We’ve recorded ourselves making the basic recipe. Then turned it into chocolate cakes. We also use the batter in the waffle iron and we even made a dipping sauce! Today we tweaked the basic formula a little swapping chocolate almond milk for skim and cinnamon for the nutmeg. Then we added those famous frozen wild blueberries for a twist.

I’ll post the recipe below exactly how me made them today but have fun with it and make it your own. The formula of dry to wet ingredients works perfectly.

Oh! and I almost forgot the best part… The Little Guy’s quote this morning and I’m NOT making this up… “oh mom… they’re so good. I can’t stop eating them.” :)

• 1 overripe banana mashed
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup (4oz) chocolate almond milk
• 3/4 cup (90g) whole wheat flour
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• About 1/2 cup frozen wild blueberries

Mash the banana in a medium bowl. Add the egg and milk. Whisk until frothy.

In a smaller bowl, add the flour, baking soda, baking powder and nutmeg. Sift into the banana mixture. Mix until just blended.

I do the wet and the Little Guy does the dry ingredients. :)

Using a soup spoon (what we call our tablespoons) pour the batter by the spoonful in a non-stick skillet or griddle over medium heat sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. The batter is thick so just spread with the spoon. If you like a thinner batter add a splash more milk.

Sprinkle the desired amount of blueberries on top pressing in a bit with the spoon.

Cook about 1-2 minutes a side, small bubbles will form but not as many as traditional pancakes. Just peaked underneath for a light brown color, then flip.

Have I ever told you breakfast with the little guy is by far my favorite time of day. :) I went a little picture happy…

Today we got 8 pancakes. Normally we get 8-10 depending on how big we make them. I calculated the nutritional info for the original recipe based on 9. I’ll do this one for 8 and give you the per cake estimated figures. These are a little higher because of the almond milk and blueberries. The orginal is about 60 calories a cake. (1 WWP)

I love the combo of cinnamon, chocolate and strawberries. I also love that the soy milk provides all the sweetness. It makes it super simple!

Unfortunately I made this one after the little guy was in bed so no other taste testers then me. The husband is NOT a smoothie guy, of course. ;)

Here’s what I did. . .

• 1 cup light chocolate Soy Milk
• 1 cup frozen strawberries (134g)
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Blend all ingredients. I used my bullet and had to shake a bit, it was nice and thick. :)

Nutritonal Infomration may vary based on your soy milk brand but overall it’s going to be a 3 WWP.

Well, I’m happy to say, the answer is YES!

I can’t believe it worked! Even the husband liked them! At least he said he did after his one big ole bite. I don’t get it. I just don’t get it! I almost ate the whole batch in one sitting. How does he do that?!?

Anyway, this is what I did. I’m working from memory hear so bear with me.

• 1/4 cup of water
• 1/4 tbsp honey (5g)
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp vanilla
• 1 tbsp whole wheat flour
• pinch of salt
• 2 small apples diced – about a cup (I used gala and left the skins on)
• 8 won ton wrappers

Preheat the oven to 375

In a small pot whisk the water, honey, cinnamon, vanilla, and flour over medium hear. Add the apple. Stir to coat everything. The liquid should just boil and start to thicken.

Drop the heat down to medium low and cover. Cook for 12-15 minutes until the apple just softens.

Meanwhile, spray a mini muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray press the won ton wrappers in to form the crusts.

Once the apples are done. They should look like this…

Scoop the apple mixture evenly into the wontons. Bake for about 10 minutes until the edges start to brown and get crispy.

I didn’t have any but boy would these be great with a dab of frozen vanilla yogurt or cool whip! Here’s a little before and after cooking…

So I took the idea behind my quick banana pancakes and gave apple a try. I was pleasantly surprised how they came out. Really Moist and fluffy! But honestly, I wish they tasted a bit more "apple-y" (is that a word?) Next time I may add another apple and double the cinnamon but overall this should give you a good starting point for your own experiments.

