by Kami | Apr 19, 2015 | Breakfast, Recipes
Banana bread on Sunday afternoons became a family tradition growing up. I remember thinking banana bread baked FOREVER and anxiously anticipated my first warm bite. The kid in me still loves banana bread and STILL isn’t too patient with long baking times… especially in the morning. I love healthy, filling breakfast foods AND banana bread. Hmmm… how I combine those two lovely things? I can’t stop chattering about my never-ending infatuation with breakfast. Whether I’m baking Banana Zucchini Muffins or blending my Banana Apple Oatmeal Smoothie, I get giddy when breakfast is ready. These Zucchini Banana Bread Pancakes are no exception. They serve two purposes… satisfy my inner-kid with warm, comforting banana bread and reward my body with the nutrients it craves. Hey, our bodies work hard for us and they deserve nourishing food that makes our mouths rejoice! Here’s my tips for making these zucchini pancakes the MOST tasty and MOST nutritious. Instead of spreading on butter, spread coconut oil on your warm pancakes. Slice on some fresh strawberries or bananas and top with a little pure maple syrup. (Mouth… stop watering! I’m trying to finish this post.) Also, make sure to read the ingredients on your maple syrup. It should ONLY say maple syrup. There’s plenty of unhealthy options with dyes, added sugar, and nothing resembling pure maple syrup. Yes, PURE maple syrup is more expensive, but your health is worth it. You should only be pouring on about 2 Tbs anyway and not soaking your pancakes. Here are a couple pure maple syrups that I’ve tried and loved. I like sneaking in as many healthy ingredients as possible without compromising taste. If your mouth is deceived, why not make something as healthy...
by Kami | Apr 15, 2015 | Desserts, Gluten-Free, Recipes, Vegan
It was a sad, sad day when I discovered ice cream triggered my migraines. I grew up where 3 scoops of ice cream after dinner was as reliable as the sun setting. A life without ice cream seemed pretty grim. But alas, I’m not a quitter. I love food and dessert way too much to forever say farewell to one of my most favorite treats. Ice cream sandwiches. These homemade ice cream sandwiches are sugar-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, and delicious-full. Sit back, kick up your feet, and indulge. There are a couple surprising ingredients in these ice cream sandwiches. Ready? Garbanzo beans in the cookies and frozen bananas in the ice cream. Don’t judge before you try them. Garbanzo beans have a very mild flavor and create a chewy, soft base for my Chocolate Cookies, Crunchy Peanut Butter Cookies, and Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies. I’m beyond addicted. My husband knows to quickly grab a couple freshly baked because I feel no remorse for engulfing the entire batch. My latest record: 2 dozen in 24 hours. And for the ice cream… who knew frozen bananas created smooth, creamy vanilla-like ice cream? In order to make these delightful, splendid homemade ice cream sandwiches, you’ll need a quality blender. Myself? I’m a VitaMix woman. It’s an exquisite machine. It has a tamper that helps break up air pockets and push contents down making blending super easy. I use it every. single. day. However, I don’t want to discriminate. There are lots of Ninja and BlendTec fans out there too. Whichever way you choose… reward yourself by making...
by Kami | Apr 13, 2015 | Breakfast, Recipes, Vegan
I’m often tempted to call these muffins my favorite. THEN I start thinking about how much I love my other light and fluffy muffin recipes too. Morning Glory Muffins and Pear Apple Granola Muffins, don’t get jealous. I love you too. However, it’s time to spotlight these amazingly perfect, moist and rich Banana Zucchini Muffins. Inspired by my Zucchini Banana Bread Pancakes, these muffins are light and fluffy and healthy! My favorite combination. My 3 year old daughter has a perfect name for muffins… ‘muffin cookies’. These are going to tempt you all day long with their sweet goodness. In the mornings while they’re baking, she’ll run over about every 5 minutes, look in the lit up oven, and ask if her muffin cookies are ready. I know, baby girl. I can’t wait either. My husband knows he better grab a couple freshly baked because they will not be here when he comes home from work. These muffin cookies will be long gone by then. Remember how I created my 3 ingredient blender ice cream because dairy and sugar trigger my migraines? Well, eggs are another thing that gives me headaches. Oh, my silly headaches and food sensitivities. I had two choices… spend time on my pity-party or figure out how to create my favorite foods without eggs. With a little tweaking and trial and error, I discovered baking powder, olive oil, and applesauce were the perfect egg substitute in muffins. Even though there are no eggs in this recipe, they have a great peak and consistency. Success! My whole family has converted to spreading coconut oil on warm muffins, waffles, bread… anything that comes out...
by Kami | Apr 12, 2015 | Desserts, Gluten-Free, Recipes, Vegan
It was a sad, sad day when I realized that dairy and sugar were my migraine triggers. No dairy? No sugar? No ice cream?!?!?! Well, I’m not a quitter. Life without ice cream just seemed to grim. However, eating ice cream was not worth having a migraine which knocks me out for a couple days. What was a girl to do? Well, I found a creamy, smooth and perfect solution! Almond milk, frozen bananas, and frozen fresh pineapple did the trick. No dairy. No sugar. No migraines. I know I’m not the first to use a frozen banana in blender ice cream, and I definitely don’t want to be the last! I want you to have success each and every time. You know I have to say it… you HAVE to purchase a quality blender! I’m a Vitamix girl. Others have had success with BlendTec and Ninjas, but here’s a post why I chose Vitamix. Okay, back to the bananas. I’m frequently asked how I freeze my bananas. First, you want to wait until they’re completely yellow and before they’re too ripe (no brown on the inside). In a gallon-size freezer lock Ziplock bag, place 6 peeled bananas inside, whole or cut in halves or quarters, and seal the bag. Place in the freezer for at least 5 hours before using. SUPER easy. Fresh pineapple is a frequent visitor in our home. It doesn’t stay long… or should I say doesn’t last long. So… as soon as I chopped up fresh pineapple chunks, I have about 2 cups join the bananas in the freezer. Same thing, just thrown them in a...
by Kami | Mar 31, 2015 | Breads and Quick Breads, Recipes
My mom had a Sunday tradition of making homemade banana bread. We anxiously waited for the timer to go off and then fought over who got the first piece of warm banana bread. Well, I love my mom and her banana bread, but all the sugar in her recipe? Not so much. Well, now you and I can enjoy fluffy, moist, and sweet banana bread minus the cups of sugar. My husband just finished half the loaf… so I think it’s a winner. Please forgive me for being a broken record, BUT I feel like I would be doing you a disservice by not mentioning whole wheat pastry flour. A talented caterer friend of mine (hi Haley!) introduced me to pastry flour. I was getting frustrated with whole wheat and it turning my baked goods into bricks. White flour and highly processed flours, of course, were out. I tried this flour and now ONLY use this flour. Whether it’s my Banana Muffins or Multigrain Waffles, this flour will not disappoint. Print Whole Wheat Banana Bread Ingredients 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour 2 tsp aluminum-free baking powder 1 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp salt 2 eggs well beaten 1/2 cup olive oil 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce 1/2 cup honey 1 tsp pure vanilla 2 ripe bananas peeled and mashed Instructions Preheat oven to 350. Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a medium-size bowl. Set aside. Blend together eggs, oil, applesauce, honey, and vanilla. I HIGHLY recommend a Vitamix! It will make your life so much easier. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix well. Fold in mashed bananas. Spray one...
