Go Bananas! Vegan Banana Bread

Who doesn't love a nice piece of banana bread? Its soft, moist, sweet and so comforting! Wouldn't you love it if banana bread could be good for you? So good for you that you don't feel guilty about eating the whole loaf in one day?... Well then, this is the recipe for you!

I love banana bread, I always have, but now that I am vegan, finding a good recipe hasn't been easy. I just decided to make a recipe that had everything I wanted. Low-Fat, Oil-Free, Vegan and (most importantly) super delicious! This is the resulting recipe!

 

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups Flour

2 tsp Baking Powder

1 tsp Baking Soda

2 tsp Cinnamon

1 tsp Nutmeg

1/4 tsp Salt

2 Super Ripe Bananas

1/2 cup Maple Syrup

1/2 cup Almond Milk ( or Coconut would be really good too!)

1 tsp Vanilla

1/4 cup Raisins (Optional, but recommended)

 

Topping:

4TBS Flour

2 TBS Brown Sugar

Pinch of Cinnamon

2 TBS Almond Milk

2 TBS Oats

 

Okay, lets get rolling! Start by finding some super ripe bananas. They should look like this.

 

 

Peel them and add them to a bowl and give them a really good mash.

 

 

Then you can add the rest of the ingredients. Start with the wet ingredients and then add in the dry. Make sure not to over mix!

Feel free to tuck in with a spoon... no one will judge! :)

Line or grease a bread pan and pour in your batter.

Then, mix up your topping. You are going for a crumby mixture. Crumble your topping over the top.

 

Preheat the oven to 350 F and bake for 40-45 minutes. To test that it is done, stick a tooth pick in the center. If it comes out clean, its done.

 

 

Allow it to cool for 5 minutes before removing from the pan. Slice while warm to enjoy the fullness of this beautiful bread!

 

 

 

I couldn't believe how great this bread turned out! Its soft, moist, sweet and so healthy, all at once! What more could you ask for?

 

If you enjoyed this post, and this recipe, please share it with your friends and family! Recipes like these are rare, so you'll want to keep it!

 

You can follow the  blog via email, Google, Twitter @ SpinachisGood, Tumblr @ justrunningforfood, and on Pinterest @ Hannah Plunkett.

 

I post every Friday!

 

Stay Healthy, Happy and Laughing!

H. Banana

Smoky Roasted Chickpeas

    If you are anything like me, finding a good and healthy snack option isn't always easy! Maybe its pretty healthy, but its probably super expensive, or, its pretty cheap but not so healthy! What are we to do? Settle for expensive healthy snacks or cheap unhealthy ones?! No Way! There is a much easier and better solution than that!

     I have been seeing these roasted chickpeas all over the place lately. Lots of stores are selling them and a ton of people are posting recipes for them! The only problem is most of the time these chickpeas are covered in oil and ( if you get the store bought ones) preservatives! So, while they may be delicious, they aren't so healthy.
     So how do we solve this problem? We make our own of course! Not only is it cheaper to make your own snacks, its also so much healthier! You get to personalize it to your unique taste and you know exactly what went into it! Making these roasted chickpeas at home allows you to have a personalized and healthy snack, without losing taste or lots of money!

Ingredients:
1 can Chickpeas
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Chili Powder
1/2 tsp Smoked Paprika
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder

or
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Maple Syrup or Brown Sugar

As you can see, this recipe really customizable. If you like savory snacks, go with the smoky flavor like I did. If you have more of a sweet tooth, go with the sweet option! I might also add, a little lime juice on the savory ones would be amazing!

First, open your chickpeas and rinse them really well. Then, pour them on a paper towel and dry them. Add them to a bowl along with your spices of choice.  Stir until each chickpeas is coated.

 

Preheat your oven to 450 F. Pour your coated chickpeas onto a baking sheet- large enough for them to be in one flat layer. Looking back, I would have put down some parchment paper to protect my pan, so you might want to do that as well!

 

 

Bake for 35-45 minutes, flipping every 10 minutes or so for even roasting. Once they are done, allow them to cool in the pan for at least 20 minutes.

 

Once they are cool, remove them from the pan and enjoy! What you don't eat right away can be stored in an air tight container!

 

 

Besides being a great snack, these roasted chickpeas are also great on salads, in wraps, in tacos, or even to replace the croutons on top of a soup! However you choose to eat these roasted beauties, I know you will enjoy them as much as I did!

 

Chickpeas are full of fiber and protein, so they are a great thing to add to you diet! Roasting them and adding flavor is just one way of making these cute little beans extra delicious!

If you enjoyed this post and the recipe, please share it with your friends and family! Everyone needs this healthy snack in their life!

You can follow the blog via email, Google, Twitter @ SpinachisGood, Tumblr @ justrunningforfood and on Pinterest @ Hannah Plunkett. I look forward to connecting with you guys!

