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Delicious and healthy pancakes made with banana, oats, eggs and applesauce, all mixed in a blender and it's super tasty!

This is not your regular breakfast pancake; this fluffy and healthy banana applesauce pancake is full of flavour and it is gluten free. The applesauce is the selling point of this pancake, the aroma is perfectly blended with cinnamon and ground nutmeg. When I thought of this pancake recipe, I wasn't sure if the banana would blend with the applesauce, but boom! It was a hit. This is my best pancake recipe so far.

This pancake will satisfy your sweet craving without having any guilt of over indulging; it's healthy, filling and is the perfect start or end to your day.
Ingredients for making banana applesauce pancakes
Compared to other pancakes, this recipe is rich in flavour coming from the cinnamon, unsweetened applesauce and nutmeg. Other ingredients in this recipe are banana, eggs, unsweetened almond milk, vanilla extract, maple syrup, old fashioned rolled oats (gluten free if desired), baking powder and salt to taste.
How to make banana applesauce pancakes

1. Mash the bananas and add into a blender with other ingredients, blend for about a minute on high. Pour the batter in a bowl and let it sit there as you heat up the pan. If the batter is too thin or thick, add extra tablespoons of oats or unsweetened almond milk respectively.

2. Lightly coat a non-stick frying pan or griddle with olive oil (or coconut oil) and set hob to medium heat. Scoop 1/3 cup of the pancake batter onto the pan. Cook for about 2-3mins until the bubbles start to pop up around the edges and on top.

3. Flip to the other side and cook until golden brown. It shouldn't take long on the flipped side so watch the pancake doesn't get burnt. If your pan starts smoking it means the heat is too much; I normally start on medium heat and turn it down lower so that the heat won't be too high.

4. Serve hot with your favourite toppings.

I topped my banana applesauce pancakes with diced apple and honey. You can make it even better and top with diced sautéed apples and sprinkle some cinnamon on top!
Can you freeze banana applesauce pancakes?
I prefer to eat pancakes fresh, but if you like to cook it ahead and freeze it, you can do that. To freeze pancakes, put them in lidded freezer safe plastic containers and freeze for up to three months. The longer you freeze pancakes for, the more they lose their taste and texture.
How do you keep pancakes warm?
Sometimes, you may not be ready to eat your pancakes straight away, hence, why you might want to keep it warm and fresh. To keep pancakes warm, place it on a plate and pop it in the oven at about 90C until you're ready to eat.

These ingredients makes about 6 pancakes and serves 3.
Other pancake recipes Utensils and tools in this recipe
Griddle/ non-stick frying pan, mixing bowl, measuring cups and blender (You can buy any of the items on Amazon by clicking the link. This opens a new tab on your browser so you will still remain on this page).

Let me know if yours came out well in the comment box below. Connect with me on my social media pages on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and Pinterest @Daddysnom.

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Healthy banana applesauce pancakes - Daddy's Nom

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This is not your regular breakfast pancake; this fluffy and healthy banana applesauce pancake is full of flavour and it is gluten free. The applesauce is the selling point of this pancake, the aroma is perfectly blended with cinnamon and ground nutmeg.

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Simplest Zucchini Parmesan Pasta. Two of summer's star produce, zucchini and yellow summer squash are caramelized and mashed to create a creamy, buttery pasta sauce without using any cream. This pasta takes just minutes to make and uses the simplest of summertime ingredients, most of which you may have in your pantry right now! If you're looking for a new pasta dinner, this is it. Bonus? This pasta is full of veggies, making it healthy...ish.

Hey, hi and welcome to another addition of super simple Thursday here on HBH. I am loving getting creative with these easy recipes, making them delicious, pretty, and fun!

This fresh zucchini pasta... It. Is. GOOD! I mean, it's so simple, yet, so delicious and also very different. Why? Because I made the pasta sauce out of zucchini. No cream, no eggs, just a lots of zucchini, parmesan cheese, and fresh basil. OK. And maybe a little butter too, because I mean, pasta needs butter, if you ask me.

Before I dive into the details, let me tell you where my inspiration for this recipe came from, Meghan Markle. Yes, Meghan Markle, as in the new Duchess of Sussex. If I'm being honest, I really did not follow any of the royal wedding, but it was hard not to miss some of the headlines as they were everywhere. A few things did catch my eye.

One, her dress/dresses were all stunning. I loved them. What did you guys think?

Two, I also loved her simple makeup look, proving to girls everywhere, that you don't need to cover up your face. And also? Simple is best.

Three, among all the headlines about the royal wedding, I came across an article that mentioned Meghan really loved cooking and that she makes a zucchini pasta sauce that she loves. Obviously this very much interested me, so I read on. The article didn't mention how exactly she made the pasta, but it's cool, because I was happy to do my own thing...

So I did do my thing, and it turned out SO GOOD. Very excited about it. Thank you to the new Duchess of Sussex for inspiring today's recipe.

Let me explain how exactly you turn zucchini into a pasta sauce.

For starters, you'll need to boil some pasta, reserving the pasta cooking water to use for thinning out the zucchini sauce, this is key. I have mentioned this before, but the pasta cooking water is an essential ingredient to creating some of the best pasta sauces. Always reserve a little water before draining. Always. You can really use any cut of pasta you love, but I'm loving the large tubular shape that I used. The ridges really catch all the sauce so that each bite is perfectly saucy.

While the pasta is cooking, start the zucchini. The secret is to cook the zucchini until it is deep golden and caramelized. Once it hits this stage, it can be easily broken down and mashed. Cooking the zucchini this way allows for the flavors to really come out, it becomes sweet and buttery. It's honestly just magical. That sounds so cheesy, but I don't know of a better way to say it.

I decided to leave the zucchini on the chunkier side, but if you prefer a smooth pasta sauce, you can puree the zucchini in the food processor. Personally, that's just another step that I didn't want to do, but do what you like! Whether chunky or smooth, it's going to be good.

All that's left to do is add the cheese, I like parmesan a lot, but manchego is really good too, if you happen to have that available. Stir in lots of fresh basil and that's it.

Pretty simple, right? Under ten ingredients, under thirty minutes, no fancy ingredients, but still really, really good. Love it!

And when I say I love it, I really mean it. This is one of those recipes that can easily become a staple, because it truly is so easy, simple, and delicious. I like to think of it as a fancier version of buttered noodles with the addition of lots of zucchini, basil and parmesan.

It's truly perfection, and if you happen to be growing zucchini this summer, I foresee this becoming a staple in your kitchen too!

If you make this zucchini pasta, please be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! I love hearing from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every one of you. Oh, and of course, if you do make this easy, summery pasta, don't forget to also tag me on Instagram so I can see! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!

Watch the How To Video:

Simplest Zucchini Parmesan PastaWEB from Half Baked Harvest on Vimeo.

All the pasta, all summer long...

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This pasta takes just minutes to make and uses the simplest of summertime ingredients, most of which you may have in your pantry right now! If you're looking for a new pasta dinner, this is it. Bonus? This pasta is full of veggies, making it healthy...ish.

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Nothing is better (or easier) than this Broccoli Cheddar Chicken and Rice Casserole. Kind of like broccoli cheddar soup meets cozy weeknight casserole. It's healthy...ish, so darn easy, and so darn delicious. The best part...it's made entirely in one pot and in under an hour. Grab some chicken, rice, orzo pasta, plenty of herbs, and all the broccoli you can snag. Cook everything together on the stove, add sharp cheddar cheese, and finish off in the oven to melt the cheese. Simple, but SO GOOD. The perfect weeknight casserole!

It's not even September yet and I am already throwing the casseroles at you guys. Yes, it's true. I'm ready to switch things up. I'm ready for a bit of cozy, and well, I really just hope you all are ready too.

In all seriousness, this really is a perfect recipe for this time of year. The kids are all heading back to school, everyone is slowly coming back from summer vacations, and life is getting busy. Sure, it's still hot out, but I'm feeling the autumn shift slowly creeping its way in. And with that comes dinner inspiration from my childhood. End of summer and back to school signals the part of my brain that has me thinking easy family dinners, midwest style.

I'm talking casseroles, tacos, slow cooker dinner, and soon enough, soups. Anyone else feel the same or what? It can't just be me...

Growing up, broccoli cheddar anything was my favorite, but especially the broccoli cheddar soup from Panera bread. My other favorite? My dad's rice bakes, which he'd make simple with so much broccoli and so much cheddar cheese. They were simple and delicious and I was so into them.

