After a good month of [over] indulging during the holidays, especially during Christmas when there were sugar cookies galore and three oh-so-delicious pecan monkey pull-apart breads with cinnamon and brown sugar, I was more than ready to get my eating habits back on track come January!
It’s been one of my 2016 goals to not only eat healthier, but to also incorporate sugar in a way that is viable in the long term. We’ve tried Whole30 in the past and while it was great for cleansing the system, not to mention the perfect kick-start to our healthy eating, it wasn’t something that was really sustainable for longer than the 30 days, nor was it meant to be. However, the nutrition plan we started following this month should be. It includes eating fruit, protein, nuts, veggies and grains like steel-cut oatmeal Monday through Saturday. On Sunday, we treat ourselves to a nice brunch, which just so happens to be a favorite meal in our household! I mean pancakes, waffles, omelets — the savory and sweet, who can resist?
We’re also figuring out ways to better work “added” sugar into our diet, so as not to keep over indulging. Right now for desserts, we’ve been making smoothies with organic fruits, almond butter, almond milk and kale. If you use less almond milk, it blends to a consistency similar to frozen yogurt!
I’m also a tea drinker and was recently introduced to Davidson’s Organic Teas, a certified fair trade brand, that’s got a huge selection of organic loose and bagged teas. I’ve been especially enjoying the sample of dessert teas, with flavors like caramel peach with coconut, coconut vanilla, vanilla cream spice, and staples like the classic chai. The flavors are subtle, yet distinct and seem to be satisfying my craving for something sweet. Also, this pregnant momma definitely appreciates the huge selection of naturally caffeine free options!
And let’s not forget the Paleo treats! I can’t get enough of the chocolate chip cookies, but we’re trying to limit them to every few weeks. I could, however, make my Paleo banana bread every week! (Side note: I’ve been enjoying it with a cup of Davidson’s vanilla cream spice tea. Feels like an indulgence, especially when I use my fancy china.) I’ve made this bread before using raw organic agave, and it’s beyond delicious. However, I recently tried it without the added sugar, albeit a better alternative to cane sugar — it’s still sugar and we’re really trying to limit the number of foods we’re consuming with added sugar — and it was just as good! Myles and Logan also agreed, as the entire tray was consumed by the next morning.
This recipe is super easy and a great way to use those too-ripe bananas. Our bananas always seem to ripen faster than we can eat them, although I think that’s becoming less of a problem as Logan loves bananas! I’ve written the recipe to include both the agave/and agave-free options, depending on which you prefer. I hope you enjoy!
INGREDIENTS: (Serves 6)
4 ripe bananas, mashed (Use 5 bananas if leaving out agave)
4 eggs, whisked
1 cup almond butter
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1/4 cup agave (Leave this out if making sugar-free version)
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/2 cup pecans, chopped (can also use walnuts)
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In large bowl, combine almond butter, coconut oil, eggs, mashed bananas, (and agave, if using).
3. In separate bowl, combine coconut flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and baking soda.
4. Add dry ingredients to your wet, combine and then fold in your chopped nuts.
5. Pour batter into your greased bread pan and bake for:
- 45-50 minutes if using recipe with four bananas and agave.
- 50-55 minutes if using recipe with five bananas and no agave.
- 20-22 minutes if making muffins.
6. Enjoy! It’s especially delicious with peanut butter
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