Vanilla Funfetti Pancakes

I got this recipe from the blog Chez Catey Lou. The original recipe had a sort of garnish (hallway between a sauce and a frosting) made with Greek yogurt and honey, but I omitted it (my kids don’t like yogurt, and they can’t taste it in the pancakes, but there’s no way they would go for a topping!). Note that you can change the color of the sprinkles for the season (like pink and red for Valentine’s Day, red and green for Christmas, etc.). I didn’t have the sprinkles called for, but I made it work. This yields about 6 pancakes.

1 cup all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp. sugar
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. baking soda
½ cup lactose-free Greek yogurt
½ cup lactose-free milk
1 large egg
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla
½ cup sprinkles (the oblong/jimmy kind, not the tiny dot/non-pareil kind)

Preheat a griddle pan or large frying pan over medium low heat.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.

In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the yogurt, milk, egg, oil, and vanilla until well combined.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Do not over mix. Let the batter sit for 10 minutes.

Divide the batter into two bowls and gently mix half the sprinkles into the first bowl. (This is so that the sprinkles don’t bleed too much into the batter, and honestly, I didn’t bother with this step – I just mixed all the sprinkles in all the batter.)

Lightly and carefully grease your pan.

Spoon the batter into four places on the griddle pan. Cook for 2 - 3 minutes, until golden brown.

Flip and cook for 1 - 2 minutes on the other side. Remove pancakes to a wire rack.

Stir the rest of the sprinkles into the remaining batter, and repeat cooking process.

Invisible Apple Cake

 

How do I explain this cake… or, really, sing its praises enough? The recipe came into my life from two sources simultaneously: Coup de Pouce (which had a half-dozen apple recipes in the fall of 2024, and the others I tried were not so great) and Smitten Kitchen (which never lets me down). Since the ingredients were ostensibly the same, but the amounts differed slightly and Smitten Kitchen had a proper weight of apples, I went with that one, and I am so glad I did!

The cake batter is very much like crêpe batter, the cake itself is not too sweet, and I cannot oversell it. You’ll want a variety of apples that tend to stay firm, like Granny Smith. Make sure that your pan is big enough – my loaf pan measures 9”x5” at the top and it was very full. If yours is smaller, bake some of the batter in greased muffin tins – as Deb Perelman says, it will not go to waste.

I want to mention also that I gave this recipe to my mother last fall after she went apple picking and was looking for a good recipe to use up some of that bounty. She complained while making it because placing the apple slices can be finicky, and once it was in the oven she was sort of thinking she wouldn’t make it again. But then she and my dad tasted it, and… it’s now a favorite. I don’t have access to apple orchards here in Texas, and it doesn’t feel like fall yet, but I’ll be sure to make it again this week!

2 ¼ to 2 ½ pounds (1 to 1.15kg) apples, such as Granny Smith or Mutsu
juice of half a lemon
2 tablespoons (30 grams) unsalted lactose-free butter, melted
2/3 cup (130 grams) granulated sugar
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
1 cup (130 grams) all-purpose flour
½ cup lactose-free milk
2 tablespoons (40 grams) apricot preserves or apple jelly, warmed
powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 °F.

Coat the short ends of a loaf pan with butter or nonstick spray. Line the bottom and two long sides of the pan with a piece of parchment paper. Place the loaf pan on a rimmed baking sheet, just in case there’s overflow.

Peel and core your apples, then slice them very thinly (about 1/8-inch or 1/3-cm thick). A mandoline works great for this. Place apples in a large bowl and gently toss with lemon juice.

Melt butter in a medium bowl. Whisk in sugar and salt, then eggs and vanilla, until evenly incorporated. Whisk in flour until smooth, then milk. Pour batter over sliced apples, then stir and turn the apples a few times so that they’re evenly coated. This is much easier to do with your (clean) hands. Push about a dozen full slices to the side of the bowl for the final layer.

