Oatmeal Banana Chocolate Chip Bread

Slightly adapted from recipe found at Baker Bettie 

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups dried rolled oats

2-3 rip bananas

1/2 cup pure maple syrup

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup chocolate chips (Use Enjoy Life to make dairy free)

Banana slices for garnish if desired

Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly oil a bread pan and set aside. Place the oats in a blender or food processor and blend until fine and floury. Add all remaining ingredients except the chocolate chips and blend until well combined. Fold in 1/2 cup of chocolate chips and pour the batter into your bread pan. Top with banana slices and the remaining 1/2 cup of chocolate chips. Bake for 25-30 minutes.

Enjoy!

- Arianne

Homemade Baby Biscuits

If you have a baby that's anything like mine, then they looove to eat! My little one has just mastered feeding herself little bits of food and loves to practice all the time (with anything she finds on the floor). I find I always need to have snacks on hand, but just cannot bring myself to buy the baby snacks at the store. I figured it could't be too hard to make some myself! That way I know exactly what goes into it, and it's easier on the wallet!

Original recipe found at Family Feedbag

Ingredients

1/2 cup pureed prunes (or 1 128ml jar)

1 egg

2 Tablespoons coconut oil

1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat your oven to 375F. Combine the prunes, egg, and coconut oil in a small bowl and mix well. Combine the dry ingredients in a separate small bowl. Slowly add the dry mixture to the wet until it forms a ball. Further knead the ball on a floured surface. Roll out on a floured surface to be about 

1/2 inch thick. Cut away the rough edges to form a rectangle. Cut into small rectangles, about 

1 inch by 3 inches. Dot with a fork in the centre, then place on a baking sheet. Gather remaining dough and repeat rolling and cutting until all the dough is used. Place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Remove and make sure they're very cool before serving to baby! 

I broke mine into little bite sized pieces and kept a close eye on her, as always should be done when feeding babes.

I hope your little one enjoys them as much as mine did! There was more than a bit of protest when I tried to take away the one I gave her.

- Arianne

Homemade Raincoast Crisps

Raincoast crisps are something terribly addicting, but sadly, they're pretty expensive. I've been pretty intimidated by them, and therefore never attempted to try and make them before. Then this recipe was shared with me and I realized just how easy these things are to make! Very simple, but very delicious!

Ingredients

2 cups flour (I used whole wheat)

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups buttermilk

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup liquid honey

1 cup raisins (or dried cranberries)

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup roasted pumpkin seeds

1/4 cup sesame seeds

1/4 cup flaxseed, ground

1 Tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary

Preheat oven to 350F. Stir together flour, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Add buttermilk, brown sugar, and honey and stir a few strokes. Add all other ingredients and stir until just mixed. 

Pour batter into mini-loaf pans that have been oiled. Bake for 35 minutes until golden browned.  Let cool on a cooling rack.

Ensure bread is entirely cooled before slicing. They may be placed in the freezer to cool more quickly. When cooled, slice loaves thinly and place single layer on a non-greased baking sheet. Reduce oven to 300F and bake for 15 minutes. Flip the slices, then bake for another 10-15 minutes until golden and crispy.

Top with cheese (brie!) or your favourite dip.

Enjoy!

Roasted Strawberry Banana Bread

When I saw this recipe from Skinny Taste a couple of days ago, I knew I had to make it immediately! It is everything you love about banana bread with an added burst of flavour from the roasted strawberries. My whole family loved it, even my husband who is not too keen on baked goods. I plan on making this one often. 

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups strawberries, diced

1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons butter, (or coconut oil), softened 

1/2 cup light brown sugar, not packed

2 large egg whites

3 medium ripe bananas, mashed

2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a cooking sheet and baking pan with baking spray. Place strawberries on top of cooking sheet and roast for 25 minutes. Remove and set aside. 

In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt with a wire whisk, set aside. 

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer. Add egg whites, bananas, applesauce and vanilla. Beat at medium speed until thick, then scrape down sides of bowl. 

Add flour mixture and blend at low speed until combined. Do not over mix. Fold in strawberries and bake in prepared loaf pan. Bake for 50 minutes (or until toothpick comes out clean) in centre rack. 

Let the pan cook 20 minutes before removing bread. The bread should be room temperature before slicing. 

Enjoy- Alex

Chocolate Zucchini Banana Muffins

My husband wasn't terribly excited when I decided to make these "Hippie Muffins" as he called them. 

