Clean Eating: Chocolate, Peanut Butter, Banana, Oatmeal Cookies

Have a few ripe bananas sitting out?  Try this chocolate-peanut butter cookie recipe!

Clean Eating: Chocolate, Peanut-Butter, Banana, Oatmeal Cookies

3 large, very ripe bananas, peeled
1/2 cup creamy all-natural peanut butter
1 tbsp coconut oil, warmed but not melted ( I buy Nutiva Organic EVCO)
3 tbsp agave nectar or honey (I like Madhava's Organic Light Nectar)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups old fashioned oats

2 tbsp ground flax (optional) (I like Bob's Red Mill Organic Flaxseed Meal)

1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt


Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°.

In a large bowl, mash the bananas, then stir in peanut butter, coconut oil, agave, and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth.

*Note:  If you use frozen bananas, their cold temperature will make the coconut oil congeal.  Make sure your naner-mix is room temp before adding the coconut oil!  (I learned this the hard way.)

In a separate bowl, stir together the oats, flax, cocoa powder, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Slowly stir the dry ingredients into the wet until they are fully combined.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, and spoon out small spoonfuls of dough. 

This mixture made 36 small cookies.  

Bake for 12-13 minutes, and let cookies cool on the baking sheet for at least three minutes before moving to a cooling rack.  

Enjoy!

Clean Eating: Spicy Cucumber Salsa

A co-worker brought two crates of giant cucumbers into work on Friday.  I couldn't pass up fresh (and free) produce, but I wasn't sure what to do with four cucumbers.

After searching on pinterest, I found a few cucumber salsa recipes for inspiration, and then got creative.  Here is what I came up with:

Clean Eating: Spicy Cucumber Salsa
4 cups chopped, seeded, and peeled cucumber (about 2 large cucumbers)
1 medium-sized tomato, chopped
1/2 medium red onion
1 sweet pepper (green, red, yellow, orange - your choice)
2 jalapeños chopped (leave seeds in for extra spicy)
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
4 tbsp fresh cilantro, minced (but I probably put in more because I love cilantro)

1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt
juice of 1 lemon
juice of 1 lime

Directions: 
Simply mix everything together.

You can eat it right away or let it chill in the fridge.

I was pleasantly surprised by the crisp, coolness of the cucumber and the spicy kick of the jalapeños mixing with the other flavors. 

Let me know what you think of it.

Clean Eating Oatmeal Bites

I've been trying to come up with a tasty yet easily portable breakfast that I can take with me when I go to the gym in the morning.

This is what I came up with:  Clean Eating Oatmeal Bites

Topped with Chocolate Chips and Blueberries

1 egg
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 ripe banana (mashed)
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup almond milk (or milk of your choice)
2 1/2 cups oats
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp chia seeds (I buy Organic Nutiva)

Toppings of your choice.

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°.

Mix wet ingredients together in a large bowl: egg, vanilla, applesauce, banana, honey, milk.
Combine dry ingredients in a small bowl: oats, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, chia seeds.
Slowly stir the dry ingredients into the wet.

Line muffin pan with paper liners (or with foil if you run out like I did).
Spoon mixture into the cups so that they are a 1/3 full.  Add a few toppings here, then cover completely with the mixture.  Add more toppings to the top of each muffin. 
This mixture made 12 full muffins.

Bake 25-30 minutes (until a toothpick comes out clean).

Oatmeal Bites: Gooey Chocolate Center

Huckleberry and Walnut Cookies

My husband went on a hike last weekend and picked a good amount of huckleberries.  We've been snacking on them all week, but I thought I should try my hand at a new type of cookie with the fresh, tasty little guys.

I've included two versions of this recipe.  One is how I usually make cookies (with almond flour, coconut oil, etc.) and the other has more common, regularly used ingredients that you might have in your fridge and pantry.

Huckleberry & Walnut Cookies

My Usual Recipe:
2.5 cups Almond Flour
1/2 cups Oat Flour
2 Tbs Flax Meal
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Salt
1 Tbs Vanilla Extract
10 Tbs Coconut Oil
10 Tbs Honey
1/3 cup Walnuts
1/3 cup Huckleberries

Pre-heat the oven to 350°.

