Tag: toddler friendly

Zucchini Date Oatmeal – vegan and gluten free

I haven’t written a post about oatmeal in a while. I’m sure you have been dying for a new version of oatmeal the whole time. This should do the trick. This is a favorite of both by girls and they love to help make it. They can both eat dates while I chop, then my 3 year old helps me shred the zucchini. They take turns dumping in the ingredients, and impatiently wait as it cooks, and cools enough for them to eat. We rarely eat this for breakfast, but often make it for our mid-morning snack, or lunch. The girls also like it cold and room temperature so it is a stable in our snack bag. This oatmeal is sweet, cinnamony, and filled with vegetables! Everything you could ask for in an oatmeal. If you are serving it to a green vegetable averse person you can peel the zucchini before shredding.

 

Zucchini Date Oatmeal

Ingredients

  • 2 medjool dates, pitted and finely chopped
  • 1 cup shredded zucchini, one small
  • 11/4 cups water
  • pinch of salt
  • heaping 1/2 cup rolled oats
  • 2 TBL hemp seeds (optional)
  • cinnamon to taste (optional)

Instructions

  1. In a small saucepan combine dates, zucchini, water, and salt. Cover and bring to a boil over medium high heat.
  2. Once boiling stir in the rolled oats, hemp seeds, and cinnamon. Cook, stirring frequently until the water is absorbed and the oatmeal is the consistency you prefer.
  3. Serve warm.

 

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Chocolate Peanut Butter Nice Cream (vegan, gluten free)

Chocolate Peanut Butter Vegan Ice Cream Nice Cream
Chocolate Peanut Butter Vegan Ice Cream

In the mood for a rich and decadent ice cream, but feel like you should be avoiding dairy, sugar, and really trying to eat better overall? Or, perhaps need a quick dessert for Easter? Well, here you are my friends. A delightful, quick, easy, sugar free, healthy treat that is surprisingly close to ice cream in taste and mouthfeel. It is heavy on the banana flavor, but the chocolate and peanut butter do a lovely job of complementing it and bringing out flavors one would expect.

This is nice cream is basically a smoothie and something I have considered eating for breakfast, maybe stirring it into my oatmeal. So many options for a treat made from real ingredients with no added sugar.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Nice Cream

 Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 frozen bananas cut into 1″ chunks (about 2 cups)
  • 6 TBL full fat canned coconut milk
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • pinch of salt
  • 3 TBL cocoa powder
  • 3 TBL crunchy peanut butter

Instructions

  1. Puree banana, coconut milk, vanilla, salt, and cocoa powder until smooth in a food processor or blender.
  2. Add peanut butter and pulse a few times to combine.
  3. Eat immediately, or store in the freezer for later. If storing in the freezer allow nice cream to thaw at room temperature a few minutes before serving.

Refined Sugar Free Cinnamon Muffins + Vegan 4th of July Ideas

Cinnamon Banana Whole Grain Muffins- Refined Sugar Free
Cinnamon Banana Whole Grain Muffins- Refined Sugar Free

This pregnancy thing is kicking my butt again. I have to be super careful of what I eat avoiding: acidic, fatty, and spicy foods. Even the good fats were sending my body into a tizzy! So here i sa delicious, low-fat, sugar-free, whole grain muffin to satisfy. I’m not going to lie, I was surprised at how well these turned out! They are moist, flavorful, sweet, and really don’t taste “healthy”! I’m planning on experimenting with the addition of berries and the like as the base for these is just so wonderful.

Due to the lack of fat these will only keep on the counter for about 2 days, then you should freeze them and thaw as desired.

These really are a perfect start to your 4th of July celebrations as they are easy to make, ready for snacking throughout the day, and healthy. If you are looking for something a bit more traditional for the 4th, I have a few ideas:

Whole Grain Cinnamon Muffins- Refined Sugar Free

Makes number of servings (yield): 12 muffins

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup unbleached flour
  • 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 cup oat flour (I ground rolled oats into flour)
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 cup nondairy milk
  • 2 TBL aquafaba (liqid from a can of beans- Garbonzo, white, black, pinto, whatever)
  • 1/2 a large very ripe banana, mashed
  • 2 TBL coconut oil
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350F. Spray muffin tin with non-stick spray.
  2. Mix together dry ingredients (flour through cinnamon) in a large bowl.
  3. Mix the apple cider vinegar and nondairy milk and set aside for a few minutes.
  4. In a small bowl whisk the aquafaba until just foamy, about 30 seconds.
  5. Add aquafaba, mashed banana, coconut oil, vanilla, maple syrup, and milk/vinegar mixture to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
  6. Divide batter evenly into 12 prepared muffin cups.
  7. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool for a few minutes before serving.