Straight-up Bananas

Guilt-free healthy peanut butter pancakes

‘Twas the night before the New Year, when all through the house                     Everyone woke up with a sweet tooth, especially my spouse                               We experimented in the kitchen and desperately searched online                     Till we found THE perfect pancake recipe. Now we’re building it a shrine.

It’s that time of year again. December 31st. New year’s eve. The day where you sit contemplating the year that has passed and dreaming of ways the coming year will be better–how you will be better. 

My resolution’s have added up to the following list below. A year from now, I’m going to read this post again and see just how many of the things have been crossed out from the list. (I’m OK Googling a reminder as we speak read/write)

I’m going to:

1. Focus on the blog a lot more
   
2. Work out more
3. Focus on my Spanish
4. Focus on my newly found business
5. More yoga
6. More salsa
7. Travel (I won’t say more, lest the travel Gods spite me for my ingratitude)

You know…all the cliches. lol

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Anyhoo, back to the real star of the show. The reason you clicked on this recipe after you saw the picture above or on my Instagram account.

I found this recipe on Minimalist Baker and added my own twists to it. It is most definitely a recipe worth keeping in you repertoire. Especially if you, or any of your loved ones, is afflicted with the want for the fluffy discs of yum. Just look at these babies!

Would you believe me if I told you these fluffy beauties doused in organic peanut butter and maple syrup were sugar free, gluten free, butter free, transfat free…basically free of anything that would hurt your Temple! Healthy, quick and easy this recipe is an absolute keeper!

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Here’s what you’ll need:

1. ½ cup of milk (coconut, cow’s, almond, soy)
   
2. 1 flax egg (1 tablespoon of milled flaxseeds mixed with 2 tablespoons of water) (If you don’t have flax, just use a regular egg)
3. 1 tablespoon of melted coconut oil
4. 1 tablespoon of maple syrup or honey
5. 1 teaspoon of baking powder
6. ½ teaspoon of baking soda
7. 1 tablespoon of peanut butter
8. a pinch of sea salt
9. ¾ a cup of organic oat flour 

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Here’s how you get it done, son:

1. Mix the coconut oil, maple syrup, baking powder, baking soda, peanut butter and salt together. Incorporate well with a whisk.
   
2. Add milk to the mixture and mix really really well.
3. Add flaxseed egg and oat flour and mix until just combined.
4. Let the mixture rest on your stove for a good 5-7 minutes (this is what will make it fluffy!)
5. While the mixture is resting, mix 2 tablespoons of peanut butter with maple syrup and warm water.  Mix until it forms a loose mixture that you can drizzle on top of the warm pancakes when ready. Keep adding water little by little till you get the consistency you want.
6. Heat a griddle pan on medium heat.
7. Drizzle with coconut oil so the pancakes don’t stick.
8. Throw a dollop (¼ cup) of the batter and let fry on one side until golden, then flip and let cook another minute.
9. Stack the pancakes and cover with your gooey warm peanut butter mixture.

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At this point, you’re going to want to gather every single ingredient in your mind that goes well with peanut butter. Sliced bananas, jam, organic chocolate sauce–the possibilities are endless!

I cannot stress enough how much of a killer this recipe is! They’re so quick and easy to make (the whole shabang needs no more than 15 minutes). They’re so healthy and good for you and they taste like HEAVEN!

Go straight-up bananas with me and give this easy, quick and healthy recipe a shot. All ingredients could easily be found in any supermarket in Dubai. It’s not rocket science, I swear. They sound a lot fancier and complicated than they are. I promise!

Oh, and since you’re here…why not follow me on Instagram? 

Okay. Bye.

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Chewy coffee and cinnamon cashew bars

I think I can safely say that my favorite part of Italy was just roaming the cobble-stoned alleyways, using my sense of smell as a compass. What’s that? The smell of freshly baked gelato cones?…Yes, I shall venture forth and motorboat me some 13 flavors of homemade gelato from the 70-year old Italian grandmama scooping up gelato and having a drag simultaneously!

