Gluten free Peanut butter Honey Cookies

So I picked up some Coconut Flour and Almond Flour this week to try a couple recipes but ended up having more than I needed.  I decided to try making gluten free peanut butter cookies with no refined sugar, just honey and maple syrup.  So I grabbed my recipe book and looked at the recipe I always use for peanut butter which calls for sugar, brown sugar, butter and whole wheat flour and thought I'd strip it down and clean it right up to see if they would still work out!  

I replaced the sugar with honey and the brown sugar with maple syrup.  I butter was swapped for coconut oil making them dairy free and the flour for half almond flour and half coconut flour!  The batter looked a little soggier than I was used to so I decided to put them into my mini loaf pan for something different and try a few as cookies the usual way.  Both worked great!  

The cookies camp out chewy in the middle and a slight crispiness on the outside and the mini loaf cookies came out soft and chewy!  I gotta say these little darlings are hard to stop eating tho!  They are so good!!  

Gluten free Dairy free Peanut Butter Honey Cookies 

1/2 cup of maple syrup

1/2 cup honey

1 cup Homemade Peanut Butter

1/2 cup coconut oil

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup coconut flour

1 cup almond flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon Himalayan sea salt

In a medium sized bowl mix together peanut butter, honey, maple syrup and coconut oil. Add in egg and vanilla extract. 

In the same bowl measure in the coconut flour, almond flour, baking soda, baking powder and sea salt. Mix throughly so dry ingredients are evenly distributed. 

Either spoon the batter onto a parchment lined baking sheet and press down with a fork or if you have a mini loaf pan you can spoon the batter into the sections.  

Bake at 350 for 10 minutes or until they just start to brown.  

Gluten Free Dairy Free Peanut Butter Cookies

12+ Healthy Pumpkin Recipes for Fall

I know it's still August... but the weather is starting to turn already and I'm way more interested in Chai tea and slippers than I have been in months.... I really don't want summer to be over because I know I wont be getting out on my Paddle board nearly as often, especially if I don't get a wetsuit or something to keep me warm in the fall months! 

We are heading out on what could be our last camping trip of the season this weekend and rain is predicted.... but we will make the best of it and try to get some Paddle Boarding in as well!   

I thought I'd share some healthy Pumpkin Recipes to get you inspired for the coming grey months and school days.  I'm looking forward to making a batch of Pumpkin Scones soon, I know how much the boys love them.  

I hope make these last few Day's of August count!  Fingers crossed for sunshine :)  

Pumpkin Spice Protein Balls

Curried Pumpkin Soup

Healthy Pumpkin Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies

Healthy Starbucks Pumpkin Scone Recipe

Pumpkin Butter

DIY Pumpkin Pie and Apple Pie Spice

Pumpkin Pie Shakeology

Ingredients:
¼ cup water
¾ cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1 scoop Vanilla Shakeology
½ cup canned pumpkin puree
1 tsp. pure maple syrup (or raw honey)
1 Tbsp. coarsely chopped raw pecans
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 cup ice

Preparation:
1. Place water, almond milk, Shakeology, pumpkin puree, maple syrup, pecans, pumpkin pie spice, and ice in blender; cover. Blend until smooth.

Pumpkin Cheese Cake

Pumpkin Cashew Cheese Dip

Pumpkin Quesadilla

Roasted Pumpkin with Shallots and Sage

Pumpkin Spice Pancakes

Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal



Guild Free Pumpkin Cheesecake Trifle 

Pumpkin Coconut Custards

Ingredients:

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

½ tsp. ground ginger

¼ tsp. ground nutmeg

½ tsp. fine sea salt

4 large eggs, beaten

½ cup pure maple syrup (or raw honey)

½ tsp. pure coconut extract

1 (15-oz.) can pumpkin puree

¾ cup canned coconut milk

¾ cup unsweetened almond milk

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 300° F.

2. Combine cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt in a small bowl; mix well. Set aside.

3. Combine eggs, maple syrup, and extract in a large bowl; whisk to blend.

4. Add spice mixture and pumpkin.

5. Gradually add coconut milk and almond milk; whisk to blend.

6. Pour mixture evenly into eight 6-oz. custard cups. Place cups in 13×9-inch baking pan; fill pan with 1-inch hot water.

7. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until knife inserted in custard halfway between center and edge of ramekin comes out almost clean. Cool completely on wire rack. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Whole Wheat Apple Cinnamon Waffles

Flex days are the best days!  I love the ones where we get to spend the morning at home over the ones where we are rushing out the door however!  Today we are home for the morning at least and it felt like a good day to make a special breakfast!  

New Corner Pantry!!

Finally I'm able to fill it up!

Yesterday I had my New Pantry build by my wonderful hubby and father in law installed!!  So I've been tearing my kitchen apart changing where everything goes in the cupboards which previously had food!  I can tell you that putting the dishes in the dishwasher away this morning sure was interesting!  But it's so nice to have extra space for my small appliances now!  I can finally have my crock put upstairs rather than in the storage room!  Yay!  More crockpot meals on the way!!!

I'm still figuring out where best to put everything in the newly arranged kitchen but this is the part I love!  

 Whole Wheat Apple Cinnamon Waffle Recipe

Ingredient

2 Cups Whole Wheat Flour
1 Tbsp Baking Powder
1 Tsp Cinnamon
2 Eggs
1 Tbsp Maple Syrup
1 3/4 Cups Almond Milk
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
1/4 Cup Apple Sauce
1 Tsp Pure Vanilla

Directions

• Mix together WW Flour, Baking Powder and Cinnamon. Set Aside
• In medium mixing bowl, whisk eggs with Almond Milk, Maple Syrup, Olive oil, Apple Sauce and Vanilla.  
• Add wet mixture into the dry mixture and stir to combine. 
• Spoon batter onto the waffle iron and allow it to do it's thing!  Mine is set for between 3 and 4 and just beeps when it's done. 
• While waiting for the waffles to cook you can get out your toppings

Topping options

Apple sauce
Greek Yogurt
Cinnamon
Maple Syrup
Butter

The boys enjoyed theirs with butter and maple syrup but for some reason I love having greek yogurt on top of my waffles so I added a big scoop of plain Krema greek yogurt then a small amount of Maple Syrup, apple sauce and a sprinkle of Cinnamon!

So good!  

Zucchini Brownies

Whole wheat, dairy free and vegan YES but these Brownies are also Gooey, chocolaty and delicious!  I adding a little frosting to the top of these (mostly for picture purposes) but it's totally optional and they are good without!  

I have an abundance of Zucchini still, and it's very tempting to make another batch of these I tell ya, they were so good and it was a good thing I shared with family and friends otherwise I probably would have eaten the whole tray!  

Zucchini Brownie Recipe

They came out lumpy looking
on the Top But don't let that
fool you they were moist inside!

Ingredients:

2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup coconut oil
1 cups honey
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups shredded zucchini (1 large or 2 small zucchinis)
3-5 tablespoons water
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, optional

Directions:

Wet Mixture all combined

• Preheat oven to 350°F. 
• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and sea salt. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl, mix together the coconut oil, honey, and vanilla until well combined. Add the dry ingredients and stir. 
• Fold in the zucchini. If your mixture is still very powdery, add up to 5 tablespoons water (start with 1 tablespoon and work up from there, stirring well after each addition). The batter will be very thick but shouldn't be powdery. (It partially depends on how wet your zucchini is!) 
• Add walnuts, if desired.  Spread in prepared pan.
• Bake 25-30 minutes until the brownies spring back when gently touched.

Simple Chocolate Frosting

Frosting Ingredients

1/4 cup Butter

1/4 cup Cocoa powder

2 1/2  cups Icing Sugar

1/3 cup Hot water

Frosting Directions

Melt Butter in small sauce pan

Stir in cocoa powder and Icing sugar

Pour Hot water over top and stir all the lumps out.  

Pour on top of the brownies right away!

Frumpy Fall No Way!

The kids are heading back to school, everyone can relax.  Breathe in,  breathe out.  But wait... fall usually comes with lots of sports and other activities starting up as well as lunches to pack and the to do list just keeps growing!  I know it can be hard to prioritize YOU and make time for yourself on that calendar but we all know what happens and how we feel after a few weeks or months eating quick meals on the go and not making time to exercise right? Uh ya..... we start to burn out.  You wake up in the morning mid October barely able to get out of bed and adding an extra cup of coffee to your morning routine just to get through the day.  

