Coconut Sugar Banana Muffins

These Banana Muffins are now our favorite go to muffins. I've made them organic and am so glad they are fast and easy to whip up! I use this recipe from All Recipes, but have altered a few ingredients, so you can make to your liking :) I replaced the sugar with organic coconut sugar (and reduced it), I replaced the butter with organic coconut oil, and the flour with organic stone ground wheat. I also occasionally add nuts, coconut flakes, or healthy organic dark chocolate.

My family and friends have absolutely loved them!

Organic Coconut Sugar Banana Muffins

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups    organic stone ground wheat
• 1 tsp              baking powder (Rumford Aluminum Free Non-gmo)
• 1 tsp              baking soda
• 1 tsp              sea salt (Redmond Real Salt)
• 1 cup             bananas, mashed (use this conversion calculator for bananas)
• 1/2 cup         organic coconut palm sugar
• 1 egg              preferably pasture raised
• 1/3 cup          melted organic coconut oil

Directions 

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Put muffins liners into the muffin pan. (I used these unbleached/non-toxic muffin liners). Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. 
2. Mix together the banana, coconut sugar, egg, and melted coconut oil in a large bowl. Pour in the dry ingredients until mixed smoothly. Add in your nuts and/or chocolate, coconut flakes if wanted. Then scoop batter into your muffin pan. (I love this disher/scooper that I have, find it here on amazon). 
3. Bake in oven for 25-30 mins. Bake mini muffins for 10-15 mins.

Mix it all together, fill your muffin pans, put it in the oven, and enjoy the smell of baking banana bread. Yum!!

Enjoy it with a cup of milk or in our case a diary free coconut/rice milk combo!!!

They are perfect snacks to enjoy :)

Yummy Sunny Granola!

A few good reasons to make your own granola...

Homemade kind tastes so yummy.

It's quick & easy to make.

Your kitchen will smell so good. 

My kids love granola with their breakfast or snack. It's easy for them to toss it in some oatmeal, cereal, yogurt, fruit, etc.

Recipe found here.

Ingredients

3 cups rolled oats
1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
1 cup nuts or seeds of your choice (a mix of sliced almonds and sunflower seeds is pictured above)
5 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
2/3 cup pure maple syrup (or half honey)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of sea salt
1 cup dried fruit of your choice

*I added a little bit of cinnamon

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. In a large bowl, combine oats, coconut flakes, nuts or seeds, melted coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla and salt. Stir well until everything is evenly coated. Spread evenly on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and stir the oat mixture. Return it back to the oven for another 12 minutes. It should be golden brown, but keep an eye on it because it can go from perfect to burnt very quickly.
2. Remove from the oven and press the granola evenly with a spatula. Let cool and then add the dried fruit. Allow the granola to cool completely before storing in airtight containers. It can be stored at room temperature. 

Here is another way I like to make granola...

Roasted and Toasted Kine:

• 3 cups organic rolled oats
• 1 cup nuts (I like almonds and pecans)
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup organic maple syrup
• 1/2 cup organic coconut oil
• 3/4 tsp sea salt (if you use table salt use less)
• 1 cup shredded coconut flakes
• 1 cup dried fruit
• 1 tsp cinnamon (even add nutmeg, cloves, &/or ginger :)

Directions:

• Normally you'd set oven at 300 deg., but for roasted and toasted kine set to 350deg.  
• Put everything in a large enough bowl and mix it all together.
• Spread it out on a baking sheet.
• Bake for 30-45mins, stirring around at 15-20mins and checking to see IF IT NEEDS LESS TIME.
• And ENJOY the aroma :)

*I accidentally set the oven for 350deg and baked for 45 mins. It almost started burning and came out quite roasted and toasted, thus the name. (However, my oven I am finding bakes at a lower heat I think.) Family and friends said it was super good and my boys keep asking for more. Thank goodness!

*Most granola recipes use less salt, but the sea salt or kosher salt really helps bring out the flavors. However, like I said if you are using regular table iodized salt use less or else it will come out too salty, unless you like it that salty. You can also add the dried fruit after it's done cooking. I have done it that way too.

***MAKE SURE YOU KNOW HOW YOUR OVEN COOKS BEFORE BAKING IT TOO LONG AND BURNING IT. JUST WATCH IT!

Enjoy :)

Sweet Potato Chips

If you love sweet potato chips or fries you'll love these.

I will say that it is a bit hard to get them to turn out just right.

I use my mandolin to make them nice and thin and add enough oil to coat them.

Trial and error and you'll get it right!

Check out Nom Nom Paleo for instructions here.

Deviled Eggs

This is a snack I enjoy.

I mix the yolk with a creamy mac dip and then topped with nutmeg, pepper, and a tiny bit of cayenne pepper. With steamed peas.

Yum!

The creamy mac dip...I substituted macadamia nuts for the cashews.

 Good stuff!

(I don't like all the stuff in mayo, even if its organic. 'Say no to gmo's' lol.)

"Seedy Snacks"

 This recipe is found at Wholefood Simply...

Seedy Snacks

1/2 cup chia seeds

1/2 cup flax seeds

1/2 cup sunflower seeds

1/2 cup pumpkin seeds

1 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon spice of your choice*

1 cup of coconut water** or water

Preheat your oven to 175 Degrees Celsius or 350 Degrees Fahrenheit

Place the seeds, salt and spice into your blender or food processor, pulse quickly to roughly break up the pumpkin and sunflower seeds. With the mixture still gently turning add in the water. Leave the mixture gently stirring while you line a large oven tray with baking paper. By this time the mixture will have thickened. Pour the mixture onto the tray lined with baking paper. Place another piece of baking paper over the top, using your hands spread the mixture out until you have reached your desired thickness. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven, turn onto a chopping board and cut into squares. Allow to cool and enjoy.

* You really can use anything that you like, we often use a mix of cinnamon, ginger and cloves. Others prefer flavours such as garlic or oregano. You can even omit the spices.

 I enjoyed them with my Pumpkin Hummus

And baked cinnamon apples with soaked pecans!

Avocado & Eggs

This is a great snack or lunch. Whole wheat honey bread, organic boiled eggs, avocados, sprinkled with Himalayan Pink Salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper. 

Non-GMO

These are some Non-GMO foods that I have found and will continue to purchase...

Coconut Milk (Sprouts, Good Earth)

Edamame (Soybeans in the Pod, Costco)

Soymilk (Costco)

Organic Cane Sugar (Costco)

Flaxseed (Costco)

Rumford Aluminum-Free Baking Powder (Wal-mart)

 Nutiva's Organic Extra-Virgin Coconut Oil (Costco)