I got to thinking about combining the two together, and just like that, this recipe was formed. It's not anything crazy creative, but I can assure you, it's crazy delicious.

Like I said above, kind of like broccoli cheddar soup meets cozy rice casserole. And it's is GOOD. Not nearly as soupy as soup, but not as heavy as a casserole. It's got the perfect balance.

It all starts and ends in ONE pot. Or two if you're like me and decide you want to bake this in a real casserole dish for the "real deal" midwest style casserole situation. I really love setting the mood.

Anyway, start with the basics. Cook your onion, add the chicken, give the chicken some time sear. Then add a touch of butter, some rice, orzo, and fresh thyme. Cook until you've got a nice toasty smell going, now add the broth, broccoli, and a few more seasonings. Cover and cook just like you would a normal pot of rice. Once this is finished cooking, stir in just a touch of milk for creaminess (swap in non-dairy milk, if needed), and lemon zest for a pop of freshness.

Top with cheddar cheese and bake until the cheese is melty and the broccoli on top has a little char. Finish with fresh thyme and basil from the garden and dinner is served. Easy, right?

But yet so very good. The rice underneath stays soft and creamy while the cheese on top browns. The corners of the dish will form an insanely delicious, cheesy crust. Every bite is flavor and roll your eyes back good.

If you prefer to go the vegetarian route, simply omit the chicken from the dish. It's truly just as delicious without or without, so do what works best for you and your family.

This dish brings back all the best memories from when I was a kid, huddled around the kitchen counter, eating chicken noodle casserole with my brothers. Of course, this is a much healthier dinner option, with so much more color than mom's (super old school) chicken noodle casserole. But all the nostalgia is still there.

And no offense to my mom or dad, but personally I love my vegetable-filled casserole a bit more than their old school version. Sometimes you have to upgrade the classics a bit, you know?

Make this one for family and friends, I don't know anyone who wouldn't love it.

If you make this broccoli cheddar chicken and rice casserole, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don't forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Watch The How To Video:

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Broccoli Cheddar Chicken and Rice Casserole.

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Nothing is better (or easier) than this Broccoli Cheddar Chicken and Rice Casserole. Kind of like broccoli cheddar soup meets cozy weeknight casserole. It's healthy...ish, so darn easy, and so darn delicious. The best part...it's made entirely in one pot and in under an hour.

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Get Why-the-Chicken-Crossed-the-Road Santa Fe-Tastic Tortilla Soup Recipe from Food Network

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I'm an early bird, and don't usually get hungry for breakfast until a couple of hours after I wake up. However, I love to have something sweet with my coffee, as my mom raised me to do, and love nothing more than a warm slice of vegan banana bread to start my morning.

I wanted to take my quarantine baking to the next level, so decided to attempt a flavor I've never done before and I'm SO happy I did. Look at those gorgeous swirls of chocolate- they're seriously mesmerizing.

I wanted to work on a vegan recipe for all of my followers who have egg allergies, and since I bake a lot with nuts and almond flour, I thought I'd attempt a nut-free recipe, too. I'm so happy with how this vegan banana bread turned out! You wouldn't even know its vegan, so let's keep that a secret from any skeptical friends.

Some things you'll need for this recipe:

Spelt flour - I love using spelt flour in place of regular flour because its a whole-grain with more fiber. However, you can substitute all-purpose flour or a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend.

Chia eggs- I've seen a few vegan banana breads that use the bananas as a binder in place of eggs. I personally didn't didn't love the texture that yields, so replaced the eggs with chia. The chia seeds create a gel-like substance and can be used in almost any baked recipe to make it vegan!

Olive oil - while quarantining, I wanted to create a simple recipe using ingredients most people have at home. Olive oil seemed to be abundant in all households, but can also be subbed for another neutral oil.

Apple cider vinegar- in vegan baking, the acids in apple cider vinegar help activate the baking soda and powder in place of the eggs. This helps give the baked good a fluffier texture.

You'll need only few other simple ingredients you likely have lying around! I can't wait for you guys to try this one. Don't forget to check out my Chocolate Chip Walnut Banana Bread if you have some extra bananas on hand.

Be sure to tag me on Instagram @_somethingnutritious and tag #somethingnutritious so I can see your creations!

Vegan Marbled Banana Bread

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 F.

In a medium bowl, mix together the dry ingredients (first 4 ingredients).

In a separate bowl, mix together remaining wet ingredients except for the cocoa mixture and chocolate chips.

Combine with dry ingredients and mix well. Divide the batter in half and pour into two bowls.

Mix the cocoa mixture into one of the bowls and fold in 1/4 cup of the chocolate chips to the chocolate mix.

In a parchment lined 9 x 5 loaf pan, layer the two batters- should be about 2 layers of each. Swirl the batters in using a knife, then top with remaining chocolate chips (see video below)

Bake for 50-55 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean from the center.

Let cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing

Store in cool place or refrigerate in warmer climates

Leftovers can be frozen for up to 3 months.

Notes

I have not tested any other flours, however, regular or 1:1 GF flour blend should work in place of spelt. I cannot guarantee the same results for a flour alternative like almond flour or coconut.

You can sub regular eggs if not making vegan!

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Vegan Marbled Banana Bread - Something Nutritious

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I'm an early bird, and don't usually get hungry for breakfast until a couple of hours after I wake up. However, I love to have something sweet with my coffee, as my mom raised me to do, and love nothing more than a warm slice of vegan banana bread to start my morning.

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About the author

FitMenCook

My name is Kevin. My life changed when I realized that healthy living is truly a lifelong journey, mainly won by having a well-balanced diet and enjoying adequate exercise. By experimenting in the kitchen and openly sharing my meals, I learned that healthy eating is hardly boring and that by making a few adjustments, I could design a diet that could help me achieve my personal fitness goals. Our bodies are built in the kitchen and sculpted in the gym.

Cauliflower Chicken Alfredo Recipe

Ingredients

Ingredients 4 servings

Sauce

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup diced white onion

1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic, fresh

12oz steamed cauliflower florets

1 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk

1 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano (or grated parmesan)

pinch of sea salt & cracked pepper

1 1/2 lb chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces (OR portobello mushrooms)

1/2 lb asparagus, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces

12oz wheat linguine (OR your choice of pasta or veggie noodles)

Steps

1. Place steam-able bag of cauliflower in the microwave (or bring a pot of water to a boil and steam the cauliflower) and cook according to instructions given and set aside.

2. Prepare pasta or linguine in a pot according to the instructions given. Set aside.

3. Set a medium skillet on medium heat. Once hot, saute onions and garlic for 2 to 3 minutes in olive oil, or until the onion turns slightly brown and translucent.

4. Transfer the onions and garlic to a blender, along with the remaining ingredients of the sauce. Blend until smooth and fine. Season to taste with pepper. If you want a thinner sauce, simply add tablespoons of almond milk or water.

5. Set the nonstick skillet back on high heat, once hot, spray with oil, then add chicken and asparagus pieces. Allow the chicken and asparagus to rest in the skillet until marks form, about 2 minutes. Then reduce the heat to medium and stir together and cook the chicken through, about 4 to 6 minutes.

6. Add pasta to the skillet and toss together using tongs. Then, pour in the sauce and fold everything together. Use as much sauce as you'd like and then store the rest in an airtight container.

7. Remove the skillet from the heat and garnish

8. Enjoy!

Track your macros, plan your weekly meals, add recipes to your grocery list, as well as get access to over 500 healthy recipes by FitMenCook.

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Healthy Cauliflower Chicken Alfredo Recipe - Fit Men Cook

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About the author FitMenCook My name is Kevin. My life changed when I realized that healthy living is truly a lifelong journey, mainly won by having a well-balanced diet and enjoying adequate exercise.

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Weeknight style Cheesy Baked Crispy Chipotle Chicken Tacos with Cilantro Lime Ranch...and all the toppings. Because loaded tacos are just better. Ground chicken seasoned with a smoky chipotle chili spice mix, stuffed into hard shell tacos, topped with cheese, and oven-baked. These tacos are crunchy on the outside, but spicy and cheesy inside. Serve each taco with a creamy, cooling cilantro lime ranch sauce, and a mix of your favorite taco toppings. They come together in minutes and are so delicious...the perfect weeknight dinner. Bonus, the chipotle chicken is great as a leftover. Pile it high onto your favorite tortilla chips for some seriously delicious nachos or serve it up atop greens for a Mexican inspired salad.

