One Package 5-Grain Cereal
One Container Unsweetened Applesauce
One Bunch Ripe Bananas
Limitless Possibilities

I have so many weird allergies at the moment, and we aren’t sure yet what causes reactions, that I generally figure it out by trial and error. Unfortunately, most of my reactions stem from food, so I’m always trying to find ways to make things I can eat — and want to eat — which recapture foods I love and miss. If they last well in the fridge and freezer, and boast nutrients, it’s a bonus!

These breakfast biscotti are easy to make and customizable to any tastes. Chocolate chips, nuts, fruits; the possibilities are endless! The one thing I recommend is not adding fresh fruits to the batter, as it can make the resulting biscotti spongy. Fresh fruits I put on top prior to baking, and smush them in a bit. Freeze-dried fruits can be mixed into the batter just like nuts or chocolate chips.

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Strawberry-Banana and Chocolate-Peanut Butter Breakfast Biscotti
Copyright 2017 by Lauren Bradford (aka The Food Puzzler)
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Prep time: 15 minutes
Baking time: approximately 30 minutes
Makes: 24 of each flavor

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INGREDIENTS:
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Strawberry-Banana Breakfast Biscotti
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1 cup applesauce
3 ripe bananas, mashed
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups flour from processing oats or 5-grain cereal in food processor or spice grinder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup flax seeds
1/4 cup chia seeds
10-12 strawberries, sliced and roasted for 10 minutes, for topping

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Chocolate Peanut Butter Breakfast Biscotti
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1 1/2 cups applesauce
3 ripe bananas, mashed
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups flour from processing oats or 5-grain cereal in food processor or spice grinder
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/3 cup PB powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup peanuts, divided

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STEPS:
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1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment and lay out the slices of strawberries. Place them in the oven as it warms up, and leave them in until you see juices start running out. Remove and cool.

2. Have two large bowls on hand. Into each bowl, mash 3 bananas. Then, mix in the measured applesauce and vanilla.

3. Place all of the dry ingredients except for the oat/grain flour into their respective bowls and mix completely.

4. In the Strawberry-Banana bowl, mix in the seeds. In the Chocolate PB bowl, mix in half of the peanuts.

5. Finally, mix in the amounts of flour into their respective bowls and mix completely. This is a thick dough, so I recommend mixing by hand. Let bowls rest for 10 minutes.

6. On two parchment-lined sheet pans, form the dough into rectangles about 1/2 inch thick. When you form the Chocolate PB dough, wetting your hands makes it easier to form the dough.

7. Press the strawberries on top of its dough, and the rest of the peanuts on top of its dough, and place them in the oven.

8. Bake for 30 minutes, rotating them halfway through the baking time.

9. Rest for 10 minutes, then make 24 slices out of each dough, being careful of the steam that comes up.

10. On freshly-parchment-lined sheet pans, arrange the slices cut-side down and place in the oven. Turn the oven off and let the breakfast biscotti rest for 5 minutes more.

11. Remove from the oven and serve immediately, or cool and store in the freezer in an airtight container.