Blueberry and banana sugar free muffins

We’re loving berry season and this time have been blueberry and strawberry picking at the wonderful Tuckerberry Hill.  Not only are the an abundance of chemical free berries that the moment but a great cafe specialising in berry treats, a local produce barn, kids play equipment, and live music on weekends over summer time. What more could you ask for on a sunny Sunday?

Freshly picked blueberries...

Our household is pretty accustomed to sugar free snacks but these muffins seem to win over even the sweetest of tastebuds.  A little natural sweetener like honey or agave syrup is enhanced by the ripe bananas and the hint of cinnamon. And they’re great for the kids to get involved when poking the blueberries into the top (and taste testing of course!)

Blueberry and banana sugar free muffins

80g almonds

100g Greek yoghurt

100g milk

2 tbls honey or other syrup

2 eggs

3 ripe bananas

1 tbls chia seeds

300g sr flour (can use ½ wholemeal with 1 tsp baking powder)

1 tsp cinnamon

100g fresh or frozen blueberries

• Grease muffin trays (this mix makes around 24 mini muffins and 6 large)
• Preheat oven to 180°
• Place almonds in Thermomix bowl and grind for 10 seconds on speed 9
• Add yoghurt, milk, honey, eggs, bananas and chia seeds and mix for 20 seconds on speed 6
• Add flour and cinnamon and mix for around 5 seconds on speed 4 until just combined
• Scoop into muffin trays and place 3-4 blueberries into mini muffins or 5-6 into large muffins pushing down into the mixture a little
• Bake for 25 minutes for mini muffins or 35 minutes for larger muffins or until they are golden and spring back when touched

Mango, banana and strawberry smoothie

Mango, banana and strawberry smoothie

We whip up several smoothie variations in our house but the real winner at the moment with plenty of good fruit in season is a Mango, Banana and Strawberry smoothie.  Naturally sweetened by freshly picked strawberries and thickened magically by tropical mango they really hit the spot.  After the first week at school we needed a change from bread based lunches so the kids had fun with their salad face plates.  But the real hit was the 2 glasses of smoothies each which followed.  Quite a healthy and balanced lunch really with plenty of energy for skateboard surfing!

too hot outside so we're surfing inside!

Mango, banana and strawberry smoothie

1 mango

1 banana

Approx 100g strawberries

4-5 tbls Greek or natural yoghurt

1 cup of ice cubes

Approx 500g low fat milk (or more depending on number of serves)

Simply throw it all in your Thermomix or blender and mix on speed 6 for 20 seconds

Simple and yum!

vege faces - then we added boiled eggs for ears!

Berry delicious ice cream

Berry delicious icecream with a hazelnut tuile

A delicious summer time treat for the whole family that will even impress your visitors.  Sugar free, dairy free, egg free, additive free.  Naturally sweetened by the coconut milk and bananas  - both also make it nice and creamy compared to a sorbet.  You can substitute any berry or even mango and swap the coconut milk for yoghurt.  It’s the kind of treat the kids will even lick the bowl for!

must be good ... don't mind the pink skirt on little Finn!

Berry delicious ice cream

1 tin coconut milk – frozen in icecube tray

2 large bananas chopped into pieces and frozen

200g frozen berries (blueberries and raspberries are nice)

1 mc orange juice

• Freeze coconut milk and fruit a day ahead
• Place frozen coconut milk in Thermomix bowl and blend for 10 seconds on speed 9 scraping down as needed
• Add bananas, berries and juice and blend for a further 20 seconds or until well combined scraping down as required
• Serve topped with fresh berries and perhaps a little not so healthy treat or garnish on the side

Our Family Favourite Banana Bread

 

This banana bread is often half eaten before it even leaves the cooling rack.  And is adored by the whole family – just like a bunch of flowers from a lovely friend...

You can use 120g all butter but I find the coconut butter adds a nice lightness to the mix.

delicious straight from the oven.. often half is gone before it leaves the cooling tray!

Our Family Favourite Banana Bread

60g butter

60g coconut butter

70g raw sugar

2 tbls golden syrup

1 tsp vanilla

2 free range eggs

3-4 bananas

½ mc milk

250g SR flour

½ tsp cinnamon

½ tsp bicarb soda

• Add butters and sugar to Thermomix bowl and cream 10 sec speed 6, scrap down if needed and repeat

• Add golden syrup, bananas, eggs and vanilla and mix 10 sec speed 4

• Add flours and milk and mix 10 sec speed 4
• Bake 180° for 50 min in a lined loaf tin

Banana and Date Muffins

Banana and Date Muffins

I think I’ve just discovered the why people enjoy antique shops and opp shops.  They really can be fun!  My 3 year old daughter and I ventured out to the ultimate in antique shopping at our nearby Mill Markets and we were lost in world of years gone by obliviously for many hours.  We made party plans for tea parties on old phones (phones that I clearly remember), we sat in all sorts of chairs next to teddy bears, explored a variety of gadgets and could only imagine what they were used for, read chapters of well read books and most importantly discussed which queens had eaten from which glorious plates.

And that was my purpose.. to find a plate.  A pretty plate, most likely a cake plate but really just something that called out to me to be taken home and adorned with baked delights.  And after many hours (helped out by a cup of tea and a strawberry milkshake) that’s just what we found...

