blueberries

Chia Blueberry Banana Bread

I always manage to keep bananas on deck at home, as frozen naners are the bff to any possible smoothie combo. Yet sometimes I admittedly get too lazy to peel them at their peak ripeness for the freezer and am left with perfectly, softy gooey brown bananas. This is in deed the true key to delish banana bread, and with those withering away on the counter and blubs withering away in the fridge I figured might as well throw it all together for a sweet, moist fiber-packed treat.

Chia seeds make for a nice little addition to this recipe and also rack up its somewhat-sorta-kinda-healthy points. Chia seeds are high in fiber, protein, antioxidants, and omega-3 fatty acids. Plus, turns out they make a pleasantly crunchy crust when baked on top.

This recipe was super simple and turned out perfecto - def adding it to my "list of things to bake boys". Enjoy!

Adapted from this recipe

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 c wheat pastry flour
1 c coconut flour 
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
Lots of cinnamon
1 tbsp cardamom
3 mashed bananas
1 cup blueberries
3 eggs
1/4 c of maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 c coconut milk
1 Tbs coconut oil
4 tbs ground chia seeds

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. While preheating, line a bread pan with wax paper.

2. Mix all the dry ingredients and half of your chia seeds together until well sifted.

3. In a separate bowl, combine remaining ingredients with a mixer until smooth consistency.

4. Combine the two bowls and further mix with the hand-held mixer.

5. Gently fold in the blueberries.

6. Pour mixture in the lined bread pan. Pat down top so that the surface is even and then sprinkle with remaining ground chia seeds.

7. Bake for around 50 minutes (coconut flour typically takes a bit longer).

Berry Crumble

This year E entered her tomatoes in the annual Tomato Feastival put on by Tally's finest Turkey Hill Farm. What better better way to sway the judges than with tomatoes in one hand and a berry crisp in the other? Her lil' sungold tomatoes didn't make the cut but participants in the cake walk sure were drooling at this crispy crumble. 

The beauty of a crumble is that is can be served in a bowl—no need to worry about a pie crust breaking before it reaches the plate. Can we just stop and take a second to think about all the amazing flavors that come along with summer.. Mmmmm ALL THE BERRIES.. I digress heres the recipe:

Ingredients:

Filling:
Blueberries
Blackberries
Strawberries
Rasberries
1 tbsp arrowroot powder
Juice and/or zest from 1 lemon
 

Crust:
1/2 cup earth balance softened
1 cup loosely packed brown sugar
1 cup gluten free oats
1/2 cup gf flour blend
1/4 cup hazelnut meal
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
 


 

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a regular baking or pie dish with cooking oil.

2. In a large bowl, mix together the fruit and arrowroot powder and lemon juice, by hand and toss to coat the fruit. Set the fruit mixture evenly in the baking dish and set aside. 

3. In a large bowl, mix room temp butter with brown sugar then combine, oats, flour, hazelnut, cinnamon, and salt. Break up any lumps of flour or brown sugar.

4. Sprinkle the oat mixture on top of the fruit. Use spatula or spoon to lightly pack the crisp topping.

5. Bake at 350°F for 30 to 35 minutes, until the fruit is bubbling around the edges.