oatmeal banana pecan berry pancakes

I loveee oatmeal and today I decided to see if I could successfully make pancakes using oats instead of flour. I also had a super ripe banana I wanted to use so pancakes it was! These turned out wonderful and most importantly they were actually a healthy version of pancakes, cuz lets be real...pancakes are a great comfort food but they're not exactly "healthy" especially if you just use white flour.

ingredients:

dry

2 cups whole oats

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 cup pecans (or walnuts)

wet

1 1/4 cup almond milk

1 ripe banana mushed

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup berries (optional of course and fresh or frozen works)

how to:

1. combine all the dry ingredients in your food processor/blender or the like for few seconds. you want it to be more coarse than super fine. place mixture into big bowl
2. in a smaller bowl combine all your wet ingredients
3. slowly add the wet ingredients to your dry "flour" mixture and stir until just combined
4. make sure your pan is heated well before adding batter, I also use coconut oil spray on my pan.
5. for thinner pancakes use more almond milk, especially towards the end when your batter has been sitting it gets thicker.
6. top with whatever you like! - more cinnamon, pecans, fresh fruit, maple syrup, coconut flakes etc

whole wheat pumpkin pancakes

i enjoy making breakfast more than any meal of the day- probably because i enjoy eating breakfast more than any other meal of the day, so when i saw i was completely out of basically all fruit i thought i'd have to resort to a bowl of cereal (not fun). thankfully, i found a can of pumpkin puree and chocolate chips! WIN.

i've never made pumpkin pancakes before but i was certain that was a thing...so after looking at several recipes i substituted in things that i had at hand and added other favorites of mine to make my own vegan recipe below.

feel free to easily substitute in what other versions of the same products you personally have and enjoy. for example: white flour instead of whole wheat or regular brown sugar instead of raw light brown sugar etc.

enjoy & good morning! xx

ingredients:

dry

• 1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour 
• 2 tablespoons raw light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

wet

• 1 1/3 cup original almond milk (coconut or soy milk work too)
• 1/3 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
•  olive oil works too esp if you don't enjoy coconut oil taste

how to:

1. in one bowl add and whisk together all your dry ingredients
2. in another bowl add and whisk all your wet ingredients
3. pour the wet into the dry and mix well with a wooden spoon- the mixture will be sort of thick (see photo above)
4. grease or spray your skillet over medium heat- i used two spoons to scoop some of the pancake mix into the skillet and did my best to spread the mixture into a flat pancake shape since it is much thicker than usually pancakes.
5. feel free to add chocolate chips for all or none of them! you can also add bananas if you have those at hand.
6. you're done once they're golden brown on both sides
7. serve with tea, fruit, agave syrup, lemon wedges and of course ground flaxseeds!!

benefits of flaxseeds- reduce your risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, stroke

1. omega 3 essential fatty acids- the good fats that protect your heart

2. lignans- antioxidants that protect you against cancer

3. fiber - help maintain your blood sugar, even reduce insulin resistance

++ you can use ground flaxseeds as a topping for pretty much anythinggg; ex. pudding, yogurt, cereal, smoothies, any baked goods, fruit and my personal favorite: on crepes! it  doesn't have much of a taste more so it mostly feels like you're eating tiny crushed pieces of a graham cracker.

first day back

it is the morning after getting back last night from our long drive. i was far more elated to be in minneapolis than i expected. how was colorado? devine. it was a great couple days filled with nature. but of course there is nothing like home. and by that i mean, my own bed, my own bathroom, my comfortable house that is set at the perfect temp i like it to be, and of course my kitchen filled with food i love.

i've missed it all. but i'd be lying if i didn't say frisco, colorado is one cool town i'll forever be daydreaming of revisiting. i'd love to live in a little town like that some day. you absolutely have to be a lover of the outdoors to live there and it would be nice to know everyone you meet there is probably just as big of a fan of the rugged mountains, beautiful views, clean air and endless hiking trails as you are.

i could definitely see myself hiking every morning, rock climbing with friends, playing in the lakes, and learning to ski at copper mountain. the people of frisco are blessed with these opportunities. i hope they never take that view of the mountains for granted.

these mountains really are quite remarkable. so big and grand and slowly ever changing. hiking the trails made me wonder how many people have hiked here before me many many years ago. seeing old mines and ruins made me wonder how the place looked like when these people from long ago lived and worked there.

 mountains may be grand and hard to break but it still made me sad for all the nature we have lost. the trees that have been cut, the animals driven out and nearing extinction, the resources exploited. mother nature gives us so much, we must give back and preserve.

