries (still frozen).
7. Form dough into a large circle/patty (roughly 1 inch thick/8 inches in diameter) and place on a baking pan lined with parchment paper. I shape it further after it's on the parchment paper.
8. Bake for 20 minutes.
9. Cool and serve.

*I measure a half cup of room temperature coconut oil and stick it in the refrigerator for a bit. It becomes cold and completely solid and allows you to cut it up and combine it with the dry ingredients the same way you would with butter.

With frosting on top!

Yes, pumpkin recipe season is upon us but I'm one of those people that make pumpkin things all year around. When Trader Joe's starts selling canned organic pumpkin (September-ish), I start stocking up. It's a $1.99 per 15 oz. can. An average price from what I've seen. I make sure I end up with enough cans to get me through the year ahead. I happened to underestimate how many I would need last season causing me to run out mid Summer. I'll be sure to add on a couple of extra cans this year.

Oh, and, I know I could make my own pumpkin puree but remember - this mama needs some convenience. Canned pumpkin is one of those conveniences! Never do I say never (well except when asked if I'd run a full marathon) so one day I may make my own puree but it won't be this year!

I've shared pumpkin bread in the past but this one is a perfected version of what I once made and it's topped with a simple cream cheese frosting. I was inspired by my oldest son's sweet tooth and our shared love for pumpkin bread. As I talk about often, it's a rule that we make our own "treats" and buying them is the exception. Although I don't consider my whole wheat pumpkin bread on its own (sans frosting!) a treat, I apply the same rule to quick breads, muffins and like items as the store bought versions are highly processed and full of unnecessary ingredients. And, when the exception arises, I make a point to purchase fresh baked items from an actual bakery not something in a box wrapped in plastic.

Okay, enough about that. Let's get to the yummy bread. This bread is awesome on it's own. It is a common snack in our house. On this particular day, we were in the mood for a little something extra. The initial request was for cake actually. Ending up with whole wheat pumpkin bread with cream cheese frosting turned out to be a perfect compromise.

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Bread with Cream Cheese Frosting
8 to 10 servings
Adapted from 100 Days of Real Food and Weelicious


Bread:
1 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour (or white whole-wheat flour)
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/3 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup honey or brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup pumpkin puree


How to make:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl whisk together the dry ingredients (flour to salt).

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add eggs, oil, honey (or sugar), vanilla, and pumpkin. Stir together gently with a fork, don't beat it up!

Line standard loaf pan with parchment paper or grease with oil. Add batter.

Bake for approximately 30 – 40 minutes. Check for doneness at 30 minutes. Let cool before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting:
4 oz. light cream cheese, room temperature
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

How to make:
Beat all ingredients together until smooth. I mixed by hand (what a workout!) but you can use an electric mixer to make it easier (and smoother).

Frost cooled pumpkin bread. I had extra frosting... I guess I could have put on more but I think there will be extra regardless. Slice loaf  (8 - 10 slices) and enjoy!

WhoNu these weren't a good option? I knew, that's who!

WhoNu? Cookies. Don't get fooled. These have been on the shelves for a while now and I thought they'd go away but they haven't. I'm not sure if people are buying them and that's why or if the shelf life is so long they've just been sitting there this whole time.

I did a little research on the Oreo type version of the WhoNu? cookie and let me start by comparing the ingredients.


WhoNu? Chocolate Cookies: Sugar, Wheat Flour, Vegetable Oils (Canola, Palm, Palm Kernel Oil, Soybean Oil And Partially Hydrogenated Cottonseed And Coconut Oil), Cocoa, Dextrose, Polydextrose, Yellow Corn Flour, Corn Syrup, Baking Soda, Soy Lecithin, Salt, Natural and Artificial Flavor, Monoglycerides, Vanilla Extract.

Oreo Cookies: Sugar, Enriched Flour (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Folic Acid), High Oleic Canola Oil And/or Palm Oil And/or Canola Oil, And/or Soybean Oil, Cocoa (Processed With Alkali), High Fructose Corn Syrup, Cornstarch, Leavening (Baking Soda And/or Calcium Phosphate), Salt, Soy Lecithin (Emulsifier), Vanillin – An Artificial Flavor, Chocolate.

