raw banana nut bars

I've said it before, but since becoming health-conscious, I crave really weird things which is satisfying and terrifying all at the same time only because I wasn't always like this. It's so cool how our tastebuds adjust after only a few weeks or even a few days of eating a certain way. This is the only explanation I have for nights I no longer crave ice cream and bread, but steamed spinach and homemade energy bars. For this reason, I always have the fridge and freezer stalked with homemade goodies (and bags of spinach.)

The other day I was perusing through the greatness that is Oh Lady Cakes and was immediately feeling inspired to experiment with some more raw desserts. I jotted down tons of ideas I had popping up left and right, but first up were these raw banana nut bars. I almost called this recipe raw banana bread because that's really what they taste like. I figured some people (namely my family who I had a conversation with about this earlier) would be out for my head though, considering these things are nowhere NEAR bread with the absence butter, sugar, flour, and baking. So raw banana nut bars it is. 

I'm secretly hoping that I'll forget these are stashed away in the freezer drawer when I go rummaging for something to satisfy my sweet tooth. But let's be real here. I'm not gonna stop thinking about these anytime soon and they'll most likely be gone within the next 24 hours. 

raw banana nut bars

1 c. chopped dates

1 c. raw nuts (I used pecans), finely chopped

2 ripe bananas, mashed

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tbsp. pure honey or maple syrup

1/4 c. flax seeds

1 c. quick cooking oats

pinch of cinnamon

In a small bowl, soak dates in boiling water. let sit for 5-10 minutes or until soft then drain and chop finely. In a large bowl, mix dates, bananas, vanilla, and honey. Add in flax seeds and oats. (You can either leave the dough like this or place in a food processor for a more fine texture. I like them chunky though!) Press dough into a small pan lined with parchment paper and cut into six squares. 

vegan banana oat scones

Sometimes, I'm at such a loss for words, I'll just sit staring blankly at the screen for hours (or minutes if I'm not being my obnoxiously over-exagerating self.) Now is one of those times. Like, what are you supposed to talk about to your invisible internet friends? I could tell you about how I ate tons of potato salad for dinner the other night. Or how I go to bed by 10 every night and am up at 6:30 every morning. I could tell you how I put my pajama pants on backwards the other night and didn't realize it until it was too late. I could tell you about how my Saturday morning consisted of cups of reheated coffee and talking to my pet tortoise named Lois. OR how I shoved my face with Easter candy, chocolate ice cream, cheese, and french fries all in one day (it's all about balance, guyzzzz.) But all of that is weird and awkward. Just like the rest of my life! Heh. SOOOOOOOO. I guess I'll talk about scones instead because scones aren't weird or awkward. They're soft and scrumptious.

I can't even remember the last time I had a scone, but I'm thinking it was one of those orange cranberry ones from Starbucks that are full of crap and drenched in sugary glaze. MMM. I couldn't exactly remember what the texture is supposed to be like but my mom described a scones texture as a dense cookie. I wasn't sure how this recipe was going to turn out, but I can say I was pleasantly surprised. They're just like a banana muffin in scone form. The taste was spot on- hearty, comforting, and not too sweet and everyone who tried them loved them. My body can't handle anything too sweet in the morning and I'm never one for glazes on my muffins, breads, or rolls so I left out that part. But if you're into that sort of thing, feel freeze to drizzle or drench to your hearts content.

vegan banana oat scones

1 3/4 c. wholewheat flour

3/4 c. quick cooking oats + more for sprinkling if desired

1 tbsp. baking powder

2 tsp. cinnamon

1/3 c. coconut oil

2-3 mashed bananas

1/4 c. + 1 tbsp. milk of choice

2 tbsp. honey/maple syrup

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 425º and line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. In a large bowl whisk together the dry ingredients. Using a fork or pastry cutter, cut the coconut oil into the dry ingredients. Add milk, mashed banana, vanilla, and sweetener. Stir until combined, using your hands to kneed the dough if needed. Place the dough onto the prepared baking sheet and form into a disk about an inch thick. Slice into 8 triangles and sprinkle with more oats if desired. Bake for 15-25 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool before serving. 

banoffee breakfast parfaits

I've been thinking about my blog a lot lately the last couple of weeks, evaluating what I'm really doing. I felt as if what started as a fun hobby became a chore that I didn't want to do. I hate it, but I was whipping out lots of content, but was it good? Did I actually like it? Was I having fun putting it together? No. I was feeling in such a rut and I didn't know what direction I was heading. It crossed my mind to delete my blog, live life, and bake just for the fun of it like normal people do. But I've put 3 years of my time and creativity into this space and I would hate to undo all of my hard work. 

