Paleo Coconut Flour Bread Recipe

I made this paleo coconut flour bread the other day and I can't stop eating it. I put a little bit of butter or coconut oil on top after heating it up in the microwave -- so good! The original recipe called for 2 tablespoons of raw honey but I omitted it from my recipe. I didn't miss it one bit, but if you've got a bit of a sweet tooth, you can add that back in to yours.

What you'll need:
3/4 cup     coconut flour
1 tsp     baking powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup     coconut oil, softened
1 Tbsp     cinnamon
1 tsp     vanilla extract
2 Tbsp     raw apple cider vinegar
6 large eggs, separated

What to do:
1. Preheat oven to 350 F and grease a standard loaf pan. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.
2. Mix together coconut flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl.
3. Add in softened coconut oil and stir till well blended and smooth.
4. Separate the eggs, beat egg whites till stiff and set aside. Add egg yolks, vanilla and apple cider vinegar to the coconut flour mixture.
5. Quickly fold in egg whites to the mixture.
6. Pour the batter into the greased loaf pan.
7. Bake for about 40 minutes.

I hope you enjoy this recipe! Let us know in the comments if you tried it out!

Health & Nutrition: Non Fruit Smoothie Recipe

I've been on a major smoothie kick lately. I think it has something to do with the nice weather that we're finally getting in Chicago. Also, my parents generously gave Jay and I a Vitamix for our recent wedding shower and I've been obsessed with using it. You wouldn't believe how much of a difference it makes. It's worth every single penny!

I was previously putting a lot of fruit (way too much actually) in my smoothies. I decided to not put any in one day to see if it would taste okay without it. To my surprise, I loved the taste and didn't miss the fruit at all.

I've been having these for breakfasts lately and am surprised on how full they make me. Usually I'm hungry again in just a few short hours, but these keep me full until I can take a break at work.

What you'll need:

One generous handful of almonds or another nut of your choice

One scoop protein powder (I use vanilla egg white protein)

A generous handful of spinach or another green of your choice (I promise you won't taste it!)

1 cup of almond milk or another liquid of choice

1 tablespoon chia seeds

1 tablespoon flax seeds

4 ice cubes

A few dashes of cinnamon

What to do:

1. Put all contents into your mixer and blend for a minute or two.

2. Put in a large cup and enjoy!

Super quick, easy and so good for you! I hope I keep up with these through the summer.

Do you have any smoothie recipes you're loving lately? Share them below in the comments!

Nutrition: How to Pump up Your Oatmeal

I'm a huge believer that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. If I don't eat a huge protein packed meal in the morning I'm hungry within the hour. It keeps me moving and ready to tackle whatever challenges I have to face that day. 

I've recently been adding a ton of protein and healthy fats to my oatmeal and it's made a huge difference. I'm full for way longer and feel more energized and complete. There are so many flavor combinations you can try to keep it interesting. I have been sticking to my normal mixture lately, but it's fun to mix it up every once in a while. 

What you'll need:

1/2 cup oats (I used the gluten-free kind from Trader Joe's)

1/2 cup water 

1/2 cup milk of your choice (I used almond milk)

1 heaping tablespoon of peanut butter or any nut butter of your choice

1 teaspoon flax seeds 

1 teaspoon chia seeds 

1 scoop protein powder (I used vanilla egg white protein)

Any other mix ins you'd like such as bananas, nuts, berries, raisins, etc. 

What to do:

Combine the 1/2 cup oats, 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup milk in a microwave safe bowl and microwave on high for 2-2 1/2 minutes 

Stir mixture to combine and let sit for a minute 

Add your peanut butter, flax seeds, chia seeds, protein powder and any other fruits or nuts and stir to combine 

Enjoy!

This breakfast has been such a staple for me over these chilly winter months. I look forward to it every morning and love how great I feel after! 

Do you have any breakfast meals you love to eat that keep you full throughout the morning? Share in the comments below!

Make Breakfast More Interesting

I love oatmeal. It’s easy to make and it’s a quick breakfast. It’s got lots of health benefits too—it can lower cholesterol, has antioxidants, is high in fiber, can ward off certain diseases and much more.  

