Tag: Blog Posts

Breads and Baked Goods, Breakfast

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Waffles

by thebananadiariesLeave a Comment on Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Waffles

One of my all time favorite treats growing up was my mom’s chocolate chip banana bread. From helping her make the bread to getting to smell the deliciously sweet aroma from the oven, that banana bread was a staple in my childhood. It certainly helped that bananas have been my favorite food since I learned how to speak (it was one of my first words haha!).

Of course, a lot has changed since then- we’ve all grown up and moved out, but nothing makes me feel quite at home, as does the smell of banana bread. Maybe that’s why I love cooking so much! There’s a comfort in it that brings me right back to that kitchen where so many memories were made.

As I’m not quite able to enjoy one of those slices of banana bread anymore due to health reasons, I decided to whip up something that still gave me that cozy feeling with a Britt twist.

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Enter the Paleo Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Waffle! This has got to be one of my favorite waffle recipes to date- and you all know my love affair with the waffle maker! If you’re looking for the taste of banana bread that takes less than 10 minutes and can easily be created while in your pajamas, then this is your recipe.

All you need is the following:

Organic bananas

Organic coconut flour

Organic free-range eggs 

Organic cinnamon 

Organic cacao nibs

That’s it! Just 5 ingredients for a waffle in less than 10 minutes that’s also nut, dairy, and gluten free! I think that’s a win in my book 😉 As I’ve mentioned before, I definitely think everyone should eat to what feels right for him or her individually, but I like to make recipes that can fit everyone’s taste buds…I want everyone to feel included!

So check out the recipe below and let me know what you think! 🙂

Paleo Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Waffle

Serves 1

Ingredients:

  • 1 organic banana
  • 2-3 tbsp organic coconut flour
  • 2 organic free-range eggs
  • 1 tsp organic cinnamon
  • 2 tsp organic cacao nibs
  • Ghee/coconut oil to grease your waffle maker if it’s not nonstick
  • *Option* for extra protein, throw in a scoop of Vital Proteins!

Directions:

  1. Preheat your waffle maker and grease it according to directions.
  2. Place all of the ingredients except for the cacao nibs into a blender and blend until smooth.
  3. Remove lid and add cacao nibs. Stir until evenly distributed.
  4. Once waffle maker is heated, pour batter onto the waffle griddle and follow directions of your waffle maker. I use the Presto, so it takes about 4-5 minutes until a waffle is ready.
  5. Remove from the waffle maker and top with your favorite toppings!
Main Meals, Uncategorized

Meal Prep + Grocery Budgeting

by thebananadiariesLeave a Comment on Meal Prep + Grocery Budgeting

Meal Prep. Love it, hate it, love to hate it, all of the above?

Truthfully, I wasn’t a meal prep lover until recently. It’s not that I disliked it; I just didn’t think I had the time and never knew how to prepare veggies without it feeling monotonous and boring throughout the week. And yet there I was, spending at least 30 minutes each meal preparing food and becoming increasingly jealous over everyone’s beautiful meal prep spreads on Instagram (comparison alert, I know, but this one was kinda good!).

Well, I finally decided to give it a try a few weeks ago and I don’t see myself turning back anytime soon. With my weeks becoming increasingly hectic doing two jobs, babysitting part-time, running a blog, and applying to master’s programs, I needed to reorganize my schedule so that I didn’t have to think about what the heck I was going to cook and how long it would take for my next meal.

Meal prep can be as basic or as complicated as you want. It could mean chopping up some raw veggies, organizing your produce that you just stocked up on, prepping some hard-boiled eggs, etc.

For me, the meal prep process is a little extensive (2-3 hours I consider to be extensive, but others may not!), but it’s so worth, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I mean, let’s do the math: 2-3 hours on one Sunday = 14+ meals during the week (I like to make a different brekkie every morning, as you guys can see!)? Not too shabby! Plus, it’s actually a lot of fun when you bring in some jams- I’ve already started on the Christmas music…too soon?