+++

back to today. i am definitely feeling the end of summer sadness. after making the whole wheat pancakes i have been missing i have been verrrrry slowly unpacking my luggage from the trip and cleaning up the place. this weekend i am all alone for two days and i'm not sure that is a good thing after expecting to come home to family but either way it will give me some time to myself and to reorganize my life before school starts on tuesday.

hello new beginnings! today's mantra: be patient and welcoming to change.

i found some time to get my tan on outside and i was shocked how hot it was. i've clearly been accustomed to colorado weather. which no offense minnesota, is waaaay better. i'm not a fan of this humidity. but at least it gave me a chance to try and get tan for once this summer and of course drink my green smoothie!

ingredients:

• handful spinach
• handful kale
• baby cucumber
• one banana
• handful blueberries
• little bit of frozen raspberries
• 2 tablespoons chia seeds
• coconut milk

 

^^ yup, i'm finally getting around to reading 1984 

LATELY

ohhhh it's been far too long blog. let me catch you up; i've been working almost non-stop before leaving for Colorado in exactly 2 DAYS! *que happy dance*

before i can leave i've been making and remaking a giant to-do list that seems to never decrease in size

i've finally completed school priorities, which is rather annoying since who has homework before school even starts!? this girl.

things i have left:
+ pack pack pack - i bought two new yoga pants fer super cheap on sale at target and i think im gonna leave the shopping at that (what else could i need?)
+ get a delicious granola recipe
+ make said recipe on friday and post later
+ think of on-the-road food and post later - so far granola, super power chia bread, veggies + dip, fresh fruit, and either pizza or sandwiches pre made
+ 30 days of yoga post coming soon!
+ post on road trip food

i am hopeful that i will be able to post about our time in Colorado so i won't be completely MIA.

for now, here is my breakfast yesterday!

i basically had a three course meal since 1. breakfast is my favorite 2. i was preparing my self for a long day of moving

yup, back to school time! so i helped J move in to his new studio apartment. it is just perfect and the best part is it's like a block away from the library.  i am definitely coming to visit more often which also means more indoor rock climbing.

here's food:

^^ first i made oatmeal in the morning for the family and i ended up having a lot less oatmeal than usual so it wasn't my regular full bowl of oatmeal and fruit- which is why i could handle the toast and grapefruit. this time however i decided to add some coconut milk and i really loved it. i don't like plain dry oatmeal so i usually drown it in fruit and agave but the milk was a really tasty touch that i feel like i'll stick to from now on.

ingredients:

• steel oats 
• some coconut milk
• handful blueberries
• dash of cinnamon
• half a banana

^^my favorite avocado on toast just one sliced though; ezekiel bread, green onions, red chili flakes, pinch of salt, half an avocado, all on coconut oil spread.

^^ ended this meal with one of the messiest but tastiest fruit ever: grapefruit! not to mention super healthy

i have a lot to look forward to this next semester- last year before RN! (crazy) this semester is maternal care- mom & baby (right now i'm thinking midwifery is what i want to do so this is relevant) and a mental health rotation- not so excited.

i'm ready to squeeze the life out of every minute of our trip before my summer is over.

enjoy the rest of YOUR summer
<3

MORNING

if you follow my new twitter (which you totally should) you will have heard this girl woke up 7 am in the morning on her day off. to say i hate mornings is an understatement. the only reason i woke up was simply because it was too quiet in the house.

once i get my sad self up from my bed of comfort i actually enjoy starting my day early because there simply is not enough hours to get everything done.

this was breakfast:

i first took my ezekiel bread and spread some firm coconut oil on top as a spread, then sliced avocados, chopped up green onions, red pepper flakes, pinch of salt and squeezed lemon juice on top.

the cocoa pudding i made night before for breakfast, which my sister and mom love, so i made enough for three.
it included:

• coconut milk
• tsp of vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• some nutmeg
• 2 tbsp of chia seeds

after breakfast i took my dog on his/mine morning walk! it was splendid since i was up before the park got crowded and seriously not a single soul in sight.

 

^^^ THRIFTED SWEATER<3 

then i biked to my best friends house, where we walked to get a card, drop off a redbox and print at the library it was quite the walking for some mundane errands. i encourage you all to get errands done with biking and walking because you totally kill two birds with one stone that way. i think the key is to be very concious of beneficial opportunities when it comes to exercise. remember daily activity's count as exercise! walking, gardening, mowing, painting etc. just keep moving.

