Easy Quinoa Pancakes [Recipe]

I love breakfast recipes that can be quickly made. Fried eggs are my go-to breakfast because they can be made quickly. Serving eggs day after day make me long for something different. Pancakes are my second go-to breakfast. Though they take a little bit more time to make, I have found some recipes that are fairly quick to mix and I always seem to have the ingredients on hand (or can substitute).

A two-ingredient pancake recipe (1 mashed ripe banana, 2 eggs) prompted experimenting with additional ingredients like homemade sourdough starter, stone ground wheat flour, gluten-free flours like buckwheat flour or coconut flour, hempseed protein powder, spirulina powder, or green superfood powder. If the mixture is too dry, I add yogurt or milk (even coconut milk) or more eggs. The recipe below is easy to make and turns out well whether the mixture is too runny or a bit on the dryer side.

Easy Quinoa Pancakes recipe was created on our recent beach trip. I received a few samples of NurturMe Protein Packed Quinoa dried baby food. These individual packets are great for on-the-go and travel. I love that the quinoa powder can be mixed into just about anything to boost protein and nutrition. Just add liquid! During our beach trip, I used the quinoa powder in the pancake batter and also added to my toddler's yogurt. The quinoa powder mixed in smoothly and I could not even tell it was in there. That is a plus in my book! I love the versatility of this powder for any age from baby to adult.

Easy Quinoa Pancakes are an easy breakfast for busy parents and when traveling. To start, a ripe banana is mashed into eggs. Though these are the only 2 ingredients you need for the pancakes to form, you can always add any or all of the additions below.

Easy Quinoa Pancakes

Dairy-free (can omit milk or use nut milks), vegetarian, nut-free (omit nuts)

Yeild: 2-3 servings

Ingredients
1 ripe banana, mashed
2 eggs
1/4 cup quinoa powder (NurturMe Protein Packed Quinoa)

Other Additions (some or all)
1/4 cup yogurt or milk (dairy or non-dairy)
1/2 cup flour (wheat or gluten-free)
1 tbsp hemp protein powder
1 tbsp cup ground flax seeds (can sub 1 tbsp cup chia seeds)
1 tbsp cup chia seeds (can sub 1 tbsp ground flax seed)
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon

Directions

1. Mash banana into the mixed eggs.
2. Mix in NurturMe quinoa powder.
3. Add additional ingredients (some or all).
4. If mixture is too runny for your liking, add more dry ingredients (flour). If the mixture is too thick for your liking, add more wet ingredients (milk, eggs).
5. Heat griddle or pan to medium heat with butter or oil.
6. Cook pancakes for a few minutes per side until golden brown.

Disclosure: This recipe was originally posted on All Natural Katie. I received a sample of the product to facilitate this review. No other compensation was received. This post contains Affiliate links at no cost to you. If you purchase through the link, I receive small compensation to help support this blog. I received one of the products mentions above to facilitate the review. All opinions are my own and are honest.

  

Tweet

National BBQ Month: Stubb's BBQ Sauce [Giveaway]

May is National Barbecue Month! May is perfect month for barbecuing because it is just warm enough to enjoy being outside, but not too hot yet that being outside becomes uncomfortable. At our house, as soon as it's above 40 degrees, we grilling almost every night. Stubb's is celebrating National BBQ Month by bringing you the recipe below and a giveaway for 4 FREE coupons for Stubb's BBQ sauce!

Craft-made Stubb's BBQ sauce is the leader in authentic BBQ sauces, rubs and marinades. This is one of the few nationally available BBQ sauce brand that is Gluten-Free Certified (carrier the Gluten-Free Organization Cerficiation seal) and contains no high-fructose corn syrup. Most of the time, high-fructose corn syrup is the first ingredient in national BBQ sauce brands. Stubb's is also working with the Non-GMO Project to verify its line of sauces. It is great to see a company put effort to making the ingredients healthier and more natural.

Stubb's has a great selection of recipes to incorporate their BBQ sauces into every day family recipes. My favorite recipe is the Spicy Shrimp Kabobs. I love grilled shrimp and I love grilled pineapple. Pairing these two together with Stubb's BBQ sauce is a great recipe for a weekend grilled dinner or a family gathering. Of course, you can substitute any of the other Stubb's BBQ sauces if you prefer less spiciness.

