Coconut & Banana Pancakes
Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose gluten-free flour blend*
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp each ground cinnamon and sea salt
1 can (14 oz/398 mL) coconut milk (light or regular)
1½ cups mashed super-ripe bananas
2 eggs
2 tbsp pure maple syrup
½ tsp vanilla
Directions:
* You can use 1-1/3 cups all-purpose flour plus 2/3 cup whole wheat flour instead of the gluten-free flour blend.
Preheat electric griddle to medium-high heat.
In a large bowl, combine flour blend, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Mix well.
In a medium bowl, whisk together coconut milk, bananas (super-ripe, right?), eggs, maple syrup and vanilla until well blended. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix just until dry ingredients are moistened.
Lightly oil griddle or spray with cooking spray. For each pancake, spoon about 1/3 cup batter onto griddle and spread to make a 4-inch circle. Cook until undersides are lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Flip pancakes over and continue to cook for 2 to 3 more minutes. Top warm pancakes with additional maple syrup, if desired.
Makes 10 large pancakes
Per pancake: 227 calories, 7.2 g total fat (5.6 g saturated fat), 4 g protein, 36 g carbohydrate (3.1 g fibre, 7.8 g sugars), 37 mg cholesterol, 195 mg sodium
YUM: If dairy isn’t a problem and you don’t care for coconut milk, use buttermilk. Add ½ tsp baking soda to the dry ingredients.
YUMMER: Top with sliced bananas and toasted coconut (pictured) for a splurge-worthy treat.
Tags: banana, coconut, dairy free, gluten free, pancakes

Cheesy Chicken Freezer Burritos
Makes 12
Ingredients:
- 2 cups cooked brown rice
- 398-mL can refried beans (1 ¾ cups)
- 341-mL can no salt added corn kernels (1 ½ cups)
- 1/3 cup chopped pickled jalapenos (optional)
- 1 rotisserie chicken, meat removed and shredded (about 4 cups)
- 1 cup salsa
- 12 large flour tortillas (white or whole wheat)
- 2 cups shredded cheddar-mozzarella
- Guacamole and sour cream (optional)
Directions:
- Stir rice, refried beans, corn and pickled jalapenos together in a large bowl.
- Toss chicken with salsa in another bowl.
- One at a time, lay a tortilla on the counter. Smear about 1/3 cup bean-rice mixture horizontally across the middle of the tortilla (leaving the edges clear).
- Top with about 1/3 cup chicken-salsa mixture. Sprinkle with about 3 tablespoons cheese.
- Fold in the sides then roll up the burrito, making sure no filling escapes. Wrap tightly in aluminum foil. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
- Freeze until solid. To reheat, remove foil and wrap in a damp paper towel. Cook in the microwave 2 to 3 min or until piping hot.
- Serve with guacamole and sour cream if you like.
Recipes by Claire Tansey.
Clairetansey.com
Tags: banana, burritos, cheese, chicken, dinner, frozen, main dishes, muffins, pear, recipe, rice

Banana-Pear Muffins
Makes 12
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups whole-wheat flour
- ¾ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ teaspoon dry ginger or cardamom
- 2 large very ripe bananas
- 2/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/3 cup canola oil
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2/3 cup buttermilk (well-shaken before measuring)
- 1 ripe pear, unpeeled, diced
- Turbinado sugar (optional)
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 400F. Line a muffin tin with paper liners, or grease tin wells well with baking spray.
- Whisk flour with baking powder, baking soda, salt and ginger in a large bowl.
- In a separate bowl, mash bananas very well. Stir in sugar, oil, egg and vanilla. Stir in buttermilk.
- Add liquid mixture into flour mixture. Using a rubber spatula, stir until just combined.
- Before mixture is fully incorporated, add pear and stir just 3 or 4 more times or until barely combined. Immediately spoon or scoop into prepared tin. Sprinkle each muffin with a little turbinado sugar.
- Bake 5 min then reduce heat to 350F and bake another 20 to 25 min, or until tops are golden and a cake tester inserted into the centre of a muffin comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 10 min then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
- Make ahead: Freeze cooled muffins in zip-lock bags for up to 4 weeks. Thaw at room temperature.
Recipes by Claire Tansey.
Clairetansey.com
Tags: banana, flour, muffins, pear, recipe, snack

These cakes are soft and dense and have a wonderful rich, dark chocolate flavor, with none of the hidden ingredients or unhealthy fats of traditional desserts.
Mini chocolate banana flax cakes
Makes 6 small cakes
Ingredients:
- One 1⁄2-cup (125 mL) ramekin, lined with plastic wrap
- 1 1⁄2 cups chopped bananas
- 1⁄2 cup raw agave nectar
- 2⁄3 cup raw cacao powder
- Dash raw vanilla extract
- 1 3⁄4 cups ground flax seeds
Method:
- In a food processor fitted with the metal blade, combine bananas, agave nectar, cacao powder and vanilla. Process until smooth, stopping motor to scrape down sides of work bowl as necessary. Transfer to a bowl.
- Add ground flax seeds and mix well. Cover and set aside for 10 minutes to allow seeds to absorb the liquid and swell.
- Using a 1⁄2-cup (125 mL) measure, scoop mixture into prepared ramekin and, using your fingers, gently press to distribute evenly. Turn ramekin over onto a serving plate and tap on the bottom to release cake. Repeat until all of the mixture has been used. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Courtesy Robert Rose Inc., www.robertrose.ca
Tags: banana, cakes, chocolate, dessert, doug mcnish, flax, healthy, raw, vegan, vegetarian
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