Pecan Maple Breakfast "Cookies"

Another school week is coming to an end. This week for us has been super busy with school, soccer, PTA, scouts and everything else that goes into a school week. I think I will be glad when this week is over and we get a 3-day break over the weekend (yet weekends always seem to be busy too!)

This recipe ought to be a hit - who doesn't want cookies for breakfast? Especially yummy cookies that are healthy. These cookies are sweetened with applesauce and maple syrup. Add some fresh fruit to these cookies and you have a filling breakfast that is also fast and easy and can be eaten on the run (because those mornings happen sometimes). I think these would be fun to send in a school lunch as well. For and extra special day... you can add a handful of mini chocolate chips to your cookies. Yum!

Cookies

1 cup whole wheat flour*

3/4 cup rolled oats

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 cup no-sugar added applesauce

4 Tbsp. maple syrup

2 Tbsp. butter, softened but not melted

1 Tbsp. ground flax seed mixed with 3 Tbsp. water*

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup finely chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and grease a cookie sheet.

Whisk together the flour, oats, baking soda and salt.

In a separate bowl using an electric mixer, beat the applesauce, maple syrup, butter, flax seed mixed with water and vanilla.

While beating the mixture on low speed, add the dry ingredients until well blended. Fold in nuts with a spatula.

Drop cookies (I use a cookie scoop) onto prepared cookie sheet. Bake for 8-9 minutes or until they start  to brown.

* It is always best to use fresh-ground flours and flax seeds when baking. That being said, who has time to grind fresh flour every morning. When you do it in advance, it is best to store any fresh ground flours and flax seed in the freezer to maintain freshness, nutrition and prevent them from going rancid. When buying store bought whole wheat flour and pre-ground flax seed, keep in mind that you have no idea how long they have been sitting on the shelf and most likely have lost quite a bit of nutrients. But it works in a pinch until you can get yourself a wheat grinder. Flax seed can be quickly ground in a high-powered blender or in a small coffee grinder.

Recipe adapted from 100 Days of Real Food

Jana

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Breakfast Pockets

We are halfway through our week of back-to-school breakfasts - and I might have saved the best for last. Today's breakfast is a kid favorite. It is easily customizable for everyone's taste and can also be taken to school for lunch.

These are a little bit labor-intensive - start to finish they take me about an hour (when I don't have any interruptions) so they are best done over the weekend or the night before. Unless you like to get up early and bake. 

The dough that I currently use is only half whole-wheat. I am still on the search for the best 100% whole wheat dough that doesn't take all day to make. When I do find it, I will be sure to let you know. Warning: this dough is not sweet, more like a pizza crust. Feel free to experiment with your own favorite dough. I grind my own wheat (hard white wheat) and store it in the freezer. You can easily substitute store-bought wheat flour (just make sure it says 100% whole wheat) or if you are seriously lacking in time or dough making skill, you can use store-bought dough (Gasp!). I like Rhodes dough. Just thaw the rolls according to package directions and one doubled in size, you are ready to go.

So, lets get started:

Breakfast Pockets

1/2 cup scalded non-dairy milk (I used hemp milk)

2 Tbsp. coconut oil

1 Tbsp. turbinado sugar (I used regular sugar - since it is such a small amount)

1 tsp. salt

1 Tbsp. yeast

1/2 cup warm water

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour

Fillings such as nut butters, jam, Nutella, bananas, eggs, bacon, cheese, finely diced bell peppers, onions, etc...


Add the oil to the hot milk. It is ok if your coconut oil is solid (or very firm), it will melt when mixed with the hot milk. Add the sugar and salt to the milk mixture and cool to lukewarm. Dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Add yeast mixture to the warm milk mixture. Pour everything in the base of a stand mixer. Add flour. Knead well. You can knead this by hand if you really want to, but I let my mixer do it.

Once the dough ball is nice and firm and no longer sticking to the sides, remove from stand mixer and place in greased bowl. Let stand in warm place for 15 minutes. I heat my oven for a minute or 2 until it is just warm and than stick my bowl in. You can also place a pan of boiling (or very hot) water under the bowl of dough in the oven. The moist heat will also help it rise.

Section dough into pieces (how many you end up with will just depend on how big they are). I generally end up with around 14 dough balls.

Roll out dough balls on lightly floured surface.

