Banana Bread Soft Serve

Bananas are my favorite fruit, hands down.  They are so versatile, delicious, and healthy -  what is not to love?  I joke that I don't feel comfortable if I don't have a bunch (or three) on my counter at all times.  Except I'm actually pretty serious...

I was out of town this past weekend and I came home to a bunch of very ripe bananas.  Since I am leaving for my MONTH long trip (more on that later) this coming weekend, I needed to use up these bananas ASAP.  I usually use ripe bananas as an excuse to make banana bread, but I didn't feel like turning the oven on.  I also sometimes use extra bananas to make banana soft serve, so I came up with the ingenious idea to blend these two recipes and make BANANA BREAD SOFT SERVE.

Step 1: Make Your Banana Bread - Since I didn't want to go through the trouble of actually baking banana bread, I decided to use homemade banana bread Larabars instead.  Per usual, I didn't follow a recipe when making my Larabars... but there are plenty out there to follow:  Oh She Glows has a recipe that I'm sure would work for this.  You could also just buy a few Larabars.  You will want to use the equivalent of about 3 bars, so if your recipe makes more, save the extras for another time (or eat separately).

Step 2:  Make Your Banana Soft Serve - Slice and freeze 3-5 bananas (or more if you want more soft serve).  Once frozen, add to your food processor with a few tablespoons of non dairy milk (just enough to get the mix going) and blend until smooth.  I also added about two teaspoons of vanilla extract and a pinch of salt.

Step 3:  Combine and Consume - Crumble your "banana bread" into your soft serve and pulse until well combined.  Consume immediately!  This is best and most like soft serve when eaten immediately.  You could also stick the mix back in the freezer, but you will want to let it defrost a bit before eating.

This concoction turned out worlds better than I could have imagined.  The larabar gave the soft serve some texture and chew, and the ripe bananas provided sweetness without any added sugars.  Delicious, but healthy enough to have for breakfast (which I did two days in a row).

I know not everyone is as much of a banana lover as I am.  For those of you who are not bananas for bananas, I recommend the following substitutions:

- Use a different homemade Larabar flavor.  I'm definitely going to try this with chocolate and/or peanut butter bars next time.  Chocolate Covered Katie has a whole slew of recipes you can choose from.
- Use less ripe bananas in your banana soft serve.  Green or yellow bananas will still give you a great soft serve consistency but will have less banana flavor than spotted or brown bananas.  Less ripe bananas will also be less sweet, so you may need to add sweetener such as agave or maple syrup depending on your taste buds.
- Get creative with add-ins!  Mix in mini chocolate chips, chopped nuts, nut butter, banana chips... the possibilities are endless!

What do you do with overripe bananas?  Have you ever tried banana soft serve?

Weekend in Blacksburg

This past weekend, I headed down to Blacksburg, Virginia for my little brother's graduation from Virginia Tech.  While I give my brother a hard time for going to VT (as I went to UVA), I am extremely proud of him and know that this was the right place for him to go to school.  I've only visited him down at school once before and while Blacksburg will never compare to Charlottesville in my book, I have surprisingly enjoyed both of my visits quite a lot. 

I drove down with my parents Thursday afternoon.  We arrived to (gasp) an extremely clean apartment and visited with my brother for a little while before dinner.  Mark (my bro) and his girlfriend (who also graduated) had whipped up a feast for their families:  whole roast chickens with vegetables, chickpea salad, and a green salad.  I threw together some guacamole from avocados my mom tossed in the car at the last minute.  Tip:  My "secret ingredient" for simple, yet amazing, guacamole is CUMIN.  My foodie friend taught me that adding this common spice to mashed avocados makes for a great guacamole when you may not have fresh garlic, cilantro, tomatoes, or whatever else you normally mix into your guacamole.

I did not partake in the the chicken, but the chickpea salad was fantastic, filled with the flavors of dill and pickles which remind me so much of summer.  I was happy (but not at all surprised) to hear that my brother's girlfriend got the recipe from one of my favorite blogs.  Head over to Oh She Glows for the recipe - I know I will be making this one soon!

