21 Day Fix Banana Mousse

This quick banana mousse recipe makes an unbelievably satisfying dessert or snack. Whipped bananas have a light and creamy texture that can be made into a sweet tooth-satisfying dessert that packs wholesome nutrition. 

Sweetened with honey and vanilla extract, then mixed with yogurt, this banana mousse tastes like a light and fluffy pudding. With only 79 calories per serving, you can even eat it for breakfast!

I was inspired by a post I saw on the beachbody site and decided to give it a try with my own modifications.  The photos below show two portions in each mason jar but even at that it would only count as 1 fruit and 1 red container if your following the 21 day fix so it really does make for a nice treat!  If you really want to keep it on track you could leave out the honey and allow the bananas to be the only sweetness.  

I could even see freezing this for a frozen treat in the summer time.  Although with the weather we have been having lately I could be freezing it now!  I even got out on the Paddle board on Monday evening and Asher was given an early birthday gift (a Kayak) so he came along with me!  I really hope this weather sticks around a while so that we can enjoy some more time on the lake once all the Pace shows are done!  

We have been back and forth to the theater for weeks with rehearsals and shows and this will be our last week of the spring shows!  Once it's over I'll have to whip up another batch of this for the kids and let them top it with whatever the like!  You can dress up this dessert with fresh berries, sliced grapes, cacao nibs, or a sprinkling of orange zest.  Really you can get creative and top it with anything you could think of!  

Banana Mousse

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

1 Tbsp. raw honey
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1¼ medium bananas, sliced, reserve 8 slices for garnish
1 Tbsp. almond milk (as needed)
1 cup plain greek yogurt

Preparation

1. Place honey, extract, and bananas in blender; cover. Blend until smooth. If mixture is thick add a table spoon of almond milk as needed. 
2. Place mixture in a medium bowl. Fold in yogurt; mix well. 
3. Spoon mixture into serving dishes or small mason jars, cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 45 minutes. 
4. When ready to serve,garnish each with fruit of your choice.  I topped ours with cacao nibs and raspberries but you can literally use anything you desire. 

21 Day Fix Portions: 1/2 Purple 1/4 Red

Fudgy Avocado Brownies

Not only do avocados add a boost of healthy fats, they also intensify the flavor of chocolate and make these brownies ultra rich, and decadent. These gluten-free treats are so fudgy and moist, you won’t even remember how healthy they are!

Did you know know there was a difference between "CocOA" and "CacAO"?

Yep there totally is and for a long time I've been a bit confused about the difference in the spelling and wondered what if any difference there actually was between the two.  

So heres the deal...

Even though CocOA and CacAO come from the same bean there is a fairly big difference between the two and how they are processed. 

Basically one is the Raw version of the other.... CacAO is Raw and CocOA is Roasted.  

CacAO (pronounced: kuh-KOW) is the purest and rawest form of a cocoa bean.  

Cacao is not roasted.  CacAO is made from removing the cacAO beans from their pods (which grow on cacAO trees), and then fermenting them.

The beans are then cold-pressed to remove the cocao butter or fat from the beans and then dried.  

Cacao powder does look almost exactly the same as cocoa powder, but none of the nutrients, antioxidants, and enzymes have been cooked out, therefor the overall nutrition of the cocoa bean remains intact in Cacao powder.  

CocOA takes it a step further – it gets roasted at really high temperatures. Keep in mind heating any plants kills a lot of living enzymes (ie. minerals/vitamins/healthy stuff) in the plants, just think about what an over cooked broccoli looks like when it's been steamed way too long..... This means that cocOA has much less of a nutritional value than the raw cacAO stuff does.

Of course CacAO is the healthier and therefor more expensive choice but just like anything else once you understand the value in paying a little bit more and getting a better product it becomes a no brainer to choose the nutrient dense option!  Right?  Right!

Ok back to these Gooey Brownies......

Blend up your Avocado in the food process or you can mash it in a bowl, whatever works for you!  I recently acquired a ninja blender, food processor and I'm telling you it makes baking a breeze!  Loving it!

Now add in your CacAO mixture and just look at that batter!  I can tell you I scraped that bowl it was SO good!!!  Pretty sure I'd make the batter on it's own minus the egg and just eat it with a spoon..... it was that good!

Now after you bake it in the oven and it's nice an hot you can either leave it as is or top it with a few dark chocolate or dairy free chips.  Let them sit for 3-5 minutes and then spread them over the top of your brownie.  

Look and that beauty!  Now the hard part.... you have to wait for it to cool before you cut into it.... well at least wait 30 minutes to let it settle a little bit.  

Fudgy Avocado Brownies

Cooking Time: 36 min.

Yield: 16 servings, 1 brownie each

Ingredients

1 medium ripe avocado, mashed

¼ cup extra-virgin coconut oil

1 large egg

½ cup pure maple syrup

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

¾ cup cacao powder

½ tsp. Himalayan sea salt

¼ cup almond flour

⅓ cup dark chocolate chips (optional to top with)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.

