Organic Homemade Granola Bars

Here's a basic starting recipe, feel free to add more or less of any item:

2 1/2 cups Rolled Oats

1/2 Brown Rice Crispies {can find in the bulk section, like rice crispy cereal, only ingredient; brown rice}

1/2 cup Cacao Nibs {found in the raw section of the grocery store or here}

1/2 cup Coconut Sugar {optional}

pinch of salt

1/2 Organic Olive Oil or Coconut Oil

1/2 cup Coconut Butter {found in the peanut butter section}

1/2 cup Almond butter {or any nut butter}

1/2 cup organic Raw Honey 

pour of vanilla

3 tablespoons Flax Meal

1 tablespoon Chia Seeds

Combine dry ingredients {except cacao nibs} until mixed, add wet ingredients until WELL mixed and add more honey or oil until texture of mixture can be formed into balls and does not crumble. THEN add cacao nibs.

Bake at 350* F for 30 minutes. Cut and refrigerate,  Make about 20 bars.

Below is a modification of the above bars with non cane sugar cranberries {they're sweetened with apple juice} and topped with shredded coconut.  I also added way more chia seeds than the recipe above and walnuts, pecans and pumpkin seeds. Make sure to add more honey and oil when adding so many more dry ingredients.  I'm also going to add cooked quinoa to my next batch!

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Banana, Kale, Coconut Smoothie

My friend Michelle recently commented how @amysilvermanfitness inspired her to work out the other day and when I checked out her instagram profile, I was also super inspired!  I already started doing yoga postpartum, but now I want to start getting my booty back into shape before we head to the beach. I'm not the type to obsess over my body, but it's weird being pregnant and after because it's a version of your body but not YOUR body, if that makes sense.  So, I'm going to get more active and eat a little healthier to get MY body back!

...and this was the first smoothie with that mindset!

I used:
10 chunks of fresh COLD pineapple
1 frozen banana
handful of kale from our garden
a splash of coconut juice {made from the pulp of the coconut, not to be confused with coconut water}
and a scoop of vanilla whey protein.


Happy Healthy Smoothie Making!
-Jenn

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D.I.Y. Coconut Water Popsicles

These are so easy, I feel like it's cheating to post them here.

My Cupcake is always asking for ice cubes, so I thought she might enjoy these.

Using any ice cube mold, simply pour in coconut water, then add a stick.  I used bamboo skewers I cut in half {normally used for my cake pops} and froze them for a few hours.

And then Ta-Da! coconut water Popsicle.  yum.

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Buckwheat and Quinoa Flour Crackers {Gluten free, vegan, anti-candida}

I'm still on my anti-candida diet and have been searching for edible crackers.  I found a recipe that allowed me to create these:

1 cup quinoa flour

3/4 cup buckwheat flour

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup water 

pinches {or teaspoons} salt, pepper, garlic powder, rosemary, thyme, basil and any other herbs you love.

preheat oven to 360* F 

mix ingredients until well combined, knead with hand, roll into ball

place on well quinoa floured surface and roll out into 1/8 of an inch thick

cut into desired shapes and sizes bake for 10-12 minutes, flip over and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes.

I baked mine for about a total of 25 minutes because I wanted them crunchy, and I may have had more water or oil than listed, so make sure to check your crackers and bake to your desired texture. 

good luck!

Banango Blackberry Smoothie

Banana + Mango = Banango!

What you'll need:

1/2 Organic mango, skinned and chunked

 2 bananas

1/2 bag of frozen blackberries, 

splash of organic rice milk.

What you'll do with it:

blend.

top with bee pollen {left} or mix it in.

drink.

Make 1 big smoothie or 2 small/medium sized ones {as pictured below}

Enjoy.

Kale Lemon Quinoa

My friend Katie whipped up something like this {or exactly like this} on a play date with our babes, I attempted to recreate it and I have to say, it's good.

Here's what you'll need:

Kale

Yellow Squash

2 lemons

Measuring Cup

2 cups uncooked Quinoa

Feta Cheese Crumbles {if not vegan}

not pictured:

salt and pepper {to taste}

oil for cooking

Start quinoa right away, cook to directions on box {or 2 cups water to 1 cup quinoa}

First, cut the squash long ways, in half and again a few times.

Now, long ways again, this time vertically...

Finally, cube the squash.

Add to preheated skillet with oil.

Shred, tear, chop the kale and add it to the skillet.

add any extra seasonings you might like now.

Cut open lemons to squeeze on top.

Notice the seeds?!  we only eat fruits and veggies with seeds in my house.  

No seeds? Not food.

Plate quinoa, top with skillet mixture and salt and pepper to taste.

Squeeze lemon on top.

Vegan Finished Version above.

If Vegetarian, do above steps, then add Feta Crumbles.

So, good. Either way.

Enjoy!

Lactation Cookies

I'm sort of a messy cook.

What I used:

1 cup organic butter

1 cup organic raw sugar

1 cup firmly packed organic brown sugar

4 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons flax seed meal

2 organic free range eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

3 cups oats

1 cup chocolate chips

2 -4 tablespoons brewer's yeast

1/2 cup shredded coconut for topping

Coconut cooking spray!

Directions:Prep Time: 15 minsTotal Time: 27 mins

Preheat oven to 350°.
Mix the flaxseed meal and water and let sit for 3-5 minutes.

Beat butter, sugar, and brown sugar well. Add eggs and mix well. Add flaxseed mix and vanilla, beat well. Sift together flour, brewers yeast, baking soda, and salt. Add dry ingredients to butter mix. Stir in oats and chips.

Scoop onto baking sheet. Top with coconut. Bake for 12 minutes. Let set for a couple minutes then remove from tray.

original recipe here.

Happy baking and lactating.

p.s. my Husband ate a bunch of these, but hasn't started lactating so feel free to share with the family, if you want ;)

Granola Bars!

These guys were inspired by the recipe and blog here.

I used 2ish cups of a coconut almond granola (in the bulk section)
1/2 cup dried pineapple chunks
1/2 cup dried cranberries

4 tablespoons butter (but 2 would have been enough)
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup brown sugar

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F

Mix dry ingredients together.  Melt butter, honey, and brown sugar together in medium saucepan on low-ish heat.  Once melted mix the dry ingredients into the pan and mix well, then pour into parchment lined baking dish and bake for 30-35 minutes.

Let cool for 30 minutes, cut, but do not remove!  place in fridge and allow to set up.  once COOLED you can break them apart on their cut marks.

Ready for the road.

SO EASY!