Egg and Nut Free Oatmeal Breakfast Bars

These were originally supposed to be cookies. Then I decided to just make them into bars. And since they're made with wheat flour and no sugar, we decided to have them for breakfast! This is now on my "healthy breakfast" list for C since he prefers to pick things up with his hands instead of being spoon fed. They're also a great "on the go" snack. They won't be as sweet as most breakfast bars you'll buy at the store, but these are much healthier for you and really simple to make! If you don't have palm shortening, you can substitute butter.

Oatmeal Breakfast Bars
1/2 cup organic palm shortening
1/2 cup honey or real maple syrup
1/4 cup molasses
2 Tbsp. ground flax seed
6 Tbsp. warm water
2 cups white whole wheat flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups oats
1 cup raisins (or other dried fruit)

Preheat oven to 400 F. Mix the flax seed and warm water together and let stand for 5-10 minutes. Combine the shortening, honey and molasses in a mixer bowl and beat until smooth. In another bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt with a wire whisk. Add the flour mixture to the shortening mixture and beat well. Fold in the flax mixture.

Spray a 7 x 11 inch glass baking dish with baking spray. Stir oats and raisins into dough with a rubber spatula. Spread dough into baking dish (the dough will be thick so do your best to spread it evenly).  Bake 15-20 minutes or until browned. Allow to cool and then cut into bars.

Unfortunately I wasn't able to get a picture until they were almost half gone. I guess that shows how good they are!

Egg and Nut Free Blueberry Cheesecake Cookies

Another random food that my toddler just loves is cream cheese. He loves it on toast, banana bread, or straight off the spoon. I never used to like cream cheese or cheesecake, until I met my husband and we went to Cheesecake Factory one too many times (and I ordered the peanut butter cookie dough cheesecake one too many times) :P Now I love cream cheese and I've replaced my beloved peanut butter and jelly sandwich with a cream cheese and jelly sandwich or a cream cheese and banana sandwich. You might think that's weird, but until you've tried a cream cheese sandwich with cinnamon raisin bread you don't know what you're missing!

I thought this would be a fun little cookie that's not only egg and nut free, but kind of different too. They're not too sweet and extremely soft and chewy. You'll notice that there's no sugar in these. Instead I've used real maple syrup - a great healthy alternative to sugar in baked goods! You can play around with the recipe and use strawberries, cherries, dried fruit or even chocolate chips. You could use frozen fruit that has been thawed, but just know that it will probably turn your cookie a blue-purple color. Enjoy!

Egg and Nut Free Blueberry Cheesecake Cookies
 2 cups white whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp. butter, softened
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup applesauce
3 oz. cream cheese (regular)
1 Tbsp.whole milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup fresh blueberries

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda in a medium bowl with a wire whisk.  In a mixer, blend the butter, maple syrup, applesauce, cream cheese and vanilla. Slowly add the dry mixture until full mixed. Gently fold in the blueberries.

Drop by spoonfuls onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Makes about 24 cookies depending on size.

Creamy Avocado Mexican Pasta

C has been a seriously picky eater the past couple of weeks.

All he has wanted to eat has been bread, bananas and beets. Yes, I said beets. I cut him off after 3 small beets today and he was not happy. He started crying and reaching for the refrigerator as I put them away. I know beets are good for you, but post-beet diaper duty is not fun so I had to set a limit. Most parents have to limit the amount of cookies and candy their child eats....we have to limit the amount of beets C eats. Not your average toddler!

Finally tonight I found a meal that he would actually eat! A few weeks ago I found a recipe for Creamy Avocado Pasta on pinterest, but it didn't quite seem like a full meal since it was just noodles and avocado sauce. So since we love avocados so much over here, I decided to kick it up a notch and make our own version.  This is a fun and tasty combination of mexican and pasta -- absolutely delicious!

Creamy Avocado Mexican Pasta
1 T. olive oil
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into small pieces
1 green pepper, chopped
1/2 red pepper, chopped
1 16 oz. jar chunky salsa
1 cup frozen corn
1/2 can of black beans
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1 avocado,
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. lime juice
1 cup mexican cheese
4 ounces cooked pasta

Heat olive oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and peppers and cook until chicken is no longer pink. Add the salsa, corn, beans, chili powder, cumin and garlic powder. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, scoop out the avocado and place into a food processor along with the lime juice and salt. Pulse until avocado is smooth and creamy (you can add a little bit of water if you need to).

Add the avocado cream and cheese to the skillet. Continue to cook on low until cheese is melted and bubbly. Mix with pasta and serve.

Egg and Nut Free Cinnamon Crunch Muffins

Whenever C and I attend play groups, or if he's going to be in the nursery at church, I always try to bring a separate "safe" snack for him. I don't want to leave anything to chance or have someone accidentally give him something that's unsafe for him.  And I also don't expect others to go out of their way to make sure their snacks are egg and nut free.

