Cranberry Oatmeal No-Bake Cookies & Weego!

These fab gluten-free vegan nut-free treats can be made in about 10 minutes and enjoyed immediately.  This is a huge plus if you're in a time crunch but want a little treat or boost of energy.  Stir up a batch and enjoy!  I made these a week or so ago after being up since 2 am pumping milk and feeding two little babies.  I then had the energy to walk for an hour with two wee ones attached to me.  When I can run again in a few weeks (I CANNOT WAIT!)  I'll have to report back if they make a great treat to take along on a long run.  I find myself fantasizing about long runs constantly...

Walking around Pacific Grove and the aquarium with the wee ones

In the meantime, my fitness regime is walking.  Though it is amazing to get out of the house alone with my thoughts, I always feel guilty or like something is missing after about 15 minutes.  Alas, my babies don't love being strapped in the wraps I have tried together; usually at least one starts wailing though they don't mind being wrapped solo.  Anyways, I wanted an easier alternative than trying to strap two screaming babies to me with a length of cloth (there is a reason that most of the instructional videos I found for baby-wearing twins uses stuffed animals for a demo!)

When I googled twin baby carriers, I found one that looks ridiculous (though I hear it works well, I'm too vain for that one, at least for now), and then I stumbled across the Weego.  I. am. obsessed.  The babies LOVE it, and quiet right down immediately.  The best part is they fit wonderfully at 4lbs, and fit great now at about 6 lbs each, with plenty of room for them to continue to grow into it.  Plus with their gradual weight gain, I'm getting stronger, so it's a win for everyone.  It's literally the only way I can guarantee them to stay quiet for at least an hour, as they are instantly lulled to sleep when I walk with them in it.  My mom and I were even able to walk to a sushi restaurant, sit down and (quickly) eat, and walk home.  Not a peep!  Plus, it is way easier than trying to manage a stroller.

You will make fans everywhere!  At the sushi restaurant
 (the lady in the background is the best part, though)

For a $10 voucher off any Weego enter code 12200 on Weego.com (the single baby ones look great too, but if you're a twin mama, it is a must!)

Seriously though, send me a message to ask me any questions; I adore it and it has been a lifesaver.

My view!

Trying it out! The Weego Twin Carrier

Sooo back to the treat that you probably came her for:

If you make these delish no-bake cookies with regular sunflower seed butter or almond butter, add a little honey (1/4 cup or so) for mixture to hold together a little and taste sweet.  If you'd like less sweetness, omit the honey or nondairy chips.  I adore this cookie with Wild Friends Honey Sunflower Seed butter and no, I am not endorsed or paid by them--I just love supporting companies I love, especially ones started in Eugene, Oregon!

Cranberry Oatmeal No-Bake Cookies
Yields 20 medium cookies

Ingredients:

3/4 cup Honey Sunflower Seed Butter (or any seed or nut butter)
1/3 cup apple juice-sweetened cranberries (or raisins)
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
1 cup gluten-free oats
1/2 unsweetened shredded coconut
1/4 cup chia seeds
1/4 cup mini nondairy chocolate chips
3-4 TBSP water

Directions:

1.  In a medium bowl, mix all ingredients.  Add as much water as needed so mixture is not too crumbly.
2.  Chill for 10 minutes.  Roll into little balls and eat!  Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week or so.

Pack some in a plastic bag, strap the Weego carrier on, and now you are ready to conquer the world!

Weego on the beach!

my handsome hubby with the girls!

Recovery Rice Crispies

Eat up after your workout with a protein-rich delicious and filling rice crispy treat.  Healthier than your childhood favorite and way more rewarding.  I used Wild Friends flavored sunflower seed butter (they now have organic sunflower seed butter!) but feel free to use whatever nut or seed butter you have on hand.

This is a great post workout treat as it contains carbs and protein (and tastes good, of course).  Many sports and fitness nutritionists support that eating an appropriate amount of carbs in the 20 to 30 minute window following a workout restores muscle energy stores, and that a smaller ration of protein helps with recovery and repair.

Recovery Rice Crispies

Ingredients:

1/3 cup Wild Friends Honey Sunflower Seed Butter
1/3 cup Wild Friends Chocolate Sunflower Seed Butter
2 tablespoons water
1/2 mashed banana (about 1/4 cup)
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
2 tablespoons water
2 cups Rice Cereal*
2 cups Erewhon Crispy Rice Cereal*

*any sort of rice/crispy rice cereal should do!

Directions:

1.  On low heat, heat sunflower seed butters in a small pan.  Once melty and warm, add in water until slightly runny.  Stir in protein powder of choice and add the last 2 tablespoons of water.

not so pretty, but so delicious!

2.  In a medium bowl, pour the mixture over the rice cereal.

3.  Line a 9" pan with wax or parchment paper and spritz with coconut oil.  Press mixture into pan and freeze until set, then slice and serve!  Stores well covered in the freezer.

The best deal on Wild Friends: trio of organic sunflower seed butters in the best flavors!  They also do great nut butters.

In a pinch, use plain seed or nut butter in the recipe, and add in honey and cacao powder and a dash of maple syrup and sea salt to taste.

Banana Carrot Cake

I spent yesterday making four lovely healthy gluten-free carrot cakes for a client, and the intoxicating aroma of baking carrot cake prompted me to make a version of the delectable cake for my own snacking purposes (ok, I shared some).

