Tag Archives: Raspberries

Raspberry Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread

If you love Raspberries, you’re going to love this recipe. I’m a little obsessed with this bread at the moment and have been eating it every single day for the past two or three weeks, I can’t even remember, we just can’t get enough of it.

Dark chocolate chunks with sweet Raspberries are just the best combination ever. Put those two in a rich Banana bread batter and you are pretty much in Paradise.

I used freeze-dried Raspberries, because I happen to have them, but you can use fresh ones if you prefer. Frozen ones on the other hand will dye your bread pink.

I love dark chocolate, the darker the better but if you prefer a little sweeter chocolate, by all means use semi-sweet.

As for the bananas, use them very ripe, when they’re speckled with black dots.

I have used olive oil here, a very mild kind since I love the fruitiness it adds to the bread, perfect with the Raspberries.

INGREDIENTS:

4 medium very ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 1/4 cup mashed)
1/4 cup neutral olive oil
1/4 cup Greek yogurt
1/4 cup light brown sugar
2 eggs
3 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour,
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup dark chocolate chunks, or chopped chocolate
1/2 cup freeze dried Raspberries or 1 cup fresh raspberries

METHOD:

Pre heat the oven to 180C/350F. Lightly oil a 9×5-inch/23x13cm loaf tin and line with baking paper.

Puree the bananas in a food processor, add the oil, yogurt, sugar, eggs and vanilla and mix until combined.

In a large bowl, mix the flours, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.

Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula until combined. Stir in the chocolate chunks.

Add the (freeze-dried) Raspberries and stir until mixed thru, don’t over-mix. You want to keep the Raspberries whole.

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with the spatula.
Bake in the middle of the oven for 50 to 60 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted in the middle comes out dry(-ish). It is still supposed to be moist since it’s a banana bread, however there should not be any batter still sticking to the skewer.
Should the bread become too dark you can tent some foil over the top loosely.

Remove from oven once it is finished baking and let it cool on a rack for about 10 minutes, then remove from tin with the parchment paper and let cool completely before slicing.

Enjoy!

No bake White Chocolate Cheese Cake with Raspberry Swirl.

16 Replies

Prep time: 20 min plus refrigeration

Makes 8 servings

I am very excited about this cheese cake, the only sugar it has is that of the 3 ounces of white chocolate. The base is healthy and the rest of the cheese cake too. But you really can’t tell, it is super smooth and silky. And no baking!

Ingredients Crust;

1 C. Oats
1/3 C. nuts, almonds, cashews, hazelnuts with no skins
10 medium medjool dates, stone removed
2 tbsp. Agave syrup
1 tbsp. Coconut oil
1 oz. white chocolate

Ingredients Filling;

7 oz. Cream Cheese, at room temperature
2 1/4 C. Greek Yoghurt 2 % fat, at room temperature
1/3 C. Xylitol or 2 tsp. Liquid stevia or sugar of choice
4 oz. white chocolate
6 Gelatine leafs (4.5″x3″) , (11.5 cm x 7.6 cm)

Ingredients Raspberry Swirl;

1 C. frozen raspberries
1 tbsp. Xylitol or 1/4 tsp. Liquid stevia or sugar of choice
1 tbsp. water
1 gelatine leaf (4.5″x3″) , (11.5 cm x 7.6 cm)

Method;

Start by making the bottom. In a food processor blend together the oats, medjool dates and nuts. Add the agave syrup and coconut oil until crumbly consistency.

Line an 8″/ 20cm. spring form with baking paper. You need to line the sides of the ring too.

Cut a long strip of baking paper. Oil spray the ring of your tin so the paper will stick easier.

Place the crumbly bottom mix in the bottom of your tin. Press firmly to cover the entire bottom. Place in the freezer. Meanwhile put one ounce of white chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and melt at 20 second intervals. White chocolate burns easily so be careful.

Remove the spring form from the freezer and spread with a thin layer of chocolate, this will act as a protection film to ensure that the crust does not get soggy. Place in the refrigerator.

Method for raspberry swirl;

Soak one gelatin leaf in cold water for five minutes.

In a saucepan over medium heat, place the raspberries, the xylitol or sugar of choice and the tablespoon of water.

Bring to a slow simmer and cook for about 4 to 5 minutes. Squeeze out the gelatin and add it to the raspberries. Mix it through and let it cool slightly before pureeing it in a blender. Set aside.

Method for the Cheese cake filling;

Soak 6 leafs of gelatine in a bowl of cold water for 5 minutes.

Melt the white chocolate in the microwave at 20 second intervals stirring each time.

Squeeze out the gelatine leafs and place them in a sauce pan over low heat with one or two tablespoons of water. Melt the gelatine.

In a bowl mix the cream cheese until smooth, add the yogurt a bit at a time. Mix well while adding the xylitol or sugar of choice. Add the gelatin, pouring it into the filling mix, stirring at the same time.

