Dessert first + Fair Trade giveaway
Hi friends! Hope your weekend is off to a wonderful start.
This afternoon, I have a delicious dessert combo to share + an awesome giveaway from my friends at Fair Trade. Once again, they’re hosting a virtual Mother’s Day brunch, and asked us to create a recipe using fair trade ingredients. The first things that came to my mind? Chocolate, coffee, and bananas.
Don’t get me wrong: I LIVE for egg dishes at brunch. It’s one of my favorite foods ever, and this is the recipe I submitted last year. As much as I go crazy for egg dishes, especially topped with a ton of salsa, dessert is #2. If I could have eggs and chocolate all day (ok, and wine), that would be a dream come true.
But for today, let’s have dessert first.
I wanted to create something on the healthier side that tastes like a decadent treat. It feels indulgent, but this dessert is packed with healthy fat from almond butter, protein from fresh eggs, and a deep cocoa flavor. The banana ice cream tastes wonderful with the rich almond butter brownie,
and to finish it off, sprinkle with your favorite crumbled candy or chocolate chips.
Here’s the recipe if you’d like to give it a try! (* = ingredients you can find that are Fair Trade)
-1 batch of almond butter brownies, using almond butter*, cocoa powder* and espresso powder*
-3-4 frozen bananas*
-1/2 tablespoon cinnamon*
-1/4 cup of your favorite chocolate candy. I used Marich Salted Caramels*
1. In a food processor, process the bananas, cinnamon and chocolate candy until a smooth “ice cream” forms.
2. Top the brownies with the ice cream, and sprinkle with extra candy or chocolate chips.
3. Serve and enjoy!
If you’re interested in learning more about the Fair Trade mission, here’s what it’s all about:
-Fair Trade seeks to empower family farmers all over the world. Funds are used in a democratic basis (so each community determines how to allocate the funds) to improve farmers’ quality of life. Here are some of the benefits:
Farmers learn and implement sustainable farming practices
Workers are fairly compensated, and able to work in safe conditions
Women are guaranteed health care, rights, and freedom from harassment
Revenues are set aside to build schools and help maintain enrollment
Farmers are given market-based tools to lift themselves out of poverty and
workers and their families gain access to health care, medicine and proper nutrition.
As much as I admire their mission, I especially love that they support and empower women in the farming industry.
Once again, they paired me up with an inspirational farmer to learn more about her story.
This is Isabel Uriarte Latorre, 58, from Cajamarce.
Isabel is CECANOR‘s Finance and Commerce Manager, and checks the coffee plants of a local Agua Azul member. Isabel has been involved in social justice movements in her native Peru since the 1970s, having been part of a student movement and later numerous labor unions. She is one of the founders of CECANOR and developed the revolutionary Cafe Femenino, a select brand of coffee made only by women.
She states: “The purpose of Cafe Femenino is to make visible the contribution women make not only to the household economy, but the community and to the umbrella organization CECANOR.” Through Isabel’s leadership, CECANOR has developed wonderful assistance programs. Health, education and tech assistance projects all benefit the female farmers and their families through introducing new farming techniques, providing health screenings, sex-education campaigns in rural schools, and improving the productivity of credit programs.
When asked about the advantages of being certified by Fair Trade, Isabel explains: “The certification and subsequent prize money is vital for our success. It allows us to provide rural coffee growers a steady price that sets a solid base for economic budgeting both at the family and community levels. In addition, positive results turn into incentives for the growers to produce higher quality coffee, and many are also seeing the positive aspects of organic farming – economically and health wise.” Cafe Femenino currently has 645 producers.
You can read more about her incredible story here and the Fair Trade FairHer campaign, celebrating the women of fair trade.
And now, it’s giveaway time!
One lucky winner will receive the same goodie package they sent me with treats from all of these companies:
Frontier Natural chocolates co-op
Barefoot & Chocolate (this tastes like frosting in a jar…)
Alter Ego (my fave truffles)
Nourish Organic (this lotion is my newest obsession)
The lucky winner will be chosen Monday night at midnight EST and announced in Tuesday’s morning post.
