Buckwheat, Apple and Ginger Muffins

The unfinished recipe for these muffins has been sitting in my "drafts" folder for about 8 months now. I was hesitant to post it for so long because there were a few minor changes I wanted to make in order to perfect these muffins that I had never gotten around to doing last summer. Being home for easter for a couple of days, I decided I should finally get around to remaking these.

After cutting the coconut oil in half by replacing some with applesauce as well as adding a little extra ginger, these are now perfect!

These muffins definitely have a unique taste. The buckwheat gives them a nice earthy flavor. The molasses and brown sugar add the slightest bit of sweetness. Plus, of course, the ginger. Oh, the ginger. I love ginger. The chopped crystallized ginger is brilliant in adding a pop of ginger in every couple of bites; plus, the ground ginger gives them a nice ginger flavor throughout the whole muffin.

As always, these are dairy free since they use almond milk and coconut oil. If you don't have these on hand, canola oil or rice milk would also work! Although not completely gluten-free due to the spelt flour, the spelt flour can be replaced with rice flour.

Adapted from My Darling Lemon Thyme
Makes 12-14 muffins

Ingredients:

1 cup almond flour
2 Tbsp ground flax seed
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup finely chopped crystalized ginger
1 cup buckwheat flour
1/2 cup spelt flour (or brown rice flour to make it gluten free)
1/4 cup corn starch
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
pinch of sea salt

2 eggs, at room temp
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp molasses
1/4 cup refined coconut oil, melted
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
3/4 cup almond milk, at room temp
2 medium apples, grated with skin on  (about 1 1/2 cups once grated)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line muffin tins with 14 muffin tine liners nd set aside.
2. Whisk together flours, flax seeds, sugar, ginger and remaining dry ingredients in large bowl. Make a well in the center of the combined ingredients.
3. In a small bowl (actually use a separate bowl for this- no shortcuts), whisk together eggs, vanilla, molasses, oil, and milk. Pour mixture into dry ingredients, then add grated apple, stirring until just combined.
4. Spoon mixture evenly between muffin tins then bake for 17-21 minutes or until risen and cooked through, using a toothpick to test center of muffins.
5. Remove from oven and cool in tins for 5 minutes before transferring to wire rack.

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Cashew Coconut Granola

Mom told me to get rid of the cashews, so I opted for cashew granola.We had two huge containers of cashews (who knows why), and she didn't know how we were going to eat them all. In the process, I also got rid of our almonds, raisins, and coconut, so I'd say that it was a pretty good pantry-cleaning recipe!

This granola instantly became my new favorite granola. It is so good. It has the perfect sweetness from the maple syrup. It's crunchy like a granola should be, with just a touch of chewy from the raisins. I had never made granola with sesame seeds before, but toasted sesame seeds truly are delicious, so I thought I would throw them in! (Plus, they have calcium in them- which I am always in need of.)

Regarding the family test: passed with flying colors. Mom said it might be her new favorite too. Dad loved it simply from the coconut I'm pretty sure.


If you're into super yummy, crunchy yet chewy, pantry-clearing recipes- this ones for you!

Adapted from The Cafe Sucre Farine
Makes 8 cups; 225 calories per half cup

Ingredients:

1 cup rolled oats
1 cup raw cashews
1 cup raw almonds, roughly chopped
1/4 cup sesame seeds
3/4 cup unsweetened flaked coconut
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup maple syrup, room temp
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup raisins

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 250 F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper
2. Stir oats, nuts, coconut, brown sugar, and salt together in large bowl
3. Combine maple syrup, coconut oil, and vanilla in small bowl. Pour liquid ingredients over dry ingredients and stir until dry ingredients are coated evenly
5. Spread mixture evenly on both baking sheets and bake for 1 hour and 10-15 minutes, stirring every 20 minutes.
5. Remove granola from oven and let cool then add in raisins. Store in airtight containers.

Gingerbread Scones

Before Christmas this year, my parents took the entire family to Arizona. Entire meaning my brother and his wife, my sister and her boyfriend, my little sister, and my boyfriend and me. This was the first time Josh had met my brother (it only took a year and 8 months), and consequently it was the first time all nine of us had ever been together. With all of us getting older and in different states and stages of life, it's rare that even the six of us are together.  It's safe to say I was beyond excited about this; I love my family. 

