Ahhh I cannot believe we find out the baby’s gender today! The halfway mark in my pregnancy seems surreal. It has been flying by. I felt the baby (more than the tiny flutters) today and it just flooded me with memories and emotion thinking back on my first pregnancy. All the pregnancy pains (including no red wine during fall hehe) just drain away with those magical movements and you are quickly reminded how blessed you are to be carrying your little bundled of joy.

Alright, enough sappiness haha…who doesn’t love a fabulous banana bread? Sweets and bread have been my biggest pregnancy craving and has turned into my guilty pleasure for sure!

This recipe is to die for.  It completely fills my sweet tooth (which is ALL THE TIME) and a perfect healthy option that I feel good eating to start my day. Naturally sweetened with banana and honey and made with whole wheat flour, oatmeal, wheat germ, greek yogurt, dried blueberries, chocolate chips and walnuts, this is one of the most LOADED banana bread recipes you will find! Super indulgent but with all the good stuff for you!

Ingredients

• Cooking spray
• 1 heaping cup mashed banana (about 3 very ripe bananas)
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/3 heaping cup blueberry greek yogurt (or unsweetened applesauce if you prefer)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup milk (you can use skim, whole, almond, coconut milk, etc.)
• 1 cup white whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup of wheat germ
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/3 cup dried blueberries
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Instructions

 *Disclaimer – you can separate your wet and dry in two bowls before combining, but for me I just do everything all in one bowl and can’t tell the difference. Hartley adores making this recipe with me, so it’s totally toddler proof too 🙂

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 9-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In large bowl combine mashed banana, yogurt, honey, egg, milk and vanilla until well combined and creamy.
3. Add whole wheat flour, wheat germ, oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Mix until just combined (don’t overmix!).
4. Add chocolate chips, dried blueberries, and walnuts.
5. Pour into prepared loaf pan, sprinkle oats and extra walnuts over top (if desired), and bake for 50-60-minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.
6. Remove from oven and cool. Cut into 12 slices and enjoy! Keep bread tightly wrapped to maintain moisture.

 

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #BrewToPerfection #MrCoffeeDay #CollectiveBias

For the crazy project filled weekend we had…This easy veggie & protein packed breakfast with lots of coffee using my new Mr. Coffee® 12-Cup Programmable Advanced Coffee Brew Coffee Maker was the only way we survived. The kitchen is a construction zone…literally we have exposed insulation and only half of our countertops. We are prepping for new backsplash and countertops…yippee! Willie also worked about 12 hours trying to get a playground assembled for Hartley. It was her fabulous birthday gift from her grandparents and we are super excited to get it set-up. I just keep saying a few more weeks of crazy project-filled weekends and we will be done. We will have an AMAZING new kitchen and the BEST playground for Hartley in our own backyard! Ekkkk I’m so excited for the reveal of both these HUGE projects.

Here’s what you will need to make this delicious make-ahead breakfast in the crockpot:

Ingredients:

• 1 dozen eggs
• Can of coconut cream
• 1 zucchini
• 1 squash
• 1 sweet potato
• 1 pint of cherry tomatoes
• 1 pound of ground pork
• 1 tsp. olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. of garlic powder, italian seasoning, and ground mustard (you can add fennel too if you like)

Recipe:

1. Brown ground pork with olive oil, spices and salt & pepper (doesn’t have to be cooked all the way through since it will have time in the crockpot)
2. Set pork aside and let cool
3. Wash and cut squash, zucchini and tomatoes into bite site pieces
4. Wash, peel, and shred sweet potato with grater
5. Crack 12 eggs in separate bowl with lots of pepper and salt and the 1/2 cup of coconut cream (the coconut cream gives it a almost custardy texture…ummmm ymmmm)
6. Whisk egg mixture together (kitchen helper pictured…hehe) – it will look chunky
7. Grease crockpot with coconut oil or ghee
8. Layer everything in crockpot…I did pork, veggies then egg mixture
9. Set for 6-8 hours on the low setting
10. Drain fat liquid from top before cutting and serving (you can drain pork after cooking, but I like the flavor it gives to the dish cooking with it)
11. Also – if you’re not strict on Paleo/Whole30…add a little cheesy deliciousness for an extra boost of flavor
12. Cut like a pie or plop big spoonfuls in a bowl and ENJOY!

*Bonus – with this huge crockpot meal, you are set-up for meal prep for your work week 🙂

Before – Set your coffee and egg casserole the night before for a yummy easy morning!

After – How amazing to wake up to freshly made coffee and breakfast already made!

I’m sure all you moms and dads can relate when you pour a hot cup of coffee, but by the time you actually get to it it’s cold. Having a home cooked meal ready for you right when you wake up forces you to take a morning breather and actually sit and relish your coffee and breakfast. All you have to do when you wake-up is sit and sip. Since August is National Coffee Month, I encourage you to take a moment and savor your coffee, because all of us lead busy lives, and sometimes you just need a #MrCoffeeDay!

If you don’t follow Mr.Coffee on social media yet they have great recipes and ideas, especially on how to incorporate coffee in celebration of National Coffee Month. Follow on Facebook, Pinterest (OMG…the Coffee Infused Treat board is pretty much HEAVEN), Instagram (@mrcoffee), and YouTube.

Right now Walmart is offering a a $5 coupon on all Mr. Coffee® Coffeemakers and Espresso Units over $29. Find it in the housewares aisle at your local store. Also, keep a lookout for Mr. Coffee® Product Demo’s at their local Walmart. Having a programmable coffee maker is a lifesaver for a busy mom like me. Go ahead a treat yourself to a fabulous cup of coffee to celebrate National Coffee Month with Mr. Coffee®!

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