Nutty Truffles

I  had a bit of a hard time coming up with a name for these little balls… they have so many tasty and healthy things in them that it was not easy to focus on just one to name them. So, I am simply calling them Nutty Truffles.  Once you read the ingredient list, you will see why.

I made up the batter and then left it in the fridge for about an hour because as gooey as it is, it is much easier to work with when it’s cold.

I used my favorite North Coast Naturals 100% ISO vanilla whey protein powder and their hemp seeds to make these little goodies. You can use your own favorite brands. I also used PB2 instead of peanut butter just to keep the calorie count down… use your favorite nut butter of course.  It’s just a template… feel free to experiment.

 

Nutty Truffles
Makes 11 truffles

for the truffle batter:

• 4 Tbs PB2
• 3 Tbs Almond Breeze, vanilla unsweetened
• 2 Tbs coconut flour
• 2 Tbs almond meal
• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder

for the coating:

• 1 Tbs hemp seeds
• 1 Tbs fine coconut, unsweetened 

1. Mix all the truffle batter ingredients together in a small bowl and refrigerate till chilled, about one hour.
2. Mix the coating ingredients together in a very small bowl and set aside.
3. To make the truffles, scoop out a portion of the batter with a small spoon, and roll into a ball with your hands.
4. Drop the ball into the coating mixture and roll it around till completely covered.
5. Set on parchment paper and repeat process 10 more times.
6. Refrigerate till ready to eat.

Per serving.
Weight Watchers P+ = 1.
Calories 46; Protein 4g; Carbohydrate 3g; Fat 2g; Fibre 1g.

Drop the rolls into the coating mixture.

Roll around till completely covered.

Set on parchment paper and put back in fridge to chill before serving.

The whole recipe N.I. is as follows so you can recalculate for each truffle if you happen to make more or fewer with your batter.

Calories 508; Protein 45g; Carbohydrate 29g; Fat 26g; Fibre 15g.

Printable Recipe

New Grain Free Nut Flour Pancakes

I go back and forth between using almond flour and coconut flour in my baking.  And sometimes when I use almond flour, I end up adding a bit of coconut flour as a thickener.  That’s what happened when I was putting together this recipe.

When we first got up in the morning, we had coffee and then I decided I wanted to get in a short run before we had breakfast… The Captain said he would like to go along, so we both ate small bananas before lacing up our running shoes and heading out.

When it was time to get breakfast together, I knew I wanted to make us some pancakes, because we had these beautiful fresh strawberries to enjoy on top.  But I would normally use a banana in my pancake batter.  We had already eaten a banana so I decided to use some unsweetened applesauce instead.  I  usually have these little individual cups of applesauce on hand.  I buy any of several different brands, depending upon what is on sale.  These happen to be from Wal-mart.  Each container holds approximately 1/2 cup of applesauce.

You can easily double this recipe for more cakes, or even halve it if you are having breakfast alone.  You could also make up the cakes and keep leftovers in the refrigerator to be reheated another day in the mike.

This recipe makes 4 pancakes… enough for 2 for breakfast.

Grain Free Pancakes
Makes 2 servings of 2 cakes each

• 2 eggs
• 1 container (1/2 cup) of unsweetened applesauce
• 4 Tbs almond flour
• dash of vanilla
• sprinkle of cinnamon
• 2 tsp coconut flour
• 1 tsp baking powder

1. Beat the eggs and applesauce together in a medium bowl.
2. Add the almond flour, vanilla, cinnamon and mix till well combined.
3. Add the coconut flour 1 tsp at a time and mix after each addition.
4. Add the baking powder and mix again.
5. Lightly coat a skillet with non-stick spray and set over MEDIUM heat.
6. When the pan is hot, ladle 1/4 of the batter (between 3 and 4 Tbs) into the pan.   Allow to cook about 5 minutes until the edges are somewhat dry and bubbles appear in the centre.
7. Flip and cook the second side about 2 minutes.
8. Remove the cake from the pan to a serving plate and cover to keep warm.
9. Repeat with the rest of the batter until you have 4 pancakes.
10. Garnish as desired and serve warm.

