Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

I was pretty excited when these came out of the oven and I gave them my first bite...which turned into eating two of them. These are very delicious, pretty healthy and the chocolate chips are just enough to sweeten them up and cure your chocolate craving.

Ingredients:
2.5 cups old fashioned oats (pulse in food processor or blender until smooth)

1 cup plain low fat greek yogurt

2 eggs

1/2 cup honey

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 C flax meal

2 ripe bananas (mash with a fork before adding to bowl)

1/4 C. almond or regular milk

1 tsp vanilla

1 Tbs cinnamon

1/2 C chocolate chips 

Other add ins:  blueberries or nuts

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray tin with non-stick cooking spray or line 12 muffin tins with silicone or foil liners.
2. Place the oats in the food processor and pulse for about 10 seconds.  
3. Add oat flour and remaining ingredients (except chocolate chips) to a mixer bowl. 
4. Mix everything until it is all well incorporated. Add chocolate chips.
4. Divide batter among cupcake liners, and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. (Mine took 19 minutes)

Recipe adapted from: http://fitandhealthywithdebbie.blogspot.com/2012/10/banana-oatmeal-breakfast-muffins.html

They even got the approval from a gluten-free hater, manly man:

Chicken Broccoli Casserole

A family favorite that does NOT have to be a thing of the past now. You can easily change this recipe to make gluten free and friendly (and just as delicious).

Ingredients:

Shredded Chicken (about 5 breasts or 1/2 of a Costco rotisserie chicken)

3 broccoli bunches

Gluten free crackers or chips

Sauce

1 C grated sharp cheddar cheese (sharp will give you extra flavor)

1 C mayonnaise

1 C sour cream & 1 Tbs of cornstarch (to replace cream of mushroom)

1/3 C milk

1 generous Tbs of curry powder

plenty of salt and pepper

1 Tbs lemon juice (added at the end)

Stir and combine over medium heat until cheese is melted. Take off of heat then stir in lemon juice.

Place shredded chicken on the bottom of your 9x13 pan. Top with cooked broccoli then pour sauce over top and spread the sauce to get most of the broccoli covered. Crush some gluten free chips or crackers to sprinkle on top and then I sprayed the crumble with olive oil to try give it a nice crispy finish. Bake at 350 for about 25 minutes or until bubbly. Serve with quinoa or brown rice!

Enjoy!

PS: these are the chips I crushed to use on top. They are the BOMB.

Perfect and Creamy Polenta

Here is a great gluten free meal for ya. Just make sure any tomato sauce you use is gluten free.

Creamy Polenta

Ingredients
4 cups water

2 cups of milk
2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal
3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/3 cup parmesan

(add some cream cheese if you have some as well)

Directions
Bring 6 cups of water and milk to a boil in a heavy large saucepan. Add 2 teaspoons of salt. Gradually whisk in the cornmeal. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the mixture thickens and the cornmeal is tender, Stir in butter and parmesan and whisk for another couple of minutes. Turn off the heat. Spray a 9x13 pan and pour the polenta in the pan. Put in a 350 oven to sit and solidify for about 15 minutes.

Breakfast Idea: Scrambled Egg Tacos

This doesn't need a recipe or probably deserve its own post, but sometimes you just need an idea besides gluten free cereal or fried eggs for breakfast.

2 eggs

Veggies of your choice

salt and pepper

1 T water (I learned that water is better to add in scrambled eggs than milk. It creates more steam which gives you fluffier scrambled eggs)

Corn tortillas (throw then on the pan to give them a nice char)

Top with avocado, salsa, cheese

Breakfast Muffin

Picture doesn't do it justice at all.

Flax Muffin in a Cup

1/3 cup golden flax meal

1 tsp baking powder

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp coconut oil (or any oil)

1 egg

1 heaping tsp Splenda, Truvia etc.

pinch salt

handful of blueberries, raspberries, grated apple (your choice)

optional: chopped pecans or walnuts

Put in mug, mix WELL. Microwave for 1 min. Invert on plate.

 Suggested Toppings: dollop of whipped cream, cream cheese, jam, syrup or just plain ol' butter.

Eat while it's hot!

Pancakes (Without an expensive GF store-bought mix!)

In a blender or food processor mix:

1/3 c Oats

1/4 c flaxmeal

1 T almond milk

1 egg

1 T plain yogurt

pinch of baking soda and  powder

dash of salt

dash of cinnamon

Blend and add more milk if too thick or more flax meal if too runny. Don't cook on a high heat or else the middle will not cook.

Great Add ins:

blueberries, applesauce, grated apple, mashed banana, pecans, walnuts

Power Balls

 Pre-workout snack, snack to get you through until the next meal...whatever you want it to be. This is a great gluten free treat and snack. My husband even loves them and will have one or two before he goes on a bike ride.

Mix together and then roll into balls. Store in fridge.

1 C oats

1/3 C honey

1/2 C Peanut Butter

chocolate chips

Mix with the back of a spoon until all the ingredients are incorporated.