Arrange the remaining apple slices slightly overlapped around the prepared loaf pan, pushing the straight edges against the sides for the neatest appearance. (Once again, using your hands is easiest for this.) Use any smaller or broken apples to fill any center gap. By the time you’re down to just batter and a few scraps of apple, just pour it over and then use your hands to push the pieces around until it’s level. Tap the pan on the counter a few times to release any trapped air bubbles. Use the apple slices you pushed aside to decorate the top, fanning them into a flower pattern if you wish.

Bake the cake for 60 to 70 minutes, or until a toothpick or skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out batter free and doesn’t feel like it’s spearing any raw/crunchy apples. Transfer to a cooling rack for 5 minutes, then brush top with warmed apricot preserves and let cool completely in the pan. The cake will be puffed at first and will settle flat as it cools.

Once cooled to room temperature, use a knife to loosen the cake from the short ends of the pan. Use the sling of parchment paper around the longer sides of the cake to help lift it out of the pan. Remove parchment paper and transfer to a serving plate. Cut into slices. Dust with powdered sugar, if using. (This cake keeps fantastically in the fridge for 5 to 6 days. Bring back to room temperature before serving.)

Dark Chocolate, Nut, and Banana Shake

 

This recipe is from chef Michael Moore (not *that* Michael Moore), and I think it’s from a cookbook called Blood Sugar. It was a really nice change from my normal breakfast, and look how beautiful it is when you bother with the melted chocolate! This makes 2 servings.

2 oz. (60 g) dark chocolate
1 tsp. agave nectar
1 Tbsp. cocoa
2 cups lactose-free milk (or almond milk)
1 large ripe banana
1 Tbsp. honey
½ cup lactose-free yogurt
½ cup silken tofu
2 Tbsp. ground almonds
2 Tbsp. lactose-free protein powder (vanilla or chocolate)
1 cup ice (I omitted that)

In a small bowl, melt the chocolate and agave in the microwave for about 20 seconds, then set aside.

Combine the cocoa with a little of the milk to make a paste, then mix it with all the remaining ingredients. Place mixture into a blender (or a large jug) and blend until smooth.

 

Spoon a little melted chocolate into your serving glasses. Use the back of a spoon to spread it around the inside of the glass.

Pour the thick shake over and serve with a little grated chocolate (or cocoa powder) on top.

Kugel

 

This is the famous kugel from Smitten Kitchen, where Deb Perelman jokes that her mother married her father to get his family recipe. The Engineer and I really liked it, but our kids did not (to be fair, I think they just don’t like kugel in general, and it was nothing against this kugel in particular).

1 pound wide egg noodles
8 eggs
1 ½ cups sugar
2 pounds full-fat lactose-free cottage cheese, creamed or large curd
1 ½ sticks sticks melted unsalted lactose-free butter or margarine
2 teaspoons vanilla
dash of salt
optional: 2 cups canned cherry pie filling (Comstock is specified)

Preheat oven to 350 °F. Parboil the noodles (five to seven minutes).

In a very large bowl, beat eggs until fluffy. Add the sugar gradually, then the cottage cheese, butter, and vanilla. Stir in the drained noodles.

Pour into a 9×13-inch pan. Bake for 1 ½ hours, or until kugel is set (my oven runs hot, and mine was done after 1 hour; Deb Perelman specifies that her oven runs cold and takes almost 2 hours). If using the cherry pie filling as a topping, pour it over at the one-hour mark, then bake it for an additional 30 minutes.

Super Seed Trifecta Granola

 

I made this super seed trifecta granola so that I could have something with more protein and fewer carbs than regular granola. I really liked it! I decided to grind the flaxseed so that my body could absorb those nutrients better, so I am modifying that below. I also added a pinch of salt, and I am writing down my baking times.

For the dry ingredients
3 cups crisp brown rice cereal (gluten-free if necessary)
3 cups rolled oats (gluten-free if necessary)
½ cup hemp hearts (shelled hemp seeds)
½ cup brown flax seeds. ground
¼ cup chia seeds
1 generous pinch of salt

For the wet ingredients
½ cup brown rice syrup
2 Tbsp. flax oil (or other oil)
1 Tbsp. molasses
½ Tbsp. vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 275 °F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients. In a small bowl, combine the wet ingredients.

