Heart-Warming Banana Bread

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These days the weather is quite grey, wet and not very welcoming to going outside into the cold. Nevertheless fresh air is always a good idea, especially in the morning hours. On top of this, it's always a great feeling to return into a cosy and warm home, especially when there is something special waiting for you. Or can you imagine anything better than coming home to the overwhelming smell of freshly baked banana bread after a morning run in the forest? I can't, and that's exactly why I share this wonderful recipe with you in order to feel with me, smell it yourself and treat yourself to something special on a cosy Sunday.

This recipe is completely vegan, therefore doesn't contain any eggs. The chia seed mixture serves as an egg replacement and adds as a real superfood some fabulous health boosting properties.

As another great thing the banana bread is absolutely gluten-free, but could be adapted the other way round if you prefer to use an other particular flour which contains gluten (see Other options). I experimented a lot until I have found the right flour mixture which consists of buckwheat, almond and a little coconut flour. For the dates I used fresh Medjool dates, which provide together with the grated apple an extra touch of moisture and softness to the dough.

Heart-Warming Banana Bread

Ingredients
120g buckwheat flour & 30g coconut flour (*see Other options)
100g almond flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cardamom
1/4 tsp bourbon vanilla powder (or content of one vanilla bean)
1-2 tbsp sesame seeds

2 tbsp chia seeds + 7 tbsp water
80g walnuts, roughly chopped (or a mixture of nuts to your taste, e.g. macadamia, almonds)

3-4 mashed ripe bananas (ca. 375g)
1 big apple, chopped or grated (for a special texture I like to cut them into small chunks)
65g chopped dates (fresh if possible)
6 tbsp coconut oil
A little more coconut oil: to grease cake pan

*Other options: if you don't have coconut flour handy, just add up the buckwheat flour to 150g. I just love the bread to have a hint of coconut flour in it, but feel free to experiment according to your personal preference. Moreover, if you prefer and don't mind the bread to contain gluten you can also use any other flour such as whole wheat or spelt flour. However, I would still recommend to stay with the 100g almond flour for sure and adapt the remaining 150g using another flour of your choice.
(Makes: 1 loaf; Preparation Time: 1.5 hours)

Preheat oven at 150 degree Celsius. 
Line a loaf pan with baking paper or grease it with some coconut oil.

Mix chia seeds with water, stir well and leave it aside until mixture is gooey.
In a  bowl mash the banana and grate/chop the apple.
In a separate big bowl combine dry ingredients without walnuts (flour, baking powder, cinnamon, cardamom, bourbon vanilla, salt) and mix everything together. Add the chopped dates and stir well until the dates are separated evenly. I usually use a spatula to mix everything together. Now add the prepared chia seed-water mixture, mashed banana, chopped/grated apple and coconut oil. Finally add the roughly copped walnuts to the mixture. If all ingredients are combined together well, leave the dough-mixture as it is and don’t stir for too long. The dough should be smootly and not at all liquid, so don’t add any additional water.

Pour into the greased loaf pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top.
Bake until it’s well risen and golden on the outside. Baking time depends on your oven, mine takes about 45-50 minutes. Make sure to check bread regularly after 30 minutes. The bread is cooked when a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.

Cool down the bread or enjoy when it's slightly warm with a cup of your favourite tea!

You'll believe me how good this Heart-Warming Banana Bread is, the latest you have tried it yourself and your neighbours are start knocking on your door. Happy tea time!

With lots of love, Fabienne.

Good-For-You Granola

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Did you know where the word “breakfast” is coming from? The word literally refers to breaking the fasting period, as it’s the first meal taken after a night’s sleep. As the body needs energy to powerfully start into the new day after resting, it’s very important to eat breakfast every morning. Skipping breakfast means not fuelling your body for performance, which automatically results in lack of energy and concentration and discomfort. Nourish your body in the morning, when new energy is most needed. Eating breakfast is also one of the best and fastest ways to boost your metabolism and to avoid over-eating during the day. A great way to prevent you running out of the house without eating breakfast is to plan your meal the night before you’re going to bed. Your breakfast should be healthy, nutritious and delicious in order to perform, glance and shine at your best during the whole day.

And here’s exactly where the Good-For-You Granola steps in. This Good-For-You Granola saves you the morning, when you don't have enough time to prepare or just want something simple and delicious. Grab the jar of goodness, fresh milk, smile and you start perfectly and full of energy into the new day. This delicious granola is vegan, gluten-free, sugar-free and only packed with ingredients which are truly good for you. 

