Walnut Berry Ooey-Gooey Delicious Cakes with a side of Homemade Blueberry Jam

I had intended for this recipe to be banana nut muffins. They could still constitute as such, but when I think of a good muffin, I think of an exaggerated, size-of-your-head kinda muffin with a huge muffin top (ha ha muffin top). After these were made, I went to the gym with Becky. I figured since these little dudes are jam packed with goodness, she’d want one after her workout. She loved them, and I asked her if she thought people would think they’re too moist inside and if I should make them more muffin-y. Her answer: “No, not if you call them ooey-gooey delicious cakes.” So there you have it, walnut berry ooey-gooey delicious cakes.

These mini-cakes are loaded with energy-boosting ingredients. Bananas work wonders for pre- and post-workout sessions (as well as hangovers). These yellow goddess fruits help sustain blood sugar levels for those strenuous workouts and have tons of potassium which help those sore or dehydrated muscles regain strength. Need more reasons? Check out this website on 25 powerful reasons to eat bananas.

The walnuts and almond meal contribute high amounts of omega-3 fats and antioxidants, just to name a couple, which benefit a smorgasbord of health-related issues such as weight gain and heart health. Eating the skins of walnuts is important because it contains about 90 percent of its antioxidants. I’ve already gone off on a tangent about chia seeds in earlier posts, but these little pearls are loaded with calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, fiber, protein, and healthy fats (among others). Eating just one of these small cakes filled me for a couple of hours and assisted me during my morning run.

Ingredients:

• 4 ripe bananas
• 1/2 cup oats
• 1/2 cup almond meal
• 1/2 cup brown rice flour (found in most super markets)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 Tbsp cinnamon
• 1 chia egg (1 Tbsp chia seeds mixed with 1/4 cup water – let sit for 10 minutes to thicken)
• 1 cup walnuts
• 2 cups mixed berries (I used frozen)
• coconut oil for greasing
• optional – extra oats and walnuts for topping

Steps:

1. Make the chia egg and set aside for 10 minutes to thicken.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
3. In a high speed blender/food processor, combine all ingredients except walnuts and berries.
4. Pour ingredients into a mixing bowl and add in walnuts, mixing gently. Then add in berries, mixing gently.
5. Lightly coat a cupcake pan with coconut oil and fill mixture to the top.
6. Bake for about 40 minutes. Let cakes set for 5 minutes. Remove from pan and let cool.

Chia egg after sitting for 10 minutes

This jam is so very easy to make and is for anyone who likes eating jelly/jam, but doesn’t like corn syrup/high fructose corn syrup and other additives. It’s made with 3 simple ingredients and takes minutes to make.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups blueberries (or berries of your choice)
• 1 Tbsp maple syrup
• 2 Tbsp chia seeds

Steps:

1. In a medium pan, heat berries and syrup for 5 minutes on medium heat, continually mixing and crushing the berries with a fork.
2. Turn the heat to low and add the chia seeds, continuing to mix for another 10 minutes. Let it cool for 5 minutes. How simple is that?