They're very similar, yes? Although I don't buy Oreo cookies or other boxed/highly processed cookies, I've never noticed them claiming to be "nutrition rich cookies." That's what's irritating. Well that and this piece written last year. Especially "Who knew delicious could be so nutritious? That's what Moms across the country are exclaiming since the recent launch of WhoNu?..." Moms are exclaiming? Hu? Any mom exclaiming that in regards to these cookies, needs to brush up on the facts. Oh and this quote from the VP "Children are snacking more than ever and they're snacking on nutrient-deficient foods with empty calories" reminds us that kids in the US are snacking too much and often it is junk they're snacking on. Whether it's hard to hear or not, parents are the reason for both these issues. We decide what we buy and serve to our kids, they don't.

No matter how you slice it, WhoNu? chocolate cookies are highly processed junk. Oreos with added vitamins. And I don't need a cookie to assist me with my child's nutritional needs. So, please leave these on the shelf along with the other boxes and bags and if it's a cookie your kiddos want, get in the kitchen and bake some. Perhaps, these Vegan Chocolate Chips Cookies? You don't have to be vegan to like a vegan cookie. That's my motto anyway!

Peanut Butter and Jelly

Never underestimate the PB&J. When made with quality ingredients, it's a nutritious snack or meal for the kids. And you, too. Here are my rules when making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich:

1. Whole grain bread, wrap, etc.

2. Natural peanut butter

3. Organic real fruit spread

Whole grain bread is easy to come by and Jif or like brands are not natural peanut butter. They commonly contain sugar, molasses, hydrogenated vegetable oil, mono and diglycerides. Even the "Natural Jif" is not natural peanut butter. It contains sugar, palm oil and molasses. Pick one that contains just peanuts or just peanuts and salt. There is no need for anything else. You can read an earlier post about peanut butter here for a little more detail.

Now for the jelly/jam/preserves/fruit spread/conserve. Like peanut butter, they are not all created equal. Some are full of artificial ingredients, color and preservatives. Here are some examples:

Smucker's Strawberry Preserves:  Strawberries, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Corn Syrup, Sugar, Fruit Pectin, Citric Acid.

Smucker's Simply Fruit Strawberry: Fruit Syrup, Strawberries, Lemon Juice Concentrate, Fruit Pectin, Red Grape Juice Concentrate Added for color, Natural Flavors.

Smucker's Low Sugar Strawberry: Strawberries, Sugar, Water*, Fruit Pectin, Citric Acid, Locust Bean Gum*,  Potassium Sorbate Added As a Preservative, Calcium Chloride*, RED 40*.  *INGREDIENTS NOT IN REGULAR PRESERVES.

Market Pantry Strawberry Preserves: Strawberries, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Corn Syrup, Sugar, Fruit Pectin, Citric Acid.

Trader Joe's Fresh Strawberry Preserves: Fresh Strawberries, Corn Syrup, Sugar, Pectin, Citric Acid

Dickenson's Strawberry Preserves: Strawberries, Sugar, Corn Syrup, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Pectin, Citric Acid

The ingredients in your jelly/jam/preserves/fruit spread/conserve should be as minimal as possible. Pectin and citric acid are common ingredients in store bought preserves, which is fine for me but so are artificial color, corn syrup and/or high fructose corn syrup, which are not fine for me. Look for preserves with a short ingredients list. Like:

Happy Girl Kitchen, Co Strawberry Jam: Organic Strawberries, Organic Cane Sugar

Santa Cruz Organic Fruit spread: Organic strawberries, organic sugar, fruit pectin, organic fruit and vegetable juice (color), citric acid

365 Organic Strawberry Conserve: Organic strawberries, organic cane sugar, natural fruit pectin, ascorbic acid, citric acid

In my experience you may or may not pay more for a better quality jelly. The prices seem to be comparable with the exception of the big brand organic spreads, they're terribly over priced. Trader Joe's, although not used as an example in the good list, has some affordable options (read the labels though to avoid the one/s with corn syrup) as well.

