Banana Bread 1

I made this in preparation for Rory coming home from some Army training. He loved it and I had some friends taste test it and they, too, gave it the go ahead. The texture is not quite right but it is pretty darn close.

11 eggs

3/4 c coconut milk

2-3 tbsp agave nectar (optional)

1.5 tbsp vanilla

3/4 tsp salt

1&1/3 c coconut flour

1.5 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

6 ripe bananas, mashed

Preheat oven to 325. Grease 2 bread pans with grapeseed oil and dust with almond flour. In a large bowl combine eggs, milk, agave, and vanilla. Whisk well. Add in salt, coconut flour, baking powder and cinnamon. Stir until all lumps are gone. Fold in bananas. Pour into prepared pans and bake for ~55min.

As with all banana bread, these improved in taste and texture the following day. I think this would be great with some walnuts added to the batter. I may try that the next time I make it.

Enjoy!

Baby Food!!!

I make most of my daughter's baby food. Not only does she prefer it, but I think it is more nutritious! I usually make two big batches of things every few days and freeze them in individual servings.

Here's a sampling of some of the things I've pureed...

• butternut squash, sweet potato, coconut milk
• chicken, apple, sweet potato, onion
• broccoli, carrot, spinach
• banana, cherry, apple

She loves it all and loves to eat!

My latest obsession!

For years now I've been making zucchini noodles and when I would have to make a lot of them, it would get to be very time consuming. Well, wouldn't you know it, I found a julienne peeler the other day! So easy and so fast!

(click here for one sold at bed bath and beyond)

Last night I enjoyed a super quick meal by sauteing my 'noodles' then throwing in some precooked sausage and some organic tomato sauce. Yummy!

Squash Chips

Sorry for the lack of posting the last week. I took a trip to WI to visit family and see my grandma, who is not in the best of health. It was a great trip and I wish I could have stayed just a few more days. Before I left I made these 3-4 times... I couldn't get enough of them!

1/2 Butternut squash, seeded, cut into thin crescents (leave the skin on!)

oil

seasoning- I like sea salt, but if some you (ahem...Joey Warren) would probably forgo the salt and use something else. I bet some onion or garlic powder would be good.

I place the squash on 2 cookie sheets that have a lip then drizzle them with oil and season. Bake at 325-350 until desired crispiness. Careful, because it doesn't take much to go from under-done to black. Trust me... I know! Also, do NOT crowd the pan. If you crowd the pan the moisture from the squash can't escape and they end up soggy and not crispy.

Fruit-free, milk free post WOD nutrition

1/2 cup cooked squash/sweet potato

1/2 c coconut milk

6-8 cubes of ice

1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 1/2 scoops vanilla protein (we use Jarrow)

3 egg whites (we use the powdered egg whites from Honeyville)

Blend and drink.

Rory asked me for a fruit-free protein drink and I came up with this. He, of course, thought it should have nut butter so he added a big heaping scoop of cashew butter. He also thinks nut butter goes on everything... he even eats it on pears. Crazy man.

On a different note, Rory has left again for more Army stuff. When he returns in 2 1/2 weeks he wants to go dairy free for a month. I'm looking forward to getting creative in the kitchen when he returns!

Almond Chicken

Another staple in the Hanlin household. Also a favorite of Unit.

1-2 cups almond flour

seasoning of choice (sometimes I use seasoned salt or cajun)

1-2 lbs of chicken breasts, cut into long strips

1 egg

olive oil

First set up your stations.

Station 1: raw chicken

Station 2: bowl with beaten egg

Station 3: plate with almond flour with seasonings mixed in

Station 4: Skillet with 1/4 inch of oil coating bottom. Use medium or medium low heat. (Be sure oil is heated before you start cooking the chicken.)

Dip chicken in egg. Transfer to plate with almond flour and coat evenly. Shake off excess flour and place in skillet. Cook 5-9 minutes per side. The almond flour should take on a nice golden brown color when done.

One of the keys to this is to not use overly large, thick pieces of chicken. The outside will get done before the inside of the chicken is cooked through.

Cabbage, Tomatoes and Meatballs

I was perusing some of the websites I frequent and came across a crock pot recipe that looks great and not your usual stew-type crock pot meal. I haven't tried it yet, but I will after my next grocery shopping trip.

(click here for the recipe)