Healthy Guilt Free Banana Loaf that Actually Tastes Great!

Posted in Breakfast, Vegan Baking by Vegan Mommy Dee

Hi everyone! Hope all is well with you all. It’s still quite cold and damp in my neck of the woods. The rain and dampness has made me crave comforting baked goods so I’ve been revamping my banana bread. It’s just a cold, cold Spring!

I’ve enjoyed baking and creating lots of cozy meals lately. It’s all about the comfort meals this time of year. I have so many recipes to share with you all this year and I’m hoping to get them posted soon. I’ve been recipe testing and trying my best to create healthy versions of my favourite meals. Many of them have been a huge success but a few still need to be tweaked a tad.

I’ve recreated my original banana bread and made it as healthy as possible without sacrificing the taste of this epic treat. I’m so very happy with the result! This is the most often made treat at my house. It’s easy to make, includes staple ingredients that pretty much everyone has on hand and it’s guilt free. It’s healthy and delicious! No need to have any guilt about indulging in this banana bread. You’re fueling your body with nutritious ingredients instead of the typical store bought version that’s full of sugar and fat.

I also love using this recipe for mini muffins and mini loafs. Just bake them for a shorter period of time. I love how versatile this recipe is.

I really tried to break this recipe down to minimal ingredients so that everyone can feel like they can make it easily. It doesn’t matter what your skill level is in the kitchen either. This recipe is so easy that anyone can make it, and end up with a perfect snack. I also like to create meals that children can make as well. My son is usually my assistant in the kitchen. I want him to learn the importance of making home cooked meals and desserts. My recipes are easy enough for him to help me with and learn some skills. If you have little ones too, then you can definitely make this recipe with them!

My recipe is less calorie rich than my original version. I decided to eliminate the nuts and oil to save on calories. I realized that they were honestly unnecessary ingredients in the recipe. Any type of oil is still refined and not healthy by any means. It provides no nutritional benefits and makes baked goods very calorie rich. I know the hype right now is eat all the fat you can because it’s said to be healthy for us in our diet. The reality is, it’s not. Yes we need some fat in our diet but it really should be from the whole food source such a yummy avocado.

I will add my video version of this recipe below. I know a lot of you enjoy watching the recipe video on my YouTube channel. Thank you for the continued support on my channel. I really appreciate it. If you haven’t already Subscribed to my channel then please consider doing so if you enjoy health and wellness videos. I make healthy yet satisfying meals on my channel and provide wellness tips as well.

Ok so let’s get to the good part …

Here is probably one of my most favourite recipes that I’ve ever created! I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Healthy Guilt Free Banana Bread

Dry Ingredients:

2 cups of oat flour

1 cup of oats

1 teaspoon of baking powder

1/4 cup hemp hearts (optional)

2 Tbsp. Ground Flax

Optional : 1/4 – 1/3 cup Vegan Chocolate chips/chocolate chunks or cacao nibs

Wet Ingredients:

6 Tbsp. Warm Water

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 of a cup of plant-based milk

3 regular sized spotty bananas, mashed

1/3 of a cup of sugar. I use coconut sugar, brown sugar, or maple sugar.

* Preheat oven to 350 F *

Method:

1. In a large bowl place 2 cups of oat flour and 1 cup of oats. Next add in 1 teaspoon of baking powder and 1/3 cup sugar of choice. Combine well. Toss in the 1/4 cup of hemp hearts if you are using them in your banana loaf.

2. Add 2 tablespoons of flax meal to a small bowl with 6 tablespoons of warm water. Mix well and allow to thicken up

3. In another large bowl mash three spotty bananas well. Add in 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract and the 1/2 cup of plant-based milk. Mix well.

4. Add the flax egg into the wet ingredients. I use a fork to mix it well.

5. Next add the wet ingredients into the dry and combine everything very well.

6. Transfer your batter into your baking dishes or loaf pans. Bake at 350° for approximately 40 to 50 minutes.

ENJOY! 💛

Let me know if you try my recipe out in the comments below! Have a wonderful week everyone!