And, of course, if you or your children have a peanut allergy, seed or other nut butters make a yummy substitute for peanut butter. My favorite is Sunflower Seed Butter. So go ahead, make a PB&J for you and the kiddos, it's nutritious, affordable and fast!

Recipe: Pumpkin Cornbread

I've said it before, I know, but I'll say it again - I love pumpkin. I always stock up on cans of it during the holiday season to ensure I have plenty to use all year around. And when I found a recipe for pumpkin cornbread at recipegirl.com, I jumped at the first opportunity to give a try.

As usual, I made some changes. I used to have a rule with new recipes: Make it exactly as it reads the first time then make changes. After much practice and becoming more educated in the kitchen and with ingredients, I almost never follow that rule now. Most times, it all turns out okay. And this pumpkin cornbread recipe was one of them. I used coconut oil in place of canola oil, added more spices and used all white whole wheat flour. Next time I plan to substitute honey for the brown sugar and maybe applesauce for the oil. I'll let you know how it goes.

If you like cornbread, you need to give this recipe a try. The pumpkin and spices are present but it's cornbread more than it is a pumpkin bread. I served it with a little butter and pure maple syrup. The boys loved it! I was certain we'd have a lot left over but it went quick. Our family of four had it finished with 24 hours. It started as an afternoon snack and ended as breakfast the next morning. And I should mention that my (poor iPhone 3) photo is of two servings, not one.

Pumpkin Cornbread
Adapted from here.
Makes 8 servings

1 cup white whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon ginger
1/8 teaspoon allspice
1 cup cornmeal

2 large eggs

1 cup unsweetened pure pumpkin puree
2/3 cup light brown sugar, packed

1/4 cup coconut oil

1 tablespoon molasses

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease 10-inch glass pie pan or 9-inch square baking pan.

2. Combine flour, baking powder, salt and spices into a large mixing bowl. Whisk in cornmeal.

3. In separate bowl, beat eggs lightly. Whisk in pumpkin, brown sugar, oil and molasses.

4. Add pumpkin mixture to dry ingredient and combine gently just until blended- don't over-mix.

5. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 30 minutes, or until cornbread is browned and the surface has a slightly springy feel.

Make and Freeze

Over the past few days, I've gathered a bunch of recipes to make and freeze. This is a necessary strategy for busy moms and dads. Planning ahead makes all the difference. I know because I often don't! When it comes to meal planning anyway. If you want to feed the kids and yourself healthy food consistently, having snacks, sauces and other prepared real food items in the freezer will achieve this goal.

I have done the "make and freeze" in the past but have been a bit of a slacker as of late. Big red flag for me the other day was pouring the last of the mini peanut butter cracker sandwiches from Trader Joe's into a snack cup for my two year old after just buying the box three days prior. Um, that's way too fast for us to blow through a box of convenience snacks. I didn't have any other snacks prepared to give him hence the peanut butter cracker binge. I'm all about my "medium food" philosophy, that's why the crackers we're on hand but not having any homemade options available isn't the balance I strive for.

So yesterday I kicked my plan in motion and started with a new banana bread recipe, utilizing my new jar of coconut oil as well. This recipe came from a blogger that has gained a lot of press over the last year or so, Lisa at 100 Days of Real Food. I've followed her journey since the beginning (originally following her Food Illusion blog) and was split on how I felt about the reality of what she was writing about. Not the "real food" part of it but the reality of busy families and more importantly busy families on a budget achieving the real, organic, grass fed, $5 a loaf bread, etc. lifestyle. It was evident that Lisa had a large budget. Which was the discouraging part. Eventually though, she did a budget series (likely inspired by other readers that shared my feelings) which helped by making what she was writing about seem more feasible.

No matter what, 100 Days of Real Food's strategy is in-line with mine even though I make a few adjustments in approach (weaving in some medium food items) and often times opt for some less expensive versions of certain items. Organic ingredients or not, the best of the best ingredients or not, the recipes Lisa has published are smart and healthy. The few I've tried are fantastic. They are simple and contain no or very few processed ingredients. This Whole Wheat Banana Bread is a perfect example. I made it, the family has tried it and it gets five stars. Don't expect a super sweet piece of banana bread because this is not. You will taste the wheat, the banana and a touch of sweetness from the honey and that is it. Brilliant.

