6️⃣ ingredient pt&🍌🍞
Welcome to those who were just scanning the web and serendipitously landed on my humble site 👋 whether you are in a rut and don’t know what to make; are in that loop of “sooo, what do you want to eat tonight?”; or have fallen into the infinite black hole of saved recipes from social media (the internet is truly ultimate purveyor of maximalist TL;DR content overwhelm 😵💫🫠🤭). I hope you enjoy — it brings me great joy to sprinkle any ease into your life — cheers to your good health, good love & good fortune!
And per my usual caveat, I do not claim to be a doctor or a chef. I do not dream of being a fancy food blogger. I’m just a gal who enjoys living and eating for optimum well-being. I like to creatively alter, and occasionally create, recipes to make them as balanced as possible, in both taste and health. I’ve come to learn soul-food and body-fueling food are both real and equally important, hence the critical importance and beauty of mind-body-soul eating! ✨ I typically like to begin with a key ingredient or two that I’m hoping to work with, search for a preexisting recipe as a guide, then play with measurements and make swaps to level up nutrient density. Consider this a destination for healthy recipe inspiration, where you’ll never have to scroll through any continuously re-populating ads. One of my primary goals is to add a little simplicity in places I’ve found murky.
MEDICAL DISCLAIMER: THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IS INTENDED FOR GENERAL INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS PERSONAL MEDICAL ADVICE. INDIVIDUALS SHOULD ALWAYS CONSULT THEIR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER BEFORE ADMINISTERING ANY OF THE SUGGESTIONS MADE ON THEBALANCEDCALM.COM TO ENSURE THEY ARE APPROPRIATE FOR THEIR SPECIFIC CIRCUMSTANCE.
BUCKLE UP…the catch phrase of the past couple years, often paired with UNPRECEDENTED….at this point, easily the two absolute most cringey, easily anticipated cues before a presentation…
But I’m ready to help us reframe things. I hope you’re ready to buckle up for some seriously unprecedented, mind-bendingly delicious, seemingly too simple, 6 INGREDIENT TAHINI BANANA “BREAD” (aka bread with no flour, none, not even “gluten-free" flour and somehow it still comes out perfectly loafy). It’s a miracle in my mind that this recipe actually worked. And not only did it turn out, it really turned out WAY beyond beyond 💫
I personally try to avoid consuming too many bananas outside of the occasional super smoothie, but I feel like when the debate is between dessert or no dessert, there is really only one correct answer! And I would opt for the no added sugar, no flour option any day of the week! In honor of Father’s Day coming up this weekend, I felt it was essential I share this recipe that could not be more perfectly dedicated to my banana lovin’ dad 🍌💙🍌💙🍌💙🍌
Without further ado, this recipe comes from the brilliant Stella Drivas of Hungry Happens. I’ve just made a few of my healthy amendments and strong recommendations to layer onto her original recipe below:
INGREDIENTS
2 large ripe organic bananas, mashed
1 1/2 c organic tahini (alternatively, organic sunflower seed butter, or organic creamy peanut butter* if you must)
1/3 c organic Manuka honey
3 organic free range eggs
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 c organic dark chocolate, chopped**
*Emphatic personal opinion: MaraNatha’s Organic Peanut Butter is so worth it & the only way to go - YUMMMM.
**I love Theo’s Chocolate Organic Fair Trade Pure 85% Dark Chocolate Bar and with these measurements you will use a little under 1.5 bars, so have an extra half to play with for toppings or to snack on.
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Line a bread loaf pan (or even better yet a meatloaf pan for even easier transfer) with non-bleached parchment paper.
3. Mix all ingredients except the chocolate. Then once fully blended, fold in the chocolate pieces.
4. Pour the batter into your pan. Option to also top with more chocolate if desired for aesthetics...our house was too excited for the extra snacking chocolate so I did not do this.