We spend all this time working for others, running around with the kids, preparing meals etc. then we make these crazy resolutions on January 1st because the craziness of Fall has left us feeling Frumpy and Tired. BUT the trouble is we don't stick to them or don't take action on those resolutions because we don't have a plan or the support in place. Plus January is the most depressing time of year so it's no wonder we don't want to get up early to get the the gym! Its cold, dark and kind of depressing.  That's why making a plan now and getting into the Habit and routine of daily exercise and clean eating before January will ensure your energy level stays high during the winter blues!

I for one am very sad to say good bye to summer however, fall means cozy sweaters, jeans, boots, soccer games and Pace.  Yes, I can get used to that, sitting snug next to a warm fire however with fall it also brings comfort food and accountability tends to slip away especially when we tuck away the bathing suit.  

I will tell you, the one thing I have stuck with the past 2 years is my routine.  I take care of myself, I eat right, exercise.  It's a lifestyle not a resolution.  I feel better, not only physically but mentally.  It sets the tone for my day, I have more confidence and my overall well being is so much better.  If I don't work out, I feel like my whole day is off.  I'm not in a good mood, my patience with the boys is WAY less, my eating is off and honestly my whole day just feels like a struggle!  I'm like a snowball going downhill.  As a coach, I am continuously surrounded by positivity and encouragement and I am always giving encouragement and support!  This keeps me motivated and accountable daily!

Now I want to help  you stay accountable!  

My Accountability Group is starting on the 14th of September to teach you how to make small changes in your nutrition so that you can begin to have more energy, eat healthier, and fuel your body for energy vs comfort.  I will also teach you how to create a meal plan that fits your lifestyle and your family needs.  I will provide you simple, easy recipes to follow that require minimal preparation which your whole family will eat.  I also want to teach you how to change your mindset and start making yourself a priority at least 30 minutes a day!  The workouts are a combination of cardio, strength training, yoga and pilates.  The workouts are modified for every single ability level! No matter what your current level of fitness is you can do this too!  This month we are also going to really focus on the temptations you come up against in the fall. Pumpkin spice lattes, football parties, pies and treats!  How do you live a balanced life where you enjoy what you love but don't derail your hard work.  I am going to arm you with tools and strategies to keep yourself on the straight and narrow!

The group is going to be an online closed Facebook support group where you can plug in daily to get tips, suggestions, motivation and help in reaching and setting goals for yourself

The requirements for this group are:

I am your COACH! 

You purchase the 21 day fix challenge pack from me as your coach.

You are an active participant in the group and check in at least 1x per day and give your daily ratings!

You are committed to showing up, giving your best every day!  I don't expect perfection I just want to see you try.  Over time what was once hard to do will now become second nature.

If you give me the 30 minutes each day I will help you get to your goals, have more energy and be a better Mom!  For more information email me at crystalpfitnessfood@gmail.com or join our Fit for Fall Event on Facebook!

Zucchini Parm Bites

OK these are pretty freaking amazing! Like I mentioned before in my Lemon Zucchini Mini Loaf post I have a lot of Zucchini right now and ended up having a zucchini baking marathon last night!  The awesome thing about these little Rockstars is that they are totally 21 Day Fix approved!  About 12 of these count as 1 Green and 1 Blue container and they feel like a cheat but they aren't!  

I just sliced up some Zucchini into thin slices and topped them all with a little grated Parmesan!  Then baked them until golden brown and crispy like chips.  

As you can see one blue container from the 21 Day Fix covered 12 Zucchini slices!

Ingredients

• 2 medium-sized zucchini 
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• Garlic, Sea Salt & freshly ground black pepper, optional

Directions

• Place oven rack in center position of oven. Preheat to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with  parchment paper.
• Wash and dry zucchini, and cut into 1/4-inch thick slices. Arrange zucchini rounds on prepared pan, with little to no space between them. If desired, lightly sprinkle zucchini with garlic, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Use a small spoon to spread a thin layer of Parmesan cheese on each slice of zucchini. Bake for 20 minutes, or until Parmesan turns a light golden brown. (Watch these closely the first time you make them and pull them out of the oven early if the Parmesan is golden before 20 minutes!) 
• Serve immediately.

Lemon Zucchini Mini Loaves

I have SO MANY ZUCCHINI'S from my Sisters place!  She loaded me up yesterday with Zucchini, tomatoes (I already have a tonne of my own), Corn, Potatoes and Eggs! 

