Delicious and Healthy Party Food

I am about to blast you with some delicious recipes for some nutritious and heart-healthy party food ideas. We recently celebrated my husband's birthday, and with our focus on eating and living well, I wanted to create options that were fresh, healthy and colourful- so we came up with a Mexican themed menu.

I prepared some shredded Mexican chicken breast, some taco seasoned lean ground beef, some Mexican beans and had hard tacos, soft tortilla shells and loads of veggies and 'fixins' for everyone to build their own Mexican Masterpiece.

No Mexican fiesta would be complete without some salsa and guacamole. With parents, and children joining us for the party, I didn't want to make anything too spicy, so here is my homemade version of these 2 'spiced down' favourites.

Pineapple Salsa

Ingredients

• 1 fresh pineapple cut into tidbits
• 1 plum tomato diced
• 1/3 green pepper diced
• 1/3 red pepper diced
• 2 green onions diced
• 1/4 cup cilantro finely chopped
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1 tsp sea salt

Directions

Chop all ingredients and mix in bowl. Juice lime over salsa and add salt. Stir and taste for seasoning. To add a bit of spice you can add some fresh chopped jalapeno. Place in fridge for flavours to marinate. Serve cold with some tortilla chips.  This would also be delicious served over a grilled chicken breast or fish.

Guacamole

Ingredients

• 4 avocados
• 1/2 red pepper diced
• 1/3 cup cilantro finely chopped
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• Sea salt to taste

Directions

Scoop flesh out of avocados, mash them to desired 'chunkiness' consistency. Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate. Serve with your Mexican favourites!

We love the Organic Neal Brothers Blue Tortilla chips. It's also delicious on your Mexican tacos, tortillas, nachos, quesadillas or even on your burgers!

BIRTHDAY TREAT TIME!!!!

Ok, ok, so I kept a little treat for the end. It was, after all, my husbands birthday party and when I asked him what special desert I could make for him he said 'trifle'. Different, right?  So I thought of a way to add a bit of 'nutrition' into this and decided to make a Banana Trifle.

Here's the recipe I loosely followed to make his creamy, dreamy whipped banana pudding trifle dreams come true!

Birthday Banana Trifle

Ingredients

• 3 bananas, diced
• 2 packages of banana instant pudding
• 4 cups 1% milk
• 1 container of light cool whip
• 1 Pound cake, diced
• 1/2 pack of Nilla wafers

Directions

Make the banana pudding according to package directions. Cool in refrigerator until ready to assemble. In your trifle bowl, layer half of the ingredients at a time. Start with the pound cake, banana pudding, bananas, crumbled Nilla wafers, place some around the perimeter of the bowl to create a nice pattern, then the cool whip. Repeat step with remaining half and reserve some chunks of cake, cookies or bananas.

Brent loved his Birthday Banana Trifle! It looked so beautiful and was a little different than the usual cake. It's OK to have a little treat on your birthday... especially when you go to the gym the next morning and work it off!

Thanks to all our family who came to celebrate and to my beautiful daughter for hosting some great party games!

Banana Cranberry Oatmeal Pecan Crunch Topped Muffins

  ... Now that's a mouthful.... of seriously good morning 'on the go' eating....

I adapted this recipe from a Robin Hood flower recipe I found on line. The addition of the pecan-oatmeal crumble on top just sends them over the edge of yummy!

The original recipe called for 12 muffins, but I stretched mine to make 18 muffins.

Got some pecans ready...

Mixed some melted butter, brown sugar and oats...

...added my chopped pecans...

...and just sprinkled on top for some crunchy goodness!

Now here's the recipe:

 

Banana Cranberry Oatmeal Pecan Crunch Topped Muffins

Adapted from (http://www.robinhood.ca/Recipes/Muffins-Biscuits-Quick-Breads/Oat-Muffins/Cranberry-Banana-Oat-Muffins)

Makes 18 muffins

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups   (300 mL)  Whole Wheat All Purpose Flour

1 1/4 cups   (300 mL) Quick Oats

2/3 cup   (150 mL) sugar 

1 1/2 tsp   (7 mL) baking powder 

1 tsp   (5 mL) baking soda 

1/2 tsp   (2 mL) salt 

1   egg 

2 cups   (500 mL) banana, mashed 

1/3 cup   (75 mL) butter, melted 

1 cup   (250 mL) dried cranberries 

 

Directions:

1.       COMBINE first six dry ingredients in mixing bowl. Mix well.

2.       BEAT egg, banana and melted butter together until smooth.

3.       ADD banana mixture to dry ingredients. Stir just until moistened. Stir in nuts, if desired.

4.       FILL greased muffin cups 3/4 full.

5.       Now here is where I adapted a little bit.. I chopped some pecans, added some brown sugar, oats a bit of melted butter to make a crumble top to sprinkle on each muffin.

