Banana Cashew Balls

One thing that I was most surprised about after giving birth to my daughter is how ravenously hungry I was during the first few weeks. I think it was from all the breastfeeding and energy I was expending caring for my little baby. I was always looking for a quick, healthy, and filling snack. So when I offered to bring our friends who just had a baby a meal, I also took them some of these Banana Cashew Balls. I actually found the recipe from looking at my friend's Pinterest page, as she is a super healthy eater. I wanted to make something I knew she would like and she mentioned on Pinterest that bananas and cashews were two of her favorite flavors. I happen to love both flavors too so was eager to try these myself. With no refined sugar, flour, or oil, these little balls are an excellent source of potassium, protein and carbs. They keep best in the fridge and were really great cold. 

Banana Cashew Balls
From FatFree Vegan Kitchen
Printable Version
Makes about 15 balls
Ingredients
2 overripe bananas
1/2 cup cashews

2 tablespoons ground flax seeds
6 tablespoons oatmeal
4 dates, pitted
1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped (didn't have these)

Directions
Cut the bananas into about 3/4 inch thick slices and place them on a microwave safe dish. Microwave at 60% power for about ten minutes (may need to be more) or until most of the moisture has boiled out of the banana. 

Pulse the cashews in the food processor until coarsely ground. Add the flax seed and oatmeal and pulse a few more times. Add the banana and dates and seeds from the vanilla bean. 

Blend into a thick paste. Moisten your hands and scoop up the paste in about one tablespoon portions. Form into balls. Cover and keep refrigerated. 

Marbled Nutella Banana Bread

A friend who knows how much I love Nutella sent me a link to Nutella Banana bread. Not this recipe but a similar one, and since she did I didn't stop thinking about baking a loaf myself until I actually set about doing it. 

I like this marbled version because it just looks so pretty. It came out moist with a great balance between banana and Nutella. And bananas and Nutella are just made to go together!

Marbled Nutella Banana Bread
From Sugar Plum
Printable Version
Ingredients
2 1/3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups ripe bananas (3 bananas)
6 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1/2 cup Nutella

Directions
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9 inch loaf pan with cooking spray. In a medium mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a large mixing bowl, using a a mixer on medium speed (I used my KitchenAid mixer on medium) beat together banana, butter, both sugars, and vanilla until creamy and combined, about 2 minutes. Beat in eggs until well combined. Reduce mixer to low speed and beat in flour mixture until just combined. Divide 1/2 of the batter in to a medium bowl; stir in Nutella until combined.

Alternate spoonfuls of batter into the loaf pan until all of the batter is used up. Swirl batter gently with a knife - not too much!

Bake 1 hour or until well risen and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. 

Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Smoothie

When my sister in law visited for the Holidays we made these smoothies after a morning workout. Although the idea of oats in a smoothie may be a little off putting, they are ground into a powder so that you don't even notice them. This smoothie is my new favorite - it's uber healthy and very filling. I modified the original recipe by adding in walnuts (a pregnancy super food) and ground flax seeds. 

Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Smoothie
From This Chick Cooks
Printable Version
Makes 2 small smoothies
Ingredients
2 frozen bananas, peeled and sliced
1/4 cup oats
1/4 cup peanut butter
Sprinkle of walnuts
Sprinkle of ground flax seed
3/4 cup milk


Directions 
Put oats in a blender and blend until powdery. 

Add remaining ingredients.

Blend until smooth and no banana chunks remain. Garnish with fresh banana slices if desired. 

Banana Berry Mango Smoothie

Lately I have been really into smoothies. As in I make one just about every single day. I started out buying the Yoplait frozen smoothies that you just add milk into but I wanted to include different fruit and decided to have a go at my own original smoothie. Since mango is grown here on Okinawa I always have access to big, fresh mango. Unfortunately berries are hard to come by so I am just buying frozen organic berries instead.

It's a healthy, filling, quick and easy breakfast. I don't know why I neglected the smoothie for so long. What ingredients are you in your favorite smoothie??

Banana Berry Mango Smoothie
Printable Version
Ingredients
1 frozen banana (or fresh)
1/4 cup frozen blueberries
1/4 cup frozen strawberries
1/4 cup fresh mango
1/2 cup yogurt
1 cup milk

Directions
Place all ingredients into a blender or cup of a hand blender. 

Blend until everything is smooth and to your desired consistency. Enjoy!

Turtle Banana Soft Serve

I've been meaning to post this healthy substitute for ice cream for a long time because it's so clever and ingenius. Frozen bananas whipped in a food processor are a blank canvas for whatever ice cream toppings your little heart desires. In my case, it's caramel, chocolate syrup, and toasted pecans.  I love making this when I want something sweet without the guilt. You get the health benefits from bananas but it still tastes indulgent. It doesn't get much simpler or easier than this one!

Turtle Banana Soft Serve
Serves 1
Printable Version
Ingredients
2 frozen bananas
Caramel sauce
Chocolate syrup
1/2 cup toasted pecans

Directions
Break frozen bananas into thirds and peel with a sharp knife (be careful!). 

