Super Power Breakfast Cookies #breakfastonthego

What's that? A cookie that gives you super powers? It's true, no need to disbelieve. We have been making these protein packed, whole grain cookies almost every very week for a few years now and they remain one of our favorite breakfast and afternoon snacks ever. They come together as quick as waffles or pancakes do and have everything you need to fuel your bod all morning, especially when you pair them with a piece of fresh fruit and a glass of milk!

I'm admittedly and unabashedly most definitely NOT a morning person! Even after 16 years of having a job that requires me to wake up at 5:30 am and even after having 4 children who require every ounce of energy that you don't have at 4 o'clock in the morning.


This means that a bowl of cold cereal would be served every. single. morning at our house during the week if it weren't for brainlessly easy fixes like these cookies. Everyone loves them and they keep me full until I'm able to have a late mid-morning snack at work. I'm happy knowing my kiddos are being fueled through their mornings of quizzes, science reports and P.E. classes. Win-Win.







Mmmmmmmmm, cookies.......... for breakfast.

Another reason I'm so hung up and head over heals for these cookies? They make a great "Grab and Go" afternoon snack. Perfect for those days when we are running all over town, day trips and hiking adventures. Again, we almost always pair a cookie (or two) with a piece of fresh fruit. A banana, apple, orange or grapes make great travel friendly snacks!

Toasted Whole Oats {Coach's Oats}

Super Power Breakfast Cookies

TIME     20 MINUTES        YIELDS     28-20 COOKIES

Ingredients

2 flax eggs (2 T flax meal + 1/4 c water)

1/2 c cooked pumpkin or applesauce or 2 medium ripe bananas (mashed)

1/2 c natural, no sugar added peanut butter (or other nut butter)

1/2 teaspoon baking powder 

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Pinch sea salt

1 t pure vanilla extract 

1/4 c maple syrup or honey

1/2 c oat flour (ground from oats in coffee grinder or blender or food processor)

1 c whole grain oats such as Coaches Oats (or 1/2 c unsweetened coconut flakes AND 1/2 c oats)

1/4 c each: walnuts or pecans (chopped); raisins or other dried fruit, and/or dark chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350˚F. 

In small bowl, combine flax seed & water; let sit while you're preparing the batter. 

Combine wet ingredients in a large bowl & dry ingredients in another bowl.  Add flax eggs to wet ingredients then stir in dry ingredients.

Drop cookies by spoonfuls on lightly greased baking sheet or silpat non-stick baking mat set on top of a cookie sheet (the cookies won’t expand much). Bake 15-17 min or til cookies are slightly golden brown.

Remove from oven and let cool on baking sheet a few minutes before transferring to cooling rack. After completely cooled, store in air-tight container to keep fresh for a few days. Refrigerate or freeze for even longer storage time.

recipe adapted from Minimalist Baker

You might also like these healthy breakfast options

Protein Packed Banana Sunflower Cookies

Cottage Cheese Pancakes {GF}

Granola, Quinoa and Fruit Bars

What are your favorite quick and easy "Go To"  breakfast options?

Quinoa Spring Pilaf

Fresh, raw Spring veggies are tossed with rainbow quinoa for this quick and tangy 

citrus infused pilaf.  

It's beautiful and breezy here in Phoenix and totally tank top and flip flop weather!  Hooray!  Time to get a plan in action to take advantage of every minute of this 80 degree weather in the Valley of the Sun before triple digit scorching weather is here and it's our turn to be locked up inside.  Instead of being freezed in, we will be rubbing ice cubes on our necks, faces pressed close to a rotating fan.






Step 1. Get a pedicure and buy three new pairs of cute flip flops and two new pairs of sexy sandals (yes there's a difference).

Step 2. Purchase a new pair of Rock Star shades and sit by the pool to put some color back on your fish belly white arms and legs!

Step 3. Attend as many Spring training baseball games as possible while sporting your new semi-tanned bod.

{note to self: try not to gain 5 lbs this year eating Brats and drinking beer at aforementioned baseball games}

Step 4. Start making fresh, raw whenever possible meals using all of your favorite Spring veggies that are back in season!