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This week’s meal prep includes: roasted organic turmeric cauli, roasted organic red cabbage, roasted organic turnips + daikon, roasted organic golden beets, roasted organic carrots, organic roasted sun choke, steamed organic Swiss chard, and steamed organic kale. The best part? All of this, and more, cost me only $60 for the week.

Yep, you read that right. 6-0 dollars! And yes, I bought everything organic, including free-range eggs, my favorite dairy-free cream cheese, organic cranberries, and my beloved Eating Evolved midnight dark chocolate.

It’s very easy to go over budget with grocery shopping, especially when buying organic. Here are a few of my key tips for not only shopping within your budget, but also prepping what your hard earned dollars have afforded you!

  1. Get to know your local farmers at your farmer’s markets. This is key! Shopping at a farmer’s market can actually be very cost effective, and when you make friends with the people you’re buying your food from, it can be very beneficial. Plus, it always feels better knowing where your food is coming from and who is actually growing it, directly from the source 😉
  2. Start to familiarize yourself with what’s in season. You’ll start to get the hang of this when you go to the organic stands at farmer’s markets, but in season food will always be less expensive than out of season. It’s also better for our bodies- the food that is in season locally contains the essential vitamins and nutrients that our bodies need to thrive in whichever season it is. I used this site to get started with figuring out what grows when and where!
  3. Write a list. I always try to stick with a list whenever I go shopping. For the fall, I usually choose 1-2 leafy greens, 1-2 starchy vegetables (sweet potatoes, squash), 2-3 other vegetables, 1-2 fruits, eggs, and then I allow myself 1-2 specialty items. This could be your favorite chocolate (ahem, chocoholic), specialty fresh bread, a really good quality nut butter, etc.
  4. Allot yourself 2-3 hours to buy and prepare. I usually give myself a max limit in a farmer’s market (I can spend all day there!) so then I can get home and prep!
  5. Keep the prepping simple. For me, simple is key so that I can spice it up throughout the week! That being said, I’ve learned how to cook to my taste buds. For me, I really like roasted veggies, while others may like steamed, sautéed, or raw. My usual cooking style: sea salt + pepper + turmeric + grass-fed ghee. And I don’t skimp on the ghee! Sometimes I’ll throw in some fresh garlic if I’m feeling fancy, but usually this is how it goes!
  6. Invest in some quality containers. This makes life so much easier, guys! I really love these glass ones (P.S. I’m not an affiliate, I just love them!). Plus glass is better for the environment. Just saying, love your body, but also love your planet!
  7. Put on some tunes or a movie! Meal prepping is a lot more fun when you have a movie going or are jamming out to some music! Lately, I’ve been playing Christmas music because I’m as corny as it gets, but I also sometimes put on an episode of the Office or watch a movie! It makes the time fly by J

I hope this helps in any way! What are your favorite meal prep tips and tricks? I’d love to hear!

Breakfast, Desserts, Uncategorized

Apple Pie Paleo Oats (Appaleoats)

by thebananadiariesLeave a Comment on Apple Pie Paleo Oats (Appaleoats)

Goes apple picking one weekend. Comes home the proud new mama of 5 lbs of organic apples.

Yes, 5 lbs.

Needless to say, I’ve been on an apple-recipe marathon since Saturday, and I don’t see it stopping any time soon!

One of the recipes I decided to whip up is all sorts of deliciousness snuggled into a bowl of cozy fall flavors. You ready for this? Appaleoats (a.k.a. apple + paleo + oats!).

Yep, you heard it right! Apple crisp in the form of paleo oats (and yes, that means there are no actual oats in there!), and you’re going to want to make this ASAP because I’m already on to seconds!

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All you need are the following:

Organic apple

 Organic Cinnamon/Apple Pie Spice (I love Primal Palate’s blend, it’s all organic and absolutely delicious!)