Let's just say he ended up being pretty excited about the end result.

Like I said before, I looove squash. Zucchini being one of my favourites. This recipe is perfect if you end up with a bunch of leftover zucchini if you're ever making THIS recipe. 

Original recipe found at Hidden Ponies

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups flour

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

pinch of cinnamon 

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup buttermilk

1 large egg beaten

1/3 cup honey

2 Tablespoons coconut oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 large ripe banana, mashed

1 cup grated zucchini

1/3 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 375F then line muffin tin with baking cups and set aside. 

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. 

Make a well in the centre.

In a separate bowl, combine buttermilk, egg, honey, coconut oil, vanilla extract, banana, and zucchini.

Add to the dry ingredient mixture and stir until just combined. 

Stir in the chocolate chips, being sure to not over mix.

Divide batter into the muffin tin, using about 1/3 cup of batter for each.

Bake for 14-16 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Enjoy!
- Arianne

* To make recipe egg-free, use 1 Tablespoon of chia seeds and 3 Tablespoons of water. Let sit for 3 minutes, then use as you would the egg. 

Tortilla Wraps

Original Recipe from Make and Takes

It is hard to come by a tortilla wrap recipe that works, but this one works out for me every time! I really don't remember the last time I bought wraps from the store. These ones are just so much better!

Ingredients

3 cups of flour (I usually opt for whole wheat for other recipes, but white is easier to work with here, or do a combination of both!)

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

3 Tablespoons olive oil

1 1/4 cup hot water

Mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl

Add oil and mix until crumbled

Mix in the water - add more flour or water if needed to create a solid, yet soft consistency.

Place the dough on a floured surface and knead until smooth

Divide the dough evenly into balls. I usually do 8 as I like large tortillas

Let rest for 5 - 10 minutes

Heat a frying pan on medium heat

Roll out each ball as thin as you can on a floured surface

Cook until the tortilla begins to bubble and flip

Cover a plate with a towel and here place cooked tortillas (the bottom one will get soggy otherwise)

Keep stored in a large Ziploc bag until use

Enjoy!

- Arianne

Best No-Rise Pizza Crust

You know those days where you are running around like crazy and the last thing you want to do is prepare dinner? When calling the nearest pizza place seems like the only solution, remember that you could have a fresh, homemade pizza sitting on your kitchen table in less than 30 minutes! This recipe is awesome! It is my go-to recipe when I simply can't think of anything else to make. Because it is no-rise,  I can make it faster and healthier than if I were to order it. It can even be made ahead of time and frozen. You can add any spices to the dough that you like, making it totally versatile. Top it with some roasted veggies and a little bit of cheese and you have a perfect homemade pizza. 

Original recipe from Oven Love

Ingredients 

1 Tablespoon active dry yeast

1 Cup warm water (110 degrees)

1 Teaspoon sugar

1 Teaspoon salt

2 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

2 1/2 Cups whole wheat flour

Directions

Dissolve the yeast in the water. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix. Knead into a smooth dough (about 5 minutes in the Kitchen Aid). Roll out on floured surface and press into a greased pizza pan. Bake at 450 degrees for 12-15 minutes. 

Enjoy! - Alex

Healthy Banana Bread

I'd been looking for a successful way to utilize oat flour, when a friend of mine shared this recipe from Axfit. I had to try it, and in all honesty, it far exceeded my expectations! This bread is so good, you'd hardly know it's healthy! No sugar, no wheat flour, no butter or oil, no eggs, no dairy. Just pure, healthy deliciousness.

1 cup pitted dates (raisons or prunes also work)

1/2 cup unsweetened coconut or almond milk

2 teaspoons vanilla

3 large ripened bananas

2 cups oat flour (make your own by throwing oats into the food processor and voila!)

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon salt

chocolate chips, rasions, or walnuts (optional)

(I used EnjoyLife chocolate chunks - gluten, soy and dairy free!)

Preheat oven to 350F. 

Mix the dates, milk, and vanilla in a food processor until smooth. 

Add bananas and continue to blend until smooth (some banana chunks are ok). 

Mix all dry ingredients together in a separate bowl.

Combine wet and dry ingredients until just mixed.

Place the batter in a non-stick (or oiled) bread pan and bake for 45 minutes. Test with a toothpick, if still doughy, continue to bake until the toothpick comes out clean.

I could barely restrain myself from devouring every tasty morsel until I finished photographing it. But it was well worth the wait!

-Arianne