Health, Joy & Positive Vibes,

21Dec2019

Healthy Holiday Applesauce Muffins!

Posted in Breakfast, Snack, Vegan Baking by Vegan Mommy Dee

Hi everyone! I hope the holidays haven’t burnt you out yet and your still thriving. This time of year has many if us feeling depleted. It’s the shopping, events, decorating, cooking, entertaining and it gets so tiresome.

We also tend to over indulge in goodies and other foods this time of year. We all do it no matter how healthy we are. It’s also a very social time of year with all the gatherings. I think we should enjoy dessert and good food with loved ones. After all we don’t see them all the time.

I do find that in order for me to stay on track with my health goals however that I need that back up treat that’s legit healthy though. It’s gotta taste great but still be healthy. I know I’m asking for a lot here but it’s possible. I need that balance so keeping the healthy treat around the house makes me feel better. I’ll reserve my super indulgent holiday eating for when I’m out with family & friends.

The day I came across Dr. Neil Bernard’s recipe was probably one of the best days ever! It was an old recipe from a weightloss book that he wrote long ago. I only picked it up at a thrift shop because it was written by him and he is all about the oil free cooking too. I practically did the happy dance when I came across it. Yes I still modified the original recipe but the bones of the recipe remained the same. For that I’m thankful to him!

It’s such a simple recipe and it uses only a handful of ingredients. Again I can say “thank you Dr. Bernard!” Simple recipes using few ingredients are my way of life! I’m a mom of five and I don’t have extra time! I work 12 hour shifts in a hospital so again this girl has no extra time to spare! Anything that makes my life easier I’m down for.

I’ve tried this Applesauce recipe with and without raisins and it works out great both ways. My 10 year old is obsessed with these muffins and likes the raisins in them. I tend to make them without raisins for myself because I try and limit my dry fruit consumption.

I’m gonna link a video of me making the Muffins below for you. I also added the complete recipe and instructions in the video description box.

Thanks so much for stopping by my blog and checking out my video. If your not already Subscribed to my blog and YouTube channel please do so! I have more upcoming quick and healthy recipe videos coming up in the new year! I appreciate your support and love.

Please share this post or video with whoever you feel would enjoy it. If you know anyone who is on a weighloss journey this might be helpful. We all need a treat and this one is made with whole foods and natural ingredients. Simple & nutritious recipes can still taste great!

Happy Holidays everyone!

Health, Joy & Positive Vibes,

Debbie

~VeganMommyDee

27Oct2016

Smoothie Bowl Breakfast

Posted in Breakfast, Smoothies by Vegan Mommy Dee

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Life is busy but there is always time to whip up a yummy smoothie bowl! All you need is fruit, milk, and healthy toppings. Super easy. I just add whatever frozen fruit I have in my freezer. We always have frozen bananas and blueberries so those appear in my smoothie bowls quite often. I also always add Spirulina to my smoothies as well for added health benefits.

Just blend or process them with a splash of non dairy milk and you have an instant nutritious breakfast. As far as toppings go my favourites are pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, sliced almonds, homemade granola, shredded coconut, hemp hearts and fresh sliced fruit. If your on the go with your smoothie then pop it into a mason jar with your toppings for easy travel!

There isn’t really a “recipe” for this but since people keep asking me what I put in my smoothies I said I’d post a couple for them to reference. The great thing about a smoothie is that you don’t need a recipe to dictate what you should or shouldn’t put in it. You just throw in what you enjoy and add the ingredients you have at home hiding in the freezer.

Have fun experimenting with your yummy fruit choices and playing around with different toppings!

Blueberry Bliss Smoothie Bowl

2 cups organic blueberries
1 frozen organic banana
1 Tbsp. Spirulina
Splash of unsweetened non dairy milk (my favourites are almond or coconut)

Blend or process ingredients. Pour it in your favouite bowl and add your awesome healthy toppings! Below are my suggestions. It can’t get any easier than that right?!

1/4 – 1/3 cup Pumpkin seeds
1 tsp. of chia seeds
1 Tbsp. of Sliced almonds

Tropical Goodness Smoothie

1 organic frozen banana
2 cups pre packaged frozen pineapple, mango & coconut blend from your grocery store
1 Tbsp. Spirulina

Blend all the ingredients up and top with your desired toppings.

