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!

Healthy Chocolate Birthday Cake

September 4, 2018 · 12 Comments

This recipe is the our easy, go-to, never-fail birthday cake base. We have been making it for years and everyone always loves it.

Making a birthday cake can sometimes feel daunting but trust me, this is so, so easy! My kids make it all the time themselves without any worries.

Birthday cakes are so expensive these days and the weird additives in them makes a homemade one much more appealing! You don’t have to get fancy with toppings (unless you want to!)

Just some thick cream (so you don’t have to whip it) and some strawberries is all you need.

Quick, easy and so good! Best of all, it’s made with love.

What more could you want for your birthday?

Healthy Chocolate Birthday Cake

Vital Stats: nut-free, vegetarian, dairy-free and gluten-free options

Okay, so this is what you need:

3/4 cup self-raising flour (for gluten free, I use the self-raising Orgran brand)
1/2 teaspoon bi-carb soda
1/2 cup cacao powder
1/2 cup rapadura or coconut sugar
1 cup or 200g organic natural yoghurt (for dairy-free, use coconut yoghurt)
2 organic eggs
1 1/2 tablespoons coconut oil

Okay, so this is how you do it:

Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius and line a round cake tin with toxin-free baking paper.

Sift together the flour, cacao and bicarb. In a separate bowl, whisk the remaining ingredients together.

Gently combine the wet and dry ingredients. Pour batter into the cake tin.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

Hot tips:

This recipe is easy to double and bake in a lamington tin if you need to feed a crowd. It also freezes really well, so make it in advance if you are pressed for time.

This cake is not very sweet because that’s how we like our cakes! If you want it to be a bit sweeter, add 1/4 cup more sugar or don’t even worry if you are going to add a sweet icing.

We just usually top it with double cream (choose one without additives) and fresh fruit but if you need a healthy icing, check out these ideas.

Let me know if you make my Healthy Chocolate Birthday Cake! I love hearing from you. 🙂

A healthy Easter basket for kids

March 8, 2018 · 1 Comment

A healthy Easter basket for kids

Easter is here yet again and I thought I would share with you some healthy, ethical and natural ideas for the kids’ Easter baskets.

I know Easter can be one of those occasions that can easily become excessive and overly commercialised. Dealing with family members and outside influences that don’t support your healthy choices can be very stressful. Check out my hints on how to navigate this with humour and grace.

What family traditions do you have for Easter? What are you putting into baskets? Let us know in the comments.

♥ The Basket

Finding a gorgeous basket you can re-use year after year is a great eco-friendly option. You can also have a hunt around the house for some boxes, bags, tins or baskets you could upcyle, decorate and use!

♥ Ethical Woven Seagrass

I love this biodegradable, hand-made, woven seagrass basket for a simple reusable option. You can embellish with ribbons or wind some pom poms around the top to get a different look every year. You can also reuse it for storage around the home and pop it in the compost when it’s getting ratty.

Get it here.

♥ Handmade, personalised baskets

Head over to Etsy to see a huge range of handmade Easter baskets. Many can be personalised making them a gorgeous gift. Check it out here.

♥ Chocolate

I am a huge advocate for fair-trade and ethical chocolate. If you are not buying something you know is fair-trade, then chances are child slavery is involved in the cacao production. You can get a good range and always be assured that the chocolate is fair-trade and ethical here.

♥ Boobook Chocolate Eggs

These Boobook eggs are caramel filled and chocolate coated. Organic, gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan, they are new to Loving Earth. A whopping half of the profits will go to The Great Forest National Park campaign. Get them here on sale!

♥ Moo-Free Rosie Rabbit

Rosie is a vegan, organic, dairy free, gluten free, soy free choccy rabbit. Moo Free also do larger chocolate Easter Eggs as well. Find them here.

