Soren's Purple Plate

Babies, kids, and parents eat together. Simple, healthy food ideas.

Apple Ricotta Breakfast Tart

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Baby Led Weaning (what is it?) appropriate from 7 months or as soon as you offer whole eggs.

Apple Ricotta Tart

Good morning summer Saturday!

Almost 10 years later, I’m still trying to learn to ignore the humidity in this city of New York. Only a very good attitude can save you from it, I’m telling you. We are lucky to live close to the park and all the wonderful playgrounds have sprinklers but man, when you are 6 weeks away from giving birth and running around after your almost 2-year-old toddler, little can save you… Sorry, had to vent.

Onto the better things… For breakfast we usually alternate between eggs (think omelets, frittatas, boiled, fried, etc.), porridge of any kind (buckwheat, oatmeal, millet, quinoa) and pancakes (the thousand versions that I often feature on Instagram). And then there is RICOTTA! Ricotta and farmer’s cheese deserve its own breakfast category in my world. I grew up on farmer’s cheese so it’s pretty much in my DNA. Unlike the Italians who use it mainly in pastas, I love ricotta in pancakes, tarts and just on its own with fruit or honey.

CALCIUM requirement for kids:

1-3 years old – 700 mg per day

4-8 years old – 1000 mg per day

Guess what? Ricotta has 500mg in 1 cup (compared to 300 mg in 1 cup of milk).

My son doesn’t drink regular cow’s milk but he gets his calcium usually from leafy greens, fermented dairy products (yogurts, kefir), goat milk and ricotta and farmer’s cheese. I will dedicate a special post to dairy and calcium some other day.

Apple Ricotta Tart Apple Ricotta Tart Apple Ricotta Tart Apple Ricotta Tart

Now, about this tart. It’s mildly sweetened with one ripe banana and apples. It has zero processed sugar. It has lots of calcium and can serve as breakfast, snack, to-go food or dinner. You need to make it cool substantially for it to harden. Otherwise, you will most likely need a spoon to eat it. If warm, I like it with sour cream or yogurt.

 

INGREDIENTS:

1 ripe banana
1 cup ricotta
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup kefir
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup semolina flour
2 tbsp coconut oil
pinch of salt
cinnamon
1/2 tsp vanilla powder
1 apple

Optional: raisins, chia seeds, coconut shreds, maple syrup, honey

METHOD:

1. Mash the banana. Add ricotta and eggs. Whisk by hand. Add the rest of ingredients (except apple) and let the dough sit for 10 minutes for semolina to expand.

2. Oil up your baking dish. Pour the dough into it. Thinly slice the apple and arrange it on top. You can sprinkle with more cinnamon.

3. Bake at 350F for 25-30 minutes. I have a compact convection oven so it takes me less time to bake. The tart will be ready when the top is golden and the toothpick comes out clean. Might take you 30 mins with regular oven. Play with the time.

 

 

Apple Ricotta Breakfast Tart
 
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Zero processed sugar, this mildly sweet ricotta tart is a perfect breakfast tart for the entire family including babies from 7 months old if you are offering whole eggs. Calcium rich and guilt-free. Enjoy!
Author:
Recipe type: Breakfast
Ingredients
  • 1 ripe banana
  • 1 cup ricotta
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 egg yolks
  • ½ cup kefir
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • ½ cup semolina flour
  • 2 tbsp coconut oil
  • pinch of salt
  • cinnamon
  • ½ tsp vanilla powder
  • 1 apple
  • Optional: raisins, chia seeds, coconut shreds, maple syrup, honey
Instructions
  1. Mash the banana. Add ricotta and eggs. Whisk by hand. Add the rest of ingredients (except apple) and let the dough sit for 10 minutes for semolina to expand.
  2. Oil up your baking dish. Pour the dough into it. Thinly slice the apple and arrange it on top. You can sprinkle with more cinnamon.
  3. Bake at 350F for 25-30 minutes. I have a compact convection oven so it takes me less time to bake. The tart will be ready when the top is golden and the toothpick comes out clean. Might take you 30 mins with regular oven. Play with the time.