The weird thing about being in Arizona around Christmas though: it doesn't feel like Christmas. It's 70 degrees and sunny, yet they are playing Christmas music and there are Christmas trees everywhere. They even decorate the cactus with Christmas lights (which is actually really cool). In order to try to get us little more n the Christmas mood, I made these gingerbread scones for the family!

These scones were a definitely winner. Nine out of nine voted yes. That right there is an accomplishment in itself. They're sweet, but not too sweet. They taste like gingerbread, but not too much. They're light and fluffy, like a scones should be. The glaze on top gives them the perfect amount of moistness. If we're being honest, I probably could have eaten them all by myself. Oh, and did I mention that unlike 99% of scones out there, they're dairy-free? (YAY!)

Random things to note: Use refined coconut oil, so the coconut flavor does not come through. I do love coconut, but in this case, we don't want that flavor to shine through. Also, it may seem weird to grate the coconut oil, but do it. It helps make them light and fluffy, just like a good scones it supposed to be. To do this, I froze it in the measuring cup, then scooped it out with a big serving spoon and used this to grate it against a cheese grater. Lastly, usually I am one to skip the steps that ask things like, "brush top with egg whites." Just do it. It seriously does makes them 10 times more pretty to look at, and it helps to seal in some moisture.

Christmas may be long gone, but these scones are just too good not to post. Enjoy!

Adapted from Pinch of Yum
Makes 12 scones

Ingredients:

Gingerbread Scones:

1/2 cup coconut oil
3 cups all purpose flour
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
3/4 tsp ground ginger, heaping
3/4 tsp salt
1 Tbsp baking powder
2 eggs
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup molasses
1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
additional flour as needed, for rolling
1 egg white, for brushing

Maple Glaze:

2 Tbsp coconut oil
1¼ cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 Tbsp maple syrup
1-2 Tbsp water

Directions:

1. Measure out coconut oil and put in the freezer while you prep the other ingredients so it will be cold and firm enough to grate.
2. Mix flour, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, salt, and baking powder.
3. Whisk the eggs, maple syrup, molasses, and almond milk.
4. Grate the coconut oil using a cheese grater and work into the flour mixture with your hands or with a pastry cutter until crumbs form. It's okay if there are visible chunks of oil.
5. Stir the wet ingredients into the flour/oil mixture until just combined.
6. Transfer the dough to a floured work surface and form into two thick circles about 5 inches in diameter. Transfer to the freezer to chill for 15 minutes. While freezing, preheat oven to 425 degrees.
7. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Take the dough out of the freezer and pat it together a few more times it so it's a tight circle. Transfer the dough to the baking sheet.
8. Cut each circles into 6 wedges with a sharp knife and space the wedges out so they won't touch when they rise in the oven. Lightly press each wedge with palm of hand to flatten slightly to 1/2-inch thick.
9. Brush the top of each wedge with a thin layer of egg whites for shine.
10. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
11. For the glaze, melt the coconut oil. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and maple syrup. Stir until smooth. Add water if needed to thin out the glaze. Spoon over the tops of the baked scones

Pumpkin Muffins with Chocolate Chips

As previously, mentioned: I love fall. If you care to know the reasons why, look at my recipe for Apple Bread. If you care to eat amazing pumpkin muffins, keep reading here. This muffin is yet another great fall recipe. Technically, I should be posting Christmas recipes right now. It is the second week of December after all, and Christmas is coming oh-so-soon. Here in Indiana though, it's still feeling rather fall-ish. There's no snow on the ground, rather it has been 40 degrees and rainy this past week. Only one more week here though, then I am on my way to the motherland(!!!) AKA Minnesota....minus a stop to Chicago and Arizona on the way (or not so on the way). 

Anyways, back to the muffins. These muffins are sweet enough to eat as dessert, yet light enough to eat for breakfast. The recipe pairs the favorite fall pumpkin flavor with every women's year-round favorite: chocolate. When warm, the chocolate chips melt in your mouth for some great chocolatey goodness. These muffins are gluten-free and dairy-free as well as refined-sugar-free and oil-free. They are not flavor-free though, so no worries there. OH! They also pair great with coffee, which is important since we know I love foods that pair well with coffee.

Enjoy these muffins next time you want a great breakfast, snack, or dessert- because they're that good and that versatile. 

