Easy Cream Cheese Banana Bread!

Alright, so I've definitely been having my share of fun with this next recipe...using it to make bread....muffins...adding chocolate...glazes...you get the picture!

So the other day, I had a terrible craving for pancakes, but I wasn't feeling too well and didn't feel like whipping them up from scratch, so it was off to the grocery store for me to track down a vegan pancake mix. I stumbled across Aunt Jemima's Whole Wheat Blend mix, saw that it was vegan and brought it home. Well, by the time I got home, this Gemini mind of mind had changed and didn't want pancakes anymore! So now I have this box of pancake mix that, unless I do SOMETHING with it, will sit in my pantry from now until eternity. So, I started rummaging around the kitchen looking for something to do with it, and let me tell you, not only did I have major success, but everyone I work with was absolutely salivating over these muffins they were so delicious! So without further blabbing from me, here's the super-easy recipe!

Danielle's Cream Cheese Banana Bread (or Muffins, your choice!)

2-3 bananas, ripe
8 oz. (1 container) Galaxy Cream Cheese Alternative
2 egg replacers (I use Orgran Gluten-Free No-Egg but I know lots of people like Ener-G too)
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. vegan white sugar
2 c. Aunt Jemima's Whole Wheat Blend Pancake Mix
1 tblsp. Cinnamon
Chocolate Chips (Optional)

Preheat Oven to 350.

Soften the cream cheese and mix with the sugars until smooth and creamy. Add in your bananas and your "eggs" and mix until smooth and well incorporated. Add in pancake mix, cinnamon, and anything else you care to add (walnuts, chocolate, etc.) and mix well.



Pour into breadpan or muffin pan. For one loaf of bread, bake for 45-50 minutes. For muffins, bake for 18-20 minutes.

Enjoy!


(For the glaze that I made on the muffins, I used 1 c. vegan confectioners sugar (I find it at Whole Foods) and mixed it with 3 tablespoons of organic apple juice....delish!)




Nutrition Facts Per Serving (surprisingly low-cal!)

Calories: 186
Sodium: 415 mg
Fat: 6g
Protein: 3g
Fiber: 3g
Carbs: 29g

Cream Cheese Mexican Pizza!

(Sorry for the crummy photo, had to take it on my crummy phone because my crummy camera didn't feel like turning on :-()

So I was rummaging through Whole Foods the other day, and noticed that they sold vegan pizza dough made in-store! Obviously, being the pizza fiend that I am, I HAD to pick some up! I decided to make a Mexican-style pizza with a cream "cheese" base instead of sauce and it was to...die...for! So, here's what's included:

Cheesy, Creamy Mexicali Pizza
Whole Foods Vegan Pizza Dough
Galaxy Cream Cheese Alternative - 1 Container
Taco Seasoning (many have milk products, so make sure it's vegan!)
Black Beans (I used canned this time, because I found some canned with jalapenos!)
Rotel Diced Tomatoes and Green Chiles - 1 Can
Lightlife Mexican Style Grounds - 1/2 package
Galaxy Rice Vegan Cheddar block
Chipotle-Style Tabasco Sauce

Preheat your oven to 425.
Roll out your pizza dough into whatever shape you can get it (I can't make mine round for some reason, so I mold it into a baking sheet!).
Mix about half the packet of taco seasoning with the container of cream cheese until incorporated. Spread evenly on pizza crust.
Spread the beans, tomatoes and green chiles on the pizza.
Mix the remaining half of the taco seasoning with half a block of the Smart Grounds. Toss onto the pizza.
Shred about half a block of Galaxy Rice Vegan Cheddar and sprinkle on your pizza. Drizzle with some Chipotle-Style Tabasco sauce and toss a few sliced olives on there, if that's your flavor.
Throw in the oven for about 20 minutes, or until the crust is a golden brown.

Throw down some tequila and enjoy!