Healthy Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

Healthy chocolate chip banana muffins are totally bikini-friendly! Made with bananas, chocolate chips, Greek yogurt, whole wheat flour, and coconut oil. Easy, low-fat, moist, and healthy muffins! 

Author: littlespicejar.com

Ingredients

•2 cups whole wheat flour (or white whole wheat)

•1 teaspoon baking powder

•1 teaspoon baking soda

•1/4 teaspoon salt

•1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

•1 large egg

•3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

•1/2 cup greek yogurt (I used 0% fat, any will do)

•2 teaspoons vanilla extract

•1 and 1/2 cups very ripe bananas, mashed with a fork

•1/3 cup coconut oil

•1/2 cup bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips (or more, they can also be replaced with nuts)

•2 tablespoons rolled oats (optional)

Instructions

►Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray, set aside.

►In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon. Whisk until just combined. Set aside.

►In a medium bowl, combine the egg, light brown sugar, greek yogurt, vanilla extract, mashed bananas, and coconut oil. Using a spatula, mix until all the ingredients are combined. Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.Gently begin to fold it all together. Work out any flour pockets but do not overmix the batter. Fold in the chocolate chips.

►Divide the batter between 12 muffin tins, filling 3/4 of the way up the tin. Sprinkle with rolled oats if desired. Bake the muffins for 18 - 22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the muffin comes out with just a few crumbs. Allow muffins to cool completely.

Notes

Muffins remain fresh and moist stored at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for 5 days. Muffins freeze well, up to 3 months.

Pecan Raspberry Pie Squares

Pecan Raspberry Pie Squares (Vegan, Gluten-Free) ـــــ they're healthy enough to qualify as a breakfast food!

Author: cleanwellness.ca

Makes 9 large squares

Ingredients: 

Bottom layer

•1/3 cup pecans

•½ cup raw buckwheat groats

•1 cup gluten-free rolled oats

•1 tsp cinnamon

•¼ tsp sea salt

•¼ cup pure maple syrup or agave 

•1 tbsp coconut oil

Raspberry middle layer

•1 apple, cored, peel left intact, cut into chunks

•1 cup raspberries

•2 tsp lemon juice

Top layer 

•3 tbsp pecans

•1/3 cup gluten-free rolled oats

•¼ tsp cinnamon

•1 tbsp coconut oil pinch of sea salt

Directions:

►To prepare the bottom layer: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8 square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang for easy removal. In a food processor, combine pecans, buckwheat, oats, cinnamon, and sea salt until a coarse flour is formed. Add in maple syrup and coconut oil and pulse until fully combined. With slightly wet hands, press mixture evenly into the bottom of the square pan.

►To prepare the top layer: In a food processor, pulse all ingredients until a coarse meal is formed. Set aside.

►To prepare raspberry middle layer: In a food processor or Blendtec, puree all ingredients until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides once or twice. Spread mixture evenly over bottom layer. 

►Crumble the reserved top layer evenly over the raspberry middle layer. Bake for 20-25 minutes until set and lightly browned. Remove from oven and cool completely in pan. Using the parchment overhang, remove bars and slice into 9 large squares (or make them smaller). Store in a container in the refrigerator or freezer.

Breakfast Oatmeal Cupcakes To Go

Never skip breakfast again. Cook once, and you have a delicious breakfast for the entire month! These customizable “breakfast” baked oatmeal cupcakes are great on-the-go fuel for those days when you have zero time in the morning to prepare a big meal.

The breakfast cupcakes are:

Quick to make

Portable and non-messy

Easy to eat at a desk… or pack in a lunchbox!

Just throw a couple into your bag, perhaps along with a container of peanut butter and some fresh fruit, and you’re good to go with a balanced breakfast. My roommate, my mom, and five of my friends are all hooked!

Author: chocolatecoveredkatie.com

(makes 24-25 cupcakes)

Ingredients

•5 cups rolled oats (400g).

•2 1/2 cups over-ripe mashed banana (For all substitutions, see nutrition link below) measured after mashing (600g).

•1 tsp salt.

•5 NuNaturals stevia packets (or omit and use 5 tbsp liquid sweetener of choice–such as pure maple syrup or agave–instead).

•optional: 2/3 cup mini chocolate chips.

•2 2/3 cups water (640g) (If using the liquid-sweetener option, scale water back by 1/3 cup.).

