Pumpkin Muffin Tops!

These are the kind of muffin tops that you do want! :) They are healthy, soft, pumpkin-y, spiced, and delicious! Also, they can be made completely Vegan!

 

   Fall is officially here, and with it comes pumpkin flavored everything! Most of the popular Fall treats aren't that great for you, but thankfully there are some great healthy choices too! These muffin tops are the perfect example, since they are both healthy and plenty pumpkin-y to satisfy your fall cravings and keep you feeling great at the same time!

   I am calling these muffin tops because I baked them in a ( leaf and pumpkin shaped) whoopee pie pan, so they are a bit thinner than muffins. I love the way they turned out! Beautiful fall shapes, super moist and soft, and a great serving size to help you not over eat!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup Whole Wheat Flour
2-3 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice or Cinnamon
1 tsp Baking Soda
3 Tbsp Ground Flaxseeds
8 Tbsp Water
1/2 cup Coconut Oil- room tempt.
1/2 cup Honey(or Maple Syrup if you want to keep this completely Vegan)
1/2 tsp Vanilla
1 cup Canned Pumpkin
1/4 tsp Salt

First, we need to make our Flax Eggs! We aren't using eggs in the recipe, so that it can be Vegan( if you use the maple syrup)! If you've never made a flax egg, don't be scared of them! They are super simple!

Add your ground flax to a bowl and add in the water. Stir well- you'll notice it go really thick. Leave it to the side while we get on with the recipe.

Add the flour, pie spice( or cinnamon), baking soda, and salt to a bowl and stir to combine. Then add in the rest of the ingredients, including the flax egg.

 

Stir well, making sure to mix the flax egg in well. Then, grease a pan and spoon in your batter. If you don't have a whoopee pie pan, you can use mini muffin tins, regular muffin tins or a 8x8 baking pan.

I wanted to use my whoopee pie pan because of the fall shapes! :)

 

Make sure to press the batter into all the little corners. I like to give the pan a little tap on the counter to help it settle.
Bake at 350 F for 10-12 minutes for the whoopee pan and mini muffin tins. For the regular muffins or 8x8 baking pan, 12-15 minutes. To check that they're done, just stick a tooth pick in the center. If it comes out clean, they are done! Also, they will smell really good!

 

Let them cool for 5-6 minutes before removing them from the pan.

Eat them fresh from the oven, or store them in an air tight container for a few day- but I doubt they last that long! I love how festive, delicious, pumpkin-y, healthy, and cute these little muffin tops are!

I enjoyed my(1st) tasting with a warm cup of coffee and a good book! They are the perfect afternoon snack, dessert, and they are even healthy enough to have for breakfast!

I really hope you try these delicious and healthy fall treats! If you like them, please share this post with a friend and family member to help them celebrate fall on the healthy side!

Please follow the blog via email, Google, Twitter @ SpinachisGood, Pinterest @ Hannah Plunkett, and now on Tumblr @ Justrunningforfood.

New post every Friday!

Keep Healthy and Safe!
H. Banana

 

Whole Wheat Naan Bread

Naan bread is so delicious! I first had it store-bought and I liked it then, but home made is even better! If you've never had Naan before, you should try it! Believe me, you won't be disappointed!

Most recipes for Naan that I've found use all white flour, sugar, dairy milk, and use little or no seasoning. In my recipe I use whole wheat flour, honey, almond milk( though there isn't anything wrong with using dairy milk, I just like the flavor almond milk gives to the bread) and spices for a hearty and more flavorful bread!

Ingredients:
4 cups Whole Wheat Flour( or 2 cups Whole Wheat and 2 cups All Purpose)
1 tsp Salt
1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Baking Soda
1/4 tsp Ground Corriander
1/4 tsp Curry Powder
1/4 tsp Garam Masala
1/4 cup Warm Water
1 tbs Honey
1 tbs Dry Active Yeast
3/4 cup Almond Milk
1 cup Greek Yogurt

Start by warming your water. It should be lukewarm temp. Whisk in honey and yeast.

Let that sit while we move on to the next step. Mix dry ingredients( Flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, ground coriander, curry powder, and garam masala) together.

 

Back to the yeast, it should have started to rise and bubble. You should also smell a familiar just-baked-bread smell.

 

To this, add the almond milk( Note: use any milk you desire. Dairy, Goat, Cashew, Coconut..... any will work!) and yogurt. Whisk to combined.  Add this to the dry mix and combine. Knead just until the dough has come together. It will be a sticky dough.

Take the dough and place it in a bowl. Cover with a towel and let sit in a warm place for at least an hour.

The dough should double in size. Once it has done so, we are ready to get cooking!

There should be lovely yeast bubbles all over!

Heat some butter, coconut oil, or olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. On a floured surface, roll out little balls of the dough. They should be fairly small.

Roll the balls out very thin. They will puff up in the skillet, so don't worry!

Place one unbaked Naan bread in the skillet and cover for 1-2 minutes.

