banana walnut date cake

 

ingredients

• 175g softened butter, plus extra for the tin
• 200g self-raising flour
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 3 tbsp clear honey
• 2 (about 350g with skins on)overripe bananas
• 100g stoned date
• 50g chopped walnut

For the glaze

• 2 tbsp clear honey
• 25g butter
• 50g walnut half

Method

• STEP 1

  Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Butter and line the base of an 18cm Bundt mould or round cake tin with baking parchment. Put the flour, cinnamon, butter, sugar, eggs and honey in a large mixing bowl and beat with a wooden spoon or hand-held electric mixer until light and fluffy.
• STEP 2

  Mash the bananas and chop the dates. Stir into the cake mix with the walnuts. Spoon into the prepared tin and smooth the top. Bake for 40-50 mins until firm to the touch and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean (a round tin may take 10-20 mins more). Cool in the tin for 15 mins, then turn out and cool on a wire rack.

Turkey Broccoli soup

 

Ingredients

• 2 lb broccoli
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 3 cups baby spinach
• ½ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 Tbsp lemon zest
• 3 Tbsp lemon juice
• 2 cups shredded leftover cooked turkey or chicken

Instructions

1.  Cut tops of broccoli into small florets and thinly slice stems.
2. Heat oil in large pot on medium, then add garlic and onion. Cook until sizzling, about 2 min. Add broccoli stems, season with ½ tsp each salt and pepper, cover and cook 3 min.
3. Add florets and ½ cup water, cover immediately and steam until bright green, 3 to 6 min. Transfer half of florets to bowl and set aside.
4. Add broth and spinach and simmer 10 min. Add Parmesan, and lemon zest and juice then puree with immersion blender or standard blender. Stir in turkey and reserved broccoli florets.

Pumpkin Pie smoothie

 Pumpkin Pie Smoothie This healthy smoothie recipe has all the flavor of a pumpkin spice latte without all the sugar. Made with real pumpkin and frozen banana, this whips into a creamy, luscious grab-&-go breakfast (or snack) in just 5 minutes.

Ingredients 

1 medium frozen banana 

1⁄2 cup unsweetened almond milk or other nut milk 

1⁄3 cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt 

1⁄3 cup canned pumpkin puree 

1⁄8 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice 

1-2 teaspoons pure maple syrup 

Directions Step 1 Place banana, almond milk (or other nut milk), yogurt, pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice and maple syrup in a blender. Blend until smooth.

**I also freeze bananas,  drop in cuisinart with 2TBS cocoa powder, a drizzle of honey, and a half can on coconut milk with crushed ice and blend.

** another, freeze strawberries, Or peaches, drizzle with a bit of honey.... blend, freeze.....  or even add a 1/2 c yogurt and blend... for no sugar desserts

pan roasted zucchini with whipped feta

 

INGREDIENTS

• 3 small/medium zucchini

• Olive oil

• Salt & peppe

• Basil Whipped Feta

• 8 oz feta cheese

• 1/4 cup cottage cheese or ricotta

• 1/2 cup packed basil leaves

• 2 tbsp lemon juice

• 1 clove garlic

  1 -2 tbsp olive oil

• Pinch salt

• Garnishes 

• Chopped pistachios

• Fresh, chopped basil 

•  honey 

  
  

  Slice Zucchini in half the long way,  score the cut side with knife cuts...season with salt pepper
  
  heat skillet on medium heat, cut side down for 3-4 minutes.
  
  Whip all the feta ingredients in cuisinart... spread across plate and lay zucchini on top...

Black Bean red Lentil Burgers

 Black Bean red Lentil Burgers

One cab Black beans rinsed and dried on paper towels..

1 cup of red lentils, (cooked, drained) 

Half and onion

2 cloves garlic

hand full of cilantro

1TBS of gochujang

one egg

1 cup Italian panko crumbs

salt/ pepper

In Cuisinart blend, onion,  garlic, and cilantro. then add black beans, lentils and gochujang. Once well mixed in, crack on egg, and one cup of panko , sprinkle in salt and pepper, stir til combined...

oil hands and make balls of dough and flatten on squares of parchment paper.  stack, add to freezer bags, and freeze.

Black bean Chick Pea salad

Salad: (4 servings)

• 2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• ½ red onion, chopped
• Carton cherry tomatoes, halved
• ½ cup fresh parsley, chopped
• ½ cup fresh mint, chopped

Mix all together in a large bowl.

Make dressing:

• ¼ cup olive oil
• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• salt, to taste
• pepper, to taste
• feta cheese, crumbled

Pour over salad to marinate in fridge for a few hours before serving.

• 
  
• **We like to add over arugula greens… 

Zucchini Boats

3 large zucchini, halved

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 cup shredded gruyere

1 cup shredded mozzarella

2 jalapenos, finely chopped

1 garlic clove diced.

1 jalapeno  diced.

1/2 cup of bread crumbs

2 Sausages crumbled.  ( I used "The Flower Shop sausages by Shaller & Weber : excellent choice) 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut zucchini in half and scoop out the seeds.

Cook sausage, dice up, and let cool.

Add sausage mixture to the boats... sprinkle sausage to sit into the cheese mixture, then top with Cheese.

I lined them on parchment on my baking sheet for easy clean up from the cheese...

Bake 15-20 minutes, until cheese is bubbly.