Tag Archives: banana

June 1, 2016 · 7:20 pm

Frozen Chocolate Covered Bananas

Healthy Chocolate Covered Bananas Balanced Grettie Fitquestmom

Over the Memorial Day Weekend we went to a BBQ at a friend’s house and I was tasked with bringing a healthy-ish dessert.

Frozen chocolate covered bananas were always my favorite Disneyland treat and I think it is because that was the only place I ever saw them when I was younger.  I had a MASSIVE sweet tooth, yet I would choose those every time over a Mickey ice cream sandwich or the other fun ice cream treats they sold.

I thought that chocolate covered frozen bananas would fit the bill and would be fun for my daughter and I to make together.  She is the age now where I am wanting to give her more freedom in the kitchen and this was the perfect recipe for that.

This dessert ended-up being a hit with kids and adults alike…I’m pretty sure they will make a regular appearance this summer.

INGREDIENTS

  • Ripe Bananas (not too ripe though)
  • Popsicle sticks
  • Chocolate chips for melting (I used Enjoy Life brand)
  • Various toppings
    • Trail mix (we chopped ours up in the blender)
    • Nuts
    • Mini marshmallows
    • Raisins
    • Cereal
    • Sprinkles
    • Coarse sugar

METHOD

  1. Cut bananas into 3″ slices
  2. Stick a Popsicle stick into each banana piece
  3. Place the banana pieces on a cookie sheet and freeze for an hour or longer
  4. Melt the chocolate chips (I used the double boiler method)
  5. Coat each frozen banana with the melted chocolate and immediately sprinkle on the toppings (the chocolate will harden FAST)
  6. Lay the finished product back on the cookie sheet and into the freezer until ready to serve

What’s your favorite healthy-ish summertime dessert???

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Filed under Dessert, Frozen Treats, Fruit, Gluten Free, Holiday, Ice Cream, Kid Friendly, Quick, Recipes, Sorbet, Vegan

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April 28, 2011 · 4:54 pm

PB BANANA BITES

Snacks don’t need to be complicated.  One day last week my kids came home from school and were greeted by the snack you see pictured above.  Both my son and daughter loved it!  They were so excited by how “fancy” these PB Banana Bites were and I was so excited about how easy it was to prepare.

Simply spoon some peanut butter (approx 2 Tbs. per large banana) into a piping bag and pipe away.  I find that this is a less messy and much less time consuming way to make this snack than my old method…spooning PB onto each piece of banana.

My kids also love to eat this snack with almond and cashew butter.  A super special decadent treat for them is to make this snack with Justin’s line of chocolate nut butters…yum!  I love to use their Chocolate Hazelnut Butter as a vegan Nutella substitute.

For more info on Justin’s product line click here.

Justin’s image courtesy of sixtimestheyum.com

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Filed under Gluten Free, Kid Friendly, Nuts, Product Reviews, Raw, Recipes, Snacks, Vegan, Vegetarian

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March 7, 2011 · 6:02 pm

BANANA BREAD OATMEAL

Banana Bread Oatmeal

Banana Bread Oatmeal

This recipe is so simple.  My daughter is an oatmeal fiend, so first thing in the morning I gather my oatmeal ingredients and put it on the stove to cook.  This allows me to let it cook while I sit down at the computer and put my daily plan together (before the kids wake-up).  By the time my daughter comes downstairs for breakfast the oatmeal is ready, thickened, and cooled down enough for her to eat.

I have MANY oatmeal variations, but this is the current favorite in our house…it feels like the favorite flavor rotates every few weeks.  Maybe it will become one of your new favorites…

INGREDIENTS

1 cup rolled oats (We use Bob’s Red Mill’s Gluten Free Rolled Oats)

1 1/2 cups water

1 banana, sliced

1/4 tsp cinnamon

2 packets of Sweetleaf stevia

Photo Courtesy of Bob's Red Mill

Photo Courtesy of Bob's Red Mill

 

As I said, this recipe is so simple.  Pour all of the ingredients into a small pot on medium heat and bring it to a boil.  Once the oatmeal comes to a boil, turn the heat down to low and simmer until you reach your desired consistency.

Top with coconut sugar or maple syrup and chopped nuts (I used my Apple Pie Infused Pecans).  We also love to add some homemade almond milk (the plain version).

For a printable version of this recipe click here.

