My TOP 5: Money Saving Tips + BONUS!!

Welcome to the first edition of My TOP 5! In this new series, I will share some of my top five favorites--it might feature a specific ingredient, meal, or dessert! (That might be hard, though. I love dessert...Narrowing it down to five? Not easy.)

The first in this series is Money Saving Tips. What does this have to do with food, you might ask? Oh, read on, my friend! Read on.

We all want to save money, I hope. I like to think of myself as a thrifty person, but I've noticed lately that it's too easy to just swipe a card (credit, of course) and not ever think of the *actual* money that's being exchanged. Really, the only place I have this problem is in the grocery store. It's easy to impulse buy.

TIP #1: Envelope System -- We recently implemented this after attending a financial planning series. Set a budget for groceries, whether it's weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly. Withdraw that amount from your paycheck in cash and keep it in a secured envelope. Every time you go to the grocery store, use cash from the grocery fund, and tuck the receipts into the envelope after your purchase. I've noticed that when I do this, it helps me to think, "Do I really need this item?" "Which store should I shop to make my money stretch farther?" Sometimes I have to revamp my weekly menu because there are not enough funds to cover a specialty item I might need.

TIP #2: Shop Bulk (not always, though) -- We invested in a Costco membership several years ago. It has repaid itself multiple times. We buy cereal, canned beans, rice, flour, pasta, pasta sauce, frozen vegetables, paper products, clothes, etc. Now, we are a family of four. If you are single, Costco or Sam's Club may not be a money saving option for you. Most of the items we purchase are non-perishable, so they do not go bad before we're able to use them. Now that WOULD be a waste of money!

TIP #3: Make Your Own -- This will *nearly* always save you money. As a vegan/vegetarian, I grew up on processed vegetarian meat analogs. While they're delicious, they are not the best for your health or wallet. They're super high in sodium and difficult to digest. Plus there are limited quantities in the package--sausage patties or sausage links usually only last one meal. So, why spend nearly $5 on a product that's not that great for you and doesn't go very far? Recently I made some oat based breakfast patties (one recipe yields 64 patties). They're perfect to freeze and reheat whenever you feel like "sausage" is necessary. I also like to make my own pancake and waffle mix. Commercial mixes contain powdered ingredients like eggs and fat that are high in oxidized cholesterol. When you make your own, you know what's inside. You can feel good about what you're feeding your family. One other thing...instead of buying a cake or cupcakes for a party, I make my own. The best part about that one is licking the spoon...

TIP #4: Eat Beans -- Staple foods, non-processed, will save you money. We eat beans. A lot of beans. Or lentils. Supplement with a whole grain like brown rice, whip up a salad, and you have a cheap and very balanced meal.

TIP #5: Plan Ahead -- If you can, plan your meals ahead of time. When you're mixing a soup or casserole, make extra to put in the freezer. Not all casseroles freeze well, but most soups, unless they are cream based, will freeze and thaw nicely for a quick and healthy meal. One thing that has helped me recently is to make a huge batch of cookie dough, scoop it into ready-made portions, then freeze them before baking so they're ready when I am! So nice to look in my freezer and see chocolate chip cookie dough staring at me!

As a bonus, I thought I'd share my Breakfast Patty recipe with you...just in case you need 64 breakfast patties in your freezer. My six-year-old tasted one: "Mmmm. Thank you for making these, Mom! They're good." Hey, I think I can live with that!

Ingredients:

 3 1/2 cups water

1/4 Braggs Liquid Aminos (or low sodium Tamari)

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

2 Tb. oil

1 - 2 Tb. dried minced onion (or granulated, but you'd probably use less)

1 Tb. pure maple syrup

1 Tb. Italian seasoning (I mixed 1 tsp. each of thyme, basil, and Italian seasoning)

1 1/2 tsp. granulated garlic

pinch cayenne or red pepper flakes, optional

1 1/2 cups quick oats

2 cups rolled oats

2/3 cup white beans (cannellini, chickpeas, etc.)

1 cup firm tofu, drained and crumbled

1 cup cooked brown rice, quinoa, or whole wheat couscous

3 Tb. ground flax seed

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350*F. Line several baking sheets with parchment paper or lightly sprayed foil.

In a medium pot, combine first nine ingredients and bring to a boil. Add oats and turn down heat. Allow to simmer for a few moments, then remove from heat. Puree white beans with firm tofu in a food processor until smooth, then add to the pot with the seasoned oats. Add cooked grain and flax seed, and stir to combine well. Allow mixture to sit for about 5 minutes. It will thicken as it cools. You may want to sample a pinch of the dough and adjust seasonings to your taste.

Using a 1-in. ice cream scoop, spoon oat mixture onto prepared cooking sheet. Flatten each patty gently with the bottom of a measuring cup that has been lightly sprayed with cooking spray. It just makes it easier to release the dough without sticking to your cup. Bake at 350* for about 15 minutes, turn patties and allow to cook for another 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool before freezing.

Tofu Scramble over Whole Grain Toast and Gravy
Oatmeal Breakfast Patties

Apple Pie Scones

I'm discovering that Fall really is my favorite time of year. I love all seasons, but the smells, colors, and tastes of autumn are easy to fall in love with...(I just love a good pun, especially when it comes so effortlessly.)

My friend, Amanda (She has a fantastic blog: Maple Alps) challenged me to create something delicious with apples. (You'll have to check out her Apple Cinnamon Rolls here!) I began to mentally flip through my cognitive recipe index. Hmm...apple pancakes? Apple pie squares? Apple salad? Apple scones? AH HA! Apple scones...with a luscious maple or caramel drizzle. That will be my contribution to your fall breakfast routine.

