Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Protein Pancakes

My kids spent the night at their grandparent's house and when I picked them up in the morning, my mom had made them pumpkin chocolate chip pancakes.  They were delicious, but certainly not processed free since they came from a box mix.  I'm trying to add more protein to my diet that doesn't always involve eating meat, so I've been playing around with some recipes that can incorporate a high quality protein powder.  I knew I could incorporate that into a pancake recipe, but the thought of combining it with pumpkin and chocolate chips was too tempting.  Here is my version of an individual serving of pumpkin chocolate chip protein pancakes.

1/3 cup water
1 egg
1/4 cup oats
1/2 scoop vanilla protein powder
1 tsp. butter or coconut oil
1/4 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. Truvia (or sweetener of your choice)
1/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
pinch of salt
chocolate chips (I like Lily's brand)

Put all the ingredients into a small blender, except the chocolate chips, and blend until smooth.  This will create your pancake batter.  Pour a small amount into a greased pan and sprinkle on some chocolate chips.  Flip and repeat the process until the batter is gone.   

This makes anywhere from 4-6 pancakes depending on the amount of batter you use. This is an individual serving, but this recipe is easily doubled or tripled to serve more.  I also like to use the Lily brand chocolate chips because they are sweetened with stevia and erythritol, but you can use whatever you like.   

Coconut Flour Popovers

I think popovers are really delicious, easy, and fun.  My kids love to watch them puff up through the oven door and sink a little as they cool.  We are trying to eat less grains because of my husband, so this recipe is in his honor.  The addition of the coconut flour will make these slightly different from a regular popover, but they are still really easy and delicious.  Plus, it's always good to know a processed free version of any recipe, right?

2 Tbsp. butter
4 eggs
1/2 cup milk (use almond or coconut if you are dairy free)
3 Tbsp. coconut flour (accurately measure - don't approximate with this flour)
1/2 tsp. sea salt

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Cut off one tablespoon of cold butter at a time for a total of two, and slice each one in half, then each half into 3 pieces.  This should make 12 equal-sized, small pieces of butter.  Place each one inside a 12 count muffin tin and place this in the over to let the butter completely melt and the pan to heat up.  Watch that you don't allow the butter to burn while you are making the batter.  In a blender, pour in the eggs, milk, coconut flour, and salt.  Blend until smooth.  Remove the hot muffin pan with the melted butter and pour in the batter filling each cup about half full.  

Bake for 20 minutes or until puffed and golden.  Don't open the oven door while they are cooking or they will deflate and not rise again.  They will look very puffy when done, but shrink down as they cool.  You can eat these plain or top with an all fruit jam (no added sugar), more butter, or my favorite - a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and drizzle of real maple syrup!

Crispy Brown Rice Cereal

Are you looking for a cereal that uses whole grains, is gluten free, and low in sugar?  Here is one of my favorites.  Erewhon Crispy Brown Rice cereal is my family's answer to the classic crisp rice cereal.  Just look at the ingredients for yourself - it's awesome.  Processed free doesn't mean you can't find good packaged ingredients in the store.  This company has got my stamp of approval!

Berry Yogurt Parfait

 

I'm about to have a little love fest of photos for my berry yogurt parfait!  It has been my very favorite breakfast of the last few months, and I'd even go as far as calling it a dessert - it's that good!  

 

It's chalked full of yumminess without any refined sugar, which makes it processed free.  This comes together in no time (especially if you use berries that don't need to be cut up) and puts a smile on my face every morning I eat it.  Now that's worth waking up for!

 

plain organic whole milk yogurt (I like goat's milk yogurt)
organic heavy cream
vanilla crème liquid stevia
fresh berries
coconut sugar and cinnamon blend (see mine here)

Put enough yogurt in a bowl for one serving.  Pour a splash of cream in and about 5-6 drops of vanilla crème stevia.  Stir to combine.  Top with fresh berries and sprinkle on your desired amount of coconut sugar and cinnamon. 

