Category: Sweet Treats

Cherry Chocolate Breakfast Cookies

 

These chewy and fiber-rich cherry chocolate breakfast cookies are the perfect start to your day! Each cookie is full of protein, antioxidants and old-fashioned oats for a satisfying grab-and-go breakfast. 

Breakfast is one of my favorite meals although I typically start my day with a strong cup of coffee. Whether it’s a skillet full of eggs and homestyle potatoes or a stack of pancakes, breakfast food just covers all of the bases to feed any craving. To earn the title  of “Breakfast Cookie”, this recipe adds only a little bit of pure maple syrup to sweeten, relying on the natural sweetness of ripe banana, dark chocolate chips and dried cherries. Feel free to omit the maple syrup though if you want a less sweet cookie. You’ll notice even with the maple syrup, these are not an overly sweet cookie. These cookies aren’t just great for breakfast; keep them handy for a quick afternoon snack or post workout fuel.

The ripe banana also takes the place of added fat, making for a super moist and chewy cookie. I have nothing against fat and I’m a big proponent of healthy fats, from grass-fed ghee and avocado oil. But sometimes it’s fun to play around with using bananas, applesauce, zucchini and even avocado in place of fats in recipes.

One of the best parts about this recipe is there’s no need to use a hand-mixer or standing mixer. Just one medium mixing bowl. Once all of the ingredients are mixed thoroughly, the dough is refrigerated. This allows the oats to absorb the moisture and create a sticky texture that will help the cookies hold together. Next, 1/4 cup scoops of the oat dough are scooped onto a baking sheet and formed into round cookies. This eliminates the worry of the cookies spreading. Enjoy cookies with a big glass of your favorite milk or coffee for dunking!

Tip: I used slightly damp fingertips to form the cookies to help prevent the oats from sticking to my hands and shape easier. 

Cherry Chocolate Breakfast Cookies

Print
Cherry Chocolate Breakfast Cookies

Cherry Chocolate Breakfast Cookies

Ingredients

  • 2 cups + 1/2 cup old fashioned oats, divided
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 large ripe banana, mashed
  • 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
  • 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup dried cherries
  • 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips
  • 1/8 tsp sea salt
  • 1 tsp baking powder

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350ºF and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Add 1/2 cup of old fashioned oats to a food processor and pulse until ground like flour. Set aside.
  2. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together egg, mashed banana, maple syrup and vanilla bean paste. Stir oat flour, 2 cups of oats, cinnamon, sea salt and baking powder into mixture until moist. Stir in chocolate chips and dried cherries. Chill in refrigerator for 15 minutes.
  3. Scoop out 1/4 cup mounds of dough onto prepared baking sheet. Use fingertips to shape into cookies. Bake for 13-15 minutes. Cool on baking sheet for 15 minutes. Store in a airtight container for up to 1 week.
https://freshandfit.org/cherry-chocolate-breakfast-cookies/

Maple Pecan Banana Bread (Paleo • Gluten-Free)

Banana nut bread is one of my favorite indulgences. The flavor and aroma of sweet baked banana in every bite is irresistible. I knew I had to turn this classic into a healthy, guilt-free version. The traditional quick bread gets a makeover using gluten-free and grain-free blanched almond flour. This is a great bread option for anyone who suffers from gluten allergies or if you happen to be following a Paleo diet lifestyle.

To curb the amount of fat and oil used, mashed ripe bananas step in without sacrificing any moisture. Because the bananas are naturally very sweet, there’s no need to add heaps of sugar. I opted to use pure maple syrup for its deep signature flavor that pairs oh-so-perfectly with bananas. You can also use high-quality honey if you prefer. The result is a chewy dessert or breakfast bread that can stand on its own or be topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a smear of grass-fed butter. Save this recipe, because it will be one you use again and again–I know I will!

Print
Maple Pecan Banana Bread (Paleo • Gluten-Free)

15 minutes

65 minutes

1 hour, 20 minutes

Yield: 10-12 slices

Maple Pecan Banana Bread (Paleo • Gluten-Free)

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups blanched almond flour
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 medium very ripe bananas, mashed (plus 1 extra banana sliced lengthwise for decorating)
  • 2 tbsp butter or ghee, melted
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
  • 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350ºF and line a loaf pan with parchment paper overlapping sides. In a medium mixing bowl whisk together eggs, mashed banana, melted ghee, maple syrup and vanilla extract. In a separate bowl, whisk together almond flour, cinnamon, baking powder, sea salt and pecans.
  2. Gradually stir wet ingredients into dry. Pour into pan. Decorate the top with additional sliced bananas if desired. Bake for 60-65 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out mostly clean. Allow bread to cook in pan 10 minutes. Lift parchment paper and place bread on a cooling rack. Cool 20 minutes longer before slicing.
https://freshandfit.org/maple-pecan-banana-bread-paleo-%e2%80%a2-gluten-free/

