i may or may not be a monkey...

bananas are amazing...versatile fruits, aren't they? i adore them...they add natural sweetness...and moisture to any recipe...and when i'm looking for something low fat...low sugar...and healthy, it is the banana i turn to...

am i monkey? yes. hear me roar...

vegan whole grain banana bread cake

dry ingredients:

1 cup whole grain spelt flour
3/4 cup whole grain barley flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 to 1 tsp nutmeg
pinch of fine sea salt

wet ingredients:

3 mashed up bananas
1/2 cup of pure maple syrup
1/2 cup of water
2 tbsp sugar free applesauce

preheat oven to 350 degrees...place all dry ingredients in a bowl, mix well. add all wet ingredients in a separate bowl and whisk until incorporated. add wet ingredients to dry ingredients...mix well...pour mixture into either a lined and greased loaf pan...or if you don't have a loaf pan, like myself, improvise...and use a 8x8 round spring form cake pan...lined with parchment paper and greased...and call it a banana cake...place loaf pan or cake pan in oven and bake for 45 to 50 minutes...you will know it's ready when the the bread/cake springs away from the side of the cooking vessel...

and enjoy...smother it with coconut butter, or any nut butter...or just eat plain...







have a beautiful banana filled day.......

sometimes happiness can be materialistic...and christian louboutin...

no words...just some lovely photos...















love...it's everywhere...

wedding planning...ode to a coriander girl...

with 8 months to go...i would say that john and i are not doing shabbily at all...

venue booked...ceremony site booked...marriage class scheduled for the 26th of this month...dj booked...wedding cake ordered...our engagement party is scheduled for march...invitation appointment scheduled for the month of march as well...photographer is booked...we've chosen our bridal party...HUGE...but filled with only our most beloved of friends and family...and a very beautiful group of people...

john and i have both decided what we would love to wear on our special day...we were driving to meet our dj...and of course i spotted my amazingly fabulous dress in a window on bloor street...



i truly wish i didn't have an issue with spending $8,000 on a dress...but i can't stop thinking about her...lovely layers of lace, each pattern so delicate and so beautiful...with a little ruffle on the top and bottom of her...ahhhhhhhhhh...

composing myself...

onto my john, my beautiful boy...he's in love with this suit...



so far my favourite part of all of the wedding planning...is meeting alison...my coriander girl...the most beautiful girl i have ever met...she embodies all that is good and wonderful in the world...patient...kind...sweet...and ever so helpful...and even though she is quite the busy bee...she has the most beautiful gift of them all...the ability to make you feel like you are the only bride to be in the world...i absolutely adore this lady...and i know, with her help and her guidance, our wedding, mine and the beautiful boy, will be as romantic and lovely has i have always envisioned it would be...from the time i was playing dress up in my mama's closet...and falling asleep with cinderella on my lap...to the time i met him, my fairytale, and knew that one day we would be planning the beginning of our beautiful life together...thank you alison for helping me look forward to our special day with only sheer excitement and absolute joy...

bulging bride to be...and her fitness heroes...a kind cookie...and some chocolate...

yes...it's true...i've gained a few...started a bit of a weight loss journey a couple of weeks ago...and i've lost a few pounds...yay! but nothing noteworthy, that's for sure!

i need to exercise...but right now, i have no motivation...i'm not feeling well...but, when i do start, i am going to channel a few ladies while exercising...i hope to garner all of their strength and willpower...melissa...is a lovely lady i admire...her exercise routines blow me away...she's just amazing...and beautiful...and so dedicated...and i hope to make as much progress as she has...and be as beautiful and glowing as she is...and lori and the twins...i aspire to be as dedicated and as hard working as these amazing ladies are...and i enjoy every tidbit of information they provide almost daily...beautiful beautiful beautiful ladies, love all of the strength you all possess...fabulous role models...

anyhoo...that was a little ode to my lovely lady heroes...

since i cannot afford to go to the gym right now...i have purchased jillian micahels' 30 day shred...and have been taking LONG fast walks with my fur baby...i am determined and i am strong willed...and i will beat the bulge...

so...what have i been fueling myself with? a little of this...and a little of that...mostly vegan fare...sprouted tofu, kale and mushroom bowls...beautiful fresh salads with my all time favourite dressing...sweetly raw's raw vegan caesar dressing, minus the cashews and olive oil...i have whipped up some vegan sugar free and gluten free desserts, cherry oatmeal muffins and coconut oatmeal banana bread to aid my sweet tooth...

yesterday evening, i was in dire need of something sweet and healthy...soooooooo...i decided to make a recipe from alicia silverstone's the kind diet...i made her oatmeal, walnut and dried plum cookies...i made a few substitutions...instead of oil, i used unsweetened applesauce, instead of dried plums, i used dates...instead of walnuts, i used hazelnuts...and i didn't have any molasses...and i also only used about a quarter cup of maple sugar flakes...as that is all i had left...and...yummo! amazing little cookies. next time i make these, i am going to use dried cherries and vegan chocolate chips...





recently, i also had a hankering for reese peanut butter cups...i thought it would be interesting to use a mashed up banana mixed in with the peanut butter...AMAZING! i didn't measure the ingredients...but i can tell you i used one mashed up banana and mixed it with organic peanut butter...melted some chocolate...and assembled this little treat in silicone cupcake liners...





any advice, nice and positive advice, is welcome...

have a beautiful evening...