Heat the wet ingredients in the microwave for about 1-2 minutes. Alternatively, you can heat the wet ingredients in a saucepan, until it just begins to bubble around the edges.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry and thoroughly combine. Divide the mixture between the two baking sheets and spread out evenly.

Bake the granola for 45 minutes, switching shelves for each sheet (i.e. placing the sheet from the top shelf on the lower shelf and vice versa). In my case, I baked it in a large roasting pan, stirring every 20 minutes, for a total of 1 hour. Once done, let cool completely before transferring to an air-tight container. Enjoy!

Coconut Turmeric Loaf

I liked this coconut turmeric loaf for breakfast! I used Bob Red Mill’s shredded coconut, which is much finer than standard, and I prefer that in a loaf cake; that being said, anything with shredded coconut goes on my kids’ blacklist (with the notable exception of Nanaimo bars).

For the dry ingredients
1 ½ cups flour (I used 1 cup unbleached all-purpose and ½ cup whole grain white wheat flour)
1 cup coconut flakes (I used ¾ cup, plus 1 Tbsp. for topping)
2 tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. baking soda
1/3 tsp. salt
1 tsp. turmeric
1/8 to ¼ tsp. black pepper
¼ tsp. cinnamon or nutmeg (optional)

For the wet ingredients
1 cup non-dairy or lactose-free milk, such as almond or lite coconut (I used ½ cup coconut milk + ½ cup lactose-free milk)
½ cup maple syrup
2 Tbsp. sugar, (for sweeter cake)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
juice of 1 lime (2 to 3 Tbsp. lime or lemon juice)

Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Line a loaf pan with parchment or grease well.

Blend all ingredients under wet so that coconut flakes breaks down a bit. to very small flakes.

In a bowl mix all the dry ingredients really well,

Combine wet and dry and mix to form a batter. Transfer the thick batter to a loaf pan. Sprinkle a tbsp or so coconut on top and Bake for 45 mins or until a toothpick from the center comes out clean.

Cool for 10 mins then remove from loaf and cool completely. I usually cool the loaf, then refrigerate for an hour or so then slice.

Pecan and White Chocolate Banana Bread

 

This recipe is from The Currabinny Cookbook by James Kavanagh and William Murray (also posted here). I adapted it slightly for North American cooks (and for us lactose-intolerant folks!). Note that I used white chocolate chips instead of chopping a bar of chocolate. This was delicious!

175 g (scant 1 ½ cups) all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
125 g (1 stick) lactose-free butter, melted
150 g (¾ cup) caster sugar
2 large, organic eggs
4 small, ripe bananas, mashed
100 g (3½ oz) good-quality white chocolate (ideally lactose-free), chopped into chunks
60 g (2½ oz) pecans, chopped
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 325 °F. Grease and flour a loaf pan; set aside.

Mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.

In a separate, large bowl, whisk the melted butter and sugar together. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then whisk in the mashed bananas. Add the white chocolate, pecans, and vanilla.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in three stages, stirring after each addition. Pour into the loaf pan and bake for 1-1¼ hours.

Slide a spatula around the edge of the loaf and leave in the pan to cool.

Mousse au chocolat protéinée

 

Voici une recette tirée de Déjeuners protéinés d’Hubert Cormier. Ça demande une certaine préparation, parce que le lait en poudre sans lactose, ça ne court pas les rues (de un), et je n’ai pas encore trouvé de poudre protéinée au chocolat végétalienne que j’aime (de deux). Le défaut, c’est que je n’ai pas assez de satiété avec ces portions (19 g de protéines, alors que je vise plutôt 30 g), mais tant qu’on a une poudre protéinée dont on aime le goût, c’est une bonne mousse!

12 oz. de tofu soyeux (les paquets ici font 10.8 oz.)
3 c. à soupe de poudre de protéines végétales au chocolat
1 c. à soupe de cacao
1 c. à soupe de sirop d’érable
2 c. à soupe de beurre d’amandes
¼ tasse de lait en poudre sans lactose
1 c. à thé d’extrait de vanille
1 c. à thé de rhum brun (j’ai plutôt mis de l’essence de noix de coco)
1 pincée de sel
1 pincée de piment broyé (je ne l’ai pas utilisé)

Au robot culinaire, mélanger tout d’abord les ingrédients de la mousse jusqu’à l’obtention d’une belle texture aérienne.

