Sweet Potato Apple Hash

I first published a recipe for this years ago but it desperately needing updating, both with the method and the photos (see original pic at the bottom - it makes me cringe).  So about this dish, simply put it is all about Fall with my favorite 2 produce items of the season!  It only has a few ingredients and it's easy to make so that's a big win in my book.  I like the red onion in this for a little color but any onion will do.  Also, a favorite of sweet potatoes or yams (what is the difference anyway? Read this) is the Garnet Yam!  

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Makes 2 servings


Ingredients

1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2 in cubes
Olive oil
1 apple, cored and diced
1/2 red onion, diced (about ½ cup is good)
1-2 Tbsp vegan butter (optional)
Salt and pepper, to taste


Method

Heat iron skillet (or nonstick skillet) over medium heat with enough olive oil to coat the bottom.  Let warm for a few minutes.  You don't want to throw your sweet potatoes into a cold skillet with cold oil - it should sizzle a little bit.

Add sweet potatoes and stir around a little to coat in the oil.  Let cook untouched for about 5 minutes.  Then give them a toss, bottoms should be a little browned, and cook another 5 minutes.  Add additional oil in needed to keep them from sticking.

Add onion and apple, cook 4-5 minutes until everything is tender and the sweet potatoes are browned.

Stir in butter if using, give a toss to melt it and coat everything.  Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.

This was the original picture I posted in 2011 - I mean who would want to make that!?!  Thank goodness for today's amazing iPhone cameras!

meal.

Mango Coconut Rice



Yummy, creamy coconuty rice studded with chunks of sweet mango makes an easy tropical treat for breakfast or even dessert.  I prefer champagne mangoes but you can use regular ones as well and frozen mango is also an option.   Opt for unsweetened shredded coconut but if you can't find it, just omit or lessen the agave.  Another possible add-on for this, garnish chopped macadamia nuts and enjoy this tropical island vacation in a bowl!



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Serves 2

Ingredients

1 cup cooked brown rice
1/3 cup light coconut milk
Pinch of salt
1-2 tsp agave nectar
1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1 champagne mango, diced (just shy of a cup)

Method

Place rice and coconut milk in a small pot over medium heat.  Bring to a simmer.  Once simmering, begin stirring and it will thicken quickly.  Once desired consistency is reached, remove from heat and stir in agave, coconut, and mango.  Spoon into a bowl and serve.

Hoe Cakes (aka Cornmeal Pancakes)

Hoe cakes, also known as cornmeal pancakes, are basically a pancake that is typically made with a equal parts flour and cornmeal.  They get their name from way back in the day when they were cooked on hoe over a fire.  These little treats were George Washington's breakfast of choice and he enjoyed them with honey.  I like mine with raw agave or maple syrup and vegan Earth Balance (note: the Whipped one tastes like butter and is much better than the Original).

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Makes 3-4 small hoe cakes

Ingredients

1/4 cup almond milk

2 tsp fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup cornmeal

1/4 cup flour (I use half whole wheat and oat flour)

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

2 Tbsp unsweetened applesauce

1 Tbsp agave nectar or maple syrup

Canola oil

Method

Recommended: use a cast iron skillet and set on burner over medium heat to allow it to heat while you mix ingredients. 

Measure your almond milk in a measuring cup and then add the lemon juice.  Give it a stir and set aside.

Add cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt to a bowl and whisk or stir.  Add applesauce, agave, and almond milk mixture and stir.

For each cake add about 2 tablespoons of batter to lightly oiled, heated skillet. Spread out to form a small circle.  Let cook about 4 minutes (will depend on how hot your skillet is) or until the edges start to dry and crust.  Flip and cook about 3-4 more minutes. 







Breakfast Carrot Cakes

This started as an attempt at a healthier, vegan carrot cake and evolved into a breakfast treat.  Lots of healthy, yummy goodness like carrots, pineapple, coconut, oats, walnuts baked into cookie shaped cakes.  Sure you can bake these in muffin tins but I prefer the way they bake when you just drop them on a baking sheet. 

 

 

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Makes 6 large or 12 smaller snack size

 

Ingredients

1/3 cup. maple syrup
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 Tbsp ground flax seed
1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup quick oats (or rolled oats lightly ground in a blender)

1/2 cup grated carrot
1/2 cup chopped pineapple (fresh or frozen/thawed) or sub raisins
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

Method

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl add maple syrup thorugh vanilla, set aside. 

