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Monday, February 29, 2016

Mocha-Banana Resistant Starch Smoothie Bowl

I want to make this for breakfast everyday. This smoothie bowl is so perfect, and so beautiful looking too! It contains some of my favorite foods; chocolate, coffee, bananas, and more! Not only is this breakfast so delicious, it is super healthy for you as well! I used banana flour to not only thicken the smoothie, but add a boost of health benefits. Banana flour contains resistant starch, which is a type of fiber that helps increase your metabolism, which helps burn fat, and reduces glucose levels. 
A smoothie bowl is basically a smoothie poured into a bowl and eaten with a spoon. But, the smoothie is slightly thicker and topped with delicious toppings, such as the toppings I used, which were sliced bananas, dark chocolate chips, and a gluten/grain free granola. 

Onto the recipe!

Mocha-Banana Resistant Starch Smoothie Bowl (yields 2 bowls)
  • 1 1/2 cups full fat coconut milk 
  • 1 cup freshly brewed coffee
  • 2 ripe bananas (plus more for topping)
  • 1 scoop chocolate protein powder
  • 1 tablespoon WEDO banana flour 
  • 1/2 cup gluten/grain free granola
  • 2 tablespoons dark chocolate chips
Blend coconut milk, coffee, and bananas in a blender. Add in chocolate protein powder and WEDO banana flour. Once everything is thoughly combined, pour into two bowls. Top each bowl with sliced bananas, 1/4 cup granola, and 1 tablespoon of dark chocolate chips. Devour! Enjoy this delicious & healthy breakfast that will leave you feeling great and energized!

-Juliet 

Friday, February 26, 2016

No-Bake Key Lime Pie

Happy Friday!!
These key lime pies are perfection! The key lime pie filling is so luscious; it's so flavorful and creamy! Even though it's the middle of February and in most places below 30 degrees, you will feel like you are enjoying this dessert by the ocean in Key West. Key lime pie is one of my favorite desserts, so I'm SO happy that this turned out so amazing! 
Along with being no-bake, raw honey is the only sweetener used! I also made coconut condensed milk, in replace of traditional dairy condensed milk. I used full fat coconut milk and simmered it with raw honey, banana flour, and gelatin. The banana flour and gelatin help thicken the mixture. 
Delicious gluten-free graham cracker crumbs!
Onto the recipe!!


No-Bake Key Lime Pie
  • 14 ounces full fat coconut milk
  • 3/4 cup raw honey
  • 1 tablespoon WEDO banana flour 
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon gelatin (mixed with 1/4 cup boiling water)
  • 2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup coconut whipped cream (plus more to garnish) 
  • 3/4 cup key lime juice
  • 1 cup gluten free graham cracker crumbs 
  • 3 tablespoons coconut oil
  • 1 tablespoon lime zest
  • 1 lime, sliced for garnish
First we are going to make the coconut condensed milk. Heat coconut milk and raw honey in a sauce pan over medium heat. Stir constantly, and once boiling, add in gelatin and banana flour. Let continue to boil until mixture is golden and reduced. Set aside.

Now we are going to make the graham cracker crumbs for the crust! Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix graham cracker crumbs with melted coconut oil and spread on a baking sheet. Bake for about 8 minutes, or until toasted and golden. 

Whip cream cheese in a stand mixer until fluffy. Add in coconut condensed milk, coconut whipped cream, lime zest, and key lime juice. Mix until thoroughly combined and creamy. 

Time to assemble! I made mine in small mason jars. First, I put about 3 tablespoons of graham cracker crumbs in the bottom of the jar. Then, I poured in filling to a little under the rim. Then I topped it all with coconut whipped cream, lime zest, and a slice of lime!

 Enjoy!!!

-Juliet 

Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Gluten-Free Chicken Piccata over Sauteed Swiss Chard

This chicken piccata is so luscious! I absolutely love this classic Italian dish, because it has so many different flavors that go so well together. The chicken is coated in flour, and then pan fried with a lemon caper sauce.
 
To make this dish gluten free, I coat the chicken in WEDO banana flour! By coating the chicken in flour, it helps keep it from getting dry, and also gives it a wonderful crispy coating! 



Let's get to cooking!

Gluten-Free Chicken Piccata over Sauteed Swiss Chard
  • 2 lbs thin sliced chicken breasts
  • 1/3 cup WEDO banana flour 
  • 4 cups chicken stock
  • 1 onion, medium diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1/3 cup capers
  • 2 bunches swiss chard
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • olive oil, to coat pan
  • salt and pepper, to taste
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Trim swiss chard stems and slice leaves. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper, and then coat in banana flour. Set aside.

Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium high heat. Add in onions, garlic, and saute until translucent and softened. Now add in chicken breasts and cook for about 5 minutes per side, or until golden brown. Add in chicken stock, lemon juice, and capers. Season with salt and pepper. Let simmer over medium heat until sauce is slightly thickened. Transfer chicken and sauce into a baking pan and place in oven for about 15 more minutes. 

While the chicken is finishing cooking, we are going to start sauteing the swiss chard. Heat about one tablespoon of olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add in swiss chard, and saute for about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. 

Now it's time to plate! First add swiss chard to plate, then chicken, and garnish with fresh parsley. Enjoy!
-Juliet 

Monday, February 22, 2016

Cajun Shrimp & Leeks over Roasted Jalapeno Cheddar Grits drizzled with Lime Infused Oil

This dinner was so delicious! I absolutely love grits; by adding in roasted jalapenos and cheddar cheese, they are taken to the next level! The shrimp and leeks go so well together, I love the combination! Leeks are similar to onions, and contain a great source of vitamin K, magnesium, vitamin C, and calcium. Not only is this dinner absolutely delicious and good for you, it is fairly easy and quick to make as well! 

You will know when the jalapenos have finished roasting; the skin starts to brown and they are soft to touch. Remember, when you are handling jalapenos, do NOT touch your eyes!! 
 
Let's get to cooking!

Cajun Shrimp & Leeks over Roasted Jalapeno Cheddar Grits drizzled with Lime Infused Oil (serves 4)
  • 1 lb shrimp, cleaned and deveined 
  • 1 1/2 cups quick cooking grits
  • 3 leeks, sliced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/2 cup grass fed cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 1 tablespoon grass fed butter
  • 2 jalapenos 
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • olive oil, to coat pan
  • *optional* lime infused oil to garnish 
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roast jalapenos for roughly 8 minutes, or until skin is browned and softened. Once out of the oven and cool enough to handle, remove ribs, seeds, and then medium dice. Set aside.

Bring 6 1/4 cups water to a boil in a medium sized pot with a pinch of salt. Once boiling, add in grits, reduce heat to medium-low, and cover. When the grits have finished cooking, stir in butter, cheddar, and then jalapenos. 

While the grits are cooking, we are going to start cooking the shrimp and leeks! Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium high heat. Add in leeks and garlic. Saute for about 4 minutes, or until leeks are softened. Add in shrimp and season with garlic, paprika, cayenne, oregano, salt, and pepper. Cook for about 3 minutes per side, or until shrimp is fully cooked. 

Time to plate! Spoon a cup of grits on each plate, then top with shrimp, leeks, and garnish with a drizzle of lime infused oil. 

Friday, February 19, 2016

Dairy-Free S'mores Ice Cream

Hey y'all! Happy Friday!!!

What better way to start the weekend then with this dairy free s'mores ice cream?! When I first tasted this ice cream, I couldn't believe how perfect it turned out. My family and I all said that it tasted like regular dairy ice cream! Usually, dairy free ice cream tends to be kind of icy, and doesn't have a soft and creamy texture like dairy ice cream does. Well, not this one! No need to wait for this ice cream to soften when you take it out of the freezer; it is ready to be scooped right away! This ice cream is pure bliss.
First, melt together coconut milk and marshmallows..
Beat together marshmallow/coconut milk, and coconut cream
Then add in graham cracker crumbs, banana flour, and chocolate chips! #YUM
Time to freeze!
This ice cream tastes like toasted marshmallows, with delicious graham cracker crumbs, and chocolate chunks swirled in. No need to make a campfire for this s'mores! I melted corn syrup-free, organic marshmallows with coconut milk, which gives the ice cream the toasted marshmallow flavor. Not only is this ice cream dairy free, but it is gluten-free as well! I used gluten free graham cracker crumbs and WEDO banana flour to thicken the ice cream. 
Another plus to this recipe, is that you only need 6 INGREDIENTS and it is no-churn! Yes, only six ingredients to make this AMAZING dairy-free s'mores ice cream and you don't need an ice cream maker!! 
Digging in!
Let's start making this ice cream!!!

Dairy-Free S'mores Ice Cream
  • 1 11-ounce container of full-fat coconut milk
  • 1/2 cup corn-syrup free marshmallows
  • 15 ounces coconut whipped cream
  • 1 cup dark chocolate chunks
  • 3/4 cup gluten-free graham cracker crumbs
  • 1/2 tablespoon WEDO banana flour (plus another 1/2 tablespoon to mix with chocolate chunks)
Heat coconut milk and marshmallows in a double boiler over medium heat for about 4 minutes, or until marshmallows are melted and mixture is starting to boil. Remove from heat and let cool for about 5 minutes. Beat together coconut whipped cream with marshmallow coconut milk mixture in a stand mixer on medium-high speed. Beat for about 2 minutes, or until well combined. Mix in gluten-free graham cracker crumbs, then dark chocolate chunks (mix chocolate chunks with 1/2 tablespoon of banana flour before adding to ice cream to prevent chocolate sinking to the bottom of ice cream.) 

