Healthy Frozen Chocolate Covered Bananas

I have a sweet tooth.  I need chocolate everyday and eat dessert after dinner every night - that's non negotiable in my book.  That is what I found the hardest at first when I switched to a plant-based diet a little over a year ago.  I thought I could never have dessert again since I had also sworn off most sugar.  Then I found out about all these raw desserts that required no sugar or were sweetened with only a little honey or dates.  And although my husband, my daughter and I are all converts, my son has yet to jump on the bandwagon - he has a developed quite a fear of my healthy recipes...  So last week I decided to give frozen chocolate covered bananas a try hoping he would at least give them a chance.  I have seen images of them go by on my instagram feed quite often, but not every recipe seemed healthy enough for me to give it a try.   So I came up with my own and I can say that all 4 of us were instantly in love.  It had the perfect balance of chocolaty goodness yet the texture of the frozen banana made it fee quite light.  Let me just say that it will be on high rotation in our house once summer comes around.  I'd say the kids won't miss ice cream sandwiches that much!

 

 

Frozen Chocolate Covered Bananas

Ingredients

2 bananas peeled and cut in half
Raw Organic Shredded Coconut
Coffee sticks
1 tbsp. Raw honey or agave nectar
2 tbsp. raw cacao powder
3 tbsp. water

Method

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper

In a saucepan mix honey, cacao and water over low heat until it forms a chocolaty liquid. 

Roll banana halves in chocolate mixture and place on the cookie sheet.  Sprinkle coconut shreds on desired bananas. 

Insert coffee stick in bananas and place cookie sheet in the freezer for 2-3 hours. 

Remove from freezer and place in refrigerator until you are ready to serve (I like my bananas softer so I place them in for at least 30 minutes prior to serving them).

 

Thanks for reading,

Amelie

Pineapple Mango Smoothie

My daughter is starting to warm up to smoothies.  She was reticent to try them at first, for fear that I would sneak in things she doesn't like without her knowledge (which I would have been tempted to do).  But recently, she starting opening up to some changes in her diet.  She has tried a few salads so far and agrees that they are not as gross as she thought.  She also did agree that she was lagging behind in her fruit portions, so she saw smoothies as an easy way to do this.  One of the recipes that has been successful, is this Pineapple Mango Smoothie which my husband found on Smoothie Web. It is the healthy version of a Pina Colada and as much as I love it as a smoothie, I think it would make the perfect homemade popsicle. 

 

 

Pineapple Mango Smoothie

1 cup fresh pineapple, diced
1/2 vanilla yogurt, but I would substitute for vanilla almond milk if I made for myself
1 mango
1/2 freshly squeezed orange juice
1 tbsp. agave nectar or raw honey
6 ice cubes
 

 

 

I often hear people say that they would like to drink smoothies for breakfast, but mornings are such a rush that they can't.  Well, did you ever think of making them ahead of time?  Fruit smoothies can easily be made ahead and put in the refrigerator (usually keeps well for 48 hours) whether you are planning a smoothie party or your next morning's breakfast.  You could also freeze them and just take them out the night before.   

 

Have a wonderful day and don't forget to like my page on Facebook and to follow me on Instagram, twitter (@aavoine) and pinterest!  If you like this blog, please subscribe to it's RSS Feed or via email!

Thanks for reading!

Amélie 

 

Gluten and Dairy-Free Waffles

I was recently going through a box of kitchen things I hadn't yet unpacked (quite sad considering we have been here for 1 1/2 yrs.!)  and I found my waffle iron.  So I thought I would surprise the kids with a nice treat and serve waffles by the pool Friday night.  I relied on a recipe from food.com.  It is by far the best waffle recipe I have ever tried.  The results are light and crispy, similar to Belgian waffles.  And since my daughter had been craving the waffles she had at the First Fridays ever since she had them in May, it really hit the spot for her. 

Gluten and Dairy-Free Waffles

 

Ingredients

 

1 cup of brown or white rice flour

1/2 cup potato starch (not flour) - I didn't have any on hand so I used cornstarch

1/4 cup tapioca flour

2 tsp. gluten-free baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1/4 cup oil

2 free-range eggs

1 1/2 cups vanilla almond milk soured*

1 1 /2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar

1 tsp. raw cane sugar

 

Method

 

In a large measuring cup, place apple cider vinegar and pour milk on top.  Let sit for 10 minutes. 

 

In a separate bowl, whisk together all the other ingredients.  When milk has soured, pour on top of the other ingredients and whisk until blended.

 

Pour on your waffle iron and bake until lightly golden.  Serve and enjoy!