Here comes the fun (and creative) part: the filling!! There are many different options. Here are some of our favorites. Eggs, small pinch of cheese, large pinch of finely diced bell peppers. We also like to add bacon once in awhile for an extra special treat.

Homemade almond butter and homemade low sugar raspberry apricot freezer jam - or any kind of combination.

Nutella and bananas (for The Princess)

Try not to focus on the terrible quality of this picture - I could not find another Nutella/banana example. 

I have no idea what happened here, but this may well be the worst picture I have ever taken.

Grab up the sides of the dough and pinch shut. Be careful not to overfill or the rolls have a tendency to pop open while baking.

Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 15-20 minutes. They can be stored in an airtight container or plastic bag in the refrigerator for a week for freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, microwave for 1 minute.

Recipe inspired by Budget Gourmet Mom

Jana

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Whole Grain Blender Waffles

Here we are on day #3. Today we are going to talk about waffles. Who doesn't love waffles? Especially when they are healthy and filling. This recipe is not my own, but it is our favorite waffle recipe, so I wanted to share it with you. I love that it uses whole grains and has the added bonus of flax seeds and cashews.

These are excellent topped with pure maple syrup, fresh or frozen (just thaw first) berries, fresh peaches or a sprinkle of powdered sugar (which my kids prefer).

This recipe requires a high-powered blender. If you do not have one, you could try soaking your cashews and dates for a couple hours to soften them. If you do go that route, I would soak the dates in the 2 cups of water and then add all of it to your blender as the dates will have a tendency to disintegrate in the water.

Ingredients all prepped in the blender

Whole Grain Blender Waffles

2 cups water

1/4 -1/3 cup chopped dates (or 1 Tbsp. apple juice concentrate)

1 cup instant oats

1/4 cup millet (or cornmeal)

1/4 cup whole flax seed

1/4 cup raw cashew nuts

1 Tbsp cornstarch

1/2 tsp salt

Toppings:
Berries (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, etc...)
Sliced fresh peaches
Pure Maple syrup (Grade B - or A if you can't afford B)

Preheat waffle iron and spray with non-stick spray. Blend all ingredients for 1 minute or until smooth in a high-powered blender. In my blendtec, I usually use the sauce/batter button and run it 2-3 times through the cycle.

Pour mixture into preheated and sprayed waffle iron and close lid. Bake until steam stops rising and the waffle is golden brown and crisp.  Serve immediately with desired toppings.

The waffles can be refrigerated and reheated in a toaster for up to 3 days.

Whole Grain Blender Waffles shown with powdered sugar - for the kids. 

Recipe from Whole Food Mommies

Jana

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Morning Muffins

My kids love muffins - in almost every variety. The problem... they generally always have egg in them and often aren't healthy at all. I have searched so many recipe books and blogs for healthy muffins that actually taste good and this is one of our favorites.

When it comes to breakfast, I have a couple of criteria I use to rate whether a breakfast is healthy (and therefore good enough for my kids. My criteria are as follows...

1. Healthy fats
2. Whole grains
3. Minimal (or no) processed sugar or sweetener
4. Yummy!
5. Easy

These muffins pass with flying colors. And it doesn't hurt that they have a little bit of chocolate in them as well (for The Princess - don't all girls love chocolate?).  Son #1 would eat these for breakfast, lunch and dinner if I would let him. I do grind my nuts (in my blender or food processor) before adding them instead of just chopping them.  The Princess's brothers are a bit weird when it comes to nuts so if they can't really detect them, it works better for everyone.

I generally make these over the weekend or the night before. They can be stored in a sealed container or plastic bag on the counter for a few days or in the fridge for around a week.

Don't panic when you see that it calls for *oat flour. You do not need to run to the store. Oat flour doesn't need to be bought - make your own my pureeing oatmeal in a blender until a fine, dry powder is formed. You can also make sour milk very easily. Simply add a tablespoon of vinegar to a one cup measuring cup and fill to the top with milk. Let it sit for 5 minutes before using in the recipe.

On a side note, I was out of sucanat so I made these with coconut sugar crystals and they worked just fine. In case you happen to have coconut sugar crystals hanging around...

