This spongy, chocolatey banana bread is gluten free and dairy free. You can also make this high protein, and more blood sugar friendly, by adding in some unflavoured collagen protein powder.
Ingredients
3/4 cup almond flour
1/2 cup cassava flour/ tapioca starch
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
2 eggs
1/4 cup light tasting oil (I like light olive oil, or avocado oil)
1/4 cup cane sugar or monk fruit sweetener
2 -3 medium sized overripe bananas
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
3 scoops unflavoured collagen protein powder (optional)
Method
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F
Mix the almond flour, cassava flour/ tapioca starch, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon powder together
Mash the bananas and whisk in the oil, eggs, vanilla extract and sugar
Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until fully combined and no lump are included
Fold in 1/2 of the chocolate chips into the batter
Add the batter to a greased loaf pan
Sprinkle the rest of the chocolate chips all over the top of the batter in the loaf pan
Bake for 25 mins or until a toothpick test when done on the bread is removed semi clean.
I wanted to share this easy, health(ier) version of this chocolate mug brownie recipe with you all, right in time for the holidays!
I call this recipe my “happy-accident brownie-in-a-mug”; One day, I whisked some random ingredients together and nuked it in the microwave, hoping for cake and got the ooey-est, gooey-est brownie! It is my go-to on cozy nights (with a scoop of my homemade vanilla ice cream!). The brownie comes together in around 2 minutes, making it an easy option for the lazy cook.
Nutrition Facts
This recipe is low in sugar, with only 1/2 tbsp of brown sugar (which can be substituted for an alternative sweetener like monk fruit, which would bring the sugars down to 0g and the carbs down to 21g).
Based on my calculations using a calorie-counting app, using the exact recipe below, the mug brownie contains around 9 grams of sugar, 24 grams of protein, 23 grams of fat and 28 grams of carbohydrates.
This is “pcos-friendly” because it gives a gluten-free, dairy-free, low/ no-sugar option to PCOS sufferers for a delicious, occasional treat. It can also be a part of a low(er) carb diet if paired well other meals throughout the day. Not all women with pcos will need to totally eliminate gluten and dairy, but many find a resolution with their inflammation when they cut back on these. Because traditional brownies are loaded with dairy, gluten and refined sugar, I made this option for the woman like me, who fairs better on a gfdf diet.
Vegan and/or High Protein Options
I add 2 scoops of collagen protein powder to my mug cake to amp-up the nutrient density of the dish. Collagen protein is animal based, so if you want to make this a vegan-friendly option, then choose a plant based protein, or skip adding the protein powder all together. If you do add a plant-based protein, try to go for a neutral tasting/ neutral texture brand, or this will impact the quality of the cake. For animal-based, my go-to collagen protein is from Vital Proteins.
Tips for Better Blood Sugar Control
You may swap the brown sugar for a no-calorie/ zero-sugar alternative like monkfruit
Have this mug-cake as desert, after a well balanced meal, not as a snack between meals
Add some protein-powder (I love Collagen Peptides because it’s flavourless and dissolves like a dream) to help balance out the carbs in this desert.
Take a brisk 15 min walk post meal to use up the sugars, and avoid a post meal sugar spike.
I’ve included a screen grab from my related IG post of the texture of the brownie (I forgot to take pictures for the blug! *welp*. I’ll fix it one day!) The recipe follows below the pik.
3 tbsp unsweetened almond milk (or nut milk of choice)
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tbsp cassava flour
2 tbsp almond flour
2 tbsp collagen protein powder (optional)
1/2 tbsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp vanilla extract
85% dark chocolate pieces (a small handful) – optional
Nuts of choice (a small handful) – optional
Method:
In a clean microwave-safe mug, whisk all wet ingredients together
In a separate bowl, mix all the dry ingredients together and set aside
Add the dry ingredients into the mug with the wet ingredients, whisking thoroughly to avoid clumping.
Sprinkle your chocolate bits and nuts over top of the batter
Put the mug with the mixture in your microwave and set it to run for 45 seconds.
Remove from the microwave, allow it to cool a bit, then enjoy! Your mug cake should be moist yet fluffy. If the batter is still dense, consider adding it back to your microwave for a 10 -15 seconds to get it to the right level of doneness.
