Maple Banana Loaf

FRUIT FLIES!! Arg!! Is anyone else dealing with this mid-summer pest? Over the past few days they've declared war over our kitchen and so far, they're winning! Isn't it amazing how fast they reproduce?! I mean seriously!! I realized quickly that the super-ripe bananas sitting in the fruit bowl was not helping our cause. Hmmm, alright, if I have to...I'll make banana bread...twist my rubber arm!

This loaf is my go-to recipe for banana bread. It's a Dreena Burton recipe, and as always, it's low in sweetener, uses whole grain flour, and turns out perfectly moist and delicious every time! The bread is spiced just right and is complemented so nicely with the sweetness from the maple syrup and banana. Oh, and you may have noticed the little bits of chocolate in the picture...yeah, chocolate and bananas are a match made in heaven if you ask me! Also try adding nuts like pecans or walnuts, they all work really well with this recipe.

Sliced bread freezes really nicely, as do muffins*...they're great to have on hand in the freezer when you want a nice treat.

Now you too have a strategy to conquer the fruit flies in your kitchen! You're welcome! ;)

Maple Banana Loaf

Ingredients
1 3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp fresh nutmeg, grated (or ground nutmeg)
couple pinches of salt
1/4 cup chocolate chips and/or nuts of your choice (optional)
1 cup very ripe bananas, mashed (usually about 2-4 bananas)
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp vanilla or plain non-dairy milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp canola oil

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients (including chocolate chips and nuts), sifting in baking powder and baking soda. Mix well. In a separate bowl, combine mashed banana with maple syrup, soy milk, vanilla extract and oil. Mix until just combined (do not overmix).

Pour into a lightly oiled 9"x5" loaf pan and bake for 45-50 minutes, until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

*For muffins, bake at 375 degrees for 19-23 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.

Enjoy!

This recipe is from Dreena Burton's The Everyday Vegan

Easy Pleasin' Hemp-Oat Bars

As promised here's another recipe featuring hemp nuts. I'm always looking for a yummy snack to replace those boxed granola bars I used to eat so often. These wheat-free bars are perfect because they have the texture of chewy granola bars but aren't too sweet and have no processed or refined ingredients! Best of all, they freeze really well and you can make them in no time flat! They're great for lunches, go great with coffee, and are perfect if you need something to eat on the run!

I usually add chocolate chips, but for a healthier version you can add dried fruit and/or nuts instead...or don't add anything and just enjoy the simplicity of the oats and hemp on their own!! And if you don't have hemp nuts, no problem! The original recipe didn't call for them anyway...just use an extra half cup of ground oats.


Easy Pleasin' Hemp-Oat Bars
makes 10-14 bars

1 1/2 cups ground oats (see note)
1 cup quick oats
1/2 cup hemp nuts
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup chocolate chips, dried fruit, or nuts or your choice
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/3 cup barley malt OR brown rice syrup OR honey
1/4 cup vanilla or plain soy milk or other non-dairy milk
1 1/2 - 2 tbsp organic canola oil

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C).
In a large bowl, combine all the dry ingredients.
Add the wet ingredients into the dry mixture, stirring until well combined.
Transfer the mixture to a lightly oiled 8"x8" baking dish and press it down until evenly distributed.
Bake for 19 minutes, then remove and let cool in pan.
Once cool, use a sharp knife to cut the bars, then remove with a spatula.

Tip: The bars are softer if they are not overbaked. For even softer bars you can use a smaller pan to yield thicker bars.

Note: This recipe calls for “ground oats.” Ground oats can be made from quick oats, which are available in grocery stores. Use your food processor and process the quick oats for a minute or two. The consistency should be similar to coarse flour.

Enjoy!

This recipe is from Dreena Burton's Vive le Vegan

Zucchini Muffins

If you head out to any local farmer's market or produce stands these days, you'll notice that it's the season of summer squash. Yup, that includes your pattypans, yellow crookneck squash, yellow summer squash and zucchini! Now, I'll admit, I haven't yet found a way to incorporate these babies into my regular diet, even this time of year (I prefer the various varieties of winter squash), but I'm trying!

Now, last weekend I planned to make some Veggie Burritos and needed some zucchini, so I made my way to the Ottawa Farmer's Market and found some great deals! I couldn't resist and bought a bunch of fresh organic zucs! I knew right away that with the extras I'd make some yummy Zucchini Muffins!! Ohhh... the excitement!

