Easy Banana Cinnamon Rolls (healthy-ish)

Prep Time: 15 mins | Total Time: 40 mins | Makes: 6-8 rolls

I have a serious weakness for any type of cinnamon roll. The gooier the better! BUT after eating a hot, bakery made cinnamon roll dripping with icing or even the store bought tube that you plop on a sheet pan and cook, I usually don’t feel that great. Probably due to all the sugar and dense carbohydrates hitting my system all at once - Sugar crash anyone?! So I’m on the hunt to make a healthier, but still tasty, cinnamon roll. This recipe has a much lighter dough (bananas and flour only) and a 4 ingredient icing. I’m sold!

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

• 1/2 cup ripe banana, mashed

• 1 1/4 cup self raising flour

• 1/4 cup butter, melted

• Cinnamon

• Coconut Sugar

Icing

• 1 cup powdered sugar

• 1 tablespoon butter, melted

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 2 tablespoon almond or any milk (heavy cream or half and half also work)

HOW TO MAKE:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. We’ll use a large baking dish for baking the rolls.

2. In a medium bowl, mash bananas with a fork then add self rising flour and mix together until it forms a dough (if too sticky, add a few pinches of flour and keep mixing, but keep dough soft).

3. Lightly flour counter surface and roll out the dough into a rectangle - approx. 1/4 - 1/2 inch thick

4. Brush the top of the dough with melted butter, then sprinkle the with cinnamon and coconut sugar until the dough is coated with both.

5. Cut the rectangle into 6-8 strips, length wise. Starting from the long ends, roll up each individual strip into a roll. Each roll just tight to not fall apart when moved.

6. In a large baking dish, add melted butter to the bottom and sides. Transfer the individual rolls into a baking dish with the spiral side up. It’s ok to have the rolls touching.

7. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the edges are light golden brown.

8. While the rolls are baking, make the glaze by mixing all ingredients together. Mix with fork or hand mixer. Set aside.

9. After 20-25 minutes, remove the lightly browned rolls from the oven and let them cool. While they are cooling but still warm, top each roll with the glaze. Enjoy your cinnamon roll once cool enough to hold, but still warm.

Turkey Taco Cups

Prep Time: 10 mins | Total Time: 30 mins | Makes: 12 taco cups

Taco Tuesday! Or really any day of the week when you’re craving one of the most delicious foods ever created. What I love about this recipe is it’s super simple to make, it comes in a personal serving, or five, and you can make a dozen at a time. Perfect for feeding a lot of mouths all at once or storing to eat at a future time.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

• 12 Wonton wrappers

• 1 tbsp. Olive oil

• 1 lb. Organic ground turkey meat (ground beef works too)

• 2-3 tsp. Taco Seasoning

• 2 cups Shredded Cheddar cheese

• 1 can refried beans (pinto or black beans both work)

• Kosher salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

• I bunch cilantro, chopped

• 2 stalks green onion, chopped

• Sour cream, for topping

HOW TO MAKE:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease muffin pan with a little cooking oil. Place a wonton wrapper into each cup of muffin pan, folding the edges if necessary. Set aside.

2. In a large skillet over medium heat, add oil and ground meat, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon. Season with taco seasoning, salt, and pepper and cook until the meat is no longer pink, about 6 minutes. Drain fat.

3. Spoon cooked meat mixture into each wonton. Next, add a spoonful of refried beans and then top with shredded cheddar. Bake until the wontons are golden around the edges and the cheese has melted, about 8-10 minutes.

4. Garnish with sour cream, cilantro, or green onions. Enjoy!

GF Oatmeal Raisin or Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Prep Time: 20 mins | Total Time: 30 mins | Makes: 20-24 cookies (depends on size)

Cookies, cookies, everywhere! I love this cookie recipe - it’s healthy, tasty and fun to make with kids or friends. They can store for about 10 days - 2 weeks in an airtight container so you can eat every hour or as a necessary post meal treat. I’ve made these a dozen times as oatmeal raisin cookies and excited to try the chocolate chip version. Anyone else craving chocolate right now?!

