Ridiculously Healthy Banana Bread/Muffins

Hey lovelies,

Recently I have been a little quite here on The Raw Serenity and I do apologize for that.

I have been caught up in other commitments and I will admit I have neglected my “down time” which I now know is extremely important to prioritise!

Anyways on the positive side, I have tackled some serious obstacles of mine.

I have taken on some foods that I haven’t eaten in a very long time due to listening to the lies of my eating disorder and I have been trying to remove all of the bullshit brainwashing about certain foods and diets.

The media has been telling us for years that carbs put on weight. They have made us become frightened of eating any type of carbohydrate.

Just like fat, not all carbohydrates put on weight. We need a certain amount of carbohydrates daily in order for our bodies to function correctly.

More than any diet claims there is, the claim about fruit making people put on weight irritates me the most.

That irritates me just by mentioning it, so anyways the main point is ,I am not denying my body of certain foods anymore. Instead I am listening and fueling my body with a wide variety of healthy, whole foods from every food group.

Another claim that frustrates me is that vegan food can’t be delicious and also healthy whole foods can’t taste nearly as good as the processed, refined foods.

So to argue the point, I have created ridiculously delicious and nutritious banana bread /muffins!

They have:

• No added sugar
• Fat Free
• Wholegrain
• No artificial colours or flavours
• No artificial sweeteners
• Organic

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Organic Wholegrain Spelt Flour
• 1 tsp baking Soda
• ¾ tsp baking powder
• ¾ tsp pink Himalayan salt (or regular sea salt)
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• 1/3 Almond milk (or milk of choice)
• ½ cup date syrup* ( see recipe below)
• 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 ½ tsp organic vanilla extract
• 2 cups over ripe mashed bananas ( roughly 5 medium bananas)
• 1 tbsp stevia

Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Combine dry ingredients together in a bowl. Add wet ingredients into the bowl and mix in with a spoon or hands (don’t over mix).

Pour mixture into muffin liners or bread tin and bake for 20-25mins.

* I made my own date syrup by using two handfuls of dates into the food processer and slowly adding water until it resembled a syrup consistency

So I hate to tell you I told you so but really this recipe proves the point that healthy vegan baking is truly amazing for your health and your taste-buds.

What is one health claim that you are  often correcting for people?

Be kind to yourself,

Lisa

Digestive Green Smoothie

Hi lovelies!

I’m so sorry I wasn’t able to be here for Finding Serenity in my Sunday. I had a busy day but I hope today I can make it up to you by sharing a delicious, ridiculously healthy recipe.

By now you all know about my past struggles with my eating. Because I have neglected my digestive health for many years, it is now suffering because of it.

Even though I have been eating and living a much healthier lifestyle for months now, my digestive system needs to be healed.

I can’t blame it, after all I treated it terribly and didn’t give it the tender, love and care that it deserved.

Now that I am thinking more clearly, I can see and feel just how important it is to look after your digestive system and how uncomfortable it can be when you don’t!

So this smoothie contains a beautiful cocktail of digestive loving ingredients to help reverse any damage and also heal your digestive system.

It tastes damn amazing too with great texture, so seriously you need to get involved right now!

Ingredients

1 big handful of baby spinach leaves

1 sml-med frozen banana

½ sml pink lady apple

1 tsp Bentonite Clay

1tsp spirulina

½  tsp Psyllium husk

20 ml Organic Aloe Vera Juice

8 drops liquid stevia (or to taste)

2 cups chilled water

Instructions

Blend and serve in a wine glass to make digestion sexy!

In other news..

Last week I bought the above vintage design travel mug.

I can now sip on my smoothie on the way to work and also drink hot cacao during the day (YAY).

It has two different designs on each side and most importantly it doesn’t spill!

Question: Do you drink your green smoothies straight away or do you make them and drink them later during the day?

Be kind to yourself,

Lisa x

Black is the New Green Smoothie

Hi lovelies,

Hope you are all well!

I went to an Ethical Nutrient seminar last night for work, so I’m a little tired today but it was worth it.

I will be talking about this in a future post as I want to let you in on some new research but also the marketingbehind health products.

Today I’ll share with you my favourite “green” smoothie blend.

Green smoothies have really taken off, and for good reason!

They boost your daily green intake, they are high in fiber, packed with anti-oxidants, vitamins and minerals from the raw ingredients. And lets also not forget how damn amazing they taste!

So Green Smoothies pretty much rock, but why limit yourself to green when you can have black!

Ingredients
(serves 1)

Large handful of Baby Spinach leaves

1 small frozen Banana (or half large)

½ cup of frozen Blueberries

1 tsp Spirulina

5 drops of Stevia (or to taste)

20ml Aloe Vera juice

400ml chilled water

So it doesn’t look all that pretty but this smoothie is one seriously tasty superfood blend.

I drink this every single day.

It is a perfect after workout drink as it is high in protein from the Spirulina. Plus you get all the vitamins and minerals to keep you fighting fit.

Drinking a green Black smoothie daily is non-negotiable for me.

Because I don’t drink coffee or have any caffeine this gives me loads of energy and doesn’t give me the slump within 30 mins like coffee does.

Do you currently drink green smoothies?

 

Be kind to yourself,

Lisa x

Red Lentil & Sweet Potato “Hummus”

The unimaginable happened last week: I ran out of chickpeas.

It felt unnatural, traumatic and impossible for me not have any chickpeas in the house, but it’s true.

I imagine most vegans feel the same way.  Chickpeas are a delicious staple in vegan diet and are extremely versatile.

In a way, I’m glad I ran out of them because if I didn’t, I wouldn’t have made this wickedly creamy “hummus”.

