Category Archives: Breakfast

May 10, 2016 · 2:23 pm

CRAZY PROTEIN BREAD

Crazy Protein Bread

I posted a picture of this extremely macro-friendly protein bread the other day on my Instagram account and there was a lot of interest in the recipe.

I based the recipe very closely on iheartmacro’s recipe for protein bread, however I am personally not a fan of cooking with protein powder and I am back off dairy, so I could not use Greek yogurt.

I am also a big fan of Crazy Richard’s Pure PB powder and added that to the recipe because PB makes EVERYTHING better!

This bread is awesome for those who struggle to get in all of their protein for the day and is VERY filling thanks to the coconut flour.

WET INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cup liquid egg whites (I prefer organic)
2/3 cup non-dairy milk (I used unsweetened vanilla almond milk)
2 farm fresh eggs
OPTIONAL – stevia to taste
- Use if you want sweet bread
- Omit if you want more neutral tasting bread

DRY INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup coconut flour
1/3 cup Pure PB powder (replace with almond flour to make it Paleo)
1 tsp baking powder

METHOD

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F
Whisk together all of the dry ingredients in a bowl until fully incorporated
In a separate bowl whisk together the wet ingredients
Add the dry ingredients to the wet and whisk until very smooth
Pour the batter into a greased cake pan
Bake for 30-35 minutes until toothpick comes out clean in the center of the cake
Cool and slice into 8 slices
Store in the fridge (I place the bread in a tupperware along with a paper towel to absorb any excess moisture).

MACROS PER SLICE – 5C/9.5P/2.9F

*Use code “FITQUESTMOM for 10% off Crazy Richards Products. Shop HERE.

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Filed under Breads / Crackers / Muffins, Breakfast, Cake, Dessert, Gluten Free, Paleo, Recipes

Tagged as coconut flour, coconut flour bread recipe, crazy richards, crazy richards discount code, crazy richards peanut butter powder, healthy bread recipe, iheartmacros, IIFYM, macro friendly bread recipe, protein bread, protein bread recipe

March 31, 2016 · 7:52 pm

HOW TO MAKE DAIRY FREE KEFIR

A few weeks ago on Intstagram I shared that I have been making my own almond milk kefir and a few people asked me to write a post about how I make it.

I am a fan of eating probiotics because they do wonders for you gut. A few months ago I tried adding dairy based lactose-free kefir in to my diet and to be honest it constipated me in the worst way. Because of that I began to research dairy-free kefir alternatives and came across The Cultured Food Life blog which is a wealth of information.

I was and still am shocked at how easy it is to make kefir if you follow a few key steps and avoid using anything metal. When I first started making kefir my results were hit and miss and I couldn’t figure out why until I realized that I was either stirring the mixture with one of my metal chopsticks or using mason jars with metal lids…I later learned that using metal is a no no because the kefir culture reacts poorly to it.

In order to avoid metal lids I ordered THESE jars from The Jar Store (such good prices) and haven’t had a problem since, though I will say that pouring the kefir out of these jars can be a little messy (live and learn).

Almond Milk Kefir How to Recipe Numbered

METHOD

(IMAGE 1) Pour 4 cups non-dairy milk (I use almond milk) into your glass vessel along with 1 packet of freeze dried Kefir starter (like THIS one) and 1 tsp of sugar. Since we are not using dairy based milk that contains sugars, you need to add some, but don’t worry about any extra carbs because the culture will eat the sugar. Stir using a wooden or plastic spoon.

(IMAGE 2) Place the lid on the vessel and allow it to sit on the counter for 12-24 hours until it looks like image 2. How long it takes for the kefir to mature will depend on how warm it is, etc. Once the kefir is done place it in the fridge.

(IMAGE 3) This is what the kefir looks like after it has been in the fridge for a day (it thoroughly disgusts my kids!).

(IMAGE 4) Stir-up the kefir and you are good to go. I use it mostly in smoothies, but have also used it in my homemade protein bars.

It is really simple to make more kefir. When you have about 1/2c of kefir remaining, add 1 tsp of sugar, 4 cups of non-dairy milk, and leave it out on the counter again. It will take a few hours more for the kefir to cure since it started out cold from having been in the refrigerator. I can make kefir this way 5-6 more times before starting the process all over again with a new packet of freeze dried starter.

I have used several brands of yogurt/kefir starter and they all have worked well.

I am interested in trying to make kefir with real kefir grains because once you have those you can use them indefinitely.

Happy culturing!

image above of different types of non-dairy kefir is from Cultured Food Life.

Cauliflower Oats

One of my nutrition clients was just mentioning how much she loves the cauliflower oats I posted about on my Instagram page and thought I would share it with all of you. I know it sounds weird, but you really don’t taste the cauliflower at all and it majorly ups the volume! I also like to mix riced cauliflower (HERE’s how to make it…you can also buy it at Trader Joe’s) in with rice because again, it ups the volume you get to eat and you primarily taste the rice.

