Delicious Honey Whole Wheat Banana Bread

Today is feeling like a perfect day for baking. This gloomy grey weather calls for the oven to be on and the sweet smell of cinnamon to be wafting through the house, so I decided to whip up some banana bread while the kids were content colouring and playing. 

I went straight to my go-to banana bread recipe that I adapted from Cookie and Kate. This recipe isn't vegan, but it uses whole grain flour, coconut oil, full fat dairy & honey, which works for our family. If you're looking for a vegan recipe I highly suggest checking out Rachel Schwartzman's Best Vegan Banana Bread Recipe. 

Hope you have a great long weekend and enjoy this recipe as much as we do. 

- Carolyn 

Honey Whole Wheat Banana Bread

Ingredients:

• ⅓ cup melted coconut oil (or butter or any other mild tasting oil)
• ½ cup honey
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup mashed bananas
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1¾ cups whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 Tbsp of whole milk
• 2 Tbsp of full fat plain or greek yogurt

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit (165 degrees Celsius)
2. Grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan
3. In a large bowl whisk your dry ingredients together and set aside - flour, baking soda, salt & cinnamon
4. In a medium bowl beat oil and honey together. Add eggs and beat well
5. Stir in mashed bananas, milk, yogur & vanilla
6. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix just until combined.
7. Fold in dark chocolate chips, nuts, dried fruit or any other addition you like
8. Spread batter into the greased loaf pan
9. Bake for 60 to 65 minutes. Be sure to check that the bread is done baking by inserting a toothpick in the centre. It should come out clean.
10. Let the bread cool in the loaf pan on wire rack for 5 minutes, then transfer out of pan to wire rack to cool for 30 minutes before slicing.

Raw Vegan Energy Balls

When I tried this recipe for Raw Vegan Energy Balls by Rachel Schwartzman ND a few weeks ago I immediately knew I needed to share it. They're such a simple, healthy & tasty little treat that the whole family will love. 

I made a double batch so I could take some to share with my Prenatal Class and decided to substitute all natural peanut better for the tahini, because that's what we had, and I didn't want to make a trip to the store. They were amazing!! Everyone who tried them loved them. Even the kids! (As you can tell by this pic of them grabbing for seconds before I could even take a photo!) 

Since then my prenatal class students have been begging me for the recipe, and my kids have been begging me for more. So today I fulfill both of those wishes. Here is Rachel's delicious recipe for everyone to try, and I'm off to make up a quick batch for the kids. A perfect pick me up snack for a grey day like today. 

Enjoy!

- Care

*Rachel is a Naturopathic Doctor & Birth Doula with The West End Doulas. If you would like any information about her services feel free to check out her website, send her an email or give her a call at 416.371.3422. You can also follow Rachel on her beautiful Instagram feed.

Super Simple, Healthy & Delicious Treats! (Baby, Toddler, Preschooler & Adult Approved!)

When I find a recipe I love, that's also super simple and healthy, I tend to make it over and over and over again. Well that's exactly what happened with these AMAZING Banana Bread Muffin Tops from Oh She Glows that I was introduced to last week by my good friend Kate (Thanks Kate!). I'm not embarrassed to admit that I have made 5 batches of these in the last week and a half. Everyone who has tried them has loved them. My son even asked for them instead of cake for his birthday this summer. That's definitely a sure sign of yumminess! 

The best part about these homemade treats is that they're made out of simple ingredients that many of us have in our pantry and have no refined sugar added! I absolutely love these as a little power packed after school treat (or nap time treat for mommy). Plus they're nut free which is always helpful. 

If you haven't checked out Oh She Glows I highly encourage you to do so. The beautiful award winning Canadian food blog is full of delicious healthy recipes and everything I've tried has been amazing!

Hope you and your family love these little treats as much as we do!

Warmly,

Care

The Groaning Cake - Spiced Apple Cake

At this time of year when delicious local apples are in abundance the Groaning cake is the perfect dessert. This spiced apple cake is a traditional "birth" cake, hence the name. 