Apple Pie Scones (with toasted pecans)

So, I created this recipe in an unusual way. I like the idea of caramel apple pie, so decided that I'd make a caramel sauce to toss the apples in before folding them into my dry ingredients. That worked well, until the moisture from the apples turned my caramel sauce into...well...NOT caramel sauce. Not to be deterred, I used my caramel apple "soup" and mixed everything together, gently patted the dough into a square (about 1-in. - 1 1/2-in. thick), and cut those babies into triangles. I laid them out on a lightly sprayed cookie sheet and baked them for about 15 minutes--or until they were beautifully golden brown on top and bottom. 

Mmmmm. We loved them! Even without a drizzle on top! I think I've made these every week for the last four weeks. 

Here is your list of ingredients:

2 apples, peeled, sliced thin
3 Tb. Earth Balance, or other non-dairy margarine
3 Tb. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. lemon zest
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla, opt.

2 1/2 cups flour (I've made these half white/half whole wheat pastry flour and it's a beautiful thing. )
1 scant Tb. aluminum free baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
2 Tb. brown sugar
3 Tb. Earth Balance

Instructions:

1) Peel and slice apples of choice.
2) In a saucepan, over medium high heat, melt 3 Tb. Earth Balance with 3 Tb. brown sugar. Whisk until the brown sugar completely melts and incorporates with the margarine and a caramel-like substance emerges.
3) Add sliced apples to caramel mix and stir to combine well. Add lemon zest and cinnamon and mix. Vanilla goes in, too, if you're using it.
4) Allow to gently cook for a few minutes until apples are semi-soft. Turn off heat and set aside.
5) In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and 2 Tb. brown sugar. Whisk to combine.
6) Cut 3 Tb. Earth Balance into the flour mixture until it resembles pebbles.
7) Make a well in the center of dry ingredients, then pour in slightly cooled apple/caramel sauce.
8) Using a fork, stir apples and flour mix together until it forms a dough, then turn out onto your counter and lightly knead just two or three times until it all comes together. (You don't want to work it too much or the scones will be tough.)
9) Form the dough into a 8 x 8 square about 1 - 1 1/2 in. thick.
10) Using a large sharp knife, cut dough vertically into three strips, then horizontally into three strips, forming 6 pieces. Cut each of those pieces to form triangles.
11) Place each scone onto a lightly sprayed cookie sheet, allowing space between each for rising.
12) Bake at 415*F for about 18 minutes, or until scones are beautifully golden. Remove from pan and allow to cool on a cooling rack.

Yield: 18 small/medium scones

If you like these, you'll also want to try Crystal's homemade apple croissants at her beautiful blog: CW Design.

Monster Breakfast Cookies

As a busy wife and mother, I'm always looking for new ways to provide a nutritious and quick breakfast for my family. These breakfast cookies pack a protein punch with a combination of almond butter, chia seeds, and crunchy almond pieces. Plus, you get some hearty omega-3 action from the addition of ground flax seeds. I hope you enjoy these tasty, breakfast-on-the-run style cookies.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup margarine (such as Earth Balance)

1/2 cup unrefined coconut oil

2/3 cup brown sugar

1 tsp. baking powder (I use aluminum free.)

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

6 Tb. chia gel (made from 2 Tb. chia seeds mixed with 1 cup water and allowed to set)

2 tsp. pure vanilla

1 1/2 cups Gluten Free flour blend (I used King Arthur's, but you can use your favorite.) or 

                regular all-purpose flour

2 1/4 cups regular or rolled oats (I used half quick, half rolled oats.)

1/3 cup ground flax seeds

1 heaping Tb. almond or peanut butter

1 1/2 cups dried fruit, nuts, coconut, etc.

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375. In a medium sized bowl, cream margarine and coconut oil together. A hand mixer works well for this. Add brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and beat to combine. Spoon chia gel and vanilla extract into mixture and once again beat to combine, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary. Beat in flour, oats, flax and nut butter until well combined. Stir nuts, dried fruits, chocolate chips of whatever combination you desire into the dough. (I used 2/3 cup chopped almonds, 2/3 cup dried cranberries, and a handful of unsweetened coconut flakes.) 

Using a large ice cream scoop or 1/3 cup measure, scoop dough out and place on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Using the palm of your hand, gently press each cookie into a 4-inch circle. 

Bake for 12 minutes or so, until the tops of the cookies are lightly browned. Cool on the pan for a minute or so. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. After cooled, wrap individual cookies in plastic wrap for optimum freshness. :-)

Yield: 11 cookies

Approx. 298 calories per cookie (This depends on the nut and fruit combos, too.)

Enjoy!

Summer Abundance: Rhubarb

Summer is one of my favorite seasons...at least early summer is. I'm not sure that early summer is considered a season, though. The breeze is warm, not stifling. Grass is rich and green. Growth in the garden is just beginning, and there's a wonderful smell in the air. 

We just happen to be the grateful beneficiaries of our friends summer (over) abundance. We haven't been able to plant our garden this year, but we've been blessed with cucumbers, tomatoes, kale, and rhubarb from other's gardens...no zucchini yet, but I'm sure it will come! {Insert smily face here}

I was experimenting with rhubarb combinations the other day, and while strawberry with rhubarb is still my favorite, apple and rhubarb pair nicely, too. The texture of the fruit, the sweetness of the apple balancing out the tartness of the rhubarb...it's a perfect match. 

