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​Last time I tackled a delicious lemon sourdough pancake recipe. This time I am continuing on the breakfast theme with a delicious Berry Almond Bread.

This bread was a hit with my family. It’s the perfect blend of tart and sweet. The almond extract adds a depth to the flavor that really brings out the berries. 

I am a mom of four and really need “easy” for breakfast. This recipe can easily be made ahead and served quickly in the morning. 

To get the recipe, click here and head on over the the Grain Mill Wagon to check it out!

My family LOVES banana bread, especially if it has chocolate chips in it. I have a recipe that I got from Erin Krug of Krug’s Eco-Logic awhile back that I adapted and modified to be organic and healthier than other versions I have seen. It is so moist and delicious that you will want to keep a loaf or two around at all times!

This recipe can be modified even more to be either gluten-free or made with soaked or sprouted flour. You can also play with the sweetener because the bananas, applesauce, and chocolate chips really do add to it. I find myself putting in less and less sweetener in each time.

If you try to make this with white flour, white sugar, and artificial chocolate chips it won’t taste as good as this recipe, guaranteed!
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Serve and keep leftovers in the refrigerator, if you have any!

This banana bread is wonderful with breakfast or a quick snack.

Enjoy!
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What’s your favorite way to enjoy bananas?

My family loves banana bread, especially for breakfast or a quick snack. I make an un-soaked version that is on this blog post but really wanted an even healthier soaked version. I adapted a recipe from Nourishing Traditions that uses milk kefir and made a big batch this week. I had extra milk kefir that I needed to use up and this recipe did just that.

Soaking the flour before cooking basically predigests it for you making it easier for the body to assimilate. I use flour that I have already sprouted and freshly ground in all my baking which makes everything not only taste better but also makes it traditionally healthy.


Soaked Banana Bread

24 hours before baking:

• 6 cups of desired sprouted flour: whole wheat, spelt, kamut, einkorn
• 4 cups acidic liquid: I used milk kefir – could also use yogurt or plain water with a splash of apple cider vinegar

Mix well in a large bowl, cover with a plate and let sit until tomorrow.

The next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees, and butter or line 4  loaf pans with parchment paper.

• Mash 6 large overripe bananas
• Add the following to the bananas:
• 6 pastured eggs
• 1 TBS. vanilla extract
• 2 tsp. salt (I like Real Salt)
• 1 TBS. cinnamon (optional)
• 1 TBS. baking soda
• 3/4 cup raw honey,  organic maple syrup or sucanat
• 1/2 c. butter or coconut oil, melted
• 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (preferably soaked and dried) or chocolate chips (optional)

When well combined, add to the soaked flour mixture and stir until thoroughly mixed. Pour into the buttered or lined pans and bake until well browned and a knife comes out clean, about 1 hour and 10 minutes.

Cool mostly in pans, loosen the sides with a knife and remove onto racks.

These will keep well tightly wrapped in the freezer.

This banana bread passed the kid and hubby test with flying colors!

Enjoy and Share!
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Part of Monday Mania, Fat Tuesday, Simple Lives Thursday.

I can’t wait until the official start of the season to start sharing my latest pumpkin and apple recipes. 

First up this year is a Paleo Pumpkin Bread that is made using the blender. I have BlendTec that I love, but a Vitamix is awesome too and can be used as well. It’s tough to do this in a regular blender so if you don’t have one, use a hand mixer (or stand mixer like a KitchenAid) or good, old-fashioned elbow grease.

Being a working mom (I am a Nutrition Response Testing Practitioner and Nutritionist, I need to have easy, make-ahead breakfasts and snacks readily available for my kids. We don’t homeschool anymore like we did when I first published this recipe, so my morning flexibility for making breakfast has changed drastically. 

It takes a little more thought and preparation being grain-free because I can’t just plop cereal on the table, or grab some toast. I use the weekly meal plans and other recipes on this blog (and others) to have well-rounded, nutrient-dense food choices ready.

Okay, back to fall and pumpkins!

Fresh pumpkin puree is always best, but I am definitely not above canned, organic pumpkin. I got some for free last season so I am using it all up.