After dinner we had Deep Dish Cookie Pie - another one of my go-to dessert recipes.  This dessert, like the Chocolate Fudge Pie, is from the creative Chocolate Covered Katie, and, like the Chocolate Fudge Pie, this is a crowd pleaser that no one will believe is healthy.  Spoiler alert: its made with chick peas and can be completely sugar free!  We all went to bed stuffed but very satisfied.

Coffee + Coconut Milk Creamer

On Friday, I woke up and went for a run, making my way to main campus and the downtown area.  Blacksburg doesn't have a very big "downtown" area, but there are a few streets with cute shops and restaurants.  The forecast was calling for rain, but the skies were clear and the temperature was starting to warm up as I finished my run.  I returned to my brother's apartment (where I stayed) to find freshly made coffee along with coconut milk creamer.  I was touched that he bought this special for me! 


At little before noon we headed to the university-wide graduation ceremony that was held outside at the football stadium.  By this time, it was HOT out.  While I was enjoying the sunshine, I was happy for the graduates' sake that the ceremony did not last very long (I know from experience that it is no fun to be sitting in the direct sun in a black cap and gown with no water).  After the ceremony, we grabbed a late lunch and spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing.

Friday night we had dinner reservations at the Blue Apron Restaurant and Red Rooster Bar, located about 45 minutes away in Salem, VA.  I called ahead and explained my dietary preferences, and the chef said that he was more than happy to accommodate me.  When we arrived our waitress had ready the chef's suggestion for me which sounded fantastic: quinoa with spring vegetables plus an Asian-inspired. salad.  The salad was refreshing - crisp butter lettuce with a miso-ginger dressing.  I also tried my brother's salad which was arugula with blueberries, Marcona almonds, and a lemon-honey vinaigrette.  Both were unusual and very tasty.

The Blue Apron offers most of its dishes in both appetizer and entree portions, so you can have a typical meal, or try many small plates.  Since many items on the menu looked good, most everyone else got appetizers (mussels, scallops, shrimp, crab cakes to name a few) and I did not hear one complaint.  Shortly after our entrees came out and I was immediately wow-ed by the beautiful plate placed before me.  It tasted as good (if not better) than it looked - perfectly cooked quinoa with assorted mushrooms, golden peas, asparagus, zucchini, topped with a sun-dried tomato chutney and fresh sprouts.  Although I was not super hungry, I ate every bite.   Everyone else also polished off their entrees and agreed that everything was amazing.

Saturday morning we were up bright and early - Mark graduated from the School of Engineering and the diploma ceremony was at 8 AM that morning.  After the ceremony, we went to check out the Blacksburg farmer's market (you know I was so stoked when my brother suggested this).  While the market was small, we all found some goodies: fresh almond butter and fruit + nut treats (me), cinnamon roll and coffee (mom), burgers with avocado and yam biscuits (Mark and dad).   We also picked up some produce to take back with us.

Farmer's Market treats

My parents were eager to get on the road and get back home, as they are leaving the country this week (my mom's first time to Europe)!  I was also ready to go since I still needed to prepare for my upcoming trip as well.  So we packed up our stuff and our goodies and got on the road.  It was a fun weekend, and I know my brother was happy we could all make it down (although I'm sure he was also happy to see us leave and have so me time to himself).

In the past 6 years I have gone to 5 college graduations (two of which were this past month).  Its always fun to spend time with family and celebrate the graduate, but the ceremonies all start to sound the same!  I think it is safe to say that I am graduated-out, at least for the time being.  Good thing I don't have any close friends or family planning to graduate in the near future... well at least not from college.  I imagine a yoga teacher training graduation is a much different experience.... =)

An Ode to Granola

Let me start this post by saying I love granola.  Call me hippie, call me crunchy, call me whatever - you will not deter me from continuing to love (and eat vast quantities of) granola.   My real love for this sweet stuff only began after I started making my own.  In my younger years, I stayed away from granola - it was the stereotypical "not healthy health food."  Like all stereotypes, this one has its roots in truth.  A lot of store-bought granola is extremely processed and packed with sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats.