My new mantra is “Stop Starting, Start Finishing”.
It’s a Kanban term I rediscovered recently. It’s simply a call, to stop trying to show progress on so many things, all at once. It’s a call to remember that you are human, not a machine. It’s a call to remember that there are only 24 hours in a day: 8 of which you are (or should be) sleeping, 8 of which you commit to your 9 -5, and the other 8 of which you should be using to tend to yourself and your loved ones (the hygiene factors of life).
It’s both a command and a caution:
“Start Finishing!“: You must finish what you’ve started.
“Stop Starting“: You can’t finish what you haven’t started , so just don’t start if you have too many other things you’re trying to finish (i.e.. its a caution to hold strain on starting yet another thing).
The mutual exclusivity of the parts of the statement, is brilliant! If I start and don’t finish, I violate the first part of the command, and because I won’t break promises to myself, I won’t start. It keeps my WIP (work in progress) in check.
As an Agilist, I don’t know why I allowed life to spiral out of control with just too many WIP items in the backlog I called my life. I have been overcommitted and burned out. My burn out started manifesting itself into symptoms that I’ve wrestled hard with to reverse so many years ago. I was fatigued, anxious, weepy and so easily triggered, that I knew I needed to step back and simplify life – again.
The Solution: The Lean Life Backlog
So how did I simplify my life, to help me push back against the dis-ease that was resurfacing in my body? Well, I put my systems thinking to work, and thought of my life as a product I was building.
First, I extended love and grace to myself and embraced all my limitations understanding that Christ, who redeemed me, called me to cast all my cares on Him. Its a simple sentence, but it continues to be a daily heart battle. Stilling myself in Bible-reading (which felt so unproductive because there’s so many other things to do!!!) was an important first step.
Second, I created two backlogs: A product backlog and a timebound sprint backlog in Asana (You can use any tool you’d like, like Google Keep, or simple pen and paper). Now, if you’re an agilist like me, you must be wondering why I used a Scrum method for the Kanban inspired term. lol. Its nothing noteworthy – just a bias I have for scrum… don’t focus too much on the methodology.
The product backlog was a mind dump of all the in progress and wish list items floating in my brain. I needed a space to get it all out so that my brain was free to focus on the high priority items (that would eventually end up in the Sprint backlog).
For the sprint backlog, I split the board into what I called “Critical Categories”. These are the big categories of my life that need focus, for me to thrive. Some categories can include:
Health (I’ll focus on EAT, MOVE, REST pillars here)
Career
Parenthood
Marriage
Finances
I personally don’t have a “Spirituality” category, as much as I don’t have a general “hygiene” category to bathe and brush my teeth. I however have a Health pillar because there are some nuances to a “nouriched” life that I want to apply some intentionality to. If I am doing something – like a bible reading challenge I would list the activities for the week, for that challenge under the “Rest” subsection for example. Hope that makes sense.
Here’s a snapshot of my (empty) Sprint board below:
The sprint backlog is the one week to do list, holding ONE to TWO items, for each critical category created. By doing this, I am 1) covering all the important areas of my life, 2) I’m staying focused and starting only the things I’m intent on finishing in ONE WEEK.
Gracious Tasks are Small, Estimatable and completely Executable.
This means I am breaking tasks down into their manageable components. For example, I am not putting “Meal prep all of this week’s meals for the entire family by Wednesday afternoon.” Instead, I’m stating gracious objectives like “Eat 5 different vegetables each day this week.” Do you see the difference in these objectives? The latter is more flexible, and while hard, likely more attainable than the former.
Also, failure isn’t final. You may not achieve everything on your backlog. Disruptions, though you’ve done your best to implement a system to limit them, may come. Learn to retrospect, be flexible, learn the lessons life is trying to teach in this moment of failure. The sprint may not be lost, push on through or pivot as necessary. But if it is lost, that’s ok. The next sprint is there to mop things up. C’est la vie!
Assessing True Value
I am also making space in the backlog for “urgent work”. Something may pop up unexpectedly. So, I’m not putting so many items in the sprint backlog, that doesn’t allow room for the unexpected. The inverse is also true: only urgent, valuable items can enter the Lean Life backlog. There are tight boundaries that prevent anything else from popping in. For instance, I got a call today from an advisor who wanted to discuss my portfolio. Was it urgent? Nerp. Therefore I pushed her request to to product backlog. Why? Because whatever she’s gonna talk to me about, will require action I know I won’t be able to follow through with given the other items in the Lean Life backlog.
