Faith & Family

National Polar Bear day!

Happy National Polar Bear day! These cuties are really suffering the ravages of climate change, I don't want to live in a world where there are no more polar bears, knowing I didn't try to do something. Help spread the word, post a polar bear Pic today to celebrate the day & show support. Have a great Friday!

Paleo Bone Broth aka Stock

This recipe is a basic brown stock that is one of the first recipes you learn in culinary school. What makes it Paleo are the quality of the ingredients along with the addition of a special ingredient to make it more gelatinous. But first, information on the wonders of Bone broth & all it's fantastic health benefits! I got this information from Dr. Josh Axe's site because he is knowledgeable, a trained professional, and specializes in the issues I suffer from. His focus on thyroid, metabolism, autoimmune, weight management, healthy & natural alternatives, make him a great source of info. By the way, I have not been paid to say this.



Straight from:
http://draxe.com/the-healing-power-of-bone-broth-for-digestion-arthritis-and-cellulite/

All bone broths beef, chicken, fish, lamb and more are staples in the traditional diets of every culture and the basis of all fine cuisine. That’s because bone broths are nutrient-dense, easy to digest, rich in flavor and–they boost healing.

Bone broth or stock was a way our ancestors made use of every part of an animal. Bones and marrow, skin and feet, tendons and ligaments that you can’t eat directly, can be boiled then simmered over a period of days. This simmering causes the bones and ligaments to release healing compounds like collagen, proline, glycine, and glutamine that have the power to transform your health.

Nutrition researchers Sally Fallon and Kaayla Daniel of the Weston A. Price Foundation explain that bone broths contain minerals in forms that your body can easily absorb: calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, silicon, sulphur and others. They contain chondroitin sulphates and glucosamine, the compounds sold as pricey supplements to reduce inflammation, arthritis and joint pain.

A study of chicken soup (broth) conducted by the University of Nebraska Medical Center wondered what it was in the soup that made it so beneficial for colds and flu. They found that the amino acids that were produced when making chicken stock reduced inflammation in the respiratory system and improved digestion. Also, research is proving it can also boost the immune system and heal disorders like allergies, asthma, and arthritis.

Sally Fallon explains that most store bought “stock and “broth” today aren’t “REAL”. Instead, they use lab-produced meat flavors in bouillon cubes, soup and sauce mixes. Also, manufacturers began using monosodium glutamate (MSG), which is recognized as a meat flavor but in reality is a neurotoxin.

Thank you Dr. Axe! There's loads more info should you need it, on his site.

Now we get down to the recipe!
If you want real bone broth you have to make it yourself at home. Here is my recipe which is from culinary school with slight modifications.


(There is nothing fancy in the chopping method as you will be straining this stock once cooking is complete. Try to use organic ingredients wherever you are able to.)The preparation is called Mise-en-Place, in professional terms and the vegetable mix is called a Mire-poix.

INGREDIENTS:
-5-6 good quality, hormone free, grass fed (if possible), large beef bones*
-2 medium onions large chop
-3 carrots peeled & chopped
-2 celery stalks, peeled, chopped
-1 bunch parsley
-4 Bay leaves
-2 cloves garlic
-salt & paper to taste
-1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
-3 Tbsp olive oil

METHOD:
preheat oven to 375 degrees F

Lay your bones out on a parchment lined tray & roast in your preheated oven for 20-25 minutes.




Use a large stockpot, add 3 tbsp olive oil & heat.
Sauté the onions until translucent then add celery and carrots, cook for 2 minutes while stirring occasionally. When vegetables are ready stack bones in carefully, add the rest of the ingredients, minus the vinegar, then add water to cover.






Lastly, add vinegar, stir & bring to just the beginning of a boil. Quickly reduce temperature to a very low simmer. Do not cover!



(I start this recipe very early in the morning.) Allow to cook for 24 hours, every 2-3 hours add 1-2 cups water. Before you go to bed add 2 cups water. During the night, I wake up once to check it & add a bit more water.
When you wake, be careful to strain the stock using an equally big stock pot to catch the liquid you waited so long for.
DO NOT SKIP THE FOLLOWING STEP, YOU COULD END UP WITH FOOD POISONING, AS HOT STOCK CAN TAKE UP TO 7 HOURS TO COOL IN THE FRIDGE!
Place the pot in a bain-marie (cold water bath) in your clean sink, with water that has ice cubes that surround the stock pot-not in the broth! You will need to add ice 2-3 times before it will bring the temperature down enough for you to be able to transfer it to smaller containers. Stir to evenly cool the broth. (If you want to reduce some of the broth for a more intense & robust flavour for a particular recipe, scroll down the page as I have included instructions.)
At this point I usually freeze a lot in ice cube trays, then keep a bit of it for imbibing during the week, I keep the beef tallow for cooking along with reducing some of the broth for recipes. Sometimes I refrigerate the broth to get it all cold & gelatinous before dividing it into containers.







