Quick Energy Bites

1 c oats
1/2 c ground flax seed
1/2 c peanutbutter
1/2 c mini chocolate chips
2 tbsp chia seeds
1/3 c honey
1 tsp vanilla

Mix all ingredients. Form into balls and place on a cookie sheet. Freeze for 1 hour. Store in airtight container in refrigerator.

Pumpkin Scones

2 c flour
1/3 c brown sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 stick (1/2 c) cold unsalted butter
1/2 c canned pumpkin
1 large egg
3 tbsp heavy cream (or milk)
1 tbsp molasses (or honey)
2 tsp vanilla extract
Sugar or cinnamon/sugar for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices. Cut in butter (or use food processor) until butter is in pea-sized clumps. Combine pumpkin, egg, cream, molasses, and vanilla. Gradually mix pumpkin mixture into flour mixture, mix just until combined. Dump onto floured surface and knead gently until dough comes together into a ball. Break into two even pieces and pat each into a 5-6" diameter circle (about 3/4 inch thick). Cut each circle into 6 equal pieces. Place onto lightly greased cookie sheet and sprinkle with sugar (or cinnamon sugar). Bake 12-15 minutes until bottoms are lightly browned. Cool a couple of minutes on cookie sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool.

TIP: Try lining cookie sheet with parchment paper for easier clean-up.
TIP: Can omit the sprinkling sugar and top with glaze after the scones are cooled (Plain glaze: 1 c powdered sugar plus 2 TBSP milk; Spiced glaze: 1 c powdered sugar, pinch nutmeg; 1/4 tsp each of cinnamon, cloves, ginger, 2 tbsp milk). Can spread with plain glaze and then drizzle with spiced glaze over top.

Banana Muffins

1/4 c packed brown sugar
1/3 c oil
2 eggs
3 mashed ripe bananas
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 3/4 c flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 c semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine brown sugar, oil, eggs until well mixed. Stir in bananas and vanilla. Mix in flour, baking powder, and baking soda, just until moistened (do not overmix). Gently stir in chocolate chips. Pour into 12 muffin cups and bake for 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

TIP: I use a 1/4 cup dry measuring cup to divide the mixture into the muffin cups.
TIP: Can be used to make mini muffins - reduce baking time to 20 minutes or so.
TIP: Can be used to make banana bread - increase baking time to about 1 hour. Can also later slice the bread and make sticks, then bake sticks in oven at 150 deg for 1 hour to make teething biscuits (similar to biscotti).

Pancakes

1 large egg
3/4 c milk
1 c flour
1 TBSP sugar (white or brown)
2 TBSP vegetable oil
3 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
Oil or shortening for the griddle

Beat egg until fluffy. Stir in remaining ingredients (except oil or shortening for the griddle) until smooth. Cook on griddle over medium heat (375 degrees) until puffed and dry around the edges. Flip and cook the other side until golden brown.

Crustless Broccoli Quiche

1 TBSP oil
1/2 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
10-15 white mushrooms, sliced
1 c broccoli pieces
4 eggs
1 c mozzarella cheese
1 c swiss cheese
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
dash Tabasco

Preheat oven to 350 F and lightly grease a 9" pie pan.
Heat oil in frying pan over medium heat. Stir-fry onion, garlic, mushrooms for 2-3 minutes. Add broccoli and cook until softened.
Beat eggs in large bowl. Add cheeses, salt, pepper, tabasco. Stir in onion, garlic, mushroom and broccoli mixture.
Pour into greased 9" pie pan.
Bake 30 minutes at 350 F. Cool 10 minutes before serving.

Chocolate Chip Muffins

2 c. flour
1/2 c. sugar
1 TBSP baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
1 c. milk
1/3 c vegetable oil
3/4 c mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 tsp vanilla
Optional: 1/2 tsp almond extract
Optional: 2 TBSP sugar and/or brown sugar to dust over batter

Preheat oven to 400 F.
Mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
Add in egg, milk, oil, chocolate chips, vanilla, almond extract. Blend until just moistened.
Pour into 12 muffin cups.
If desired, sprinkle top of batter with sugar and/or brown sugar.
Bake for 18-20 min at 400 F.

TIP: For moister muffins use 3/4 c milk and 1/4 c sour cream instead of 1 c of milk.

Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie

1 banana

1/4 c peanut butter

3 ice cubes

drizzle of honey

1/4 to 1/2 c milk

Place banana, peanut butter, ice cubes, honey in a blender with about 1/4 cup of milk.
Blend until smooth.
Add more milk until desired thickness is achieved.

TIP: Add 1 tbsp of quick-cooking oats to make a more hardy, filling breakfast.

TIP: Add 1 tbsp chocolate syrup to make a chocolate peanut butter banana smoothie.

Waffles

2 eggs
2 c. flour
1 3/4 c. milk
1/2 c. vegetable oil
2 tbsp sugar (white, or brown, or 1 tbsp of each)
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
dash salt

Mix all ingredients together in order listed. It's ok if there are a few lumps.
Pour batter into hot waffle iron and cook until done.

TIP: I use a Cusinart waffle ironand this recipe makes 3 very large waffles (each waffle takes 1 1/4 c of batter). The Cuisinart waffle iron automatically tells you when the waffle iron is hot and when the waffles are done, plus it is nonstick.

Granola snack bars

2 1/2 c. rice krispies
2 c. quick-cooking oats
1/2 c. dried cranberries
1/2 c. sunflower seeds
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. light corn syrup
1/2 c. peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla extract


Lightly grease a 9x13" pan.
Mix rice krispies, oats, cranberries and sunflower seeds in a large bowl.
Mix sugar and corn syrup in a saucepan over medium heat. Heat until boiling.
Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter and vanilla. Pour mixture over cereal mixture and mix well.
Press into 9x13" pan. Cool.

TIP: Add more corn syrup and/or peanut butter to make sweeter, chewier bars. Or substitute honey for some or all of the corn syrup to make these healthier.
TIP: Leave out cranberries and sunflower seeds and stir in 1/2 c. chocolate chips instead to make a chocolately granola snack bar.