Pour ice cream into a bread pan, pie pan, or any container. Place in freezer for at least 5 hours. Serve with extra graham cracker crumbs, chocolate chunks, and marshmallows. Devour! Enjoy!
-Juliet 

Wednesday, February 17, 2016

Banana Flour Blueberry Streusel Bread with a Chocolate Drizzle

This streusel bread is like a banana bread, blueberry bread, and crumb cake all put together; the result is SO perfect! The banana bread is fluffy and light, the blueberries stay intact and juicy, and the crumb topping adds great texture and flavor. And to top it all off, I drizzle on some dark chocolate! It completes this dessert/snack/breakfast bread! 
After describing how delicious this banana blueberry streusel bread is, you may think it's not healthy; it is actually super healthy! It is gluten free and grain free! WEDO Banana flour, a gluten free flour, gives this bread a fluffy and light texture! There is no sugar added to this bread; the bananas in the batter make this bread perfectly sweet! 
First, add crumbs to bottom of bundt cake pan..
Then pour in batter...
After baking!
Onto the recipe!


Banana Flour Blueberry Streusel Bread with a Chocolate Drizzle 

Bread Ingredients: 
  • 3/4 cup WEDO banana flour 
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon xantham gum
  • 5 medium sized ripe bananas, mashed
  • 4 tablespoons grass-fed butter, melted
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1/3 cup almond milk (coconut milk will work too)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup fresh blueberries 
Crumb Topping Ingredients:
  • 1/3 cup WEDO banana flour 
  • 3 tablespoons coconut sugar
  • 2 tablespoons butter, melted
Chocolate Drizzle Ingredients: 
  • 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil
  • 1/2 cup almond milk (coconut milk will work too)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a bundt cake pan with coconut oil.

First, we are going to make the crumb topping! Whisk together banana flour, coconut sugar, and melted butter. Place on bottom of bundt cake pan, and spread out evenly. 

Whisk together banana flour, baking powder, and xantham gum in a large bowl. Whisk in mashed bananas, butter, vanilla extract, apple cider vinegar, almond milk, and eggs. Once thoroughly combined, fold in blueberries. Pour batter into bundt cake pan and tap on counter to even out the batter. Place in oven for about 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Once the bread has finished baking, we are going to make the chocolate drizzle! Heat chocolate chips, coconut oil, and almond milk in double boiler over medium heat. Stir constantly, until chocolate has melted. Drizzle all over bread, and then put some blueberries, chocolate chips, and banana slices on top to garnish! Enjoy!!

-Juliet


Monday, February 15, 2016

Banana Flour Beignets with a Chocolate-Peanut Butter Dipping Sauce

Happy Monday!! 
These are hands down, one of the best snacks ever! I've actually never had a beignet before, but I've always wanted to try them! A beignet is similar to a donut or fry bread. Traditional beignets are not gluten free and not so healthy. The only flour used in this recipe is WEDO Banana Flour, and I used avocado oil for frying.
 

Oh, the chocolate peanut dipping sauce is so perfect with the fluffy banana beignets. It's super chocolatey with a beautiful peanut butter flavor! Not only are the beignets and chocolate peanut sauce delicious, they are both quite easy to make as well! 
Beignets after just being put in fryer..
Beignets after being in fryer for about 2 minutes! #perfection

Banana Flour Beignets with a Chocolate-Peanut Butter Dipping Sauce
 
Beignet Ingredients:
  • 5 very ripe bananas, mashed
  • 1/2 cup WEDO banana flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon xantham gum
  • 1/2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 cup almond milk (coconut milk would work too)
  • avocado oil, for frying
Chocolate-Peanut Butter Dipping Sauce Ingredients:
  • 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
  • 2 tablespoons peanut butter
  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil
  • 1/2 cup almond milk 
First we are going to start making the beignets! Heat avocado oil in deep fryer to 375 degrees.

Blend bananas, banana flour, baking powder, xantham gum, apple cider vinegar, and almond milk in a blender. Once oil is hot, drop spoonfuls of dough into fryer. Fry for about 2 minutes, flipping halfway. They are done when they are golden brown! Place beignets on a paper towel lined plate to let cool.

