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Makes 15 Small Scones

These not-too-sweet scones are so cute and fun to serve.  They go well with a meal or a cup of tea or coffee.  Serve warm or at room temperature.  The scones are inspired by a recipe from my friend Rebecca Reilly who is one of the best gf bakers I know! I used RYZE Blue Flour Blend– so simple ‘cause the blend is all I needed, plus there are no gums or starches. 

1 ¾ cups RYZE Blue Flour Blend, more for shaping dough
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
3 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons cold unsalted butter or non-hydrogenated shortening, cut into small pieces
½ cup coarsely chopped dried cranberries (Craisins)
½ cup finely grated cheddar cheese
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon honey
 
1/3 cup milk
Egg wash (1 egg yolk mixed with 1 tablespoon milk)
   

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour blend, chives, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Add butter to dry ingredients. Using your fingers or a pastry cutter, work butter into dry ingredients to create a coarse meal. Stir in chopped cranberries and cheese.

Make a well in the middle of dry mixture. Break eggs into the well. Add honey and milk and mix together to form a soft, slightly sticky dough.  Mix until dough comes together.

Sprinkle 1 to 2 teaspoons flour blend onto a sheet of plastic wrap or parchment paper.  Turn dough onto lightly-floured surface and shape into a round that is about 1 inch thick.  Using a 1 ¾-inch biscuit cutter, cut as many rounds as possible from the dough and set about 1 inch apart on prepared cookie sheet.  Press the remnants of dough together to form another round about 1 inch thick and cut more scones.  Repeat until all the dough is used. 

Brush scones lightly with egg wash.  Place in preheated oven and bake 15 minutes or until bottoms are golden brown.

Remove scones from oven and let cool slightly on a wire rack before serving or cool completely and store in an airtight container on the counter for up to 2 days or in the freezer for up to 6 weeks.

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Recipe from Beth Hillson
Makes 4 Go-Stick Treatsbanana go sticks

Here’s a great grab-and-go breakfast or snack that’s healthy and loaded with fiber and potassium, too.  Whether you use unsweetened cocoa, coconut, or ground nuts, you’ll be getting lots of nutritional bennies in each treat.

Make a batch ahead of time so they are ready for school or breakfast on the run.  You’ll swear you are biting into a chocolate bar when you try the bananas coated with unsweetened cocoa; the coconut variety tastes like coconut cream and the nuts will make you think you’ve bitten into a nutty ice cream treat. What could be better?

No need to add fruit preserves if using the nut or coconut coating.  However, the preserves are a nice touch to cut the bitterness of unsweetened chocolate.

2 large organic bananas
¼ cup plain yogurt, preferably organic
2 teaspoons fruit preserves (no sugar added), optional

Toppings: (Choose your preference)
4 teaspoons unsweetened dark cocoa
¼ cup unsweetened coconut
¼ cup chopped unsalted almonds or peanuts

4 skewers or long toothpicks

Line a large plate with wax paper.  Peel the bananas and cut in half through the center.  Place a skewer through each banana half lengthwise.

In a small plate, combine yogurt and fruit preserves, if using.

In another plate, add cocoa, breaking up any clumps.

Spread the coconut over another plate, breaking it up with the back of a fork.  Spread the nuts over another plate, if using.

Coat each banana half in the yogurt mixture then coat it in one of the addition toppings.  Set on the wax paper lined plate and freeze for a minimum of 1 hour and up to 3 days.

When you need a Go-Stick, grab on out of the freezer and away you go!

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Recipe from Beth Hillson
Makes 12 pancakesHealthy Banana Pancakes

Most pancakes are, by definition, heavy in carbs and sugar.  Add maple syrup and you increase that load of unfriendly calories.  No wonder you’re sleepy by 10 a.m.  Not these pancakes, however. They are light and filling and don’t use a speck of sugar.  Using bananas as a substitute for fat makes them diet-friendly, too, and the small about of flour comes from nutritionally-dense flours like buckwheat, oat and flax meal.

Best yet, these can be made ahead and stored in the fridge or freezer for a healthy on-the-go breakfast.  If you are home, enjoy them with additional sliced bananas or strawberries and just a smidge of maple syrup, if you must!

The most challenging part of this recipe is keeping two bananas on the counter long enough to turn very ripe. (Someone always swipes them off my counter!) Make sure to select flours that are labeled “gluten free.”

4 large eggs
2 very ripe bananas, preferably organic
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
5 tablespoons buckwheat flour
2 tablespoons oat flour
1 tablespoon golden flax meal
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon of salt
Olive or coconut oil, optional

In a medium size bowl, thoroughly whisk 4 eggs until frothy.

In a second bowl, mash the bananas and add to the eggs.  With a fork, beat until any lumps are nearly gone.  Add the vanilla and set aside.

Mix together buckwheat flour, oat flour, flax meal, baking soda and salt.  Whisk into the egg and banana mixture.

Lightly oil a no-stick griddle or add a small amount of olive or coconut oil to a frying pan.  Heat to medium or 350 degrees F.

Spoon the pancake batter onto the pan and fry until golden brown on both sides.

Top with additional sliced banana or other fruit.

On the go tip:  Roll each pancake in chopped fruit.

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From Beth Hillson

Move over lazy summer days.  Now that school is back in session, our lives are frantic again.  We are pulled between school schedules, sports practice, and our own routines.  The last thing we need to do is stop to fix a nutritious breakfast.  But maybe it’s the first thing we need to do, too.

Here are three nutritious grab-and-go breakfast and snack recipes that will help to fill hungry tummies with healthy food and jump-start the day.

(1) balanced breakfast sandwichCheck out the Balanced Breakfast Sandwiches I whipped up with Glutino English Muffins (one of my favorite prepared foods), fried eggs and breakfast meat.  This quick and delicious meal has lots of possibilities.  Add cheese, turkey, guacamole – you name it.

 

 

Healthy Banana Pancakes(2) Don’t think you need to pull up a seat and load the plate with a stack of pancakes to enjoy my Healthy Banana Pancakes.  A mixture of banana, eggs and a small amount of nutritionally-dense flours, these sugar-free pancakes can be grabbed from the freezer or the fridge and eaten on the go.

 

(3) Banana Go-Sticks are ready when you need a quick, healthy breakfast and don’t have a minute to spare.  Grab one or two from the freezer to eat on the way to work or school.  These filling treats will see you through to lunch. banana go sticks

 

 

 

Enjoy and Happy Fall!

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