JR Date Bar and More

Today I modified my JR DATE BAR RECIPE and added Zego Cranberry Seed + Fruit Blend MIX-INS to the top of the bars for extra flavor, texture, and visual interest!

The original recipe called for:

1 Cup of Dates (I get mine from Futterman Farms) - pitted and diced
2 Cups of Nuts - your choice to use one nut or a mix to create the flavor profile of your choice
1/3 Cup Flavor Ad-Ins

Today I modified the recipe:

2 cups of dates
1 cup of nuts ( I used cashew)
1 cup of gluten free oats 
1 tsp vanilla
NOTE: You may need to add/reduce oats based on moisture content of the dates you are using.

Instructions:

Add 1/2 of the ingredients into a VitaMix or powerful blender/food processor.
Get to a relatively smooth consistency and add the rest. 
Place in a glass Pyrex container, press down to help solidify, and cover.
NOTE: The thickness of the bars is based on the size of the container you use. I made THINK ones today!
Refrigerate for about 1 hour to help the bars set.
NOTE: Just before placing the bars in the refrigerator I added 1/2 cup of MIX-INS to the top of the bars.

Granola Made Simple

I love making granola so I can control the sugar in my diet. When I first needed to eat a gluten free diet, I had a difficult time finding cereal that was not loaded with sugars. (The options are much better now). I got in the habit of making my own cereal and have not looked back!

Making homemade granola does not take a long time and will cost you less than the packaged granola in the stores. I purchase my supplies when they are on sale and stock up (not too much as I do not have much storage) to keep the cost down. Many of the items I get in bins in the store which helps reduce packaging waste.

The granola is cooked for 20-30 minutes depending on the temperature of your oven and the texture you prefer. Once the granola is cool, you can store it in an airtight container for a month.

Time Savers:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 when you start assembling your granola
2. Line a cookie sheet with non stick aluminum foil ... the granola slides off and clean up is minimal (just the bowl you used for assembling the granola)

Granola Formula

Oats + Ancient Grains + Seeds + Flavor + Oil + Honey + OPTIONS

I usually use this ratio:

• 3 cups Gluten Free Oats
• 1 cup ancient grains (quinoa or millet)
• 1 cup of seeds (sunflower, pepitas, hemp, flax)
• 1-2 TBSP flavor ...vanilla, almond, maple, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, or coconut (you decide the intensity)
• 3/4 cup oil (I usually use coconut oil)
• 3/4 cup honey (substitute Agave for Vegan option)

I combine until mixed and add in options such as:

• 1 cup ground flax seeds
• 1 cup unsweetened coconut (you could add sweetened if you wish a sweeter granola)
• 1 cup dried fruit
• 1 cup diced nuts

The beauty of this recipe is you can control the quantity you make, the flavor, and the ingredients. You can cook it a bit longer for a dry and crunchy cereal or a bit less for a chewy texture.

Simple Scrumptious Smoothie Bowl

Smoothie bowls can be a great breakfast, snack, or dessert. What makes them great is the versatility of the recipe and the speed at which you can prepare one! The simple recipe is a BLANK CANVAS that allows you to create your masterpiece! The formula can be adapted to make an "ice cream" too.

Smoothie Bowl Formula (Breakfast):

2 Frozen Bananas + 3/4 cup Milk of choice (I use almond milk) + 2 pitted dates + 1 cup of berries (organic if possible as berries are consistently on the EWG's Dirty Dozen List)

Options:

• Add protein powder ... vanilla or chocolate
• Cut the recipe in half to create a snack rather than a meal! 

A FAST, SIMPLE, and NUTRITIOUS Breakfast

A smoothie bowl contains natural sugars from bananas and berries and protein from the milk variety you use. You can top the bowl with the flavor and texture profiles that you prefer.

Healthy breakfast toppings include:

• Granola
• Oats
• Nuts
• Seeds ... Hemp, Chia, Pepita, Sunflower
• Coconut (no sugar added is preferable)
• A few slices of the fruit you added
• Dried fruit
• Diced protein bar
• Crumbled rice cake 
• Handfulls Fusions

You can add protein powder to the smoothie bowl if you wish the added protein in your diet and are looking for the breakfast to hold you through a workout or get you through to a late lunch.

