Our Instant Pot Vegetable Fried Rice is loaded with flavor and the recipe is versatile. I love this vegan fried rice recipe because it’s packed with vegetables and easy to modify by adding in a protein like tofu, egg, or even chicken if you have carnivores in the house.

Using the Instant Pot to make our Instant Pot Fried Rice means you only have one dish to clean up at the end of meal time. I love to make fried rice in the Instant Pot, and it’s the only way I will make fried rice now!

Where’s the recipe?

To better serve my community of all levels of experience here at My Crazy Good Life, I’ve made a commitment to put a ton of helpful information in all of my posts. This includes healthy eating plan information, how to meal prep, and how to easily substitute ingredients. 

If you’d like to skip over the extra information, please simply scroll to the bottom of the page, where you will find the printable Instant Pot Vegetable Fried Rice recipe.

Ingredients in Instant Pot Vegetable Fried Rice:

• White Rice: There’s a long standing debate over whether white rice is healthy or not. While it does have some short comings, it also has some benefits.
• Stir-Fry Vegetables: Usually a mixture of frozen peas, carrots, and broccoli. Some contain water chestnuts and baby corn.
• Coconut Aminos: We love using coconut aminos in our Instant Pot fried rice recipe. We find it tastes less salty than using the traditional soy sauce.
• Roasted Sesame Oil: Sesame oil provides a light nutty flavor to this recipe. We choose roasted or toasted sesame oil, but you are welcome to use regular sesame oil too.
• Ginger: We love fresh ginger, but also understand that it can take a while to properly mince. When we are running short on time, we use the frozen ginger cubes.
• Garlic: Minced garlic is a must in this recipe. We prefer using it over garlic powder in all of our Asian food recipes.
• Rice Vinegar: The riced vinegar in the recipe helps balance out the slightly sweet tone of the coconut aminos – look for the one without the added flavorings and sugar.

How to make Instant Pot Vegetable Fried Rice:

1. Add the white rice and water to the Instant Pot.
2. Attach the lid and ensure the vent is in the “sealing” position.
3. Heat the Instant Pot using the Manual Pressure / Normal / High Pressure function and set the timer for 5 minutes. The Instant Pot will take about 10 minutes to come to pressure and will then begin counting down from 5. Turn off the “keep warm” button if you have one. This will help the rice release from the bottom of the pot as it cools.
4. Once the Instant Pot has finished cooking, release the pressure manually by switching the valve to the “venting” position. Be careful— the valve will steam and my splatter.
5. Turn the Instant Pot to the sauté function. Move the rice to one side of the Instant Pot. In the empty half, pour 1 tbsp roasted sesame oil. Let the sesame oil heat slightly, then add ginger and garlic. Sauté the ginger and garlic for one minute.
6. Add the frozen vegetables, coconut aminos. rice vinegar, and remaining sesame oil. Sauté the rice and vegetables, stirring occasionally for 5-8 minutes, or until the rice has started to crisp in some areas and the vegetables are hot and cooked through.
7. Top with chopped green onions and sesame seeds. Serve fried rice warm.

Recipe Tips:

• You can also make this recipe with jasmine rice. We prefer using jasmine rice in our Instant Pot Fried Rice recipe. Although we love using jasmine rice for for this recipe, you can also use basmati rice, brown rice, or long grain white rice. Brown rice has a different cooking time than white, this posts tells you How to Cook Brown Rice in the Instant Pot.
• Using the pressure cooker to cook your rice helps cut down on extra dishes to wash. The cooked rice in the instant pot comes out perfectly every time.
• You can use fresh vegetables for this recipe, but I don’t recommend canned. They tend to get mushy. We use frozen veggies for convenience and a variety of vegetables. We prefer the stir fry frozen vegetables, but you can also go for the classic mixed frozen vegetables.
• You can omit the sesame oil if you don’t have any, but I love the nutty flavor it gives.
• If you like eggs in your fried rice, remove the rice after it is finished cooking and scramble as many eggs as you prefer before adding back the rice and vegetables. You may also move the fried rice to one side of the Instant Pot, scramble the egg on the empty side, then mix together when the egg has cooked.
• This recipe can easily be modified to add additional protein. We love making chicken fried rice when we have any leftover chicken.
• This recipe is easy to customize to your preference. I love adding bell peppers, green beans, and onions to this rice recipe.
• Store leftover rice in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Our Instant Pot Fried Rice recipe will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

Healthy Eating Plans:

Weight Watchers:

We calculated these points using the WW calculator. We use ingredients to calculate our points, not nutrition information.

Weight Watchers has told us that this is the most accurate way to calculate points for a recipe since ingredient brands can vary so much. Points were figured following the recipe exactly as written and dividing into 4 servings.

Our Instant Pot Vegetable Fried Rice is 14 points per serving.

Ultimate Portion Fix:

White rice is not on the 21 Day Fix food list. If you swapped for brown rice, this would be a compliant recipe. The cooking time for brown rice is 20 minutes.

For the entire recipe, total counts are 8 yellow containers, 2 green containers, and 30 oil teaspoons. Per serving, 2 yellow containers, 1/2 green containers, 7 teaspoons.

Reducing the aminos and oil will reduce the teaspoons.

2B Mindset

This is a 2B Mindset lunch recipe.

Other Rice Recipes

• Stir Fry Bowls
• Brown Rice Risotto in the Instant Pot
• Crack Chicken & Rice Casserole

Print

Instant Pot Vegetable Fried Rice

This Instant Pot Vegetable Fried Rice is quick, easy, vegan, and egg free. It's seriously the best fried rice, and will crush your take-out cravings without the guilt.

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 403kcal

Author Becca Ludlum

Ingredients

• 2 c white rice dry
• 2 c water
• 2 tbsp roasted sesame oil divided
• 2 tsp ginger minced
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 c stir-fry vegetables frozen
• 1/4 c coconut aminos
• 1 tsp rice vinegar

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Add the white rice and water to the Instant Pot. Attach the lid and ensure the vent is in the “sealing” position. 2 c white rice, 2 c water
• Heat the Instant Pot using the Manual Pressure-Normal-High Pressure function and set the timer for 5 minutes.
• Once the Instant Pot has finished cooking, release the pressure manually.
• Turn the Instant Pot to the Sauté function. Move the rice to one side of the Instant Pot. In the empty half, pour 1 tbsp roasted sesame oil. Let the sesame oil heat slightly, then add ginger and garlic. Sauté the ginger and garlic for one minute. 2 tbsp roasted sesame oil, 2 tsp ginger, 2 cloves garlic
• Add the frozen vegetables, coconut aminos. rice vinegar, and remaining sesame oil. 2 c stir-fry vegetables , 1/4 c coconut aminos, 1 tsp rice vinegar
• Sauté the mixture stirring occasionally for 5-8 minutes, or until the rice has started to crisp in some areas.
• Top with chopped green onions and sesame seeds. Serve fried rice warm.

Notes

• You can make this recipe with brown rice. This posts tells you How to Cook Brown Rice in the Instant Pot.
• You can use fresh vegetables for this recipe, but I don’t recommend canned. They tend to get mushy.
• You can omit the sesame oil if you don’t have any, but I love the nutty flavor it gives.
• If you like eggs in your fried rice, remove the rice after it is finished cooking and scramble as many eggs as you prefer before adding back the rice and vegetables.
• This recipe is easy to customize to your preference, I love adding bell peppers and onions. 

Weight Watchers: 
Our Instant Pot Vegetable Fried Rice is 14 2023 points per serving.

Ultimate Portion Fix:
 Per serving, 2 yellow containers, 1/2 green containers, 7 teaspoons.

 

 

Nutrition

Calories: 403kcal | Carbohydrates: 75g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 11mg | Potassium: 117mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0.1g | Vitamin A: 0.1IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Instant Pot Vegetable Fried Rice appeared first on My Crazy Good Life.

A few years ago we were in the habit of ordering takeout from our favorite Asian restaurant a little too often. The food was delicious, but I knew we could make delicious and healthy Asian food in our own kitchen. My husband and I made it our goal to recreate some of our favorite stir fry recipes at home.

Now that we’re creating delicious Asian recipes at home, we’re saving money, and enjoying a healthier version of our favorites. We feel good about these healthy changes, and actually prefer our own recipes at home over the restaurant recipes we used to love.

One of our favorite creations, our Vegetable Lo Mein Recipe, is so simple and yet so damn delicious. It’s made with a flavorful stir fry sauce, lo mein noodles, and a variety of crunchy vegetables. It’s the perfect Vegetable Lo Mein recipe to satisfy your cravings without all the added sodium you’d get from a restaurant.

This easy recipe will be your new family favorite. An easy weeknight meal that is flavorful, without a lot of fuss.

Where’s the Recipe?

Here at My Crazy Good Life we love it when our readers feel successful in the kitchen. Eating healthy is so important, and we work hard to help our readers achieve all of their healthy eating goals.

In each recipe, we include detailed information, helpful tips and tricks, healthy eating plan point information, as well as nutritional information. If you are more experienced in the kitchen and ready for a more simplified version of this recipe, simply scroll to the bottom of the page where you’ll find our easy to print Vegetable Lo Mein Recipe.

Ingredients in Vegetable Lo Mein Recipe

• Tofu: We recommend extra firm tofu for this recipe. We’ve found it makes the best crispy tofu which is exactly what we need when we make lo mein.
• Brown Rice Chow Mein Noodles or Ramen Noodles: Lo mein noodles are so important in this veggie lo mein dish. We prefer using ramen noodles or chow mein noodles made out of brown rice. It’s a healthier alternative to traditional lo mein noodles.
• Green Cabbage: Cabbage is a superfood that’s packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. If you’re looking for a time saver, you could purchase a bag of pre shredded cabbage from the grocery store.
• Carrots: We love carrots in our vegetable lo mein dish. If you’re looking for a shortcut, you can always buy a bag of matchstick carrots from the grocery store. These are already julienned and the perfect size for a stir fry.
• Broccoli Slaw: We use prepackaged broccoli slaw for this recipe. You get the flavors of broccoli without the big florets. If you aren’t able to find broccoli slaw at your grocery store, feel free to sub in other vegetables like bok choy or bell peppers.
• Celery: We love the crunch of celery. It’s the perfect addition to our veggie lo mein.
• Snow Peas: Snow peas are thinner than snap peas. We prefer these in our lo mein, but if you aren’t able to find these in your local grocery store, feel free to sub in snap peas. The crunch of a snap pea sounds delicious.
• Garlic: Our easy vegetable lo mein recipe includes garlic. We prefer using fresh garlic over the prepackaged or dried kind.
• Ginger: We love freshly grated ginger for this recipe.
• Green Onions: The perfect garnish for a stir fry.

