5 Ingredient Flourless Banana Bread

I haven’t shared a recipe on here in far too long! In fact, how is the last thing I’ve shared on here been from December 2019?! It might have something to do with renovating a new home, packing and preparing to sell two other homes, among a slew of other things, but when you come across a recipe your husband wants to make every. single. week. you know its one worth sharing. I love it because he typically makes it, too. No objections from me. I’m glad his new fave snack is SO EASY and SO QUICK to make, and yet made of whole food ingredients too. I didn’t come up with it myself, Pinterest and BAKERMAMA get all the credit. But its always nice to hear from someone else who has made it and tells you – IT’S GOOD!

The main image on her site shows the bread with banana slices atop. We have never made it that way. We do rather enjoy adding chopped walnuts to ours. And…not sure whether you really want to know this or not…but just a few weeks ago a friend gave Bryan the idea to add dark chocolate chips. I’m not a big chocolate person, especially not in breads. IT’S AMAZING! Maybe its the banana oat combo that pairs so well with the chocolate. Whatever the reason, even to a gal who rarely chooses chocolate over fruity or frosting – I give it two thumbs up.

Enjoy! Oh, and don’t mistakenly count your walnuts as one of the “5 ingredients” and then forget to add the baking soda. That {may} have happened to my hubby one time and he may or may not have learned the lesson that even an amount as small as a teaspoon matters. It really is the little things, isn’t it?

Tammy

Wellness Warrior

I wonder, how do you look at wellness? Do you see it as something that just happens, or as something you have to fight for? As in, be a WARRIOR for?

I have lived in the camp of being a WELLNESS WARRIOR for the past 25 years of my life. For me, being healthy wasn’t “just happening.” Staying up too late, operating on 4 hours of sleep, skipping breakfast and lunch, only to binge on Fruity Pebbles cereal and Super Pretzels for dinner was my modus operandi. Yikes! Hurts to remember those days, but I’m all about sharing the truth.

The truths we don’t face become our limits.

So…one day I drew a line in the sand and said, ENOUGH! I went to bed earlier, getting 8 hrs of sleep each night. I began making a nutritious breakfast at home and eating it before I left for school/work. I never skipped meals, always ate balanced, and swore off the Fruity P’s, pizza, and cookies. Then all of my life’s dreams came true. The End.

NOT!! I hope you didn’t believe that for a second. Being a WELLNESS WARRIOR in my life has often meant making HUGE CHANGES, RADICAL SWOOPS, TAKING DESPERATE MEASURES, only to go right back to where I started. Talk about depressing. Those were some very hard years.

I finally realized that going to extremes was just another way of being unhealthy.

I struggled with eating disorders and body dismorphia, in a major way. (More on that in another post.)

So what did work? How did I get to the place I am now? Anxiety replaced with peace? A fit, strong body ready to make the most of each day I’m given? A faith that trusts more than doubts?

For starters,

I gave up.

Gave up my unrealistic expectations. Gave up the crap I was reading that promoted the image that “skinny would make you happy.” I wised up. I switched to books that looked at the whole person, mind/body/spirit. I developed a relationship with God and prayed, prayed, prayed. I went to counseling and met with wellness health professionals. I learned as much as I could about how to be healthy. I started working out in a group setting, taking classes and building community. I focused on strength vs. body weight, fitness vs. achievement, joy vs. a “should/would/could” mindset. I did lots and lots of work on mindset. I starting practicing gratitude, serving others, and getting my mind off of myself.

It’s amazing how loving others well and giving of your time, talents, and resources can improve your life greatly-God told me it would.

So, friends, what are you a warrior for? Does your wellness matter enough for you to fight for it? What helps you create new, healthy habits? Where could you make tweaks to take you in the direction of your best self?