I made a rhubarb betty....that wasn't a big hit. My next try was crisp. Mmmmm. We all agreed that it's a keeper. 

Ingredients:

3 cups rhubarb, washed well and sliced into chunks

1 cup apple (of choice), peeled and diced

1/2 cup strawberries, washed and sliced

3/4 cup sugar (or cane juice crystals)

1 Tb. flour

2 tsp. instant tapioca

1 tsp. fresh lemon juice

pinch salt

Streusel Topping:

1 scant cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup rolled oats

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup margarine

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine prepared fruit with sugar, flour, instant tapioca, lemon juice and salt. Stir to combine and set aside.

In another bowl, combine dry streusel ingredients, then add margarine. Using a fork (or your fingers), crumble and cut the margarine into the flour mixture until it resembles large peas. 

Pour fruit mixture into a lightly oiled or Pam-sprayed 8 x 8 baking dish. Sprinkle streusel topping evenly over the fruit. Place in stove and bake for approximately 40-45 minutes or until topping is beautifully golden and fruit is tender. 

Juices will be bubbling in the baking dish, and you may want to have a cookie sheet under it...just in case! :-)

Serve warm with non-dairy vanilla ice cream, whipped topping, or enjoy it plain. 

{Not quite} Nutrigrain bars...

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but as a busy family always on the run, breakfast sometimes needs to be portable. Enter Nutrigrain bars: one of the quintessential grab-and-go breakfast foods. I've been wanting to make my own breakfast bar, modeled after the soft, chewy, fruity Kelloggs brand. As I searched online, I couldn't find very many recipes that were not crumb top. While those are delicious, they don't travel well! 

I can just imagine driving in the car, crumb topped breakfast bar in one hand, steering wheel in the other. As I begin to unwrap my breakfast bar, crumbs fall off onto my shirt and lap, jam oozes onto my hands. I reach behind me into the diaper bag to retrieve a wet wipe, still holding onto the bar and steering the car with my knees...More crumbs in my lap and jam on my pants. 

These are a much safer option. :-) And! They don't contain high-fructose corn syrup, which I'm very pleased about. 

Ingredients:

1 cup all purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/3 cup brown sugar

6 Tb. Earth Balance Margarine

1/2 cup canned coconut milk (you can also use soured soy milk - see directions below)

1/4 cup chia gel

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Reduced Sugar Strawberry Preserves (or desired fruit jam: fig, blackberry, raspberry, cherry)

*Soured soy milk: 1 Tb. lemon juice mixed with 1 cup of soy milk. Stir and allow to thicken slightly. Use as needed. 

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a large cookie sheet with Pam and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients (first seven listed). Add margarine and cut in until smallish pebbles form. In another small bowl, whisk wet ingredients together, then pour into dry ingredient mixture. Stir until a soft dough forms and all flour is incorporated. It should feel like biscuit dough. Turn out onto a floured surface, adding a bit more flour to dough to make it kneadable. 

With a rolling pin, form dough into a rectangle shape that is approximately 8 x 10"  and 1/4-1/2" thick.  Divide this into smaller squares--about 4 x 4. Spoon about a tablespoon of fruit preserves into the center of the square. Fold other side of dough over the jam and slightly press the seams to close. 

Transfer bars onto greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes or until lightly browned on top. 

Yield: 10 bars

Apple Spice Baked French Toast

This weekend has been a whirlwind of activity, from running errands all day Friday to spending Sunday with our church's Adventurer Club at the state-wide annual Fun Day. Last year before Fun Day, we made a quick stop at a fast food chain to grab breakfast on the fly -- I hadn't planned very well that morning ;-). Well, I've turned over a new leaf this year and wanted to make sure that my children weren't fueled by a package of deep-fried tater-tots and deep-fried french toast sticks. I whipped up this apple spice baked french toast based on a recipe for pumpkin streusel baked french toast by Two Peas and Their Pod. I've thoroughly enjoyed every recipe I've tried from their blog (veganized, of course!)

This french toast is more of a casserole and is wonderful if you are short on time. I make it the night before and either bake it that night to reheat in the morning for a super-fast meal or bake it in the morning while I am getting ready for the day. Either way, it's very tasty. 

You'll want to use a whole grain or whole wheat baguette or other crusty bread for this to turn out well. 

Ingredients:

1/2 of a long whole wheat baguette

6 Tb. chia gel or 3 Tb. flax gel

1 1/4 cup almond milk

1/2 cup apple butter (made by cooking applesauce down until a thick spreadable consistency - like a thick puree)

1/4 cup brown or natural granulated sugar

1 Tb. vanilla

1/4 tsp. cinnamon or cardamom

pinch ground allspice

1/2 a Fuji or other apple of choice, peeled and diced

1/4 cup Craisins or dried tart cherries

Streusel Topping

1/2 cup whole wheat flour (or a mix of white and whole wheat)

1/3 cup rolled oats

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 tsp. cinnamon or cardamom

1/4 cup walnuts, chopped (opt.)

1/8 tsp. salt

1/4 cup margarine, cut into pieces

Instructions:

Spray a 2-qrt. glass casserole dish with cooking spray. Tear or cut baguette into large bite size pieces and arrange evenly in the pan.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine milk, chia or flax, apple butter, sugar, vanilla, spices and diced apple. Whisk to thoroughly incorporate. Pour evenly over bread pieces and press bread down a bit into the milk mixture. Sprinkle dried cranberries or cherries over the french toast.  Cover casserole with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to bake. {Usually allow overnight or several hours for the bread to absorb the liquid.}

In a small bowl, mix together flour, brown sugar, oats, walnuts, salt and cinnamon or cardamom. Cut in margarine pieces with your fingers or a fork until the mixture looks like small peas. Pour streusel into a plastic baggy and store in fridge.

