Tag Archives: Bananas

My Favorite Paleo Recipes – Part 6: Desserts

10 Thursday Apr 2014

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week109When I was little, I loved walking into our house and smelling scrumptious desserts baking in the kitchen. Chocolate Wacky Cake was one of my mom’s specialties, so was her Apple Cake! But those yummy desserts call for white flour, white sugar and other no-so-healthy ingredients. So while I have yet to replicate and perfect Mom’s recipes with healthier ingredients, I have discover other yummy desserts that I have made for my family and friends. And they include some of our favorite foods – chocolate, peanut butter, apples, bananas and ice cream – but of course not mixed together. Enjoy!

Baked Apples
Total comfort dish! Cut and core 4 large golden delicious apples and place in a crockpot. Sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg to taste. Toss with spoon so all apple pieces get the cinnamon and nutmeg. Turn crockpot on to high. In a blender add chopped 1/2 cup chopped walnuts and 1/2 cup pecan halves, mix so they are finely chopped. Add nut mix to bowl and add 1 tablespoon maple syrup, 1 tablespoon melted butter, 1/4 cup almond flour, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg and mix with fork. Spoon topping evenly on the top of the apples in the crockpot, cover and let sit on high for 2 hours. After 2 hours remove cover from crockpot and turn crockpot to low and let bake uncovered for 30 more minuets. Enjoy!

Banana Ice Cream
This is a must make! Peel 2 medium bananas and cut into medallions. Freeze until it hardens, about an hour or two. Remove and blend in a food processor or blender until smooth and creamy. Add 3 tablespoons almond butter and teaspoons honey and blend OR add 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 tablespoons coconut milk and ½ teaspoon vanilla. Both combos are delish or toss in fresh berries. You can also just eat just plain. Transfer to freezable container and freeze for a few more hours. Then serve and indulge!

Brownies with Peanut Butter Frosting
Who doesn’t love chocolate? Now you can indulge without the guilt. Preheat oven to 350° F. Line an 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper, leaving flaps overhanging the ends. In a food processor or Blendtec, pulse together 1 cup fine almond flour, 1/4 teaspoon sea salt and 1/4 teaspoon baking soda. Add in 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips and pulse until it is the texture of coarse sand. Add in 1 tablespoon cocoa powder, 1/4 cup honey, and 9 Medjool dates (pits removed, soaked 1 hour and drained) and pulse until combined. It won’t be very smooth yet. Add 3 large omega-3 eggs and 1/2 cup softened or melted coconut oil and pulse until smooth. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan. Smooth into corners and flatten the top with a spatula. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, checking occasionally after the 20 minutes to see if the center has set (it shouldn’t jiggle when you gently shake the pan). Once the center is set, remove from oven and let cool in pan, on a wire rack, for 2 hours before cutting. Eat as is or frost with peanut butter frosting

Peanut Butter Frosting
Beat 3/4 cup palm shortening and 3/4 cup smooth natural peanut butter (no sugar added) on high speed until creamy and smooth. Add 1/3 cup raw honey, 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract and 1/8 teaspoon sea salt. Beat on medium speed for about 45 seconds to combine. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and continue beating on high speed until the frosting is thick and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes. You can use right away or place in the refrigerator for about an hour to let it firm up. Frost brownies and serve.