Per serving of 2 cakes.
WW P+ = 5.
Calories 187; Protein 10g; Carbohydrate 11g; Fat 12g; Fibre 4g.

Before garnishing here.  The cakes are about 4 inches in diameter.

I added a bit of Greek yogurt and some sugar free syrup to mine.

The Captain opted for real syrup on his... no yogurt for him.

I think next time I will try them with egg whites instead of whole eggs to keep the fat content down a bit and that will also lower the Weight Watchers P+ values.

Printable Recipe

Are you a nut flour fan, too?

What is your favorite kind of pancakes?

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Pumpkin Protein Paleo Cookies

One day this past week, The Captain announced that one of our local markets was selling canned pumpkin puree for 87 cents per can and that he was planning to pick some up for me the next morning while I was at work.

I was sure they wouldn’t have any left by the time he got there, but when he arrived to drive me home after my noontime Weight Watchers meeting, he quite proudly gave me the news that he had bought 2 cases…. 24 cans of pure pumpkin puree! 

So what am I going to do with it all?  Well, there will be pumpkin pancakes, and pumpkin souffles, pumpkin smoothies, and of course I had to come up with some pumpkin cookies!

These are not your ordinary sweet, dessert cookies, though.  These are cookies that I am going to keep in the freezer and have them pre-workout in the morning. I like to have a little nibble of something nutritious before I do my strength workout in the morning and this will fill that bill quite nicely… but they also do taste great! 

They are not too sweet but if you want a treat, they are certainly that as well.  I have been experimenting for months now with almond flour cookies, and these are pretty good.

I used liquid vanilla Stevia as my sweetener. If you use plain Stevia, or a powdered sweetener such as Splenda, add a spoonful of vanilla extract, too.  And you can use any kind of nuts you like.  I thought pecans would taste good with the pumpkin and they sure do!

Pumpkin Protein Paleo Cookies
Makes 35 cookies

• 1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin pure pumpkin puree
• 2 eggs
• 1 dropper liquid vanilla Stevia
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 2 cups almond flour
• 4 level scoops vanilla protein powder
• 1 Tbs coconut flour
• 3 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp cloves
• 2 dashes allspice

1. Preheat your oven to 350° F.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the almond flour, protein powder, coconut flour and spices.
4. Mix in the raisins and pecans.
5. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the eggs, pumpkin, and Stevia.  Then add the mixture to the dry ingredients.
6. Combine well.
7. Using a 1Tbs measure, scoop the batter into mounds on the parchment paper and bake for 14 minutes.
8. Remove the cookies from the sheet and leave on a cooling rack for several minutes to let them set.  They will be quite soft till they cool a bit.
9. Repeat #7 and #8 with the remaining batter.

Per serving of 1 cookie.
Weight Watchers P+ = 2.
Calories 85; Protein 5g; Carbohydrate 6g; Fat 5g; Fibre 2g.

You don’t need to leave much room between the mounds as they don’t spread much when baking.

Printable Recipe

What do you like to eat before you work out?

Best Cookies EVER! Gina's Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies

A couple of weeks ago Gina posted this recipe for her Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies…. I had to make them right away!

I knew they would be pretty high in calories and in fat grams, so I used only 2Tbs of crumbled bacon and made 10 cookies instead of the 8 that Gina made in order to spread the calorieso out… but my goodness they are the BEST cookies EVER.  I looooooved them.

They are grain free and made with almond meal so they are right up my low carb alley!

The bacon is not obvious in them at all.  Don't be put off if you are not a bacon fan.

 I gave these cookies to The Captain and he liked them but still never has guessed that there is bacon in them.

But what he did like and what I LOVE about them, is that the bacon adds just a bit of saltness to the mixture and really really enhances the dark chocolate flavor.

