Vegan Maple Banana Pecan Muffins

These muffins are to die for! They are everything one would want in a muffin and more! I don't think they lasted 24 hours in our house!

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

Vegan Eggs? Easy Egg Subsitutes!

      Eggs pop up everywhere! They are listed in the ingredients list in everything from breads and baked goods to candy bars and packaged snacks. As a vegan, it can be hard to find things that don't have eggs in them, as well as finding recipes that don't use eggs!

     But, how do Vegans and those who wish to go without eggs, live without eggs? Well, its actually pretty simple. There are tons of egg-substitutes out there from natural to more processed. Thankfully, it is becoming easier and easier to find things that are egg-free!

     What if you aren't a vegan or you don't have an allergy to eggs? Wouldn't baking and cooking be so much easier if you could just use eggs? Well, there are alot of perks to not using eggs in your baking and cooking, and to me its totally worth it and even better!

Reasons to Go Egg-Free

1. Eggs are fairly high in cholesterol, so removing them or at least limiting them will help to lower high cholesterol!

2. Consuming raw eggs can be dangerous, but raw cake and cookie batter is just too good to give up! Well, when you use an egg-subsitute, you can eat all the raw batter you want!

3.  Most eggs come from hens that are fed feed that is full of hormones and other scary things, as well as living in tiny cages. Using egg-substitutes is a great way to not support that!

4. Many egg substitutes can add flavor to a dish and make it taste better!

5. Most egg replacers are lower in calorie to an egg, so using a replacer can lower the overall calories of your dish!

There are many more great reasons not to eat eggs, but these are just a few of the main ones. If you want to know more about why not to use eggs, you can easily find them on various websites and blogs!

Egg Subsitutes

     So, now we know why not to use eggs, but what do we use instead? How do we make breads, pancakes, muffins, and scrambles without using eggs? Here are a few simple ways to go egg-free!

1. There are alot of natural ways to replace eggs in your baking and cooking!

1 TBS Ground Flax Seed + 3 TBS Water = 1 egg

 

1 TBS Chia Seeds+ 1/3 cup Water = 1 egg

 

1/2 mashed Banana = 1 egg

 

1/4 cup unsweetened Apple Sauce = 1 egg

 

3 TBSP Peanut Butter = 1 egg

 

2 TBS Water + 1 TBSP Oil + 2 tsp Baking Powder = 1 egg ( used for leavening in baked goods only)

 

1/4 cup Canned Pureed Pumpkin or Squash = 1 eggs

 

2 TBS Tomato Paste = 1 egg

 

2 TBS Potato Starch = 1 egg ( thickening sauces and soups)

 

( These Pumpkin Muffins are Egg Free!)

 

 

2. There are also some great processed egg replacers out there!



 

Brands like NeatEgg or Egg Replacer are some of the more mainstream brands, but there are alot more out there!

 

Tofu is also used alot for savory egg replacers as well as sweet ones.

 

Tofu is also used to make egg-free scrambles and omelets as well as things like puddings

 and custards.

Vegan Yogurts are also great to use in place of eggs in various recipes.

 

Vegetable or Oilve Oil can be used in baking as an egg replacement. 1/4 cup = 1 egg

 

( These Brownies are Egg Free!)

 

So, as you can see, replacing eggs is as simple as not buying them or using them. You can have everything you have now, just without the eggs! Even scrambles, omelets and custards! If you choose to go egg-free, or try out a few of the egg-replacements, you're cooking and baking will never be the same!

 

I hope this post as been helpful to you! I encourage you to try at least one recipe that uses an egg subsitute as see the amazing-ness of it!

 

Please share this post and my blog with your friends and family!

 

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

 

I post every Friday!

 

Stay Healthy, Happy, and Laughing!

 

H. Banana



'Eat Your Heart Out' Valentine's Day Brownies

Valentine's Day is just a few days away, and whether or not you have a special someone this year, you'll want this brownie recipe! Its very delicious, moist, chocolatey, and even fruity! Perfect for impressing someone, showing your love, or drowing your feelings in this Valentine's Day!

These brownies are the perfect balance of sweet, rich, and fruity! The addition of the raspberry makes these chocolate delights something special,  not to mention festive! They are oil, dairy, and practically fat free, as well as being refined-sugar free and vegan. But, just because they are void of a few standard-brownie ingredients, doesn't mean they are any less delicious! And, because they are so healthy, you can feel free to Eat Your Heart Out of them! :)

Ingredients:
1 1/2 ripe Bananas
1 tsp Vanilla
1/2 tsp Salt
4 TBS Maple Syrup
3/4 cup Cocoa Powder
1 1/3 cup Flour
1 TBS Baking Soda
1 cup Water ( You could also use coffee or non-dairy milk)
2 TBS White Vinegar
Jam of Choice (I used Raspberry, but Blackberry or Strawberry would be yummy too!)

First, we need to deal with the bananas. I used frozen ones, and just let them come to room-temp. before using them. Make sure they are really ripe! They riper they are, the sweeter they'll be!

Using a hand mixer, puree your bananas until smooth.

Then add in the Vanilla and Maple Syrup. Mix well together and add in the dry ingredients.

Use a spoon to fold in the dry ingredients. The cocoa powder, flour, salt and baking soda. Mix until about half way combined. It will be dry.

 

Then mix the vinegar with the water( or liquid of choice) and add it to the batter. This will cause the batter to puff up a bit, but don't worry! Thats the point!

Mix well and then pour into the pan. I used parchment paper to line my pan, but feel free to use oil or baking spray to keep the brownies from sticking!