Mix the cheese cake filling into the melted white chocolate , one teaspoon at a time . This is a bit tricky so you have to mix fast and keep adding to form a smooth filling. Once you have about half a cup, add the rest of the cheese cake mix. Combine thoroughly.

Pour the half the cheese cake mix in the spring form on top of the crust. Pour half the raspberry sauce over the yogurt. Make swirls with a knife. Repeat with remaining filling and sauce.

Set in the refrigerator over night.

Enjoy

Myra Xo

Smoothies Galore

6 Replies

Since I post all my Smoothie Creations on Instagram on almost a daily bases, I thought I’d let you know about it and share some with you.

I am very passionate when it comes to making my healthy breakfast drinks, mostly smoothies and sometimes Smoothie Bowls. I try to make them as beautiful as I can and it has become a real sport for me.

I try to challenge myself to be as creative as I can be. Here are a few of my creations, they are tremendously beneficial to your health and will keep you full until lunch for sure.

Be sure to try at least one out, I’m telling you once you’re hooked, you’re hooked.

Green:Spinach-Banana-Flax, White:Banana-Protein-Oat and Purple:Raspberry-Banana, each layer with soy milk and Stevia (2 servings)

1. Blend 1 Cup Spinach, 1 banana, 1 tbsp Flax seeds with 1/2 – 1 cup milk of choice.

1. Blend 1 Banana, 2 tbsp Oats and 1 scoop vanilla protein with 1/2 – 1 cup milk of choice.

Blend 1 cup frozen Raspberries, 1 Banana and 1/2 – 1 cup milk of choice.

Add Stevia to each mixture to sweeten. Hold your jar or glass tilted and fill with the different layers.

Brown: Chocolate Chia Pudding-Stevia, Purple: Berries-Banana-Stevia-Soy milk, Pink: Raspberry-Banana-Pomegranite nice cream (1 serving)

1. Soak overnight 1/4 Cup Chia seeds & 1 -2 tsp. cocoa with 1 cup milk of choice.

1. Blend 1 Banana, 1 tbsp Oats, 1 scoop vanilla protein with 1 cup Berries add 1/2 – 1 cup milk of choice.

Blend 1 cup frozen Raspberries, 1 Banana, 3 tbsp Poms seeds and 1/4 cup milk of choice.

Add Stevia to each mixture to sweeten. I have poured some melted chocolate over the rim of the jar and let it set in the fridge for half an hour.

White: Skyr yoghurt, or yoghurt of choice

Purple: Berries-Banana-Stevia-Soy milk, Pink: Raspberry-Banana-Soy milk

1. Blend 1 Banana, 1 tbsp Oats, 1 scoop vanilla protein with 1 cup Berries and 1 cooked beet, add 1/2 – 1 cup milk of choice.

Blend 1 cup frozen Raspberries, 1 Banana, and 1/4 cup milk of choice.

Add Stevia to each mixture to sweeten.

Layer the yoghurt and the coloured smoothie layers like above.

White: Soy Yogurt, Purple: Blueberry-Flax-Banana-Protein-Soy Milk (2 servings)

Mix 1 cup Yogurt with some Stevia and divide between two cute bottles.

Blend 1 cup Blueberries, 1 banana, 1 tbsp Flax seeds, 1 scoop vanilla protein and some milk of choice. Pour over the Yogurt.

White: Coconut milk Chia pudding , Green: Spinach-Banana Soy Milk & Protein, Pink: Raspberry-Strawberry-Banana Smoothie (1 serving)

- Soak overnight 1/4 Cup Chia seeds & some Stevia with 1 cup coconut milk .

- Blend 1 Banana, 1 tbsp Oats, 1 scoop vanilla protein with 1 cup Spinach add 1/2 – 1 cup milk of choice and some Stevia.

Blend 1/2 cup frozen Raspberries, 1/2 cup Strawberries, 1/2 Banana and 1/4 cup milk of choice with some Stevia.

Pear, Lemon, Banana, Stevia & Spinach with Almond milk (3 servings)

Blend 2 peeled pears (core removed), 2 tbsp. flax seeds, 1 1/2 cups spinach, 1 banana, juice of 1 lemon, stevia with 1 cup almond milk .

For daily posts please follow me on Instagram

www.instagram.com/thecookingspoonblog

P.S. Use any kind of milk you like and swap Spinach for Kale, Stevia for Xylitol etc…

…and always use cracked Flax seeds for better absorption.

Enjoy

Myra Xo

Raspberry Almond Breakfast Loaf

3 Replies

This loaf is great as an afternoon snack or even for breakfast. It’s easier than you can imagine, one bowl of dry ingredients and one bowl of wet ingredients, mix together and bake.

Makes about 10-12 slices.