Honestly!  You MUST try them… go to Gina’s blog NOW and get the recipe.  You can find it on the Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies post.

Into the oven we go…

Be sure to let them cool completely cause they love to fall apart.. yeah, betcha can’t wait that long!

I did calculate the N.I. as I made them and it turns out not too bad, even from a Weight Watcher's eve view!

Per cookie.
Weight Watchers P+ = 4
Calories 124; Protein 3g; Carbohydrate  6g; Fat 11g; Fibre 1g.


What d’ya think?  Would you try them?

Almond Meal Cookies with Raisins and Pepitas

Last week I made 3 different kinds of cookies, in anticipation of having dinner guests.  The Captain’s sister and her husband were on the Island while he was attending a business conference… and they skipped their scheduled Friday night activities in order to come and spend some time with us!

I kept dinner very simple, and for dessert served a rich vanilla ice cream with balsamic strawberries on top… and some cookies.

I made gluten free chocolate chip cookies, some oatmeal and raisin cookies, and I wanted to do an almond meal cookie of some kind so that there would be a grain free option for me in case I decided to indulge!  And of course using almond meal and flax, instead of flour, means that they are grain free as well as gluten free.

I made up a batter that I have used previously and this time, instead of the peanut butter chips, I added raisins and pumpkin seeds (do you know them as pepitas?) to the mix.  The result was 14 moist and chewy cookies.

Although I used agave again  I am not sure I am a real fan. It has a markedly different taste from honey, and although it does add sweetness, I think it might be an acquired taste.  I am pretty sure that next time I will use honey instead.

But I think they were a hit... My sister in law took the last few home with her, and I don't think she was just being polite!

Almond Meal Cookies with Raisins and Pepitas
Makes 14 cookies

• 3/4 cup almond meal
• 1/4 cup ground flax seeds
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1/8 cup pepitas 
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 egg
• 3 Tbs agave nectar

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Mix the almond meal, flax, salt, and cinnamon together in a large bowl. Stir in the raisins and pepitas.
3. Combine the egg, vanilla, and agave together in a small bowl.
4. Stir the wet mixture into the dry mixture until well blended.
5. Scoop dough by the spoonful and place on a cookie sheet that has been covered with parchment paper.
6. Slightly flatten each cookie.
7. Bake for 10 minutes and allow to rest for a few minutes before removing to baking sheet to finish cooling.

Per serving of 1 cookie.
Weight Watchers P+ = 2.
Calories 85; Protein 3g; Carbohydrate 7g; Fat 5g; Fibre 1g.

Printable Recipe

Do you like the taste of agave?

Do you use it in your baking?

Another Hot Grainfree ‘Cereal’

I haven’t been eating grains for a few months now, but every once in a while I get a yen for a bowl of hot cereal in the morning. 

In the past I would have whipped up a pot of my Hot Flax ‘Cereal’ but I wanted something that didn’t have any protein powder in it either… I came up with this and we were both pleasantly surprised.

The Captain is a good guinea pig, but sometimes his enthusiasm is somewhat lacking... I am always very happy when he is surprised in a good way!  He approached this bowl very tentatively, I must admit, but ended up finishing it with great relish and asked if there was more!





Hot  Grainfree  ‘Cereal’
Makes 2 servings

• 1 medium banana
• 2 Tbs gluten-free milled flax seeds
• 2 Tbs almond flour
• 1/2 cup egg whites
• 1/4 cup light coconut milk

Toppings:

• 1 Tbs shredded unsweetened coconut
• 2 Tbs raisins to sprinkle on the top

1. Mash the banana in a medium bowl.
2. Add the flax, almond flour, egg whites, and coconut milk and beat well.
3. Pour the mixture into a saucepan over MEDIUM heat, and bring to a very gentle boil, stirring continuously to avoid burning. It will take about 5 or 6 minutes and will thicken as it cooks.
4. Remove to 2 serving bowls and sprinkle each with 1/2 Tbs of shredded unsweetened coconut and 1 Tbs raisins.