While the beignets are cooling, we are going to make the chocolate peanut butter dipping sauce! Heat chocolate chips, peanut butter, coconut oil, and almond milk in a double boiler over medium heat. Once melted, pour into a bowl to serve. 

Enjoy!! Beware, it's hard to only eat one! :) 

-Juliet


Friday, February 12, 2016

Three Cheese Stuffed Banana Flour Ravioli

Hey y'all! Happy Friday!! 

I am so happy with how these raviolis turned out; they are absolutely perfect! I knew that these ravioli were a keeper when my brother Harrison said, "These are the best ravioli I've ever had, gluten-free, or non gluten-free!" The texture is spot on and the flavors are amazing. If you are a cheese lover, like me, you will love the three cheese filling which includes; ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan. 
Cut dough into heart shapes...

Then stuff with cheese..

Then seal edges..
Then boil!! 
I made these ravioli red and in heart shapes; they are perfect to make for Valentine's Day dinner! Although they are slightly time consuming to make, they are totally worth it! Nobody will know that they are gluten-free!! Writing about these ravioli are making me hungry, and it's only 10 in the morning!! 
Let's get to cooking!

Three Cheese Stuffed Banana Flour Raviolis (makes about 16 raviolis)
  • 1 1/2 cups all purpose gluten free flour blend
  • 3/4 cup WEDO banana flour 
  • 1 cup beet puree ( I pureed four cooked beets)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 eggs
  • pinch of salt
  • 1/2 cup ricotta 
  • 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella 
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan 
  • tapioca starch, to flour surface
Combine ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan in a small bowl. Wrap and place in fridge.

Pulse together banana flour, flour blend, salt, and beet puree in food processor. Add in eggs, one at a time. Then add in olive oil and a pinch of salt. Blend until mixture is a firm dough.

Dust surface with tapioca flour. Roll dough into a ball and knead for about 2 minutes. Dust a rolling pin with tapioca flour and roll out dough into a rectangle shape, about 1/4 inch thick. Using a heart shaped cookie cutter, cut out dough.

Remove cheese filling from fridge. Place about 1/2 tablespoon of filling into center of cut dough. Line up with another ravioli, and seal edges with fork. Repeat until all ravioli are stuffed and sealed.

Bring a pot of salted water to a slow boil. Once boiling, add in ravioli. Boil for about 7 minutes. Strain, and serve! I served mine with a pesto sauce (my recipe here ,) but you can serve it with whatever you'd like!! Enjoy!!

-Juliet




Wednesday, February 10, 2016

Thai Coconut-Ginger Seafood Stew

I seriously love this stew! It has so many ingredients that I absolutely love, like fresh ginger, mushrooms, coconut milk, and a variety of seafood including shrimp, scallops, and haddock. This soup does not contain any dairy, I use coconut milk! 
 

This recipe makes a lot of stew, roughly eight servings. My whole family loves this stew, so I usually make enough for a lot of people! This stew is pretty simple to make, and only takes about an hour to make! 
First, saute onions, garlic, and fresh ginger (yum!)

Add in bell peppers, and mushrooms
Then add in chopped tomatoes!

Lastly, add in stocks, coconut milk, and seafood! Delicious!

Let's get to cooking!!


Thai Coconut-Ginger Seafood Stew
  •  1 1/2 lbs shrimp
  •  1 1/2 lbs haddock
  •  2 lbs scallops
  • 4 cups chopped tomatoes
  • 3 cups mushrooms, sliced
  • 4 bell peppers, medium diced
  • 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
  • juice of 4 limes
  • 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1 onion, medium diced
  • 5 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 cups coconut milk
  • 1 14-ounce can seafood stock
  • 46 fluid ounces chicken stock
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (to taste)
  • salt and pepper, to taste 
  • olive oil, for cooking
Heat olive oil in a large pot (ten quart suggested) over medium heat. Add in onions, garlic, and ginger  and saute until translucent and fragrant, about 3 minutes or so. Increase heat to medium high. Add in bell peppers and mushrooms. Saute until vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes. Now add in chopped tomatoes and cook for about 3 minutes, or until softened and starting to boil. Season with salt and pepper. Pour in chicken stock, seafood stock, and parsley. Reduce heat to medium. Bring to a boil, stirring often.

After the stew starts to boil, add in lime juice and coconut milk. Add in a pinch of cayenne pepper. Once the stew starts to boil again, add in shrimp, scallops, and haddock. Let cook for about 5 minutes, or until all seafood is fully cooked.
Enjoy!!