It should have lovely bubbles and starting to go brown on the edges. Flip and cook for another minute. Remove from heat and then repeat with the rest of your dough.

They smell so amazing and they taste wonderful too! I always end up eating the first Naan bread I make, just to make sure it taste good!

We like to have Naan with Tiki Masala and Curry dishes. They are also great for snacks or even used instead of sandwich bread! You can switch up the seasonings and even use these for gyros!

I hope you give this recipe a try, and please share this post and my blog with a friend! Everyone needs to try Naan bread, and making it at home is a great way to introduce it to your menu! If you love Naan just as much as I do, please follow the blog via email, Google, Twitter @ SpinachisGood and on Pinterest @ Hannah Plunkett.

Stay tuned for more healthy living post every Monday and Friday!

Keep healthy and SAFE!
H. Banana

Berry Lemon Muffins

I know, these aren't the greatest looking muffins ever, but they are delicious all the same! The muffins are the perfect blend of the tartness of the berries and the sourness of the lemon! They are perfectly moist and delicious!

Ingredients:
1 cup Coconut Flour
1 Tbs. Chia Seeds
1 Tsp. Baking Powder
1/2 Tsp. Lemon Zest
Pinch of Salt
3 Eggs
1/3 Cup Coconut Oil
1/3 Cup Honey
1/4 Cup Lemon Juice
1 Cup Coconut Milk
1 Cup Frozen Berries

Start by whisking together the dry ingredients. Make sure that the Baking Soda doesn't clump up.

Next, beat the eggs and add to the bowl along with the lemon juice and coconut milk. Make sure to mix well!
Heat the coconut oil and honey together in the microwave and mix into batter.
Then fold in the frozen berries. The more you mix this the more color will come out of the berries, so keep this in mind! If you want a purple-ish batter like I did, mix fairly well. If you want to keep the colors separate, just fold to combine.

Grease a muffin tin and then scoop the batter into the molds. These muffins don't rise too much, so fill them fairly full.

Bake at 350 F for 30-35 mins. They smell so good while baking!

Once they are baked, let cool for 5 minutes before removing from the pan and allowing to cool completely.

They are just simply delicious! A perfect spring and summer breakfast, snack or even dessert! I love how the berries just burst when you bite into them!

So, even if they aren't beautiful in looks, they really pack some yummy flavors!


Please share this post and this blog with your friends and family to spread the love of healthy living!
You can follow the blog via email, Google, Twitter @ SpinachisGood and on Pinterest @ Hannah Plunkett.

Stay tuned for more healthy post every Monday and Friday!

Keep healthy and Safe!
H. Banana

Smoothies

  I love smoothies at anytime and for any meal! They are a great way to get necessary nutrients in to your diet. Not only are they a easy and quick meal to make and eat but they can and are delicious and satisfying. I think a lot of people don't like smoothies because they don't feel full or satisfied by them. The way to fix that it to know what to put in them and how much.

Often I get into a habit of throwing the same things into my smoothies every day and I tend to get bored by them. But, I also have found several combinations that I just love and I make all the time! These recipes are simple yet pack a power combo of flavors and nutrients! I hope you like them!

#1 Mean Green Smoothie
1/2 ripe Banana
1/2 cup fresh Spinach
1/2 apple(with peel and seeds)
1/2 orange( or a whole 'Cuties' orange)
Cube of fresh Ginger
Spoonful of Chia Seeds
Spoonful of Ground Flax Seed
1/4 cup Coconut Water
Splash of Lemon Juice
Enough Water to Blend.

# 2 PB and Banana Smoothie
1/2 ripe Banana
2 TBS Peanut Butter(or more if you want)
Spoonful of Chia Seeds (Optional but they don't have a taste and they're super good for you!)
Spoonful of Ground Flax Seeds
1/4-1/2 cup Almond Milk(depending on how liquid you like it)
Ice


#3 Good Morning Smoothie
1/2 frozen Strawberries
1/2 frozen Pineapple
Spoonful ground Flax Seeds
Spoonful Chia Seeds
1/4 cup Coconut Water
1/4 cup Coconut Milk(or Almond Milk)
Scoop of Protein Powder( I suggest a vanilla flavor)

#4 Blueberry 'The Bomb' Smoothie
1/2 cup frozen Blueberries
2 TBS Almond Butter
1/4 cup Almond Milk
Spoonful Ground Flax Seeds
Spoonful Chia seeds
Ice
Enough Water to Blend



Well, I hope you liked these 4 smoothie recipes! You will probably notice that I include chia seeds and ground flax seeds in all of these smoothies. That is to add more nutrients to the smoothie. If you want to know why chia seed and flax seeds are so good for you, check out my Super Foods posts for more info on them!

These are just a few of the smoothies you can try! Have fun with it and the more you experiment the more of your own smoothie recipes you will make!

If you like this post, please share with a friend and check back for more post soon!