Anyway, lets make some muffins! Here is the ingredient list:

Morning Muffins

1 cup sour milk (I used almond milk)

1/2 cup no-sugar added applesauce

1/4 cup coconut oil, melted

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 Tbsp. ground flax seed mixed with 3 Tbsp. water (or 1 egg)

1/3 cup sucanat (or packed brown sugar)

1/2 cup oat flour*

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 cup instant oats

1/4 cup mini chocolate chips (or regular size works well too)

1/3 cup chopped nuts - walnuts, pecans or almonds (optional, but highly recommended)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease 12 muffins cups.

Combine sour milk, applesauce, coconut oil, vanilla extract, flax seed (or egg) and sucanat and blend well.

Stir together oat flour, wheat flour, baking soda and cinnamon. Add flour mixture to wet mixture and blend well. Fold in oats, chocolate chips and nuts (if using).

Fill muffin tins. These do not rise very high, so a full muffin cup is ok.

Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.

Adapted from Short Order Mom

Jana

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Steel Cut Oats

It is that time of year again - back-to-school. Back to busy schedules, homework, packing lunches and chaos in the morning trying to find something healthy for breakfast. I think it is very important for my kids to have a very healthy and filling breakfast. I let them eat cereal (some cereals, anyway) on the weekends and I have noticed that they are hungry again within an hour. That annoys me. I have been working on teaching my boys (The Princess is a bit too young to understand still - she is just along for the ride), that eating certain kinds of food for breakfast will last longer. I'm not sure they understand, but we are still working on it.

My 2nd son in notorious for not eating a good breakfast and wanting a snack soon afterwards, but with him starting school this year that just won't cut it. I have been brainstorming and testing new recipes for the past few weeks to find ones that they like, but that will keep them full until lunch. Every day this week (and a bonus on Saturday), I will post one of our favorite breakfast recipes.

Oatmeal isn't original, but it is yummy and filling. We don't like the processed, instant kind full of sugar and preservatives. My kids (except brother #2 - he is still unsure) LOVE steel cut oats. They do take a bit more time in the morning, but it is worth it! I generally get up a little earlier then my kids and get the oats started. While my boys get up, get dressed and do whatever else little boys do in the morning (which often involves Legos), my oats are cooking. By the time my kids are upstairs, we are ready to eat. And, in the off chance that my kids get ready super fast, they have some time to read before breakfast (which helps with the after school homework battle if the reading is already finished).

Steel cut oats can also be cooked the night before and stored in the refrigerator (this goes for leftovers as well - for up to a week). When you are ready to eat them, simply scoop out the desired amount into a bowl, add a little milk, microwave until warm (about a minute or 2) and than add your desired toppings.

We like to keep things simple and add a little bit of almond milk and some pure maple syrup. I generally buy Grade A maple syrup because it is still healthy, but not as expensive as Grade B.  You can also add chopped nuts, raisins, craisins or fresh or frozen fruit. That is another thing we like about oatmeal - each bowl can be customized!

Here is what you will need:

1 cup steel cut oats

3 cups water

pinch salt

milk

Toppings

Bring the water to a boil and then stir in the steel-cut-oats along with a pinch of salt (this brings out the nutty flavor in the oats). Let the water and oats come back to a boil, then turn down the heat to medium-low.

Simmer the oats, uncovered, for 20-30 minutes depending on how cooked or chewy you want your oats. Give it a stir every few minutes to make sure the bottom isn't burning. Take it off the heat when it reaches your desired consistency (but keep in mind it will still "cook" for a bit. You can always add water - or milk - if it gets too dry).

Enjoy!

Jana

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Nut Allergy Printables

I was checking out new ideas on Pinterest this morning and was linked to a fun new blog. While scrolling down through it, I came across these nut allergy printables. So cute!!

They can be used by kids without a nut allergy to indicate that their lunch contains nuts.

Or there are ones for kids with nut allergies.

I really like that this mom takes nut allergies so seriously, even though her kids don't have nut allergies. I wish everyone were this conscientious.

Anyway... enjoy!

Jana

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Frosted Zucchini Brownies (without eggs!)

Recipe adapted from BlogChef

I promised you that I was working on a fabulous new recipe - and here it is!! Anyone that has tried to make "egg-less" brownies knows that it is hard to do. They never seem to work out right - one way or another something goes wrong. Of course, there are always the black bean brownies using a box of cake mix and a can of black beans. Or you can use a box of cake mix and a can of coke. But, for those of us who don't like using boxed mixes or soda in our cooking, good brownies are hard to make.