Although I won't be deleting my blog anytime soon, I'm feeling like it's a good idea to take a step back and blog only when I feel like it, when I'm really enjoying it. I need to get used to the feeling of baking for baking's sake, not whipping out the camera or writing things down every time I'm in the kitchen. My goal is to put more thought into my content, post only the really good recipes, the ones with the pictures I love, even if that means only posting every couple of weeks! So that's what I'm going to do. It feels good to have a plan and to take a step back. 

All of that aside, let's talk about breakfast. I'm a breakfast enthusiast {that's putting it mildly.} and really don't understand those people who just forget to have breakfast. LIKE WHAT? That's like forgetting to breathe. Every morning, it's a choice between oatmeal, smoothies, toast, or granola. Pretty much 97% of the time, I lean towards the classic granola and banana. And since I'm also a dessert nut and lover of date caramel, why not combine all of the above to form a hearty breakfast or dessert. Or dinner. 

My original plan was to make this recipe vegan by using whipped coconut cream in the layers. I read somewhere not to use light coconut milk and realized only after taking my can out of the fridge, that's what I had used. So basically I just had a refrigerated can of coconut milk. Fun. I decided to compromise by using greek yogurt instead {GASP.} Then there's some homemade granola which I almost always have laying around, a quick date caramel sauce, and sliced bananas. Layer it all up in cute little jars or glasses and HEYO. You just won the freaking adorable breakfast slash dessert award. Congrats. 

banoffee breakfast parfaits 

date caramel: 

1/2 c. chopped dates, soaked in hot water and drained

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tbsp. maple syrup

1/2 c. milk 

topping:

1-2 bananas, sliced

3/4 c. plain greek yogurt

3/4 c. granola 

To prepare the caramel, blend dates, vanilla, maple syrup, and milk until smooth. Pour into a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 5-10 minutes. Let cool. To prepare the parfaits, layer granola on the bottom of two jars. Layer with yogurt, banana slices, and caramel. Repeat until the jars are filled. If desired, top with lid and store jars in refrigerator for 3-5 days. 

chocolate chocolate chunk banana muffins

We were out of town for about five days last week, road tripping. Africa-style. Road tripping in 'Frica is not the same as in America, let me assure you. There aren't Starbucks to stop at every 10 miles. You can go hundreds of miles without seeing a single being. If you have to pee, you either have to hold it or go amongst the snakes and hyenas. There are lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots of pot holes. Did I mention there are a lot of potholes? After our driving, I felt like my insides were still shaking in there. It's a weird dealio.

One of the things I miss the most while being away from home is my food. {Amongst other things like, sleeping in my own bed, going to the gym, being with my doggy, and if we're being totally honest here, I don't have to wear pants. The things we take for granted.} Did you know vegetable-withdrawl is a thing? IT IS. Throughout the trip, my health-food cravings ended up with me laying in bed right before we left for dinner, shoving rice cakes and peanut butter in my mouth like I was being paid to do it. When I found oranges and apples in the little town store {I kid you not, this town consisted of a bakery, gas station/store, and two lodges.}, I nearly did a jig. FOOOOOOOOOOOOD. I never thought I'd be so excited to get away from yummy pastries and buttery fish and fries. 

I'll admit, my priorities are somewhat screwy. Before I was unpacked or showered after driving in the desert all day, you bet these fudgy chocolate muffins were baking away inhe oven. What can I say, chocolate holds a place in my heart. Above personal hygiene apparently. Kiddinggggg. I've been thinking up these muffins foreverrrrrrr. I made that single serving muffin and had high hopes of making a full batch recipe. I'm happy to report, these exceeded my expectations. When I gave my mom a bite, she was all "THESE ARE HEALTHY!?" Little did she know, there were no eggs, dairy, processed flour, or added sugar. So yah. 

