Healthy Banana Bars

A little while ago I came across this recipe for Peanut Butter, Banana and Honey Road Cake. And this morning, as a reward for the busy day I had yesterday, I decided to finally enjoy some quality baking time. Unfortunately I didn’t have one of the title ingredients — honey. But the fact it was the healthiest banana bread I had stumbled across in some time (possibly ever) made me decide it was worth trying anyway. And the substitutions I made seemed to work out perfectly. The only thing I think I could have added but didn’t think of until it was too late was chopped walnuts. Walnuts are always a great addition to banana bread. Oh well — next time! Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 3 ripe bananas, mashed
• 1/4 cup Splenda (or other sweetener of choice)
• 1 egg (or flax egg if making vegan)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 heaping tablespoon creamy peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons apple sauce
• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine banana, Splenda, egg, vanilla, maple syrup, peanut butter and apple sauce in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Ensure all banana lumps have disappeared.
3. Stir in flours, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
4. Pour mixture into a greased 8 x 8 baking pan. Even out mixture.
5. Bake in oven for 30-35 minutes. You can check on it at 25 minutes but I find the bananas cause the mixture to take a long time to cook.
6. Let cool for 10 minutes or so as bread will continue to cook on the inside and then serve.

Note: Loaf can easily be cut into squares which are convenient to take with you as a quick snack or breakfast on-the-go.

Curried Veggies & Bulgur

The best way to describe this dish is a healthy version of chicken fried rice – and all you have to do is try it once and you’ll never go back to the old way again. I came across this recipe that used bulgur – I’ve never used the stuff before but I am so glad I tried it out. It is the perfect cross between rice and quinoa and is incredibly good for you. So there really isn’t a bad thing in this dish!

Curried Veggies & Bulgur

Serves 4

Ingredients:

- 2 tablespoons olive oil

- 1 medium onion, chopped

- 2 tablespoons curry powder

- 2 large carrots, peeled and chopped

- 1 cup bulgur

- 1 and 3/4 cup vegetable or chicken broth

- 1/4 cup currants and/or raisins

- 1/3 cup frozen peas

- 1/3 cup frozen corn

- 1/2 cup button mushrooms, chopped

- 1/4 cup sliced or chopped toasted almonds (I simply chopped up some whole almonds and toasted them in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes)

- 1/2 teaspoon salt

- 4 eggs

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a pan on medium-low heat. Add in onions and cook until caramelized. Stir in curry powder. Toss in the bulgur and mix well so it becomes coated with some oil. Add in carrots and let sit for a minute or two.

2. Pour in the broth and currants/raisins. Cover the pan and let cook for 10 minutes.

3. Pour in the peas, corn and mushrooms and cover again. Let cook on low heat for another minute or two before turning the heat off and letting the mixture sit, covered, for 15 minutes.

4. While the mixture sits, fry the eggs in a pan until yolks achieve desired level of hardness.

5. When the bulgur mixture has cooked enough, stir in the almonds and salt. Scoop mixture into bowls and top each with a fried egg.

Note: If you are cooking the mixture to last you for lunches/dinners through the week it is probably best that you not fry all the eggs at once but rather cook them one at a time as needed.

Ethiopian Saute

I had a bunch of random vegetables on their way downhill this evening so I decided to make use of them. But I wasn’t in the mood for my usual herb topped roasted veggies or soy infused stir fry so I wasn’t sure what to do. That’s when I came across this recipe for Ethiopian saute! I switched up some of the ingredients based on what I needed to get rid of in my fridge but I stuck to the spices recommended and it turned out great. The only change I might make for next time is to lower the lemon juice a teensy bit and up the spice quantity – it was a little too much on the citrusy side for my personal tastes. But on the whole – definitely something worth trying!

Ethiopian Saute

Ingredients:

- Vegetables of your choosing (I used about 1/2 cup each of broccoli, chopped carrots and sliced red onions, 1 cup of chopped mushrooms and 2 cups of torn spinach)

- 1 tablespoon oil (I used grapeseed oil but any will do)

- 3 cloves of garlic

- 1 teaspoon lemon juice or white wine

- 2 teaspoons of itty bitty pinches of coriander, cardamom, cumin, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, pepper, paprika, ginger and salt – combined in a small container

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a pan on medium-low heat. Add in vegetables according to cooking preference (I did onions and carrots, then broccoli and garlic, then mushrooms and spinach right at the end).

2. Sprinkle in lemon juice/white wine and spices. Distribute spices well.

3. There isn’t even a step 3 – it’s that easy! Eat up!

 

Huevos Rancheros Cups

Need a little bit of Mexican in your day to day meals? This recipe from Canadian Living’s Best Recipes Ever definitely fits the bill. I had it with my family for brunch on Christmas day and it was absolutely perfect. The ground beef was our own addition because meat is big in our household but you could easily not use it if you’re looking for a vegetarian dish. Hope you like it!

Huevos Rancheros

Serves 8

Ingredients:

- 8 tortillas

- 1 lb lean ground beef

- 1 tablespoon olive oil

- 1 onion, chopped

- 4 cloves of garlic, minced

- 1 bell pepper, diced (red or green – it’s up to you!)