I’m not going to lie, we did have gelato 3 times a day on some not so rare occasions. And why shouldn’t we, God damn it! My favorite combo was a scoop of cinnamon, a scoop of espresso and a scoop of dark chocolate. Oh goodness, yes.

Now that I’m back in Dubai, I’ve been trying to think of ways to stuff those heavenly tastes back in my mouth. And then it hit me! I’ll make my chewy cashew bars, but I’ll change the flavors! YES!

Ladiessssss and gentlemen, introducing from the right, weighing 0.025 kilos, from the Straight-up Bananas kitchen, with a chewy chocolate, date and almond crust, and a chewy cashew cinnamon center, topped with a coffee and cashew layerrrrrrrr, please welcome…..Straight-up Bananas healthy, quick and delicious chew cashew cinnamon and coffee bars!

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Here’s what you’ll need:

Crust

½ cup of almond meal

½ cup of pitted dates

1 tablespoon of cocoa powder

1 pinch of sea salt

2 tablespoons of melted coconut oil

First Filling:

1 and a ½ cups of raw cashews that have been soaked overnight

½ cup of honey

½ cup and 2 tablespoons of full fat coconut milk

½ cup of melted coconut oil

2 tablespoons of vanilla extract

1 tablespoon of cinnamon

 Second Filling:

Add 3 tablespoon of dried coffee to half of the above mixture

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The method behind my madness:

 

First of all, line a baking tray with cling film.

Then, blitz all the crust ingredients together in a food processor.

After that, pour the crumbly mixture into the baking tray and press down really tightly.

Once you’ve done that, take all the filling ingredients except for the coffee and put in blender.

Blend the mixture ridiculously well, until it forms a smooth batter.

Then, take HALF of the filling mixture and pour over crust.

Finally, take the other half of filling mixture and add the coffee and pour over the first layer.

Place in freezer for about 4 hours or overnight.

Cut into equal shaped slices and take slices out of freezer at least 15 minutes before serving so they can be nice and chewy.

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 I cannot tell you how much you’re going to love this recipe. It’s so easy to make. Once, you’re done you’ve only got 3 dishes to wash (YAS!) and it’s super healthy, quick and delicious!

 Go Straight-up Bananas with me and give this recipe a shot! I’d love to hear from you!

Oh, and add me on Instagram, please!

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Vibrant and decadent mango Chia seed pudding

What do you do when your husband’s got a massive sweet tooth and yet insists on only eating clean and healthy?

Why you make healthy desserts, of course!

Hence, the conception of this mango pudding. It’s so healthy and energizing that you can have it for breakfast–and so decadent, sweet, and satisfying that it doubles as dessert too!

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Here’s what you need:

1- ½ cup of Chia seeds

2- 2 ½ cups of almond milk

3- Honey

4- 2 ripe mid-sized mangoes

5- Pumpkin seeds

6- Cinnamon

7- Vanilla

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How to get it done, son:

1- Find yourself an airtight container, and measure out the Chia seeds and milk and place in container.

2- Then, add 3 teaspoons of honey, a pinch of cinnamon and some vanilla.

3- Mix well and close container.

4- Place in fridge, preferably overnight.

5- Separately, dice your mangoes and place in blender and blitz.

6- The next day, layer the Chia seed pudding and mango puree in a cup.

7- Top with pumpkin seeds.

8- Enjoy!

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The whole thing is so simple and quick–it shouldn’t take you mare than 15 minutes to get done and your family will love you for it!

This is a healthy, quick, and easy dessert. Go straight-up bananas, try it out and let me know how it goes!

Oh, oh and follow me on Instagram please!

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Easy and Quick Homemade Granola

So between getting ready in the morning, making smoothies, preparing lunch, and brewing coffee who the heck has time to think about what to make for breakfast, right? 

After extensive online research I found the easiest, fool proofest (let’s pretend that’s a word), and quickest version out there and, well, simplified it some more. The beauty of this recipe for granola is that it’s just a base–you could add or subtract whatever ingredients you have or like, if you’ve got the toasted oats, you’re good to go.

