There was no resolution making last year.

There will be no resolution making this year.

However, there are things I want to accomplish. Things that have nothing to do with Jan 1st or 2012. Just things.

One undertaking I’ve been meaning to start for quite some time, is revisiting the oven-baked, vegan + gluten free buckwheat bakes. While I already have a large list of breakfast bake recipes, many of them could use a little tweaking. They’re a bit temperamental and vary with every ingredient you add or take away. A few months back, I made the discovery that using plain ground flax instead of flax eggs, works much better. In using this method, I’ve had more success with baked goods cooking fully and not having a gummy center.

With that discovery, and your appreciated comments + substitution questions, the ideas I have for this breakfast creation are endless.

Even with working from home, I’ve grown a bit lazy on baking these in the oven in the morning. When I wake up I want food immediately. I also want to start working immediately and not wait 35min for the oven to go off before my day can start. Look at me, complaining about my own recipe!

The microwave bakes have become so easy. Too easy! While they are tasty and great in a pinch, I prefer the oven-baked versions.

Prepping 2 or more of these at a time, takes only minutes longer than prepping one. You can store them in the fridge for the week, or wrap tightly and freeze. Thaw in your fridge the night before, re-heat in the morning + top with nut butter.

My favorite way to re-heat the bakes is to add a bit of coconut oil in a pan over medium heat, slice the bake in half and brown on both sides. Then sandwich banana + nut butter in the middle.

With 5 total trials, including 2 flops, I have 3 new recipes to share.

Three new breakfast recipes, that youwill make time for. Whether in the morning, or at night, you need to carve out a little time to pop these in the oven.

Mornings never tasted so good.

Vegan + Gluten Free Breakfast Bakes

With each new bake recipe, I’ll be trying out different mixes of flours and add-ins. This means I won’t be offering as many substitutions since I know these combinations definitely work. Instead of always using buckwheat flour and adding chia seeds, I’ll explore other methods + ingredients. Tips + substitutions will follow at the end of the 3rd recipe. More options coming soon!

Banana Oat Bake

serves 1

For those that can never seem to find those pesky raw buckwheat groats, or locate raw buckwheat flour, this recipe is for you. Gluten-free or not, grind up some oats into flour and try this out for your next breakfast. The texture is doughy, dense + delicious.

3 Tablespoons banana, well mashed
5 Tablespoons oat flour
1.5 Tablespoons gluten-free rolled oats
1 Tablespoon chia seeds
1 Tablespoon ground flax meal
5 Tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2-1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Preheat your oven to 350* [high altitude, use 370*] and thoroughly grease a small baking dish [~5” diameter].
In a bowl, mash the banana completely, add in all the other ingredients and stir until just combined. *do not over stir
Spread the thick batter into the greased dish and bake for about 35min. The top will be set, the edges will be brown and you want a toothpick to come out moist but not gooey.
Release from the dish by sliding a fork around the edge. Top + serve!

Blueberry Banana Oat Bake

serves 1

A simpler + more cake-like version than above, this bake leaves out the chia seeds and adds blueberries and a little extra flour. With the blueberries + banana, no additional sweetness is needed. Just slather on the nut butter and maybe a sprinkle of coconut, and you’re good to go.

3 Tablespoons banana, well mashed
6 Tablespoons gluten-free oat flour
1 Tablespoon gluten-free rolled oats
1 Tablespoon ground flax meal
1/3 cup frozen blueberries
1/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Preheat your oven to 350* [high altitude, use 370*] and thoroughly grease a small baking dish [~5” diameter].
In a bowl, mash the banana completely, add in all the other ingredients and stir until just combined. *do not over stir
Spread the thick batter into the greased dish and bake for about 35min. The top will be set, the edges will be brown and you want a toothpick to come out moist but not gooey.
Release from the dish by sliding a fork around the edge. Top + serve!

Cocoa Buckwheat Bake

serves 1

If you like chocolate any time of the day, this breakfast has your name written all over it. With a little added sweetness, this breakfast will leave your every craving satisfied. Feel free to leave the sweetener out, or add banana for a cocoa banana version. While pumpkin makes an appearance in this bake, it’s taste is undetectable.

3 Tablespoons pumpkin puree
5 Tablespoons raw buckwheat flour
1 Tablespoon raw buckwheat groats
1 Tablespoon chia seeds
1 Tablespoon ground flax meal
1 Tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons milk
1-2 teaspoons honey/maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of cinnamon [optional]
1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Preheat your oven to 350* [high altitude, use 370*] and thoroughly grease a small baking dish [~5” diameter].
In a bowl, add in all the ingredients and stir until just combined. *do not overstir
Spread the thick batter into the greased dish and bake for about 35min. The top will be set, the edges will be brown and you want a toothpick to come out moist but not gooey.
Release from the dish by sliding a fork around the edge. Top + serve!

tips/substitutions: Oat flour can be ground finely from raw oat groats, steel cut oats, Scottish oats, or even rolled oats. Buckwheat flour can be ground finely from raw groats [not Kasha or toasted buckwheat]. Fresh flours are best stored sealed in the fridge. Fresh ground flax works noticeably better than store bought. Always stores flax seeds + flax meal in the fridge. Baking times will range from 33-40min. To freeze: let fully cool, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag or sealed container. Thaw in the fridge the night before you want to eat. Unsweetened almond milk worked perfectly in all 3 recipes. I have found some oils to be better at greasing dishes than others. Sunflower + safflower oils do not work well at all, but coconut oil seems to work extremely well. I typically smear it all around the baking dish with wax paper. You can also use parchment paper for the easiest release. Also feel free to make these in muffin tins, but bake time will be reduced.

These are definitely my favorite vegan/ gluten-free bake recipes to date!

While resolutions aren’t my thing, I’m still extremely excited for the new year. I can’t wait to see how it unfolds. So far, things are looking pretty promising!

Ashley