Adapted from Running with Spoons
Makes 8 muffins

Ingredients:

¼ cup almond butter
¾ cup canned pumpkin
1 egg
6 Tbsp. honey
½ cup rolled oats
2 Tbsp. ground flaxseed
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. ground nutmeg
½ tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. vanilla extract
½ tsp. baking soda
¼ cup mini dairy-free chocolate chips, plus more for sprinkling

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375F and prepare a muffin pan by lining 8 cavities with muffin liners
2. Add all ingredients except chocolate chips to a blender and blend on high until batter is smooth and creamy.
3. Pour batter into bowl and stir in chocolate chips by hand
3. Scoop batter into prepared muffin pan, filling each cavity until it is about ¾ full
4. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until the tops of muffins are set and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Check muffins at 10 minutes and sprinkle with extra chocolate chips. When done, allow muffins to cool in pan for about 10 minutes before inverting onto cooling rack. 
5. Muffins can be stored in an air-tight container for up to a week

Apple Cinnamon Bread

Fall is my favorite season. It always has been, and probably always will be. Growing up, this was because my birthday is in the Fall (October 15 to be exact). In high school, this also meant volleyball season and Friday night football games. I loved warm bonfires on a chilly night, having an excuse to drink warm drinks, and LOVED the Fall colors. Now, much of this is still the same, I love the colors, love drinking warm drinks, and shockingly, by birthday is still in the Fall. Soccer games have replaced football games (thanks Josh), and I spend a good majority of my time salivating over Fall recipes. If it has pumpkin, apple, or sweet potato in it, you better believe that recipe is getting saved to be made later. As I've mentioned previously though, I'm not a huge fan of sharing a kitchen with 300 girls (because yes, I do still live in a dorm). Therefore, these recipes pile up until I'm home for Thanksgiving, then voila! our empty kitchen turns into my test space for a week.

All that to say, this was one of the Fall themed items I made during Thanksgiving break this year. This apple bread is amazing. It's moist and soft, and I can easily eat half the loaf by myself. The type of apple used plays a key part the success of this bread. Originally, I used Braeburn apples because it was all I had on hand, but this didn't give the bread the distinct apple taste I was going for. The next time I used a sweeter Cortland apple, which gave the bread the perfect sweet, apple taste I had hoped for. At first, I had some trouble with baking the bread all the way through. The first batch crumbled at the touch of a knife because it was so moist and undone, but a couple tries later, I nailed it. The bread definitely does not rise like banana bread (it is made of nuts and oats after all), which means it is more dense than a flour-made loaf of bread.

Hope you enjoy this Fall recipe as much as I do!


Adapted from Nutrition Stripped
Makes 1 large loaf or 2 small loaves

Ingredients:

5 small (about 520g) apples
2 whole eggs + 2 egg whites
2 Tbsp coconut oil
2 Tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup oat flour
1 cup almond flour
1/2 cup coconut flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground ginger

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F and line 9 x 5 in.  or two 6 x 3 in. bread pan with parchment paper
2. In a high speed blender, combine apples, eggs, maple syrup, coconut oil, and vanilla and blend until smooth.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine flours with baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Stir to combine. Pour wet ingredients from the blender into the dry mixing bowl. Stir until combined into a dough. Dough should hold its shape and stick to the sides of the bowl when stirred
4. Pour the batter in prepared pan and spread evenly
5. Bake for 50-55 minutes for a large loaf or 34-45 minutes for small loaves. If bread becomes too brown while baking, cover pan with tin foil. Test bread doneness by inserting a knife or toothpick; if it comes out clean, it's done.
6. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes before inverting and slicing
7. Enjoy toasted and serve with apple butter, pumpkin butter, honey, or simply plain!
8. Store leftover bread in fridge for 4-5 days or freeze individual slices for later use. Wrap bread in air-tight cling wrap for best results then toast to reheat.

Banana Nut Granola

Granola truly is one of the best foods. It works as breakfast with a little bit of milk, mixed into yogurt, on top of a smoothie, and is a great snack on the go as well. This granola recipe is honestly amazing. The banana really shines through and makes it naturally sweet. I'm very proud of it because it's my own recipe, and I got it right the first time! Two serious victories for me.

