Breakfast

Cheesy Egg, Kale and Sweet Potato Muffins

While I am a big fan of a frittata, these egg muffins are great for weekly batch cooking and super easy for a grab and go breakfast. They also pack a punch nutritionally as well. The original recipe came from Danielle Walker’s cookbook, “Eat What You Love”, but of course I have tweaked it using ingredients that I love. I hope you enjoy this one!   Ingredients: 12 Eggs ½ C milk (you can use almond milk here) 1 C sharp cheddar or Gruyere cheese ½ C chopped green onion 1 C destemmed and chopped kale ½ C grated sweet potato 5 slices of cooked, crumbled bacon 2 T chopped fresh chives 3 T chopped fresh parsley 2 tsp minced fresh thyme ¾ tsp. Salt ¼ tsp. Pepper     Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 350. Place greased muffin tin on rimmed cookie sheet. (I find the silicone muffin cups work best. If you don’t have any of those you can use paper muffin cups). 2. In a large bowl beat eggs with milk, salt and pepper. 3. In a separate bowl, combine green onion, cheese, kale, sweet potato, bacon, chives, parsley and thyme. 4. Fill muffin cups with bacon mixture and push down to leave plenty of room for the egg mixture. 5. Pour egg mixture over the top of bacon mixture, filling the cups ⅔ full.     6. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center of muffin comes out clean. 7. Allow muffins […]

Mango Hormone Balancing Smoothie

  This new recipe is light and fruity and still fits the bill for Hormone Balance!  It’s packed with my favorite superfoods and has a delicious summery taste! Make yourself one and then go have a seat in the sunshine and enjoy!! Ingredients:  ½ C coconut milk 1 tsp dried Coconut 1 scoop Love N’ Peas protein powder ½ C frozen mango 1 tsp goji berries ½ tsp maca powder 1 tsp chia seeds ½ tsp bee pollen ¼ C oats   Directions:  Add all ingredients to the blender and blend until smooth! You can add a little water if the smoothie is too thick. Enjoy.           © The Sown Life LLC, 2019

Hormone Balancing Oatmeal Bowl

  For those who have attended one of my Balancing Hormone Bootcamps or have worked with me personally, then you know that this oatmeal bowl fits the bill when one is working on balancing their hormones daily. Not only is this bowl nutrient dense, but it is also full of some of the world’s greatest “superfoods”.  Each of these ingredients works to help balance your hormones and give your body some fantastic nutrients to start the day! Enjoy this breakfast recipe! Serves 2   Ingredients:  2 C filtered water 1 C old fashioned oats 2 T goji berries ¼ C sliced strawberries ¼ C blueberries 1 T chia seeds 1 T raw cacao nibs 2 tsp bee pollen 2 T chopped pecans 2 tsp maca powder Drizzle of raw honey     Directions: 1. In a medium saucepan, bring 2 cups of water to a boil. 2. Add oats and goji berries and simmer on low heat until oatmeal is soft. 3. Divide oatmeal into two bowls and top with strawberries, blueberries, chia seeds, cacao nibs, bee pollen, pecans, maca powder and drizzle some raw honey on top. ENJOY!!!!                 © The Sown Life LLC, 2019

Whole Grain Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Fall is here and it's time for all things Pumpkin.  These muffins are some of my favorites. I have been making these for years and they bring back so many memories of baking days with my kids when they were all living at home.  I am still making them for the last of the 5 kiddos and he loves them. This recipe initially came from the blog, Money Saving Mom, and I have tweaked it over the years to make them more nutrient dense.  They are both a treat and a healthy snack.  These are not difficult so give them a try.  Great way to celebrate a fall morning with a cup of coffee or tea. Ingredients: (makes 24-30 muffins) 4 eggs 1 cup raw cane sugar 3/4 cup coconut sugar 1 16oz. can pumpkin puree 3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce 3/4 cup avocado oil 3 cups Whole Wheat, Spelt or Kamut flour 2 teaspoons baking soda 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon sea salt 1 package chocolate chips   Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 2. Spray muffin tins with baking oil (I use coconut or avocado oil spray) or use paper liners. 3. Using a large mixing bowl, beat together eggs, sugar, pumpkin, and oil until well blended. 4. Add the dry ingredients and blend well. 5. Add chocolate chips and stir in gently. 6. Fill muffins cups 3/4 of the way full. 7. Bake for 16-20 minutes. 8. Remove from muffin pan and [...]