​Instructions:
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1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Prepare one loaf pan by greasing it with coconut oil or lining with parchment paper.
3. In a high-powered blender, put in all the ingredient except the chocolate chips.
4. Blend on high for at least 30 seconds or until completely combined.
5. Batter will be thick.
6. Add chocolate chips if using.
7. Using a spatula, scrape the batter into prepared pan.
8. Bake at 350 for 50-60 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
9. Remove from oven onto a baking rack and allow to cool.
10. Transfer pumpkin bread on to a plate, slice and serve.

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I love using my Blendtec to make bread, pancake, and waffle batter in. It makes it so easy to throw in all the ingredients and blend. It’s been my best kitchen gadget investment to date. 

I often add gelatin hydrosylate to my recipes. I like the added nutrients that grass-fed gelatin brings to baked goods, smoothies, etc. It is completely optional and won’t change the recipe if you leave it out. 
This paleo pumpkin bread is moist, just sweet enough, and delicious with a cup of chai tea or homemade pumpkin spice latte!

I served it with a little plain yogurt but if you don’t do dairy, use coconut yogurt or coconut whipped cream instead. It’s fabulous either way!

What’s your favorite fall food? Tell me in comments!


Be nourished. Be happy.
Enjoy!

If you’ve been with us this month  so far, you know that we are grain-free for January. This is something we did last April and it both got my creative juices flowing AND helped me shed some extra pounds that I was hanging onto postpartum. 

I have to tell you, my kids were not happy about the “no-bread” thing. What they don’t realize is that mommy can make “bread” with no grains! Once I convinced them of this, they were much more cooperative with our plan for the month. 

I have the privilege of networking on a daily basis with some pretty incredible bloggers. We have a couple of Facebook groups where we chat daily about recipes and natural living. It’s been the main reason my blog has grown the way it has over the last few months. I couldn’t do this without them!

I tell you all that to tell you this. The flat bread  recipe I’m using with this salmon (or tuna) salad on grain-free flat bread comes from two of the bloggers in that group and I am so excited to share it with you!

I first saw a recipe for grain-free naan from Ashley over at My Heart Beets. I bookmarked it! I then saw a grain-free flat bread recipe over from Hayley over at Health Starts in the Kitchen and knew I just had to try it. They are friends who live close enough to each other to do lunch. I’m so jealous!
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You’ll have to click over to their sites which are both linked above to get the  flat bread recipes in their  entirety, but look around while you’re there! It’s worth it! You will LOVE their blogs! I spend a lot of time on both!

For the flat bread: For 6 servings, double the flat bread recipe. For 3 servings, make half the salmon salad recipe or just have lots of extra to eat on its own. 🙂

Any kind of salad like this is very forgiving. You can add or take away whatever you want and it will still turn out great. This recipe can be modified to your tastes and preferences. Don’t be afraid to experiment!

Please Note: You will need blanched almond flour and tapioca starch/flour for the flat bread. 
Need a dairy-free mayo recipe? Try this coconut and avocado oil mayo recipe from Jessica at Delicious Obsessions. Yum!!!

Instructions:
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1. Prepare Naan/Flat Bread according to instructions at either My Heart Beets or Health Starts in the Kitchen.
2. Strain salmon or tuna and place into a medium-sized bowl.
3. Add mustard and mayonnaise and mix well.
4. Add seasonings and mix.
5. Add remaining ingredients and blend well.
6. Serve on flat bread.

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This salmon salad was very enjoyable and the grain-free flat bread was slightly crisp on the outside and tender in the middle. It was perfect! I was asked to make it again tomorrow for lunch!

Be nourished. Be happy.

Enjoy!

What challenges have you faced when changing your diet? Opposition from family members? The tendency to go back to old habits? Tell us in comments. 

Banana bread is a staple in our house. We get bananas free from our church’s food ministry so I always have an abundance. My favorite banana bread recipes are Organic Chocolate Chip Banana Bread and Soaked Banana Bread. Or, at least they were…

Now that we are grain free (at least for January) I needed a grain-free alternative. I wasn’t about to waste overripe bananas. I found a grain-free banana bread recipe over at my friend Kristen from Rethink Simple’s blog that is amazing! I asked her if it would be ok to modify it for my blog and she said yes! Yay! Now there’s a new banana bread in town!

