Buckwheat Applesauce Breakfast Cake

Cake for breakfast? Always a good idea in my book. While this recipe is not a cake in the traditional sense, light, airy and super rich, it kind of has an indulgent feel when topped with a yummy yogurt almond frosting. It's not a very sweet cake - dense and hearty in texture, yet still super moist thanks to the applesauce. The buckwheat flour really adds a unique dimension in both flavor and texture. There is a lovely bitterness to this cake from this flour which I love, but might take a little getting used to. And because buckwheat is not "wheat", it behaves differently in baking. It results in a cake that is almost a little sandy in texture, and more dense than a traditional baked good. 

I adapted the recipe (because I just can't help myself!). The original used almond flour in addition to the buckwheat, and coconut oil. I replace these with whole wheat flour and butter instead. This likely altered the texture somewhat but in the end I loved the results, so it doesn't really matter! I also used some liquid whey (leftover from homemade yogurt) instead of almond milk, but I'm sure buttermilk would also work Finally, I adjusted the spices somewhat based on my preferences, and the time of year and replaced the molasses with maple syrup along the same vein. Overall, this dense, somewhat bitter but very interesting "cake", topped with a healthy yogurt and almond butter frosting ticks all the right buttons for me. The most important thing being that it's delicious. In the end that's all that really matters!

Buckwheat Applesauce Breakfast Cake
Adapted from Edible Perspective
Ingredients

• 1 1/4 c buckwheat flour (150 grams)
• 1/2 cup (60 grams) whole wheat flour
• 2 tablespoons (25 grams) brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon cardamom
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup buttermilk or liquid whey
• 2/3 cup (170 grams) unsweetened applesauce, I used homemade (alternatively, can use several cups of grated apple, somewhere around 250 grams, the recipe is very forgiving)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 3 tablespoons (42 grams) butter, melted
• 3 tablespoons (60 grams) maple syrup (or honey)

Directions
Preheat your oven to 350* F and line a 9x9 pan with parchment, or grease thoroughly.  Stir the buckwheat flour, whole wheat flour, sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl until well mixed.  In another bowl whisk the eggs together.  Then whisk in the milk, applesauce, vanilla, butter and maple syrup until fully combined.  Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.

Pour the batter into your pan and spread evenly.  Bake for 38-40 minutes, testing with a toothpick for doneness.  You want the toothpick to be slightly sticky, not gooey or dry.  Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes before slicing. Serve with a dusting of powdered sugar, or with almond butter frosting (recipe below). 

Almond Butter Frosting
From Delectably Mine
Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon almond butter
• 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt
• 1/2 teaspoon maple syrup (optional)
• couple shakes of cinnamon
• Pinch of salt (optional)

Directions
Mix together the almond butter and Greek yogurt until well combined and smooth. Add in the maple syrup, cinnamon and salt and stir to combine. Taste and adjust flavorings if desired, adding a little more almond butter if it is too tangy, a little more yogurt if it is too thick, or a little extra maple syrup if you want it a little sweeter. Spoon frosting onto each slice of cake, or spread in an even layer over the top of each piece. 

Maple Oat Breakfast Bites

These snack bites are tasty little guys that are great to have on hand in case your last meal wasn't quite enough to keep you full and satisfied until the next one. They're full of whole grains, healthy fats and sweetened naturally with maple syrup, all things that make me feel good about popping one (or two, or three...) into my mouth mid-afternoon. I made them tiny so depending on how hungry I am I can decide how many to eat. I didn't want to call these cookies, because I think doing so might disappoint some people. They aren't super sweet or tender, they're a little on the "dry" side in texture, and are slightly crumbly, but not fall-apart crumbly. Overall nutty and satisfying, but doesn't make you think you're eating dessert, a good compromise!

These little guys are super easy to make. Just throw everything into the food processor and let it do the work for you. If you want something a little extra special try adding some mini chocolate chips, or drizzling with melted chocolate. You can also play around with the type of nut butter you use; almond, PB, cashew, I'm sure sunflower seed butter would be good too. Overall, yum!

Maple Oat Breakfast Bites
Adapted from The Clever Carrot

• 2 cups (160 grams) old fashioned oats 
• 1 cup (120 grams) spelt or whole wheat flour
• ½ tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup (55 grams) coconut oil, melted
• 1/4 cup (64 grams) almond butter
• 1/4 cup (75 grams) pure maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions
Preheat your oven to 375 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Add the oats, whole wheat flour, and baking soda to a food processor. Run the machine until the oats look like 'flour.' It's okay to have a few big pieces in the mix.

Add the egg, coconut oil, almond butter, maple syrup, and vanilla extract. Pulse until the mixture looks like cookie dough. If the dough is too wet or runny, just add a sprinkle of flour and pulse gently until it comes together, if it is too dry add a little extra coconut oil or maple syrup.