Suggested toppings:

1 Tbsp. of Hemp hearts
1 Tbsp. shredded coconut
Sprinkle of homemade granola
Banana slices

Enjoy your breakfast smoothie bowls! Your body will thank you for the healthy fuel you are giving it! 💕

~Debbie~

4Mar2014

Pancake Tuesday!

Posted in Breakfast, Snack by Vegan Mommy Dee

It’s Shrove Tuesday / Pancake Tuesday today!

It’s Pancake Tuesday, Shrove Tuesday or Fat Tuesday … whatever ya wanna call it it’s fine by me! If you’re not familiar with it then just click on Shrove Tuesday & Fat Tuesday and the links will fill you in. As per tradition I made pancakes for my kids to enjoy this morning. I put together some super fast and easy pancakes while packing school lunches and getting my crew out the door on time. I made super Cinnamon vegan pancakes and Cinnamon & Blueberry pancakes as per my 9 year old’s request. When I’m in a big hurry (like today) I use a premixed flour pancake mix sometimes which contains healthy whole grains like brown rice, teff, spelt and quinoa flour. I like having a bag of the premixed flour handy but they sometimes contain sugar and I prefer sugar-free options. To sweeten my pancakes I’ve only been using sugar-free powder stevia and I love the results! I find the liquid stevia way too bitter in taste however so I stick to the powder form. That way the only sugar we are actually putting on our pancakes is the 100% natural Canadian maple syrup and the natural sweetness from the berries. I sometimes skip the maple syrup and just add a touch of pure organic coconut oil on top as an even healthier alternative … yea bring on the yummy good fats! Below is the in a rush on a school day recipe I used this morning 🙂

CINNAMON / BLUEBERRY CINNAMON PANCAKES

Ingredients:

1 cup of your favourite flour mix
1 tsp. aluminum free Baking Powder
1/4 cup filtered water
1/3 -1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 melted tbsp. of coconut oil
3 packets of stevia
3 tbsp. flaxmeal mixed with 9 tbsp. of water, let sit for a couple of minutes to thicken up
1 tbsp. cinnamon, or to taste
1 pint of blueberries, I usually save some for garnish on top
You will also need vegan butter or coconut to coat your pan for cooking

Method:

Mix your flaxmeal with water and let it sit.
In a medium-sized bowl add the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and stevia. Mix well.
Heat a frying pan with a vegan butter or coconut oil
In a small bowl add the water, milk and the coconut oil and mix well. When adding the milk add in 1/3 cup and you can add more if needed afterward.
Add the wet ingredients into the dry. Add in extra milk if you find your batter is too dry. Also add in the flaxmeal as well and combine. Don’t over mix however or your pancakes wont be as fluffy.
Transfer the pancake mix to your preheated frying pan or griddle. They cook up fast so keep an eye on them.

NOTE:

As far as the blueberries go I usually add them in to my batter once I’ve made some plain cinnamon ones as some of my kids prefer them without the blueberries. Then I gently add the blueberries into the batter and cook up the rest.

*This recipe makes about 6 good-sized pancakes so I normally double it.*

Enjoy! 🙂

22Jan2014

Banana Blueberry Oat Cookies!

Posted in Breakfast, Snack, Vegan Baking by Vegan Mommy Dee

Healthy Banana Blueberry Oat Cookies!

My recipe for Banana Blueberry Oat Cookies only has 4 ingredients in them …yes only 4! I want to be able to enjoy a cookie or treat without all the guilt associated with it, which is one of the reasons why I like to come up with my own recipes. The other reason is I strive to eat healthy on a daily basis. I want to be able to eat a cookie that only contains a few ingredients not chemical sugar loaded junk that’s found on super market shelves! These cookies have no added sugar in them! The bananas add enough sweetness so I don’t add any extra sugar to them. I’ve been trying to stick to sugar free snacks now and I’ve also been experimenting with stevia as an alternative. I’m also on a fitness quest so it’s important to for me to not set myself backwards by eating unhealthy treats. These simple cookies are so easy to take on the go too which is super handy when the hunger bug hits ya and all you have around you is junk food/fast food. They are very helpful to me when my daughter is at glee club and dinner time is approaching. All they have in the community center are vending machines full of junk! Tempting at times but no thanks I’ll just enjoy a healthy banana blueberry oat cookie instead! 🙂