                                     ^^^ enjoying some SUNSHINE while biking : ) hello vitamin D!

as soon as i got back i needed a giant smoothie:

• coconut milk
• handful kale and spinach
• 1 mango
• half cucumber
• fresh ginger
• frozen raspberries 

^it was all blended into a green smoothie that REALLY tasted like cucumbers for some reason so i was not in love. it needed a sweeter fruit so i added some sweetener and it was just fine :)

 i was hot & thirsty so it was downed eventually.

whole wheat pancakes

these are my go-to pancakes that i know will turn out awesome every time. i really enjoy whole wheat pancakes now more than any other kind. they have a completely different taste and feel.

definitely more firm and i absolutely love that. it is something you must try at least once. i know sometime going whole wheat on things is a risk and doesn't taste right but for me this recipe is one of the best when it comes to pancakes.

serves two people

ingredients:

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• pinch of salt
• 1 cup milk of your choice (soy, almond, rice)
• coconut oil for cooking

how to:

1. mix in a bowl the flour, cornstarch, sugar and salt
2. add a little of the milk at a time while mixing well with a whisk, gradually adding the rest of the batter
3. heat the coconut oil in a pan about 2 tsp is all your need, use about 2 tablespoons of batter at a time and cook until golden brown

toppings:

absolutely highly recommended that you squeeze some lemon juice on your pancakes for the freshest and tastiest pancakes ever. this is a total addiction for me and i can't believe i never tried it sooner. sometimes i like to put in the chocolate chips or make them plain and pile on the fruit. i also sprinkled some ground flaxseeds on top- i love to get them in anywhere i can. for a syrup i always use agave because it is a much healthier alternative and has a low glycemic index.

berry pancakes

 

ohhh these were fun to make and eat! their blueness reminds me of something straight out of willy wonka.

ingredients:

• 1 cup flour
• 1 tablespoon of baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 3/4 cup of soy milk/ or almond milk
• 1/4 cup of applesauce
• 1/2 cup of frozen berries or fresh

* this recipe would make enough for about two people, feel free to double recipe for more and use more berries like i do if you really like your pancakes to be bursting and packed with fruit. you can also sprinkle some chocolate chips!

how to:

1. put all the dry ingredients in one bowl and mix well
2. put all the wet ingredients in a separate bowl; applesauce, soy milk and berries
3. add small increments of dry ingredients into the wet and mix well to get rid of any lumps
4. heat your pan and drop some vegan margarine or non stick spray; pour some batter and leave each side of the pancake on for about a minute or until the edges are golden brown
5. of course i serve with some lemon wedges and agave syrup

whole wheat pancakes

my faaavorite vegan pancake recipe thus far and it comes from my fabulously helpful recipe book called the ultimate book of vegan cooking by tony and yvonne bishop-weston! this is super easy to make, honestly way worth the extra ten minutes in the morning instead of the usual cold cereal. also i did something totally different and squeezed some lemon juice on my pancakes right before downing them and they tasted a million times better and fresher! so definately give it a try next time you make pancakes. if you've never had vegan pancakes or made them whole wheat, these are totally unlike anything you've had probably so don't worry if they taste or look different! personally i think they are divine and so much than the box mix pancakes i had as a kid before going vegan.

serves 2
ingredients:

• 1 cup wholemeal (whole-wheat) self-raising flour
• 2 tsp arrowroot (cornstarch works just fine in equal proportions, both are thickeners)
• 2 tbsp brown sugar 
• 1 cup rice milk or sweetened soya milk (i used almond milk since i didn't have rice so use what you got)
• 2 tsp coconut oil
• pinch of salt
• dairy free chocolate chips or fruit is always optional!
• agave nectar to drizzle is highly encouraged (it is a low glycemic sweetener = healthier) or pure maple syrup

how to:

1. mix together the flour, arrowroot (cornstarch), sugar and salt in a bowl
2. add a quarter of the rice or soya milk and mix well, then gradually add the rest to make a batter [if it's too sticky just add a little more milk and mix well, but this recipe since it's whole wheat the batter will be a little thicker than you're probably used to]
3.  heat the coconut oil in a frying pan and add 2 tbsp of batter [or whatever amount you want for size] cook for about three minutes on each side until golden brown.
4. serving: definitely try squeeze some lemon juice, add some kiwis, blueberries, strawberries or anything of the sort to go on top of pancakes with some agave syrup.