To reduce bone broth, simply take 4 cups broth, place it in a pot & simmer on a low heat until half the liquid is reduced.

*you can use chicken bones in place of beef bones. I use at least 2 chicken (whole carcasses) that I roast and 1 carcass that is not roasted, to give a lot of flavour & depth to my broth. The other ingredients/instructions remain the same.



Remember to be patient and treat your stock with love! Let me know how this recipe works out for you or just leave a comment below.

Nutrition/Ingredients

Nutrition and ingredient information that is researched and clarified, to make purchasing, preparing, cooking, and feeding you and your loved one's easier.

Recipes

Content for recipes

Creamy Whole 30 Chicken Pot Pie (Gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free)

Good morning lovelies, today is a comfort food 101, Whole 30 recipe. I lasted 13 days on the whole 30 journey because of severe allergies/eczema/weight gain-6lbs! I was not so happy with the results & was a bit disappointed in myself, until my wonderful booboo and I talked & figured out a better strategy. I am feeling better, have lost 4 lbs in the last week with extra exercise, modification of diet, and am relieved the symptoms have abated, allowing me to move forward. Thank you God for this man in my life & for the opportunity to learn.
In all of this, I came up with new recipes that I did not have reactions to, were very filling, nourishing, & Paleo/Whole 30 compliant. This recipe is definitely a heavier, winter, comfort food meal. I recommend this as a special once-in-a while treat, as most comfort food should be. It's chock full of healthy fats, scrumptious vegetables, protein, & that crunchy, satisfying mouth feel we look for. It's labour intensive, requires a few steps, but is worth the effort. Have fun!
The first recipe is the Kream sauce you will need to make this delightful concoction.

DAIRY-FREE SAVOURY WHOLE 30 KREAM SAUCE
Difficulty: Low
Cost Range: Medium to high
Time: Prep-10 mins. (after overnight nut soaking), Assembly-5mins
Yields: 3-4 Cups depending how much liquid you prefer
Freeze: Beautifully, last 1month

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 Cup raw almonds, soaked overnight & very well rinsed off in cold water.
1 tsp macadamia nut butter
1 tsp tahini
2 Tbsp ground white sesame
1 tsp walnut oil
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil (good quality) 1 1/2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 Cup almond milk unsweetened plain (up to 3/4 cup if you prefer a more liquidy kream sauce, for the pot pie, I prefer thicker for chicken but thinner for beef.)

METHOD:
In a blender, mix all ingredients & blend until smooth and kreamy. Add a bit of almost milk to smooth out more if needed but only 1 Tbsp at a time.

Now the Pot pie recipe begins!

Whole 30 Chicken Pot Pie (Kreamy & Crunchy)
Difficulty: Medium to High
Cost Range: Medium to High
Time: Prep-45 mins. Bake-20-25mins (golden brown top)
Yields: 4 Large portions or 6 medium sized ramekins
Freeze: Beautifully, lasts 1 month

Preheat Oven to 350° F

INGREDIENTS :

1 Cup savoury Kream sauce
1 Cup almond milk unsweetened plain
Mix together & reserve (keep to the side)


1/3 Cup organic, peeled, small fine chopped celery (brunoise)
1/3 Cup organic, peeled, small fine chopped carrot (brunoise)
1/3 Cup organic, fine chopped onion
1/3 Cup bruised scallion (green spring onion you banged with the heel of the knife)
1 pkg sliced mushrooms sautéed
1/3 Cup frozen or fresh green peas
1 Large clove garlic
3 Chard leaves, no stem, chopped
2 Cups cooked chicken, cut into bite size pieces
1 Cup reduced chicken stock
1 tsp arrowroot starch mixed with 3 Tsp water (optional)
1 tsp poultry seasoning
1/2 tsp ground garlic powder
1/4 tsp fresh thyme
1/4 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp ground bay leaf
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp fresh chives

METHOD:
Prepare all your ingredients

In 2 Tbsp olive oil sauté the onions for 1 minute, add the carrots and celery, cook for 3 minutes, stir. Add scallion, cook 1 minute.




