Smoothies

Since we got a Nutribullet, I've been replacing my breakfast with a healthy smoothie each morning then sometimes having another for a snack somewhere in the day. I am going to start adding my favorite recipes. Usually I just add whatever sounds good (along with done leafy greens) but I want to write down the ones worth repeating exactly.
Right now I am drinking this yummy concoction:

Pineapple Orange Creamsicle
1 orange, peeled
1/2 cup canned pineapple (not drained)
A large handful of baby spinach
1/2 banana, frozen
1/2 cup plain yogurt
Small handful almonds
Couple spoonfuls Chia seeds
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Milk to fill line
Few ice cubes, optional

Here's my favorite dessert version:

Healthy Chocolate banana smoothie
2 bananas, frozen
1 spoonful unsweetened cocoa powder (or more, to taste.)
Handful of almonds
Spoonful or two of flax seed
1/4 t. Almond extract
Milk (amount depends on how thick you want it)

Buttermilk wheat waffles

From melskitchencafe.com
Awesome waffles. So tender and flavorful.

INGREDIENTS

2 large eggs
1 3/4 cups (14 ounces) buttermilk (I used whey from our homemade, plain yogurt)
4 tablespoons butter, melted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups (7 1/4 ounces) all-purpose flour (I used whole white wheat)
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
DIRECTIONS

In a medium-sized bowl, beat together the eggs, buttermilk, melted butter, and vanilla. In another bowl whisk together the dry ingredients; combine the wet and dry ingredients just until smooth.

Oatmeal Flax Muffins

(recipe adapted from here)
I have been looking for the perfect base recipe for different add-ins and I think I just found it. I like a flavorful, hearty, chewy and almost healthy muffin (but not quite...). None of those white fluffy things that people call muffins but they're really cupcakes.
This time, I threw in dark chocolate chunks and craisins. Mmmm, perfect! The original recipe called for blueberries. You can add whatever you like.

Ingredients:
1 cup rolled oats or old fashioned oatmeal
1 cup buttermilk (or regular milk + 1 teaspoon vinegar)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 eggs
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup flour
4 tablespoons ground flaxmeal
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup add-ins of choice (chocolate, craisins, berries, etc)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375°. Grease a 12 cup muffin tin.
Combine the oats and buttermilk in a mixing bowl. Let the oats soak for 15-20 minutes. Add the melted butter, egg, brown sugar, and vanilla. Stir by hand until just combined.
Add the flour, flaxmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir again until evenly moistened.
(Whatever I'm adding in, I like do push them in by hand into each muffin cup to make sure they are evenly distributed. You can also pour them batter into the bottom of the cups, then stir them into the batter and pour the rest in. Or just mix them all in if you don't care if they're even.)
Bake for 13-15 minutes.

Fluffy Whole Wheat Pancakes

Recipe from www.onceamonthmom.com.

Our family loves wheat pancakes and as much as we love blender pancakes, sometimes blending whole wheat kernels is too loud in the morning.
Oh, and they freeze great! Double or triple the batch, flash freeze them flat, them stack in freezer bag. Some for now, some for later! Kids can pop one in microwave anytime for a quick snack.

Ingredients:
1.5 cups whole wheat flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
0.75 teaspoon salt
3 Tablespoons brown sugar
2 eggs
1.5 cups milk
3 Tablespoons oil or melted butter

Directions:
Combine dry ingredients. Beat in eggs, milk, and oil with a whisk or mixer. Heat a nonstick griddle or skillet to medium heat. Spray with cooking spray or coat with a little butter. Pour on pancake batter, about 0.25 cup per pancake. When bubbles form and edges are set, flip. Serve warm, or freeze.

Blackberry Yogurt Muffins

(From http://www.laurenslatest.com/)
These. Are. SO. Good. SERIOUSLY! YUM! It is a good thing that the coast has a literally neverending supply of blackberries because I will be making these again. And again. And again. Leave a few chunks of blackberry when mixing them into the batter. Oh, and they might look a little funny, but dont worry. Or maybe it was just something I did wrong... I'll take a pic next time.