When ready to bake the french toast, preheat oven to 365 F. Remove casserole and streusel from refrigerator. Spread crumb topping evenly over french toast and bake for 55-60 minutes until casserole is set and crunchy golden brown on top. 

Serve with vegetarian sausage or tofu scramble for a amazing breakfast. 

Yield: 6 large pieces

Anytime Pancakes {Apple Cinnamon Cranberry}

Sunday mornings are lazy. It's a time when my children can sleep in, I can get caught up on my laundry mountain, and make something a little more special for breakfast than the typical cold cereal. Lately I've been experimenting with do-it-ahead recipes such as baked oatmeal and over-night french toast that I just have to heat up in the morning and it's ready to go. One time-saving plus about this recipe is that it can be made into a mix that's super quick to throw together. Breakfast can be on the table in no time!

My good friends, Stephanie and Sarah (www.givethemsomethingbetter.com) published the original recipe for these pancakes in their cookbook Give Them Something Better, and they've given me permission to post it with my adaptations. 

Ingredients:

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup unbleached white flour

1/2 cup cornmeal

1 Tb. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

scant 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 1/3 cup water

2/3 cup soy, almond, or coconut milk

1/4 cup oil

2 Tb. brown sugar

1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and grated
Dried Cranberries (opt.)

Instructions:

Whisk together dry ingredients in a medium bowl. In another medium bowl, combine wet ingredients (including grated apple and brown sugar). Stir together wet and dry ingredients to form a batter. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat (you can spray the pan with cooking spray or drizzle a small amount of oil on the pan, too). Using a ladle or 1/3 cup measurement, pour batter onto skillet, sprinkle a few dried cranberries decoratively over the surface, and cook until the pancakes are golden brown on both sides, about 3-5 minutes. 

Yield: Varies depending on desired size of pancake! :0) I made 9-10 medium sized pancakes. 

If you have any leftovers, pop them in a ziploc bag and refrigerate them. When you are ready to use, simply place 1-2 on a plate and microwave them for about 20 seconds on each side. Optional Toppings: margarine, peanut butter, pure maple syrup, applesauce, thickened fruit, etc... The possibilities are endless. 

Enjoy this hearty breakfast.

Pumpin' Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

Every once in a while I get an urge for something pumpkin. Lately it's been pumpkin pie oatmeal and pumpkin bread. While trying to decide what to make for breakfast yesterday, I spied some leftover pumpkin puree in my refrigerator....right next to some leftover coconut milk. Oh, the possibilities! What emerged from my imagination was so smooth and creamy, so delicious, I had to share it with you. 

Ingredients:

1 frozen banana, broken in chunks

1/2 cup canned coconut milk

1/2 cup soy or almond milk

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 heaping Tb. brown sugar or sweetener of choice

1 Tb. chia gel or ground flax seed

1 capful vanilla extract

Instructions:

Place all ingredients in blender and blend until very smooth and creamy. 

Yield: 2 cups

Calories: approximately 194 per 1-cup serving

Try this! A dollop of fat-free non-dairy whipped topping and some artfully crushed graham cracker sprinkled over the top for a guilt-free dessert.

Mmmm. I'm gonna to go whip me up some breakfast now... :-)

Baked Doughnuts...Need I say more? :-)

I really always wanted to make doughnuts. When I was a little girl, there was an elderly gentleman who lived up the road from us and he was famous for his delicious (fried) doughnuts. I've always thought the raised doughnut making process would be difficult: making the batter, waiting for the oil to reach just the right temperature, making sure it doesn't get too hot and incinerate your doughnut, frying batch after batch...Wouldn't it be nice if there was an easy baked recipe that didn't require the wait? I've found one! 

I modified a Pinterest recipe from Shugary Sweets, and found that it was very easily made vegan and CHOCOLATE! Be careful with this recipe...it's rather addicting, and if you're watching your weight, well...

Ingredients:

Vanilla Variety

2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. vanilla 

1/4 c. vinegar (or egg replacer to equal 2 eggs)

1 cup soy, coconut, or almond milk

2 Tb. soy margarine, melted

Chocolate Variety

Simply add 1/3 cup carob or cocoa powder and 1/2 tsp. cinnamon to dry ingredients listed above. 

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375. Spray a doughnut pan with cooking spray (or lightly grease with Crisco) and set aside. 

In a large bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients. In a separate small bowl, combine all wet ingredients. Add wet to dry ingredients and gently mix just until all the flour is incorporated. You'll have a fluffy thick batter. Spoon batter into a piping bag (or a Ziploc style plastic bag) and snip off the corner so that it is about the same size as the width of your doughnut pan indentions (?). Squeeze batter into each doughnut form, filling about 3/4 full. 

Slip doughnuts into the oven and bake for about 12 minutes. You'll want to check them and if the cake feels firm and bounces back when you touch it, they're done! YAY! Remove from oven, allow to cool for a few minutes, then turn the pan over to release them. I place them on a wire mesh cooling screen. When they are cool, they are ready for your favorite glaze.

Here is the one I used from Chef Chloe Coscarelli:

Chocolate Glaze

1/4 cup vegan chocolate chips

2 Tb. plus 1 tsp. soy milk

1/2 cup powdered sugar 

Combine chocolate chips and soy milk. Process in microwave for about 30 seconds or until chocolate chips have become melty and it becomes a sort of ganache. Stir in powdered sugar and whisk until smooth. 

