Easy Banana Cinnamon Rolls (healthy-ish)

Prep Time: 15 mins | Total Time: 40 mins | Makes: 6-8 rolls

I have a serious weakness for any type of cinnamon roll. The gooier the better! BUT after eating a hot, bakery made cinnamon roll dripping with icing or even the store bought tube that you plop on a sheet pan and cook, I usually don’t feel that great. Probably due to all the sugar and dense carbohydrates hitting my system all at once - Sugar crash anyone?! So I’m on the hunt to make a healthier, but still tasty, cinnamon roll. This recipe has a much lighter dough (bananas and flour only) and a 4 ingredient icing. I’m sold!

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

• 1/2 cup ripe banana, mashed

• 1 1/4 cup self raising flour

• 1/4 cup butter, melted

• Cinnamon

• Coconut Sugar

Icing

• 1 cup powdered sugar

• 1 tablespoon butter, melted

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 2 tablespoon almond or any milk (heavy cream or half and half also work)

HOW TO MAKE:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. We’ll use a large baking dish for baking the rolls.

2. In a medium bowl, mash bananas with a fork then add self rising flour and mix together until it forms a dough (if too sticky, add a few pinches of flour and keep mixing, but keep dough soft).

3. Lightly flour counter surface and roll out the dough into a rectangle - approx. 1/4 - 1/2 inch thick

4. Brush the top of the dough with melted butter, then sprinkle the with cinnamon and coconut sugar until the dough is coated with both.

5. Cut the rectangle into 6-8 strips, length wise. Starting from the long ends, roll up each individual strip into a roll. Each roll just tight to not fall apart when moved.

6. In a large baking dish, add melted butter to the bottom and sides. Transfer the individual rolls into a baking dish with the spiral side up. It’s ok to have the rolls touching.

7. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the edges are light golden brown.

8. While the rolls are baking, make the glaze by mixing all ingredients together. Mix with fork or hand mixer. Set aside.

9. After 20-25 minutes, remove the lightly browned rolls from the oven and let them cool. While they are cooling but still warm, top each roll with the glaze. Enjoy your cinnamon roll once cool enough to hold, but still warm.

GF Oatmeal Raisin or Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Prep Time: 20 mins | Total Time: 30 mins | Makes: 20-24 cookies (depends on size)

Cookies, cookies, everywhere! I love this cookie recipe - it’s healthy, tasty and fun to make with kids or friends. They can store for about 10 days - 2 weeks in an airtight container so you can eat every hour or as a necessary post meal treat. I’ve made these a dozen times as oatmeal raisin cookies and excited to try the chocolate chip version. Anyone else craving chocolate right now?!

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

Dry Ingredients:

• 1 cup gluten free rolled oats (plus 1/2 cup to add in)

• 1 cup gluten free oat flour

• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 3/4 cup raisins OR chocolate chips (or both if you want to get fancy - add these in later)

Wet Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil

• 1/4 cup coconut sugar

• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup

• 2 flax eggs (2 tablespoons ground flaxseed + 6 tablespoons water, whisked together, set for 15 minutes)

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

HOW TO MAKE:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or greased foil. Set aside for later.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients: 1 cup oats, oat flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt EXCEPT the raisins or chocolate chips. Those will be added later.

3. In a different medium bowl, whisk together all the wet ingredients: coconut oil, coconut sugar, maple syrup, flax eggs, and vanilla. Whisk until thoroughly combined and resembles caramel.

4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Whisk until thoroughly combined.

5. Fold in raisins or chocolate chips and oats. The dough will be sticky.

6. Scoop about a 1/4 cup of the mixture and drop cookie dough balls onto the prepared baking sheet. Using a fork, flatten cookies into a round disc—they will not spread during baking.

7. Bake for 10-12 minutes.  Using a flat spatula, carefully lift cookies off the baking sheet and transfer to a cooling rack. Allow to cool completely. Enjoy!