I love these Healthy Cookie Dough Balls on the Riddle Love website. Our family has been enjoying these for years. They are quick and easy to make in a food processor. They satisfy your sweet tooth and are loaded with good for you foods like almond butter, honey, and chia seeds.
You can find the recipe HERE
Beets are one of those superfood veggies (like Brussels sprouts) that command attention and a place on your plate. They are loaded with with health benefits. According the the book Eating on the Wild Side by Jo Robinson, ‘beets have more antioxidant properties than all other common vegetables in the grocery store (except artichokes, red cabbage, kale and bell peppers), with 9x more antioxidant activity than a typical tomato and 50x more than orange carrots. Beet leaves have 7x more antioxidants than romaine lettuce and are on par with kale.’ The darker the beet the better it is for you, so choose red beets over the golden varieties. Additionally, you want to look for the freshest beets for optimum nutrition, so be sure to purchase beets sold with their leaves still attached.
All vegetables in the cruciferous family are a good choice and Brussels sprouts are no exception. Other amazing crucifers include arugula, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbages, cauliflower, collard greens, kale, kohl-rabi, mustard greens, radishes and turnips.
If you don’t already love Brussel sprouts, I would like to either introduce you or reacquaint you to this vegetable superfood. In her book Eating on the Wild Side, Jo Robinson touts Brussel Sprouts as one of the healthies vegetables. Unfortunately, they are also one of the more bitter. Brussels sprouts are high in glucosinolates which is what makes them so healthy, but it is also what makes them bitter. The more glucosinolates, the better the vegetable is for you, and the more bitter it tastes. Here are a few pointers from Eating on the Wild Side to aid in purchasing Brussels sprouts that will contribute to a sweeter, nuttier and more mild flavor:
Brussel sprouts can really be delicious. Try them again for the first time. This is one of my favorite ways to serve them, though they are also very good roasted.
These waffles are best paired with the book Adventures with Waffles by Maria Parr. This book is a great family read aloud, one you won't want to miss. So make some Waffle Hearts and enjoy and good book together. You will be glad you did!We love these pumpkin muffins! It was a recipe I found on the blog Riddlelove years ago. It has become a staple in our home. The original recipe is gluten-free and grain-free. If you do not have the almond or coconut flour on hand, either or both can be substituted with wheat flour. You can find the full recipe HERE.
They are delicious right out of the oven as well as refrigerated overnight.
Just mix all ingredients up in your blender, bake, drizzle and serve:
Today we enjoyed these muffins as a part of our advent celebration, along with the advent devotional by Ann Voskamp, Unwrapping the Greatest Gift: A Family Celebration of Christmas. It is a beautiful journey through the lineage of Jesus, with daily suggestions on how to make your Christmas more holy. Each day comes with ornaments you can print or purchase. We chose to print them and are hanging them on our Gratitude Tree we left up after November. Additionally, we LOVE our beautiful advent wreath. Each day we light a candle as we read our devotions. If you are interested in purchasing one, they are available HERE.
Milk: I have not tried these pancakes with non-dairy milk, but I would assume it would work. I often make homemade almond milk in my Vitamix and make so many baked goods with it. But for this recipe I use good old fashioned whole milk. I usually buy grass fed milk when possible, but depending where you shop it may not be available.
Flour: I usually choose organic whole wheat or white wheat flour, but white flour really does work best in this recipe. It makes them light and fluffy, more like traditional restaurant pancakes. I buy organic white flour in bulk at Costco to keep it affordable.
Eggs: Any eggs will work in this recipe, however not all eggs are created equal. I do splurge on pastured eggs for their nutritional superiority, taste and animal welfare practices. Next spring (2021) we are getting chickens and will be raising our own eggs. I love pastured eggs that much!
Maple syrup: Maple syrup is such an easy substitution to make in your pantry. It is simple, wholesome and delicious. Traditional syrup has a number of ingredients I try to avoid like COVID, including: High Fructose Corn Syrup, Water, Cellulose Gum, Salt, Natural And Artificial Flavor, Caramel Color, Sorbic Acid And Sodium Benzoate (Preservatives), Sodium Hexametaphosphate. I also buy my maple syrup at Costco. It is significantly more affordable there.
Butter: Our family loves Kerrygold butter on our pancakes and bread. It is grass fed and crazy good. I bake with regular organic butter to keep the cost down, but top it off with Kerrygold.
Salt: My favorite salt is Celtic Sea Salt. It is mineral-rich, unrefined and hand harvested salt. It is my favorite choice. I also will buy Redmond Real Salt which is another great option.
Baking Powder: Non-GMO and aluminum free baking powder is the way to go. Due to aluminum's possible link with Alzheimer's disease as well as its metallic taste, I like to avoid it. Deodorant is another great way to avoid aluminum. I have a homemade recipe I will share soon (you will not be disappointed).
Wild Blueberries: These are my favorite! They are tiny, delicious and so good for you. Wild blueberries are nutritionally superior to their traditional counterparts and becoming more available. I buy these in bulk at Costco.