Now if you're not a fan of zucchini, don't let the contents of these muffins deter you from trying them...you certainly can't tell there's any vegetables in here! They've even got banana and maple syrup...you can't go wrong! The result is moist, fluffy and slightly sweet muffins with a hint of cinnamon and nutmeg! I like to eat them straight out of the oven smothered with lots of melted *non-dairy* butter. Or you can just eat them they way they are ;)

The original recipe is wheat-free using spelt flour, but I've included a substitute for regular white or whole wheat flour.

Ingredients
2 tbsp flax meal
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp plain or vanilla non-dairy milk
1 cup overripe bananas, mashed
1 cup grated zucchini
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp canola oil
2 cups spelt flour (subtract about 6-8 tbsp if using regular whole wheat or white flour)
1/4 cup unrefined sugar
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 - 3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/3 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

Directions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- In a bowl, combine flax meal and non-dairy milk and stir. Then add mashed bananas, grated zucchini, syrup, vanilla, and oil - stir well to combine.
- In a separate large bowl, combine remaining dry ingredients, sift in baking powder and baking soda, and stir until well combined.
- Add wet mixture to dry, gently folding until just combined (don't over mix).
- Fit a muffin pan with liners or spray lightly with oil. Spoon batter into liners. Bake for 21-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Enjoy!

This recipe is from Dreena Burton's Eat, Drink and Be Vegan!

Applesauce Muffins

Muffins are the best, aren't they? You can eat them for breakfast, for a snack, or, sometimes, even for dessert. Who wouldn't love a food that's so versatile? In the past, I'd buy a muffin a day to have with my morning coffee...this is until I realized that store bought muffins are really just cupcakes in disguise. Not that there's anything wrong with cake, but it's not the best way to start your day!

These muffins are one of my favourites! They're really moist and sweet due to the applesauce and maple syrup...and I add whole wheat flour to give them some extra fibre and bulk. With no refined sugar or unhealthy fat, you can eat one (or more) with your morning coffee and stay completely guilt free!!


Ingredients
2 cups flour (I usually add all or half whole wheat flour)
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 soy milk
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp oil
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
3/4 cup chopped walnuts or raisins

Directions
Preheat oven to 375F. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon. Add the milk, vinegar, oil, maple syrup, applesauce and raisins or walnuts. Mix together gently until "just mixed". Spoon batter into lightly greased muffin tins and bake for 15-20min. Test with a toothpick to see if done.

Enjoy!

This recipe is from How it all Vegan by Tanya Barnard and Sarah Kramer

Super-Charge Me! Cookies

These cookies have become a daily staple in my house. They replace all those “fake healthy” granola bars that we used to take to work as snacks. They’re packed with nutrition with natural peanut butter, flax meal and oatmeal! You’ll notice that there’s no refined white sugar, flour or tons of added fat in these babies; they’re better than that – and so are YOU!

Tip: These cookies freeze really well, so they're great to make in big batches for the whole week!

Makes 11–12 cookies

Dry Ingredients
2/3 cup spelt flour (you can use whole wheat flour, just reduce the total amount by about 3 tbsp)
1 cup quick oats or rolled oats (I use half rolled and half quick)
1/4 tsp (rounded) sea salt
1/4 – 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/4 –1/3 cup raisins or chopped dried fruit (optional)
3–4 tbsp chocolate chips (optional)
1 tsp baking powder

Wet Ingredients
1/3 cup flax meal (not flax seed)
1/2 cup pure maple syrup or agave
3 tbsp peanut butter (may use cashew, almond, or hemp seed butter)
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp organic canola oil

Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
- In a bowl, combine oats, flour, salt, cinnamon, coconut, raisins, and chocolate chips, sift in baking powder, and stir until well combined.
- In a separate bowl, combine flax meal, syrup, almond butter, and vanilla and stir until well combined. Then stir in oil.
- Add wet mixture to dry, and stir until just well combined (try not to overmix).
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or grease lightly.
- Spoon batter onto baking sheet evenly space apart, and lightly flatten.
- Bake for 11-12 minutes (no longer, or they will dry out).
- Remove from oven and let cool on baking sheet for 1 minute (no longer), then transfer to a cooling rack.

Enjoy!!

This recipe is taken from Eat, Drink and be Vegan by Dreena Burton