6.       BAKE at 375ºF (190ºC) for 20-25 minutes, or until top springs back when lightly touched.

Brent's Birthday-Fun times and Banana Triple Layer Cake

You know, I'm always a few weeks behind... I just can't keep up with all the joy, love and celebration! Seriously though... what do you do for your husband's 49th birthday party? Well, make him all the things he would  LOVE and that you would never make (may be you don't like it- mushroom- or maybe it's too decadent - banana cream layer cake)... but it's a celebration and let me share the love and good times we had with you.

Here's a fantastic group shot around the b-day boy.

Ok, seriously funny coincidence, but Brent's favourite colour is blue and my dad, Cooper and I are all wearing the blues.

Of course.... so is the birthday boy and a baseball shirt at that!

Oh ok, HI! have you met my gorgeous nephew and his big blue eyes?

Group Shot and the Sunshine!

Breadsticks and cucumbers and dip for my little niece!

Special cousin time playing on Mela's new laptop, entertaining the little one with fun online kid stuff so the parents could enjoy some peace.... you know how it is!

Ok, now I am showing you a little bit of  'celebration' food. Prepare yourself for one great banana cake ride. Here's the birthday boy eyeing his triple decker cake.

I had never made a triple layer cake and it was quite a production. But hey, my man's worth it. SO you need 3, 8inch round pans, how about a 9 inch and 2, 8 inch... I just cut around the edge... That might be why it turned out a bit lopsided.

Here' s the recipe folks:

Banana Layer Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

(adapted from http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Banana-Layer-Cake-with-Cream-Cheese-Frosting-4694#ixzz2vtFIx9JO)

Ingredients:

    2 1/4 cups cake flour

    3/4 teaspoon baking soda

    1/2 teaspoon baking powder

    1/2 teaspoon plus pinch of salt

    1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2 large)

    1/4 cup buttermilk

    1 teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

    1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

    1 1/3 cups sugar

    2 large eggs

    2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature

    1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

    2 large bananas, peeled, sliced

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly butter three 8-inch-diameter cake pans with 2-inch-high sides; dust pans with flour. Combine cake flour, baking soda, baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt in medium bowl. Mix mashed bananas, buttermilk and 1 teaspoon vanilla in another medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat 1/2 cup butter and sugar in large bowl until blended. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating to blend after each addition. Add dry ingredients alternately with banana mixture in 3 additions, beginning and ending with dry ingredients and beating just until blended after each addition. Divide batter equally among prepared pans.

Bake cakes until tops are just beginning to color and tester inserted into center comes out with a few crumbs attached, about 20 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on racks 10 minutes. Using small knife, cut around cakes to loosen; turn cakes out onto racks and cool completely.

Beat cream cheese and remaining 1 cup butter in large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in remaining 1 tablespoon vanilla and pinch of salt. Gradually beat in powdered sugar. Cover and refrigerate frosting until firm enough to spread, about 15 minutes.

Place 1 cake layer on platter. Spread 1/2 cup frosting over top. Place half of sliced bananas evenly over frosting, leaving 1/4-inch border at edge. Place second cake layer on work surface. Spread 1/4 cup frosting over top. Place cake layer, frosting side down, atop bananas. Spread 1/2 cup frosting over top. Place remaining half of sliced bananas evenly over frosting, leaving 1/4-inch border at edge. Place third cake layer on work surface. Spread 1/4 cup frosting over top.

Place cake layer, frosting side down, atop bananas. Spread remaining frosting over sides and top of cake. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Let stand 1 hour at room temperature before serving.) I decided to add some caramel drizzle on top of the cake and between the layers. Crazy good!

If you ever have a reason to celebrate with people who love bananas. This is a must!