As a kid, tacos were a weeknight staple in our house. I've touched on this before, but my dad cooked tacos for dinner at least once or twice a week for multiple years straight. It probably wasn't until I started to take over the cooking around the age of fourteen that we started to switch things up. So yes, the typical weeknight ground beef taco was a staple, and my dad had them down to a T.

He'd make his tacos with ground beef and store-bought taco seasoning. Then he'd simply stuff the meat into tortillas with a little cheddar cheese and nothing else. Well...maybe some lettuce for my mom and I. But no beans, no avocado, not even cilantro or a squeeze of lime. Very, very basic, and it's just what my brothers wanted. At the time, I didn't know any better, so I greatly enjoyed these tacos too. I took mine in a hard shell and oven-baked for extra crispiness on the outside, and soft and cheesy inside.

And there you have it.

That's my childhood taco story. Did we ever get sick of eating tacos? Honestly, I don't think we did. I'm pretty sure that we were the ones requesting taco night so often. We loved it and still do! I'm always making tacos, whether it's these quick skillet chicken tacos, my favorite Caribbean shrimp tacos, or these saucy instant pot BBQ chicken tacos. Tacos are still on the menu every couple of weeks.

But my absolute go-to taco?

It's these. They're classic, so simple, cheesy, crunchy, and SO GOOD. I love them, my brothers love them, and pretty much every other human who enjoys Mexican food (even just a little) enjoys these crunchy tacos.

To make these weeknight chicken tacos...

It is SIMPLE.

Pick up some ground chicken, turkey, or even ground beef. Just be sure to use what your family loves most! Simply brown the meat, add seasonings, and stuff into hard tacos. Then top with cheese, and bake in the oven until melted and crisp.

Doesn't get any easier, but yet this is a dinner that everyone loves.

I do have a few little secrets however that make these tacos better than the rest.

The seasoning blend.

Over the years, I feel like I've kind of perfected the taco seasoning mix. It's just a touch spicy, a little smoky, and hinted with garlic. I use a mix of chipotle chili powder (key ingredient) and smoked paprika to keep the taco meat extra flavorful. Most tacos mixes use regular chili powder, but I've always found that to lack flavor. Using chipotle chili powder adds the perfect amount of spiciness.

I like to use a good amount, so be sure to adjust this to your family's taste level. Start with two teaspoons and work your way up to three if you like things spicy!

My Shells? I make them at home.

Well, kind of, and the shells aren't technically a part of the recipe. BUT I'm including it in the notes. Instead of using store-bought taco shells I like to take corn tortillas, stuff them with the taco meat plus cheese, then oven bake them until the tortillas are crispy. I rub each tortilla with olive oil and then flip them halfway through cooking. This is key to getting the tacos extra crispy on both sides.

If you have a couple extra minutes, I would highly recommend making your own "shells". They're very, very good...and much healthier than store-bought too!

That cilantro lime ranch? You need it too.

Most tacos are topped with sour cream, but trust me this cilantro lime ranch is so much better, but it's also not your average ranch.

I used fresh cilantro and plenty of lime in place of the usual herb mix and stirred in some pickled jalapeños for a spicy, tangy kick. This is the perfect sauce to dollop onto each cheesy, crunchy taco.

If you wanted to take the toppings a step further, I would recommend a pineapple salsa or mango salsa. But you all know me, I love a good fruity salsa. Oh, and maybe add a nice margarita too. This spicy mango marg is my personal favorite.

If you make these weeknight Crispy Chipotle Chicken Tacos with Cilantro Lime Ranch, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don't forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!

Watch the How To Video:

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Crispy Chipotle Chicken Tacos with Cilantro Lime Ranch.

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Weeknight style Cheesy Baked Crispy Chipotle Chicken Tacos with Cilantro Lime Ranch...and all the toppings. Because loaded tacos are just better. Ground chicken seasoned with a smoky chipotle chili spice mix, stuffed into hard shell tacos, topped with cheese, and oven-baked. These tacos are crunchy on the outside, but spicy and cheesy inside.

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Banana bread is definitely my love language. Weirdly enough, I only grew to love it in my young adult years, but never really grew up eating it. Totally made up for that in the last 4 years though, don't worry. I probably make this gluten-free banana bread 4 times a month.

There's something about a fresh slice of banana bread paired with a cup of coffee that just gets me. I always need something sweet to start my morning, and nothing beats a homemade baked good.

I originally created this gluten-free banana bread recipe for Passover, the Jewish holiday in which we avoid all things gluten. Needless to say it became a weekly staple. It has a light & fluffy texture, and loaded with chocolate chips and walnuts in every bite.

It's made from a mix of almond and coconut flour, and while I haven't tested any substitutes for this one, a few followers had success with oat flour as a replacement for the coconut flour.

This recipe freezes well, too. You can slice it after baking and freeze it for up to 3 months. I would let it defrost overnight to enjoy the following morning!

Feel free to leave out the walnuts if that's not your thing! I would add extra chocolate chips to make up for it, because extra chocolate is never a bad idea.

If love banana bread like I do, be sure to check out my vegan Marbled Banana Bread the next time you have spotty banana lying around!

Gluten-free Chocolate Chip Walnut Banana Bread

Course: Baked goods, Breakfast

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 F.

In a large bowl, mash the bananas. Whisk in the eggs, sweetener, oil, vanilla, and cinnamon until smooth.

Stir in the almond flour, coconut flour, baking powder and salt. Mix until well combined, then fold in the walnuts and chocolate chips, reserving some to top.

Pour the batter into a parchment lined 9 x 5 loaf pan. Shake to even out.

Top with remaining walnuts and chocolate chips. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Notes

I have not tested any other flours for this recipe!

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Gluten-free Chocolate Chip Walnut Banana Bread - Something Nutritious

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Banana bread is definitely my love language. Weirdly enough, I only grew to love it in my young adult years, but never really grew up eating it. Totally made up for that in the last 4 years though, don't worry. I probably make this gluten-free banana bread 4 times a month.

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Soft and chewy without being the least bit cakey! These healthier double chocolate banana cookies are vegan and refined sugar free, but so fudgy and flavourful that you'd never be able to tell they were healthy!

I should probably just change my blog name to Running with Bananas and Chocolate at this point, seeing as pretty much every single recipe I've posted this month has been made with either bananas or chocolate. .

What can I say? I've been on a huge chocolate/banana bender for the past little while, and I like to post recipes made with the foods that I've been loving, otherwise it's a little hard for me to get excited about them. I mean, how can I try to get you guys excited about something when I'm just kind of " meh " about it myself myself? I can't... hence all the bananas and chocolate.

Don't be mad. Have a cookie.

I'd give you a glass of [almond] milk to go along with that, but I dropped my favourite milk jug ( aka photo prop) on the floor the other day and it shattered into a million pieces. Sorry about that.

But let's talk about these cookies! These wonderfully soft and chewy double chocolate banana cookies that I'm pretty sure aged me at least 6 months thanks to all the frustration I experienced while making them.

Let's talk about how they're called double chocolate banana cookies not only because they're made with a double dose of chocolate ( cocoa + chocolate chips), but a double dose of banana too. I started out by just adding an entire mashed banana to the batter, but that was a disaster decided to make things a little more interesting by only mashing half and slicing in the other half.

Brilliant idea. Those perfectly caramelized banana chunks are kind of to.die.for... especially when they're paired with melty chocolate chips.

Next, let's talk about how bananas may very well be one of the most annoying ingredients to work with as far as cookies go. They give a wonderful flavour and sweetness, but they will fight you tooth.and.nail if you're trying to make a soft and chewy cookie. TOOTH AND NAIL! For cakey, pillowy, muffin top type things? Bananas are your man. But for cookies with even a hint of chew? Bananas will be a thorn in your side. A very delicious thorn, but a thorn nonetheless.

It took me three trials to get these guys right.

Trial #1: too much cocoa, too much mashed banana, too little oil, and oats tossed in on a whim. Result? Dense, black, pillowy puffballs with jagged edges that looked like they would cut your gums if you bit into them. Moving on ...

Trial #2: less cocoa, no oats, same amount of mashed banana, and slightly more oil. Result? Equally as dense, slightly less black pillowy puffballs that looked like they would be better to sleep on than eat. Thankfully no more jagged edges. Moving on...

Trial #3: less cocoa, no oats, less mashed banana, slightly more oil, honey to replace the sugar, and baking soda to replace the powder. Result? Nailed it.