My advice to you:

• Give up the Fruity P’s! (Whatever that nutrient-less food is for you.) Remove them from your house and re-stock the fridge and pantry with fresh veggies, fruits, grass-fed, no-hormone added meats, eggs, avocado, raw nuts and seeds, to name a few. Can you have your indulgence food sometimes? Of course! But keeping it out of the house until it’s time for that every-so-often food will be helpful.

• Plan your meals. This will help you eat out less and make fewer poor decisions.

Cut up your fruits and veggies, prepare your meals and snacks as much as you can at the start of the week. This will prove to be fruitful when you’re needing something quick.

• Become friends with herbs and spices. Having a variety of flavors will keep your vegetables interesting and help get you excited about eating them!
• Be willing to try new recipes! Check out 21 Day Transformation for some free, healthy food resources.
• Join a clean eating challenge, my pref is the 21 Day Transformation because it comes not only with 60+ recipes, but it also guides you on what to eat for that special treat, has a restaurant guide for eating out healthfully, and it’s designed in a way that is very easy to follow and flexible to meet the taste buds of many. Aka-it’s fmaily friendly. One of my all-time fave parts- ACCOUNTABILITY. This program is wellness coach led and you have access to the coach for 21 days. Ask any questions you may have, no matter how specific. Oh, AND, you get 21 days of BARRE ON DEMAND FITNESS CLASSES too! Say what?! Yep, it’s the full package.

• Workout with others. Research shows that group exercise is the #1 exercise method for improved mental health. You’re also more likely to stick to your workouts. It’s motivating, and especially when you find a place that is positive, upbeat, and encouraging like B Present Studio. Don’t live near a B Present Studio location? Invite a friend or two over and get the same great messaging and benefits with Barre On Demand .

• Set goals, and have grace. GOALS AND GRACE. Yep. Take one step at a time. Believe you can.

You are stronger than you even know.

You can choose to be a wellness warrior.

💚 T

Avocado Smoothie

Want some YUMMMM in your life?  I thought so!  And great news is, this YUM is also good for your TUM and won’t add extra pounds to your BUM!!  :-))

Lean & Green Smoothie

Serves 3-4; I often 1/2 the recipe if I know I won’t be sharing or be around to drink 2 in one day.

INGREDIENTS:                                                                                                                    

2 cups unsweetened almond milk

1 banana, peeled

1 cup organic spinach (I often toss in a little more)

1 apple, cored, and sliced (I used Honeycrisp this week-YUM)

1/2 avocado, pitted, peeled

3 Tbsp. ground flax seed (mine is golden flax which I LOVE with the avocado)

2 Tbsp. honey

1 cup ice cubes

DIRECTIONS:

1. Blend all ingredients until smooth. **see note below** Add 1 cup of ice, more or less to achieve your desired thickness and temperature.  I don’t like my smoothies luke warm so ice is imperative for me.  I do store my extras in the fridge until I’m ready for it and typically just stir with a fork or straw.  On occasion I may add ice and re-blend to freshen up the green goodness.

NOTE: You could use any kind of milk for the base.  Skim milk, coconut milk, soy milk, etc.

I had this today for breakfast with 2 slices of cinnamon raisin Ezekiel bread.  Mmmm, good!

**I can’t say how other blenders will do with this smoothie and all the other great recipes out there, but what I can say is that I.  AM.  IN.  LOVE.  with my blender and  would chose it over my car most days!  I have the Vitamix 5200 and I HIGHLY RECOMMEND it to anyone wanting to lead a healthy lifestyle.  It makes food prep quick and easy, not to mention clean-up is a breeze!  The machine cleans itself!!  I love and care about this product so much and the difference it has made in my life!  Since purchasing the Vitamix on April 29, 2012 it has been used 300 times!!  There isn’t a day it goes unused unless we are out of town!  Feel free to message me with any questions about the blender.  I will include a special code that will give you FREE SHIPPING, which saves you $25.  Did I mention this machine comes with a 7 year warranty!!  I know many people who use their Vitamix daily and have had it for 15 years +.  It’s an investment, but well worth it!  Here is the code for free shipping:

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Almond-Coconut Granola

A sweet friend shared this recipe with me and I have since made it time and time again!  Whether eaten alone for breakfast, atop a smoothie, or sprinkled over a bowl of fresh berries, it’s delicious, healthy and can be Gluten Free if you buy GF oats.