I had the house sort of to my self last night with Asher and Gord at the races and Fraser in bed, so I decided to get started on some baking with the Zucchini.  I only used one Zucchini and I made Zucchini Parm Bites, these Whole Wheat Lemon Zucchini Mini Loaves and a to die for Zucchini Brownie!  I'll add the links to those recipes as soon as they are on the blog!  

For now here is the Whole Wheat Lemon Zucchini Mini Loaf Recipe!  These are our breakfast this morning!  The awesome thing here is that you can use this recipe to make muffins or a big loaf too!  The glaze is optional as it does have icing sugar in it but it does add lots of lemony flavour!  Next time I'm going to experiment with a honey lemon glaze and see what I can do to eliminate that little bit of icing sugar!  

Whole Wheat Lemon Zucchini Mini Loaf Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• ½ tsp. sea salt
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup coconut oil
• 1 cup honey
• 2 TBSP lemon juice or juice of 2 lemons
• ½ cup almond milk or regular milk
• zest of 2 lemons
• 1 cup grated zucchini

Glaze ingredients:

• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 TBSP lemon juice

Instructions

1. Mix WW flour, sea salt and baking powder in a medium bowl and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, beat eggs. Then add coconut oil and honey until well blended. Add lemon juice, milk, lemon zest to this mixture and blend all together.
3. Fold in zucchini until it is mixed well.
4. Add dry mixture to the wet mixture and blend all together until well combined.
5. Pour batter into greased loaf pan or spoon into mini loaf pan. You can even make this into muffins! 
6. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or 1 hour for a big loaf. Or until golden brown. 
7. While still warm, make glaze and brush on the tops of the loaves. 

Razzleberry Whole Wheat Pop Tarts

Last week I made the boys homemade pop tarts!  Gord and I are always looking for healthy but quick breakfasts for the week day mornings.  I've made them before but not in a long while! Sadly this batch did not make it into the freezer for those week day mornings like I had been hoping because they got gobbled up in less than 24 hours! So tasty!! 

Hopefully I'll find some time this weekend or prepare a larger batch which we can then use during the week to warm up for them!  These will be great come school starting up again too!

It might look like I used Jam for the filling but I actually made my own filling for them using raspberries and blueberries and thickened it with corn starch so that it didn't spew out the sides too much while they baked.  

Making the filling!

Homemade Razzleberry Pop Tarts

Pastry Dough

2 cups Whole Wheat Flour
1 tbsp. Honey
1 tsp. sea Salt
1 cup (2 sticks) Unsalted Butter
1 egg
2 tbsp. Milk

To make the pastry dough, whisk together the flour and salt. Cut the butter into 1-inch cubes. Work in the butter with your hands or a fork, until the butter is the size of peas. Whisk together the egg, honey and milk and then pour it into the dough mixture. Mix until the mixture is cohesive. In the bowl, knead the dough until it forms a ball.

Divide the dough in half and form each ball of dough into a disc. Working with one disc of dough, roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface. Roll it out in a rectangle until it is about 9×12 inches and 1/8-inch thick. Cut the dough into 3×4 inch rectangles. Place the rectangles on a baking sheet and place in the refrigerator until needed.
While the dough is in the refrigerator, make the filling.

Filling

1 cup Raspberries
1 cup Blueberries
2 Tbsp water
2 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp cornstarch

Add berries,honey and water to small pot and heat on medium until the berries begin to get mushy.

Mix together corn starch with a splash of water until cornstarch dissolves and is pourable. Shouldn't be clumpy.

When your happy with the consistency of the berry mixture, pour in corn starch stirring while you pour.

Make sure the berry mixture becomes nice and thick! You do t want it too funny or it will ooze everywhere when your trying to fill the dough squares.

Assembly of Pop Tarts

To assemble the tarts, take the dough squares out of the refrigerator.
Place 1 tbsp. of filling in the center of the pastry square, leaving a ½ inch of perimeter around the edges. Continue with half of the squares. Cover each square with the another square, and using your fingers press firmly around the edges of each tart to seal the dough. Then, using a fork, press the edges.

Bake at 350 until golden brown.

You will have left over Razzleberry Filling so you can either use it on some sunday morning pancakes or make another batch like I plan to!