Per serving with toppings.
Weight Watchers P+ = 6.
Calories 235; Protein 11g; Carbohydrate 26g; Fat 10g; Fibre 5g.

Printable Recipe

Cauliflower Pizza Crust

Since I did my Whole30 Paleo Challenge in January, I have a new-found love and respect for the often-neglected cauliflower…  aside from enjoying it raw in salads, and also roasted, I have made cauliflower ‘rice’ several times… and more recently, used it to make pizza crust.

I have looked at many recipes for cauliflower pizza crust lately but they all call for mozzarella cheese, and since I am not eating dairy right now, I have not been even tempted… then I came across this very timely recipe at Running to the Kitchen.

Gina’s version uses no cheese, but does make use of nutritional yeast.. and I just happened to have purchased some but have been hesitant to try it.  I made up this crust and was pleasantly surprised at the great taste.  For some wonderful mouth-watering pictures of the pizza Gina put together, and the recipe and instructions check out her post.

The first time I made it I followed the ingredient list and directions pretty much as written and calculated the N.I. as follows:

Per 1/4 of the pizza crust.
Weight Watchers P+ = 4.
Calories 140; Protein 6g; Carbohydrate 8g; Fat 12g; Fibre 4g.

To make the topping, I slathered a few tablespoons of tomato sauce over the crust and then sprinkled it with some basil and oregano. Then I mounded some leftover roasted veggies and 4 of my Spicy Meatballs, cut into chunks, on top. It was very very good.

Ready to bake for half hour in a hot oven.

Baked and ready to top… the parchment paper turned brown too.

I added tomato sauce, herbs, leftover roasted veggies and chopped meatballs and then baked for a few more minutes.

Then cut to serve.

This is a knife and fork pizza… would never hold together to pick up and eat with your fingers….  but it is so tasty!

The second time I made it, I did a bit of experimenting… I used half of the olive oil that the recipe calls for, keeping my Weight Watchers buddies in mind.  Yes, we do love our healthy oils, but in a limited amount… and I baked the crust at about 390°F hoping it might brown just a bit less and I was right.

With tomato sauce, basil and oregano.

Add some roasted veggies, cooked ground beef and a few grape tomatoes and heat through.

Mmmmm… enjoy!

The N.I. for this version with less oil is as follows:

Per 1/4 of the crust.
Weight Watchers P+ = 3.
Calories 110; Protein 6g; Carbohydrate 8g; Fat 8g; Fibre 4g.

And the third time... I was out of nutritional yeast so left it out. The crust was a bit crumblier but still worked, so if you don't have any nutritional yeast on hand, don't let that deter you from trying this recipe.  I also used 1 Tbs of coconut oil to cook my cauliflower and it worked just fine too, so it's your choice... coconut or olive oil.

With a topping of cooked ground beef and veggies, and fresh tomatoes.



Smaller pieces are easier to handle!





Are you a pizza fan? 

Have you tried a cauliflower crust?

#Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cookies

I haven't baked anything sweet for what seems like ages, and lately The Captain has been hinting that he would really like me to make some cookies.

I made these up because there was a cup of canned pumpkin in the fridge that I wanted to use up and thought they would fill his need for a sweet... well, they didn't quite, unfortunately. But I really like them so I am going to share them with you anyway.

They are not very sweet.  The Captain actually ended up putting a little dab of apricot jam on his and then he did enjoy them... and whilte the last few were baking I was thinking about how I could salvage them and I realized that they might really benefit from a bit of sweetened Laughing Cow Cheese.  So I did try that with a couple and it was quite delicious! 

One wedge of the cheese, sweetened with a bit of Stevia or Splenda will easily perk up 6 cookies.  I didn't include it in the N.I. but overall, it won't make much difference.