5. Bake for 50 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.*
6. Allow to cool 15 minutes prior to slicing, keep in fridge until all has been gobbled up 🤤
🌟🌟🌟 BONUS: Top with a little Cocojune Organic Pure Coconut Dairy Free Yogurt or Siggi’s Icelandic Skyr Whole Milk Yogurt with a Touch of Honey…it’s honestly better than à la mode and far better for your gut…but if you must scratch that ice cream itch, do yourself a favor and pick up some Cosmic Bliss Organic Plant Based (non-processed sugar containing) Ice Cream!
*Check the loaf at the 35-40 minute mark, if the top of the loaf is browning excessively, loosely throw over a piece of aluminum foil to cover the top.
CLICK PHOTO ON FAR RIGHT TO SEE ADDITIONAL IMAGES >
As with everything I make, I love to know the ingredients will fuel not only a beautiful plate, but a beautiful feeling inside. I will again caveat, I’m not a nutritionist, but as holistic health coach, here’s some functional food for thought:
TAHINI
So, to be clear, my husband still buys peanut butter. Hence my knowledge of MaraNatha’s noted above. However, peanuts are known to be the highest culprits across the nut category for containing mold and yeast. I mean — gross. The mold and fungus within peanuts product aflatoxins, which have been linked to a variety of health issues, including liver cancer, growth impairment in children, and even developmental delays, among much that I’m sure isn’t as formally documented. I don’t like the term “trash nuts” that I’ve heard before. It’s just too negative. Though, I would love to opt for a healthier option: cue tahini. The nut butter, made from ground sesame seeds, is not only lower in carbohydrates and sugar, it is known for a lower mold profile. A higher glycemic index means we will stay fuller longer, plus not spike our blood sugar levels as greatly. A great additional alternative butter if sunflower seed butter.
DIRTY DOZEN
We should all strive to buy as much as organic as possible, but did you know that every year there is a cheat list of the 12 fruits and veggies that are most contaminated with pesticides, so most essential to only buy organic? Take a look at the EWG’s site HERE for review. Number one is often strawberries, so I’m sad to say it, but I would highly advise against eating any non-organic strawberries because you’re virtually eating a beautiful calorie light berry that’s been soaked in pesticides that are not possible to simply rinse off. There is also a “CLEAN FIFTEEN” which have been shown to have the lowest amount of pesticide residue, so it’s likely alright to purchase these organic or non-organic.
PINK HIMALAYAN SALT
Since pink Himalayan salt is less processed than table salt, your body has an easier time processing it, as it doesn’t require as much water to clear out the excess sodium! It also contains more than 80 minerals and elements, including potassium, iron, calcium and (naturally occurring) iodine, aiding our body’s natural detoxification process and promoting the removal of bacteria. This can even help lower blood pressure, as iodine supports our body’s electrolyte balance, allowing our intestines to absorb more nutrients.
(HOMEMADE/WHOLE INGREDIENT) DESSERT
Yes, enjoying dessert is good for you health! And allow me to share my top 3 reasons for why I strongly believe this…
1. MENTAL HEALTH
2. WEIGHT MANAGEMENT
3. ENERGY
The more we restrict ourselves, the more we’re going to crave what we’re restricting ourselves from — which in turn, may not be good for our mental health or weight weight management. For instance, if we’re thinking of how much we want some chocolate (or even our favorite salty snack if we’re less of a sweets person), but then deprive ourselves of this, there is a much greater probability we will binge on some at some point in the near future and/or even justify eating less healthful food throughout our day since we did were so “good” at avoiding the deemed gluttonous item when we wanted it. There are many unhealthy cycles we can develop, it’s most ideal to listen to our bodies and eat intuitively.
On top of this, dieting that involves sudden decreases to our intake of carbohydrates and sugar deprives our bodies of the necessary glucose needed for energy. This can lead to us feeling sluggishness, experience mental fog and distraction, as well as potentially feel depressed! The mind body connection is ever present.
There’s no reason to not enjoy dessert in moderation — life is meant to be sweet! When we take a bite out of our favorite desserts and our moods instantly level up, it’s due to the fact that foods with naturally high percentages of carbohydrates help the brain and body to produce chemicals (including serotonin) that contribute to overall emotional well being. The benefits of enjoying dessert simply outweighs the negative impact.
***important to note, as always, quality is essential — even with snack mixes…always shop organic when possible.
