Banana and Chocolate Chip Muffins with Coconut Frosting

As a parent, I’m always being asked to bake treats for my kid's. Cupcakes are usually a hit, so I decided to make mine with a bit of nutrition packed inside.

Increasing fiber is the simplest and easiest way to add nutrition to your kid's meals. I've added whole wheat flour to the recipe and sweetened them with dates.

They're super easy to make, all you need in a high speed blender or food processor, a large mixing bowl and lots of love.

Muffins

½ cup coconut sugar, ground to a fine powder
⅓ cup sunflower oil 

2 bananas

2 eggs

4-6 medjool dates, about a ¼ cup

1 cup whole wheat flour

¾ cup white flour

2 tbsp flaxseed/linseed, ground

1 tbsp lucuma powder (optional)

2 tsp baking powder

¼ tsp fine sea salt

½ cup chocolate chips

Frosting

1 cup butter 

1 cup powder sugar

1 cups powdered coconut sugar

1 tsp vanilla

½ desiccated coconut

¼ cup coconut milk

To make cupcakes

Start by adding the coconut sugar to a NutriBullet any high speed processor and blend into a fine powder. (You can add the sugar for the frosting at this time, just measure out a ½ cup for the cupcake batter). 

Add the oil and sugar to a large mixing bowl and stir to combine. 

Now add the banana, dates and egg to a high speed blender and blend until the dates are combined with the eggs and banana. Add this mixture to the oil and sugar and mix well. 

Add the flours, flaxseed/linseed, lucuma (if using, this just adds extra sweetness along with vitamins and minerals to the cupcakes), baking powder and salt then mix to combine. 

Finally mix in the chocolate chips and scoop by spoonful into a lined cupcake tray. Bake for 17-20 minutes at 350F/180C or until the cupcakes are firm and rebound when you lightly press on the tops. If frosting the cupcakes, let cool before frosting. 

To Make Frosting

• Add all ingredients into a food processor or mixing bowl and cream together. Easy!

*To make powdered coconut sugar just add to a NutriBullet or food processor and blend until fine. You can make your own powdered sugar the same way but using white sugar. Powdered sugars are usually sold with anti caking agents and are more expensive then making your own. 

Garlic Lemon Butter Pasta with Spinach and Roasted Tomatoes

The lemon and garlic of this dish is perfect for a hot summer night. 

2-3 cloves garlic, sliced

4-5 tbsp olive oil


1 chili, chopped (optional)


1 lemon juiced


Pasta of choice


Spinach, chopped

Roasted Tomatoes (halved)

Cook pasta according to package directions.

Sauté garlic and chili in olive oil until you can smell the garlic, reduce heat and add juice from lemon, heat through and reduce (about 30-1min). Add pasta and spinach, toss to coat. Top with roasted tomatoes.

Brownie Oatmeal

My kid's love chocolate just as much as I do so I'm always looking for ways to create healthy breakfasts or after school snacks. This one hit the spot! 

My oldest won't touch avocados but loves this snack. Full of fiber and good healthy fats, you can enjoy this one without the guilt. 

Dry ingredients 

1½-2 cups raw oats

1 tbsp lucuma powder (optional)

2 tbsp ground flaxseed/linseed

2 tbsp raw cacao or unsweetened cocoa

1 tbsp chia seeds (optional)

Wet ingredients

1 tbsp honey

3 madjool dates

1 ripe avocado

1 cup oat milk

Method

• Mix dry ingredients in a bowl
• Blend wet ingredients in a high speed blender
• Stir wet ingredients into dry, cover and refrigerate for at least one hour
• After one hour, spoon mixture into small glasses and place back in refrigerator over night to have for brekky or they can be eaten right away

Black Bean & Quinoa Stuffed Portabella's

I love Mexican food, so I am always looking for different ways to enjoy my favorite dish. These were surprisingly super tasty and so easy to make. Don't like black beans, no worries, you can easily substitute the black beans with pinto beans or try lentils for a "meaty" flavor. 

If your looking for a new twist to a Meat Free Monday or Plant Based meal, this one won't disappoint. 

• 4 large portabella mushrooms
• Seasoning (Salt, paprika, cumin, coriander and chili powder)
• 1 cup frozen corn (fresh is always better, but who has the time tonight!)
• 1 small red onion, diced
• 1-2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 1 zucchini, chopped (optional)
• 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup cooked quinoa (you can use rice if you prefer)
• 1 lime, juiced
• handful of coriander (cilantro), chopped

Preheat oven to 425F/220C

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Clean mushrooms and remove stem. Place on baking sheet and season with salt, paprika, cumin, coriander and chili. Place in oven while preheating and prepare the Black Bean stuffing- approximately 15-20 minutes.

Sauté the corn in 1-2 tbsp coconut oil on medium high heat and season with paprika, cumin, coriander and chili until it begins to brown, about 3-5 mins. Then add the onion, garlic and red pepper and sauté another 2 mins. Add the black beans and toss to heat. (note- do not cook black beans, just toss them in the mixture and turn off heat.)

