Breakfast Banana Superfood Bread! (Vegan and Gluten Free)

Yes I know its a mouthful but this Breakfast Banana Superfood Bread really is packed with goodness to set you up for a busy day ahead. With the use of Bananas for Potassium and Carbohydrates; Mixed Linseeds for Fibre, Vitamins and Omega 3's, Coconut flour for Fibre and Minerals, Chia seeds for Protein, Magnesium and Antioxidants, Walnuts for Vitamin E, B6, Folate, Melatonin, Antioxidants, and Omega 3's. Then Cinnamon for Anti-inflammatories and more Antioxidants! This bread really is packed full of Superfoods. No need for added sugars from dates/agarve or anything else, the sweetness from the bananas is all it needs.

This recipe is great for when you don't know what to do with left over bananas, mine were really ripe and almost black and are perfect for baking with.
The bread is quite dense and shallow, so I cut mine in thirds and halved it length ways for slices, then I have mine with a little almond butter on the top.

Oh and it fills the house with such a lovely smell!!




Ingredients ( 3 servings)

• 3 Bananas
• 2 tablespoons Oats
• 1 tablespoon Mixed Linseeds (got mine from ALDI for a bargain)
• 1 tablespoon Coconut Flour
• 1 tablespoon Chia Seeds
• 5 walnuts
• 1 teaspoon Cinnamon

Method
Gas Mark 220, Blend all bananas in a large bowl and add the dry ingredients (apart from chia seeds) and blend till a smooth mix in, mix in the chia seeds and leave to set for 10mins for the mixture to absorb and the chia seeds to swell up.
If you like your bread with added crunch don't blend up the walnuts, crush them instead and pop them into the mixture at the end.


Place the mix in a tin loaf (use greaseproof paper to make sure the mixture doesn't stick) and bake for 25mins at 220, until the top looks golden.

Leave to cool before turning out and slicing, sometimes the bread can be a little fragile.
Keeps for 3 days

Tricolour Quinoa and Butternut Squash (Vegan & Gluten free)

Quinoa is a wonder ingredient! It's gluten free, high in protein, has all the essential amino acids you need, full of magnesium, iron and fibre..... it's a great alternative to rice and cous cous. Here's a lovely colourful recipe, chock-a-block full of flavour and made with Tricolour Quinoa (I got mine from ASDA).This was made up last week when it was cold and the constant rain had me feeling down in the dumps. It's a cosy pick me up, with little ingredients and the use of tamari (gluten free soy sauce alternative) its high in protein and full of vitamins to make you feel better. The other half who isn't a vegan at all loved it, and wanted more! So I'm making it again tonight.

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 150g Tricolour quinoa
• 1 butternut squash
• 1 Red onion
• 2 tablespoons tamari sauce
• Large handful of red grapes 
• Olive oil
• 1 tablespoon wholegrain mustard
• Paprika
• Fresh thyme
• Black pepper
• Pink Himalayan salt

Method

Peel Butternut squash, discard seeds and chop into squares, place on baking tray, with the sliced red onion, drizzle olive oil over the top with a sprinkling of paprika, black pepper and little salt then roast for 30mins, after 20mins put in the red grapes in too (gas 200). Place the Quinoa in a pan with 400ml water and boil, once at boiling point reduce to a simmer for 20mins. Drain Quinoa, and put in the tamari sauce, wholegrain mustard, fresh thyme, black pepper and mix, then put the roasted butternut squash into the same pan and careful fold, making sure the squash cubes don't mush. Serve, and sprinkle some fresh thyme and black pepper on the top.

Love Stace x

June Wishlist

So many favourite things at the moment! Heres my wish list for this month.....

     New Nike Air Max Range- Great for Casual Wear!!  

 Need this for my Yoga sessions, my old one is now ruined. 

 Stella Range for ADIDAS - Love these funky tights to bring some fun to training.

House of CB Fitness Range. Fantastic different designs 

 In desperate need of a new watch since mine broke! This would be perfect for timed sessions.

From Stylerunner.com - ULTRACOR, love a printed legging. 

For when I'm feeling tired!

Love the mesh for a bit of ooh la la- House of CB.

Because sometimes I can't be bothered to make my own recipes. 

 For the days I need some stress relief, and Yoga just doesn't cut it. ADIDAS Response boxing gloves.

ADIDAS Response Cushion 22

Theres something about opening a brand new box of trainers. The smell as you open up the box and the excitement of clean, shiny unspoilt trainers.....maybe I'm just sad and need to get a life. But I love it,  its just like going to the running track and the same familiar smell surrounds me with excitement too. I can't help it, even though I'm not a professional anymore....once a runner always a runner!


With it being National Running Day yesterday I thought it would be a great time to do my first sports wear review. Ive tested the ADIDAS Response Cushion 22, in bright pink. I wasn't exactly a girly girl in the past but fitness fashion is now high on my agenda. Looking good when working out is important to myself, if I look good I feel like I have a bit more confidence! We all know how scary gym gear can be.

These trainers are great, as a pronator myself (when the foot rolls inwards as you land) I always need a lot of support, these trainers are neutral so if you're a severe pronator always get your feet checked out physiotherapist/chiropodist/podiatrist and wear pronation trainers.