Pumpkin Tarts
Love, love, love pumpkin. Hence, this is a favorite of mine! Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease a 24 cup mini muffin pan with ghee (or butter if you eat dairy). Combine 2 cups fine ground almond flour, 1/4 teaspoon sea salt, 1/4 teaspoon baking soda and 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon in a medium bowl. In another bowl, combine the wet crust ingredients. Add 1/4 cup melted coconut oil, 5 tablespoons raw honey and 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract to the dry ingredients and mix until thoroughly combined and you have a smooth dough ball. Using a small cookie scoop, drop a ball of dough in each mini muffin cup. Press down with a tart tamper, dipping the tamper in almond flour after every 2nd or 3rd tart to keep it from sticking. Bake the tarts in the pre-heated oven for exactly 5 minutes. Remove from the oven. The tarts will have puffed up quite a bit. Poke a hole in the bottom of each tart with a toothpick to release the steam. Go back and press each tart back down with the tart tamper. Let cool for 10 minutes on a cooling rack. Do not remove the tarts from the pan. While the tarts are cooling, combine 1/2 of a (15 oz.) can of pumpkin puree (about 1 cup), 1/2 cup coconut milk (canned, full-fat), 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves, 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger, pinch of sea salt, 1 1/2 tablespoon maple syrup, 1/2 tablespoon arrowroot powder, 1 omega-3 egg and 1 omega-3 egg yolk in a medium bowl. Using the same small cookie scoop, fill the cooled tart shells all the way with the pie filling. Cook for 10 minutes, the centers will still be slightly wiggly. Let cool completely on a wire rack. Use a small paring knife to separate the tarts from the muffin tin and serve with a dollop of whipped crust.

Be Fit. Be Strong. Be Well.
Adriana

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Healthy Banana Desserts

03 Monday Mar 2014

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week98Who doesn’t love bananas? Who doesn’t love desserts? Combine them together and it’s a win-win sweet ending to any meal or a delicious treat when snacking in-between.

Perhaps you remember my mentioning how bananas are my Mother’s favorite fruit. In “The Bulging Benefits of Bananas,” I shared how Mom would always buy a bunch or two from the grocer, encourage us to snack on these white soft fruits every day, and how she would add several into delicious homemade meals and, better yet, desserts.

I also cited how bananas are loaded with nutrients, vitamins, and minerals, including potassium, fiber, B vitamins, tryptophan, and the good sugars – glucose, fructose and sucrose. And how eating this fruit daily has ample health benefits, such as fighting depression, curing hangovers, relieving morning sickness, and helping to protect against kidney cancer, diabetes, osteoporosis and blindness, and more. Plus benefits one who never think of – reducing the itch and swell of a mosquito bite by placing the inside of the banana peel against it and the same for removing warts.

But let’s get back to the desserts. Bananas make an excellent ingredient to add to cakes, cookies, pies, puddings, and more. They are especially delish when paired up with peanut butter, oats, apples, or dark chocolate.

Since healthy desserts are often hard to find, I thought I’d share a few of my favorite banana desserts. Try one or try them all!

Banana, Apple and Almond Butter Smoothie
In a blender, add 2 frozen bananas (peeled and cut in chunks), 1 medium apple (cored and quartered), 1/4 cup almond butter, 1/2 cup almond milk (or soy milk, non-fat milk, or coconut water), and 1 pinch nutmeg (optional). Blend until smooth. Add ice for additional thickness.

Banana, Apple and Walnut Bread
Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a 9-inch loaf pan. In a medium-sized bowl, mash 2 ripe bananas with a fork. Add 1 peeled and diced apple, 1/2 cup Sucanat or Stevia, 1 3/4 cups whole-wheat flour, 1/2 cup applesauce, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon to the bowl, and mix well. Pour into greased pan, and sprinkle with chopped 1 tablespoon chopped walnuts. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out dry. Cool in pan for 15 minutes, and then transfer to a cooling rack.

Banana Carrot Cake with Blackberries
Preheat oven to 350°F. Mash 2 large and ripe
 bananas with a fork, add 3 eggs and 2 tablespoons coconut oil and whisk together. Add 3/4 cup almond milk, 1/2 cup brown rice flour, 1 cup rolled oats, 1 tablespoon chia seeds (optional), 1 teaspoon vanilla, a pinch of salt, and a pinch of saffron. Stir. Shred two carrots and ground 1 cup walnuts. Add to the mixture and stir. Grease the inside of 2 large 8-inch tartlet tins with coconut oil. Pour the batter into the tins and bake for about 30 minutes. Serve the cake while warm and top each with fresh blackberries and roasted almonds.