2. Grease a 8 x 8-inch baking pan with coconut oil. Set aside.

3. Combine avocado, coconut oil, egg, maple syrup, and vanilla extract in a food processor; mix well. Set aside.

4. Combine cacao powder, sea salt, and Almond flour in a medium bowl; mix well.

5. Add cacao powder mixture to avocado mixture; blend in food processor until combined. 

6. Scrape batter into prepared pan; spread to make even.

7. Bake for 33 to 36 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

8. Once baked top hot brownie with chocolate chips and let melt 3-5 minutes, spread with icing spatula until smooth. 

9. Cool for an hour before removing from pan. Cut into 16 squares.

21 Day Fix Portions: 1/2 Yellow 2 Spoons

Clean Cheat Day Peanut Butter Bars

This is an easy and awesome clean cheat recipe that you can make and eat in less than 30 minutes!  I made these a few weeks ago and posted them to my Facebook page and so many people liked them I figured I better do a blog post too!  I've had it drafted up for a while now and just keep skipping past it!  But better late than never!  

I topped mine with banana slices but you could totally leave them off too.  I just thought they looked WAY cuter with a little banana slice on each and it helped me to make sure I was cutting the portions just right too!  

These peanut butter squares are not too sweet but just enough sweetness to make you feel like your having a treat while still staying on track towards your goals.  Gord and I are following the 21 day fix meal plan and workouts so we are trying to stick as close to the meal plan as possible.  These are fix approved and count as 1 Yellow container if you are following the plan too. 

Makes 16 servings, Each serving is 1 

21 Day fix Portions: Yellow and 2.5 TSP

Peanut Butter Bars 

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all natural smooth peanut butter
1/2 cup raw honey (or pure maple syrup)
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs (at room temperature)
1/2 tsp baking soda, gluten free

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Lightly coat 8×8-inch baking pan with spray. Set aside
3. Combine peanut butter, honey, extract, eggs, and baking soda in a large bowl; mix well
4. Evenly spread batter into prepared pan. Smooth top with a spatula. Top with sliced banana if desired. 
5. Bake 20 to 23 minutes. Squares may be a little soft when coming out of the oven, but they will continue to cook.
6. Cool. Cut into squares.

Guilt Free Pumpkin Cheesecake Trifle

Guilt free HEALTHY - Pumpkin Spice "cheesecake" Trifle that is 21 Day Fix Friendly and super easy to create! Nobody will know you didn't even break a sweat making it🙊 (and you won't have to "break a sweat" to work off the calories either!)

I made this last night and I wasn't too sure at first, the pumpkin layer was a bit more runny that I thought it would be and there is very little sweetness added to it so I wasn't sure if hubby would like it or not.  I ended up deciding to try a new recipe "Maple Cream" to add to the top of it to add a little sweetness just in case but in the end it probably didn't need it although the maple cream added a very nice touch!  

As for this being 21 Day fix friendly it totally is, and it's Gluten free as well.  I would could this as 1 Red container, 1/2 green container, 1 orange container and 1 Spoon.  Because it's gluten free it has no yellow containers but it could also be counted as a treat so you could just count as one yellow treat.  For me I'd count it as what's in it since I hate to give up a yellow container and because it does have greek yogurt in it which counts as a red I think i should get credit for the red and 1/2 green containers!!  

This week I'm going back to the 21 Day fix workouts, and I have to say I totally thought that after doing 21 Day Fix Extreme the regular workouts would be easier but they really aren't. They are just different.  I'm actually enjoying going back to these workouts this week with my group and sharing how we did each day for accountability.  We have such an awesome group this round!!  

21 Day Fix is still on sale this month (October) so if you have been thinking about joining one of my accountability groups, this is a great time to get your kit.  

You can email me at crystalpfitnessfood@gmail.com for more information. 

Guilt Free Pumpkin Cheesecake Trifle

Ingredients

Crust Ingredients:

1 cup almond flour

2-3 Tbsp melted coconut oil

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp nutmeg, cloves and ginger 

-

1st Layer:

Plain greek yogurt

-

2nd layer:

1/2 cup pure pumpkin puree

1/3 cup plain greek yogurt (or vegan alt.)

1/4 tsp cinnamon

Dash of ginger, cloves and nutmeg

1 Tbsp honey

-

Topping:

Crushed pecans

1/2 tsp honey

* Extra treat Maple Cream 

Directions

Pulse all crust ingredients in a small food processor until well combined. Transfer to small bowls And Press crust into serving dish evenly and bake at 350 until lightly brown. 

Scoop out desired amount of yogurt and layer on top of crust inside serving dish. Place dish in refrigerator while preparing your 2nd layer.

In a blender, puree all 2nd layer ingredients until smooth. Remove dish from refrigerator and pour 2nd layer evenly over yogurt.

Pulse pecans with a drizzle of honey in food processor or magic bullet. 

Top 2nd layer with crushed pecans and refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving. *Option to drizzle a small amount of maple cream on the top before serving. 