Gluten Free Pumpkin Cookies
Makes 22 drop cookies.

• 1 cup almond flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1 egg
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 1/2 cup fat free milk milk
• 1/4 cup honey

1. Preheat the oven to 375° F.
2. Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl and stir till combined.
3. Using a Tbs measure spoon, drop the batter onto a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.
4. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.  You can bake a bit longer if you would like a crispier cookie.
5. Remove to a baking rack and let them cool for 5 minutes or so before eating or a bit longer if you are adding the 'icing'.

Per cookie.
Weight Watchers P+ = 1.
Calories 44; Protein 2g; Carbohydrate 4g; Fat 3g; Fibre 1g.

Mix all ingredients together.

 

Drop onto parchment paper lined cookie sheet.

 

Bake for 15 minutes and allow to cool.

If you like, put a bit of sweetened Laughing Cow cheese on the top of each one.



Printable Recipe

Baking Cookies on Saturday Afternoon

When I first made gluten-free cookies, using a mixture of almond meal and ground flax seeds, a couple of weeks ago, I had a hunch that they would become a favorite... but I did think that they could be improved on... at least a bit!

I love cookies... and I have been missing them since I first gave up gluten several weeks ago.  I need a basic cookie dough that I can rely on to give me a tasty and authentic cookie when I want one!

So, today I made them again, but I used less almond meal, and replaced it with more ground flax... and I baked them for 2 minutes less as well.  They are delicious!

I scooped the dough with a one-tablespoon measure and they made 13 cookies. You could certainly make them smaller if you like.   And of course you could use any flavor baking chips or dried fruit or nuts as well.

The Captain and I both enjoyed a couple of them, still warm from the oven and we agreed this recipe is a keeper!  I love the nutty flavor of the ground flax seeds and the texture is really good.... soft but chewy.  It doesn't need any more tweaking.... hurray!

If you are looking for a good gluten-free and grain-free cookie, I hope you will give these a try!

Gluten-Free Almond Meal and PB Chip Cookies
Makes 13 cookies

• 3/4 cup almond meal
• 1/4 cup ground flax seeds
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 cup peanut butter chips 
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 egg
• 3 Tbs agave nectar

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Mix the almond meal, flax, salt, and cinnamon together in a large bowl. Stir in the peanut butter chips.
3. Combine the egg, vanilla, and agave together in a small bowl.
4. Stir the wet mixture into the dry mixture until well blended.
5. Scoop dough by the spoonful and place on a cookie sheet that has been covered with parchment paper.
6. Slightly flatten each cookie.
7. Bake for 10 minutes and allow to rest for a few minutes before removing to baking sheet to finish cooling.

Per serving of 1 cookie.
Weight Watchers P+ = 3.
Calories 93; Protein 3g; Carbohydrate 9g; Fat 6g; Fibre 1g.

Gluten-free Grain-free and delicious!

 

Printable Recipe

Gluten Free Almond Meal and Raisin Cookies

Since I gave up gluten I have only eaten one cookie!

It was from a batch made by a lovely gentleman who was giving a lawn bowling lesson to The Captain and me, a few weeks ago.  After the lesson, several of us went into the clubhouse for tea and he offered these lovely looking homemade cookies... I didn't have one because I assumed that they were a traditional, flour-based cookie.  But, later, when he was putting the lid back on the container, he mentioned that they were gluten-free... of course my ears pricked up!

He said that he had simply substitued ground flax seeds for the flour that his recipe called for.  I decided that I must try one... and it was pretty good!  I  have been jonesing for a cookie ever since. 

So I looked in my baking cupboard and found some almond meal that I thought should be used and came up with these.  They are very tasty and certainly met my need for a cookie fix!  Actually, I ate 3 of them, and had to put off lunch for a couple of hours.

The raisins give them just the right amount of sweet.  What I should have done though, is bake them for a minute or 2 less than I did so will give you a range of baking times because your oven may be a bit different from mine.