Banana Cream Pie
Peel 4-6 ripe bananas and cut in half. Place in a Ziploc bag or container and freeze overnight. For the crust, add 2 cups of unroasted, unsalted almonds into a food processor and process until ground. With processor still running, add a touch of maple syrup in a slow thin drizzle. Press crust mixture into a medium size pie plate with your finger, spatula, or wooden spoon. Next, fill crust with a generous amount of banana ice cream using a spatula or wooden spoon to evenly distribute and smooth out. Top pie with fresh fruit – blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, or blackberries.

Banana Foster
Peel 3 large firm ripe bananas and cut into medallions. Heat one tablespoon of coconut oil over medium heat in a large, heavy skillet and add bananas. Cook for 2-3 minutes, just until tender and turns brown. Serve warm over banana ice cream or Greek yogurt.

Banana Ice Cream
Peel 2 medium bananas and cut into medallions. Freeze until it hardens, about an hour or two. Remove and blend in a food processor or blender until smooth and creamy. Add 3 tablespoons almond butter and teaspoons honey and blend OR add 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 tablespoons coconut milk and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Both combos are delish or toss in fresh berries. You can also just eat just plain. Transfer to freezable container and freeze for a few more hours. Then serve and indulge!

Banana Muffins
Preheat oven to 325°F. Mash 2 very ripe bananas with a fork until mostly smooth. Stir in 2 eggs, coconut 1/4 cup melted coconut oil, 2 tablespoons honey, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon and apple cider vinegar. Additional optional add-ins include: 1/4 cup shredded coconut, 1/4 cup chopped nuts or seeds, 1/4 cup shredded carrot or shredded zucchini, 1/4 cup dried cranberries or raisins, or 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips. Mix together 1 cup almond flour, sifted 1/4 cup coconut flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda. Add to mixture until well blended. Let batter rest for 5 to 10 minutes to allow the coconut flour to absorb the liquids. Fill paper-lined or well-greased muffin tins 2/3 full and bake 15 to 20 minutes. Test for doneness with a toothpick. Cool for 10 minutes then remove muffins to a wire rack. Makes 12 regular-size muffins.

Banana Oatmeal Cookies
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Mash 3 ripe bananas and mix with the 3 cups oats (preferably not instant), 1/2 cup skim milk and 1 egg. Add in 2 tablespoons Stevia (or other sugar substitute), 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, and 1 tablespoon peanut butter (optional). Other optional add-ins area 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips or raisins. Grease a cookie tray with cooking spray and spoon the mixture on to make around 9 large cookies. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Store in an airtight container.

Banana Peanut Butter Pudding
Puree 15 ounces chickpeas (or 15 ounces garbanzo beans), 1 banana, 2 tablespoons peanut butter, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 teaspoon honey in a blender, food processor, or hand blender. Spoon into serving bowls and refrigerate before serving.

Frozen Chocolate-Covered Bananas
Line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper. Peel and cut 4 large ripe bananas into thirds crosswise. Insert a Popsicle stick into each piece of banana. Cover each piece with melted dark chocolate using a rubber spatula and sprinkle with shredded coconut or crushed nuts. Place the bananas on the baking sheet and freeze until frozen, about 2 hours. Indulge or store airtight in the freezer for up to one week.

Be Fit. Be Strong. Be Well.
Adriana

The Bulging Benefits of Bananas

29 Thursday Sep 2011

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Growing up, Mom always had bananas around the house. They are her favorite fruit and she still has at least one daily. She ate them from the peel, made breads, and tossed them in Jell-O. For me, not so much. Berries were always my favorite and I had to learn to like them before I could love bananas.

Today, I do love bananas, and have at least one a day just like Mom. I have discovered I prefer them when they are still slightly green around the edges. I try to purchase only enough for the next few days. I dangle them on a banana holder to keep from ripping too soon and put them in a brown paper bag and place them in the fridge in the event they do. If they are overripe, then it’s time to whip up one of my favorite banana bread recipes and add them in! I also discovered a new way to eat them. Peel the fruit from the opposite end. Try it! You might be pleasantly surprised!

