Semi-Sweet Plantain Fritters (AIP, Low-FOMAP, Paleo, Vegan, Whole 30)

Plantains have become one of my favorite starches since going AIP. Just a year ago, I didn't even know what a plantain was, much less what in the world what to do with it. Then I made tostones, and my world was forever changed. I tend to mostly use green plantains and never quite sure what to do with then start to tern yellow.

Usually I just slice and fry them up (which is delicious), but the other day I decided to try something new. I had a few plantains that were just yellow and turning a little soft. There are just becoming sweet, but still have a good bit of starchiness in them that helps them become perfect fritters.

Semi-Sweet Plantain Fritters

Makes 2-3 servings

Ingredients

• 1 yellow plantain
• 1 ½ tablespoons cold water
• 1 tablespoon cassava flour 
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• A pinch of fine sea salt
• 1 tablespoon avocado oil

Instructions

1. Peel plantain and cut in large chunks. Add to food processor and do 2-second pulses (about 2-3) until it is finely chopped up, but not pureed.
2. Add chopped plantain to small bowl and mix in water, cassava flour, cinnamon, and sea salt.
3. Heat a medium pan over medium/low heat. You want it to be warm enough to heat the oil, but not too hot or they will stick.
4. When pan is hot, add oil to warm.
5. Fill a 1/4 cup with plantain mix and use that to put mix in pan. I found when I tapped the edge of the pan with the cup handle, it plopped right into a nice patty. Lightly press it down with a spatula to shape.
6. Allow to cook undisturbed for about 2 minutes. 
7. Carefully slide spatula under the fritter, if it is sticking, give it another minute. If it is ready, flip it over and cook it for another 2 minutes.
8. Remove from pan and enjoy.

Kale Salad with Warm Bacon Vinaigrette (AIP, Paleo)

This simple salad combines some of my favorite flavors to make a delicious and light salad to go with any meal or make it a full meal by topping with your protein of choice.

Kale Salad with Warm Bacon Vinaigrette

Makes 2-3 servings

Ingredients

• 4 slices of bacon
• ½ a bunch of large leaf kale (about 5-6 leaves), chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and diced
• 1 avocado, diced
• ½ cup grapes, halved
• ¼ cup bacon fat (reserved from cooked bacon)
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions

1. In a medium frying pan, cook bacon over medium high heat until crispy. Remove bacon from pan and set on a paper towel lined plate. Pour drippings into a medium glass bowl.
2. Add kale, grapes, carrots, and avocado to a large bowl to combine or distribute between plates for fancy plating.
3. Add  the vinegar, lemon juice, maple syrup, and garlic powder to bacon fat and whisk together
4. Drizzle dressing over salad portions and enjoy! To make it a meal, top the salad off with some grilled chicken, salmon, steak, or your choice of protein.

Blackberry Jam Thumbprint Cookies (AIP, Coconut-Free Option)

It is currently the holiday time, or as I saw on Instagram the other day "Christmas 1st." This means all things Christmas to me including: lights, Christmas Tree, stockings, Christmas Music, holiday treats, and the Hallmark Channel on 24/7. A few days ago I was enjoying one of the many fabulous movies about ice sculpting or something, and the girl in the movie was teaching her current love interest how to make thumbprint cookies. Being a crazy pregnant lady, I immediately needed the cookies.

I have never actually made them before, so I immediately took to Google. I researched to see what the other amazing bloggers out there have already made, and while there were some great recipes already out there, they all used coconut flour. Personally, coconut flour doesn't bother me, but the hubby does not do very well with it and so for most baking dishes I try not to use it. This recipe just some how magically came together and was just perfect on the very first try. YAY! I used some homemade blackberry jam I had previously made using this awesome recipe by A Girl Worth Saving, but you can use any jam you would like.