Verser dans 2 bols. Garnir au goût et servir.

Pain à la citrouille et au chocolat

 

Bon, une autre recette de Ricardo, parfaite pour l’automne! Ce pain à la citrouille et au chocolat était vraiment très bon pour déjeuner; le crumble chocolaté fait vraiment toute la différence! La recette d’origine précise qu’on pourrait aussi en faire des muffins, en les faisant cuire de 20 à 25 minutes.

Pour le crumble au cacao et aux épices
40 g (¼ tasse) de farine tout usage non blanchie
2 c. à soupe de beurre sans lactose, ramolli
2 c. à soupe de cassonade
1 c. à soupe de cacao
½ c. à thé de cannelle moulue
¼ c. à thé de cardamome moulue
1 pincée de fleur de sel

Pour le pain
225 g (1 ½ tasse) de farine tout usage non blanchie
2 c. à thé de cannelle moulue
1 c. à thé de poudre à pâte
1 c. à thé de bicarbonate de soude
½ c. à thé de cardamome moulue
¼ c. à thé de sel
115 g (½ tasse) de beurre sans lactose, ramolli
210 g (1 tasse) de cassonade
1 œuf
1 tasse de purée de citrouille
½ tasse de crème sure sans lactose
140 g (5 oz) de chocolat noir à 70 % ou au lait, coupé en gros morceaux


Pour le crumble au cacao et aux épices
Placer la grille au centre du four. Préchauffer le four à 350 °F. Beurrer un moule à pain de 23 x 13 cm (9 x 5 po) et le tapisser d’une bande de papier parchemin en la laissant dépasser sur deux côtés.

Dans un bol, mélanger tous les ingrédients jusqu’à ce que la préparation soit tout juste humectée. Réserver.

Pour le pain
Dans un autre bol, mélanger la farine, la cannelle, la poudre à pâte, le bicarbonate, la cardamome et le sel.

Dans un troisième bol, crémer le beurre avec la cassonade au batteur électrique. Ajouter l’œuf et mélanger jusqu’à ce que la préparation soit homogène. À basse vitesse, incorporer la purée de citrouille, puis les ingrédients secs en alternant avec la crème sure. Ajouter le chocolat et mélanger. Répartir la pâte dans le moule. Presser le crumble au cacao avec les mains et le laisser tomber en morceaux de différentes grosseurs sur la pâte dans le moule.

Cuire au four 1 heure ou jusqu’à ce qu’un cure-dents inséré au centre du pain en ressorte propre. Laisser refroidir complètement sur une grille, soit environ 3 heures. Démouler et couper en tranches.

Pain à la courgette, au citron et au pavot

 

J’écris moins souvent depuis un an, hein? J’ai l’impression que j’ai mis toute cette énergie dans mon entreprise plutôt que dans mon passe-temps… Anyway, je vais essayer de publier des trucs en rafale cette fin de semaine, on verra bien ce que ça donne! Ici, il s’agit d’une recette de pain à la courgette, au citron et au pavot de Ricardo, que nous avons bien aimée!

Pour le pain
300 g (2 tasses) de farine tout usage non blanchie
2 c. à soupe de graines de pavot
½ c. à thé de poudre à pâte
½ c. à thé de bicarbonate de soude
½ c. à thé de sel
160 g (¾ tasse) de sucre
2/3 tasse d’huile végétale
2 œufs
325 g (2 ½ tasses) de courgettes râpées
1 citron, le zeste râpé finement
¼ tasse de jus de citron

Pour le glaçage au citron
55 g (¼ tasse) de sucre
2 c. à soupe de jus de citron


Pour le pain
Placer la grille au centre du four. Préchauffer le four à 350 °F. Beurrer un moule à pain de 23 x 13 cm (9 x 5 po) et le tapisser d’une bande de papier parchemin en la laissant dépasser sur deux côtés.

