Allergy Friendly Breakfast Bars

So inspiration struck me the other day when I couldn't sleep after working a third shift.  I could make a breakfast bar for Eli using rice cereal and sunbutter (a peanut butter like stuff but made with sunflower seeds).  So I bought some rice krispies, sunbutter and started tossing stuff together!

 So I started with dry ingredients- rice krispies, dried cranberries, raisins, honey roasted sunflower seeds, and coconut flakes.  Tossed these in honey and sunbutter until it all sticks together. Put it in the fridge for about 10 minutes then took it out- looked like this.

 I tried to roll this into balls, but it didn't lend well to rolling, so I pressed it into a Tupperware as bars and put in the fridge again.  Once they are totally cold I can cut it into bars and give to Eli to try!

Hope he likes it!

7 layer salad and my own energy bites

So last night's dinner was a 7 layer salad...except for Eli's...I guess his was technically a 6 layer salad.  Why is it 7 layer anyways?  It has more than 7 layers of things.  Oh well.  Easy to make but supposed to set in the fridge for at least 8 hours...well I didn't make it far enough ahead of time and it only sat for 4 and was good. 

Start by making some crispy bacon to top it, so it can cool off to handle.

Then in a bowl, put a layer of lettuce, then diced tomatoes, and  then sliced cucumbers. Then make a layer of thawed frozen peas and chopped green onions, then a layer of sliced radishes.  In a separate bowl combine 2 cups sour cream, 1 cup mayo, 1/4 cup lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Mix well and spread over radish layer.  Top with shredded cheese and bacon.  

Eli's was the same except no dressing and no cheese.  

Ella wanted a picture with it...weirdo!

 Next I decided we needed some energy bites in the fridge again.  I was too lazy to look up a recipe and felt I've made several and could wing it just fine.  I didn't measure anything, just dumped.  I did some quick oats, ground flax, granola, coconut flakes, and mini chocolate chips.  Then added vanilla, honey, peanut butter and almond butter.  Mixed up, rolled into balls and refrigerated.  Done.  :)

Several New Things!

So, this last I've been a busy person with trying out some Pinterest recipes! 

First is called Energy Bites, and these were Ella's Favorite!  These were super easy to make, and no baking involved. Mix together:

1 cup oatmeal

1/2 cup peanut butter (or other nut butter)

1/3 cup honey

1 cup coconut flakes

1/2 cup ground flaxseed

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

1 tsp vanilla

Refrigerate for about 15 minutes to be able form into balls, then refrigerate for another hour at least to let form up.  Yummy in our tummies!  Next time we're going to do half peanut butter and half sunbutter because Lyle doesn't like it "just tasting like peanut butter."

 Next was some Oatmeal Banana Breakfast Bars.  Preheat oven to 375 and grease 8 inch square baking dish.  In one bowl, mix 2 cups old fashion oats, 1 cup coconut flakes, 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, 1/2 cup dried apricots, and 1/2 tsp salt.  Another bowl mix together 2 mashed bananas, 1/2 cup light brown sugar and 3 Tbsp melted butter.  Add together and mix until evenly incorporated, and spread into baking dish.  Bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes and let cool.   This was pretty good, but fell apart easily, so not very portable.

 The next breakfast bar is My personal new favorite.  Of course it has more not as good stuff for you in it than the others.  I'm cutting and pasting the recipe as it's supposed to be...but I couldn't find a few ingredients.  I couldn't find psyllium husks, so I used ground flax seed.  No vanilla soy protein powder so I just added vanilla.  No gogi berries, so I did dried cranberries.  At this point I was substituting so much I stopped looking for special things...so we had plain normal honey and regular caramel sauce.  But I think it turned out great! :)

Banana Berry Granola Bars

Serves 24

2 cups gluten-free quick cooking oats
1 cup gluten-free oat flour
1/4 cup ground psyllium husks
1/4 cup vanilla soy protein powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup gogi berries
1/2 cup honey-roasted sunflower seeds
1 large, over ripe banana
1/4 cup dark amber honey
1/4 cup homemade (or storebought) salted caramel sauce*
2/3 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup melted coconut oil

1.      Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a 9x13" pan with greased foil or parchment.