Blackberry Jam Thumbprint Cookies

Ingredients

• ¾ cup organic palm shortening
• ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons of crystallized sugar such as, maple sugar, sucanat sugar, muscovado sugar, or coconut sugar 
• 1 cup of cassava flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
• ½ cup cold water
• ¼ cup blackberry jam

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degree F.
2. Add palm shortening and sugar to a large mixing bowl, and use a hand mixer to whip them together.
3. Add flour, baking soda and mix with shortening and sugar
4. Then add vanilla, and water to mixing bowl and stir until fully combined into a sticky dough.
5. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
6. Using a tablespoon, scoop out dough and rolling into a small ball. Place on baking sheet, and press down with palm to slightly flatten. You want it to be about half the size of the ball. Using your thumb, make a big thumbprint in the middle of the cookie.
7. Fill the thumbprint with about a ½ teaspoon of blackberry jam,
8. Repeat until dough is gone. This recipe makes about 18 cookies.
9. Bake in preheated oven for 13 minutes.
10. When done remove from oven and take parchment paper of pan and place on cooling rack.
11. Now, you must let them cool for at least 10 minutes, yes I know that is the hardest part. However, these must cool for them to set, otherwise they will fall apart if you eat them right of the pan.
12. Enjoy! They should last up to 5 days on the counter in a airtight container, if they make it that long.

Easy Healing Chicken and Vegetable Soup (AIP, Paleo. Whole 30)

Tell me this is not a familiar situation for you: you come home from work to sick child or spouse or even you are getting the sniffles. The fancy dinner you had planned for this evening is not going to work now. You have nothing else defrosted and ready to go, but you know you have to make something for the family. More importantly, you want to stop this cold/flu before it takes down the whole family.

This was the situation I found myself in yesterday. Enter my favorite kitchen gadget ever: Instant Pot. I absolutely love that you can just throw everything in it and not worry about defrosting things. You just turn it on, and walk away. Then, like magic, you have the most delicious meal ever and barely did a thing to make it.

This soup took only about 5 minutes to prep and about 45 minutes to cook (counting in pressure and depressurize times). Who doesn't want a big bowl of chicken soup when they aren't feeling so great? Plus, with homemade bone broth, ginger, and turmeric, this soup is ready to battle that cold away. I am unofficially calling it my "Get Better Soon Soup!"

Easy Healing Chicken and Vegetable Soup 

{aka Get Better Soon Soup}

Ingredients

• 1 lb frozen chicken thighs
• 3-4 carrots, peeled and chopped or sliced (your preference)
• 3 celery sticks, diced
• 2 shallots or ½ a medium onion, finely diced
• 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 1 sweet potato, peeled, and diced
• 4 cups of bone broth
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric

Instructions

1. Add all ingredients to Instant Pot.
2. Close lid and make sure it is sealed. Using manual, set for 25 minutes.
3. When done turn off Instant Pot and either let the pressure release naturally, or if you are hungry manually release pressure.
4. Remove chicken thighs, and shred with forks. Once shredded, and back to pot and stir to combine.
5. Serve, enjoy and kick that cold to the curb! 

Makes 4-6 servings

Pan Seared Boneless Pork Chops (AIP, Paleo)

As as simple week night meal, these pork chops are used frequently in our meal rotation. My favorite part about pan searing pork chops is that it keeps in all the juices. It comes out perfect every time and never dry, which let's face it, often happens when cooking pork. This recipe is super easy and is another one of our go to lazy meals. I pop the pork in the fridge in the morning and it will be defrosted by dinner time. From prep to serve time you are looking at around 15 mins.

Pan-Seared Boneless Pork Chops

Ingredients

• 4 center cut boneless pork chops
• 1 teaspoon rubbed sage
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon ginger
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil

Instructions

1. Pat dry pork chops and set on a cutting board or plate.
2. Mix together all spices in a small bowl.
3. Cover pork chops all over with spice mix, be sure to pat it down to stick.
4. Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium high heat.
5. Once oil is hot, add pork chops to the pan. 
6. Cook for 4 mins. Don't touch it at all, just let it cook away.
7. Now flip and cook for another 4 minutes on the other side. You will want a nice sear on both sides by the time it's done.
8. Remove from pan and let rest for 2-3 minutes on cutting board.
9. Slice only when you are ready to serve or serve as a full chop. It will keep the juices in the pork longer this way.

Cherry Turnovers (AIP, Paleo, Vegan)

It's cherry season on east coast and while I could eat them by the handful on the their own, I thought it would be fun to try something new. With the discovery of Otto's Cassava Flour, the Paleo baked good game has really changed. I know I've gone on about this flour before, but it is seriously my favorite. When testing, I have been able to successfully sub it 1:1 with regular flour. which is more than any other options out there. Ok, enough about the flour, it's time to get to these yummy treats.