When I saw this recipe on pinterest, I knew I had to try it. Imagine - a brownie recipe with no eggs! And with zucchini - so they will be a little bit healthy. Or we can think that way, right?  Of course, I had to tweak these to my liking. I changed a few things to make them even healthier and I think they turned out fabulous!! So did the family.

Now, if you are looking for brownies that you can cut into perfect squares to be served at your very elegant event, these are not it. They are a bit gooey and fell apart slightly when cut. To remedy that, I stored them in the refrigerator. The second day, they came out of the pan much better. But I still wouldn't consider them a "pretty" brownie. Just very tasty!

Here are the ingredients:

1/2 cup coconut oil*

1 1/2 cups turbinado sugar (I used half turbinado sugar and half regular sugar)

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 cups wonder flour**

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 cups shredded zucchini

1/2 cup chopped walnuts (these are optional - I chose to leave them out.)

You can find walnuts that have not touched peanuts at Costco, but they have been manufactured at the same facility as other tree nuts. Just an FYI)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with non-stick spray (or use parchment paper).

In a large bowl, mix together coconut oil, turbinado sugar and vanilla extract until well blended. In another bowl, combine the wonder flour,  cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. A little at a time, stir into the sugar mixture. . Fold in zucchinis and walnuts (if using).  The batter will be dry and crumbly, don't worry.  *My only complaint with the brownies (which might have been my fault) was that there were a few spots were the batter was still dry, even after cooking. To remedy this, you might want to add another tablespoon or 2 of coconut oil. Or just make sure you mix very well to ensure that all the batter gets coated with the "wet" ingredients. After it is mixed to your liking, spread the mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish.

Place into oven and bake for 25-30 minutes until the brownies spring back when gently touched. Remove from oven and allow them to cool.

** If you are new to my blog and are wondering what wonder flour is, check out this video on how to make it. It can be purchased already milled, but it is super easy and more cost-effective to make it yourself. 

Chocolate Frosting:

6 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 cup butter

2 cups confectioners sugar

1/2 cup non-dairy milk

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

In a small saucepan over low heat, melt together cocoa powder and butter. Set aside to cool. In a medium bowl, blend confectioner's sugar, non-dairy milk and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract. Stir in the butter/cocoa mixture. Spread over completely cooled brownies and cut into squares - or refrigerate until set for easier cutting. 

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Sloppy Joes

Recipe adapted from Jamie Oliver
I think sloppy joes are an american tradition. They are kid-friendly, easy and quick and everybody loves them. What they generally aren't is super healthy - especially when made with the canned stuff. Yuck! No offense to those who might like the canned stuff, but it really is full of artificial everything! So, for those of us who want a healthier option, this one is AWESOME!

My kids eat this up like it is going out of style and always cheer when we have it (one of the few dinners they get really excited about). We love to serve it on whole-wheat buns and pair it with coleslaw (or salad- for those who choose not to like coleslaw), and fresh, locally-grown corn on the cob.

I choose to make home-made barbecue sauce to go with ours. I find that it isn't hard to make and if there is any leftover, it can be stored in the fridge for a couple of weeks or in the freezer for longer. That way we avoid high-fructose corn syrup and any other preservatives. I like the one below because it doesn't use ketchup (full of sugar) and it does use molasses. We like using  blackstrap molasses for the flavor and also for the health benefits. Try out your favorite barbecue sauces and see which one you like best.

I have found that I can hide different vegetables in this when they are cut really small and cooked with the meat. My kids don't particularly like bell peppers, but they have never complained about them in this. I would love to hear what veggies you successfully hide in this dish!

1 lb. ground beef or turkey*

1/2 cup diced yellow onion

1/2 - 1 cup bell peppers, any color (the more colors, the better), diced

1/2 cup shredded carrots

1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed**

1 cup barbecue sauce (see recipe below)

1 squirt of mustard (optional)

dash of salt

*If you can afford the up-front cost, buy grass-fed beef raised by local farmers, than use it sparingly. 1/4 of a cow will last my family of 5 a full year.Grass-fed beef is so much tastier and healthier, without added hormones and other undesirable stuff. If you buy ground turkey, look for the highest quality.

**Rinsing reduces the amount of sodium, but if you can look for reduced-sodium or no-sodium beans. Better yet, cook them yourself in a pressure cooker!