I'll be back soon with more successful recipes to help you fill your freezer. Meanwhile, I encourage you to give this recipe a try. If you do, let me know how it goes.

Whole Wheat Banana Bread
Adapted from here.
Makes one standard loaf

2 1/4 cups White whole wheat flour (or whole wheat flour or whole wheat pastry flour)
3/4 tsp. Baking soda
1/4 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Cinnamon
3 Bananas, very ripe, mashed
1/4 cup Plain yogurt (I used organic fat free)
1/4 cup Honey
2 Eggs
1/3 cup Virgin coconut oil, melted and slightly cooled (swap 1:1 with other oil if desired)
2 tsp. Vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat loaf pan with nonstick spray.

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Set aside. In medium bowl, combine mashed bananas, yogurt, honey, eggs, coconut oil and vanilla.

Gently fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Be gentle, don't over mix. Pour batter (or scoop - batter is on the thick side) into prepared loaf pan. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Mine was done at 43 minutes. Let cool then slice and enjoy.

If freezing, I suggest cooling completely and slicing prior to putting in freezer.

Recipe: Super Blueberry Muffins

These gems (picture coming soon) came from a Weelicious recipe. I'm obviously a fan of Catherine's site and recipes. Although I will never be nor appear as organized and successful as she is at making perfect food for the kids, I am always inspired by what she does.

The recipe for Very Berry Muffins was exactly the kind of recipe I was looking for this week. Over the weekend, my boys asked for blueberry muffins so I didn't want to disappoint. And, I didn't. They loved these. The muffins are easy to make and are bursting with blueberries. It's almost blueberries with a little muffin in between rather than a muffin with blueberries. They were great still warm but even better the next day.

If you're looking for an easy to make, nutritious and portable snack or breakfast, you should add these to your rotation. I absolutely love snacks like this!

Super Blueberry Muffins
Makes 12 muffins

1 1/4 Cup Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
3/4 Cup Old Fashioned Oats
2 Tsp Baking Powder
1/2 Tsp Salt
1/3 Cup Brown Sugar
1 Large Egg, whisked
1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
3/4 Cup 1% Milk
1/3 Cup Canola or Vegetable Oil
2 Cups Frozen Organic Blueberries (I used a 10 oz. bag)

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Place the first 6 ingredients in a medium bowl and combine. Combine the egg, vanilla extract, milk and oil in a large bowl.

Slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Gently mix the frozen blueberries into the batter, do not over mix or the berries will bleed. Pour batter into greased or muffin lined regular sized tins.

Bake for 20-22 minutes (Mine took 22 minutes). Allow muffins to cool for 5 minutes then remove to a cooling rack. Enjoy!

Recipe: Raspberry Almond Yogurt Loaf (Beta!)

I had an idea that led me on a search for a raspberry yogurt bread recipe. While on that search, I found a handful of recipes but not any that I was compelled to try as is. That's when I decided to wing it. The results were not perfect but decent. And based on my husband's comments, good enough to post.

I based my recipe on this one and went from there. I wasn't sure how much leavening I would need to add by using whole wheat and all purpose flour in lieu self-rising flour so that's when the "winging it" commenced. Part way through mixing the batter, it was clear it was lacking moisture - like severely lacking. I added milk and it seemed to do the trick. Experimenting was fun and has inspired me to do more of it. I've got super ripe bananas waiting to be used. Yay!

If you decide to give this recipe a go, I highly reccommend wrapping it tightly and refrigerating to keep it moist. Also, checking it while baking, as you would with any new recipe, as you don't want it to overcook. I think if it did overcook, it would be a brick. I'm going to continue to work on this recipe and variations of to make it less fragile. If you know what I mean?

The best part about this bread is the occasional crunch of almond (that didn't get entirely ground) and the intense pockets of raspberry. This is not a very sweet snack but more mild like a traditional scone. Perfect with coffee or tea.