- 1 tablespoon chili powder

- salt and pepper (to taste)

- 1/4 teaspoon hot sauce

- 2 cups tomato sauce

- 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

- 8 eggs

- coriander (optional)

Directions:

1. Grease 8 large muffin tins. Press a tortilla into each muffin tin. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Brown ground beef with oil in a frying pan. Remove excess liquid. Add in onions and let cook until they begin to soften. Stir in garlic, pepper, chili powder, salt, pepper, and hot sauce. Once peppers have softened add in tomato sauce and black beans. Bring to a boil. Reduce to very low heat.

3. Place tray of tortillas in oven for 6 minutes, or until crisp.

4. While this is happening, begin poaching the eggs.

5. When tortillas are done, remove from tray and place each tortilla in a bowl and stretch slightly so you can load in more sauce.

6. Place a spoonful of sauce in each tortilla cup and top with a poached egg. You can sprinkle with coriander if using.

The dish is best served right away so eat up!

Whole Wheat Carrot Banana Muffins

These sugar-free, whole wheat muffins are the perfect way to start your day! They are filled with yummy and good-for-you ingredients and the recipe yields about 16 so you’ll have plenty to last you through the week. I made some alterations from the original recipe to increase the nutritional content and I think they turned out great.

Whole Wheat Carrot Banana Muffins

Makes 16

Ingredients:

- 1 and 1/2 cups whole what flour

- 1/2 cup all purpose flour (to help them fluff out a bit more)

- 2 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

- 3/4 teaspoon salt

- 2 teaspoons cinnamon

- 3/4 cup chopped walnuts

- 1/2 cup chopped dried dates

- 1/2 cup hot water

- 3 medium ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 and 1/4 cups)

- 1 and 1/2 cups shredded carrot

- 1/2 cup plain yoghurt (I used non fat)

- 2 eggs

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Combine flours, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and walnuts in a large bowl.

3. In a small bowl combine dates and hot water and let sit so the water can soak up some of the sweetness of the dates and the dates can soften.

4. In a medium bowl combine bananas and carrots. Whisk yoghurt and eggs together in another small bowl and add to the banana-carrot mixture. Add in the date-water mixture.

5. Gently stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined (you don’t want to over-mix)

6. Scoop the mixture into paper muffin cups or a well greased muffin tray. Don’t be afraid of filling them up too much as they will barely rise at all.

7. Bake in oven for 30-35 minutes. Remove and let cool before transfering to an airtight container for storage. They will keep very well in the fridge or can even be frozen if you don’t think you’ll use them all within the week.

Hope they warm up your mornings as much as they did for me!

 

Five Minute Hummus

This is the perfect 5 minute hummus recipe. It literally takes that long (plus maybe an extra 30 seconds to wash the food processor afterwards). It’s quick, easy and contains nothing but good for you ingredients. Plus the cumin gives it a nice little kick so it becomes more than your average hummus. Hope you like it!

Five Minute Hummus

Ingredients:

- 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

- 1 clove of garlic

- 2 tablespoons lemon juice

- 2 tablespoons tahini

- 1 teaspoon ground cumin

- 1/2 teaspoon salt

- about 1/4 cup oil (I used grapeseed oil but olive oil would also be great)

- paprika (optional garnish)

Directions:

1. Blend chickpeas, garlic, lemon juice, tahini, cumin and salt in a food processor.

2. Slowly add the oil bit by bit until the mixture achieves the consistency you’re looking for. Keeping scraping down the sides if necessary. I found I didn’t need the full 1/4 cup of oil but if you like your hummus really creamy, don’t be afraid to use the whole quantity.

3. You can serve right away with a little paprika sprinkled for decoration or keep it in the fridge for later. It lasts well over a week so you can have it on hand for a good while!

Whole Wheat Greek Pizza

This is the first pizza I have made completely myself, 100% by hand and I have to say – I am quite proud. I will definitely be experimenting with pizzas more. It seems to me, that once you get yourself a good whole wheat crust recipe – you’re guaranteed a healthy meal because all you have to do is load it up with nutritious goodies.

My rendition is a lighter version than the original recipe simply because I was out of mozzarella and felt not deep desire to go out and procure some more so I went without. Instead I tossed some chopped sun-dried tomatoes into the mix and I think it made for a great combination. I hope you like it!

Whole Wheat Greek Pizza

Makes 1 large pizza or 2 smaller ones

For the dough:

Ingredients:

- 3/4 cup warm water

- 1/2 teaspoon sugar

- 1/2 tablespoon active dry yeast

- 12 tablespoon olive oil

- 1/2 teaspoon salt

- 1 cup whole wheat flour

- 3/4 cup all purpose flour

For topping:

- 1 garlic clove, diced

- 1 tablespoon sun-dried tomato oil (or other oil if unavailable)

- 1/2 teaspoon salt

- 2 cups shredded, fresh spinach

- 1 cup diced mushrooms,

- 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

- 2/3 cup crumbled feta (or less if you have mozzarella to add into the mix)

- 8-10 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped (optional – but they add a great flavor)

- black olives (optional)

Directions:

1. Sprinkle sugar into luke-warm water. Stir in yeast and let sit for 10 minutes. Stir in olive oil and salt. Combine whole wheat flour and 1/2 cup all purpose flour. Stir until well combined.

