Chocolate cherry breakfast cookie

Our children’s easy, go-to breakfast on weekday mornings are organic cereal bars.  They love them and request them every day.  After a little label reading it became very clear why they love them so much!  They are LOADED with sugar.  I am trying to reduce our family’s sugar intake, so I decided to come up with a cereal bar alternative that was low in sugar and high in protein and nutrition (and of course, deliciousness!).  This breakfast cookie fits the bill!  It is so scrumptious that they are almost addictive.  They also are far more nutritious than the average cereal bar sold everywhere.  Made with almond flour, oats, walnuts, cherries and chunks of dark chocolate, this recipe will quickly become a family favorite!  Feel free to tinker with your families personal preferences!  Replace the cherries with cranberries, dates, raisins or banana chips, or the chia seeds with flax, pumpkin, sunflower or sesame seeds. 

Who knew that a breakfast bar alternative could be this tasty and good for you!

½ cup butter, melted

2-3 Tablespoons honey

2 organic eggs

½ teaspoon vanilla

1 cup almond flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ginger

¼ teaspoon cloves

½ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon baking powder

1 cup oats (I use Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free)

¾ cup dark chocolate chips

1/3 cup dried cherries

1/3 cup unsweetened coconut

1/3 cup walnuts, broken in half or quarters (I like them chunky, but cut to your preference)

2 teaspoons chia seeds

1.)    Preheat oven to 350°.

2.)    In a large mixing bowl, mix the butter, honey, eggs and vanilla.  Add the almond flour, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, baking soda and baking powder until just combined.  Add the oats and stir until just combined.  Add the chocolate chips, cherries, coconut, walnuts and chia seeds until just combined.

3.)    Using a small scooper, drop onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing 2 inches apart.  Lightly flatten the dough.

4.)    Bake for 11-12 minutes.  Once cooled, store in an air-tight container.  I pop most of these in an air-tight freezer container.  12 seconds in our microwave will thaw and warm them.

mini whole wheat banana walnut muffins

Bananas are my youngest son’s favorite fruit, so we always have plenty of them on hand and that usually means that we also have plenty of ones that browned too quickly.  This recipe is the perfect (and tastiest!) way too use up ripe bananas (by the way, you can freeze ripe bananas...  just peel and place in an air tight freezable container). 

Try swapping out the walnuts with sunflower seeds, raisins or chocolate chips.  These are perfect for breakfast, snacking or packed into a lunch box! 

1 cup whole wheat flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon cinnamon

1 large egg

1 large ripe banana  

½ cup brown sugar

1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick), melted

½ cup buttermilk

½ teaspoon vanilla

½ cup walnuts, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Grease and flour or line 24 mini muffin tins with paper liners.
3. In a large bowl; sift or stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon.
4. In a medium bowl; beat the egg, banana, brown sugar, melted butter, buttermilk and vanilla together.
5. Combine the dry and wet ingredients. Beat for 30 seconds, until ingredients are combined.  Stir in the walnuts.
6. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups.
7. Bake for 11 to 15 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the middle of a muffin.

What is your favorite way to use up ripe bananas?

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waffle wake-up call!

When your little one wakes up and wants something delicious for breakfast, try this waffle recipe!  They have a feather-light center, a crispy-crusty exterior and they partner perfectly with fresh fruit or butter & maple syrup. They will give you (and your wee one) a good reason to get out of bed in the morning!


1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1 Tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup boiling water
1 cup buttermilk
2 larges eggs, separated (place the yolks in one bowl and the egg whites in another bowl)
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

(1.) Whisk (or stir) together the cornmeal, sugar, salt and water in a medium saucepan. Cook, over medium heat, whisking constantly until the mixture turns thick, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the buttermilk.
(2.) Place the cornmeal mixture in a large bowl. Add the egg yolks, flour, baking powder, baking soda and melted butter. Stir until combined.
(3.) Beat the egg whites until stiff - make sure that the bowl, beaters and any utensils that you're using does not have oil on them. 
(4.) Fold the egg whites into the batter. Use a large rubber spatula and gently stir with scooping movements. Start at the top of the bowl and move to the bottom of the bowl, gently incorporating the ingredients.
(5.) Ladle 1/3 to 1/2 cup of batter into the center of a heated & greased (with oil or butter) waffle iron.
(6.) Close the lid and bake until steaming stops and waffle is golden brown, 2 - 5 minutes.
(7.) Serve immediately with room temperature butter and warm maple syrup.

Freeze extra waffles in a freezer-proof container
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applesauce, carrot & walnut mini-muffins

Muffins are typically little sweet cakes disguised as a nutritional breakfast option… not with this recipe… It’s loaded with natural & nutritious ingredients to make them the perfect breakfast or snack!

I’m always tinkering with ways to make muffins a little bit healthier while still retaining their moist, sweet deliciousness. I think this recipe is win-win… it’s sweetened with maple syrup, loaded with good-for-you foods like organic applesauce, carrots and walnuts and kissed with a little cinnamon and nutmeg!

This recipe can easily be doubled. I love this yield, though... the muffins always get consumed while they are fresh and at their best.

