Multigrain Pancakes with Ricotta Sauce

Alright, so I make whole grain pancakes fairly often, and have started quite a range of pancake recipes on this blog already. Well, this is the best multigrain pancake yet! They are thick, hearty, good for you and best of all, yummy! The ricotta sauce really made love them even more! I haven't forgotten you Maple Syrup, just loving your new companions, protein packed yogurt, ricotta and cinnamon!

Multigrain Pancakes with Ricotta Sauce
Recipe from Clean Eating Magazine Sept/Oct 2010

1 1/4 whole wheat flour
1/3 cup spelt flour
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup rolled oats, ground
1 tsp. sucanant (I used rapadura, but any sugar will do)
1/8 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 egg
1 egg white
1 cup low fat buttermilk
1 cup unsweetened rice, almond or soy milk
cooking spray
1 cup berries (I used strawberries)

RICOTTA SAUCE
1/2 cup nonfat plain Greek-style yogurt
1/2 cup low-fat ricotta cheese
2 Tb. pure maple syrup
1/8 tsp. cinnamon, ground

1. To prepare pancakes: Mix all the dry ingredients in a medium bowl. In a smaller bowl, whisk together eggs, buttermilk, rice milk and mix until foamy. Pour wet ingredients into dry and mix until well blended; let sit for 5 minutes so flours have time to absorb liquid (mixture will thicken)

2. *Prepare ricotta sauce: Combine all ingredients with a whisk until smooth and creamy.

3. Heat griddle or large skillet over medium high heat (about 350 F) and coat with cooking spray. Pour pancake batter onto griddle until they are about 4 inches in diameter. Cook until bubbles form around edges, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes.

4. Serve by stacking pancakes and drizzle with ricotta sauce and top with fresh berries. Enjoy!

*If you would like a thinner sauce, simply add water, 1 Tb. at a time.

Chicken Taco Pizza

OK here is chicken recipe #2 for all you meat eaters out there : ) This was really easy and pretty yummy I must admit. It's a nice twist on your ordinary pizza with marinara or pesto sauce.

Chicken Taco Pizza
Recipe adapted from www.WholeFoods.com

1 whole wheat pizza crust, (I used the Trader Joes pizza dough)
1/2 cup salsa, plus more for serving
1/4 pound part-skim mozzarella, shredded, divided
1 cup no-salt-added black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup frozen yellow corn, thawed
1/3 cup sliced black olives
1 organic boneless, skinless grilled chicken breast, chopped
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 avocado, diced

Method
Preheat oven to 425°F. Arrange crust on a pizza stone or large baking sheet. Spread salsa over crust and sprinkle with half of the cheese. Top with beans, corn, olives, chicken and remaining cheese and bake until crust is crisp and cheese is bubbly, about 15-20 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro and avocado, cut into 8 pieces and serve with more salsa on the side.

Coconut Gelato

I bought an ice cream maker on sale at the start of the summer. You can't be a Mom of two and not have an ice cream maker...right? (Well, that's what I told myself as I was in line buying it anyway!) My Mom used to make home made ice cream every year for my birthday growing up. However this was a huge ordeal. There was rock salt, a lot of standing around and pouring layers of ice and salt while it churned. It was a lot of work, so we didn't do it often. But times have changed and ice cream makers have gotten much more user friendly. This recipe took no more than 5 minutes to put together, and about 40 minutes of churning before we had cold creamy coconut gelato! YUM!

This is dairy free, but FULL of all the creamy flavor of real ice cream. Only three ingredients, you can't go wrong!

Coconut Gelato
Recipe from www.weelicious.com
2 13 oz Cans Coconut Milk, unsweetened
1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
1/3 Cup Agave

1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk to combine.
2. Pour the mixture into a ice cream maker and freeze (churn) according to manufacturer’s instructions.
3. Transfer to a container and freeze for 2-3 hours or until firm.
4. Serve.
* If you don’t own an ice cream machine, you can pour the mixture into Popsicle molds and freeze for 3-4 hours. Might be good to add crushed pineapple to the mixture as well.

Breakfast Quinoa

This morning I thought quinoa would be a new alternative to oatmeal. I went to Santa Barbara's Backyard Bowls for breakfast the other day and had a hard time making a decision off their amazing menu. So, I ordered something else and wrote down the ingredients to this yummy sounding meal. It turned out to be one of my new healthy favorites! Quinoa is a complete protein that contains lots of amino acids, so it's a great way to start your day. It's not just for dinner anymore in this house : )

Breakfast Quinoa
1/2 cup Quinoa
1 cup almond, rice or any milk you like
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup raisins
1/8 cup almonds (slivered or whole)
2 Tb. sunflower seeds
fresh strawberries, blueberries, bananas or any fruit you desire.
1 Tb. flax seeds and or wheat germ for sprinkling
honey to taste

1. Bring almond milk, cinnamon and quinoa to a boil. Cover and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 12-15 minutes, until the germ separates from the seed.
2. Let stand for about 3 minutes to become fully fluffy.
3. Add raisins, nuts, and seeds, stir to combine.
4. Top with fruit, flax seeds/ wheat germ and honey to taste.

