Nut Butter Pancakes

Nut Butter Pancakes

A friend of mine posted a recipe for pancakes made only with oats, bananas, peanut butter, and eggs, and although I know I had made something similar, I couldn't find it on my blog.  That's because like dozens of other recipes I have made over the past few months, it was still in my draft folder. Not exactly the same as the one she shared, but just as deliciously healthy for you.  And gluten free for those of you that need to avoid flour. Because they are made primarily with nut butter and eggs, as well as almond flour, the are very high in protein compared to regular pancakes. I did use chocolate hazelnut butter (one with less sugar than Nutella, although that would be delicious!), so if you opt to use all almond butter or peanut butter or something with less added sugar, you may want to add in a mashed banana, or a few tablespoons of maple syrup, honey, or organic  sugar, or just add more syrup on top when eating them. I actually ate mine plain however, because they were so flavorful. I did amend the recipe to add soymilk (or whatever milk you prefer) because my husband said they were too thick to cook properly without burning them slightly.  I didn't mind, but as with all pancake recipes, you can adjust the ingredients slightly to get the pouring consistency you and your family prefer. Either way, next time you're craving a hearty pancake breakfast, definitely give this recipe a try.  You won't be disappointed!

Superfood Chocolate Cookies

Superfood Chocolate Cookies

Avocado Cookies? Yuck!  I know, I get it.  They don't sound good. Even to someone like me who loves avocado chocolate pudding, and makes cookies with pureed beans in them. But I promise, if I didn't tell you there was avocado in these you would never, ever guess.  You would just think they were super fudgy little bites of dark chocolate goodness. It's no secret that I love to sneak healthy ingredients into baked goods so that I can get my kids, especially my daughter to eat fruits and vegetables without having to actually take a bite of a fruit or vegetable, so although there is chocolate and honey in the ingredients, I still think they provide a good amount of nutritious fuel for my family's active lifestyle.  These are best made in a food processor so that the ingredients combine smoothly, and then stored in the freezer to maintain freshness.  I made them small so they could be bite sized, but I am sure you could make them a little bit bigger and even add mini chocolate chips to them as well.  The combination of avocado, almond butter, and eggs, along with the rich chocolate, cocoa and honey, make them the perfect sweet treat that is also full of vitamins, fiber and protein. And they are great served with a thin layer of peanut butter on top, or as a little cookie sandwich! 

Turkey Meatballs

Turkey Meatballs

Just because you are trying to eat better for the New Year, doesn't mean you have to give up on flavor and essential winter comfort foods.  I made these turkey meatballs (my first time ever) back in October when my parents came for a weekend visit and I wanted to make a meal that everyone could enjoy.  I also made tuna "meat" balls, which were incredible, but only managed to take one photo before they got devoured, so I'll have to make them again before I can share the recipe.  My dad loves to have some meat with his meals, and my mom is a pescatarian (mostly vegetarian, but eats fish), so the two recipes, along with pasta which is my daughter's favorite were a perfect meal for the six of us.  I actually made these meatballs ahead of time and froze them, so that when they came to visit I just had to heat them up in the oven. They technically are your basic meatball recipe, with the exception of using almond flour instead of breadcrumbs, and a combination of plain ground turkey and spicy (or sweet) turkey sausage.  Just make sure to get a brand of sausage with minimal ingredients and preservatives.  The result is a perfectly seasoned, moist, and satisfying addition to any pasta meal, or as shown below, as a sandwich filling, or mixed into a soup.