I feel kind of horrible about the gaping whole in this blog as far as Valentine's Day recipes go. I'm so not one of those bloggers who post seasonally. But really, why is it that we can only post red velvet recipes starting mid-January and through Valentines? But if I don't make those dates, you're telling me I have to wait a whole year? Uhh no. In my opinion, pink, sparkles, red velvet, and chocolate never go out of style. I think these chocolate muffins count for a Valentine's recipe though, right? They're fudgey, chocolatey, and filled with love. Perfect for sharing with your significant other. Or if you're like me, maybe watching chick flicks alone and eating one or three. Just a suggestion. 

chocolate chocolate chunk banana muffins

3-4 ripe bananas, mashed

1/3 c. maple syrup/honey

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 c. non-dairy milk

1 1/2 c. whole wheat flour

3/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 c. chopped dark chocolate

Preheat oven to 350ºF and grease or line a muffin tin. In a large bowl, whisk mashed banana, milk, vanilla, and sweetener. Add flour, cocoa, baking powder, and baking soda. Mix until smooth. Gently fold in chocolate chunks. Scoop into prepared muffin tin and bake for 25-30 minutes. Yields 10 medium-sized muffins. 

banana zucchini loaf

I love banana bread. Always have and always will for the rest of all eternity ever. My mom and I have a recipe we always use from this dirty, crusty, weathered church cookbook, with yellowed pages. Since "converting" to healthy eating, I've changed that recipe to be a little lighter and healthier. I know. I'm a horrible person, messing with a banana bread recipe from an old cookbook. Something about it just doesn't seem right. HOWEVER. With simple little changes, I can hardly tell the difference between the regular recipe and a healthy vegan one. 

Typically, I take a recipe and adapt it so much, adding extra things, taking things out, replacing it with this and that. But when it comes to banana bread and pancakes- I'm a total purist. I know there are recipes all over the interwebs cough*pinterest*cough* for all these crazy variations of the two. But for some reason, I can't bring myself to stray far from the plain recipes. Banana bread has been on my brain all week and I had all these exciting combinations floating around. In the end though, I decided zucchini was about as crazy as I was gonna get. Living on the edge, guyzzzz. 

My family is always saying "WHY CAN'T YOU JUST MAKE SOMETHING NORMAL!" and when I made this loaf on Saturday morning, my mom said she was going to make some double chocolate muffins. I'm like, "HELLO. People, I just made banana bread for you, and I swear it won't taste like health food!" I'm easily offended sometimes although you'd think I'd be used to their comments by now. My mom ran out of eggs {when you bake vegan, this isn't an issue! just sayin'.} so everyone decided they'd give my banana bread a try. The verdict? They loved it. HAAAAAAAAAAAA. *insert evil chuckle* The same day I made a green smoothie and my mom asked for some. I was like wuuut. Something must have been in their coffee that morning, but I'm not complaining. Maybe we turned a corner! Kinda doubt it. 

This banana zucchini bread/cake/loaf is so incredibly simple and has a short and basic ingredient list. It took me only a matter of minutes to whip up the batter and pop it in the oven. The only difficult part was waiting for it to bake. UGHHH I hate waiting for things to bake. But it's worth it 101%. The bread may look like it's underdone, but the toothpick came out completely clean. You know what the means? It's MOIST. Oh yah, I went there. I honestly can't decide if this is a cake or a quick bread. It's a bread because it's not overly sweet like most banana bread recipes. It's kinda like a cake because it's so dang moist and tender! So let's just go with a loaf. That sounds better than "banana zucchini bread cake", wouldn't you agree?

zucchini banana loaf {vegan}

3 bananas, mashed
1 c. shredded zucchini {about 1 medium zucchini}
1/3 c. pure maple syrup
1/4 c. granulated sugar
1 c. oat flour
1 1/2 c. whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda

Preheat oven to 375ºF and grease a loaf pan; set aside. In a large bowl combine mashed banana, zucchini, maple syrup, and sugar. Add flours, baking powder, and baking soda. Mix until just combined. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool before removing from pan and slicing.

chunky monkey granola

I got sick last week. For the first time in over a year. I guess my green smoothies and excessive workouts failed me. I came down with this nasty cold, complete with a congested chest, a nose that ran like Niagra, a scratchy throat, and what seemed like a little soldier playing drums around in my noggin. What a dream those few days were. My life consisted of hot food, reruns of the Office, and Pinterest for four days straight. Seeing that I workout 5 or 6 times a week, it's become a part of me. And when I CAN'T do it, I honestly feel like a whale. Light yoga and short walks don't do for me what benching and leg presses do.

