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

 

 

 

Irish Vegetable Stew with Guinness

Tomorrow is St. Patrick’s Day, which is why I am sharing with you my favorite recipe for Irish Vegetable Stew! This hearty stew is full of fresh vegetables and savory herbs, and the Guinness gives it a rich and robust flavor. Enjoy!

Makes about 6 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 leek, chopped
• 230 g of white mushrooms, chopped
• 1 Tbsp of olive oil
• 3 russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 3 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 2 stalks of celery, chopped
• 1 tsp of minced garlic
• 1/4 of a head of green cabbage, chopped
• 1 bottle of Guinness (15 fl oz) or any dark stout
• 4 cups of vegetable broth
• 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary, chopped
• handful of fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/2 tsp of paprika
• 1 Tbsp of soy sauce
• dash of salt & pepper
• 3 Tbsp of tomato paste
• 2 bay leaves

Instructions:

1. In a large pot, sauté the chopped leeks and mushrooms in the olive oil for 3-4 minutes.
2. Then add the garlic, potatoes, carrots, and celery. Cook on medium-high for an additional 5 mins. Now add the cabbage and mix it into the vegetables.
3. Next add the Guinness, vegetable broth, rosemary, parsley, paprika, soy sauce, and desired amount of salt & pepper. Cook on medium-high heat for 5 minutes to let the cabbage wilt.
4. Add the tomato paste into the stew and thoroughly stir it around into the broth. 
5. Pop the bay leafs into the stew. Bring to a boil. Turn down to a simmer and cook with the lid on for 1 hour. You may remove the lid to stir the stew every 15 minutes.

Benefits of this recipe:

-Mushrooms are a great source of protein, fiber, antioxidants, and high in B vitamins.

-Carrots are very high in Vitamin A, which protects eye health and vision. They are high in antioxidants, can help lower cholesterol, help protect against cancer, improve immunity, boosts skin health, and helps improve brain function.

-Potatoes help to reduce inflammation in the body, lower blood pressure, stimulates brain function, prevents formation of kidney stones, relieves high blood pressure, prevents heart diseases, and facilitates digestion.

-Cabbage boosts the immune system, fights inflammation and arthritis, reduces osteoporosis risk, and promotes a healthy gut.

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

 

Lentil Dahl with Cucumber-Dill Yogurt Sauce

Lentil dahl is one of my all time favorite meals. It is so satisfying and nourishing to the body. The cucumber-dill yogurt sauce complements this dish by bringing a tangy and refreshing element to the meal. Enjoy!

Makes about 4 servings

Ingredients for the lentil dahl:

• 1 Tbsp of coconut oil
• 1/2 of a yellow onion, chopped
• 1/2 tsp of minced garlic
• 2 roma tomatoes, diced
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 2 tsp of curry powder
• 1/2 tsp of turmeric
• 1 tsp of cumin
• 1 tsp of chili flakes
• 2 tsp of paprika
• dash of black pepper
• 1 1/4 cup of green lentils
• 2 cans of coconut milk
• 1 Tbsp of soy sauce
• a few handfuls of spinach

Ingredients for cucumber-dill yogurt sauce:

• 3/4 cup of plain unsweetened dairy-free yogurt (I use the Forager yogurt brand here)
• juice of 1/2 of a lemon
• 2 Tbsp of fresh chopped dill
• dash of salt and pepper
• 1/4 tsp of minced garlic
• 1/4 cup of chopped english cucumber

Instructions:

1. In a large pot, heat the coconut oil on medium-high. Sauté the onion in the oil until it becomes soft. Then, add the garlic, tomatoes, and carrots. Keep stirring the vegetables around in the pot the cook.
2. After 4-5 minutes, add the curry, turmeric, cumin, chili flakes, paprika, and black pepper. Stir to fully incorporate all of the spices into the vegetables.
3. Next add the lentils, coconut milk, and soy sauce. Bring to a boil. Once boiled, put the lid on the pot, turn down the heat to low, and simmer for 35 minutes. Make sure to stir the pot every 7-8 minutes.
4. After 35 minutes, add the spinach and continue to cook for a few minutes until the spinach is fully wilted.
5. Now make the yogurt sauce. Combine all of the ingredients together in a small bowl. Set aside in the fridge until ready to serve.
6. Serve each bowl with a scoop of lentil dahl, a scoop of rice, and top everything with a dollop of the yogurt sauce.

Benefits of this recipe:

-Lentils can help lower cholesterol, are high in protein, good for digestive health, and beneficial for heart health.

-Carrots are very high in Vitamin A, which protects eye health and vision. They are high in antioxidants, can help lower cholesterol, help protect against cancer, improve immunity, boosts skin health, and helps improve brain function.

-Tomatoes contain cancer-fighting antioxidants, they improve heart health, helps improve vision and eye health, benefits skin health, and protects bone health.

-Spinach aids in detoxifying the body and supporting liver function. It is a great source of fiber, boosts immunity, preserves skin health, and defends against heart disease.

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

Tempeh Mushroom Marsala

You may be wondering- what exactly is tempeh? Since becoming vegan 3 years ago, tempeh has become one of my favorite sources of protein. Not only is it high in protein, but it also has many probiotic benefits that aid in providing good gut health. Tempeh is basically fermented soybeans that originated in Indonesia. When added to a tasty sauce, tempeh really soaks up the flavors of the ingredients and helps become a very satisfying dish. This recipe is a classic mushroom marsala with tempeh added for a twist. I recommend serving this dish over a bed of mashed potatoes, pasta, or rice. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp of olive oil
• 1 white or yellow onion, diced
• 1/4 tsp of garlic, minced
• 4 cups of chopped mushrooms
• 8 oz of tempeh, cut into cubes
• 1 tsp of dried thyme
• 1 tsp of dried parsley
• salt and pepper
• 1 cup of vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup of marsala cooking wine
• 1 Tbsp of tomato paste
• 1 Tbsp of corn starch + 1 Tbsp of water

Instructions:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Add the onion and garlic. Sauté for several minutes until the onions start to become translucent.
3. Add the mushrooms. Continue to cook for 4-5 minutes until the mushrooms are cooked through.
4. Add the tempeh, thyme, parsley, desired amount of salt and pepper, vegetable broth, marsala cooking wine, and tomato paste. Stir to evenly combine.
5. Make a corn starch slurry. In a small bowl, mix together 1 Tbsp of corn starch with 1 Tbsp of water. Add this to the skillet.
6. Bring to a boil for 1 minute. Once boiled, turn down to low heat. Cover the skillet and simmer for about 10 minutes.
7. Remove the lid. Add more salt and pepper if needed. Your marsala is now ready to serve!

Benefits of this recipe:

-Tempeh is rich in probiotics and antioxidants, lowers cholesterol, boosts bone health, provides muscle-building protein, and balances blood sugar.

-Mushrooms are a great source of protein, fiber, antioxidants, and high in B vitamins.

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