Finally, let's talk about how these cookies are vegan, nut-free, refined sugar free, and sooooo ridiculously soft and chewy that it hurts. The dough requires a little bit of chilling time prior to baking to make it easier to handle, but it's only 30 minutes and I promise you that it's so worth the wait.

Oh, and speaking of wait... these cookies are similar to banana bread in that they taste better the longer they sit. They're sweeter and fudgier on day 2 and 3, but I double [chocolate and banana] dare you to get them to last that long...

I'd love to know if you make this recipe! Leave a comment and rating down below to let me know what you think, and subscribe to our mailing list to receive new recipes in your inbox!

Double Chocolate Banana Cookies

Author: Amanda @ Running with Spoons

Prep Time: 40 mins

Cook Time: 12 mins

Total Time: 52 mins

Yield: 12 cookies 1x

Looking for more healthy cookies recipes ? Try one of these!
Vegan Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Oatmeal Cookies

Gluten Free Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
Flourless Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
Chewy Flourless Oatmeal Cookies
Grain Free Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Double Chocolate Banana Cookies | running with spoons

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Soft and chewy without being the least bit cakey! These healthier double chocolate banana cookies are vegan and refined sugar free, but so fudgy and flavourful that you'd never be able to tell they were healthy!

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Maple, Cinnamon & Apple Quinoa Granola - Simply Quinoa

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This quinoa granola is made with a blend of oats and quinoa flakes, sweetened with maple and applesauce. It's crunchy, it's nutty and it's perfect for fall!

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Tastes so good you won't believe it's healthy!

Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad just got a whole lot cooler!

If you love chicken salad and avocados, then you are going to go ga-ga for this recipe. After my first bite , I had an OMG moment. How can this taste THIS GOOD and be HEALTHY!

To make this recipe even more awesome, I used 1/2 mayo and 1/2 plain Greek Yogurt. This plus the creamy chunks of avocado really do take this recipe up a notch. Double bonus.... my daughters also loved it 🙂 So next time you are thinking about whipping up some chicken salad, please do yourself a favor and give this amazing recipe a try.

Healthy Avocado Chicken Salad

1. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 20-30 minutes to let all those yummy flavors blend together.

2. Serve on your favorite bread, crackers, pita pocket or on a bed of lettuce.

3. I had some extra Healthy Avocado Chicken Salad leftover to pack for lunch the next day in my EasyLunchBox. Score!

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Corey, Darryl, Big D & Little D

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Healthy Avocado Chicken Salad

If you love chicken salad & avocados, then you are going to ga-ga for this Healthy Avocado Chicken Salad recipe. How can this taste THIS GOOD & be HEALTHY!

Hover over "serves" value to reveal recipe scaler

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 20-30 minutes to let all those yummy flavors blend together.

Serve on your favorite bread, crackers, pita pocket or on a bed of lettuce.

Serve any Healthy Avocado Chicken Salad leftovers for lunch the next day!

Course: Dinner, Healthy, Lunch Idea, Lunchbox Idea

Keyword: Healthy Avocado Chicken Salad

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Tastes so good you won't believe it's healthy! Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad just got a whole lot cooler! If you love chicken salad and avocados, then you are going to go ga-ga for this recipe. After my first bite , I had an OMG moment. How can this taste THIS GOOD and be HEALTHY!

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I want to make a version of the dressing

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Summer Grilled Chicken Power Salad with sweet blueberries, crumbled bacon and a lemon vinaigrette is the salad of summer!

I've been on a seasonal power salad kick for the past couple of years! and after binge eating this salad below, it's official that it's this seasons honorary power salad. Summer Grilled Chicken Power Salad here we come.

Where do we even start? Bacon. Duh. This salad is many things but most importantly it's LOADED with flavor. That all starts with some crisped bacon. If you're not feeling the bacon, just omit that step and use some olive oil to cook the chicken. However if you're digging the bacon, you not only use the crispy bacon IN the salad, you use a little bit of the rendered fat to cook the herb crusted chicken. Talk about something being loaded with flavor.

Once those 2 proteins are taking care of, you can get into all the farmers market veggies. The bed of this salad is some gorgeous baby romaine lettuce I snagged from my farmers market, topped with raw corn (you guys know how I roll), plenty of blueberries, goat cheese and avocado. Done and done.

Everything gets tossed with a lemon champagne vinaigrette and you've pretty much sealed the deal.

Summer Grilled Chicken Power Salad

Gaby Dalkin

Photo by Matt Armendariz / Food Styling by Adam Pearson / Recipe by What's Gaby Cooking

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Summer Grilled Chicken Power Salad - What's Gaby Cooking

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I've been on a seasonal power salad kick for the past couple of years! and after binge eating this salad below, it's official that it's this seasons honorary power salad. Summer Grilled Chicken Power Salad here we come. Where do we even start? Bacon. Duh.

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Weeknight style One Skillet Saucy Chicken Tortilla Enchilada Rice Bake...finished with all the toppings...of course! Mexican seasoned chicken, rice, and enchilada sauce all cooked together in one skillet, then topped with tortilla chips and plenty of cheese. Throw the skillet in the oven to create the perfect cheesy, one skillet, Mexican inspired chicken and rice dinner. There's simply nothing not to love. This dish is easy, takes under an hour to make, is cheesy, and all-around delicious. The perfect meal to serve to family and friends.

There are days when developing new recipes, that do not go nearly as planned. The "bad" days don't happen often, so I'm thankful for that, but they're never very fun when they do happen. I had a day last week where literally not one of the five recipes I was working on showed any promise. Nothing I was testing was working and the entire day was a struggle. Finally, at the end of the day, I accepted that something was clearly off and it just wasn't my day for recipe testing.

These days happen, it's hard not to beat myself up about them. But I'm slowly learning to accept them and attempt to move on the best I can.

Now, all that said, the one good thing I've noticed about bad days? Nine times out of ten, the following day ends up being so much better. As my dad always tells me, you wouldn't know what a good day is without having the bad days.

Anyway, I'm completely rambling, but the point of this long story is that this recipe came to be after a bad day of cooking. It was almost as though I knew I needed a great recipe to make up for the previous day's failed dishes.

Enter this one skillet chicken and rice dinner. Somehow this dish worked perfectly the very first time I tested it out. It's probably my favorite recipe of the week. I've been excited to share it with you all since the day I created it.

Here are all the details.

As you can guess, this simple dinner is made start to finish all in one skillet. So, the very first step...find yourself a great skillet. I love using a cast iron skillet, but any oven-safe skillet or even dutch oven will work great.

Next, brown some ground chicken, turkey, or beef. Really, use whatever you love most. I typically use chicken, but when my brothers are in town, beef is always their first choice. Brown the meat, season it up, then pour in your favorite enchilada sauce and water. Bring this mix to a boil, add the rice, cover and let the rice steam for a bit. This only takes ten or so minutes. You do not need to cook the rice completely as it will finish cooking in the oven.

Now, once the rice is "al dente", the rest is pretty simple and comes together quickly. Top the skillet full of chicken and rice with cheese, then tortilla chips, and finish with one more sprinkle of cheese. Transfer the skillet to the oven, bake until the cheese is melty and the sauce is bubbly.

And that's it. Simple right? This dish smells incredible and tastes even better. But then, what's not to love about Mexican rice topped with cheesy tortilla chips!?

So good!

The secret to this skillet dinner?

It's all about the seasoning mix plus that enchilada sauce.

For the seasoning mix, I was inspired by my quick weeknight tacos. I used smoky paprika, ground cumin, and a chipotle chili pepper in adobo. It's just a touch spicy, a little smoky, and hinted with garlic.

For the enchilada sauce, I like to use the homemade recipe from the original HBH Cookbook, but if you're using store-bought I typically pick up this one. It's as close to homemade as it gets. Just be sure to use a sauce that's high quality and one that you know you really enjoy, as it's key in this recipe.

Let's talk about the toppings.

I topped this skillet bake just as I would a taco, with plenty of fresh cilantro, avocado, a dollop of yogurt, and a squeeze of lime. You could even add a pickled red onion on the side if you like.

If you wanted to take the toppings a step further, I would recommend a pineapple salsa or mango salsa. But you all know me, I love a good fruity salsa. Oh, and maybe add a nice margarita too. This strawberry margarita is perfect for the springtime days ahead.

What I love most about this recipe is the fact that it's a complete dinner. It's an all-in-one dish that everyone can really enjoy. I can serve this up on busy weeknights, but it's equally great for a Saturday or Sunday night dinner with friends and family. I'll be making this dish time and time again...actually, I've made it three times in the past week. Yep, it's that good.