 

Here are my favorite brands of yogurt and stevia:

 



 

 

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cinnamon Rolls

Some good friends of ours used to make these biscuit chocolate chip cinnamon rolls for our family and deliver them warm to our door.  Talk about irresistible!  When we moved away, I knew I wanted to get the recipe, but I wanted to try making these processed free.  What I found was that my kids loved them just as much as ever - success!  Because it's a biscuit dough, these are super simple, don't require a rise time, and there is no glaze or frosting needed.    

Dough:
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
3 Tbsp. sucanat or coconut palm sugar
4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup shortening (non-hydrogenated)
3/4 cup milk

Filling:
3-4 Tbsp. melted butter
sucanat
cinnamon
chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a medium sized bowl.  Add the shortening and use a pastry cutter to combine them until it looks like crumbs.  Add the milk and stir into the dough.  Add a little flour to knead it into a ball.  Sprinkle flour on a flat surface and roll it into a flat rectangle.  Cover the flattened dough with melted butter and sprinkle the dough with the desired amount of sucanat, cinnamon, and chocolate chips.

Roll into a log and cut into 12 pieces - about 1 inch thick.  place on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 12 minutes. 

I use dental floss to cut them by sliding it under the log, then pulling the two sides to meet and make a nice cut without squishing the dough.  I also cut it in half first, then those two pieces in half and each of those into three to make the pieces pretty even. 

I know I'm a bit vague about the amounts for the filling, but you can really just eye ball what will cover the dough and how much or little you like of each component - ex. more cinnamon, less chocolate chips.  These are fast and very forgiving if you are allowing your kids to help in the whole process as well.  Have fun with it!

30 Second Raspberry Cinnamon Jam

 

This "recipe" is one of those everyday, I don't think about this as a recipe, kind of foods.  This is my version of raspberry jam with the added warmth of cinnamon.  I make this all the time, especially for sprouted grain toast or bagels in the morning, but because I only make as much as I need for one time and always eye-ball the proportions, I hesitate to call it a recipe.  It's sweet, and tart with a hint of spice, and of course, processed free. Here's the idea of it:

 

a handful of fresh raspberries

a sprinkle of coconut cinnamon sugar (find it here)

 

Put the raspberries in a small bowl, shake the desired amount of coconut cinnamon sugar on top and proceed to mash and mix it all together with the back of a spoon.  This works best with raspberries as opposed to other berries because they easily separate, yet remain gelatinous like a jam or jelly.  Now you can use this however you like.  I only use about a 1/4 tsp. or less of the coconut cinnamon sugar - it truly is just a sprinkle, but add what you like.  I hope you enjoy this - we certainly do!

 

 

Cornmeal Griddle Cakes

 

My kids and I just visited my parents over the summer, and I asked my mom to make one of my favorite breakfast recipes.  It was these cornmeal griddle cakes.  She used to make these for us growing up and I felt like a little kid waking up in my old house, bouncing down stairs in my pajamas to eat these at their kitchen table.  I love the savory, slightly nutty, and crumbly texture these have.  I must admit, I did hijack the recipe and make a few swaps so this could become processed free, but it was totally worth it!  Just look how the morning sunlight loves these too!!

 

 

1 cup milk + 1 Tbsp. vinegar (or one cup buttermilk)

1 cup hot water

3/4 cup whole corn meal (organic with the germ)

2 eggs

1 cup flour (use whole wheat or sprouted whole grain)

3 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/4 cup melted coconut oil

 

Mix the milk and vinegar and set aside, maybe 5 minutes.  In a medium sized bowl, pour hot water over the cornmeal and stir.  Add the milk mixture.  Beat in the eggs, then add the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.  Stir in the oil.  Bake on a hot un-greased griddle.

 

These pancakes have the most delicate texture, which makes them thin but fluffy at the same time.  Drizzle on a bit of pure maple syrup and watch how they disappear.  Don't be afraid to experiment with fresh fruit as a topping either.  Raspberries or fresh peaches would be divine!