The customs surrounding the history of the Groaning cake are different around the world. In some cultures the Groaning cake was baked by women in early labour to pass the time. In other areas the cake was made by friends and family and brought to the woman as a gift. Either way the cake is intended to provide the postpartum mother with a delicious treat that has some good sources of energy, healthy fats, iron, fibre & immune boosters.

The combination of honey, coconut oil, molasses, whole grains, fruit & spices is really incredible. You can leave the cake bare (more like a loaf) or you can add a simple vanilla glaze, cream cheese frosting, or dust with powdered sugar. As an avid hater of cream cheese frosting, I refuse to ruin this beautiful cake with it, but others assure me it's a great combo. My husband is a cream cheese frosting lover and says I ruin it for everyone. Good thing I'm the baker in the house ;)

I make this cake for the final class in my 4-week prenatal class series as a little graduation treat and the parents always love it. If you've got some apples laying around give this one a try. I'm sure you won't be disappointed. Also a great gift for a new family in their early days postpartum. 

Enjoy!

- Carolyn 

The Groaning Cake

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups whole wheat or spelt flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. ground cloves
• 1 1/2 cups peeled grated apple
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1 tsp. grated orange zest
• 1/4 cup black strap molasses
• 1 cup honey or alternative sweetener
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup dried fruit or chopped nuts optional
• Cream cheese or vanilla icing optional or dust with powdered sugar

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350 with rack in middle of oven
2. Lightly grease pan (bundt pan, two 9x5 loaf pans or two standard size muffin pans)
3. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon & ground cloves in a large bowl. Stir in grated apple (and any dried fruit or nuts) and set aside.
4. In a separate bowl lightly beat the eggs & add oil, orange juice, orange zest, molasses, honey & vanilla.
5. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients & mix well.
6. Scrape into prepared pan & bake until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean ~20-25 mins for muffins, ~30-40 mins for loaves & ~40-50 mins for bundt cake.
7. Cool in pan for 10-15 mins, then invert onto wire rack & cool completely before storing in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze to enjoy later. 

Delicious Banana Blueberry Bran Muffins

These banana blueberry bran muffins are a perfect healthy treat anytime, but especially in pregnancy & postpartum. They are a great source of iron, fibre, healthy fats & energy, all things new mamas need. They freeze really well, so they are a perfect recipe to stock your freezer with before baby arrives. Plus they taste great!

These are a favourite recipe in our house. I make them at least once a month and everyone loves them. Even my toddler gobbles them up!

Warning: These muffins are very high in fibre so you may want to limit how many your little ones eat ;)

Enjoy!

- Care

Banana Blueberry Bran Muffins

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups wheat bran
• 1 cup oat bran
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 large eggs
• 2/3 cup whole milk
• 2/3 cup full fat yogurt
• 1/3 cup coconut oil
• 1/3 cup molasses
• 1/3 cup unpasteurized honey*
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 2 small bananas
• 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

Store in airtight container up to 3 days or freeze. 

*If making these for babies younger than 12 months, simply substitute the 1/3 cup of honey with a 1/3 cup black strap molasses*

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Heat oven to 375° with rack in middle of oven
• Grease your muffin pans or line with paper liners. (Recipe makes about 18 giant, 24 regular, or a combo of 12 regular & 24 mini). 
• Combine the wheat bran, oat bran, whole-wheat flour, baking soda, baking powder, & salt in a large bowl and set aside
• Combine eggs, milk, yogurt, oil, molasses, honey* & mashed bananas in a small bowl and mix well
• Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients & mix with a rubber spatula just until combined
• Gently fold in blueberries
• Fill muffin cups generously with batter & bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 17-20 mins for regular size muffins, 12-15 for mini muffins and 20-23 for giant muffins. 
• Remove from oven and cool in pan on wire racks for 10-15 minutes, then carefully remove from pan and serve warm, or let cool on a wire rack completely before storing. 
• Store in airtight container up to 3 days or freeze. 

• *If making these for babies younger than 12 months, simply substitute the 1/3 cup of honey with a 1/3 cup black strap molasses*