When making this granola, I chose to use almonds and walnuts for their mild flavor in comparison to some other nuts and seeds. They are also two of my favorite nuts to eat once they are roasted, as roasting them brings out a whole new flavor and texture. I tested the recipe with and without cinnamon; both taste great, but the little bit of cinnamon helps balance out the sweetness just a touch. Finally, most granolas would call for some sort of oil. Instead, I used almond butter, which has fat and oil in it, but also keeps the granola a little more clumpy (which I love).

While baking, be sure to mix thoroughly after the first 10 minutes or you will end up with a big granola pancake. Also, you are going to want to pull it out a little early because it starts to darken pretty quickly after the first 15 minutes. Do not do this!! Be patient and stir more frequently if it starts to darken too much. Pulling it out early will make the granola more chewy and less crunchy.

Eat up!


Makes about 5 cups; 118 calories per 1/4 cup

Ingredients:

3 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup almonds, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup ground flaxseed
1/2 tsp cinnamon
pinch of salt
3 small very ripe bananas (or 2 large), mashed
3 Tbsp maple syrup
2 Tbsp almond butter, melted

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 F and line two baking trays with parchment paper.
2. Stir oats, almonds, walnuts, and flaxseed together in large bowl.
3. Add bananas, maple syrup, and almond butter to dry ingredients, stirring thoroughly to separate all banana and almond butter chunks.
4. Divide granola into two equal parts and spread mixture evenly on each baking tray.
5. Bake for 10 minutes then stir well, breaking the granola apart as you stir. Bake for another 10-15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes so granola does not burn.

Cinnamon Pancakes with Peach Sauce

It's the last week of school before finals for my little sister, and today is a big test day. What better way to start the day than homemade pancakes? Actually, I just wanted to make pancakes and this was a good excuse. As has been previously stated in my past two pancakes recipes here and here, I love pancakes. If I had to choose one food to eat for the rest of my life, it would be pancakes, hands down.

This recipe was super simple, and the pancakes turned out amazing. I dare you to only eat one. These pancakes are very fluffy and light, which makes eating six of them easy to do. The applesauce in the recipe is used to replace the oil, contributing to the light factor and the overeating factor. The original recipe called for all whole wheat flour. In order to make them a little more sister-friendly, I replaced half with all-purpose flour. Both versions would work well! I also altered the pancakes by adding extra cinnamon and a little maple syrup in order to make them more flavorful.

The sauce here is optional, but it adds a great deal of flavor to the pancakes, so I would highly recommend it. I would argue the sauce is what makes these pancakes almost addicting. It is sweet from the syrup with a great fruity flavor, and of course, more cinnamon. The peaches are perfect for the summer season we are entering into, but could be replaced by apples if you wanted to. I wouldn't mind eating this sauce plain. at all.

Adapted from Hungry Happens
Makes 20-24 pancakes
60 calories per pancake; 30 calories per Tbsp sauce

Ingredients:

Pancakes:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 1/4 tsp cinnamon
3 egg whites, beaten
1 cup applesauce
1 1/2 cup almond milk
1 tsp maple syrup

Sauce:
1/2 tsp coconut oil
5 Tbsp maple syrup
2 peaches, peeled and sliced OR 1.5 cups frozen peach slices
1 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

1. Whisk dry ingredients together in medium sized bowl then add wet ingredients and stir until combined.
2. Heat a non-stick pan on medium heat.
3. While pan is heating, combine all sauce ingredients in sauce pan and bring to a boil. Lower heat and allow to simmer and thicken while pancakes cook (or about 15 minutes).
4. Pour about 1/4 cup of batter onto pan and cook a couple of minutes until bubbles form. Flip, then cook other side.
5. Repeat with next several batches.

Whole Wheat Blueberry Muffins

Finals are done, I am home in Minnesota, and summer is here! This also means I am finally able to spend some much needed time in my (mom's) lovely kitchen. My stay will be short this time, as I am heading to Nepal on a 7 week missions trip in less than 3 weeks (eek). I am maximizing this time with days filled with friends, the vegetable garden, pilates, and making delicious food.

First on the list was blueberry muffins. I found this recipe in a book my sister-in-law gave my mom for Mother's Day called Superfood Kitchen by Julie Morris. I'm loving the recipe book so far and the extra health info it gives on many superfoods.