Keep Healthy and Safe!
H.Banana

Follow the blog on Twitter @ SpinachisGood and on Pinterest @ Hannah Plunkett

Delicate Rose-Water bites with Dark Chocolate Icing

  These cookies are such an interesting blend of flavors, your mouth won't know what happened! With the subtle hint of rose-water and the bold flavor of the chocolate, these cookies are sure to be a hit! I made them a little 'valentine's day' themed by piping the icing on in hearts, but they are perfect for any occasion!

So, let's get started!
Ingredients:
1 banana
2 cups Unsweetened Coconut Flakes
2 tbs. Rose Water
1 tsp. vanilla
pinch of Salt

Icing:
2 tbs. Coconut Oil
2 tbs. Honey
4 tbs. Coco Powder

Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. The mixture will be chunky and sticky .

Heat oven to 350 F.
Scoop a tbs. of the mixture into your hand and flatten it out with your palm. Then place it on a greased or lined cookie sheet.

Bake for 15 min. or until they begin to turn a nice golden-brown on the edges. When they come out of the oven, slide them on to a cooling rack as soon as you can without crumbling them.

 

Yummy!!!

Now, you of course could eat them just like this and they would be delicious, but I wanted to add something a little bold! And of course it has to be chocolate! Let's make the chocolate icing now!

 

Melt the coconut oil and honey in the microwave. Add in the coco powder and whisk together. Let this sit in the fridge until the cookies are completely chilled.

 

Once the cookies are cool, its time to decorate! Place them on a cooling rack with a paper-towel underneath (To catch the drips!)

Place the chocolate icing in a Zip-Lock bag and cut a small hole in one corner. This will be your piping bag.

Note* If the sauce is too solid when you take it out of the fridge, microwave it just until it gets soft.

 

Now you can pipe anything you want on to your cookies. I chose to go with hearts, dots, swirls, stripes and so on! They turned out pretty cute, if I do say so myself!

I just love chocolate, don't you? Pared with the delicate hint of Rose-Water, they're just perfect!

Let the icing cool and harden before enjoying with family, friends or that special someone on Valentine's Day( or any day for that matter!)

 

I hope you have enjoyed these cookies and my post! Please check back weekly for new healthy and delicious recipes as well as fitness tips and tricks!

 

Keep Healthy and SAFE!

H.Banana

 

 

 

 

 

Valentine's Day Cupcakes

   Valentine's Day is coming up and I have been seeing so many cute and delicious recipes for V-Day themed treats.  I was a little sad when I couldn't find a healthy, yet delicious recipe, so I decided to create my own! These cupcakes are the perfect blend of chocolate and raspberries with a light and fluffy meringue icing. They are a healthier option for a cute and delicious Valentine's treat.

You can find the recipe on the blog A Homespun Country Life where they have asked me to guest post. I am so happy they asked me to guest post and I had so much fun working on these cupcakes. Head over to their blog and check the recipe out as well as their other post. Let me know what you think and give the girls at Homespun Country Life a follow or some feed-back please!

I hope you enjoyed this Valentine's Day post and be on the look out for more!
Keep it Healthy and SAFE!
H.Banana

Lentil Soup Recipe

  This is one of the soups we had on our Cleanse and is by far one of our favorites. I know several family members (Including me!) went back for seconds!

This is super easy to make and is totally delicious!

Ingredients:
6-8 cups of Chicken Broth (We used homemade)
4 stacks of celery
1 1/2 cup of Red Lentils
2 cups carrots
2 TBS minced garlic
2 TBS dried parsley
2 TBS olive oil
1 TSP white wine vinegar
2 TSP onion powder
Salt and Pepper to taste
(Optional) 2 cups water. (Add this if the soup is too thick for your preference.)

Begin with washing and chopping the celery stacks and carrots.

 

Chop the celery in to little chunks.

Do the same with the carrots.

 

Bring the chicken broth(and water, if you are using it) to a soft boil.

 

Add celery, carrots and lentils to the pot and stir to combine.

 

Next, add olive oil, white wine vinegar, garlic, onion powder, dried parsley, and salt and pepper. Stir to combine.

 

 

Let this cook on medium heat for 25-30 minutes. Serve hot with some whole grain bread!

 

I hope you like this soup as much as we did! I know I will be making it again this winter!

 

 

 

Please share my blog with a friend!

Keep healthy and SAFE!

H. Banana

 

Sunshine Slushy!

This slushy is delicious and healthy at the same time! Its just the right blend of sweet and sour! I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Ingredients!

Two clementine oranges (I used the 'cuties' )
Two tbs Lemon Juice
1/2 cup coconut water
Two packets of Truvia
Ice

Peel your oranges and blend them up. If you want to get rid of the pulp, just press them through a strainer.

Then, add the orange juice, lemon juice, truvia and coconut water to the blender and blend together. Don't over blend on this, just enough for it all to get combined!

Then add the ice and blend up until the ice is all crushed and everything is mixed nicely!

 

 

 

You can enjoy it now, or place it in the freezer to firm up and bit! This is so refreshing and delicious that I want to have it everyday! Let me know what you think and please share it with a friend!

Keep healthy and SAFE!

H.Banana