Delicious Lo Mein Sauce Ingredients

• Coconut aminos: We prefer to use coconut aminos over regular soy sauce or low sodium soy sauce in this delicious lo mein sauce. We love the flavor of the aminos, and find our dishes much less salty when we use this over soy sauce.
• Fish sauce: The fish sauce is an important ingredient in our vegetable lo mein sauce. You should be able to find fish sauce at your local grocery store in the Asian department, or at your local Asian market.
• Zhong sauce or Sichuan chili sauce or Sambal Oelek Chili Paste: If you haven’t tried Zhong sauce, I highly recommend it! It’s delicious and helps make the perfect stir fry sauce because of the depth of flavor it provides. If you aren’t able to locate Zhong sauce at your local grocery or on Amazon, feel free to track down the Sambal Oelek chili paste.
• Sesame oil: Any delicious stir fry sauce most likely includes sesame oil. We love putting it in our stir fry, and love the complex and nutty flavor it provides for our vegetable lo mein sauce. For this recipe I prefer regular sesame oil, though I do often recommend using toasted/roasted sesame oil in many recipes.
• Vegetable broth: The Vegetable broth helps create the vegetable lo mein sauce. We always buy low sodium broth.
• Cornstarch: Cornstarch in a sauce is used to help thicken up all the sauce ingredients.

How to Make Vegetable Lo Mein Recipe

1. Drain the tofu and slice into small strips. Air fry or bake at 350º, turning after 5-7 minutes. In the oven, I like to put the tofu on parchment paper while it cooks. Cook until the tofu dries out a bit but not so much that it browns too much. Depending on the size of your air fryer, cook in small batches and set aside as it finishes. 
2. Boil water for your noodles, and cook noodles according to package directions. Rinse noodles with cold water when they’re finished cooking, then set them aside. 
3. Prepare your veggies: Shred the cabbage, peel and julienne the carrots, dice the celery, and trim the edges of the snow peas. Dice the onions and set them aside to use after your meal is finished cooking. 
4. To make the sauce combine all sauce ingredients, including cornstarch, and whisk to combine. Set aside. 
5. When the tofu is finished cooking, spray a large pan with nonstick cooking spray and turn the heat to medium-high. Add the garlic, ginger, cabbage, carrots, broccoli slaw, celery, and snow peas to the pan.  
6. Cook for 2-3 minutes, then add the cooked noodles and tofu to the pan. Turn the heat down to low-medium and mix everything together carefully. Cook for 3-5 minutes and allow the noodles and tofu to heat up a little.
7. Add the sauce to the pan and mix well. Cover the meal and turn the heat down to low and allow the food to cook on low heat for 5-7 minutes. 
8. Remove from heat and add chopped green onions to the top and serve warm. 

Recipe Tips

• You could use soy sauce or low sodium soy sauce for this recipe, however when we were recipe testing this recipe, we found the result to be much too salty. We recommend swapping out the soy sauce and sticking with coconut aminos.
• If you aren’t able to find ramen noodles or chow mein noodles, feel free to sub in udon noodles, soba noodles, or whole wheat spaghetti noodles. These choices won’t quite be the same, but will do in a pinch. We prefer using the brown rice noodles when possible.
• If you are in a bind, you could use frozen veggies.
• This stir fry is versatile. We love that you can include all the veggies! Feel free to swap in any other lo mein vegetables you have at home such as bell pepper, zucchini, or asparagus.
• I try to always toss my cubed tofu in cornstarch before cooking it. It’s not necessary, but it really helps the tofu not stick together.

Healthy Eating Plan Points

21 Day Fix

This 21 Day Fix Vegetable Lo Mein Recipe is packed full of fresh vegetables. It has a lot of teaspoons, though – I’d reduce the coconut aminos and sesame oil where I could and make sure to drink extra water to flush out the sodium from all of the teaspoon ingredients.

Entire recipe: 1 1/2 red containers, 3 yellow containers, 7 1/2 green containers, 36 teaspoons

Per serving: 1/4 red container, 1/2 yellow container, 1 1/4 green containers, 6 teaspoons

Weight Watchers

10 2023 Plan Points – reducing the coconut aminos and sesame oil in this recipe will help you reduce those points.

Looking for more healthy Asian dinner cuisine recipes?

• Healthy Bang Bang Shrimp Pasta
• Healthy Kung Pao Chicken Recipe
• Teriyaki Tofu Stir Fry Bowls with Coconut Rice
• Instant Pot Ramen Stir Fry with Chicken
• Healthy Drunken Noodles Recipe

Print

Vegetable Lo Mein Recipe

This easy vegetable lo mein recipe will be your new family favorite. An easy weeknight meal that is flavorful, without a lot of fuss.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Asian

Keyword Vegetable Lo Mein Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 6 people

Calories 495kcal

Author Becca Ludlum

Equipment

• Toaster, Oven, or Air Fryer
• Kitchen Knife
• Cutting Board

Ingredients

Lo Mein Ingredients

• 14 oz extra firm tofu drained and lightly air fried with no seasoning or sauce
• 12 oz brown rice chow mein noodles or brown rice ramen
• 1.5 cups shredded green cabbage
• 2 carrots large, julienne cut
• 1 cup broccoli slaw
• 2 celery stalks diced
• 1 cup snow peas ends cut off
• 2 tsp fresh garlic minced
• 1 tsp fresh ginger minced
• 1 bunch green onions diced

Sauce Ingredients

• 1/2 cup coconut aminos
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp Zhong sauce or sichuan chili sauce or sambal oelek chili paste
• 3 tbsp light sesame oil
• 1/2 cup vegetable broth
• 1 tbsp cornstarch

Instructions

• Drain the tofu and slice into small strips/cubes. Air fry or bake at 350º, turning after 5-7 minutes. Cook until the tofu dries out a bit but not so much that it browns.  14 oz extra firm tofu
• Boil water for your noodles, and cook noodles according to package directions. Rinse noodles with cold water when they're finished cooking, then set them aside. 12 oz brown rice chow mein noodles
• Shred the cabbage, peel and julienne the carrots, dice the celery, and trim the edges of the snow peas. Dice the onions and set them aside to use after your meal is finished cooking. 
• Combine all sauce ingredients into a medium bowl, including cornstarch, and whisk to combine. Set aside. 1/2 cup coconut aminos 1 tbsp fish sauce 1 tbsp Zhong sauce 3 tbsp light sesame oil 1/2 cup vegetable broth 1 tbsp cornstarch
• When the tofu is finished cooking, spray a large pan with nonstick cooking spray and turn the heat to medium-high. Add the garlic, ginger, cabbage, carrots, broccoli slaw, celery, and snow peas to the pan.  2 tsp fresh garlic 1 tsp fresh ginger 1.5 cups shredded green cabbage 2 carrots 1 cup broccoli slaw 2 celery stalks 1 cup snow peas
• Cook for 2-3 minutes, then add the cooked noodles and tofu to the pan. Turn the heat down to low-medium and mix everything together carefully. Cook for 3-5 minutes and allow the noodles and tofu to heat up a little.
• Add the sauce to the pan and mix well. Cover the meal and turn the heat down to low and allow the food to cook on low heat for 5-7 minutes. 
• Remove from heat and add chopped green onions to the top and serve.  1 bunch green onions

Notes

21 Day Fix

Entire recipe: 1 1/2 red containers, 3 yellow containers, 7 1/2 green containers, 36 teaspoons

Per serving: 1/4 red container, 1/2 yellow container, 1 1/4 green containers, 6 teaspoons

Weight Watchers

10  2023 Plan Points 

Nutrition

Calories: 495kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 3.8g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 561mg | Potassium: 428mg | Fiber: 7.6g | Sugar: 5.4g | Calcium: 121mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Vegetable Lo Mein Recipe appeared first on My Crazy Good Life.

I love making guacamole to go with tortilla chips or to use on top of tacos, enchiladas or burrito bowls.

Guacamole is a good source of vitamins C, E, and K, as well as fiber and healthy fats. Homemade guacamole is a delicious recipe that’s gluten and dairy free.

My signature simple guacamole recipe is heavy on cilantro, and includes only 5 ingredients. It’s an easy recipe to customize to your taste preferences, and I know you will love all the flavors of this homemade guacamole recipe!

Where’s the recipe?

Here at My Crazy Good Life we have readers of all comfort levels in the kitchen. To better serve everyone who visits our site, we make our recipes simple and easy to follow.

If you would like to skip past the ingredient information, detailed instructions, recipe tips, and healthy eating plan calculations, you can scroll to the bottom of the page where you will find our printable recipe card for this Simple Guacamole Recipe.

Ingredients in Simple Guacamole Recipe

• Avocados: Avocados are very nutritious. They’re great sources of folate, potassium, and healthy fats, as well as vitamins K, C, and E. They also contain small amounts of B vitamins and minerals, such as copper, phosphorus, magnesium, manganese, iron, and zinc. You will want to be sure to use ripe avocados to make good guacamole. If the avocado yields to firm gentle pressure, you’ll know it’s ripe and ready to eat.
• Cilantro: Fresh cilantro has a fragrant, refreshing and citrusy taste and aroma, though not everyone agrees. Some people may have a specific genetic trait where cilantro tastes like soap. I am not one of those people and I feel strongly that cilantro is essential in authentic guacamole recipes.
• Onion: I use white diced onion when I make guacamole, but you can also use red onions or even onion powder if you’re in a pinch, though not suggested.
• Tomato: I use roma tomatoes for this guacamole recipe. If you don’t like chopped tomato in your homemade guacamole, you can omit the roma tomato.
• Salt: I use just a pinch of salt when I make guacamole. I know everyone’s tastes are different so I suggest adding a little salt, then tasting the guacamole until you get the perfect guacamole flavor.
• Optional: Some other ideas to add to your homemade guacamole are fresh lime juice, jalapeno pepper or serrano pepper (if you like spicy guacamole), fresh garlic, or even grilled corn.