Manage the Product Backlog
Its also okay to straight up say “NO”. Some things don’t align to your core values. Don’t even put it in the Product backlog. It doesn’t deserve that clutter. Just say no, and move along. This goes for all those emails that are pulling for your attention too: reply “no”, delete, move on.
Continuously inspect the product backlog, and wisely wean. Ask the questions: “Is this task still necessary?” “Will this get me to the goal I am trying to achieve?” Sit and think though the “whys” behind your backlog items and eliminate as much wasteful work as possible.
Closing
There are so many layers to what I’ve set up that I could probably do a whole series on my lean life backlog. But, this is all the time I bucketed for Nouriched this week, and so, I’ll pause here, and figure out what new thing I’ll promote to the Lean Life backlog for Nouriched on the next Sprint.
Who doesn’t like a soft, pliable, yummy crepe? I don’t remember my first time having one, but I always know the feeling I get when I’m craving one. I get all warm feeling, and I desire a blanket, the a/c on full blast and a rom-com while digging into something syrupy and gorgeous.
But, traditional crepes make me sick. It could be both the dairy and the gluten, I donno, so I set out to recreate a recipe that was close to the standard crepe, but paleo compliant. This recipe is both high protein and low carb. It does contain almonds, so if you have a nut allergy, this recipe is not for you (I’ll be experimenting with variations in the future). This is what I came up with:
The Recipe
Ingredients:
1 egg
1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk (or unsweetened nut milk of choice)
1/4 cup almond flour
2 tbsp. cassava flour
1 tbsp. vital proteins collagen protein powder (optional)
pinch of salt
pinch lemon zest (optional – but cuts the “egginess” of this dish)
In a separate bowl, thoroughly combine all the dry ingredients (almond flour, cassava flour, protein powder and salt)
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk thoroughly. The batter will be runny, the almond flour may make it slightly grainy, but this will not translate in the meal.
Heat 12″ skillet/ frying pan with the oil. Use medium heat.
When the skillet and oil are hot, add the batter to the pan. Swirl the pan around, allowing the batter to spread across the entire circumference of the pan. Do this quickly, as the batter will start to set.
Cook for approx. 2 minutes per side. You may need to reduce the heat, depending on your stove.
Paleo crepe with strawberries, shaved toasted coconuts, coconut cream, chocolate chips and drizzled honey
Look at all that deliciousness? Don’t you just love a guilt-free, high protein treat? **drool**
Some Pointers:
* Do not overcook or steam this crepe (like some do a pancake). This cooks up quickly, so monitor carefully. If you overcook it, it may not be as pliable to roll and fold, without breaking
*Makes 1 large 12 inch crepe. Can also make 2 thinner 6″ crepes, depending on your preference.
* You may double, triple or quadruple this recipe as needed to serve more persons!
* These crepes hold up well, refrigerated, rolled in parchment paper and sealed(cling wrap or ziplock bag) for approx 2 days.
Pairing your crepe
I love both sweet and savoury crepes. Here are some ideas on how to serve your crepes:
For sweet crepes (my absolute favourite): I like to add alil nutmeg and vanilla to the batter. I like to pair it with in season fruits: strawberries, otaheite apples, bananas. I like to top with any nuts and seeds I have on hand (I love ground flaxseed sprinkled on top and walnuts!) I love to make a “syrup” or spread of sorts. Its usually some homemade nutbutter with cocoa powder mixed in. Some whipped coconut cream on top is also good (whipped coconut cream works different in the tropics – I’ll share some tips in another post).
For savoury crepes: I like to have it for breakfast so eggs, ham, sausages and bacon are my go to. Alil drizzle of maple syrup or Jamaican honey is a real treat too.