Blackberry Yogurt Muffins

yield: 12 small muffins


Ingredients:

6 tablespoons softened butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1/2 cup non-fat plain greek yogurt (usually comes in about this size)
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
pinch salt
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 cup fresh blackberries

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 12 muffin tin cups with paper liners and set aside. (I didnt use liners. Just spray muffin tin)

In large bowl, mix coconut oil and butter together. Cream with sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in vanilla, eggs {1 at a time}, yogurt and milk. Scrape edges and mix again until smooth. Pour in all dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Scrape edges and mix by hand to ensure batter is evenly mixed. Stir in blackberries gently. (I was not gentle. I liked having the whole batter blackberry-y with a few chunks.) Scoop into prepared muffin tins evenly.

Place into preheated oven and reduce temperature to 325 degrees. Bake 20-25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean when inserted. Cool 10 minutes and serve.

Morning Glory Muffins

(Recipe from Big Oven posted by Sherri)

These are great for breakfast or a between meal snack. Packed full of healthy stuff and fills you up. Substitute or omit to your liking, of course. I like to make a batch, freeze them, then pull out as needed and microwave for about 30 secs. Could also add shredded zuccini or something.

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
1 cups of sugar
2 t. baking powder
2 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
2 cups carrots, finely shredded
1 cup apples, shredded
1/2 c. raisins (or craisins)
1/2 c. walnuts
1/2 c. finely shredded coconut (might want to chop it its course)
3 eggs
3/4 cup oil
2 t. vanilla

*optional substitution (I did this and it worked fine) lower sugar to 1/2 to 3/4 cup and trade half the oil for applesauce.

Instructions:
Stir together dry ingredients. Stir in fruit/veggies, nuts, coconut. In seperate bowl, mix eggs, oil and vanilla. Add liquids all at once and stir just until moistened. Spoon into muffin cups until almost full. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until the top of muffin springs back when lightly touched. After a few minutes out of the oven, pop out of pan and cool of wire rack.

Amazing Granola

Here is the most Nutty, fruity, healthy, hearty, flavorful granola I have ever eaten. The best part is it is so versitile. Switch it up with whatever you like.

The recipe came from my sister who got it off of All Recipes- posted by a Veronica S.

I halved and slightly altered her recipe. Here is my version:

*makes one large cookie sheet full -- enough to fill a large oatmeal container (which is what I keep mine in)
Ingredients:
3 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/4 cup flax seeds
1/2 cup wheat germ
1 cup shredded coconut (I use sweetened)
1/2 cup sunflower seeds (unsalted is better)

1/2 cup canola oil (can use part or all olive oil. I use slightly less...)
3/4 cup honey (I use slightly more...)
*opt. season with salt, cinnamon and/or vanilla. (I just put a little of all of these, to taste, maybe half a teaspoon)

1/2 cups rasins
1/2 cup craisins

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees

In large bowl, stir together first 9 ingredients. If you don't have some of these, just use more oats, instead. Or substitute more of one nut to make up for another. (*Winco is a GREAT place to buy all these ingredients, if you have one nearby)

In a small pan over medium heat, stir together the oil and honey and seasonings (if desired). cook and stir until blended. (Or melt together in microwave) Pour over the oat mixture and stir to coat evenly. Spread out in an even layer on large cookie sheet.

Bake for 20 minutes, until the oats and nuts are toasted. (more if you like it on the crispy side) Immediately after taking it out of the oven, stir in raisins and crasins. Let stand until cool, then stir again to break up clumps. Store in airtight container for up to two weeks.

This is yummy! I am addicted! I hardly go a day without eating a bowl of this.

This is how I store my granola. I covered a used oatmeal container with paper and used stickers for the label. I just wipe it out each time it gets empty to keep the oil residue from getting rancid.

Whole Wheat Blender Pancakes

This is my Grandma Petersen's recipe. I love it! My blender is not as good as hers, so it stays pretty chunky, but still good.

1 cup whole wheat kernels and 1 cup milk
Blend wheat and milk for 4 or 5 minutes in blender.


Add:2 eggs, 1 tsp salt, 1/3 cup oil, 1 Tbsp baking powder, 2 Tbsp honey

Blend only long enough to combine. Cook on hot griddle. The batter is very thin.