Because I've had my feet checked out so many times and had countless gait analysis on them and how I run, I have my own insoles custom made just for me...expensive but essential! So I slip these into all of my trainers.

The ADIDAS Response Cushion 22's are fantastic, I like sturdy, structured, high support trainers, and these are exactly it.  Perfect for training runs, and gym/class wear. My feet felt snug and secure, I don't like it when I'm out for a run and I feel a stone go into my foot. So these are fab and I loved testing them out. They are really comfortable to wear, as a person who always gets blisters in new trainers, I haven't got any so far. They adapted well to all terrains, and there is a good level of cushioning too,which helps impact and reduces trauma. They gripped really well around my feet and didn't  flap around like some trainers do.

They are very pretty and PINK so Il be really upset when I get them muddy. The awful life of a runner eh!


The ADIDAS Essentials Linear Tights in light blue are also a great buy. The cotton leggings are breathable and have little bit of stretch to them so they are great for exercise. With a large band at the top, you feel secure and you don't feel like the odd bit of muffin top is poking out. Also a great colour for the summer! One of my fav running leggings at the moment.

Banana Split Breakfast

I've never ever liked banana splits. Loaded with sugary ice cream, whipped cream out of a can and dripping in chemical laden syrups just doesn't appeal to me.
This however is like a dessert for breakfast, except there are no artificial nasties and it's not loaded with proccessed sugars! This breakfast wonder is full of energy, nutrients, good fats and essential vitamins and minerals.

I made this up last week when I didn't know what to have for breakfast and thought I'd be a bit creative! Its fun, easy, and quick and I'm sure it would appeal to a lot of children (or child minded people like me) so if you're struggling to feed the little one fruit try this! I've used a selection of toppings and I've also mixed coconut and cinnamon together,  I really wasn't sure how it would turn out but the concoction is amazing and I'll definitely be trying to use these two ingredients together in more recipes.


Serves one

• 1 Banana (split length ways)
• 30g porridge
• 250ml of soya/nut milk
• 1 tablespoon tahini 
• 1 tablespoon agarve syrup
• 1 tablespoon coconut 
• For the toppings sprinkle over pumpkin seeds, slivered almonds, cinnamon, or anything else you like. 
• Handful of grapes (strawberries would work well)

Directions

Place the porridge and milk in a pan and simmer for 5mins until it turns thick, then turn off the heat. 

Split the banana length ways and place in the middle of a shallow bowl (too deep and it will snap). Using a tablespoon carefully pour the porridge in the middle of the banana in a neat line, then add the tahini and agave syrup on top (trying to be as neat as possible). Next sprinkle on the coconut and cinnamon, then add which ever toppings you like! Place the halved grapes down the side. 

Love Stace x 

10 Great LIDL buys this week.

I love shopping, it's not lie, and food shopping is even better! I stumbled across these bargains in LIDL's this week, so I thought i'd share them with you all.

1) Milled Linseed - Great for adding to your porridge in the morning. Its gluten free and contains sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, goji berries and Chia seeds £1.99

2) Mixed nuts - Nuts are so expensive, it really annoys me! But these are only £1.59 :)

3) Cashew Nuts- Great for making vegan desserts £1.59

4) Sun-dried tomatoes - Taste amazing and only 3 ingredients £1.79

5) Balsamic and Cider Vinegar - Use it on salad dressings £1.99

6) Glass jar sun-dried tomatoes with added garlic and capers - These last for ages and you can put them in all sorts! £0.99

7) Blackcurrant and Vanilla Tea bags - Calming and taste lovely £1.99

8)Truffle infused oil - Because buying actual truffles costs a arm and a leg, try this cheat instead. Use it on salad dressings or as a dipping oil £1.29

9) Greek green olives - They are HUGE, and the jar is a whopping 850g drained weight £3.99

10) Guatemalan Coffee - Use it in coffee machines or perculators £1.99

Enjoy x

Chocolate & Coconut Chia Seed Pudding

Theres something about the weekend that always makes me want a nice pudding after dinner.

So this recipe was randomly made up last Saturday when I had a craving for something sweet.
With only a few store cupboard ingredients this recipe is quick and simple to make, low in sugar, high in protein and antioxidants. I love using Raw Cocoa at the moment, its tastes so much richer then normal processed cocoa powder, and you only need to use a small amount to have a big bold chocolaty impact!! I normally get mine from online, or in Holland and Barrett's, especially if they have the special buy one get one for 1p offer on!
Let me know what you think.


Makes 2

• 4 tablespoons Chia Seeds
• 1 1/2 tablespoon Raw Cacoa
• 1 1/2 tablespoon Desiccated Coconut
• 1 1/2 tablespoon agarve syrup
• 200ml of unsweetened soya/almond milk

Directions

Place the Chia seeds in a large bowl and pour over the soya/almond milk. Leave for around 15-20mins for the chia seeds to soak up the milk and expand into a thick mixture. Then add the raw cocoa, desiccated coconut, agave syrup making sure everything is fully mixed in. Divide between 2 serving pots, place in the fridge for 10mins, and Voila your done!


Love Stace x