Apple Cinnamon Whole Wheat and Oat Pancakes

I don't know why I haven't posted about these before. Maybe because I usually eat them all before I can take a picture. A couple years ago I decided I wanted to make healthy pancakes that still tasted good. Though there were others that were pretty good, these came out on top for me. I just love cooked apple. These are the pancakes you eat when you want something tasty and filling, but don't want to feel slothful afterwards. They almost look like cookies, don't they?

Apple Cinnamon Wheat Pancakes
How I Did It:

1 egg
4 oz unsweetened apple sauce
1/4 cup + 1 tbsp almond milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 tbsp honey
1/3 cup oats, slightly processed
1/3 cup whole wheat flour
1 tbsp flaxseed meal
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1 apple, peeled and chopped

1. Whisk the first 5 ingredients together.

2. Stir in the remaining ingredients, except for the apple. Let sit for 15 minutes.

3. Lightly coat two large frying pans with oil (I used light olive oil) and heat on low.

4. Stir in the the apple and when the pans are heated, pour or spoon the batter in making the size pancakes that you prefer.

5. Cook until small bubbles start to form and the edges look set. Flip, and cook on the other side.

6. Serve immediately,

Special Blueberry Banana Bread

This banana bread was one of the two desserts I made for Mother's Day. I found it at Gluten Free Vegan Girl. My mom loved it and my sister and I agreed that it would be great for breakfast. Of course, the only one I shared the secret ingredient with was my mom. I have used tofu in vegan frosting before and it really does make for a nice texture (you can't taste it - promise). This bread is vegan, gluten-free and has no added sugar - the sweetness comes from the bananas and blueberries, but it's only mildly sweet. I doubled recipe (per below) and I think that was the perfect amount for a loaf pan and it still cut and served easily.

Special Blueberry Banana Bread

How I Did It:

4 ripe bananas

300 grams silken tofu

2 cups of rolled oats

2 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 cups frozen blueberries

1. Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a bread pan with canola oil.

2. With a potato masher, mash together the bananas and tofu in a bowl.

3. In a food processor, grind the oats into oat flour. Pour into the banana/tofu mix along with the baking powder. Stir to combine.

4. Pour into prepared bread pan and spread out evenly. One at a time, push blueberries into the batter.

5. Bake for about an hour or until it doesn't jiggle when you shake the pan and it is cooked through (will remain very moist).

6. Store covered and refrigerated. 

Hearty Apple Pecan Cake

My favorite desserts (after those with chocolate) are apple desserts. From the simple apple sauce and caramelized apples to fritters, crisps, bars and pies...cooked apples just make everything better. I am the person who always replaces walnuts with pecans in recipes. Same crunch with better flavor (walnuts are just so borrring)! So you can see how when I saw this "breakfast cake" at Oh She Glows I had to try it out. 

I used more apple and apple sauce than she did and I would do the same if I made it again. Maybe I should say when I make it again. Since I'm not vegan, I used honey instead of maple syrup since I prefer that flavor (the extra apple sauce helped moisten up the batter enough). I had it for breakfast this morning and between the whole wheat flour and the pecans, it really kept me full and satisfied until I was ready to eat again (I had slightly more than shown below).

Hearty Apple Pecan Cake

How I Did It:

1 cup pecans, chopped

3 apples, peeled and chopped

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

1 tsp baking powder

2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 buttery spread, melted and cooled

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 + 1/8 cup +1 tbsp honey (to make this vegan, use maple syrup)

2 single serving no sugar added apple sauce cups

1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 8x8 casserole dish and then spread 1 tbsp of the honey along the bottom. You will really have to rub it around as it does not spread as well as maple syrup.

2. Cover the bottom of the dish with a full layer of the chopped apples and slightly under 1/2 cup of pecans. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.

4. In a separate bowl mix together the spread, vanilla, remaining honey, and apple sauce.

5. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry. Spread half on top of the apples and pecans. Add another layer of apples and pecans on top, reserving some to sprinkle the top with. Spread the rest of the batter on top and then the remaining apples and pecans on top of that. Press down lightly on the apples and pecans. 

6. Sprinkle with cinnamon and bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let sit until just warm before cutting. Store any remaining in the refrigerator.

Vegetable Strata

I know, I know, what an ugly picture. I wasn't even going to post it, but it was so good I couldn't let it be forgotten. Yes, trust me it tastes so much better than it looks. I was really happy with how it turned out. I made it for a brunch gathering (and when I took the first bite I said, "Oh, this is good!" in front of everyone) and had the leftovers for lunches and dinners. Perfect! I'll definitely be making this again (maybe add even more veggies next time...you can never have too many veggies)!