♥ Gingerbread Rabbits

I am a long time lover of these gingerbreads. Hand-made in the Blue Mountains, Karen and Dom lovingly create great quality food in compostable packing. These bunnies are gluten-free, nut-free, egg-free, palm-oil free, vegan and contain no artificial weird stuff. They also come in chocolate.

Find them here.

♥ Oscar the Orangutan

These cute little Oscar bars are organic, gluten free, dairy free, palm oil free, refined sugar free, vegan and ethically made. Five cents from every bar goes to The Orangutan Project, to help conserve orangutans and their habitat. They also come in white chocolate flavour. Find them here.

♥ Easter toys and gifts

♥ Easter Bilby Book

Any excuse for a new book is a good idea in my book! This Easter Bilby book from Aussies Nette Hilton and Bruce Whatley. is so charming and will make a lovely family tradition. Get it here in hard back or soft cover.♥ Jack ‘n Jill Bunny Toothbrush

Look I am just being practical here! 😀 Good teeth brushing is important after the Easter chocolates, so make it fun with this cute bunny tooth brush from Jack ‘n Jill. It’s also completely bio-degradable and toxin-free. Find it here.

♥ Peter Rabbit money box

We have some of these gorgeous Wedgwood Peter Rabbit pieces. They make a lovely heirloom gift and they also come in bowls and cups too. Check them out here.

You could also add some small things to the Easter baskets like crayons, colouring books, crystals and small wooden toys.

Want some more Easter ideas?

Healthy homemade Easter eggs

Healthy Hot Cross Buns

Healthy Easter ideas

Cool ideas for Easter that aren’t chocolate

Your complete guide to a healthy Easter

Cheese and Spinach Rice Cakes

January 29, 2018 · 4 Comments

You know when you find something yummy and cook it so many times that everybody ends up hating it?

Yeah, that.

These rice cakes were on high rotation in my kitchen about five years ago until there was a protest! But they have made a reappearance and everyone is enjoying them again. I just have to pace myself now and not make them too often!

They are delicious hot or cold and make a very budget-friendly dinner with some salad or are great for lunch boxes too.

Whip them up when you have some leftover rice so it doesn’t go to waste. You can also throw in any leftover cooked vegetables or meat.

Cheese and Spinach Rice Cakes

Vital Stats: gluten free, nut free, vegetarian

This is what you need:

4 cups cooked brown rice

2 green shallots, finely chopped

2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped

1 cup finely shredded baby spinach

100g tasty cheese, grated

50g parmesan cheese, grated

2 eggs

1/2 cup cream

1 small garlic clove, crushed

Herbamare (or salt) and pepper to taste

This is how you do it:

Preheat your oven to 180ºC and line a 12 cup muffin tray with some non-toxic muffin papers.

Whisk together the eggs and cream in a large bowl.

Add all the other ingredients and mix well.

Scoop into the muffin papers and press down slightly.

Sprinkle with more cheese if you like.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until firm and golden brown.

TIPS:

I have used the If You Care baking paper and cups for years now – nothing ever sticks and they are compostable and non-toxic.

Add whatever you like to the basic egg, rice and cream mixture. Some things that are also tasty in these rice cakes are: feta, sun-dried tomatoes, bacon, zucchini, char-grilled capsicum, chives, mushrooms and salami.

I always soak rice before I cook it, just to make it easier to digest and kinder on our tummies.

Use pure cream that doesn’t have any artificial fillers or thickeners.

My Chicken and Spinach Fritters are also brilliant cold in lunch boxes.

If you make my Cheese and Spinach Rice Cakes, let me know what the family thinks and upload a photo to my socials.

Strawberry Coconut Slice (gluten free, dairy free)

September 11, 2017 · 16 Comments

Strawberry Coconut Slice (gluten free, dairy free)

How good is strawberry season??? So cheap and so yum.

Strawberries are however one of the most heavily sprayed crops. If you can’t get organic, make sure you give them a good wash to get as much pesticide off as you can.

This slice is super soft and moist with a tang of fresh strawberries and a coconuty texture. It’s not overly sweet either, which we prefer, but feel free to add more coconut sugar if you like.

