Almond Meal Banana Bread

October 23, 2022 · Leave a Comment

I know, I haven’t posted a recipe in an age!

Truth be told, I wanted to write this one down somewhere safe so I don’t lose it! I seem to be making lots of banana bread these days as the family run hot and cold with bananas. I can’t bear to waste them.

I love using almond meal in cake recipes as it’s so tasty and nutritious as well as making the banana bread gluten free. This recipe also happens to be dairy free (as long as you don’t serve it with lashings of grass-fed butter!!)

This almond meal banana bread has a beautifully soft and light texture and is not overly sweet. It’s super filling, so one piece is plenty.

Almond Meal Banana Bread

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups almond meal

3 medium bananas (super ripe with black spots for best results)

4 eggs

1/4 cup melted coconut oil (or butter)

1/2 cup coconut sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon bicarb soda

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup walnuts (optional but yummy)

Method:
Preheat the oven to 160oC. Line a loaf tin with some non-toxic baking paper.

Mash the bananas and whisk with the eggs, vanilla extract and coconut oil.

Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well (save a few walnuts for the top).

Pour into your loaf pan and bake for 50-60 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.

Let cool in the pan for 20-30minutes. Store in the fridge. Use a bread knife to cut.

*note: I like to keep the walnuts chunky but you can chop them up if you want.

To save time, I sometimes make this in the Thermomix. Just whizz the banana, egg, vanilla and oil on speed 7 for ten seconds, add other ingredients (except walnuts) and whizz on speed 5 for ten seconds or until it’s all incorporated. Add walnuts and mix in, on reverse, speed 5 for five seconds.

I have loads of other banana bread recipes if you want to try something different, but I hope you love this almond meal banana bread as much as we do!

10 Healthy Pancake Recipes

March 4, 2014 · 13 Comments

As a salute to Shrove Tuesday, I have rounded up the most amazing pancake recipes for you today! Enjoy these healthy alternatives from foodie bloggers.

Green Pancakes. So good! Made with spinach – the kids will never know.

Sunday Morning Pancakes from Alisha at Naughty Naturopath Mum. Grain free and dairy free.

Quick and Easy Pancakes – Three Ways from Quirky Cooking. There are options for every allergy here!

Powerhouse Coconut Pancakes by Alexx Stuart. Grain free, gluten free and nut free.

Spelt and Buckwheat Pancakes by Brenda Janschek. Wheat free and nutrient rich.

Chocolate Coconut Pancakes from Iwa at Additive Free Bites.

Oat and Apple Pancakes from Jude Blereau at Whole Food Cooking.

Spiced Pumpkin Pancakes with Salted Caramel Walnuts by Meg at My Wholefood Romance.

Banana Bread Pancakes from Sarah at My New Roots.

Vegan Savoury Chickpea Pancakes from Angela at Oh She Glows.

Do you have an awesome pancake recipes? Share it with us!

8 Beautiful Banana Breads

September 16, 2013 · 29 Comments

Banana bread is such a favourite amongst families. As long as you steer clear of white flour and refined sugar, banana bread or cake is a great way of getting kids to eat fruit!

The only trouble in our family is having bananas hanging around long enough to get spotty! I have to hide a few for cooking and nurture them until they are just right to go.

I am sharing with you one of my favourite ways to make banana bread and seven other amazing recipes as well.

Your only problem is deciding which one to try first!

Berry Banana Bread

Vital Stats: Wheat Free, Dairy Free, Nut Free

Okay this is what you need:

2 cups organic spelt flour

1 tspn bicarb soda

1/2 cup organic coconut sugar

2 tablespoons NutraOrganics Acai Berry Blend (or C Berry Blast)

2 really ripe 0rganic bananas (about 120g skin off)

2 organic eggs

¾ cup organic coconut milk

1 cup chopped strawberries

Okay, this is how you do it:

Preheat oven to 160°c. Line a 11x18cm loaf tin with baking paper. Sift the flour and soda into medium bowl.

Mash the bananas and whisk in the Acai Berry Blend, eggs, sugar and coconut milk. Mix gently into the flour mixture with the strawberries until just combined.

Whack it into the tin and bake for about 40 – 50mins or until cooked through. Let cool on a rack. Enjoy.

Thermomix: Whizz the eggs, banana, coconut milk, sugar and Acai Berry Blend in the thermomix for 10 seconds on speed 7. Sift over the flour and bicarb and mix, reverse, speed 4, 5 seconds. Fold in the strawberries with a spatula gently.

What is Acai Berry Blend?

I love the flavour of this yummy superfood powder from Nutra Organics. I pretty much sprinkle it on everything!