 I made these muffins the other day and he LOVED them! Even though they are pretty good for you, he was calling them "cookies" because they taste more like a dessert than a healthy muffin. If you are looking for a safe snack to bring along for your child, this is a great choice. They actually remind me of the cinnamon crunch bagels from Panera. I figure if he's not able to have the snacks that the other kids have, I at least need to make mine taste the best! Maybe everyone will enjoy them so much they won't mind going allergy safe :)

Egg and Nut Free Cinnamon Crunch Muffins (Adapted from Food Allergy Mama's Cinnamon Bread Foodallergymama.com)

1/4 cup palm shortening*
1/3 cup honey
2 Tbsp. water
2 cups white whole wheat flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup milk

Topping:
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 Tbsp. melted butter

*You can use any shortening, but I use palm shortening because it is allergy safe and much healthier for you than regular shortening. I bought a gallon from tropicaltraditions.com, and although it's expensive, it will last you a long time. 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a muffin pan with cooking spray and set aside. In a large bowl, beat the shortening and honey until combined. Add water as it mixes and beat until fluffy. In a separate bowl, mix the dry ingredients with a whisk.  Add to the shortening mixture alternatively with the milk beginning and ending with the flour.

In a bowl, mix the 2 tsp. cinnamon, sugar and melted butter. Fill the muffin cups 3/4 full with the dough and sprinkle the cinnamon sugar on top.

Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Mmmm...enjoy!!

Chicken Wild Rice Soup

Poor little Toots has had a rough couple of weeks. It all started 2 Sundays ago when he spiked the highest fever he's ever had (104.2) and was just really tired and lethargic all afternoon. We took him to the peds ER because of the high fever and they determined that it was probably just a passing virus. Later that week he started to get a cold and the next Sunday he woke up right at midnight with horrible croup cough that kept him awake on and off all night. The next day the doctor gave him a med to help him breathe easier, but the cough/cold has stayed this whole week. So, needless to say he's been pretty miserable! He gave the cough/cold to my husband, but somehow (although I was awake almost the whole night on Sunday with him coughing in my face) I have not gotten sick....yet. I'm still waiting for it.

Of course, everyone who is sick needs some chicken soup! I can't do soup that is mostly broth with a few noodles and chunks of chicken floating around. I need soup that is full and hearty, which is why I love this chicken rice soup. It has a great homemade taste and is loaded with meat, rice and veggies. If you find yourself under the weather this winter season, this soup is for you!

Chicken Wild Rice Soup

2 Tbsp. olive oil

2 leeks, chopped and washed

2 carrots, peeled and chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp. dried oregano

1/2 tsp. dried rosemary

1/2 tsp. dried basil

8 cups chicken broth

3 boneless skinless chicken thighs

1 cup cooked wild rice

splash of balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup finely chopped parsley

salt and pepper to taste

Place a large pot over medium heat and add oil. Add the leeks and cook until tender, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in the carrots, celery, garlic and spices and cook for 1 more minute. Add the chicken and broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and cook until chicken is done, about 1 hour. Remove the chicken, cut up the meat and return back to the pot. Stir in the wild rice, balsamic vinegar and parsley and simmer for 5 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Mmmmm....we're feeling better already!

Egg and Nut Free Pumpkin Cake with Cinnamon Cream Frosting

The next person up on our birthday list was my dad. I knew that pumpkin was one of his favorite flavors, so even though it is February, I still decided to go with a pumpkin cake. I made a pumpkin cake for my husband's birthday, but I improved the recipe a bit so I didn't have to use cake flour because I wasn't able to find an egg free cake flour. I think the last time I made the pumpkin cake, I combined flour and cornstarch to make my own "cake" flour, but I figured adding that much cornstarch to a recipe couldn't possibly be a good thing. So, here it is...a new (and improved) pumpkin cake!

Egg and Nut Free Pumpkin Cake
1/2 cup butter, room temp
1 cup organic unrefined sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 cup pumpkin
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp.cloves
1/2 cup buttermilk (make your own by combining 1/2 cup milk + 1/2 Tbsp. vinegar and let sit for 5-10 minutes)

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour 2 8-inch round cake pans. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Add applesauce and mix well. Add pumpkin and vanilla and beat until fully incorporated. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk alternatively beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Pour into the two separate pans and bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Cinnamon Cream Frosting
3 cups heavy whipping cream
3-4 Tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg

Beat cream and sugar until the cream is whipped.  Add cinnamon and nutmeg and beat until spices are mixed in. Chill until ready to frost the cake.