Spicy Shrimp Kabobs

Ingredients
1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 1/2 cups fresh pineapple chunks
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1 inch squares
1/2 Stubb's Pork Marinade
8 wooden or metal skewers

Directions
1. If using wood skewers, soak in water for at least 15 minutes.
2. Thread shrimp, pineapple, and red bell pepper in an alternating pattern on the skewer.
3. Prepare grill for direct high heat cooking.
4. Oil grates and place skewers directly over the heat.
5. Grill for 5-10 minutes total, basting with Stubb's Pork Marinade, flipping often until shrimp are pink and cooked throughout (shrimp cook very quickly over direct high heat). Baste the skewers after each flip.

Enter below for a chance to win 4 FREE Stubb's Coupons.

Please use the Giveaway Tools entry form. Open to US only. All entries will be verified. Duplicate, incomplete and invalid entries will be deleted. 

Giveaway

4 Stubb's BBQ Sauce Coupons ($15 ARV)

Entry-Form

Disclosure: I received the product to facilitate this review. No other compensation was received. All opinions are honest and are my own. All Natural Katie is not responsible for companies/sponsors who fail to ship the prize.

Tweet

Apple Cinnamon Squares [Recipe]

I am always on the look for healthy breakfast recipes that can be made ahead of time. I also love recipe that can be adjusted based on ingredients I have on hand. I like it when I can customize recipes if I am in the mood for a specific flavor.

Apple Cinnamon Squares are a great combination of a hot, oven baked oatmeal and granola bars that can be taken on the go. You can substitute additions (other dried berries, nuts, seeds, etc.) to change the flavor profile. The ground flax seed and the chia seeds (you can use one or the other or both) are the ingredients that hold the squares together. Make sure you use ground flax seeds, not whole flax seeds.

Note: steel cut oats retain their crunchiness when baked. For softer Apple Cinnamon Squares, combine the milk and oats in a bowl. Soak in the fridge for several hours or overnight to soften the oats up before adding the rest of the ingredients.

Apple Cinnamon Squares

Dairy-free (sub a nut milk), vegan (sub dairy-free milk), vegetarian, nut-free (omit nuts)

Yield: 16 servings
Bake time: 1 hour

Ingredients
2 cups whole milk (can sub dairy-free milk)
1.5 cup steel cut oats
1/2 chopped pecans (can sub other chopped nuts)
1/2 cup raisins (can sub other chopped dried fruit)
1/4 cup ground flax seeds (can sub 1/4 cup chia seeds)
1/4 cup chia seeds (can sub 1/4 cup ground flax seed)
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
1 pound apples, cored and grated (recommend Pink Lady apples)

Other Additions (some or all)
Hemp protein powder (1-2 tbsp)
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp clove powder

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.
2. Line a 9" square baking dish parchment paper.
3. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. If pre-soaking the oats, then add all ingredients to that bowl.
4. Transfer to baking dish, spreading out and smoothing the top.
5. Bake for about 1 hour until the top is firm and golden brown. Depending on the baking dish, the taller the height of the contents, the longer it will take to bake.
6. Place pan on wire rack and let cool. 
7. Cut into 16 bars. Can serve warm or at room temperature.

Recipe adapted from Whole Foods Market.

The original recipe calls for 1/2 cup of ground flax to provide the binding agent that holds these bars together. I received a bag of Nutrigold Organic Chia Seeds, so I decided to substitute chia seeds for ground flax. I used 1/4 cup of ground flax and 1/4 cup of chia seeds. Chia seeds are a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, amino acids, dietary fiber and are a great natural source of many minerals. Their nutritional profile and use in baking is similar to ground flax (flax meal).

I use chia seeds in many dishes, mostly baked items and oatmeal. I love that they can be used as thickeners or sprinkled on top to boost nutrition of the food I am eating. While they usually retain a little bit of their seedy crunch, I liked that I barely noticed them in the Apple Cinnamon Squares. Chia seeds are small and do not really have a flavor to them. Therefore, they are a great way to make meals and baked goods even healthier. Choose raw and organic chia seeds for maximum health benefit.

Disclosure: This recipe was originally posted on All Natural Katie. I received a sample of the product to facilitate this review. No other compensation was received. This post contains Affiliate links at no cost to you. If you purchase through the link, I receive small compensation to help support this blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. All opinions are my own.

  

Tweet