Dip your doughnuts head first into the glaze, swirling your wrist around to evenly coat the top of the doughnut and twisting the doughnut as you remove it to give it a nice finish. Decorate with your favorite toppings: nuts, sprinkles, etc. 

Enjoy!!! 

Yield: 9-10 doughnuts

PB & J Oat Bars

An early morning conversation with my husband inspired these delicious stick-to-your-ribs breakfast bars. He woke up craving a Bob Dylan bar. When he used to work for Wild Oats market (prior to Whole Foods merger, of course) he'd eat one of these layered bars nearly every day. A somewhat dense peanut butter "blondie"-type base, smothered with strawberry preserves and topped with a crunchy oat, coconut, and chocolate concoction. Could I reproduce a healthier version? I was up for the challenge!

I started with the base. I found a recipe for a peanut butter brownie in my go-to baking book. I tweaked it here, and tweaked it there. Used coconut oil instead of butter, cut down on sugar, substituted whole wheat flour. Voila! It worked. Next, the topping. My first attempt needed a bit more time to toast. The second time, I added a little more oil and roughly chopped pecans joined the mix. It was just about right. 

Now for assembly. While the base was still a little warm, I smoothed the preserves over, then placed the bars into the fridge to cool a bit more. After about 5 - 7 minutes, I removed the pan, sprinkled even handfuls of the oat mixture over the top and lightly pressed it down into the jam. Cutting six equal pieces, I wrapped them individually in plastic wrap and placed them high up on the counter where my pre-schooler couldn't reach them. ;-) 

Would it pass the true test? Later that day, my husband unwrapped his "Bob Dylan" bar (by Beth) and took a bite. His nostalgic look told me everything I needed to know. The slight smile and nod of head as he looked at me? Awesome! Nothing could make me more happy. 

Now YOU can create these treats for an on-the-go breakfast or mid-day snack. ;-)

Ingredients:

Peanut Butter Base

1/3 cup melted coconut oil

1/2 cup brown sugar

6 Tb. Chia gel (or equivalent for 2 eggs) 

1/3 cup smooth peanut butter

1 cup flour (1/2 cup white, 1/2 cup wheat)

1/4 tsp. baking powder

Jam Layer

1/3 cup strawberry preserves (or jam of choice)

Oat Topping

1 cup rolled oats

1/3 cup coconut flakes

1/2 cup pecans, coarsely chopped

2 Tb. vegetable oil

1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips (I used Kirkland brand from Costco)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toss rolled oats, coconut flakes, and chopped pecans with 2 Tb. oil until evenly coated. Place on baking sheet and toast until nicely golden brown (maybe 10-12 minutes or more - you'll  want to keep checking on it to make sure it doesn't burn). Remove from oven and set aside to cool. When cool, add chocolate chips

Cream coconut oil, sugar, and chia gel in a medium bowl with a hand mixer. Add peanut butter and continue to mix until incorporated. In a small separate bowl, stir together flour and baking powder. Add to peanut butter mix and combine well. Pour into a lightly sprayed 8x8 -in casserole dish and smooth evenly with a spatula. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the base appears set and the edges are slightly brown. (I have a gas range, so baking times may vary). Remove and cool for 10 minutes or so. 

When cool enough to touch the surface, spread an even layer of jam over the top. Sprinkle oat topping over the surface and press lightly into the preserves. Cut into desired serving size (you don't have to go as big as I did) and enjoy!

Pumpkin Scones

I've been trying to be thrifty lately. Making my own laundry detergent, frequenting thrift stores instead of heading directly to the department store, baking and pureeing my own pumpkin...I thought I'd save a lot of money by doing the latter. I didn't. Here's why. 

I bought two small pie pumpkins for $4.00 and only ended up with about 30 ounces of pumpkin. That's the equivalent of two cans of pumpkin at the grocery store. I'm pretty sure you can get a can of pumpkin for less than $2.00. So, in order to really save money, I need to get a gigantic pumpkin! I'm sure I can...I know I can...I WILL do better than a purchased can of pumpkin. Plus, fresh pureed pumpkin tastes better, in my humble opinion.

So, tonight I used my puree in two recipes. First I made Pumpkin Bars (archived recipe) to take for my daughters class tomorrow morning, and then I found a recipe by Iowa Girl Eats for Starbucks Clone Pumpkin Scones. They sounded delicious and easy. They are. I chose to use my food processor to mix the ingredients together, but you can use the bowl and spoon method, too. I altered her recipe, but you can visit her website for the original. Just click on the link above.

Ingredients:

2 cups all purpose flour

7 Tb. granulated sugar

1 Tb. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/8 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 tsp. ground ginger

1/2 cup fresh or canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)

3 Tb. canned coconut milk

1 1/2 tsp. egg replacer (Ener'G) whisked with 2 Tb. warm water

6 Tb. cold stick margarine, cut in pieces

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 425. 

In large food processor or mixing bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and spices and mix well to combine. Add cold margarine in chunks and pulse in food processor until mix is the texture of dry biscuit mix. If you're not using a food processor, just cut the margarine in with fingers or a fork until it reaches the same texture. 

In a small bowl, combine pumpkin puree, coconut milk and egg replacer. Add to dry ingredients and pulse to combine, or stir until the dough comes together into a ball. Remove the dough and place on a lightly floured surface. Knead a few times to bring the dough together, then shape into a circle about 1" thick. Cut the circle in half, then into quarters (making 8 equal scones).