Make sure the batter is even, and then get out your jam. Again, I went with raspberry, but go with what every jam-flavor sounds good to you! You could even do a nut butter or nut-chocolate spread and get a whole different flavor!

Use a spoon to add dots of jam to the top of the brownie batter. You can use a knife to swirl in some of the jam too!

And now, these brownies are ready for the oven! Bake at 350 F for 40-45 minutes. They will smell amazing when done! :)

If you are spending Valentine's Day alone this year, you might just want to dig into the pan now. No judgement here! :)
But, if you are going to be sharing these treats, allow them to cool before cutting.

 

To serve, warm them a bit and top with your favorite toppings! I went with Almond Dream non-dairy ice cream, and my family added chocolate sauce as well! Some warm jam would also be amazing!

 

 

They were delicious! The perfect treat for any sweet tooth, and especially perfect for Valentine's Day! Whether you make these for your family, special someone, or eat the whole pan yourself, you can feel good about eating these browines! Even though they are healthier, doesn't mean they don't make for the perfect Valentine's Day( or any time really) treat!

 

 

 

 

If you enjoyed this post, please share it with your friends and family! Make sure that everyone you love has a great brownie recipe this year!

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

I post every Friday!

Happy Valentine's Day!
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

Healthy Chocolate Cookies!

 

 

I love-love-love chocolate cookies and I was so excited to find a healthy recipe for them! When I found this recipe on Pinterest I tried it and fell in love! We have made them several times and the whole family enjoys them. To see the original recipe please go to my recipe's page. I took a recipe and added things to it to make it fit my tastes. I hope you enjoy it!

Ingredients:
1 cup Old Fashioned Oats
1 cup Chocolate chips
2 medium ripe bananas
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
2 tsp vanilla
1 to 2 tsp of cinnamon (Or for a fall-ish twist, pumpkin pie spice!)

Start with peeling your bananas and placing them in a bowl. Blend them until they are creamy and smooth.

Add the oats, coconut and cinnamon. Blend till combined.

Next add the vanilla and chocolate chips and stir it all together.

I took a bit of coconut oil to grease my pan, but you can use butter or parchment paper to keep the cookies from sticking. Use a spoon to scoop out the cookies on to the pan. They don't spread much so make them the  sixe you want them to finish with.

Set the oven to 350 degrees F and bake them for 20 mins. They smell heavenly as they bake. I think it smells like banana bread baking!

When they come out of the oven they should be firm and starting to brown on the edges.

My goodness they smell amazing! Let them cool a bit and then remove them and let them cool completely on a cooling rack.

Please let me know what you think about these cookies! I love that they taste to good and they don't have any sugar or flour! If you enjoy this post and the cookies please share it with a friend!

Keep it healthy and Safe
H.Banana

 

 

Summer in a Smoothie!

Yes, the weather is getting colder here, and for the most part I love it , but every now and then I miss the warm sunshine of summer! So, I made a recipe for a delicious and refreshing smoothie to soothe my craving for summer!

Ingredients:
1 cup of frozen fruit ( I like to use a mix of strawberries and peaches or pineapple)
2 tbsp. Lemon or Lime juice
1 packet of Truvia (Optional)
1/4 of a ripe banana
Ice ( I added about 1/2 a cup or so, but go to your own taste with the ice)
1/4 cup coconut water.

The first step is to put your fruit and lemon juice together in a bowl and microwave, yes microwave, your fruit until it begins to juice. You don't want to warm your fruit, just juice is a bit. Mine took about a minute.

Add the banana to the blender along with the juiced fruit and blend until smooth.

On a side note: I love this blender!! <3 ( Its a Ninja, just so you know!)

Now its time to add the Truvia (If using), Ice and Coconut water. The reason I put the Truiva as optional is because the banana make this smoothie plenty sweet on its own. The Truvia is just to add extra sweetness.

Blend this up until smooth and yummy!

Give is a stir if needed and add a straw! Sipping this reminds me of the beach...sunshine.... well, Summer all together!

I love this smoothie, and I hope that you do too! Please let me know of you tried this recipe and what you thought about it!

My family loved this smoothie as well. I made one for my 21 month old brother and he drank it down so fast, I was amazed and after he wanted more! This smoothie is great for a nice refresher during the day, I like to have it after a work out, or even in the morning(Which is when I had it today!)

Keep it Healthy and Safe!

H.Banana

Boo-Nanas

I wrote about these yummy and healthy treats in my Halloween post, so here is a how-to post on them! My little Sister, Bella, had a great time helping me make these and they will be fun for all ages!

What you will need:

Banana (One banana makes two ghost)
Peanut Butter (Creamy is best and make sure its chilled and not runny)
Shredded Unsweetened Coconut
Raisins or Chocolate Chips
Popsicle sticks or cake pop sticks (Optional)

 

Peel and cut banana in half. Add your sticks if you are using them.

 

Coat in peanut butter. We found it easiest to lay the banana down and spoon the peanut  butter of it.

 

This part was a little messy, but it was fun!

Now cover the bananas in the coconut. We laid down some coconut and rolled the bananas in it.

Take what ever you are using for the 'eyes' and dap a little peanut butter on one side. Stick them on you banana.

And there you go, yummy and healthy Halloween Boo-nanas!

My whole family liked these cute ghost and we will totally be making them again!
Let me know if you try these Boo-nanas and how they went!

For the link to the website where I got the idea, go to my Halloween post here - Halloween Candy

Keep it healthy and Safe,
H.Banana