 1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 organic egg
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup organic applesauce
1/4 cup coconut oil* or olive oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup organic carrots, shredded
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
1/2 cup organic raisins

1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Line a mini-muffin tin with 18 liners or grease and flour 18 mini muffin cups.
2. In a mixing bowl; mix the egg and maple syrup together.  Add the apple sauce, coconut oil and vanilla.  Mix until combined.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, baking powder, nutmeg and salt.  Add the flour ingredients to the egg mixture.  Mix until thoroughly combined.
4. Add the carrots, walnuts and raisins.  Mix just until combined.
5. Spoon the batter into the 18 prepared mini muffin cups.
6. Mix together the Tablespoon of granulated sugar and 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon.  Lightly top each muffin with the sugar mixture.
7. Bake for 11 minutes. 

* coconut oil is usually solid, I sometimes lightly heat the oil for a couple of seconds in the microwave, but I also sometimes put it in solid and let the mixer break it down- whatever you prefer.

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make smoothies with the kiddies!

Smoothies are a big hit at our house! The kids love watching the blender whirl and mix the chunks of fruit, ice and yogurt into one thick drink, and I love knowing that they are drinking 2+ servings of fruit or vegetables, yogurt and flax seed.

This drink is so versatile and adaptable… use whatever fruits (and some veggies), juices and yogurt that you have. Smoothies are super easy to put together… throw it all in and seconds later, its ready! We make these as snacks, but they are a perfect & portable breakfast or light meal on-the-go.

banana strawberry smoothie: 

1 banana, peeled
1 cup strawberries, hulled {if they are organic, i throw the whole strawberry in}
1/2 cup vanilla yogurt
1/4 cup milk, orange juice or water
1/4 cup crushed ice
1 Tablespoon flax seed

(1.)  Put all of the ingredients in the blender.  Blend for one minute; until smooth.  Serve :)

For a basic smoothie recipe, I typically take 2 cups of fruit {and sometimes spinach}, add yogurt, milk or juice & ice.  Blend well and serve!

Some additional add-ins to complement your smoothie: nuts, coconut, protein powder, vanilla, cocoa powder, peanut butter & honey

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chocolate snacking cake

All of your sweeties will love this chocolate snacking cake!  This sweet & tender cake is packed with nutritionally rich foods like oats, cocoa powder, walnuts and semi-sweet chocolate… what’s not to love?

1 cup uncooked oatmeal
1 3/4 cups boiling water
½ cup butter cut into small cubes & softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar, packed
3 eggs
1 ¾ cups flour
2 Tablespoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups chocolate chips
¾ cups walnuts, chopped

1.) Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly grease and flour a 9x13 glass dish and set aside.
2.) In a mixing bowl, pour boiling water over oatmeal. Let stand for 10 minutes.
3.) Add the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar; stirring until butter is melted.
4.) Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
5.) Sift flour, cocoa and baking soda together. Add to batter; mix well. Stir in half {1 cup} of the chocolate chips. Pour into the pan.
6.) Sprinkle walnuts and remaining cup of chocolate chips on top.
7.) Bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center come out clean.

apple muffins

For all of the little apples of your eyes... this tasty apple muffin is a simple & nutritious snack for little ones (or as a breakfast on-the-go). For some delicious variations, replace the apples with blueberries or grated zucchini and/or add chopped walnuts.



1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 dashes of nutmeg
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened
1 cup packed light-brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1/4-inch pieces (about 3 cups)


1.) Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2.) Lightly grease or line with paper baking cups18 muffin cups; set aside.
3.) In a small bowl, whisk together flours, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg.
4.) Beat butter and brown sugar together on medium-high speed until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Beat in applesauce and vanilla.
5.) Reduce speed to low and alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk, starting and ending with flour. Stir in apple pieces.
6.) Fill each muffin liner with 1/4 cup batter. Bake muffins at 400 degrees F for about 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.


photo & adapted recipe courtesy of Family Circle

chocolate pancakes!

Chocolate pancakes for breakfast?  It is actually a lot healthier than you think. cocoa is loaded with flavonoids & antioxidants!  Serve with maple syrup and fresh raspberries & blueberries for a wonderful and scrumptious start to your day :)


2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
3 Tablespoons sugar
2 large eggs
3 cups buttermilk
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1/2 cup chocolate chips


1. In large bowl, sift or stir together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the two large eggs, buttermilk and melted butter.
3. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
4. Mix the batter together, until just combined. Batter will have small lumps. Do not over mix or the pancakes will be tough.
5. Let the batter sit for 2 to 5 minutes.
6. Lightly grease a griddle or heavy skillet with oil or melted butter. Heat until hot on medium to medium-low heat. Sprinkle a few drops of water on the pan, if they sizzle, the pan is ready for the pancakes.
7. Scoop ½ cup of batter onto heated pan.
8. Cook until the surface of the pancake is covered with tiny bubbles (2 to 4 minutes), then immediately flip the cakes; cook approximately 1 - 3 more minutes. Do not push down on the pancakes with the spatula; this will take away the fluffiness and make the pancakes hard.
9. Serve immediately with room temperature butter and warm maple syrup.
This recipe easily can be cut in half