Oatmeal Berry Bars

These make great little breakfast bars.  They are “clean” with no processed sugar or flour.  A bonus is that they are also dairy-free.  You can substitute butter for the coconut oil if you are not avoiding dairy.  The flaxseed, oatmeal, and whole wheat flour up the fiber content.  The berries add antioxidants.   They make a perfect on-the-go bar

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Oatmeal Berry Bars

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 60 minutes

Yield: 24 bars

Ingredients

  • 1 cup + 2 tablespoons whole wheat flour, divided
  • ½ cup + 2 tablespoons maple syrup, divided
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ cup flaxseed
  • ½ cup coconut oil
  • 2 ½ cups quick cook oats
  • 2 tablespoons apple or orange juice
  • 3 ½ cups (18 oz) fresh blackberries, raspberries, or blueberries (I’m partial to the blackberries)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Grease 9x13 inch pan.
  2. Add 1 cup flour, ½ cup maple syrup, and salt to a food processor. Pulse once or twice to combine.
  3. Add the coconut oil and pulse 5-6 more times until coarse crumbs form.
  4. Add the oats and pulse 2-3 more times. Remove 1 ½ cups of the mixture and set it aside.
  5. Add the juice to remaining mixture and pulse 3-4 more times until moistened. Press this mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of the pan using the bottom of a measuring cup (mixture sticks to you if you use your fingers).
  6. For the filling, mix together the 2 T flour and salt in a medium-size bowl. Add 2 T syrup, fruit and lemon juice and gently toss the mixture. Distribute the filling over the crust.
  7. Sprinkle the reserved crumb mixture over the filling.
  8. Bake about 35-40 minutes or until top is golden brown.
  9. Let the pan cool. Eat or store in refrigerator in an airtight container.

Do Ahead Prep

Wash and allow berries to dry.

http://sweeterhoney.com/oatmeal-berry-bars/

 

 

Peanut Butter Banana Rollups

We came home from our Thanksgiving travels and had little to choose from in our fridge to eat.  My husband came up with these and they were delicious!  We ate them for lunch, but I’m not sure if they were more of a meal or better for dessert.

Peanut Butter Banana Rollups

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Yield: 2 tortilla rollups

Ingredients

  • 2 Whole Wheat Tortillas
  • Peanut Butter
  • 1 banana
  • Honey
  • Cinnamon

Instructions

  1. Spread some peanut butter on both tortillas.
  2. Cut a banana in half and 1 half on each tortilla.
  3. Drizzle with honey and sprinkle with cinnamon.
  4. Lightly grill/warm on a griddle or pan on the stove.
  5. Ready to eat!
http://sweeterhoney.com/peanut-butter-banana-tortilla-rollups/

Pumpkin “Health” Bread

I’ve tweaked my husband’s grandmother’s pumpkin bread recipe to make it “clean”.  Her recipe is the best pumpkin bread on this planet, but this one is pretty good plus it is “health bread” as my dad says.

Pumpkin Health Bread

Prep Time: 10 minutes

2 loaves of pumpkin bread. Or 1 short loaf pan plus 12 muffins or 9 mini loaves.

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cup whole wheat flour
  • ¼ cup oats
  • ½ cup flaxseed
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¾ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ¾ teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup maple syrup
  • 1 can (15 oz.) pure pumpkin
  • ½ cup oil
  • ½ cup water

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Sift together: flour, oats, flaxseed, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cloves, nutmeg, and cinnamon.
  3. Beat eggs, maple syrup, pumpkin, oil, and water in a separate bowl.
  4. Combine flour mixture with egg mixture.
  5. Pour into muffin pans, mini loaf pan, or regular loaf pan.
  6. Optional: Sprinkle a mixture of 2 T brown sugar and 1 t cinnamon on the top of the batter before baking.
  7. Muffins: Bake for 16-20 minutes.
  8. Mini loaves: Bake 20 minutes.
  9. Loaf pan: Bake 35-45 minutes.
http://sweeterhoney.com/health-pumpkin-bread/

 

Oatmeal Pancakes

We love pancakes!  We often have them on a lazy weekend night.  My kids like to top them with whipped cream and dark chocolate chips.  I like a little pure maple syrup on them.  Of course, these are so good, you could eat them plain!

My kids enjoy making their own pancake shapes using a pancake pen.  You can use a pancake pen to fill a cookie cutter for fun pancake shapes.  We got ours at Williams-Sonoma, but you can also purchase on Amazon.

Oatmeal Pancakes

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Yield: 24 pancakes

Serving Size: 1 four inch pancake

Ingredients

  • 1 cup uncooked oats
  • 2 cups skim milk
  • 2 cups whole wheat flour
  • 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
  • 1 ½ tablespoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 5 medium eggs
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • Non-stick oil spray

Instructions

  1. Combine oats and milk in a bowl. Stir to blend. Set aside.
  2. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a second bowl. Blend well.
  3. Add eggs and vanilla to the oats mixture. Stir to blend.
  4. Add oat and egg mixture to dry mixture. Stir just until all ingredients are moist.
  5. Warm griddle or non-stick skillet on stove. Spray griddle.
  6. Using a ladle, pour pancake mixture on griddle. Turn pancakes when bubbles show on the top of the pancake. Cook second side about 2 minutes.
http://sweeterhoney.com/oatmeal-pancakes/

 

Peanut Butter Rice Bars

These are a healthy alternative to the standard Rice Krispy Treats.  These are made with 1 ingredient brown rice plus protein-packed peanut butter.   I have also tried puffed wheat or kamut.  Both are acceptable substitutes for the rice and up the fiber intake.  Makes a great snack, dessert, or even breakfast-on-the-go.  My family loves them…including me and I’m not a fan of peanut butter!

Peanut Butter Rice Bars

Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • ½ cup honey
  • ½ cup natural peanut butter
  • 1/2 cup ground flaxseed
  • 4 cups of brown rice (I used Arrowhead Mills Puffed Brown Rice. I've also used puffed kamut or wheat. Sometimes a combination of all 3!)

Instructions

  1. Combine honey, peanut butter, milk powder in a large saucepan and stir over low heat until blended.
  2. Remove from heat.
  3. Stir in cereal.
  4. Press into 8 in. square dish coated with cooking spray..
  5. Let stand until set. Cut into bars.
http://sweeterhoney.com/peanut-butter-rice-bars/

 

Breakfast Smoothie

My husband and I double this recipe every morning and drink it for breakfast.  Two foods that I don’t care for much, but know I should eat every day is blueberries and broccoli.  This smoothie makes sure I start out right every day with those 2 foods.

Note: Don’t let the broccoli scare you.  You can’t taste it with all of the fruit and other items.

Breakfast Smoothie

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Yield: 1 smoothie

Serving Size: 16 oz. smoothie

Ingredients

  • 1/2 banana
  • 1/2 cup frozen blueberries
  • 1/2 cup frozen broccoli
  • 3 frozen strawberries
  • 1/2 cup of mixed fruit (we use the one that has papaya, mango, and pineapple in it)
  • 1/2 plain nonfat greek yogurt (can use up to 1 cup if you want a creamier smoothie or more protein)
  • 2 T of ground flaxseed
  • 1 1/2 T of honey (adjust for your taste)
  • 1 cup of water (more if you want it runny, less if you want it thick)

Instructions

  1. Mix everything in blender, pour, and enjoy a delicious and healthy breakfast!!!
http://sweeterhoney.com/breakfast-smoothie/