Sourcing Your Ingredients
If you are in Jamaica, I recommend you get almond flour (not almond meal) from Pricesmart. This has been the most reasonably priced almond flour I have come across in Jamaica. Click the image below to shop the almond flour from their website:
My favourite local cassava flour is from Goldseal. You can get it at most local supermarkets, and I find that it is reasonably priced for such a high quality (its even more refined than Otto’s)! This is what the package looks like:
If you wanna shop on Amazon, here are my highly recommended products. Pick up the almond flour, cassava flour and 12″ skillet on my store:
Please note that I will earn commission from the purchase of these Amazon products. It doesn’t cost you extra, but the income will help me keep this website up and running.
I will be trying 2 other versions for greater accessibility for Jamaicans on a tighter budget:
a coconut flour version to keep it low carb
and a full cassava flour (or other starch based flour) version which will not be low carb, but will still be gluten and dairy free. This one may end up being the lowest price point option.
Happy creating! Let me know how it turned out for you! Tag me in your social media posts @nouriched so that I can see your gorgeous crepe creations.
Not everyone loves New Year resolutions, especially for my 9-5 peeps. Its ok to be hesitant and a bit sad about returning to work after a long vacation, especially after the happy yuletide season.
Disclaimer: If day in, day out you loathe your job…pray and consider getting out.
However, if you generally like what you do, but aren’t as optimistic about the work day (and the “new year”) as everyone else around you, you are not alone. My biggest flex is remembering that even “Mondays are the Lord’s” and I rejoice in His provisions for a new day, above all
I have a few more tips for you today. Scroll through to read on:
The juice cleanse, skinny tea detox, herbal tea liver detox, and even a colonic or colon cleanse are all popular diet trends when January rolls in. These fad diets are built on the premise that the body needs periods of cleansing to help it remove toxins, refresh the gut, reset your metabolism and even weight loss, or an energy boost at the end of the diet.
The truth is, any benefits you experience is from the removal of junk and highly processed and sugary foods, as well as a calorie deficit from your diet. In fact, “your body is capable of cleansing itself through the liver, feces, urine, and sweat. Your liver makes toxic substances harmless, then ensures that they’re released from your body.”
I promise you – you do not NEED any of these “detox interventions” to start the new year right. There is no scientific evidence that a detox is beneficial or necessary. In fact, some research point to how physically and psychologically damaging the repeated use of these cleanses are.
A Better Detox Approach
Most disturbing for me is the fact that women’s bodies are the targets of these fad diets, especially after the Christmas festivities. It can be especially hard to ignore these messages about how broken our bodies (and our will powers) are especially for those with eating disorders and on an emotional rollercoaster due to hormonal imbalances.
Why should you feel guilty for having Christmas cake and sorrel or prioritizing visiting your family over hitting the gym? There are ways to have fun in moderation. But let’s say you in fact overindulged. You did have too much alcohol and went crazy on the Christmas ham and now feel bloated and lethargic. Ok, no big deal, the abundance of food was made to make you overindulge. It’s ok… you now notice where you went off track, and can gently and sustainably get right back to making better choices at your next meal.
No. Big. Deal.
So, here are my steps to a better “detox”:
Eat more whole, unprocessed foods (plants and meat) and reduce your sugar consumption.
Nix dessert
Eat when you’re hungry and until you are comfortably satiated
Drink more water. Think you’re drinking enough? Drink some more
Drink regular, readily available herbal teas – peppermint, chamomile, moringa, hibiscus – whatever you fancy
Get out into the sun and sweat
Get enough sleep each night
Under some conditions and with the right supervision, periods of fasting and elimination can be beneficial for some. Work with a qualified nutrition specialist and consult your GP when implementing any such changes.
Hey guys. I’m back with this very important public service announcement. Notice, I did not list pain as a symptom? This is one I personally want to pause to highlight. Pain is not a symptom of PCOS. I had pain, and in my mind, I thought, this must be all a part of my PCOS experience. With every rush to the emergency room, or discussion with a doctor I would hear “your pain is not related to PCOS.” Truthfully, I never received a definitive diagnosis for my pelvic and abdominal pain, but I am grateful to have had doctors who believed me. So, ready for story time? references for your benefit.
Story #1
Well, this is not a story, but its a fact, and maybe a good precursor to the next 2 discourses. I started experiencing pelvic and abdominal pain and after I went on the birth control pill. In fact, some women experience some gut discomfort on some birth control. I wish someone told me this all those years I stayed on BC with clear, glowing skin on the outside, but deteriorating gut health on the inside.