When strawberry season is over, use any fruit in its place. I think sliced fresh apricots or nectarines would be divine but also thinly sliced apple and pear would be good too – add some cinnamon!

I hope you like it as much as we do.

Strawberry Coconut Slice

Vital stats: gluten free, grain free, dairy free, vegetarian

This is what you need:

1 cup (around 150g) strawberries

2 cups almond meal

1 tablespoon coconut flour

1 cup desiccated coconut

1/2 cup coconut sugar

2 eggs

1 cup melted coconut oil

1 teaspoon bicarb soda

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

This is how you do it:

Preheat oven to 180° celsius. Line a slice tray (31cm x 20cm) with non-toxic baking paper.

Wash strawberries well, take off the tops and slice into three pieces, vertically (depending on how big they are).

Whisk the eggs, coconut oil, vanilla and sugar together well.

Add to the rest of the ingredients, except the strawberries and mix well.

Spread into the slice tray and smooth out the top. At this point it looks a little toffee like – don’t worry!

Now you can decoratively arrange the strawberries on top, pressing them in gently as you go.

Pop into the oven and bake for around 20-25 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean.

Cool well on a baking rack. Slice gently with a serrated knife.

Let me know if you make it and what the family thought. I love to see your photos too – shoot me an email or upload to my Facebook page.

Sweet Potato Pizza Bases (gluten free, dairy free)

March 16, 2017 · 7 Comments

We now have three of us in the family as dedicated gluten-free.

While I love almond meal based recipes, all that almond meal does get a bit expensive. So I’ve been experimenting with different things to bulk out the almond meal and be a little more frugal.

My first experiment with pizza bases was a winner with both kids saying they preferred it to the plain almond meal one I usually make. It’s pretty easy to make and perfect for using up leftover sweet potato mash.

The bases freeze really well, so make a double batch to have an easy dinner option on hand ready to go. They defrost super quick!

I hope you love these easy sweet potato pizza bases as much as we do. Let me know if you make them!

Sweet Potato Pizza Bases (gluten free, dairy free)

This is what you need:

2 cups cooked, mashed sweet potato

2 cups almond meal

2 eggs

1 tablespoon nutritional yeast flakes (optional)

2 teaspoons Herbamare (or salt)

This is how you do it:

Preheat the oven to 200°celsius.

Add all ingredients to a large bowl and mix well.

Line two round pizza trays with non-toxic baking paper.

Spread the mixture onto the trays and form the shape you want. The mixture is like a batter, not a dough.

Use a spatula to help you push it to the edges and smooth out so it’s an even thickness.

Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes.

Now you can spread it with sauce and your choice of toppings.

Pop it back into the oven for another 10 minutes or so or until it’s cooked.

Enjoy!

Easy Herb and Garlic Green Dip

November 1, 2016 · 4 Comments

My whole family loves a tasty dip.

It’s a great way to boost your vegetable intake – carrot sticks taste a whole lot yummier with something to dip them in.

This nut free dip is great in lunch boxes or for afternoon tea for the kids and even fancy enough to take to a barbecue. In fact, I always get asked for my recipe when I make this!

As well as serving the dip with plenty of fresh veggies, I also like to ‘upnourish’ as Kristin from Mamacino says, with extra vegetables and veggie powder added in.

This green dip is also so much cheaper to make than buying a pre-made dip from the supermarket. Seriously how expensive and full of additives is dip these days! Even the ones in the gourmet delis are full of canola oil and will set you back the best part of $10!

Anyhow…. here is the recipe. Let me know if you make it and what you think!

Easy Herb and Garlic Green Dip

Vital Stats: gluten free, grain free, nut free, egg free, vegetarian

This is what you need:

500g cream cheese*

1-2 small garlic cloves

1/2 cup parsley

2 cups baby spinach

4 small green shallots, trimmed

1/2 teaspoon Herbamare or salt to taste

2 teaspoons Vital Veggie Power

cracked black pepper to taste

*make sure you buy a plain cream cheese, not the low-fat ones as they are full of weird additives

This is what you do:

Wash all your greens well. Chop the shallots into a few pieces.