The health benefits of bananas seem literally endless, probably one of the main reasons why it’s Mom’s favorite fruit. First of all, they consist mainly of fiber which is great for restoring a normal bowel function from either constipation or diarrhea. Next, they are contain a lot of the good sugar – glucose, fructose and sucrose – making this fruit ideal for an immediate source of energy. Bananas are also high in B vitamins that have shown to improve nerve function, and high in iron, which helps the body’s hemoglobin function. They additionally contain tryptophan, an aminoacid that converts to serotonin which helps improve your mood. Bananas also have a natural antacid effect in the body. So if you suffer from heartburn, an upset stomach, ulcers, or morning sickness, try eating a banana for soothing relief. I do this all the time when I’m nausea and it works like a charm!

But what bananas are probably most known for their high concentration of potassium, a nutrient necessary for human life and health. The benefits of potassium alone include lower blood pressure, anxiety, and stress; less of chance for strokes, cramps, and heart and kidney disorders; heightened metabolism, muscular strength, and water balance; and better function of nervous system and electrolytic functions.

There have also been many studies on the health benefits of bananas. According to a study in The New England Journal of Medicine, eating bananas as part of a regular diet can reduce the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40 percent. Research published in the Archives of Ophthalmology states that adults who eat at least three servings of bananas a day have a reduced risk of developing age-related macular degeneration by 36% (the primary cause of vision loss in older adults) in comparison to those who consume less than 1.5 servings of fruit daily. And research findings published in the International Journal of Cancer has shown that daily consumption of bananas is highly protective to kidney health.

There are also some surprising benefits and unusual uses of bananas. Some people report that rubbing the inside of a banana peel on a mosquito bite is very effective in reducing itching and swelling. During stressed out moments, there are those who eat a banana versus taking medications for a healthier rebalance. And some smokers consume bananas to help them kick the habit. The vitamins B6 and B12 in addition to the potassium and magnesium in bananas can help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.

Countless reasons to eat bananas! So besides eating them right from the peal, below are a few of my favorite healthy banana recipes. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

Banana and Pineapple Smoothie: Place 4 ice cubes, 1/4 fresh pineapple (peeled, cored and cubed), 1 large banana cut into chunks, and 1 cup pineapple into the bowl of a blender. Puree on high until smooth.

Banana Bread: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease and flour a 9×5 inch loaf pan. In a large bowl, stir together 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, and 1 cup white sugar. Stir in 2 eggs, 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce, 4 ripe bananas (mashed), and 1 tablespoon vanilla extract. Fold in 1 cup raisins and 1 cup chopped walnuts if desired. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 45 to 60 minutes, until a knife inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean.

Banana Pancakes: In a large bowl, mix all-purpose 1 cup all-purpose flour, 2/3 cup whole wheat flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 2 tablespoons white sugar. Stir in 1 1/2 cups buttermilk and 2 small ripe bananas (finely chopped) just until moistened.  Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

Banana Waffles: Preheat waffle iron. In a large mixing bowl, sift together 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 3 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 pinch ground nutmeg. Stir in 1 cup 1% milk and 1 egg until mixture is smooth. Spray preheated waffle iron with non-stick cooking spray. Pour two tablespoons of the waffle batter onto the hot waffle iron. Place two slices of a banana on top of the batter and then spoon another two tablespoons of batter on top of the banana. Cook until golden brown. Serve hot.

Banana Pudding: In large bowl combine 8 ounces sour cream, 1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping (thawed), 1 (5 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix and 2 cups whole milk. Stir well. In the bottom of a trifle bowl or other glass serving dish, put a layer of vanilla wafer cookies, then a layer of pudding mixture, then a layer of bananas (4 bananas, peeled and sliced). Repeat until all ingredients are used. Refrigerate until serving.

Be Fit. Be Strong. Be Well.
Adriana