Quick and Easy Allergy Friendly Breakfast Muffins

These muffins are grain free.  That means they're not only gluten free, but they're also easier on the gut. I like to make them in mini muffin tins, so they're great for a quick breakfast as well as for taking with you when you go out.  If you don't have mini muffin tins I'm sure you could make them as cookies too.

Ingredients:
●4 overripe bananas
●2 1/2 cups shredded, unsweetened coconut
●1/2 cup nuts and/or seeds (preferably soaked to break down the phytic acid)

Optional add ins (you know, to change things up)
●raisins
●Craisins
●chocolate chips (like this allergy friendly brand)
●peeled apples or peaches
●dried fruit
●blueberries

1) Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
2) Throw all of your ingredients into a food processor.
3) Process to your desired smoothness. (I like a good bit of chunk left to the nuts).
4) Divide into mini muffin tins.
5) Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

Yields about 2-3 dozen mini muffins depending on how full you fill them.

What are nettles, and why are they so awesome?

Who would have thought that plant that stung you as you brushed by it would be a superfood?  Stinging nettle (which loose their sting when dried or cooked) pack a powerful punch of nutrients.  Making an infusion is an excellent way of getting the most nutrients out of nettles.  Nettle tea is great, but the nutrients you get are minimal compared to a nettle infusion.

Nettles are especially high in Vitamins A and C as well as calcium, magnesium, potassium, and iron.  They are also high in protein and contain various amino acids as well as chlorophyll. 

Nettles are very helpful for people with seasonal allergies.  Bonus: for nursing Mamas, nettles help increase your milk supply. 

I consider nettle infusion my multivitamin.  I drink at least a cup a day (usually added to my water bottle) since I'm trying to boost some of my nutrient levels.  I put it in a sippy for my 1 year old and encourage my 4 year old to drink some daily too.

Making a nettle infusion is even easier than it sounds:

1. Add a handful of dried nettle leaves to a glass container like a mason jar.  (Personally I like to make mine in my French Press because it means I don't need to strain it at the end, but that's just a personal preference.)
2. Pour warm (not boiling) water over the leaves.
3. Leave it to sit overnight.
4. Strain, and enjoy.

I'm not going to lie.  It tastes "green" or "healthy".  For some people that takes some getting used to, but I didn't mind the taste from the beginning.  One trick I've used to help with the taste for my pickier 4 year old is to add peppermint to it.  I didn't have loose peppermint tea on hand, so I tore apart an organic tea bag and added it to the nettle leaves.  I've also made peppermint tea and added that to the nettle infusion after it was made.

Learn more about nettles here, here, and here.

Where to purchase nettles:
Amazon
iHerb
Mountain Rose Herbs

"Clean" Chocolate Mint Patties

I had a need for chocolate, we're talking a "don't talk to me until I've had it" need for chocolate.  I love chocolate with mint, but almost all store bought ones have additives and/or GMOs that I don't want to put in my body.  What's a girl to do?  Why, make her own "clean" version, of course.

I'm not a big measurer, and this recipe certainly doesn't need exact amounts.  It all depends on how much you want to make and what ratio of chocolate to mint you want.

1. Line your pan with parchment paper.  It makes it easier to take out of the pan.  I also like the parchment paper because the pan I chose is one of the few non-stick ones I have left, and I didn't want any food coming into contact with the chemicals from the non-stick.
2. Melt the chocolate of your choice.  I use a 72% dark chocolate, which makes is high in antioxidents and low in sugar.  (Enjoy Life is a great brand which is free from the top 8 allergens).  I melted about 2/3 of a cup.  Pour it into your pan than put it in the fridge to harden.
3. While waiting the 20 minutes or so for the bottom layer of chocolate to harden, I made coconut butter in my food processor.  (I have this one).  I used about 2.5 cups of shredded coconut which is both unsweetened and unsulfured.  (This is a great brand).  It takes about 15 minutes on high to turn it into coconut butter.  I added peppermint to taste (I like it stronger that most people).  You can also leave out the peppermint if you want a chocolate coconut flavor instead of chocolate mint.
4. Pour your coconut (mint or not) butter on top of your chocolate layer, then put it back in the fridge to harden.  Mine seemed to mix a bit, but that's not a problem.