I have a long {and I mean LONG.} list of recipe ideas lingering about on my desk with only about 5 of them actually crossed out. I had big ol plans to make a dent in it this weekend, so I dragged myself out of bed to make a cake. Yes, after three days in pajamas, a runny nose, and pounding headache, I decided I'd make a cake. 'Cuz I'm sure pretty much everyone does that. I was so excited and it lifted my spirits a little! … Until I pulled it out of the oven. It sank into this gooey disaster and I kid you not, I had tears streaming down my face as I bent over the stove, fork in hand, emotionally eating half the cake straight from the pan. That was quite the sight to behold. *Sniff, snort. Sniff, snort.*

My brother loves when I make granola, so I thought I'd be that super cool sister that I am and make him a batch when my family went to church and I stayed home and watched Friends in my pjs because that dang sickness just wouldn't leave me alone. I wasn't planning on posting it, but ohmahwerrd. You guys it's amazing. It's full of chocolatey, peanut buttery, banana-y goodness, crisp and crunchy and it ranks pretty high on the scale-o-chunkage! OH YAH. I live for granola chunks. I'm not even going to tell you, because I say this every single time I make granola. But… 

It's the best. It's a universal truth that can not be ignored. 

chunky monkey granola

1 1/2 c. oats

1/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 banana, mashed

1/4 c. creamy peanut butter

3 tbsp. pure maple syrup

2 tbsp. coconut oil

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 c. rice cereal

1/2 c. peanuts

1/2 c. banana chips

Preheat oven to 350ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl and stir until evenly combined. Pour onto prepared baking sheet, spreading it into a single layer. Bake for 15-25 minutes, stirring once throughout. Let cool before transferring to an airtight container or jar. 

vegan banana nut muffins

Christmas is over. It's kind of depressing, isn't it? After all the build up, two days pass, and you just sit there, stuffed with peppermint bark and russian tea cakes, staring at each other as if to say "Now what?" Honestly, this year I was kind of a humbug. It's really hard to get into the Christmas spirit in 90 degree, humid weather and no Christmas carolers to serenade or freaky Santa Clauses to scare little children. While my family made a few batches of Christmas cookies, I personally made NONE. How sad is that? Now that Christmas is over, I'll just look forward to next year and make a resolution to actually get in the jolly spirit. 

 

While I'm off of school for the next week and a half, I have one thing on my to do list: BAKE. And clean out my closet which will be quite the feat. I swear, I clean it and the very next day, it's as if hours of blood, sweat, and tears weren't put into organizing the madness. Kind of worthless, but it's nice for the few hours it lasts. Anyways, I have a short list of about five or six things I want to bake, photograph, and have written up and ready for when I need something to post but have no time because of school. Ah school, why you gotta go ruin my life. I really do feel horrible about how my blog stats are kind of shrinking. But I'm determined to fix that and dedicate more time and work to it. Fate follows focus! So during my break, I'll work my buns off, but it will be very worth it. By the time I was finished baking these muffins and getting them set up and photographed, I felt as if I'd just ran a 5 miler. Africa. So. Hot. Too hot for all this baking and food prop shenanigans but oh well. Food blogger lyfeeeeeee. 