Add stock, cook 2 minutes, making sure to scrape all the nice brown flavourful bits off the bottom of the pan while stirring. Add savoury Kream sauce and cook 2 minutes.
Add garlic, vegetables and seasonings. Stir and cook 2-3mins. At this point you may add the arrowroot starch if you want a thicker sauce or add a bit more almond milk to thin your sauce a bit. Check for flavour, as you may need to add more kream sauce & seasonings to keep it from becoming watered down.



Now for the crumble crust:
2 Tbsp ground white sesame seeds
1 Cup ground almond meal
1/4 Cup coconut flour
2 Tbsp Arrowroot starch
1 Tbsp Tapioca starch
1/2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp coconut oil
1/2 tsp walnut oil
Mix all dry, add wet, mix together by hand. Yup, get dirty!
Mixture needs to hold together the way you see in the picture above, it must still be able to crumble though. Not too sticky, not too dry.



Fill your ramekins 3/4 full with your kreamy pot pie filling and then gently cover with the crumble, distributing it evenly over all the pot pies.
(At this point, I cover them really well & freeze the portions I need to.)
Bake your pot pies in your preheated oven for 25-40 minutes depending how dark and crunchy you like your topping. You must have at least a golden brown.
Serve with a side salad & share with a loved one.





Leave your comments below & let me know how this recipe turned out for you!

Stop Beating Yourself Up

There's no denying that life can be hard, it can become so overwhelming that just making it through the day seems an insurmountable task. Facing people in it, the myriad of interactions, coping with stress, negativity, mean spirited comments, the harshness that can bring us so low that we can't cope & are unsure how to overcome. It can just be too much to bear some days.
We all know the reality of these external factors pressing in on us but what about how we abuse ourselves on a daily basis? How we hurt our own hearts & berate ourselves with the most crushing words. Negative self-talk does so much damage to your psyche & health. Think of it, we do not want others speaking to us in a brutal, abusive, or in a degrading manner; we do not tolerate it from another, but how many times a day do you speak negatively to yourself & about yourself? Often it begins from the moment you wake & see yourself in the mirror. Think back on how many times you have said, "I look awful, I am so fat, too skinny, why am I so stupid? The list of put downs begins without even coming into contact with another. Damage has been inflicted & in the most insidious manner because we don't recognize this self-flagellation as a very real form of abuse. It goes on for years, and the saddest part is that it slips our conscious mind, that no one has the right to talk to someone like this. Then please tell me, why are we doing it to ourselves?
There's good news!
WE CAN CHALLENGE IT!
WE CAN CHANGE IT!
WE WILL NOTICE A SENSE OF JOY AND HAPPINESS WHEN WE CHOOSE TO DO SO!
This all begins with a simple step and a promise to be kind in your thinking.
Retrain your mind to love what you see, start saying nice things about yourself, appreciate all the wonderful things your body allows you to do, you must give love to yourself in order to have it to share with others.
Try this:
I love my eyes because they allow me to see.
I love my hands because they allow me to touch & manipulate my environment.
I love my body because it keeps me alive, it is an integral part of how I interact with others & the world.
I love my heart because it beats & continues to pump life & love into this magnificent body.
I love my feet because they take me places.
I love my arms because they allow me to embrace.
I love my mouth because it allows me to communicate.
I love my mind because it is unique to my being, it is beautiful in its curiosity & ability to take in information, as well as sharing it.

When was the last time you said, body, heart, mind, soul, I love you?
Every moment is a precious gift from God.
Think on this, when you look back on your life would you rather see it steeped in self-hate or self-love? Cruelty to self, or would high self-esteem, along with precious joy, true appreciation of your gifts & talents, an accurate assessment of who you are, be easier to recall? A deep rooted, healthy, honest love, and because you gave so much to yourself, it could not help but spill over to others. Be kind in your thoughts, actions, and deeds toward all. This includes you.

National Cupcake Day!

Yes! These little gems are so perfect. Portable, cute, tasty, fun to decorate, already in a single serving size, and sweet! Now, you have a reason to enjoy them on this Monday.

