Vegan Chunky Monkey Smoothie

The name of this smoothie seems fitting, because after Covid-19 is in our past (whenever that will be) I feel like I’m going to emerge from my house as a chunky monkey! Like most people, I have changed my eating habits as schedules have changed (more access to the fridge, stress eating, emotional eating - things many of us are feeling right now) but also because access to food has changed.

For our family, we always start the day with a smoothie, and we’ve been doing this for years! I have always relied on frozen fruit for my smoothies and always kept a variety of different berries, tropical, and local fruit on hand. We very quickly ate up our supply, and within a few weeks into lockdown, were no longer able to access frozen fruit for smoothies like we used to.

Variety is necessary for me (and my toddler) so I didn’t want to make the same old smoothie everyday, so I’m being pushed to create new, nutritious, and still delicious smoothies for our little family of three (soon to be four!). This smoothie recipe was created because bananas were literally the only fruit I had (waiting on that produce delivery) and I was also craving chocolate. I dug deep into my pantry and found a new package of medjool dates, had cocoa powder in my baking drawer, a good supply of seeds, the tail end of a peanut butter jar, and luckily still had some dairy alternatives.

This works for breakfast, for snacks, for desserts, or anytime you have a chocolate craving!

Vegan Chunky Money Smoothie

Author: Andrea Carpenter, RD

Recipe Type: Smoothies

Serving: 2-3

Ingredients:

• 1 cup unsweetened milk alternative (pea, hemp, almond, coconut, oat)

• 1/2 cup unsweetened plain yogurt (I use coconut yogurt)

• 1 large ripe (or overripe) banana (or 2 small bananas, 1 1/2 medium bananas)

• 3 medjool dates (alternatively could use 1/4 cup raisins soaked in 1 TBSP warm water)

• 2 TBSP natural peanut butter (can also use almond butter, cashew butter, hazelnut butter)

• 1 TBSP cocoa powder

• 3 TBSP hemp hearts

• 1 tsp each chia seeds and flax seeds

• 1/2 cup ice

Directions:

1. Add all ingredients to the blender, in the order listed above.

2. Start blender at low and gradually increase to maximum (or use a smoothie setting if you have it). Add additional water if too thick, and add additional ice if too thin.

3. Optional - add toppings of whipped cream/vegan cream, sprinkle of coaoa powder, sprinkle of hemp or other seeds.

Blueberry Banana Bran BLW Mini Muffins

Muffins are a great portable snack for infants, toddlers, children, and adults. They are great at any age! Sometimes getting enough fibre into the diet can be hard, but these fibre-packed Blueberry Banana Bran BLW Mini Muffins help you meet your fibre recommendations for the day. Add this easy muffin recipe to your meal prep, keep some on hand, and store the rest in the freezer for days ahead. Enjoy!

BLUEBERRY BANANA BRAN BLW MINI MUFFINS

Author: Andrea Carpenter, RD

Recipe Type: Baby Food; Sides, Snacks, and Apps

Serving: 40 mini muffins

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 mashed ripe bananas

• 1 large eggs

• 1 TBSP ground hemp hearts

• 1 TBSP ground flaxseed

• 1/2 package store-bought plain bran-muffin mix

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• 1/4 CUP frozen blueberries

• 1 1/4 CUP water

DIRECTIONS:

1. Mash the ripe bananas in a bowl.

2. Add egg and blend into oil and banana mixture.

3. Mix the hemp hearts, flaxseeds, cinnamon and water into the banana mixture.

4. Add the muffin mix and gently fold until just combined. Do not over-mix or the muffins will have a tough texture.

5. Gently fold in the frozen blueberries.

6. Line a mini muffin tray with parchment muffin liners to prevent sticking. Alternatively, spray the muffin tray with coconut oil.

7. Bake at 400 degrees for 7 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before storing in airtight containers. These muffins also freeze well.

Savoury Leek and Kale BLW Muffins

If you’re like me, you want easy, nutritious food for your baby that tastes great and exposes them to a wide variety of foods and flavours. When that food is portable for on-the-go meals, it’s even better. Mini muffins make great snacks and compliment any meal - breakfast, lunch, or dinner! This savoury leek and kale baby-led-weaning mini muffin is a recipe you will find yourself whipping up on the regular. There are some modifications listed in the recipe if you choose to make these mini muffins egg-free and/or dairy-free.

These muffins also freeze well which means you can store some for later, so your little one doesn’t tire of eating the same thing day in and day out. I hope you and your little one enjoys these muffins. Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram so I can see your little one enjoying them, too!

Savoury Leek and Kale BLW Mini Muffins

Author: Andrea Carpenter, RD

Recipe Type: Entrée, Sides, Snacks and Apps

Servings: 24 mini muffins

Ingredients

• 1 leek, white part only, thinly sliced

• 4-6 kale leaves, thinly sliced

• 1 egg or 1 flax egg (1 Tbsp ground flax + 3 Tbsp water)

• 1/2 cup cheddar cheese or 1/2 cup coconut cheese

• 1/2 cup whole milk or 1/2 cup pea milk or cashew milk

• 1/2 cup iron fortified infant cereal

• 1 cup all purpose flour

• Olive oil

Directions

1. Add a generous drizzle of olive oil to a non stick pan. Heat on medium low. Add the leek and kale and cook for several minutes until tender. If leek starts to brown reduce heat.

2. In a bowl, combine the infant cereal and flour and stir. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl, beat the egg (or flax egg for egg-free variety) and add the cheese (or cheese alternative for dairy-free variety) and milk (or milk alternative for dairy-free variety). Once the leek and kale has cooked, allow it to cool then stir into the egg mixture.

4. Combine the flour mixture to the egg mixture and fold until combined. Be careful not to over-mix as this will result in tough muffins. Note: if batter is too dry, add more milk. If batter is too wet add more infant cereal.

5. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spoon the batter into mini muffin tins (no paper lining, no cooking spray or greased tins required), filling just to the top. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until bottoms are golden brown.

6. Allow to cool before storing in an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for 3-5 days or in the freezer for 1 month.