How to Make the Best Guacamole Recipe

1. Start by chopping the vegetables. Bigger is better in my opinion.
2. Then, in a medium bowl, gently mash the avocado with a fork or potato masher, but don’t smash too much. The best guacamole is chunky guacamole!
3. Mix the chopped onion, chopped cilantro, and chopped tomatoes together with the salt. This is called pico, and is an excellent topping for tacos, pulled pork, and enchiladas!
4. Finally, mash the avocados together with the chopped vegetables. Taste test your guacamole and adjust seasonings as needed.
5. Serve immediately and enjoy the fresh flavor of this homemade guacamole recipe!

Recipe Tips

• Guacamole is really best when it’s served fresh. If you must store leftover guacamole, it might help to add lime juice or lemon juice to keep your guac from turning brown. Simply squeeze the extra lime juice or lemon juice on top of the guacamole, and then cover with plastic wrap (laying plastic wrap directly on top of the guac, and pressing out any air bubbles.) Store guacamole in an airtight container in the refrigerator for one to three days.
• This is a basic guacamole recipe that is so easy to adjust to your preferences. You can omit or add to this simple guacamole recipe and it will still be delicious!

Healthy Eating Plans

21 Day Fix Simple Guacamole Recipe

The entire guacamole recipe is 8 Blue Containers and 1 Green Container.

Per serving, this simple guacamole is 1.25 Blue Containers and less than 1/4 of a Green Container.

Weight Watchers Simple Guacamole Recipe

5 2023 Plan Points

Looking for recipes to go with this simple guacamole recipe?

• Steak Fajita Bowl
• Healthy Carne Asada Enchiladas
• Crockpot Chicken Fajitas
• Easy Carnitas Taco Recipe
• Healthy Veggie Quesadillas

Print

Simple Guacamole Recipe

This easy guacamole recipe is so delicious and the perfect dip for tortilla chips!

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword Easy Guacamole

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 6 people

Calories 211kcal

Author Becca Ludlum

Equipment

• Cutting Board
• Kitchen Knife
• Mixing Bowls

Ingredients

• 2-3 ripe avocados
• 1 bunch cilantro
• 1/2 onion
• 1 tomato
• pinch of salt

Instructions

• Chop the veggies. Bigger is better in my opinion. 1 bunch cilantro 1/2 onion 1 tomato
• Smash the avocado with a fork, but don't smash too much. The best guacamole is chunky guacamole! 2-3 ripe avocados
• Mix your veggies together and add a pinch of salt. This is called pico, and is an excellent topping for tacos, pulled pork, and enchiladas! pinch of salt
• Mix in your avocados, then dip and enjoy.

Notes

Healthy Eating Plans

21 Day Fix Easy Guacamole Recipe

The entire easy guacamole recipe is 8 Blue Containers and 1 Green Container.

Per serving, this easy guacamole recipe is 1.25 Blue Containers and less than 1/4 of a Green Container.

Weight Watchers Easy Guacamole Recipe

Per serving: 5 2023 Plan Points

Nutrition

Calories: 211kcal | Carbohydrates: 9.9g | Protein: 2.1g | Fat: 19.6g | Saturated Fat: 4.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0g | Trans Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 58mg | Potassium: 529mg | Fiber: 7.1g | Sugar: 1.2g | Calcium: 160mg | Iron: 0.2mg

The post Simple Guacamole Recipe appeared first on My Crazy Good Life.

I love making homemade pancakes on the weekend, and these vegan pancakes without eggs are my absolute favorite pancake recipe!

When I first started eliminating meat products from my diet, I had a hard time finding a breakfast recipe without eggs. I love pancakes, but they aren’t vegan. Through trial and error we came up with this eggless pancake recipe and now it’s the only one we’ll make.

If you are looking for a healthier vegan pancake recipe you have got to try this recipe!

Where’s the Recipe?

Here at My Crazy Good Life we have readers of all comfort levels in the kitchen. To better serve everyone who visits this page, we’re dedicated to providing a lot of information about the ingredients, detailed cooking instructions, recipe tips, as well as healthy eating plan calculations.

If you’re confident in the kitchen and want to skip past all of that, please simply scroll to the bottom of the page where you will find our easy to print eggless pancakes recipe.

Ingredients in this Eggless Pancakes Recipe

• Chia seeds: Chia seeds and water are how we create an egg substitute for our eggless pancake batter. Learn more about egg substitutes here.
• Plant based milk: I use unsweetened almond milk but you can also use oat milk, coconut milk, or soy milk. Just find the unsweetened and unflavored options.
• Apple cider vinegar: We use apple cider vinegar to make a vegan butter milk alternative. You can also use white vinegar or lemon juice.
• Whole wheat flour: I like to use whole wheat flour whenever I can. Whole wheat flour and white flour are pretty different. Whole wheat flour is made by grinding entire wheat kernels into a powder, whereas white flour removes the most nutrient-rich parts: the bran and germ. Whole wheat flour is a good source of protein, fiber, and a variety of vitamins and minerals.
• Baking powder: Baking powder is what helps to make fluffy pancakes with a slightly less dense texture.
• Baking soda: We use baking soda in this recipe to neutralize the acid.
• Salt: In all baked goods, the correct amount of salt is essential for a final flavor that’s not too bland, not too salty, but just right.
• Ground cinnamon: Ground cinnamon adds a traditional flavor, and it’s a natural antioxidant.
• Vegan butter: Melted butter is what we need. I use Earth Balance butter.
• Maple syrup: Maple syrup is a natural sweetener. It’s our favorite liquid sweetener when needing to add a hint of sweet to our recipes because it contains a small amount of minerals, such as manganese and zinc. Bonus: It’s also vegan! 
• Vanilla extract: Be sure and grab the pure vanilla extract, not the imitation.

How to Make Eggless Pancakes

1. Add chia seeds to water and set aside to form a gel.
2. Add vinegar to the almond milk and set aside to allow it to curdle. The two combined will form a substitute for buttermilk.
3. In a medium bowl add the whole wheat flour, baking soda, ground cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. Mix to create your dry ingredients.
4. Stir the chia seeds. This gives them a more uniform consistency and allows them to soften. If they’re hard to stir they might need more water – it’s ok to add more.
5. Melt your butter and into a small mixing bowl add the melted vegan butter, maple syrup, and vanilla extract.
6. Add the almond milk/vinegar mixture as well as chia seeds to the other wet ingredients. Stir the wet ingredients together well and try to get as many clumps as you can from the chia seeds.
7. Mix the wet ingredients and dry ingredients just until mixed, and then set the pancake batter aside.
8. These cook differently from regular pancakes – I’ve added details instructions here for you to follow. Once you know how these cook the first time, they’ll be easier to make – I promise!
9. Turn the griddle onto medium heat to medium-high heat (just to the high side of medium) and spray with a neutral flavored oil cooking spray (olive oil or avocado oil work well). Allow the griddle to completely heat before adding pancake batter.
10. Pour your pancake batter to add 3-4 pancakes to the hot griddle – about half the amount of pancakes you’d add for a traditional recipe. Because of the absence of eggs, this eggless pancake batter spreads a bit wider and takes longer to firm up than typical batters, so you’ll want to give it some room and time to cook. Avoid the sides of the griddle where the pan won’t heat as hot. The first batch of these is a bit finicky, but it gets better with the second batch.
11. Allow these pancakes to cook for 8-9 minutes before you flip them for the first time. Maybe check the bottoms at 4-5 minutes to ensure your stovetop cooks like mine does. You’ll want the outsides of them to begin to turn golden brown before you flip them. Test the pancake before flipping by slowly sliding the spatula underneath the pancake to see if it’s solid underneath.
12. Once the pancakes are firm enough to flip, go ahead and do so. Cook for 3-4 minutes and use a butter knife to test that the pancakes are cooked through the center.
13. Remove the pancakes from the griddle and plate them, then move onto your next batch. The next rounds will cook a bit faster, but still take longer than traditional pancakes.
14. Serve your vegan pancakes warm and top with maple syrup. See recipe tips below for more delicious pancakes toppings!

Recipe Tips

• I’ll be the first to admit that cooking vegan pancakes without eggs isn’t the easiest thing to do at first, but you’ll find yourself coming back to this egg-free recipe every weekend like we do because it’s delicious and, after they’re cooked, has the consistency of traditional whole wheat pancakes.
• I double and freeze this recipe with great success. The leftover vegan pancakes are perfect for busy mornings!
• There are a variety of delicious and nutritious toppings that you can add to your vegan whole wheat pancakes. Here are a few ideas:
  • Fresh fruit, such as berries (hello blueberry pancakes!), sliced banana, or sliced apples
  • Maple syrup or agave nectar
  • Nuts and seeds, such as walnuts, almonds, or extra chia seeds
  • Nut butter, such as peanut butter or almond butter. Not only do they taste delicious, but the Mayo Clinic reports that nuts help improve cholesterol levels. A serving of nut butter is a great source of valuable nutrients.
  • Yogurt, such as coconut yogurt or soy yogurt
  • Chocolate chips, dried fruit, or spices

Healthy Eating Plans

21 Day Fix Vegan Whole Wheat Pancakes

Entire recipe: 4 Yellow Containers, 2.65 Orange Container, 6 Sweetener Teaspoons, 7 Teaspoons

Per serving: Just under 0.75 Yellow Container, 0.5 Orange Container, 1 Sweetener Teaspoon, 1 Teaspoon

Weight Watchers Vegan Whole Wheat Pancakes

5 Points on the 2023 Plan

Looking for more vegan breakfast recipes?

• Shredded Sweet Potato Hash Browns This delicious shredded sweet potato hash browns recipe has just a few simple ingredients and is great for vegan breakfast but it also makes an excellent side dish for brunch or even dinner!
• Homemade Healthy Bagels This golden brown Homemade Bagel recipe is made with whole wheat flour and tastes absolutely delicious!
• Vegan Breakfast Hash Browns Vegan Breakfast Hash Browns with Veggies is a great way to start your day! This easy gluten free recipe has crispy potatoes and a rainbow of veggies.
• Baked Banana Oatmeal This Baked Banana Oatmeal recipe is a real treat–it can easily be eaten for breakfast or dessert! Mashed bananas, whole grain oats, chia seeds, almond milk, and spices make this a hearty and fulfilling gluten free dish.