Vegetable Strata
How I Did It:

2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp chopped garlic
2 green peppers
3 cups broccoli, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
5 whole wheat English muffins, toasted and torn into pieces
2 cups cheddar jack cheese, grated
2 1/2 cups milk
2 eggs

1. Coat a 9x13" pan with oil and line with the torn english muffins. Set aside.

2. In a large pan, heat olive oil and then add the salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper and onions. Cook for a couple minutes and then add garlic, green peppers, and broccoli. Cook for about 10 minutes.

3. Spread vegetable mixture over the english muffins and top with 1 1/2 cups of the cheese.

4. In a bowl whisk together eggs, milk and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Pour mixture evenly over the vegetables and cheese. Cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate for at least 4 hours to let everything meld together (I made it the night before and kept it in the fridge overnight).

5. Preheat oven to 350. Bake strata covered for 30 minutes. Remove foil, coat with 1/2 cup cheese and bake for another 30 minutes or so until it starts to golden and is set.

Vegan French Toast

This morning I had my heart set on french toast. I had been thinking about french toast since Friday when my co-worker gave me cinnamon honey butter that she had made. I tried it on regular toast and realized it's sweetness would be perfect on french toast. As I was pulling out the ingredients  (all 3 of them) I realized I didn't have eggs. I could have run to the store, but instead I decided to improvise and hope for the best. As it turns out adding a little flour to milk (I used vanilla almond milk)  not only thickens it, but makes for really good french toast! It seemed like it took longer to cook than normal, but it was worth the wait! I did use the butter that I had been looking forward to, but I'm sure it would be good with a regular non-dairy spread. I tried a piece plain first and it was moist and flavorful enough to eat it that way too (maybe with a sprinkling of powdered sugar?).

Vegan French Toast
How I Did It:

3 slices of sandwich bread
1 cup of vanilla almond milk
2 1/2 tbsp flour
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp cinnamon
canola oil for frying

1. Combine milk, flour, vanilla and cinnamon together in a medium sized bowl.

2. Coat a large frying pan with canola oil and set to medium heat.

3. Dunk one piece of bread into the mixture at a time. Keep it fully submerged until it is soaked in the mixture.

4. When the oil is heated, carefully place each of the dripping pieces of bread in the pan. Cook until lightly brown and no longer soggy and then flip.

5. Serve immediately with your favorite spread or topping!

Chunky Apple Sauce

The first time in September or October that I go out in the middle of the day and still need my jacket always makes me a little sad. I love summer and really hate to say goodbye to those warm sunny days. If the cool days of fall have one saving grace though it is that it's apple season. Crunchy apples straight from the tree...just so refreshing and delicious! And while a plain apples are great snacks, there are so many things you can do with them...and I love them all! So yes, apple desserts are by far my (second) favorite (umm...chocolate).

I have a apple cake recipe I love, two apple crisp recipes (one much healthier than the other), and I have already made myself caramelized apples and of course apple sauce. I have been making apple sauce a couple times a season for a few years now and every year I make it slightly more chunky. This year I belive is the best yet! I left on all of the peals (lots of fiber, oh yeah!) and did mash it at all, just stirred as it breaks down a lot just from the heat and spoon mixing. The result was the very chunky apple sauce you see above. You might think the peel would make it not as good, but apple sauce is one place where I think it is better to leave the peel on. Plus, it takes only 1/4 the time to make if you don't have to peel your apples! The part that takes the longest is waiting for it to cook down. It is well worth the wait though, even if it is after 10 PM at night. I had a bowl right away - it was so tasty nice and hot. I also love it as an after lunch treat, room temperature/slightly cold....or re-heated! I can't get enough!

Chunky Apple Sauce
How I did it:

11 apples (I used mac and ginger gold), chopped
1 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
1 3/4 tbsp cinnamon
1 tbsp nutmeg

1. Throw all of your chopped apples (with the peels still on!) in a large pot on medium-high heat with one cup of water. Put the cover on and let heat up a bit.

2. Once it starts to cook, mix your apples up. Add your spices, mixing well. Add the sugar and mix some more!

3. Cover and let it cook, making sure to stir occasionally. The more aggressively you stir the more the apples will break down. Once the apples are softened and it is the consistency you desire, it is done!