2.      In a large bowl, combine the oats, oat flour, psyllium, protein powder, cinnamon, salt, chocolate chips, gogi berries and sunflower seeds.

3.      In another bowl, mash the banana with the honey, caramel sauce, brown sugar and coconut oil.

4.      Add to the dry mixture and stir well, until everything is thoroughly coated.

5.      Press into the prepared pan, smoothing the top.

6.      Bake for 20 minutes.

7.      Cut into pieces while still warm - they will crumble when cut cold

Banana Berry Breakfast Bars

And last, but not least.  Vegan "fried" rice.  I put chicken in it to make it chicken fried rice.  It's super easy to make too.  I've made it twice this week.  You cook brown rice first.  This gives it the fried appearance.  Then in a skillet, put in 1 tsp of sesame oil, 2 Tbsp soy sauce, and 3 Tbsp water.  Heat on high and when bubbling add in 1/2 cup of frozen peas and let boil until cooked.  Then toss in about 1/4 cup of orange pepper diced up.  Turn down head and add 2 cups of cooked rice, heat through then add 1/4 cup chopped green onions.  Turn off heat and mix well.  Enjoy!

 I also made this allergy friendly for Eli by making a skillet exactly the same but omitting the soy sauce. Easy :)

Breakfast Bars

So I tried another Pinterest recipe to try to find breakfast bars that are healthy for my husband and daughter to have (and if it's diet friendly for me to have too!)  This latest one was okay- but was super dense and heavy.  Not sure how to tweak it to change.  That being said, it's chewy and super healthy if you want to try.  Pictured is a double batch, which I should have made because we barely ate any! 

Preheat oven to 350 and grease baking dish.  Mix together the following ingredients, pour into dish and bake for about 25-30 minutes.  Let cool and enjoy.

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup oat flour (can pulse whole oats to make flour)

1 cup whole oats

2 tablespoons chia seeds (can omit)

2 tablespoons flax meal (can omit)

1/2 cup no sugar added applesauce

1 egg

3/4 cup of milk of choice

1/2 cup raisins, craisins or golden raisins

1/4 cup of chopped nut of choice

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 teaspoons honey

1/2 teaspoon of salt

handful of chocolate or white chips (optional)

I do wonder if I had only made a single batch and spread it thinner if it would have tasted better.  Maybe someday I'll try again, but I got other recipes to try first :)

Advocare Herbal Cleanse Day 10

So today is the last day of the cleanse!  Last day to drink those fiber drinks!  Yay!  Yesterday Ella and I cooked up a storm!  Chicken salad, breakfast bars, and kale chips!

First is Eli's version of chicken salad.  I had cooked chicken I shredded up, threw in some chopped celery, cut up red grapes, a tablespoon of relish, a little salt, pepper and sugar, then put some dijon mustard and yellow mustard.

 The next chicken salad was for everyone else.  Same chicken, celery, grapes, salt, pepper and sugar.  Then added a few hard boiled eggs and mayo until it tastes yummy.  It hit the spot.  Serve on bread, tortillas or bed of lettuce.

 Ella's version of breakfast bars.  She got the recipe from her Disney for Kids Cookbook.  It is butter and marshmallows melted in a pan, then added peanut butter.  Then removed from heat and granola added, press into a pan and sprinkle chocolate chips on top.  Let sit for 30 minutes to cool.  These are very sticky and I should have greased the pan or something because they are hard to get out of the pan!

 My breakfast bars is from Pinterest, and it's supposed to be from Dr. Oz.  You mix vanilla, honey, peanut butter and quick oats together with whatever dried fruit you want.  I used cranberries and raisins, but his recipe actually called for tart dried cherries.  Refrigerate for 2 hours.  This is actually advocare friendly, because you can have everything in it.  Just moderation :)

 Kale chips was something different.  I'm not sure I made them right.  I washed and dried the leaves and put olive oil on them like the recipe....but I think too much oil.  It was supposed to bake for 10 minutes at 275, but it was closer to 20 minutes before they started getting crunchy.  Salt after baked.  I think less oil, maybe a little higher temp and waiting for them to get a little crunchier might have been better.  Really they just have no flavor. 

Tonight is leftovers because I don't have time for my other recipes.  Tomorrow I will have weight/measurement results! :)