Shape the cookies into balls and place on lined baking sheets.

Bake for about 12-14 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool on the tray for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Yield: 24 cookies

Chewy Trail Mix Cookies

Last week I was trying to decide what I should bake to have on hand for a quick grab and go breakfast. Breakfast cookies had been on my mind lately, so I decided to just go for it. I've been eyeing recipes for a while, and have a bunch of them pinned, but so far I hadn't got around to making any. There are so many different routes you can go with a breakfast cookie and I had been having difficulty deciding which recipe to use. I finally settled on these chewy trail mix cookies. They looked hearty and filling and were full of all sorts of good things like any trail mix should be. 

I'm glad that in the end I went with this recipe because it sure was a winner. The oats and nuts come together to form a delicious base that is filled with coconut, chocolate, seeds and dried fruit. A little brown sugar and honey for sweetness, and butter for flavor are all held together with some nut butter and an egg. They baked up thick and chewy just as I was hoping they would. An quick and easy breakfast that I can feel pretty good eating on those busy weekday mornings. 

I adapted the original recipe a little to work for me and they still turned out great. The original recipe was both vegan and gluten free, my version is neither but it would easy to go back and make the appropriate adjustment if this is something you are looking for. If you use gluten free oats they still would be gluten free, and replacing the egg with a flax egg and the butter with coconut oil as in the original recipe is a easy way to get them back into vegan territory. So as you can see, the recipe is pretty forgiving and adaptable. 

The add ins can also be adjusted to fit your tastes. Any type of seed, nut, chocolate, dried fruit, etc. could be used in this recipe. It really just depends on what you like and what you have in your pantry. As long as you aim to keep the volume of filling approximately the same as what is written I think they will turn out just fine. So play around with it, use what you like and make them your own!

Chewy Trail Mix Cookies
Adapted from Oh She Glows
Ingredients
Dry

• 1 cup (80 grams) old fashioned rolled oats, blended into oat flour
• 1/2 cup almond meal or almond flour (I used 2 ounces almonds ground in the food processor)
• 1/2 cup (40 grams) old fashioned rolled oats
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) chopped or thinly sliced almonds
• 1/4 cup (50 grams) brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons (15 grams) shredded unsweetened coconut
• 3 tablespoons (30 grams) mini dark chocolate chips (or finely chopped chocolate)
• 2 tablespoons (20 grams) sunflower seeds
• 3-4 tablespoon (28 grams) dried cranberries
• 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp fine grain sea salt
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda

Wet

• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup (64 grams) raw almond or peanut butter
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/4 cup (80 grams) pure maple syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla

Directions
Preheat oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all of the dry ingredients. In another medium sized bowl, stir together the wet ingredients until thoroughly combined. Add the wet mixture on top of the dry mixture and stir well until combined. 

Form the dough into small balls, rolling them between your palms until smooth. Place on prepared cookie sheet. (I made 12 total, they were approximately 50 grams each.) 

Bake cookies for 15-18 minutes until light golden brown on the bottom. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack until completely cool. 

Calories: 231 calories each for 12 cookies

Maple Muffins

Growing up in my house, pancakes and waffles were served with a side of Mrs. Butterworth's syrup, and I loved the stuff. Super thick and ubberly sweet, I loved dousing my fluffy stack of pancakes with this delicious liquid sugar. In later years my mom started making her own syrup with a bunch of corn syrup, plenty of butter, and some maple flavoring and I liked this concoction even better; thick, sweet and buttery. However, as time went on, my palate improved and my love of real foods and simple ingredients became a passion, and I knew it was time for a change. 

Then, a few years ago I went to a sugar bush in the early spring and saw the whole process of maple syrup processing, from tapping the trees to getting the sap to the sugar house to boiling the sap down into syrup, I was in love. I found the whole process completely fascinating. It is amazing how a benign looking watery liquid that drips out of a tree can be transformed into liquid sugar with some time and some heat. From that day forward, I decided to only use real maple syrup, I'm never going back. 

Real maple syrup is expensive, I know that, and because of that I try to be sparing, and use it wisely. This recipe is a bit of a splurge, using 1 1/2 cups of real maple syrup, but it is completely worth it for an occasional and very special treat. 

I found that calling these "muffins" may be a bit of a misnomer. After eating through the entire batch I came to the conclusion that they are really more like cake, but lets not worry about symantics. What matters is that they are incredibly tender and full of flavor. The maple flavor is surprisingly subtle considering how much maple syrup is in them, but it is perfect, not overwhelming and perfectly balanced. When I made these, I didn't have any walnuts but they would be a fantastic addition and would really round out the flavor and texture of these muffins perfectly, I'm sure of it. 