Lemon-Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes

I have been on a pancake kick lately. I used to make eggs all the time, but other than the awesome breakfast burritos I made yesterday (looking for something spicy to induce labor), eggs just haven't done it for me. In fact, the thought of them just makes me a little nauseous. I had some fresh lemons and berries I got yesterday from a great farm just north of here in Avila Beach, so lemon-blueberry pancakes won this morning. They turned out really good and everyone had seconds, I will be making these again. It was a good way to start the sunny warm day we woke up to!

Lemon-Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes
Recipe from www.deestroyer.blogspot.com

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all purpose flour
2 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
2 T. sugar
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup egg substitute (I used 2 egg whites)
2 cups buttermilk
2 T. canola oil
3 T. light pancake syrup
1 t. vanilla extract
1 T. grated lemon zest
1 1/2 cups small blueberries

1. In a medium bowl, place the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar. Blend with a whisk.
2. In a mixing bowl, place the egg, egg substitute, buttermilk, oil, syrup, vanilla and lemon zest. whisk until smooth.
3. Add flour mixture and mix until combined. Do not over mix. Let batter rest for 10 minutes.
4. Preheat nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat until a drop of water skittles across it.
5. Pour the batter by 1/4 cupfuls onto the hot griddle. Sprinkle blueberries on top of each pancake. Cook over medium heat until bubbles form on pancakes. Turn over with spatula and cook until the pancakes are golden brown. Serve with syrup if desired.

Recipe serves 6.

Chewy Oatmeal Cookies

These are yummy! Soft and chewy, and they stay that way for several days! I was going to make chocolate chip cookies again, since they were soo good and I gave most of them away for Father's day, but I decided I should add oats and make my next batch a little bit healthier : ) Fortunately I gave a lot of these away to my Mom for watching Owen, and my friend who just had a baby, so I can't eat them all! (Because I really could!)

Oatmeal Cookies

Recipe from Canyon Ranch, Nourish cookbook
4 Tb. (1/2 stick) butter
⅓ C low fat cream cheese
1 C brown sugar
1 egg yolks
¾ tsp vanilla extract
¾ C all-purpose flour
1½ C rolled oats
¾ tsp aluminum free baking powder
¾ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp sea salt
½ C raisins and or dried cranberries (I used a little of both)

1/4 C chocolate chips (optional)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350. Lightly coat baking sheet with canola oil spray or line with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, cream butter, cream cheese and brown sugar. Add egg yolk and vanilla extract and mix briefly. Combine remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Add to creamed mixture and mix until all dry ingredients are moistened. Portion heaping teaspoonfuls of dough, about ¼ ounce, onto baking sheet about 1½ inches apart. Bake for 7 minutes. Lightly flatten with finger. Rotate baking sheet and bake for another 4 minutes.

Cranberry Banana Oat Bread

I am always looking for the perfect banana bread recipe that is easy and doesn't call for too much sugar. I had three spotted over ripe bananas looking at me today and they were begging to be used in a new recipe. Well, I think I finally found one worth putting on the blog. I found this one on the Whole Foods website and it turned out perfect! It was moist, and hearty enough to have for breakfast without being too sweet. It's a winner!

Cranberry Banana Oat Bread
Recipe adapted from www.Wholefoodsmarket.com

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup quick oats
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups ripe mashed banana pulp (about 3 bananas)
2 large eggs
1/3 cup canola oil
1/2 cup granulated sugar (I used evaporated cane juice which is less processed)
1/2 cup dried cranberries (I think this fall/ winter I will use fresh cranberries)
1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)
1/4 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
zest from 1 lemon or orange
1 Tb. wheat germ for sprinkling on top

Method
Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease an 8 1/2-by-4 1/2-by-2 1/2-inch loaf pan with a small amount of margarine.

Whisk together flour, oats, baking powder, salt, cranberries and nuts in a large bowl. Set aside. Whisk bananas, eggs and oil together in a separate bowl. Add sugar, cranberries, lemon juice, and zest; mix until blended. Gently stir the banana mixture into the flour mixture until just combined. Do not over mix the batter.

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Evenly sprinkle the top with wheat germ and bake until lightly browned, 45 to 50 minutes. Allow the bread to cool completely in the pan, about 1 hour. Turn the bread out onto a cutting board and, using a serrated bread knife, slice the bread into 3/4-inch thick pieces. Arrange on a platter and serve.