Banana Blueberry Oat Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup gluten free old fashion rolled oats (I use Bob’s Red Mill organic brand)
2 organic mashed banana
1 tsp. cinnamon, or to taste
1/3 cup blueberries

Method:

Preheat oven to 325 F
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper
Mash the two bananas in a medium sized bowl
Add the oats and cinnamon. Combine really well.
With a spoon scoop out the mixture and place on the baking sheet to make your cookies. Make them whatever size you prefer and top each cookie with desired amount of blueberries.

Note:

* You can also gently add the blueberries into the mixture before you scoop it out to make your cookies. I don’t prefer to however because I think they look pretty topped with the blueberries and I don’t risk breaking them in the batter. *

* These quantities made 9 cookies for me*

Enjoy! 😀

26Nov2013

Blueberry Protein Smoothie

Posted in Breakfast, Smoothies, Snack by Vegan Mommy Dee

Blueberry Protein Smoothie!

Blueberry Protein Smoothie

2 cups blueberries (I use frozen most of the time)
1 cup chopped cantaloupe
1 scoop vegan vanilla protein powder
1 cup lettuce of choice
2 large peaches, chopped up
2 cups cold filtered water
1/3 cup chopped parsley (optional)
Ice (optional)

Add the lettuce, blueberries, peach, parsley (if you’re using it), protein powder, cantaloupe and water to a blender. Blend well to desired consistency. Adjust water if you think you need to add a bit more. Add in some ice if you want your smoothie colder & blend well.

Enjoy! 🙂

*Below are some of the reasons why I use parsley in my cooking but also in some of my smoothies as well!*

Health Benefits Of Parsley!

Mixed Greens

My daughter holding a perfect yummy organic peach!

26Nov2013

Green Breakfast Smoothie with Chia!

Posted in Breakfast, Smoothies, Snack by Vegan Mommy Dee

This is one of my favourite smoothies to whip up for breakfast! Fast to make, it has simple ingredients and then it’s topped with some healthy chia!!! I use a super huge mug for this baby when I make it! 🙂

1 large handful of spinach
1 1/2 frozen bananas
1 cup frozen mixed berries
2 cups unsweetened almond milk
1-2 tbsp. chia seeds (for topping)
a few frozen blueberries (for topping, optional)
a few large ice cubes if you want your smoothie to be colder (optional)
1 tsp. Spirulina

Toss spinach, almond milk, mixed berries, spirulina and ice cubes if you’re using them into a blender. Once it’s at the consistency your happy with pour into your large glass or huge mug like I do. Top with 1-2 tbsp. of chia seeds and frozen blueberries.

Enjoy your energy booster breakfast smoothie! 🙂

19Nov2013

Breakfast Green Smoothie!

Posted in Breakfast, Smoothies, Snack by Vegan Mommy Dee

I always enjoy a yummy breakfast smoothie daily. It’s the perfect way to add extra greens into our diets! I love creating new smoothies and trying different combinations of fruits and veggies. This recipe is very easy and fast to whip up so it’s perfect for hectic mornings!

Breakfast Green Smoothie

1 frozen banana
1 tightly packed in cup of spinach or mixed greens of choice
2 1/2 cups filtered water
1/2 cup chopped cucumber
1 large peach, sliced
1 scoop of vegan protein powder
1 tsp. Spirulina

Toss everything into your blender and liquefy. Check consistency and add a bit more water if needed as some protein powders thicken smoothies up more than others.

Enjoy!

11Oct2013

Quinoa Berry Bake

Posted in Breakfast, Snack, Vegan Baking by Vegan Mommy Dee

Healthy Quinoa Berry Bake!