Step 5. Try not to cry when swim suit shopping this year. We are going to eat healthier, exercise more and be even sexier bitches than we are right now!

Step 6. Go hiking every day before it reaches 115 degrees, lift weights, feel awesome!

I will in all honesty be eating this salad several times a week. I'm not one for eating the same thing over and over seeing as that I love trying new foods in new combinations but this one, this one's a keeper! Nothing beats simple + healthy + delicious.

recipe adapted from alexandra cooks

TIME    20 MINUTES        SERVES    4

Ingredients 

1 cup rainbow quinoa

1 cup **fresh fava beans (if not in season use frozen lima beans)

1 cup walnuts, chopped

4 to 5 scallions or spring onions, rinsed, trimmed and finely sliced

8 to 10 radishes, thinly sliced

kosher salt and pepper to taste

2 lemons, juiced

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil (or walnut oil)

Bring 2 1/2 cups of water to a boil. Meanwhile, place quinoa in a fine-meshed sieve and rinse thoroughly  under cold water to remove the naturally "soapy film".  Add quinoa and fresh fava beans, lower heat and simmer for 12-15 minutes until water is just absorbed. Remove from heat. Place in a large bowl to cool.

Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the walnuts, scallions, radishes, olive oil and lemon juice to the bowl. Toss to combine. If you prefer it a bit tangier like I do, add a tablespoon of champagne vinegar or more lemon.

**I personally do not eat soy beans because they are a GMO (genetically modified organism) which some studies  have shown to cause several health risks and complications, for me personally, they caused me to have pre-menopausal symptoms. Since genetic engineering means modifications of genes, and genes are the blueprint for making proteins, GE foods tend to make proteins not naturally found in their chemical structure. Many adverse reactions to food involve immune system response to proteins, and it would be logical to expect more of these adverse reactions in the case of GE foods.

sources

World's Healthiest Foods

Roasted Cauliflower Florets with Sweet Curried Quinoa

Can we just talk for a minute about how hard it is to motivate myself to get anything at all done right now? Honestly, all I want to do is be outside and soak up the warm, perfect Arizona sun in all of its perfect glory. I realize most of the Country is struggling through a nasty winter at the moment and I'm sorry to rub it in your face, I don't mean to. I'm more than grateful for the gorgeous weather we have here in Phoenix and I mean to take advantage of  every single second of the sun basking, pool side lounging, Chardonnay sipping Spring we have been blessed with. Feel free to come visit us anytime (except June-August which pretty much sucks and it's your turn for bragging).


We've been either eating out (on patios of course), ordering in or making super simple, throw together lunches and dinners so as not to waste any time stuffed up indoors. I've come to terms with my laziness and in fact prefer to call it embracing and enjoying the present. Perspective people.

Make this when you are craving something simple, sweet and savory all at the same time. Don't forget the raisins, Yum! The end. 

recipe source  Cookie and Kate

SERVES     4        PREP TIME    10        COOK TIME    30

Roasted Cauliflower

1 head cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets

2 tablespoons melted coconut oil or olive oil

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

pinch sea salt

Curried Quinoa and Greens

2 teaspoons melted coconut oil or olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

½ teaspoon curry powder of choice (optional)

½ teaspoon ground cardamom

1 can (14 ounces) light coconut milk

½ cup water

1 cup quinoa, rinsed well in a fine mesh colander

⅓ cup raisins

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

4 cups baby spinach, baby kale, chard or arugula

 red pepper flakes to taste

Roast the cauliflower: 

Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Toss the cauliflower florets with oil, cayenne p and a light sprinkle of sea salt. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes on the middle rack, turning halfway, until the cauliflower is tender and golden on the edges.

Cook the quinoa:

In a large pot warm the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, stirring frequently, 3- 5 minutes. Add the ginger, turmeric, curry powder and cardamom and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Pour in the coconut milk, water, rinsed quinoa and raisins. Bring the mixture to a soft boil, then cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes, then remove the pot from heat and let it rest for 5 minutes.