Print

Vegan Whole Wheat Pancakes

This Vegan Whole Wheat Pancakes recipe is my family's favorite Saturday morning breakfast. This vegan pancake recipe is full of plant-based, healthy ingredients, and makes the most delicious pancakes.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Keyword vegan whole wheat pancakes

Prep Time 7 minutes minutes

Cook Time 13 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 6 people

Calories 175kcal

Author Becca Ludlum

Equipment

• Mixing Bowls
• Measuring Cups
• Enameled Cast Iron Pan

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup chia seeds
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup plant based milk (I use unsweetened almond milk)
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tbsp butter melted (I prefer unsalted)
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

• Add chia seeds to water and set aside to form a gel. 1/3 cup chia seeds 1 cup water
• Add vinegar to milk and set aside to allow it to curdle, will form a substitute for buttermilk. 1 cup plant based milk 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• To a bowl, add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. 1 cup whole wheat flour 1 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/4 tsp salt 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• Stir chia seeds. This gives them a more uniform consistency and allows them to soften.
• To a small bowl add melted butter, maple syrup, and vanilla. 2 tbsp butter 2 tbsp maple syrup 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Add almond milk/vinegar mixture as well as chia seeds. Stir the wet ingredients together well and try to get as many clumps as you can from the chia seeds.
• Mix wet and dry ingredients just until mixed, set aside.
• Turn the griddle onto medium-high heat (just to the high side of medium) and spray with an olive oil cooking spray. Allow the griddle to completely heat before adding pancake batter.
• Add 3-4 pancakes to the griddle – about half the amount of pancakes you'd add for a traditional recipe. Because of the absence of eggs, this batter spreads a bit wider and takes longer to firm up than typical batters, so you'll want to give it some room and time to cook. Avoid the sides of the griddle where the pan won't heat as hot. The first batch of these is a bit finicky, but it gets better with the second batch.
• Allow these pancakes to cook for 8-9 minutes before you flip them for the first time. You'll want the outsides of them to begin to brown before you flip them. Test the pancake before flipping by slowly sliding the spatula underneath the pancake to see if it's solid underneath.
• Once the pancakes are firm enough to flip, go ahead and do so. Cook for 3-4 minutes and use a butter knife to test that the pancakes are cooked through the center.
• Remove the pancakes from the griddle and plate them, then move onto your next batch. The next rounds will cook a bit faster, but still take a bit longer than traditional pancakes.
• I'll be the first to admit that cooking pancakes without eggs isn't the easiest thing to do at first, but you'll find yourself coming back to this egg-free recipe every weekend like we do because it's delicious and after they're cooked, has the consistency of traditional whole wheat pancakes.

Notes

Recipe Tips

• I’ll be the first to admit that cooking vegan pancakes without eggs isn’t the easiest thing to do at first, but you’ll find yourself coming back to this egg-free recipe every weekend like we do because it’s delicious and after they’re cooked, has the consistency of traditional whole wheat pancakes.
• I double and freeze this recipe with great success. The leftover vegan pancakes are perfect for busy mornings!

Healthy Eating Plans

21 Day Fix Vegan Whole Wheat Pancakes

Entire recipe: 4 Yellow Containers, 2.65 Orange Container, 6 Sweetener Teaspoons, 7 Teaspoons

Per serving: Just under 0.75 Yellow Container, 0.5 Orange Container, 1 Sweetener Teaspoon, 1 Teaspoon

Weight Watchers Vegan Whole Wheat Pancakes

Per serving: 5 2023 Plan Points

Nutrition

Calories: 175kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 246mg | Potassium: 231mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 124IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 169mg | Iron: 2mg

The post Vegan Whole Wheat Pancakes appeared first on My Crazy Good Life.

Traditional lasagna is filled with delicious cheesy goodness of ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, and parmesan cheese. Balanced out with the rich flavors of marinara sauce and noodles, it’s a fan favorite. I find that when I eat traditional lasagna, it sometimes feels too heavy. Our lasagna recipe fits in perfect for those times when you’re craving lasagna, but also wanting something a little lighter.

Here at My Crazy Good Life, I’m always trying to make healthy changes to classic dishes. With our Spaghetti Squash Lasagna recipe, we promise you will love it just as much as traditional lasagna. It’s still filled with the delicious cheesy goodness through cottage cheese, greek yogurt, and mozzarella.

Our secret weapon to a healthier version is spaghetti squash. If you haven’t had a chance to cook with spaghetti squash yet, trust me. Spaghetti squash has a spaghetti noodle like consistency with a slightly sweet flavor. It pairs perfectly in this vegetarian spaghetti squash lasagna recipe with the cheese mixture and marinara sauce.

And, I mean – have you ever eaten lasagna out of an actual spaghetti squash? That’s just one less dish to wash. I call that a win.

Where’s the Recipe?

At My Crazy Good Life, we write our recipes to help all of our readers be empowered and successful in the kitchen. We realize that all of our readers have a variety of levels of confidence when cooking.

Each recipe post is full of detailed ingredient information and recipe instructions, tips and tricks, healthy eating plan points, and nutritional information. If you’re comfortable in the kitchen, you might want to skip the detailed instructions and scroll down to the bottom of the page where you’ll find our easy to print Spaghetti Squash Lasagna recipe.

Ingredients in Spaghetti Squash Lasagna

• Spaghetti Squash: This is the real MVP of the dish. It’s the noodle replacement of the the classic lasagna dish, and we guarantee you won’t miss the noodles in this recipe. When cutting the spaghetti squash in half, you’ll want to be sure to cut the spaghetti squash lengthwise. This will give you bigger squash boats to work with. Need more help with this vegetable? Read this article for how to cook, cut, and eat a spaghetti squash.
• Cauliflower: I love adding cauliflower to recipes because it takes on the flavors of the ingredients served with it. The cauliflower also helps the sauce and cheese fillings bulk up a bit.
• Cottage cheese: We prefer using the 2% fat cottage cheese when making our spaghetti squash lasagna.
• Greek yogurt: Greek yogurt offers a lot of extra protein to this recipe. We prefer to use the 2% fat Greek yogurt.
• Garlic: Is it even considered a lasagna if it doesn’t have the delicious flavors of fresh garlic included? I prefer fresh minced garlic for this recipe.
• Basil: If you have fresh basil on hand, that’d be perfect, however you can also use dried basil for this recipe.
• Oregano: Dried oregano is a classic spice of all things comfort. Often times oregano is found in Italian seasoning, however we opted to use oregano alone for our spaghetti squash lasagna boats.
• Parsley: If you have fresh parsley on hand, great. If not, dried parsley will work perfectly for this. We love recipes that don’t require 3-4 fresh herbs every time you make a recipe.
• Pasta sauce: Look for a spaghetti sauce with no added sugar. You’ll only need a little bit for this recipe, but did you know that you can freeze extra pasta sauce in ice cube trays? It’s perfect to have on hand when you only need a little bit of sauce.
• Spinach: Baby leaf spinach is the size you are looking for in our spaghetti squash lasagna recipe. If you only have regular sized spinach, that will work too.
• Mozzarella: Shredded mozzarella cheese, melted and slightly browned on top of the spaghetti squash. Does it get any better than that?

How to Make Spaghetti Squash Lasagna in Instant Pot

1. Place the trivet inside the inner pot and add 2 cups of water.
2. Cut the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise. Place the spaghetti squash halves flat on the trivet. It’s ok if they’re not completely flat – lean them up against the sides if you have to.
3. Add the cauliflower on top of the spaghetti squash. Close and lock the lid, then turn the steam release handle to Sealing.
4. Press Pressure Cook (high) and cook for 7 minutes.
5. While the spaghetti squash is cooking, combine the cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, garlic, basil, oregano, and parsley in a food processor or blender. Blend on high for 30 seconds or until smooth. Transfer the cheese mixture to a medium bowl.
6. When the squash is done cooking, allow the pressure to release naturally and then remove the squash and cauliflower from the pot.
7. Move the cauliflower to the bowl with the cottage cheese mixture and use a fork to mash and combine it with the other ingredients. Place your spaghetti squash on a baking sheet.
8. Preheat the broiler in your oven on high so you can brown the lasagna boats.
9. Using a fork, hollow out the spaghetti squash strands from the cooked spaghetti squash. Do not discard the spaghetti squash shells.
10. Add the spaghetti squash strands to the bowl with the cauliflower and cottage cheese mixture, then stir until well combined.
11. Spoon one half of the squash mixture into each of the squash shells, then top each with 1 tablespoon of the pasta sauce, a layer of the spinach, and 2 tablespoons of the mozzarella.
12. Place the boats on the baking sheet or baking dish and broil for 1-2 minutes or until the cheese is melted and slightly browned. Don’t walk away from the oven while you have food broiling, as it cooks super quick and you can easily burn it.
13. Serve immediately, and enjoy!

Recipe Tips

• If the spaghetti squash boats (halves) don’t sit flat in the Instant Pot, you may slightly angle them against the sides of the pot.
• A natural release in an Instant Pot simply means to let the sealing valve remain as is and allow the pressure to naturally release. This usually takes about 10 minutes. If your pressure isn’t released by then, you can manually release it.
• The cook time for the squash can differ slightly, depending on the size and age of the squash, so adjust as needed. (A large spaghetti squash will take longer to cook in the Instant Pot). If the squash doesn’t easily scrape out of the shells, place the shells back in the Instant Pot and pressure cook for 3 more minutes with another natural release.)
• Our recipe is for a vegetarian lasagna. If you prefer your spaghetti squash boats with meat, simply cook and add ground turkey or ground beef to the cheese mixture. Please note that all healthy eating plan points will need to be recalculated, and we haven’t tested this version of the recipe.
• If you like a little kick in your lasagna, feel free to add some red pepper flakes.
• Are you meal prepping? Store this recipe in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 6 days or freeze for up to 2 months.
• Reheating: Microwave each thawed serving for 1½ to 2 minutes.

Healthy Eating Plan Points

Weight Watchers

Our Spaghetti Squash Lasagna is 2 2023 Plan Points | 2 Blue Plan Points | 2 Green Plan Points | 2 Purple Plan Points per serving. I used fat free cottage cheese, part skim mozzarella, and Newman’s Own Organic pasta sauce for these points.

21 Day Fix

1/3 red container, 3 green containers, 1/2 blue container per serving.

2B Mindset

This recipe is a perfect lunch or dinner recipe.

