Spoonful of Sugar Free

Registered Dietitian

breakfast

Get Up and Go Muffins

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After my wisdom teeth saga was over, the baking fever took over. The days of lying around in pain were behind me, and all I wanted to do was bake!

 

Looking around the cabinet, I spied a half-used bag of oat bran. What better way to use up oat bran than by making bran muffins? There was even a recipe for “applesauce bran muffins” on the box. Of course, this recipe used white flour, brown sugar, and lots of vegetable oil, so I needed to make a few changes. I also decided to boost the nutritional content by adding carrots, coconut oil, and a few handfuls of raisins.

 

Most muffins are full of refined sugar, flour, and oil, but these contain none of the harmful ingredients! High in fiber, vitamins, and minerals to jump start your day and…

“Get up and Go!”

Print
Get Up and Go Muffins

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Yield: 12 muffins

Serving Size: 1 muffin

Calories per serving: 125

Get Up and Go Muffins

~Full of fiber and vitamins, these muffins will surely energize you for the whole day. Gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, and sugar-free!

Ingredients

  • Dry:
  • 1 cup oat bran
  • 1 cup oat flours (make your own by simply processing oats in a blender or food processor until smooth)
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • Wet:
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 Tablespoons coconut oil
  • 2 apples (or 1 cup applesauce)
  • 2 carrots, finely grated
  • 1/3 cup raisins
  • 1/3 cup walnuts, optional

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400* and grease or line 12 muffins cups. I used coconut oil to grease mine.
  2. Mix together dry ingredients in a bowl.
  3. In a saucepan, chop the apples and add a small splash of water. Let simmer and cover for 5-10 minutes, or until soft. Smash with a fork until it resembles a chunky applesauce. Alternatively, you may use 1 cup of pre made, unsweetened applesauce. Mix the applesauce with the rest of the wet ingredients.
  4. Combine the wet and dry, and then fold in raisins and walnuts.
  5. Spoon batter into cup and bake for 15 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Let muffins sit in tin for one minute, and then cool on rack for five minutes before serving. The muffins continue to cook and set while in the muffin pan for the extra minute, and the cooling rack helps prevent the muffins from becoming soggy.
https://www.spoonfulofsugarfree.com/2012/02/07/get-up-and-go-muffins/

Enjoy with a drizzle of coconut oil, optional.

 

Mmmm…Nice and toasty straight from the oven.

 

Also great in mini-size! The baking time may need to be reduced for 10-12 minutes, though, when using mini muffin tins.

 

Health Benefits: 

  • Oats: Click HERE for a post about the benefits of oats.
  • Cinnamon: Studies have shown that it can help lower LDL cholesterol, help regulate blood sugar levels, has anti-clotting effect on blood, and it can boost cognitive function and memory.
  • Coconut Oil: Coconut is widely misunderstood because of it’s high fat content; however, coconut’s saturated fat is made up of medium-chain fatty acids. These medium-chains are easy to absorb and digest, and are converted quickly into energy. This means that the body has no opportunity to store the medium-chain as fat. Coconut is also a great source of dietary fiber with a whopping 5 grams per oz!
  • Apples: a flavanoid called phloridzin that is found only in apples may protect post-menopausal women from osteoporosis and may also increase bone density. Boron, another ingredient in apples, also strengthens bones. The pectin in apples lowers LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, and it supplies galacturonic acid to the body which lowers the body’s need for insulin and may help in the management of diabetes.
  • Carrots: Carrots are best known for their eye-helping benefits. This is because the orange vegetable is full of beta-carotene, which converts to vitamin A in the liver. The antioxidant also has many anti-aging properties that can slow down the aging in cells.  Helps prevent against sun damage, and can keep skin, nails, and hair healthy and vibrant.

 

My whole family devoured this treat. We ate through three batches in three days! I had to hide some of the muffins in order to take pictures. If someone ever tells you no-one likes unsweetened muffins, think again and try these! 

 

Thought-provoking, mind-prodding question of the day:

What is your favorite muffin flavor?

I used to live near a bakery that sold all sorts of different muffins. They specialized in mini muffins, so I was able to pick three mini muffins in different flavors to try. My favorite was the chocolate cheesecake muffin. Now I cringe at the thought of eating a “muffin” full of sugar and cream cheese, much more of a cupcake than a muffin!

Day 30: Counting Down the Minutes

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Welcome to day thirty of the Sugar Free Challenge! Tomorrow is the last day for the challenge. Are you counting down the minutes or has it been easy for you?