Fluff the quinoa with a fork. Stir in the salt, vinegar and greens. Spoon quinoa into bowls over roasted cauliflower. Add red pepper flakes to your taste.

Mini Vegetarian 'Meat'balls {gluten free}

After several weeks of eating more than my share of unhealthy foods, binging on cheese platters and grabbing a cookie or two every time I walked by the arrangement on the table in the lounge at work I am feeling less than desirable. Bloated and tired, cranky and back in my chub-o pants is not how I wanted to start the year. Especially after 3 months of working so hard and feeling so good. Not only did I partake in the stuffing myself with stuffing and the sipping of eggnog but I haven't worked out in almost 3 weeks (well I did yesterday and my body is hating life today). It's amazing how fast you can go from feeling great and in shape to a large slug. 

Back in the saddle. Square one. I will not give up and this bad attitude has to go pronto!

Like I said, I started my workout program completely over yesterday and am glad to be back on track and really looking forward to feeling strong and having energy again. It's so hard to get started after being a bum for a few weeks and having had one cold on top of another to boot. Finding the energy to get started is the hard part for me, keeping it up once my metabolism kicks in is what I have to look forward to. 

My motivation? Buttoning my pants again. 

Exercising is what gives you energy and burns fat but a healthy diet is at least as important to your overall health if not much more important on many levels. Obtaining a healthy, fit body is about 80% diet and 20% fitness. So what you eat can definitely sabotage your best efforts to be healthy or on the other hand fuel your body for success!

Out with the junk; 

ALL of the processed, prepackaged foods, including processed sugars. Limit carbs, especially processed carbs like pastas and breads, limit starches like rice, corn and potatoes. Watch your unhealthy fat intake;  hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils, palm, corn and most vegetable oils, fried foods, full fat cheeses, cream, most red meats, most lunch meats except lean cuts like turkey or chicken which do not contain nitrates or nitrites, poultry skin and margarine (limit real butter intake).

In with the good!

Fruits and Veggies of course! High glycemic and starchy veggies in moderation; beets, carrots, corn, sweet peas and potatoes (including parsnips) and pumpkin. Yes some of these have good for you vitamins but moderation is key when it comes to HGI (high glycemic index) foods. Fruits that are higher on the GI are typically tropical fruits such as pineapple, oranges (always it whole oranges not juice) bananas, coconut and also watermelon. Eat in moderation and not first thing in the morning. Add them to green smoothies! The fiber in green leafy veggies slows down the absorption of the natural sugars found in fruit (fructose).

Lean cuts of meat like skinless chicken and turkey, limit lean read meats and preferably free range like elk or bison (be very careful with lunch meats, almost all of them contain nitrates and nitrites which cause a variety of health problem including migraines). 

Instead of doing the "Meatless Monday" thing we typical have meat once a week at the most for dinner and instead have lean fish once or twice a week and salmon once or twice a month. If we have meat more often than that it's in very small amounts compared to the rest of the meal. My favorite way to eat healthy dinners is by adding beans and legumes such as these veggie balls. 

Got picky eaters? My kids aren't fooled by vegetarian 'meatballs' just ask my very outspoken 8 year old! Serve these with spaghetti or spaghetti squash, dip them in warm marinara or even a bit of ketchup (I try to limit that because it contains sugar).

YIELDS    12-15          TIME    30 MINUTES

Ingredients 

1 ½ cans (15 oz. each) Cannellini Beans, drained and rinsed

½ medium yellow onion, finely minced

1/2 cup grated carrot (adds moisture and sweetness)

2 cloves garlic, minced

¼ cup chopped Italian parsley

1 ½ tsp dried oregano

1 egg

1 tablespoon stone ground mustard (you could also use tomato paste)

½ cup cooked quinoa (in place of bread crumbs)

½ tsp kosher salt

½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 

1. Line a baking sheet, I love my stone ware baking sheet, with parchment or very lightly oil.

1. In the bowl of a food processor, combine beans, onion and carrots. Pulse until chopped, but not smoothly pureed.

1. Transfer the mixture to a medium-sized bowl and stir in, garlic, parsley, oregano, egg, quinoa, cheese, mustard salt and pepper until well combined.