Brown meat, stirring and breaking up meat as it cooks. While meat is cooking, combine the barbecue sauce and all the drained beans. Bend with a blender until smooth. Pour off all liquid from the skillet and add the onions, bell peppers, carrots and whatever other veggies you want to add. Cook, stirring until all remaining liquid is cooked off, the meat begins to brown and the veggies have softened. Add the bean sauce puree to the skillet. Bring to a boil and adjust heat to simmering. Cook until thickened, about 10 minutes. If you find that it gets too thick, just add a little water as needed. Serve on whole-wheat buns and lettuce.

Barbecue Sauce
Recipe adapted from The Kitchn

Makes about 1 1/2 cups

Dash of olive oil

1/4 red onion, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 Tbsp tomato paste

1/2 tsp cumin

1 8 oz can tomato sauce

1/4 cup water

1 Tbsp blackstrap molasses

2 Tbsp sucanat (or brown sugar)

1 tsp worcestershire sauce

1 tsp brown mustard

1 tsp salt

pepper

Heat splash of olive oil in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute or two. Reduce heat to low and add the tomato paste and cumin. Mix well.

Add the tomato sauce and all remaining ingredients. Stir until combined and heated through. Adjust salt, pepper or other seasonings to taste. Transfer to a blender or use an immersion blender to blend until smooth. Add more water, a tablespoon at a time, if you prefer thinner sauce.

My picture doesn't show lettuce on the sloppy, but trust me and give it a try - it is yummy!

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Dairy Free Cole Slaw

There are a few more weeks of summer and maybe you still have some family reunions or get-togethers to attend. Coleslaw is always a perfect side dish for any BBQ or outdoor family gathering. I am a sucker for some good coleslaw, but have had a very hard time finding a great recipe that I can make at home. I like to think of myself as a connoisseur of coleslaw now, having tried so many different recipes. Most were ok, but there was always something missing and I could never figure out what it was. Not to mention that most coleslaw isn't that healthy, despite having cabbage and carrots in it.

After going to a family BBQ last year, I was introduced to the perfect make-at-home coleslaw - Brookville coleslaw. I have seen versions of this recipe all over the internet now but I believe the original stems from a hotel in Kansas (The Brookville Hotel) that is famous for it's old fashioned chicken dinners.

Now, I had a few issues with the original recipe. One being that used heavy cream as an ingredient and the other was the amount of sugar. I have always had issues using heavy cream - I am just weird like that. I don't like giving my kids super high fat dairy products (except maybe the occasional bowl of ice cream) and we had The Princess's dairy allergy to deal with. So, I set out to "healthify" (is that a word?) this recipe and it turned out dairy free in the process. A double bonus.

Now, my hubby thinks that without the cream it is lacking a little but I disagree in this instance. However, if you don't have issues using heavy cream, go ahead and give it a try. You can decide for yourself which you prefer.  So, choose your method and lets get mixing!

1 tsp salt

2/3 cup sugar (ALOT!!)*

1/3 cup cider vinegar

1 cup raw cashews**

1 cup water**

1 bag coleslaw

1 bag broccoli slaw (which I have found at my local Walmart)

* You have a few options here. You can substitute turbinado sugar. You can also cut the sugar down to 1/2 cup. I don't like things super sweet so it works for me. If you want to cut the sugar down but need more "sweet" add a bit of agave nectar to taste.

** This is what replaces the heavy cream. Raw cashews blended with water in a high-powered blender produce a nice "cream" that can be used to replace heavy cream in recipes. Obviously it won't make whipped cream, but it is very helpful when making sauces and soups. If you want to keep the cream, use 1 cup.

About 1 hour before serving, blend water and cashews in a high-powered blender until creamy. Add salt, sugar, cider vinegar mix. Pour over coleslaw and broccoli slaw. Mix well and refrigerate until serving.

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Allergy Testing

This past week, we had The Princess in for another round of allergy testing.  When she was tested last year, our insurance would only allow us to go to one doctor at a certain office that he only practiced in once or twice a month. While he did a great job with the testing and background/history, he was seriously lacking in the advice department. We left his office with a list of her allergies and a prescription for an epi-pen, but no direction as to the severity of her allergies, places to go for help, things to watch out for. He didn't even show us how to use the epi-pen. I tried to call him back a few days later, but he could not be reached at that office and I had no other way of getting in touch with him. Needless to say, we went looking for another doctor when our insurance changed this year. That along with some reactions The Princess had in the last few months that could not be attributed to her known allergies caused us to get her retested after just 1 year.