Place bananas in a food processor set with metal blade and pulse until the bananas are whipped and smooth.

Use a spatula to scoop out the whipped bananas and place into a serving bowl. Drizzle with caramel and chocolate sauce and sprinkle on toasted pecans. 

Brownie Pizza

If this dessert from How Sweet It Is doesn't knock your socks off, then I truly don't know what will. Let's see: brownies covered in cream cheese frosting and topped with fresh strawberries, bananas, toasted coconut, Snickers pieces, and then drizzled with caramel. Are you drooling yet? 

I brought this amazing concoction to one of my school's end of the year meeting as a dish to pass because I have been wanting to make it for a while but needed an occasion to make it for. Also because I didn't want to die from sugar overload. 

This dessert is extremely decadent. Make them for a large crowd, as they are just begging to be shared...and photographed for that matter. I really could not stop taking pictures of these beauties.

Brownie Pizza
From How Sweet It Is 
Printable Version


Ingredients
1 box brownie mix
1 cup sliced strawberries
1 banana, sliced
1/2 cup coconut
Caramel sauce for drizzling
12 fun sized candy bars, chopped (Snickers is the best)
2 cups cream cheese frosting

Directions
Prepare brownie mix according to directions. Spread batter on a round pizza pan or on a long baking sheet with edges. Bake for approximately 15 minutes or until the brownie is baked through. Meanwhile, toast the coconut in a nonstick pan over medium heat. Toss frequently until browned. 

Let the brownie cool completely (you can stick it in the refrigerator to speed things up). Spread cream cheese frosting on brownies in a thin layer. 

Add toppings and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes before serving. 

Make sure to serve within 24 hours or the bananas will start to brown.

Banana Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting

I'm baaaaaack! Oh blogging, I missed you so! I didn't realize how much I love sharing recipes with you until I literally couldn't. I am happily back to blogging on a beautiful brand new MacBook Pro, which I am already in love with. It's so fast and a HUGE step up from the hand-me-down laptop I was using before. 

Without further ado, I give you Banana Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting. This cake is more than just another banana cake. The recipe comes from a cookbook complied by members of the church that my parents have faithfully attended since 1984. The title of this recipe in the Haven Cookbook is, "AJ's Secret Banana Cake". My dad was A.J.'s Sunday School teacher and they became buddies. AJ has made the cake for my Dad several times over the years, and my parents have bought his cake at Church Auctions. It is a very well known cake at Haven Church. People really go nuts over it. Or maybe just my family goes nuts over it, but regardless, it is one incredible banana cake. Otherwise I don't think it would be titled, "AJ's Secret Banana Cake", do you?? Since it was published in the church cook book, the secret is out, and now that the recipe is on my blog, is most definitely is out. But the world is a better place with this banana cake recipe being shared. This cake actually melts in your mouth. It's so moist and delicious. AJ frosts his cake with cream cheese or vanilla frosting, which is how I've had it before. I decided to get a little creative and frost it with peanut butter frosting because there really is no better combination than peanut butter and banana. 


If AJ or his family reads this I would like them to know that my family is forever grateful for your banana cake. It truly is one of the best cakes I've ever had. The next time you are thinking of making banana bread, you must make this cake instead. It's a much better way to use your over ripe bananas.

AJ's Not So Secret Banana Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting
Printable Version


Ingredients for the cake:
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 to 2 cups mashed bananas
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix butter, sugar, eggs, and bananas together well. (I used my KitchenAid). Add the rest of the ingredients and continue to mix well. Pour into a greased and well floured 9X13 inch pan. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Frost as desired. 

Ingredients for the Peanut Butter Frosting
1/3 cup peanut butter
1/3 cup milk
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla (my Homemade Vanilla Extract is pictured in the vodka bottle!)
3 cup powdered sugar

Directions
Beat peanut butter milk, and vanilla until blended. Gradually beat in powdered sugar until smooth. Spread over cake. 

Homemade Frosty Paws Treats

Since I make (and blog about) so much food for my hubby, I thought it was time for me to make something special for the other man in my life --- Wendell! Wendell is our 2 year old pug and he is the other love of my life. My husband is aware of this, although not so happy about it. Until we have our own babies, Wendell is my baby. Since he is a pug and puggies get easily overheated in the summer, I whipped up some homemade Frosty Paws Treats to help cool him off. These froze just in time for a weekend sleep over with Gizmo, Wendell's best friend forever. Wendell and Giz really liked these treats. With banana, honey, peanut butter, and yogurt they sound like a pretty darn good snack for humans too! 

Frosty Paws Treats
From Bmd4me on Tasty Kitchen


Printable Version

Ingredients
32 ounces of plain yogurt
1 whole ripe banana
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon peanut butter

Directions

Lightly spray 2 cupcake tins with vegetable spray. Put all the ingredients into the food processor. Whiz it around until smooth. Divide evenly between 24 cupcake molds. 

Freeze until solid. Pop out of cupcake tins and put into plastic freezer bags until ready for the doggies.