Vegan & Gluten Free Banana Bread

Banana bread is one of my personal favorite treats. This recipe is made with healthy and guilt free ingredients! It is vegan, gluten free, and refined sugar free. I like to have a slice of this as a tasty breakfast or as an afternoon snack paired with some tea. You can cook along with me with the video below. Enjoy!

Makes 1 whole loaf of banana bread

 

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of gluten free oats (regular oats may be used as well)
• 3 very ripe bananas
• 1/3 cup of melted coconut oil
• 1/3 cup of almond milk
• 1 Tbsp of almond butter
• 2 Tbsp of maple syrup or honey
• 2 Tbsp of chia seeds
• 1/2 cup of coconut sugar
• 1/2 tsp of salt
• 1 Tbsp of cinnamon
• 1 tsp of baking soda
• 1/2 tsp of baking powder
• handful of pumpkin seeds or any topping of your liking

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Blend 2 cups of oats in a blender into a fine powder. Set aside for now.
3. In a mixing bowl. mash the bananas. Then stir in the coconut oil, almond milk, almond butter, and honey. Mix everything together using a whisk.
4. Now add the dry ingredients: the chia seeds, oat flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, baking soda, and baking powder. Mix all of the ingredients together until the batter is consistent.
5. Grease a loaf pan with coconut oil. Pour the batter into the pan. Smoothe the batter so that the level is even. Top with the pumpkin seeds.
6. Pop the pan into the oven and bake for 50  mins. When fully cooked, remove the banana bread from the oven and let it sit for 5 mins in the loaf pan. Transfer to a cooling rack or plate and cool it in the fridge for 25 mins before cutting and serving.
7. I recommend storing the banana bread in the fridge to keep it fresh.

Benefits of this recipe:

-Bananas boost energy, are high in potassium, improves digestive health, and is a good source of brain, skin, and bone health-boosting manganese.

-Oats are high in fiber, reduces heart disease risk, and lowers cholesterol.

The information on the benefits of the ingredients was researched from http://www.draxe.com

 

 

 

Coconut Chia Seed Pudding

Coconut Chia Seed Pudding is one of my favorite treats to make. This recipe has a creamy, rice pudding-like consistency and can be eaten as a sweet breakfast or a dessert. Enjoy!

Makes 3-4 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 can (14 oz) of coconut milk
• 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract
• 2 Tbsp of honey or maple syrup
• 1/4 cup of chia seeds
• optional toppings: berry preserves, coconut flakes, fresh fruit

Instructions:

1. Pour the entire can of coconut milk into a jar. Whisk until the consistency is smooth and even.
2. Next add in the vanilla extract and honey/maple syrup and whisk to combine.
3. Finally, add in the chia seeds and continue to whisk to mix everything together. Cover the top of the jar and put into the fridge overnight or for at least 5 hours to set.
4. When you are ready to eat, remove the jar from the fridge. Stir the chia pudding around to make sure there are no clumps. Top the pudding with berry preserves, fresh fruit, coconut flakes, or whatever your heart desires!

Benefits of this recipe:

-Chia seeds are high in antioxidants, helps digestive health, regulates cholesterol, boosts energy and metabolism, and is a great source of omega-3s.

The benefits of these ingredients were researched from http://www.draxe.com

 

(Vegan) Maple Apple Cinnamon Oatcakes

These tasty oatcakes are made with an oat flour base, spiced with sweet maple cinnamon plus slivered almonds as an added crunch. They make for a delightful Sunday morning breakfast, paired with some fruit salad and herbal tea. Enjoy!

Ingredients for caramelized apple topping:

• 1 Tbsp of coconut oil
• 1 small honey crisp apple, peeled and chopped into small bite-sized pieces
• 2 tsp of lemon juice
• 1 tsp of cinnamon
• 1 Tbsp of maple syrup

Ingredients for the oatcakes:

• 1 1/4 cups of oat flour
• 1 Tbsp of cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp of salt
• 1/4 cup of slivered almonds
• 1/2 tsp of baking soda
• 1/2 cup of oat milk
• 1/2 cup of apple sauce
• 4 Tbsp of maple syrup
• 1 tsp of vanilla extract
• coconut oil for greasing the pan

Instructions:

1. First, make your caramelized apple topping. Heat 1 Tbsp of coconut oil in a small sauce pan on medium-high heat. Add the chopped apple pieces, lemon juice, maple syrup, and cinnamon. Sauté the apples until they are soft and cooked through. Set the sauce pan aside with the lid on.
2. Next, make the batter. In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: the oat flour, cinnamon, salt, slivered almonds, and baking soda.
3. Now add in the oat milk, apple sauce, maple syrup, and vanilla extract. Whisk to combine.
4. Heat a lightly oiled griddle/frying pan over medium-high heat. Scoop about a 1/4 cup of the batter onto the griddle. Cook each side until golden brown.
5. Serve the oatcakes hot with a scoop of caramelized apple topping. Optional: drizzle with more maple syrup.

Benefits of this recipe:

-Apples are high in fiber, a good source of vitamin C, and is a great source of antioxidants.

-Oats are high in fiber, reduces heart disease risk, and lowers cholesterol.

The information on the benefits of the ingredients was researched from http://www.draxe.com

Sweet Potato Banana Bread Muffins (Gluten Free & Vegan!)

I came up with this recipe while making sweet potato brownies. I realized how great it is to use sweet potatoes as a healthier replacement for flour. I honestly think that these are some of the best muffins that I’ve ever made! They are gluten free, vegan, and refined sugar free. They are made with super clean ingredients, and taste very moist and flavorful. I like to eat these for breakfast, a snack, or even dessert. Enjoy!

Preparation + Cook Time: 60 minutes

Makes about 12 muffins

Ingredients:

• 1 Sweet Potato
• 1 T Chia Seeds
• 1 C Almond Butter
• 1 Ripe Banana
• 1 1/2 t Cinnamon
• 1/4 C Maple Syrup (or honey)
• 1 t Vanilla Extract
• 1/4 t Salt
• 1/4 C Coconut Flour
• 1 t Baking Powder
• 2 T Melted Coconut Oil
• Optional: Pecans and Pumpkin Seeds for topping the muffins

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Boil some water in a medium sized pot. Peel the sweet potato completely. Cut into small pieces. Once the water is boiled, add the sweet potatoes to the water. Turn to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes until fully cooked. The potatoes should be very soft. Set aside to cool down. 
3. In a small bowl, mix the chia seeds with 2.5 T water. Let it sit for 5 minutes until it turns into a thick gel. 
4. Add the sweet potatoes, the chia seed gel, and the rest of the ingredients into a food processor. Blend until smooth. (If you don’t have a food processor, you could add the ingredients to an electric mixer)
5. Line muffin tins with paper liners. Scoop the batter into the muffin tins evenly. Optional: Add pecans or pumpkin seeds to the top of the muffins.
6. Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes.
7. Let them cool for 10 minutes before enjoying. I recommend storing them in the fridge.

Benefits of this recipe:

-Sweet potatoes are high in fiber, maintain a healthy blood pressure, and reduces inflammation. The high levels of vitamin C and E provide an immunity boost, support eye health, and prevent degenerative damage.

-Almond butter contains many essential nutrients that protects heart health, supports a healthy brain function, maintains skin health, helps control blood sugar levels, and maintains good bone and dental health.

-Bananas boost energy, are high in potassium, improves digestive health, and is a good source of brain, skin, and bone health-boosting manganese.

 

The information on the benefits of the ingredients was researched from http://www.medicalnewstoday.com and http://www.draxe.com