Category: Breakfast

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Energy Balls

Aren’t they pretty, all in a row? Albeit it crooked?

As an avid runner and overall fitness nut, I am always looking for healthy ways to fuel my body quickly and easily. I also enjoy snacking….a lot. My sister and I were just talking about how there has to be a snack break between breakfast and lunch. We can’t make it otherwise–and these are perfect for that!

When I am cooking and meal prepping, I can tell I have a winning clean eating recipe when my husband approves; With this recipe, he has been known to say, “You know what we are almost out of? Your yummy energy balls. You need to make more!” Guys, that’s a big deal. He is generally the biggest critic of my “overly-healthy” recipes so when he said that, you can bet I got into the kitchen and made another batch! I hope you enjoy them as much as we do! (The original recipe came from Rachel from Clean Food Crush, but has been modified by me to meet our needs at home)

Here are your ingredients

  • 2 cups ground old-fashioned oatmeal (see details in the recipe)
  • 1/2 cup coconut flour ( It smells so delightful!)
  • 1/2 cup real maple syrup (honey would work too!)
  • 1/2 cup natural peanut butter
  • 1/4 t kosher salt
  • 1 1/2 Tablespoons coconut oil, melted (I accidentally forgot this once, and we didn’t even notice, so if you don’t have it, it won’t make or break the recipe)
  • 1/3 semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract (I LOVE the flavor this brings in)

First, grind the oats to make a sort of oatmeal flour. To do this, place the old fashioned oats into a food processor and pulse them until you have a very coarse flour like texture. I like to be able to cook with what I have on hand so rather than buy oat flour, I did this and it worked great.

Then, combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix them with a wooden spoon (or by hand!) until well mixed. Form them into 1-2 inch balls (whatever suits your family. We like 1 inch energy balls around here.). Place on a cookie sheet that has been lined with parchment paper. Place the cookie in the fridge for approximately an hour to harden. Remove from the pan, place in an airtight container, and store them back in the fridge. I have read that you can freeze these for up to 3 months as well so if you are a food prep kind of person, I would whip up a few batches and put them in the freezer for a grab and go snack that can thaw over a few hours. (I’m thinking they would be great packed in a lunch and used for that sweet treat at the end to finish up your meal. As for me, I like to pack a few for my morning and afternoon snacks at work (See, I love all the snacks. My husband calls me a squirrel because I always have some food on hand…). As for my kids, they eat them like an after dinner treat, so I think I am winning. I hope you enjoy! –Jess

  • All the ingredients
  • Mix, mix, mix it up!
  • Finished product! Pop one in and enjoy!

JessLeave a comment

THE Banana Bread.

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I wanted to name this post, “The banana bread to make you forget all other banana breads.” Or maybe, “The banana bread you never new you were missing.” Or my favorite, “THE banana bread. Mic drop.” But those seemed a little long, and perhaps like they wouldn’t survive well as a link, so we will just stick with THE banana bread.

Honestly. This banana bread is dense. It’s so flavorful. It’s got great texture. And the best part? It’s made of good for you ingredients so when you go for your third slice, you know you’re putting good fuel into your body. Did I mention it’s gluten free too?! (I’m not gluten free, but I have a good friend who is so I am always on the look out for good recipes for her) Don’t get me wrong, I love my old school quick breakfast breads that my mother-in-law makes and what sits in my freezer for when guests show up, but I know that I will be hungry in an hour and the sugar will make my belly feel icky if I eat too much. It’s just the way it is for me.

So back to the bread, because seriously, you need to make it yesterday.

YOUR INGREDIENTS FOR THE BANANA BREAD

  • 2 cups old fashioned oats
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3 very ripe bananas, mashed (My go to tool for this? A pastry cutter. It works great AND young kids can easily get involved and do this step for you)
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/4 cup honey or real maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil
  • 1/4-1/2 cups chocolate chips

Your Steps to the banana bread

First, measure out and combine:

  • 2 cups old fashioned oats
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Pulse these three ingredients in a food processor until they are a coarse flour texture.

