Healthy Breakfast Cookies

Sorry that we have been so absent lately! Although things are quiet here, we have been posting a ton of recipes as well as healthy meal ideas on our instagram account. Give us a follow over there if you like and we will try to be a bit better at blogging our recipes over here as well!  

I think a cookie recipe is a great way to bring this old blog back to life don't ya think? I thought so too. My friend brought over some of these cookies a while ago and I have been craving them ever since! We finally got around to making some today and the hardest part was not eating them all off the plate! I know they are healthy, but a treat is STILL a treat (that is what I have to tell myself). They will last a week on the counter, or up to 3 months in the freezer. I say that like you will actually have them for sitting around for that long. Not likely. 

Ingredients 

2 cups gluten free quick oats

3/4 tsp salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 cup nut butter (I used peanut butter)

1/2 cup pure maple syrup

1 large banana, mashed

1/4 cup dried cranberries

1/4 flax seeds

1/4 cup enjoy life chocolate chips

Directions 

Preheat oven to 325F degrees. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Combine all of the above ingredients in a large bowl or a stand mixer. Mix until well combined. Drop by spoonfuls on cookie sheet and flatten the tops. They will not spread out while baking. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until edges are slightly brown. Allow to cool on cookie sheet before removing or they will fall apart. Try not to eat the whole plate. Enjoy! - Alex

*Slightly adapted from Sally's Baking Addiction*

No Bake Peanut Butter Chocolate Granola Bars

I was in the mood to do a little baking today and decided it would be a good day to eat some granola bars. I turned to pinterest and found some on Averie Cooks that looked absolutely delicious. They were so easy that no baking was even required, but they satisfied my sweet tooth just fine. I did change the directions ever so slightly (I don't have a microwave), so if you're looking to make them even faster than how I made them, then follow the recipe on her blog. I also used puffed rice instead of crispy rice because I didn't have any on hand. If you're looking for something with a little more crunch, I suggest getting the crispy rice, but if you're looking for something chewier, then go with the puffed rice. Either one would be delicious! 

Ingredients 

2/3 cup honey

1/2 cup natural peanut butter

1/4 cup coconut palm sugar (or brown sugar)

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon salt (optional, to taste)

2 cups quick oats

2 cups crispy rice cereal (I used rice puffs)

chocolate chips (optional- I didn't use)

Directions 

Line and 8x8 inch pan with aluminum foil leaving overhang. Spray with cooking spray and set aside. 

Place the honey, peanut butter and sugar in a medium sized pot and cook on medium-low until melted. Whisk in the cocoa powder, vanilla and salt and bring to a low boil while stirring constantly (watch that it doesn't burn). Remove from heat and set aside. 

In a medium sized bowl stir together the oats and krispy rice cereal. Pour the dry mix into the wet mix and stir. Add the chocolate chips (if using) and mix well. 

Turn the mixture onto the prepared pan and press down firmly with your hands or a spatula. If the mixture is really sticky, wet your hands or the spatula with a little water and press down again. Cover and place in the freezer for 1 hour so it can set, or 2-3 hours in the refrigerator. 

Using the foil overhang, remove bars from the pan, place on a cutting board and slice into bars. 

Enjoy - Alex

Simple Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

 Every year I make my own pumpkin puree, and every year I am leftover with crazy amounts of pumpkin seeds. I have tried several different flavours now, but I always find myself coming back to this one. It is so simple, that it is hard for me to even call it a "recipe," but I thought I'd post it anyways. My daughter and I snacked on this all afternoon. Sometimes simper is just better!

Ingredients 

2 cups dried pumpkin seeds (from 2 medium pumpkins)

1-2 teaspoons olive oil 

sea salt

Directions

Place dried pumpkin seeds in a medium sized bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Place the seed mixture on a pan and bake at 350 degrees for 5 minutes. Remove from oven, stir and bake another 4-5 minutes or until golden brown. You will hear the seeds popping and crackling in the oven - this is a good thing! Once done, remove, cool and enjoy! - Alex

Homemade Fruit Cereal Bars

I did not even consider making my own fruit cereal bars until I saw this recipe. The simplicity of the ingredients when compared to any store-bought cereal bar is astounding. I'm so glad I found this!

And so is my 11 month old...

Slightly adapted from recipe found at Super Healthy Kids

Ingredients

1/2 cup melted coconut oil

1/2 cup pure maple syrup or honey

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

2 eggs

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 cup rolled oats

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup of fruit of your choice*

1 Tablespoon water

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the oil (cooled), syrup, vanilla, and eggs. In a separate mixing bowl combine flour, oats, salt, and baking powder. Slowly add the dry mixture into the wet mixture, stirring until well incorporated. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

To make the filling, place the fruit in a small saucepan with the water and cook over med-high head for about 5 minutes stirring frequently. Transfer the fruit into a food processor or blender and pulse until smooth. 