Emter here:
Ready, set, go!
xoxo
Gina
I was not compensated to write this post, but I received a giant box of goodies that we’ve been enjoying quite a bit. 😉 I’m always thrilled to spread the word about the Fair Trade mission.
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My ideal brunch order is split with another person so I can have an egg-based dish AND something sweet like pancakes with blueberries. Yum!
My favorite brunch item is a Greek omelet with extra crispy hashbrowns! And, of course, COFFEE!
I love a good BLT!
I love omelets with cheese and ham. And of course pancakes!
Brunch is my all-time fav meal. Eggs of any kind along with buttery toast and COFFEE can’t be beat!
Eggs benedict!
I love brunch, I usually prefer savory dishes and all the coffee.
Mexican food is always great for brunch! Spicey egg dishes, yum! And can never go wrong with chocolate!
Yum! My favorite meal for brunch is an egg white omelet with spinach, kalamata olives, feta, and tomatoes. A side of home fries doesn’t hurt either!
an omelette, always. i change on the ingredients though- usually lean toward spinach& feta, cheddar/avocado/salsa, or goat cheese with really anything. and homefries, of course
I almost always order something egg related: eggs benedict, an omelet, or a local restaurant has a vegan tofu scramble with tempeh bacon (so good!)
Eggs Benedict or French toast- preferably both! With lots and lots of black coffee
Anything with yolk-y eggs!
What an awesome giveaway! I usually go savory at brunch with an omelet and lots of potatoes. Yum.
My go to lately has been an egg scramble with sharp cheddar and whatever veggies we have on hand. That basket looks incredible! thanks for the opportunity!
I could live on brunch foods! I don’t have it often, but I do love brunchy foods. I’m usually split between sweet and savory, but I think I go for sweet more often 😀 .
Pancakes or eggs benedict are my go to brunch items!
I always gravitate towards something with lox! I love eggs with them, on a bagel, basically any way!
Banana pancakes with nutella!
I always get some type of egg dish for brunch – usually with a side of something sweet!
Egg dishes!!
Thanks for the giveaway! One of my favorite brunch items has to be sourdough toast with eggs on top… Just love that kind of toast and always get it as a side even though waffles are pretty tasty too!
Veggie egg white omelet, whole wheat toast, lots of coffee!
biscuits and gravy for SURE
pancakes! I rarely make them at home but I love them.
Waffles!!! I am all about sweet at brunch, and the topping options are endless!
I’m such a sucker for potatoes… Love me some hash browns!
Blue corn pancakes
Poached eggs with toast and coffee!
Love this Fair Trade initiative! My idea brunch has to have good hashbrowns or home fries!
For brunch I could go sweet or savory depending on my mood, but I do love a good bloody mary!
Breakfast all day
Brunch: Veggie omelet with goat cheese & avocado 🙂
I love eggs!!
I love shopping Fair Trade for gifts, home goods and jewelry but I haven’t yet tried many Fair Trade foods, so I was excited to see your post! I can’t wait to try these brownies!
how can one even pick a fav brunch order!!? maybe if i’m trying to be healthy, I’ll choose a huge yummy omelette or eggs benedict with sauce on the side, but i’m a sucker for pancakes too.
I love the Fair Trade mission!
I’m with you, I looooove eggs (especially where green and/or red chile is involved).
I actually hate brunch – why eat one meal when you can have two instead?! My favorite breakfast order is definitely french toast though…
Pancakes! Love to make them at home for brunch or brinner!
Veggie omlete with feta cheese and a few bites of my husbands french toast!
Definitely an omelet with loads of veggies and ham. Sounds delicious just talking about it! 🙂
Love fair trade chocolate!
I usually go with a veggie omelette with extra veggies or chilaquiles and eggs. And now I’m hungry.
Yes- such an amazing giveaway!
Eggs! with bacon and potates!
A restaurant in town does a whole bunch of variations on Eggs Benedict. I love the Eggs Charles with avocado and artichoke hearts instead of Canadian bacon.
An omelet with veggies and cheese plus a pancake or two with real maple syrup!
Love it when I will someone who will split pancakes and egg dish.
I’m loving avocado toast lately. Also love acai and pitaya bowls. And French toast is always a winner in my book 🙂