In another bowl, add flour through oats and whisk.  Add these dry ingrededients to the wet ingredients and stir but don't overmix.

Fold in carrot, pineapple, nuts, and coconut.

On a lightly greased or parchment lined baking sheet dollop the the mixture into somewhat round shapes and then lightly press the top to flatten a bit.  Bake for 20 minutes.

  

 

 

 

 





Mega Vegan Breakfast Sandwich w/ Tempeh Bacon and Tofu Egg

 

You're probably going to have a hard time finding a vegan or vegetarian breakfast at a restaurant, so make your own!  I made mine with my homemade tempeh bacon, transformed my tofu scramble into tofu egg slices, vegan cheese, tomato, onion, and avocado because I add it to every sandwich!  I used a hearty Ezkiel sprouted grain english muffin with a smear of Earth Balance. You can also try swapping veggie sausage patty for the tempeh bacon for another tasty variation.

Ingredients

English Muffin (I like Ezkiel Sprouted Grain)
Slice of Extra-firm tofu (press as much water out as possible)
Tofu egg slices (recipe below)
Tempeh bacon slices (homemade recipe or storebought)
Vegan cheese (I used Galaxy Foods Vegan Mexican Shreds)
Sliced tomato
Thinly sliced onion
Mashed avocado
Earth Balance vegan butter
Hot sauce

Tofu Egg (makes enough marinade for about 1/3-1/2 block tofu)
1/3 cup vegetable broth
1 tsp olive or canola oil
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp turmeric
1 Tbsp nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp black salt (optional - gives an eggy taste and can found in Indian markets or online)
Pinch of black pepper
Firm or extra-firm tofu, sliced about 1/8-1/4" thick



Tofu Egg Slices

Method
Mix your tofu marinade ingredients in a bowl.  Lay tofu slices in a flat, shallow dish and pour marinade over it.  Let marinate an hour or longer.

Two cooking options 1).  stovetop in lightly oiled skillet, few minutes on each side. 2). In oven at 400 degrees on lightly greased baking sheet, about 5min on each side.  If I'm already baking tempeh bacon, I go ahead and throw the tofu slices on the same baking sheet with tempeh and then just take it out when it's done (the tempeh takes longer to cook).

While your egg is cooking, toast your english muffin with a smear of Earth Balance and some vegan cheese to get it all melted.  Then layer your ingredients and dig in!




Peanut Butter & Jelly Banana Muffins



 

My PB&J Banana Pancakes were so delicious I just had to turn them into a muffin.  I worked from my Banana Chocolate Chip Muffin recipe with a few minor adjustments based on what I had on hand.  I didn't have any Earth Balance vegan butter so I figured I would make these without any added fat.  I had a Silk strawberry soy yogurt so I threw in that in lieu of the Earth Balance (applesauce is also a good sub for butter or oil in baking).  Since I was going healthy with these I used whole wheat and oat flour.  I'd say they turned out pretty great for a healthy little treat.  I'm also going to try baking this in a loaf pan and adding extra layers of jelly so stay tuned for that!

 

 

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Ingredients

1/3 cup Unsweetened Almond or Soy Milk

1 Tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice or Apple Cider Vinegar

1 1/2 cups Flour (I use 1 cup Whole Wheat + 1/2 cup Oat Flour)

1/2 cup Quick Oats

1 Tbsp Baking Powder

1/2 tsp Salt

1 tsp Cinnamon

1/3 cup Earth Balance Vegan Butter, softened (optional: sub applesauce or soy yogurt)

1/4 cup Sugar

1/4 cup Light Brown Sugar (packed)

3 very ripe Bananas (medium-large size), mashed

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

 

Jelly or fruit preserves (raspberry or strawberry are my faves)

 

Peanut Butter Glaze

1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar

3 Tbsp almond milk

3 Tbsp creamy peanut butter

 

Method

 

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a muffin pan, set aside.

Mix lemon juice and soy milk in small bowl and set aside (this will curdle slightly).

Whisk dry ingredients in a bowl (flours, oats, baking powder, salt, cinnamon), set aside.