This recipe is easy, which I love, and quick.  But those perks aside, it's also a great fluffy texture: not dense or gummy as some traditional carrot cakes tend to be.  And no messing around with raisins or walnuts or coconut or anything else that in my opinion distracts from the true deliciousness of carrot cake.

This is a versatile recipe: any mashed fruit can replace the banana and you can even limit or omit the coconut sugar.  You can also omit the sugar and use honey or maple in place of the carrot juice.

I can also attest that this treat is quite nice after an hour long dog walk and long busy day of work.  Enjoy, and let me know what you think!  Oh, and my suggestion for the honey is to browse your local farmer's market: local raw honey may help with allergies (and let me tell you, my allergies are full force in Monterey County right now--I can use all the raw honey I can get!)

Banana Carrot Cake
Yields 11 muffins or 12 "donuts" or 1 two-layer cake

Ingredients:

1-3/4 cup gluten-free flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon baking powder*
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup coconut milk
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup coconut palm sugar
1 cup carrots
1/3 cup melted coconut oil or sunflower oil
1/4 cup carrot juice
1/3 cup mashed banana (1/2 of a large banana)
1 teaspoon vanilla

Optional glaze: raw honey and honeycomb for a truly divine treat!

*This is my favorite "baking powder" as it is corn-free and aluminum-free

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line muffin tins or spritz donut pans with nonstick oil.
2.  Sift all dry ingredients together; set aside.
3.  Stir coconut oil and apple cider vinegar together and let sit to curdle.
4.  Whisk all wet ingredients together including carrots, then slowly stir the dry ingredients into the wet.
5.  Divide into tins greased with coconut oil, filling 2/3 full.

5.  Bake 15-18 min or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean, let cool 2 minutes and then invert onto a wire rack or surface.

6.  Enjoy warm with raw honey, or store extras once cooled in an airtight container.

By the way, most of these ingredients are found on Vitacost.com; they have tons of organic ingredients and ship in one day, which is hard to beat.  If you sign up through this link, you'll receive a $10 off coupon, and when you're order ships, I'll get a $10 coupon too--it's a win-win for both of us, and I'll have a reason to buy even more delicious organic ingredients to play with!

Vegan "Cheesy" Kale Chips

Yesterday I wanted kale chips so bad; I was craving a crunchy flavorful snack and kale chips seemed like just the thing.  Whole Foods had a dollar off a ridiculously expensive bag deal and on a whim, I bought it and happy munched away while running errands.  Then I had the genius idea of saving tons of money by buying my own kale and making my own chips.

The result was phenomenal.  In fact, this picture below is of my breakfast.  I may have received a few weird looks from my husband, for whom I made strawberry waffles, but I couldn't resist diving into my vegan kale snack.  

Another bonus to this recipe for this of you sensitive to nuts: it's nut-free!  Honestly, it is next to impossible to find kale chips made without cashews.  Well turns out sunflower seed butter and tahini make a great creamy nut-free option.  To make this truly raw, use a food dehydrator and dehydrate at 115 degrees for 6+ hours.  My dehydrator was buying drying organic bananas, so I used the oven at 175, and it was faster and delicious as well.

Kale crips are a great portable snack (maybe have a toothpick or floss handy though--for me at least they get in my teeth like crazy).  That aside, kale is a phenomenal source of nutrition: vitamins including Vitamin K which may help prevent cancer, antioxidants, iron, and may be anti-inflammatory, making it a great post-workout snack as well. (1)

Vegan "Cheesy" Kale Chips
yields 2 baking sheets of "cheese" snacking

Ingredients:

1 large bunch or 2 small bunches kale
1/3 cup tahini
1/3 cup sunflower seed butter
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 large lemon, juiced
1 tablespoon coconut aminos (or soy sauce)
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 teaspoons Red Ape Rasta Shake seasoning*
(OR sprinkle a mixture of pepper, salt, cinnamon, garlic powder, red chili powder and thyme, to taste)

*This is an easy, flavorful organic spice blend or you can make your own using the spices listed above.

Directions:

1.  Rinse kale and pat dry.

Note about most of my ingredients: I used Coconut Secret brand raw coconut aminos, Whole Foods 365 brand Organic Tahini, MaraNatha sunflower seed butter, Spectrum organic apple cider vinegar, bulk nutritional yeast from a natural foods store, and Red Ape Cinnamon Rasta Shake spice blend!  Oh and of course, local kale!  Buy local and organic produce when you can--it not only tastes better, but will be more nutrient dense.

*By the way, I am not paid by any of these companies; I just like to promote healthy brands I trust, especially if they are a company that gives back and serves as an excellent example for other businesses.

You can find many of these ingredients at great prices online at Vitacost, which offers free one-day shipping.  Plus if you purchase through this link, you'll get $10 towards your purchase and I'll get a coupon for $10, which helps me continue to provide great free (and delicious) recipes for you!

2.  In a food processor, mix all the ingredients except the dry ripped up kale leaves.

I know, it looks gross!

3.  Toss the kale in the mixture, scrunching up the kale and making sure to coat the leaves well.

4.  Bake at 175 degrees in an oven for 3.5-5 hours or in a food dehydrator around 115 to 125 overnight until your desired texture is reached.  (I lined a baking sheet with a nonstick mat, and a second one with parchment paper, and they turned out identical).  For this batch, I baked them at 175 degrees for 3.5 hours, then 185 degrees for an hour, then let them cool fully.

5.  Once cool, store in a sealed container.

For a great article citing sources on benefits on kale, read it here!