You don't need more than 15 minutes to prepare and another 15 minutes to bake everything. The only thing you need to do for this masterpiece is putting all the ingredients together and mix, put them in the oven, add the dried superfoods after roasting and let them cool or still enjoy while warm. It's so simple and easy.

Goji berries: In Chinese medicine these superfood is known as the secret to strengthening the immune system and longevity. Goji berries contain 18 amino acids, including the eight essential ones, and an incredible amount of antioxidants. Antioxidants help lessen the damage caused by free radicals. Superfoods are obviously quite pricey, but it’s totally worth it from what you get out of these superheroes. Only a small amount can provide you with a huge shot of nutrients.

Mulberries: Dried mulberries are a great source of protein, vitamin C and K, iron and fiber. Moreover, they’re a great source of antioxidants and support the immune system.  

Hemp Seeds: contain a high amount of omega-3 fatty acids and are a great alternative for vegans and vegetarians as this tiny seeds contain a very high amount of quality protein. (If you are interested in how to use this protein source in a very efficient way check out my "Powerful and Energizing Protein Bars".)

Walnuts: are a wonderful wholefood packed with nutrients needed to maintain good health, including protein, healthy unsaturated fats, and important vitamins, minerals and dietary fibre. Not only because of their "brain-shaped" appearance, but also because of their excellent source of omega-3 fats they are called "brainfood". In order to function properly, our brain cells need these healthy fats. As omega-3 fats can't be produced by our body we need to make sure to guarantee a regular flow of these into our body. Eating walnuts can improve your cognitive function and memory. Moreover, walnuts are rich in antioxidants which have anti-cancerous properties and help support the immune system.

Good-For-You Granola

Basic Ingredients

275g gluten-free rolled oats
100g buckwheat
2 tbsp chia seeds
100g almonds, roughly chopped
75g walnuts, roughly chopped
20g cashews, roughly chopped
60g quinoa
60g pumpkin seeds
40g sunflower seeds
10g hemp seeds
30g coconut flakes
1 tsp spices (cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, clove)

Liquits For Roasting
6 tbsp coconut oil (melted)
5 tbsp maple syrup (alternatives: apple, agave or date syrup)

Dried superfoods (after roasting)
80g mix (unsweetened: goji berries, aronia, mulberries, evtl. cranberries/raisins)
4 tbsp edible dried flowers

(Makes: 1 big jar; Preparation time: 15min; Baking time: 15min)
Note: Pay attention, you should only add the dried superfoods after roasting the basic ingredients, otherwise they will get burnt.
 

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
Combine all the basic ingredients in a large bowl. Pour the liquid ingredients over and use your hands to toss until everything is well mixed and the dry ingredients are coated. Spread the granola mixture out in the baking tray and roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes. Stir with a wooden spoon a couple of times during roasting to keep it from getting burned.

Remove from the oven and leave to cool before adding the dried superfoods. Add some extra spices if needed.

Store the granola in a sealed glass jar at room temperature. Keeps for at least a month. Enjoy!

To top everything my next post will be my first video where I show you how to do your own nut milk. Trust me, it will be so easy and heavenly delicious!

Stay healthy and perform, glance and shine at your best during the whole day!
With lots of love, Fabienne.

Beetroot Seduced Dark-Chocolate Muffins

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Who doesn’t love chocolate? Who doesn't love beetroots? The combination of beetroots and dark chocolate fulfils these muffins with so much more flavour than ordinary chocolate muffins. There is no reason to be in doubt because of the beetroots as an extraordinary ingredient for baking. You won’t even recognise them if you don’t know the ingredient list. They might just add a little splash of red colour which is so beautiful. I did the test with some great friends I cooked for the other night. There was especially someone who normally doesn’t eat beetroots at all. Well, exactly this sceptic was the one who in the end couldn’t stop indulging on those lovely pieces. In fact, the beetroots seduce the dark chocolate in a very special way and add a deep flavour and moisture to the muffins without being dominant in taste.

These “Beetroot Seduced Dark-Chocolate Muffins” are simply delicious and at the same time very good for you as they are not only gluten-free, but also sugar-free and if you prefer vegan as well. Whenever you want to surprise some lovely people with something special, which is quick and easy to make, this is the recipe to refer to. Don’t judge before you tried them, my guests loved them! So, yours will too!