Once I started making my own granola, my thoughts completely changed.  When I made my own, I could control the ingredients: making healthy swaps for less-than-stellar typical ingredients, adding in "superfoods" to up the nutritional value, and experimenting with new flavor variations.  Soon I was making mixes weekly and sharing my creations with friends and family. 

I generally do not follow a recipe; I just taste as I go, throwing in whatever is in my pantry and suites my tummy at the moment.  While this has resulted in many a delicious blend, it has started to become an issue.  When people ask me for my recipe or when I try to re-create a particularly tasty mix, I am lost. 

So today I stand here with a pledge:  from now on, I WILL (attempt) to write down what goes into my granola, both for myself and for you, dear reader.  Until then, a few recipes from others that I have made (and enjoyed) with only minor changes:

Toasted Coconut Tropical Granola
Banana Hemp Granola
Apple Cinnamon Raisin Buckwheat Granola

Happy crunching!

Yogi Potluck + Vegan Enchiladas

Hello and happy Monday!  It does not feel like a Monday - this weekend was chock full of yoga happenings: lectures from a well known Swami, a Kirtan concert, and a series of challenging workshops with a master teacher.  Definitely not your typical laid back weekend!

I haven't mentioned this on the blog, but I'm currently going through training to be a yoga teacher.  The past two weeks and this past weekend specifically have been very intense, so I thought it would be fun to have the other teachers-in-training over for a potluck dinner so we could relax and decompress after all this activity.

Right away I knew the recipe I wanted to make - Jackfruit Enchiladas from Keepin' it Kind.  Jackfruit is a starchy and fibrous fruit from South/Southeast Asia, and depending on the variety the flesh can range from soft to hard.  Because young, unripe jackfruit has a texture very similar to meat, it has been used as a natural meat substitute in savory dishes for years.   I've had two cans of jackfruit in my pantry for weeks (what, you don't?), so I knew this was the perfect opportunity to test out this recipe.  I also knew this would be a good recipe because I could do most of the prep beforehand, and simply assemble and bake the enchiladas the night of the potluck.  While this dish took some time and planning (roasting peppers for the enchilada sauce, soaking cashews for the "crema,"  cooking jackfruit filling, etc), the recipe itself was not difficult.  

Jackfruit

My fellow yogis and I chatted over chips and fresh salsa and fresh guacamole as the enchiladas baked, and  I crossed my fingers that this dish would be as delicious as the recipe promised.  When I cook vegan/vegetarian dishes for my non-veg friends, I always want to make something that is over-the-top delicious.  I feel as though I need to prove that a) I do not just eat carrots and tofu, and b) food can be just as amazing as, if not better than, dishes with meat and animal products.  These enchiladas did just that - everyone went back for seconds and I even got some requests for the recipe.  Score!

As this was a potluck, we had other items to complement the enchiladas.  Fresh made salsa and guacamole (with mango!), a quinoa dish with veggies, and sesame cucumber salad.  AND JUICE!  Lately, a few of my fellow teachers-in-training have been interested in juicing and juice cleanses, so I told them to bring produce and they could test out my juicer.  We had a short 'Juicing 101' lesson and made a very green blend of kale, spinach, celery, carrot, and apple.    

Giving a juicing demo

We were all stuffed after dinner, but no one could resist dessert - Chocolate Fudge Pie.  This pie is one of my go-to desserts - I have made it countless times and it never fails to impress.   I figured since I was taking a risk trying a new recipe for dinner, I should stick with something solid for dessert.  Once again, it was a hit - we all had seconds of dessert too (remember that we have been doing a lot of exercise lately) and no one could believe that this decadent pie was healthy!  Head over to Chocolate Covered Katie for the super-easy recipe and to find out the secret ingredient that makes this pie good for you!
 

Chocolate Fudge Pie - YUM!

While it wasn't a particularly relaxing weekend, it was still fun and a good break from the hum drum of the work week.  I was happy that the new recipe was a hit, and that we all got to spend some time together outside of the yoga studio.  Everyone agreed that the potluck was a grand success and that we would need to plan another again in the near future.  I'm already thinking about what my contribution will be next time...

Do you like to cook for others?  Do you have a signature dish or recipe you can always count on?