In another bowl add butter, sugars, mashed banana and mix with an electric mixer on low speed (or whisk by hand) for about a minute or two. Next whisk in the almond milk/lemon, and vanilla. Whisk together until mixed.

Fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients and stir until just combined (you don't want to over mix). Add heaping tablespoon full of mixture to muffin tins, should be about half full.  Next in each muffin tin add about a teaspoon of jelly to middle.  If you want more peanut butter flavor then add a bit on top of jelly (see pic below).  Then take remaining batter and dollop on top gently smoothing out.  Bake for 20-25 minutes.

 

While baking make your peanut butter glaze by whisking the ingredients together in a bowl.  You can adjust ingredients to taste. 

 

When muffins are done, let cool and then spread glaze on them.  Can be topped with chopped peanuts for crunch or a sprinkle of powdered sugar to make them pretty!

 

 

 

 



Peanut Butter & Jelly Banana Pancakes

I don't even know what to say except these are kind of amazing so go make them. 

 

 

Pancakes

Your favorite pancake recipe (I use my vegan pancake recipe)

Cinnamon

Sliced banana (make sure it's ripe!)

 

PB Sauce

Honey roasted peanut butter, like the grind your own at the supermarket (or regular PB and add a little honey or agave)

Almond milk

 

"Jelly" Sauce

Good quality, all-natural fruit preserves instead of the cheap generic jelly (I love Bonne Maman brand and I used mixed berry)

Splash of water

 

Method

 

Begin making you pancakes and add some cinnamon to the batter.  Cook as you would but lay your banana slices on the pancakes before flipping.

 

For PB Sauce simply add some PB to a small bowl with a little almond milk. If you want to measure I usually go with a 1:2 ratio of PB to almond milk.  Then microwave for about 5-10 seconds, remove and stir adding a little splashes of almond milk and stirring until it's slightly pourable but still thick.  If needed add a little honey or agave for sweetness.

 

Next put some fruit preserves in a small bowl with a splash of water and microwave for 5-10 seconds.  This will also make a nice pourable sauce. 

 

Simply pour your these sauces all over your pancakes and dig in. 

 

 

©2013 Rachel Morris

The Naked Elvis Banana Bowl

 All the elements of an Elvis sandwich sans bread and of course no bacon. I suppose you could crumble some tempeh bacon on it, but I don't think it needs it.  This it great just as is or incorporate into other breakfasts and serve over plain oatmeal, whole grain pancakes or a frozen waffle, sprinkle with more chopped peanuts for crunch.  Make it a dessert and add some cocoa powder to the sauce or serve topped with chocolate chips.

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Ingredients
1 Tbsp Peanut Butter
2-3 Tbsp Almond Milk or other non-dairy milk 
Honey to taste
1 medium banana, sliced

Method
Add peanut butter and 2 tablespoons of almond milk to small bowl.  Microwave about 10 seconds, then stir until peanut butter is completely dissolved.  Add more almond milk if desired for a thinner consistency.  For the honey you can either stir some into the sauce or drizzle the dish with it at the end, or do both.

Spoon sauce over sliced banana and top with chopped peanuts if desired.


 

Tofu Rancheros

This makes a nice hearty breakfast, lunch or dinner!  If you don't want to make the ranchero sauce just simply top with your favorite store-bought salsa.  For the beans I happened to have a black bean dip (it was fat-free!) so I served with that. You can either eat in the the corn tortillas like tacos or use tortilla chips and eat like nachos! For an extra bonus top with guacamole or sliced avocado.

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Serves 2

Ingredients

1 Tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp cumin
½ tsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
½ block firm or extra firm tofu, drained and pressed
1 cup chopped veggies (peppers, onions, mushrooms, zucchini, corn, whatever!)
Salt and pepper to taste

Salsa or Ranchero Sauce (recipe below)
Refried beans, black beans, or a bean dip
Corn tortillas (recipe for homemade)
Cilantro for garnish

Method

In a medium bowl, mix the nutritional yeast, turmeric, cumin, and garlic powder.  Stir in the soy sauce; it will look like a paste.  Crumble the tofu and mix until the tofu is thoroughly coated. Mashing with a fork helps incorporate all the flavors into the tofu but leave some chunks.