Here is today’s sample menu:

Breakfast: Mini Smacks!

Lunch: Socca with a spinach salad topped with fresh bruschetta. Served with a hard-boiled egg.

Snack: Apple with Homemade Pistachio Butter.

Dinner: “Mac-n-Cheez”. Mix of brown rice, quinoa, green peas, and shredded chicken breast. Mix a couple Tablespoons of Nutritional Yeast in with a splash of water. Sprinkle with salt and lots of pepper!

Dessert: PBC Bars

Exercise Option: For those of you who chose to take part of the exercise challenge, your challenge today is to do 50 crunches, 10 squat jumps, 15 pushups, 20 1-legged calf raises (10 each leg).

Thought-provoking, mind-prodding question of the day:

Are you counting down the minutes, or has the challenge been relatively easy for you?

Remember that you can track what you eat on the printable Challenge Checklist. 

 

Day 24: National Peanut Butter Day

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Welcome to day twenty-four of the Sugar Free Challenge!

Did you know today is National Peanut Butter Day? Yes! My favorite food has its own holiday. So I declare today to be a day full of finger-lickin (literally. try dipping your finger in peanut butter. Tastes way better than on a spoon) Peanut butter-goodness.

Here is today’s Peanut Butter-Filled sample menu:

Breakfast: Bitter Chocolate Waffles topped with Peanut Butter and Banana Slices. Also try High Protein Cookie Crisp Cereal and PBC Bars.

Lunch: How about a good ol’ PB&J?

Snack: Apple Crisps with Peanut Butter Hummus Dip

Dinner: Homemade Spring Rolls with Spicy Peanut Sauce

Dessert: I have plenty of peanut-butter filled options for this course. Above, the Grain-Free Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Cream Sauce is a for sure winner. Also try Peanut Butter Cups and Banana Cream Pie with Peanut Butter Crust.

Exercise Option: For those of you who chose to take part of the exercise challenge, your challenge today is to do 50 crunches, 10 squat jumps, 15 pushups, 20 1-legged calf raises (10 each leg).

Personal Note: Today I get the stitches out of my mouth, so hopefully I will be able to move my mouth more easily. I feel better and better each day, and was able to do a bit of light exercise yesterday. I’m still on a liquid diet, but hopefully having the stitched removed will help me be able to eat more.

THOUGHT-PROVOKING, MIND-PRODDING QUESTION OF THE DAY:

Do you love peanut butter as much as me? What are your favorite ways to eat it, and what are your favorite recipes?

Remember that you can track what you eat on the printable Challenge Checklist. 

Day 17: Goodbye, Teeth

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Welcome to day seventeen of the Sugar Free Challenge!

Tomorrow I am having my wisdom teeth extracted-eek! I will not be “put to sleep,” nor will I have laughing gas. However, they will numb my mouth so I won’t be able to feel it. I am going to a dentist who is more holistic, so I will take a dose of magnesium and L Tryptophan to ease my anxiousness. Trust me, I will be anxious. Shots in the mouth scare me, and they hurt! I’m planning on bringing my ipod to listen to during the surgery so that I can get my mind of my teeth (and so I don’t hear any drilling or whatever they use…).

I’ll be on a liquid diet until my mouth heals, so plan on a extremely yummy soup recipe tomorrow! (see picture below)

Here is today’s sample menu:

Breakfast: Pumpkin Spice Latte Granola

 

Lunch: Butternut Squash Soup (recipe coming tomorrow!)

Snack: High Protein Sweet Potato Spice Cookies

Dinner: Veggie “Quesadilla.” Brown rice tortilla filled with sauteed veggies and black beans.

Dessert: Chocolate Covered Fruit and Nuts

Exercise Option: For those of you who chose to take part of the exercise challenge, your challenge today is to do 50 crunches, 10 squat jumps, 15 pushups, 20 1-legged calf raises (10 each leg).

THOUGHT-PROVOKING, MIND-PRODDING QUESTION OF THE DAY:

Have you had your wisdom teeth extracted? Any words of advice??

Remember that you can track what you eat on the printable Challenge Checklist. 

Day 14: Breakfast All Day Long!

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Welcome to day fourteen of the Sugar Free Challenge!

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, right? Not only does it wake your body up and give you energy for the day, but “breakfast” food, in my opinion, has some of the tastiest recipes. I categorize Breakfast food into  categories: Eggs, Oatmeal, Pancakes/Waffles, and Baked Goods/Pastries. Each “Breakfast” today will feature one of these categories.