These cherry turnovers are actually pretty easy to make, though they do take some time due to allowing the dough to rest. My favorite part is that the filling uses no sweeteners at all, not even natural ones.

Cherry Turnovers

Ingredients 

Shell

• 1 ½ cup cassava flour
• ¼ cup arrowroot starch/flour
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ¾ cup organic palm shortening
• ½ cup ice water

Filling

• 1½ cups cherries, pitted and quartered
• ½ tablespoon arrowroot starch/flour
• 3 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoons lemon zest

Instructions

Shell

1. Combine cassava flour, arrowroot starch, and sea salt in a food processor. Just a few pulses to combine.
2. Cut up palm shortening into small pieces (about a teaspoon each) and add to food processor with the flour. 
3. Plus mix a few times, 1-second a time, until it is a mix of crumbled flour.
4. Transfer mix into a large bowl.
5. Added half the ice water and mix until just combined. Add in remaining water 1 tablespoon at a time until it can be clumped by your hand.
6. Transfer mix onto a clean work surface such as a granite counter or parchment paper lined counter top. Your mix should look crumbly.
7. Slowly, one bit of a time, use the bottom of your palm to push and drag out the dough in quick movements. This will help it slowly come together. Do this all the way through twice
8. Once you have made it through the dough, gather it and mold it into a small loaf.
9. Wrap in plastic and place in the fridge for 45 mins.
10. Place dough on a parchment paper lightly dusted with cassava flour.
11. Roll out into a rectangle. The dough should be about a ¼ thick.
12. Fold the dough lengthwise into thirds, then following the narrow edge, roll the dough into a circle. It will fall apart a bit, just mold it into place.
13. Press down the dough into a rectangle and then repeat the process from step 11 once more.
14. After you coil the dough once more, press it down into another loaf.
15. Wrap in plastic and place in fridge while you prepare the filling. You can make the dough about to a day ahead or you can freeze the dough for later use.

The method above is based on the one found here.

Filling

1. In a small bowl, mix cherries, arrowroot starch, lemon juice, and lemon zest until well combined.

Turnovers

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Pull out dough from fridge and roll it out until it is around 1/8 inch in thickness.
3. Cut out circles. I used my Pyrex 2-Cup Round Dish, which is about 4½ inches in diameter to cut out my circles.
4. Pull and roll out dough as needed to get circles. Using my dish, I got 8-10 circles.
5. Place circles on a parchment paper lined baking dish.
6. Carefully spoon filling into the center of each circle, you will use about a tablespoon or so in each. 
7. Lightly wet the edges of the dough and fold over to crease the middle edge. It will come a part a little on top but that's ok. If it doesn't use a knife to make a few slits on top. You can crimp the edge with a fork if you like, but I personally liked the open look.
8. Place in oven for 25-30 mins, or until the edges start to brown and the filling starts to pour out.
9. Cool turnovers on a baking rack.
10. Once cool enough to eat, enjoy on their own, or drizzle with a little melted coconut butter.

Roasted Acorn Squash with Brussel Sprouts (AIP, Paleo)

Sometimes it's fun to try your favorite foods in different ways. Usually I just bake my acorn squash in halves and stuff it with meat or other veggies. However, this time I decided to ditch the shell, chopped up the squash it in to bite size pieces and mix in some brussel sprouts. I coated them all with bacon fat, because, I mean it's bacon fat, but you can use your favorite fat of choice. This is a delicious side to go with your favorite protein and a fun new way to try this versatile squash.

Roasted Acorn Squash with Brussel Sprouts

Ingredients

• 2 acorn squash, peeled and diced
• 1 lb fresh or frozen brussel sprouts, halved or quartered if really big
• 2 tablespoons warmed bacon fat (or your fat of choice)
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Add prepped acorn squash and brussel sprouts to a cooking sheet.
3. Drizzle veggies with bacon fat and top with spices. Toss until completely covered.
4. Place in preheated oven for 30 mins, stir once, half way through.
5. Remove from oven and serve immediately.

