Grain Free Naturally Sweetened Banana Muffins

Grain Free Naturally Sweetened Banana Muffins

 

   

     These muffins have no sugar, sweetener, or artificial sweetener added! They are subtly sweet and good for those who have cut sugar out of their diet but really miss a baked good. Judah loved these when he was a baby. I will admit he still likes them but since he has experienced a real muffin he prefers his with a little jelly or nut butter on it. I love how easy these muffins are to make and have on hand for snacks or a quick breakfast in the morning. I like to cut them in half and add peanut butter. I have been known to take them along in a bag for a snack when I'm running errands. This recipe is based on the Banana Bread Muffin Recipe from Wellness Mama. I found that the addition of a little nut butter helps them to have a better texture and crumb!

 Grain Free Naturally Sweetened Banana Muffins

Ingredients

- 2 very ripe bananas
- 1/4 cup melted or very soft coconut oil
- 5 eggs
- 1/4 cup peanut butter or other nut butter
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 cup coconut flour
-1 tsp vanilla extract ( optional just adds little flavor)

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees and spray a 12 count muffin tin with cooking spray or fill with muffin liners

2) In a large bowl ( if you are using an immersion blender) or a blender add all ingredients and blend until batter is very smooth and well mixed, about 30 seconds.

3) Pour batter evenly into all 12 muffin cups

4) Bake for 13-16 minutes until tops begin to brown and the muffins are set ( in my oven 15 minutes is the perfect amount)

5) Allow to cool completely before serving for better texture, serve with nut butter, jelly, or honey! I think they taste best cold right out of the fridge!

A few notes:
These are coconut flour based so will have a different texture than most regular flour muffins.

Since there are no added sweeteners the sweetness of the muffins depends on how ripe your bananas are! Make sure they are VERY ripe with a lot of black spots! If you are used to eating sugar these will most likely not satisfy your craving for a muffin, but for those with diet restrictions they are a wonderful option and really satisfying!

Store in an airtight container or bag in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

recipe adapted from  https://wellnessmama.com/2637/banana-bread-muffins/

Game Day Crock Pot or Instant Pot Sausage and Peppers

Game Day Crock Pot Sausage and Peppers

     Every summer when we would visit my grandparents in Kansas City my mom would take us to a little Italian bakery and restaurant called Mario's where they served meatball and sausage sandwiches called grinders. She grew up eating them and taught us to love them too! This reminds me of those sandwiches. The flavor of the sauce is so complex even though it only has a few ingredients, most of the flavor comes from the dish cooking all day in the slow cooker with the sausages. I like to serve this on Rotella's Hoagie Buns ( I use gluten free hot dog buns for those who need gluten free) and with cheese for those who can have it that way. The leftovers are also good over gluten free pasta. This dish has become a game day staple the past few years in our home when we have family over to watch the Husker football games. I like that you can get all the prep work and mess out of the way before guests come and they are greeted with the delicious smell of onion, garlic, and peppers cooking all day when they walk in the door!

Ingredients
Serves 6-8 depending on size of hunger

* 12 mild Italian Sausage Links ( I have used Kroger brand, Fresh Thyme, and Johnsonville)
* 1 TBSP olive oil ( may need more)
* 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
* 15 oz can tomato sauce
* 1 yellow onion cut into thin slices
* 3 red peppers sliced into strips
* 3 garlic cloves minced
* 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
* salt and pepper
* 1 tsp dried basil
* 1 tsp dried parsley

Directions

1. In a large crock pot empty the crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce

2. In a large skillet over medium heat add 1/2 tbsp of the olive oil and six of the sausages. Brown the sausages on all sides, about a minute or two per side. They do not need to be cooked through as they will cook in the slow cooker. The browning adds flavor and a better texture! Once browned place in the crock pot. Repeat the browning process with the remaining sausages and then place them in the crock pot.

3. Add the onions to the already heated skillet, add more olive oil if needed. Cook the onions for 4 minutes or until they start to brown. Season with a salt and pepper and then place in the crock pot.

4. Add the red bell peppers to the skillet and cook for 5 minutes until soft, add the garlic the last minute and then add the cooked peppers and garlic to the crock pot.

5.  Add the red pepper flakes, dried basil, and parsley to the crock pot and stir gently until the ingredients are well incorporated.

6. Cook on low for 6 hours. The sausages will be very tender and might even start to fall apart!

7. Serve on toasted buns with Mozzarella cheese or over pasta!

For the Instant pot:

Skip direction 1 and follow directions 2-4 on the saute function of the instant pot browning the sausages and removing them, browning the peppers and onions and removing them also.

Combine all the rest of the ingredients for the sauce and add all of the peppers, onions, and nestle the sausages back into the instant pot. 

Cook on manual for 20 minutes, release pressure and then serve!