In my last post, I mentioned how I've been wanting to experiment with vegan baking. Also, thank you to everyone who commented on my little rant! Your words meant so much to me and as sappy as it sounds, they really did give me the nudge to keep working ahead for what I want to achieve and not give up so easily. I'm feeling really adventurous in my baking, so that list I'm going to bake my way through? All vegan recipes. Yup. First up, I thought I would go for something simple. If I were to be asked what my favorite muffin is, hands down I would say banana nut. Besides double chocolate chunk, but that's kind of a given. I've made batch upon batch of banana nut muffins, and surprisingly, I think I liked this vegan version the best. I was really surprised at how fluffy they got, even with the absence of eggs or yogurt, not to mention, no processed sugar in the batter! When my mom was trying a bite, she told me they were super good and I needed to make them again, as she proceeded to finish the whole thing! Vegan, delicious, and family approved, I kinda sorta think you need to make these. 

vegan banana walnut muffins

2-3 super ripe bananas, mashed

2 tbsp. melted coconut oil

1/4 c. pure maple syrup

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/3 c. non-dairy milk 

2 c. wholewheat flour

2 tbsp. ground flax

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 c. chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350ºF and grease or line a muffin tin; set aside. In a large bowl, whisk mashed bananas, coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla, and milk. Using a spatula, add the dry ingredients, stirring until just combined. Fold in chopped walnuts and scoop into prepared muffin tin. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool before removing from pan. Recipe yields about 10 medium-sized muffins. 

banana oatmeal pancakes

There is one thing I've been learning lately. It basically came out of nowhere, hit me on the head {ahem. figuratively speaking.} and told me I cannot depend on anyone for my own happiness but myself. Happiness is a choice that only you yourself can make. Since moving to Africa, I've seen countless people who literally have nothing. But if you met them, judging by their attitude and their beautiful smiles spanning their face, you wouldn't assume it one bit. If they can be happy when they have nothing, I can be happy too. 

It's been so difficult, finding friends, having friends, and losing friends. Over the last few months, I've learned who my real friends are and aren't. People I thought I would be in relationship with the rest of my life, people I thought would always be there for me, people that I thought I would have fun times and laugh with… They just disappeared and proved to me, all of that was nothing. My life seems to be on this big roller coaster and I can't seem to depend on anyone. I'm learning I can't sit around waiting for that one person I wish would make an effort to make me happy. Because it's not gonna come. 

I'm sharing this not because I want people to feel bad for me or give me sympathy. I like to keep my blog free of negative thoughts, but it's what's up in my life right now. And I know there are people who are going through a similar situation. And if you're one of those people, I want to encourage you because it will get better. We're put in these situations to stretch ourselves and step out of our comfort zones to become the person God wants us to be. My piece of advice is to take your time. Go slow, breathe in the fresh air, and take your time. With everything. When you're taking your time instead of zipping right through life, things seem to get better. It's just how it works. But PLEASE. Don't wait around for people to make you happy. Because as cliche as it sounds, waiting for someone else to make you happy is the best way to be sad. Trust meeeeee, I know. When you let go of all expectations you have of people, your happiness returns and all that sadness just floats away. Let stupid people be stupid people. Don't cling to them. Wait for the ones who are worth your time and don't put you down constantly. You're worth more than that. 

So while I'm waiting for some rad people to come into my life {I know they're out there somewhere!!}, I can make my own kind of happy. Happiness doesn't have to mean having all these things, having a bunch of friends, going out every weekend. It doesn't have to be like that… Trust me, I'm learning. I can find happiness instead in the still of life. Bask in the quiet mornings and lazy afternoons. Whatever that little thing is that brings a glimmer of joy to your soul- do it. I encourage you. Don't wait around for someone else to come around. Make your own kind of happy, whether that be going for a long run, eating a huge slice of chocolate cake in silence, taking a hot bath with some candles, baking a cake for no apparent reason, do some yoga. Whatever it is, go and do it. 

My kind of happy? Starting my morning off with some yoga {in my pajamas, thanyouverymuch} on the porch, making pancakes, sipping my second cup of coffee, and blogging while I take advantage of the beautiful cool breeze that blows through my windows before it turns into sweltering hot African heat. Oh, and staying in my 'jams until noon. Because I have nowhere to go. Nothing to do. But I can still be happy. All I'm gonna say is, thank you Jesus for the carby greatness that is pancakes. 

banana oatmeal pancakes

3-4 bananas, mashed

2 eggs

1/4 c. milk

2 tbsp. melted coconut oil

1 tsp. vanilla extract

3/4 c. ground oat flour

1/2 c. wholewheat flour

1/2 c. quick cooking oats

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. cinnamon

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients until smooth. Scoop onto a greased skillet or frying pan over high heat. Let pancakes cook for about 2-3 minutes before flipping to the other side. Cook until golden brown and crispy. Serve with maple syrup. 