Dans un bol, mélanger la farine, les graines de pavot, la poudre à pâte, le bicarbonate et le sel.

Dans un autre bol, mélanger au fouet le sucre avec l’huile et les œufs jusqu’à ce que la préparation soit homogène. Ajouter les courgettes, le zeste et le jus de citron. À la cuillère de bois, incorporer les ingrédients secs. Répartir la pâte dans le moule.

Cuire au four 1 heure ou jusqu’à ce qu’un cure-dents inséré au centre du pain en ressorte propre.

Pour le glaçage au citron
Dans un petit bol, mélanger le sucre et le jus de citron. Verser sur le pain chaud. Laisser refroidir complètement sur une grille, soit environ 3 heures. Le glaçage durcira en refroidissant. Démouler et couper en tranches.

Mocha Banana Protein Smoothie Bowl

 

I saw this recipe and adapted it a bit (my version is below), and I was pleasantly surprised to find that this is pretty satiating! I’ll have to make it part of the rotation. For the topping, I used protein peanut butter, sliced banana, and coconut chocolate granola. This makes 1 serving.

1 large banana
½ cup lactose-free milk
1 scoop your favorite protein powder (plain, vanilla or chocolate; I used pumpkin seed powder)
1 packet instant coffee, if desired (I used 1 tsp.)
½ Tbsp. maca powder (this was my addition)
1 cup spinach (if you want a superfood boost)
a few ice cubes

Toppings (optional)
almond butter, toasted almonds, chia seeds, granola, fruit, carob chips, coconut flakes

Add all ingredients except desired toppings to a blender and blend until smooth and creamy. If necessary, add more almond milk and/or ice to reach the desired consistency. The smoothie should be fairly thick so that you can eat it with a spoon.

Pour into a bowl and top with desired toppings such as chia and granola.

Chocolate Coconut Granola

 

I finally got around to making Bobby Flay’s Chocolate Coconut Granola, and it was really good! This one had the particularity of having chunks of granola that were encased in a caramel-like coating, which worked remarkably well with the chocolate! I like to eat my granola with lactose-free plain Greek yogurt.

¼ cup plus 1 Tbsp. coconut oil
1/3 cup best-quality cocoa powder (such as Vahlrona or Callebaut)
¼ cup clover honey
¼ cup granulated cane sugar
1 pinch of fine sea salt
1/8 tsp. pure coconut extract
1/8 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 ½ cups oats
½ cup raw whole almonds, coarsely chopped (I used pecans)
½ cup coconut chips, coarsely chopped
¼ cup best-quality bittersweet chocolate chips (I used Ghiradelli)
¼ cup best-quality white chocolate chips

Adjust the baking rack in the oven to the middle rack. Preheat the oven to 275 °F. Brush a half sheet pan with 1 tablespoon of the coconut oil.

Heat the remaining ¼ cup coconut oil over medium heat in a small saucepan. Whisk in the cocoa powder, honey, sugar and salt and bring to a simmer. Cook, whisking constantly until smooth and the sugar is completely melted. Stir in the coconut and vanilla extracts. Keep warm.

Combine the oats, almonds and coconut chips in a bowl. Add the cocoa mixture and mix with a rubber spatula until the oat mixture is completely coated with the cocoa mixture. Transfer the mixture to the prepared sheet pan and press into an even layer. Bake for 50 minutes. Turn off the oven and let sit in the warm oven for 30 minutes longer. Remove to a baking rack and let cool.

In a large bowl, break into pieces and toss together with the bittersweet and white chocolate chips.

Muffins matcha et chocolat blanc

 

O.K., j’ai vu cette publication Instagram de Marilou (Trois Fois par Jour) et ça m’a inspirée. Les saveurs me plaisent, et la farine d’amandes ajoute une petite touche santé. J’ai modifié la recette un peu, et on a adoré! Je l’ai ensuite refaite avec du matcha de meilleure qualité, et une troisième fois juste pour le fun. L’Ingénieur est d’accord que c’est un muffin A+, ça vaut un 10/10, et tout le monde aime ça dans ma famille!

