Mouth-Watering, Healthy Chocolate Banana Bread

This is the best “treat” to make after a long holiday weekend or when you want to have something to pick at for the week. This chocolate banana bread, by food blogger Peanut Butter & Jilly, checks off all the healthy & good for you ingredients while still satisfying any sweet craving. It’s gluten free, vegan (optional substitutions listed below) and refined sugar free, which really just means you can eat more without the sugar crash or bloated feeling after.

What You’ll Need:

• 3 overripe bananas, mashed

• 2 flax eggs [combine 2 tbsp flaxseed meal (ground flax seeds) with 4 tbsp warm water, set aside]

• 1/2 cup melted butter (can use vegan butter or regular butter if you don’t care about making this vegan)

• 1/3 cup maple syrup (you can always add more if you want it a little sweeter)

• 1/2 cup non-dairy milk (almond or oat milk are best)

• 1/3 cup cocoa powder

• 1/2 tsp baking soda

• 2 tsp baking powder

• 1 tsp vanilla

• 1 3/4 cups gluten free flour (for best results use oat flour or a blend of oat and almond)

• 1/2 cup chocolate chips (can use vegan or regular semi-sweet chocolate)

How To Make:

1. Preheat oven to 375F. Grease a bread pan with coconut oil or butter and set aside.

2. Prepare your flax eggs [mix 2 tbsp of flaxseed meal with 4 tbsp of warm water and set aside].

3. In a medium mixing bowl, mash the ripe bananas. Mix in the maple syrup, melted butter, milk, and vanilla. Add in the flax eggs, baking soda, and baking powder. Mix well.

4. Add in the cocoa powder and stir until smooth. Next, add the flour and mix until all combined.

5. Fold in chocolate chips and pour the batter into a bread pan. Option to top the loaf with more chocolate chips!

6. Bake in the oven for about 40-50 minutes. Poke with a toothpick to make sure it's done.

Vegan Thai Coconut Soup

I found this delicious and easy thai soup recipe on Simple Vegan Blog. I modified it a bit, shocker I know. You can find the original recipe in the link above or you can follow my version below :)

Ingredients: (try to get organic whenever you can - read this great article on the top 4 reasons to eat organic)

• 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced length wise

• 1/2 red onion, sliced or chopped (optional - I did not add in my soup, but feel obligated to mention for you onion lovers)

• 16 oz. sliced mushrooms (I used a mix of shiitake and white mushrooms)

• 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

• 2-3 tbsp of ginger root, peeled and finely chopped or grated

• 1 Serrano pepper, finely chopped (add as little or as many seeds for desired spice level)

• 32 oz. vegetable broth

• 1 14 oz. (400 ml) can unsweetened coconut milk 

• 1 package of firm or extra firm tofu, cubed

• 1 tbsp tamari or soy sauce

• The juice of half a lime

• Handful of fresh cilantro, chopped

• Handful of fresh basil, chopped

• Sriracha, add for extra spice

Method:

1. Place all the veggies (red bell pepper, mushrooms, garlic, ginger and Serrano pepper), veg broth and coconut milk in a large pot.

2. Bring it to a boil and then cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes.

3. Add the tofu and cook for 5 minutes more.

4. Remove from the heat, add the tamari, lime juice, fresh cilantro and basil. Option to add Sriracha for more spice. Stir and serve.

5. Keeps in the fridge for up to 5 days. Or freeze it.

The Superfood Supplement You Have to Try

If you are like most everyone I know, getting a healthy start first thing in the morning seems to be more work and hassle than it’s worth, especially when you have a full day ahead. Eating healthy in the morning typically means cooking, followed by cleaning, using lots of ingredients and takes too much time. If you’re looking for something quick, nutritious, super healthy and filling - I have the perfect solution! Prasada is a hot new raw, vegan, gf, soy-free superfood & adaptogen powder that makes it incredibly easy to drink your day’s worth of nutrition in one sitting. Plus, it’s loaded with everything you could want to start your day: organic plant protein (12g per serving), antioxidant-based adaptogens, super greens, sea vegetables, probiotics, bitter melon…and the list goes on! This wont necessarily replace your caffeine fix BUT it’s a delicious and easy way to get your morning started.

Almeda Labs is the creator of this wonder product and I’ve been obsessed with the cacao flavor for my morning lattes.

Here’s my go-to morning Prasada Latte recipe. Warning - you’re going to love this product

• 1 heaping scoop, or more, of the Prasada powder (either the regular or Cacao flavor)

• 1 cup milk (I prefer almond or macadamia milk, but use any kind you’d like)

• 1 teaspoon unsweetened coconut milk, hardened portion towards top of the can (optional)

• 1/4 cup water

• Cinnamon, to taste

• Turmeric

• A crack of freshly ground black pepper

• Anything else you’d like to add (MCT oil, coconut oil, matcha or splash of coffee, etc.)

Method

1. In a small to medium saucepan, warm the milk and water gently over low heat. Add the hard coconut milk (optional), and Prasada, whisking well to combine. Add the cinnamon, turmeric, and crack of fresh *black pepper, keep whisking together.

   • *Black pepper, when combined with turmeric, helps the curcumin, the healthy compound found in turmeric, absorb into the body by up to 2,000%.

2. Taste and adjust as necessary. Add any other ingredients you’d like. If you’re looking for a caffeine buzz, add a little matcha green tea or even a splash of coffee.