In an additional bowl, combine:

  • 3 very ripe bananas, mashed (My go to tool for this? A pastry cutter. It works great AND young kids can easily get involved and do this step for you)
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/4 cup honey or real maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil

Stir in the oat mixture and 1/4-1/2 cup chocolate chips (dark chips are our new go to at our house…not to mention they fill the chocolate fix you may need after dinner!). Pour into a well greased bread pan and sprinkle a few chocolate chips on top, because, well, it’s pretty. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes, until baked through.

I love that I can enjoy a good breakfast bread that is filling and the perfect amount of sweetness without overdoing it on the added sugar. It is also a perfect mid morning snack to get you to lunch! Give it a try! You may just toss out your old banana recipe and have a new favorite 🙂 —Jess

  • A pastry cutter–the best banana masher!
  • Coconut oil in, stir, add the eggs!
  • Blitz in the food processor
  • “flour,” chocolate chips, and banana mixture
  • Chocolate chips look so pretty and perfect.
  • Get in my belly!

A few Notes…

I always thought that a small, 2 cup food processor was good enough. It’s what my mom used growing up, and if it was good enough for her, it was good enough for me. However, a few holidays ago, I asked for a 7 cup Kitchen Aid Mixer. It’s AMAZING and I can’t tell you how often I use it. Highly recommend the investment. It’s great for chopping veggies for salsa, making oat flour, or even mixing banana ice cream. Click the image below to check out a similar model!

THE Banana Bread

Gluten Free, Clean Eating Banana Bread
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Servings 12

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups old fashioned oats
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3 bananas very ripe
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/4 cup honey (maple syrup)
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil melted
  • 1/4-1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350° F.
  • Combine oats, salt, and baking soda in a food processor. Pulse until a coarse flour texture is obtained.
  • In a large bowl, mash bananas. Add honey and eggs. Mix well.
  • Stir oat mixture into mashed bananas. Add chocolate chips and coconut oil. Mix until just combined.
  • Pour into well greased bread pan. Bake for 40-50 minutes, until baked through.
Keyword Banana Bread, Breakfast, Gluten Free
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Jess1 Comment

Crockpot Granola

The crockpot. Under utilized at my house and I realize how much I love it every time I use it…and then I promptly put it away for another month or so. I can’t be alone on that one, right? Any who, I eat overnight oats for breakfast five or so times a week. It fills me up and makes my taste buds dance. If you’re looking for a new recipe, this recipe is my go to and mixes together in literally 5 minutes. One complaint I hear about overnight oatmeal is the lack of texture. I get it. So I like to top mine with some extra walnuts, almonds, or granola. And let me tell you, this homemade crockpot granola is the way to go!

The inspiration came from sitting with a cup of coffee at my sisters, flipping through magazines. I saw a crockpot granola recipe and I was inspired! I promptly got home and made my own take on granola, and here it is for you. It isn’t too sweet, so if you have a sweet tooth, you may want to add a little more honey or maple sugar. When mixed with vanilla Greek yogurt, it is perfect for me. Give it a try. Then personalize it to your own liking and enjoy on its own, with yogurt, or with some milk.

Your ingredients for Crockpot Granola

  • 3 cups old fashioned oats
  • 1 cup uncooked quinoa
  • 1 cup unsweetened coconut
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries and apples (or any combination of your favorite dried fruit!)
  • 1 cup nuts of your choice (I used pecans)
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil
  • 1/2 tablespoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon nutmeg
  • dash of salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Your Steps to Crockpot Granola

Liberally spray a crockpot with cooking spray. Then mix all ingredients in the crockpot, making sure to evenly distribute the honey and coconut oil. Cook on high for 1-1 1/2 hours, stirring every 15 minutes or so. Watch closely for the last half hour as it can burn easily and who likes cleaning a burned on crockpot? Definitely not me. This recipe does make quite a lot of granola. That’s okay! Less prep later, right? As long as you keep it in an air tight container, it should keep for quite some time. Enjoy! —Jess

each in their pretty little piles
all mixed together
“baked” goodness
Atop my overnight oats, vanilla greek yogurt, with some frozen black raspberries from our garden. This picture brings me so much joy!