Organic Grass-fed Ghee/Organic Coconut Oil (if you’re not vegan, I highly recommend using ghee, it gives it that rich, buttery taste)

Organic Coconut Flour

Organic Free-Range Egg

That’s it! Simple, right? No added sugars, gluten, fake shiz, etc. I like to accommodate everyone’s gut 🙂

Now, you may have noticed that I’ve been saying “organic” a lot in my posts lately. I will dive deeper into this in a post later on (look out for Monday!), but do what you can! It actually can be cheaper to shop organic if you’re going to your local farmer’s market (just make sure they’re certified or use organic practices). I do believe it is better for us and better for the environment, but I understand that it’s not better for everyone’s banking accounts at times. Another great option is Trader Joe’s- their organic selection is very price conscious (except for avocados- get those at Whole Foods because theirs are now cheaper than Trader Joe’s conventional ones!). BUT I digress…I’ll be talking about this on Friday!

Now back to this deliciousness. Definitely prep the apples the night before if you’re short on time in the morning (takes about 30 minutes for the apples, 10 minutes for the “oatmeal”), but if you have some time, the fresher the better!

Enjoy, and let me know what you think!

Appaleoats

Serves 1

Ingredients:

  • 1 organic apple, skinned
  • 2 tsp organic cinnamon/apple spice blend, separated
  • 2 tbsp organic grass-fed ghee/organic coconut oil, separated
  • 2 tbsp organic coconut flour
  • 1 organic free-range egg

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 400F.
  2. Chop up the skinned apple and place into a small baking pan.
  3. Sprinkly 1 tsp of the cinnamon/spice blend onto the apples and add 1 tbsp of ghee on top.
  4. Place the baking pan into the oven and bake for 30 minutes, occasionally tossing the apples every 10 minutes or so until done.
  5. Once baked, remove the apple from the oven and mash with it fork. Next, add in the remaining spice, egg, and coconut flour, and mix thoroughly.
  6. Heat a medium skillet with the remaining ghee.
  7. Add apple batter to the pan and cook much like scrambled eggs.
  8. Once the mixture looks crumbly/not so wet, transfer to a bowl and add your favorite toppings!
Main Meals

Paleo Chicken Salad

by thebananadiariesLeave a Comment on Paleo Chicken Salad

Are the days feeling shorter or what!? It’s wayyyy too dark out to go for an early morning run, and now the sun is gone by 7:00 p.m. 😦 So that means that my daylight hours need to be a little bit more productive, i.e. not spent mostly preparing food!

For this week’s meal prep, I needed a solid protein source that I could have all week, was easy to whip together, tasted like fall, and didn’t involve breaking the bank. Thankfully, Whole Foods Market is having a sale this week on organic chicken breast for $4.99/Lb, organic seedless grapes for $1.69/Lb, and 365 Sparkling Water (2 for $6!), so I stocked up on these goods and went to work!

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Honestly, chicken salad is so underrated, and when you throw in some grapes, it’s a whole new level! It’s sweet, it’s savory, it’s a little tangy, and oh so flavorful.

Spread some on a sandwich, scoop a little on top of your fall-themed salad, or smear a little on a paleo baguette like I did here, and you’re good to go!

All you need are these simple ingredients:

Organic chicken breast (prepare how you like- I like mine baked at 400F for 20 minutes with ghee/coconut oil and sea salt/pepper)

Organic Seedless Grapes (red, black, or green are fine!)

Plain coconut yogurt (almond-milk based or grass-fed plain unsweetened Greek yogurt is fine as well if you can do dairy!)

Apple Cider Vinegar

Cumin

Celery

Chives 

Sea Salt/Pepper

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That’s it. I’m a big fan of simple recipes, can you tell? The key ingredient here is apple cider vinegar; it gives it a nice flavorful tang that many people can’t quite put their finger on, but it really makes the dish! It’s also a great party appetizer that’s quick and easy to prepare!