You can use different amounts based upon the macros you have available to you, but here is an example of how I like it:

INGREDIENTS

1/2c oats

1 1/2c water

2/3c riced cauliflower (I put it in raw)

1/3-1/2c egg whites (optional, but a great way to get more protein in)

Toppings: Nut butter (Crazy Richards is my favorite*, fruit, shredded coconut, raisins, dried fruit, OR go the savory route and top with veggies and protein, hot sauce, etc.

METHOD

Cook the oats, water, and cauliflower on the stove over medium/high heat until it comes to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and cook until your desired level of thickness.

Whisk in the egg whites and cook for another minute. Turn off the heat, put the lid on, and let it sit on the stove until you are ready to eat it.

Oftentimes I will make the oats at lunchtime and then will leave them on the stove with the lid on and not eat them until after dinner.

If you know you won’t be eating them for a long time, obviously store the cauli-oats in the fridge.

* Get 10% off your Crazy Richard’s order with code: FITQUESTMOM

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Filed under Breakfast, Dessert, Gluten Free, Grains, IIFYM and Macros, Nutrition, Quick, Recipe Redux, Recipes, Vegan, Vegetarian

Tagged as cauliflower, cauliflower oatmeal, cauliflower oats, cauliflower oats recipe, crazy richards, crazy richards discount code, Crazy Richards Peanut Butter, how to make cauliflower oats, IIFYM, macros, oatmeal, volume foods

November 12, 2015 · 9:50 pm

No- Bake Protein Bar Base Recipe

LJ Protein Bar Base (3)

My nutrition client LJ posted this recipe from the Power Hungry blog on our Team Facebook page and I loved the simplicity of it. With 5 ingredients (all of which you can pronounce) these bars go together in a snap.

I whipped-up a quick batch and these protein bars have been a savior for me the last few days since I have been crazy busy and have been eating on the run a lot. An added bonus is the fact that these are really filling.

The only modification I made to the recipe was to use 1 cup of almond milk versus the 1 1/3 cups the recipe called for. Years ago I learned to always add less liquid initially to a recipe than it calls for because you can always add more if necessary and you can’t UNadd liquid once you have too much.

Ingredient-wise I used Trader Joe’s gluten-free old fashioned oats, unsweetened almond milk, Crazy Richard’s Crunchy PB, Kirkland vanilla, and PlantFusion protein powder in Cookies and Cream.

LJ Protein Bar Base (2)

The add-ins you could include in these bars are endless:

Powdered PB
Cocoa powder
Shredded coconut
Chocolate chips
Carob chips
Sprinkles
Nuts
Dried fruit
A layer of low sugar jelly (PB & J bars)
Pumpkin
Pumpkin pie spice
Cinnamon

Here are the nutrition facts for the bars as I made them (It made 8 bars):

LJ Protein Bar Base Nutrition Facts

P.S. If you are interested in giving Crazy Richards a try use the coupon code FITQUESTMOM for 10% off.

My Favorite Gluten-Free Lower Carb Waffle Recipe

This is my go-to waffle recipe. It has taken me a while to perfect, but I know it’s good when the rest of my family actually likes them and tries to steal bites when I make one for myself. Let’s face it, I like a lot of foods that the general public probably wouldn’t be into…this is a recipe the general public will be into.

I like this recipe as either a HUGE Belgian waffle or pancakes. The only difference between making these into waffles or pancakes will be the batter consistency (aka how much water you add). Waffle batter tends to be thicker and pancake batter thinner (it is basically personal preference).

I like to eat the whole recipe myself, but you can easily split it in half or eat as much as your macros allow. I also like to top my waffle with strawberries, but again that is personal preference.

If you don’t want to use syrup you can add a little stevia to the batter.

INGREDIENTS

40 grams Krusteaz gluten -free buttermilk pancake mix

1 Tbs coconut flour (pack it into the Tbs vs. the scoop and scrape method)

2 Tbs Fufu (Plantain Flour)

6 Tbs organic egg whites

Water (amount varies)

METHOD

Preheat your waffle maker or a pan on medium heat if making pancakes.

Place the pancake mix, coconut flour, and fufu flour into a mixing bowl. Add the egg whites and a little water to start (2-3Tbs). Mix.

The coconut flour will absorb a lot of water, so add water a little at a time until it reaches the right consistency. It seems like the amount of water I use is different every time, so play around with it. You can also add some more egg whites if you have more protein macros to use-up. I have used as little as 4Tbs and as much as 8Tbs with great results.

Spray coconut oil onto the waffle maker or pan.