I post every Friday!

Stay Healthy, Happy and Laughing!
H. Banana

Go Oil Free!

    Search for any recipe on Pinterest or any other website, and 9 times out of 10 it will have some sort of oil in it. Using oil in everyday cooking and baking may seen normal and necessary, but should it be? How necessary is oil for cooking and baking? Is it even as healthy as we've all heard it is?

    I came across oil-free eating around the same time I decided to adapt a vegan diet. At first, I wasn't sure how true it was, but the more I read into it and the more I learned, the more I realized that, living with out oil, has many health benefits!


Weightloss is one of the biggest benefits of going oil free. Oils are 100% fat and are very calorific! Simply removing or even limiting oils in your diet, you cut down your fat and overall calorie intake alot! This will aid in weightloss and fatloss!

Acne or other skin conditions may benefit greatly from removing oil from your diet. Most people who stop consuming oil and/or other fats see a huge change in their acne after only a week or so. If you struggle with acne or oily skin, try removing oil from your diet and see what it can do for you!

Arteries can take a big hit from our oil consumption as well! According to a study by Dr. Esselstyn, the monosaturated and saturated fats found in oils build up on the sides of our arteries and it can lead to cardiovascular problems. Thankfully, eliminating and even limiting our oil and fat intake can help to reverse the damage we may have caused!

Nutrient Void probaly isn't something you expect to hear along side things like olive oil or coconut oil. Afterall, they are supposed to be so healthy, right? But, a quick glance at the label of any oil container will show you that they aren't as nutrient-rich as well thought! This is because the oil that we know goes through such an intense filtering and refining process that, by the time it reaches the store shelves, not much of the nutrients that where there, are left!
    
Going Rancid is something that happens to oils as soon as they are pressed. The oil that can be found in the stores was probaly pressed months before it is bought and used, which means it is most likely rancid!

As you can see, eating an oil-free diet has so many benefits! Simply removing oil from your diet can help you lose weight, clear up you acne and oily skin, have healthy arteries, and save money! Speading money on empty, nutrient void calroies like oils can now be in the past!

     So if  we are going to live without oil, how do we cook and bake the foods we love? It is actually very easy! All you have to do is learn how to do it!

Stove Top Cooking- When you are cooking on top of the stove( Sauteing, Warming, etc...) you can simply not use oil. Veggies release a lot of water soon after you start cooking them, so you don't need to oil to keep them from sticking. You can also use a non-stick pan and/or add a bit of water or veg. broth to the pan to keep everything from sticking!

Baking- Replacing the oil in baked goods is also really easy! I love to use apple sauce and mashed bananas in my baked goods. You can also use mashed avocados, pureed beans and ground flax! To keep your recipe from sticking to your baking pans, line the pans with parchment paper and you are good to go!

Salad Dressing and Sauces- Salad dressings without oil are super easy to make! My favorite is balsamic vinegar, lemon juice and a bit of salt and pepper or just a squeeze of lemon! It might be strange at first, but you will soon come to love it as much as I do!
      Sauces are also easy to make! Blending cashews with some water, garlic and salt and pepper is a great base sauce that you can turn into anything! There are also so many recipes out there to choose from!

     If there is anything else that you use oil for, there is a way around it! Making the change and removing oil from your diet will be one of the best decisions you can make for your health! If you aren't so sure that oil-free can work or is necessary, try it for a week or two and see what you think then!

I hope you enjoyed this post! Please share it with you friends and family to help everyone live a healthier and happier life!

You can follow the blog via email, Google, Twitter @ SpinachisGood, Tumblr @ justrunningforfood, and on Pinterest @ Hannah Plunkett.

I post every Friday!

Stay Healthy, Happy and Laughing!
H. Banana

Asian Carrot Slaw

     With the weather warming up, I have been craving lots of fresh fruit and vegetables! In the winter months, we tend to fall into a habit of eating a lot of cooked meals, which is fine because the fresh produce you can find usually isn't so great! But, when the warmer months finally get here, its important and nice to start eating more fresh foods!

     I love carrots, raw or cooked, and they are a great source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C and Potassium! So, eating lots of carrots should be a no-brainer right? But eating just plain carrots all the time can get boring! Why not eat this delicious Asian Carrot Slaw to get in your carrots for the day? Its simple, flavorful, refreshing and super healthy! What more could you want?

    This recipe is Vegan, Low Fat, Oil Free, Refined Sugar Free, and Gluten Free! All the more reason to love this recipe! I know, once you try it, you'll be making it over and over again! Its perfect as a side dish, in tacos or burritos, on top of salads, in sandwiches, or in asian noodle salads! I can see it on the table at a picnic or outdoor party!