Lightly coat a large skillet with cooking spray or vegetable oil and heat for one minute over medium heat. Add the tofu mixture and peppers, onions, mushrooms (I like to start with them the veggies and tofu separately in the skillet and then halfway through mix them). Cook for 5-8 minutes or until vegetables reach desired tenderness.  Serve topped with cilantro and salsa with beans and corn tortillas on the side.


Ranchero Sauce
1/2-1 cup vegetable broth
1/4 cup diced onion
1/4 cup diced bell pepper
2 tsp cumin
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 tsp chopped jalapeno
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
Salt and pepper

Heat a skillet for a minute over medium heat.  Add a just enough broth to cover the bottom and add onion and bell pepper and a pinch of salt.  Cook 3 minutes, add cumin, garlic, and jalapeno and cook for a minute, adding more broth as needed.  Add tomatoes and their juices.  Cook 10-15 until tomatoes are softened.  Let cool and puree in a blender, add any extra broth if needed.

Tofu and veggies just starting to cook.

ChocoBanana Protein Smoothie

It's Hemp History Week (June 4-10) so why not enjoy a smoothie with hemp protein!  Hemp contains easily digestible protein, fiber, and Omega-3.  I love the hemp seeds on salad or oatmeal but decided to give the protein powder a shot (I bought the Nutiva brand).  It's definitely got an earthy flavor but in this smoothie that is masked by the banana, cocoa, and peanut butter.  Try slicing the banana and freezing for an hour to make the smoothie thicker.  It's not only delicious but quite filling.  I'll definitely be trying this is different smoothies.

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Ingredients

3/4 cup almond milk

1 banana, sliced

1 Tbsp hemp protein

1 Tbsp cocoa powder

2 tsp peanut butter

crushed ice (optional)

Method

Add all the ingredients to a blender and and blend until smooth.  Add ice for a more frozen consistency.

Perfect Pancakes Done Vegan and Healthy

I have a lot of favorite breakfast foods but I think pancakes might be my all time fave.  It's taken some time and tinkering, along with a whole lot of pancake eating, to get my recipe just right.  Not only are they vegan, but also healthier using whole wheat flour and no oil!  It was worth the wait!

Some tips from my successes and failures with pancakes:

DO sift the dry ingredients.  It makes them lighter, less chewy.

  For the flour I typically use whole wheat pastry flour and sometimes sub in 1/3 cup oat flour (optional).

DO mix your wet ingredients thoroughly before combining with dry. This helps with the following...

Do NOT over mix your batter. DO let it sit at least 10 minutes. It's hard to wait, I know, but the the batter must rest.

DO heat your skillet.  10 minutes over low heat is ideal.  So VERY IMPORTANT!

Cook over medium-heat, no higher.  They will burn too fast.

If adding any fruit, add on pancakes JUST BEFORE flipping.  Adding too soon can weigh down,

you want those delicate pancakes to rise and be light in texture.

DON'T overcrowd the pan.  Leave plenty of space around the pancakes.

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Makes 4-6 pancakes

Ingredients

1 cup whole wheat flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup almond or soy milk

1/4 cup water

1 tsp vanilla

1 Tbsp sugar

2 Tbsp unsweetened applesauce

Method

Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl (you can use a mesh strainer to do this).  Add the rest of the ingredients to another bowl and whisk or stir to thoroughly combined.  Add the the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until just mixed.  Do not over mix.  Let batter sit at least 10 minutes.  If it's too thick after standing you can a tablespoon or two of milk.

Now make sure to heat your skillet (cast iron works well) over low-medium heat for a few minutes.  To test, drop a little water on it and if it sizzles.  Spray with cooking spray and turn heat up just a bite to medium.  Pour a small amount of batter into into skillet to form pancakes.  Don't overcrowd.  Cook about 3-4 minutes until small bubbles begin to form.  If adding any fruit, add now then flip and cook about 3 minutes longer.

Favorite Variations:

Banana Nut: Add a pinch or 2 of cinnamon to the dry ingredients.  Add thinly sliced banana to pancakes before flipping.  Top with syrup and walnuts or pecans.

Maple Cinnamon: Add a some maple syrup and sprinkle of cinnamon to a small dish and microwave about 10-15 seconds, drizzle over cooked pancakes before serving.

