Tag: eggs

Maple Pecan Banana Bread (Paleo • Gluten-Free)

Banana nut bread is one of my favorite indulgences. The flavor and aroma of sweet baked banana in every bite is irresistible. I knew I had to turn this classic into a healthy, guilt-free version. The traditional quick bread gets a makeover using gluten-free and grain-free blanched almond flour. This is a great bread option for anyone who suffers from gluten allergies or if you happen to be following a Paleo diet lifestyle.

To curb the amount of fat and oil used, mashed ripe bananas step in without sacrificing any moisture. Because the bananas are naturally very sweet, there’s no need to add heaps of sugar. I opted to use pure maple syrup for its deep signature flavor that pairs oh-so-perfectly with bananas. You can also use high-quality honey if you prefer. The result is a chewy dessert or breakfast bread that can stand on its own or be topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a smear of grass-fed butter. Save this recipe, because it will be one you use again and again–I know I will!

Maple Pecan Banana Bread (Paleo • Gluten-Free)

15 minutes

65 minutes

1 hour, 20 minutes

Yield: 10-12 slices

Maple Pecan Banana Bread (Paleo • Gluten-Free)

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups blanched almond flour
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 medium very ripe bananas, mashed (plus 1 extra banana sliced lengthwise for decorating)
  • 2 tbsp butter or ghee, melted
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
  • 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350ºF and line a loaf pan with parchment paper overlapping sides. In a medium mixing bowl whisk together eggs, mashed banana, melted ghee, maple syrup and vanilla extract. In a separate bowl, whisk together almond flour, cinnamon, baking powder, sea salt and pecans.
  2. Gradually stir wet ingredients into dry. Pour into pan. Decorate the top with additional sliced bananas if desired. Bake for 60-65 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out mostly clean. Allow bread to cook in pan 10 minutes. Lift parchment paper and place bread on a cooling rack. Cool 20 minutes longer before slicing.
http://freshandfit.org/maple-pecan-banana-bread-paleo-%e2%80%a2-gluten-free/

Apple Cinnamon Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

apple-cinnamon-cupcakes

Creating an indulgent and satisfying dessert can prove difficult if you are watching your sugar intake. Enter Steviva. This awesome sugar-free sweetener company incorporates natural stevia into agave nectar and coconut sugar for a lower calorie alternative to sweeten baked goods and desserts. For these autumn inspired apple cinnamon cupcakes, I used their CocoSweet+ sweetener in the cupcake batter and the Steviva Blend Fine Powder in the frosting.

For a super sweet deal, enter coupon code FRESHANDFIT at the Steviva.com checkout for 15% off your order.

Apple Cinnamon Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Yield: 12 cupcakes

Apple Cinnamon Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

  • FOR CUPCAKES
  • 2 cups oat flour
  • 2 cups grated apple (peeled)
  • 3 eggs
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
  • 1/3 cup CocoSweet+ by Steviva
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil, at room temperature
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • FOR CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
  • 8 oz cream cheese
  • 1 tbsp unsweetened almond milk
  • 2 tbsp Steviva Blend Fine Powder
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin pan with paper liners. In a large mixing bowl, combine eggs, coconut oil and almond milk. Whisk until just combined.
  2. In a separate bowl, combine oat flour, CocoSweet+, baking powder and cinnamon. Stir together with a fork and breakup and large lumps.
  3. Gradually stir wet ingredients into dry until smooth. Stir in grated apple.
  4. Using a 1/3 cup measuring scoop, pour batter into paper liners. Bake for 35 minutes.
  5. While cupcakes bake, prepare frosting by combining cream cheese, unsweetened almond milk, vanilla extract and Steviva Blend Fine Powder in a mixing bowl. Use a hand mixer on medium speed to beat until smooth and fluffy.
  6. Pour frosting into a pastry bag with end secured. Place in refrigerator to firm up slightly.
  7. Remove cupcakes from oven and allow to cool completely before frosting. Store in airtight container in refrigerator for up to one week.
http://freshandfit.org/apple-cinnamon-cupcakes-cream-cheese-frosting/

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Triple Chip Cookies

triple chip cookies

Happy Monday!