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Filed under Gluten Free, Grains, Kid Friendly, Quick, Recipes, Vegan, Vegetarian

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February 12, 2011 · 4:43 am

SWEET VALENTINE – Raw Chocolate Peanut Butter Molten Cake

Raw Chocolate Peanut Butter Molten Cake

Raw Chocolate Peanut Butter Molten Cake

In daily life we really do want to minimize / eliminate sweets, but who can resist a little chocolate on Valentine’s Day?  Make this raw molten cake with peanut butter lava for your honey and I guarantee they will be feeling the love.  This is sooooooo yum!

INGREDIENTS – Makes 6 individual molten cakes

Cake

2 cups raw pecans (best result if frozen)

2/3 cup raw agave

1/2 cup raw cacao powder

1/2 cup coconut flour

Filling

1 Tbs. organic peanut butter for each cake

Toppings

Fun Fresh Foods chocolate agave nectar 

powdered sugar for dusting

fresh sliced bananas

~

Take the frozen pecans and place them in the food processor (I use a Cuisinart I purchased at Costco).  Turn on the processor and process until the nuts become meal.  Do not process too long or it will turn into nut butter.

Frozen Raw Pecans

Frozen Raw Pecans

Process Into a Meal

Process Into Meal

Pour the raw agave into the nuts while processing.  The nuts and agave will turn into batter.

Batter

Batter

Add the raw cacao and process to incorporate.  The processor will begin working very hard…you may have to stop and scrape down the bowl. 

Add the Cacao Powder

Add the Cacao Powder

Scrape Down the Sides

Scrape Down the Sides

When well mixed, take the batter out and transfer it to a bowl.  Wearing latex-type gloves (to avoid sticking), mix in the coconut flour with your hands.

Transfer to a Bowl

Transfer to a Bowl

Add the Coconut Flour

Add the Coconut Flour

Use Hands to Incorporate

Use Hands to Incorporate

Line your mini cake molds with saran wrap.

Mini Bundt Molds

Mini Bundt Molds

Line With Plastic Wrap

Line With Plastic Wrap

Once mixed well, use a 2 Tbs. ice cream scoop to fill each of the 6 molds.  Wrap the remaining cacao batter in Saran Wrap and place it as well as the filled molds in the fridge for 30 minutes to harden.

Scoop in Batter

Scoop in Batter

Wrap-up Remaining Batter and Chill

Wrap-up Remaining Batter and Chill

Once hardened take the molds out and wearing gloves press the batter into the molds making a well in the middle.  Make sure you spread the cacao mixture as evenly as possible so it dehydrates evenly.  Fill the wells with 1 Tbs. of organic peanut butter (or chocolate sauce). 

Press Into Molds Evenly Then Create Wells

Press Into Molds Evenly Then Create Wells

Add Filling (Peanut Butter or Chocolate)

Add Filling (Peanut Butter or Chocolate)

Take the remaining batter that was in plastic wrap out of the fridge and pinch off enough (approx. 1 Tbs.) to make a disc that will cover the bottom of each PB filled mold.  Gently press the disc onto the bottom of the filled cakes.

Shape Disc for Bottom

Shape Disc for Bottom

Ready to Chill Again

Ready to Chill Again

Put the cakes in the fridge for another hour to harden.  Keep the cakes in the fridge until 2 hours before you plan on serving them.

2 hours before serving time place the cakes on your dehydrator’s mesh tray and dehydrate for 2 hours (It takes longer than that for the Excalibur dehydrator get to 115°, so rest assured those enzymes will still be alive and kicking).

Place on Mesh Dehydrator Trays

Place on Mesh Dehydrator Trays

Dehydrated Cakes

Dehydrated Cakes

When the 2 hours is up you will notice that the cakes are no longer shiny, they will look matte as if they have been cooked.  Top each cake with some chocolate sauce, a very thin sprinkling of organic powdered sugar, and sliced bananas.  Serve IMMEDIATELY since these cakes are best warm…it will allow the peanut butter to ooze out when cut into.

Raw Chocolate Peanut Butter Molten Cake

Raw Chocolate Peanut Butter Molten Cake

I also made an all chocolate version using the Fun Fresh Foods chocolate agave nectar as the filling…topped with powdered sugar and strawberries!

Raw Chocolate Molten Cake

Raw Chocolate Molten Cake

For a printable version of this recipe click here.

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Filed under Dessert, Gluten Free, Holiday, Nuts, Raw, Recipes, Vegan, Vegetarian

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February 11, 2011 · 3:39 pm

HEALTHY FRUIT SNACK KID’S LOVE

I am always looking for healthy snack alternatives for my family.  My children really love whole fruit on it’s own, but there are times when I want to send them to school with a chip alternative and these snacks serve that purpose.  My kids and husband love these.  What I love about them is their simplicity.  The apple cinnamon snacks are made with just that…apple and cinnamon.  I do wish that they offered more organic fruit crisps, but they do offer one, organic strawberry.

