Coconut Banana Banana Bread

Ingredients

2 cups organic flour (white and/or wheat)

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 salt

1/2 cup coconut oil (softened)

1/2-3/4 cup coconut sugar

2 eggs, beaten

2 1/3 cups mashed overripe bananas
1/4 water

*Add ins: 1/4-1/3 cup Chocolate Chips (I like Enjoy Life dairy, nut, & soy free), 1/2-1 cup Chopped walnuts or pecans.

*Sometimes I add in a little bit of brown sugar with the coconut sugar.

*When using coconut oil it needs to be softened. It's melting point is 76 deg. If it's solid I spoon it out the into a bowl and mash it to soften it and then measure desired amount. 

*The water makes them more moist.

Directions

1- Preheat oven to 350 deg. F. and if using a loaf pan, lightly oil and dust with flour. If using a muffin pan I love these "If You Care" baking cups. 

2- Mix flour, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl cream together coconut oil and coconut sugar. Stir in eggs and mashed bananas until well blended. Stir banana mixture into flour mixture. Add in your chocolate chips and/or nuts if wanted. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan or scoop into muffin cups. If baking with wheat let it rest for 10mins. 

3- Bake for 60-65mins for 9x5 loaf pan or 18-20mins for muffin pans.

*A good tip when baking with wheat is to let the batter sit and hydrate for 10 mins. The wheat is more course and this give it some time to absorb the liquid and soften the bran and germ of the wheat. Also, it may need more cooking time. 

For muffins I highly suggest getting this Vollrath Disher!! I love these scoopers. They make it so much easier to dish out the right and consistant amount of batter for muffins, cookies, meat balls, etc. For the pictured muffin I used a yellow size 20 disher (1 5/8oz or 3.25Tbs). If you want them a little bigger I'd suggest going with the blue size 16 disher (2oz or 4Tbs). If I want a higher rounded muffin I will do a heaping scoop of batter with my yellow #20 disher. 

Enjoy!

The Cheesecake Post!

I really wanted to make something extra special for my hubby's birthday!

His favorite is oreo anything so of course I had to make an Oreo Cheesecake.

You can't live in Japan and not love Pocky! Well at least that's how it is for the Fish Fam. So I was excited to make a Strawberry Pocky Cheesecake! Let me tell you these Okinawan strawberries are out of this world delicious. The Pocky is a pretzel stick dipped in a chocolate or yogurt of all sorts! Japanese love coming up with all kinds of flavors. I'm sure you can find them around in the States at your local Asian Grocery Store.

For you gingerbread lovers I think you'll love Martha Stewarts Holiday Gingerbread Cheesecake. Smells divine.

Check them out in the individual posts...

Strawberry Shortcake w/ Coconut Whip Cream

While out grocery shopping I've noticed all the strawberries coming out on the shelves. And since the weather has dramatically warmed up I couldn't resist wanting to make this!

We had some guests over and after our meal enjoyed this awesome treat outside while the kids played and everyone (but me I enjoyed my Maple Pie Cocoroon) enjoyed the weather and delicious dessert that was on the back of my Wholesome Sweeteners Organic Sugar bag. One of my kids requested these for their birthday cake. I make my own Coconut Whip Cream to top it off!

Frontera's Famous Strawberry Shortcakes 

By Chef Rick Bayless

Ingredients

For the shortcakes:

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp Wholesome Sweeteners Fairtrade Organic Sugar (divided use)

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 stick chilled unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

1 large cage-free organic egg

1/3 cup plus 1 tbsp buttermilk (divided use)

1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract, preferably Mexican

1/4 cup grated semi-sweet or Mexican chocolate

For the topping:

1 qt strawberries, hulled

1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp Wholesome Sweeteners Fairtrade Organic Sugar, divided use

1 to 1 1/2 cups heavy (whipping) cream

Wholesome Sweeteners Fairtrade Organic Powdered Sugar, for garnish

Directions

To make the shortcakes: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Measure the flour, 1/4 cup of the sugar, the baking powder and the salt into a food processor. Scatter the chilled butter evenly over dry ingredients. Pulse the processor 10 to 12 times (1-second pulses) until the butter is in tiny bits. Add the egg, 1⁄3 cup buttermilk, vanilla and grated chocolate. Pulse the processor 7 to 8 times until the soft dough just comes together. 

Turn out the dough onto a well-floured board and press together to form a disk that is ¾ inch thick. The dough will be very moist. With a floured 3-inch biscuit cutter, cut out 4 biscuits. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Gently bring the scraps back together and pat out the dough again. Cut two more disks and transfer to the baking sheet. Brush tops with the remaining 1 tablespoon of buttermilk, then sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar. Bake for about 18 minutes, until the biscuits are lightly browned. Cool.

To fill and serve: Thinly slice the strawberries and scoop into a medium bowl. Gently mix in 1/4 cup of the sugar. With an electric mixer, beat the cream and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar (using the whisk attachment if available) until the cream holds soft peaks. 

Just before serving, split each biscuit as you would a bagel. Top the bottom layer with a generous dollop of whipped cream, spoon on a portion of the strawberries (and any of their juices), then set the top in place (or off slightly off to the side, to show off the strawberries more). Sprinkle with powdered sugar and you’re ready to serve.

Recipe source

Chef Rick Bayless of Frontera Grill and Topolobampo, Chicago, IL

*We don't drink cows milk (just occasionally), so no buttermilk for us. Luckily, I've discovered how to substitute with a diary free option. In a bigger measuring cup put one tablespoon of white vinegar and then add your dairy free milk (I usually use coconut milk) until it reaches 1 cup. Mix and let it sit for five minutes and then it out "Buttermilk" is ready to use!

*Next time I'm going to sub coconut oil for the butter. Yum. 

Enjoy :)

Pumpkin Treats...

Who doesn't love pumpkin treats this time of year?!

Check out some old and new recipes below :)

Here are more past Pumpkin Recipes...

Pumpkin Carmel Poke Cake

Healthy Maple Glazed Pumpkin Muffins

Pumpkin Soup

Pumpkin Pie Chia Pudding