New Kid on the Block - Glen's

There's a new kid on the block - Glen.   Glen just happens to be a grocery store (full name: Glen's Garden Market)- something my area of Dupont circle has been missing since the "Secret Safeway" shut down a few years back.  As the name entails, Glen's is no ordinary grocery store, but rather a boutique market offering local produce, meats, cheeses, and other kitchen staples. Glen's also has a full bar (beer, wine, and coffee) and deli with prepared foods and sandwiches made to order.

I first heard about Glen's only a few weeks before the store was scheduled to open, and was immediately excited.   Not only would this place offer local produce all day every day, it would also have a selection of items one usually cannot find at the weekly farmer's marker.  Almost all items sold would be local, supporting the small farms and businesses that sometimes struggle for lack of distribution channels.  In addition, the construction of the market itself was environmentally focused, showing the store's commitment to sustainability.  This place sounded like a dream market to me!

On opening day I waited patiently with my neighbors for the doors to open.  Once inside, I made a beeline for the bar to get some coffee, however, I was discouraged to hear that the coffee bar did not offer any non-dairy milk.  I guess I can understand this, since I have never heard of a Virginia soy milk producer, but I do think this will be a blow to the coffee side of the market, since there are a ton of different other coffee shops in the area that do have non-dairy options.

I proceeded to make my rounds through the store.  The produce section was much smaller than I anticipated, but I figured this may have been a result of the season (still early spring).  There was a decent selection of prepared dishes (both sides and mains) and sandwiches, although I noticed only one vegetarian sandwich on the menu.  While not a meat-eater myself, I will note that Glen's makes all their deli meats, sausages, and hot dogs in-house, which is awesome for all you carnivores out there.  Some veg-friendly items that I was happy to see:  vegan and vegetarian pastas, soups from Souper Girl, drinks from Capital Kombucha, and tofu from Twin Oaks.

While the prepared foods are a draw for many, what really impressed me about Glen's Garden Market were the "grocery" items.  There were shelves filled with baking products, coffee, chocolate, snacks, spices, sauces, etc.  And all from local producers! This is great for those of us who try our best to eat local, because a lot of these types of items are harder (or impossible) to find in farmer's markets alone.  Overall, I think Glen's has some room for improvement (as with any new store) but I am certain I will be making frequent stops there in the future.

Memphis Travels and Vegan Fig Bars

Two weeks ago I got to travel to Memphis for work with my team  (we visit Memphis and the smaller town of Millington a few times a year).  While Memphis may be known for BBQ and southern cooking, I have found a few veg-friendly spots that we frequent whenever we are in town: 

"Regenerator" juice from Cosmic Coconut

The Cosmic Coconut -  All-vegan juice and smoothie bar located off of Poplar Avenue between Midtown and Germantown.  In addition to the array of juices and smoothies, the Cosmic Coconut also offers food - soups, a few sandwiches, kale salad, and raw treats.  I have tried quite a few of the juices and smoothies and all have been delicious.  My favorite juice has to be the "Regenerator" -  a blend of beet, carrot, apple, kale and WHEAT GRASS (such an awesome addition to a juice).  The kale salad, which is massaged with their house dressing, is another menu item I have liked.  They also offer grain bowls which change daily.

Veggie Tempura sushi from Kobe

Kobe - Who would ever think you could find a decent sushi joint in the tiny town of Millington, Tennessee?  Definitely not I, but Kobe is a true gem in the rough.    Even the non-veg folks agree that the best roll offered is their Vegetable Tempura roll with sweet potato and asparagus.

Olympic - Another favorite spot in Millington. My co-workers like that they can get plain grilled chicken here, and we all love their baked sweet potatoes.  I bring along some nut butter and order the sweet potato (extra large, please) for my meal.



There is also a Whole Foods one mile from our hotel so my co-workers and I always make a stop to stock up on healthy snacks such as fruits and veggies, trail mix, and energy bars. 

I love to bake for my co-workers, and I don't let travel stop me from doing so.  I contemplated what to make for this trip - granola? healthy Chex mix? oatmeal cookies?  I wanted something that would serve as both a breakfast and an afternoon snack.  In my search, I stumbled across a recipe for vegan fig bars that sounded both nutritious and delicious.   Best of all, I had all the ingredients on hand.  Score!