 

3 to 4 cups of old fashioned oats (make sure they say “Gluten Free” if that’s what you’re going for)

1 cup of unsweetened macaroon coconut

1 cup of sliced almonds

1 cup of freshly ground flaxseed

1/2 cup of pecan meal

3/4 cup unrefined, melted coconut oil (do not microwave it) 

1/2 cup maple syrup

1 TBSP vanilla Mix dry ingredients first in a large bowl. Mix wet ingredients in a separate bowl and then pour onto the dry and mix well. Spread on a lined or greased (with coconut oil) cookie sheet, and bake at 375 for 10 minutes. Mix the granola around so it cooks evenly and cook for another 5-10ish minutes.  I have found it often crisps quicker and I cut the cooking time almost in 1/2.  Keep an eye on it!  

***Also, if you’re trying to eat more raw and you have a dehydrator, just throw this mix in your dehydrator for 7 or 8 hours.

 

One Vegan Way to Start Your Day…

The original of this recipe, which was given to me by a sweet friend of mine, is called “Take A Hike Scones.”  I tweaked some of the ingredients to create this version, which works best for my bod and taste buds.  I don’t promote eating vegan margarine daily, but this tasty treat definitely gives you the feeling of having a baked good without all of the refined sugars and carbs.  I think most people who are scared by the thought of “healthy” and “vegan” foods would actually really enjoy these morsels of goodness!  Try them, you will like them!  And your heart will, too!  The whole wheat flour, flaxseeds, oats, and pumpkin seeds give them staying power to help keep you satiated.

VEGAN TAKE A HIKE SCONES:

8 ounces Earth Balance Buttery Sticks vegetable oil spread or other vegan margarine (don’t use shortening)

2 1/2 cups Whole Wheat Flour

2/3 cup organic light brown sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

3/4 cup dried fruit, cut into small dice (any combination: cranberries, apples, apricots, or other fruit) I used baking raisins and cranberries (no sugar added cranberries can be found at Garden Patch in Mishawaka, IN)  And I’ll add here that after making several batches of these my husband pleaded with me to make him some with chocolate chips.  I acquiesced eventually and left out the dried fruit and added cacao chips to his.  (I admit they weren’t half bad. :-))

1/4 cup pumpkin seeds

1/4 cup flaxseeds

3/4 cup plain unsweetened almond milk

1. Cut the buttery sticks or margarine into chunks and freeze for minimum of 1 hour.

2.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, stir together the flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder and baking soda.  Mix in the oats.  Using the dough hook attachment on medium-low speed, cut the frozen margarine into dry ingredients until pea size chunks are left, 2-3 minutes.  Scrape down the ingredients as needed as they creep up the sides of the bowl.  (I don’t have an electric mixer with dough hook, so I’ve been using a handheld mixer.  I’m guessing the other way is ideal, but this has worked just fine for me.  I don’t quite achieve the pea-sized chunks it mentions, but the final product doesn’t lack in flavor.  A little more crumbly perhaps-I try to use a plate when I eat one so I can pour all the crumbs in my mouth at the end. :-)

3. Briefly mix in the dried fruits, pumpkin seeds and flaxseeds.  Add almond milk (mixture will look soggy, but keep mixing until it reaches a thick, oatmeal-like consistency and isn’t runny, about 1-2 minutes).

4.  I line two cookie sheets with foil for easy clean up, and use a spoon and my hands to create large chunks of the doughy mix and plop them on the baking sheet.  Bake for 20 minutes at 375 degrees.  Scones will puff up and crack on the top.  Cool completely.  Eat and enjoy!  Give them away as gifts!  Who doesn’t like a yummy, healthy, homemade treat?!?