I started to look for recipes online but most comments on red lentil hummus were “bland” or “I prefer the original” so I decided to make my own recipe. The most popular comments of all were in regard to calling it a hummus.

Traditional hummus is made from chickpeas, ground sesame seeds, lemon and olive oil. The majority of people know this.

Although substituting red lentils for chickpeas doesn’t technically classify it as a hummus, I still refer to this recipe as a “hummus” because it automatically informs people of the basic ingredients used in the dip.

The reaction towards the naming issue amazed me. I understand that people love their hummus; I too think extremely highly of the chickpea but for it to cause an issue other than having none left, took me by surprise.

I searched for other similar comments towards food substitutes such as, banana nice-cream and cauliflower “rice” but no one questioned their name. Just the hummus.

I think the lesson here is to never underestimate the passion one has for hummus, and secondly if you substitute chickpeas for another bean or lentil always use inverted comers when calling it a hummus. When saying it out loud perhaps curl to figures in the air (like Doctor Evil in Austin Powers) to save you from this dilemma. Or better still just say this thing is freaking awesome; because it is.

Ingredients

½ cup red lentils (uncooked)

1 small sweet potato (or half a large)

3Tb tahini

1 garlic clove

¼ cup lemon juice

Pinch of salt (I used Pink Himalayan)

Directions

1. Soak lentils for 6-8 hours.
2. Rinse the split peas and transfer into a saucepan with the chopped sweet potato and boil for 15-20 mins.
3. Once cooked, drain and give it a quick rinse with cold water.
4. While the split peas and potato are still warm transfer them into the food processor and give it a quick mix. It’s important to do this while they are warm because this how you get a creamy consistency.
5. Add the rest of the ingredients and process until it is completely mixed through.
   You may need to add some water or olive oil if you want a thinner consistency.
6. Store in an air tight container for 4-5 days.

This “hummus” (please note the inverted comers used) is anything but bland. I also found that using red split peas made it creamier and smoother.

I’m positive you all will love it!

Be kind to yourself,

Lisa x

Cacao Delights

It’s all fun and games to laugh at a vegan until they come running asking for food.

Last weekend my brother came to visit and to rub it in my face spend time together for a few days before flying over to Europe.

We have always eaten differently, I sit up for breakfast with my cinnamon oats with banana and trial mix on top while he sits next to me and eats 3/4 packet of cream and jam biscuits with a large cappuccino. We never comment on each other’s eating habits because we both accept each other’s choices and have also learnt from a young age that if the topic is brought up it leads to a debate which can last for as long as it takes for him to admit I’m right hours.

So it was interesting when my brother and his friend came over and were found searching in the fridge for my delights. My inner goddess started to dance, sing and get excited.

They asked if I could teach them how to make them (in other words they just wanted me to make them while they sit and wait for them to be ready). I didn’t mind at all because these are such a quick and delicious recipe that can be made within 10 mins.

Ingredients

1 ¼ cup walnuts

¾ cup pitted dates

2 T organic raw cacao

1 ts vanilla essence

Desiccated coconut

Instructions

1. Add walnuts and dates into a food processor and process until the mixture is combined
2. Add cacao and vanilla essence into the food processor and process again until thoroughly mixed all the way through. Stop every now and again to push down the sides on the bowl.
3. Spoon out mixture with a desert/teaspoon and roll into round balls
4. Lightly coat each ball in coconut and store in an air tight container.
5. Store in refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving.

I did tell the boys to leave the delights in the fridge for at least an hour to firm up but as soon as I left the kitchen they were both into them. Standard.

I love delight balls because they look and taste amazing and have nothing but healthy, nutritious ingredients.

I will be posting more delight recipes soon but for those who haven’t seen my Apricot Delight Recipe make sure you check it out.

Question for the day

Do you and your family / partner eat the same foods?

Lisa

Apricot Delights

Whoever said a girl can’t have it all needs to rethink that quote.

Winter and I have a love/hate relationship.

I love wearing my daggy soft dressing gown whilst sipping on a hot cup of organic cacao. I enjoy the sound of the rain hitting the roof at night and I find comfort in sleeping with my doona pulled up to my neck.
I don’t like fighting with myself to get out of my PJ’s in the morning and being cold whilst changing. I don’t enjoy having to leave the house when it’s raining and I don’t find it comforting having wet socks from the rain.

Unfortunately I can’t control the seasonal changes but I did use it to my advantage yesterday.
Although it was extremely chilly outside there also wasn’t a cloud in sight.

I was living proof that you really can have it all. In my old soft dressing gown, slippers and drinking hot cacao in the sun. This time I have won!

Apart from being in my dressing gown it felt like summer and reminded me of all the summer fruits and raw foods that I tend to eat more often in summer and it inspired me to make something fruity & summery to eat for a snack to lighten up my day but keeping in mind it still needs to be comforting because it is winter after all.

These little delights were delicious and exactly what I was craving.

Apart from being healthy, natural and tasty they are extremely easy to make.

Apricot Delights

Ingredients

Makes 15 balls

• 1 1/3 cup raw cashew nuts (soaked for 3-4 hours)
• 1 cup dried apricots (soaked for 1 hour)
• 1/3 cup desiccated coconut

1. Process cashews until they are finely cut and transfer into a mixing bowl (make sure you don’t process into a butter)
2. Process apricots until it is finely cut and transfer into the mixing bowl with the nuts
3. With a spoon mix cashew’s and apricots together evenly
4. Using a desert/teaspoon, scoop out mixture and form into round balls
5. Lightly roll each ball in coconut and place in an air tight container
6. Store in refrigerator

Thanks for your comments on the importance of connecting. Taking a minimum of 30 minutes a day to relax without any interruptions or guilt will really benefit you. I’d love to know how you’re progressing with the practice.

Lisa