Garlicky Herb Dressing on Tuna Salad

So, today is a simple recipe for a dressing to add some serious flavour kick to those often boring, chemical laden, unhealthy, tuna salads. I find this pairs very well with tuna but feel free to play around with chicken or any other low fat protein.

GARLICKY HERB DRESSING
Ingredients:

1/2 Cup Extra virgin olive oil
1/4 Cup Apple cider vinegar
1 Clove medium sized garlic-crushed
2 tsp Dried basil
2 tsp Dried oregano
1/2 tsp Dried garlic powder
1/2 tsp Dried onion powder
1/4 tsp Dried thyme
1/2-1 tsp Fresh ground black pepper
1/4-1 tsp Kosher salt

Place all ingredients in a container with a tightly fitting lid, shake up until well mixed. Let sit for 10 mins. Shake well before serving.
I use 2 Tbsp of dressing on my salad, it's very powerful in taste so go easy. Some people like 3 Tbsp, taste as you go.
I saved this on a salad of 1 head Romaine lettuce, chopped, 1 carrot grated, 1cucumber-peeled,de-seeded, chopped, 1 red pepper sliced.
The dressing lasts 1 week in the fridge.
Enjoy and let me know how it goes for you should you try it out, I love to read your comments.

Day 14 Whole 30 Journey Ended

So, I have been away from posting because I was not feeling well and I was having serious difficulty with the whole 30 journey as well. After much discussion with my wonderful man who is a personal trainer and specializes in sports nutrition, we came to the conclusion that it was not the best for me. We discussed modifications and I am applying them now. On the 13th day I felt too sick to eat more than soup, tea, and juice, so I didn't bother taking pics or posting. Valentine's was lovely and my booboo and I spent time on Skype doing our anime thing we enjoy so much. I stuck to my EFA smoothie routine and ate lightly because I still wasn't 100%.
I am so grateful for this man, I feel truly blessed to have him in my life. I was feeling guilty not being able to complete the whole 30 but we spoke about it openly, did the pro/con list, and he walked me through some great suggestions. He even found some pics & pins to help. I realized I wasn't failing, I was listening to my body and to someone who is knowledgeable, always having my best interest at heart. I am feeling better and will be posting some delicious recipes shortly. I need you to bear with me, I am making those changes to this blog I mentioned a while back asap & it's taking up any free time I have, when I am not working on the cook book or business. Life is good, I am happy, blessed, loved, productive, and focused. I wish you all the same. Stay beautiful, inside & out!


This recipe will be coming...

Day 12 Whole 30 Journey & Peach Cardamom Smoothie

Boom!


Yup, that's my neck, chest, & eventually my jawline, in an all out beginning of a serious allergy response. I found my meds. and hurriedly downed them so welts & major spreadage would not happen. I am not sure what triggered it & I am having reservations about this whole 30 program. It's not the most alkaline diet, a serious decision needs to be made as to whether or not to continue. I am going to sleep on it & go from there.
Food was leftovers & very simple so I didn't bother taking pictures but I did make a smoothie so I took that picture.



Peach & Cardamom Smoothie:

1/2-1 Cup peaches
1/2 banana
1 Cup almond milk
1/2 tsp cardamom
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp coconut oil

Blend all & serve over ice!

Day 11 Whole 30 Journey

Morning lovelies! I am back to myself, chocolate cravings have receded & I move forward. It was a day of high nausea, cramps, & serious fatigue. All thanks to the joys of being a woman hav9ng her monthly cycle. Food front was barely there, I ate what I could keep down & drank tons of water or ate fruit. I did enjoy these wonderful locally made rabbit sausages which I thought would be the worst because guilt over eating Thumper weighed heavily. I was fine with it, I guess not actually seeing cute fluffy bunny before helps. Rabbit is a much leaner meat & requires short cooking time on a lower temperature. It's also not as strong a flavour as beef or lamb but has a slightly more gamey taste than chicken while taking on herbs nicely. I was pleasantly surprised the first time I ate these that they were so good. They come in packs of 4 for $8 at the health food store. A bit pricey for some I know but I got 2 meals out of them because I don't eat that much at one sitting. I also discovered that sautéed chard with scrambled eggs taste freaking amazing! I threw a cooked rabbit sausage in with them and had more lacto-kraut on the side, followed by berries & peaches for dessert.
I was stuck on the couch so I decided to be productive and worked on my chunky crochet blanket throw. It's so lovely to see your project come together, we'll be selling these on Etsy in the coming months. That's all folks!
I end on a cute panda bum picture note, smile because you are worthful & loved!

