banana Archives -

Banana Oatmeal Pancakes| Gluten Free, Healthy & Extra Fluffy

on March 5, 2021March 8, 2021 By Kelley

There is something that has been helping me get through the blur and blah of pandemic quarantine- that is to mark the weekends with a special breakfast. Seems simple, but for me, it has a big impact. Making a special meal is fun and it feels like a celebration. It makes the weekend seem different than the week, even though lately it’s been like groundhog’s day!

Cooking brings me joy, plain and simple. And if I have learned anything during the past year it is that self-care equals making time to do the things that make me feel good.

Now as we are approaching the 1 year anniversary of COVID quarantine, I have been reflecting back on the past 12 months that somehow simutaneously seem like they went PAINFULLY SLOOOOOW and also so very fast… how is that possible?

I’ve had a few cycles of mild blah-ness, getting bogged down in the mundane stuck-at-home life, the challenges of homeschooling, keeping my art business afloat, being a mom, and on and on. Being everything for everybody, picking up the pieces, the laundry and the dishes, but still choosing to create time for myself, because if I don’t do that I run out of steam. Even though my meditation practice is almost non-existent these past few months, on the flip side, I have greatly increased my hiking and exercising. Moving my body and being active calms my mind. Being in nature feeds my heart.

Another challenge is my house mess and clutter (as I gaze up from computer it looms on the horizon), but Hunter and Benji are running around with their StarWars battleships having a blast. I take it in. It’s life. It’s challenging, far from perfect, and messy but there is beauty in it, in every moment. More time with the kids. More family pizza and movie nights. More converstation. More connection. More Love.

And more PANCAKES! These delicious fluffy and decadent Banana Pancakes are a quick and easy breakfast. Made in the blender with just a few ingredients and they taste divine. They are gluten free and super healthy as they are made with rolled oats, very little sugar, and no oil. Let me know what you think below!

If you love these pancakes you may also love some of my other gluten free pancake recipes such as my

COOKIE DOUGH STUFFED PANCAKES

and

CINNAMON BUN PANCAKES

Banana Oatmeal Pancakes- Gluten Free + Extra Fluffy

Super easy 5 minute Banana Oatmeal Pancakes made in a blender. Gluten Free, Healthy, and Extra Fluffy!

½ cup oat milk ((can sub any other milk))
1 egg
2 egg whites
1 ½ cups rolled oats (gluten free)
1½ tbsp brown sugar ((can sub coconut sugar))
½ tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp baking powder
1 banana

Combine all the ingredients in a blender and blend on high until smooth
Heat a non stick skillet on medium heat, can use a little cconut oil to grease the skillet if you'd like
Use a ladel to spoon the batter into the hot pan.
Cook 2-3 minuited each side or unitl golden brown in color.

3 Ingredient Chocolate & Banana Cream Ice Cream Cake

on August 2, 2016June 29, 2021 By Kelley

This rich and creamy Chocolate and Banana Cream Ice Cream Cake is made in the blender with only 3 simple ingredients! No way? Yes way! You can whip this up in no time. It looks super fancy, and best of all it’s healthy! (dairy-free, paleo, vegan, gluten and grain-free)

My little (almost) one year old loves ice cream! He must of inherited my ice cream gene 🙂 haha. Now that he is eating solids it’s fun to see him try new textures and flavors. He is game to try just about anything, but if he decides he doesn’t like it, his mouth opens, and whatever was in there immediately gets projected and lands on either me, or the floor. Well, this never happens with ice cream. He is always eager for the next bite and grabs for the spoon with all his mite.

This summer my family has made a number of ice cream outings to beat the hot summer heat, and because my lo loves ice cream so much. I personally avoid eating a lot of dairy, but ice cream is an occasional treat I often can’t say no to. Plus, living in a new area, means you have an obligation do some exploring and figure out all the best ice cream places in town, right!?

Well, my family has found some pretty great ice cream joint around here!

Carmela’s is simply amazing. Their shop is simple, elegant and delicate. All organic, their ice creams are made in house with special care and attention. They have unique seasonal flavors, two of my fav’s being lavender honey and brown sugar vanilla bean- yum!

Equally as tasty, but at the other end of the ice cream treat spectrum is After Hours. This cool and hip ice cream parlor is located in a historic old-fashioned gas station. You go up to the window to order your “milky buns.” Oh, you don’t know what a milk bun is? That’s ok. I didn’t either. Basically you get to pick your ice cream flavor and topping and it gets sanwhiched beween two hot and sticky soft glazed donuts. It’s ridiculous. Ridiculously, crazy good! Is your mouth watering yet?

With all this ice cream eating going on I was feeling a bit guilty and sluggish thanks to extra sugar load, and I knew I had to clean up my act, so I made this: Banana Chocolate Cream Ice Cream Cake, and it’s delicious and SUPER HEALTHY. I can have a slice or two, and it’s guilt free. Best of all my little one loves it too!

This ice cream cake is super easy to make and contains only 3 simple ingredients: Coconut milk, chocolate chips (dairy free), and bananas- that’s it! Make sure to use a high speed blender (like a Vitamix) to blend the coconut milk and bananas on high. This will aerate the “ice cream” and keep it smooth and creamy as it freezes!