 

Have a wonderful day and don't forget to like my page on Facebook and to follow me on Instagram, twitter (@aavoine) and pinterest!  If you like this blog, please subscribe to it's RSS Feed or via email!

Thanks for reading!

Amélie

 

 

Dairy-free strawberry banana smoothie

Strawberries are in season and I have been adding them to everything I eat.  I have also been off green smoothies for a week since it has been quite humid and I have not felt really hungry (I found them too heavy on my stomach for this type of weather).  Instead, I have been playing with different and simpler combinations.  And since I have the kids with me for the summer, simpler and quicker is quite welcomed!  Leaves me more time to play with them.

Strawberry banana smoothie

Ingredients

1 cup vanilla almond milk

1/2 cup strawberries

1 frozen banana

1 tbsp. ground flax seeds

1 tbsp. black chia seeds

6 ice cubes

Method

Place all ingredients in a blender and mix until you get a nice smooth texture.  Enjoy!

 

Have a great day and don't forget to like my page on Facebook and to follow me on Instagram, twitter (@aavoine) and pinterest!  If you like this blog, please subscribe to it's RSS Feed or via email!

Thanks for reading!

Amélie

 

Gluten-Free Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes perfect for summer!

I hope everyone had a wonderful week-end, we sure did.  And as much as I was apprehending 3 days of family BBQs in a row (2 of which we were hosting), it went quite smoothly thanks to everyone's contributions.  I am usually quite proud of not asking for much help, but this time around, with all the activities that were taking place around the kids last week, my husband didn't give me much choice. 

The only thing I absolutely insisted on making were these cupcakes for yesterday's festivities (it was our provincial holiday!).  I am not quite the seasoned gluten-free baker yet, so for no-fail recipes, I usually look to others for help.  One source I love is Elana's Pantry because most recipes are quite simple and require ingredients I usually have.    These cupcakes were so perfect for yesterday's weather (HOT AND HUMID!!!).  They were fluffy and light and not too sweet, which worked out well since we had some SWEET leftover icing from my niece's birthday cake on Saturday!

 

 

Chocolate Cupcakes

Ingredients

1/4 cup coconut flour (I ran out, so I substituted with 3 tbsp. of GF all-purpose flour (which equals to 3/4 of 1/4 cup).  If using GF all-purpose flour, make sure to add xanthan gum if needed (see flour package for quantity)
1/4 cocoa powder
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
3 free range eggs
1/4 cup grapeseed oil
1/2 cup agave nectar (or honey for non-vegans)

Method

In a medium bowl, combine coconut flour (or GF all-purpose), cacao powder, salt and baking soda and xanthan gum (if needed).  In a large bowl, blend together eggs, oil and agave nectar.  Blend dry ingredients into wet thoroughly.  Line a cupcake tin with paper liners and scoop a scant ¼ cup into each cups.  Bake at 375° for 20-22 minutes.  Cool and cover with vegan “buttercream” chocolate frosting of choice.  Serve and Enjoy!

 

 

Have a great week-end and don't forget to like my page on Facebook and to follow me

on Instagram, twitter (@aavoine) and pinterest!  If you like this blog, please subscribe to it's RSS Feed or via email!

Thanks for reading!

Amélie

Simple and Fresh : Taco Salad

I love Mexican food, I could eat it everyday.  The aromas remind me of past trips and make me want to lounge by the ocean and enjoy the gorgeous scenery.  So when my taste buds are n the mood for something different than my regular go-to salads, this taco salad is what I make.  It is super easy and quick to make, and has ingredients that I always have on hand.  It also satisfies my cravings for saltier and crunchier foods.

Taco Salad

Ingredients

2-3 cups coarsely chopped lettuce (I usually go for green frisée lettuce)

1 tomato, diced

1 avocado, diced

3/4 cup black beans

3/4 cup corn kernels

4 tbsp. salsa

6-8 corn chips (I use Kale & chia corn chips from WildRoots (I get them at Costco)

 

Method

Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl and enjoy!

 

Have a great day and don't forget to like my page on Facebook and to follow me on Instagram, twitter (@aavoine) and pinterest!  If you like this blog, please subscribe to it's RSS Feed or via email!

Thanks for reading!