I do have to add the toddler, DARN IT, I mean THE KID, really liked them. We dipped in apple sauce and had a blast knocking off the whole batch which is really perfect for 2. :)

• 1 apple (I used a granny smith) grated
• 1 egg
• ½ cup (4oz) skim milk (or soy or almond)
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ¾ cup (90g) whole wheat flour

Grate the apple, skin and all. It’s slow to start but just keep at it and you’ll get grated apple mush. :) Add the egg and milk. Whisk.

In a smaller bowl, add the flour, baking soda, baking powder and nutmeg. Sift into the banana mixture. Mix until just blended.

Heat a skillet over medium heat. Spray with non-stick cooking spray. Using about 1/4 cup of batter form pancakes. Cook about 1-2 minutes a side, small bubbles will form but not as many as traditional pancakes. I just peak underneath for a light brown color, then flip.

Here’s the little guy chowing down. He really was a fan! :)

The toddler added the sprinkles which creates a nice crunch on top. I think next time I’ll add a handful of chocolate chips for a bonus. Especially now that I calculated the nutritional information to find each muffin is less then 150 calories!

• 5oz dried prunes
• 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour (45g)
• 1/4 cups cocoa powder (20g)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• pinch of salt
• 1 scoop unflavored protein powder (I used 20g of 100% Any Whey)
• 1 ripe banana
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tbsp molasses
• 1 egg

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a small sauce pan add the prunes with enough water to cover them. Boil for 5 minutes and then simmer while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and protein powder. Set aside.

Line a 6 muffin tin with muffin liners. Spray with non-stick spray in desired. (I used aluminum liners, they didn’t stick at all!)

Drain the prunes. They should be soft. Puree them in a food processor (I used my Magic Bullet). Add the banana, vanilla, and molasses, blend until smooth.

Pour the prune mixture in a bowl. Whisk in the egg. Add the sifted dry ingredients and mix until just combined. If you are adding any chips, do it now.

Divide the batter into the 6 muffin tins and bake for about 17 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Nutritional Information is just the batter, no sprinkles or chips as I would make them plain for myself but they make a great starting point to let the kids have a little fun. I don’t mind adding sprinkles or chocolate chips to a whole grain muffin base with no added sugar. :~)

It was yummy! If you like the sweetness of applesauce and the texture of quinoa like me, you may actually like this. It took some coaxing but I got the toddler to reluctantly try it. He didn’t want to but then when the flavor hit his tongue the gross "I can’t believe I eating this face" turned into a "Hmm that was actually pretty good face." lol

If he was a little younger I’d be able to serve this to him without a problem. Now he’s getting set in his ways. DARN IT! ;~P

• 1 small-medium apple
• 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup water (2oz)
• 1/2 tbsp honey (10g) (optional for more sweetness if your apple is lacking)
• 1/4 cup uncooked quinoa (42g)

Core and cut the apple (leaving the skin on) into chunks. Place them in a blender with the lemon juice, cinnamon and water. Blend until smooth. Taste it, if it’s not sweet enough add the honey and blend again.

Place the apple mixture and quinoa into a small pan over medium-high heat. Stir continuously until it begins to boils. Once it boils, cover and lower to a simmer. Simmer for 15-20 minutes. The quinoa will absorb the liquid and just begin to turn transparent with little visible rings.

Remove from heat and eat!

I think this version is actually better. It has less ingredients (compared to the packet), it’s cheaper (you can now use the oatmeal in bulk,) it’s not as sweet and I just love being independent of products. :)

As you can see the toddler loved it and he’s in rare form in the video. He’s becoming VERY vocally expressive. Not that he wasn’t always but he just seems to have so much more to say these last few weeks. I tried to keep it short but you’ll see, he tends to distract me a bit. If you do decide to watch it you’ll have to stay to the end, he does another one of his secret taste tests again (like he did with the tabasco in the the Tortilla Soup Video-A YEAR ago!)