2. Spread remaining all purpose flour on large cutting board. Place dough on board and knead all the remaining flour into the dough. This should take about 10 minutes.

3. Oil the bottom of a bowl. Place dough in oil and flip so that the dough ball becomes coated in oil. Cover loosely with a tea towel and let sit for an hour.

4. After an hour the dough will have expanded. Either split it in two if you want to make two smaller pizzas or leave it as one wall for a single, large pizza. Place ball(s) on a lightly floured surface and let sit for 45 minutes.

5. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place dough on a well oiled pan and spread out with palms and fingers. Don’t be afraid to spread it thin as the dough will rise considerably.

6. Spread garlic, oil and salt over dough. Distribute remaining toppings evenly.

7. Cook in oven for about 20 minutes or until it begins to turn golden-brown. Remove from heat and let cool just a touch before serving.

And don’t worry too much about the toppings I recommended. I loved them but if you prefer some sausage, cheddar and tomatoes – that is totally your call. Once you have the crust – the rest is up to you! So have fun and enjoy this deliciously healthy meal!

Roasted Chestnuts

In a desperate attempt to accomplish every kitschy Christmas tradition that exists – a couple of weeks ago I forced my sister to help me track down chestnuts. I was determined that even if I couldn’t roast them on an “open fire” as the song suggests – I was darn well going to roast them and hear them pop. Unfortunately, other things got in the way and the chestnuts, tragically, went unpoppped.

But I wasn’t going to let them rot in my mom’s pantry so I brought them back to my place and set out on a journey to discover how to properly cook chestnuts and this is what I discovered.

 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Wipe down chestnuts with a damp cloth and lay them on a tray, flat side down.

2. Cut an X into the tops of the chestnuts.

3. Cook the chestnuts in the oven for 25-30 minutes.

4. When they’re done most of them will have popped open at the X.

5. Once they have cooled a touch, peel the shells off the chestnuts. Some of them might be dark and hard – those ones are bad and can be discarded. But the ones that comes out a light brown colour are ready to be eaten!

Edamame Beans

Looking for a quick, nutritious and yummy snack? Edamame beans are the answer! They’re ready in 10 minutes so they’re the perfect post-workout or tide-over-until-dinner-treat. Hope you get a chance to try them out!

Ingredients:
- 1 package Edamame beans (in their shells)
- salt (to taste)

Directions:
1. Bring water and 1 teaspoon salt to a boil.
2. Add desired amount of Edamame beans. Cover and let cook for 5 minutes.
3. Remove from heat and rinse beans under cold water. Drain.
4. Place beans in a bowl and dry with a paper towel. Sprinkle desired amount of salt (I like mine really salty but you can be conservative if you’re trying to cut back on your sodium).
Note: DON’T EAT THE SHELLS! Edamame beans are meant to be pulled out of their skins with your teeth or popped out with your fingers if you prefer. But the skins are too tough and furry to eat so have a discard bowl ready for them as you munch your way through the beans. Enjoy!

Baked Spring Rolls

Mmm homemade spring rolls – arguably even better than store bought ones! This recipe makes for rolls that are loaded with delicious and healthy ingredients – so you can’t go wrong. Eat up!

Baked Spring Rolls

Makes 8-10 rolls

Ingredients:

- Package of spring roll wrappers

- 2 tablespoons oil

- 1 chicken breast (diced)

- 1 small onion (diced)

- 3 cloves of garlic

- 1 large carrot (peeled and julienned)

- 8 button mushrooms (thinly sliced)

- 1 cup bean sprouts

- 2 green onions (thinly sliced)

- salt (to taste)

- 2 tablespoons melted margarine/butter or oil or egg wash

- 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil

- 3 tablespoons soya sauce

Directions:

1. In a frying pan, cook 2 tablespoons oil, onions and garlic for a few minutes.

2. Add in chicken and continue cooking for about 5 minutes.

3. Add in carrots and mushrooms. Stir continuously so everything cooks evenly for 8-10 minutes.

4. Add in bean sprouts and continue cooking for 3-4 minutes.

5. Stir in sesame oil, soya sauce, salt and green onions. After no more than a minute, remove from heat.

6. Preheat oven to 425 and let mixture cool.

7. Assemble spring rolls according to package instructions – typically this will involve soaking each wrapper in warm water for 30 seconds and then laying it on a flat board to roll up a small amount of the mixture. I’m happy to answer any questions if you find yourself struggling with this step – it’s not too hard once you get used to it.

8. Lay rolls flat on a greased or aluminum foil covered pan. Brush with melted margarine/oil/egg wash to seal them up.

9. Bake in oven for 20 minutes. Take tray out, flip rolls and continue cooking for another 5 minutes. Remove and let cool slightly

Enjoy with your dip of choice!