Shrimp Spaghetti Squash Alfredo (AIP, Paleo)

I am excited to share this recipe with you all because not only is it AIP it's also coconut free. There are lot of fantastic remakes of our favorite dishes growing up that have been made AIP, but many include coconut in some form. However, there is a large number of people on AIP or paleo that also have a sensitivity to coconut, which is why I try, when possible, to provide options to leave it out or to not use it at all.

This Shrimp Spaghetti Squash Alfredo is a creamy dish that the whole family can enjoy. The great thing about this recipe is that you can prep the spaghetti squash and alfredo sauce ahead of time and keep them in the fridge a day or two prior to the meal. This makes the actual time to prep and cook only around 10 minutes. Perfect for a week night meal!

To help sett you up to do prep ahead of the meal, I broke out the instructions into three parts: spaghetti squash, alfredo sauce, and then full meal. I also wrote down the estimated prep time for each section to help you plan. It may look a lot more complicated this way, but I promise it's not! Often, when you break down recipes this way it's easier to see what can be done ahead making week night meals a breeze!

Shrimp Spaghetti Squash Alfredo

Ingredients

• 3 cups, roasted spaghetti squash 
• 1 small head of cauliflower, cut in florets roughly 2 ½-3 cups
• 1 cup of sliced onion
• 1 teaspoon  + 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 ½ tablespoons organic palm shortening
• ½ cup water reserved from steaming
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 2 teaspoons nutritional yeast (optional)
• ¼ teaspoon ginger
• 1 teaspoon gelatin
• 1 lb peeled shrimp

Instructions

Roasted Squash (prep time: 1 hour)

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Wash spaghetti squash and prick all over with a fork.
3. Place whole squash in preheated oven on a baking sheet for 50 min to 1 hour, or until you can easily pierce with a knife. Rotate half way.
4. Once squash is done remove and let cool until you can handle it to cut in half, remove seeds and scoop out strands into a bowl or container if making ahead.

Alfredo Sauce (prep time: 25 mins)

1. Fill a large pot with steamer insert 1/3 full with water and put cauliflower florets in steamer and cover.
2. Place on stove top and turn burner on high and set timer for 20 mins.
3. While cauliflower is cook, in a large frying pan heat 1 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil over medium heat.
4. Add onion slices to warmed pan and cook until they become translucent. When finished add to a large blender or food processor
5. Once cauliflower is done, add florets to blender with onions.
6. Add reserved water from pot, shortening, salt, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, nutritional yeast, ginger, and gelatin to blender.
7. Blend until full combined and set aside or in container if making ahead

Shrimp Spaghetti Squash Alfredo (prep time: 10-12 mins)

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil in large frying pan over medium-high heat.
2. Add shrimp and fry until cooked, around 5-7 minutes. Stir frequently.
3. Once shrimp is done, add alfredo sauce and spaghetti squash to pan and combine.
4. Cook for another 3-4 mins or until everything is warmed and fully mixed together.
5. Serve with your favorite sides. Makes 4-6 servings.

Shared on AIP Recipe Roundtable

Homemade Italian Dressing (AIP, Paleo, Vegan)

One of the hardest things to find is an AIP friendly or even Paleo friendly salad dressing. Most salad dressing you find at the store include about 20 ingredients that make no sense and about 4 that you actually feel comfortable consuming. As an alternative, many of us learn to live with a little olive oil and vinegar, and that works a good bit of the time. However, sometimes you really want a salad dressing that tastes like one.

When I set about coming up with an Italian Dressing recipe, it was partially because I missed it, but what I missed more was a dressing that can also be used to make Grilled Marinated Summer Vegetables. This dressing can be tossed on a leafy green salad or as a marinade or in anything you would normally use Italian dressing.

Homemade Italian Dressing

Ingredients

• ¼ cup red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
• ¾ teaspoon dried oregano
• ¾ teaspoon dried basil
• ¾ teaspoon dried thyme
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

1. Place everything but the olive oil in a large wide mouth mason jar or large bowl. 
2. Use an immersion blender or whisk to combine ingredients.
3. Once other ingredients are combined, slowly add in the olive oil while blending or whisking.
4. Store in a mason jar in fridge for up to two weeks. Recipe makes 1 cup of dressing.