Egg-Free Lasagna Skillet

I need to apologize. I totally forgot to take a picture of this meal I am about to share with you. It slipped my mind, but I still wanted to post the recipe because it is a great quick and easy meal that is safe for egg allergies. Typically lasagna is in the danger zone for those with egg allergies, but there is no need for egg in this skillet recipe. The other thing to watch out for is often times lasagna noodles will either be made with egg or have that fun little label (that I am starting to despise) "made on shared equipment with egg".  With this recipe you can choose any noodle you want, usually whole wheat noodles are safe with no egg. My husband's been out of town for part of the week, so this meal has kept me and the little one going for a couple days with no need to cook a new meal. We've missed him, but not having to cook too much has been nice :)

Egg Free Lasagna Skillet
1 lb. ground beef
28 oz jar spaghetti sauce (a garlic-basil marina tastes great)
5 cups cooked noodles
1 cup cottage cheese (we use the regular, not low fat)
8-oz pkg of shredded mozzarella cheese (or cut up chunks of mozz cheese)
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 Tbsp. dry minced onion
Italian seasonings to taste

Brown beef and drain. Stir in sauce, garlic powder, dry minced onion and desired seasonings and simmer for 10 minutes. Add cottage cheese, mozzarella cheese and noodles and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Yes, it is that simple!

A Birthday Treat: Egg and Nut Free Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cake!

C and I decided to start something new. For each family member's birthday, we are going to make them an egg and nut free cake (or dessert of their choosing). First up was his aunt Melanie. She said that strawberry was one of her favorite dessert flavors, so after some thought, we decided to try out a chocolate covered strawberry cake. It's a vanilla cake with strawberries folded in, covered in a "real" chocolate whipped cream frosting and chocolate covered strawberries on top. I used frozen strawberries that had been left out to thaw for the cake and fresh strawberries for the topping and decorations.

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cake

Cake:
3 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup organic raw cane sugar (unrefined)
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vinegar
4 tsp. vanilla
2/3 cup oil (I used coconut oil)
2 cups cold water

Preheat the oven to 350. Spray two 9-inch cake pans with cooking spray and sprinkle with flour. Set aside. Combine the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in a medium mixing bowl with a wire whisk. Set aside. Combine the vinegar, vanilla, oil and water in a separate bowl. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until just combined. Fold in the strawberries. Pour batter into the two cake pans and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow cake to cool before frosting.

Frosting:
3 cups heavy whipping cream
3-4 Tbsp. organic raw cane sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Combine heavy whipping cream and sugar in a mixing bowl and beat until cream is whipped (until it looks like whipped cream....this will take a few minutes). Add the cocoa powder and vanilla and beat a minute longer until mixed.

When you are ready to frost, flip one cake over onto a serving dish (if it doesn't come out at first, slide a knife around the edges). Leave flat side up.

 Frost the top of this cake generously.

Flip the second cake on top of the first cake (with the flat side down) and then finish frosting the whole cake.

Top with chocolate covered strawberries and place strawberry halves around the edge.

Ta Da!

Yes, it was as good as it looks. 

Happy Birthday Aunt Mel!

Dad, you're next!

Egg and Nut Free Baked Blueberry Doughnut Holes

I have 2 distinct memories when I hear the word "doughnut". The first one is my grandpa because he used to buy us Dunkin' Donut Munchkins whenever he came to visit. The second one is ice skating lessons because I used to stop by Dunkin' Donuts on my way to skating every Saturday morning.  I used to get 2 doughnuts and a powerade....breakfast of champions!

Doughnuts are definitely on the very long list of "no no's" for egg and nut allergies. Although this recipe doesn't taste or look exactly like what you'd get from Dunkin' Donuts, it comes sort of close and is pretty delicious. You can fry these if you want to, but I didn't because there's nothing safe about a hot pan of oil when you have a toddler running around! I chose to make doughnut holes because I don't have a doughnut pan and I (unsuccessfully) tried to shape these into doughnuts. They expand....a lot. Plus, the doughnut holes are the perfect size for a toddler munchie!

Egg and Nut Free Baked Blueberry Doughnut Holes
2 1/2 cup white whole wheat flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
7/8-1 cup milk
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp.baking soda
1 Tbsp. white vinegar
1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen, thawed
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in a medium bowl. Add the milk, syrup, butter and vanilla and stir until combined. (Start with 7/8 cup milk, and add extra milk if needed to mix). Mix vinegar and baking soda in a small bowl and fold into batter. Fold in blueberries. Combine sugar and 2 tsp. cinnamon in a bowl.  Form batter into small balls and roll in cinnamon sugar. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

You can make these as big or small as you want. I recommend starting small because they do expand while baking. You should be able to get about 24 small doughnut holes. Bake 15 minutes and enjoy!