Pour les ingrédients secs
1 tasse de farine tout usage
1 tasse de farine d’amande
¼ de tasse de sucre
1 c. à thé de poudre à pâte
2 c. à thé de poudre de matcha
1 pincée de sel
¾ tasses de pépites de chocolat blanc

Pour les ingrédients humides
1 œuf
1 tasse de lait sans lactose
¼ de tasse de beurre sans lactose fondu

Préchauffer le four à 350 °F. Beurrer 9 moules à muffins ou les chemiser de papier.

Dans un bol, verser tous les ingrédients secs et mélanger.

Dans un autre bol, mélanger tous les ingrédients humides. Incorporer aux ingrédients secs.

Verser le mélange à muffin au fond des moules, puis enfourner de 12 à 15 minutes (honnêtement, pour moi, c’est plus près de 22 minutes).

Bouchées aux œufs, au bacon et aux légumes

 J’aime bien faire des bouchées aux œufs dans un moule à muffins, et là, j’ai trouvé LA recette! Ça vient de Coup de Pouce, et la grosse différence avec mes recettes précédentes, c’est le fromage cottage. On passe le tout au mélangeur, et ça donne vraiment la texture idéale! J’ai fait cuire directement au four (sans me donner la peine de les mettre dans un bain d’eau pour faire de la vapeur) et c’était vraiment parfait. À notre qu’il me restait un peu du mélange après avoir fait cuire ma douzaine de bouchées, alors j’en ai fait trois autres sans garnitures, et elles étaient tout aussi délicieuses. On peut facilement les faire congeler; pour réchauffer au micro-ondes, c’est entre 30 et 45 secondes. J’ai fait cette recette à quelques reprises déjà!

2 oignons verts, hachés
1 poivron rouge rôti en pot, épongé, en dés
½ tasse de jeunes épinards frais, hachés
½ tasse de bacon cuit, émietté
8 œufs
1 ¼ tasse de fromage cottage sans lactose
1 ¼ tasse de fromage suisse sans lactose, râpé
sel et poivre
eau bouillante, pour la cuisson (voir note plus haut)

Préchauffer le four à 350 °F. Déposer un moule à muffins en silicone dans un grand plat peu profond allant au four. Bien huiler les cavités du moule à muffins. (J’obtiens environ 15 « muffins » chaque fois, alors soit j’utilise deux moules, soit je vais cuire en deux fois.)

Répartir les oignons verts, le poivron, les épinards ainsi que le bacon dans chacune des cavités du moule à muffins. Réserver.

Dans le mélangeur, verser les œufs et ajouter les deux fromages. Saler et poivrer, puis pulser de 20 à 30 secondes ou jusqu’à ce que la préparation soit homogène et bien mousseuse. Lentement, remplir aux trois quarts les cavités du moule à muffins. Verser prudemment l’eau bouillante dans le plat peu profond, jusqu’à la moitié environ (ce que je ne fais pas). Cuire au centre du four 25 minutes ou jusqu’à ce que les œufs soient suffisamment fermes. Laisser tiédir quelques minutes avant de démouler.

Dark Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding

 

I got this recipe from the PCOS Nutrition Center. It was meant to have coconut whipped cream, but the recipe called for a refrigerated can of coconut milk, which was obviously too liquid – use a can of coconut cream, or something like vegan whipped cream if you want. This makes two servings for breakfast, and fresh fruit would be a good addition!

2 cups unsweetened almond milk (or lactose-free milk)
½ cup plus 1 tsp chia seeds
2 Tbsp. grade B (or medium) maple syrup
2 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/8 tsp. sea salt
1 15-oz. can coconut cream (refrigerated 4+ hours)

To make this dark chocolate chia seed pudding, combine all ingredients except coconut cream in a medium sized bowl. Mix well.

Divide mixture evenly into 2 small bowls or mason jars. Cover and refrigerate for 4-6 hours. (Can stay refrigerated for up to 4 days).

While the pudding is setting, place a can of coconut cream in the fridge.