In the ingredients section below, you’ll find the mandatory ingredients in bold, and the ingredients that depend on what you feel like putting in your mouth in italics, okay?

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of jumbo, uncooked oats (NOT QUICK OATS)
  
• 1 tablespoon of honey (preferably organic honey)
  
• 1 tablespoon of coconut oil (preferably organic)
  
• A handful of seeds (either pumpkin or sunflower, or both)
  
• A handful of almonds
  
• A handful of dried fruit (apple, mango, coconut…)
  
• A teaspoon of ginger powder
  
• A teaspoon of cinnamon powder
  
• 2 tablespoons of milled flax seeds
  

Method:

1-  Preheat oven to medium heat (about 200 c)

2- Grab yourself a wide oven tray and toss in all the ingredients. Yes, all of them. Yes, it is that easy. 

3- Flatten out mixture on the tray evenly.

4- Now toss the mixture with your hands rubbing the ingredients together and then tossing some more. The reason you’re doing this with your hands is so the coconut oil and honey dissolve with the warmth of your hands and mix into the oats well.

5- Bake in the middle of the oven for 7 minutes altogether. 4 minutes through the cooking time, take it out of the oven and toss mixture (not with your hands this time) to ensure that every single element gets toasted. Then, place back in oven for another 3 minutes. This is the most crucial step. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve decided to be a smart one and mutli task while making granola, only to forget it. 2 extra minutes of baking time could seriously bake them babies black. No good.

6- Remove from oven and let cool.

7- When cooled (I mean completely cooled) place in an airtight container. It will last in the fridge for a good week although I highly doubt it will last that long.

I have a cup of granola every day during weekdays. I have it with milk or yogurt topped with fresh berries and a drizzle of honey for extra sweetness. It’ll keep you full until lunch, it’s a quick and healthy breakfast fix–what more could you possibly ask for?

Go straight-up bananas with me and give this recipe a try! I’d love to hear from you!

Also, follow me on Instagram: @straightupbananas

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Indulge in Caramel

Abu Dhabi’s islands are a hub of resorts, hotels, and restaurants. Amidst these, lies a gem of culinary goodness, in Saadiyat Island at St. Regis Hotel, you have the glorious Caramel. As the name itself would imply, prepare yourself for an oozing and tantalizing assault on your taste buds when visiting Caramel.  My husband and I had heard a great deal about Caramel, and so we decided to go on a road trip and embark on the drive from Dubai to Abu Dhabi. Once there, the hotel was simple to reach, and totally worth the drive—the hotel boasts of Mediterranean-style architecture; warm, neutral, inviting, and overlooking the sea. Caramel is perfectly located in the midst of the hotel at a perfect proximity for you to enjoy the salty sea air, while also plenty of parking space for the valet that will greet you at the entrance with a smile. After walking in, we were greeted by the restaurant manager and the hostess, who both warmly and enthusiastically welcomed, and seated us. At this point I was already satisfied enough to leave with a smile on my face—I was completely oblivious to the heaven (yes, heaven) that was yet to come.

Upon walking in, the venue was dimly lit which enabled each and every table to enjoy a romantic candle lit dinner.  The moment I walked in I realized that Caramel was most probably the ideal venue for any romantic occasion—wedding anniversaries, first dates, or just a scrumptious meal for two; on the other hand, I do not think it would be the most comfortable place to have dinner with, say…your father? Although in the beginning I felt the dim lighting made the décor less visible; I quickly realized that the dimness offered maximum intimacy, comfort, and ease as I was able to concentrate more on my meal and husband than be distracted by a neighboring table. Having said that, I must say that the bathroom was also dimly lit which proved to be quite the dilemma for a self-proclaimed klutz like myself.

Once my husband and I were comfortably seated our waiter, Chameed, gave us our menus. The menu was a medium-lengthed, international-flavored, eclectic work of art that painted a masterpiece in your head as each ingredient was read. The array of choices was enough to make my head spin and so Chameed who was a wealth of knowledge to anything Caramel related, recommended starters, mains, and desserts after asking about our food preferences. He was very familiar with every nook and cranny of the menu—every ingredient, flavor, cooking method—and his recommendations did not disappoint. With Chameed’s help my husband and I were able to order a spread of both Asian and Italian flavors, our favorites. 