Mix the dry ingredients (flours, flax, baking soda, salt) together in a small bowl.  Mix the wet ingredients (vanilla, coconut oil, honey) together in a large bowl.  Slowly pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, mixing the entire time.  Fold in walnuts and huckleberries.

Form small balls of dough with your hands, flatten them slightly, and place them on the cookie sheet. 

Bake 12-13 minutes.  Let cookies cool for 3-4 minutes on the cookie sheet before removing them. 

Makes ~30 small cookies.


Recipe With More Common Ingredients:
3 cups flour (white or whole wheat)
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Salt
1 Tbs Vanilla Extract
10 Tbs Butter (softened)
1/2 cup White Sugar
2 eggs
1/3 cup Walnuts
1/3 cup Huckleberries (or other fruit like dried cranberries)

Pre-heat the oven to 350°.

Mix the dry ingredients (flours, baking soda, salt) together in a small bowl.  Mix the wet ingredients (vanilla, butter, sugar, eggs) together in a large bowl.  Slowly pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, mixing the entire time.  Fold in walnuts and huckleberries.

Form small balls of dough with your hands, flatten them slightly, and place them on the cookie sheet. 

Bake 10-12 minutes.  Let cookies cool for 3-4 minutes on the cookie sheet before removing them. 

Makes ~30 small cookies.


Let me know what you think of them!

Cake Pan Pizza - Gluten Free

Lazy Man's Cake Pan Pizza

Soooo easy to make!

Crust:

2 cups garbanzo bean (chickpea) flour (I use Bob's Red Mill Garbanzo Bean Flour)
1 1/2 cups water

Margherita: Cheese, Fresh Sliced Tomato, Fresh Basil

1 Tbsp olive oil

Sauce:
1 cup of your favorite pre-made marinara or get fancy and make your own (marinara recipe coming soon)

Toppings:
Whatever you want

Directions:
Whisk flour, water, and oil together.  Cover and let sit for an hour (or more if you'd like) on the counter.

Place cake-pans in the oven and pre-heat it to 400°.

Veggie: Cheese, Tomato, Red Onion, Green Pepper

When pre-heated, spray cake pans with non-stick spray or add a little bit of olive oil to each pan.  Don't forget that they've been in the oven - they're hot!

Add 1/2 of the batter to each cake pan, then bake for 15-20 minutes.  The crusts are done when the edges are brown and the centers are firm.

Remove the cake pans from the oven and add your sauce (1/2 cup to each crust) and toppings.

Switch your oven to Broil and bake pizzas for ~5 minutes.  Peak in to see if the cheese and toppings are baked to your liking.

Ta-Da!  Gluten-free pizza!

Healthy(ier) Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

I have a simple rule:  If I am going to eat something unhealthy, then I have to make it myself.  

If I want cookies or muffins or cake, I need to make it.  That rule really helps cut down how often I eat these things.  And even when I do make them, I'm always looking for a healthier option. 

I don't know if you can ever call a cookie healthy, but here is my attempt at a Healthier Chocolate Chip Cookie:

2.5 cups blanched almond flour (I use Bob's Red Mill's Almond Flour)
2 Tbsp flax meal (I use Bob's Red Mill's Flax Meal)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
8 Tbsp melted coconut oil (I use Nutiva's Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil)
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/4 cup walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°.

Mix the first four ingredients (flour, flax, baking soda, salt) in a small bowl.  Mix the wet ingredients (vanilla, melted coconut oil, honey) in a large bowl.  Slowly mix the dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredients.  Fold in chocolate chips and walnuts. 

*Tip: Cover your cookie sheet with parchment paper.  It makes moving the cookies and clean up so much easier.

Form small balls of dough with your hands, flatten them slightly, and place them on the cookie sheet. 

Bake 10-12 minutes.  Let cookies cool for 3-4 minutes on the cookie sheet before removing them. 

Makes 36 small cookies.

Did you make these cookies?  Let me know what you think!