8-Ingredient Vegan Walnut Banana Bread

Vegan Walnut Banana Bread

Benefits

Bananas are a good source of vitamin B, vitamin C, and potassium? Ripe bananas are also very sweet, so they can be used in baked goods as a natural sweetener which means less added sugar required! Walnuts are also rich in omega-3’s and antioxidants, and eating healthy fats like nuts helps keep you fuller for longer!

Ingredients

• 1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
• 3/8 cup whole wheat flour
• 3 large overly ripe bananas
• 4 oz unsweetened applesauce
• 2 tbsp agave syrup (optional)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• Walnuts

Directions

In a large bowl, mash the bananas. Add the applesauce, agave syrup (for extra natural sweetness if desired), and vanilla extract. In another bowl, add all the dry ingredients and mix evenly. Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, and combine thoroughly.

Preheat the oven to 350 F degrees. Add the batter into a loaf pan lined with parchment paper. Add walnuts on top. Bake for 50 minutes.

3-Ingredient Almond Butter Date Oat Balls

Almond Butter Date Oat Balls

Benefits

Did you know that oats are a good source of fiber and is low in saturated fat? Because it also contains protein, it acts as a natural source of glutamine, a nonessential amino acid that our body produces naturally.

As a side note, I made a video about glutamine, nutrition, and Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, so for more information about glutamine and its effects on DMD as well as the recipe video, https://youtu.be/wkA5e2lE2x0!

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup creamy almond butter
• 3/4 cup oats
• 6 pitted dates

Directions

Place the dates in hot water for 5 minutes. In the meantime, pulse the oats in a food processor, and set aside in a bowl. Once the dates are done soaking, blend them. Add a splash of water if needed to help with mixing. Then, add the almond butter. Once it is evenly mix, add the oat flour in segments and process until ingredients are evenly mixed. Moisten hands with water and roll the dough into balls. Place in a plate or pan, and refrigerate for an hour.

(Side Note: This recipe made 25 almond butter date oat balls.)

Vegan Cinnamon Roll Pancakes

Cinnamon Bun Pancakes

Pancake Batter Ingredients

• 1/4 cup unbleached all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 3/4 cup vanilla almond milk
• 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tbsp oil

Cinnamon Filling Ingredients

• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tbsp agave syrup

Vanilla “Icing” Ingredients

• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tbsp vanilla almond milk

Side Note: If you don’t mind it not being vegan, add cream cheese and sugar to make the icing!

Directions

Prepare the pancake batter in a medium mixing bowl. Add all the wet ingredients first and combine. Then add the dry ingredients, 1/4 cup at a time, and mix thoroughly to ensure no clumps are formed.

For the cinnamon filling, combine the ingredients and place in a small Ziplock bag.

In a low-medium heated nonstick pan, add the pancake batter, and cut the tip of the Ziplock bag to draw cinnamon swirls into the pancake. Flip once many bubbles form (as many as can form to prevent a doughy texture).

Serve on a plate, and drizzle the mixed vanilla icing ingredients on top. Feel free to add maple or agave syrup to the top if you want more sweetness!

QUICK, LOW-BUDGET VEGAN MEAL: Oil-free Black Bean Chili Salad and Avocado Kale Smoothie

Avocado Kale Smoothie

Benefits

Did you know that avocados have more potassium than bananas? It is also a good source vitamin K and unsaturated (healthy) fats, and it is a great fruit because of its low sugar levels.

Ingredients

• 1 pitted avocado
• 1 cup of vanilla almond milk
• Handful of kale
• Ice

Directions

Blend all of the listed ingredients together, and drink. Das it!

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Oil-free Black Bean Salad

Benefits

Not only are black beans cheap (usually $1 per can), but they are a great source of nutrients. HALF a cup of black beans contains 9g of fiber and 7g of protein. In addition, it is a good source of folate (vitamin B) which is essential for red blood cell formation. Turmeric is also great for its anti-inflammatory effects, and addition of black pepper enhances its bioavailability.

Ingredients

• 1 can of black beans
• Half of a cauliflower
• 2 Roma tomatoes
• Seasonings: garlic powder, turmeric, smoked paprika, and black pepper

Directions

Cut the cauliflower into bite-sized pieces and dice the Roma tomatoes. In a medium-heated pot, place the cauliflower with a splash of water in order to cook the vegetable through. Add turmeric, black pepper, smoked paprika, and garlic powder, and mix. Cover the pot.

After four minutes, add the black beans and Roma tomatoes. Cook for six minutes, making sure to mix periodically.

Serve over a bed of kale and multigrain chips if desired!

Vegan Coconut Shortbread Cookies with Strawberry and Blueberry Chia Jam

Ingredients

Vegan Coconut Shortbread Cookies

• 4/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 8 tbsp coconut oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 whole lemon

Strawberry / Blueberry Chia Jam

• 1 cup strawberries
• 1 cup blueberries
• 4 tbsp chia seeds
• 8 tbsp water
• 4 tbsp agave syrup (2 tbsp per jam type)

Directions

Preparing the Cookie Dough

Using a mixer, cream the coconut oil and sugar together. Add the vanilla extract, lemon juice from the whole lemon, salt, and baking powder. Lastly, slow mix in the flour. Cover and chill the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour.

Making the Chia Jam

First, mix the chia seeds and water together. Let it sit for 5 minutes until the texture becomes jelly-like. In a food processor, add half of the chia seed mixture and the strawberries. Blend until it is a smooth consistency. Then, reduce the mixture in a low-medium pan and add the agave syrup. Repeat the steps with the blueberries. Let it cool.

Side Note: For the strawberry jam, I added several drops of red food coloring because its red color dulled during reduction.

Baking the Cookies

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Roll pieces of the dough into a small sphere, and use the thumb to make a dent in the middle. Add the prepared chia jam to the dent.

Once the oven is ready, place the cookies on a tray lined with parchment paper, and bake for 15 minutes (or until it is golden brown). Let the cookies cool, then eat them! Awww yeeuhhhh.

You can use leftover blueberry and strawberry chia jam on toast, pancakes, etc. 😉