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

Dry Ingredients:

• 1 cup gluten free rolled oats (plus 1/2 cup to add in)

• 1 cup gluten free oat flour

• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 3/4 cup raisins OR chocolate chips (or both if you want to get fancy - add these in later)

Wet Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil

• 1/4 cup coconut sugar

• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup

• 2 flax eggs (2 tablespoons ground flaxseed + 6 tablespoons water, whisked together, set for 15 minutes)

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

HOW TO MAKE:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or greased foil. Set aside for later.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients: 1 cup oats, oat flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt EXCEPT the raisins or chocolate chips. Those will be added later.

3. In a different medium bowl, whisk together all the wet ingredients: coconut oil, coconut sugar, maple syrup, flax eggs, and vanilla. Whisk until thoroughly combined and resembles caramel.

4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Whisk until thoroughly combined.

5. Fold in raisins or chocolate chips and oats. The dough will be sticky.

6. Scoop about a 1/4 cup of the mixture and drop cookie dough balls onto the prepared baking sheet. Using a fork, flatten cookies into a round disc—they will not spread during baking.

7. Bake for 10-12 minutes.  Using a flat spatula, carefully lift cookies off the baking sheet and transfer to a cooling rack. Allow to cool completely. Enjoy!

Banana Drop Biscuits (Vegan)

Prep Time: 5 mins  |  Total Time: 20 mins  | Makes: 12 Biscuits

I stumbled upon this recipe by vegan and GF recipe blogger, Peanut Butter & Jilly, last winter and have made these delicious biscuits at least a dozen times since then. Usually, when my bananas start to get a little ripe and look uneatable, I make my go-to GF Banana bread. BUT ever since discovering these little gems, my banana bread making days are history and I’m pretty much addicted to biscuits now. Disclaimer: Only make this recipe if you plan to eat more than desired in one sitting. Enjoy!

What You Need:

• 3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk

• 1 overripe banana, mashed

• 1/2 cup butter, melted (can substitute vegan butter here)

• 1 tbsp maple syrup, the real stuff!

• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder

• 2 cups flour or gluten free flour *if using GF flour: best option is King Arthur, Measure for Measure GF flour. I have also used almond flour, but the biscuits come out a little more dense and flat.

Maple Butter:

• 2 tbsp butter, melted

• 2 tbsp maple syrup

How To Make:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a mixing bowl, mix together the almond milk, mashed banana, melted butter, maple syrup, and baking powder. Then, add the flour and mix just enough until a dough forms. If using gluten-free flour and the dough seems crumbly, add another 1 tablespoon of melted butter and 1 tablespoon of almond milk and work it into the dough. Don't over-mix or your biscuits will be dense.

3. Use a spoon to scoop the dough and drop onto the baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Space evenly and bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes until the biscuits are golden. Option to broil the biscuits at the end for about a minute to give them more color on top.

4. While the biscuits are baking, melt the maple syrup and butter together, either in microwave or on the stove top, to create the maple butter.

5. As soon as the biscuits come out of the oven, drizzle the maple butter over the warm biscuits and enjoy!

Fall Inspired Butternut Squash Soup

Fall weather tends to stir up a few mixed emotions. On one side, the cooler weather is a welcome change of season - winter is closer, ski season will begin, and you’ll soon have that excuse to stay in with a cozy fire and binge watch your favorite shows. On the flipside, the dark, foggy mornings and slight chill in the air sadly means we are officially saying goodbye to summer and those warm pool days, outdoor picnics, and sunny hikes. To help you ease into Fall, this is one of my favorite soup recipes from Love and Lemons. It’s easy, healthy, and doesn’t require a ton of ingredients.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)

• 1 large yellow onion, chopped

• ½ teaspoon sea salt

• 1 (3-pound) butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed

• 2-3 garlic cloves, chopped

• 1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped

• ½ tablespoon fresh rosemary, minced

• 1 -2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

• 3 to 4 cups vegetable broth

• Freshly ground black pepper

SOUP TOPPINGS

• Chopped parsley or cilantro or both

• Toasted pepitas or pine nuts

• Crusty bread / croutons

HOW TO MAKE

1. In a large pot, add oil and heat over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, salt, and several grinds of fresh pepper. Sauté until soft, 5 to 8 minutes.