•1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp oil (45g) (I really like coconut, but veg oil will also work. For lower-fat substitution notes, see nutrition link below.).

•2 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract.

•optional add-ins: cinnamon, shredded coconut, chopped walnuts, ground flax or wheat germ, raisins or other dried fruit, etc.

Directions:

►Preheat oven to 380 F, and line 24-25 cupcake tins. 

►In a large mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients and stir very well. 

►In a separate bowl, combine and stir all wet ingredients (including banana). 

►Mix wet into dry, then pour into the cupcake liners and bake 21 minutes. 

►I also like to then broil for 1-2 minutes, but it’s optional. (If you let them cool overnight, they’ll no longer stick to the liners.) These oatmeal cakes can be eaten right away, or they can be frozen and reheated for an instant breakfast on a busy day.

Nutritional information

Vegan Crepes Recipe

Light, fluffy, and sweet vegan crepes are perfect for breakfast, lunch, or dinner! Enjoy these crepes with natural peanut butter, fresh fruit, and/or powdered sugar.Is your mouth watering yet?

Ingredients

•2 cups vanilla almond or coconut milk

•2 Tbs olive oil

•2 Tbs honey or organic agave

•2 Tbs flaxseed meal (ground flaxseeds)

•2 Tbs chia seeds

•1 ripe banana, peeled

•1 cup whole wheat pastry flour

•1 tsp baking powder

•1/4 tsp salt

•olive oil cooking spray

Instructions

►In a Vitamix blender, add ingredients in order listed. Blend on high for 30 to 45 seconds until batter is smooth and mixed well.

►In a skillet over low to medium heat, lightly spray cooking oil and pour about 1/2 cup of batter into center. Tilting the skillet in a circular motion, coat the bottom of the skillet evenly.

►Cook until top looks dry and slightly bubbly (approximately 2 minutes). Flip crepe over, press down lightly with spatula, and cook for additional 2 minutes.

This recipe was adapted from no diets allowed

Smoked Salmon, Asparagus, and Egg Sandwich

The recipe for today features a toasted baguette, smeared with quality European butter. Please don’t skimp on the butter quality. I promise, it’s worth it to buy the good stuff. It’s topped with smoked Pacific salmon, roasted asparagus, and perfectly poached eggs. This brunch sandwich, served either open-faced or closed, is truly a delight for the senses.

Author: chocolateandmarrow

Ingredients:

•1 fresh demi-baguette, sliced in half

•2-4 tablespoons of European butter (I use Plugra)

•4 oz. Wild Pacific Smoked Salmon

•5 stalks of asparagus, lighter colored ends removed

•3 eggs, poached

•salt and pepper, to taste

•1 teaspoon of chopped chives

Instructions

►Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Toast your baguette halves in the oven for 5 minutes or until slightly crispy on the outside. Remove from oven and smear with butter.

►To prepare the asparagus, simply coat it in olive oil, salt and pepper and roast in the oven at 400 degrees F for 5-6 minutes.

►I’ve heard people say that poached eggs are too challenging to do. I’ll admit, they take some patience when you’re first starting out. Here’s a resource that can explain it to your better than I ever could. Don’t give up if this is your first try though — once you get the hang of it, it’s surprisingly easy. And then you can put poached eggs on everything!

►Top the bread with roasted asparagus, smoked salmon, poached eggs, salt, pepper, and chopped chives. Divide in half and consume while eggs are hot!

Easy Raspberry Cheesecake Crostini

this is one of the easiest and healthiest recipes ever, it's so delicious, you can put fruit spread in plain Greek yogurt too :)

Ingredients

•1 loaf of French bread
•reduced fat cream cheese
•Smucker's Natural Red Raspberry Fruit Spread
•fresh raspberries, for garnish

Instructions
►Set oven to broil. 

►Place slices of bread on a cookie sheet and put in the oven to toast. 

►Once bread starts to turn golden, flip and cook the other side until golden. 

►Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes.

►Spread cream cheese over toasted bread and then with a spoonful of fruit spread. 

►Top with a raspberry and enjoy!





This recipe was adapted from Alidaskitchen

Fruit & Nut Granola – addictive!

Before you read this post, I should caution you:  Homemade Granola doesn’t taste like the box or the bag! It’s simply addictive. Give someone you love a piece of rope, and ask them to “watch you like a hawk!”  If they notice that your arm swings forward each time you walk by a bowl of this