Wheat & Flax Buttermilk Pancakes

I recently found a blog called Out of the Box Food. I'm always happy to find another like-minded blogger. The mom behind Out of the Box Food has a sharp focus on avoiding processed foods and provides recipes for common "kid foods" helping you avoid buying the boxed versions. Cool, right?

Although I still rely on a couple very common kid food items in a box (Thanks Annie's for making it seem okay!), I always strive to make as much of our food as I can myself, from scratch and/or using exclusively real food. Over the last few years I have seen my pantry go from quite a few processed items to just a few. And that for me is success.

While on the Out of the Box Food site, I was immediately drawn to the Wheat & Flax Buttermilk Waffle & Pancake recipe. Pancakes are a fave at our house and the mix of wheat, flax and buttermilk spoke to me. What makes it even better is, it's an easy recipe and is perfect for freezing the extra pancakes (or waffles). Since finding this recipe, I've made three batches and I'm about to make another being that I used the last of our supply in the freezer this morning.

The author recommends making an extra set of dry ingredients to store for future use. I did that and let me tell you, it made an already easy process easier and more importantly, quicker! I highly suggest doing this.

Wheat & Flax Buttermilk Waffles & Pancakes
Recipe from here.

2 C whole wheat pastry flour
2 tbsp flax meal
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 1/2 C buttermilk
2 eggs
2 egg whites, room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract

1. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sea salt, baking powder, baking soda and flax meal.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together buttermilk, eggs and vanilla.
3. Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture and stir JUST until combined (do not over mix).
4. Gently fold in beaten egg whites.
5. Proceed with your usual method for making waffles or pancakes.

I used a large cookie dough/ice cream scoop for my pancakes and the recipe made 18 pancakes.

Chocolate Syrup

Flavored milk is no stranger to bad press. In fact, it's a main focus of Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution. And I happen to agree that flavored milk, chocolate or otherwise, should not be readily available to the kiddos, especially at school. If given the choice, most children will pick a flavored milk over plain milk. I did. And my almost kindergartener would likely too even though he loves plain milk and knows chocolate milk is a treat. It's too tempting and most kids would opt for a treat over real food if it was available to them.

I'm definitely with Jamie on getting flavored milk out of schools but I do believe that a cold glass of chocolate milk or mug of hot chocolate once in a while is good for the soul. And I know he does too - he has a terrific hot cocoa recipe in one of his cookbooks.

My approach to chocolate milk is the same as my approach to any treat I make for the family - healthier, occasional and affordable with a touch of convenience if I can get it. I don't think there are many people (in the USA anyhow) that wouldn't recognize a bottle or can of Hershey's Syrup. And not many more that haven't had it. Not unlike most big brand convenience products, Hershey's Syrup is one that a lot of people "just buy." Whether it's because it brings back good memories or because it's "Hershey's, and has to be good, right?" Hershey's is a family after all? Or maybe it's the fact it goes on sale often enough to get it pretty cheap. Whatever the reasons, it is definitely a product that gets purchased a lot. Personally, I think it's the strong branding it has maintained for decades. The illusion that it's as pure as its beginnings when Milton Hershey himself was making the products. And that's the problem. It's not what Milton was making, it can't be. Hershey's products are mass produced and need to be shelf stable. And some of their chocolate products aren't even chocolate. Anyhow, here are the ingredients for Hershey's Syrup (not listed on their website by the way):

High fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, sugar, water, cocoa *, contains 2% or less of: potassium sorbate (a preservative), salt, mono and diglycerides *, polysorbate 60 (an emulsifier), xanthan gum, and vanillan, an artificial flavoring. *Adds a negligible amount of fat.

Starts with HFCS, and it's not until the fifth ingredient we find cocoa. I like to mention this because it helps remind me of how to make better choices, specifically with convenience foods. There are other chocolate syrups out there and here's one from Trader Joe's that is an improvement from Hershey's:

Organic sugar, water, organic cocoa, organic non-fat dry milk, organic vanilla, xanthan gum, soy lecithin, citric acid.

The point here is to learn to make better choices when buying convenience items. If you can't make it yourself, then pick the lesser of the evils. Take a few minutes (or more) to research.

And here is a simple recipe to make your own chocolate syrup if you find the time. I made it. It's fast and tastes great - no extra food additives needed. Give it shot if you can!