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But, sometimes it does get boring. Here are a few ways to spice up your oatmeal without adding a ton of calories:

1. Take a cue from a classic sandwich and stir in a dollop of peanut butter and jam.
2. Pick a fruit, any fruit. Bananas, apples, blueberries or strawberries are all great choices. If you have a little extra time, you could cook bananas or apples to caramelize them and add extra sweetness.
3. No time for fresh fruit? Pick a dried fruit (or combine a few) like prunes, raisins, cranberries, apricots or berries.
4. Stir in some vanilla or almond extract.
5. Are you a chocolate lover? Sprinkle some chocolate shavings over the top.
6. There are a bunch of varieties of granola out there. Pick one and stir it in.
7. Add a dash of cinnamon.
8. Stir in a small amount of Nutella.
9. Mix in shaved coconut.
10. Sprinkle brown sugar over the top.
11. Drizzle maple syrup or honey on top.
12. Add almonds, pecans, walnuts, cashews or any other kind of nut.

What other ways do you spice up an otherwise plain breakfast?

Recipe: Baked Sweet Potato, Cranberry Apple Oatmeal Casserole

 

 

I don't know about you, but something about this cooler weather has been making me crave heartier warm dishes -- even for breakfast. I kept thinking about how good baked oatmeal with sweet potatoes, cranberries and apples would be and bam! I knew I had to make it that minute (on a Sunday afternoon). It reheats very well in the microwave with a little milk. It's even good cold eaten straight out of the dish in the fridge (no, not speaking from experience ...)

 

Baked Sweet Potato, Cranberry Apple Oatmeal Casserole

 

Oatmeal Filling Ingredients:

1 cup regular oats
2 1/4 cups almond milk (or milk of choice)
1 small sweet potato, peeled, chopped
1 large granny smith apple
1/4 cup fresh or dry cranberries
1 tbsp chia seeds
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp sea salt or to taste
 

Almond Topping Ingredients:

1/3 cup chopped almonds (pecans or walnuts would work great too!)
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour (I used coconut flour)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Bring several cups of water to a boil in a medium sized pot. Add the chopped sweet potato and cook over medium heat, for about 5 minutes, until tender. Drain and set aside.

2. In a medium pot add the oats, milk, and chia seeds. Stir well and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low-medium and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently.

3. Mash the cooked sweet potato into the pot (I left some chunks for texture). Add the apples and cranberries. Stir in the cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla, and salt. Cook on low for a few minutes.

4. Make the almond topping by mixing together the ingredients with a fork until clumpy.

5. Pour the oatmeal into a casserole dish and spread out evenly. Sprinkle the almond mixture on top.

6. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes, at 350F. After 20 minutes, broil on low until browned (about two minutes). Remove from oven and serve. makes 3-4 servings.

You'll notice this recipe doesn't call for any added sugar. I omitted it based on my dietary needs but a little brown sugar or maple syrup would be good if you wanted it a little sweeter. Honestly though, I didn't miss it at all and thought the sweet potato, apple and cranberries made it perfect!

Let us know if you try this! Do you have any hearty winter recipes you want to share?

 

 

Health and Nutrition: A Protein Packed Breakfast Recipe

 

Breakfast is my favorite (and the most important) meal of the day. It jump starts your metabolism and gives you energy to tackle your day. I made a delicious protein packed breakfast on Sunday that left me full for several hours and completely satisfied.

 

Protein Packed Banana Pancake
 

 

What you'll need:

2 whole whisked eggs

1 mashed banana

1 tablespoon (or more) flax seed

1 teaspoon of cinnamon

1 teaspoon of pumpkin spice (optional)

 

What to do:

1. Add all the ingredients above in a medium sized mixing bowl and stir until combined.

2. Pour your batter into a greased pan and cook on medium heat for 8-10 minutes or until the bottom of the pancake is golden brown and it's easy to flip.

3. I was tempted to try to flip mine sooner than 8 minutes but trust me on this -- you want to make sure it's done enough or you'll end up with a crumbled mess!

4. Once you've flipped it cook on the other side for 1-2 minutes

5. Enjoy!

 

I chose to top mine with a little butter. Peanut or almond butter, fresh fruit, nuts or coconut oil would be fantastic too. The options are endless!

Let us know what you think if you try this! Have you made a protein packed breakfast you loved? We'd love to hear about it!