My first Antique plate

And what did this plate ask to first wear in its new home?  My new favourite Banana and Date  Muffins.  Yum!  Can you smell them, fresh from the oven?  And even the next day (if there’s any left) warmed for a few seconds in the microwave and tasting like little banana and date puddings?  And did I mention they’re actually way better for you than any store bought muffin with very little sugar (I’ve even used 30g which is sweet enough) but loads of taste?

Banana and Date Muffins on my new plate!

Actually I think I can hear one calling me now....

Banana and Date Muffins

2 large bananas (the riper the better)
100g pitted dates
70g grapeseed oil
2 free range eggs
50g rapadura or raw sugar
1 tbls honey
80g plain yoghurt
120g milk
150g SR flour
150g wholemeal flour
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp cinnamon

•  Preheat oven to 180° and grease muffin trays (I like to use a mini tray of 24 for the kids and a guilt free I plus 4 large ones visitors)
• Add dates and banana to Thermomix bowl and chop for 10 seconds on speed 6
• Add oil, eggs, sugar, honey, milk and yoghurt and mix for 20 seconds on speed 4
• Add flours, baking powder and cinnamon and blend for a further 10 seconds on speed 4
• Pour into muffin trays and bake for 15 minutes for small or 20 minutes for large muffins or until they spring back when pressed

I'm sure this could be easily made in your chosen mixer other than a Thermomix with the wet ingredients blended then the dry mixed ingredients added.

And of course, enjoy!

Ricotta and Banana Hotcakes

What’s there not to love about weekend breakfasts? Especially when it’s easy and delicious, and everyone thinks it’s a treat even when it’s quite healthy and nutritious.  These Ricotta and Banana Hotcakes are a staple in our home for birthdays, mother’s and father’s day or just any weekend that we feel like something special.

Ricotta and Banana Hotcakes

We love them topped with fresh strawberries, blueberry compote, Greek yoghurt, and occasionally a scoop of vanilla ice-cream. With the eggs and ricotta these hotcakes are high in protein and light and fluffy.  Having two Thermomix bowls makes it easier to beat the eggs whites in one then use a 2^nd bowl for the mixture but I also managed just fine with one.  It can also be easily made in a mixmaster.

 

Well what are you waiting for? Put a smile on your family’s face and make them.

Thermomix perfect egg whites!

Cook until just a few bubbles burst

 Ricotta and Banana Hotcakes

4 free range eggs separated
350g Ricotta
140g milk
1 banana
80g wholemeal flour
80g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp raw sugar (optional)

• Heat frying pan to moderately hot with a little butter to coat if required
• Ensure Thermomix bowl is clean and dry, insert butterfly and beat egg whites for 2 minutes on speed 4 at 50° then set aside
• Add all other ingredients including egg yolks and mix for 20 seconds on speed 4.  Scrape down with spatula and repeat for 5 seconds
• Insert butterfly and add egg whites and gently mix for around 3 seconds on speed 3 without loosing lightness of the egg whites
• Pour batches into preheated frying pan and cook for about 2 minutes until a few bubbles start to burst
• Flip and cook for only 1 minute on the other side

Serve warm with berries, extra bananas, yoghurt or whatever favourite toppings you desire

Enjoy!

Banana, Raspberry and Coconut Loaf

Grandma's beautiful orchids

Isn’t it amazing how much kids love their Grandparents.  My daughter Summer was so excited this morning because Grandma and Grandpa were coming to visit. She even sat at the front window gazing out waiting for them saying repeatedly “I just want Grandma and Grandpa to be here...”  When I asked her what sort of cake I should make for them she suggested a raspberry cake.  I was thinking a banana loaf so guess what we came up with?


Banana, raspberry and coconut loaf with Grandma's orchids

A delicious and delicate tasting wholesome treat.  Bananas keep the loaf moist and healthy, the raspberries add a wonderful burst of flavour (and Summer’s favourite colour), and the coconut adds natural sweetness and even more taste.  Using part wholemeal flour adds extra fibre and nutrition without affecting the texture.  The addition of walnuts adds Omega 3 essential fatty acids which are great for healthy brains (which they even look like!).   And while raw sugar can be used, rapadura sugar is unrefined and retains many vitamins and minerals because the molasses is not separated from the sugar cane juice it is extracted from.  Check out this great document I came across about rapadura on the Quirky Cooking website.

Banana, Raspberry and Coconut Loaf

60g walnuts
2 ripe bananas (mine were approx 180g)
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
80g grapeseed oil
130g milk
80g rapadura sugar
100g SR flour
100g wholemeal SR flour
30g coconut
½ tsp cinnamon
1 cup raspberries (I used frozen but fresh is great if in season)

• Place walnuts in Thermomix bowl and grind for 5 seconds speed 7
• Add bananas, vanilla, eggs, milk, and oil and mix for 10 seconds speed 6
• Add flours, sugar, coconut and cinnamon and mix for 10 seconds speed 4
• Add most of the raspberries and mix on Reverse for 5 seconds speed 1
• Pour into lined loaf pan and sprinkle with remaining raspberries
• Bake at 180° for 45-50 minutes or until inserted skewer comes out clean

Enjoy!