banana

Bitter Chocolate Waffles

August 11, 2011 By Alex@Spoonful of Sugar Free

Sorry to leave you all hanging with that delicious stack of…

Chocolate Waffles!

Pure torture to live another day without these.

If you don’t have a waffle iron, you have two options:

Make these into pancakes.
Go buy a waffle iron.

Bitter Chocolate Waffles

~These waffles have no added sweetener, so they are bitter. If you are not a fan of bitter chocolate, top your waffles with lots of fresh fruit! Gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, and, of course, sugar-free!

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups oat flour (simply blend oats in blender until smooth)
3 Tablespoons cocoa powder
1 cup water or milk substitute
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 eggs
3 tablespoons oil or applesauce
Optional: Add a few tablespoons of ground flax for extra fiber and omega's. Substitute 1/2 of oat flour for protein powder of choice. Add a handful of chopped unsweetened chocolate for an extra boost of flavor!

Instructions

First, combine the dry ingredients.
Then, add wet and mix until smooth.
Follow your waffle iron's instructions to cook. Make sure you cook it thoroughly. I made the mistake of taking them out too soon, and I ended up with a bowl-full of waffle pieces!
Top with any combination of nut, fruit, coconut, peanut butter, chocolate shavings, or anything else you can imagine!

https://www.spoonfulofsugarfree.com/2011/08/11/bitter-chocolate-waffles/

They freeze well, so you can make a big batch to save for later. Simply throw them in your toaster to warm. Much better for you (and tastier!) than Eggo’s frozen waffles.

This batch is topped with a dollop of Peanut Butter Frosting, Banana Slices, and Shaved Unsweetened Chocolate.

You could probably make my One Size Fits all Pancakes made with brown rice flour in a waffle iron, too, if you are feeling adventurous.

If you haven’t tried the Peanut Butter, Banana, Chocolate combo yet, do it. It’s worth it. I have so many recipes with that delectable combo.

Click HERE for nutrition information on Oats and HERE for nutrition information about chocolate. They both boast plenty of good properties.

Try not to drool all over your computer.

In other news, I have finally hopped on the Twitter bandwagon. Hopefully I’ll be able to figure the whole thing out. My Twitter name is SugarFreeAlex, so make sure to follow me!

THOUGHT-PROVOKING, MIND-PRODDING QUESTION OF THE DAY:

Do you have a twitter account? If so, any tips or tricks?

Also, what is your favorite waffle topping? You already know mine!

Banana Blueberry

July 19, 2011 By Alex@Spoonful of Sugar Free

Have you made Breakfast Oat Cakes yet?

They are easy to make, portable, versatile, filling, tasty, and healthy.

This batch I made “muffin-style” by baking it in muffin tins with liners instead of on a cookie sheet. Works just fine.

I added 2 mashed bananas to the batter and a handful of fresh blueberries.

Perfect for breakfasts on-the-go, brunches, or even an afternoon snack.

Thought-provoking, mind-prodding question of the day:

When you are in a rush in the morning, what do you usually grab to eat? Or do you eat breakfast?

I usually like to plan ahead if I know I am going to be busy the next morning by making some Oat Cakes, a smoothie, or some High Protein Cookies. However, if I don’t have time to do this, I will grab a piece of fruit (usually a banana) and some nuts.

Raw Banana Cream Pie

July 6, 2011 By Alex@Spoonful of Sugar Free

Alright, enough teasing. Here is the recipe for that festive cake I told you about yesterday.

Raw Banana Cream Pie with Chocolate Crust

~This pie is only raw if you use raw cacao powder. If this doesn’t matter to you, then use cocoa powder (like I did). Vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, raw, and, of course, sugar-free!

Crust Ingredients

1 cup raw walnuts
3 large dates
2 Tablespoons cocoa powder (or cacao)
pinch of salt

In a food processor or strong blender, blend all ingredients until thoroughly mixed. The mixture should stick together. If it doesn’t add a splash of water. Press the mix into a pie dish, and freeze while making the pie filling.

Filling Ingredients

4 frozen bananas

Blend the bananas in a food processor or strong blender until the bananas have a “custardy” texture like Magic Banana Ice Cream. Put the filling on top of the pie crust and freeze for at least 2 hours.

Thaw the pie for about 10 minutes before eating. The pie should be set but not rock-solid. Who likes rock-solid pie?

Decorate if you wish. I made this pie for the Fourth of July, so I topped mine with sliced bananas, strawberries, and blueberries in the shape of the American Flag.

The chewy crust compliments the creamy filling beautifully.

Everyone was raving about the pie at the party. No one could ever guess that it was healthy! They were shocked when I told them the ingredients.

Health Benefits:

Chocolate: Click HERE for a post I did about all the benefits of chocolate.
Walnuts: Rich in fiber, protein, vitamin B, Omega-3s, magnesium, and antioxidants. Walnuts have also been shown to aid in the lowering LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol) and the C-Reactive Protein (CRP). CRP was recently recognized as an independent marker and predictor of heart disease. Walnuts have often been thought of as a “brain food,” not only because of the wrinkled brain-like appearance of their shells, but because of their high concentration of omega-3 fats. Your brain is more than 60% structural fat. For your brain cells to function properly, this structural fat needs to be primarily the omega-3 fats found in walnuts.
Bananas: Rich in potassium, bananas help the body’s circulatory system deliver oxygen to the brain. This also helps maintain a regular heartbeat and a proper balance of water in the body. It also contains tryptophan to help relax you and lift your spirits!