Preheat oven to 350F. Roll the refrigerated dough on a floured surface. Cut off rough edges, and cut the dough into 3x3 inch squares. Place the filling in the middle of each square, then fold the dough over on top of itself and pinch the open edges. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes. 

Enjoy!

- Arianne

*Blueberry pictured above. I've also used strawberries. Mango, Raspberry, or cherry would also be tasty!

Oatmeal Banana Chocolate Chip Bread

Slightly adapted from recipe found at Baker Bettie 

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups dried rolled oats

2-3 rip bananas

1/2 cup pure maple syrup

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup chocolate chips (Use Enjoy Life to make dairy free)

Banana slices for garnish if desired

Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly oil a bread pan and set aside. Place the oats in a blender or food processor and blend until fine and floury. Add all remaining ingredients except the chocolate chips and blend until well combined. Fold in 1/2 cup of chocolate chips and pour the batter into your bread pan. Top with banana slices and the remaining 1/2 cup of chocolate chips. Bake for 25-30 minutes.

Enjoy!

- Arianne

Mini Apple Blueberry Muffins

Ingredients

1 medium sized apple, grated with peel

2 eggs

4 Tablespoons milk

2 Tablespoons olive or coconut oil

1 Tablespoon pure maple syrup

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon 

1 cup frozen blueberries

Preheat oven to 400F. Combine the apple, eggs, milk, oil, and syrup in a small mixing bowl. Mix the dry ingredients and the blueberries in a separate medium sized bowl. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until just combined. Spoon into a well oiled mini-muffin tin, or line tin with cupcake liners. Bake for 15 minutes then enjoy!

- Arianne

Healthy Pumpkin Oat Muffins

Slightly adapted recipe from Ambitious Kitchen

Ingredients

3 cups oats

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

pinch of ground cloves
2 apples peeled and diced

1 can pumpkin puree

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1 Tablespoon olive or coconut oil
1/3 cup chocolate chips*


Preheat oven to 350F and brush a muffin tin with oil. Place the oats in a blender or food processor and blend until it resembles flour. Place the oat flour in a medium sized mixing bowl then whisk in baking powder, baking soda, and all spices. Place the apple slices in a small pot and cover with water. Boil until the slices are soft, then drain and blend in a food processor or blender. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together apple puree, pumpkin, vanilla, maple syrup, and oil. Slowly add the oat flour mixture and stir until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips, then divide into your muffin tin. Bake for 15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack and enjoy!


*omit chocolate chips to make baby-friendly, or use Enjoy Life chocolate chips to make vegan/dairy free!


- Arianne

No Bake Energy Bites

These are a perfect healthy snack! Super delicious and assembly takes mere minutes. They are just sweet enough that you don't feel the need to gorge yourself on them. Why did it take me so long to try these??

Original recipe found at Gimme Some Oven

Ingredients

1 cup dry oatmeal

1/3 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup ground flaxseed

1/3 cup honey or maple syrup 

1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine all ingredients in a medium sized mixing bowl. Press into golf-balled sized balls. Refrigerate or throw in the freezer.

Enjoy!

- Arianne

Homemade Baby Biscuits

If you have a baby that's anything like mine, then they looove to eat! My little one has just mastered feeding herself little bits of food and loves to practice all the time (with anything she finds on the floor). I find I always need to have snacks on hand, but just cannot bring myself to buy the baby snacks at the store. I figured it could't be too hard to make some myself! That way I know exactly what goes into it, and it's easier on the wallet!

Original recipe found at Family Feedbag

Ingredients

1/2 cup pureed prunes (or 1 128ml jar)

1 egg

2 Tablespoons coconut oil

1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat your oven to 375F. Combine the prunes, egg, and coconut oil in a small bowl and mix well. Combine the dry ingredients in a separate small bowl. Slowly add the dry mixture to the wet until it forms a ball. Further knead the ball on a floured surface. Roll out on a floured surface to be about 

1/2 inch thick. Cut away the rough edges to form a rectangle. Cut into small rectangles, about 

1 inch by 3 inches. Dot with a fork in the centre, then place on a baking sheet. Gather remaining dough and repeat rolling and cutting until all the dough is used. Place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Remove and make sure they're very cool before serving to baby! 

I broke mine into little bite sized pieces and kept a close eye on her, as always should be done when feeding babes.

I hope your little one enjoys them as much as mine did! There was more than a bit of protest when I tried to take away the one I gave her.

- Arianne

Clean Eating Blueberry Oatmeal Cookies

Heathy cookies never really sound terribly appealing, but I thought I'd give these a shot. Turns out they are very appealing! So simple and tasty

Original recipe found at Foods for the Soul

Ingredients

1 cup rolled oats

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 Tablespoons coconut oil, melted

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup honey

1/4 cup frozen blueberries

Whisk together dry ingredients in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the coconut oil, egg, vanilla, and honey. Mix the wet ingredients in with the dry. Fold in the blueberries. Chill the dough for about 20 minutes, while the oven pre-heats to 325F. 

Drop onto a baking sheet and flatten slightly. Bake for 13-25 minutes.