Check out the recipe below, and let me know what you think! I’d love to hear your variations on it as well 🙂

Paleo Chicken Salad

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb organic chicken breast, cooked simple
  • 1 cup organic seedless grapes, sliced
  • 1 cup unsweetened plain coconut yogurt (or almond milk yogurt or grass-fed plain unsweetened Greek yogurt)
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 2 stalks celery, chopped
  • 3 tsp organic ground cumin
  • 2 tbsp chopped chives
  • Sea salt/pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. Slice chicken breasts into cubes and place in a large mixing bowl.
  2. In a small mixing bowl, combine yogurt with the apple cider vinegar, celery, cumin, chives, and sea salt/pepper until thoroughly mixed.
  3. Pour yogurt mixture onto cubed chicken and mix until evenly coated.
  4. Store in the refrigerator.
  5. Best served cool.

Thank you to Whole Foods for sponsoring this post!

 

Breads and Baked Goods, Breakfast

Paleo Lavender Tea Bread

by thebananadiaries1 Comment on Paleo Lavender Tea Bread

Are you guys ready for this?

Paleo.

Collagen.

Lavender.

TEA BREAD.

Yep, I went there, and I’m not going back.

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I honestly was not expecting this batch (i.e., my first batch) to taste this dang good! Don’t you love it when you nail something on the first go-round? One day over the weekend, I just had an itch to bake, but me being lazy, I had no desire to follow someone else’s directions (might be my aversion to being told what to do…working on that haha!).

So I just threw in a few things that I thought would go together, hoping they worked out! It was my first time baking with a tea too, and I have to say, I was really pleasantly surprised. Teaonic is one of my favorite tea brands- all organic with the best sourced ingredients (and comes in glass bottles which are easily recyclable!).

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The flavor I used was the Hair & Nails tea blend, but feel free to use any of their elixirs! They’re so delicious, caffeine-free, and are steeped with only organic herbs (no sweeteners, additives, or stabilizers!).

What else is in this bread, you ask?

Organic Almond Flour

Organic Free-Range Eggs

Organic Coconut Oil

Marine Collagen (I love Vital Proteins for my collagen! They also have a great beef collagen)

Organic Grade A Maple Syrup

Organic Vanilla Bean

A Pinch of Baking Soda

Pretty decent, huh? Give it a try, and let me know what you think! Feel free to tag me and use the hashtag #iyamlove 🙂

Happy Baking!

Paleo Lavender Tea Bread

Serves 10-12

Ingredients:

  • 1 ½ cups organic almond flour
  • 2 organic free-range eggs
  • 1/3 cup Teaonic Hair & Nails blend
  • 1/3 cup organic coconut oil, melted
  • 1 scoop Vital Proteins marine collagen (optional)
  • 3 tbsp organic Grade A maple syrup
  • 1 tsp organic vanilla beans, scraped from a vanilla bean pod
  • A pinch of baking soda

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 375F.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, tea, coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla beans.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, baking soda, and collagen.
  4. Fold in the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly.
  5. In a loaf pan lined with parchment paper, pour the batter in and place in the oven.
  6. Bake for about 20-25 minutes.
  7. Remove from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes.

 

Breakfast

Paleo Pumpkin Oatmeal

by thebananadiariesLeave a Comment on Paleo Pumpkin Oatmeal

Hey kids! How’s your October treating you?

It’s definitely testing my time management skills, but in the best way J I wanted to drop in a say a quick hello and happy Monday with this beautiful paleo pumpkin oatmeal!

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Seriously one of my new favorites! Right now, I’ve been eliminating some foods (grains being one of them) per the doctor’s orders to try and alleviate these symptoms I’m dealing with right now while we figure out what’s really up.

You guys know I love my oatmeal (and have absolutely nothing against grains!), but this bowl might be my new favorite! Super easy to whip up and tastes like a bite of pumpkin pie!

Now does that sound dreamy or what?
Let me know what you think! Happy Monday!