These bars surpassed my every expectation.  I am not normally a cookie/cake/bar person - I'd much rather indulge in some undercooked (vegan) brownies and raw cookie dough, or a big bowl of vanilla (banana) soft serve.  I made these bars on Friday night and by the time I left for Memphis on Sunday, half the batch was gone.  While I can't quite put my finger on what makes these bars so amazing, I think it has something to do with the fact is that they remind me, in the simplest way, of the Fig Newtons of my childhood.  Don't let that comparison fool you - these bars are much more complex, way more wholesome, and one hundred times more tasty.

As I mentioned, the ingredients are fairly basic: dried figs, dates, maple syrup,  oats, applesauce, almond milk, coconut oil, and spices.   The only not-basic part of the recipe is making the fig filling for the bars.  I'm sure if you wanted you could use any store bought fruit butter or jam, but let me tell you the effort is worth it if you have the time and resources to make the homemade version.

This is another recipe from Gena over at Choosing Raw.  Go check it out and do yourself (and maybe your co-workers or your family) a favor and make these today!

Spring Cleaning - Part 2

This post continues my juice cleanse journey through the last two days of my Urban Remedy cleanse.

Day two:  I woke up a little groggy but my head cleared as soon as I had my first juice. Energy was decent throughout the morning and early afternoon - I went to a yoga class and did some cleaning around my apartment.  During yoga I was slightly tired, but I also felt very light.  I made the mistake of going to the farmer's market (I needed to get some produce for the rest of the week).  After that, all I wanted to do was toss my greens in some olive oil and dig in with a fork!

 "Young Love" chia juice with a spoon!

Later in the afternoon I had a light headache, but it did not last long.  I met up with some friends early in the evening.  I think I was pretty out of it.  By the time I got home at 8PM I was ready for bed.  I had my last juice and read for a bit, but passed out very early.

Day three:  Slept for 11 hours but woke up feeling energized.  I had to go to work so I packed all my juices and set off into the rainy weather.  I had some coconut water along with my first (all green) juice.  Felt good all day, but was a little anxious to be done with the cleanse and eat already!  No headaches today - does this mean I have kicked my coffee addiction?

Post cleanse:  As it is recommended to ease into a cleanse, it is also suggested to gradually make your way back to eating again.  Although I wanted to devour all the foods I had been missing immediately, I knew I should take things slowly so that my body would be able to adjust and continue to detox.   On the few days following the cleanse, I had smoothies with banana and homemade almond milk for breakfast.  I made a huge salad with raw veggies and hemp seeds for lunch and dinner, and snacked on green juices and raw nuts.  I did have a cup of coffee on the second day following the cleanse, and did not feel any ill effects.

Post cleanse salad

I definitely felt lighter after the cleanse, and my digestion seems to be improved as well.  I also feel like my mind is clearer and more focused.  My energy levels have been pretty high post-cleanse, despite the lack of caffeine.  As I mentioned above, I did drink coffee a few days after the cleanse (and I probably will continue to), so I will be interested to see if this has any effect on my energy, focus, etc.  While the cleanse itself was both a physical and mental challenge, I'm glad I took the time to do this and will for sure do another in the future.


Would I do this cleanse again?  While I liked most of the Urban Remedy juice blends, there were a few that were not so palatable to me.  The "After Party," which contained beet, carrot, apple, and ginger, was good but I could not drink the whole juice at once.  Same thing with the "Beam," which was carrots, jewel yams, burdock root, and dandelion greens and I ended up throwing out most of one of these.   But overall I really appreciated the complexity and unique-ness of the juices.  For example, the juices with chia seeds were more like smoothies and made the cleanse a lot easier.  I am working on re-creating these recipes because I enjoyed these so much.  Finally, I loved that the juices were based off of Traditional Chinese Medicine principals.  Each juice had a "factoid" on the juice bottle telling you something about the healing properties of the ingredients.  Although the price of a purchased juice cleanse is pretty high, the ease and convenience of it is awesome.  All things considered, I can confidently say that I would choose Urban Remedy again in the future.

Have you ever done a juice cleanse or other detox?  What was your experience like?