5-ingredient muffins that are human and pup friendly? Yup, these GRAIN FREE BANANA MUFFINS are a dream come true for furry friends and furparents alike. And who needs frosting when you have homemade STRAWBERRY CHIA JAM? Save that good stuff for the pawrents, furbabes will gobble these up with or without jam. Impress all your fur-lovin’ friends by making these for your next brunch or furbaby party. Get the dEATs below!

I’ll admit, this masterful creation is all thanks to the hubs. They’re grain-free, clean ingredient muffins that are made with just a few simple ingredients: bananas, eggs, nut butter, coconut flour and baking soda. The hubs concocted this recipe while looking for:

1.) Paleo approved breakfast recipes that weren’t eggs (because who has time for that during the week?)
2.) Pupcake recipes for our bully’s bday (he’s grain free – so high maintenance!)

After many iterations, these have reached…perfection. It’s hard to say who loves them more, Jeb or Moose? And sometimes…they even share with me. Especially when I make my homemade strawberry chia jam to accompany these high protein muffins.

The jam is also surprisingly easy to make. So much so, that I sometimes wonder why I buy the stuff loaded with cane sugar – especially when fresh berries are so cheap in the summertime. It’s a great way to use up berries that are almost past their prime (you know, the ones you forgot about in the back of the fridge).

Note: While fresh strawberries are ok for your pups, your dog friends will probably enjoy the muffins just as much on their own. Think of the jam as a human treat – while not toxic to your pups, it’s also unnecessary to please your fur friends.

For reference though, here are a few of the fresh fruits that are safe for your loving pups according to the American Kennel Club.

Pup Safe Fresh Fruits:
-Strawberries
-Bananas
-Apples
-Blueberries
-Cantaloupe
-Cranberries
-Mangos
-Oranges
-Peaches
-Pears
-Pineapple
-Raspberries

When introducing new foods to your pup, always start with small amounts. Each dog is different. While the above may be safe for most dogs, just like humans, dogs can have unique z(in)tolerances to various foods. If your dog exhibits signs such as red eyes, itchiness or excessive drooling after eating new foods, make sure to contact your vet. When in doubt, be safe!

Moose loves these pupcakes and I hope you do too!

5-Ingredient Gluten Free Banana Muffins (Pet-Friendly) with Strawberry Chia Jam
Makes: 6 Muffins

Ingredients:
Muffins
-3 eggs
-9 T peanut butter (or your favorite nut butter)
-2 bananas, mashed
-1-2 T coconut flour*
-1 1/2 tsp baking powder
Strawberry Chia Jam
-3 1/2 C strawberries, quartered
-4 T maple syrup*
-2 T chia seeds
-squeeze of lemon juice

Directions:
Step 1: Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees Farhenheit. To make the muffin batter, mix all of the muffin ingredients in a medium mixing bowl until smooth. Grease a muffin tin or use silicone muffin cups. Pour the batter into the muffin tin or cups.
Step 2: Bake the muffins by placing in the oven for 20 minutes, or until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool for a few minutes before removing from the baking tin or cups.
Step 3: While the muffins cool, make the strawberry chia jam. Add the strawberries and maple syrup (or date syrup) to a small pot over medium heat on the stove top. Stir to combine and continue heating until bubbling. Once bubbling, mash the strawberries, then add the chia seeds. Cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until thickened. Remove from heat and give it a squeeze of lemon. Allow to cool, then spread away!

Hope you and your pup enjoy these as much as we did!

*If Whole30 or Paleo, consider 1.) skipping the maple syrup or 2.) making a date syrup by processing 1 C of Medjool dates with 1 C of water and a 1/2 tsp salt.

The post Morning Muffins For Humans & Furbabies appeared first on The Shooks Life.

Strawberry shortcake, blueberry pie, who’s gonna be my lucky guy? A, B, C, D…anyone remember that jump rope rhyme? J is for Jeb, the birthday boy who I made this strawberry rhubarb cobbler for earlier this week. And the best part about birthdays is sharing, so I’m sharing with you this paleo cobbler. Jump to the dEATs below!

So who remembers that jumping song? Or am I aging myself? And do kids still jump rope? I’ve been doing this workout lately that includes jumping rope in between body weight exercises and let me tell you, it is not for the faint of heart! I’m remembering when I used to do the Jump Rope for Heart fundraising events for the American Heart Association in elementary school and wonder where I found the energy to jump rope for literally hours! In my 30’s, 5 minutes feels like a 5k. Seriously, go jump rope for 5 minutes and you will have more than earned a heaping bowl of this cobbler!

What makes this cobbler a whee bit healthier (though let’s be real, it’s a treat), is that it’s paleo, gluten free and sweetened with better-for-you coconut sugar and maple syrup? The filling is oozing with warm bubbling strawberries and rhubarb, with just a touch of coconut sugar and a bonus of chia seeds, which adds omega-3’s and a seed-like texture. The “biscuit” on top is made of almond flour, coconut flour and arrowroot flour for a dynamic trifecta that creates this a gluten-free crust with a hint of sweetness from pure maple syrup.

We all know that we should limit our sugar intake, but not all sugars are created equal. What makes coconut sugar and maple sugar better options? Coconut sugar contains small amounts of short-chain fatty acids, potassium and zinc. It also contains inulin fiber, which studies show helps to slow absorption of glucose. That means it helps to keep blood-sugar levels balanced vs spiking right after you’ve eaten something like a donut. We’re all familiar with that “sugar high” when we eat something with refined sugars, and the energy slump that closely follows. It’s a roller coast for your energy levels and coconut sugar can help to mellow that effect.

Maple syrup is a less processed form of sugar that comes straight from the tree sap. It contains a multitude of inflammation-fighting polyphenol antioxidants and similar to coconut sugar, is a source of good-for-you minerals like zinc. Make sure to buy 100% pure maple syrup (the other stuff may be laced with high fructose corn syrup). Also, the dark, the more antioxidants!

Don’t count on either coconut sugar or maple syrup to be your source of these nutrients though since you’d have to eat a lot to make a difference. And, they’re still sugars. For more on the good, the bad and the ugly of various sugar options, check out this article from mindbodygreen.

Recipe: Paleo Strawberry Rhubarb Cobbler
Servings: 8

 Ingredients:
Filling
3 C of strawberries, cut in quarters
3 C of rhubarb, sliced
2 T arrowroot flour
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 T coconut sugar
2 T chia seeds
Crust
1 1/2 C coconut shreds
2/3 C almond flour
1/2 C arrowroot flour
4 T coconut flour
1/2 C coconut oil, melted
1/2 C maple syrup

Directions:
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Add the filling ingredients to an 8×8 glass pan or ceramic casserole dish. Set aside.
Step 2: Prepare the crust by combining the coconut shreds and flours in a medium mixing bowl. Stir in the coconut oil and maple syrup.
Step 3: Using your hands, gently crumb the crust over the top of the filling to cover the full dish. Place in the oven for 35-45 minutes, or until the top is crispy and slightly browned. Set aside to cool and enjoy by itself with scoop of coconut whipped topping or with Greek yogurt (not Paleo) as shown above.

The post Strawberry-a-go-go appeared first on The Shooks Life.