Multigrain Hot Cakes

Brrr, cold mornings make me crave something warm to put into my tummy. I've been playing with multigrain hot cake recipes to replace my basic white flour pancake recipe. My boys eat pancakes, they are easy to make big batches of batter, and they are a good solid breakfast food when loaded with some good grains and a few veggies snuk in. Whip this together in seriously like 15 minutes...save the extra batter in the fridge and have fresh hot cakes a few days in a row!

Multigrain Hot Cakes

2 cups white flour

1 cup wheat flour

1/2 cup cornmeal

1/2 cup rolled oats

4 Tbsp brown sugar

4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

3 cups fat free milk

6 Tbsp canola oil

2 Tsp vanilla

2 eggs

4-6 Thawed Cubes Mama Made fruit or veggie of your choice (optional) ~ we love apple/pumpkin flavors added!

Simply dump all your ingredients into a mixing bowl. Mix well and let sit for 5 minutes before you bake over a hot skillet on low to medium heat. Serve with warm maple syrup pr honey...a smile too...and enjoy!

Pretty in Pink Parfaits

Some mornings are just busier then others and getting everyone out the door by 8:30 can sometimes feel like a mini marathon. So.Many.Details!!  There are mornings where my hair-washing goal or the extra time to shave my legs quickly get bumped off the morning to-do list, but sending everyone off with a full tummy and eating well to start the day just doesn't happen here. I truly think breakfasts is one of the most important meals of the day and my kids brains and bodies need that boost to start well. So even on the days we are going a little faster pace then most mornings, I try to keep some basics around the house to throw these together. You probably have almost everything you need as I write this and if you don't...get creative with what you do have :) It's got all your basic breakfast items all made into one easy to take in the van jar!

Pretty in Pink Parfaits

Starting with the bottom layer:

cheerios

strawberry yogurt

crushed frozen strawberries (use your blender "ice crush" mode)

vanilla yogurt

granola

crushed frozen raspberries

strawberry or raspberry yogurt

crushed frozen berries

*You could totally use a variety of fruit, cereals, or yogurts.

Serve with a smile and enjoy!

it's apple season!

While I love the season of grilled food every night and fresh veggies from the garden, I also must admit...I love fall foods. Or maybe I just love food? Either way, apple season is here! Down at market the apple farmer made his appearance for the first time this last weekend, so it's safe to say the fall's finest dishes can start being made to enjoy! Between applesauce and apple dumplings and apple crisp comes the most looked forward to apple dish in our home..apple pie :) Probably my husband's favorite dessert I make, next to strawberry pie and for sure a must to smell up the house real nice and serve at the end of the back-yard dinner meal. And the best part? You can make this....fairly easily! (yes, YOU, who have never attempted a home-made pie!!) I promise! So gather your apples and warm up that oven. Fall is ready to visit your table!

Easy Crust

1 cup flour

1/2 cup crisco

1 Tbsp butter

1/4 cup very cold water

Apple Pie Filling

5 cups of peeled, sliced, and rinsed Granny Smith apples

1 cup sugar

2 Tbsp flour

1/2 tsp. cinnamon (I think it's around 1/2 tsp...I just sprinkle some in)

dash of nutmeg

dash of salt

2-4 Tbsp butter (slice and place on top of filling before you lay top crust in)

I think the best apple pie apples are Granny Smith, but any apple can do the job.

I like to add my crust ingredients together in my glass mixing bowl and knead together. Once it is fairly mixed I dump the pile onto a floured surface and knead away the rest until I have a nice round ball of dough. (and I double this crust recipe for two pie crusts)

Once your ball of dough is not too sticky that it sticks to the rolling pin, but not too dry that it crumbles, you are ready to roll out those crusts! You can do this...seriously.

I sprinkle a little flour on the top of the dough ball and roll out in each direction until big enough to fill the pie pan. Roll both crusts out. Lay your first one in the pan and set the 2nd one aside for the top.

Pinch your crusts down against the edge and leave just enough to pinch the top crust together when you are done filling it. You will have a little hanging over the edge of your pie pan.

Next, prepare your filling. Slice your apples and throw together with sugar, flour, nutmeg, salt, and cinnamon.

Set your butter pats on top.

Lay your top crust on top and cut along edge of pie pan to get rid of extra crust. Pinch together or use a fork to mold two crusts together.

Poke a cute design or poke at least a few air holes to let it breathe while it bakes.

Bake in your pre-heated oven at 400 degrees. If you time it well, put it in an hour before your hubs gets home from work... who doesn't love to walk into an apple pie scented house?

And the best part! Serve with a smile and enjoy! Happy pie making mama's!!

Banana Cup-cakes

I love traditions. We always bake a cake or cup-cakes for the first day of school and this year was no different. This year, we had a bag of my banana-spinach baby-food to use up, so we found a recipe to tweak and add some fresh flavor! If you like banana bread, you'll love these. These are seriously too easy! The cinnamon peanut-butter frosting tops it off deliciously. Happy 1st day of school week, mamas! Cheers to a new year! 