Crockpot Granola

Homemade granola: simple and so much better than store bought. Better than that, it is made in the crockpot to minimize the work. Big win!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup uncooked quinoa
  • 1 cup unsweetened coconut
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries and apples or any combination of your favorite dried fruit!
  • 1 cup nuts of your choice
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil
  • 1/2 tablespoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon nutmeg
  • dash of salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions
 

  • Liberally spray a crockpot with cooking spray.
  • Then mix all ingredients in the crockpot, making sure to evenly distribute the honey and coconut oil.
  • Cook on high for 1-1 1/2 hours, stirring every 15 minutes or so. Leave the cover slightly ajar so that moisture can escape.
  • Watch closely for the last half hour as it can burn easily.
  • Allow to cool by spreading onto a baking sheet. Store cooled granola in an airtight container.
Keyword crockpot, granola, slow cooker
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Looking for other favorite Breakfast Recipes?

Give a couple of these a try!

JessLeave a comment

Overnight Oatmeal

I love the holidays. I love the time with family. The food. The fun. It’s all so marvelous. But my body, it gets a little annoyed with me when I over indulge for a number of days a week for a number of weeks. It’s ready for a reset: Overnight oatmeal.

Get past the big family breakfasts and back to the fuel it craves and for me, that’s overnight oatmeal (or some wheat filled cereal when I am too lazy to make another batch…It happens!) So tonight I put together 5-6 servings of overnight oatmeal for myself so I am ready for breakfast through the weekend! It’s the best! PS…When I say I am lazy, it really is out of laziness. Every time I skip making my oatmeal for a few days, I am disappointed with myself when I finally get around to making it. “Seriously, Jess, you couldn’t take 5 minutes to mix this together? Come on…”

But in all seriousness, this is a great recipe that fills you up and has all sorts of options for variations. I like to add sliced bananas or frozen raspberries with vanilla Greek yogurt. It’s perfect and easy. And if you like a hot breakfast, you can pop it in the microwave for 30 seconds to a minute there you go!

Your ingredients:

  • 2 1/2 cups old fashioned oats (I get thick cut ones from our local natural food store. They are divine!)
  • 1/4-1/2 cup chopped nuts (I use walnuts or pecans)
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut
  • 1/2 tablespoon vanilla
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon (or more if you love cinnamon)
  • 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon chia seeds
  • 2 cups unsweetened almond milk (I am sure regular milk would be great too!)

Your Steps to Overnight Oatmeal

In a brownie pan, mix oats, nuts, coconut, and cinnamon. Sprinkle with vanilla and and slowly top with honey. Stir until well-combined. THEN sprinkle with chia seeds. I find if you do this with the honey, they clump together and do weird things that texture wise, I just don’t enjoy. If you forget, it’s not the end of the world, but don’t say I didn’t warn you 🙂 Pour over the almond milk slowly to cover all the services. You can add an additional 1/2 cup if you feel like it isn’t moist enough. Cover and place in the fridge overnight. Enjoy plain or top with your favorite sliced fruit and yogurt. Sprinkling a little granola for texture is great too! I hope you enjoy it like I do! —Jess

Just some walnuts, cinnamon and oatmeal chilling
Top with some coconut (totally optional, but I love it!)
Little honey. Mix. Sprinkle some chia. Pour on the milk.
Can you say yum?! Texture, flavor, and oh so filling. AND minimal prep each morning, just top with fruit and yogurt!
Ready for my belly!