Banana Cranberry Whole-Grain Breakfast Muffins

On my quest for the perfect breakfast on the go (that' not a smoothie)- I present to you this really moist and super delicious - MY FAVOURITE- Morning Muffin!

I found the recipe on line, an episode of the Marilyn Dennis show. Funny though, I never took Kate Gosselin as a muffin maker!

Banana Cranberry Whole-Grain Breakfast Muffins
(adapted from http://www.marilyn.ca/Celebrities/segment/Daily/October2013/10_01_2013/KateGosselin2)


This recipe notes that it makes 10 – 12 muffins - but that's a lie, it makes 24 good size muffins!

Ingredients:

• 3 cups ripe mashed bananas
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 cup quick-cooking oats
• ¼ cup ground flaxseed meal
• ½ cup wheat germ
• 3 eggs
• ½ cup pure maple syrup
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• ½ cup canola oil
• ¾ cup dried cranberries
• 2 tablespoons crushed pecans

Instructions:

Preheat often to 350 degrees

Grease muffin tin with non-stick spray.

In a large bowl, combine the bananas, flour, oats, flaxseed meal, wheat germ, eggs, maple syrup, baking powder, baking soda, salt, vanilla, cinnamon, and oil. Mix well using a hand mixer. Once mixed, stir the cranberries into the batter by hand.

Measure and pour about ½ cup batter for each muffin into prepared muffin pan. Top each muffin with about ½ teaspoon of crushed pecans.

Bake for 25 – 28 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 1 to 2 minutes before removing.

 This muffin is loaded with good for you ingredients... including 10 smashed bananas!

The addition on chopped pecans on top makes for a nice added texture in your morning muffin.

Can you see the moistness??? Chunks of banana and cranberries... try them, you won't be disappointed.

Good for You Chocolate Banana Souffles

Looks decadent right... and it's made mostly with bananas and cocoa powder!

On a cold Fall evening, I felt like I needed some warm, chocolaty comfort. But sticking to my guidelines of healthy eating, I set out to find a healthy alternative. I visited one of my favourite websites for healthy eating- www.skinnytaste.com.  Look what I found! Absolutely delicious AND nutritious.

Chocolate Banana Soufflés

http://www.skinnytaste.com/2009/12/chocolate-banana-souffles.html

Ingredients:

    2 ripe medium bananas, mashed

    2 tsp cornstarch

    1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

    1 tsp vanilla extract

    2 large egg whites

    3 tbsp sugar

    cooking spray

Directions:

Preheat over to 400F. Coat 4, 6 oz ramekins with butter flavored cooking spray. Place on a baking sheet.

 

In a medium bowl, mash bananas and vanilla together. Sift cornstarch and cocoa powder over bananas and stir well.

In another medium bowl, beat egg whites with sugar until they form soft peaks. Fold 1/3 of egg whites into banana mixture. When incorporated, fold in the rest of the egg whites. Spoon mixture into ramekins.

Wipe the top 1/4 inch “collar” of the ramekin to remove any excess batter so that the souffle will rise straight and place ramekins on a baking sheet. 

Bake at 400°F for 15 minutes. Serve immediately.

Et voila! You do have to eat it immediately warm from the oven. Here's the nutrition info:
Calories: 131.2 • Fat: 3.6 g • Carb: 23.5 g • Fibre: 3.2 g • Protein: 4.8 g

Ok, seriously, have you even seen a desert with so much fibre and protein!

Banana Blueberry Flax Muffins

Let me introduce you to breakfast in a muffin!

This is a great way to include all the things you want to get in a breakfast. Whole grain, flax, bananas and blueberries! Potent and packed for a morning of success!

Here's the recipe, I followed the steps and added some blueberries for punched up antioxidants.

Banana Blueberry Flax Seed Muffins

Adapted from http://www.food.com/recipe/banana-flax-muffins-332699

Makes 12 muffins

3 large bananas

3/4 cup sugar

1 cup ground flax seeds

1 egg

2 -3 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups flour

1 cup of frozen blueberries

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°F. Mash bananas. Mix bananas, flax and egg.

Mix dry ingredients together and add. If needed add milk, one tablespoon at a time. It depends on the size of your bananas and the consistency. Add frozen blueberries at the end.

Fill greased muffin tins. Bake for 20 minutes.