These days my life is divided into four compartments - my job, my family, this food blog and my novel writing. Work is easy. I get up in the morning and leave for work. I get home a bit after 5pm and work is done for the day. Family is pretty clear too - I travel to and from work with Adriano, dinner is always together with Dario and Adriano. and we spend some time together in the weekends. But the rest of my waking hours are divided between my blog and my writing. This is where the dilemma lies. There is always a to-do list on my study desk and it is a question of what I do first. This weekend, Friday evening actually, I decided to get one of my e-published novels into print using Createspace (Amazon). I thought, a few hours and I will be able to move on to the next item on my list. It is now Sunday night and I have stopped only to sleep, eat and bake this dish on Saturday afternoon. I finally think I might have cracked it but it's almost 9pm and I have done nothing else. Anyway, … [Read more...] about Mini Banana Chocolate Loaves – Gluten-Free & low FODMAP
Banana loaf
Banana Coconut Raisin Loaf – grain, nut, dairy and refined sugar-free
It was about time I tackled a grain and refined sugar-free loaf and my favourite has always been banana so a banana loaf it was. This was an experiment, using all the knowledge I have so far gained about these new products and how they work as opposed to ordinary flour, butter and sugar. I adjusted as I went and the recipe below is the result. This loaf has worked really well and tastes great. I made a coconut cream topping to go with it in case it was dry but it wasn't bad at all. Oh, and I have used coconut sugar for the first time instead of honey or date puree. It gives a great, almost caramel flavour. Coconut sugar is a natural product made from the nectar of the coconut palm tree and doesn't put stress on your blood sugar levels the same way that white sugar does and retains all its minerals and vitamins. It also has an extremely low glycemic index of 35. But there is some conflicting information on the internet and I am not completely convinced that this is not just another … [Read more...] about Banana Coconut Raisin Loaf – grain, nut, dairy and refined sugar-free
Banana, Coconut and Blueberry Loaf – no added fat
I am making a concerted effort to eat a little healthier and consume less calories, most of the time anyway, and so I have been seeking out recipes that come part way towards being low calorie and on the healthy side. This banana loaf has not got any added oil or butter so I thought it was a good place to start. My only worry was that it seemed a little boring so I have added blueberries and shredded coconut. I did think long and hard about adding white or dark chocolate but resisted the urge.I couldn't find any very ripe bananas so I microwaved some in 30 second bursts until they were soft. This sweetens them and they resemble overripe ones. I found this recipe at Cook Republic. I made a quarter more of the recipe to make it fit into my loaf tin and that quantity should keep us going for a while but my Saturday baking never lasts too long and I am one of its major consumers. [print_this] Recipe: Banana, Coconut and Blueberry Loaf Ingredients 185ml full cream coconut … [Read more...] about Banana, Coconut and Blueberry Loaf – no added fat
Cranberry & White Chocolate Banana Bread
I was a little disappointed in the last granola bars I made and intend to try various different recipes until I find a good one but meanwhile last night I was taken by an urge to make a banana loaf. I was home alone and couldn't be bothered making dinner just for myself so I baked the loaf and ate a slice - delicious. Not that I would recommend this as a balanced meal but it did have protein (eggs), fruit (cranberries, lemon and bananas) and carbs (flour). The only sugar was 1/2 cup of honey with the rest of the sweetness coming from the fruit. I found this recipe here. [print_this] Cranberry & White Chocolate Banana Bread Ingredients: 2 cups whole wheat flour 1 tsp of baking soda 1/2 tsp of salt 1/4 cup of canola oil 1/2 cup of honey 1 tsp vanilla 1tsp of lemon juice 2 eggs 3-4 ripe bananas mashed 1 cup of white chocolate chips 1 cup of dried cranberries Method: Mix the wet ingredients together (eggs, honey, lemon juice, vanilla, mashed bananas and … [Read more...] about Cranberry & White Chocolate Banana Bread