Looking for other one skillet dinner ideas...check out these. Or maybe a couple of my favorites below.
One Skillet Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken and Orzo One Skillet Greek Meatballs and Lemon Butter Orzo One Pot Creamy Tuscan Pesto and Artichoke Pasta
Lastly, if you make this one skillet saucy chicken tortilla enchilada rice bake, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don't forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!

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One Skillet Saucy Chicken Tortilla Enchilada Rice Bake.

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Weeknight style One Skillet Saucy Chicken Tortilla Enchilada Rice Bake...finished with all the toppings...of course! Mexican seasoned chicken, rice, and enchilada sauce all cooked together in one skillet, then topped with tortilla chips and plenty of cheese. Throw the skillet in the oven to create the perfect cheesy, one skillet, Mexican inspired chicken and rice dinner.

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These would be a good snack

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Kale and spaghetti— make with healthier pasta

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Preparation

1. Bring just over a quart of water to a boil. Meanwhile, place spaghetti, tomatoes, lemon zest, oil and 2 teaspoons kosher salt in a large, dry, shallow pan. (The pan should be large enough that the dry spaghetti can lie flat.)

2. Carefully add the boiling water to the pan with the spaghetti. Cover pan, and bring up to a boil. Remove lid and simmer for about 6 minutes, using tongs to move the spaghetti around now and then so it doesn't stick. Add kale or spinach and continue cooking until remaining liquid has reduced to a sauce and the pasta is cooked through. Taste, season with salt and pepper, and top with Parmesan.

Adapted from "A Modern Way to Cook," by Anna Jones (Ten Speed Press, 2016)

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One-Pot Spaghetti With Cherry Tomatoes and Kale Recipe

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In this simple recipe, raw pasta and cherry tomatoes are simmered together in a single pan, cooking the pasta and forming a thick, starchy sauce at the same time The efficient technique is internet famous, but this is the British cookbook author Anna Jones's vegetarian take on the phenomenon, adapted from her book "A Modern Way to Cook."

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I make this without the cornstarch in the sauce and a little less honey

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This easy Chicken Stir Fry recipe is loaded with fresh veggies and the most delicious sauce made with honey, soy sauce, and toasted sesame oil! This healthy recipe takes 20 minutes to make and will wow your family with it's amazing flavor! Makes sure to try my Easy Cashew Chicken and 20 Minute Sesame Chicken with Broccoli too!
This post is sponsored by Safeway.
Chicken Stir Fry

If you are looking for quick and easy weeknight dinners, and I mean, who isn't? Stir fry dinners are the way to go. You get your protein, your veggies, your everrrything in one skillet and less than 2o minutes later, the fam is at the table eating a healthy dinner. Can you say winning?

I am a huge fan of one skillet dinners and make them at least a few times each week. Meals like Cheesy Kielbasa, Rice and Broccoli Skillet, 20 Minute Skillet Chicken and Spinach Parmesan, and 20 Minute Skillet Monterey Chicken are what get me through the week, sanity intact.

This chicken stir fry is about as easy as it gets. It starts with some cubed chicken breast, although chicken thighs also work well. I like to start with the chicken when I'm making a stir fry because as they brown, they create a layer of flavor in the skillet. When the veggies get added, the pick up some of that flavor and then develop their own. It's these layers that give so much depth to this easy recipe. And then it's time for the sauce...

Chicken Stir Fry Sauce

I feel like the sauce can be often overlooked when making stir fry. It's really what gives the dish so much flavor and pulls the entire meal together. The sauce I used for this stir fry is what makes it the best chicken stir fry recipe.

It's a combination of these simple ingredients:

Honey - for a touch of sweetness which makes this chicken stir fry universally loved by adults and kids alike.

Toasted Sesame Oil - gives this dish some Asian flair. The oil is very strong so you don't want to go crazy here.

Soy Sauce - it's just not a stir fry without soy sauce! Great flavor but make sure to buy low-sodium!

Chicken Broth - this will thin out the sauce a bit and add some flavor.

Corn Starch & Water - creates thickness in the sauce when brought to a boil at the end.

Crushed Red Pepper Flakes - completely optional but adds great flavor and a bit of a kick to the dish.

Each ingredient plays a crucial role in the stir fry sauce so you really don't want to leave anything out.

The fresh veggies and simple, delicious sauce are what really sets this stir fry apart from others. While it can be tempting to just use a bag of frozen stir fry mix, if you can, fresh is best.

What Kind of Vegetables Do You Put In Stir Fry?

I used one of my favorite stir fry veggies in this recipe, broccoli, along with carrots and peppers. You can use virtually any vegetable in a stir fry including snow peas, green beans, mushroom, onions, sugar snap peas, and green onions.

My boys are big time broccoli fans which came as a complete and total shock to me years ago when this revelation first came to light. Needless to say, they were a bit on the jealous side when I had the opportunity to visit an Earthbound Farm Organic broccoli farm a few weeks back, thanks to my ongoing partnership with Safeway.

I have been on several farm trips so far and let me tell you, they are always so eye opening. Lordy! So much work you guys! It never fails that I walk away with a newfound appreciation and respect for not just the produce, but the farmers and companies who are working so hard to get quality produce onto our tables.

After a wonderful farm tour, we headed to Carmel where we enjoyed a delicious lunch at Earthbound Farm's Farm Stand courtesy of Safeway, Foster Farms, La Tourangelle, and, of course Earthbound Farm. We had an opportunity to sample so many amazing products and create our own salads - so fun!

I was so excited to get home and pull together this easy chicken stir fry recipe featuring these fantastic brands and I know my people. You guys are prepping for the holidays, eating lots of sweets and treats, and in need of a healthy, fast dinner for your families.

For more recipe ideas, be sure to check out Earthbound Farm Organic, Foster Farms, and La Tourangelle. And head on over to Safeway online to get $20 off + FREE delivery, with your first online order when you spend $75 or more - enter promo code SAVE20. Valid before 12/31/18.

I sure hope you give this easy chicken stir fry a try soon!

More chicken recipes you MUST try!

1. Easy Glazed Honey Balsamic Chicken

2. Buttermilk Ranch Oven Fried Chicken

3. Cheesy Chicken Broccoli and Rice Casserole

4. Honey BBQ Chicken Strips

5. The BEST Chicken Marinade Recipe

How To Make Chicken Stir Fry

Chicken Stir Fry Recipe

Author Trish - Mom On Timeout

For all appetizer recipes, go HERE.
For all dessert recipes, go HERE.
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Have a great day!

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This easy Chicken Stir Fry recipe is loaded with fresh veggies and the most delicious sauce made with honey, soy sauce, and toasted sesame oil!

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Tomato and Roasted Cauliflower Soup with Harrisa and Tahini & Grilled Cheese with Fresh Chili, Herb Paste and Bitter Greens Featured Cocktail: Jack Of All Trades Serves: 4-6
Ingredients:

Soup:

1 small head cauliflower, cut into small florets and stem chopped

Non-aerosol olive oil

Salt and pepper

2 t ground cumin

1 t ground ginger

1 t ground coriander

2 T EVOO

1 Vidalia or white onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 quart vegetable stock or chicken bone broth

1 can 28 ounces fire roasted crushed tomatoes

2 cups tomato sauce or passata

1-2 T harissa paste, to taste

¾ cup Tahini

½ lemon

Grilled Cheese with Chili Herb Paste:

Paste:

1 cup packed cilantro or parsley

2 scallions, coarsely chopped

1 jalapeno, seeded and coarsely chopped

1 shallot, coarsely chopped

Juice of 1 lime

Salt

Sandwich:
The paste will make up to 6 sandwiches.
2 slices per sandwich yellow sharp deli cut cheddar or vegan cheese slices (

A small handful per sandwich of Upland cress, watercress or wild arugula

2 slices whole wheat bread (no sugar, read the label) or whole grain bread per sandwich (no sugar, sliced)

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"Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese Grows Up" / Jack of All Trades - Free Food Studios

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Tomato and Roasted Cauliflower Soup with Harrisa and Tahini & Grilled Cheese with Fresh Chili, Herb Paste and Bitter Greens Featured Cocktail: Jack Of All Trades Serves: 4-6 Ingredients: Soup: 1 small head cauliflower, cut into small florets and stem chopped Non-aerosol olive oil Salt and pepper 2 t ground

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Melissa Clark shows how easy it can be to make a light and flaky pie crust.

