Chocolate for Breakfast

My recipe game has been weak, but this post should definitely make up for it! This is a GLUTEN FREE Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Bread. If it sounds like edible heaven, that’s because it is. As a bonus, this recipe is so easy to make. I bet you already have all the ingredients in your kitchen. I found this recipe on another blog and made a few modifications. Here is what you will need to concoct this loaf:

In Bowl One: Whisk egg then mash in the bananas

1 egg

3 ripe bananas

In Bowl Two: Combine the below ingredients

3 tsp baking powder

1 pinch salt

1/3 cup organic peanut butter

3 & 1/2 tbsp coconut butter or 3 tbsp coconut oil (I used coconut butter)

3/4 cup almond milk

½ cup cocoa powder

1 cup gluten free flour ( I used Bob’s Redmill)

1 cup gluten free oats

½ cup of chocolate chips

Fold bowl two into bowl one and bake at 350 degrees for 75 minutes.

You can use any nut butter that tickles your fancy.  I used peanut because it is the most inexpensive.  I save almond butter for eating by the spoonful.  Personal preference….

Decadent Peanut Butter Oat Energy Bites

I am not kidding. These things are decadent.  I recently posted on powdered peanut butter and promised a recipe to follow.  Behold, deliciousness made from dehydrated peanuts and a few other clean ingredients! As always, this recipe is gluten free!

The recipe makes 4 bites.  I had two after lunch…they took care of my sweet tooth.  I found the recipe on Betty Lou’s Inc.’s website  and made a few modifications.  The chocolate chunk was my touch.  It’s not dessert unless there is chocolate.  My philosophy: without chocolate, it’s breakfast.

Makes about 4 bites

• ¼ cup + 1 Tbsp Organic Powdered Peanut Butter
• 3 Tbsp gluten free quick rolled oats (I used Trader Joe’s)
• 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp water
• ½ Tbsp organic honey
• 2 tsp coconut oil
• 4 pieces of dark chocolate

1. Mix Organic Powdered Peanut Butter and oats together in a small bowl.
2. Add water, agave, and coconut oil and mix until well blended and consistency is like cookie dough.
3. Roll into small balls.
4. Chill for about 15 minutes to firm up, or eat immediately for softer truffles.
5. Store in the refrigerator.

This takes about 5 minutes to whip up (dangerous).  I think I will be making these until I kill my jar of powder.  I ate them before refrigeration when they were soft and creamy like a peanut butter truffle. I am not very patient when a sweet tooth strikes.  Ask anyone who has ever eaten a meal with me, 30 seconds after my last bite I am hankering for chocolate.

Enjoy!

Delicious Gluten Free Quiche

I love all things eggs, so when I came across this quiche recipe with a sweet potato crust I had to try it. Saturday night I summoned my partner in crime and the kitchen to help me test and taste.  It’s much more fun to cook when you are drinking wine with a pal while listening to “Buy U A Drank” radio. We have proven this over the past two years. This recipe was tested on a whim so we just used what we had.  Below is our spin on the quiche.

Ingredients

• 2 medium sweet potatoes
• olive oil
• 1 bunch of spinach
• 5 spring onions
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1/2 green bell pepper
• 6 eggs
• 1/4 cup of shredded garlic & herb grass fed cheddar

How to

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and spray/grease a casserole or pie dish with olive oil
2. Thinly slice the sweet potatoes then place them at the bottom of the dish and around the edges, fill the gaps the best you can
3. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes. When finished reduce heat to 375 degrees
4. While the crust is baking saute the garlic, spring onions, spinach and bell pepper for about 10 minutes. Set aside
5. Whisk together eggs and mix in 3/4 of the cheese then set aside
6. When the crust is out and the oven is reduced to 375 degrees, mix together the sauteed vegetables and egg mixture
7. Pour the mixture into the crust and bake for another 40 minutes
8. Sprinkle your remaining cheese (and maybe some extra) on top. Don’t burn your tongue!

Our quiche came out perfectly when cooked for 40 minutes.  We served the quiche with an ear of corn and roasted crispy asparagus. The sweet potato crust was way more flavorful than your basic quiche crust. It really made the dish.  The sweetness of the potatoes really balanced out the herb-y and savory egg mixture.  If you have left overs, it is still yummy the next day! Amanda heated her left overs up in the microwave the next day and I ate it cold, it’s tasty either way.  It’s really good with red wine, just try not to drink at breakfast.

This is a great post workout meal, especially if you are not much of a meat eater.  Eggs are packed with protein and amino acids, and you will stay full thanks to their omega 3-fatty acid content.  Did I mention all the vitamins found in yolks?  Give it a whirl, it’s cheap and easy!

In this recipe the spinach, asparagus and spring onion all came from From the Farmer Dc which you can learn more about on last week’s blog post! My grass fed cheddar cheese was picked up at Reston’s Smart Market.  If you have not been yet this year, I recommend you go.  They have a few new vendors (two of which who offer gluten free goodies) and the produce is great!

If you have an questions, leave a comment!

Gluten Free “3 Ingredient Pancakes”-My Version

Good Morning! It’s dumping snow here in Virginia and the road conditions have given me the opportunity to make a breakfast that takes more than 3 minutes to prep.  I have been dying to try these “3 Ingredient Pancakes” that have been all over the web lately.  The majority of recipes call for about 1 banana, 1 egg and a tiny pinch of baking powder.  I dressed the recipe up a bit.  Here is what you will need for my version:

• 1 ripe banana (mine was freckled with brown spots)
• 1 egg
• 1 tiny pinch of baking powder (about 1/8 tsp)
• 1 tablespoon of almond butter (I used Trader Joe’s Raw Unsalted Crunchy)
• 3 dashes of cinnamon

1) Put all the ingredients in a bowl and mix

Throw it in

Mix it up

2) Heat your pan, grease it up and spoon about 2 tablespoons of the batter into the pan.  I used Trader Joe’s Coconut Oil Cooking Spray.  Coconut oil is great to use on pancakes because you get a subtle hint of the flavor.

3)Cook, Flip and then onto the next cake!  I made a total of 5 cakes, one of which was ugly and defective so I ate it before I took my final picture.

Tip: Keep the pancakes small, it will prevent them from breaking as you flip.

Keep your cakes small

Voila!

How does it taste?

• Natural: It does not taste like an IHOP pancake.  However, I did like it more than my almond flour pancakes I have made in the past.
• The banana makes it sweet, I did not need syrup.  If you prefer syrup, go with organic maple syrup and make it worth the calories.
• It’s much more dense, not light and fluffy like your traditional pancake.
• Overall I really enjoyed these cakes!

Tips:

• I tried adding raisins to one cake and it just fell apart.  So keep these simple and just add toppings after you cook!.
• Flip it really fast, the density of the cakes make them prone to breaking.
• Play around with ingredients! If you don’t have almond butter try all natural peanut butter or any nut butter you may have at home.  I wonder how coco powder would work in these? Yummm