These muffins are more dense than your average bakery muffin, which makes them very filling despite their smaller-than-a-bakery size. They are the perfect sweetness for a breakfast muffin; the fresh blueberries help hit the sweet tooth, but they don't make me feel like I just consumed a dessert. They are made with 100% whole wheat flour and are vegan since they are made with almond milk, maple syrup, and coconut oil. The applesauce replaces some the the coconut oil, so if I wanted to I could give it a "low-fat" label. I'm not usually about labeling foods with health claims though, and would rather just enjoy a good, fresh-baked muffin.

Here's to summer!

Makes 12 muffins; 150 calories per muffin

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup almond milk (or nut-milk of choice)
1/2 cup applesauce
1/3 cup maple syrup
2 Tbsp melted coconut oil
1 tsp fresh lemon zest
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
2. Stir together  flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
3. In a large liquid measuring cup measure and stir together the nut milk, apple sauce, maple syrups, coconut oil, and lend zest. (The measuring cup doubles as the bowl and the measuring cup very nicely.)
4. add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Do not over stir, as the batter is supposed to be lumpy.
5. In a small bowl, measure out the blueberries and add a handful of flour to the bowl. Toss the berries, making sure they are fully coated with flour. This will keep the berries from sinking to the bottom of the muffin tin while in the oven.
6. Scoop the batter equally into the prepared muffin tins. This makes exactly 12 muffins; there should be no batter left over.
7. Bake the muffins for 24-28 minutes, or until tops turn golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.

One-Minute Muffin

A couple of weeks ago my mom sent me the recipe for this muffin, then a couple days later sent me the ingredients in the mail (#1 mom). Since then, it has become a breakfast favorite for both of us. It takes a minute to stir together, a minute to cook, and has virtually no clean up- basically perfect for at college. 

I tweaked the muffin a little (of course) by adding some honey to sweeten it and throwing in some cacao nibs. I loved it with the cacao; they added a little crunch and, of course, that chocolatey goodness. My mom said she's been putting raisins in it for my dad, so it's easy to mix and match add-ins depending what you like in muffins!

I make this in a 4-inch glass ramekin, but I'm sure it would work in a coffee mug too. This muffin is gluten free, and as always, it's dairy free as well. It contains egg and honey, so it's not vegan, but I'm going to try replacing the egg with a chia egg this weekend to see how it turns out. (keep you updated). Update: This muffin can be easily be made vegan. Replace the honey with agave nectar or coconut sugar, and replace the egg for a chia egg*. The chia egg version will be more dense and not rise as much, but it will also be more moist. Both versions are equally as delicious!

My only caution in making this muffin is to make sure the egg is mixed in well- or else you will end up with white coagulated egg chunks in your muffin. This doesn't affect the taste, but it makes it less pretty. 

Enjoy this quick weekend (or week day) treat! 

Makes 1 muffin
360 calories per muffin

Ingredients:

1/4 cup Almond Flour

2 Tbsp. Golden Flaxseed Meal (or grind your own seeds)

Pinch Sea Salt 

1/2 tsp. Baking Powder

2 tsp. Honey (agave nectar or coconut sugar work too)

1 tsp. Coconut Oil

1 Large Egg (or chia egg*)

Optional add-ins:

2 tsp. Cacao Nibs + 1 tsp Cacao Powder

1 Tbsp. Raisins + 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1/3 mashed banana + 1 Tbsp coconut

Directions:

1. Melt oil in a 4 1/2 in. ramekin dish (or a coffee mug works too)

2. Whisk egg into the melted coconut oil.

3. Add almond flour, flaxseed meal, honey, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. Mix well.

5. Cook for 45-50 seconds in microwave. (Watch for bubbling over)

6. Eat right from the bowl with a fork or remove from microwave and invert on plate and enjoy!


*To make the chia egg measure out 1 Tbsp chia seeds and stir in 3 Tbsp water then let sit for 10-15 minutes until seeds have absorbed most of the water and formed a gel-like substance.

Cranberry Oat Muffins

Staple recipes are something that are hard to come by in my family. Between my moms cooking and my baking, we are always trying new recipes. These oat muffins are an exception: they are a staple. Mom makes a big batch then throws them in the freezer, and we have them to pull out for breakfast on the run. I guess I'd have to say these come from My Mother's Kitchen, not mine, but I still love them enough to share. (plus they're so pretty looking)

The originally recipe called for a cup or so of oil, but one time mom accidentally forgot put the oil in. One of those freak things that usually ruins the whole batch, but in this case made them even better! Ever since then these have been oil free.