Place wedges on a baking sheet and bake for approximately 15 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool until safe to handle, then transfer to a cooling rack. When scones are cool, top with these two delightful icings. 

Plain Icing:

1 cup powdered sugar

2 Tb. canned coconut milk

Mix together in a small bowl until smooth and creamy. Use half of the icing as the first layer. Allow to harden slightly before applying the spiced icing. 

Spiced Icing:

Add a pinch of cinnamon and a pinch of allspice to the remaining plain icing. Drizzle over the top of the plain icing. Allow to harden before eating scone. It will be hard, but you can do it.

Yield: 8 scones

Walnut Fig Scones with Citrus Glaze

Fall is here, whether I'm ready for it or not. I spent the morning going through my children's clothes and pulling out their shorts and t-shirts to make room for the toasty warm sweaters and fleece pajamas that will fill their dresser drawers now. With the gusty winds and brisk temperatures comes the desire for something warm and comforting. Pumpkin...walnuts...figs...come to mind when I think of Fall.

A friend of ours knows that our family likes unusual foods and graciously gave me the inspiration for these breakfast treats. A jar of Dalmatia Fig Spread. I thought, "What kind of neat experiment can I come up with using fig spread? We love it served with scones. Whole wheat toast makes a pretty good accompaniment, too. What would happen if I mixed fig preserves into a scone dough?"  These emerged as a result. I added grated apples, walnuts, and a hint of molasses.  I also incorporated whole wheat flour up the ante on the fiber content. The top has a nice citrus glaze with a bit more fig preserves to really enhance the flavor. 

We had mixed reviews in our home after the initial taste test. Our toddler ate two of them right away. My small group ladies and I enjoyed them, too. Our 6-year-old, however, took one small bite and put the scone aside. I take it fig isn't her favorite flavor. :0) 

Ingredients:

3 cups flour (half white, half wheat or 2 cups white to 1 cup wheat)

1 Tb. baking powder

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. allspice

1 cup peeled, grated apple of choice (I used 1 Golden Delicious)

1/2 cup coarsely ground walnuts

3 Tb. Fig preserves

6 Tb. Earth Balance margarine

3/4 cup Almond milk

1 Tb. ground flax seed, mixed with 3 Tb. water

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine flours, baking powder, sugar, salt, and allspice. Cut margarine into flour mixture until it looks like the consistency of small peas. Make a well in the center. In another small bowl, combine grated apple, walnuts, fig preserves, almond milk, and flax seed-water mixture.  

Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir well to combine. If the dough appears to be too soft (like muffin batter), add a bit more flour until it's easy to handle. Turn out onto a lightly floured board and knead a few times to incorporate flour. Shape into a 8 x 8 square about 1-in. thick and cut into to wedges or squares. Place scones about  3/4-in. apart on a large baking sheet and bake for approximately 16-18 minutes or until toasty golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool for a few minutes before spooning the citrus glaze over.

Citrus Fig Glaze:

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 T. fig preserves

1 T. orange juice, or enough until you reach the desired drizzling consistency.

These are really best eaten the same day. 

Blackberry Scones with Lemon Drizzle - Sunday Bonus

I usually like to make something a bit more special for breakfast on Sundays. I have more time, and Daddy is home to enjoy breakfast with the family. So this morning, I made coconut and citrus scented oatmeal and these blackberry scones. I looked online for a recipe for blackberry scones and found one that I augmented quite a bit. The concept was good, but I like a bit more depth of texture in my scone, so I added cornmeal and whole wheat flour to the white flour it called for. The drizzle on top...Oh, man. It makes the flavors come alive. 

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cup frozen blackberries

1 Tb. flour

1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

2 Tb. cornmeal

3/4 Tb. baking powder

3 Tb. sugar

1/8 tsp. salt

6 Tb. Earth Balance margarine

1 cup canned coconut milk

2 tsp. vanilla

1 Tb. Earth Balance margarine

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. 

Pour blackberries into a small bowl and toss them in 1 Tb. flour. Set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, whole wheat flour, cornmeal, baking powder, sugar, and salt.  Cut in margarine or mix with fingers until the texture of the mix is pebbly. Make a well in the center of your dry ingredients. 

In a glass measuring cup or small bowl, stir together canned coconut milk and vanilla.  Add all at once to the dry ingredients. (My daughter enjoyed helping me with this part!) Stir together with a fork until a soft dough forms. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead a few times until it's somewhat smooth. Add blackberries. I did this by making a small disk shape with my dough and pouring the blackberries into the middle of the dough disk. I then folded one side of the disk over and lightly pressed down, repeating with the other side of the dough. Gently pull and press the dough maybe a total of 4 times before shaping into an 8-in. round circle about 3/4 in. thick.

Cut the dough circle into 8 wedges and place wedges onto ungreased cookie sheet, leaving about 1-in. space between each piece. Cut 1 Tb. of Earth Balance margarine into small pieces. Place a small dab of margarine on each wedge before popping them into the oven to bake. Bake for approximately 21 minutes, or until the tops are beautifully golden brown.

Remove from oven. Drizzle warm scones with the following lemon icing and allow to cool for a few minutes to harden the icing. 

Lemon Icing:

1 cup powdered sugar

3-4 Tb. lemon juice

Place 1 cup powdered sugar in a small bowl. Add lemon juice, one tablespoon at a time, stirring well, until you get a nice thick drizzling consistency. The icing should cling to the spoon a little bit like honey. 

Enjoy on these blackberry scones or  blueberry cornmeal scones.