Smoothie Bowl Formula (Dessert):

2 Frozen Bananas + 1 cup Milk of choice (I use almond milk) + 8 pitted dates + 1 TBSP coconut butter

Options:

• Add protien powder (chocolate or vanilla)
• Add 1 cup of fruit to flavor and reduce milk to 3/4 cup
• Add flavoring (vanilla, maple, coconut)
• Add 1 TBSP nut/seed butter

A FAST, SIMPLE, AND HEALTHIER OPTION for Dessert

The smoothie bowl formula provides you with the BLANK CANVAS with which to create your masterpiece. You can create the flavor profile you wish. You can get nostalgic and think about flavors from your childhood such as chocolate chip, black cherry, cookies and cream, just to name a few. Make it your own! Play with your food! Enjoy the healthier version of "ice cream".

Dessert smoothie bowl toppings include:

• Gluten Free chocolate chips
• Granola
• Nuts
• Seeds
• Crumbled Gluten Free cookies
• Dried fruit 
• Fresh fruit
• Diced protein bar
• Coconut (I prefer no sugar added) 
• Handfulls Fusions

Frozen Adaptation:

Prepare the smoothie bowl with the desired sweetness from dates and ADD an ADDITIONAL TBSP COCONUT BUTTER. I usually prepare the dessert version if I am going to freeze it and make an "ice-cream" treat. Put the smoothie in individual containers and cover for 30 minutes then serve with or without toppings. You can also put the smoothie mixture in a large container and freeze and portion out servings as you wish!

The consistency is icy the longer it stays frozen. I suggest eating it after 30 minutes of freezing for a soft serve consistency or within 3 days for an "ice cream" like consistency.

TIP

When bananas start getting brown, peel a few and keep them handy in the freezer. If you keep a few frozen at all times, you can make a smoothie bowl in minutes!

Handfulls Snacks ... Enjoy by the Handful or in Your Favorite Recipe

I have fallen in love with Handfulls Snacks! Their Crunch Bites line of products are great to enjoy BY THE HANDFUL or to add to salads for some extra CRUNCH and protein!

Crunch Bites add a rice cracker shell, a crunch, to the California Almond! They come in a variety of flavor profiles for you to enjoy!

Crunch Bites or Fusions can be added to a salad to add flavor and texture. The image below shows adding a HANDFUL of Crunch Bites to a salad! Read my recipe for A Simple Salad With A Crunch.

Handfull Snacks Fusion line of nuts, seeds, and dried fruits are great BY THE HANDFUL as well as used in recipes! They come in a variety of flavors, savory and sweet! I have enjoyed baking Fusions into gluten free breads, sprinkling them on my Greek Yogurt for breakfast, adding them to salads, and adding them to fried rice. The possibilities are endless! The flavors are superior! 

I enjoy adding Fusions to recipes. I made Strawberry Nut Bread using CABO CATAMARAN CRUNCH and created a gluten free bread that was moist, flavorful, and satisfying!

Breakfasts can be made magical with the addition of Handfulls Snacks.  A Gluten Free Breakfast with a Fusion of Flavors includes Denali Mountain Mix with adds great flavor and texture at the start of a HOT day!

A Gluten Free Breakfast with a Fusion of Flavors

When the weather is in the summer is at its peak, I prefer a cool breakfast! I prefer to keep it simple on a hot day. I tend to turn to Greek Yogurt as my breakfast "blank canvas" and I create my masterpiece from there. I purchase PLAIN LOWFAT Greek Yogurt so I can customize the flavor profile and control the sugar that I have each day.

I do not stop using the oven or stove on hot days. If I need to do any baking, I do it after breakfast when the house is still cool! I love to cook and do not let the outside temperature stop me from eating healthy, real food!

I follow a simple formula to create my breakfast, then I add variety based on the format:

1 cup FRUIT + 1 cup GREEK YOGURT + 1 TBSP FLAVOR (or honey) + 1/2 cup SEEDS/NUTS/GRANOLA

I have found that the riper the fruit, the sweeter it is. If I wish my breakfast to be a bit sweeter one day than another, I dice my fruit and warm it in the microwave for 30 seconds.

My favorite flavor to add is cinnamon as it helps reduce blood sugar and diabetes runs in my family. I also enjoy adding ORGANIFI RED JUICE to my yogurt along with red berries for an antioxidant boost!

HandfullsSnacks Fusions are a great addition to yogurt for breakfast. Pictured here is DENALI MOUNTAIN MIX on top of Greek Yogurt and Peaches! I did not add flavor to my yogurt as the Denali Mix provided the flavor (and texture) boost!

NOTE: This could be made into a dessert by adding some honey and/or a few gluten free chocolate chips to the add-in mixture.