Enjoy!

- Arianne

Chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

                 

I have tried several granola bar recipes lately, and they've all been good, but I just found they needed a little something more. I found this one today from chewoutloud and they were a huge hit at my house! I love the hint of cinnamon in this recipe, and they are so easy to throw together. Just keep in mind to press them FIRMLY into the pan so they stay nice and chewy instead of crumbly. 

 

Ingredients

2 cups quick cooking oats

1 cup crispy rice cereal

1/4 cup coconut sugar, or brown sugar

1/4 cup honey

4 tablespoons coconut oil, or salted butter

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 

chocolate chips, to taste

Directions

Butter an 8 x 8 baking pan and set aside. In a large bowl, combine oats and rice cereal. In a saucepan, melt the coconut sugar, honey, and coconut oil over medium heat, stirring until it reaches a low boil. Reduce heat and boil another 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the cinnamon and vanilla extract until fully incorporated. 

Carefully pour honey mixture, over top of cereal mixture. Stir well. Press granola mixture into the buttered pan and sprinkle chocolate chips on top. Using the back of a spoon, or slightly wet hands, press the chocolate chips into the mixture. Place in fridge and wait until fully cooled before cutting into bars. Store in an airtight container. Enjoy!

Homemade Raincoast Crisps

Raincoast crisps are something terribly addicting, but sadly, they're pretty expensive. I've been pretty intimidated by them, and therefore never attempted to try and make them before. Then this recipe was shared with me and I realized just how easy these things are to make! Very simple, but very delicious!

Ingredients

2 cups flour (I used whole wheat)

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups buttermilk

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup liquid honey

1 cup raisins (or dried cranberries)

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup roasted pumpkin seeds

1/4 cup sesame seeds

1/4 cup flaxseed, ground

1 Tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary

Preheat oven to 350F. Stir together flour, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Add buttermilk, brown sugar, and honey and stir a few strokes. Add all other ingredients and stir until just mixed. 

Pour batter into mini-loaf pans that have been oiled. Bake for 35 minutes until golden browned.  Let cool on a cooling rack.

Ensure bread is entirely cooled before slicing. They may be placed in the freezer to cool more quickly. When cooled, slice loaves thinly and place single layer on a non-greased baking sheet. Reduce oven to 300F and bake for 15 minutes. Flip the slices, then bake for another 10-15 minutes until golden and crispy.

Top with cheese (brie!) or your favourite dip.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Lara Bars/Bites

These tasty morsels are the perfect little healthy treat to have around. Their delicious, sweet, chocolatey flavour will have you coming back for more. And I'm not even a huge chocolate fan!

Adapted from Chocolate Covered Katie's Recipe

Ingredients

1 cup almonds

2 cups pitted dates

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3 Tablespoons cocoa

1/16 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend until it forms into a solid mass. Roll into bite-sized balls, or flatten and cut into bars after it has cooled. Store in refrigerator.

Enjoy!

- Arianne

Simple, Homemade Popcorn (the old-fashioned way)

This recipe is SO easy that it practically makes itself! It is definitely one of my go to snacks, and a much healthier alternative to the microwave stuff! (Ick, I don't even want to think about what is in the microwave stuff.) Try making it next time you are craving something delicious!

Ingredients

1-2 tablespoons coconut oil

1/2 cup popcorn kernels

salt, to taste

Directions

Heat coconut oil in a medium sized pot on the stove. Once it's melted, add popcorn kernels and give the pot a quick shake. Cover with a lid, leaving it slightly ajar (so the steam can escape). In a couple of minutes, the kernels should start to pop. Shake the pot once or twice (in a circular motion) during the popping. Once the popping has stopped (for about 5 seconds), remove from heat and place in a large serving bowl. Season with your favourite spices or a little salt. 

* I always add the spices after it's popped, otherwise they will burn. My favourite is a little garlic powder sprinkled on top. Or another good one is seasoning salt. There are endless options though! Just try a few different combinations, to find out what you might like the best. And enjoy your healthy, guilt free snack! - Alex

Black Bean Hummus

Original recipe found at Cher Stuff

I'm a sucker for hummus, and black bean hummus is no exception. This dip is fantastic! It is swiftly becoming my favorite dish to take along to parties because it is so easy and so delicious!

Ingredients

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

2 tablespoons tahini

2 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 tablespoons olive oil

3/4 teaspoons cumin

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 can black beans drained and rinsed

1 clove garlic peeled and chopped

1/2 small jalapeno pepper, seeded (optional)

Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.

Enjoy!

-Arianne

Game Day Guacamole

Ingredients

2 large avocados, mashed

2 medium sized tomatoes, chopped

1 handful of cilantro, chopped

1/4 red onion chopped (optional)

2 cloves of garlic, pressed

Juice of 1 lime

1 teaspoon cumin (or more to taste)

Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

Mix all ingredients in a small bowl.

 Top with salt and pepper to taste, and enjoy your healthy snack while you watch the big game!