Almond Butter Breakfast Cookies

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oatmeal cookies with almond butter

My friend Liza is a big inventor of healthy cookies and treats. She has an Instagram blog called @CookingForGrey if you are interested to take a peek there. She has the cutest toddler on Earth who is being spoilt with all kinds of yummy things.

I finally made her breakfast cookies, which were really easy and fast. Now, these cookies are a little tricky because they come out looking very different each time a new person tries making them. The only thing I changed in Liza’s recipe was I used instant oats instead of rolled oats. Mine baked very fast in the oven but I hear it takes some moms longer to make them crunchy. Play with the timing.

oat cookies with almond butter

almond butter cookies

I couldn’t keep Soren away from them. I made them this morning and they are gone – I ate most of them. They are absolutely guilt-free and I would say baby led weaning appropriate from about 8 months (they have nut butter). They are a little crunchy, which can be controlled by cooking them less or more. I made two batches: one soft for Soren and a crunchy one for us. Make sure to cook them for no longer than 14 minutes if giving to small babies. Otherwise, toast them nicely for adults for crunchiness (17 minutes). Your oven might be different so keep an eye on them.

almond butter cookies

breakfast cookies

 

INGREDIENTS:

2 ripe bananas
1 cup quick oats (or instant oats)
1/2 cup almond butter
1/2 large shaved coconut flakes (or 3/4 cup regular coconut flakes)
1.5 tbsp coconut oil (preferably solidified)
Optional:
1 tbsp hemp seeds
1/2 tsp cinnamon

METHOD:

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl. I used potato masher and then hands. Form little balls with your hands and place them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Once on the tray, flatten each ball with your fingers. Bake for 14 minutes for soft cookies and 17 minutes for crispy. Enjoy.

 

Almond Butter Breakfast Cookies
 
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Delicious, vegan, guilt-free breakfast cookies. BLW appropriate from about 8 months.
Author:
Recipe type: breakfast, cookies
Cuisine: vegan, healthy
Ingredients
  • 2 ripe bananas
  • 1 cup quick oats (or instant oats)
  • ½ cup almond butter
  • ½ large shaved coconut flakes (or ¾ cup regular coconut flakes)
  • 1.5 tbsp coconut oil (preferably solidified)
  • Optional:
  • 1 tbsp hemp seeds
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
Instructions
  1. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl. I used the potato masher and then hands.
  2. Form little balls with your hands and place them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
  3. Once on the tray, flatten each ball with your fingers.
  4. Bake for 14 minutes for soft cookies and 17 minutes for crispy.
  5. Enjoy!

 

Apple Banana Muffins

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Apple Banana Muffins

BLW appropriate from 7 months: just cut into tiny pieces and let your baby explore it. The recipe has an egg but if you don’t have any family egg allergies, I wouldn’t hesitate giving eggs. We started early with whole eggs following our pediatrician recommendation. Use your judgement and follow your intuition. I was impatient to introduce a lot of new ingredients into my son’s world and I just had a sense that he would be ok. Mama knows best.

I would say that last year of all the recipes, I used this one the most. These muffins are just a perfect healthy snack for babies and toddlers. There is no sugar of any kind; just apple and banana as a sweetener.

Pomegranates are in season now. Buy as much of it as you can. It’s an amazing source of vitamins and minerals among other things. The crazy person that I am, I used to squeeze spoonfuls of pomegranate juice using garlic press but now I give to Soren just like that for a snack and he loves eating the little bright sweet seeds. It’s fun to play with it too.

The recipe makes 12 mini and 6-8 large muffins.