Here is your Breakfast Sample Menu for today:

Breakfast #1: Mini Frittatas. Starting your day with protein, like the proteins found in eggs, has been shown to keep you more full throughout the day, and give you more energy.

Breakfast #2: Baked Banana Oatmeal. Oatmeal lowers cholesterol, helps burn fat, reduces risk of diabetes, regulates bowel movements, reduces blood pressure, and reduces risk of heart disease. You can also get your daily dose of oats by making Oat Cakes, Pumpkin Spice Latte granola, Strawberries and Cream Oatmeal, or Chocolate Monkey Tail Oatmeal.

Breakfast #3: Bitter Chocolate Waffles. Pancakes and Waffles are a bit time consuming to make during the weekday mornings, so why not have it for dinner? Also try One Size Fits All Pancakes and Grain-Free Pumpkin Pancakes.

Breakfast #4: For your dessert tonight, have a breakfast-inspired Oatmeal Raisin Bizookie. I have tons of different baked good recipes, so check out my recipe page above for more ideas. Some of my favorite include Smacaroons, Breakfast Bread, Grain-Free Pecan Sticky Buns, and Grain-Free Banana Bread.

Exercise Option: For those of you who chose to take part of the exercise challenge, your challenge today is to do 30 crunches, 15 squats, 10 pushups, 20 calf raises.

THOUGHT-PROVOKING, MIND-PRODDING QUESTION OF THE DAY:

Have you ever eaten breakfast for every meal of the day?

What is your favorite breakfast recipe? Please share!

Remember that you can track what you eat on the printable Challenge Checklist. 

Day 11: Oatmeal Raisin Bizookies

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Welcome to day eleven of the Sugar Free Challenge!

Here is today’s sample menu:

 

Breakfast: Oatmeal Raisin Bizookies (Recipe below)

 

Lunch: Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Apples and Bacon

 

Snack: PBC Bars

 

Dinner: Plum Socca Tart with Rosemary served with a salad or grilled meat.

 

Dessert: Neapolitan Cheesecake “Surprise!”

Exercise Option: For those of you who chose to take part of the exercise challenge, your challenge today is to do 30 crunches, 15 squats, 10 pushups, 20 calf raises.

Now what in the world is a bizookie? It is a highly addictive, buttery (without butter) cross between an oatmeal raisin cookie and a breakfast biscuit. They taste divine with a morning cup of coffee, or a nighttime cup of warm (almond) milk.

Print
Oatmeal Raisin Bizookies

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Yield: 24 bizookies

Calories per serving: 45 per bizookie

Oatmeal Raisin Bizookies

~This cookie/biscuit is gluten-free (use gf oats), dairy-free, vegan, and sugar-free!

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cup oat flour (make your own by grinding oats in a blender or food processor until fine like flour)
  • 1/2 cup rolled oats
  • 1/4 cup applesauce
  • 3 Tablespoons coconut oil, solid
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup raisins, soaked (save 1/4 cup of the water for later)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350*.
  2. Combine the dry ingredients.
  3. Mix in the applesauce, water, and raisins.
  4. Chop/crumble the solid coconut oil into the mix leaving some small chunks, and stir.
  5. Roll the dough into small 1-inch balls and place on baking sheet.
  6. Bake for 10 minutes or until bottoms are browned and tops are golden.
  7. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.
https://www.spoonfulofsugarfree.com/2012/01/11/day-11-oatmeal-raisin-bizookies/

 

I was surprised by how buttery and somewhat sweet these turned out. They crumble slightly like a biscuit, and are not overly sweet. At the same time, however, they easily curb my dessert cravings. Perfect for those days when you feel down in the dumps and need a grandma-inspired cookie/biscuit to cheer you up.

Tastes great with a smear of solidified coconut oil, too!

 

Health Benefits:

  • Oats: Click HERE for a post about the benefits of oats.
  • Cinnamon: Studies have shown that it can help lower LDL cholesterol, help regulate blood sugar levels, has anti-clotting effect on blood, and it can boost cognitive function and memory.
  • Coconut: Coconut is widely misunderstood because of it’s high fat content; however, coconut’s saturated fat is made up of medium-chain fatty acids. These medium-chains are easy to absorb and digest, and are converted quickly into energy. This means that the body has no opportunity to store the medium-chain as fat. Coconut is also a great source of dietary fiber with a whopping 5 grams per oz!

THOUGHT-PROVOKING, MIND-PRODDING QUESTION OF THE DAY:

Quick! Choose: Biscuits or cookies?