banana bread granola parfait

I'm an absolute freak about breakfast. Like a total, legit fuhhh-reeeeeak. You know those people who couldn't care less about breakfast and are like "OOOOH YERRRRRR, I forgot to eat this morning."?? I'm the absolute farthest from that person that you'll ever meet. I go to bed with breakfast on the mind. I wake up with breakfast on the mind. I workout with breakfast on the mind. It's like some sort of disease I have. OOHHHH WEEEE-AAAALLLL. 

Even though I love it, doesn't mean I get bored though. As we all know, I have the attention span of an ADHD ant, so I need to switch it up quite often. I kind of go through spurts with my breakfasts. One week all I want is oatmeal. The next is smoothies. Sometimes eggs. Toast with peanut butter, banana, honey, and cinnamon. Toast with smashed avocado and fried eggs. I love it all. Espeshhhh granola. My favorite way to eat it is with yogurt, but then I realized that dang dairy is what makes my skin get all wonky-tonk. I didn't totally give up dairy because herrroooo, it's one of my favorite foods ever. But I still eat yogurt about once a week to prevent me from opening the fridge and downing a whole container of it. It could happen. 

Anywho, this parfait is pretty dang simple. Banana bread granola- which totally tastes like banana bread. Ironic, no? It's sweet, chewy, and chunky. Mehhh jam. Layered with plain yogurt and sliced 'nerrnerrs. Now you've got yourself a banana-rama-licious breakfast! Rejoice. DISCLOSURE- Usually when I eat granola and yogurt, I just throw it in a bowl with some fruit. It's never layered and pretty like you see herrrrrr. In fact. After I finished the pictures, I just dumped it in a container to eat for breakfast the next morning. HEHHH. Classy. Oh, P.S. Combining the granola, yogurt, and banana in a bowl and letting it sit in the fridge overnight… NOT a bad idea. Like my beloved overnight oats but with a little more chew to it. Noms. 

banana bread granola 

2 c. oats

1/3 c. granulated sugar

2 tsp. cinnamon

1/3 c. mashed banana

1/4 c. honey 

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 tbsp. coconut oil

1 c. banana chips

1/2 c. chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 350ºF and grease or line a baking sheet; set aside. In a large bowl, stir all ingredients except banana chips and nuts until evenly combined. Pour onto prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes stirring about 3-4 times until golden brown. Add in banana chips and nuts and transfer to an airtight container or jar. 

Parfait: 

1/2 c. granola

1 large banana, sliced

1/2 c. plain yogurt

In a small bowl or glass, layer half the granola on the bottom of the glass, half the banana, half the yogurt and repeat. 

mini peanut butter banana bread pancakes

For some reason, I'm really really really craving SUMMER. Actually, no not some reason. I have a few. For one, it's getting sunny and warm and bright in good 'ol Nam. And to me, that means SUMMER. With my school, I feel like I'm totally running out of steam and kinda half-butting it, if ya know what I mean. I don't really have any consistent time off since the school schedule here is kinda wonky. And since I have no life, it's kinda like I have nothing else better to do. But I'm really feeling like I need a break. A 3 month one. PLEASE. The only solution? SUMMER. I also want to stuff my face with only corn, strawberries, popsicles, and avocado. Dear, SUMMER, I want you. 

So I think you get my gist, I really want summer. What does this have to do with pancakes? Nothing. I just wanted to tell someone about my problems, know what I mean, jelly bean? Sorry I called you jelly bean. I do know for a fact, however, that whatever my problem… Pancakes will solve it. And so will peanut butter. Aside from the obvious chocolate and peanut butter {or my personal favorite: peanut butter and spoon.}, banana and peanut butter are basically soul mates- destined for great things. Like my pie hole. Errr pancake hole. These pancakes are super simple, and taste like banana bread! Peanut butter banana bread that is. Oh also I should mention. I'm totally that weirdo who really strongly dislikes my pancakes sweet. I like them really plain SO there's no added sweetener in this recipe aside from the natural sweetness that the mashed bananas bring. If you're not too fond of the idea, add in a tablespoon or two of honey, maple syrup, stevia, or sugar.