So if you're looking for an extra special morning treat I highly recommend this recipe. They would also be wonderful as cupcakes, topped with a little maple cream cheese or buttercream frosting. Versatile, delicious and unique, you really must give these a try.

Maple Muffins

Adapted From

Sarabeth's Bakery: From My Home to Yours

Ingredients

• Softened unsalted butter, for the pan
• 2¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup whole wheat flour
• 1 tbs baking powder
• ½ tsp fine sea salt
• 1½ cups pure maple syrup, preferably Grade B
• 12 tbs (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, melted
• ½ cup whole milk
• 1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
• 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted

Directions

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400°. Line muffin pan with muffin liners or alternatively, brush the insides of 12 muffin cups with softened butter, then brush the top of the pan to ensure that the muffins don't stick to the top when they rise.

Whisk the unbleached flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. Whisk the maple syrup, melted butter, and milk together in another bowl, then whisk in the egg and yolk. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir just until smooth. Stir in the walnuts. Let the batter stand so the dry ingredients can absorb the liquids, about 5 minutes.

Using a 2½-inch-diameter ice cream scoop, portion the batter, rounded side up, into the prepared muffin cups. Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 375° and bake until the tops of the muffins are golden brown and a wire cake tester inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 15 minutes more.

Cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove the muffins from the pan and cool completely.

Half a recipe makes 8 or 9 muffins

Simple Maple Granola

I've been making my own homemade granola for years now and I absolutely love it. I see absolutely no reason to buy a bag of granola at the store. First of all it's expensive, way more expensive than oats and sugar need to be. Second, it's never anywhere near as good as what I can make at home, customizing to my own individual preferences. My Homemade Granola Bars are still at the top of my list of favorite recipes, and they are the most popular post on this blog by far. If you've ever wanted to try making your own crunchy granola bars I highly recommend you give this recipe a try! 

I've also done Chocolate Granola, and Spiced Pumpkin Granola, both fun, a little different, and delicious. The pumpkin granola would be perfect to make right now, just as pumpkin baking season is taking off!

Recently though, I was looking for something simple, an easy recipe that I could whipped together quickly, and that was a little on the healthier side so I could eat it as a snack without feeling too guilty. A lot of granola recipes delicious, but they have tons of sugar and fat in them. I wanted something a little lighter. I decided to try out The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook's Big Cluster Maple Granola with a few adjustments to fit my needs. It's a winner folks! Just what I was looking for. Light and simple and perfect for snacking!

This recipe is actually similar to my Maple Almond Granola, also a great recipe, but was just a little closer to what I wanted this time. Like I said, I made a few changes to the recipe so it was a little more my style. I cut out the coconut and replaced it with extra oats because I don't usually have coconut on hand and I'm not a big fan of it in my granola anyway. I also cut back slightly on the sugar because I was looking for something that wasn't too sweet and I added an extra egg white because it seemed like the oats needed a little more moisture to hold them together.

So when all was said and done I've got new favorite snack. Lightly sweetened, crunchy and toasty granola to sprinkle on my yogurt, eat as cereal with some milk, or snack with out of hand when my mouth is craving something sweet. I've made this recipe several times now and it's still making me happy every time.

Lightly Sweetened Maple Granola

Adapted From

The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook

via 

Serious Eats

Ingredients

• 8 cups (640 grams) old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 cup (~100 grams) walnuts, almonds or pecans, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup (50 grams) wheat germ (toasted if you'd like)
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 2/3 cup maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3 large egg whites
• 3 cups (430 grams) dried cherries or another dried fruit (optional)

Directions

Preheat your oven to 300 degrees. Combine all ingredients but the egg whites and dried fruit (if using) in a large bowl, tossing to coat evenly. Whisk the egg whites in a small bowl until frothy. Stir into the granola mixture, distributing it throughout. Spread it in a single layer on one or two baking sheets.

Bake for 55 to 60 minutes. About halfway through the baking time, use a large spatula to turn over sections of the granola carefully, breaking them up as little as possible. Rotate the pan if granola is baking unevenly. When it is evenly browned and feels dry to the touch, transfer the pan from the oven to the cooling rack (make sure it's completely dry before you take it out, you don't want soft granola, you can add more time if you need too). Cool completely. Sprinkle in dried fruit if using.

Store granola at room temperature in an airtight container. It lasts for several weeks. 