Cook as you would any regular waffle or pancake.

Here is the macro breakdown for the recipe as written:

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Filed under Breads / Crackers / Muffins, Breakfast, Cake, Dessert, Family Recipe Make-Over, Gluten Free, Kid Friendly, Quick, Recipe Redux, Recipes

Tagged as coconut flour, coconut flour waffle recipe, counting macros, Fufu Flour, gluten-free, gluten-free waffle recipe, healthy waffle recipe, How to use fufu plantain flour, IIFYM, iifym waffle, low-carb waffle recipe, lower-carb waffle recipe, macros, Plantain Flour, waffle recipe

April 20, 2013 · 12:01 am

Mini Pineapple Upside-Down Cakes

It has been YEARS since I last had pineapple upside-down cake. Out of the blue a craving hit and I decided to challenge myself to come-up with a healthier version.

Along the way I discovered that this recipe makes a wonderful pancake batter as well (you have to love the dual purpose nature of this batter!).

I have been invited to enter the Ethical Ocean recipe contest and this will be my entry…more information to come.

INGREDIENTS – Makes 12-16 muffins

Wet Ingredients

12 pineapple slices, drained (reserve 2 Tbs. juice from the can)

12 Morello cherries

1 1/2 cup canned crushed pineapple

1 cup applesauce

Dry Ingredients

2 Tbs SweetLeaf SugarLeaf
1-2 Tbsp pineapple juice
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup King Arthur’s Gluten Free Multi-Purpose Flour
1/2 cup GFree pancake mix
1/2 cup blanched almond flour

1 tsp xanthan gum

honey or maple syrup

METHOD

Preheat oven to 350° (I used convection bake).
Trim the pineapple slices to the size of the bottom of your muffin tin (I used a biscuit cutter).
In a large mixing bowl add 1 cup applesauce, crushed pineapple, pineapple juice, and vanilla. Mix.
Add baking soda, salt, xanthan gum, pancake mix, and flours to a separate bowl and whisk to evenly distribute.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix well to incorporate.
Lightly grease the muffin tins (I used coconut oil).
Line the bottom of each tin with one slice of pineapple and a cherry in the middle.
Cover each pineapple and cherry slice with batter until the muffin tins are 3/4 full.
Bake for approx. 15 minutes until a tooth pick comes out clean.
Allow the pan to cool for 5 minutes.
Turn the cakes out onto a cooling rack and top with maple syrup or honey while still warm.

Don’t forget that this batter also makes AMAZING pancakes!!! Feel free to add a smidgen more pineapple juice to thin the batter if you plan on using it for pancakes.

For a printable version of this recipe CLICK HERE.

OAT-FREE GLUTEN-FREE GRANOLA

A while back I discovered that I was allergic to oats. Major bummer. I have always really enjoyed oatmeal and granola (not to mention oatmeal raisin cookies!!!).

I still regularly make Maple Almond Granola with my kids and the last time I made it with my daughter I decided I was going to try and make some oat-free gluten-free granola for myself. I am happy to report that it worked!

While the granola did not clump together like a traditional granola would, the flavor is great and the granola is good and crispy just like I like it!

INGREDIENTS

2-1/2 cups quinoa flakes

2 cups buckwheat groats

3/4 cup (3 ounces) raw sunflower seeds

2/3 cup lowfat shredded coconut

1 cup pure maple syrup, preferably Grade A dark amber (I use 1 cup)

1/4 cup coconut oil

2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

3/4 cups dried OR freeze dried fruit (optional)

Bake at 325 degrees for 25-40 minutes (stirring every 8-10 minutes) until golden brown.

Once nice and golden brown, remove from the oven, add dried fruit if desired, and allow to cool.

***My favorite way to eat this granola is on top of plain vegan yogurt and thawed frozen wild blueberries…SO GOOD!!!

For a printable version of this recipe click HERE.

Image by Tony Tseng

3 Comments

Filed under Breakfast, Gluten Free, Grains, Recipes, Vegan, Vegetarian

Tagged as bobs red mill buckwheat groats, oat free gluten free granola, oat free granola, quinoa flakes, vegan gluten free oat free granola recipe

October 31, 2012 · 3:45 pm

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

Here is a round-up of some of my favorite pumpkin recipes…my daughter began her day with the oatmeal. Have a happy and safe Halloween!!!

