Banana Bread Muffins

As promised, here is a delicious recipe for you for this week! Brett likes all the muffins I’ve made so far, but he has said that these are his favorite! They really are delicious! I like to eat them with sliced strawberries and blueberries! The muffins alone are perfect for an “on-the-go” breakfast!

Ingredients

3 c almond flour

4 tablespoons ground flaxseed

2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 tsp nutmeg

1/8 tsp salt

4 very ripe bananas, mashed

4 eggs

2 tablespoon honey

2 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2/3 c chopped walnuts, plus (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place muffins cups in muffin tin and set aside.

In a food processor, combine almond flour, flaxseed, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt.

Add the mashed bananas, eggs, honey, vanilla and olive oil – mix well.

Add in chopped walnuts and stir (optional).

Fill the baking cups about 3/4 full. Sprinkle a few chopped walnuts over each cup. Bake muffins for 21-23 minutes or insert a toothpick into the center and if it comes out clean, it’s time to remove.

Let cool for 5-10 minutes and enjoy!

Makes 12-18 muffins

 

Crockpot Honey Apple Pork Loin

I did a little crockpot experimentation this week! I was looking through an order form for Tastefully Simple, which I used to sell, and saw a honey apple glaze. It sounded good, but I knew it would be loaded with sugar, so I decided to make up a recipe using honey and apples.

Brett and I really enjoyed this easy dish! Eating the pork and apples together was delicious! I served it up with steamed carrots and sauteed zucchini!

Ingredients:

Pork Loin, 2.5-3 lbs.

Red Delicious Apples, 3 sliced

Honey, approx 4 T

Cinnamon, 2 T

Process:

Lay the apple slices (from two of the apples) in the bottom of the crockpot.

Sprinkle with cinnamon.

Cut slits in the pork loin (approx 1/2″-3/4″).

Drizzle some honey into the slits.

Then place apple slices into the slits.

Place the pork loin into the crockpot.

Drizzle the top with the remainder of the honey.

Place the rest of the apples on top.

Then sprinkle the whole thing with cinnamon.

Cook on low for 7 hours.

For more flavor, you may poke holes in the pork. Then place the pork loin in a bag with honey and cinnamon and marinate it overnight.

Note: After some reviews of the loin being to dry, I have figured out why…. I own a crockpot that has a lid that completely seals off any moisture from escaping the pot. It is the Hamilton Beach Stay or Go Crockpot. It’s cheap and it so much better than any crockpots I have used in the past. If you have issues with your food drying out when you cook it, you should definitely look into getting this one. (I don’t get anything for promoting this crockpot, by the way.)

 

Coffee Rubbed Pork with Blueberry Glaze and Cocoa Infused Sweet Potatoes

This recipe from PaleOMG is awesome! I’m not going to lie and say that I wasn’t a little worried about some of the combinations, but Juli (PaleOMG mastermind, comedian, and chef) has never led me astray. It was great!! The pork would be good with or without the glaze, but why would you pass it up?!?! Also, I love extra sweetness, so I added the slightest bit of agave to my sweet potatoes. I’ve left Juli’s directions below for your reading pleasure. Mine would be much more boring!

• For the pork–
  • 2-2.5 lb pork loin roast
  • 2 teaspoons coconut oil
  • 2 teaspoons black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons coriander
  • 2 teaspoons coffee
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon coconut crystals (optional-I did not use these)
• For the Sweet Potatoes–
  • 1-2 large sweet potatoes, chopped and boiled until tender
  • 1 6oz can coconut milk
  • 2-3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• For the Blueberry Sauce–
  • 1 container of blueberries (about 2 cups)
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon ground mustard
  • 1 6oz can tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • juice of 1/2 lemon

Instructions

1. Let’s get to this pork. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. Now throw all your spices into a shallow bowl or tray. Mix them all together. Now cover your pork in a bit of coconut oil, then submerge your pork into the spices. And when I say submerge, I mean spice that crap out of it. All around it. On the ends. Coat it until it won’t hold anymore spice on it.
3. Put your roast into a baking dish and throw in the oven, uncovered, for 45-50 minutes. Your pork should cook for 20-22 minutes/lb or until it reaches an internal temperature of around 160-170 degrees.
4. While your pork cooks, start boiling your sweet potatoes.
5. While the sweet potatoes boil, pull out a small saucepan and add your red wine vinegar and blueberries to it, over low heat. Once the blueberries begin to cook down, add all the rest of the ingredients. Mix well and let it cook down over low heat.
6. Once the sweet potatoes are tender, add them to your food processor with the coconut milk. Once mixed, add your spices. Taste to see if you are content or would like more cocoa powder for a bit more boldness. You probably will. Why wouldn’t you.
7. Once the pork is done cooking, let it rest for at least 15 minutes. Slice, serve a top sweet potatoes and top off with some blueberry goodness.

 

Mango Papaya Salsa

As promised, here is the mango papaya recipe to go with the jerk burgers! In case you missed that post, click here.

This is a very simple recipe, so there is no excuse for not trying it out!

1 papaya

1 mango

1 large red bell pepper

1 avocado

1/2 sweet onion

2 T chopped fresh cilantro (I used freeze-dried, but dry would be fine too)

2 T balsamic vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

1. Chop up the mango, papaya, bell pepper, avocado and onion. I chopped the bell pepper and onion into large pieces, so that I could eat around them. I’m not a fan!
2. Place those in a bowl. Mix in the cilantro, balsamic vinegar, and salt & pepper.
3. Cover and place in the fridge for 30 min before serving!

 

 

Apple Banana Muffins

I was a brave little soul over Spring Break! I decided to actually make up a recipe!

These have been our favorite muffins yet! They are moist and delicious!

Ingredients:

2 ripened bananas

2 gala apples

2 eggs

4 tsp cocoa

1/2 c almond butter

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 c chopped pecans

2 c almond meal

Process:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place the bananas and apples in your food processor. Puree them to a baby food consistency.

Add in the other ingredients and blend well.

Place muffin liners in muffin tins and fill each 2/3 full with batter. This will make ~18.

Bake for 25-30 minutes at 350 degrees. I did 25 minutes for moist muffins.

What do you think about my first experimental recipe??? I think I could have added another egg, too… Maybe next time!