Once pudding is set, remove coconut cream. At this point, the cream should be solid. Scoop solid coconut cream out of can and place in a chilled mixing bowl. Beat coconut cream with a stand mixer or electric hand mixer for approximately 1 minute or until it turns creamy and forms stiff peaks. You may need to add a tablespoon of coconut liquid if solids are too dense.

Remove puddings from fridge and top each with whipped coconut cream.

Almond Joy Protein Overnight Oatmeal

 I tried two different kinds of overnight chocolate oatmeal recently. First was this chocolate oatmeal by Minimalist Baker. Honestly, it was good, but Minimalist Baker has this weird thing where it doesn’t want me posting one of their recipes (which is not copyrighted), though it’s fine with me reposting one of their photos (which are copyrighted). I don’t get it, but anyway, if you want that recipe, you can follow the link.

Then there was this Almond Joy protein overnight oatmeal from Kim’s Cravings, which has the advantage of containing more protein so that you feel satiated for longer. And it was good! I would use more liquid next time, and more cocoa powder. I do feel like the toppings, whichever you choose, are essential here!

1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
2 scoops chocolate protein powder (I used vanilla protein powder + chocolate supergreens powder)
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. coconut extract
1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk (or lactose-free milk of choice; see note above)
½ cup unsweetened applesauce
½ Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder (or more, to taste)
1-2 Tbsp. chia seeds (optional)
optional toppings: chopped almonds, shredded coconut, chocolate syrup, fruit, and/or stevia packets

In a small bowl, mix all of the ingredients together (except for toppings).

Divide mixture (1 cup each) between 2 bowls, mugs, or mason jars. Cover and refrigerate overnight (or for at least 2 hours) so the oats soften and absorb the liquid.

Just before serving, add a splash of milk, toppings and enjoy cold, or microwave for 30-60 seconds to enjoy warm!

Biscuits déjeuner au beurre d'arachides et à la framboise

 

Encore une recette de Déjeuners protéinés d’Hubert Cormier! J’ai décidé de faire les biscuits déjeuner au beurre d’arachides et à la framboise. Il s’agit de biscuits de style « thumbprint » que les enfants étaient bien contents d’essayer. C’est un bon accompagnement au déjeuner ou encore une bonne collation!

Pour la garniture aux framboises
½ tasse de framboises fraiches ou surgelées
1 c. à soupe de graines de chia

Pour les biscuits déjeuner
2 tasses de flocons d’avoine à cuisson rapide
¼ tasse de cassonade
1 banane, légèrement écrasée
3 c. à soupe de graines de lin, moulues
¼ tasse d’eau
1 pincée de sel
¼ tasse de beurre d’arachides en poudre
¼ tasse d’eau
¼ tasse de beurre d’arachides naturel

Préchauffer tout d’abord le four à 350 °F. Tapisser une plaque de cuisson d’un tapis de silicone ou de papier parchemin.

Dans une casserole, chauffer à feu moyen les framboises et les graines de chia environ 15 minutes en remuant fréquemment. Écraser grossièrement à l’aide d’une fourchette et réserver.

Dans un grand bol, bien mélanger tous les ingrédients des biscuits.

Former ensuite 12 boules de pâte d’environ 1 c. à soupe (j’en avais 15). Déposer sur la plaque de cuisson.

À l’aide du pouce, creuser une petite cavité en pressant sur chaque biscuit.

Déposer environ 1 c. à thé de confiture de framboises dans chaque cavité et enfourner 12 minutes.

Si désiré, garnir d’un filet de beurre d’arachides fondu.

Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins

 

I found this recipe on Cup of Jo, though it’s originally by Sara Forte of Sprouted Kitchen. I adapted it a bit by reordering the ingredients and steps and, the second time I made it, by using miniature chocolate chips, which I think was an improvement. The Engineer loves these, and the Little Prince said they are now his favorite! These muffins are moist with a crisp top, and they have fewer carbs than regular muffins. I’ll be making these again!