Maple cream
Place the maple syrup in a saucepan fitted with a candy thermometer. Fill a large bowl with ice water and place another saucepan on top of the ice. Heat the maple syrup over medium heat until boiling (do not stir, but do not walk away because you don't want it to boil over! if it boils up, lower the heat.) and cook until it reaches 235 degrees F. Once at 235 degrees F, remove from the heat and pour the syrup into the saucepan that is sitting in the ice water bath. Let it cook for 5 to 10 minutes. Once slightly cooler, begin to stir the syrup with a wooden spoon until it's creamy. This can take about 15 minutes, so instead, I poured my syrup into my magic bullet and pulsed it. But I think next time I would put it into my stand mixer. Once it's a light colour and pourable, stop beating because it can thicken quickly.

[i used this tutorial for the maple cream]

Peanut Butter Banana Cups

I'm doing the 21 Day fix this week and my usual evening snack is a sliced apple and my Homemade Peanut Butter.  But I decided tonight would be a good night for a little treat and to try a new recipe.  

These little peanut butter banana cups were so easy to make and I just popped them into the freezer for a couple hours and they were done!  

I love using the silicon muffin cups and use them in so many recipes.  They work great and I love that I can just pop my Peanut Butter Cups right out of them so easily! I have used them for mini cheese cakes as well and they are perfect.  

These little Peanut Butter Banana Cups have just one slice of Banana in them so I can't really count it as any fraction of a purple container for the 21 Day Fix but each one uses about 2 Tsp of Peanut Butter and a tiny bit of honey and coconut oil so I'll be counting each one as 2 Tsp for the day.  Not bad for such a tasty treat!  

Peanut Butter Banana Cups

Servings: about 12 cups

21 Day Fix Portions: 2 TSP per 1 Cup
Preparation time: 10 minutes

• 1 ripe banana
• 3/4 cup unsweetened peanut butter (I used my Homemade Peanut Butter)
• 1/4 cup honey
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 teaspoon coconut oil 
• 1/4 plus 1/8 teaspoon Himalayan sea salt

1. Cut the banana into slices between 1/4 and 1/2 inch thick.

2. Mix all remaining ingredients in a separate bowl.

3. Place a bit of the peanut butter mixture to cover the bottom of each of the silicone muffin cups. 

4. Place a banana slice on top of the peanut butter.

5. With a spoon, scoop the peanut mixture onto each banana slice and cover completely.

6. Place in the freezer to set.

7. Store in the fridge or freezer.

I hope you enjoy and it cures any sweet tooth craving you have!  

15+ 21 Day Fix Dessert Recipes

Treats and Dessert for the 21 Day Fix!

Here is a round of up yummy 21 Day Fix Approved Healthy Dessert and Treat recipes I have found along the way. 

Most of them have listed the container counts, but if not I've made an educated guess for you. 

Remember these are your treats, so you only get 3 per week and they usually use up a yellow container for the day. 

Chickpea Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars (1 Yellow Treat)


 
Cookie Dough Greek Yogurt

Ingredients ➡3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt, 1 tbsp nut butter, 1 tbsp pure maple syrup, 1/4 tsp pure vanilla (free fix food),  1 tbsp mini chocolate chips.

 ➡Combine Greek yogurt with the nut butter, pure maple syrup, vanilla in your yellow cup as 1 serving. Mix until smooth. Top with mini choc chips and enjoy!!!

Tip> You can only replace a yellow cup 3 times a week with a Treat (Fix page 39)

Grilled Fruit Quesadilla - 1 Yellow 1 Purple 1 Tsp

Peanut Butter Jelly Cookies - 1 Yellow 1 Purple 2 Tsp

Chocolate Mocha Mousse - 1/2 Yellow 1 Red 1 Blue/Orange

Chocolate Shakeology Brownies - 1 Yellow Treat

Frozen Chocolate Covered Banana Bites - 2 Bites equal 1 Yellow Treat

Flour-less Chocolate Muffin - 1 Muffin equals 1 Yellow Treat

Healthy Peach Crumble - I found this one but it's not 100% 21 Day fix so I'm not including the link and I have modified it slightly. 

Ingredients
1 purple of sliced peach (use a fresh one)1/2 a yellow of oatmeal1 red of plain greek yogurtPacket of Stevia  1 tsp Honey
Vanilla, Cinnamon, & a dash of Brown Sugar  Swirl of Honey

DirectionsSpray a pan with cooking spray. Place sliced peaches in a pan and allow to cook for a bit. Add a tablespoon of water and your oats to the pan and stir frequently. With your greek yogurt, mix Honey, a couple sprinkles of cinnamon, and a couple drops of vanilla. Place 1/2 of the greek yogurt mixture on the bottom of the plate, then layer your "crumble" from the pan, top with the remaining mixture. Drizzle with honey. 

Peanut Butter Cookies - 1 Cookie equals 2 Tsp

21 Day Fix Approved Cheese Cake - 3/4 Red Container per serving (Plus 1 Purple for berries)

21 Day Fix Chocolate Bar - 1 Red 1 Healthy Fat

Guild Free Pumpkin Cheesecake Trifle  - 1 Red 1/2 Green 1 Orange 1 Spoon

Peanut Butter Bars - 1 Yellow

Fudgy Avocado Brownies - 1/2 Blue 2 Spoons