PUMPKIN PIE OATMEAL

PUMPKIN PIE DESSERT HUMMUS

PUMPKIN RICE PUDDING

CREAMY PUMPKIN PIE ICE CREAM

4 Comments

Filed under Appetizers, Beans/Legumes, Breakfast, Dessert, Frozen Treats, Gluten Free, Holiday, Holidays, Ice Cream, Kid Friendly, Pudding / Mousse, Recipes, Vegan, Vegetarian

August 21, 2012 · 8:00 am

RECIPE REDUX – Most Memorable Summer Meal

I first learned about a group called the Recipe Redux through a blog I follow called Jeanette’s Healthy Living. The recipe Redux was founded by registered dietitians and I knew I wanted to take part in it when I read what they are all about…

“As the first and only recipe challenge founded by registered dietitians, The Recipe ReDux is focused on taking delicious dishes, keeping them delicious, but making them better for you. The group was founded “[O]n the belief that healthier eating should always taste delicious. As the Latin term ‘redux’ means to revisit or reinvent, we are reinventing the idea of healthy eating with a taste-first approach. We aim to inspire the food lover in every healthy eater and inspire the healthy eater in every food lover.”

Once accepted into the group I received my first assignment which was to blog about our ‘Most Memorable Vacation Meal.’ The challenge was to make the meal healthier.

As I thought through the vacations in my life and the wonderful meals I have had, one truly did stand out. It may seem overly simplistic, however this meal was truly a standout to me. Last summer we went on a Disney Cruise on the Disney Dream (click HERE to read my post about it). The crew was so overly accomodating to my vegan diet and to the dietary restrictions my daughter lives with on a daily basis.

Disney owns their very own island called Castaway Cay in the Bahamas and the first day we spent on the island the crew sent my daughter’s and my meals for the day onto the island. When we went to pick-up our lunch at the designated restaurant, both my daughter and I were amazed by what they prepared for us. They provided my daughter (5 years old at the time) with 3 meals to choose from and made me the most gorgeous ENORMOUS fruit platter.

It was HOT HOT HOT that day and the fruit was perfectly ripe and gorgeously displayed. I could not have imagined a more perfect meal. Whole food, bursting with flavor, naturally cooling to the body…the perfect summer meal…a meal I couldn’t even possibly make healthier.

What is your “Most Memorable Vacation Meal” and have you taken the time to re-create it as well as make it healthier?

4 Comments

Filed under Appetizers, Breakfast, Fruit, Gluten Free, Kid Friendly, Recipe Redux, Recipes, Salad, Vegan, Vegetarian

Tagged as Castaway Cay, Disney Cruise, Disney private island Bahamas, Flower Fruit Platter, Fruit Platter, healthy vegan vacation meal food, Recipe Redux

August 6, 2012 · 4:00 pm

SRC – Apple Cinnamon Waffles

This summer is flying by and that is made all the more clear to me by the fact that it is again time for another Secret Recipe Club post. This month I was assigned Amber’s blog, Bluebonnets and Brownies. Amber is a true Texan married to a Brit with a shared love of breakfast tacos (who doesn’t love breakfast tacos???).

I had a lot of fun rummaging through her blog and bookmarked more than a few recipes to try. I ultimately narrowed it down to her Cucumber Tomato Salad, Borracho Beans (which I am DEFINITELY going to make), Oktoberfest BBQ Sauce, and Apple Cinnamon Waffles. My son and I decided to go with the Apple Cinnamon Waffles and began the process of making them vegan, gluten-free, and oil-free.

The results were fantastic. Apple-cinnamony goodness.

Apple Cinnamon Waffles

INGREDIENTS – Makes 3 to 4 large waffles

3/4 cup all-purpose flour*
1/4 cup cornstarch*
1/2 teaspoon baking powder*
1/4 teaspoon baking soda* (Used a total of 1 cup Bisquick Gluten Free Pancake & Baking Mix in lieu of * ingredients)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (Used 1 tsp…we really like cinnamon!)

1/2 cup organic skim milk (Used 1 cup almond milk…we needed to use more liquid since working with gluten-free flours)
1 6 oz cup of Apple Cinnamon Chobani Greek Yogurt (Used Almond Dream Plain Yogurt…it is THICK)
1/3 cup vegetable oil (Used a snack size container of applesauce)
1 egg (Used the equivalent of 1 Energ Egg Replacer egg)
2 Tablespoons granulated sugar (Used 1 heaping tsp Sweetleaf Sugarleaf)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 apple, peeled & finely diced (we decided to add this to the recipe)

DIRECTIONS

In a large bowl, combine pancake mix and cinnamon. Whisk together to combine and aerate.
Add the almond milk, yogurt, applesauce, Energ Egg, Sweetleaf Sugarleaf, and vanilla extract directly to the flour mixture. Mix again with the whisk until all the ingredients are thoroughly mixed and incorporated, and you have a smooth batter.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap for 30 minutes to overnight. We prepped the batter at night and put it in the refrigerator until morning.
When ready to cook, heat your waffle iron. Allowing it to go through its heat cycle a couple of times will ensure crisp waffles.
Fold the finely diced apple into the batter.
Cook the waffles according to your waffle iron’s instructions.