I had the greatest of intentions to take my camera with me to the allergist to document The Princess's latest round of allergy testing, but in the rush of getting ready I forgot. Pretty typical for me, but still a bummer.

Going to the allergist is a nerve-racking experience, especially with a young child. There was no way to prepare The Princess for what was to come. At least this time, her daddy and I knew what to expect and we could be more prepared. Last year, The Princess was not quite one and we had an extensive list of things to test her for. Her little back was completely covered in dots and pricks - there almost wasn't enough space. This year, we had just a few things we felt might have contributed to her latest reactions (dogs/cats and grasses) and upon my insistence, we had her retested for her known allergies (peanuts, brazil nuts, milk and eggs). I wanted our new doctor to get a feel for the severity of The Princess's allergies so he could give us the most accurate information on how to deal with them.

The Princess eating her favorite food - Nutella!. 

Because really, who doesn't love a little chocolate? 

Last year, with dots and pricks covering her back, The Princess did not seem at all bothered as we strolled around the doctors office and she sat contentedly with her daddy while waiting the required amount of time. This year, despite the small number of dots and pricks on her back, The Princess was not happy about the testing. She squirmed and cried when she was pricked and yelled about having her shirt off (she likes to be fully dressed). Thanks to Mickey Mouse Clubhouse on the I-pad and the promise of a sucker when she was all done, we made it through with only a small amount of crying and screaming.

When the doctor came back in, we were astonished to learn that The Princess had tested negative to milk and eggs!! What?!! While we knew that she most likely would outgrow them, I never expected it to happen so fast. After having her completely off eggs for over a year, it is weird to think that she might be able to eat them. You think I would have been overjoyed about getting that news, but I just wasn't even sure what to think. Maybe I was just in shock because it was so unexpected. I think I also (almost) liked having the egg allergy with the peanut allergy because I felt "safer" when it came to baked goods. Sometimes there can be peanuts in baked goods where you would not expect them to be (especially if they are made in someones home who didn't wash things completely or wipe the counter completely - you get the picture). With an egg allergy, we avoided those things completely and it was easy not to have to worry. Now, I will have to stress about whether to let The Princess have a home-baked item for fear it might be contaminated with peanuts. Maybe I will be the mean mom and still stay away from those things. What to do, what to do? But... back to the appointment.

Our doctor discussed how to slowly introduce milk and eggs into her diet one at a time and we also discussed her peanut and brazil nut allergies (which were still very positive). He gave us so much more direction than we received last year and was very helpful in answering all of our questions - and believe me, there were a lot.

The Princess eating one of her newest favorite foods - seaweed and (egg-less) fried rice!

Now we are 2 days out from The Princess's appointment, and we still have not tried adding either milk or eggs to her diet. When you get used to eating a certain way, it is very strange to go back. We became used to having more almond milk than cows milk around and not even having eggs in the house very often. We are looking forward to being able to take The Princess to Goofy's Kitchen at Disneyland and her being able to actually eat without fear of egg contamination (which is hard to avoid with breakfast foods). I have also been thinking about recipes that I will be able to make again that just did not work without the egg, which is a bit exciting. But there are also so many recipes that work great without eggs and (I believe) might be healthier without the eggs, that I will continue to cook just like I have been this past year (like the egg-less chocolate chip cookies).

No fear! The Peanut Allergy Princess blog will continue on despite changes being made to The Princess's diet and I will still post recipes without eggs. I am working on a new (and very yummy) one right now!!

Jana

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Ice Cream Crunch Bars

Adapted from Our Best Bites
Please, do not die of shock that another post is coming so quickly after the last one! I am really trying to do better. And, while trying to organize all my recipes, I came across one that I had originally planned on posting in July as part of our ice cream month. I guess it is time to find a better method of organizing!

But I digress... this recipe is very much a summer recipe, so it needed to be posted before the summer is over. I cannot believe we are in the last few days/weeks of summer. Many kids have already started back to school (thankfully, mine still have a few weeks of summer). And since we are only 8 days out of July,  we can still enjoy some ice cream recipes.

