Raw Nut and Seed Bites

Hello blog world!
Happy Monday!

I am at it again! I just keep on making little bite size snacks and we keep on eating them so darn quickly! Dan said these ones are his favourite, so I figured I should share the recipe with you. I hope you enjoy them as much as we did. 

This recipe makes 25.

Here is what you need to do. Start by processing the following ingredients in your food processor.

• 1 cup pitted, dried dates
• 1 cup lukewarm water

Once that becomes a paste add the following ingredients and process until all the nuts are in small pieces but not too long that they become a butter.

• 1 cup almonds
• 1/2 cup peanuts
• 1/3 cup sesame seeds
• handful of chia seeds
• handful of flax seeds

Lastly add in...

• 1 cup of oats

Now scoop out the "dough" and make cute little two-bite balls. That sounds bad, but I don't know how else to say it! Place them on some wax paper for a bit and then you are all done!

 Now I am off to read and then to get some sleep. We did a quick road trip to New Brunswick to visit Dan's brother and his girlfriend/my childhood friend Kelly. It was a nice trip, short & sweet. We drove through a crazy snowstorm yesterday (what the heck mother nature! It's SPRING!! Rant over) and it took us a few extra hours to get home. We are both exhausted today. So sleep time for me!

I hope you all have a beautiful Monday evening!

xo

Whole Wheat & Flax Banana Muffins

I HAVE A RECIPE!
YAY!

I am back in my kitchen! It feels so nice. Seeing as I am supposed to be a food blogger, I figured I should post a recipe. This is my third batch in two weeks. yum!

You need:

• 1 cup white flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 tbsp whole flax seeds
• 2 tbsp ground flax seeds
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• dash of salt
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup skim milk
• 1/3 cup unsweetened apple sauce
• 3 mashed bananas

Also you can add chocolate chips for some extra FUN!

Step one:

Mix all your dry ingredients together. {Flours, flax, baking soda & powder, salt}

 Step two:

Add your wet ingredients to the dry. {Bananas, egg, milk, applesauce, and chocolate chips if you so desire}

Step three:

Heat your oven to 350F and bake your muffins for about 20 minutes. 

This recipe makes 12 muffins. I've had one of these bad boys every morning for breakfast over the past two weeks. YUMMO.

ENJOY!

I have a leg of lamb roasting right now with orzo. Oh baby. The recipe will come sometime soon.

Have a great weekend everyone.

xoxo

Flax & Sunflower Seed Bread

Hello everyone! I really hate doing this, but I just needed to share this recipe! This recipe is not my own. I got it off of allrecipes. It was super good and a must try! To all my friends out there who are afraid to make their own bread, I just want to encourage you another time to give it a try! It will taste SO good, and you will feel so satisfied because you made it yourself. Here is the recipe to this lovely seed bread :)
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/flax-and-sunflower-seed-bread/

PS the picture above is a picture of the bread rising! Doesn't it look good??
xo

Banana, flax & apricot {muffins}

It's muffin time! Yay! I know that banana, flax and apricot sound like a funny combination..well, you are right. It is quite an interesting combination. Although, somehow it works! These muffins are healthy and yummy at the same time. Plus who doesn't love having more fiber in their diets! We all love fiber ;) Try 'em out!

 Here is what you will need:

1 cup chopped dried apricots

1/2 cup water
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour 

1/4 cup ground flax seeds (use grinder or food processor)
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup mashed ripe bananas
3 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 cup milk 

Step one:
Preheat your oven to 350F
Chop your apricots into small pieces. Place them in a small pot with the 1/2 cup of water (feel free to use orange juice as well) and put it on medium heat. Stir and leave it on the heat for a few minutes, then remove from heat. The point of this is for the apricots to absorb the water and thicken/moisten the dried fruit.

Step two:
In a medium bowl mix together all of your dry ingredients. White flour, whole wheat flour, ground flax seeds, baking soda, baking powder & salt.

Step three:
In a separate bowl mix together all of the wet ingredients. The egg, sugar, banana, apricots, olive oil & milk.

Step four:
Now add the wet ingredients to the wet. Mix until fully combined. Do not over mix.

Step five:
Take your muffin batter and evenly separate into muffin cups. I find that using a 1/3 cup is normally the perfect amount. Once they are all ready to go, bake for 20 minutes (or until fully cooked, golden brown).

BaKeD!

They look good right?
Have a great night guys! That's enough blogging for me!
xo
-Britt

Spiced Carrot and Flax Muffins

I found this recipe in a canadian living magazine and I couldn't wait to make it! I love flax and how great it is for us...I also love carrot muffins. This recipe promised me a good, yummy combination of the two, so I was excited. Also..you all know how crazy I am about muffins! ;)  So here we go!
(it has been modified from the original recipe...but not my much)

-1/3 cup olive oil
-1/2 cup packed brown sugar
-2 eggs
-1/2 cup of unsweetened apple sauce
-2 cups of grated carrots
-1 3/4 cup of flour
-1/3 cup of oats
-1/3 cup ground flax seeds
-2 1/4 tsp ground ginger
-1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
-2 1/2 tsp baking powder
-1 tsp baking soda
-1/4 tsp salt
-pinch of ground cloves
-2 tsps flaxseeds

Step one:
In a large bowl, whisk together the oil and sugar. Whisk in the eggs and apple sauce. Stir in the carrots.

(Bowl with muffin batter, my compost bowl and the canadian living recipe open on my bucket of flour!haha)

This is the joyfull kitchen while in baking mode. I had 2 bowls of bread dough rising(on the stove) and I was making muffins too! I love days like these..

Back to the muffins>


Step two:
 In a separate bowl mix together the flour, oats, ground flaxseeds, ginger, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cloves.

Step three:
Stir into the carrot mixture just until combined.

Step four:
 Spoon into 12 paper lined muffin cups. I used Christmas muffins cups...because I'm feeling festive!  Sprinkle them with flax seeds.

Step five:
Bake at 350F (180C) for 25 minutes. Make sure the tops are firm to touch. Transfer to your wire rack and let cool! Enjoy!

xo have a great day friends!

Easy Homemade Bread

We make our own bread every week. Dan eats about 4 or 5 loaves a week!  Homemade bread is worth the time. Here is an easy recipe for you if you want to make your own bread at home! This recipe makes 2 loaves.

IN a large bowl pour 2 cups of lukewarm water
ADD:
-2 tbsp of sugar
-1 tsp salt
-1/3  cup oil
-1 tbsp of yeast


Gradually add 5 cups of flour.  stirring with a fork, or using a large mixer with the kneading attachment. We use about 2 1/2 cups of all purpose flour and 2 1/2 cups of whole wheat flour. EXTRA: I add about 1/2 cup of oats and a handful of flax seeds to the mix.

If you do not have a mixer you need to knead the dough yourself. Work in the last of the flour in a rotating motion with your hand. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead 8-10 minutes.

Next shape your dough into a round ball and place in a greased bowl, rotating the ball to grease all of the surface. Cover bowl with seran wrap and let it rise until its doubled in size. (about 1/2 and hour)

Once doubled take dough and punch it down into loaves and place them into greased loaf pans. Keep the dough out of drafts and allow it to rise until it is above the edge of the loaf pan.

Bake at 400F for 26-28 minutes or until golden brown.

xo enjoy!