Spiced Pumpkin Granola

Christmas is probably my favorite time to be in the kitchen. Sitting inside my warm house while the cold wind blows outside, breathing in the intoxicating aromas of whatever is in the oven, blaring the Christmas music and sipping a warm cup of hot chocolate, it all just makes me happy. Reaching into the oven and pulling out a piping hot loaf of bread or a sheet of golden brown sugar cookies makes me smile. I especially love being able to share my love of food with my friends and family. Every year I try to  make something special to give away, spreading the good cheer! Most years I've made an assortment of Christmas cookies, they are my favorite. However this year, with exams and other commitments, I didn't have quite as much time as usual, so I decided to try something different, homemade granola.

Granola is so easy and delicious, you can make a huge batch of it at one time, and it lasts forever. Since it is Christmas, I wanted to make it festive so when I saw this recipe for spiced pumpkin granola I knew it would be perfect. A can of pumpkin and a bunch of warm, festive spices, along with dried cranberries for some Christmas color made this the perfect granola for Christmas.

This may end up being one of my favorite granola recipes. I thought it was absolutely delicious. A slight hint of pumpkin accompanied by cinnamon, ginger, cardamon and nutmeg and a note of sweet from the cranberries, yummy! Because of all the liquid from the pumpkin, this granola did not end up being as crunchy as some of the granolas I've made in the past, but that didn't detract from it one bit, in fact I kind of enjoyed the slightly chewy texture. This one is a winner folks. A fun and festive treat for Christmas.

The dry ingredients ready to go

Heating up the pumpkin mixture

Boxed up and ready to give as the perfect gift

Spiced Pumpkin Granola
Adapted from Healthy Green Kitchen
Ingredients

• 8 cups old fashion oats 
• 1 1/2 cup slivered almonds 
• 3/4 cup wheat germ 
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt 
• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon 
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom 
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar 
• 1/4 cup brown sugar 
• 1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree 
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil 
• 1/4 cup butter, melted 
• 1/2 cup maple syrup or honey 
• 1 cup dried cranberries 

Directions
Preheat oven to 300°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, mix together oats, almonds, wheat germ, salt, all of the spices, and the sugars.

In a small saucepan heat together the pumpkin puree, oil, butter and maple syrup or honey until combined.

Pour the liquid mixture into the dry ingredients and mix together with your hands until all of the dry ingredients are evenly coated.

Spread the granola evenly over the two prepared pans and bake for 60-75 minutes, stirring every 10 to 15 minutes until golden brown and dried to your liking. Remove from the oven and stir in the dried cranberries.

Spicy Party Mix

If you know me at all then you know that I love munchies and finger food. I know I'm fighting a losing battle when confronted with a bowl of anything that just pops into my mouth too easily. This mix does just that. A bowl full of pretzels, nuts and chex covered with a sweet and spicy glaze. A little bit of heat, a little bit of sweet, and a whole lot of crunch creates a beautiful fusion of flavors and textures.

I think this is the perfect mix for the cool weather; the flavors are warm and comforting. Pull it out at Thanksgiving or Christmas and watch it disappear. If you're looking for something a little different to serve before or after dinner to satisfy your munching cravings, this is the mix for you. I found this recipe in the book The Sweet Life in Paris by David Lebovitz, an excellent book for anyone interested in food and Paris. The only thing I changed this time around was adding some Chex. He originally calls for two cups each of nuts and pretzels, but I love the airiness and crunch of Chex, so I decided to add some in, and I think it was a good addition. So go ahead, throw this mix together and be amazed. In the book, David Lebovitz writes, "it makes an excellent nibble." I couldn't have said it better myself.

Sweet and spicy and irresistible

You need some maple syrup, 

make sure it's the real stuff

Pour it into a bowl to start

Start adding some delicious flavors,

first up, cinnamon

A little bit of cocoa powder

And the chili powder

A little brown sugar and some butter

round out the yummy glaze

Grab your nut mixture, 

I chose almonds, cashews and peanuts

Mix it all up with the chex and pretzels and bake

Ready to party!

Spicy Party Mix
Adapted from The Sweet Life in Paris by David Lebovitz
Ingredients

• 1 1/3 cups (275 grams) raw nuts - any combination of pecans, almonds, peanuts, cashews and hazelnuts
• 1 tablespoon (15 grams) butter
• 3 tablespoons (45 grams) dark brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon chili powder or smoked paprika
• 2 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon unsweetened natural or Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 1/3 cups (100 grams) small pretzel twists
• 1 1/3 cups corn Chex cereal

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread the nuts on a baking sheet and toast for 10 minutes. 

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix together the butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, chili powder, maple syrup and cocoa. 

Stir the warm nuts into the spice mixture to coat them completely, then sprinkle on the salt. 

Mix in the pretzels and Chex, then spread the mixture on a baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the nuts are well glazed and browned. Remove from the oven and cool completely. Once cool, break up the clusters and serve.

(If you would rather leave out the chex and follow the original recipe, increase the nuts and pretzels to 2 cups each and omit the chex.)