2. Add the cubed squash and cook until it begins to soften, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes.

3. Add the garlic, sage, rosemary, and ginger. Stir and cook 30 seconds to 1 minute, until fragrant, then add 3 cups of the broth. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until the squash is tender, about 20 to 30 minutes.

4. Let cool slightly and pour the soup into a blender, working in batches if necessary, and blend until smooth. If your soup is too thick, add more broth a tablespoon at a time and blend. Season to taste and serve with toppings.

Time: 1 hour
Yields: 6 servings

Emily's Epic Energy Bites

I love making these and often always have a batch in my fridge. They are super easy to throw together, you don’t really exact measurements, and these bites are a perfect snack for a quick pick-me-up. Also, for those of you with kids looking for an afternoon activity, this activity will occupy your little ones for at least 30 - 45 minutes. I make them with my students all the time and it’s fun to watch their different variations. PLUS…these little bites have a healthy, nutritious blend of fats, protein, fiber, and Omega-3s.

What You’ll Need (Base Ingredients)

• 1 cup, or more, nut or seed butter (I typically use peanut or almond butter)

• 1-2 cups Old Fashioned Oats (you’ll add these as needed to make the bites less sticky and hold it all together)

• 1/4 cup or small handful Chocolate chips or raisins OR both!

• 1-2 tbsp Honey or maple syrup

• Cinnamon

Additional Ingredients (If you have at home or want to use)

• Chopped nuts

• Chia seeds

• Flax seeds

• Hemp hearts/seeds

• Shredded coconut (unsweetened)

• Vanilla extract

• Protein powder (great addition if making for sport events)

How To Make

1. Line a sheet tray with parchment or wax paper.

2. Add your nut butter to a medium mixing bowl.

3. Next add the honey or syrup. Mix together. Add more or less depending on the level of sweetness you want.

4. Add in chocolate chips (or raisins) and cinnamon. If you want to add other ingredients, add them now and mix together until a dough-like consistency forms.

5. Lastly, add the oats. Mix about 1/4 - 1/2 cup to start. If too sticky, add more oats or cinnamon. If too dry, add more nut butter.

6. Use your hand or spoon to roll into bite-sized balls.

7. Optional: roll balls into unsweetened shredded coconut to coat the outside or drizzle with melted dark chocolate.

8. Place on a sheet tray and freeze for 10-15 mins. Remove from the tray and store in a sealable container in either the freezer or fridge.

Chia Seed Jam Thumb Print Cookies

I am a HUGE fan of any jelly type cookie - fruit bars, berry tarts, jam cookies…I am like a month to a flame whenever I see them. Since I have never made them myself, I decided to make these thumb print cookies over the weekend. They're super easy and take no time at all. Plus, this recipe is gluten free, refined sugar free and great to make with the kiddos.

What you need (makes about 10 - 12 cookies)

• 2 cups almond flour

• 1/4 tsp sea salt

• 1/4 tsp baking soda

• 4-6 tbsp maple syrup (raw honey works too)

• 1 1/2 tbsp non-dairy milk

• 1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

What you need for Chia Jam

• 1 cup berries (fresh or frozen)

• 1 tbsp chia seeds

• 1 tbsp maple syrup (raw honey works too)

Steps to make cookies

1. Pre-heat oven to 350

2. Mix all wet ingredients together in one bowl. Mix the dry in another bowl. Then mix all ingredients together.

3. Chill dough for at least 10 minutes. While dough is chilling, make the jam filling by heating all ingredients in a pan or microwave. Stir occasionally until ready to place in cookies.

4. Roll cookie dough into 10-12 balls and place on a baking sheet, gently press thumb in middle and bake for 10-12 minutes (until just golden brown).

5. Let cookies cool and then top with the chia jam.