Blueberry or Strawberry: Heat fresh or frozen blueberries or strawberries, optional: stir in a little jam (any berry flavor).  Pour over pancakes.

Just Peachy: Heat fresh or frozen diced peaches, stir in a pinch of each cinnamon and brown sugar.  Pour on pancakes and sprinkle with chopped pecans.

Blueberry topped pancakes

Heartwarming Hotcakes with Strawberries

Celebrate National Pancake Day (February 28th) with some delicious heart-healthy pancakes that are not only vegan but also wheat-free.  They've got oats which are loaded with soluble fiber that helps reduce LDL "bad" cholesterol in the bloodstream.  Throw in some ground flaxseed for omega-3's that can help reduce blood pressure.  And why not add in some antioxidant packed strawberries and almonds for good fat!

Serves 2

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Ingredients

1 small banana, mashed
1/2 cup soy or almond milk
1 Tbsp agave nectar
1/3 cup oat flour*
1/4 cup rolled oats (not instant/quick oats)
1 Tbsp ground flaxseed
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup diced strawberries
2 Tbsp slivered almonds

Directions

Add the banana, milk, agave to mixing bowl and stir. Then add flour, oats, flaxseed, baking powder and cinnamon and stir to thoroughly combine. Batter will be a little thick but more milk can be added to thin it out if necessary.

Spray a nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium heat until a drop of water sizzles. Pour about ¼ cup of batter into the pan, use a spatula to spread into a circle (or heart) if needed. Cook until bubbles form in the center, before flipping sprinkle diced strawberries over each pancake, then flip over and cook an additional few minutes.

The best way to serve is to add some agave nectar to a bowl, add a dash of cinnamon and microwave 10-15 seconds to warm.  Drizzle over pancakes and sprinkle with almonds.  Mmm mmm dee-lish!

*Arrowhead Mills makes oat flour which you can find at Whole Foods or if you have a good food processor you can simply make your own by throwing some rolled oats in there.  Just make sure to get it pretty fine.  You can also use regular whole wheat flour if you like.

Cashew Butter and Strawberry Topped English Muffin

Not only is this quick breakfast with the tasty combo of cashew butter and strawberries but it has many healthy benefits.  Most of the fat cashews is in the form of oleic acid which is a heart-healthy monounsaturated fat.  The are also high in magnesium which is vital for bone health. In addition, we have strawberries, a nutritional powerhouse bursting with anti-inflammatories and antioxidants - 1 cup has over 100% of your daily vitamin C! Top all of this on a fiber-rich whole wheat english muffin and you've got a nutrient-packed, filling breakfast!

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Serves 1

Ingredients

1-Whole Wheat English Muffin, toasted
1- Tbsp Cashew Butter
Cinnamon to taste
1/4 cup (or more) diced strawberries

Method

Add cashew butter to a small bowl and sprinkle with cinnamon.  Stir to mix.  If it necessary, microwave 5-10 sec. to soften.  Spread on the english muffin and top with strawberries.

Shopping Tip:
When shopping for any type of whole wheat bread make sure the first ingredient is WHOLE wheat flour and not just wheat flour. When reading ingredients remember that sometimes "wheat flour" is just a disguise for your basic white flour. Whole wheat means that the whole grain has been used, whereas with regular wheat/white flour the most nutritious parts of the grain (bran and germ) have been stripped before processing meaning less nutrients.  Also, use your eyes as judgement by looking at the color of the bread.  Generally the darker the better, so if something says wheat bread but doesn't look much darker than the white bread then it probably isn't any better.  


You can buy cashew butter or make your own with just RAW cashews, which can be healthier than store-bought brands that have roasted the nuts or added salt. It can also be more cost effective. If your grocery store has a bulk section you can buy just what you need. To make it all you have to do is just put some raw cashews in a food processor and let it run a few minutes til it turns the consistency of a nut butter (typically drier than peanut butter).

Tasty Tofu Veggie Scramble

This is my tasty vegan tofu scramble in it's basic form but make no mistake, it is super delicious!  Even to people that love eggs.  This can be dressed up with your favorite veggies, sauces, or spices.  It's great in a whole wheat tortilla, on toast, or with homefries. 