Cranberry Walnut Applesauce Muffins

Making good food for my family brings me this sense of satisfaction that nothing else quite can. I felt that satisfaction after making these muffins. They are hearty, moist, and super tasty! And the fact that they have applesauce in them makes me even more happy. The applesauce allows the muffins to retain their moistness, without eggs or a large amount of oil. The recipe does call for oil, but you could experiment with all applesauce (just substitute on a 1 to 1 ratio: 1/2 a cup of applesauce to 1/2 cup oil, etc.).

I originally made these with dried cranberries and fresh pears, and they were delicious. The next time I made them, I added ground English walnuts instead.

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

2 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

2 Tb. ground flax seed mixed with 6 Tbs. water

1 cup brown sugar

1 1/3 cups applesauce

1/2 cup cooking oil (or increase the amount of applesauce by 1/2 cup)

2/3 cup dried cranberries

1/3 cup ground walnuts

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners, or spray lightly with cooking spray. You may not use all the liners, but be prepared just in case.

In a large mixing bowl, combine flours, baking powder, cinnamon, soda and salt. In a separate bowl, combine flax seed mixture, brown sugar, applesauce and oil (if using). Add wet ingredients to dry, and fold and stir gently to combine well. Mix in cranberries and walnuts.

Spoon batter into muffin tins, filling about 2/3 full. I used a large ice cream scoop and one scoop was a perfect fit. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown or a toothpick or skewer inserted into a muffin emerges clean. Cool for 5 minutes, then remove from tins and serve warm.

My toddler son has requested these for breakfast the past two mornings in a row.

"Mommy, muffin." "Charlie, would you like a muffin?" "Yes, pease." "Ok, baby, you can have a muffin!" (Smiling on the inside, because I know he's getting the good stuff.)

Enjoy!

Sunday Smoothie: Strawberry Orange Banana

Two years ago, we purchased a VitaMix blender and my life will never be the same. [Shameless plug for VitaMix] Sauces are creamier, smoothies are smoother! It seriously was one of the best investments we've ever made. 

We have smoothies nearly every morning, and my kids love them. My toddler sees me getting the blender out and says..."'moothie?" It's a great way for them to get their servings of fruit for the day. 

There are countless combinations of ingredients for smoothies, and just as many methods for getting just the right texture. My husband, the food techie, has narrowed it down to this equation: 1 fresh element, 1 frozen element, and 1 liquid element. 

I'm sharing my go-to recipe for an easy, nutritious smoothie today. Please don't be alarmed if it is not thick like a milkshake. This is a frothy drink that requires no spoon. 

In a blender base, combine the following ingredients in order:

1 medium banana, peeled (of, course!) and broken in chunks

10 lg. frozen strawberries

1 Tb. flax or chia seeds

2 cups orange juice

Place the lid on the blender, and blend at low speed to break up the fruit, then gradually increase to high speed. Blend until smooth. 

Makes 2 large servings. 

Strawberry Almond Scones

My husbands Aunt Carol provided the inspiration for these lovely tea scones. I experimented with a batch and they disappeared somehow!

This recipe is so versatile ~ you could substitute other types of dried fruits and nuts and they'd be just as tasty.

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 Tbsp. sugar
3 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 cup margarine
3 Tbsp. chia gel (or other egg replacer to equal 2 eggs)
3/4 cup canned coconut milk or cream
1/2 cup fresh or frozen, thawed strawberries, chopped
1/3 cup almonds, finely chopped
1/4 tsp. almond extract
Soy milk
Sugar

Instructions
Combine flour, 2 Tbsp. sugar, baking powder, and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Cut in margarine with a fork or pastry blender until mixture looks like crumbs. Make a well in the center of the mix and set the bowl aside.

In a 2 cup measure or small mixing bowl, combine coconut milk, egg replacer, almond extract, and strawberries. Add all at once to the dry ingredients. Add almonds and stir with a fork until just moistened.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Quickly and gently knead by folding and pressing dough for 12 strokes or until dough is nearly smooth. Pat or lightly roll dough into an 8-in. square. Cut into 16 squares.

Place scones on an ungreased baking sheet and brush tops with soy milk. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 400 for 14-16 minutes or until golden brown.

Let scones rest slightly to cool, then drizzle with powdered sugar glaze.
*1 cup powdered sugar, 1/4 tsp. vanilla, 1 Tbsp. soy milk or water. Mix well in a small bowl and add enough water or milk to make a drizzling consistency.

White Chocolate Cherry Walnut Scones

I'm a mom. When I moved from Detroit to a small town in Western Michigan, I missed my involvement in a moms group. I enjoyed conversation with other women who were experiencing the same challenges I faced every day; I enjoyed the refreshments and warm atmosphere there. So, one of the first things I did when we moved? Started planning a moms group...

And, for our first meeting, I made this tasty rendition of an English Tea Scone. I love scones anyway, but these are special- all crunchy and only slightly sweet.

My professional taste tester (hubby) suggested keeping them a little more simple, so you can exercise your own creativity and mix and match flavors to your own preference.

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
4 Tblsp brown sugar
1 Tb. baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup margarine
4 Tbsp. Chia gel (or egg replacer to the equivalent of 2 eggs)*
3/4 cup canned coconut milk
1/2 cup dried cherries
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts (opt)
1/2 cup white chocolate chip (opt)
Soymilk
White Sugar

Instructions:

In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut in margarine until it resembles coarse crumbs. Toss in dried fruit and chopped nuts and combine with flour.  Make a well in the center of dry mixture and set the bowl aside.