 

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Yogurt

This has to be one of the easiest and most satisfying yummies you could make.  I love Greek yogurt, but when you want something sweet, it does have to be doctored a bit.  This is where all those processed free tricks come into play.  One of my heroes, Dee McCaffrey, talks in her book about how she makes vanilla yogurt by adding pure vanilla extract and stevia to plain yogurt and voila, vanilla yogurt without the added sugar!  I've been doing this for years now and let me tell you, the yogurt combinations are endless. (Get her book, The Science of Skinny - life changing!)

I was inspired by the lovely treats associated with Valentines Day and thought this would be delicious.  And oh, how I love you chocolate and strawberries!  It's simple: make your homemade Greek vanilla yogurt to your taste (start with 4-5 drops of stevia and a 1/4 tsp. vanilla and add from there,) cut up strawberries, and dark chocolate chips.  That's it.  This comes together in no time!  You can also use grain-sweetened chips or carob chips if you prefer.   The mini chips are wonderful too!

Peanut Butter Bumpers Cereal

 

We buy pretty healthy low or no sugar cereals at our house most of the time, but when the kids want a "treat" cereal, this is the one we buy.  It's called Peanut Butter Bumpers by Mothers brand and I think it tastes most like Peanut Butter Captain Crunch.  Please don't misunderstand me, I'm not trying to pass this off as the most healthy cereal, but it doesn't have refined sugar or wheat flour in it and boasts ingredients that I have at least heard of.  Here is the whole ingredient list: corn flour, unsulphured molasses, natural peanut butter (ground peanuts, salt), oat flour, rice flour, honey, salt, and vitamin E.  Better, right?  So, it does have sugar, but all natural sweeteners that your body can more easily recognize and digest.  I have found this at most health food stores, but even some local grocery stores carry it too.  I've even found it at my local Target store!  If your local grocery store has a health food section, you may also find it there too.  Try swapping this for one of your other sugary-treat type cereals.  You may just like it better!

Kale and Ricotta Crustless Quiche

I love a quiche!  The creamy, egg-y-ness is so appealing with all the savory fillings - I'm making my own mouth water just describing it.  At my house, I can get a quiche on the table pretty quickly if I make this crustless.  You could add a whole wheat crust (here's mine), but for speed, I like it without one, and to tell you the truth, I don't even really miss it.  You may feel like it's more of a cross between a quiche and a frittata.  No matter how you think of it, this processed free recipe is delicious.  In fact, my husband raves about this and I pretty much have to plan that he will eat about half of it by himself!

1 Tbsp. coconut oil
2 cups fresh kale, chopped
4 oz. sliced fresh mushrooms (about a half a package)
2 tsp. chopped fresh garlic
3-5 pieces of cooked bacon, crumbled (you can use turkey bacon if you like)
4 eggs, beaten
1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
2 cups shredded Italian cheese blend (or mozzarella)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a 9 inch pie pan with coconut oil.  In a large skillet add the coconut oil, kale, and mushrooms.  Season with a little salt and pepper.  Cook until kale is wilted and mushrooms are softened, then add the garlic and bacon.  Cook for another minute or until the garlic gets a little color.  Remove from the heat. 

In a large bowl, combine the eggs, ricotta and shredded cheese.  Add the kale/mushroom mixture and stir until well mixed.  Pour everything into the pie pan and bake until the eggs are set, about 30 to 35 minutes.  Let cool a few minutes before serving.

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes with Fresh Strawberry Syrup

My friends with lemon trees are giving out lemons by the bag full right now.  I love it because I use lemons in my cooking all the time.  But, one of the best lemon recipes I have, has got to be these lemon ricotta pancakes!  They are amazing, fluffy, and flavorful with an incredible lemon undertone.  I like to pair them with my homemade fresh strawberry syrup for a delicious combo.  This recipe is one of my hero's, Dee McCaffrey - get her book "The Science of Skinny!"  I only made minor changes to it.  Here is clean eating and processed free cooking at it's finest.

