SweetGingerGranola Bars

I love searching and trying out new recipes for on-the-go foods like granola/protein bars.  I found a great ratio recipe at: Browneyedbaker.  Throwing in my own ideas for granola bars, high protein and sweeteners, this is what I came up with.  For a high energy, high protein, healthy choice, these granola bars are far less expensive to make than purchase. 

Sweet Ginger Granola Bars

• 1 1/2Cups Ground Oat Flour
• 1 Cup Blanched Almond Flour
• 1/2 Cup Quinoa Puffs
• 1 Tbsp. Cinnamon
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. Ginger
• 1 Cup Variety of Nuts and Seeds (I used 1/2 Cup Raw Sunflower Seeds, 1/4 Cup Almonds, 1/4 Cup Pumpkin Seeds for this recipe (I pulsed these in my Ninja to chop into slightly smaller pieces)
• 1/3 Cup Molasses
• 1/2 Cup Honey (I used blackberry for this recipe)
• 1/2 Cup Almond Butter
• 1/2 Cup + 3 Tbsp. Unsweetened Applesauce
• 1/4 Cup Dried Blueberries

Toppings:
1/2 Cup White Chocolate Chips
1/4 Cup Pumpkin Seeds
1/8 Cup Quinoa Puffs
1/4 Cup Golden Raisins

If you have whole gluten free oats, pulse them in a blender or Ninja until it resembles a course oat flour.  Add the oat flour, almond flour, quinoa puffs, cinnamon and ginger to Ninja and pulse until well blended.  Add Nuts and seeds and blend well by pulsing a few times until well incorporated.  This will be a dry flour at this point.  Do not pulse so much that it turns into seed butter.  Pour flour into large bowl. Add blueberries and fold into flour until well incorporated. Set aside.

In a separate pot, add molasses, honey, almond butter, applesauce and cook on low heat while stirring until well blended.   Pour into dry mixture and fold well, until all ingredients are well blended.

Spray a large pyrex baking dish (9x14) and a large sheet of wax paper with non-stick cooking spray.  Pour mixture into dish and press down with wax paper until level.  Add the toppings you desire evenly over the top and press down with the wax paper.  Bake for 25 minutes @ 325 degrees.  Cool & Cut.
Serve. Eat. Enjoy!

Zucchini Pizza Boats

Zucchini Pizza Boats

4 Large Zucchini- sliced lengthwise
20 Pepperoni pieces- chopped into small pieces
Shredded Cheese
Tomato Sauce
Olive Oil
Garlic Powder
Basil
Salt

After slicing zucchini lengthwise, scoop out the middle.  I did this by slicing one side at an angle and then doing the other side.  This way the meat of the zucchini comes out easily.  Chop up all of the 'meat' that was just removed  and put in a bowl.  Add chopped pepperoni and pour a little olive oil over it, sprinkle with some garlic powder and basil and salt.  Set aside.

Then it's as simple as following the pics above.

• First you will oil a baking sheet with a thin layer of oil.  Coat the inside of the zucchini boats with oil and line the inside of the zucchini with tomato sauce.  
• Top with the mixture that contains the chopped zucchini meat and pepperoni.
• Sprinkle with Garlic and Basil and lightly salt
• Add cheese and bake.
• Bake at 375 until zucchini is tender, about 30 minutes.

Serve. Eat. Smile!

Hi-Protein Oat Goji Berry Granola Bars

2 Cups Ground Oat Flour
1 Cup Quinoa Puffs
1/4 Cup Blanched Almond Flour
2 Tbsp Cinnamon
1/2 Tbsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
1/8 tsp Nutmeg
1 Pinch Sea Salt
2 Tbsp Gogi Berries
1 Tbsp Chia Seed
1/2-3/4 Cup Almond Butter
3/4 Cup Honey

Toppings:
*White chocolate chips
*Kind dry granola (dark chocolate cranberry was used here)
Raisins
Nuts
Seeds
*Used for this recipe


Mix the Dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside.  Add the Almond Butter and Honey in a pot and stir on medium heat until well blended.  Add to the dry ingredients and mix in well.  In a 9x12 glass baking dish, spray with non-stick spray and pour batter into the dish.  Press down with a piece of wax paper sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.  Once pressed, add chocolate chips, seeds, raisins or dry granola on top and spread in an even fashion.  Press down with wax paper to incorporate the toppings in the mix.  Cool or refrigerate for 30 minutes.  Cut into bar sizes and serve. eat. smile!

