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.

Brownie with banana soft serve a delicious and super healthy dessert


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.

Brownie with bana soft serve 3

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,

Almond butter brownies

and to finish it off, sprinkle with your favorite crumbled candy or chocolate chips.

Brownie with bana soft serve 2

 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!

Brownie with bana soft serve

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. 

FairTradeWomen Full Infograph

5 Ways FT Empowers

Once again, they paired me up with an inspirational farmer to learn more about her story.

This is Isabel Uriarte Latorre, 58, from Cajamarce. 

2013 02 CECANOR 31

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.

2013 02 CECANOR 68

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. 

Isabel Uriarte Latorre

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! 

FairHer Giveaway Photo

One lucky winner will receive the same goodie package they sent me with treats from all of these companies:

Wholesome

Allegro coffee

BarkTHINS

Lake Champlain chocolates

Nutiva

Numi Organic tea

Guittard Chocolate Company

Frontier Natural chocolates co-op

Marich chocolates

Barefoot & Chocolate (this tastes like frosting in a jar…)

Alter Ego (my fave truffles)

Nourish Organic (this lotion is my newest obsession)

Eco Lips

Spectrum Natural

TCHO

Fair trade goodies

The lucky winner will be chosen Monday night at midnight EST and announced in Tuesday’s morning post.

Emter here:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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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220 Comments

  1. Kelly on May 9, 2016 at 2:44 pm

    Sweet potato hash and a giant plate of fruit! Oh, and coffee. Always coffee!

  2. Hilda on May 9, 2016 at 2:46 pm

    French toast always!

  3. Emily S on May 9, 2016 at 3:39 pm

    Extra crispy home fries with pepper and onion, a sausage patty, and an over medium egg!

  4. Vicky N. on May 9, 2016 at 4:54 pm

    Awesome cause! The brownies look great.

  5. Colleen C on May 9, 2016 at 6:09 pm

    I love pancakes for brunch!!!

  6. Amanda on May 9, 2016 at 6:57 pm

    Any mix of sweet and salty! Brunch is the best for that!

  7. Lindsay on May 9, 2016 at 8:42 pm

    if i’m going to treat myself: french toast with berries!

  8. Maggie on May 10, 2016 at 5:05 am

    Just had the best brunch with my mom on mother’s day at a new cafe focused on seasonal, local foods. Had the veggie hash, which had farro, asparagus, white sweet potatoes, green beans, and other deliciousness topped with a perfect poached egg. Complete with the MOST AMAZING EVER biscuit on the side with house-made butter and blueberry jam. May have helped mom with her side order of gouda grits, too. YUM.

  9. Vera K on May 10, 2016 at 5:17 am

    Brunch? I go for a custom-made veggie omelet.

  10. Kim Henrichs on May 10, 2016 at 6:12 am

    My favorite brunch order is a fancy french toast!

  11. Michele on May 10, 2016 at 7:04 am

    I adore omelets with fresh baby spinach leaves slightly wilted and a little cheese – yum!

  12. Lindsay on May 10, 2016 at 7:12 am

    I think it varies depending on my mood but my three alternating faves are: bagel with lox and shmear, Belgian waffle with bacon and a fried egg, and a Denver omelette!

  13. Heather on May 10, 2016 at 9:25 am

    an egg white omelette loaded with lots of veggies, avocado, and fresh fruit salad!

  14. Becca on May 10, 2016 at 11:19 am

    Potato hash and pancakes!!!

  15. Danielle on May 10, 2016 at 11:49 am

    Huevos rancheros is my go to brunch. Oh, and a side of potatoes!

  16. Kelly R on May 10, 2016 at 12:13 pm

    Can’t beat really good blueberry pancakes. With a side of turkey bacon and a river of real maple syrup. And a cappuccino…

  17. Megan Butler on May 10, 2016 at 2:05 pm

    For brunch I like something that I would not make myself at home, so an egg benedict with spinach, avocado and bacon sounds great. And then add a salty dog or greyhound to drink.

  18. Jen on May 10, 2016 at 3:27 pm

    A bunch of wilted greens and poached eggs!

  19. Carolsue on May 10, 2016 at 10:21 pm

    I like Mexican brunches with chili rellenos, Mexican eggs, and other Mexican goodies

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