Going bananas

I go through a ton of bananas in a week. I eat one in a green monster every morning, and John brings one to work most days. In reality it's pretty easy math to figure out how many we need in the week... but somehow we end up eating more or less, and when it's less... you end up with brown overripe bananas. And there is only so much banana bread one feels like eating. So instead of bread this past week, I made cookies. Delicious amazingly soft and chewy hot out of the oven cookies.

Here's the bad part, they were only ehhh once they cooled off. SAD. I'd make them again, but plan on less... or having people over to gobble them up. Because out of the oven they tasty buttery and gooey and decadent. The next day, they taste... kinda bland, and ehh texture. But based on how tasty they were hot I had to share this recipe and not just scrap it.

Do you have recipes where things taste great day 1, but not so great day 2?

Banana chocolate chip cookies
recipe by steph chows
dry
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup oats (old fashioned)
1 tsp baking soda
dash of salt
1 tsp cinnamon
2 Tbs flax

wet
1 large ripe banana (mashed)
1/3 cup brown sugar packed
1/2 cup apple sauce
1 tsp vanilla

3/4 cup chocolate chips

In a small bowl mix together dry ingredients. In a medium bowl beat together wet ingredients. Add dry and gentle stir, add in chocolate chips and stir until everything is incorporated. Drop heaping tablespoons on a silicon mat lined baking sheet and bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. Eat warm with a tall glass of milk.

Use dark chocolate chips and serve with a non dairy milk to make these vegan.



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Going bananas

How were your thanksgivings? Mine was super relaxing and spent with my Mom/Dad/Aunt Sandy/Husband/Hobbes. We had a blast hanging out and I think Hobbes especially loved how much turkey my Dad was willing to give her. She also had a blast chasing his feet around. Side note: Hobbes has never been one to attack/eat/chew on shoes, this all changed when she saw my Dad's slippers, nondescript and nothing exciting about them... but for some reason she chased them with all her might no matter how many times we said no.

On a totally non thanksgiving related note. I made banana muffins. It's a cooking light recipe and I love them. Spiked with ground flax seed and no eggs you can easily sub out the yogurt for extra banana mash to make these vegan (which is exactly what I did). My reason was because I had extra banana laying around, and no yogurt on hand. You can find the recipe here.

Side note: I used frozen and thawed bananas, they tend to have more moisture so if you are using non frozen and thawed bananas you may need to add a little milk (non-dairy to keep them vegan) to add a little more moisture to things. (AKA if you are mixing this all together and it resembled cement and not muffin batter)

Yum!



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Banana Mini Loaves

It's another banana bread recipe. I know I have tons, but this one really hit the mark. I love making them into cute mini loaves too, more ends to pass around! Truth be told John is a loaf end stealer. Leave a loaf out and it will be missing its bum from both ends soon enough.

He was outside working on the gigantic mulch pile that was delivered to our driveway instead of our lawn when I made these bad boys, so guess who got to steal the end this time! Don't feel bad for John, with 3 mini loaves there was still plenty of loaf bums to go around. Any guesses on how long it takes to move 12 yards of mulch? A freaking LONG time.

 
Curious about the lighting in these pics. See this post.

Mini Banana Loaves
recipe by steph chows

in a medium bowl whisk together:
1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 c white flour
1/4 cup wheat germ
2 tsp baking powder
dash of salt
1.5 tsp cinnamon

In a small bowl cream together
3 Tbs butter
1/3 cup splenda (or white sugar)
1/3 cup brown sugar
then cream in:
3 very ripe bananas
6oz fat free yogurt (I used blueberry)
2 eggs (add one at a time)

Gently mix dry with wet, then stir in:
3/4 cup sunflower seeds

Place in 3 mini loaf pans and bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until done.

The winner of the Musselman's giveaway is winemaker23!! I'll be emailing you!