Print

Spaghetti Squash Lasagna

This Spaghetti Squash Lasagna recipe is lighter than traditional lasagna. Greek yogurt gives this meal prep recipe a creamy texture and extra protein.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword Lasagna, spaghetti squash

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 7 minutes minutes

Natural Release 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 27 minutes minutes

Servings 2 people

Calories 269kcal

Author Becca Ludlum

Equipment

• 1 Instant Pot 6 qt
• 1 Instant Pot Trivet
• 1 Kitchen Knife

Ingredients

• 2 cups water
• 1 spaghetti squash small
• 1 ½ cups cauliflower chopped
• ¼ cup cottage cheese 2%
• ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt 2%
• 1 ½ tsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• ½ tsp dried parsley
• ¼ cup pasta sauce no sugar added
• ½ cup baby leaf spinach
• ¼ cup mozzarella shredded

Instructions

• Cut the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise. Add water below trivet in Instant Pot. Place spaghetti squash halves flat on the trivet. 2 cups water, 1 spaghetti squash
• Add the cauliflower on top of the spaghetti squash. 1 ½ cups cauliflower
• Select Pressure Cook (high) and set the cook time for 7 minutes.
• While the spaghetti squash is cooking, combine the cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, garlic, basil, oregano, and parsley in a food processor or blender. Blend on high for 30 seconds or until smooth and creamy. Transfer the cheese mixture to a medium bowl. ¼ cup cottage cheese, ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt, 1 ½ tsp minced garlic, 1 tsp dried basil, 1 tsp dried oregano, ½ tsp dried parsley
• When the cook time for the squash is complete, allow the pressure to release naturally.
• Transfer the cauliflower to the bowl with the cottage cheese mixture and use a fork to mash and combine it with the other ingredients.
• Preheat your oven broiler on high.
• Using a fork, hollow out each spaghetti squash strands from the cooked spaghetti squash. Do not discard the spaghetti squash shells.
• Add the spaghetti squash strands to the bowl with the cauliflower and cottage cheese mixture, then stir until well combined.
• Spoon one half of the mixture into each of the squash shells, then top each with 1 tablespoon of the pasta sauce, a layer of the spinach, and 2 tablespoons of the mozzarella. ¼ cup pasta sauce, ½ cup baby leaf spinach, ¼ cup mozzarella
• Place the boats on a baking sheet or baking dish and broil for 1-2 minutes or until the cheese is melted and slightly browned.
• Serve immediately and enjoy!

Notes

Healthy Eating Plan Points

Weight Watchers

• Our Spaghetti Squash Lasagna is 2 2023 Plan Points | 2 Blue Plan Points | 2 Green Plan Points | 2 Purple Plan Points per serving. I used fat free cottage cheese, part skim mozzarella, and Newman’s Own Organic pasta sauce for these points.

21 Day Fix

• 1/3 red container, 3 green containers, 1/2 blue container per serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 269kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 14mg | Sodium: 483mg | Potassium: 952mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 1561IU | Vitamin C: 51mg | Calcium: 300mg | Iron: 3mg

The post Spaghetti Squash Lasagna appeared first on My Crazy Good Life.

This is my years-old, family favorite base granola bar recipe that you can customize for your family. Plus, they’re no bake! When the boys were young, they were also called Mom’s Really Good Granola Bars. 

These homemade granola bars are better than store bought granola bars for several reasons. The most important reason for me is that there are no preservatives to keep them shelf stable, but I also love that I am able to customize them perfectly for my favorite flavors. Store bought bars have nothing on these.

With their perfect chewy texture, these are satisfying to eat and help to kick sugar cravings to the curb. I love that they’re naturally sweetened with honey and so easy to make.

Where’s the recipe?

Here at My Crazy Good Life, we write recipes that anyone can make – whether you’re brand new to the kitchen or have been cooking for years.

If you’re needing ingredient information, detailed instructions, recipe tips, and calculations for healthy eating plans like Weight Watchers and the 21 Day Fix, you’ll find that information below.

Just need the recipe? You’ll want to scroll down to the bottom of the post to the printable recipe for the ingredient amounts and basic recipe instructions for these Homemade Peanut Butter Granola Bars.

Ingredients in Healthy Homemade Granola Bars:

This is the base granola bar mixture.

• Oats I usually use regular oats or rolled oats. I’d stay away from steel cut oats because the texture isn’t as easy to eat and they’ll need different peanut butter and honey ratios. If you’re gluten-free, you’ll want to find gluten-free oats that have not been grown in wheat fields.
• Natural Peanut Butter Crunchy peanut butter or creamy peanut butter, whatever your preference is. I buy peanut butter that only has peanuts and salt as an ingredient – I try to stay away from palm oil. Other nut butter options (sunflower seed butter, almond butter) should work just as well.
• Honey Typically I’d say that you could swap this with pure maple syrup, but the consistency of syrup isn’t what you need for this recipe. I’d stick with honey.

Optional ingredients:

Adding these, or other optional ingredients, might mean that you need to use additional peanut butter or honey in your recipe.

2-4 tablespoons of:

• Flax seed
• Chia seeds
• MCT powder
• 7 grain cereal
• Collagen powder

One quarter cup of:

• protein powder
• unsweetened shredded coconut
• chopped nuts: I prefer almonds, walnuts, or cashews
• dried fruits like dried cranberries, raisins, or goji berries (I prefer to chop them so the texture isn’t thrown off, and the bars stick together better)
• chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, white chocolate chips, dairy free chocolate chips. If you’re looking for a chocolatey taste without the sugar, use chocolate protein powder or some cacao powder.

For the recipe that we make regularly, I use chia seeds, vanilla protein powder, shredded coconut, dried low sugar cranberries and raisins (or goji berries), and dairy free mini chocolate chips.

How to make these Healthy Homemade Peanut Butter Bars:

1. Chop the nuts and dried fruit, if you’re using them.
2. Add peanut butter, honey, oats, and any optional ingredients into a bowl and mix them well. This is SO much easier with a stand mixer.
3. Grab a 9×9 baking sheet and line it with some parchment paper. If you don’t have a 9×9 pan, any pan will do–just keep an eye on how thick your bars are.
4. Pour the peanut butter mixture onto the parchment paper. This will help you handle the granola bars to shape them.
5. Cover the mixture up with another piece of parchment paper, and begin rolling the bars flat. You can use a can of soda or beans if you don’t have a rolling pin that will fit inside the pan.
6. After your oat mixture is nice and flat, throw the top piece of parchment away and use the bottom one to lift out your granola bars onto a cooling rack.
7. Push the granola into a nice firm square on all sides, then let it sit and harden for at least an hour.
8. Cut your granola bars. I use a pizza cutter.

How to store these Peanut Butter Granola Bars:

I store my granola bars in a ziplock container in the fridge. I typically make at least a double batch and have had no problem storing them in the fridge for a month, but they typically don’t last that long.

These granola bars can also be frozen. I freeze them when I travel with them or when I want to prep.

Recipe Tips for making healthy homemade granola bars:

• This recipe is really flexible. Don’t stress about perfect measurements.
• Depending on the brand of peanut butter you’re using, you might wan to add more or leave a little out. Typically, natural peanut butter (with only peanuts and salt) is thinner than peanut butter that contains palm oil. Start by following the recipe directions and if you’re struggling to keep the bars together, add more peanut butter (or honey).

Do these Granola Bars have protein?

Each bar made with just the base recipe has 6 grams of protein before adding any optional ingredients. Adding in protein powder or collagen can increase the amount of protein per bar.

Healthy Eating Plans

21 Day Fix Granola Bars

To make this recipe as compatible as possible with weight loss plans, I’d stick with the healthy additions and opt out of the ones with sugar. This is a calorie-dense recipe, and I wouldn’t rely on it as a daily snack if you’re trying to lose weight.

With all of the teaspoons for honey and peanut butter, it doesn’t work to count these in Portion Fix containers. These are a yellow container treat swap, which means that three times a week you could eat these (or another treat) and swap it for a regular yellow container.

You can read more about both yellow and purple container treat swaps right here.

Weight Watchers Granola Bars:

For 16 servings, each serving counts as 9 Blue Plan Points | 9 Green Plan Points | 7 Purple Plan Points

If you’re on the 2023 Point Plan, count each serving as 9 points. If you’d like to reduce the points, divide this recipe into more servings. 32 servings will make each bar 5 points.

More No Bake Snacks:

• No Bake Coconut Bars
• Tahini Protein Balls
• Coconut Lime Balls

Print

Homemade Peanut Butter Granola Bars

These Homemade Peanut Butter Granola Bars are a chewy, easy to make, delicious no bake snack recipe! Base recipe is just 3 simple ingredients.

Course Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword Granola Bar, healthy

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 16 people

Calories 127kcal

Author Becca Ludlum

Equipment

• Pizza Cutter
• Parchment Paper
• Mixing Bowls

Ingredients

• 1 cup peanut butter crunchy or creamy
• 1 cup honey
• 3 cups oats

Now you have your basic granola bars. Add what you like from the list below to customize them! More options can be found in the recipe post.

• 2-4 tbsps flax seed
• 1-2 scoops protein powder
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut unsweetened
• 1/4 cup chopped nuts almonds/walnuts/cashews
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries raisins, chocolate chips – anything yummy :)

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Chop the nuts and dried fruit, if you're using them.
• Add peanut butter, honey, oats, and any optional ingredients into a bowl and mix them well. 1 cup peanut butter 1 cup honey 3 cups oats
• Grab a 9×9 baking sheet and line it with some parchment paper. If you don't have a 9×9 pan, any pan will do–just keep an eye on how thick your bars are.
• Pour the peanut butter mixture onto the parchment paper. This will help you handle the granola bars to shape them.
• Cover the mixture up with another piece of parchment paper, and begin rolling the bars flat. You can use a can of soda or beans if you don't have a rolling pin that will fit inside the pan.
• After your oat mixture is nice and flat, throw the top piece of parchment away and use the bottom one to lift out your granola bars onto a cooling rack.
• Push the granola into a nice firm square on all sides, then let it sit in the fridge and harden for an hour or so if you have the time. They'll be a little easier to cut, but the rest time is optional.
• Cut your granola bars. I use a pizza cutter.

Notes

21 Day Fix Granola Bars

To make this recipe as compatible as possible with weight loss plans, I’d stick with the healthy additions and opt out of the ones with sugar. This is a calorie-dense recipe, and I wouldn’t rely on it as a daily snack if you’re trying to lose weight.

With all of the teaspoons for honey and peanut butter, it doesn’t work to count these in Portion Fix containers. These are a yellow container treat swap, which means that three times a week you could eat these (or another treat) and swap it for a regular yellow container.

You can read more about both yellow and purple container treat swaps right here.

Weight Watchers Granola Bars:

For 16 servings, each serving counts as 9 Blue Plan Points | 9 Green Plan Points | 7 Purple Plan Points

If you’re on the 2023 Point Plan, count each serving as 9 points. If you’d like to reduce the points, divide this recipe into more servings. 32 servings will make each bar 5 points.

