SUPER FOOD MUFFINS

Makes 12 regular sized muffins

Here’s my formula for the baked good that inspired this blog. I make a new batch of these muffins once a week or every ten days or so. My son, Nolan, has one without fail every morning for breakfast and those that have witnessed his anticipation of these muffins can tell you that it is one of the most exciting moments of his day. Want more texture? Add chopped nuts or more seeds.

• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup cooked small grains (e.g. quinoa, kaniwa, millet, etc.)
• 1/2 cup uncooked rolled oats
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ¼ cup sweetener
• 1/8 cup oil
• 1 cup raw (fresh or frozen) fruit or veggie
• 1-1 ¼ cups plant milk
• 3 tbsps seeds (e.g. chia, hemp, poppy, flax, etc.)
• ½-1 tsp extract (amount will depend on flavor intensity)
• ½-1 tsp spices
• ½ tsp salt (optional)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Separately combine all of the dry ingredients and all of the wet ingredients. Pour the wet into the dry and mix with a wooden spoon. The batter will be thick and lumpy, but you can always add more plant milk if it seems too dry or dough-like. Spoon the batter into a lined cupcake pan and bake for 20-25 minutes. Use the toothpick test! Store in the fridge for up to two weeks.

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SUPER SMOOTHIES

Serves 1-2

These are a go-to breakfast for my little family, especially on the weekends. My husband, Travis, and I make an effort whenever possible to whip these up before work in the mornings, too. Depending on the ingredients used, I thin the smoothie with juice or plant milk for little Nolan, our almost-two-year-old son.

Notice that the formula includes frozen fruit. I like to use frozen fruit in addition to fresh as it eliminates the need for ice. Some fruits, naturally, freeze better than others. I keep my eye out for sales on great freezables (berries are among my favorites) and stock up. After washing, dry the fruit to the best of your ability before freezing so that individual berries, for instance, don’t stick together in huge clumps. At the end of the day, if you don’t have frozen fruit on hand, add a bit more fresh and some ice instead.

• 1 cup fresh fruit
• 1 cup frozen fruit
• 2 cups fresh leafy greens
• ¼ cup fresh herbs
• 2 tbsp fresh cut wheat grass
• 1 tbsp chia seeds
• 1 tbsp ground flax seeds
• 1 tbsp hulled hemp seeds
• ½ inch turmeric root
• ¼ inch ginger root
• Liquid* to achieve desired consistency (start with 4 oz)

*Most of the time, try to avoid using juice as it is lacking the fiber from the pulp, flesh, and skin necessary to assist the body in properly processing the sugars therein.  The occasional freshly squeezed juice, pack with as much pulp as possible, is fine.  Other options include unsweetened plant milk, water, or a moisture-packed fruit such as watermelon.

Place all items in a blender. Start with an ice crush setting to break down the frozen fruit and then switch to blend. Consume immediately as the chia seeds will continue to thicken the smoothie the longer that they sit in moisture.

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TOGURT

No, that’s not a typo. This “yogurt” is tofu-based, nearly the same in consistency as its dairy-based cousin, and just as delicious – if not more. The better the blender, the better the texture. The medjool dates in particular are tough to get smooth without the proper equipment. If you don’t think that your blender is up for the job, use another sweetener as desired instead. That’s the beauty of the formulas!

• 1 block (14 oz) silken tofu
• 1 ½-2 cups fresh or steamed fruit (depending on the fruit)
• ½-¾ cup plant milk
• Pitted medjool dates as needed for sweetness
• Spices/extracts as needed or preferred

If necessary, peel and/or steam your fruit. I would leave citrus fruits, berries, and tropical fruits, for example, raw, but would steam hard fruits like pears or apples. Combine all ingredients in a blender. Blend, taste, and adjust ingredients as necessary for your taste preferences. Store in the fridge for up to a week. Stir before eating if the water and solids separate a bit.  🙂  Delicious with homemade granola*!

*I’ve got a formula for that, too, also under Breakfast.

