Gluten Free | Banana Muffins

One of my many inspirations are the Tone It Up duo. They have great referrals of workout routines that I take to the gym when I'm not at Yoga, and they have delicious recipes as well. One of them being their Gluten Free Banana Muffins... I know what you're thinking, "you must really like banana". Shockingly, I actually do not prefer banana unless it has to do with baking. They have given me horrible stomach pains ever since I decided to complete the General Motors diet last summer. One of the seven days of the program is just eating bananas and drinking milk all day. Although the diet really worked, that was the day my body rejected bananas whole on their own.

On to the good stuff.... I absolutely love my Paleo Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins, but if you want something a little less sweet, these are your muffins. Especially because I made them into minis instead of full size. Making them the perfect on the go snack for breakfast or a yummy little treat in the day.

This full recipe can also be found on the Tone It Up website.

INGREDIENTS

2/3 cup Almond Flour

1/4 cup Coconut Flour

1/2 cup Quick Oats

1/2 cup Ground Flax Seed

1 tsp Baking Powder

1 tsp Cinnamon

1/4 tsp Sea Salt

2 large Bananas, ripe and mashed

1 Egg

2 tbsp Coconut Oil, melted in microwave for 20-25 seconds

1/3 cup  Unsweetened Almond Milk

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

2 tbsp Pure Maple Syrup

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Spray muffin tray with non-stick spray, grease with coconut oil, or use muffin liners.
In a large-sized mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients.
Peel and mash ripe bananas with a fork in a medium-sized mixing bowl.
Add in egg. Mix until egg is fully incorporated into the banana.
Add in melted coconut oil, almond milk, vanilla, and maple syrup. Mix until combined.
Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients.
Mix until fully combined but be careful not to over mix.
Pour batter into muffin holes until about 1/3 full. Fill remaining holes without muffin batter with water to make sure that muffins bake evenly.

Bake for 18-20 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. The muffins may still feel like they are not cooked fully. Once they cool down, they should firm up.

Let cool in muffin tray for 5 minutes.
Transfer to cooling rack to let cool before eating.

I also dusted a tad bit of cinnamon on top 
Store in an air tight container for up to 5 days.

Yoga in the Mountains

Not only do I love yoga, but I love this girl as well. So much so, that I visited her in Seattle for her birthday. And a weekend it was!

Aaleen Cox, resides in Seattle, and never turns down.

This day in particular we went hiking at Rattlesnake Mountain Trail, and along the way we did some yoga here and there casually on the way up. This was unlike any type of hike I have done in the past. This is definitely a way to try something new in your practice, and that I did. This also tests your balance, strength and brings you a new appreciation to the wilderness. I love facing new challenges, and especially when I have the chance to face them with the people I love most.

Dancer's Pose; Natarajasana (Naht-tahra-jah-sauna)

Crow Pose; Bakasana (Bah-kah-sahna)

Tree Pose; Vrksasana (vrik-SHAHS-anna)

This is just called having fun and embracing life! 

Wheel Pose; Urdhva Dhanurasana (OORD-vah don-your-AHS-anna)
Urdhva- upward
Dhanu- bow

 Then on the way down after all of this success, this happened... It was champ Friday though!

Gluten Free | Raspberry Coconut Cake

Let me start off by saying this was on a TOTAL whim. I was on a baking spree today and thought I should use a remainder of my ingredients and come up with a summer cake for my family brunch tomorrow. Not only is it gluten "sort of guilty" free, but it's fresh and light as well. I have been on a sweet binge lately and this more then satisfied my craving.

Ingredients:

-Raspberries 

-Pinch of sea salt

-1/2 cup almond flour

-1 cup coconut flour

-1/3 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

-1 tsp vanilla

-2 tbs honey

-2 eggs

-1 2/3 cup unsweetened almond milk

- 1/2 cup of cold water

*Preheat oven to 400

-Try and use a deep dish cake pan about 12' inches, if possible (otherwise just bake for longer). Spray with nonstick or coconut oil spray prior.

-Mix all dry ingredients together in a large bowl and in a separate medium bowl, mix the liquids together... Leave raspberries for last

-Slowly mix the liquid into the dry mix

-Chop raspberries with a large blade, but try to leave them in bigger chunks as possible.

-Mix in raspberries slowly with a flat rubber spatula and flip into batter about three or four times

-Flatten the mix in the dish and sprinkle a bit more toasted coconut on top and bake for 20 minutes

-Let sit for about 10 minutes, then sift powdered sugar on top 

Lastly, and most importantly. Pair this cake with a nice glass of red wine and enjoy!