Shared on AIP Recipe Roundtable
Featured on Autoimmune Paleo Recipe Round-Up June '15

Strawberry and Pomegranate Pie (AIP, Paleo)

PIE. I am actually not the biggest pie fan, BUT my mom's strawberry pie was the definition of summer to me. Loaded with sugar and topped with whipped cream, it was my favorite treat growing up. Obviously, there was no way I could have a piece of that now, so I had to figure out how to make something that was just as worthy, but appropriate for my new lifestyle.

This  recipe uses Otto's Naturals Cassava Flour. I am so excited to have found a flour that truly works as a 1:1 substitute to regular flour. It has opened a whole new world for the AIP/Paleo community.

Strawberry and Pomegranate Pie

Ingredients

Crust

• 1 ¼ cup cassavaflour, plus another tablespoon for dusting
• A pinch of Salt (approximately 1/8 teaspoon)
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• ½ cup Organic Shortening
• 2 tablespoons of avocado oil
• Up to 6 tablespoons of cold water

Filling

• 1 cup of blended strawberries 
• ½ cup pomegranate juice
• 2 tablespoons of maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon of gelatin
• 2 ½ - 3 cups of diced strawberries (depending on how much you want to stuff your pie, hehe) 

Preparation

Pie crust

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Lightly grease pie pan with 1 teaspoon of palm shorting. (I have only tested this recipe with a glass pie dish, so I am not sure how another type will bake.)
3. In a large bowl, add cassava flour and salt.
4. Make a small whole in the center of the flour and add in the maple syrup, palm shortening, and avocado oil.
5. Now get your hands dirty. Use them to mix all the ingredients together. It will be crumbly, this is ok, just be sure to combine, so the flour is no longer powder.
6. Finally, add in cold water, one tablespoon at a time. It will begin to become dough like, mixing it with a spatula. First it will get a sticky. Add enough water so that it is no longer stick and can be formed into a ball, but don't over work it either so that it is to smooth.
7. On a clean work surface, lightly dust with cassava flour. Grab your rolling pin and dust it a little too.
8. Form the dough into a large ball and put it on the dusted surface. Roll out the dough to form a large circle. You will need to do this very slowly and work with the dough, be patient. 
9. When crust is ready, transfer to pie dish. Crimp the edges with your finger and use a fork to poke the bottom of the crust.
10. Place in oven and cook for 20 mins. 
11. Once done, remove, and let crust cool.

This crust can be made a day or two in advanced. If you choose to make it on the same day, you will need to allow time for it to completely cool before adding the filling. This could be a few hours.

Filling

1. Add sliced strawberries to cooled pie crust. You want to fill the whole crust and for them to be level with the top edge of the crust or a little over.
2. In a small sauce pan, combine crushed strawberries, pomegranate juice, and maple syrup.
3. Sprinkle on gelatin and let bloom for 1 minute, 
4. Over low heat, warm sauce for 2-3 minutes, lightly whisking as gelatin melts.
5. Once warmed, carefully pour sauce over strawberries so that it evenly covers them.
6. Place in fridge and let it set for at least an hour. Again you can make this pie a day ahead of time.

When ready to serve, let sit out for about 30 mins to an hour. You can eat it right out of the fridge, but letting it warm, just provides a little better of a texture.

Serve it topped with some whipped coconut cream or a little date syrup if you get your hands one some. 

Shared on AIP Recipe Roundtable

No-Egg Waffles (AIP, Coconut-Free, Paleo, Vegan)

Recently I got my very first bag of Otto's Cassava Flour. Filled with excitement, I contemplated what to make first. My mind began swirling with ideas. I decided to make something, that was not these waffles. It turned out pretty good, but needed another go.

Then I had a thought, let's see if I can make waffles with the flour. My goal was to try and come up with a recipe that was simple and that many could enjoy. The first try was a complete success. There was fluff, there was flavor, there was a waffle I could enjoy! So of course I had to share it with you all as soon as possible.

No-Egg Waffles 

Ingredients

• 1 and 1/4 cup cassava flour
• ¼ teaspoon arrowroot starch
• 1 ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 3 tablespoons avocado oil
• Up to 1 and 1/4 cup of cold water

Instructions

1. Preheat waffle iron.
2. Mix dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
3. Make a small hole in the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients minus the water. Slowly add in the water a 1/4 cup at a time until it because slush like. You don't want it too soupy (pancake like) but thicker than that. If it becomes too wet, add a little more cassava flour.
4. Grease waffle iron and pour in mix to suitable size portions for machine.
5. Let them cook for just a minute or two past the timer.
6. Enjoy with syrup, fresh fruit or your favorite toppings.