Raspberry Almond Yogurt Loaf
Makes one standard loaf

1/2 cup Brown Sugar
1/3 cup Ground Almonds
2 Eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup Fat Free Greek Yogurt, plain
1/2 cup Milk, 1%
3/4 cup Whole Wheat Flour
1 cup All Purpose Flour
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 cup Raspberries, frozen

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard loaf pan with parchment paper.
In a large bowl combine brown sugar, ground almonds, eggs, yogurt and milk. Add whole wheat flour, all purpose flour, baking powder and salt to mixture. Gently combine. Fold in raspberries. Spoon into prepared pan, smooth top of batter and bake for 50 minutes.

Recipe: Blueberry Banana Bread

Having two large super ripe bananas on hand, the recipe for Honeyed Banana-Blueberry Bread at Cookbook Archaeology I stumbled upon presented the perfect opportunity to use them! I changed the recipe just slightly and the results were worthy of sharing.

This bread is very moist and packed with yummy blueberries. The recipe calls for honey as the sweetener, there is no white or brown sugar. I might even suggest cutting the honey to 1/4 cup because I think the bananas and blueberries add a good amount of sweetness on their own. I'm gonna try it next time. I'll let you know how it compares. The ingredients are all fairly economical and using organic frozen blueberries instead of fresh made it even more affordable to make.

If you're looking for a different twist on banana bread, give this one a try. The boys loved it and I had to hold myself back from eating half the loaf all on my own. It's oh so perfect with coffee and would be equally delightful with tea. Enjoy!

Blueberry Banana Bread
10 slices/servings

3/4 c. Blueberries, frozen
1 3/4 c. White whole wheat flour
2 1/2 tsp. Baking powder
1/2 tsp. Sea salt
1/2 c. Oats, quick cooking
1/2 c. Honey
2 Large eggs, beaten
1/2 c. Greek yogurt, 0%
1 c. Mashed ripe bananas

Preheat the oven to 335 degrees and spray a 9×5-inch bread pan with baking or cooking spray.

1. Whisk flour together with the baking powder, salt, and oats in a large mixing bowl.

2. In a medium mixing bowl, mix the eggs, honey, yogurt and banana.

3. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ones and gently mix, just until combined. Then (gently) fold in blueberries.

4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour. The batter for this bread is very moist, so a little may cling to the tester even when it’s fully baked.

5. Cool the bread completely, then wrap it up overnight before slicing and serving. Can be frozen.

Note: I did not wrap it up and wait to slice it. It tasted great after it was slightly cooled but I will admit it tasted even better the next day.

Quick nutrition stats per serving (10): 179 calories, 1.7g fat, 37.8g carbs, 3.2g fiber,  5.8g protein. Weight Watchers PointsPlus: 5

Somersaults

I'm always on the lookout for healthy convenience foods to add to my medium food arsenal and I'm thrilled to have found another. While checking out one of Catherine's lunches on the Weelicious facebook page, I saw something she listed as Somersaults. I had no idea what they were so I looked them up. To my delight, they were a healthy snack made right here in Northern California.

Somersaults are little "crunchy nuggets with sunflower seeds & toasted grains" and they are so delicious. Addictive even. Both my boys liked them and the hubby too. I've never seen them at Whole Foods or any other stores in my area but found them on Amazon. They offer a bulk pack of six bags for $15.42. That's $2.57 a bag. That's about average.

I just love it when I find decent convenience items I can feel good about giving my kids. Not to mention a great snack option for me and the husband. I would definitely recommend Somersaults to anyone looking for a healthy snack. Each serving has 3 grams of fiber and 6 grams of protein. I will caution you though, it may be tough not to polish off the entire bag (6 servings) in one sitting so be mindful when eating these little guys. I find throwing a serving (15) in a bowl or snack bag really helps!


Ingredients: Sunflower Seeds, Wheat Flour, Whole Wheat Flour, Sesame Seeds, Vital Wheat Gluten, Expeller Pressed High Oleic Sunflower Oil, Chicory Root Fiber, Evaporated Cane Juice, Sea Salt. Contains Wheat.

Recipe: Sweet Potato, Oat and Banana Muffins

I love the Weelicioush site and have had success with every recipe I've tried. This is no exception. The original recipe is for Mini Sweet Potato Muffins. I made only four changes and created full size sweet potato, oat and banana muffins. Both my boys loved them and so did the hubby and I. These are perfect as an on-the-go breakfast or an afternoon snack. The muffins are moist even without the 1/4 cup of oil the original recipe calls for. I think a swap for applesauce would work too if you prefer that over a banana. And it's not that I'm opposed to a little oil, I just like to take the opportunity to replace it when it makes sense.