Ingredients:

3-4 Carrots, grated ( about 2 1/2 cups)
3-4 TBS Soy Sauce ( for Gluten Free, use a Gluten Free Soy Sauce)
2 TBS Seasame Seeds
1 tsp Salt
Pinch of Black Pepper
1/2 tsp Ground Ginger

Wash and peel your carrots. I used organic carrots, so I didn't feel the need to peel them! I grated my carrots by hand with a grater, but a food processor would make the process a bit faster!

Add them to a bowl along with the soy sauce, salt and pepper, ground ginger and seasame seeds. Mix well until everything is combined. Make sure the seasame seeds get mixed in well, they have a habit of clumping up on me!

And thats it! Can you believe how simple and easy that was? The hardest part was the carrots, but you do get in an arm workout! I suggest tasting the slaw to check the salt and pepper levels. Some might want it a bit spicier and some not so much!

 

You can eat it right away or store it in the fridge for a few days. The soy sauce might darken the carrots a bit, but don't let that worry you! Also, the salt might make the carrots juice a bit, so you might want to pour that off( if it happens) before serving!

The saltiness of the soy, the spice of the ginger and the nutiness of the seasame seeds all go so well together! Its like eating a flavor explosion! Its so refreshing and delicious, I know you will enjoy it! I really hope you try this recipe and experience it for yourself!

If you enjoyed this recipe, please share it with your friends and family! Also, you can share it on social media to reach even more people!

You can follow the blog via email, Google, Twitter @ SpinachisGood, Tumblr @ justrunningforfood, and on Pinterest @ Hannah Plunkett. I look forward to conntecting with you!

I post every Friday!

Stay Healthy, Happy and Laughing!
H. Banana

St. Patrick's Hummus

   St. Patrick's Day is just around the corner, and while its not a huge holiday, it's still a fun one to celebrate! Everything has been turning green for weeks in preparation for this Irish holiday! So, I started racking my brain to figure out what I could make that was healthy, delicious and GREEN!

What I decided to make and share with you guys, is some amazing St. Patrick's Day Hummus! I know, its not a traditional Irish food or even inspired my typical Irish flavors, but it is green and it is delicious! I think St. Patrick would approve and I hope you do too!

    To make this hummus, I started with a standard hummus recipe and began to add my own spin on it! To lighten the recipe up, I took out the massive amounts of olive oil and tahini paste that normal recipes use, and just used a little of the chickpea water (sometimes called aquafaba) for the liquid. To make this hummus the festive color green, I used some baby spinach! Not only does this add amazing color, but also an extra boost of protein! What more is there to love? Oh yeah, it's also Vegan, Gluten Free, fairly Low Fat, and a perfect healthy snack for anytime of the year!

Ingredients:
1 can of Chickpeas
2 TBS minced Garlic or 2 tsp of Garlic Powder
2 tsp Ground Cumin
2 TBS Lemon Juice
1 cup Fresh Spinach ( you could also use Kale, Arugula or any other dark leafy green you want)
(Optional) 1-2 tsp Tahini ( ground sesame seeds)
Salt to taste

Drain your chickpeas, BUT KEEP THE LIQUID. What you don't use in the recipe you can save for a later use. This liquid is called aquafaba and can me used to make vegan frostings, marshmallow fluff, sponge cakes and so much more!
Add everything to a blender or food processor EXPECT THE SPINACH.

Blend until everything is incorporated and fairly smooth. Taste and adjust any flavors if needed. If needed, add in some of the chickpea water to make things blend easier.

 

You could leave it as is and you will still have a delicious hummus, but in the spirit of St. Patty's Day, lets make it green!

 

Add your spinach to the blender and blend until smooth.

 

 

Isn't is pretty? Its so much fun to eat things that are fun colors! Taste the hummus and make sure it is to your liking. You might need to adjust the seasonings a bit to make it perfect!

 

Then, transfer your fresh homemade hummus to a dish or container.

 

 

Chill in the fridge for a few hours before serving.

 

Now you have some beautiful and delicious green hummus that St. Patrick himself would be proud of! This hummus is perfect for a St. Patrick's Day party or for a festive touch to your lunch and dinner!

 

Hummus has become a staple food in our house. We love to eat it with pita chips, carrot sticks, slices of cucumber and bell pepper, and crackers. Its also really yummy spead on toast, used in place of mayo on your sandwiches and veggie burgers, or in wraps to add delicious flavor and extra protein!

 

 

 

I hope you enjoy this recipe for hummus! I am sure you will love it as much as I do! Whether you make it in celeration of St. Patrick's Day, or just for fun, this is a recipe you won't want to miss out on!

 

Please share this recipe and my blog with your friends and family to helpe everyone live a healthier and happier life!

 

You can follow the blog vie email, Google, Twitter @ SpinachisGood, Tumblr @ justrunningforfood, and on Pinterest @ Hannah Plunkett.

 

I post every Friday!

 

Stay Healthy, Happy and Laughing!

 

H. Banana