Grain-free Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Muffins

One of the best things I did when I started to eat in a more holistic and nourishing way was to revamp my baking pantry with healthier options.  I said goodbye to bleached flour and sugar and replaced them with baking items that had something to offer my body. I posted my top 10 nutrient-dense baking pantry substitutions a while back, so take a look! One of my favorite substitutions is raw cacao powder, which is amazing for hormone balance and a simple and easy switch out for cocoa powder. I am also a huge fan of coconut and almond flour. They both have healthy fat and fiber as well.  Enjoy these delicious muffins!!   Ingredients: ¼  C creamy peanut butter (you can use almond butter if you prefer) 2 T avocado oil ½ C coconut sugar 1 T vanilla extract 2 eggs, at room temperature 1 C almond milk ½ C coconut flour  2 tsp. baking powder Pinch of sea salt ⅓ C raw cacao powder (you can use high-quality cocoa powder as well) ⅓ C chocolate chips (I use Lilly’s that are sweetened with Stevia)   Directions:  1. Preheat oven to 350. Line 12 cup muffin pan with cupcake liners and generously spray the inside of each liner with nonstick cooking spray. 2. Add peanut butter, avocado oil, coconut sugar and vanilla to the bowl of an electric mixer and mix on medium speed until well combined. Slowly add in eggs, one at a time; beat again for […]

Mediterranean Sausage and Goat Cheese Frittata

  I think this might be one of my favorite brunch dishes but it is also a great supper alongside a green salad.  Eggs are so protein dense and such a complete protein.  Egg yolks also contain choline which is an important nutrient that detoxifies the liver, which is an important step in hormone balance. It is hard for me to understand why we divide this complete and nutrient dense food and put the slimy whites in a carton and call that healthy. That doesn’t seem like a whole food to me.  Sorry, but I really get upset with what these companies do to our food, claiming it is health food and charging double the price when half of the nutrition is missing.  If you want more information on the health benefits of eggs, Dr. Axe has a really great detailed article.  It is definitely educating and well worth the read. Eggs are a fairly inexpensive protein and are absolutely delicious.  Now, I do recommend Organic and Free Range Eggs. They are so much more nutrient dense than their mass-produced, supermarket counterparts.  I buy mine from a local farm and the egg yolks are a beautiful orange and have the very best flavor.     The sausage I use in this dish is also from a local Virginia Farm as well.  Riven Rock Farm raises some of the most flavorful beef, pork and lamb of any that I have tasted.  Pastured pork is leaner than mass raised pork and has unbelievable […]

Cinnamon, Chocolate and Walnut Baked Oatmeal

    Whether you are new to prepping breakfast food this or an old pro this Cinnamon, Chocolate and Walnut Baked Oatmeal is an easy recipe to add to your meal prep routine! The framework for this recipe originally came from @restoringradiance but of course, as with most recipes, I have added in some extra protein and some superfoods to make it a little more nutrient-dense and also a balancing hormone food as well.   It is so easy to make and very energizing! I hope you try it out and enjoy it as much as I do.      Ingredients: 3 C organic rolled oats 1 ¾ C almond milk 1/2 cup maple syrup 2 TBS. coconut sugar ½ C plain Greek yogurt 3 eggs, plus one egg white 1 tsp. vanilla extract 2 tsp. cinnamon 1 tsp. baking powder 2 T hemp hearts 1 T maca powder ¼ tsp. sea salt ½ C Lily’s dark chocolate chips (sweetened w/ Stevia) ½ C chopped walnuts   Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs together.  3. Add in maple syrup, coconut sugar, greek yogurt, almond milk, & vanilla extract.      4. Combine thoroughly.  Add in the oats, baking powder, cinnamon, maca, hemp hearts & sea salt. Mix until well combined.  5. Fold in chocolate chips and walnuts. 6. Bake for 25-30 min in a 9×13 baking dish coated in coconut oil!      7. Start checking oatmeal after 20 minutes […]