Amélie

 

 

 

Gluten-free Carrot Date Muffins

My kids are super fussy when it comes to food.  They are turned off by the slightest variation to what they consider edible.  If it looks healthy or good for them, you can be sure they won't dare approach it with a 10 foot pole.  So when choosing a healthy breakfast that will be satisfying enough to keep them going until their mid-morning snack, muffins are key.  But my little ones are also quite picky when it comes to what's in the muffins.  I am always trying new recipes, but so far, I have not been very successful.   I have tried a variety of flavors to no avail.  So when I came across this recipe on the Whole Foods Market website, I was positive it would be a hit.  I even made sure all the ingredients were pureed enough to avoid detection, but it failed again.  Although I have to admit that I was not too disappointed, since I thought they were super delicious.  So I froze them so we can take them along on our upcoming vacation.  We will in the car for 2 days, so having healthy muffins on-hand for breakfast will be a good alternative to sugary offerings in most roadside hotels.  And until I can find another muffin recipe they like, I will keep on making their favorite Gluten-free Banana Chocolate Chip muffins.


 

Gluten-free Carrot Date Muffins

 

2 medium carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped

1 cup chopped pitted dates     

1/2 cup chopped walnuts      

1/4 cup melted virgin coconut or high-heat sunflower oil     

2 free range eggs, lightly beaten     

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup     

3/4 cup amaranth flour or millet flour     

3/4 cup ground almond flour     

2 teaspoons baking powder     

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon     

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg     

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

 

Method

 

Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners or oil with natural cooking spray and set aside. Preheat oven to 375°F. Place carrots and dates in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse and then blend until finely chopped. Add walnuts and pulse to finely chop. Transfer to a bowl; add oil, eggs and maple syrup, stir to combine completely. In a separate bowl, combine all remaining dry ingredients. Pour liquid ingredients over dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Spoon batter into prepared muffin tins and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Enjoy!

 

Have a great day and don't forget to like my page on Facebook.  You can also follow me on Instagram, twitter (@aavoine) and pinterest!  If you like this blog, please subscribe to it's RSS Feed or via email!

Thanks for reading!

Amélie

Dairy-free Rosée Sauce

My kids' favorite meal is by far Rosée Sauce over pasta.  They will choose this over any junk food option any day.  So when I went gluten and dairy-free, the first thing I did was look for great healthy gluten-free pasta that was yummy.  After trying many brands, I have narrowed it down to 2 : Tru Roots (which I get at Costco) and the GoGo Quinoa line of products which feature a variety of pasta options and can be found at my local grocery store.  As for a dairy-free Rosée Sauce, my recipe includes shitake mushrooms, which are great for you immune system's overall health and can even improve cholesterol levels.  

 

 

 

 

Dairy-Free Rosée Sauce

 

Ingredients

 

2 tbsp. virgin coconut oil

2 yellow onions, coarsely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tbps. oregano

1tbsp. basil

1/2 cup pine nuts

2 cups dried and sliced shitake mushroom (soaked in 1/2 cup /125 mL) hot water for 20 minutes)         

1 cup white wine

2 cups tomato sauce

1/12 cups almond milk

 

 

Method

 

In a large saucepan, cook onions and garlic until tender.  Add oregano, basil and pine nuts and let roast for 1 minute.

 

Add mushrooms and their water until the liquid has evaporated.  Add wine and boil for approximately 1 minute.  Finally, add tomato sauce and almond milk and let simmer for a few minutes.

 

Transfer to a blender and puree until you get a smooth texture. 

 

Enjoy!

  

 

 And for lunch the next day, I couldn't resist adding my leftover grilled vegetables to the mix!

 

 

Have a great week-end and don't forget to like my page on Facebook and to follow me on Instagram, twitter (@aavoine) and pinterest!

Amélie

 

Raw Red Bell Pepper Soup

Yesterday was cool and rainy, so what better way to take advantage of such a day, then to bake, bake, bake.  I actually really enjoy days like this.  It is a good way to get ahead on things that are not as tempting when the sun is shining.  Since I was busy in the kitchen and the kids came home for lunch, I needed something that wasn't time consuming.  I also needed a recipe that was high on veggies, so I went with leftover grilled vegetables salad (recipe here) and The Rawtarian's  Raw red pepper soup which added a bit of sunshine to an otherwise gray day!


Raw Red Pepper Soup
(Yields 1 large serving)

Prep time: 3 minutes
Cook time: 2-3 minutes
Total time: 5-6 minutes

Ingredients

 

1 cup red bell peppers, chopped

1/3 cup cashews

1/2 cup water

1/2 tsp. sea salt

Method

 

Place all ingredients in a high-power blender (this is really makes a difference since the power of the blades is what warms this soup up).  This will take approximately 2-3 minutes.  I've made this before I bought my Vitamix and still enjoyed a lukewarm soup (it also took a while longer).  Enjoy!

 

 

 

Have a great day!