They are grain-free and that is important to me right now so I think now that I have come up with a basic formula, the possibilities for add-ins and flavor changes will keep me satisfied for a long time to come... other dried fruit, nuts, chocolate chips... I am one happy cookie monster now!

 

Gluten-Free Almond Meal Raisin Cookies
Makes 15 cookies

• 1 cup almond meal
• 2 Tbs ground flax
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 egg
• 3 Tbs agave nectar

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Mix the almond meal, flax, salt, and cinnamon together in a large bowl. Stir in the raisins.
3. Combine the egg, vanilla, and agave together in a small bowl.
4. Stir the wet mixture into the dry mixture until well blended.
5. Scoop dough by the spoonful and place on a cookie sheet that has been covered with parchment paper.
6. Slightly flatten each cookie.
7. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes and allow to rest for a few minutes before removing to baking sheet to finish cooling.

Per serving of 1 cookie.
Weight Watchers P+ = 2.
Calories 72; Protein 2g; Carbohydrate 7g; Fat 4g; Fibre 1g.

But really, who ever eats just one cookie?  Here is the N.I. for the little snack I made of them:

Per serving of 3 cookies.
Weight Watchers P+ = 6.
Calories 217; Protein7g; Carbohydrate 21g; Fat 13g; Fibre 3g.

It is a sticky dough and easy to scoop out of the bowl with a spoon.

 

Parchment paper is much easier than a greased cookie sheet.

These cookies do not spread so you can crowd them on the sheet a bit if you need.



Printable Recipe

Grain-Free Gluten-Free and Paleo Almond Butter Pancakes

Since I have been trying to eat fewer grain products, I am broadening my horizons and using new ingredients.  I have not gone so far as to label all my eats 'Paleo' but I am leaning in that direction, except for the occasional dish of yogurt.

A few weeks ago I tried using almond flour/meal to make a Grain-Free Gluten-Free Almond Flour Banana Loaf and it turned out quite nicely.

I have been trying to come up with a way to use almond flour in a pancake recipe and was going to begin doing some experimenting when I ran across this blog post from Peanut Butter Fingers, on Monday evening. 

I was a bit taken aback when I calculated the N.I. for the pancakes, but quickly realized I could revamp the ingredient list somewhat, and still come up with a tasty result, and lower the Weight Watchers Points Plus Values considerably.

I used the same method that Julie used for her cakes, but my ingredients are a little different. 



Almond Butter Pancakes
Makes 5 pancakes

• 1 cup almond flour/meal
• 1 whole fresh egg
• 1/2 cup egg whites
• 2 Tbs almond butter, at room temperature

Check Julie's post to get the directions for making these pancakes... super easy!


After cooking the pancakes, I topped them with banana slices, strawberries, and a bit of syrup.  They are quite dense, so a bit dry, and would be really nice with some yogurt, too.

And, because we didn't eat them all, I wrapped the leftovers and put them in the refrigerator overnight and  I had them for breakfast, reheated in the mike, the next morning.  Just as good!

Per serving of 1 pancake without toppings.
Weight Watchers P+ = 5.
Calories 191 ; Protein 10g; Carbohydrate 6g; Fat 15g; Fibre 3g.

Mix the almond flour with the eggs and then add in the almond butter and combine well.

Cook over moderate heat about 3 minutes per side.

Flip, and cook the other side.  Then pile them up on a plate and cover to keep warm till ready to serve. 

Top and garnish as desired.

Have you baked or cooked with almond flour/meal?

Any links you would like to share?

Gluten-Free Almond Flour Banana Loaf

I have been dipping my toes into the world of gluten-free and wheat-free and trying some recipes using almond flour, or almond meal.  This gluten-free almond flour banana loaf is my first attenmpt at altering a given recipe, and it is baking in the oven, smelling wonderful as I type this post.