mini peanut butter banana bread pancakes

2 eggs

1/2 c. mashed banana {about 2 small bananas}

3 tbsp. plain yogurt

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 tbsp. creamy peanut butter

1/4 c. oat flour

2 tbsp. wholewheat flour 

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. baking powder

In a small bowl, whisk all ingredients until combined. Place a greased frying pan over high heat. Scoop batter by two-tablespooonfuls onto greased pan. Let cook for about 2 minutes and flip to the other side until golden brown. Serve warm with extra peanut butter, sliced banana, or maple syrup. 

banana carrot cake with cream cheese frosting

Sometimes {like errrytime} I sit down to write a post, I blank out completely and my post turns into a bunch of random, all over the place, blurbs of the weirdness that is my brain. I then twirl into thoughts of self-doubt. Like why the heck am I a blogger? I may have a freakish love affair with food, but I can't write for the love of all things holy. Isn't that what bloggers, uhh… Do? So here I am, yet again with a lack of words. Sometimes I think out beforehand what I'm going to write in a post, but the second my fingers hit the keys, "Phewwww." Those witty words leave me and I'm left with nothing. Right now is one of those times. I'm trying to think of things to TELL YOU. Still nothing. 

So I made cake. It calms me and makes me feel better inside. Gives me something to do with my hands. And later gives me something to do with my legs 'cuz cake is pretty much the reason I started running. It's no doubt, baking is my therapy. I go into the kitchen and I typically crank up my music, nearly blowing the speakers as I combine ingredients in a fruit bowl with a table fork. But when I made this cake, I decided I needed nothing but peace, quiet, and cake. Nothing to listen to. Just time to think about what I was doing, slowly adding flour to the batter, sprinkling in a dash or ten of cinnamon, and enjoying every swish of the whisk.

I'm really craving fall-ish, homey foods despite the 80 degree weather we've got going on in our neck of the woods. Carrot cake is considered homey right? I think it is. It's one of my ultimate comfort foods for me and brings back memories of when I was little, sitting in a corner booth at Baker's Square with my grandma, enjoying a slice of the fluffy cake and sweet, creamy frosting with the little piped carrot on top. Although I haven't tasted that cake in years, this one turned out kinda similar which surprised me but made me happy nonetheless. It's really dense, yet fluffy and I hate to say it, but I made it semi-healthy-ish. I used wholewheat flour, yogurt, and banana. But what it lacks in buttery, calorie-loaded richness, it makes up for with the frosting. YOU GUYS. I may or may not have eaten it with a spoon. The fact that it made a really large bowl of frosting, enough to have leftovers, didn't help the situation either. Knowing there's a little plastic container or this frosting in the fridge is a little bit frightening. But I guess if that's actually a problem, my life could be worse.

banana carrot cake with cream cheese frosting

cake:

1/2 c. mashed banana

1/3 c. shredded carrot

2 eggs

1/2 c. plain yogurt

1/4 c. granulated sugar

3/4 c. dark brown sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. cinnamon

2 tsp. baking powder

1 1/2 c. whole wheat flour

frosting:

3/4 c. plain cream cheese

1 tsp. vanilla extract

4 c. powdered sugar

1/4 c. milk

2 tbsp. butter, melted

Preheat oven to 375ºF. Grease a round cake pan; set aside. In a large bowl, combine banana, shredded carrot, eggs, and yogurt. Whisk in sugars and vanilla until thick and creamy. Add flour, cinnamon, and baking powder and stir until just combined. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until golden brown. While cake is cooling, prepare frosting, adding more milk or powdered sugar as needed. Once cake is completely cooled, spread frosting evenly on top. Store refrigerated in an airtight container or wrapped in tin foil. 

toasted coconut banana smoothie

The temperatures are rising, and all I want is smoothies. Fresh, cold, icy, refreshing smoothies. Green smoothies, chocolate smoothies, strawberry smoothies, ALL THE SMOOTHIES! I could probably have one for every meal and would totally be a happy camper. 