Nutrition

Calories: 127kcal | Carbohydrates: 19.1g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 4.4g | Saturated Fat: 0.9g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 30mg | Potassium: 112mg | Fiber: 2.3g | Sugar: 5.9g | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Homemade Peanut Butter Granola Bars appeared first on My Crazy Good Life.

It doesn’t matter if I’m looking for a sweet treat at the end of the day or just coming out of the gym trying to find a snack that will feel like a reward…these vegan black bean brownies do the trick every time!

These incredible Vegan Protein Brownies are meant to be a brownie bite, a sweet and indulgent treat, nothing that should be replacing a meal or anything like that! Keep that in mind when you are dividing them for your portions. 

You are probably wondering who would be crazy enough to put beans in a brownie recipe…there’s a method to the madness, I swear! Beans are a slow-digesting carb, which provides energy during your post-workout slump.

The beans in our protein brownies recipe is full of plant-based protein to help you repair and build muscles. Beans are high in fiber to help with feeling full longer and maintaining a healthy weight.

Beans, especially black beans, are a great way to give any recipes a nutrition boost…even a dessert recipe like our protein brownies. 

Finally, I include black beans in this protein brownie recipe because they can easily take the place of the non-vegan ingredients that we’d need to finish the recipe.

If you are looking for a gluten free or vegan way to enjoy our high protein brownies: you’ve found it! Our Vegan Protein Brownie Recipe will be one of your new favorite healthy recipes!  

Bonus! Each serving of our delicious protein brownies include four grams of protein per serving.

Where’s the Recipe?

Here at My Crazy Good Life we strive to write detailed and helpful recipes for all of our readers. We include clear instructions, recipe tips and tricks, healthy eating plan points, as well as nutritional information.

If you are ready to start cooking with a more simplified version of the recipe, simply scroll down to the bottom of the page where you’ll find our easy to print Vegan Protein Brownie Recipe.

Ingredients in Vegan Protein Brownie Recipe

• Black Beans: No need for protein powder with this recipe, the beans naturally give it an extra protein boost, and make these our favorite healthy protein brownies. Best part about it, no one will know there are black beans in the recipe unless you tell them!
• Cocoa Powder: Cocoa powder is a staple of all brownie recipes. It delivers the delicious chocolate flavor without all of the extra added refined sugar.
• Gluten Free Oats: By blending the oats in the food processor, this recipe essentially uses oat flour which helps hold the brownies together. That’s right, there is no whole wheat flour in these protein brownies, making it one of my favorite gluten free recipes.
• Salt
• Honey: (bee free honey) 
• Stevia: We use pure stevia in our recipes as a sugar substitute. We are careful when choosing which brands of stevia we use.
• Coconut Oil: We love using refined coconut oil in our baking. Coconut oil has many health benefits. We like to buy our coconut oil in bulk at Costco.
• Vanilla Extract
• Almond Extract
• Baking Powder
• Vegan Dark Chocolate Chips: Using dairy-free chocolate chips allows this recipe to be both dairy-free and gluten-free. Feel free to use regular sized chocolate chips or mini chocolate chips. We stick to the dark chocolate for the added health benefits.

How to make Vegan Protein Brownie Recipe

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Rinse and drain the black beans.
3. Blend beans in a food processor until VERY smooth. Add in the rest of your ingredients except for the chocolate chips.
4. Blend until smooth. Stir in chocolate chips.
5. Spray 8×8 oven-safe pan with olive oil, then pour brownie batter into the prepared pan.
6. Bake brownie batter at 350º for 25 to 30 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean (not counting melted chocolate).
7. Cool completely to room temperature then refrigerate, and cut in 2×2 pieces. Store brownies in the refrigerator and serve chilled.

Recipe Tips

• If you are not worried about keeping the recipe gluten free or vegan, you can use whatever kind of oats you like and also use whatever type of chips you like. You can also use regular honey in that case! I usually stick to gluten free options for this recipe because then it is delicious and more people can enjoy the results.
• If you are trying to keep these black bean brownies vegan I’ve linked a bee free honey substitute for you! If you are looking for other options you could use maple syrup though I’m not sure how that would impact the texture!
• My vegan brownie recipe comes to about 16 brownies. I cut them into 2 inch squares to get that many, you can cut them up however you like, just know the nutrition and dietary info provided is for 16 servings from these ingredients. 
• We prepare the brownie pan with a little olive oil spray, you could also line the pan with parchment paper if you don’t have any olive oil on hand. You could also prepare the dish by coating a small layer of coconut oil on the bottom and sides of the pan.
• You can use parchment paper and wrap them up to freeze. We like to store them in an airtight container before sticking them in the fridge. They’ll thaw out nicely and then you’ll have a nice little treat for when you are craving chocolate. 
• You could add more protein to this recipe by adding protein powder, however do note that we haven’t tested this version. All healthy eating plan points will need to be recalculated if you add protein powder to this recipe.
• We have a lot of other incredible vegan recipes and gluten-free recipes on our blog.
• If you want to add even more protein without using whey protein powder, these protein brownies can be topped with a dollop of nut butter like peanut butter, almond butter, or cashew butter. Just be sure to adjust your nutrition calories or container counts and points.

Healthy Eating Plan Points

Weight Watchers

The great thing about Weight Watchers is that you can have just about anything as long as you are tracking it. 10 2023 Plan Points | 9 Blue Plan Points

If you are looking for ways to reduce the points in these brownies you can cut back on the oil, honey, or the chocolate chips since they are the biggest source of your points in this recipe. I’d recommend applesauce as a partial replacement for the oil and even half the amount of chips is going to give you a nice chocolatey treat to enjoy! 

21 Day Fix Vegan Protein Brownie Recipe

Each brownie is considered a yellow container treat swap on the container programs. 

Looking for more delicious and healthy dessert recipes? 

• Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies Our Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies use simple ingredients like oats, bananas and vanilla extract.
• Healthy Apple Crumble This Healthy Apple Crumble recipe is an easy Instant Pot dessert that has less sugar than a traditional apple crisp recipe but doesn’t sacrifice taste.
• Pumpkin Wonder Whip Recipe Wonder Whips get their protein from Greek yogurt. They’re a high protein snack or dessert that you will love!
• Zucchini Bread Baked Oatmeal This Zucchini Bread Baked Oatmeal is a healthy and delicious way to start your day. Top with Greek yogurt, fresh fruit, chopped nuts, maple syrup, or a little peanut butter.
• Oatmeal Peanut Butter Protein Balls These healthy chocolate chip energy balls are made with vanilla protein powder (can also use chocolate whey protein powder), gluten free oats, peanut butter, honey, vanilla extract and other nutritious ingredients.

Print

Vegan Protein Brownie Recipe

This Vegan Protein Brownie Recipe is a healthy dessert that's full of chocolate flavor.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword black bean, Black Bean Brownie Protein Bites, gluten free, post workout, post-workout snack

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 16

Calories 207kcal

Author Becca Ludlum

Equipment

• Mixing Bowls
• Measuring Cups
• Food processor

Ingredients

• 15 oz Black Beans rinsed and drained well
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• ½ cup oats gluten-free
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup honey bee free honey
• 1 teaspoon Stevia
• ¼ cup coconut oil
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• 10 oz dark chocolate chips

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Rinse and drain the black beans. 15 oz Black Beans
• Blend beans in a food processor until VERY smooth. Add in the rest of your ingredients except for the chocolate chips. 2 tablespoons cocoa powder, ½ cup oats, ¼ teaspoon salt, ½ cup honey, 1 teaspoon Stevia, ¼ cup coconut oil, 1 tablespoon vanilla, 1 teaspoon almond extract, ½ teaspoon baking powder
• Blend until smooth. Stir in chocolate chips. 10 oz dark chocolate chips
• Pour batter into an 8×8 pan that has been sprayed with olive oil.
• Bake at 350 for 25 to 30 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean (not counting melted chocolate).
• Cool then refrigerate, and cut in 2×2 pieces. These brownies are best served chilled.

Notes

Makes 16 2×2 bites.

21 Day Fix containers: Each brownie/bite counts as a yellow treat swap. 

Weight Watchers: 10 2023 Plan Points | 9 Blue Plan Points

Nutrition

Calories: 207kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 56mg | Potassium: 243mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 69mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Vegan Protein Brownie Recipe appeared first on My Crazy Good Life.

I know that zoodles and sweet potato pasta are not the same as real linguini or spaghetti but I can’t feasibly eat those things everyday and still maintain my healthy lifestyle…so I make the best of it with delicious recipes like this!

If you’ve never tried a spiralized veggie in place of your traditional cooked pasta you should give it a go. Zoodles can be a key ingredient, along with some protein and veggies, can make a delicious and healthy alternative that you and your whole family actually enjoys!

I personally think our sweet potato pasta has more delicious flavors than any roasted sweet potatoes recipe i’ve found online. Our sweet potato pasta is also healthier and more delicious than cooked pasta.

Where’s the Recipe?

Here at My Crazy Good Life we write our recipes to all of our readers. We realize that we have a wide variety of readers who are either starting out their cooking journey, or those that are experts in the kitchen.

To help support all readers, we strive to included detailed instructions, top tips and tricks, healthy eating plan point information, as well as nutritional information. If you are ready to start cooking with the more basic version of this recipe, simply scroll down to the bottom of the page where you’ll find our easy to print How to Make Sweet Potato Pasta recipe.

Ingredients in Sweet Potato Pasta

• Butter
• Ground sage: Sage is such the perfect match for sweet potatoes. This combination reminds me of all things Fall and delicious.
• Garlic powder
• Sweet potatoes: Sweet potatoes and yams are not the same. We like sweet potatoes because they have an abundance of health benefits.
• Salt & pepper: (to taste)

Spiralizer – How to make Vegetable pasta

You can make any kind of vegetable pasta easily with a spiralizer. I love this one, I use it pretty regularly to make zoodles and all variety of other spiralized vegetables! It’s really simple. Once you have your potatoes peeled you insert them into the spiralizer and turn the crank. Smooth motions will keep your sweet potato pasta in long strands just like noodles.

I’ve found that using vegetable pasta really cuts down on carbs and helps me keep my healthy lifestyle goals on point. You’ll end up with a long core that comes out during the spiralizing process, you can chop that up a bit and include it or you can compost it or toss it. Just be aware if you’ve never made zoodles before that it’s totally normal!