Banana Apple Muffins

INGREDIENTS:

1/3 cup melted coconut oil (if you don’t have it, the recipe works just fine without it)
2 eggs
3 ripe bananas (mashed)
2 small apples, grated (with or without skin works. More fiber with skin)
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp cinnamon (put more if you love it)
1/2 cup wholewheat flour
3/4 cup instant oats
Optional: raisins, nuts, chocolate

METHOD:

Preheat oven to 325F. Hand beat eggs with coconut oil in a bowl. Add mashed bananas, baking powder, vanilla and cinnamon. Mix. Add apples. Mix. Add flour and oats. Stir well. Pour half a batch in a lightly greased muffin mold for babies. Then add raisins, chocolate and any other goodness you like to the adult batch. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool off.

 

Apple Banana Muffins
 
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These muffins are just a perfect healthy snack for babies and toddlers. There is no sugar of any kind; just apple and banana as a sweetener.
Author:
Recipe type: muffins, baking
Cuisine: healthy baking, healthy snacks
Ingredients
  • ⅓ cup melted coconut oil (if you don't have it, the recipe works just fine without it)
  • 2 eggs
  • 3 ripe bananas (mashed)
  • 2 small apples, grated (with or without skin works. More fiber with skin)
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ½ tsp cinnamon (put more if you love it)
  • ½ cup wholewheat flour
  • ¾ cup instant oats
  • Optional: raisins, nuts, chocolate
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 325F.
  2. Hand beat eggs with coconut oil in a bowl. Add mashed bananas, baking powder, vanilla and cinnamon. Mix. Add apples. Mix. Add flour and oats. Stir well.
  3. Pour half a batch in a lightly greased muffin mold for babies. Then add raisins, chocolate and any other goodness you like to the adult batch.
  4. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool off.

 

Hearty Green Smoothie

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20160108-DSC09483

BLW from 6 months (omit nut butter until 7/8 months). I was nervous to give peanut and almond butter to Soren but my pediatritian assured me that the earlier the better so I finally became brave and offered it to my son when he was 7-8 months. He was fine and loved it.

 

20160108-DSC09486
Recently I have been inspired by a few Instagram moms whose kids drink fresh juices and smoothies every day, I decided to up my game and start making more smoothies myself.

My kitchen is very small and I often feel lazy dragging the blender out (I use Vitamix) and washing all the veggies but hey, healthy eating deserves a greater effort! ??????.

This smoothie is very satisfying and doesn’t taste “green”, for those of you who are not fans of drinking their greens.

INGREDIENTS:

3 large kale leaves
3 celery stalks
1 apple
1 tbsp of almond butter
1 banana
1/2 cup almond milk
Water and/or ice cubes

METHOD:

Wash and chop all the ingredients and blend on high for 30 seconds if using a Vitamix or longer if using a less powerful blender. Add 1/2 cup of water first and then see how liquid it is. Add more if needed. (I didn’t use ice today).

 

 

Hearty Green Smoothie
 
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Author:
Recipe type: smoothie
Cuisine: healthy, vegan, vegetarian
Ingredients
  • 3 large kale leaves
  • 3 celery stalks
  • 1 apple
  • 1 tbsp of almond butter
  • 1 banana
  • ½ cup almond milk
  • Water and/or ice cubes
Instructions
  1. Wash and chop all the ingredients and blend on high for 30 seconds if using a Vitamix or longer if using a less powerful blender.
  2. Add ½ cup of water first and then see how liquid it is. Add more if needed. (I didn't use ice today)

Green Smoothie with peanut butter

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IMG_8453

Green smoothie: one for mama, one for papa and a few frozen pops for Soren. A pop like that (minus the peanut butter) was Soren’s first food when we started baby led weaning at 5.5 months. Babies learn very fast how to hold things and direct them towards their mouths purposefully. It’s a great first food and a self-feeding tool. I used Nuby Garden Fresh Fruitsicle Frozen Pop Tray , which can be purchased on Amazon.

