Yesterday started out well, with a morning run in cloudy 58-degree weather (perfect running weather). However, near the end of said run, a gnat saw me and decided my right eyeball would make a nice home. Note to Mr. Gnat: my being vegan does not stop me from hating you!! The last ten minutes of my run were miserable, and people passing by must’ve wondered about this girl running with one hand over her eye, trying to get the dead bug out. Luckily, the day got progressively better.
For snack, I resurrected an old favorite: Soy-free Banana Yogurt, a.k.a. Banana Pudding… or even Banana Whipped Cream! (How good does banana whipped cream sound?)
Homemade Banana Yogurt
(Or pudding, but I like to call this “yogurt” since it’s healthier than traditional pudding)
- 3 level teaspoons agar flakes (See below for substitution note)
- 1 and 1/3 cup milk of choice (I use Almond Breeze almond milk)
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon (or more, if you’re a cinnamonster like me)
- a tiny dash salt (1/16th tsp)
- frozen banana
- sweetener of choice
Ahead of time: Measure the milk into a pot and mix in the agar flakes. Allow to sit 5 minutes, then slowly bring to a boil. As soon as it starts to boil, lower and simmer 8-10 minutes (most of the flakes will have dissolved, but not all). Turn off the heat and fridge uncovered until cool (at least 5 hours). Then scoop the base into a blender or Magic Bullet, add all other ingredients, and blend until super-smooth!
If you don’t want to bother with the agar base, you could always just blend a banana into regular plain or vanilla yogurt. Instant banana yogurt!
For tips making any flavored healthy pudding, see: Easy Pudding Tutorial.
I love using agar! I was turned on to it when I first saw it on your blog a while ago. It’s amazing, like vegan gelatin. Jello was never one of my favorite things, but once I was “not allowed” to have it anymore, suddenly I wanted it!
Oh girl, I am not organized AT ALL! Not in a disorganized way, not in an organized way. Not at all LOL. I am just cluttered in all areas of life. But hey, it works for me, so that’s what matters, right? 😉
You’re like superwoman! 8.5 miles! That’s a lot for even some of the guys on my cross country team. The most i can get out is about 5 lol.
My mom is organized yet unorganized like you. Her room looks like a tornado hit it and yet she can tell me exactly where everything is.
Aww lol I’m not! I think I’m able to go far distances because I don’t run every day. So some days I don’t run at all. LOL my friend, this summer, was trying to get me to run with her… but she was training for a marathon. Her “short” runs were like 9 miles!
lol that’s crazy! I know one of my coaches does ultramarathons which is like fifty miles. He’s insane lol.
Ouuchh I know the gnat-in-the0eye-feeling! It’s happened while running, yes..but also a lot while horseback riding. :/ It’s so annoying!
I’m organized in my own way- like, my roosm a completel disater zone but I know where everything is. Organize chaos, you know? 😛
Ugh, and soccer :(. They hang around the soccer fields. Why do they go for the eyes??? They could pick your cheeks, your hands, your toes… anywhere else. Why, oh why the eyes?!
I am 1 million percent organized. I can tell you where Skylar’s old newborn baby clothes Im saving are, where my husand’s baseball card collection from 1984 that HE doesnt even know he still has is, and how many rolls of toilet paper are in my 4 bathrooms and how many meals I can get out of the fresh produce I have on hand. I am organized, anal, detail attentive…to a fault perhaps…but it’s just the way I am wired 🙂
Agar agar is what we use to make jelly over here…though actually, there’s a difference between the jell-o and agar jelly–agar results in firmer! jelly:) Not as wobbly.
Haha, I get you on the “organized in a disorganized way”. My school file and bedroom dresser looks a mess–weird since I’m a bit of a neat freak–but I know EXACTLY where everything is 🙂
This has been on my list of things to try for weeks and I finally had it for breakfast this morning mixed with pumpkin, banana, and lots of spice. It was like pumpkin pie filling in a bowl!
Do you know if agar is considered a “raw” ingredient? I’m guessing it would be because it’s just a dried sea vegetable, but I’m thinking about making an agar pudding for a raw potluck and want to be sure.
Hmmm… I guess it would be raw, but I think if you made the pudding you’d have to cook it, right? Or is there a way to make agar pudding without cooking it?
Spoon=SO CUTE!!!
I´ve just tried tried your Banana Yogurt recipe and it tasted sooo delicious!! 🙂 I made it with vanilla soy milk and it matched perfectly. So thanks for your very inspiring recipes…I will definitly try out more of them!
best regards from Germany (so please excuse any mistakes 😉 )
Ooo so cool to get a comment from Germany! 🙂
I’m so glad you liked the yogurt, Anja!
hey, happy birthday to you. love your blog and healthy recipes. you really are so good with substitution ingredients. keep it up.