Banana Breakfast Bread

Good morning everyone!

TGIF!!! Don't you just love that feeling when the weekend is right around the corner? I do.

I start thinking about those fabulous lazy mornings that I don't have to wake up early. I love mornings when I don't have to rush around. You also have more time to make things like this...

A warm slice of banana bread is a great way to change up your breakfast routine. The same old thing day-in and day-out gets dreary after awhile. Sort of like the weather. I saw a glimpse of sunshine today, the first in a week and that was between the persistent snow squalls. If you're Canadian then you know what I'm talking about. One minute the sun is shining brightly and the next thing you know there's a blizzard outside your window. Yeesh! It doesn't make for a fun drive, but does make for some pretty sweet snowboarding conditions, which is what I really wish I could be doing this weekend.

I have to say as much as I love winter and being Canadian, I still love warm temperatures more. It's only January and I think I'm already in need of a break from this weather. So I'm glad to say that instead of letting it drive me to drink..eek!.. it drove me to the kitchen.

This is a reasonably healthy quick bread that I slightly adapted from the Eat Clean Diet Cookbook. It's got heart healthy flaxseed (nearly a whole cup), and only half a cup of sucanat, which is an unrefined dark brown sugar that retains it's molasses content and is basically pure dried sugar cane juice. It's also sourced from Costa Rica quite possibly one of my favourite places in the world right now. Le sigh.

It's also partly sweetend with the help of apple butter and is full of fibre.

Spread some pure Canadian maple butter on a slice for your breakfast, make a fresh pot of tea or coffee, sit back and watch the snow fly because it ain't going nowhere to soon.

Banana Breakfast Bread (makes 1 loaf)

Print or Email this Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 cup mashed ripe banana (about 2 medium-sized bananas)
• 1/2 cup sucanat or other unrefined sugar
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup apple butter
• 3 egg whites
• 1 whole egg
• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour or red fife flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 cup ground flaxseed
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp sea salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350*F.
2. Grease a loaf pan and if desired line with parchment paper so that it hangs over the two long sides.
3. In a large bowl, combine banana, sucanat, vanilla, and apple butter. Add eggs one at a time and beat together until smooth.
4. In a separate large bowl, whisk together flours, baking soda and powder, ground flaxseed, cinnamon, nutmeg, and sea salt.
5. Pour the wet ingredients into the flour mixture and fold together with a spatula until completely incorporated.
6. Pour batter into the loaf pan. Bake for 55 minutes or until a toothpick or knife inserted into middle of the bread comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.

One thing is for sure: breakfast will not stand to be dull and dreary.

Banana Ice Cream

Happy New Year everyone!

New Year's resolutions are flying left and right right now, so what better post could I start the year off with than the healthiest ice cream in the world?

If you are looking to try something new or make some healthy changes or additions to your diet this year then please give this a try. It's magical and you'll love me for it.

Behold. BANANA ICE CREAM!

Unless you've been living under a rock you probably know all about banana soft serve ice cream. I admit I'm a little late to the party on this one, but if you're anything like me, that is ice-cream obsessed, then this could quite possibly change your life. Especially if you are vegan or lactose intolerant. I should also mention that this "ice cream" is completely guilt free. What could be better?

Ice cream has always been one of my favourite cheats. Mint chocolate to be specific. The stuff is like crack! Thanks goodness for this alternative...and my self-control, hehe. I think I first discoverd banana ice cream from the lovely Angela over at Oh She Glows. It was her healthy vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie 'Blizzard' that got me interested.

100% natural and vegan. No chemicals or preservatives. 100% dairy free. Totally kid-friendly and so so easy to make.

If you've never done this before all you need is a food processor, some frozen bananas and a few mix-ins. It's that simple. Just take your frozen banana's and whiz 'em up, scraping frequently, until you have silky-smooth ice cream. Next time you find yourself craving a big bowl of ice cream give this a try and I promise you will be satisfied.

When you process the banana's, you'll first notice that they turn granular. They might even turn into a single ball that spins around the food processor, but not to worry, just keep processing and the banana's will start to turn creamy around the edges. This is when you'll want to stop and scrape down the sides, then continue blending and scraping creamy consistency. You can always add a little splash of milk (non-dairy if you wish) to help it along. The whole process should take about 5 minutes in total.

It's great plain just the way it is, but if you're feeling extra decadent, definitely give this recipe a try.

Chocolate Ginger Banana Ice Cream gluten free, vegan (serves 2-3)

Print or Email this Recipe

Ingredients:

• 3 peeled banana's, cut into chunks and frozen for easy processing
• 4 Tbsp cocoa powder
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• splash of pure vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp crystallized/candied ginger, chopped

Directions:

1. Peel and cut your banana's into smaller chunks, then freeze in a zipper bag for at least 2 hours (I will freeze them over night and often have some in the freezing handy at all times - perfect for smoothies too).
2. Blend banana's in a food processor, stopping to scrape down the sides every so often until they resemble soft serve ice cream.
3. Next add in your cocoa powder, ground ginger and vanilla and process until combined. Then with a spatula or spoon stir in chopped ginger.
4. You can enjoy it right away or transfer to a freezer friendly container to store in the freezer. If you do store it in the freezer it will become solid again, just use an ice cream scoop when you are ready to serve it. Just like real ice cream!

**Note** Please don't try to make this in a blender. There isn't enough surface area for the blades to chop the banana's and will not turn out. Bring out the food processor for this one.

Have you discovered banana soft serve yet? What's your favourite ice cream flavour?