moist & delicious grain-free blueberry muffins!

When i first started venturing into "healthy" baking, I experimented with whole wheat flour (like this banana bread). since then, I've read {some of} the book wheat belly (helpful summary here) and my eyes were opened to how wheat - whether it be white or whole - is actually detrimental to our health, in a number of ways (stemming from its uncommonly high glycemic index). Yikes.. that was not an easy thing to swallow! since then, i have mostly eliminated if from my diet, with some exceptions here and there of course (um hello, I can never say goodbye to bread or pizza altogether (the real stuff)... although i am excited to use this to make my own GF crust). I'm pretty sure that eliminating it has been the biggest contributor to my losing weight and feeling a million times better (I used to feel tired frequently, esp. late afternoon, plus I would usually wake up with a tummy ache and have frequent bloating issues).

I have since discovered the wonders of almond flour... it makes amazing baked goods (and is super healthy -- win-win)!! In my opinion, it's results are FAR superior to whole wheat flour.. so much more moist and delicate! I started out with the Trader Joe's brand but recently finally splurged on Honeyville's and will never go back. It is freaking amazing. Because it is made with blanched almonds, the texture is far finer and superior to the TJ's brand. And though i know it seems crazy expensive, because it is such a large quantity, it should last you several months. also, if you sign up for their newsletter, you'll get updates about special sales (they actually just finished having a storewide 20% off sale)!

I have been making muffins like crazy lately for the hubs and I for breakfast (we love them and they stay good for a few days). Some of my favorites so far have been raspberry chocolate chip (amazeballs), pumpkin chocolate, and banana chocolate). Finally made one without chocolate, haha. Plan on trying these and these next.

GRAIN-FREE BLUEBERRY MUFFINS 

(adapted from this recipe)

Yield: 12 muffins

Ingredients:

2 eggs
1/3 cup honey
4 tablespoons melted coconut oil (or pastured butter)
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon lemon zest (from 2-3 lemons)
2 1/2 cups almond flour
1 cup fresh blueberries

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease muffin pan with coconut oil or butter or use unbleached muffin liners.
2. In a medium mixing bowl use either a whisk to combine the eggs, honey, coconut oil, vanilla, baking soda, sea salt and lemon zest.
3. With a spatula, first mix in the almond flour, in batches, and then gently fold  in  and blueberries.
4. Batter will be very firm so you’ll need to use a spoon to evenly divide the batter amonst the 12 muffin cups. Place 2-3 blueberries on top and press down into the batter…just because it looks pretty!
5. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Toothpick should come out clean and they should be a nice golden brown. 

This is a recipe I will be coming back to time and time again, for sure. I am craving them as I type this! 

how i got my husband to eat kale.

We had dinner at our friends' house recently & they made a delicious baked pasta dish with kale in it. It was perfect because Joel would have felt like a jerk not eating it, so he had to try it. And to my surprise and delight (hah), he didn't mind it. Which meant I needed to start sneaking kale into meals at home. This fritatta is the first I tried. And he loved it, yay!

Fritatta with Chicken Sausage, Kale and Ricotta (adapted from Bon Appetit)

(Served it with breakfast sweet potatoes & fresh fruit)

Ingredients

• 12 ounces chicken sausage or protein of choice, cut into 1/2- to 3/4-inch pieces
• 1 cup sliced shallots
• 12 cups (packed; 12 ounces) kale or other greens (such as chard and mustard greens)
• 10 large eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• 12 ounces fresh whole-milk ricotta cheese (about 1 3/4 cups)
• 2 Tbl + 1 Tbl butter (or oil)

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Cook sausage in 12-inch-diameter ovenproof nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until browned. Using slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain. Add 2 tablespoons butter to skillet. Add shallots and sauté over medium heat until golden, about 4 minutes. Add half of greens and toss until beginning to wilt, about 1 minute. Add remaining greens and sauté until wilted, tender, and dry, about 15 minutes. Transfer greens to plate; cool.
• Rinse and dry skillet. Beat eggs and salt to blend in large bowl. Whisk in 3/4 cup Parmesan, then greens and half of sausage. Stir in ricotta, leaving some clumps. Heat 1 tablespoon butter in skillet over medium heat. Pour in egg mixture; spread greens evenly. Sprinkle remaining bacon and 1/4 cup Parmesan over eggs. Cook over medium heat until frittata is just set at edges, about 10 minutes. Transfer to oven and bake until just set, about 20 minutes. Cut around frittata to loosen; slide out onto platter. Let cool. Slice into wedges and serve. 
  
  

Hooray for kale! Would like to find more ways to incorporate it into our meals.. I will probably try pasta next. I've been using brown rice pasta lately and it really tastes no different to me than whole wheat pasta. Curious to try quinoa pasta as well. I'm currently reading Wheat Belly and have already cut way back on wheat. Feels good! But the bread cravings that come with winter have definitely crept in.. Actually right now, I want some warm bread like crazy. It truly is addictive!! I still do splurge on it here and there, and it tastes even better than it used to because I really savor every bite :) But then I feel like taking a nap afterwards. 