Contrary to the old belief of having to wait until one to introduce nuts, these days it is believed that the earlier you introduce them, the better (if you don’t have nut allergies in family). I felt nervous giving peanut butter to Soren around 7 months and watched him closely every time he had it. Sometimes allergies show up after several times of having a certain food. He was fine though and liked it a lot.

Ingredients:

1 heart of romaine
2 celery stocks
1 apple with skin (make sure to buy organic. Apple is on the top of the “dirty foods” according to The Environmental Working Group or EWG)
1 banana
1 cup frozen peaches
1 tbsp ground flex seeds
1 tbsp peanut butter
A little water or even better coconut water

 

Method:

Place all the ingredients in a blender: soft and light ingredients on the bottom and heavy and hard on the top.   Blend until smooth. I use Vitamix because it really makes a difference. It’s an expensive piece of equipment but I think it’s invaluable in the kitchen.

 

Green Smoothie with peanut butter
 
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Author:
Recipe type: smoothies, snack
Ingredients
  • Ingredients:
  • 1 heart of romaine
  • 2 celery stocks
  • 1 apple with skin (make sure to buy organic. Apple is on the top of the "dirty foods" according to The Environmental Working Group or EWG)
  • 1 banana
  • 1 cup frozen peaches
  • 1 tbsp ground flex seeds
  • 1 tbsp peanut butter
  • A little water or even better coconut water
Instructions
  1. Place all the ingredients in a blender: soft and light ingredients on the bottom and heavy and hard on the top. Blend until smooth. Pour the smoothie into the
  2. I use Vitamix because it really makes a difference. It's an expensive piece of equipment but I think it's invaluable in the kitchen.

 

 

Healthy Banana Apple Muffins

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Banana Apple Muffins

These muffins are absolutely guilt-free. I wouldn’t hesitate a second giving them to my son. There is no added sugar or other sweeteners; the mildly sweet taste comes from bananas and apples.  Babies and adults love them. Super easy recipe! I tried it a dozen times and it works every time. I usually bake half batch in a mini muffin mold then add chocolate and nuts for the adult muffins.

IMG_8251 IMG_8252Ingredients:

1/3 cup melted coconut oil (if you don’t have it, the recipe works just fine without it)
2 eggs
3 ripe bananas (mashed)
2 small apples, grated (with or without skin works. More fiber with skin)
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp cinnamon (put more if you love it)
1/2 cup wholewheat flour
3/4 cup instant oats
Optional: raisins, nuts, chocolate

Method:

Preheat oven to 325F. Hand beat eggs with coconut oil in a bowl. Add mashed bananas, baking powder, vanilla and cinnamon. Mix. Add apples. Mix. Add flour and oats. Stir well. Pour half a batch in a lightly greased muffin mold for babies. Then add raisins, chocolate and any other goodness you like to the adult batch. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool off.

I hope you like it.

This recipe was adapted from Cookie & Kate recipe.

Healthy Banana Apple Muffins
 
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These healthy muffins can be enjoyed by babies and adults. There is no added sweeteners and sugar. The mildly sweet taste comes from apples and bananas. Baby Led Weaning appropriate from 6 months.
Author:
Recipe type: breakfast, treat, muffins
Ingredients
  • ⅓ cup melted coconut oil (if you don't have it, the recipe works just fine without it)
  • 2 eggs
  • 3 ripe bananas (mashed)
  • 2 small apples, grated (with or without skin works. More fiber with skin)
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ½ tsp cinnamon (put more if you love it)
  • ½ cup wholewheat flour
  • ¾ cup instant oats
  • Optional: raisins, nuts, chocolate
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 325F.
  2. Hand beat eggs with coconut oil in a bowl. Add mashed bananas, baking powder, vanilla and cinnamon. Mix. Add apples. Mix. Add flour and oats. Stir well.
  3. Pour half a batch in a lightly greased muffin mold for babies. Then add raisins, chocolate and any other goodness you like to the adult batch. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool off.
  4. Enjoy.