1-3 Heaped Teaspoons of Acai Berry Blend is equivalent to 3 punnets of Berries. Acai Berry Blend combines the world’s most nutrient packed and antioxidant loaded berries, with mango, beetroot, fermented papaya and pomegrante extract to bring you a delicious and potent nutritional burst which can easily be added to your diet everyday.

Acai Berry Blend will leave your skin glowing thanks to Acai (the beautiful berry) plus the revolutionary formula can help improve your mental focus, boost your energy levels, cleanse and detoxify your body, improve your circulation, reduce inflammation and boost your immune systems capabilities.

Click here for full ingredient list and to buy Acai Berry Blend!

Paleo Banana Bread from the Nourished Psychologist

Grain free, GAPS friendly

Absolutely Scrummy Banana Bread from Naughty Naturopath Mum

Dairy Free, Gluten Free.

Banana Cake from Clever Cook.

Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Nut Free Option, Thermomix.

Banana Bread with Walnut Crumble Topping from Our Nourishing Roots.

Dairy Free, Gluten Free.

Banana Bread by Alexx Stuart.

Gluten Free, Dairy Free Option, Thermomix.

Bek’s Banana Bread

Gluten Free. Dairy Free.

Coconut Banana Bread from Healed Nutrition.

Low Fructose, Grain Free, Gluten Free, Nut Free.

Right, so who has some bananas ripe and ready to go??

this post contains affiliate links

Choc Banana Protein Smoothie

July 29, 2013 · 27 Comments

Choc Banana Protein Smoothie

I have been experimenting with different smoothies lately.

They are a great way to get superfoods into your diet. This recipe came to me in the middle of the night (and yes, I had to get out of bed and write it down so I didn’t forget it).

I wanted to make a smoothie for breakfast that tasted good but also had a good amount of protein to get me through the morning. It did both of those things. I was actually a little surprised at how well it filled me up – sometimes drinking smoothies for breakfast means I need to eat morning tea!

Let me give you a rundown on some of the superfoods and why they are so good for you before we get to the recipe.

* CACAO. Rich in magnesium, iron and antioxidants, cacao is also a natural appetite suppressant. But what I love most about it, is that it contains the amino acid tryptophan, which leads to the production of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that promotes feelings of joy and may help prevent mild depression. Start the day off happy!

* MACA POWDER. I am a recent convert to maca powder, but I am loving the general health benefits and feelings of energy I get when I take it. Maca is a nutritionally packed super food rich in amino acids, vitamins minerals & essential fatty acids. Maca is rich in vitamin B12 and protein (handy for vegans). It contains vitamins B1, B2, B12, C and E. It provides plenty of calcium, zinc, iron, magnesium, phosphorous and amino acids.

It is also well-known for helping to regulate hormones, increasing libido, increasing energy, improving acne and skin conditions and alleviating symptoms of depression and anxiety. Read more here.

* CINNAMON. I put cinnamon in everything. Not only because I love the taste, but cinnamon has so many health benefits, including lowering our blood sugar. It can also help with things like PMS, candida, arthritis, headaches and migraine! Read more here.

* BANANAS. High in potassium, magnesium, B vitamins and antioxidants, bananas also produce tryptophan! Find out some more good things about nanas here.

* ALMONDS. Almonds are a good source of calcium, vitamin E, some of the B vitamins, and are about 20 percent protein, so they are also very filling. Copper, iron, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, magnesium, manganese and selenium are present in almonds.

* INCA INCHI POWDER. You may not have heard of inca inchi before. It’s fast becoming very popular as a natural protein supplement. Inca Inchi Protein Powder is over 60% complete protein. It’s also high in vitamins A and E, calcium and omega 3.

“Inca inchi powder is made from the nut that has been cold pressed to remove the oil (Inca Inchi Oil). The dried nut powder contains one of the most highly digestible, low-irritant, high quality proteins (unlike some whey based, chemically enhanced protein) and thus has become one of nature’s superfoods!” Cyndi O’Meara

So this little smoothie is a powerhouse of nutrition, will fill you up and make you happy! Now, Let me tell you how to make it:

Choc Banana Protein Smoothie

Vital stats: dairy-free, gluten-free, sugar-free, egg-free, vegan, vegetarian, full of superfoods!

Okay, so this is what you need:

1 organic banana

1 cup (250ml) organic milk of your choice (I used nut milk)

1 teaspoon inca inchi powder

1 teaspoon maca powder

2 teaspoons raw, organic cacao

2 teaspoons almond or other nut butter

1 large medjool date

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Okay, so this is what you do:

Whack everything into your blender/thermomix/ food processor and whizz it like crazy for a minute.