1 cup grated zucchini (about 1 medium/large)
¾ cup almond flour
¾ cup all-purpose flour (or superfine rice flour – I actually used white whole wheat)
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. sea salt
½ tsp. cinnamon
½ cup cane sugar
2 eggs
1/3 cup olive oil (or avocado oil or coconut oil)
½ tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
¼ cup lactose-free buttermilk substitute or plain yogurt
½ cup semisweet miniature chocolate chips
turbinado sugar, to finish, optional

Start by grating the zucchini. Put the gratings in a fine mesh sieve and press out excess water. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 360 °F and grease a muffin tin. (I got 12 muffins each time I made it.)

In a medium bowl, whisk together the almond flour, all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and sugar. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, oil, vanilla, vinegar and buttermilk or yogurt, until well combined. Add dry ingredients and stir until combined. Add the zucchini and chocolate and fold it all in.

Fill the muffin tins about 2/3 full (they don’t rise much) and sprinkle turbinado sugar on top, if using.

Bake on the middle rack for 20 minutes, or until golden around the edge and a little tap on the center bounces back (I used the good old toothpick method).

Acai Bowl

 

It was inevitable that I would make an acai bowl at some point, right? Acai is regarded as a superfood for its antioxidants; I don’t think it has more than most berries, though it does have less sugar. For this recipe, I didn’t freeze all the fruit, because I felt like the mixture would be too stiff, but as a result my smoothie bowl was actually too liquid. I guess you should follow instructions; just remember that you need enough liquid in your blender to get things moving.

1 banana - sliced and frozen
½ cup blueberries - frozen
½ cup strawberries - frozen
¾ cup milk or juice - use your favorite milk (lactose-free dairy milk, soy, almond, etc.) or juice (apple or grape)
½ cup lactose-free plain yogurt - (substitute with lactose-free milk or juice if desired)
200 g (2 packets) frozen acai purée - broken into pieces
assorted toppings - nuts, seeds, fresh fruit, granola, coconut, etc.

If you haven’t done so ahead of time, slice your banana and transfer it to a small baking sheet or plate lined with parchment paper. To the same plate, add the blueberries and strawberries (store-bought frozen fruit will work just as well). Transfer tray or plate to the freezer and allow fruit to freeze completely.

Put the milk and yogurt in the bowl of a large, high-speed blender with a tamper (I have a Vitamix). Add the frozen blueberries, strawberries, banana, and broken up acai. With the blender on low, use the tamper to push the frozen fruit down, mixing around as much as possible. Continue to blend on low until smooth, only adding additional liquid when needed.

Divide the smoothie into two bowls and top with all your favorite toppings. Popular additions include sliced banana, nuts, seeds, granola, and berries. Serve immediately.

Pain doré orange, banane et cardamome

 

Ça faisait longtemps que je n’avais pas fait de pain doré, et le Petit Prince m’en réclamait. J’ai donc essayé une recette dans La Presse, ce pain doré bananes, orange et cardamome. C’était délicieux, et très joli en plus!

Pour le pain doré
4 œufs
2 bananes bien mûres
½ c. à thé de cardamome moulue
¼ de c. à thé d’extrait de vanille
1 pincée de sel
2 c. à thé de zeste d’orange
beurre sans lactose ou huile de cuisson végétale
8 tranches de pain

Pour garnir (facultatif)
yogourt grec sans lactose
sirop d’érable, au goût
2 oranges en suprêmes

Au mélangeur, combiner les œufs, les bananes, la cardamome, la vanille et le sel jusqu’à l’obtention d’une texture lisse. Verser dans un bol de grosseur moyenne. Ajouter le zeste d’orange et mélanger.

Dans une grande poêle antiadhésive, faire fondre un morceau de beurre (ou chauffer un filet d’huile) à feu moyen. Tremper et bien imbiber deux tranches de pain dans la préparation d’œufs, puis laisser égoutter l’excédent du liquide. Cuire les tranches de pain environ 1 minute de chaque côté. Ajouter un autre morceau de beurre ou un filet d’huile et répéter l’opération pour les tranches de pain restantes.

Au moment de déguster, garnir de yogourt, de sirop d’érable et de tranches d’orange, au goût.