3 Ingredient Banana Chocolate Cream Ice Cream Cake

3 ripe bananas
2 cans coconut cream can of full fat coconut milk. I would recommend using 2 cans of coconut milk to replace 1 can of coconut cream) (you can find this at Trader Joes OR use only the cream from a (chilled)
1 cup chocolate chips (I used dairy-free Enjoy Life brand)

Combine 1 can of coconut cream and 3 bananas in a high speed blender and blend on high for 2-3 minutes until the mixture is frothy and smooth.
On the stovetop heat the contents of the other can of coconut cream in a small saucepan.
Add the chocolate chips into the saucepan, and mix vigorously until you get a smooth chocolate sauce, then remove from heat and let cool.
Meanwhile grease a 6″ round cake pan (a spring-form pan would be best for easiest removal!) with coconut oil.
Pour in 1/2 cup of the banana mixture, then 1/4 cup of the chocolate mixture, then 1/2 cup of the banana mixture, then 1/2 cup of the chocolate mixture, then another 1/2 cup of the banana mixture, followed by 1/4 cup of chocolate mixture, and finally add the reaming banana mixture to top it off. (If you want absolutely perfect layers freeze each layer for 10 minutes before adding the next.)
Set aside the left over chocolate mixture. You can store it in the fridge and reheat later.
Freeze the cake for 2+ hours.
When you are ready to serve the cake fill a large bowl with hot water.
Remove the cake from the freezer and dip the bottom and sides of the pan into the hot water for a few seconds. Then, if the ice cream cake isn’t free, glide a butter knife around the edges to dislodge it, and place it on a serving plate.
If its melting too quickly, place it back into the freezer to set, and heat the left over chocolate sauce over low-medium heat.
Pour the remaining chocolate sauce over top of the ice cream cake.
You can dunk a knife it hot water to aid in cutting the cake, and it may be easier to let it thaw 5-10 minutes if it’s too frozen to cut.
Enjoy!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Covered Banana Pops

on July 6, 2016August 13, 2021 By Kelley

Looking for a cool and chocolatey treat to cool down your sweet tooth this summer? Well, look no further! These frozen banana pops are smothered in peanut butter and chocolate 'magic' sauce. They are easy and fun to make (get the kids involved!), and best yet they are secretly healthy!

Looking for a cool and chocolatey treat to cool down your sweet tooth this summer? Well, look no further! These frozen banana pops are smothered in peanut butter and chocolate ‘magic’ sauce. They are easy and fun to make (get the kids involved!), and best yet they are secretly healthy!

Cricket and I have been logging a lot of miles lately. She loves to run every morning and by 7 am she is waiting by the door next to her leash. In fact, Cricket knows her daily schedule better than I do, and if I am late she is sure to let me know about it… lol. Breakfast is at 6:30 sharp (even on Sundays) and everyday she not-so-patiently stands by her metal bowl and paws at it to make loud dinging noises so the whole house can hear. After breakfast we get dressed, lace up the sneakers, pop the baby in the stroller and off we go! She usually pulls me most of the way, unless she gets hint of a good smell, and then she’ll stop and use her beagle nose to check it out :). Looking for a cool and chocolatey treat to cool down your sweet tooth this summer? Well, look no further! These frozen banana pops are smothered in peanut butter and chocolate 'magic' sauce. They are easy and fun to make (get the kids involved!), and best yet they are secretly healthy!

Now that Cricket is 11 years young, she still isn’t showing any signs of her age, with the exception of some grey hairs. She still is fast and spry, can out run me on her worst day, and would still have energy at the end of the day to do it all again! I hope I feel and look as good as she does when I am her age! She definitely has good genes, which helps, but I also know that a healthy diet and exercise also help to keep her youthful and in great shape. Often I feed her better than I feed myself. Her only junk food is the occasional In-and-Out burger patty, which she adores! I, on the other hand, have a weakness for treats, especially ice cream and chocolate!

With all the running we have been doing my need for sweets has hit an all time high so I needed to find a healthy, but still really indulgent, alternative.

Enter- Chocolate and PB smothered Banana Pops! They have the perfect combinations of rich dark chocolate and creamy peanut butter (you could also use almond butter), and the frozen banana pop is creamy and sweet, reminiscent of ice cream. They look good, right!?

Enjoy and indulge with no guilt!! 🙂

Chocolate Peanut Butter Covered Banana Pops

3 bananas
1/3 cup chocolcate chips (I used Enjoy Life brand)
1/3 cup peanut butter (or almond butter for paleo)
2-4 tablespoons coconut oil
6 popsicle sticks or straws
optional: 1/4 cup shredded coconut

Cut your bananas in half and insert your popsicle stick into the cut end.
Place the banana pops on a parchment-lines cookie sheet and place them in the freezer for at least 30 minutes.
After the pops are chilled, heat the 1/3 cup of peanut butter and 1 tablespoon of coconut oil over low-medium heat until melted and combined. If the peanut butter dip is too thick add an additional tablespoon of coconut oil.
Take the pops out of the freezer and deep each one into the peanut butter dip.
Place them back onto the parchment-lined cookie sheet and pop them back into the freezer for a few minutes.
Meanwhile, melt the 1/3 cup chocolate chips and 1 tablespoon of coconut oil over low-medium heat until melted and smooth. Add an additional tablespoon of coconut oil if needed to make the chocolate dip thinner.
Remove the peanut butter covered pops from the freezer and dip each one into the chocolate and place back onto the cookie sheet.
Sprinkle with shredded coconut if you’d like.
Freeze for another 10 minutes, or until set, or until you want to eat them!