Day 9 Whole 30 Journey

OK, so it seems day 9 is dangerous. I want chocolate, I desire chocolate, I need chocolate! Did I mention how good chocolate is? I am craving salted, dark chocolate, everything & anything. The worst part being that even after this whole thing, I still won't be able to have it because it seems my childhood allergy to it has returned. Cue sobbing & rocking back & forth in fetal position. Seems ridiculous?
Hey, imagine life without your favourite food for a minute & then get back to me. I took you for granted chocolate & now I can never see you near my taste buds again. Sniff sniff...

Moving forward, itchy skin, bad nights sleep, major chocolate cravings, major orange juice craving-which I gave into because it was the lesser of two evils. I am cranky but that's because I am tired so that's a no brained, the eczema is better since I have been doing fish with small amounts of chicken. I had an awesome accordion seasoned potato for supper, with rabbit sausages, & snap peas. They were not stringless btw, as the package lead me to believe. All in all not so great but not so bad, glass is half full. I just wish it was half full of something chocolatey...






If anyone is looking for me, I am crouched in a corner somewhere looking at food porn as I wistfully press my face to the chocolate picture filled screen on my phone that looks like this:




Don't worry, this too shall pass.

Day 8 Whole 30 Journey

Very quiet day 8, chicken pot pie for lunch, saltfish & plantain with caper salad or dinner. Ate fruits, vegetables, light fare in the am because my tummy felt queasy-the joys of being a woman.
I had cherry juice mingled with bubbly water to ease some pain, bonus, it tasted great!

Day 7 Whole 30 Journey

This is going to be a short post, someone we knew passed away & it's been a quiet day of regrouping, listening, & spending time with loved one's.

The day started off with serious eczema & allergies. I didn't feel well & I was forced to take meds for them. Relief after they kicked in & I accepted that ground beef & beef in general is not something my body likes or tolerates. I had a very simple day of mostly smoothies, bone broth, fruits, vegetables and roast chicken with lacto-kraut. Food was hard to eat, I am hoping tomorrow will be better. Have a blessed Sunday everyone & cherish your loved one's.

R. I. P Lady G. I pray you are in a better place & happy that the painful suffering is over. God loves you. We will miss you.

Day 5 Whole 30 Journey

Day 5 was delicious food wise but I was a bit of a cranky pants. My eczema is acting up, I am experiencing some abdominal pain, & my stools are very dark & I feel backed up, which is unusual for me. I know these are symptoms one can get when detoxing but the last 3 are not usual Detox symptoms for me. In the past I have noticed that they are symptoms of food that is too heavy on my system or meds that are hard for me. Coupled with eczema, I am worried my body is not coping well with all the poultry & meat intake.
I feel sluggish & I can tell you I am struggling with eating, I miss being a vegetarian so much.
The whole 30 may be wonderful for people who genuinely like to eat meat & it definitely has its health merits for some but as I research more, I am discovering that it is not ideal for all.
A dietitian was explaining that for people like me with serious thyroid issues coupled with major allergies that may be something even more serious, (tests are in the works) paleo is hard on the body, often slows down the metabolism, & leads to weight gain and other negative symptoms.
As I write this post, my eczema is really flaring, I am having welts & severe itching on my face, particularly all along the jaw line. This area is an allergy response for me & a strong signal that something I have put in my body is not good for me. Because of this & some other symptoms, I have decided that for my day 6 I will need to lay off the meat, maybe have a small amount of fish, and I am going to use my juicer a lot more for the next few days with even more water. I am hoping that this is a toxin flush that is happening but I am concerned that it isn't & as much as I feel that whole 30 is very positive, I want to present an unbiased entry. Also, I have the addition of serious hormones coursing through my body as my monthly cycle will begin shortly. These are a lot of factors that can effect one's journey, for now I will continue on it but if I see that my health is eroding I will be forced to stop, go back to more plant, fish, and poultry based diet. Consulting with a doctor will be in the near future as well.
The positive side is that I developed a new recipe & I will post it asap. More to come another day. God bless you & have a wonderful weekend with your loved one's.

Leave any experiences, questions, comments below. I love to hear from you.