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Black Bean Avocado and Corn Salad (Salsa)

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This Black Bean Avocado and Corn Salad is the easiest salad you'll ever make! It takes 15 minutes, and is so versatile as a dip, salsa or salad!

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add grilled corn, tomatoes

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Special equipment: nonstick silicon baking mat, such as Silpat; eight 1/2-cup ramekins

1. For the frico chips: Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

2. Line a baking sheet with a silicon mat. Place eight 1-tablespoon mounds of cheese on the mat and gently tap down until flat. Bake until golden and bubbly, 8 to 10 minutes. Let the frico chips cool until firm, about 5 minutes.

3. Place a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill.

4. For the zucchini: Using a pastry brush, brush the zucchini halves with the oil and season with the salt. Grill until tender, 4 to 5 minutes each side. When cool enough to handle, cut the zucchini into 1/2-inch cubes.

5. For the shrimp: In a medium bowl, mix together the oil, soy sauce, garlic, zest, parsley, chives, salt and pepper. Add the shrimp and toss until coated. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Grill until pink and cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes each side. Chop into 1/2-inch pieces.

6. For the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, lemon juice, agave, mustard, salt and pepper until smooth.

7. In a medium bowl, combine the zucchini, shrimp, dressing and avocado. Gently toss until all the ingredients are coated.

8. Using a slotted spoon, spoon the salad into 8 small ramekins. Garnish with frico chips and serve.

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Shrimp and Avocado Salad with Frico Chips

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Special equipment: nonstick silicon baking mat, such as Silpat; eight 1/2-cup ramekins For the frico chips: Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with a silicon mat. Place eight 1-tablespoon mounds of cheese on the mat and gently tap down until flat.

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Farfalle with Chicken, Cremini Mushrooms & Swiss Chard

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Grilled Chicken Cutlets with Fresh Apple-Mango Chutney

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Arizona Bread

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This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

This season is all about pumpkin, I know. But, it's also about apples. A few years back we went apple picking when the boys were toddlers. It proved to be more challenging than expected. They saw an apple and immediately wanted to sink their teeth into it. They didn't understand the whole collect, weigh, pay, wash thing.

And then we realized apple picking wasn't as fun as we wanted it to be so we bought our apples and left. haha wait, I feel like I started that story thinking it was going to be a cute apple picking story to tie in the apples in this apple bread but as I typed I realized it wasn't as cute of a story as I originally thought lol. We never went apple picking again.

This bread is so perfect for grabbing an easy slice for breakfast or a snack. I love to slather some peanut butter or almond butter on it. Mix up some butter and cinnamon and some sweetener for a deliciously autumn butter topping.

If you love homemade breads as much as I do, try this pumpkin bread! Or this double chocolate banana bread, or this coconut almond banana bread, or this seedy craisin flax bread!

So let's dive into this recipe and make some deliciously easy and moist gluten free apple cinnamon bread!

Whisk together the mashed banana, eggs, almond butter, maple syrup, and vanilla. Fold in the almond flour, baking powder, cinnamon, sea salt, and apples until everything is well combined.

Pour the batter into a greased and lined loaf pan and bake for about 35 minutes, or until the top of the bread is golden brown. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes, slice and serve!

Print

Paleo Apple Cinnamon Bread

Enjoy!! xo

BIG thank you to my friend Allie from Miss Allie's Kitchen for creating this delicious recipe and taking these gorgeous images for us!! I love her work and couldn't be more excited she's creating some tasty dishes to share here too!

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Paleo Apple Cinnamon Bread - The Toasted Pine Nut

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This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy. This season is all about pumpkin, I know. But, it's also about apples. A few years back we went apple picking when the boys were toddlers. It proved to be more challenging than expected.

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Ranch Dip

1 avocado, smashed
1 cup Plain Greek yogurt
1 packet Ranch Dip powder

Mix together

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Easy Pumpkin Protein Bars

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This is the best easy gluten-free pumpkin protein bars recipe I've ever tried. The drizzled white chocolate on top of these bars is the perfect added touch.

You may think it's hard to find a healthy protein bars recipe but I have a great one for you today. I don't know many people who don't love a good treat! A few of the most popular "temptations" are definitely bread and pastries! Which is why this "treat" (you can actually consider this one of your smaller meals or snacks, yay!) is one of the FAVORITES in my house!

I actually bag them up in pairs and keep them in my fridge all the time! I usually make a batch every single week, in fact! I send them with my husband for snacks at work and always have them for when I need a quick meal or on the go treat! My daughter even loves them! You can freeze them too if you want to make a few batches at a time.

WARNING: " You will LOVE these pumpkin bars! (and if you say you are not a fan of pumpkin, try em anyways!! OR I have also made them with mashed ripened bananas and made banana walnut bread!)
Okay, here we go, your life is about to be changed:

My no guilt & actually really good for me " treat!

These DO need to be refrigerated to stay fresh! You can eat them cold or warm them up for 15-20 seconds too!
ANOTHER TIP
Whenever I first TRY a new recipe, I always have a hard time purchasing all those new spices! Let's be honest, those babies are expensive when it comes to "trying" a new recipe! So what I always do is go to the health food store near me (SPROUTS Market) and they actually have a spice counter!
Yes, a SPICE counter!!! So I can scoop out my own spices and then I can get as much or as little as I need or want! I never pay more than 50 cents for each spice! Check out your local health food store and see if they offer this!! And if they don't, well, these Pumpkin Bars are worth the additions to your spice rack!!

You may also like these recipes:
Best Gluten-Free Desserts Index Gluten-Free Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownies with Marshmallow Topping
Easy, Gluten-Free Pumpkin Protein Bars Recipe
Almond Flour Pumpkin Cookies with Chocolate Chips Recipe Keywords: best, easy, frosted

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Best Easy Gluten-Free Pumpkin Protein Bars Recipe - My Natural Family

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This is the best easy gluten-free pumpkin protein bars recipe I've ever tried. The drizzled white chocolate on top of these bars is the perfect added touch. You may think it's hard to find a healthy protein bars recipe but I have a great one for you today.

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The BEST stir fry sauce recipe you've ever had! Delicious on vegetables, chicken, beef, pork, or shrimp. Can be made gluten-free, refined sugar-free, and vegan.
Allow me to introduce you to the BEST stir fry sauce in the world. Yes, it is very necessary that BEST is in all caps.

I love a great Asian stir fry packed with veggies and meat. But let's be honest, the best part is always the stir fry sauce soaked into the rice.

Now, this may not look like much, but it's lack of beauty is more than made up in flavor. Delicious Asian flavors like soy sauce, garlic, ginger, sesame seed oil and rice vinegar. It can easily be adjusted to be vegan or gluten-free without losing any flavor. Just add all the ingredients to a pint sized mason jar, shake it up, and your sauce is ready in minutes.

It's the only stir fry sauce you'll ever need. I've used it with just about every combination of vegetable, and with every type of meat. It's great with chicken, beef, pork, even shrimp.

Have I convinced you yet? If not, you must try this stir fry sauce in my very favorite Green Bean Stir Fry with Chicken and Sesame Seeds. One of our favorite dinners I cook at least twice a week!

The BEST Stir Fry Sauce

Author: Tastes Lovely

Prep Time: 5 mins

Cook Time: 3 mins

Total Time: 8 mins

Yield: 1.25 cups 1x

UPDATED HEALTHIER RECIPE VERSION ALERT!!!

I've created an even healthier version of this oh-so-popular stir fry sauce. Check out my Paleo + Whole30 Stir Fry Sauce too!
This post contains affiliate links, thanks for the love!

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The BEST stir fry sauce recipe you've ever had! Delicious on vegetables, chicken, beef, pork, or shrimp. Can be made gluten-free, refined sugar-free, and vegan. Allow me to introduce you to the BEST stir fry sauce in the world. Yes, it is very necessary that BEST is in all caps.

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Get close to holeee with my first version of dead sea granola! Spiced, nutty and full of flavor & healthy goodliness! Other granolas are blah!

Homemade Granola

Oh, yes, you can buy granola. It can be expensive if you check the more healthy brands. But, why not make your own homemade granola!

How did I get the name 'Dead Sea Granola'. Well, it's really interesting. I was on a trip to Israel with the Taste of Israel. In 104 Hours I fell in love with Israel!

We visited so many places, ate some of the best food ever, searched the best souks for spices and treasures. And, we spent time in the Judean Desert exploring and seeing so many parts of ancient history like Herod's Masada (meaning 'fortress' in Hebrew) atop an isolated rock plateau in the desert.