Homemade Chocolate Syrup

1 1/2 cups sugar

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup water

dash of salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

In a small saucepan, add sugar, cocoa, and salt.  Whisk together gently.  Add water.  Bring mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally.  Reduce heat and cook 1 minute.  Remove from heat and add vanilla.  Cool.  Store in the refrigerator. 

For chocolate milk, add 2 tablespoons chocolate syrup to 8 oz. of milk.  Heat for hot chocolate.

For milk shakes, combine 1 cup cold milk, 1/4 cup chocolate syrup and 2 cups (1 pint) of vanilla ice cream to a blender.  Blend.

This syrup also makes a yummy ice cream topping.

Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook, 1968.

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.

Recipe: Oatmeal Berry Blend Cookies

I have a real live cookie monster in my house. He is in the form of a four year old. This boy has it bad for cookies and I have to constantly keep his love for them under control. I assume some of the responsibility though... I can make a pretty mean cookie.  One of the food rules we follow is making our treats, not buying them. This helps not only to control the ingredients but it also makes it a more enjoyable experience. My boys get to help make them and the reward is always worth the work and wait. Additionally, it naturally controls the frequency. Boxed or bagged cookies? No way, totally not worth it for this family.

Inspired by a craving I had for oatmeal raisin cookies, I came up with a little tweak on a traditional oatmeal raisin cookie. Oatmeal Berry Blend Cookies. This cookie was another hit. I am going to go as far as suggesting it as a totally acceptable breakfast choice. It's sweetened only by honey and the mix of dried berries, cherries and raisins. I used a mix called "Golden Berry Blend" from Trader Joe's in place of just raisins. But this cookie can be made with any dried fruit you like. Keep in mind, this cookie is not sugary sweet. It doesn't have that unique brown sugar taste traditional oatmeal raisin cookies usually have. Don't let that deter you though. It's got eye appeal, a hearty texture and you can feel good about the ingredients residing inside. And I feel strongly that if the kids dig it, it's gotta be good, especially when it comes to treats. They're certainly my biggest critics.

Oatmeal Berry Blend Cookies

1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter, room temperature
1/2 Cup Honey
1 Large Egg
1 Tbsp Vanilla Extract
1 Cup White Whole Wheat Flour or Whole Wheat Cake Flour
2 Cups Old Fashioned Oats
1/2 Tsp Baking Soda
1/2 Tsp Salt
1 Tsp Ground Cinnamon
1 Cup Mix of Dried Cranberries, Golden Raisins, Blueberries and Cherries (or just one fruit)

1. Preheat oven to 325 F.
2. Place the butter and honey in a bowl and beat for 1 minute.
3. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and beat for another minute or until smooth.
4. In a separate bowl, mix to combine the flour, oats, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
5. Slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet and mix to incorporate.
6. Stir in the dried fruit then scoop 1/4 cup of dough (I use a two inch scoop) for each cookie onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
7. Bake for 15 minutes. Start checking at 12 minutes. Don't over bake!
8. Cool and serve.

Please note: I make large cookies. I only got nine cookies out of this recipe. If you prefer, use a traditional size cookie scoop or tablespoon and adjust cook time. You'll get at least double the amount of cookies. Enjoy!

Happy 2012!

May this brand new year bring you health, happiness and love.

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.

Coconut Oil

$5.99 at Trader Joe's

Use of coconut oil is on the rise. From my research, prior to the eighties, coconut oil was commonly used. Some time after that, it was attacked by the oil industry. The attack is believed to have been started by the American Soybean Association. The corn industry also joined in. Big surprise. Eventually coconut oil was put aside for products like soybean oil, vegetable oil and margarine. It was believed they were better for us because they were lower in saturated fat than coconut oil.

From what I gather, early studies were done on partially hydrogenated coconut oil, which creates trans fats. Virgin coconut oil, is not the same thing. Much of the saturated fat in coconut oil is in the form of lauric acid, a saturated fat that raises blood cholesterol levels by increasing the amount of good cholesterol. It is also found in breast milk.

Even though coconut oil fell out of favor and was deemed an "artery clogger" for a while, it has made its way back to the top. I mean when Trader Joe's offers a private label version of the good stuff (organic, virgin), it's gotta be okay, right? Insert a tiny bit of sarcasm in that last statement. Seriously though, I think there's enough evidence that proves coconut oil is good choice. Be sure to pick the virgin oil and if you get a chance, Google it and read more about its many health benefits.