Day 4 Whole 30 Journey

Day 4 had me craving pancakes, latkes-the fried potato kind, and runny eggs. I decided to play with the remaining plantain I had & the apples I did not want to lose. It was great because I had that salty/sweet thing I enjoy so much. Lunch was all about chicken salad, lacto-fermented kraut, & vegetables. For dinner I still had some leftovers, so I continued my fish dish & accompanied it with a simple salad. All in all very satisfying, especially the nutty banana bread morning EFA smoothie.
As for physical sensations, it was a quiet day because the snow removal guy woke me before 5am & my body wasn't able to recover as well as I would have liked. It's ok though, sometimes it's good to rest & respect our bodies needs. Recipes will come, I am thinking of doing an e-book but I must finish my other project first; so simply posting them might be best.

Day 3 Whole 30 Journey

Ok, let me start off by saying that I am tired but still more energetic than I usually am. I am getting stuff done & am sleeping much better but I am running to the bathroom quite a bit at night. That's owing to the increase in water & that I forgot to take my supplements an hour before bedtime, so I paid the piper, or the plumber. Hehheh.
I will get the unpleasantness out of the way first & move to the good right after. Men, you might want to skip ahead to the next paragraph after the picture, as women stuff is rearing it's wonderful head right now.
Woke up ITCHING! Oh! Ma gaaah! I wanted to take my vajayjay off, staple it to the wall and take a back scratcher to it. I wasted no time & downed 2 acidophilus caps & stuck one internally; thank God it eased the symptoms greatly. Ladies, keep it handy in the fridge & use it! I am obviously in a Candida die off phase, having gone through this before I knew not to scratch, no tight restrictive clothes, and probiotics asap!



So my shame to claim is that I am craving cinnamon buns, those big fluffy, cinnamon streaked, buttery, frosting drenched baddies. I think it's absolutely cray cray that I want these, seeing as I have not had a real one in 6 years & even that was gluten-free and was not as good as the real one's. I did make some Paleo cinnamon rolls a couple of months ago but they really are not the same, good but not the majestic cinnamon bun we all know and love. It started last week when my mom stopped at Saint Cinnamon after lengthy fruitless shopping for running shoes.
She spotted, we sat, she ordered, I drooled & looked away most of the time. But the smell, sigh...
Then last night I was innocently looking for a recipe for Paleo pot pie when someone had posted cinnamon buns in my feed. I proceeded to go into overdrive & ended up a puddle of shameful covetousness, for a plate of memories that I was trolling for on other Pinner's boards. These were beautiful, look:


I drew the line & shut Pinterest down after I saw this gorgeous cinnamon cake specimen. Oh what a world, what a world... Cue melting puddle of big fat... DENIED!!!



I behaved myself & stuck to this instead:



I used today as a day to eat up any leftovers because I want to eat everything as fresh as possible with minimum waste.
So much less glamorous but I was happy, it wasn't that bad, I like to be a bit dramatic. The health benefits outweigh the 10 minutes of cravings that did pass, and I continue this whole 30 journey. Maybe some scratch & sniff cinnamon bun stickers would be a decent substitute.

Nutty Banana Bread Smoothie

Good day one & all,
There are so many nostalgic moments attached to banana bread, in my life. I remember coming home after school to a freshly baked & buttered slices, enjoying them with a cup of cocoa & feeling better; no matter what kind of day it had been.
Sometimes on the weekend we would wake up to it's tantalizing aroma wafting through the house. But, I think my personal favourites were on quiet afternoons when mom would include me in a baking session. She would be ever patient as she helped me, whisking eggs, grabbing the milk carton then pouring, measuring and make additions. I would almost press my nose right up to the hot stove window, wondering how much longer until those loaf pans were ready to yield their banana goodness to me. I am no longer able to tolerate such offerings but it is possible to play with ingredients & help my taste buds reminisce a bit once more. Here is a simple smoothie recipe that is great for using up ripe bananas & is a glass of enjoyably comforting flavours. 

NUTTY BANANA BREAD SMOOTHIE:
Ingredients:
-1/2 ripe banana
-1 Tbsp raw pecan butter
-1scoop hemp protein powder
-1 tsp ground cinnamon
-1/4 tsp ground or fresh scraped nutmeg - 2 tsp flax oil
-1 tsp coconut oil
-1 Cup almond milk unsweetened
-1 tsp maple syrup (optional, I do not need it because the banana adds sweetness but some like the added depth of flavour, use grade B)

Method:
Place all ingredients in blender and whizz for 30 seconds, serve over ice!