In your food processor or thermomix, throw the garlic and greens and whizz up.

Scrape down and add the remaining ingredients.

Whizz until well combined.

I don’t mind mine a bit chunky but if you have fussy kids, keep blending!

This is a spreadable, thick dip. If you want something softer and dippier (yep that’s a word), add a tablespoon or so of yoghurt or sour cream.

Serve it with plenty of cut up veggies and some seed crackers.

It will last around three days in a well-sealed container in the fridge.

Hot tip: If you want to go really hard-core, have a crack at making your own raw cream cheese.

Peanut Satay Chicken Wings

August 1, 2016 · 5 Comments

Peanut Satay Chicken Wings

I have a love affair with satay!

How good are those flavours?? We quite often have satay stir fries or noodles for dinner.

I was inspired by a recipe at Taste and decided to try my hand at making a peanut sauce marinade on some chicken wings for a budget and kid friendly dinner.

If you can’t have peanuts, use any other nut butter you have – cashew would be perfect!

Peanut Satay Chicken Wings

Vital Stats: gluten free, dairy free, egg free, grain free

Serves 4

Okay this is what you need:

8 large organic chicken wings

1/3 cup organic peanut butter

1/3 cup organic coconut cream

2 tablespoons organic tamari

1 lime juiced (about 2 tablespoons)

2 teaspoons fresh turmeric, grated

2 teaspoons fresh ginger, grated

2 -3 cloves garlic, crushed

1 teaspoon coconut sugar

HOT TIP: Use coconut cream in a can that has a BPA free lining like this one.

Okay so this is what you do:

Mix all ingredients except the chicken wings.

Add the chicken wings to the mixture and marinate overnight or for a few hours.
Preheat the oven to 200°celsius.

Place the wings on a rack on top of a tray and cook for 30-40 minutes or until brown and cooked through.

The marinade will form a crispy crust on the wings. Droooool!

You can also cook the wings in all the marinade in an oven proof dish if you like.

Serve the peanut satay chicken wings with some coconut rice and an asian salad or stir-fried vegetables.

HOT TIP: When marinating chicken pieces, I always slash the skin in a few places with a sharp knife so the yummy flavours penetrate through to the meat.

If your kids are little, they might like smaller pieces, so cut the chicken wings into three pieces, discarding the wing tip (use it for broth). These smaller serves also work well as for nibbles for a party or bbq.

They are also delicious cold so make extra for the lunch boxes.

What do you think? Will you give them a go?

What is your best budget meal for the family?

Pecan Salted Caramel Truffles

May 31, 2016 · 7 Comments

Oh my goodness, these are so amazing.

These Pecan Salted Caramel Truffles taste a bit like caramel lollies! I came across a Nakd food bar in my supermarket last month and the only ingredients were dates and cashews. It was so delicious and so caramely, it inspired me to add some more of my favourite ingredients and make these truffles. Well, they are sort of a bliss ball, but taste a bit more decadent so I called them a truffle.

Hope you like them as much as we do!

Pecan Salted Caramel Truffles

Vital Stats: gluten free, grain free, vegetarian, vegan, egg free, paleo

This is what you need:

1 cup organic cashews

1 cup organic medjool dates (or you can use dried dates, just soak in hot water and drain well)

1/2 cup organic pecans

1/8 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt (or a tad more if you like it salty)

1/2 scraped organic vanilla pod (or any sort of vanilla you have)

This is how to do it:

Take the pits out of the dates (important!). Throw the dates into a strong food processor or thermomix with the cashews, salt and vanilla and blend until they just start to come together in a ball. Be careful – if you overprocess, they will go weird and shed oil.