These are super yummy, but weren't the healthiest thing, so I set out to make them healthier. While we all love a good treat, a healthier treat that is still delicious is even better! They were originally allergen free (at least egg and peanut) so nothing needed doing in that area. Unless you have a true milk allergy, than you would want to substitute the butter and ice cream for a vegan version (or healthier yet, coconut oil and dairy-free ice cream made with coconut milk).

Now... for the recipe.

2 1/2 cups Brown Rice Cereal *

1 cup chopped pecans

1 1/2 cups shredded unsweetened coconut **

3/4 cups sucanat (or brown sugar if you don't have any sucanat)

pinch of cinnamon

1 stick real butter, melted

1/2 gallon vanilla ice cream

* I bought my brown rice cereal at Winco. If you have a Winco near you, it was much, much cheaper than at a health food store.

** You can buy unsweetened shredded coconut at a health food store. Try to avoid the kind at a grocery store as they generally all have added sugar.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9X13 inch pan with foil, extending a little over the edges of the pan.

Place brown rice cereal, pecans, coconut and sucanat in foil lined pan - like so. Well ok, they can be in any order in the pan so it doesn't need to be exactly the same but you get the point.

Drizzle melted butter over mixture and combine well. Sprinkle a pinch of cinnamon over ingredients in pan and mix. Bake for about 30 minutes, stirring once or twice. Remove from oven when toasted and golden brown and let mixture cool completely (very important).

Remove half of the crispy mixture and spread remaining half in an even layer on the bottom of the pan. Gently spoon softened (not melted) ice cream on top of mixture. Use a spoon and gently spread mixture, being careful not to lift crisp from bottom of pan. Spread ice cream out evenly and then top with remaining crisp mixture. Gently press top crisp into ice cream with hands. Cover with plastic wrap or foil and chill overnight. FYI...I put this into our regular freezer and it didn't freeze very hard. It did better in the chest freezer at 0 degrees.

When ready to serve, use foil to completely remove ice cream from pan. Slice into squares and try not to eat the whole pan by yourself!!

Jana

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Apricot Jam

I have been super busy the last few days jammin' - or in other words, making jam!! Last week, I ended up with a 5 gallon bucket OVERFLOWING with apricots. What does one do with all those apricots... obviously start jammin'! I wanted to share the recipes I used in case anyone else finds themselves with a whole lot of apricots (or any fruit).

My issue with jam is the amount of sugar that is usually required. The jam goes from tasting like fruit to tasting like sugar - which I don't like. Plus, I don't like feeding The Princess or her brothers all that sugar. Kids are bombarded with sugar these days so I wanted to avoid it as much as possible.

Imagine my delight when I came across this recipe online for organic sugar free apricot jam!! So perfect. Although to be honest, mine didn't turn out to be organic after all. I could not find the organic apple juice concentrate and didn't want to drive 30+ miles to a bigger health food store. But anyway... it turned out so yummy. And, it tastes like apricots instead of sugar.  Pomona's Universal Pectin is the magic ingredient. I was able to find some at a health food store. One box made 2 recipes so even though it was a bit on the pricey side, it went a long way. Can you tell that I am a little too excited about this jam? I have a delicious dinner recipe that I am so excited to use the jam in. Look for that recipe in the future.

I am a super novice at canning, so don't be scared if you have never canned before. I believe that this was my 3rd, maybe 4th time. Check out this post on Our Best Bites for some quick tips and tricks before you venture into the canning world. This is where I learned all of my canning know-how. I bought the little kit talked about in their post and I just borrow a large pot from my neighbor. Easy peasy!

But, if canning still scares you, the second method I used is sure to be a winner. It is even easier and the jam is just as yummy. Freezer jam! Once again though, there is usually a lot of sugar in freezer jam which always made me leery. Than, I found Cornaby's Jam in a Jiffy.

All you need is 4 cups of crushed fruit, water and the mix. It is that easy. There is some sugar in the mix, but much lower than in traditional freezer jams. You can even mix fruits to create your own flavors. I mixed apricots and raspberries. YUM!

I got a little carried away and made 3 batches of freezer jam and canned 12 pints and 3 quarts of regular jam... and still had about 1/3 of my 5 gallon bucket of apricots left. We will definitely be stocked with jam this year - good tasting, healthy jam!

Disclaimer: I have not been paid in any way by either Pomona's Universal Pectin or Cornaby's Jam in a Jiffy.  I just love their products and want to share them with others.

Jana

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