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Banana Bread - the winner

John loves banana bread that has a nice crisp to the top. I've explained to him that you can't get that nice crisp when you don't add fat to the recipe... we've had this discussion many a time... but he doesn't believe me. To proove this point I made this recipe last week and he said it was amazing, perfect texture inside, perfect crisp on top. The secret, I used butter.

Now don't get all excited, I only used 3 Tbs. But it was enough to get that glorious crisp texture. John wasn't too pleased about that, or the fact there is 1/2 white flour 1/2 whole wheat, but lets face the facts, he loved it, and it's still not horrible for you. I'm not saying I don't love my fat free banana breads, but this one does win out for that top layer crunchy texture.

In the past week I've made this twice... both loaves lasted under 24 hours in our house...


New Favorite Banana Bread
recipe by steph chows

In a medium bowl whisk together dry (then set aside):
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt

In a large bowl cream together:
3 tbs butter (softened)
1/3 cup white sugar
1/2 cup splenda (or another 1/2 cup white sugar)
2 Tbs brown sugar

Then beat in:
2 eggs (one at a time)
1/3 cup fat free plain yogurt (look at the label, buy a brand with the least amount of sugar in it)
1 1/2 cups mashed super ripe bananas (about 4)
1 tsp vanilla

Gently mix dry into wet and pour into a greased 8.5 x 4 loaf pan. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about an hour, or until a tester comes out clean.

Banana Oat Bars

One of John's coworkers has taken notice of all the random baked goods he brings to work with him for snack time, and asked when I was going to make something for John to bring in and share. He gave me a challenge.

I challenge you to make me something that's tasty and ridiculously healthy. Pack it full of fiber so that I don't realize it until its too late!

I can't not take a challenge!! So I think I'll be making a batch of these to send in with John next week... what do you think... enough fiber for him??


I'm in love with this recipe and this has been tweaked thanks to my friend Niki (not the original Nikki of the recipe...), she was out of almonds to make almond flour so she used whole wheat, and she didn't have rolled oats so used quick oats... they came out with a better texture than the original if you ask me! I can't wait to send them in with John and see how everyone likes them :D

Banana Oat Bars
These are adapted from 101 cookbooks Nikki's cookies.

3 large, ripe bananas (the browner the better!), well mashed (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce
2 cups quick oats
1/3 cup whole wheat flour
1/3 cup flax seeds
1/3 cup coconut, finely shredded & sweetened
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
1/3 cup dried cherries or other dried fruit of your choice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, racks in the top third.

In a large bowl combine the bananas, vanilla extract, and apple sauce. Set aside. In another bowl whisk together the oats, flour, flax seeds, shredded coconut, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until combined. Fold in the chocolate chunks and dried fruit. Press the mixture into a greased 8" stoneware pan and cooked them for about 30 minutes. I cut them into 12 bars.

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Health it up Banana cupcake edition

OK everyone, I'm very excited to bring the second edition of health it up!! The first round took place with Val and her coconut bar recipe (read about it here). This time Gina asked me to health up a banana cupcake with cream cheese frosting! Well Gina, here you go! Now who's next?? Got a recipe you love but it's awful for you?? Send it to stephchows at gmail.com and I'll do my best to heath it up and keep it super tasty!


banana cupcakes
recipe by stephchows

Beat the following together in a bowl
1 Tbs ground flax seeds + 3 Tbs water (do this first then add the rest of the stuff)
2 cups bananans
1/3 cup apple sauce
1/2 cup white sugar (I used splenda granulated)
1/4 cup brown sugar (packed)
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla

Whisk the following in another bowl
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
dash sea salt
1 tsp cinnamon

Then slowly add the dry mixture to the wet, alternating in the following
1/2 cup skim milk + 2 Tbs nonfat milk solids (powdered milk) (if you don't want to buy dry milk solids just use whole milk... I never have any so I use this lower fat trick to thicken it up a bit)

Pour into a cupcake holder lined muffin tin (makes 12) and bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until tester comes out clean.