Sweet Potato, Oat and Banana Muffins
Makes 12 muffins

1 Cup White Whole Wheat Flour
1 Cup Old Fashioned Oats
1/3 Cup Brown Sugar
1 Tsp Baking Powder
1/2 Tsp Baking Soda
1/2 Tsp Salt
2 Tsp Cinnamon
2 Large Eggs, whisked
1 Cup Sweet Potato Puree, cooked*
1/2 Cup Milk
1 Banana, Mashed
1 Tsp Vanilla Extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Put first 7 ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk to combine.
3. In a separate larger bowl, whisk the remaining ingredients.
4. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix just until they are combined (be careful not to over mix the batter).
5. Fill standard muffin tin sprayed with cooking or baking spray and bake for 18-20 minutes.
6. Enjoy.

* To make sweet potato puree, bake sweet potatoes (or yams) in a 400 degree oven for one hour, allow to cool, slice in half lengthwise and mash flesh with a fork until smooth.

Nutritional stats at-a-glance per muffin: 111 calories, 1.5g fat, 192mg sodium, 21.5g carbs, 2.2g fiber, 3.7g protein

These faces make it all worth it

I get stressed out. Way out. Some days the stress gets to me so intensely I feel like checking myself in to the mental ward - for the betterment of my family.

On these particularly stressful days, I often get the urge to not take the time to make my boys the healthiest snacks or the healthiest meals. Instead I feel like reaching for the nearest box of cereal bars or the microwavable mac & cheese. And you know what? Sometimes I do. I am the medium food mama and all. More importantly though, I'm human.

But with that said, watching my boys enjoy one of my homemade snacks as they did this morning, keeps me motivated even in the most stressful times. I know feeding them real food and teaching them the value of it will not only benefit their growing bodies but create a natural propensity for healthy eating. To this day I crave white flour quesadillas and caramel apples over whole meals and fresh fruit; proof that what you grow up on influences your palate - for life.

Yes, we all crave foods that are less than healthy once in a while but some of us more often than others. My husband for instance grew up with no soda and little to no packaged junk in the house, homemade school lunches and family dinners. He has always preferred healthy food. I thought he was kind of a square at first (15+ years ago) especially when he would give me a grossed out look while I nuked a can of Spaghettios for dinner. Oh and the worst was his lack of desire (need) for dessert. What do you mean NO dessert? OMG. This was especially hard in the early days as I didn't want him to think I was a pig or anything. No girl wants her boyfriend to think that. Am I right? The hubby's natural preference for good food and little desire for junk illustrates my point. So does my preference for the opposite.

Don't get me wrong, hubby likes ice cream, chocolate (thank God), pie and the occasional soda but it's very occasional and he prefers it if we make the pie and the soda is not a Pepsi but a Hansen's. That sort of thing. I enjoy eating this way too but it's not without hard work - daily. I still indulge in foods that comfort me more often than I should. My take on it is, they comfort me because that's what my mama fed me. I know it seems hard to believe but I'm convinced that if she had prepared fresh fruit salads as an after school snack, I'd find comfort in fruit salad to this day.

The smiles on my boys faces while they eat something I made and that's good for them, makes this mission so worth it. Also, the knowledge that what and how they eat now will stick with them for a lifetime is an incredible thing to get the honor to influence.

Recipe: Chocolate Zucchini Bread

This bread came out perfect! Taste, texture and appearance. Yum.