For starters we ordered TNT Shrimps and the Chinese Chicken Salad. Oh me, oh my! The TNT Shrimps arrived straight from the fryer—hot, crisp, and slathered in a Japanese mayo. The light and airy batter that coated the shrimps along with the creamy and spicy mayonnaise was the absolute perfect combination; they were exquisite. The Chinese Chicken Salad arrived in the shape of a tall tower of numerous ingredients attentively selected to balance each other. Chameed later informed me that the salad was constructed of over 15 ingredients, and the dressing alone was made up of 16 ingredients. It was a salad served cold that combined crunchy wantons, bean sprouts, and red cabbage, juicy clementines, and perfectly cooked chicken cubes to name the absolute least. This salad combined the sweet and savory, the crunchy and soft, the zing and tang—it was a Japanese geisha dancing gracefully and skillfully on my tongue.

As for the main dishes: based on Chameed’s recommendations, I ordered the Seared Chilean Sea Bass. The perfectly seared sea bass with its simply seasoned crust on the outside, and flaky, moist flesh on the inside was only made even better with the creamy and gooey rock shrimp risotto underneath it. The risotto was set in the middle of a pool of rich and flavorful lobster broth, and topped with a basil and sun-dried tomato tapenade.  The slight tart of the tapenade along with the meaty crunch and flake of the sea bass cut through the decadence of both the risotto and the lobster broth. Every mouthful was a festival of wonderful flavors dancing hand in hand—it was absolutely heavenly.

My husband chose a lighter main course than mine, but equally as satisfying. He chose the Marinated Grilled Chicken that was set on a bed of pureed parsnip and topped with a generous dollop of cooked baby spinach. The grilled chicken was deboned and cooked two ways; the thigh was grilled until the skin was caramelized and crunchy and the meat was moist and just falling apart, and the chicken breast was valentined and then wrapped in the skin and pan fried for a little extra flavor and crunch—delish! My husband devoured the dish faster than I could get two bites in, but from what I did taste, I could not yet tell which of us had made the better choice.

As if these wonderful dishes were not enough of an assault on our taste buds, Chameed recommended two desserts of which we thought sharing one may be for the best. We ordered the Chocolate Chunk Brownie and it was indeed “euphoric” as their Facebook page mentions. A fluffy warm brownie drenched in chocolate sauce and topped with a fresh vanilla bean scoop of ice cream just oozing off the sides! And if that wasn’t enough, two giant dollops of whipped cream on the side, and toasted almonds for extra crunch. Oh my God!  It was quite honestly too delicious looking to photograph—meaning my husband and I stuffed our faces before we realized that we had forgotten to take pictures (I’ll see if I could borrow one off their page just so you could see how heavenly it looked). A waft of chocolate and freshly brewed coffee filled the room the second our dessert left the kitchen, and when it reached our table I was almost in tears. The dessert is an absolute MUST try; although, I must warn you, the portion is rather large and could quite easily be enough for two—but that depends on you and how much you could get away with opening the zipper to your pants in public. I feel like one can tell a lot about the standards at which a restaurant holds itself through the thought put into each and every element on their menu. Having said that, their coffee was the best coffee I have had in all of Dubai—NAY—ever!  I would seriously consider driving an hour and a half for the coffee alone. It was the cherry on top of the delicious meal we indulged in.

The attentive and warm staff, the ridiculously scrumptious food, and the comforting and laid back ambiance of Caramel would definitely drive me back in a heartbeat. For anyone who is searching for a place to indulge in comfort and romance, Caramel is positively for you—if you and that someone special do not bond over a meal there, I’m sorry to say you probably won’t anywhere else. Make a reservation tonight, and let me know how much you enjoyed it in the comment section below! If you should need any information, check out their website http://caramelgroup.com/?page_id=774

Go straight up bananas and give Caramel a shot!

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