My quinoa berry bake is so incredibly easy to make! You can put this berry bake together in about 5 minutes! Yes that fast I swear! I use frozen or fresh berries for this bake. It’s not a fussy recipe so use whatever you prefer. I sometimes buy a frozen berry variety that also has cherries in it and it turned out really yummy too. I only add 2 tbsp. of pure maple syrup to my berry bake but most people will not find it sweet enough so I suggested 3 – 4 tbsp. You might have noticed that I make a lot of fruit bakes or crumbles. I like how by making them I can enjoy a sweet treat without feeling guilty about eating it! I have a sweet tooth so I’m always trying to create healthy yet satisfying treats. My sweet tooth is happy with this simple berry bake!!! 😀 I’ve had some people ask me for the recipe so here it is ….

QUINOA BERRY BAKE

You will need:

1 1/4 cup Organic Quinoa Flakes
1 tsp. Cinnamon
3 tbsp. Flaxmeal
1-2 tbsp. Hemp Hearts
3-4 tbsp. pure maple syrup, agave or other sweetener of choice
1 baking or pie dish
2 cups mixed berries (I used blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, blackberries and I also threw in cherries)
1 1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 F
Grab your baking or pie dish and add the 1 1/4 cup quinoa flakes, 1 tsp. cinnamon, 1-2 tbsp. hemp hearts and 3 tbsp. of flaxmeal.
Next throw in your mixed berries of choice and also add the maple syrup. Give it a good mix.
Even it out in your baking dish and then pour in your 1 1/3 cup milk. You don’t even need to mix it because your quinoa flakes will start to absorb the milk.
Pop it into the oven and bake for approximately 35 minutes.
Allow to cool off a bit once baked in order to cut neat slices.

Enjoy!

Quinoa Berry Bake Slice!

1Sep2013

Blueberry Chia Muffins

Posted in Breakfast, Snack, Vegan Baking by Vegan Mommy Dee

Healthy Blueberry Chia Muffins!

Mmmmmmm Blueberry Muffins!!!!! Healthy Blueberry muffins of course! 🙂 I make blueberry muffins often but usually use flaxmeal as my “eggs in my recipes. I played around with using Chia seeds as my “eggs” the last couple times I baked blueberry muffins. I love chia seeds and use them often in baking, smoothies and in my breakfasts. Chia seeds are a powerhouse of nutrition such as omega3 , protein, calcium and iron! They make me feel energized and they help me stay full longer so they are a staple in my kitchen. I use organic coconut oil in my muffins because I like the slight coconut taste it gives to the muffin and of course the health advantages but veggie oil can be substituted instead if needed. I usually use brown rice flour when I bake but I have also used spelt flour to make these muffins. Either way they turn out super yummy! As far as sugar goes I either use sucanat or coconut sugar in my baking. My kids prefer when I use the sucanat however. Anyway, as always this recipe is super easy to make!

Blueberry Chia Muffins

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups Flour ( I use brown rice flour or spelt flour)
1 TBSP Chia seeds
1/2 cup Water
3/4 cup Almond Milk
1/3 cup Coconut Oil
1 1/4 cup Blueberries
1/3 – 1/2 cup Sucanat or Coconut Sugar (I use 1/3 cup)
2 TSP Baking Powder
pinch of Himalayan salt

Method:

In a medium-sized bowl add 1 TBSP Chia seeds and 1/2 cup water to it. Mix and let it sit to thicken for 20-30 minutes. Give it a mix every now and then in that time period.
Preheat the oven to 400 F
In a large bowl add flour, sugar, salt and baking powder. Mix well.
Add the coconut oil and milk into the chia mixture. Combine well.
Place the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix well.
Gently fold in the blueberries into the mixture.

7. Line the muffin tin with paper liners or grease the baking tin.

8. Fill the muffin tin evenly with the mixture and pop it into the preheated 400 F oven. Bake for about 20 – 25 minutes. I find that mine are done at 25 minutes but every oven varies.

9. Once baked let them cool off in the muffin tin or they can also transferred to a cooling rack to cool off. Place in an airtight container once they have cooled down.

Healthy and so simple to make … Enjoy!