Banana Cup-cakes

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

1 1/2 cups mashed bananas or 6 Banana/Spinach Mama Made cubes (thawed)

2 large eggs (farm fresh is best :)

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Mix all ingredients together and spoon evenly into 14 cup-cake fillers. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until lightly golden brown. For extra fluffiness, set a bowl of water in your oven as you bake your muffins! Let cool completely before frosting.

Peanut Butter/Cinnamon Frosting

1 1/4 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 tablespoon peanut butter

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp vanilla 

1/4 to 1/2 cup milk

Whip your butter. Add your peanut butter, vanilla, and cinnamon and whip well. Slowly add powdered sugar. Then add milk as you need to get consistency you want. Frost cupcakes, sprinkle, and as always...serve with a smile and enjoy!

 Little helpers make the baking more fun!

Blueberry Bran Muffins

It's blueberry season! I am always looking for ways to sneak a little extra fiber into my children's diet. My kids do not like plain bran flakes, but they sure make for some good baking basics when it comes to making a kid friendly snack. And it is perfect time of year to gather some fresh blueberries for the mixing! If you were at market last weekend, this is what you found at our booth...feel free to share and enjoy!

Blueberry Bran Muffins


Topping:
3/4 cup Bran Flakes, crushed
3 Tbsp packed brown sugar
1 Tbsp melted butter


Muffins:
1 3/4 cup bran flakes
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg
2 Tbsp veg oil
3 cubes Mama Made Apple, thawed
1 cup flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup fresh blueberries

Pre-heat oven to 400. Grease muffin tins. (I prefer stoneware pans for this recipe). Combine cereal, buttermilk, egg, oil, apple in bowl. Let sit for 5 min, cereal should get soggy. Combine rest of ingredients and stir in blueberries last using a folding motion. Batter will be thick! Divide evenly into muffin cups and sprinkle with crunchy topping. Bake for  20-25 min. As always, serve with a smile and enjoy! (Each muffin has 2g of fiber)

Summer Smoothie

Summer is my favorite season to eat! So many fresh fruits and veggies at markets, in stores, and growing in back-yards. Summer around here often is heard by the humming of the blender and the taste of sweet smoothies while we hang out on the back-porch swinging our days away. If you have picky kids, this is one of the easiest ways to sneak in some of their daily vitamins! Really, smoothies are so flexible. I often times just throw in whatever we have around, but there are a few favorite fruits/veggies that have my kids asking for more when their cup gets low. With the heat index in the 100's this last week, I suggest trying these out sooner then later... a perfect summer treat that you can feel good about serving :)

Summer Smoothie

1-2 bananas

large handful of raw spinach leaves

small handful of fresh Kale

1-2 cups vanilla yogurt (Greek yogurt is best) 

1 Tbsp flax seed or wheat germ

frozen strawberries (or frozen fruit of choice)

4-5 cubes Mama Made carrots baby-food

100% apple juice

This is a really flexible recipe. If you want, you can just use bananas, yogurt, frozen strawberries, and juice to get it to the consistency you want. Or you can add the extra's for some great added nutrients. I start by using a really good blender :)  I first put in my greens, yogurt, bananas, wheat-germ or flax seed, and a little tiny bit of juice. Blend that up. Add some frozen berries and your carrot cubes (if you have them). I add a bit more juice to help the frozen berries puree up nice. You've got yourself a sweet summer treat! As always, enjoy and serve it up with a smile!

PS If your blender won't finely blend your greens, purchase Mama Made, Banana/Spinach or Carrots/Kale, to get your greens into your frozen treats easier.

Fresh Guacamole

I have an addiction. To avocados. I am so thankful our local ALDI has them for a good price, because I eat enough a week to keep them in supply and demand there! I have been playing around with some guac recipes and finally created the perfect one. This mixes up in about 5 minutes and you probably have everything you need on hand, minus the avocado (which, if you want some cheap, you better beat me to ALDI or I may have bought them all :)

Not only do these taste good, but they are good for you! Did you know avocados are a good source of fiber, potassium, and vitamins C,K, folate, and B6? Half an avocado has 160 calories, 15 grams of heart-healthy unsaturated fat, and only 2 grams saturated fat. One globe contains more than one-third daily value of vitamin C, and more than half the day’s requirements of vitamin K. This so called "alligator pear" is a good source of nutrition and even my 10 month old loves them. How can you feel bad eating this guacamole recipe almost everyday? :)

Fresh Guacamole
1 avocado
1-2 cap fulls of lemon juice (great flavor add and keeps it from turning brown so fast)
1-2 good shakes of garlic salt
1-2 good shakes of chili powder (or taco seasoning)
1/4 cup of fresh salsa (you can also buy this at your local grocery store in the refrigerated area)

Simply scrape out your avocado and mash with a fork. Stir in the remaining ingredients. A perfect dip for chips, veggies, or mixed in a wrap! Serve with a smile and enjoy!