I've recently become obsessed with toasted coconut. OBSESSED, I tell you. It's crunchy, crispy greatness has been adorning my breakfasts lately and I just can't get enough. You can't get shredded coconut around these parts other than "desiccated coconut" that's basically like snow. 

BLEHHHH. Def not as pretty as these big, chunky flakes I found at a grocery store when we were out of town awhile back. I got a big 'ol bag and it's almost gone. I sad. 

This smoothie is so simple and refreshing. Nothing fancy going on. Just a few bananas, coconut that's been lightly toasted under the broiler, some light coconut milk, ice cubes, and a little dash of cinnamon and vanilla extract for added flavor. Then ya throw it all into a blender and blend it up until all smooth, creamy, and luscious. 

I not only topped the smoothie OFF with the toasted coconut, but it also found its way into the blender. Coconut errrywherrrrrr. It gives the smoothie a little funkalicious texture that I absolutely adore. I also love when the shredded coconut that gets sprinkle atop the smoothie freezes and becomes extra crunchy. 

I'm a crunch freak. Crunch-a-holic. Crunch-o-maniac. Crunch-a-la-don. Sorry,  I'll stop before this gets weird. Errrr… Yah. 

What I'm trying to say is… You need this in your life. 

Have it for breakfast. Have it for a snack. HAVE IT FOR LUNCH! Been there, done that. I won't judge. 

toasted coconut banana smoothie

1/3 c. coconut flakes

2 bananas 

2 c. ice cubes

1/2 c. light coconut milk

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Spread coconut onto a lined cookie sheet. Place under your broiler for about 2-3 minutes or until golden brown; set aside. Place all ingredients {save a tablespoon or so of the coconut for topping if desired} in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into two small glasses or one large glass and top with remaining toasted coconut. Serve immediately. 

loaded multigrain muffins

Praise the heavens, I am finally done with that raw thing. I was technically supposed to go until Monday, but decided that if I looked at another leaf of spinach or bowl of hummus, I might cross off health food forever. A girl's gotta have her meat and muffins. I decided that was that on Sunday afternoon when I dug my face into a jumbo bowl of popcorn. Oh, my dearest, how I missed thee. Seriously, if I was stranded on an island and had to choose one food to eat for the rest of my years, it'd be popcorn. No doubt, I cannot quit the stuff. Could be worse, I guess. 

Anyways. I was hit with the baking bug and wanted to whip something up that I could grab for a quick breakfast or after my runs throughout the week. I opened the cupboards to find tons of opened, half-gone bags of nuts and seeds. SO I did what any normal person would do and threw all the stuff 'n things in a muffin. A little piece of advice: no matter what the question, the answer is "Throw it in a muffin." Those words will get ya places in life. 

As the title suggests, these muffins are loaded with all sorts of good carbs, protein, and fiber that are good for those innards of yours. Gotta keeps your innards good and healthy, amiright? They're basically one of those recipes that's like "Open the cupboard and throw every thing your eyeball sees into the bowl." Feel free to switch things up and add different kinds of nuts, seeds, grains, and dried fruit. They make a great snack or quick breakfast on the go. 

With a cup of coffee of course. I've missed my coffee. 8 days was way too long. I think my body learned how to actually function without caffeine during that time and then as soon as I could, I downed two big mugs and was seriously bouncing. off. the walls. BOUNCING. And twirling around the house singing "Augustus Gloop. Augustus Gloop." from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory which I, in fact, haven't seen in ages. I thought I might be losing my mind. Maybe. 

Anyways, muffins.

loaded multigrain muffins

2-3 bananas, mashed

2 eggs

1/3 c. honey

1/4 c. soymilk

1/2 c. ground flax

1/2 c. ground oats/ oat flour

1 c. wholewheat flour

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 c. almonds

1/4 c. sunflower seeds

1/4 c. pumpkin seeds

1/3 c. raisins

Preheat oven to 375ºF and grease or line a muffin tin; set aside. In a large bowl, whisk eggs, honey, soy milk, and banana. Add flour, ground flax, oats, cinnamon, flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Stir until just combined. Fold in nuts, seeds, and raisins. Scoop batter into prepared muffin tin. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.