I’ve made this grain-free banana bread 6 times in the last week-and-a-half. I kid you not! I am serious about getting a recipe perfect! I used Kristen’s base recipe for things like flour, eggs and baking powder amounts but revamped it because I wanted to add some ingredients.

When working with coconut flour you have to make sure you have enough liquid. Coconut flour is very fibrous and quickly absorbs the liquid that is added to it. If you don’t add enough, you will have a very grainy and rather unpleasant end result. 

I’ve been obsessed with adding gelatin to everything lately! I like to use Gelatin Hydrolysate for recipes that don’t need to be “gelled”. It adds nutrients to whatever it’s added to. You’ll see it pop up in many of my more recent recipes. 
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As always, there are links within the recipe itself to where you can easily purchase the ingredients. 

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Line a loaf pan (bottom and sides) with parchment paper.
3. In a large bowl crack eggs and add coconut flour, baking powder and salt. Mix well.
4. Mix gelatin and maple syrup together in a small bowl and add to mixture.
5. Melt coconut oil if solid and add to bowl along with remaining ingredients.
6. Mix well and allow to sit for about 5 minutes.
7. Pour into prepared pan and bake at 350 degrees F for about 1 hour. It takes mine about 1 hour 10 minutes for a knife inserted in the center to come out clean.
8. Remove from oven and allow to cool on a baking rack.
9. Can be eaten warm or cold.
10. Store in the refrigerator.

This Grain-Free Chocolate Chip Banana Bread is my new favorite recipe! It is very moist and not overly sweet. I have to make two loaves for it to last into the next day with my hungry crew!


​Be nourished. Be happy.
Enjoy!

I love this grain-free blueberry bread! I crave summer and this bitter cold has made me crave it even more. I am so happy to have access to frozen blueberries so even though it’s the dead of winter, I can still bake with them!

My first attempt at this recipe was a semi-fail. I was going off of the grain-free banana bread recipe I posted last week and though it would need more liquid to compensate for not having bananas in it. I added 1/2 cup milk to it and there was way too much moisture. It took a long time to bake and fell apart when cutting. We ate it in bowls with vanilla ice cream and it was divine! That’s why it was only a semi-fail! 🙂

Working with coconut flour can be tricky. You have to get the moisture right or the end result will either be too dry or too wet. My second attempt yielded a moist bread that did not fall apart as easily. My taste testers said try number two was the winner!

Can you make these into muffins? I don’t know because I haven’t tried. If I do, I will update with the results. 

I add gelatin hydrolysate to everything I can. It doesn’t gel but it does add nutrients to whatever it is added to. 

As always, for your convenience I have included links in the recipe for where to buy ingredients easily. 

​Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a loaf pan with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl mix coconut flour with the remaining dry ingredients and add eggs.
3. Add applesauce, vanilla, maple syrup (or honey), and coconut oil.
4. Mix thoroughly and let sit for about 5 minutes.
5. Smooth out any lumps and gently fold in blueberries (batter will be thick).
6. Scoop into prepared loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean (mine took 1 hr 15 mins).
7. Remove from oven and allow to cool on a baking rack.
8. Serve warm, at room temperature or chilled.
9. Goes well paired with fresh whipped cream (or coconut milk whipped cream) or homemade ice cream!

I love the balance of flavors from the vanilla and almond extracts along with the rich sweetness of the blueberries and maple syrup. It’s the perfect combination for the perfect breakfast, snack or dessert.

Want more recipes that contain blueberries? Take a look at these!
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• Paleo Blueberry Banana Bread from The Skinny Pear
• Whole Wheat Blueberry Muffins from Five Little Homesteaders
• Quinoa Blueberry Mini Loaves  and Ice Cream Cookies from Scratch Mommy
• Spectacular Blueberry Scones  and Real Food Blueberry Muffins from Real Food Girl: Unmodified 

​Be nourished. Be happy.
Enjoy!