This is a very sweet recipe so you could sans the toppings altogether if you like.  I might even go so far as to say use only 1/2 honey and 1/4 cup of molasses, but I have not tried it yet. 
Adapted from:http://themondaybox.com/2012/06/11/chewy-crunchy-granola-bars/

Hi-Protein Quinoa Carob Bars

Hi-Protein Quinoa Carob Bars or Bites:

These are salt-free, gluten free and egg free and virtually sugar free sans the white chocolate. It does contain dairy.  This version is only mildly sweet, so if you like it sweeter, then add the raisins and chocolate chips to the batter, then stir and top again with chocolate chips and raisins or whatever you like.

3/4 Cup Blanched Almond Flour
1 Cup Nonfat Organic Milk
1 Cup Pitted Dates
2 Cups Cooked Quinoa
1/4 Cup Quinoa Puffs
1/8 Cup Chia Seeds
1/4 Cup Unsweetened Applesauce
1/8 Cup Carob Powder
2 Tbsp Flax Meal

Blend first three ingredients in food processor or Ninja.  Add remaining ingredients, except the Quinoa puffs and cooked Quinoa.  Stir in remaining ingredients: Quinoa puffs and cooked quinoa.  Top with raisins, white chocolate chips and seeds.  Spray a pie plate or 9x9 baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.  Pour batter into dish and spread evenly.  Top with remaining toppings. Bake for 35 minutes @ 350.  Serve. Eat. Smile!

Adapted from this recipe:http://www.sugarfreemom.com/recipes/cocoa-baked-quinoa-bars-no-sugar-added-gluten-free-dairy-free/

Red Lentil Hummus

Red Lentil Hummus

1- 1 1/2 Cups Cooked Red Lentils
10- 15 oz. Canned Garbanzo Beans (Chickpeas), rinsed.
Juice from 1 lemon and 3 limes (This is approximately 1/8 Cup of juice. I prefer the flavor from the limes, so you may omit lemon if you like)
2 Large Garlic Cloves
1/2 tsp. Cumin
1/8-1/4 tsp. Cayenne Pepper
1-2 Tbsp. Fresh Jalapeno Pepper
2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
2 Pinches Red Pepper Flakes
1/8 tsp. sea salt (Start with this measurement and adjust from there.  Add salt minimally until you find desired savor)

Blend first 3 ingredients in a Ninja or blender.  It helps to mince the garlic and jalapeno first. Then pulse between each additional ingredient.  Serve on dish. Drizzle olive oil over the top and sprinkle red pepper flakes and paprika for garnish.  Serve. Eat. Smile! 

Juicing Prep

Now that I've added at least 6 lbs this holiday season, it's time to get back to my healthy life through juicing.  Here is a great website that talks about prepping for 'on-the-go' juicing.  While it does take a little forethought and prepping, it's worth it.
http://simplegreensmoothies.com/tips/green-smoothie-prep-tip

http://www.foodmatters.tv/articles-1/perfect-green-juice-recipe

Lipsmakin Burgundy Beet Juice

1 Small beet, washed, stem removed
2 Granny Smith Apples Cored
2 Large Carrots peeled and washed (stem end removed)
Fresh ginger, grated

In a juicer, add the beet, apple, carrots into juicer.  Pour into glass stir, and top with freshly grated ginger.  This is filled with phyto-nutrients.  Serve. Eat. Smile!

Gluten Free Blueberry Crepes...Delish!

 

 



Blueberry Crepe's ...Delightful!

1 egg white
3/4 Cup Bob's Red Mill All Purpose Gluten Free Flour Blend
2/3 Cup Organic Milk
2 Pinches Baking Soda
1 tsp. Sugar
1/4 tsp. Pure Almond Extract (optional)

Directions: Pulse ingredients in your Ninja, food processor or blender.  It will be very, very, liquidy and runny.  This is the secret to great gf crepes.  Using non-stick cooking spray, on medium heat, preheate a  6-8" skillet. Pour enough batter to cover the bottom portion of the pan as in the above pic.  It doesn't take much, so don't get over zealous.  Cook 1 minute or so and flip.  Fill with something sweet.

Filling: 
Yogurt (Dannon-All Natural Vanilla Yogurt (Low-fat) or Stonyfield Organic French Vanilla Yogurt (Low-fat).
Blueberries (Fresh or frozen will do.)  The recipe below is for frozen fruit.
Sugar (optional-just for thickening)

Directions: On medium heat, place 1/4 Cup Frozen blueberries in heated skillet, add 1 Tbsp. Water.  Let cook till it begins to sizzle and water starts to bubble.  Add 1 Tbsp Honey or 1 Tbsp Sugar.  Cook on high 5-min while stirring.  Once the liquid starts to reduce and thicken turn off heat and spoon into crepe.

You can use these as tortillas, they fold great.  They are best fresh. Once refrigerated they get stiff.  You can re-heat in microwave, but nothing beats the fresh taste of Crepes.