If you decide you like making sweet potato pasta you have to try out this recipe for steak fajita zoodles, it’ll further solidify your obsession with spiralizing, I promise! Sweet potato linguini and other zoodle recipes are great for anyone who might be dealing with a gluten intolerance too! They can be cooked up dairy free as well so they’re amazing for special dietary needs.

How to Make Sweet Potato Pasta

1. Peel sweet potatoes.
2. Use a spiralizer with a coarse shred or flat blade to make the sweet potato pasta.
3. Melt butter in large skillet over medium high heat.
4. Add sage, garlic powder, and salt (if using).
5. Add sweet potato zoodles.
6. Stir and toss until tender (approx. 3 to 5 min).

Recipe Tips

• Our sweet potato pasta noodles are the most flavorful when you serve immediately.
• If you love roasted sweet potato, you’re going to love this pasta swap. We prefer sweet potatoes over white potatoes, although those can also have nutritional value too!
• You could serve the sweet potato pasta with a creamy sauce, or a simple pasta sauce. We think these are perfectly wonderful without an additional pasta sauce.

Healthy Eating Plan Points

Weight Watchers Points

3 2023 Plan Points | 5 Freestyle Points

21 Day Fix Sweet Potato Pasta

The entire recipe is 6 Teaspoons and 6 Yellow depending on the size of your sweet potatoes. Use your containers to measure the potatoes if you are unsure!

Depending how you decide to use this recipe, as a base, a side dish, etc. you can measure accordingly with your yellow containers. Just remember that for each Yellow you need to count a Teaspoon as well!

2B Mindset

This recipe makes an excellent choice for Fiber Filled Carbohydrates. Your FFC’s vary based on which meal of the day so you can measure out your portions accordingly! Add some protein like these teriyaki turkey meatballs and some veggies and you’ll be on your way to an excellent 2B Mindset meal.  

Looking for more healthy recipes?

If you are searching for more delicious 21 Day Fix recipes you can find them right here. I’ve included a few that would go great with sweet potato pasta zoodles!

• Healthy Teriyaki Meatballs
• Instant Pot Mini Meatloaf
• Turkey Swedish Meatballs in the Instant Pot
• Steak Fajita Recipe with Zoodles

Print

How to Make Sweet Potato Pasta

Our sweet potato pasta is a healthy, gluten free pasta alternative that tastes delicious.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword Sweet Potato Linguini

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 6 Servings

Calories 92kcal

Author Becca Ludlum

Equipment

• Spiralizer
• Enameled Cast Iron Pan
• Kitchen Knife

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 tsp sage ground
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• salt to taste
• 3 sweet potatoes long ones make for pretty noodles!

Instructions

• Peel potatos 3 sweet potatoes
• Use a spiralizer with a coarse shred or flat blade to make the sweet potato pasta
• Melt butter in large skillet 2 tbsp butter
• Add sage, garlic powder, and salt 1 tsp sage, 1 tsp garlic powder, salt
• Add potato zoodles
• Stir and toss over medium high heat until tender (approx. 3 to 5 min)

Notes

21 Day Fix: Entire Recipe is 6 T and 6 Y

WW: 3 2023 Plan Points | 5 Freestyle Points

Nutrition

Calories: 92kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 70mg | Potassium: 225mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 9340IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 1mg

The post How to Make Sweet Potato Pasta appeared first on My Crazy Good Life.

Our flour-free Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies are made with only five simple ingredients. Ingredients that you most likely always have on hand, and are ready to go in a sweet craving emergency.

Our baked cookies are easy to make, and will be your new go to recipe for banana oatmeal cookies. With no refined sugar, our recipe is naturally sweetened with bananas.

These easy banana oatmeal cookies can also be easily modified to be gluten-free by using gluten free oatmeal!

Pro tip: Double our easy banana oatmeal cookies recipe and thank me later. We love to keep a batch in the freezer ready to go when our craving strikes.

Where’s the Recipe?

Here at My Crazy Good Life we write our recipes so all of our readers can be successful. In each recipe, we include detailed instructions, healthy eating plan points, tips and tricks, and nutritional information.

If you are a novice in the kitchen, you’ve come to the right place. We’ll support you along your cooking journey and help you be successful! If you are ready to start cooking without all of our helpful tips and tricks, simply scroll to the bottom of the page where you’ll find our easy to print Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe.

Ingredients

• Bananas: You’ll need a mashed bananas or two on hand that are ripe. We’ve used overripe bananas too, and they work great, also. The mashed banana will naturally sweeten the absolutely delicious oatmeal cookies. Don’t worry, the banana flavor isn’t overpowering in this recipe. You’ll enjoy a subtle banana flavor in our banana oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.
• Oats: Quick oats or old fashioned rolled oats, it didn’t seem to matter which I used. You may also use gluten free oats in this cookie recipe if needed.
• Cinnamon: Anything with cinnamon will taste amazing. The cinnamon combined with the oats, mashed banana, and dark chocolate chips is perfection in a bite.
• Vanilla Extract: Yum. Vanilla flavor mixed with oats and chocolate chips. Swoon.
• Sea salt: In my opinion, all things delicious have a solid blend of sweet and salty.
• Dark chocolate chips: We love the flavor of dark chocolate chips with these banana oatmeal cookies. If you do choose to use a different type of chocolate chip, like semi sweet chocolate chips, please recalculate your healthy eating plan points.

How to Make Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies in the Oven

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Mash the bananas with a fork. I tried to do them with my mixer, but they didn’t get as mushy as I wanted. The fork works well.
3. Add everything but the chocolate chips to the large mixing bowl and mix for 1 minute.
4. Add chocolate chips and stir by hand.
5. Drop large spoonfuls of unbaked cookie dough onto a prepared baking sheet, you should get about 8 cookies per batch.
6. Cook for 18-22 minutes. It’s not easy to tell when they’re done because they’re so dark. I poke them and see if they fall apart. If they start to come apart, give them a few more minutes.
7. Remove and cool completely and store in the fridge.

Recipe Tips

• Be sure to let the banana oatmeal chocolate chip cookies cool completely before transferring them to an airtight container if storing in the refrigerator. Our oatmeal banana cookies may also be stored in the freezer for a longer period of time.
• To thaw the cookies from the freezer, simply move the cookies to the refrigerator. We don’t recommend heating them in the microwave.
• Use ripe bananas for this recipe. You can identify ripe bananas as bananas that are yellow with brown spots on it. Overripe bananas tend to turn mostly brown. They will still work, but we’ve found the most success in using ripe bananas that just have a little bit of brown spots on the peel.
• Normally cookies turn a nice golden brown color when finished. Since these are darker in color, you won’t be able to use the golden brown coloring as a key to tell when finished. We use the poke test on this. If you poke them, and they start to fall apart put them back in the oven for a few minutes.
• This banana chocolate chip cookies call for dark chocolate chips. If you use semi sweet chocolate chips, or milk chocolate chips in this recipe, you’ll need to recalculate your healthy eating plan points.
• This recipe could easily be modified into a gluten free recipe. Simply swap out the old fashioned oats for a gluten free variety of oats. They make plenty of brands of gluten free old fashioned oats, as well as gluten free quick oats available in grocery stores.
• We love that our banana oatmeal chocolate chip cookies are made with no refined sugar. You won’t find granulated sugar, or light brown sugar in this recipe. They are naturally sweetened with the mashed banana. These yummy cookies are perfectly sweet without the added sugar.
• Our healthy banana oatmeal cookies could be made without chocolate chips, and instead add raisins into the banana cookies. Both way of making our banana oatmeal cookies taste amazing.

Healthy Eating Plans

21 Day Fix or Portion Fix

Counts as a yellow container treat swap. 2 cookies = one yellow container.

If you’re using raisins in these cookies, your swap will be 1/2 purple, 1/2 yellow, 1/2 teaspoon :)

Weight Watchers

Each serving counts as 3 2023 Plan Points | 3 Blue Points | 3 Green Points | 2 Purple Points each if you make 8 per batch. If you make them smaller you can adjust your points accordingly.

More Delicious Recipes

• Healthy Rice Pudding Recipe with Brown Rice
• Healthy Peanut Butter Granola Bars
• Dairy Free Chocolate Ice Cream
• Post Workout Snack | Apple Cookie Snacks
• 2B Mindset Dessert Recipes

Print

Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

These healthier banana oatmeal cookies are the perfect healthy cookie! I think you could even have them for breakfast.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword 21 Day Fix, Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies, healthy, healthy chocolate chip cookies, Weight Watchers

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 22 minutes minutes

Total Time 27 minutes minutes

Servings 8 cookies

Calories 98kcal

Author Becca Ludlum

Equipment

• Mixing Bowls
• Baking Sheet
• Parchment Paper

Ingredients

Ingredients

• 2 bananas mashed, ripe
• 1 cup oats quick cook or rolled, it didn’t seem to matter which I used. Use gluten free oats if needed.
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 325º.
• Mash the bananas with a fork. I tried to do them with my mixer, but they didn't get as mushy as I wanted. 2 bananas
• Add all of the ingredients, except for the chocolate chips, to a mixing bowl and mix together for 1 minute. 1 cup oats , 2 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp vanilla, 1/4 tsp sea salt
• Add chocolate chips and stir by hand. (this will keep them from breaking). 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips
• Using a spoon, place 8 cookie-sized portions onto a greased cookie sheet.
• Cook for 18-22 minutes. It's not easy to tell when they're done because they're so dark. I poke them and see if they fall apart. If they start to come apart, give them a few more minutes.
• When done,  cool and store in the fridge.

Video

Notes

• 21 Day Fix: This counts as a yellow container treat swap. 2 cookies = one yellow container.
• Weight Watchers Each serving counts as 3 2023 Plan Points | 3 Blue Points | 3 Green Points | 2 Purple Points each if you make 8 per batch. If you make them smaller you can adjust your points accordingly.

Nutrition

Calories: 98kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 79mg | Potassium: 177mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 20IU | Vitamin C: 2.6mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 0.6mg

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The post Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies appeared first on My Crazy Good Life.

Cinnamon and coconut sugar combine to make this healthy french toast casserole an absolutely delicious breakfast that your whole family will love.

This French toast casserole is one of my favorite breakfast recipes to make for meal prep. It keeps well in the fridge overnight or even in the freezer for a couple months. Just microwave it when you’re ready to eat and top with fresh berries or fresh fruit for a healthy meal.