1. Using your hands form balls by rolling a small amount (about golf ball size, no bigger) between the palms of your hands. Place the balls on the prepared baking sheet, evenly spaced about 1" apart.

1. Bake until the balls are a light golden brown and crispy, 15 to 20 minutes.

notes:  Serve as an appetizer with a bowl of warm marinara or a cheesy dip or serve on top of baked, herbed spaghetti squash to make it a meal.

South Western Soft Tacos with Roasted Butternut Squash {12 Weeks of Winter Squash}

These vegetarian soft tacos are stuffed with the flavors of the South West and are just the thing to warm up your tummies on cold winter nights. They are full of good for you veggies and beans to get you back on track after all of the Holiday feasts and treats.

Winding down from all of the Christmas craziness festivities and celebrations means that me and my honey get to chill in the evenings for a few days and enjoy watching the kids play with their gifts. Relaxing for me means simple dinners that will warm and comfort us through the Winter Break so we can and hang out afterwards and play with our new games and snuggle up to watch our new movies.






 I'm a little glad that Christmas is over so we can just relax and spend time together for a couple of weeks before we get on with our normal routines. Don't get me wrong, I love Christmas but all of the running around and the sweets overload had to stop! Everyone was strung out on chocolate and candy canes and hopped up on egg nog for a solid month it seemed. With 4 kids there was a party every single day for a week and a half and family parties and get togethers every night.

Blessed. We are truly blessed. That's truly how I feel…… when I wasn't not exhausted from running from school to school with specified goodies, from store to store with requested side dishes to share and from city to city for gathering after gathering of our ginormous extended family.

Blessed.




Boring tacos just won't do during the winter Holiday season. Winter squash is in abundance after all and I fully intend on getting the most out of it until mid February when we are all sick of it and looking forward to the early spring harvest here in the Sonoran desert.

Of all the winter squashes out there, butternut squash is probably my fav. It's the most creamy, sweet and flavorful of the squashes IMHO and requires little to no added ingredients to be just perfect. Simple, natural, delicious. It's name says it all, butternut. That's pretty much what it tastes like a la mode, buttery and nutty. It is also very versatile. Roast it with some apple cider and cinnamon and you have a sweet side dish to your pork. Add chili powder, paprika and caramelized onions and you have a spicy side for your roast chicken. Blend it up with a bit of cream, spices and garlic, BAM my favorite hot and creamy comfort soup.

Last but not least, it makes a perfect vegetarian 'filler' for burritos or tacos. I'm not a big meat eater at all and much prefer hearty, healthy veggies instead.  Not only is it healthier and cheaper to sub veggies for meat as much as possible but very convenient. I pick up a few squash, sweet potatoes and sturdy greens at the store and when I'm looking for a last minute weeknight dinner I go to my  pantry and grab a squash, some beans, an onion and have a casserole, burritos or these tacos on the table in no time.

SERVES     6          TIME    30 MINUTES

Ingredients 

6-8 whole grain soft taco size tortillas 

1 cup (or 1 can) black beans, rinsed and cooked 

1 teaspoon cumin 

1 teaspoon chili powder 

1 teaspoon smoked paprika 

1 teaspoon salt, divided

1 teaspoon olive oil 

1 small butternut squash 

1 small red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into thin strips 

1 cup grated pepper jack cheese 

Arugula (or baby spinach) 

Avocado, sliced 

Roasted or Chipotle Salsa (my fav's, use your fav)

1 small handful cilantro, chopped

Preheat oven to 400F 

Peel and cube the squash, lightly toss with oil, sprinkle with salt, paprika and chili powder and roast at 400F on a stone baking sheet for 20 minutes till done but firm.  Read my post with step by step photos and tips for cutting and preparing squash here.

In a small sauce pot over medium-low heat cook beans with cumin and salt for 15-20 minutes till warmed through. 

Place tortilla on plate, layer with cheese, squash, beans, arugula, cilantro and avocado. Spoon on roasted salsa.

This is my post for week numero 9 of #12 Weeks of Winter Squash hosted by my peeps Heather and Joanna. Got some yummy winter squash recipes to share? It's not too late to join!