Cherry Coconut Overnight Oats with Flahavan’s Irish Oats

Overnight oats are summer’s answer to traditional cooked oatmeal. Oats soak in milk overnight to soften and plump the oats, tenderizing them to a creamy and wholesome breakfast. Because of their light flavor and chewy texture, oats beg to be topped with all sorts of mix-ins to jazz up the taste. I chose cherries and dried unsweetened coconut to suit the summer season. Cherries are only available in my neck of the woods during the warmer months, so I like to stock up and get my cherry fix while I can. Cherries add a tart, sweet flavor to the oats and are full of antioxidants helping to fight off free radical damage within the body. Coconut is a year round staple in my house and one of my favorite flavors in sweet and savory dishes.

 

The oats I used were provided by Flahavan’s Irish Oats. Flahavan’s uses high quality, non-GMO oats with a variety of styles to choose from. There are the quick-cooking Steel Cut Oats and the type I chose for this recipe, the traditional Irish Oatmeal. The delicate oats are perfect for overnight oats, soaking up the almond milk and absorbing the sweet maple syrup for heaps of flavor in each spoonful. Check out more of their awesome products here.

Print
Cherry Coconut Overnight Oats with Flahavan’s Irish Oats

10 minutes

Yield: 1 serving

Serving Size: 16 ounces

Cherry Coconut Overnight Oats with Flahavan’s Irish Oats

Ingredients

  • 1.5 cups unsweetened almond or coconut milk
  • 3/4 cupS Flahavan's Irish Oats
  • 1/3 cup pitted cherries, halved
  • 1/4 shredded unsweetened coconut
  • 1 tbsp pure maple syrup
  • 1/8 tsp vanilla bean powder or paste

Instructions

  1. Combine ingredients in a 16 oz basin jar and stir to combine. Refrigerate 4 to 8 hours. Enjoy cold.
https://freshandfit.org/cherry-coconut-overnight-oats-flahavans-irish-oats/

This recipe was sponsored by Flahavan’s Irish Oats. I was compensated in oats in exchange for this post.

Apple Cinnamon Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

apple-cinnamon-cupcakes

Creating an indulgent and satisfying dessert can prove difficult if you are watching your sugar intake. Enter Steviva. This awesome sugar-free sweetener company incorporates natural stevia into agave nectar and coconut sugar for a lower calorie alternative to sweeten baked goods and desserts. For these autumn inspired apple cinnamon cupcakes, I used their CocoSweet+ sweetener in the cupcake batter and the Steviva Blend Fine Powder in the frosting.

For a super sweet deal, enter coupon code FRESHANDFIT at the Steviva.com checkout for 15% off your order.

Print
Apple Cinnamon Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Yield: 12 cupcakes

Apple Cinnamon Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

  • FOR CUPCAKES
  • 2 cups oat flour
  • 2 cups grated apple (peeled)
  • 3 eggs
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
  • 1/3 cup CocoSweet+ by Steviva
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil, at room temperature
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • FOR CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
  • 8 oz cream cheese
  • 1 tbsp unsweetened almond milk
  • 2 tbsp Steviva Blend Fine Powder
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin pan with paper liners. In a large mixing bowl, combine eggs, coconut oil and almond milk. Whisk until just combined.
  2. In a separate bowl, combine oat flour, CocoSweet+, baking powder and cinnamon. Stir together with a fork and breakup and large lumps.
  3. Gradually stir wet ingredients into dry until smooth. Stir in grated apple.
  4. Using a 1/3 cup measuring scoop, pour batter into paper liners. Bake for 35 minutes.
  5. While cupcakes bake, prepare frosting by combining cream cheese, unsweetened almond milk, vanilla extract and Steviva Blend Fine Powder in a mixing bowl. Use a hand mixer on medium speed to beat until smooth and fluffy.
  6. Pour frosting into a pastry bag with end secured. Place in refrigerator to firm up slightly.
  7. Remove cupcakes from oven and allow to cool completely before frosting. Store in airtight container in refrigerator for up to one week.
https://freshandfit.org/apple-cinnamon-cupcakes-cream-cheese-frosting/

img-1