Where’s the recipe?

Here at My Crazy Good Life we have readers of all comfort levels in the kitchen. To better serve everyone, we write our posts will lots of helpful information.

In this article you will find ingredient information, detailed cooking instructions, recipe tips, and healthy eating plan calculations. If you want skip past all of that and get straight to the recipe, scroll down to the bottom of the page to find the easy to print Healthy French Toast Casserole recipe card.

Ingredients in Healthy French Toast Casserole

• Bread: choose your favorite whole grain bread for this french toast casserole. Whole grains are a great source of fiber and can have positive health effects. Stale bread is preferred to fresh bread when making baked french toast casserole. You can use other bread options like sourdough bread, french bread, gluten free bread, brioche bread, or challah bread. Just be sure to adjust your points and nutrition serving calculations if you make any changes.
• Eggs: eggs are loaded with vitamins, minerals, high-quality protein, good fats and other nutrients that are good for us.
• Almond milk: I substitute almond milk for a lot of recipes that call for milk. It’s a healthy plant-based alternative to cow’s milk and is naturally high in vitamin E. You can use regular milk, or another dairy substitute like oat milk or soy milk.
• Cinnamon: Is it even french toast if there isn’t any cinnamon? I think not. Cinnamon adds the perfect spice to this healthy french toast casserole.
• Nutmeg: I like to add nutmeg to this french toast casserole because it adds a warm, nutty flavor to the dish. This baked french toast casserole is the breakfast I make on Christmas morning, and the nutmeg in it is the perfect spice to really say Christmas breakfast.
• Vanilla extract: vanilla extract is another non negotiable ingredient in french toast. Make sure to use pure vanilla extract.
• Coconut sugar: coconut sugar is very similar to regular white sugar, although it is less processed and contains trace amounts of nutrients. While it is still sugar, it may have a lower glycemic index than white sugar.
• Maple syrup: use pure maple syrup – it contains small amounts of minerals like manganese and zinc.

How to Make French Toast Casserole in the Instant Pot

1. We need to start by getting the bread slices or cubes really dry and crusty, so preheat your oven to 200ºF. (If your bread slices are already sufficiently dry, you can skip this step.)
2. Scatter the bread cubes or chunks in a single layer on top of a large baking dish or sheet. Place in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until your bread cubes are dry.
3. Next, place your trivet into the inner pot of your Instant Pot, and add 1 1/2 cups of water to the pot.
4. Now coat a 7-inch round baking pan or oven-safe dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
5. In a large bowl add the eggs and use a fork to whisk. Then add the almond milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, coconut sugar, and maple syrup and stir to combine.
6. Now add bread cubes to the bowl and using a large spoon, stir gently to coat the cubed bread with the egg mixture.
7. Next, transfer the egg mixture soaked bread cubes to the prepared 7-inch round baking dish, lightly pressing the bread cubes down into the pan so that they are well packed. Cover the pan with foil and place it on the trivet. Using the trivet handles, lower the trivet – holding the baking dish – into the Instant Pot.
8. Close and lock the lid, then turn the steam release valve to sealing. Set the Instant Pot to Pressure Cook on high pressure and set the cooking time for 65 minutes.
9. When the cook time is complete, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then quick release the remaining pressure and remove the lid.
10. Using oven mitts, carefully remove the baking dish using the trivet handles. Take the foil off and let the french toast casserole cool for 5 minutes before serving.

How to Make Baked French Toast Casserole

Same delicious taste without a pressure cooker. You’re going to love this Baked French Toast recipe.

1. Get the bread slices ready as you would in the Instant Pot directions above. Preheat your oven to 350º.
2. Coat your casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside. I prefer to use a more shallow pan that is larger rather than a smaller deep pan, as it takes less time to cook and the more shallow pan won’t make your french toast casserole soggy.
3. In a large bowl, make the french toast batter by combining the eggs, almond milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, coconut sugar, and maple syrup. Use a fork to whisk.
4. Add bread cubes to the bowl and using a large spoon, stir gently to coat the cubed bread with the egg mixture.
5. Next, transfer the soaked bread cubes to the prepared casserole dish. Cover the pan with foil and place it in the preheated oven.
6. Bake for 25 minutes, then remove the foil so the casserole can get that golden brown topping we all love so much.
7. After another 15-25 minutes, test for doneness with a butter knife poked into the center of the dish – if your knife comes out clean (or mostly clean), the French Toast Casserole is finished!
8. This recipe typically takes about 40 minutes to cook for me, but your timing might be a little different based on the pan you used and how your oven cooks.

Recipe Tips

• This easy French toast casserole is perfect for meal prepping. I cook the french toast and then let it cool before I cut it up into 8 equal-sized servings. Then I place the French toast into meal prepping containers and refrigerator overnight or for up to 6 days.
• This French toast casserole can also be frozen in individual serving sized containers for 2 months. When you’re ready to eat, just thaw and microwave for 30 to 60 seconds. Serve with fresh berries or fresh fruit for a healthy meal.
• This recipe can also be made into French Toast Cups using egg bite molds in your Instant Pot. Pack 3 molds with the bread soaked mixture, then cover the molds with foil. Cook 2 molds on high pressure for 30 minutes with a natural release. Remove the 2 molds and cook the third mold for 20 minutes, also with a natural release.
• If you love maple syrup you can add more maple syrup after the French toast casserole has cooked, just be sure to adjust your points and containers if you do.
• Another addition that we sometimes add is chopped pecans. That little crunch on top of the French toast casserole is delicious.

Top this recipe with:

• Pumpkin Pie Spice
• Sliced bananas and peanut butter
• Unflavored or Vanilla Greek yogurt
• Orange zest
• Powdered sugar and fresh berries

Healthy Eating Plans

21 Day Fix Healthy French Toast Casserole

Entire recipe of French toast casserole (serves 8): 2 red containers, 12 yellow containers, 2 teaspoons

Per serving: 1/4 red container, 1 1/2 yellow containers, and 1/4 teaspoon

Weight Watchers

8 2023 Plan Points | 8 Blue Plan Points | 9 Green Plan Points | 8 Purple Plan Points

Looking for more healthy breakfast recipes like this French Toast?

• Easy Breakfast Casserole with Potatoes – This easy breakfast casserole with potatoes is a delicious breakfast recipe that has a southwest twist you are going to love.
• Egg Free Whole Wheat Pancakes – One of my very favorite recipes to make and freeze! We always have these ready in our freezer.
• Healthy Donuts in a Blender – This healthy donut in a blender is one of my favorite recipes to make for weekend breakfast. It’s a gluten free donut recipe that has no refined sugar and is made with simple ingredients.
• Easy Chicken Apple Sausage Patties – Our easy chicken apple sausage patties are healthier than those found at the grocery store and they taste delicious. This is a great side dish option to healthy french toast casserole.
• Instant Pot Baked Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal – This healthy baked oatmeal recipe contains no refined sugar like brown sugar, but instead uses maple syrup to sweeten it.
• Zucchini Breakfast Casserole with Sausage and Egg – This Zucchini Breakfast Casserole recipe is so easy to make and perfect for meal prep! It’s my favorite way to make breakfast ahead of time for the week, and I love that it contains sausage and eggs.

Print

Healthy French Toast Casserole

Cinnamon and coconut sugar combine to make this healthy french toast casserole an absolutely delicious breakfast that your whole family will love.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Keyword French Toast Casserole, healthy french toast casserole

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

Natural Release 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Servings 8 people

Calories 253kcal

Author Becca Ludlum

Equipment

• Instant Pot 6 qt
• Round Instant Pot Pan
• Instant Pot Trivet

Ingredients

• 20 oz loaf whole-grain bread (preferably stale), torn into small chunks
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups almond milk plain, unsweetened
• 2 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 2 tbsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp coconut sugar
• 1/4 cup maple syrup

Instructions

Instant Pot Instructions

• Preheat the oven on the lowest setting to 200ºF (95ºC). Place the trivet in the inner pot and add 1 1/2 cups of water. Coat a 7-inch round baking pan or oven safe dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
• Scatter the bread chunks in a single layer across a large baking sheet. Place in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until the bread becomes dry and crusty. 20 oz loaf whole-grain bread
• Whisk the eggs with the almond milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, coconut sugar, and maple syrup. 4 eggs 2 cups almond milk 2 tbsp ground cinnamon 2 tsp ground nutmeg 2 tbsp vanilla extract 2 tbsp coconut sugar 1/4 cup maple syrup
• Add the bread pieces to the egg mixture and stir to coat the bread evenly.
• Transfer the bread pieces to your prepared baking pan, lightly pressing them so they're well packed. Cover the pan with foil, place it on the trivet, and then lower it into the Instant Pot.
• Close and lock the lid, and then turn the pressure valve to sealing. Select pressure cook (high) and cook for 65 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, and then quick release the remaining pressure.
• Using oven mitts, carefully remove the trivet holding the pan. Let sit for 5 minutes and serve immediately, or store in an airtight container for meal prep.

Oven Instructions

• Get the bread slices ready as you would in the Instant Pot directions above. Preheat your oven to 350º. 20 oz loaf whole-grain bread
• Coat your casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
• Whisk together the eggs, almond milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, coconut sugar, and maple syrup. 4 eggs 2 cups almond milk 2 tbsp ground cinnamon 2 tsp ground nutmeg 2 tbsp vanilla extract 2 tbsp coconut sugar 1/4 cup maple syrup
• Add bread cubes to the bowl and using a large spoon, stir gently to coat the cubed bread with the egg mixture.
• Transfer the soaked bread cubes to the prepared casserole dish. Cover the pan with foil and place it in the preheated oven.
• Bake for 25 minutes and then remove the foil.
• Bake for another 15-25 minutes. Test for doneness with a butter knife poked into the center of the dish.
• Serve immediately or cool and store in an airtight container for meal prep.

Notes

21 Day Fix Healthy French Toast Casserole

Entire recipe of French toast casserole (serves 8): 2 red containers, 12 yellow containers, 2 teaspoons

Per serving: 1/4 red container, 1 1/2 yellow containers, and 1/4 teaspoon

Weight Watchers

8 2023 Plan Points | 8 Blue Plan Points | 9 Green Plan Points | 8 Purple Plan Points

Nutrition

Calories: 253kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 82mg | Sodium: 403mg | Potassium: 224mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 16.8g | Calcium: 79mg | Iron: 2mg

The post Healthy French Toast Casserole appeared first on My Crazy Good Life.