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

1 cup whole wheat flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1 cup organic whole-milk ricotta cheese
2 eggs
1 egg white
the zest of two lemons
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 Tbsp. coconut nectar/honey/maple syrup
1 Tbsp. coconut oil, warmed to a liquid

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.  In a separate bowl, combine the ricotta, eggs, egg white, zest, lemon juice, coconut nectar, and coconut oil.  Fold this wet mixture into the dry ingredients - it will be very thick, but don't over mix.  Spray a pan with coconut oil (I use my misto) and cook several at once - be sure your heat is set to medium low or they might burn before you can flip them.  You will have to spread the batter out a little.  They are thick, so wait until they are no longer glossy on top, then flip.  I like to place my pancakes on a plate that is covered with aluminum foil to keep them all warm until they are ready to serve.  They are fantastic with pure maple syrup, but for an additional treat, try my strawberry syrup.  

 Fresh Strawberry Syrup

1 cup cut-up strawberries (I prefer fresh, but you could use frozen that are thawed)
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/2-1 tsp. fresh squeezed lemon juice

Place everything in a food processor or blender and puree until smooth.  My mini food processor is perfect for this.  Not only is this great over pancakes, but use is as a topping for ice cream, cheesecake, waffles, french toast, anything chocolate, etc.

My husband and I literally fight over who gets the last pancake, and if I could get away with it, I would probably lick my plate clean from the strawberry syrup.  Give this recipe a try - I know you won't be disappointed.  My final thought... this would probably be just as amazing made with Meyer lemons - something to try next time!

Green Machine Smoothie

This is a drink that I use for convenience when I don't have the time or ingredients to make a green smoothie.  What's great is that you can buy it in most grocery stores, although I get mine at Costco because it's bigger and costs less, and it's wonderful because it has no added sugar.  You can't say that for a lot of juices on the market.  Plus, if you read the ingredients, this is all you'll find: apples, bananas, kiwis,  mangoes, pineapple spirulina, chlorella, broccoli, spinach, blue green algae, odorless garlic, barley grass, wheat grass, ginger, and parsley.  I'm sure it's mostly fruit and a real "green" smoothie has mostly greens with some fruit, but it's way better than most alternatives.

You might be wondering how it tastes since it is green.  It tastes great!  When I drink it, I can pick out the pineapple most of all.  My kids don't love the color, so I started giving them this in a cup that has a lid and a hole to insert a straw.  If they can't see it, they absolutely devour it.  In fact, my two year old will ask for more and more refills unless I limit it to just one.  Give it a try.  You might be surprised at how good it is.

Banana Chocolate Chip Donuts

You all know by now that my biggest processed food no-nos are white flour and sugar.  They are just bad news and not worth my health.  So, I've been experimenting with different kinds of flours for a while.  I like whole wheat for sure, but one of my new favorites is spelt flour.  It is a cereal grain in the wheat family so it does have gluten, but most people with a mild wheat allergy can still tolerate it.  It also contains protein, vitamins, minerals, and fiber.  This is light years away from processed white flour.  And as far as sugar is concerned, there are great alternatives out there that are processed free and even nutritious.

I came across a banana chocolate chip donut recipe on pinterest (original here) and knew I could make a few swaps and have a real crowd pleaser for my family.  Plus, these are baked, so no need to get out the frying pan and oil.  I bought a donut pan several years ago and love baking practically anything into a donut (if it has that shape - it's a donut to my kids) and this was a great way to use up those ripe bananas.  

1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2)

1/2 cup sucanat (read more about it here)

1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt

1/4 cup melted butter

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

2 cups white spelt flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

3/4 cup dark chocolate chips (or cut up a dark chocolate bar into small chunks)

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.  In a large bowl, put the banana, sucanat, and yogurt and mix with an electric mixer until incorporated.  Add the butter, eggs, vanilla and mix again.  Then add the flour baking powder, and baking soda.  Mix until just incorporated - don't over mix.  Fold in the chocolate chips.  