Chocolate Zucchini Bread (adapted from One Ordinary Day)

Ingredients:
1 & 1/2 cups Shredded zucchini
1/2 cup All purpose flour
1/2 cup Whole wheat flour
1/2 cup High quality unsweetened cocoa
1 tsp Baking soda
1/4 tsp Baking powder
Dash of salt
1/2 tsp Ground cinnamon
1/2 cup Canola oil
1/2 cup Sugar
1/2 cup Packed brown sugar
2 Eggs
1 tsp Vanilla extract
3/4 cup Bittersweet chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Peel and shred zucchini. In a large bowl combine oil, sugars and vanilla. Mix in eggs and shredded zucchini. In a separate bowl, sift together flours, cocoa powder, salt, cinnamon, baking soda and baking powder. Slowly add the dry mixture into the wet mixture. Beat until combined. Mix in chocolate chips. Scrape batter into a greased (I use cooking spray) 9×5x3 loaf pan, and bake for 55 minutes, or until done. Let cool then enjoy!

"Fruit" snacks

Fruit snacks, a.k.a. gummies, are a favorite among the toddler+ crowd. They're sweet and have a fun texture, most kids want them, including mine. I didn't let Gav try gummies until he turned three (my anxiety about choking again) and, not surprisingly, he liked them.

I know that regardless of which brand, organic or not, gummies are not a nutritional snack. I consider them more of a candy. And although my goal is to opt for real foods and foods with a decent nutritional profile, a candy or another sugary processed treat every once in a while is simply unavoidable. Whether out and about or while at a friend's house, my kids are going to be exposed to and offered all sorts of junk food.

Medium food is about a little compromise. If the boys want gummies, I'll find the best ones and let them have some but it won't be a regular thing. My hope is that the real food and healthy snacks I prepare them 80% of the time is what they'll prefer and the occasional junk food indulgence will be enough not to feel deprived or different than everyone else. Funny how there's an element of peer pressure around food. Remember the kid with the sandwich on brown bread and a piece of fruit in his lunch box? He certainly never had to worry about anyone wanting to move in on his lunch.

In regards to the best gummies to buy, read the label. My finding is (once again), the organic versions are consistently made up of much better ingredients and don't contain things like Yellow #5 or Red #40. The least amount of fake stuff the better. Prices are a little higher for the organic ones but they do go on sale and become comparable. Price range: Organic $3.99 to $4.99; Non Organic $2.79 to $3.79.

Tasty Brand organic fruit snacks ingredients: Organic Tapioca Syrup, Organic Cane Sugar, Organic Tapioca Syrup Solids, Organic White Grape Juice Concentrate, Pectin, Citric Acid, Ascorbic Acid, Color Added (Black Carrot Juice Concentrate, Turmeric, Annatto), Natural Flavors, Sodium Citrate, Organic Sunflower Oil, Carnauba Wax.

Kellogg's fruity snacks ingredients: Corn syrup, Sugar, Apple Puree Concentrate, Water, Modified Corn Starch, Gelatin, Contains 2% or less of Citric Acid, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Natural and Artificial Flavor, Coconut Oil, Carnauba Wax, Yellow #5, Red #40, Sodium Citrate, Blue #1.

Happy Baby

With a 10 month old, handy and age appropriate snacks are a must. This medium food mama will definitely not be making her own puffs or freeze dried yogurt snacks. But I'll buy the best I can find and afford.

My first son didn't get the pleasure of these sorts of snacks due entirely to my anxiety about choking. Sorry Gav! So a few months back was my first time doing extensive research on convenience snacks for baby.

After looking at my choices at the stores in my area, I landed on Happy Baby. Gerber has an organic line but only their baby food, not their snacks. I was never a big fan of Gerber anyhow but Earth's Best Organic, the brand I am a fan of, didn't offer snack items like puffs just teething biscuits. Although, Happy Baby was really my only choice in regards to puffs specifically, they're good stuff. They contain good ingredients and the price is right. I've found Happy Baby products at Target, Whole Foods and Babies R Us. Price: $2.99.

Happy Baby ingredients: Organic rice, organic whole oats, organic wheat, organic apple juice concentrate, organic whole grain brown rice, organic wheat starch, organic spinach, organic collard greens, organic kale.

Gerber ingredients: Rice flour, whole grain oat flour, wheat starch, wheat flour, sugar, apple powder, tri- and dicalcium phosphate, mixed tocopherols(for freshness), natural flavor, zinc sulfate, alpha tocopheryl acetate (vitamin E), electrolytic iron, soy lecithin, cinnamon, red cabbage extract color, purple carrot extract color.