These muffins are a perfect balance of sweet and tart. The agave and oats make them sweet, then when you bite in to one of the fresh cranberries and get a little pop of tart. Like I said before, they make a large batch, 32 muffins, which makes them great for freezing and pulling out for later. 

Makes 32 muffins

115 calories per muffin 

Ingredients:

6 eggs
1 tsp baking powder 
1 tsp baking soda
1 1⁄2 cups agave syrup
1 1⁄2 tsp vanilla extract 
2 tsp ginger
1 tsp salt
4 cups rolled oats
1 cups spelt flour
2 cups fresh/frozen cranberries

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line two and a half 12-cup muffin tins with muffin liners. 
2. Combine eggs, baking powder, and soda in large bowl. Add agave syrup, vanilla, ginger and salt.
3. Blend oats into wet ingredients using spoon or whisk. Stir in flour then add cranberries.
4. Fill muffin cups 3⁄4 full with batter. Bake 15-20 Min.
5. Allow muffins to cool in pans then turn out.

Christmas Day Monkey Bread

It's tradition at our house to eat Monkey Bread on Christmas morning. Every year we try a new recipe, some years it works... but most years it fails. Last year, I took it into my own hands, and it was a raging success. This year I remade it, changing it a little and doubling it to better feed our growing family (weddings and exchange students adding a few). 

I combined a couple of recipes I found plus a little improvisation of my own, and this is what I got. I healthified it a little (for my own conscience) by replacing some all purpose flour with whole wheat flour and almond flour, using coconut oil instead of butter (making it dairy free), swapping some oil with applesauce, and sticking with honey instead of refined sugar (for my diabetic father).

This monkey bread is the perfect amount of goo and sweet. It tears apart easily and doesn't stick to the pan (hallelujah). The applesauce gives it a little bit of apple flavor while also decreasing the oil and fat content significantly. It takes a little bit of prep time since it needs to rise once and each piece has to be rolled and dipped. In the end though, it's worth every minute.

Feeds 6-8 people 

Dough Ingredients:

1 cup lukewarm water + 1-2 Tbsp
4 tsp. instant yeast 

2 Tbsp. coconut oil, melted
2 large eggs
2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. honey
1 cup all-purpose flour 
1 cup almond flour
2 cups whole wheat flour + more for kneading

Topping Ingredients:

1/2 cup coconut sugar
4 Tbsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
1/2 cup honey

Directions:

1. Place 1 cup water, yeast, oil, eggs, salt, and honey in a medium bowl and stir well with whisk.
2. Add almond flour and all-purpose flour, stirring to blend.
3. Add 2 cups whole wheat flour and 1-2 tablespoons of water, stirring to make cohesive dough. Let the dough sit for 5 minutes; this gives the flour a chance to absorb the liquid, making it easier to knead.
4. Knead the dough, adding extra flour to keep dough from sticking, until it's soft and smooth.
5. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, spray the top of dough, then cover with cling wrap and place in warm place. Let the dough rise for 25 to 40 minutes, till it's doubled in size.
6. Mix topping while dough is rising. Combine cinnamon and coconut sugar in a small bowl. In another bowl, whisk together applesauce, melted coconut oil, and honey. 
7. Gently deflate the dough, and place it on a clean, lightly greased work surface. Roll it into pieces about 1 1/2 inches in diameter; you'll make 45 to 50 pieces.
8. Lightly grease a Bundt pan. Dip each piece in honey-oil mixture, and then roll it in the cinnamon-sugar mixture to coat.
9. Place the pieces in the prepared pan. Pour remaining liquid over top of dough. (It will be soupy; use it all)
10. Cover the pan, and let the bread rise for 30 to 60 minutes, till it's visibly puffy. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350°F.
11. Bake for 30-35 minutes at 350°F. You may need to cover with foil after 25. Invert pan on plate immediately and serve warm.

** If making ahead and baking the next day, cover pan with cling wrap and place in fridge after step 10. Dough will rise a little overnight. The next day, preheat oven and let dough sit for 20 minutes on counter before baking.

Gingerbread + A Secret Ingredient

• Makes 2 mini loaves, 780 cal

With the Christmas season comes baked goods on top of baked goods. So what am I spending my break doing? Baking of course! It's the perfect excuse to spend even more of my time in the kitchen. I'm a sucker for gingerbread, which may be weird, since I have heard from multiple people lately how much they dislike gingerbread. The chocolate and sugar cookies can be made any time of year, but gingerbread... that's just for Christmas. I like that both the bread and the cookies have that bold molasses flavor. I like that they aren't too sweet too, since that is an easy thing to get sick of this time of year.