Scoop the batter into a large zip-top bag and seal it shut.  Snip off one of the corners (large enough that the chocolate chips can come through) and pipe it into a greased donut pan about 3/4 of the way full.  I used my misto with coconut oil for the greasing - if you don't know what that is, read about it here.  Bake for 12 to 15 minutes and turn out onto a wire rack to cool. 

After a few minutes they are ready to eat!  They taste great as is, but if you want to add more of a donut flare, brush on some melted butter to the tops and dip them in a mixture of cinnamon and coconut/palm sugar or make a healthy, refined sugar free glaze or chocolate sauce (all of which are on my blog too.)  I have to say, we like them as is - no need for extras, but if they appeal with toppings, go for it.  They also freeze well and are easy to pull out one at a time and heat up for 30 seconds in the microwave - how's that for donuts in a hurry!  This will make about 16 to 18 donuts.  Yum!!

 

Update: I just recently got a mini donut maker and I have been cranking out these little baby donuts like no body's business!  Aren't they adorable.  You pipe them into the bottom of the hot donut maker, close the lid for a minute and they are done!  These are so easy to pop in your mouth and they freeze really well.  My kids absolutely love them! 

 

Chocolate Chocolate Chunk Walnut Zucchini Muffins

If you are a parent, you have probably experienced the universal cry from your children for something sweet day in and day out.  This is the case with my youngest who is a very finicky eater.  It's hard to get the good stuff in him when all he wants is chocolate!  So, this was my answer to his chocolate-craving little soul that I could feel good about.  Of course, it's processed free, but it also has whole grains, vegetables, nuts, and chocolate - which is healthy when used the right way.  This recipe makes about 15 muffins.

1 1/4 cup milk or almond milk (warm, but not hot)
2 tsp. apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
2 cups whole wheat baking powder
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. fine sea salt
1/2 cup sucanat (read more here)
1 egg
3 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup melted coconut oil or butter
2/3 cup chopped walnuts
1/3 cup dark chocolate chips or cut up dark chocolate bar
1 1/4 cup shredded zucchini (leave skin on)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly spray muffin tin with coconut oil and set aside.  Mix the milk and vinegar/lemon juice and let it start to curdle then set aside.  Add the dry ingredients to a separate bowl: flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sucanat.  Mix the wet ingredients separately: egg, milk mixture, maple syrup, vanilla, and oil/butter.  (If your milk mixture is not warm enough, it will cause the butter or coconut oil to clump up.  If this happens, just put it in the microwave for a few seconds to liquefy it again.) Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir until combined.  Fold in the chocolate chips, walnuts and shredded zucchini.  Scoop batter into the prepared muffin tin and fill them about 3/4 of the way full.  Bake for 15 to 17 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Cool for a few minutes in the tin then transfer to a cooling rack until they are just slightly warm - my favorite time to eat them!

These are delicious muffins all by themselves, but can even pass as cupcakes if you put chocolate sauce or a processed-free frosting on them.  You can also eat them with butter or cream cheese, but I have to admit, I like them plain.  We put them in a freezer bag with the air squeezed out and into the freezer, so that anyone can enjoy a sweet snack whenever they wish.  Not bad for a healthy treat!

Breakfast Fried Rice

Do you ever wonder what to do with leftover brown rice, especially when you don't have much of it anyway?  I like to use it the next morning to make breakfast fried rice!  I love this so much, that I intentionally will set aside some brown rice from our dinner to use the next morning because this is so good.  And what's great is that you don't need very much rice.  If you are just making a single serving, you need anywhere from a 1/4 to 1/2 cup - that's it.  This is another one of my favorite, flexible, and quick recipes that leaves you smiling and happy you are processed free!