  

They multiply like bananas and I need to find things to do with them. I like making zucchini noodles like these Nettle-Basil Pesto Noodles, or Sautéed Zucchini.

Zucchini is very versatile. It will take on the flavor of whatever you cook it with so it can be used in savory or sweet dishes. Sweet is what I have been wanting since I have been off of all sugars (and grains), even fruit for three months to heal my adrenals.

Now that I can have a *little* maple syrup here and there, I used a small amount in my grain free chocolate zucchini bread recipe to give it just a hint of sweetness. It doesn’t take much after going cold turkey off sugar to be highly sensitive to sweet! I also used homemade applesauce made without any added sugar to give it a little extra sweetness.
 
If you are completely off all sugars, you can substitute stevia. Add it little by little as the last thing you put in, and do it to taste. 

Can’t have eggs? That’s ok! Use chia or flax seed as a substitute. To make a chia or flax seed egg substitute, simply put a few tablespoons of the seeds in a jar. Cover with water. The seeds will turn into a gel-like substance that you can add to a recipe in place of eggs. I use a heaping tablespoon per one egg.

I like using coconut flour for my fruit-based, grain free breads like my banana bread or blueberry bread. I use almond flour quite often for other breakfast items like our favorite grain free waffles, or these amazing lemon pancakes, and lunch wraps or flat bread. I like to mix it up so I’m not eating too much of one thing.

The zucchini I used in this recipe was so huge that I was able to make 3 loaves and still have a quarter of it left. You only need a cup of shredded zucchini per loaf so it can easily be stretched. Great for the budget!

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​This recipe makes one loaf. If you want to double it, you can. I like to double the recipe but not double the eggs. The photo above shows a doubles recipe with 4 eggs and 4 TBS chia seed “gel”.
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Instructions:
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1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Mix the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and add wet ingredients one by one.
3. Add zucchini last.
4. Stir well after each addition.
5. Let mixture sit for at least five minutes.
6. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper.
7. Pour batter into pan.
8. Bake at 350 degrees F for 50 minutes to an hour, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
9. Allow to cool in pan for at least 15 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack.
10. This bread will be crumbly so handle gently when transferring and slicing.
11. Can be stored in the refrigerator.

​

 When working with coconut flour, be sure to measure precisely. Also, letting the mixture sit for at least five minutes will allow the dense coconut flour to absorb the moisture and be less “gritty”.

This batter will be fairly thick (almost crumbly, but wet) like a cookie batter. It’s not smooth or runny like a cake batter. Does that make sense?
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The end result is a moist, dense cake-like bread that is wonderful paired with a cup of tea, or Swiss water decaf coffee, or a tall glass of raw milk!


​What’s your favorite way to eat zucchini? 


Be nourished. Be happy.
Enjoy!

It’s peach season!

In years past, if I wasn’t canning them (learn how to can peaches without sugar here), I was making things like peach tart, or peach pie crock pot oatmeal with them. Now that I’m grain free (and loving the possibilities)  I am always looking for ways to use them up in grain free recipes.

Grain free peach bread with cinnamon and cardamom is a variation of my other grain free breads on the blog: zucchini, banana, and blueberry. It’s a great base recipe and so far has been very versatile.
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I’m fortunate to have access to spray-free peaches and lots of them. Peaches are high in pesticides if grown conventionally so be sure to look for organic or no-spray when purchasing.
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Instructions:
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1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Mix the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and add wet ingredients one by one.
3. Add peaches last.
4. Stir well after each addition.
5. Let mixture sit for at least five minutes.
6. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper.
7. Pour batter into pan.
8. Bake at 350 degrees F for 50 minutes to an hour, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
9. Allow to cool in pan for at least 15 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack.
10. This bread will be crumbly so handle gently when transferring and slicing.
11. Can be stored in the refrigerator.

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We usually eat this for breakfast but it makes a great snack as well. It’s great to make the night before for a quick morning breakfast.

I love the subtle taste of cardamom in this recipe. It’s perfectly balanced by the peaches and cinnamon. It’s great paired with bacon and a glass of raw milk!

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Be nourished. Be happy.
Enjoy!