Pour into a glass and enjoy! It serves one large glass or two small.

Do you like smoothies for breakfast? What do you put in them?

Get superfoods at my affiliate shop.

Blueberry Breakfast Slice

October 23, 2012 · 125 Comments

I was so thrilled that the Australian Healthy Food Guide magazine featured my recipe as a ‘reader recipe’ a few years ago. It really is a cracker and I am finally sharing it with you!

I have updated it a little since then to make it even more healthy. The beauty of this recipe is that you can totally make it to suit your own tastes and change it around each time. We eat it for breakfast but the kids and hubby also pack it in their lunch boxes. I have been known to have it for lunch and an afternoon snack too! I usually make a double batch, portion and freeze half and refrigerate the other half.

Blueberry Breakfast Slice

Vital stats: vegetarian, dairy-free, nut free, wheat free

Okay, so this is what you need:

3 cups of organic oats

2 organic eggs

2 organic green apples

2 large ripe organic bananas

1 cup organic blueberries (I use frozen ones)

3 tablespoons virgin, organic coconut oil

2 tablespoons organic chia seeds (or use any other seeds or chopped nuts)

1 tablespoon organic cinnamon

Okay, so this is how you do it:

Smush up the banana and whisk in the eggs and coconut oil in a large mixing bowl.

Chuck in the oats, mix it up really well and let it sit for a bit while you keep going.

Grate the apple as chunky as you can. I like to do it on the julienne setting of my mandolin. Leave the skin on !

Add the apple, cinnamon, chia and blueberries. This is where I like to get messy and use my hands to mix it all in really well.

Chuck it all in a slice tin that you have lined with non-toxic baking paper.

Fling into the oven and cook for about 30 minutes at 180 degrees celsius (a medium oven).

Cool down on a wire rack. Slice with a bread knife.

It is nice served warm with some yoghurt on top (or for the dairy-free, use cashew cream or coconut yoghurt) and more blueberries.

It will keep in the fridge, in a sealed container for about three days.

Eat. Enjoy.

Thermomix Friendly: Chop the apple in the thermy and set aside (don’t make it mushy or the texture of the slice will be weird). Whizz up the bananas, egg and coconut oil all together – about speed 4 for a few seconds. Add remaining ingredients and mix in, reverse, speed soft, until it’s well combined. Be very gentle, you want nice texture, not baby food! 😀

You might also like to see some other things we eat for breakfast. Go here.

What do you have for breakfast? I would love you to share some more ideas.

Healthiest pancakes EVER …. they’re green !!

February 21, 2012 · 26 Comments

Thanks to Facebook, I found out it was Pancake Day (or Shrove Tuesday) today ! Never wanting to miss an excuse for pancakes, I decided to whip up a batch of our favourite pancakes from one of the best healthy recipe blogs around, Health Food Lover.

Of course, you know I never make a recipe the way it tells me to. I am a serial tweaker. So here is my version of Michelle’s fabulous Green (Spinach) Pancakes recipe.

Healthiest Pancakes Ever…. They’re Green!

So, this is what you need:

3 organic eggs

1 large handful of washed baby spinach

1 and a 1/2 large bananas

1/2 cup almond meal

1/2 cup wholemeal spelt flour

1 tablespoon chia seeds

coconut oil for cooking

to serve:

vanilla yoghurt or cashew cream

blueberries

So, this is how you do it:

Whizz the heck out of the spinach and eggs in a food processor, blender or thermomix. You don’t want any identifiable green leaves or the kids might freak out !

Chuck the banana in and whizz again. Stir in the flour, chia seeds and almond meal.

For those of you with a thermomix, I made the almond meal in the thermy, then added the spinach, banana and eggs and blitzed on speed 10 for 20 seconds, scraping the bowl. Then I added the spelt flour and chia and mixed on reverse, speed 5 for about 10 seconds or until it was combined.

Heat up the coconut oil in a pan (medium high heat) and fling in tablespoons of pancake mix. Turn when little bubbles appear.

Serve with the vanilla yoghurt on top and the blueberries. Do not tell children there is spinach in their afternoon snack….. they will never know!! There is no spinach flavour, just delicious banana!

Well, okay, my New Age Natural Girl, did twig something funny was afoot because they were GREEN, but she loved them. So did my New Age Natural Boy – none left for Dad !

Some tips:

* you can make these pancakes fully gluten free by replacing the flour with almond meal

* you don’t need to add sugar to the mix if you are serving it with fruit and yoghurt, but if you aren’t you might appreciate a tablespoon or two of rapadura sugar in it

* don’t let this mixture sit for too long before cooking as chia seeds gel up

Happy Pancake Day !!