The unassuming sesame seed. How often do you think about sesame seeds? Probably only when you’re singing the Big Mac song and come to the all on a sesame seed bun part. Just me? Well, sesame seeds are more than a bun garnish. 
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recipe
Spaghetti Squash Lasagna Casserole
I’ve made this a few times and every time I make it, I have to restrain myself from eating the whole pan. It’s that good. 
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Birthday Thoughts, A Story, & Pumpkin Cranberry Cookies
I start my 29th-year today and I think I have some feelings about it. Good ones, don’t worry. Also, I have a story to share and I promise if you sit through all of that I will reward you with cookies.
Indulge me. It is my birthday after all 🙂 
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Gluten-Free Banana Bread with Avocado
Don’t turn away in disgust. You can, and totally should, bake with avocado. They are good for you and replace a lot of the less than healthy fats you normally find in baked goods. 
A few weeks back Liz from I Heart Vegetables posted this recipe for chocolate muffins made with avocado and that got my wheel turning. I started thinking of other things I could make with avocado and then I saw a recipe for banana bread and the baking heavens opened. 
Banana bread is awesome, but regular banana bread is usually a little too sweet for me so I toned it down in this recipe. Feel free to add maple syrup if you want, but try it without first. The avocado keeps this bread moist and full of healthy fats and DOESN’T taste like banana guacamole. That wouldn’t be so good. Interesting…. but not tasty.
So if you have some super ripe bananas, an avocado, and a hankering for something delicious try this quick gluten-free bread!
Avocado Banana Bread
- 1 medium avocado, about 1 cup diced up
- 2 medium ripe bananas
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 large egg or 1 flax egg (3 tbsp ground flaxseed and 6 tbsp water combined)
- 1 and 1/2 cup almond flour
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3-5 tbsp maple syrup, optional
- 1/4 cup pecans, optional
- 1/2 cup dried bananas, optional (but really delicious even if it sounds odd)
- Preheat oven to 350 and oil a bread pan with a little coconut oil and line with parchment paper.
- Put the avocado, bananas, and coconut oil into a blender and blend until it’s smooth. Add the egg or flax egg, maple syrup if you’re using, and blend again.
- Combine all the dry ingredients in a large bowl and then pour in the wet. Use a spatula and stir to combine. If you’re adding nuts or dried bananas stir those in now.
- Pour the batter into the bread pan and bake for 45 minutes. Pull out the bread and check to see if the middle is still wobbly. If it is, cook for another 5 to 10 minutes.
- When the bread is done, pull it out and let it cool in the pan for 5 minutes then take it out and let it cool on a rack completely.
Chocolate Cheesecake Parfait
Valentine’s Day needs chocolate. It’s just a fact of life. I mean every day needs chocolate, but Valentine’s Day needs the fancy chocolate. Enter this dessert.
Valentine’s Day is on Sunday this year which is just weird. I don’t know why, but it is. If you’ve completely forgotten about Valentine’s, don’t worry because this dessert can be whipped up super fast and it tastes super indulgent.
Can you believe I was actually going to post a pizza recipe today? I know, what was I thinking? I mean pizza is good and deserves its time in the spotlight, but not right now. Today, it’s going to be all about the chocolate. Even better, it’s going to be about healthy chocolate. I used an old trick to make the chocolate pudding part of this recipe and while it might seem weird and totally gross, go with me on this one. Avocados make the chocolate pudding layer rich, thick, creamy, and full of good for you fat and nutrients.
What better way to tell that special someone you love them?! I love you, now enjoy some good fat chocolate. Music to my ears. Guys, if you want to impress your lady (or yourself, I won’t judge) make this parfait. You don’t need to do anything fancy, just blend each layer and put it in a glass. Voila! Done.
I hope you have a great weekend and your Valentine’s Day is full of love and chocolate! 🙂
Chocolate Cheesecake Pudding Parfait
- 1 batch of my cream cheese frosting (sub in almond milk for the water)
- 1 large avocado, very ripe (you want a soft avocado so it blends nice and smooth)
- 3 tbsp cocoa powder
- 2-3 tbsp maple syrup, honey, agave or any liquid sweetener
- 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp full-fat coconut milk
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- pinch of sea salt
- dark chocolate chips or cacao nibs, optional for sprinkling
- Blend up the cream cheese frosting and place in the fridge while you make the chocolate pudding
- Place the rest of the ingredients into a blender and blend until completely smooth. Taste to see if you need more sweetener.
- Chill the pudding for at least 30 minutes before serving. Place into a glass in layers and then sprinkle with chocolate chips or cacao nibs right before serving.
Life Healthfully Lived 