Remove from heat and add the cooked quinoa (or rice), lime juice and coriander and mix until all ingredients are combined.

Remove mushrooms from preheated oven and fill with Black Bean mixture. Place back in oven and cook another 5-10 minutes. Cooking time will depend on thickness of mushrooms. 

Remove from oven and serve with avocado slices, chopped tomato and chips. 

K's Banana Brekky Pancakes

Sweet as can be, but you won't find any added sugar in these. 

K’s brekky pancakes get all of their sweetness from whole bananas, dates and lucuma powder. Don’t like dates? Well either does my oldest daughter or husband, they have no idea they're eating them. I feel good giving my family whole foods and they feel good because they're getting chocolate for breakfast! 

My kids love adding chocolate chips to these. They make a great healthy after school snack. 

Ingredients

2 Bananas

4-6 Medjool Dates

1 1/2 cups Almond or Oat Milk (you can use any milk of choice)
1 egg

1 tbsp Raw Cacao

1 tbsp Lucuma Powder (optional)

1 tbsp Flaxseed/Linseed, ground

1 cup Spelt Flour or whole wheat flour

2 tsp Baking Powder

Coconut oil for cooking

Method 

• Blend bananas, dates, milk and egg in a high speed blender until liquified, about 10-20 secs.
• Add the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth. 
• Tip- if your using a NutriBullet to blend the wet ingredients, it will not be large enough for the dry ingredients to blend. In a separate mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients and then pour the wet ingredients and whisk until completely blended. 
• Heat a skillet over medium heat and melt coconut oil in pan to prevent pancakes from sticking.
• Pour approximately a ¼ cup of pancake mixture into the pan. Pancakes are ready to flip once they began to show lots of bubbles on the top. 

Serve with maple syrup, fruit, fruit compote or chocolate hazelnut spread. 

Veggie Shepherd Pie

This one may look complicated but is super easy to make and well worth it. I just used whatever veggies I had around, plus added brown lentils for extra fiber and added protein. 

Mash Potatoes

• 4-5 medium size potatoes, chopped
• 1 head cauliflower, chopped 
• ½ brown onion, chopped 
• 4 cloves garlic, diced
• 4 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Boil potatoes with onion and garlic, cook until tender. While potatoes are cooking, steam cauliflower and begin on the veggies. 

• 2 tbsp coconut oil or olive oil
• 1-2 carrots, chopped
• 1-2 red chili’s, diced- omit if you don’t like spice
• ½ butternut squash
• 1 tsp paprika
• ½ tbsp ground cumin and coriander 
• ½ brown onion
• 1 red capsicum
• 1 zucchini
• 8-10 mushrooms, about 1 cup chopped 
• 1 cup cooked brown lentils

• ½ cup veggie stock
• 1 tsp arrow root, dissolved in 4 tbsp hot water

Pre heat oven to 425F/220C

Heat oil over medium heat then add carrot and diced chili’s and sauté for about 3 mins. 

Add squash and sprinkle with paprika, cumin and coriander and sauté another 3 mins. 

Add onion, capsicum, zucchini and mushrooms and cook another 5 minutes until tender.

Add lentils and veggie stock and bring to a low simmer for 2 mins then add arrow root and turn off heat. 

When potatoes and cauliflower are done, add them to a large bowl or pot, add butter, olive oil, salt and pepper and mash until desired texture.

Put veggie mixture into a baking dish and garnish with coriander if you like, then top with mash potatoes. Sprinkle the top of the potatoes with a little extra salt (optional) and some of your favorite seasonings, I like a little extra coriander and za’atar (a blend of Middle Eastern herbs). Bake 425F for 20-30 minutes or until potatoes are slightly browned.

Enjoy!

Chickpea salad

One of my favorite salads to make for a week worth of lunches or to bring along to a pot luck. I've had many requests for this recipe, so here it finally is. Loaded with plant based proteins and omega 3's, this one is a great option for a Meat Free Monday meal. 

•  Handful of walnuts, chopped
• ¼ walnut oil, or extra virgin olive oil- whatever you have on hand
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1 tbsp coriander

Add all above ingredients to a large mixing bowl and stir to coat. While the nuts are soaking up the seasoning chop up the following ingredients. 

• 2-3 tomatoes
• 1 red capsicum
• 1 generous pinch of salt, about ½- 1 tsp, adjust for your taste

Chop tomatoes and capsicum, toss on top of walnuts then sprinkle with salt. Let the tomatoes and capsicum sit and rest a bit to sweat. This brings out the juice from the fruit and adds to the flavor of the salad. While the fruit is sweating, add the remaining ingredients to the bowl-

• 1 small red onion, diced
• 2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 package of spinach, chopped
• 1 handful coriander/cilantro, chopped, about ½ cup
• 1 cup cooked quinoa
• 2 cups cooked brown or green lentils, or 1 can drained and rinsed
• 2 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed*
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar (or to taste)

Toss all ingredients until combined. 

* 1 cup dried chickpeas soaked then cooked = 3 cups cooked chickpeas, same as 2 cans.