Last October, Andrew and I embarked on a semi-spontaneous roadtrip from San Francisco to Brooklyn. With little planned besides deciding on a timeframe (a little less than two weeks), and a couple spots we wanted to see (namely Monument Valley and Sedona), we set off in a southerly direction. Our first stop was an overnight in Palm Springs at the kooky-chic Parker Palm Springs, where we wandered the lushly-green grounds, played a game of tennis, and ate a lovely breakfast.
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bananas
Chocolate Chia Pudding
With chocolate I’m usually an all or nothing kind of girl; I’m not interested unless we’re talking deep-dark bittersweet brown. (These brownie-like flourless chocolate walnut cookies are a favorite for exactly that reason.) And yet I was drawn to this decidedly-mild breakfast treat when flipping through Julie Montagu’s Superfoods: The Flexible Approach to Eating More Superfoods. Here, cacao powder (nope, not the same thing as cocoa powder) is used in concert with cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and ginger for a flavor that’s less full-blown-brownie-rich, and more like a cozy cup of Mexican hot chocolate. And despite my usual leanings, I’m digging it pretty hard.
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Blueberry Banana Almond Smoothie
While I don’t dislike blueberries, they’re hardly my first choice given that they peak at the same time as watermelon, pluots, cherries, nectarines, blackberries, and many other far-more-exciting summer fruits. That is, unless we’re talking wild blueberries. Smaller, more-consistently flavorful, and mightily-tart, wild blueberries are like the burrata to conventional blueberries’ mozzarella; different and better. Sadly, like tart Montmorency cherries, they’re tricky to find fresh outside of their limited growing region, but don’t let that bum you out too much; these tiny orbs of tastiness are practically made to be frozen.
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Banana-Pecan Paleo Pancakes
Magical, paleo, two-ingredient, grain-free: all of these buzz words have been used to describe these pancakes (or a close cousin thereof). And, here’s the shocker, this crazy recipe, which, at it’s most elemental, is just a cooked slurry of banana and eggs, actually works. Moreover, the pancakes taste good and shockingly pancake-like, especially when drizzled with a little bit of maple syrup.
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Banana Bread Baked Oatmeal
There’s no denying that banana bread is delicious; unfortunately, it’s not exactly the healthiest or most filling way to start the day. If you don’t have a big appetite in the morning, a slice might tide you over until lunch, but I prefer something more substantial (read: more fiber and protein, less sugar and flour). This banana bread baked oatmeal is the answer. Super-ripe mashed bananas and finely-chopped dates mimic banana bread’s sweet, almost-caramel-like, roasted banana flavor, while the half moon slices add visual interest. Toasted walnuts bring nuttiness and crunch, while a combination of whole milk, two types of oats, and an egg make it more satiating. While I’m not ready to give up banana bread as an occasional treat, this satisfies the same cravings all for less than 500 calories a serving.
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