Coconut Banana Ice Cream Bars (dairy-free, gluten-free, nut-free)

Elevated cortisol levels can greatly affect the ability fall asleep and stay asleep. Cortisol is a hormone produced by the adrenal glands. It's a messenger that tells the body how to function. Cortisol is naturally highest beginning early in the morning, from around 6am to 8am. Then it slowly decreases throughout the day, getting to its lowest point around midnight. Acute stress, chronic stress, and trauma can all affect cortisol levels and cause this stress hormone to be higher late in the day when it shouldn't be.

I have to tell you that it's been over a decade since I've had any kind of donut but lately my kids were asking about them. I think they tried a gluten-free donut at a party years ago but that's been their only exposure. So I decided to invest in some safe non-stick donut pans and try making baked grain-free donuts.

I like to make this healthy grain-free muffin recipe after my children go to sleep at night so they have something nourishing to eat for breakfast—especially helpful on really busy mornings! The other day my daughter wanted to know how much protein each muffin had so she worked out how many grams of protein each ingredient contained and then divided the total number by 12. She came up with 6.3 grams per muffin, not bad.

Using mashed, ripe bananas in recipes is a simple and nourishing way to replace sugar. I've used it before in my sugar-free, grain-free Carob Banana Bars and in these lovely Teff Pancakes. My four-year-old twins have been eager to cook lately—and if I don’t jump in quickly, they take over and start cooking on their own. Hmm… I have no idea where they get that from! Most recently, cookies have been on their minds.

The marriage of chocolate and bananas is truly divine. This bread is light, yet rich with chunks of sweet banana melting in your mouth with every bite. Have a slice as a mid-afternoon snack or an after-dinner treat, however, our favorite is always fresh out of the oven!

These moist, delicious, high-protein gluten-free, sugar-free bars are made with almond flour, carob powder, and a touch of cinnamon. They are sweetened only with mashed banana and liquid stevia. Carob powder is naturally sweet unlike cocoa powder which is very bitter.