Now add in the pecans and just pulse until they are chopped up a little. I like to see the pecan bits still in there. Roll into small balls and pop in the fridge or freezer to store. But I can tell you now they taste good straight up!

Please let me know if you try the Pecan Salted Caramel Truffles and what you thought!

Want more?
Try these Ten Amazing Bliss Ball Recipes

6 Recipes for Make Ahead Healthy Breakfasts

October 22, 2015 · 5 Comments

We all have those days.

You’ve slept through the alarm (or forgotten to turn it on), a child has to be at school at an ungodly hour for some sort of rehearsal or training or you just are so darn tired you can’t be stuffed.

Well you can still have a real food breakfast ready for the whole family. It just takes a little forward planning. Have a few options in the freezer or get busy the night before and you are set!

I have six ideas for you that can be done in advance and eaten on the run, in the car or when you get to work or school. No need for drive-through Maccas (although nobody will judge you if you do!)

6 Recipes for Make Ahead Healthy Breakfasts:

1. Bircher Muesli

So yum and seriously so easy. It’s like the summer version of porridge.

All you do is throw 2 cups of organic rolled oats into a container with 1 cup of the milk of your choice and 1 cup of yoghurt. You can add whatever flavourings you like – cinnamon, dried fruit, frozen blueberries, honey. Throw it in the fridge and eat the next day.

I always add seeds and nuts just before serving as I have found soaking them overnight can leave your bircher bitter. Also fresh fruit like apple and banana is usually best added the next day too. If it’s a bit too sticky, just add more milk until it gets to the texture you like.

If you want to eat on the run, make individual serves in glass jars. It will last three days in the fridge. We often eat it for snacks or for lunch too! PS you will quite often see bircher muesli also called overnight oats!

2. Chia Pudding

Chia puddings are similar to bircher muesli but perfect if you are gluten-free or paleo and can’t have oats!

A basic chia porridge or pudding is so simple to make – just add liquid (I prefer coconut milk) to chia seeds until they are covered and a bit over and leave to thicken (40 mins at least or overnight). Add lots of yummy things. One of our favourite versions is organic coconut milk and Nutraorganics Acai-Berry superfood powder, topped with bananas and blueberries. You can also add nuts, other seeds and a good slurp of coconut oil.

Store in a covered container overnight or in individual containers or jars.

3. Blueberry Breakfast Slice

Seriously, the best thing since sliced bread (well in our house, anyway!) With no added sugar or weird stuff – this is like porridge and fruit in a slice. The eggs and chia seeds add extra protein to keep you full.

We make up a huge batch and freeze in portions or store in the fridge for three days. Either grab a piece out for brekky and wait a little for it to defrost or take out a couple the night before. It’s delicious warm with yoghurt on top.

Find the recipe here.

4. Egg Thingys

These yummy little egg muffins are so easy to make and they freeze well. Stock up your freezer so you can pull them out for a quick brekky. They are also a great way to use up leftover veges or meat and they taste so good, even the fussiest kids will be tempted by an eggy cupcake! You can eat them hot or cold.

Find the recipe here.

5. Breakfast Biscuit

These biccies are particularly great for brekky because there is no added sugar – just banana and oats! However if you want to make them a bit more filling for breakfast you can add in any extra protein you like – seeds, nuts or even some protein powder or nut butter.

Toddlers love this for brekky – perfect finger food for them to nibble on in the car as you head out for the day. Find the recipe here.

6. Tania Bread

Tania Bread is our nickname for Tania Hubbard’s amazing Almond and Chia Bread. We have it made up and frozen in slices. It’s so easy to grab a slice in the morning, smoosh on some avo and fling on some tomato slices or throw on some peanut butter and banana.

If you have more time, you might like to toast the bread! It’s full of almond meal and chia for protein and I always add lots of seeds so it’s a very filling brekky. .

Want more?
Check out my bumper list of Healthy Breakfast Ideas.

Do you have any make ahead brekky ideas? Share with us!