Story #2
My pain was so severe I would be rushed to the Emergency room and put on a morphine drip to relieve me of my pain. I was an A&E regular up UHWI. Every 4 or 5 months, I was there. Sometimes, I’d get admitted. One a few occasions based on ultrasounds, the pain has been linked to: 1 a ruptured cyst (there was evidence of free fluid on the abdomen which to them was a tell tale sign i probably had a ruptured cyst) 2. They suspected intermittent ovarian torsion.
Story #3
One of the times the pain happened, my son’s paediatrician (he saw me miserable during one of my son’s wellness visits and asked me what was wrong). I explained and he gave me advice I never forgot. He said I should not treat the pain at home, but drive straight to my gynae at the peak of the pain, so he could investigate. I did just that the next time an episode occurred. Went to my gynae, hopped on his table and asked him for an ultrasound stat. He gladly obliged. His face was puzzled. “Chantelle. There’s nothing there.” He turned the screen to me. He explained my ovaries looked the same as they did a week ago (I was actively doing fertility treatments with him, so he had it all documented). Still polycystic, no changes in volume. Nothing noteworthy in my pelvis otherwise. He passed me a bucket and I vomited up more green bile and pus. He examined it, then moved the scope to my abdomen. “Chantelle, I’m sending you to a gastroenterologist.” He explained that my stomach was in an aggressive spasm. He explained that the movement should be smooth and rhythmic but mine was pulsing aggressively as if trying to expel something. So, I finally saw the gastroenterologist and after an endoscopy confirmed that my stomach was raw and sore as if I swallowed razors (signs of inflammation)! But what caused that? He had no clue, but told me to avoid greasy foods and sent me off with antacids and NSAIDs. Still no answer into how my abdominal issues translated into what felt like pelvic pain.
From the “Things I wish I knew” PCOS Awareness Week Instagram Series
“PolyCystic Ovarian Syndrome” is a combination of symptoms that present in women (usually of childbearing age) when their environment doesn’t play nice with their genetics. I’ve learned some key things over the years that have changed my approach to managing my PCOS. And it all starts with the definition: understanding the “what”.
3 things I’ve learned when defining PCOS:
(1) The sole presence of cysts is not an indication of PCOS. For e.g. under the Rotterdam criteria (which has its own controversies) you must meet 2 of the following 3 symptoms: signs of elevated male hormones (blood test or through observation), irregular periods, or the presence of cysts on the ovaries. It simply means, you can have a PCOS diagnosis with no cysts! (BTW, it also means if you were diagnosed by ultrasound ONLY, you may not really have PCOS).
(2) The reason multiple cysts are present in our ovaries is because we either don’t ovulate at all (anovulation), or don’t ovulate regularly enough (oligoovulation)
(3) CEMCOR (The Centre for Menstrual Cycle and Ovulation Research) posits that genetically, some of us are just more predisposed to having higher than normal androgens (male hormones) and coupled with impaired ovulation, it drives the classic PCOS symptoms of weight gain, acne, hair loss etc.
This is why I kinda like CEMCOR’s recoinage of the syndrome from “PCOS” to “Anovulatory Androgen Excess”.
*I am not a medical expert, and certainly don’t have all the answers, but I believe knowledge isn’t just reserved for the medical experts. The more we know (both medical and body literacy) the more we can advocate for ourselves, and help others out.*
I’ve been digging in some more into all things gut health recently, as I’ve been on my whole gut healing protocol. Sauerkraut was the next logical step on the journey for me.
But, I’ve made sauerkraut in the past, and it was too salty and subsequent tries just didn’t come out right. So as usual, I spent time researching recipes, and talking to the home-cooks I’ve met on social media, and I think I finally figured out the right balance.
I summarise my findings below:
Salt to Cabbage Ratio
You need 2% of the weight of your shredded cabbage in salt. That’s it…simple. Do not trust the recipes that don’t give you this ratio. Your kraut may not come out good: too salty – and the fermentation is hindered, too little salt – and the whole thing becomes a moldy, slimy party of germs.