 

Paleo Pumpkin Oatmeal

Serves 1

Ingredients:

  • ½ cup organic pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
  • 2 organic free-range eggs
  • 1 tsp Primal Palate Pumpkin Pie Spice Blend
  • 2 tbsp organic coconut flour
  • Ghee or coconut oil for cooking

Directions:

  1. Combine pumpkin puree, eggs, spice, and coconut flour in a small bowl and mix until completely combined.
  2. Heat a medium skillet on medium-high with ghee/coconut oil.
  3. Once heated, pour batter onto the skillet and cook much like scrambled eggs.
  4. Once the mixture starts to look more dry than wet (gage it sort of like scrambled eggs), transfer to a bowl and serve with your favorite toppings!
Main Meals

Coconut Flour Rosemary Baked Cod

by thebananadiariesLeave a Comment on Coconut Flour Rosemary Baked Cod

With the leaves finally changing in Brooklyn and the days getting shorter, I’m ready for all of the warming, hearty foods…something cozy and nourishing that fill up my belly and my soul! Thankfully, Whole Foods is having an awesome couple of sales this week, including avocados for $1 (yep, you read that right! STOCK UP!), fresh Atlantic cod for $8.99/lb, and 25% off of body care on Friday, October 6th!

As weird as it may seem, one of my favorite ways to be imaginative with recipes is using the sales at Whole Foods. It just further proves to me that the limit does not exist when it comes to creativity! So what can I make combining cod and avocadoes?

Coconut-flour rosemary crusted baked cod, cauliflower mash, and sautéed Swiss chard, all drizzled in a Thyme-avocado sauce of course!

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Whether you’re a gluten-eater or completely paleo, this dish will satisfy everyone’s cravings, even the pickiest of eaters! Rosemary and thyme are also two of my favorite spices to use during the fall because they make any recipe just that much more lovely.

Along with the stars of the dish (cod, avocado, organic cauliflower, and organic swiss chard), you’ll need to make sure you have these staples on hand:

Organic Coconut Flour

Pastured Organic Eggs 

Turmeric

Rosemary

Thyme

Organic Grass-fed Ghee

Organic Coconut Milk

 I’m also always about not spending ages in the kitchen (only on meal prep days!), so this dinner can be ready within 30 minutes! Pretty good, huh?

Alright kids, I’m going to go throw a big sweater on and cozy up with a good Halloween movie while eating this plate! Let me know if you give it a try J Enjoy!

Coconut-Flour Rosemary Crusted Baked Cod

Serves 2

Ingredients:

  • 8 oz Atlantic cod, in 2 fillets
  • ½ cup organic coconut flour
  • 2 pastured organic eggs
  • 2 tbsp organic fresh rosemary
  • 1 tbsp turmeric
  • Sea salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with tin foil.
  2. In a small bowl, crack and whisk the eggs. Set aside for the dipping station.
  3. In another small bowl, whisk together the coconut flour, rosemary, turmeric, salt and pepper.
  4. Dip one fillet of cod into the yolk and coat both sides.
  5. Then, move that fillet to the coconut flour mixture and coat both sides.
  6. Repeat steps 4. and 5. for the next fillet.
  7. Lay both fillets on the baking sheet.
  8. Place the baking sheet in the oven and let cook for 15-20 minutes, until the coconut flour starts to brown.
  9. Remove from the oven and serve.

Thyme-Avocado Sauce

Serves 2-4

Ingredients:

  • 1 avocado
  • ¼ cup organic grass-fed ghee, organic coconut oil, or organic EVOO, melted
  • 2 tbsp organic fresh thyme
  • Sea salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender.
  2. Blend until well combined.
  3. Store in the fridge up to 5 days.

Cauliflower Mash

Serves 2-4

Ingredients:

  • 1 organic head of cauliflower, washed
  • ¾ cup organic full fat coconut milk or nut milk
  • 3 tbsp organic grass-fed ghee
  • Sea salt and pepper

Directions:

  1. Using a medium saucepan, pour a little water into the pan and place cauliflower florets inside.
  2. Steam the cauliflower florets on medium-high heat, about 2-5 minutes.
  3. Once the cauliflower is steamed, drain the florets and place them in a high-power blender with the rest of the ingredients.
  4. Puree until smooth.

 

Thank you to Whole Foods for sponsoring this post!