Flour-less Banana Nut muffins

Original recipe found here.  I've modified it to add more protein and less sugar.  And I made it a double batch.  This recipe made 24 regular sized muffins AND 48 mini-muffins.

2 1/2 cup oats (I used the regular, non-quick-cook kind)

1 cup almond meal

1 1/2 cup brown sugar and cinnamon oatmeal (see note below)

3/4 cup brown sugar

3 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

4 ripe bananas

4 eggs

1 cup vanilla (Greek, if possible) yogurt

1 cup plain Greek yogurt

finely chopped nuts and/or chocolate, optional

*Note - I make my own large batch of brown sugar and cinnamon oatmeal.  Original recipe found here.  Again, I've modified.  I leave out the maple flavoring and I think I reduced the sugar.*

Put first six ingredients in food processor (or blender), then dump into another (huge) bowl.  Finely chop nuts (I used walnuts and almonds) and chocolate, optional.  I put them in the food processor.  Do not use too much chocolate.  I used probably 1/2 a cup and it is more than enough.  I probably used about a cup each of whole walnuts and almonds.  Dump into flour-like mixture.  Put last four ingredients into food processor to blend, then add to bowl.  Mix all.

Spray muffin tins and fill about 1/2 full of batter.  These are not fluffy muffins, but they aren't so dense that they aren't good either.  Bake at 400 for 10-20 minutes.  I can't seem to get the time just right on them.

Enjoy!

Homemade Shampoo

I made a homemade shampoo a few months ago and have loved it.  However, I can't find the recipe that I used!  I have made it again and made my own version based off of a few different recipes.  I'm writing it down here to be sure I can remember it.  I haven't tested this yet, but I think it will be fine.

8 c. hot tea, strongly brewed  (I used a peppermint and green tea.)
2 c. liquid castile soap
8 tbsp. baking soda
4 tbsp. coconut oil
4 tbsp. olive oil
5 tsp. honey

Baked Oatmeal

This is a great thing to keep around for an easy and healthy, on-the-go breakfast.  It tastes like a cross between an oatmeal cookie and a bowl of oatmeal!  And it's like so many of my favorite recipes in that you can change it up in so many different ways depending on what you have in your pantry at the time!  So here's the basic recipe -

2 cups oats

1 tsp vanilla extract

4 tsp honey (or maple syrup or whatever sweetener you want.  Or you can leave this out completely!)

1 cup applesauce or a smashed banana or two (I used banana because I was out of applesauce.)

1 cup milk, creamer, juice, or water (I used milk.)

pinch of salt

handful of chocolate chips

2 tbsp of some type of oil, butter or nut butter (I used coconut oil this time.)

cinnamon (as much or as little as you like)

Mix all ingredients and scoop into a muffin tin.  I made a dozen out of this recipe.  Bake at 350 for about 25 minutes or until they start to get brown and crispy!  I intended on saving most of them for future breakfasts, but only one has made it through the day (and I'll probably eat that before the kids get up in the morning)!!!

For my first run of this, that's the recipe I used.  I'm planning to make several different versions similar to prepackaged oatmeal.  Such as Apple Cinnamon (leaving out the chocolate), Brown Sugar and Cinnamon, Cinnamon Raisin, Strawberry (using juice instead of milk and adding in some dried strawberries), etc.  I'm also going to go for a Chocolate Peanut Butter, because really, what could be better than that?!?!

Also, when they came straight of oven, we topped them with some vanilla yogurt and they were super yummy that way.  

A skirt for the bug

Well, I haven't sewn in a REALLY long time. Then yesterday, I just got the urge to make my daughter a skirt. So I did. I made it while she was napping and as tiny as she is, apparently I underestimated her size and the skirt ended up not quite as poofy or flowy as I had intended. However, considering I just pieced it all together having never made anything for her before and made a wearable, reversible skirt, I'm going to consider it a success...and I'll do better next time, which might be naptime today!