My suggestion therefore is to invest in a kitchen scale. The digital ones are cheap. If you are in Jamaica – I purchased my last scale at MegaMart back in the day (and by extension, you can find it at Bashco – sans the mark up. You are welcome…)
Temperature & Time
Based on my research, the best kraut, with the highest amount of vitamin C, and the best flavour is developed at around 60 degrees Fahrenheit after 6 to 8 weeks.
However, I keep my abode much warmer than that (it’s the Jamaican in me) and at 70 to 75° Fahrenheit, my kraut was ready MUCH sooner. I decided it was sour enough for me at the 1 and a half week mark, but could have left it out for 2 or 3 weeks for a very tangy kraut. The fermenting continues (though slowly) in the refrigerator, so I decided to seal my jars and record this as success!
The temperature in my house back in Jamaica would have been around 80 degrees Fahrenheit, which meant my kraut would have been fermenting a lot quicker. The flavour may be different at this temperature since the work of the bacteria would change. If you are in a warmer country, and you don’t use central air, then check your kraut at 5 – 7 days, and keep your kraut in the coolest spot of your house (especially when its locked up during the day and the heat becomes sweltering). I wish I knew these things years ago when my ferments flopped!
Should I do it? What does it taste like?
When I first heard about sauerkraut, I was like… no way… this thing is glorified 9 day cabbage water (click me to find out what that is!!) Cabbage sitting out on my counter? This must be foul and disgusting! But alas, it wasn’t – thanks to the preserving effects of SALT. For my Caribbean skeptics, it reminds me of a tangy relish – with a hint of vinegar tones (similar to a good escoveitch sauce). It is lightly salty and has a nice crunch. You either like it, or you don’t.
If you’re interested in the science behind lacto-fermentation and the beneficial bacteria you get from a good kraut, then I suggest checking out Cultures for Health to nerd out on their fermentation resources. It certainly is a cost-effective version to the expensive, imported or sugar filled yogurts, or probiotic capsules.
Here’s a picture of my kraut on a bacon wrapped hot dog, on my paleo “waffle” bun. Perfect low carb, paleo lunch! Yummy!!
Ok, I’m Sold, How do I do it?!
Here’s a great video I found showing the process I basically followed for my kraut.
As usual you can just skip to the written recipe below. I use alil carrot in mine, and used maybe just 2.5 lbs of cabbage to make 2 small jars. At the end, I cut up a few pieces of scotch bonnet pepper, and added it to one of the jars to make one a spicier pickle (I call this one Reggae Kraut!).
Sauerkraut is a simple, probiotic rich condiment that pairs well with meats, hotdogs and meaty sandwiches
2.5 lb Fresh Green Cabbage
23 grams Salt
A few slivers of carrot
Remove outer leaves and core of Cabbage. Peel Carrot and cut off the ends.
Slice or shred cabbage and carrots finely. Transfer to a clean bowl.
Weigh your shredded cabbage and carrots in grams (I gave some estimates of my amounts in the Ingredients). Remember to tare your scale to take into account the weight of the bowl!
Calculate how many salt you will need by multiplying the weight of your shredded vegetables by 0.02
Use the result from step 4 to measure out your salt. Use the scale to be precise! Remember to tare your scale to take into account the weight of the container holding your salt!
Sprinkle the salt on the vegetable
Massage the salt into the vegetables until it springs its own water (approximately 5 – 7 minutes)
Pack your massaged cabbage firmly into your sterilized jars.
Don't fill it all the way to the top, as the liquid may bubble over during the fermentation process. I like to fill my jars only 3/4 ways full.
Ensure the water from the massaging process covers your cabbage completely (cabbage above the water line will go moldy!)
Use a clean cabbage leaf to "smush" down your cabbage below the water line. Add a weighted object like a plastic bag of water, or a smaller jar on top to keep everything below the water line.
Get your cheese cloth and cover the mouth of your jar. Secure with a rubber band
Label your jar with the date (so you'll never forget how long it's going for!), and set in an area of your kitchen that is visible for the recommended time (see details in the blog post section "Temperature and Time")
Check your kraut using clean hands and utensils as the days go by. When it is at the desired "sourness" remove the cheese cloth, weight and extra cabbage leaf, put the lid on your jar, and transfer to the fridge.
NOURICHED 