Flourless Soaked Oat Pancakes

 A simple, filling and delightfully tasty apple breakfast pancake.  Or snack.  Or dinner, if maybe you add a salad.  Any way you eat it, this is an easy flourless recipe.  If you can't wait for those oats to soak overnight, even just an hour or two will work fine.

This recipe came about when I was visiting my twin in Whidbey Island.  My mom was with us (she of the famously delicious zucchini pancakes) and we decided to have a pancake night.  We made zucchini pancakes, potato pancakes and apple pancakes.  With wine.  It was extremely delicious.  And I ran very fast on the next morning's run likely due to the vast amount of carbs I inhaled via said pancakes.  But it was all very filling and pretty nutritious.  And hey, there were even some veggies snuck in there.

By the way, little tip:  unsweetened applesauce tastes good on any form of pancake, whether it be savory, sweet or even a crepe.  Try it! 


Ingredients:

1-1/2 cup rolled gluten-free oats
1 cup water
1/4 cup coconut milk
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 egg and 4 egg whites, or 3 eggs
1 tablespoon raw honey
1-1/4 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla

 

Directions:

1.  Soak oats overnight, squishing the oats down into the water as much as possible.
2.  Curdle coconut milk with lemon juice to form a nondairy buttermilk.
3.  Mix all ingredients together, and spoon batter onto a hot griddle, cooking on either side 3-5 minutes until golden.

Recipe yields about 12-14 medium pancakes.

serve alone or with unsweetened applesauce

Coffee Cocoa Muffins

Get ready for the best sweet muffin/dessert you've ever had.  For reals.  

I must admit the coffee liqueur is the key ingredient here, which I know, doesn't exactly seem to fit with most of my healthy/raw/vegan treats.  But it's worth it.

Somehow it makes this fluffy little cake melt in your mouth and the responses I've received have been "This is the best texture of any cake I've tasted" to the more eloquent "Holy shit that is a great cake".  I'll be honest though; I make a slightly better version, but alas that recipe is now part of my secret recipe collection unless of course I find a great recipe contest to enter it into.  But at any rate, read below for my recipe that comes in a very close second.  Enjoy!

 

Both the vegan buttermilk and the coffee work nicely in this recipe to yield a muffin that is not dry; rather, it almost dissolves in your mouth.  Basically, it's an edible mocha.  Who wouldn't love that?

Follow this recipe as is, or for more of a dessert, fold in mini nondairy chocolate chips or add a little more raw sugar.  Also, the optional glaze definitely sweetens it up.  When I made these for a friend, I used a coffee liqueur mixed with powdered sugar, but a simple powdered sugar-coffee-vanilla combo also works great.  Keep an eye out for powdered sugar without the dreaded added-cornstarch (almost all powdered sugar adds in a small percentage of corn), or make your own by using regular sugar in a high-powered food processor or blender.

Whether this is a decadent brunch muffin or late afternoon treat, you'll find the delicate coffee taste and cocoa combo quite delightful, I assure you.

Coffee Cocoa Muffins

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups gluten-free flour 
1/2 cup nondairy butter (I used Earth Balance)
3/4 cup coconut palm sugar 
3/4 cup cocoa powder
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
2 eggs or 2 tablespoons flax meal mixed with 6 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup strong brewed coffee, cooled
1/2 cup espresso liqueur (I used espresso vodka)

Directions:

1.  Whip nondairy butter with coconut palm sugar.  Add cocoa powder in, beating well, followed by eggs or flax "eggs" if you choose the vegan option.

2.  Mix the coffee, liqueur and vanilla together. Separately mix the dry ingredients together.  Add the dry ingredients to the mixing bowl alternating with the liquid coffee mix.  Stir just until combined.

3.  Pour into lined muffin tins and bake at 350 degrees for 16-22 minutes.

4.  Optional glaze: peer up above.  Powdered sugar, coffee and vanilla to taste, or...coffee liquor.  Whoo!

Kale Date Smoothie

Though I don't pretend to be a smoothie/juicing expert, occasionally I do whip up a smoothie that is so good that I feel compelled to share.

This green smoothie is filling and slightly sweet, meaning it doesn't taste as healthy as it actually is, which is always a bonus.  It's quick and easy and the flavor is deliciously rich and creamy.