Quick to create 5-6 servings, overnight oatmeal is full of flavor and texture, is filling, and good for you!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 0 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Servings 6 people

Ingredients
  

  • 2 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
  • 1/4-1/2 cup chopped nuts
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut optional
  • 1/2 tablespoon vanilla or almond extract if almond, do 1/2 -1 teaspoon
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoon chia seeds
  • 2 cups unsweetened almond milk

Instructions
 

  • In a baking dish with a cover, mix oatmeal, nuts, coconut, cinnamon, and vanilla or almond extract.
  • Top with honey and mix.
  • Sprinkle oatmeal mixture with chia seeds and mix once more.
  • Top oatmeal mixture with almond milk, making sure to hit all corners of the dish. Cover and allow to chill overnight.
  • Serve oatmeal in the morning with Greek yogurt, berries, and granola or extra chopped nuts.
Keyword Breakfast, oatmeal, overnight oats
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Jess3 Comments

Cinnamon and Maple Waffles

“How clean can I make this recipe before my family rejects it as ‘not as good?’ It’s like a game for me. When it comes to breakfast, I will cut some of the fats, replace the fats to make them a healthier version, and then use real maple syrup instead of white sugar. Sometimes I win. Sometimes I lose. Today, I won with these cinnamon and maple waffles.

My parents gifted my family a waffle maker for Christmas. It’s like they read my mind. My kids eat frozen waffles almost every day. So today I opened the box, Googled ‘whole wheat waffles’ and picked a recipe. My kids loved them. Then I thought, “Why not take the risk and totally change the recipe to make it clean?” So I did. And while my son was already full, the bite (and second and third that he came for afterward) of the clean waffle was declared, “BETTER THAN THE FIRST!” with two thumbs up. Mom win! The picture isn’t beautiful with syrup (my 9 year old ate his bites sans syrup), but you can bet I’ll be preparing a bunch of these in these next few days and filling my freezer for my kiddos as school comes back in session! I hope your family enjoys them as much as my son and I did!

–Jess

Your Ingredients for Cinnamon and maple waffles

  • 2 cup whole wheat flour (you can do a mix of whole wheat and white flour, but decrease the milk as you go)
  • 4 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed (optional)
  • 2 eggs, mixed in a separate bowl first
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
  • 1 3/4-2 cups unsweetened almond milk (or other milk of your choice!)
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup

Your steps:

Combine dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and flaxseed) in a bowl. Add mixed egg, coconut oil, almond milk, maple syrup, and vanilla. Stir until combined. Cook in a heated waffle iron (Mine took just about 3/4 cup of batter and cooked for 3-4 minutes. Follow you own directions). Serve with your favorite waffle toppings. I think these would be GREAT with a little nut butter for protein and maybe just a smidge more syrup, but you do what makes you happy 🙂

Notes

I was out of whole wheat flour AND almond milk (gasp!) recently so I made these with white flour and skim milk. They got two thumbs up, but I needed to decrease the milk by a 1/4 of a cup.

These freeze great for weekday morning breakfasts. Prep, allow to cool, and then place in a freezer bag.

First dry ingredients. Then mix in the wet.
Crack the eggs in a mug and whisk with a fork for easier incorporation!
What a perfect canvas for your favorite waffle toppings!

Tool of the trade

If you’re going to put together some waffles, you’ll need a great waffle maker, right? Now, I know they take up space, but worth the investment if your family is a waffle eating family like mine is!

Cinnamon and Maple Waffles

Good for you ingredients combine for these cinnamon and maple waffles that you and your kids will all crave.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Servings 4

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cup whole wheat flour you can do a mix of whole wheat and white flour, but decrease the milk as you go
  • 4 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed optional
  • 2 eggs mixed in a separate bowl first
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil melted
  • 1 3/4-2 cups unsweetened almond milk or other milk of your choice!
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup

Instructions
 

  • Combine dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and flaxseed) in a bowl.
  • Add mixed egg, coconut oil, almond milk, maple syrup, and vanilla. Stir until combined.
  • Cook in a heated waffle iron (Mine took just about 3/4 cup of batter and cooked for 3-4 minutes. Follow you own directions).
  • Serve with your favorite waffle toppings.

Notes

If you prefer all purpose flour, be sure to decrease the milk to 1 3/4 cups.
These freeze great for weekday morning breakfasts. Prep, allow to cool, and then place in a freezer bag.
Keyword apple and cinnamon, maple, waffles, whole wheat
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Looking for other breakfast ideas?

Here are a few of my favorites!

JessLeave a comment