This bread does just that, it's a gingerbread with some bold molasses flavor and just the right amount of sweetness (it is a bread after all, not a cookie). There is also a secret ingredient: coffee. The coffee gives it an unexpected twist that compliments the spices oh so well. It also keeps the bread nice and moist, so you just keep going back for another slice. 

The first time I made this bread I didn't have any applesauce. (What house doesn't have applesauce?) So, in dealing with this issue, I replaced the applesauce with banana puree because I read somewhere that fruit purees were essentially interchangeable. Wrong answer. Applesauce has almost no flavor, where as banana has a very distinct flavor in baked goods. The end product was this awkward conglomeration of ginger, molasses, coffee, and banana. In addition, I felt like the coffee flavor overpowered the two main features of the bread: molasses and ginger. I wasn't about to give up on this one though, I really wanted this recipe to work! Take two: I used applesauce as directed, used medium roast coffee instead of dark, and added an extra dollop* of molasses, a dash* of ginger, and a pinch* of cinnamon. Perfect. The final product turned out just as I had hoped!

• Since I baked this bread in mini loaves, the baking time was less than half that of a large loaf. This means that from beginning to end it takes less than and hour, which is impressive for a sweet bread. It also means there's no need to cover the top with tinfoil. This bread rises a significant amount too; I only filled each pan a little over halfway. 

Makes 2 mini loaves, 780 calories each

• Adapted from Whole Foods' Spiced Gingerbread

• Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 Tablespoon + a dash* ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon + a pinch* ground cinnamon
• Pinch* ground cloves
• Pinch* ground allspice
• 1 egg
• 2.5 Tablespoons coconut oil (melted)
• 2 Tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 cup brewed coffee, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup molasses (plus a dollop* more)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F, grease 2 mini loaf pans, and brew coffee.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice.

3. In a second bowl, whisk coconut oil into coffee (this will melt the coconut oil), then add applesauce, molasses and egg. Pour liquid mixture into flour mixture and stir just until combined. 

4. Pour batter into prepared pans, filling half full, and bake in oven for 27-33 minutes on middle rack. Bread is ready when toothpick comes out clean. Let cool on wire rack, removing bread from pans after 10 minutes.

*A dash is equivalent to 1/8 teaspoon. A pinch is equivalent to 1/16 teaspoon. A dollop is a little more than 1 teaspoon.

Banana Buckwheat Pancakes with Stewed Apples

At school lately there have been pancakes everywhere. Pancakes to celebrate fall. Pancakes in class. Pancakes to celebrate the upperclassman. Pancakes because people are bored. The problem with pancakes made like this? They all are made with dairy, meaning I get to miss out. This, of course, means that I have been craving pancakes for weeks, so when I finally got home for break that was the first thing I made myself for breakfast.

I found this recipe on a new blog, Luar + Wolfdenne, that I found and love (I also love her instagrams). It's super quick and easy; literally 4 ingredients in the pancakes. It's also nice because it only makes one pancake, perfect for just me! The cinnamon stewed apples on top pair perfectly with the dense and sweet banana pancake. I simply added a little extra maple syrup on top, but any extra toppings would only add to the delightfulness of this pancake.

(makes 1 pancake)

Ingredients:

Pancakes:
3 heaped tbsp buckwheat flour
2 tsp coconut oil
1/2 banana, mashed
water to bring to a thick batter (about 1 tbsp)

Optional Add-In:
1 tsp Cacao Powder

Apples:
1/2 apple, sliced (or 1 small)
1 tsp coconut oil
2 tsp pure maple syrup
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

1. In a small saucepan on low-medium heat, warm the coconut oil and add in the apple slices, maple syrup and cinnamon. Stir until the apples are coated in cinnamon and syrup. Turn the heat to low, place a lid on the saucepan and leave to cook while you make your pancake.
2. In a small bowl combine the flour, coconut oil, banana and water, and mix until you have a thick batter. Place your batter in a frypan on medium heat with a little coconut oil, and cook your pancake until it's golden on both sides.
3. Eat! Feel free to add almond butter, more fruit, maple syrups, or cacao nibs on top