Herb Baked Eggs

Eggs are one of my all around favorite sources of protein. This one food is a complete protein, a healthy fat and packed with amino acids. The egg yolk, besides tasting delicious, is also full of choline which is a methylator and great at removing unwanted xeno-estrogens from the liver. Which is just one reason among many why I do not believe in leaving out the yolk and eating only the egg white; egg yolks do tremendous things for balancing your hormones! So, eat up and embrace all the delicious ways you can cook with this diverse food. I enjoy them hard boiled on a salad at times, but baked eggs are my absolute favorite. Below is an easy and quick recipe for baked eggs. You can easily throw this together for a little brunch or, for a light dinner, with a green side salad.   Ingredients: 1 T butter, melted ½ C heavy cream 1 large clove of garlic, minced 1 ½ oz ham, finely chopped 1 ½ oz gruyère cheese, finely chopped 4 eggs 1 T finely chopped herbs (I use thyme and parsley)   Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 200˚C (400˚F/Gas 6) and put a baking tray on the top shelf. 2. Grease 4 ramekins with the melted butter. 3. Pour half the cream into the ramekins and then put a quarter of the garlic, ham and cheese into each. 4. Break an egg into each ramekin. 5. Mix the remaining cream with the herbs and pour […]

Blueberry Pecan Waffles

  For this recipe, I decided to make these waffles really simple and use a mix instead of making them completely from scratch. I like to use Simple Mills or Birch Benders waffle mix but you can use whatever you have on hand.  I focused on the toppings and made a lightly sweetened homemade blueberry sauce to top these waffles! I also toasted some pecans and added a dollop of Greek yogurt. They were so delicious, healthy and easy to make. Your family will love these!!!   Ingredients:  Waffle mix- (I use Simple Mills or Birch Benders) 1 12 oz. bag frozen blueberries 1 T ghee 1 C pecans 2 T maple syrup 1 C plain Greek yogurt pinch of sea salt     Directions:  1. In a medium saucepan, blend blueberries with maple syrup. Simmer over med. Heat until all the blueberries are softened and the sauce has thickened.  2. In a small skillet, melt ghee. Once the ghee is foaming a bit add the pecans. Toast until lightly browned. Sprinkle with a little sea salt. 3. Make waffles per package directions. 4. To assemble: your waffle goes on plate first, then sprinkle with toasted pecans. Drizzle your desired amount of blueberry syrup over top and place a dollop of Greek yogurt in the center.   5. I like a bit of all the ingredients with each bite. Enjoy!         © The Sown Life LLC, 2020

Susan’s Maple Walnut Granola

This granola has been a long-standing family favorite. I’ve been making it for years and often get asked for the recipe. It tastes way better than any store-bought granola, with much less added sugar. Making your own granola can really save you money as well. Why buy an expensive box when you can make your own and fill it with goodness? Oats are very good for balancing hormones; they help the body build up progesterone and testosterone, which balances out estrogen, which is much needed if you are estrogen dominant. Also, I just need to tell you what I’ve learned about chia seeds over the years.These little guys are an amazing superfood! Per ounce, they have more Omega-3s than salmon, 11 grams of fiber and 4 grams of protein. As if that wasn’t enough, they are loaded with antioxidants and calcium and help feed the good bacteria in your gut. Amazing! All the ingredients in this granola provide sustainable energy and won’t give you a sugar crash. Also, it’s very yummy, I call that a win. Please enjoy this family favorite and all the goodness that comes with it! Ingredients: 4 cups old-fashioned oats ½ cup unsweetened coconut ½ cup walnuts 3 TBS. hemp seed 2 TBS. chia seeds 1 stick of salted grass-fed butter ⅓ cup olive oil ⅓ cup maple syrup ⅓ cup coconut sugar ½ tsp. sea salt 3 tsp. cinnamon 1 tsp. vanilla Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 2. Combine oats, coconut, walnuts, hemp […]