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GRANOLA

I love granola, but I do not love the cost of the premade variety. In addition, many processed granolas also contain an excess of sugar, high fructose corn syrup, oil, or salt. This granola formula contains no added sodium or HFCS and just enough oil to prevent it from sticking to your cookie sheet. It’s delicious with togurt or plant milk and fresh fruit.

• 4 cups rolled oats
• 1 cup dried fruit*, raw nuts, and/or raw seeds
• 1 tbsp ground flaxseed
• 1 tbsp chia seeds
• 1 tbsp hulled hemp seeds
• 1 cup 100% fruit juice
• 1 heaping tbsp nut butter
• 2 tbsp sweetener
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• Oil enough to grease a cookie sheet

*Whenever possible, if you do not dehydrate your own fruit, look for dried fruit that contains little to no added oil or sugar. Also avoid dried fruit that contains sulfur dioxide, as it is not allergy-friendly. See my trail mix post for more info.

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Combine juice, nut butter, sweetener, and cinnamon in a saucepan over medium heat. Once it begins to bubble, turn the heat down to low and let thicken for about 15 minutes.

While what I call “the sticky” simmers, finely chop your dried fruit/seeds/nuts, if necessary, and combine with the oats and seeds in a large bowl. When the sticky is ready, slowly incorporate it into the oat mixture as you stir. Spread evenly on a lightly greased cookie sheet or in a lightly greased baking sheet.

Bake for 30-35 minutes – or until granola is crunchy and golden brown – turning every ten minutes or so. Let cool completely and store in a tightly sealed container in the pantry.

Want to make granola bars? Try doubling “the sticky” and spread the complete mixture onto parchment paper. Bake at least 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

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OATMEAL

Serves 6-8

Looking for a hearty, nutritious, and filling breakfast in a hurry?  My oatmeal formula takes even less time than making a smoothie and is sure to please family members of all ages.  Oats are an excellent blank slate for endless flavor combinations.  This guilt-free version is free of salt and low in added sweetener.  Enjoy!

• 4 cups uncooked oats (rolled or steel cut)
• ½ cup specialty ingredients + extra for garnishing (finely chopped raw fruit, dried fruit, raw nuts, raw seeds, etc.)
• 1/8-1/4 cup sweetener
• ½-1 tsp extract (amount will depend on flavor intensity)
• 1 tsp spices
• Liquid of choice for cooking (water or unsweetened plant milk)

Place your oats in pot.  Fill the pot with liquid enough to cover the oats by about half an inch.  Place the pot on the stove and set to medium heat.  While your oats are softening, add all other ingredients and stir frequently until cooked, which may take as little as 4-5 minutes from the time that you turned on the burner.

Upon completion, your oatmeal will be slightly soupy.  As it cools, the oats will continue to absorb more of the liquid.  Garnish and serve.  Store leftovers in the fridge for up to a week.

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WAFFLES (OR PANCAKES)

Makes 5 large waffles

Sometimes you just need breakfast for dinner!  Of course, you can also make these waffles for actual breakfast, but this formula was born at dinner time.  It is easily adaptable for pancakes, too!

• 1 cup flour
• ½ cup textured grain (i.e. quinoa, oats, cornmeal, etc.)*
• 1 ¼ cups unsweetened plant milk**
• 2 tbsps flax or chia seeds
• 2 tbsps oil  (just 1 tbsp for pancakes)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• 1-2 tbsps citrus juice
• EXTRAS (optional):  raw seeds, nuts, fruit***, etc.

*Don’t want to alter the texture?  Just use extra flour.

**Since pancakes take longer to make, you will want to keep extra milk nearby to thin the batter as necessary throughout cooking.

***I find that putting fruit into the batter causes a lot of sticking in my waffle maker; I use fruit to top waffles instead, but would put it directly into the batter to make pancakes.

Preheat your waffle iron.  Combine all ingredients with a whisk.  Prepare waffles according to iron directions.  Place on a cooling rack to prevent sogginess on the bottom of the waffles if they won’t all be consumed immediately.  Top with fresh fruit, raw nuts or seeds, maple syrup, etc.  Leftovers keep well in the fridge, but will likely lose their crispiness.