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Serves 2

Ingredients

½ block firm or extra firm tofu, drained and pressed

1 Tbsp nutritional yeast

1 tsp turmeric

½ tsp garlic powder

2 tsp low-sodium soy sauce

½ cup vegetable broth

1/3 cup diced green bell pepper

1/3 cup diced onion

1/3 cup diced crimini mushrooms

1-2 Tbsp garbanzo bean flour (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste

Method

In a medium bowl, crumble the tofu and add nutritional yeast, turmeric, garlic powder, and soy sauce and stir to mix (mashing with a fork helps incorporate all the flavors into the tofu). Set aside.

Add just enough of the broth (set the rest aside) to cover the bottom of a large skillet and heat for one minute over medium heat. Add the tofu mixture and peppers, onions, mushrooms. Cook for 5-8 minutes or until vegetables reach desired tenderness, adding more vegetable broth as needed.  If using garbanzo bean flour, add in just at the end to thicken up any excess liquid and add some creaminess to the scramble.

BananaBerry Baked Oatmeal

I like to think of this as a cross between oatmeal and a muffin.  It's packed with nutrients from the fruit, flaxseed, oats, and  nuts... and it's vegan!  I purposely use less sweetener so that it can be eaten warm and drizzled with maple syrup or agave.   Since this holds it's shape when cut, it also makes a perfect on-the-go breakfast or snack!

6 servings

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Ingredients

2 Tbsp ground flaxseed
6 Tbsp water
2 cups rolled oats
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
2-3 ripe bananas, mashed
1 cup almond or soy milk
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
3 Tbsp agave nectar (or maple syrup)
1/2 cup frozen or fresh blueberries
1/3 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix flax with water and set aside (it will thicken upon standing 5-10min)

In a bowl mix oats, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.

In a separate bowl add mashed banana, milk, vanilla, agave and flax mixture. Stir to thoroughly combine and then add to oat mixture. Stir everything together.

Pour half the batter into a lightly greased 8x8 baking dish. Sprinkle blueberries and nuts over it and then pour remain batter over, smoothing out as needed.

Bake for 20-25 minutes. Let cool for about 10 minutes so it can set.  You can cut this into 6.  Or 4 large servings if you prefer.

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

I'll just say it...these are amazing.  Make them immediately.

Makes 12 muffins

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Ingredients:

1/3 cup Unsweetened Soy Milk

1 Tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice

1 cup All Purpose Flour

1/2 cup Whole Wheat Flour

1/2 cup Quick Oats

1 Tbsp Baking Powder

1/2 tsp Salt

1/4 tsp Cinnamon

1/3 cup Earth Balance Vegan Butter, softened

1/4 cup Sugar

1/4 cup Light Brown Sugar (packed)

3 Ripe Bananas (medium-large size), mashed

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

1/2 cup Chocolate Chips

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a muffin pan, set aside.

Mix lemon juice and soy milk in small bowl and set aside.
Whisk dry ingredients in a bowl (flours, oats, baking powder, salt, cinnamon), set aside.

In another bowl add butter, sugars, mashed banana and mix with an electric mixer on low speed for about a minute or two.  Next whisk in the soy milk/lemon, and vanilla. Whisk together until mixed.

Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir until just combined (you don't want to over mix). Gently fold in the chocolate chips. Batter will be thick. Spoon into muffin tins and bake for 20-25 minutes.

Note: my favorite way to make these is to use a combo of semi-sweet chocolate chips and dark chocolate chips.  And these are also good with walnuts.
Nutrition Info (1 muffin): 219 calories, 8g fat, 2g fiber, 2.5g protein

Iced Lemon Blueberry Muffins

Still on a muffin kick and sticking with something light for summer, I made some healthy, vegan muffins that combine the flavors of lemon and blueberry.  A personal favorite!

Makes 12 muffins
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Ingredients

1 cup All Purpose Flour
1/2 cup Whole Wheat Flour
1/2 cup Quick Oats
1 Tbsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
2/3 cup Sugar
1/4 cup Vegan Butter (like Earth Balance), softened
1/2 cup Unsweetened Applesauce
1/3 Unsweetened Soy Milk
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest (about 1 lemon)
1 cup fresh bluebrries

Lemon Glaze

1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
½ cup Powdered Sugar

Pre- heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a muffin pan, set aside.