 

Classic Whole Wheat Crepes

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Whole Wheat Crepes

The day after Christmas. Sad or happy? With a typical sense of relief after a mad race to wrap all the presents in time, not to burn your Christmas dinner and not to forget to feed your kid, comes a bit of a melancholy and a sense of loss. I find that anticipation, the journey, the process is more enjoyable that the destination, the reaching of the goal. That’s not to say that I didn’t enjoy my lazy Christmas Day. I did. Very much. Time suddenly stops and the holiday gently wraps itself around you. Ahhh… But this morning all three of us (I’m speaking for Soren here) felt the need to experience the pleasure that doesn’t expire in any season, holiday or age. Something that doesn’t fade after the noise of the holidays… Ta-da! All this intro for a couple of warm crepes! Kinda crazy, I know.

Anyway, this morning I gave the stage of Soren’s Purple Plate to my renowned sous chef- my husband Farhad. He is the master of crepes so I could just relax and quietly watch the kitchen being destroyed ?. But all worth it – these crepes always come out delicious. We topped them up with sour cream (Russian style), Nutella (World style) and date molasses (hippy style). It’s a simple recipe. Double or triple the proportions if making for more people. The below serves 2 and a toddler.

IMG_3327

A word on date molasses: it’s my new obsession. Ever since my pregnancy I am a prisoner to sweet things. There are so few that are unprocessed (like whole fresh fruits) and even fewer that are mildly processed (like maple syrup, coconut and date sugar). Usually sweeteners are highly processed and contain all kinds of preservatives and ingredients no one can pronounce. I recently discovered date molasses. I buy the brand that contains nothing other than dates. It’s so delicious, natural, unrefined and vegan. Read more here if you are interested in learning more. And since we are on the topic of sugary stuff, read this article to see which sugar is the best for you.

 

Classic Whole Wheat Crepes
 
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These whole wheat crepes are a classic easy breakfast. Enjoy them savory with smoked salmon and cream cheese, chicken with vegetables or plain (they are not sweet) or with jam, sour cream, nutella or fruit. So simple yet always feels special.
Author:
Recipe type: breakfast
Cuisine: world
Ingredients
  • 2 eggs
  • ½ cup of whole wheat flour
  • 7 oz of milk
  • 5 tbsp of water
  • Pinch of salt
  • a knob of melted butter
Instructions
  1. Combine all the ingredients together either by whisking by hand, using a hand-held blender or a regular stand alone blender. Blend until smooth.
  2. Drop 3-4 tbsp of batter into a heated and greased pan (with coconut oil or butter) and pan fry flipping once.

 

 

Quick breakfast and tips on buying bread

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IMG_3221

I am feeling particularly lazy this morning. Not the time to be lazy when there is Christmas Eve dinner to be prepped and cooked. Maybe Santa will come and cook it for me ?; I’ve been pretty pre-e-e-tty good this year.

I would love to get more time to create some sophisticated recipes which yield delicious unusual meals. Those, I always think to myself, are worthy of a post. But then I looked at my and Soren’s breakfast plate and thought that if I were a busy mom or a not-so-busy mom (if that even exists), then I would want nothing more than a simple, almost a pretend recipe or meal idea. So here is one 60 second breakfast: mildly toast a slice of bread, spread some good quality but butter ( I used almond here) and top it with a ripe pear or an apple.

Despite the time it takes to make, it’s actually a legit healthy breakfast full of the necessary fats and proteins from the nut butter. I buy almond and peanut butter in my health foods store where you grind it yourself. Nothing other than peanuts or almonds goes in it unlike some of the jarred butters. It’s also the cheapest butter! But there are lots of jarred butters that are very good quality too; just check the ingredients to make sure there is nothing sketchy.