HAPPY HAPPY HOLIDAYS! I HOPE YOU AND YOUR FAMILY ARE TOGETHER AND YOUR LIFE IS FILLED WITH BLESSINGS!

Golden Beet Ragout ~ Italian Inspired Comfort Food

Beets. The infamously dreaded root vegetable. I must admit that I pass them by at the grocer and the farmers market more often than not. Mostly, I think, it's that I'm not sure what to do with the little guys other than pickle them and put them in my salad. 

Thanks to a little contest sponsored by McCormick Gourmet asking that we come up with a recipe using 4 ingredients, one of which is beets I decided to dive in and come up with something different, pleasing to the eye and palatable even for beet haters from way back.

Go me.

Like I mentioned, pickling beets is my favorite way to enjoy this shunned veggie but I decided to try roasting them this time and then throwing them into my ragout at the last minute.

Success.

*post note to self.   Do not cut red beets on your wood cutting board next time. They bleed like a stuck pig and stain like crazy.

In the end, I decided to go with these pretty golden beets for this Ragout. Not only would they not 'bleed' into the rest of the ingredients, which wasn't really a big deal since I was using tomatoes but I could ease the kids into trying them since they looked more like sweet potatoes or squash which they like. 

So as I racked my ever increasingly boggled mind as what to make for this contest, I decided upon a humble ragout. 'Ratatouille' is one of my favorite movies you know. Not only is the little rat cute and can think on his toes but he made this poor man's dish a fashionable meal. 

The contest was to come up with a dish that used 4 ingredients: Beets, Arborio rice {which I can't pronounce to save my life}, balsamic vinegar (yum) and dried rosemary. Then incorporate other ingredients if you so please.

No problemo. 

If you have time, I'd much appreciate if you'd stop by and quickly Pin and/or 'like' my submission. 

Means the world to this simple girl.

SERVES    6       TIME    90 MINUTES      
Ingredients

1 cup dried (or 1 can) of Great Northern Beans (AKA Navy beans)
3 small beets *see notes
1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 small yellow onion, chopped
3-4 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons dried rosemary
1 teaspoon salt (I use Pink Himalayan)
cracked black pepper to taste1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 cups vegetable broth (preferably organic or home made)
*optional fresh rosemary for garnish

2 cups cooked Arborio rice *see notes 



Putting it all together

Pre-heat oven to 450F. Scrub beets with warm water. Trim the roots and stems off. cover each loosely with foil and place in a baking dish. Bake for 60-90 minutes depending on how big your beets are.
Cook rice according to package directions. See notes for helpful hints on cooking arborio rice.

In a dutch oven or large pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion and sauté for 3-5 minutes till browned. Add garlic, cook 1 more minute reducing heat if necessary. Slowly pour in broth while scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to release browned bits (don't be afraid of browning on your pot, it really adds flavor).

Remove beets from oven and let cool. The skins should come off very easily using a blunt knife or spoon. Discard skins. Chop beets into small, bite size pieces.

Add beets, tomatoes, cooked beans, salt, pepper and rosemary. Stir in balsamic vinegar. 

Serve with hot rice.

notes.

Choose beets that are smaller that the size of your fist. The larger they are, the more bitter and "earthy".

Arborio rice is different to prepare than any other rice but it's worth it. Packaged rice should give you instructions but I buy bulk.  If you do as well, bring 1 1/2 cups water & 1 cup rice to a boil while stirring! (I suggest using a wooden spoon as it is non-conductive and less abrasive). Cover and recuce heat to medium. You will need to check the rice about every 3-5 minutes and stir carefully. When the water is not quite all the way absorbed (be careful, you don't want it to completely absorb as you will have sticky, gooey rice) you will slowly add 1 cup more of water and gently stir. Cook over medium heat while continuing to stir every 3-5 minutes, covered, and adding 1 more cup just before the liquid is completley absorbed. Do this 3 times for a total of 3 extra cups of liquid.

You can do this. Yes, it is worth it. Arborio rice is much loved in making risotto and goes marvelously with this ragout.