whole foods

Healthy Whole Wheat Banana Bread

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Healthy Whole Wheat Banana Bread- refined sugar & dairy free.

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This banana bread is one of my favourites, is really easy to make and full of healthy whole food ingredients.  Made with 100% whole wheat flour and and a touch of natural honey or maple syrup for sweetness they are made with just a few simple ingredients. I also love that they are full of fibre, potassium and also dairy free!

INGREDIENTS

  • 1/2 cup honey or maple syrup
  • 1/3 cup melted coconut oil or grapeseed oil
  • 2 eggs
  • 4 mashed ripe bananas
  • 1/4 cup milk of choice
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus more to swirl on top
  • 1 3/4 cups white whole wheat flour or regular whole wheat flour
  • Totally optional: 1/2 cup mix-ins like chopped walnuts or pecans, chocolate chips, fresh banana slices.

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit (165 degrees Celsius) and grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan.
  2. In a large bowl, beat the oil and honey together together with a whisk. Add the eggs and beat well, then whisk in the mashed bananas and milk. (If your coconut oil solidifies on contact with cold ingredients, simply let the bowl rest in a warm place for a few minutes, like on top of your stove, or warm it for about 10 seconds in the microwave.)
  3. Add the baking soda, vanilla, salt and cinnamon, and whisk to blend. Lastly, switch to a big spoon and stir in the flour, just until combined. Some lumps are ok! If you’re adding any additional mix-ins, gently fold them in now.
  4. Pour the batter into your greased loaf pan and sprinkle lightly with cinnamon. (I used a mini loaf pan and decreased the bake time to 30 mins)
  5. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the bread cool in the loaf pan for 10 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool for 20 minutes before slicing.

xo Chelsea

Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Soup

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Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Soup

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This flavorful roasted red pepper soup is a blend of red peppers, tomatoes, onions, and garlic. It’s delicious, healthy and easy to make – just roast all the veggies on one baking sheet, then blend it all together in your Vitamix. Perfect served warm or serve as a chilled gazpacho on a hot summer day!

INGREDIENTS

  • 8 or 9 tomatoes, cored and quartered
  • 3 red bell peppers, seeded and quartered
  • 2 small yellow onions, cut into wedges
  • 6 cloves garlic, unpeeled
  • 5 cups vegetable broth
  • ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • olive oil
  1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees with two racks placed in the middle of the oven.
  2. Grease two (preferably rimmed) baking sheets. Place tomatoes, skin side down, on one of them.
  3. Toss the onions and red peppers lightly with olive oil. Place on the other baking sheet, with the red peppers skin side down. Place the unpeeled garlic on the sheet, too.
  4. Bake for 45 minutes.
  5. Heat your vegetable broth on medium-high heat. Peel your garlic and toss it in. Add roasted vegetables and simmer for ten minutes.
  6. Purée the soup using an immersion blender or transfer the soup to a blender, several cups at a time.
  7. Enjoy!

*Yields about 12 cups of soup

xo Chelsea

3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Banana Oat Cookies

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3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Banana Oat Cookies

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I call these little treats Mookies!!  They are a super healthy banana cookie with a thick chewy texture.  Made with ripe bananas, oats, and natural peanut butter they are made from whole foods with no added sugar, eggs, flour, or dairy!  They are quick and easy to make and you can add you favourite mix -in like chocolate chips (these obviously add sugar but I like a little dark chocolate in mine!), raisins or a combo of both if you like!

My family loves these for breakfast or as a healthy snack! We hope you like them too!

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Ingredients

2 large mashed bananas

1 cup oatmeal (raw normal Oats or quick Oats)

1 heaping spoonful of natural peanut butter or almond butter (1-2 tbsp)

Dash of cinnamon

Optional:

Chocolate chips, nuts, raisins… 2- 3 tbsp of your favourite add in!

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Mash banana in a mixing bowl.

3. Add peanut butter and mix together.

4. Stir in Oats and cinnamon.

5.  Add chocolate chips, nuts, etc and stir until mixed into batter.

6. Drop by the spoonful onto a baking pan.

7. Bake for 15 mins or until slightly browned and let cool.

8. Enjoy!!

xo Chelsea

 

Healthy 5 Ingredient Peanut Butter Granola

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Healthy Peanut Butter Granola

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This healthy peanut butter granola is SUPER easy to make and it’s gluten-free, dairy free, refined sugar-free, and vegan! I like that this recipe isn’t super sweet and is made with nutritious ingredients.

All natural peanut butter, whole grain oats, honey (maple syrup if you are vegan), a little salt is all it takes to make this delicious and crunchy granola.  It’s super versatile and can be used to top your favourite yogurt, breakfast popsicle, or as a snack. My kids love it and often eat it will just a little milk added for breakfast.

It takes just 15 minutes to make and will last for a week when stored in an airtight container.  If you find the granola looses it’s crunch all you do is pop it back in the over to crisp it up again!

Ingredients

2 cups old-fashioned (or quick cooking) oats*
½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp sea salt
¼ cup natural peanut butter
¼ cup honey (or maple syrup for vegan)
½ tsp pure vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease a large cookie sheet and set aside.

2. In a small bowl, mix together oats, salt and cinnamon. Set aside

3. Melt the peanut butter and honey (or maple syrup) together until smooth.
Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

4. Stir in dry ingredients and mix until well combined.

5. Spread mixture on prepared cookie sheet.

6. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until granola is lightly browned, stirring the granola once gently half way through. (A great way to test to see if it is done is to remove a small portion of the granola from the pan and set it on the counter. If it hardens as it cools the rest of the granola is done)! The granola can burn quite quickly so be sure to keep an eye on it in the oven.  It darkens up once removed so best to take it out once it is slightly browned to ensure you don’t over cook it!

7. Remove from oven and let sit until cooled.

8. Once cooled, break apart and enjoy!

xo Chelsea