Whisk dry ingredients in a bowl (flours, oats, baking powder, salt), set aside.

In another bowl add sugar, butter, applesauce, soy milk, vanilla, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Whisk together until mixed. Add dry ingredients to and stir until just combined (you don't want to over mix). Gently fold in the blueberries. Batter will be thick.

Spoon into muffin tins and bake for 20-25 minutes.

Once muffins are cool and ready to glaze, make the the glaze by whisking the lemon juice and powdered sugar together in a bowl. Drizzle over muffins.


Nutrition Info: 165 calories, 4g fat, 2g fiber, 2g protein

Strawberry Peach Muffins

Delicious, healthy and vegan muffins using summer fruit.   This recipe can also be made as a bread in a loaf pan (cooking time will be doubled).   I prefer making them as muffins because they're already portioned and freeze better this way.

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Makes 12 muffins

Ingredients

1 cup All Purpose Flour
1/2 cup Whole Wheat Flour
1/2 cup Quick Oats
1 Tbsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
2/3 cup Sugar
1/4 cup Vegan Butter (like Earth Balance), softened
1/2 cup Unsweetened Applesauce
1/3 Unsweetened Soy Milk
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1/4 cup Pecans, finely chopped
1 Large Peach, peeled and diced small
1 cup Fresh Strawberries, hulled and diced small

Pre- heat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease a muffin pan, set aside.

Whisk dry ingredients in a bowl (flours, oats, baking powder, salt, cinnamon), set aside.

In another bowl add sugar, butter, applesauce, soy milk, vanilla, and pecans.  Whisk together until mixed.   Add dry ingredients to this and stir until just combined (you don't want to over mix).  Gently fold in the fruit.  Batter will be thick.

Spoon into muffin tins and bake for 20-25 minutes.

Nutrition Info: 165 calories, 6g fat, 2g fiber, 3g protein

Suggestions/Tips: 

- In lieu of oats you can use another 1/2cup of whole wheat flour or if you have rolled oats I'd recommend giving them a a few pulses in the food processor.
- You can substitute light brown sugar for half sugar
- For the applesauce I recommend buying a pack of the individual cups which are 1/2 cup.  This way you won't have to worry about a whole jar going bad if you don't use it.
- If you put the butter in the microwave to soften it, make sure you give it some time to cool a bit.  You don't want it to be scorching hot when you mix it with the other ingredients.
- I recommend dicing the fruit small, (about the size of a blueberry) and the totally should be about 1 heaping cup.

Pumpkin Protein Pancakes

Pumpkin pancakes with 20 grams of protein per serving

Serves 2

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Ingredients

1/4 cup Multigrain Pancake/Baking Mix
1.5 Scoops Vanilla Whey Protein Powder
1 Tbsp Turbinado Sugar
1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice

1/4 cup Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk
2 Egg Whites
3 Tbsp Canned Pumpkin

Mix the first 5 ingredients together. Add the last 3 and mix until combined. Heat a skillet sprayed with cooking spray. Pour batter in pan to make desired size pancakes. Once the pancake starts to bubble on top, flip over and cooked until done.

Amount of batter will make either 6 small pancakes (aprrox 4" diameter) or 3 larger pancakes.

Nutrition Info (half the recipe): 211 Calories, 5g Fat, 2g fiber, 9g sugar, 20g protein

* Topping with 1 tablespoon of pure maple syurp or agave nectar will add approximately 50-60 calories.



Sweet Cinnamon and Banana Brown Rice

This is like oatmeal but with brown rice instead of oats.  It is amazing and very filling!  Also, check out this video of me making this recipe and you'll see just how easy it is!

Here's what I used:

The Base:
1/2 cup cooked brown rice
1/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
2 tsp agave nectar
Cinnamon to taste

The Extras:
1 tbsp raisins
1 tbsp slivered almonds (or another nut)
A few banana slices*


Just mix it all in a pot and cook until it boils and thickens.  Only takes about 5 minutes.

*I happened to have some frozen banana slices on hand.  I highly recommended freezing and stashing some to use in this, oatmeal, cereal, smoothies, etc.  Just slice the banana and lay out on a cookie sheet making sure that they don't touch.  This way they'll freeze faster and won't get stuck together.  Once frozen, you can place in a ziploc.