This fritatta, on the other hand, will energize you and provide lots of stuff your body actually needs like protein, vitamins, antioxidants and fiber. And hopefully curb those carb cravings!

breakfast.

Since changing the way I eat, I've discovered how important breakfast is. I've said goodbye to cereal or breakfast bars on the go and now take the time to make something nutritious that is going to actually energize me and keep me full until lunch time. My favorites lately have been scrambled eggs with cheese and avocado, frittatas and Greek yogurt mixed with fresh fruit and honey or granola. 

I have also recently discovered that oatmeal can actually be quite tasty. There are so many mix-in options, from honey and nuts to dried fruits and fresh fruits. My favorite new combination is peanut butter and honey, topped off with bananas seared in coconut oil. Guys, you have to try this. It is delicious.

What are your go-to breakfasts? I would really like to start making fruit smoothies with a bit of greens mixed in, I feel like that is the healthiest way to start the day. But it's just so darned expensive and my blender kinda sucks. For those of you who make breakfast smoothies, do you use frozen fruits? What are your favorite combos?

my first adventure into grain-free baking.

I bought some almond meal (flour) at Trader Joe's quite some time ago; I had never heard of such a thing and was quite intrigued. Figuring it was a healthier option (and it indeed it is), I was hoping I could use it in place of whole wheat flour. But I read on the back label that you can substitute up to only half the flour a recipe calls for; that using much more than that would cause the baked good to fall apart. So then I kind of forgot about it & it sat lonely on my shelf.

Until a few days ago, when I stumbled upon a slew of grain-free baking recipes that called for it (it all started with a newly-discovered food blog - Detoxinista... I can/have spent hours on there searching recipes!) Turns out Trader Joe's is wrong about their almond flour (so wrong)... it seems to have opened up a whole new world of baking possibilities.

How is it healthy, you may be wondering? According to another great food blog, alena's pantry, it is high in protein, low in carbohydrates and low in sugars. And unlike other alternatives to wheat flour, almond flour is moist and delicious (yay for that!)

Ok, that's enough talking. On to the delicious details.

{GRAIN_FREE} PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE MUFFINS 

(adapted from Spark Recipes // makes 12) 

INGREDIENTS //

2 eggs

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

1/3 cup honey

4 Tbl melted butter (or coconut oil)

1 tsp vanilla

3/4 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1/4 tsp ground ginger

2 1/2 cups almond flour/meal (I got mine at Trader Joe's. I read that the Rob's Red Mill brand isn't fine enough & needs further grinding. You can also purchase almond flour online.)

1/2 - 1 cup dark chocolate chips (optional // you could also use nuts or raisins)

DIRECTIONS //

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease a muffin pan or line with muffin liners.

2. Thoroughly combine all ingredients in a bowl except for the flour and chocolate chips (or other mix-ins of your choosing.

3. Add almond flour and mix until well combined.

4. Bake for 25 minutes, or until golden brown.

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Yum, yum YUM! I was shocked at how moist and delicious these are, and hubby is obsessed. Let me know if you try it! I have a growing list of more grain-free baking recipes to try... can't wait!!

 

 

Summer Smoothie Recipe from Kelly of The Pretty Bee.

Hello, Meg's Musings readers!  I'm Kelly from The Pretty Bee and I'm honored to be posting for Meg while she's having a little getaway in Maine.  I am a long time reader of Meg's lovely blog and am following her healthy whole foods journey with interest. On that note, I thought I would share one of my favorite smoothie recipes with you today.  I love to make smoothies for breakfast or for a snack, especially in the summer when all the fruit is so nice and ripe.



Summer Smoothie
Serves 2.

10-12 strawberries
1/4 of a cantaloupe, cute into chunks
1 cup of orange juice
1 tablespoon of chia seeds

Put ingredients into a blender and blend.  Drink immediately...yum! Now you may be asking, what are Chia Seeds?  This graphic from Yummy Mummy Kitchen pretty much says it all:



They are an awesome super food, and you can't even taste them.  If you put them in a smoothie, they look like little kiwi seeds.  You can put them in baked goods or sprinkle them on top of salads.  If you have a limited diet like I do right right now due to my son's food allergies, chia seeds can be a great way to supplement your calcium and iron intake. Do you have a favorite smoothie recipe?  Share it in the comments!  I love to try out new combinations.

summer recipes to try.

with all of this summer heat (i'm talking 100-plus-degrees-heat), i've been craving refreshing, light dinners. thought i'd post a few that are on my to-make list (they can all be found on my ever-growing food board on pinterest.) pretty excited to try some out this week (particularly the gizpacho and the eggplant with caprese salad.

1. Fresh corn tomato salad a la Food Network (also want to try this one)

2. Chilled avocado and mint soup a la Bon Appetit

3. Tomato gazpacho with prosciutto-mozzarella sandwiches a la Martha Stewart

4. Roasted eggplant with tomatoes, mozzarella and basil a la Deliciously Organic

5. Caprese grilled chicken with balsamic reduction a la 

6. Cold rice noodles with peanut-lime sauce a la Smitten Kitchen

7. Avocado & quinoa salad with lemon supremes a la House and Home