Single Serving:
1 egg
leftover brown rice
baby spinach (a handful, torn)
1 clove garlic, minced (or a few dashes of garlic powder)
onion powder
any leftover veggies, diced
Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

In a skillet on medium heat, saute your baby spinach leaves, garlic clove (or garlic powder,) onion powder, and leftover veggies for a couple of minutes until they are soft and the spinach is wilted.  I use coconut oil for sauteing and your veggies could include: bell peppers, carrots, peas, potatoes, sweet potatoes, zucchini, diced tomatoes, olives, etc. - anything really!  Next, add your leftover brown rice and stir for a minute to warm through and combine with the veggies.  Then push everything in the skillet to the outside edges, forming a donut shape with the veggies and rice.  In the center that is now clear, crack your egg and begin to swirl it around with a heat-resistant spatula to form a scrambled egg effect, but as you are swirling, slowly start to draw in the contents from the outer circle of food.  This creates those small bits of egg throughout the dish that are just like fried rice.  Once everything is stirred together, add as much or as little freshly grated Parmesan cheese as you like.  This cheese is a little salty in taste, so you may want to use less salt when you season it while it's cooking.  That's all there is to it.

 This takes me only minutes to make because it's almost entirely made of leftovers, but so healthy and delicious.  Even if I only have leftover rice, I always have baby spinach in my freezer that I have previously frozen by putting handfuls of baby spinach in a gallon freezer zip-top bag, then squeezed the air out.  I have this on hand when I make green smoothies or I'm going to cook some fresh spinach for something.  I want to explain that this spinach would not make a nice salad after being frozen, but it's perfect for smoothies and cooking!  This way, I always have it on hand, and my fresh baby spinach is never thrown away because I didn't use it in time.  The breakfast fried rice tastes just as good even without the other veggies.

Yummy Whole Wheat Pancakes

My kids love to make pancakes on the weekends with their dad.  This was a tradition in his house growing up and something we had to continue with our children.  We used to buy just boxed pancake mixes, partly because they were easy and convenient and partly because this is how my husband cooks.  So, I wanted to give him something that was still as easy as a box mix, but much healthier!  At first, I tried to find a store bought version that was processed free and when that failed, I started making my own mix.  I keep it in the freezer so we always have it on hand.  Here is how to use it to make yummy, healthy breakfast.  Let the weekend pancakes begin!

2 cups whole wheat baking mix (found here)
1 cup milk
2 eggs

Mix everything together and make the pancakes as usual.  These taste amazing and are great to freeze for quick pancakes any morning.  Top with real maple syrup, berries with homemade whipped cream, etc.  Easy, delicious, and processed free!

Whole Wheat Crepes

Don't crepes just seem so fancy!  I was lucky enough to grow up eating crepes as a standard in our breakfast rotation.  Yes, my mom can cook!  And when I was younger, I had the opportunity to live in Europe for a while where there are always little crepe stands that make them fresh right in front of you then slather it with yumminess like nutella or powdered sugar.  Okay, nothing about this sounds processed free, but I'm getting there.  First, let me tell you how easy these are to make.  If you have a whisk and a pan, you can make crepes.  Secondly, you can have your cake and eat it too (or crepes rather) if you swap out only a few ingredients to make this guilt free.

3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup milk
2 eggs
1/4 tsp. salt

Beat all the ingredients together and try and remove as many lumps as you can - ideally there would be no lumps, but don't worry if there are a few.  Spray a cooking pan with coconut oil (I use my misto - read about it here) and pour in some batter right in the middle.

Then, lift the pan off the burner and swirl it around until it becomes a larger, flatter circle.  You can see the difference in these two pictures.  I usually pour in a bit more batter than the picture shows to be able to swirl it and coat the entire bottom of the pan, but these were for my kids, so I made them a little smaller.  When it is no longer glossy or only a little in the center, flip it gently with a spatula.

You'll see the edges start to curl up when it's done.  Transfer it to a plate and cover the stack with a clean kitchen towel or tin foil to keep them warm. 