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from https://iowagirleats.com/2015/10/19/crock-pot-sausage-and-peppers/

Fennel Spiced Chicken Nuggets

Fennel Spiced Chicken Nuggets

     

     I have a confession. I really, really disliked fennel until about two weeks ago. I would search grocery stores for Italian sausage that didn't contain it. If a restaurant had fennel listed on the menu I avoided that dish. There aren't many foods or spices I dislike but for some reason the licorice type smell of it was not appealing to me. Right now I'm very limited in what spices I can use due to some health issues. My beloved onion, garlic, chili powder, and black pepper have had to retire. 

     I decided to give fennel another chance, maybe I would like it now that all my spicy foods that I lived off of were no longer an option, and anything had to taste better than chicken just seasoned with salt. I bought a high quality dried whole fennel seed and decided to make chicken nuggets using it. They were DELICIOUS! I LOVE fennel now! I like to make a batch of these to have on hand for lunches for the week, or even as a high protein snack. They reheat well in the air fryer or microwave and go well with gluten free pasta or potatoes! I like to dip them in dairy free pesto or tahini. 

     

Fennel Spiced Chicken Nuggets

Ingredients
1 pound ground chicken
1 tsp salt
1 egg well beaten
1 TBSP coconut flour
1/2 tsp dried basil
1 1/2 tsp dried whole fennel seed divided (half will go on top)
olive oil or olive oil cooking spray

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

1. In a large bowl crack the egg and whisk with a fork until the yolk and white are well mixed

2. Add the ground chicken, salt, coconut flour, dried basil, and 1tsp dried fennel, mix until ingredient are well incorporated

3. Using a large cookie scoop or tablespoon portion the meat mixture into balls and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper

4. Using the back of a fork gently press each mound of chicken down to flatten

5. Spray each chicken nugget lightly with 100% olive oil cooking spray or use a pastry brush to brush olive oil on each nugget

6. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 tsp of fennel seed on top of the nuggets

7. Bake for 7 minutes, take out of the oven and flip the nuggets over and bake for another 7-10 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165

Enjoy!

A few notes
* The coconut flour and egg are optional but I have found that adding them to chicken makes the nuggets stay together and the coconut flour absorbs extra juices from the chicken as they bake making for a better texture. I have made them without coconut flour and I end up with a pan of chicken juices. ha ha
* You can use this base recipe and add whatever spices you like! If you don't like fennel you can use something else!
* Adding the fennel to the top makes these have an extra roasted fennel taste!

Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal Cookies (egg free!)

Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal Cookies 

     When I was testing this recipe I forgot that when you mix sunbutter and baking soda together in a cookie the cookies will turn green from the chlorophyll in the sunflower seeds in the sunbutter. My first batch of cookies I made were green! They tasted really good, smelled like fall, but the color didn't scream pumpkin spice. I decided to leave the baking soda out the second time around and they made a much more appealing cookie! These pumpkin spice cookies are slightly sweet, have the fall spices we all love, but the sunbutter gives them a melt in your mouth texture and holds the cookies together without the use of eggs! 

Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal Cookies
Makes 10-12 depending on size

Ingredients 

-1 cup oats
-1/2 cup canned pumpkin
-1/4 cup sunbutter (you can also use almond butter or cashew but peanut butter overpowers the spices)
-1/4 cup maple syrup or honey
-1/4 tsp sea salt
-3/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice ( If you want a stronger pumpkin spice flavor add a whole tsp)

Directions

1. Pre-heat oven to 350
2. In a large bowl combine oats, pumpkin, sunbutter, maple syrup, sea salt, and pumpkin pie spice
3. Stir ingredients until well incorporated
4. Using a large cookie scoop or tablespoon scoop the cookie batter onto a cookie sheet covered in parchment paper
5. Push each cookie slightly down with your hand or the back of a spatula (cookies will not spread so this step is important unless you want round cookies!)
6. Bake cookies for 13-15 minutes until they are brown on the bottom
Allow cookies to cool completely before removing them from the pan or they may break.
Enjoy!

Gluten Free Breakfast Casserole ( with a dairy free option)

Gluten Free Breakfast Casserole

     My family loves breakfast casseroles! Although we mostly eat them for dinner, not breakfast! My four year old and husband can eat about half the pan just the two of them because they love it so much. I often make this casserole when I need to take a breakfast dish someplace, such as my MOPS group at church! It's also a go-to during football season when we have those early 11am Husker parties. Through the years I've tweaked this recipe to get it down to a few ingredients I always have on hand. You can customize it to meet your needs or dietary preferences. One of my favorite additions is sun dried tomatoes! They add a little bit of sweetness to the dish. I sometimes make it half with cheese and half without for those who can't have dairy. This casserole reheats very well in the microwave so you can make it at the beginning of the week and have it on hand for an easy breakfast.