I have been experimenting with eliminating wheat from my diet this past week.... after reading a book called WHEAT BELLY, written by a cardiologist named William Davis, that really spoke to me.  I won't go into all the details but there was enough of  'me' in that book to give up wheat, at least on a trial basis.

I have been looking at wheat-free and gluten-free recipes on the internet and today went searching for a banana bread recipe.  I found some ripe bananas on sale this morning at a local market for 39 cents a pound and couldn't resist buying a few.

The banana bread recipe I found is on a blog called Comfy Belly.  I read through the ingredients, and found that I had most of them in my cupboard, or good substitutions.  And, I read all the reviews, too.  Do you do that when you are thinking of trying a new or unusual recipe?  I always like to see what other people have to say about it... which is why it is so nice for you to comment on my recipes if you have tried them.

Anyway, I didn't want the sugar in the syrup it called for, and I wanted a bit less fat... so I am going to give you the recipe as I made it up, but do check out Comfy Belly.  There are lots of great ideas there and it is nicely organized and presented, too.

Gluten-Free Almond-Flour Banana Loaf

• 2 Tbs sugar free syrup
• 2 Tbs coconut oil, melted
• 2 eggs
• 2 ripe bananas, mashed
• 2-1/2 cups almond flour
• dash of salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

1. Preheat the oven to 310° F.
2. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper and coat with non-stick spray.
3. Peel the bananas and mash them in a large bowl.
4. Add the eggs to the bananas and beat with a spoon till frothy.
5. Add the syrup and oil to the banana mixture and stir till combined.
6. Mix the almond flour, salt, and baking soda together in another large bowl. Set aside a few of the chocolate chips for topping and then stir the remainder into the dry ingredients.
7. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix well.
8. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread it evenly.
9. Then sprinkle the reserved chocolated chips over the top.
10. Bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.
11. Let cool in pan for a bout 20 minutes, then turn out and let cool completely before slicing.

The whole recipe has an intimidating N.I. when viewed with the eye of a Weight Watcher:
2181 Calories; Protein 75g; Carbohydrate 113g; Fat 179g; Fibre 35g.  That is a whopping 62 P+!

But, taking a deep breath, I realize that the number of P+ per serving is going to depend upon how many slices are cut.

Here are a couple examples to guide you.

Each of 16 slices:
136 Calories; Protein 5g; Carbohydrate 7g; Fat 11g; Fibre 2g.
WW P+ = 4.

Each of 12 slices:
182 Calories; Protein 6g; Carbohydrate 9g; Fat 15g; Fibre 3g.
WW P+ = 5.

So it is up to me and to you as to how many P+ we need to budget for this treat.

After taking the loaf out of the oven and letting it rest in its pan for the full 20 minutes... I had to go for a little walk... I lifted the edges of the parchment paper and it came right out of the pan.  What a good idea that is...  and after cutting it in half and then those in half again, I realized that 1/16th would be a generous treat. 

Naturally I shared with The Captain and we both ended up eating 2 of them each while they were still warm.  Lovely!  And no sugary 'let's eat the whole thing' cravings ensued.  Hurray!

The rest went into the freezer for another day... but you can bet I will be making this again and doing some more tinkering with the recipe and ingredients to add berries and perhaps some nuts.

Mash bananas in a large bowl.

Add eggs and beat till frothy, then add the rest of the wet inredients and mix well.

Combine the dry ingredients, setting aside a few chocolate chips for the top.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix well.

Place batter into prepared loaf pan and sprinkle the reserved chocolate chips over the top.

Bake for 45 minutes... the kitchen smelled wonderful!

Let the loaf rest for 20 minutes in the pan, then remove to cooling rack and allow to cool a bit longer to make it easier to slice... if you can wait!

It is soft and crumbly and a bit hard to slice while still warm.

I like the outside edge the best!  I am a big crust fan.  So tasty, but not too sweet.

Printable Recipe

Have you baked with almond flour or almond meal?  Any good tips or ideas to pass along?