Soaked Muesli

Calvin is one of my biggest fans when it comes to food.

He's always been that way.  In fact, there's a cute story to tell

from his toddler years that I'm quite sure will be shared at his wedding.

Suffice it to say, he likes most of what gets whipped up in my kitchen.

And, this is no exception.

Muesli is uncooked oatmeal.  Stir everything together at night,

and enjoy in the morning.  Straight from the fridge.

Add in a banana, toss on some chopped nuts, and drizzle

maple syrup over it all.  You can't go wrong.  It's perfect.

At least, Calvin and I think so.  :)

What you will need:

2 cups Old Fashioned Rolled Oats
3 cups Milk (I used Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk)
2 cups Greek Yogurt
1/2 cup Liquid Honey (organic, if possible)
1 and 1/2 cups Craisins (dried cranberries)
1 cup Shredded Unsweetened Coconut
1 cup Almond Meal (ground almond flour)
1 cup Flax Meal (ground flax seed)
3/4 tsp Sea Salt
2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
3 Organic Apples ~ diced

Banana slices, chopped nuts and Maple Syrup for toppings.
(Chocolate chips?  More dried fruit?  Anything goes!)

What you do:

Mix the dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.
Add all the wet ingredients into the same mixing bowl.
At this point, it will be quite sloppy, but, it with thicken up...promise.

Stir together well and put into a glass bowl or storage container.
Cover and set in the fridge overnight.  This is when the magic happens.

In the morning, scoop out the amount desired to fill hungry tummies
into individual cereal bowls, add toppings, and enjoy!
We like sliced bananas, chopped pecans, and a drizzle of maple syrup on ours.

Muesli is flexible, so, feel free to adjust the ingredients
to suit your own taste.  If you want a thicker consistency,
add more oats to your recipe, or, reduce the amount of liquids.
You can substitute water for the milk.  Or use cream to thin it in the morning.

One thing to note, however, is that the yogurt should be kept in
the mix in order for the oats to be properly soaked.
They are more easily digested that way.

This recipe will serve approximately 8 hungry people,
and will keep for up to three days in the fridge.
Happy (stress-free) mornings to you!  :)

With Love,
Camille

**To make this gluten free,
be sure your oats are certified GF.

Gluten Free/Dairy Free Banana Muffins

So, here's the thing ~ gluten free and dairy free baked goods can be yummy.

These muffins prove it.  Howie couldn't believe they were GF.

When he kept commenting on how much he was enjoying them, I told him my secret.

GF/Dairy Free Banana Muffins ~ If you don't tell, no one will guess.

What you need:

1 cup mashed Bananas
2 large Eggs
1/2 cup Coconut Oil, melted
1/2 cup granulated Sugar (I use evaporated cane juice)
1/2 cup finely ground Almond Flour
3/4 cup Gluten Free flour mix
(I use Namaste Perfect Flour Blend which has xanthan gum included ~
it's my favourite brand of GF flour of all time.)
3/4 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Baking Powder

What you do:

Mix together the bananas, eggs, sugar and melted coconut oil in a mixing bowl.
In a separate bowl, mix together the remaining ingredients from the almond flour
through to the baking powder.  Whisk together thoroughly.
Mix the wet ingredients together with the dry ingredients and stir until completely blended.
You could add in chocolate chips and/or chopped nuts if desired.
It's not necessary to add anything to these...they stand up well on their own.

Spoon into paper lined muffin tins.
Batter should come to the top edge of each of the paper liners.
Bake in preheated 350 degree F oven for 20 to 25 minutes.
Toothpick inserted into the centre of several muffins should come out clean.
Cool five minutes in pan and then remove to cooling racks.

Be sure to serve these while they're still warm.
However, even after they were completely cold,
Howie expressed his hearty approval and asked for another.

This recipe makes 9 or 10 regular sized muffins.

So, there you have it.  A gluten free, and dairy free muffin that
tastes just as yummy (or, more yummy according to some)
as its wheat laden counterpart.

Who says Gluten Free can't be good?

Happy Baking!
With Love, Camille

Chocolate Pecan Muffins ~ THM Compliant

Have Y'all heard of Trim Healthy Mama?

I kept hearing about it so much, and I was intrigued

enough by all that I read, that I bought the book.

These girls have much to say that makes a lot of sense.

I don't know enough about them to endorse all that they

may stand for, but, the initial results I've had

from eating the way they suggest have been positive.

I've felt better than I have in a long while.

I've dropped 10 pounds without starving myself ~ it really has been painless.

And, the cravings truly are not there or, can easily be satisfied

while staying on plan and continuing to achieve your ideal weight.

It isn't a "diet" in the conventional sense ~

 it's a way of eating and nourishing oneself that is easy to stick to.

It tends to regulate blood sugars and help the body find a good balance.

I have found it to be both satisfying and energizing.  :)

Are you interested to learn more?

Click here to find the book for sale on Amazon.

One thing to mention, and it's a significant thing if you ask me ~

these sisters do not endorse sugar of any kind

if your goal is to lose weight and/or balance your blood sugars.

That means no honey, natural sugar, raw sugar, or maple syrup

for those who are trying to achieve the specific goals mentioned above.

These authors would not include growing children in that restriction.

All of God's good food is encouraged in their case.

And, for everyone, a balanced approach to nutrition is promoted.

They encourage the use of Stevia in a couple of forms.

One of those is Truvia ~ I don't know for sure how I feel about it.  

More research is required before I become settled on the matter.