Ingredients
-16 oz. of gluten free hash browns (NOTE: this is half of most bags, I've tried it with a whole bag and it's too many potatoes!)
-12 large eggs
-16 oz of sausage cooked until browned and drained of excess fat ( I use Jimmy Deans All Natural)
-4-8 oz of sharp cheddar cheese (this can be left off to it make dairy free)
-1/2 tsp salt
-1/4 tsp pepper
other options for mix ins-
-sundried tomatoes ( mix them in with the hash browns/eggs or they will burn on top!
-mushrooms
-crumbled goat cheese
-feta cheese

Instructions
1) Pre-heat oven to 350
2) Generously spray the bottom and sides of a 9x13 baking dish with olive oil or non-stick cooking spray (don't skip this or it will stick)
3) Pour the 16 oz of frozen hash browns into the skillet and spread until they are even
4) Brown the sausage in a large skillet and drain
5) Spread the sausage over the hash browns in the baking dish
6) In a large bowl crack all 12 eggs, add the salt and pepper and whisk the eggs until they are well incorporated
7) Pour the egg mixture over the hash browns and sausage and use a fork to make sure the egg reaches the sides of the dish. Since this recipe does not have added milk in the mixture it might look like there aren't enough eggs to cover but if you tilt the baking dish around the eggs will sink down and coat the whole dish.
8) Sprinkle the top with 6-8 oz or as much cheese or other toppings that you want!
9) Bake for 45 minutes and check with a toothpick to see if it comes out clean. If the egg bake is not baked through add five more minutes at a time and keep checking until done.

Note: My sister and I always joke about how egg bakes always take different amounts of time to cook and usually take longer than you think they will!  I have made this so many times and tried to time it out and it usually takes between 45-60 minutes but sometimes it takes longer and sometimes it takes less! If you are taking this to an event make sure you give yourself plenty of time for it to cook!

Gluten Free Air Fryer Chicken Tenders Two Ways

   

      Usually my four year old doesn't like chicken nuggets, or chicken tenders, or any type of fried breaded chicken. I think he might be one of the only toddlers I've met that this rings true for. He does however like grilled chicken, sautéed chicken, and now he likes my air fryer chicken tenders!
      I have had a lot of fun experimenting with my new air fryer I bought on amazon prime day. I was hoping to use it to make easy meals for lunch when we didn't have leftovers on hand. I can't make things easy and just make one type of chicken tender at a time so I made two! The first one is more traditional using Trader Joe's new gluten free rice crumbs. The texture of the exterior is so crispy from the ground rice! These were a hit with my husband and son, who if they chose to could eat a normal gluten filled chicken tender.
     The second version features one of my favorite treats, Siete Grain Free Tortilla Chips! These chips are made with Cassava flour and taste very similar to corn based tortilla chips, but without the grain for those who can't have corn. I never know what to do with the end of the bag of these chips when there are little pieces and now I have a fun new chicken tortilla chicken tender I can make!
     Both of these recipes were made in the air fryer and haven't been tested in the oven. From prior experience with making chicken tenders in the oven, I think you could make these in the oven but they will not be as crispy, and probably a little soggy on one side. The picture below is using the Siete  Grain Free Chips!

Ingredients
12 chicken tenders
1  cup of Trader Joe's Rice Crumbs or Siete Tortilla chips crumbled into small pieces
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
2 eggs beaten

Instructions

1) Pre- heat air fryer for 3 minutes to 400 degrees

2) In a small dish crack the two eggs and beat them with a fork until mixed

3) In another small dish pour your choice of breading, salt, garlic powder, and onion powder

4) Dip each chicken finger in the egg mixture and then the crumb mixture, set each chicken tender on a plate while the air fryer pre-heats

5) Depending on the size of your air fryer (mine is a Ninja and fits six chicken tenders at a time) place the chicken tenders in batches in the air fryer basket. Spray the tenders with olive oil spray and cook at 400 for 5 minutes, flip and spray the other side with olive oil spray, and cook for another 5 minutes at 400 or until chicken reaches a temp of 165.
I usually put my oven on 200 and place the chicken tenders on a sheet pan to keep them warm and crispy while I cook the rest of the chicken.

Serve with ketchup, barbecue sauce, or I even like them with guacamole!

(These are the new rice crumbs from Trader Joe's)

Maple Sea Salt Cashew Bites

Maple Sea Salt Cashew Bites

     I love anything maple flavored. As a child that meant sugary "maple" syrup and maple flavored cookies in the shape of a maple leaf ( have you ever had one? They are SO good!). When I discovered there was a more natural maple extract available I had to experiment and make something that would satisfy my maple craving! I love the combination of a little sea salt mixed with something sweet. I used dates to sweeten these so you are getting the bonus of fiber and all the good things that are packed into dates! These bites are easy to make and grab when you want a quick snack or something sweet!

Maple Sea Salt Cashew Bites

Makes 10 

Ingredients 

-1/2 cup unsalted cashews

-1/2 cup pitted dates ( I use medjool dates)

-1/2 tsp maple flavor ( I use Frontier Co-Op brand)

-1 tsp water

-2 TBSP flax meal ( you can leave this out but need to add more cashews or they will be sticky)

-1/4 tsp sea salt ( plus a little more for sprinkling on top)

Instructions

Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until the mixture becomes smooth and starts to stick together. The mixture should be sticky but not so sticky you can't roll them into balls. If it is too sticky add a tablespoon more of cashews at a time until it is the right consistency. 

Roll the mixture into 10 equal balls and place in the refrigerator to set.

Sprinkle the top with a few flakes of sea salt if desired.

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.