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 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.

detox smoothie

 i am so in love with my new detoxifying smoothie creation.
it is perfect for a summers day to share with your mom out in the sun.

it tastes so fresh and clean i can't get enough of it and neither can my senses.
i would say it smells like cucumbers but doesn't taste like any particular vegetable included.

for me it is just enough sweetness, which comes from the berries and banana however you can use vanilla almond milk as a water substitute for more sweetness and a more creamier taste. use my ingredients as a base or for inspiration and play around with it to your liking.

ingredients:

•  3/4 cup berries - frozen raspberries & black berries
• 1/2 cup cucumber- peeled and sliced
• 1 banana- sliced
• 1 1/2 cups water or vanilla almond milk
• 1 1/2 cup loosely packed kale
• 2 handfuls spinach
• 1 tablespoon chia seeds

how to:

1. cut up and prepare all your ingredients
2. put it in your mixer - i use a nutribullet; check taste! need sweetener?  

+++
this drink is full of essential nutrients and vitamins.

kale: one of the healthiest superfoods on the planet! no joke. pack these in whenever you can your body will thank you. low calories, high iron, high fiber, antioxidants, high vitamin K, A, C, high in calcium, antioxidants, great ant-imflammatory food and detoxifies your liver.

berries: contains phytochemicals that protect your cells from damage, flavonoids to keep your memory sharp, fiber to control diabetes, heart health, weight control, lower blood pressure and fight cancers.

spinach: high in vitamin K, A, magnesium, high fiber, calcium, protein, cancer fighting antioxidants, lower blood pressure, cardiovascular health, brain health.

parsley: antioxidant nutrients: flavonoids, wonderful source for vitamin A & C, source of folic acid for herat health, protects from rheumatoid arthritis, much more useful than decorating food!

chia seeds: lowers cholesterol, aids digestion, stabilize blood sugar, packed with omega 3's, fiber, calcium, manganese, phosphorous, protein, improve heart health,

cucumber: high water content, minerals essential for skin care, lignans fight cancer, control blood pressure, dietary fiber helps with digestion, joint health by strengthening connective tissues, relieve gout and arthritis pain, diuretic- eliminates waste products, aid in weight loss, cures diabetes.

banana: vitamin C, potassium, manganese, vitamin b6, fiber, easy to digest, amino acids, excellent source for carbohydrates your primary source of energy.

almond milk: dairy-free and has less calories than a cup of skim milk. wonderful source of calcium, vitamin D and E.

cocoa chia seed pudding

awful lighting late at night

we loved the simple chia seed pudding here and tonight i decided to add a few other things to see if it was any good. so if you want a little more flavor specifically some cocoa- try this!

personally i love it plain and with fruit but some days i could see myself making this version and still put some strawberries on top. have fun making chia seed pudding because honestly hard to go wrong!

here is what i did & this made enough to fill four pudding/ice cream bowls.

ingredients:

• 2 cups almond milk unsweetened
• 1/2 cup chia seeds
• 2 1/2 tablespoons 100% cocoa powder
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• sprinkle of nutmeg
• dash of agave sweetener

 how to:

1. i mixed all the ingredients into a bowl and after stirring really well to get it all mixed the best i could i transferred it to a big measuring cup
2. i poured from the cup to the small individual bowls 
3. fridge it for at least 30 minutes- or leave it over night and eat it for breakfast!
4. top it with sliced fruit; strawberries, banana, blueberries etc or eat it plain

chia seed pudding

good evening!

here is a very very simple two ingredient pudding using a super food called chia seeds. i use them in smoothies and drinks all the time and i had never thought to make them into pudding but if you just do a few easy steps it can turn into a great dessert, breakfast or snack in minutes.

i am always on the look out for easy ways to incorporate super foods into my daily dishes and man this one is just too easy.

ingredients:

• 1/4 cup chia seeds 
• 2/3 cup water
• fruit; strawberries, blueberries and bananas are what i used

 how to:

1. mix in a bowl chia seeds with water 
2. stir stir stir!
3. put the bowl in the fridge for ten minutes
4. it will become a pudding consistency so pile on the fruit and eat up!

 ^^ i needed better lighting outdoors and of course little pup followed me around the whole time

 ^^so i got this wild CAT SHiRT; madly in love <3

snacks

i wanted to share some snacks i've enjoyed this week.

firstly, i'm using silk almond milk with vanilla a lot more whether it is drinking a cold glass by itself, putting it in smoothies or dipping my faaavorite animal crackers! you must find these wild harvest animal crackers, they are the tastiest things ever and very soft.

i went to the grassroots cooperative in anoka and found the vegan yogurt i've always wished for! they have almond cultured yogurt like product that comes in plain or vanilla. it definitely has a unique taste and i actually love it. i love cutting up fruit and mixing it with the yogurt for breakfast, lunch or just a snack. i top it off with some ground flax seed and chia seeds for a healthy boost.

chickpeas/garbanzo beans are so versatile and i love throwing them in the oven with some spices for a really great, fast, crunchy snack that you will not be able to stop eating until it is all gone.

ingredients:

• 1 or 2 cans of garbanzo beans rinsed well
• olive oil for drizzling 
• cayenne pepper
• sea salt
• black pepper

how to:

1. preheat your oven to 400 degrees, get out a flat baking pan and place aluminum foil over it. 
2. place your rinsed chickpeas on the baking sheet spreading them everywhere so they're flat and then drizzle some olive oil all over them
3. top them with your favorite spices to make them as spicy or not as you want. i just pinch some spice and sprinkle it generoously on the beans one section at a time. 
4. throw them in the oven for 15 minutes or until crunchy golden brown

* you can even top them with cinnamon and sugar or combine that with spicy. also red pepper flakes for more spicy ones.

chocolate cake with raspberries

my sweet sister baked this cake the other day and it was so good i had it for breakfast two days in a row. this is very simple and very delicious. i'm considering making it today or tomorrow because once you try it you kind of want that chocolate goodness every.single.day.

main reason we all loved it was because it wasn't your typical sugar high dessert but you could actually taste the cocoa/chocolaty-ness of it instead. typically i like to reduce the sugar in most recipes but this one was perfect.

 if you've never made a vegan cake and love chocolate...give this one a go and top it with your favorite fruit!

 ingredients for cake:

• 1 1/4 cup flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup warm water
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tsp distilled white or apple cider vinegar

how to:

1. preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit and grease an 8x8 square pan
2. in a bowl mix flour, sugar, cocoa, baking sodam and salt. mix it with a fork or whisk until blended well
3. in another bowl mix water, vanilla, oil, vinegar and add this to the dry ingredients bowl^^
4. pour into your pan and bake for 30 minutes and once done let it cool for about 2 hours

 +++

ingredients for glaze:

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 4 tbsp margarine
• 2 tbsp soy milk
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

how to:

1.  in a small saucepan bring the sugar, margarine, milk and cocoa to a boil
2. stir frequently; reduce heat to simmer for 2 minutes and stir constantly (it will be bubbly)
3. remove from the heat and stir another 5 minutes
4. add the vanilla, stir and immediately pour onto the cake. glaze drys fast so spread it quickly!
5. add sprinkles or fruit etc and try your best to let this cool another hour before serving

i'll probably call this one my guilt-free-cake!
enjoy : )