In the meantime, I have been using it.

That's my disclosure for this post, and I felt it was 

necessary to give it prior to sharing the recipe.  

There.  Now I feel so much better.  *Wink*

Having said all the above, I don't see why you couldn't make these

muffins with regular sugar if you don't want to follow the plan.

I've not actually made them without Truvia, so you'd have to give it a try to see.

According to my calculations, this recipe would require approximately 

3/4 cup to 1 cup of sugar to achieve the same level of sweetness.

Oh, and just so you know.  I still have sugar occasionally.

When I do, however, the scale shows me that I've done it.

It's so empowering to know how to quickly arrest that situation

and stop it in its tracks before it gains a foothold.

Now, on to the recipe!

~ Chocolate Pecan Muffins ~

(Adapted and modified from one of the recipes

which may be found in Trim Healthy Mama)
**These would fall into the S category**

6 Large Eggs ~ Organic, preferrably

2 tsp Vanilla ~ I use the pure extract

1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp Golden Flax Meal

1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp Almond Flour

1/2 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder

1/3 cup Truvia sweetener (or 3/4 cup to 1 cup sugar)

1 Tbsp Baking Powder

1 cup Chopped Pecans

1/3 cup Coconut Oil, melted

Whisk together eggs and vanilla in a medium bowl and set aside.

Measure all dry ingredients together in large bowl and

stir until no lumps remain ~ I mix with my fingers.

Mix egg mixture into dry ingredients, stir lightly with a fork.

Add in melted coconut oil and stir together well.
Let sit a minute or two to let batter rise a little.

Spoon into prepared muffin tin.

I use parchment liners in my muffin tin,

but, you could grease the muffin cups prior to filling.

Fill to the tops of the liners ~ I use the large size.

Makes 10 large muffins.

Bake at 375 degrees F for 18 to 20 minutes.

Tester should come out nearly clean. 

Be careful not to over bake as your end product will be too dry.

Serve warm with butter.  Enjoy!

Many Blessings,
Camille

**Disclaimer ~ I only endorse things that I use and enjoy.

I am not compensated in any way for my opinions.

They are just that ~ opinions.  Please do your own research
in order to be sure that you have made the right choice for you.  :)

Almond Flour Waffles

Here it is...as promised!
Another recipe for Almond Flour.

We like these waffles even better than our old standby.
I've even served them to company!  They get rave reviews.

And they are quick to whip up at a moment's notice.
They cook MUCH more quickly than the *regular* type.
In my waffle maker, they are done in a minute and a half.

Better and better.

Makes you want to get your hands on some
Almond Flour now, doesn't it? :)


~ Almond Flour Waffles ~
As found in the book ~
"Breaking the Vicious Cycle"

1 cup Almond Flour
4 Eggs, beaten
2 Tbsp honey (preferrably raw and liquid)
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1/4 tsp Sea Salt
1/4 tsp Baking Soda

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl with a wire whisk.

Preheat and grease your waffle iron.
(I use coconut oil to grease it ~ melt a little and use a brush to coat the iron)
Be forewarned...you will be sorry if you skip the greasing step ~
Ask me how I know! :)

Pour 3/4 to 1 cup of batter onto the
waffle iron and cook for about 90 seconds or until done.

I quadruple this recipe for our family of six.
The boys and Emma all have hearty appetites.
My waffle maker cooks four squares at a time
and one batch would make two of those four-squared waffles.
I hope that makes sense!


Feel free to ask questions if you have any.  Enjoy!
Many Blessings, Camille

**One thing to note ~ Almond Flour will go rancid if it's not stored properly.
Keep it in a sealed container in the fridge or freezer for long term storage.

Some of You Were Asking...

What does one DO with Almond Flour?
How can it be made into something edible?
One of the answers to those questions is ~
Almond Flour Banana Cake.

But, that is not the ONLY answer.
There are so many more things that can be done with it ~
I hope to share another favourite with you soon.

But, for now...
this recipe is a good place to begin.
No grains. No dairy.
No sugar (except honey).  Intrigued?

Oh, and did I mention that it's so healthy
you can eat it for Breakfast??
What are you waiting for??

~ Almond Flour Banana Cake ~

Slightly adapted from the book

"Breaking the Vicious Cycle"

3 cups Almond Flour

(not coarse meal)

3 eggs, beaten

1/3 cup honey

(preferrably raw and liquid)

1 tsp Baking Soda

3/4 cup mashed bananas

(very ripe) ~ about two medium

1/4 cup melted butter

(if you are eliminating dairy,

coconut oil would substitute nicely)

Measure the Almond Flour and Baking Soda

into a large mixing bowl.

Stir to completely mix in the Baking Soda.

In another bowl, mix together all the wet ingredients.

Mix the wet ingredients into the dry

and stir until combined.

Spread batter evenly into a greased 8 inch square baking pan.

(I use a glass pyrex dish)

Bake at 350* F until done (about 30 to 40 minutes) ~

Check at the 30 minute mark...mine takes 35.

When done, the top should spring back when touched.

It goes quickly from done to overdone...watch closely.

It also is easy to underbake...don't do that either!

It's not too difficult, really. ;-)

Somehow, I don't think I'm very reassuring!

But, please believe me...LOL! :)

ENJOY! Without any guilt.

Many Blessings, Camille

**One thing to note ~

Almond Flour will go rancid if it's not stored properly.

Keep it in a sealed container in the fridge

or freezer for long term storage.