Another milestone of this visit was floating in the Dead Sea. Yes, you really do float. Since it has almost 10 times the saltiness of average seawater, you float! The salinity of the Dead Sea is 33.7%!

This high salt concentration of the Dead Sea means you have a ntural buyoyancy! And, yes, you just float.

It was during this time that I was relaxing and just floating in the Dead Sea thinking about this most prolific experience that I conceived the idea for Dead Sea Granola. My granola is full of those aromatic spices that you find as you meander through the souks and it's salt level is much higher than most granolas. This salt level results in vibrant flavor and unexpected tastes!

Healthy Granola

Healthy granola starts with healthy ingredients. And, this recipe is full of good things for you.

You might not realize that we can make French Toast with my Dead Sea Granola! You'll get more crunchy and warm spicy flavors. Click here!

How to Make Granola

It's simple to make granola. Even my toddler granddaughter has helped me make it. It's a fun recipe for kids to do and, boy, what a kick they get out of their results.

The Best Granola Recipe

The best granola recipe starts with the basics. In my mind, yep, it's the oatmeal. Whole oats. And, next, you have nuts. Nuts are essential to a good granola. And, if you're like me, you like a nut almost in every bite.

Easy Granola Recipe

The easiest thing about granola and making it at home is that you control the ingredients. Amounts and types. Sometimes I make an entire big container of whole oats and give away granola to neighbors. Talk about spreading happy!

Crunchy Granola Recipe

There's a natural crunchy to this recipe. It comes from the combination of ingredients, especially the nuts. Having several different textures really makes granola pop on you palate.

Ultimate Granola Recipe

And, the ultimate granola recipe has a lot of different flavors too. Especially spice mixtures. I'm working on a commercial Dead Sea Granola brand, so stay tuned for that.

Granola Recipe

And, like the Coca Cola recipe, I can't divulge the recipe ingredients and amounts for the gourmet brand that I hope to sell worldwide! Yes, I have big granola ideas and dream! And, it all started about six years ago when I was floating in the Dead Sea while visiting Israel!

Granola Mix for Yogurt

Now this granola mix is great for so many things. Yogurt's a no brainer. Sprinkle it on for fabulous flavors. But don't stop there. How about ice cream, using it in cooking and other things that just excite your imagination. You might love these Dead Sea Granola Cookie Mounds too. What a cookie!

Vegan Granola Homemade

With a few adjustments, you can make this granola recipe vegan. Please see the comment in my notes below!

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Get close to holeee with my first version of dead sea granola! Spiced, nutty and full of flavor & healthy goodliness! Other granolas are blah! Oh, yes, you can buy granola. It can be expensive if you check the more healthy brands. But, why not make your own homemade granola!

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Choc chip oatmeal cookies

https://www.instagram.com/p/CJd16tupetZ/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

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Life Changing Bakery-Style Blueberry Muffins (gluten-free) - rachLmansfield

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Life Changing Bakery-Style Blueberry Muffins made with gluten-free ingredients for a healthier twist on a classic blueberry muffin recipe.

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It's apple muffin time! You all really seem to love my banana muffins, pumpkin muffins and carrot muffins and the blueberry muffins in my cookbook. Today, apple muffins are joining the club.

Like the others in the bunch, these muffins are made with 100 percent whole wheat flour and naturally sweetened with maple syrup or honey. They are nice and fluffy, with just enough sweetness to be irresistible.

Granted, I already have an apple oatmeal muffin recipe on the blog from four years ago, but I have significantly upped my muffin game since then. These muffins are the better of the two, by a long shot.

I based these healthy apple muffins off my carrot muffins, replacing grated carrots with fresh apple, and replacing half of the Greek yogurt with applesauce.

These muffins contain apple, three ways: freshly grated and chopped apple for the perfect texture, and applesauce for infused apple flavor. They're the best apple muffins I've ever had.

Healthy Apple Muffin Notes

These apple muffins taste even better after resting for a few hours, if they last that long.

I particularly enjoy them with a spread of peanut butter.

Check my recipe notes for how to use honey instead of maple syrup, and some ideas for how to make the muffins vegan.

I think it's time for another! Please let me know how you like these muffins in the comments. I love hearing from you.

Baking Tips for Success

How to Measure Flour

How you measure your flour is important. Why? If you measure incorrectly, you could end up with up to 50 percent extra flour, which will make your muffins dense, dry and flavorless. Use the spoon and swoop method:

1. Gently stir your flour to loosen any clumps.

2. Spoon your flour into the measuring cup with a big spoon or a flour scoop. Do not scoop up the flour directly into the measuring cup.

3. Level off the top of the cup with a knife. Repeat as necessary.

Baking Powder & Baking Soda Are Not the Same Thing

...and they are not interchangeable. Both are leaveners that help your baked goods rise (baking powder contains some baking soda, but that's a long story).

This recipe relies on a combination of baking powder and baking soda to produce light and fluffy muffins. For ideal results, always follow the recipe and measure carefully.

How to Stir Your Batter

This muffin batter is super simple to stir together by hand, and that's how I recommend making these muffins. Why? Whipping your batter will make the flour's gluten protein too strong, yielding tough muffins.

I know it can be tempting to use a stand mixer or hand mixer when it's within reach. Please don't! Follow the instructions below and you'll end up with light, fluffy muffins.

Watch How to Make Apple Muffins

Print

Healthy Apple Muffins

Author: Cookie and Kate

Prep Time: 15 mins

Cook Time: 13 mins

Total Time: 28 minutes

Yield: 12 muffins 1x

Category: Muffins

Method: Baked

Cuisine: American

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

4.8 from 580 reviews

Amazing, healthy apple muffins made with maple syrup and whole wheat flour! No one will guess that this simple cinnamon apple muffin recipe is good for you, too. Recipe yields 12 muffins.

Scale 1x 2x 3x

Ingredients

1 ¾ cups white whole wheat flour or regular whole wheat flour

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup grated apple

1 cup apple diced into ¼" cubes

⅓ cup melted coconut oil or extra-virgin olive oil

½ cup maple syrup or honey*

2 eggs, preferably at room temperature

½ cup plain Greek yogurt (I used full-fat but any variety should do)

½ cup applesauce

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon turbinado sugar (also called raw sugar), for sprinkling on top

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. If necessary, grease all 12 cups on your muffin tin with butter or non-stick cooking spray (my pan is non-stick and doesn't require any grease).

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Blend well with a whisk. Add the grated apple (if it is dripping wet, gently squeeze it over the sink to release some extra moisture) and chopped apple. Stir to combine.

3. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the oil and maple syrup and beat together with a whisk. Add the eggs and beat well, then add the yogurt, applesauce and vanilla and mix well. (If the coconut oil solidifies in contact with cold ingredients, gently warm the mixture in the microwave in 30 second bursts.)

4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix with a big spoon, just until combined (a few lumps are ok). The batter will be thick, but don't worry! Divide the batter evenly between the 12 muffin cups. Sprinkle the tops of the muffins with turbinado sugar. Bake muffins for 13 to 16 minutes, or until the muffins are golden on top and a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean.

5. Place the muffin tin on a cooling rack to cool. If you have leftover muffins, store them, covered, at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Freeze leftover muffins for up to 3 months.

Notes

Recipe adapted from my healthy carrot muffins.
*If you are baking with honey: Honey tends to brown quickly, so to avoid overdone muffins, bake muffins at 325 degrees Fahrenheit until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 23 to 25 minutes.
Make it vegan: Replace the eggs with flax eggs and replace the yogurt with vegan buttermilk-try mixing 1 ½ teaspoons vinegar with a scant ½ cup non-dairy milk. Let it rest for 5 minutes before adding it to the other liquid ingredients. (You could also try using more applesauce in place of the yogurt but I'm not sure it's acidic enough to counteract the bitter taste of the baking soda.)

Make it dairy free: See "buttermilk" option above.

Make it egg free: Use flax eggs instead of regular eggs.
Make it gluten free: Bob's Red Mill or King Arthur Flour make gluten-free all-purpose blends that work well.
If you love this recipe: You will also love my zucchini muffins, carrot muffins and banana muffins! Here are more apple recipes for you, too.

▸ Nutrition Information

&rtrif; Categories &rtrif; Ingredients baked goods, apples, cinnamon, coconut oil, maple syrup, muffins, yogurt breakfast, fall, favorites, naturally sweetened, nut free, recipes, soy free, Thanksgiving, tomato free, winter

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Amazing, healthy apple muffins made with maple syrup and whole wheat flour! No one will guess that this simple cinnamon apple muffin recipe is healthy, too.