As for bread, we avoid most kinds of commercial packaged breads regardless of the benefits they claim they bring you. Most of the time these breads are highly processed and contain dangerous ingredients. If you are interested, here is an article written by FoodBabe on which breads you should stay away from and which ones you should eat. We like the most Ezekiel: it’s made with wheat, barley, millet, lentils, soybeans and spelt. All the ingredients are organic. And we also buy the sprouted spelt bread. Spelt is a grain closely related to wheat but that has a milder nuttier flavor. They say it’s a healthier choice than wheat and unlike wheat, where vital nutritional bran and germ are usually removed during milling, the vital substances of spelt are found in the inner kernel of the grain.

Ezekiel49

For babies and toddlers: if your bread is too soft, toast it just so it hardens a little bit. It’s easier to handle with hands that way even for the toothless munchkins.

CORN APPLE PANCAKES made with YOGURT

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Corn Apple Pancakes

Ahh, waking up to a full house of family! A dream (for some ?). I remember when I just moved to the US when I was 20, holidays time was the loneliest time ever. The streets were empty, the driveways crowded with cars, stores closed, and my family was so so far away (in Belarus). I honestly get chills when I think of that time. Now it’s different for me. I feel lucky and blessed.

Whether you are alone or not this holiday week, I hope you will treat yourself to some rest and fun. And maybe your mornings can be filled with some yummy things. Forget healthy. Now is the time to be naughty. Go ahead and pour that Nutella all over your pancakes and make some bacon on the side (my husband is scratching his head wondering where his bacon is ?).

I thought I’d give you an idea for some unusual but very yummy pancakes. They are healthy so please spoil them with some toppings of your choice. ?

I used the corn flour mix from the muffins I made last week. The muffins turned out a touch dry but you certainly can’t say that about these pancakes. I hope you enjoy them.

CORN APPLE PANCAKES made with YOGURT
 
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These corn apple pancakes are made with yogurt as a base. Have them with sour cream or fruit puree. A perfect Sunday breakfast for the whole family.
Author:
Recipe type: Breakfast
Ingredients
  • ½ cup cornmeal
  • ½ cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ¼ tsp baking soda
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • .
  • 1 grated apple with skin
  • 1 tbsp of maple syrup
  • 1 cup of yogurt (I used Greek 2% but any will work)
  • 1 egg
Instructions
  1. Mix the dry ingredients first.
  2. In a separate bowl whisk all the wet ingredients together. Now fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix until combined but don't over mix.
Now, depending on which yogurt you are using, you will need to adjust the amount of flour you add. My yogurt was pretty thick. If yours is liquid, then add a little more whole wheat flour. The dough should not be too liquidy but you also should not be able to hold it with your hands.
  1. Use a large spoon to drop pancakes onto the pan heated with coconut oil. Pan fry for 2-3 minutes on each side.

 

Mango Apple Banana pancakes

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Apple Banana Mango Pancakes

This is the simplest recipe ever. I learned it from my friend Liza who is a very talented cook and in general a “can do it all” kind of superwoman. She has a nice Instagram account called @CookingforGrey. Definitely check it out if you haven’t already.

So these pancakes have a mild sweet and sour taste. They are fruity and delicious. If you use coconut oil to pan fry (which I highly recommend), these pancakes will taste like an exotic vacation. Soren likes them with yogurt and my husband and I are guilty of pouring plum jam over them.

 

 

4.0 from 1 reviews
Mango Apple Banana pancakes
 
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These easy healthy fruit pancakes are a perfect first food for a 7 months-old baby. Everyone in the family will love them too.
Author:
Cuisine: vegetarian, baby
Ingredients
  • ½ cup mango chunks (I always use frozen)
  • 1 apple
  • 1 banana
  • 1 egg
  • oat flour
  • quinoa flour
Instructions
  1. Using a blender, blend the egg with mango, banana and apple.
  2. Add the oat and quinoa flour in equal proportions. Start adding a little at a time and see how your dough is. It should be pretty thick but you should be able to pour it. (The dough will appear thick because of the frozen mangos).
  3. In a non-stick pan, heat a little bit of coconut oil and drop tablespoonfuls of dough. Pan fry for 2 minutes on each side.