These are definitely more dense than my other recipe, but are more waffle like. This recipe made about 6-8 waffles, depending on the size.

Featured on AIP Recipe Roundtable

Burnt Broccoli (AIP, Low-FODMAP, Paleo, Vegan)

All the cool kids are burning their broccoli, and now I know why. Dinner, lunch, breakfast, or snacks, I cannot stop eating burnt broccoli. In fact, making it any other way now just seems unnatural.

If you might notice, I have an addictive personality when it comes to food. When I find something I like, I make it over and over again with different variations until I get sick of it. Lucky or not, for my husband, it can take a while. For everyone else, it means perfected recipes.

Abby has been caught a few times trying to steal my broccoli

Burnt Broccoli

Ingredients

• 1 Head of broccoli or about 1 lb of fresh broccoli cuts
• Up to 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• A pinch Sea Salt

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. 
2. Cut up the broccoli in to bite size pieces. I like to do some smaller and some larger, because I can.
3. Toss in a bowl with olive oil. You want to just lightly cover them. I would start with a tablespoon, and add in a  1/2 tablespoon at a time as you need it. Sprinkle in sea salt
4. Spread broccoli out on a large cooking sheet and put it in the oven for 25 mins. Give them a toss half way through.
5. They are done when the edges start to brown. You can burn them as much as you want.

All that's left to do is enjoy! This is a great side dish to basically any meal. You can even enjoy it as a snack to munch on.

But Wait, There's More!

I have exciting news about this recipe. If you are lazy, like I am some times, you can totally make burnt broccoli on a stove top in less time with less dishes.

Here is how to make on the stove top: Cut the broccoli. Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Add in cut broccoli and season it with the salt. Let it cook/burn for about 5-10 mins, toss occasionally to get a good burn on all sides.


Shared on AIP Recipe Roundtable

3-Ingredient Banana Pancakes (Paleo)

I love the holidays. The second I can start playing Christmas music without weird looks from my husband is my favorite time of the year. Setting up the tree and decorations around the house, it just all makes me feel so merry. This past week we got our tree up. After I finished putting the last of the ornaments on the tree, I felt so moved by all of the memories. 

It was a tradition in my house, that each year on Christmas Eve, my parents gave my sister and me a new ornament. The ornaments often reflected a memory from the year; whether it was a big accomplishment, a fun trip, or new family member. The ornament would represent the closing of the year and beginning of a new one. Sometimes they were store bought, and sometimes they were homemade. Either way, it was always excited getting to add a new one to my collection. Among all of them, this is one of my favorites.

Banana Pancakes

The other awesome part of the holidays is, let’s face it, the food, and enjoying food with family. This recipe is a perfect, easy breakfast option you can share with family and friends that is super delicious and healthy. And having made it this weekend for my mother, sister and her friend, I can say it is completely approved by all.

These pancakes are so easy to make and require only THREE, yes, just three ingredients!

Ingredients

• 1 banana
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon of nut butter (such as almond or cashew)

Instructions

1. Peel banana and break up into quarters and put in medium size bowl. Use a fork to mash the banana. Don’t mash it completely. By leaving chunks of banana, it helps the pancakes stay fluffy.
2. Mix in the egg and almond butter.
3. Melt butter in a medium size pan over medium/low heat.
4. Pour 1/8 cup or a 1/4 of mix in pan to form pancakes. 
5. Allow to cook for 3 minutes or until it starts to bubble.
6. Flip and cook for another 3 minutes.

Makes 6 small pancakes and 3 regular size cakes.

Top and Enjoy!

Give everyone the option to top their pancakes they way they like. Fresh fruit, coconut cream, honey, maple syrup are just some ideas. I love to top mine with a little coconut cream  between each layer and then some fresh fruit on top. You can also top it off with a little butter and some plain maple syrup. For these pancakes, I used some left over homemade cranberry sauce from Thanksgiving. I love finding new ways to reuse dishes. This recipe makes one serving for a very hunger person or could feed two kids. Try this recipe and let me know what are your favorite toppings.