Little tip:  Spirulina should be available at any health/natural foods store or can be ordered online.  There's a fabulous Justin Timberlake skit on SNL where he raps "....Spirulina in my shake!  Betcha don't believe it tastes great!"  And I highly recommend finding this on YouTube, as it is both hilarious and awesome.

Kale Date Smoothie
serves 1

Ingredients:

1/2 to 3/4 of a medium banana, frozen
1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla coconut milk
1/4 cup water
2 ice cubes
1/4 cup nondairy yogurt (I used plain coconut yogurt)
2 dates
1 teaspoon spirulina
1 giant handful baby kale

Directions:

Blend.  Duh.

So yum.  I enjoyed this and jogged to take a barre class after, and it was pure bliss.  Gotta love Fridays...when you don't have work.  Win!

Gluten-Free Carrot Bread

  

I love to celebrate Easter by incorporating carrots.  Many it has something to do with the Easter Bunny, who surely loves carrots, but Easter in general reminds me of a flourishing garden and abundance of carrots and zucchini.  Zucchini could easily be added into this fragrant loaf, by the way...I'll have to make an updated version!

For a healthy way to start your Easter morning (or to make a lovely gift for an Easter basket), break out the mini loaf pans!  This is a flavorful carrot bread with great texture.  If you can have nuts, use the almond flour for a better flavor/texture or if you're like me (sigh) better stick to regular gluten-free flour void of xanthan gum.  Either way it's pretty delicious.

I love both carrots and cinnamon, and when they are combined into a bread or muffin that I can actually eat, it's magical.  Tea time, anyone?

Gluten-Free Carrot Loaf
yields two fabulous loaves or 4-6 dainty ones

Ingredients:

3 eggs
3/4 cup coconut palm sugar (I reduced it to half for me, but taste testers preferred more, so personal preference here)
2 cups carrots, grated
1 overripe banana, mashed
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
1/2 cup nondairy milk (I prefer coconut milk)
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2-1/2 cups gluten-free flour*
1/2 cup almond flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3 tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
2-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
optional: 3/4 cup golden raisins


Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 325 and line loaf pans with parchment paper or grease with coconut oil.
2.  Shred carrots and mash banana, setting both aside.
3.  Combine all wet ingredients including coconut palm sugar, eggs, carrots, banana, nondairy milk and oil.
4.  Add dry ingredients to wet, stirring just until combined.
5.  Pour batter into pans and bake 50-60 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.  Let cool on a wire rack before baking.

*my preferred gluten-free flour blend for this one: (this yields 3 cups)
brown rice flour (3/4 cup), coconut flour or bean flour (1/4 cup) quinoa flour (3/4 cup), tapioca or potato flour (1/4 cup) and finely ground sunflower seeds and/or gluten-free oats (1 cup)

OR use Bob's Red Mill All-Purpose Gluten-Free Flour or similar version.

*ALTERNATELY* bake into a doughnut or muffin pan.  Super versatile and delish recipe!

Lentil Quinoa Muffins

Here's a nutritious snack or side to a great meal.  A little suggestion: maybe don't choose this recipe if you want a sweet treat.  Don't get me wrong; they are delicious and filling, but they are more of a bread or roll substitution.  Basically, if you're planning on a yummy veggie soup, this would be the perfect accompaniment for a lovely, nutritious meal.  Alternately, slice it in half, toast and spread with avocado and or hummus and sprouts.  Talk about tasty and original!

I mixed my quinoa with lentils

mix the quinoa and lentils in with the dry ingredients

Mix until combined.  If it's too dry add up to 1/4 cup more nondairy milk.

!

Lentil Quinoa Muffins
yields 10-12 muffins

Ingredients:

1/2 cup quinoa
1/2 cup lentils
2 tablespoons cup melted coconut oil or olive oil
3/4 cup gluten free flour
1/4 cup quinoa flour
3 tablespoons coconut palm sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoons sea salt
1/4 cup nondairy plain yogurt (or use mashed banana and omit the sugar)
1/2 cup nondairy milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 to 2 tablespoons apple butter or applesauce

Directions:
1.  Cook quinoa and lentils (place 1 cup of the mixed quinoa and lentils in scant 2 cups of water.  Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and then cook until all water is absorbed.)  Leftover quinoa and lentils on the dryer side work great. 
2.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a muffin tin.
3.  In a medium bowl, mix dry ingredients and quinoa and lentils.
4.  Add wet ingredients.  (Use less nondairy milk if your quinoa and lentil mixture is really wet).
5.  Bake for 16-20 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.