Today I am going to share this decadent recipe for triple chip cookies I came up with using our farm fresh eggs. We started getting fresh eggs from a local farm a few weeks back. It is pretty surprising to see the difference between the local eggs and the ones we usually buy from the natural food store. The natural food store eggs are triple the price and have a thinner shell with a yellow yolk. They are pasture raised and organic, but compared to the farm fresh eggs with a thick shell and almost orange yolk, it makes me wonder if they were really all that great to began with. The farm eggs are only $3.00 for a dozen! It is a win win if you ask me.

Although this cookie recipe is not high in the health department, I do always try to use the best ingredients I can get my hands on. This is the “balance” part of a healthy lifestyle. If you told me in order to be healthy I would have to give up my sweets, well I wouldn’t be so happy, and that wouldn’t be healthy. So use great ingredients and support local. You just might end up saving in the long run.

Now onto the cookies. They are made up of chocolate, peanut butter and white chocolate chips. They came out nice and crispy on the outside with a chewy center. Great for dunking!

1/2 c grass-fed butter, softened
1 c organic brown sugar
1/2 c organic peanut butter, room temperature (I used chunky)
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp sea salt
1.5 c organic all-purpose flour
1/3 c chocolate chips (I use dark, 60% cacao)
1/3 c white chocolate chips
1/3 c peanut butter chips

Yields 24 small- medium sized cookies.

Preheat oven to 350 and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Using a hand held mixer, cream together sugar and butter, about 30 seconds.

Add egg, peanut butter and vanilla. Mix an additional 30 seconds.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and sea salt. Slowly mix dry ingredients into wet.

Stir in chips. Form into balls and place on cookie sheet 2-3 inches apart.

Bake 11-13 minutes. Allow to cool 10 minutes on cookie sheet before removing.

triple chip cookies

* I left my first batch in for 11 minutes for a softer cookie and the second batch in for 13 minutes for a more golden crunchy cookie.

* I did not allow the batter to cool before forming into balls and I did not find that they spread too much.

triple chip cookies

Sweet Potato and Sun Dried Tomato Layered Frittata

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I am a huge fan of oven baked omelets or “Frittatas.”  This recipe has a lot of depth and flavor. I hate when I order an omelet at restaurants and it is all egg and very little flavor. The eggs take a back seat to the other ingredients in this recipe and are really just the glue that holds all the goodness together. It is high in protein and antioxidants. As always, you can tailor this recipe to the ingredients you have on hand in your own kitchen. Let me know how yours comes out!

1 Sweet potato sliced thin
1/2 one Red onion chopped
1/2 c chopped Bell pepper
2 c Cauliflower steamed and chopped
1/2 cup of Gorgonzola- or your favorite cheese (Parmesan, gruyere, or a sharp cheddar would be great)
3 eggs beaten
1/3 c unsweetened almond milk
1/2 c sun dried tomatoes chopped
1 Tbsp Italian seasoning (oregano,basil, rosemary, thyme)
2 tsp sea-salt
1 tsp black pepper
2 tsp crushed red pepper (optional)
2 Tbsp olive oil

.Spray/grease the bottom of an oven safe dish ( I used a 6×9 glass dish)
.Pre heat oven to 350
. Layer half of sliced sweet potato on the bottom of dish
.Bake for 20 minutes
.Steam cauliflower til soft, chop or mash with potato masher and set aside to cool.
.Saute bell pepper and onion in 1 Tbsp olive oil til beginning to soften. Set aside and allow to cool
.Beat eggs and add almond milk,cheese, seasonings,1 tsp salt, and sun dried tomatoes all in one bowl.
.Combine cauliflower and red onion and bell pepper mixture with eggs.
Pour mixture over sliced sweet potatoes
. Top with remaining sweet potatoes and brush with olive oil and sprinkle with remaining 1 tsp of sea salt
Bake for 35-40 minutes
Turn on broiler and broil on high for 5 minutes to brown sweet potatoes.

Enjoy!