And here is the best part - filling them and devouring!  Some of my favorite fillings include:

• berries and banana slices with homemade whipped cream (cream with sucanat/coconut sugar/eryithritol/stevia)
• butter with homemade powdered sugar (recipe here) and fresh squeezed lemon wedges
• homemade nutella (I'll post my recipe some time) with a sprinkle of nuts
• fruit or all fruit preserves with cream cheese or ricotta cheese
• maple syrup (the kids like this for sweetness)
• homemade chocolate sauce (so it is processed free) with berries

And since this recipe doesn't call for sugar of any kind, you can also use them for savory crepes in which the filling possibilities are endless too.  Here are a few ideas:

• scrambled eggs with meat, cheese, and sauteed veggies
• asparagus, ham, and Gruyere/goat cheese/Swiss
• chicken in a cream sauce
• shrimp/chicken/salmon with sauteed veggies, garlic, capers and lemon
• sandwich-type fillings with spinach
• sausage, sauteed apple and Gruyere

These are just the tip of the iceberg for filling possibilities.  But, now you know you can make them processed free and from scratch yourself.  Go ahead and let everyone be impressed!

Chocolate Peanut Butter and Banana Smoothie

Do you like the Peanut Butter Moo'd smoothie from Jamba Juice?  Then you are going to love this recipe!  And what's even better is that it is healthy and processed free.  This is an excellent protein drink that even my super sweet tooth husband has declared he would eat everyday - and now I would let him.  This recipe is based on one of my hero's recipes, Dee McCaffrey.  If you haven't gotten her book yet, The Science of Skinny, you are missing out.  I make one crutial change to her recipe that results in a great double for the one from Jamba Juice in taste and texture.  You must freeze the bananas!  There is no compromise for this step.  I always have bananas frozen in my freezer at all times.  I cut them into thirds and store them in a freezer bag for all kinds of smoothies or a healthy ice cream substitute for my kids.  Once you start doing this, you will wonder how you ever lived without frozen bananas.

1 cup unsweetened almond milk
3 drops liquid stevia
1 scoop of vanilla whey protein powder (stevia sweetened)
1 banana (frozen!)
1 Tbsp. natural peanut butter
1 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder

Put all the ingredients in a blender, then drink immediately.  The frozen banana acts like the creamy ice cream or frozen yogurt that is in the Jamba Juice recipe, making this very healthy and lower in sugar.  In fact, this is sugar free, but doesn't taste like it - woo hoo!!

I almost always double this recipe so that both my husband and I can have some since we love it that much.  I have to admit that it took a few minutes to get my picture of this, so it melted a little.  It is actually much thicker than the picture shows.  Give it a try, I think you're going to love it!

Ricotta Toast

I'm about to share one of my favorite breakfast treats with you.  My mom and I started making this years ago with leftover ricotta cheese.  We call it "ricotta toast" and it is super easy, quick, and processed free.  Did I mention delicious... I should have!  I LOVE ricotta cheese and we used it a lot when I was growing up because of my Italian mama.  In fact, my favorite cake has ricotta cheese as a filling.  I'll share it sometime.  So, this to me feels more like a treat than just any old breakfast.... sorry cereal, you just don't compare.  Here's what you need:

bread (Ezekiel brand sprouted or a whole wheat, no sugar version)
whole milk ricotta cheese
all fruit preserves (no added sugar or artificial sweeteners)

Toast the bread and then pile on the ricotta and top with jam.  Couldn't be simpler.  In the picture, I used strawberry, but I absolutely love this with boysenberry!  It's also fantastic with orange marmalade or a processed free lemon curd (harder to find or you can make your own.)  This can get really fancy if you use a slice of whole wheat baguette as the toast!  Serve it like that to a house guest and they'll think they are at a little cafe somewhere in Europe.

Maple and "Brown Sugar" Oatmeal

My kids really loved the packaged oatmeal that came in the maple and brown sugar flavor.  But, of course we are trying to be processed free, so those little packets are out.  Plus, this is such an easy flavor to recreate that there really was no need for me to lament this product.  Here is my version of this breakfast hit.

Old Fashioned Oats
Pure Maple Syrup
Coconut (Palm) Sugar

Prepare the oatmeal according to the packaged directions.  I personally like to use milk more that water because it comes out creamier, but water works fine.  Then add as much syrup and coconut sugar as you or your kids would like.  Easy, right?  And so much healthier!