4. Have a bowl warm if you wish and store anything remaining in the refrigerator.

Fruit and Nut Whole Wheat Bread

I am always drawn towards bread with fruit in it for some reason. Not for sandwiches of course, but it is so nice with breakfast or as a quick snack. I found this a recipe for healthy breakfast bread at Spoonful of Sugar Free and have been wanting to try it out for a while. I made a few modifications, but her idea was great and the bread is fantastic. Very hearty and healthy tasting and definitely quite filling! It was great right out of the oven, but since then I have been just slicing off pieces and eating them cold. Maybe I will try toasting a piece, but it definitely doesn't need butter/spread or honey. 

Fruit and Nut Whole Wheat Bread

How I did it:

2 apples, chopped and peeled
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup rolled oats
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 cup flaxseed meal
1/2 cup dried apricots, thickly chopped
1/4 cup dates, thickly chopped
1/4 cup dates, chopped into small pieces
1/8 cup dried apple slices, chopped
3/4 cup nuts, chopped (almonds and pecans)
1 1/8 cup water
topping:
1/4 cup rolled oats

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a bread pan and set aside.

2. Pour 1/8 cup water in a medium frying pan and add in the chopped apples. Leave covered until apples begin to soften and then mash with a potato masher until it looks like fresh apple sauce (leave some apple chunks remaining). Take off the heat and set aside.

3. Pour 1 cup of rolled oats into a food processor until the oats turn into a fine powder. Transfer to a mixing bowl and combine with whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and flaxseed meal. Once well combined, mix in 1 cup of water and the apple sauce. Stir in the dried fruit and nuts and make sure they are well distributed throughout.

4. Pour into prepared bread pan evenly. Sprinkle oats on top and lightly press down. Cook for about 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out (almost) clean. 

Healthy Vegan Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Happy Mother's Day!

Although I love sugar and chocolate filled desserts, my mom has many food limitations and I wanted her to be able to enjoy dessert on her big day. I scoured my brain and several different blogs until I came up with something she could eat and we could all enjoy! I got the idea for the recipe over at Chocolate Covered Katie and made a few alternations to suit my needs.

If I tell you these cookies are not only diary and egg free, but also sugar-free and gluten-free and low in fat you might ask me how good they taste. Fair enough. As a lover of "normal" dessert I can tell you they are pretty darn good. With that said, they don't taste like oatmeal cookies at all - they are tasty in their own healthier way. I added chocolate chips to a portion of them (in addition to the raisins) b/c I was worried about the dirty looks I might get from my family when I brought these as the only dessert. As it turned out I was worried for nothing as everyone said they were great and my great uncle must have had at least...well, more than two.

Healthy Vegan Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
How I did it:

(makes about 20 - 25)

1 1/8 cup rolled oats
 8 dates, chopped
1 cup unsweetened natural applesauce
1/2 heaping cup almond butter
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp salt
6 tbsp baking raisins (or raisins pre-soaked in juice)
3 tbsp mini semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. In a medium-sized bowl, stir almond butter and apple sauce until well combined. Set aside.

3. Combine 1/2 cup of the oats and the dates in a food processor until they become a powder. Add this mixture into the applesauce/almond butter mixture and then add the rest of the ingredients, except the chocolate. I separated out half of the batter and mixed the chocolate into the remainder.

3. Shape into small balls ("dough" will be very sticky) and bake for about 15 minutes or until they are firm and start to brown a bit. Note: They will not change shape. If you can't wait feel free to enjoy the batter uncooked!

Blueberry Steel Cut Oatmeal with Nuts

I was really craving a tasty breakfast and the question was how to make a tasty breakfast somewhat healthy and keep me full for a decent amount of time. Well, I have grown quite attached to steel cut oatmeal for its hearty taste and ability to keep me satisfied through the morning. My only real plan was to add blueberries and the rest I just made up as I went along. It turned out so great I had to make record of it. Such great flavor and texture -wow. And one small serving was really filling - and more importantly kept me full!

Blueberry Steel Cut Oatmeal with Nuts
How I Did It

(serves one)

1 1/4 cups water
1/4 cup steel cut oats
3/4 tsp flaxseed meal
1/4 cup frozen blueberries
1 tbsp milk/soy milk/almond milk
1 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
2 tsp brown sugar
1/8 cup toasted slivered almonds
1/8 cup toasted chopped pecans

1. In a small sauce pot, bring water to a boil, reduce to medium heat and add oats and flaxseed meal. Wait about 5 minutes and then add the blueberries.

2. When water is almost absorbed add milk, spices and sugar and mix well.

3. When ready, turn off heat and stir in the toasted almonds and pecans.