Combine egg replacer, coconut milk, and vanilla in another small bowl. Add all at once to dry mixture. Using a fork, stir and press until the dough comes together and forms a ball. 

Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface. Quickly knead dough by folding and gently pressing about 12-14 strokes or until it's nearly smooth. Pat or lightly roll dough into a large circle. Cut into 8 equal wedges. 

Place scones 1-in. apart on a lightly oiled/sprayed baking sheet. Brush scones with milk and sprinkle with additional sugar. Bake in a 400• oven for 12-14 minutes or until golden. Remove scones from oven. At this point you can drizzle with an orange glaze** or just serve as is...nice and warm.

* Chia gel can be made by combining 2 Tbsp. Chia seeds with 1 cup of water. Stir well and set aside for a few minutes to allow gel to form. 2-3 Tbsp. = 1 egg. Chia seeds are extremely high in protein and are very good for sustained energy.
** Orange glaze: 1 cup pwdrd. sugar, 1 Tbsp. orange juice, pinch of orange zest. Mix together sugar, orange juice and zest, adding additional juice until it becomes a drizzling consistency.

You don't have to be a mom to enjoy these little treats... :-)

~ Modified from the original recipe in my Better Homes and Gardens New Baking Book.

French Toast ~ Mmmmm

So, every time I go to a Coney Island (a diner, for those of you who don't live in Michigan) for breakfast, I order french toast. I don't like egg dishes, waffles don't really appeal to me and really the only thing that sounds good is french toast dusted with powdered sugar. Oh, and a side of hash browns, of course! When I make french toast at home, I use a cashew based batter. I've tried several recipes and finally decided, ENOUGH! I will make up my own recipe. I tested it out on my family this morning. My husband liked it, and that's good enough for me!

You can use whatever bread you have on hand, but I used Great Harvest's Cinnamon bread and it was amazing!

Batter Ingredients:

1/2 cup cashews (you could try another nut such as blanched almonds if you have allergies to cashews)

1 cup water

5 dates

1/4 cup flour

1/2 cup soy milk

pinch of salt

1 tbsp. honey

1/8 tsp. almond extract

Instructions:

Blend cashews and water together until very smooth (no gritty pieces at all). Turn off blender and add dates. Resume blending until very smooth. Add flour, milk, salt, honey and almond extract. Blend until all is combined well. Pour into a wide dish. I use a pasta bowl that's not very deep. Dip bread slices into batter and fry on a medium hot skillet until nicely browed on both sides. Serve with your favorite toppings! We enjoy fresh strawberries and a touch of whipped cream, or peanut butter, applesauce, and syrup.

Enjoy this healthy alternative to regular french toast! If you have any leftovers, these freeze well and make a quick breakfast if you are short on time. Just pop them in the toaster and you're set!

Blueberry Cornmeal Scones

I happened across this recipe for berry-cornmeal scones when we lived in Colorado. My husband is an avid outdoorsman and he loved to take a few of these hearty treats with him on his mountain climbing expeditions.

Cornmeal gives this recipe a satisfying crunch and succulent blueberries pop with juicy sweetness.

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup yellow cornmeal

1/4 cup white sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1/3 cup margarine

1 tsp. finely shredded lime peel (you could also use lemon or orange)

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (or raspberries), thawed

2/3 cup sour soy milk (*see instructions below)

1 tsp. vanilla

*To make sour soy milk: For each cup of sour milk required, place 1 tablespoon of lemon juice into a glass measuring cup. Add enough milk to equal 1 cup total of liquid. Combine and let the mixture stand for 5 minutes before using in your recipe.

Instructions:

In a mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients. Using a fork, cut in margarine until it resembles coarse crumbs. Add lime or lemon peel. Make a well in the middle of the dry mixture. In another bowl combine blueberries, milk and vanilla. Add all at once to the dry ingredients. Stir until just combined.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and quickly knead dough about 10-12 strokes until nearly smooth. Pat or lightly roll dough into an 8-in. circle on an ungreased baking sheet. Cut dough into 10 wedges, cutting only about halfway through to score.

Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Cut the wedges and serve warm. Icing is optional.

I drizzled a bit of lime icing over the top of the scones this morning and my daughter loved it! She kept remarking how much she enjoyed the sourness of the lime juice. :0)

*Original recipe in Better Homes and Gardens New Baking Book, copyright 1998.

Cranberry Orange Bran Muffins

My husband visited some of our dear friends for the weekend recently and returned home raving about the delicious bran muffins they had for breakfast one morning. I asked my friend for the recipe because if something is THAT good, I have to try it! These are moist and not too sweet, and the addition of slightly tart dried cranberries and the brightness of orange zest make them irresistible!

Ingredients:

1 cup white flour

1/4 cup wheat flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 Tb. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

2 cups All Bran Original Cereal (the twigs!!)

1 1/3 cup milk

1/3 cup oil

1/2 cup dried cranberries

a healthy pinch of fresh orange zest

Instructions:

Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cranberries in a small bowl. Set aside. Mix All Bran, milk, and oil in another bowl and let stand for about 5 minutes, or until cereal has absorbed most of the liquid. Stir together the dry and wet ingredients until well incorporated and add the pinch of orange zest. Stir until combined. Spoon batter into sprayed muffin tins and bake for about 20-30 minutes at 400 degrees.

The original recipe called for baking for 20 minutes. My muffins weren't done until about 30 minutes, so you'll have to take into consideration that oven temperatures vary.

Thanks to Kellie May for sharing the basic recipe with me! I hope you'll enjoy the additions ~

Yield: 12 muffins