I just picked-up a pack of mixed freeze dried fruit snacks at Costco today.  My daughter was with me and saw them as we were doing our shopping, so we stocked-up again.

For more information about Brother’s All Natural click here.

One word of caution…I do not endorse buying their potato crisps because the sodium content is WAY too high!

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January 13, 2011 · 5:23 pm

HEALTHY BANANA BREAD (Gluten- Free and Vegan)

Banana Bread Muffins

Our family eats a lot of bananas, but ever so often a few get to the point where my kids find them too ripe to eat plain… I then know it is time to whip-up some banana bread (click here to see another use for ripe bananas).  This recipe has been my tried and true recipe for a while.

My daughter has a wheat allergy, so a few years ago I began experimenting with alternative flours.  I know I have a winning recipe when my husband (who does not have a wheat allergy) gives them the thumbs up.

This recipe tends to be healthier than most because it uses nut flours as the base (coconut and almond) which are much lower on the glycemic index than regular flours.  I also do not use sugar in this recipe.  The bananas in themselves are very sweet since they are so ripe.  I do add some Somersweet (which was created by Suzanne Somers).  Somersweet uses inulin which comes from chicory and is a pre-biotic.  If you do not have Somersweet on hand, you can substitute sugar (coconut sugar or brown sugar).  Coconut oil is also a very beneficial and nutritious.

DRY INGREDIENTS
1 cup blanched almond flour
1 cup coconut flour
2/3 cup Somersweet
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. xanthan gum
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
½ cup coconut oil *
2 handfuls pecans (chopped) **
1/3 cup Enjoy Life semi-sweet chocolate chips **
* will be mixed in with the dry ingredients with a pastry blender
** will be mixed in once the batter has been made
 
WET INGREDIENTS
1 cup vanilla So Delicious Coconut Yogurt OR applesauce
2/3 cup So Delicious unsweetened coconut milk
1 tsp. vanilla
3 bananas (mashed)
4 eggs OR the equivalent Ener G Egg Replacer
Preheat oven to 325˚.

Grease the bottom and sides of your muffin tins with coconut oil (I use a mini crumb cake pan).

Grease the Pan

Grease the Pan

Combine all of the dry ingredients (except for the coconut oil, pecans, and chocolate chips) in a bowl and whisk them to incorporate.

Whisk All of the Dry Ingredients

Whisk All of the Dry Ingredients

Once the dry ingredients are well mixed, add the coconut oil into the mixture and cut it in with a pastry blender.  You want the coconut oil to break into lots of tiny pieces so that when you add the wet ingredients you won’t have large chunks of coconut oil throughout your batter (this step is very important).

Blend in the Coconut Oil

Blend in the Coconut Oil

Slice the bananas into a separate bowl and then mash them being sure to leave some chunks.

I Use a Potato Masher

I Use a Potato Masher

Add the rest of the wet ingredients into the bowl with the bananas and mix well.

Add in the Wet Ingredients

Add in the Wet Ingredients

Next combine the wet ingredients with the dry and mix to combine.  The batter will not be runny, but will hold together fairly well.

Incorporate Wet & Dry Ingredients

Incorporate Wet & Dry IngredientsBatter Texture Pre- Pecans & Chocolate Chips

Batter Texture Pre- Pecans & Chocolate Chips

Batter Texture Pre- Pecans & Chocolate Chips

Once the batter is fully mixed, add in the pecans and chocolate chips.

I use an ice cream scoop (approximately 1/3 cup) to fill my muffin tins and make them uniform so they cook evenly.  Once you have filled the muffin tins, push them down to flatten.

Using and Ice Cream Scoop

Using and Ice Cream Scoop

Flatten the Muffins

Flatten the Muffins

If you have any remaining batter, put it into a zip lock bag, flatten it, and remove all of the air bubbles.  This batter freezes well.

Freeze Remaining Batter

Freeze Remaining Batter

Bake the muffins for 30-40 minutes (depending upon your muffin tin).  Turn the pan 180˚ halfway through the bake time.

Once they are nice and brown and the middle of the muffin is set, remove from the oven.

Nice & Brown

Nice & Brown

Let the muffins rest for 5 minutes and then transfer them to cooling racks.  It is very important to allow the muffins to cool so they firm/set-up.  The texture of the muffin won’t be at its best until it is room temperature (not that my kids ever wait that long).

Cooling Racks

Cooling Racks

Once they have cooled enjoy!

For a printable version of this recipe click here

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Filed under Breakfast, Dessert, Gluten Free, Recipes, Vegetarian

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