Scroll below the video for the recipe.

• 1/2 cup (40g) Old Fashioned Oats
• 6oz water
• 1 packet sweetener (I used Truvia)
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

Put the oats, water, sweetener and cinnamon in a small pot over medium high heat. Cook and stir until water is absorbed. About 5 minutes.

Mix the cooked oatmeal with applesauce.

Sprinkle a bit more cinnamon on top for effect.

EAT! :)

Now I’m not going to claim I know anything about Moroccan food. I’m not even sure I could find Morocco on a map! All I know is the flavors of that recipe intrigued me. So I used what I had on hand and whipped this up in about 10 minutes. I’m not kidding, from pot to bowl in 10 and it was tasty! Different. But tasty all the same!

Toddler and husband wouldn’t touch it with a ten foot pole. However, little man was quite obsessed with my oranges.

So at least I got that in is belly while preparing the dish. Hey… every little bit counts. :)

• 8oz extra lean ground beef
• 1 small sweet onion chopped
• 3 gloves garlic minced
• 1 tsp dried cumin
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 2 cans (15oz) diced tomatoes
• 1 orange peeled and chopped (keep any juices)
• 2oz Whole Wheat Couscous
  (56g)
• 1 can Butter Beans (Large Lima Beans) drained and rinsed

In a medium-large pot brown the ground beef with the onion and garlic. Add the cumin, oregano and cinnamon. Coat everything and let the flavors merge.

Add the 2 cans of diced tomatoes (with juices) into the pot. Bring to a boil while peeling and chopping the orange.

Add the orange pieces. Bring back to a boil.

Stir in the couscous. Cover and reduce to a simmer. Continue to simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the Butter Beans and stir. Cook for another 5 minutes until ready to serve.

I love how they came out. REAL most and sweet. Almost too sweet, so you may want to reduce the honey by a tablespoon if you don’t like a sweeter muffin. The toddler? well… the toddler took a bite and declared he "loved them!" Then he took another bite and said he didn’t. Ahhh how I LOVE 3 year olds! All in all he liked the flavor but the apple chunks got him. As soon as he hit one he made a face. I think he gets it from me, I never liked chunks in things when I was a kid either. If it wasn’t chocolate chips then I didn’t want it in my cookies. Raisins, nuts, whatever. My mom used to grind them up so I wouldn’t complain. :)

Anyway, this is how I made them and I’ll put Krista’s original ingredients in [brackets].

• 3/4 c whole wheat flour (90g)
• 1/2 c wheat bran (30g)
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce (61g)
• 2 tbsp molasses (41g) [1/4 c brown sugar]
• 1/4 cup non-fat yogurt + 1/4 cup water [1/2 c nonfat milk]
• 1 tsp vanilla [3/4 t vanilla]
• 3 tbsp honey (63g)
• 1 medium apple, cored, & diced (I left the skin on)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare muffin cups by spraying with nonstick cooking spray.

Mix all the dry ingredients (flour, wheat bran, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon) in a bowl. Set aside.

Whisk the wet ingredients (applesauce, molasses, yogurt, water, vanilla, honey) together in another bowl.

Mix the dry and wet ingredients together with the diced apple. [Krista also added raisins and pecans]

Spoon into muffin sprayed muffin tins (9-10). Bake about 20 minutes. Cool in muffin tin for a minute and then remove to cool on wire rack.

Here’s a little before and after baking…

And here’s my measurer. :) I really LOVE baking with him. Notice the mess.

As for the nutritional information. This is based on how I made them. I got 10 but they were small. 9 would probably be better.

Nutritionally, instant, rolled and even steel cut oats are identical. However the less the oats are processed the lower the glycemic index, which means they absorb slower into your bloodstream. A lot of people recommend steel cut oats and I get it, I really do. I’m just not there YET. :) Consider this my graduation from instant to rolled. Maybe by the end of the year I’ll take to the leap to Steal Cut. Remember… it’s a journey. :)

I did make this for myself and the toddler declared he didn’t like it on sight alone. I then got him to try a bite and he said it was good so I’ll give this the toddler approved mark but I’m not quite sure I’d get him to eat a whole serving yet.

• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup (40g) Old Fashioned (Rolled) Oats
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4-1/2 tsp stevia based on taste (equivalent in sweetener of your choice)
• 1/2 cup frozen blueberries (about 75g)

Bring water to a boil in a medium sized pot. Add the oats, cinnamon and stevia. Reduce to medium heat and cook for 5 minutes.

Add the frozen blueberries. Raise the heat back to high and bring to a boil (about another minute cooking time) while stirring to defrost the blueberries.

Remove from heat and serve!

I don’t know about you but I can wake up 15 minutes early every day if this is what I have to look forward to! :~)

Oh! and YIKES! I totally forgot my intro screen! LOL not a big deal, you probably wouldn’t have even noticed.

Here’s what I did but remember, take it and run!

• 1 egg
• splash of your favorite milk (about an ounce)
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 slices of your favorite whole grain bread
• non-stick cooking spray

Heat a non-stick frying pan or griddle over medium heat.

whisk the egg, milk and spices in a flat bottom bowl or dish.

Spray the skillet with non-stick spray.

Dip the bread quickly in the egg (both sides) and place on the skillet.

Flip after 2-3 minutes when the toast become a nice golden brown.

Serve with a bit of syrup!

Note: the Nutritional Information may vary based on the bread you use. And I take back what i said in the video. I ate my second with just a bit of maple syrup and oh.. MY! YUM! (Notice it in the picture)

The idea is a modified version of a recipe my mom uses from an old cookbook. It intrigued me with it’s use of crushed pineapple as a sweetener. Although the original recipe called for white flour, 2 cups of sugar, and a cup of oil, all of which I think are uncalled for.

My version is far less sweet as I ditch the sugar and use a combination of honey and molasses to add more flavor with just a touch of sweetness. It’s apparently enough as the toddle DEVOURS this bread. He also LOVED helping me make all the experiments. Just look at my little sous chef!

I brought a loaf to work where it was well received and a few friends at the gym seemed to like it. Although I never trust face to face reviews as I know it’s hard to tell someone you don’t like what they made in person.

OK, can you tell I’m nervous about this one. :~) I think the more I work on a recipe the more I’m worried how you guys like it. It’s a labor of love I suppose.

• 3 eggs
• ½ cup (122g) of unsweetened applesauce
• 2 tbsp (42g) honey
• 2 tbsp (40g) molasses
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 3 cups (360g) whole wheat flour
• ½ cup (60g) walnuts – ground
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp baking powder
• 1 ½ tsp cinnamon
• ¾ tsp nutmeg
• 1 medium zucchini shredded (1 cup about 200g)
• 1 20oz can crushed pineapple drained

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Open the can of pineapple and place in a metal strainer in the sink to remove some of the juice while preparing the rest of the ingredients.

In large bowl, beat the eggs until frothy. Add the applesauce, honey, molasses, vanilla and beat until foamy and then beat some more. :~)

Ground the walnuts in a blender or food processor. Don’t over process the oil in them will start to stick.

In another bowl, mix the ground walnuts, flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

Stir the shredded zucchini and drained pineapple into the egg mixture.

Add the dry ingredient to the wet and stir until just blended.

The batter makes 2 large loafs or 6 mini loaves. You can even make 1 large and 3 small or 24 muffins (note: haven’t tried the muffins YET!)

What ever you decide be sure to spray with non-stick cooking spray and dust with a bit of flour.

Bake the large loaves for about an hour, small loaves for around 40 minutes. Muffins probably half that (I’ll update when I do it). A toothpick inserted should come out clean when it’s done.

Here’s the batch I made this morning and I just had to show you our mess of a kitchen when we were done. I may be the messiest cook EVER! (well I did have help) :~)