 5.  Repeat step 2, and you're done.

Here's what it looks like when sliced into pieces.  It certainly fulfilled my intense chocolate cravings.

 

I've also made these in mini muffin cups.  Doing it in the muffin cups does save you from having to cut it up.  Either way, they taste divine.

Adventures in Dehydrating

My husband got me a dehydrator for my birthday (this Nesco dehydrator) last spring.  I'd never really given dehydrating any thought before he gave it to me.  I gave it a try, and I was instantly addicted.  It's all I never knew I always wanted.

Why is dehydrating a good idea?

• You can control the ingredients.  
• Commercially dried foods usually have added preservatives and/or sugar. Dehydrating your own also you can control the ingredients (and avoid cross contamination if you have allergy concerns).

• Dehydrating preserves food with a lot less sugar and maintains more of the nutrients than canning.  It also takes up less space for storage.
   
• Dehydrating is a great cost effective way to preserve foods while they're in season and at their cheapest so we can enjoy them the whole year round.

Things I've dehydrated so far:
peaches
strawberries
pears
a pear/apple hybrid we've named a papple (I'm sure it has a real name that is much different).
pineapple
mushrooms
apples
zucchini (only the toddler liked it)
carrots
celery
parsley
dill
beets
eggplant
almonds (after soaking them to reduce the phytic acid)
bone broth (in order to grind it into a powder)

Make your own multivitamins

I wanted to make my own multivitamins for several reasons:

1) I know and can control all of the ingredients and ensure no cross contamination with allergens.
2) There's nothing synthetic (unlike store bought ones which are mostly synthetic) therefore the body can use them properly.
3) No unwanted (sometimes harmful) additives.
4) Cost.  I can ensure good quality without the high cost that goes along with the few good quality multivitamins out there.

Superfood ingredients:

• Nettle
• Yes, stinging nettles, but it doesn't sting you once it's been dried. 
  
  
• Nettles are high in Vitamins A and C as well as calcium, magnesium, potassium, and iron.  They also contain various amino acids, protein, and chlorophyll.  Nettles are also helpful for people with seasonal allergies.  Bonus: for nursing Mamas, nettles help increase your milk supply.  Learn more about nettles here. 
• Making a nettle infusion is a great way to get the most nutrition out of the nettles. I explain how to make it here.
• Gelatin
• Gelatin is high in protein and amino acids, is great for your joints, and is very beneficial for gut healing.  It's not only great for the body, but it makes a wonderful snack food.  It needs to be good quality, though, and preferably from grassfed cows like this one from Great Lakes.  It's a bit pricey, but a little goes a long way.  I would not recommend using the well known store bought brands as they are not made from healthy animals and are not a superfood.
•  Elderberry
• Elderberries are wonderful for helping the body fight viruses such as colds and flus as well as coughs and respiratory infections.  You can use and elderberry syrup, or you can make your own from dried elderberries.
• Honey
• I used the honey mostly for taste, but it also has health benefits.  Consuming raw, local honey daily is a great help for seasonal allergy sufferers.

Putting it all together:

In a saucepan on low heat mix 4 TBSP of gelatin with 1 cup of nettle infusion (directions to make a nettle infusion here).  Add as much elderberry syrup and honey as you'd like.  (I add a bit of L-Gultamine powder to mine because I'm focused on gut healing, but it's not necessary.)  Stir until gelatin is melted.  Pour into whatever container or fun shaped mold you've chosen.  It will take about an hour in the fridge for it to set.

My other favorite place to order these products is iHerb which has more accessible shipping to Canada and worldwide.
Great Lakes Gelatin
Nettles
Elderberry Syrup
Dried Elderberries
L-Glutamine