-Juliet 

Monday, February 8, 2016

Upside Down Pineapple Banana Flour Rum Cake

I am SO proud of this!! I wanted to create a rum cake that  is gluten free, so I grabbed some ingredients and hoped it would turn out good- and it sure did! This cake is phenomenal! Everything is spot on; the taste, the texture, everything!! I would eat this everyday if I could, It is so good. There are so many amazing flavors in this cake!

This cake has a delicious banana, pineapple and rum flavor. It's perfectly sweet! The banana flour gives this cake such a fluffy and light texture, you will have a hard time believing that this cake is free of gluten! 
Before baking

After!!!
I used coconut sugar, grass-fed butter, rum, and water to make the glaze. It is quick to make, and taste absolutely delicious! After you bake the cake, you pierce the cake with a fork, and pour the glaze on so it soaks into the cake. 

Onto the recipe! 

Upside Down Pineapple Banana Flour Rum Cake

Cake Ingredients: 
  • 1/2 cup WEDO banana flour 
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose gluten free flour blend 
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon xantham gum
  • 1/2 cup coconut sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups banana pudding
  • 1 mashed ripe banana
  • 1/3 cup rum
  • 1/2 cup pineapple juice
  • 3 large eggs 
  • 5 sliced pineapple rings
Rum Glaze Ingredients: 
  • 4 tablespoons grass fed butter
  • 1/4 cup coconut sugar
  • 1/4 cup rum
  • 1/3 cup water
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease a bundt cake pan with coconut oil.

Whisk together WEDO banana flour, flour blend, baking powder, xantham gum, and coconut sugar in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, pineapple juice, rum, mashed banana, and banana pudding. Whisk in dry ingredients until the batter is smooth and thoroughly mixed. 

Line the bottom of the bundt cake pan with pineapple slices, then pour batter on top. Smooth out the batter by tapping the cake pan on counter. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until golden and toothpick comes out clean.

Once the cake has finished baking, remove from oven and leave in pan. 

Now that the cake is out of the oven, we are going to make the rum glaze! Heat butter, sugar, and water in a saucepan over medium heat. Once everything is melted, turn to medium-low and bring to a slow boil. Whisk in rum, and let boil for a minute or so and remove from heat.

Prick the cake with a fork. Pour about half the glaze over. Let soak for about 2 minutes, then flip cake over to remove from pan. Pour remaining glaze on top, and serve immediately or whenever you are ready! My family and I couldn't wait to try it! :) 

Enjoy!! 

-Juliet 

Friday, February 5, 2016

Banana Flour Chocolate Madeleine Cookies stuffed with a Cherry Cream Cheese Filling

Today I was experimenting in the kitchen, and made these banana flour chocolate Madeleine cookies..they turned out AMAZING! The cherry cream cheese filling is pure bliss. I pureed sweet black cherries and added it to the cream cheese, so it turned the filling pink naturally! I made these cookies in a heart shaped Madeleine pan, because Valentines Day is coming up!! This is the perfect healthy Valentines Day dessert to make, that not only taste delicious, but look beautiful as well! 


WEDO Banana flour is the only flour used in these cookies; these cookies are gluten free and grain free! They are airy, fluffy, and not dense at all! Banana flour works just like wheat flour in so many recipes, but is gluten free! 

Before
After!!!!
Pure bliss
Onto the recipe!




Banana Flour Chocolate Madeleine Cookies stuffed with a Cherry Cream Cheese Filling

Cookie Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup WEDO banana flour 
  • 1/3 cup cocoa powder
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 3/4 cup raw cane sugar (or coconut sugar)
  • 6 tablespoons grass-fed butter
  • 3 eggs
  • pinch of salt
Cherry Cream Cheese Ingredients:
  • 2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup organic powdered sugar
  • 1/2 cup pureed sweet black cherries
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease a madeleine pan with butter (I used a heart shaped pan.) 

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir constantly, and once the butter starts to bubble and turn golden, turn off heat. Set aside.

Whisk together eggs and sugar in a stand mixer on medium-high speed. Once mixture is thoroughly mixed, add in banana flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and pinch of salt. Now pour in browned butter and mix again until mixture is fluffy.

Fill madeleine pan with about 1 1/2 tablespoons of cookie dough. Once the madeleine pan is filled with the dough, bake for about 11 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

While the cookies are cooling, we are going to make the cream cheese filling! Whip softened cream cheese with powdered sugar in a stand mixer on high speed for about 4 minutes. Once fluffy, add in cherry puree and vanilla extract. Whip on medium-high speed for another 3 minutes, or until well combined. 

Once you are ready to serve the cookies, top cookie with a decent amount of cream cheese filling, then top with another cookie. Devour!! Enjoy!

-Juliet