Beetroots: I love the color of beetroots, its taste, variation and lots of different possibilities to use it in cooking and obviously BAKING. When I buy beetroots on the farmers market I always look out for beetroots with their green leaves still on them to make sure they are fresh and healthy. This good-looking root vegetable is a real superfood and packed with lots of health-promoting antioxidants and other essential vitamins and minerals needed for good health and as a prevention of disease. Varies studies show that beetroots have anti-cancerous properties. Powerful antioxidants help protect cells in the body from free radical damage, preventing the risk of heart disease and certain cancers. Beetroot is highly nutritious and a good source of vitamin C which is needed for a healthy immune function. It’s also high in iron and folate, which promote and support the production of red blood cells. Additionally beetroot helps promote bowel health and lower cholesterol levels. The green leaves of beetroots are also highly nutritious and can be eaten, steamed with other vegetables or added to soups. 

Raw cacao powder: I guess we all love chocolate once in a while. The chocolate which is generally known is the highly processed product of raw cacao. Cacao is the queen of deserts. In its raw form it hasn’t been toasted, roasted or cooked and still preserves all its original health benefits. Cacao is one of the most antioxidant-rich foods on the planet, and at the same time one of the best plant-based sources of magnesium. Magnesium has a calming function and helps to keep us relaxed.
Dark chocolate: I used 85% dark chocolate as I really love chocolate to be as dark as possible. It’s up to you which percentage you use, I just recommend you everything starting from 75%. 

Eggs: For baking these muffins I actually used real organic eggs from the farmers market. As eggs are difficult to substitute I stick with them in this recipe. Concerning eggs it’s very important for me that they’re from a local farmer and organically grown. With eggs you will really taste whether they’re organic or not. 

*Flax egg: If you want the muffins to be vegan you can make a flax seed egg replacement, usually referred to as “Flax Egg”. However, it’s not a 100% substitution of an egg, given that it doesn’t bind as good as an egg does during baking. Instead of using grounded raw flaxseeds you can also use chia seeds with similar effects. I love both versions and usually switch from the one to the other. In the end it really depends on what works better for yourself. Nevertheless, it’s the way to go for vegan baking and cooking. After experimenting a bit with "Flax Egg" I can recommend it especially in muffins, cookies, brownies, bread loafs and pancakes. (Mhmm... more recipes will come soon in future posts).

Almond flour: Out of all nuts, almonds are the highest in calcium and fibre. Countless studies have proven that almonds are the perfect source for weight loss, regulating blood sugar and lowering cholesterol. With almond flour as the ideal gluten-free version, you get an extra nutritional boost into your muffins without any loss of taste or texture. If you don’t mind the muffins containing gluten, you can use whatever flour you like the most (e.g. spelt flour). Almond flour can be homemade with a powerful high speed blender or bought in various health food stores. 

Coconut oil: After I discovered this magical oil, I could never ever go back to cooking, baking – yes even doing some beauty treatments – without it. From maintaining a healthy heart and fighting infection, to improving digestion and metabolism and even promoting healthy skin and hair, coconut oil is simply amazing. It’s one of the best oils to cook and bake with as it won’t turn into harmful transfats when heated at high temperature.

Beetroot Seduced Dark-Chocolate Muffins

Ingredients
250g raw beetroots, grated
3 organic eggs (60+) / or Flax Eggs* (vegan option; see details in this post)
150ml coconut oil, melted
120ml agave nectar (or raw date syrup)
50g dark chocolate (mind. 75% cacao, I used 85%)
200g organic almond flour
5 tbsp raw cacao powder
2 tsp baking powder
Some pinches of desiccated coconut
Pinch sea salt

*3 Flax Eggs
Ingredients
3 tbsp grounded raw flaxseeds
7 1/2 tbsp water

Note: To grate the beetroots I recommend you wearing gloves and not the most delicate clothes!

(Makes: 14 small muffins; Preparation time: 30min; Baking time: 20min)

Preheat the oven to 180°C. 
Warm the coconut oil in a saucepan on a very low heat. Add the agave nectar and chocolate and stir until the chocolate is melted. Remove from heat. Add the grated beetroot and stir to combine.
Non-vegan option: In a small bowl beat the eggs.
Vegan option: In a small bowl combine the grounded flaxseed with the water and stir. Leave the mixture for 5 minutes to thicken. 
Add either the beaten eggs (non-vegan) or the Flax Eggs (vegan) into the saucepan. 

In a separate bowl mix the flour, baking powder, cacao powder and salt together and stir into the beet mixture. 
Sprinkle the bottom of each muffin tray with a pinch of shredded coconut. Divide the batter into the muffin trays. Bake for about 20 minutes or until slightly dark and cracked on top and still a little sticky inside. Mine took exactly 20 minutes. When you’re not sure if the muffins are baked enough check with a wooden stick, whether batter still sticks on it or not. Leave to cool.

They taste amazing while warm, but can be cooled and kept in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.

Well, I love chocolate. And beetroots. Have fun and happy indulgence!
With lots of love, Fabienne.