recipe

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!

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

Fruit or chocolate desserts? What do you prefer? This pie is the best of both worlds, but if you had to choose-what would you choose?

I choose Chocolate!

Psst! In the mood for more Banana Cream Pie? Try my Chocolate Banana Cream Pie with Chocolate Peanut Butter Crust.

Patriotic Baked Oatmeal

July 4, 2011 By Alex@Spoonful of Sugar Free

Happy Fourth of July!

And to my international readers-Happy Monday!

What better way to start the day than a gorgeous, festive, filling, nutritious breakfast?

Baked Banana Oatmeal

I made the baked oats as the Recipe says, but I omitted the applesauce, spices, and nuts this time.

Then I sliced some bananas, strawberries, and blueberries and topped it in the shape of American the flag.

It turned out wonderfully and everyone loved it. It is a snap to make, simply mix it up and stick it in the oven!

Perfect for a brunch, and the leftovers make excellent energy bars.

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

What are your plans for today?

Mine includes making a version on this (you will see it tomorrow), making a huge batch of this, and then having party with friends and family!

High Protein Sweet Potato Spice Cookies

July 1, 2011 By Alex@Spoonful of Sugar Free

Another High Protein Cookie recipe?

Oh yes!

While eating my usual snack of Sweet Potato with Almond Butter and Cinnamon, I thought, “Why can’t I make this snack more portable?” Thus the cookie was born!

High Protein Sweet Potato Spice Cookies

~These cookies are high in protein because of the beans. Feel free to substitute garbanzo beans for the white beans if you wish. Grain-free, gluten-free, vegan, dairy-free, and, of course, sugar-free!

Ingredients

1 medium baked sweet potato-skin removed
1 1/2 cups cooked white beans, well-rinsed
1/2 cup milk substitute (I used almond milk)
1/4 cup ground flax
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup pecans, chopped

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400*.
Make sure the beans are well-rinsed. Puree in a strong blender or food processor until smooth. Mash sweet potato and mix with beans.
Add milk, cinnamon, baking powder, flax, and vanilla and mix until smooth.
Spoon by tablespoonfuls on a un-greased baking sheet. Top each cookie with chopped pecans. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
Cool for 5 minutes before serving.

https://www.spoonfulofsugarfree.com/2011/07/01/high-protein-sweet-potato-spice-cookies/

Health Benefits

Sweet Potatoes: Click HERE for a post I wrote about the benefits of Sweet Potatoes.
White Beans:
Flax: Full of healthy Omega-3′s to help your heart stay strong. It is also a great source of both soluble and insoluble fiber to keep your gut healthy and help you stay full. Flax also contains lignans which have both plant estrogen and antioxidant qualities. These lignans help protect against cancer by blocking enzymes that are involved in hormone metabolism and interfering with the growth and spread of tumor cells.
Pecans: They help boost your immune system, reduce LDL cholesterol, and protect against Breast Cancer because of the high levels of oleic acid. It contains vitamin E, calcium, magnesium, potassium, zinc and fiber, as well as antioxidants.
Cinnamon: Studies have shown that it can help lower LDL cholesterol, help regulate blood sugar levels, has anti-clotting effect on blood, and it can boost cognitive function and memory.

I think they would also taste fabulous with some ginger mixed in. Sweet potato gingersnaps!

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

Do you ever cook things in bulk to save over time?

I cook huge batches of sweet potatoes so that can eat them for snacks during the week. I think they taste better cold with almond butter and cinnamon!

High Protein Ice Cream Sandwiches

June 30, 2011 By Alex@Spoonful of Sugar Free

High Protein Cookie Sandwiches are delectable, but who can resist an ice cream sandwich? Especially in the hot, summer weather when the ice cream truck comes rollin’ around. Instead of buying those sugar-loaded, artificially-flavored, hydrogenated oil-filled, processed sandwiches, make your own High-Protein, Sugar-Free sandwich!