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You might not think of chili as an easy weeknight dish, but this turkey version from Pierre Franey will change your mind It's fabulous, it's healthy and it can be ready in about a half hour A combination of dark and white meat really adds depth and richness of flavor, so try to find a mix, but all white meat (or a mixture of ground beef and turkey) will yield a stellar batch too.

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1. The morning before roasting, spatchcock one of the turkeys. Remove the backbone by cutting 1 1/2 inches to the left and right of the backbone (opposite side of breast) from front to back. Remove the backbone and reserve for stock if desired. Place the turkey breast-side up on a large flat surface. Place a clean kitchen towel on top and press down firmly on the breast to flatten. Season both sides of the spatchcocked turkey with 1 tablespoon each of the celery salt, granulated garlic, granulated onion and pepper.

2. Season the whole turkey inside and out with 1 tablespoon black pepper and the remaining celery salt, granulated garlic and granulated onion. Allow both turkeys to sit in the refrigerator overnight, uncovered, to dry the skin.

3. The next day, allow the turkeys to come to room temperature for 1 1/2 hours.

4. Arrange one oven rack in the bottom lowest position of the oven and one in the top third. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

5. Combine the minced parsley, tarragon, oregano, minced thyme, lemon zest and shallots with some salt and pepper in a small bowl. The salt will help to draw the moisture and flavor from the mixture. Add the olive oil to form a paste. Divide the mixture between the turkeys and spread all around both sides of each turkey. Season again with salt and pepper. Halve 3 of the lemons. Stuff the cavity of the whole turkey with the lemon halves and parsley and thyme sprigs.

6. Divide the carrots, onions and fennel between 2 roasting pans or baking sheets. Arrange the spatchcocked turkey skin-side up on the vegetables in one pan. Put the whole turkey breast-side up on the vegetables in the second pan. Divide the stock and wine between the 2 pans.

7. Put the whole turkey on the bottom oven rack and the spatchcocked turkey on the top rack and roast, basting every 30 minutes with the pan juices and adding a little more liquid to the bottom of the pans as needed to prevent burning. Keep an eye on the turkeys: when the spatchcocked turkey is nicely browned, remove the roasting pan and carefully move the top oven rack to the middle position (see Cook's Note). Move the whole turkey to the middle rack and the spatchcocked turkey to the bottom rack and continue to roast until the thickest part of the thighs registers 155 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, about 2 hours total (10 minutes per pound) for a 12-pound spatchcocked turkey and 2 hours 25 minutes to 3 hours total (12 to 15 minutes per pound) for a 12-pound whole turkey. Allow the turkeys to rest for at least 1 hour before serving.

If you don't want to move the hot oven rack once the spatchcocked turkey is nicely browned, just cover the spatchcocked turkey with foil for the remainder of the roasting time.

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The morning before roasting, spatchcock one of the turkeys. Remove the backbone by cutting 1 1/2 inches to the left and right of the backbone (opposite side of breast) from front to back. Remove the backbone and reserve for stock if desired. Place the turkey breast-side up on a large flat surface.

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The Easiest Gluten-free Yogurt Pancakes - rachLmansfield

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The Easiest Gluten-free Yogurt Pancakes made with 5 key ingredients. No added sugar and sweetened with bananas.

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Moist and delicious Maple Pecan Banana Muffins, so good you won't believe they are light!

Maple Pecan Banana Muffins

These banana nut muffins are slightly adapted from my low fat banana nut bread recipe. Here I wanted to use pecans, pure maple syrup and some maple sugar I purchased, but if you don't have maple sugar any sugar would work. What I love about making these banana muffins is that they come out so moist, and I only use 2 tablespoons of butter in the whole batch! If you prefer, you can also make them in a loaf pan to make them into a wonderful banana nut bread. I also have a Gluten Free Banana Nut Bread recipe!

Madison, my youngest LOVES banana muffins, so whenever I have ripe bananas on my counter I always like to bake a batch for her. Whatever we don't eat that day is usually her breakfast the next day. In my house, these go pretty quick, but if you live alone, you can individually wrap them in plastic wrap and freeze them for a later day, then pop them in the microwave - they taste just like you first baked them.

More Banana Bread Recipes:

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Moist and delicious Maple Pecan Banana Muffins, so good you won't believe they are light! These banana nut muffins are slightly adapted from my low fat banana nut bread recipe. Here I wanted to use pecans, pure maple syrup and some maple sugar I purchased, but if you don't have maple sugar any sugar would work.

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How to make our easy hummus recipe with canned chickpeas, garlic, tahini, and olive oil. With easy to follow recipe video! This is the best recipe, just read all the reviews!!

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Ginger-Lime Chicken Recipe - NYT Cooking

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Though this may look like regular old chicken, don't be fooled: It's buzzing with the bright flavors of ginger and lime Mayonnaise is the secret ingredient in this recipe, which is a trick J Kenji López-Alt has written about

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Brown Sugar and Mustard Glazed Acorn Squash

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Using a sharp paring knife, score the insides of the acorn squash halves in a cross-hatch pattern, about a half-inch deep cuts (alternately, you could poke some holes all over with a fork). If the halves wobble or don't sit evenly, shave a small part of the very bottom off with a sharp knife.

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This post shows you how to make vanilla powder from 100% vanilla pods. It is a zero waste recipe for a rich, robust homemade vanilla powder to a dd to all your baked goods, drink recipes and more!

Did you know it's super simple to learn how to make vanilla powder? Made only from 100% vanilla pods, this homemade vanilla powder is zero waste and adds a rich, deep vanilla flavour to a dish. This is much more potent than vanilla extract ( meaning you can use 1/2 teaspoon powder vs 1st extract!) and maintains it's flavour even when baked at high heats in an oven. ( Did you know that the alcohol in vanilla extract means flavour is evaporated during the cooking process?!)

I love the fact that this homemade vanilla powder is zero-waste too! Unlike when a recipe calls for vanilla beans and the pods are discarded. This way you'll use the entire pod. That way you can get really good value for money. No need to waste a single bit of those expensive vanilla pods again!

The powder is also a great alternative to vanilla extract, for those that can't consume alcohol. The vanilla powder can also be used to make vanilla sugar. In terms of recipes it can be used in custards, sauces, drinks, baked goods and basically, anywhere you would usually add vanilla paste, beans or extract.

Some of my recipes where you could use this vanilla powder include this two-layer strawberry & vanilla vegan tart, Vegan Chocolate Cherry 'Black Forest' Tart, fluffy Japanese style pancakes, DIY Vegan magnum ice-creams and within these healthy dessert-inspired overnight oats ... just to name a few!

How to make vanilla powder:

The process for making homemade vanilla powder is super simple. It only consists of two steps.

The First Step:

Is to dry out the vanilla pods. While there are a few methods you can use to do this;

If you're in no rush then you can simply leave the vanilla pods out on a counter for a few weeks.

Alternatively, place on a lined tray in the oven at 50 degrees Celcius for 1.5 hrs.

I've also heard that it's possible to microwave the beans. However, honestly, I didn't want to try this, I prefer to try a slower, more natural way of drying them out.

The second step:

Is to grind the now brittle whole vanilla pods into a fine vanilla powder, with zero-waste. You'll find that if they aren't dry enough then it simply won't blend into a smooth powder. You can either use a spice/coffee grinder for this if you have one, or I simply used my hand mixer / blender.

The vanilla powder can then be stored in an airtight container in a cool, dark area ( like a cupboard). This will then keep for around a year!
note* If using the oven method, the pods will still be fairly pliable when first removing them from the oven. However, as they cool down they will become more brittle.
And that's it!

If you give this simple homemade vanilla powder DIY a go then please let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Also, feel free to tag me in your creations @AlphaFoodie.
Note* Don't be tempted to refrigerate the vanilla powder. It will ruin it by drying out the powder and affecting the oils within.
This post contains affiliate links which means, at no additional cost to yourself, I may earn a commission- to help purchase ingredients for my next recipe- if you purchase an item having clicked a link on this page.

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DIY: How to make Vanilla Powder from scratch - Alphafoodie

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This post shows you how to make vanilla powder from 100% vanilla pods. It is a zero waste recipe for a rich, robust homemade vanilla powder to a dd to all your baked goods, drink recipes and more! Did you know it's super simple to learn how to make vanilla powder?