Now for the frosting... so I had some Panera low fat hazelnut cream cheese laying around... so I topped one with that and OMG it was good!!! Now if you aren't looking to buy the cream cheese premade up for you I'd use this sweeter go to recipe.

lighten cream cheese frosting
8 oz 1/3 less fat cream cheese at room temp.
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Beat with a whisk until fluffy and creamy. Top cooled muffins and serve. :)


And then on a completely unrelated note... I bring you the work cats... snuggling on my desk and making me sleepy.



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Pumpkin Banana CC Cookies

So this pumpkin shortage thing is rather annoying... I love baking with pumpkin!! I wanted to make some of these pumpkin CC cookies I made recently... but I only had 1/2 cup of pumpkin left in the freezer... what's a girl to do?? Sub in a banana for the missing 1/2 cup of pumpkin! The end result was a banana pumpkin hybrid cookie! Pretty darn tasty :) I'll be making them will all banana next time... unless this darn shortage is done with!

Pumpkin Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies
recipe by steph chows

2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon soda
dash salt
2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 eggs
1/2 cup splenda granulated plus 1/4 cup white sugar... OR (3/4 cup white sugar)
1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1 ripe banana mashed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chocolate chips, or any chip you like

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with silicon baking mats.

Stir the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices together in a medium bowl and set aside. In a large bowl, beat the eggs and sugar/splenda until smooth and lightened in color. Then mix the apple sauce, pumpkin, mashed banana, and vanilla until blended. Mix in the flour mixture to incorporate it. Mix in the chips.

Using an ice cream scoop with a 1/4-cup capacity, scoop mounds of the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing the cookies at least 2 1/2-inches apart. You could also simply use a 1/4-cup measuring cup if you don’t have a scoop. Use a thin metal spatula to smooth and flatten the rounds.

Bake the cookies until the tops feel firm and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry, about 16 minutes. Cool them on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then use a wide metal spatula to transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.



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National Quick Bread Day!

Did you guys know that it's national bread day? I didn't... but the people at Driscoll's fruit let me know and asked if I wanted to make a bread recipe from them with their fruit. Sure thing I do!! The problem is I didn't get a chance to run to the store yet for the berries... so I'm totally going to make the recipe tonight! The Blackberry Walnut Streusel Quick Bread will be coming to your screens shortly! (of course you know I wont be able to leave it alone and plan on healthing it up... Hope you don't mind Driscoll's!?!?

So to keep you happy and full today I'm going to be bringing you a steph chows quick bread original!! And it's even quicker than quick bread since it's a quick bread in muffin form. HOORAY MUFFINS ARE BACK!! I know you've been missing the muffin mania right??

The other fun thing about this recipe is I tried out Wholesome sweeteners Organic zero... it's a zero calorie sweetener that is totally organic, no chemicals here! I think these muffins came out great texturally with the perfect amount of sweet. Love it!



Banana Bran Muffins (with chocolate chips if you are John)
by steph chows
makes 12 muffins

Whisk together:
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
dash salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup crushed bran flakes

In separate bowl, beat together
1/4 cup organic zero (or 1/4 cup white sugar)
1 egg or to make it vegan (1Tbs ground flax seeds + 1 Tbs water)
3 super over ripe medium sized bananas

Slowly add dry ingredients to wet mixture. Don't overmix. If you like add in:
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Fill muffin tins two-thirds full. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center of muffins comes out clean.

Banana Cinnamon Pancakes

This is one of those recipes you see on a blog and make within a day... I first found this on For the Love of Cooking. LOVE her blog, she rocks out! If you haven't been over there yet, go go go! But please come back... I want to still see you here too please!

I only made some slight changes as indicated in the recipe below. I know I know... some of you don't like bananas... or are allergic... so to you, I say sub the banana for some pumpkin puree!!! MMMMMM pumpkin pancakes... yes, yes I will be making those soon for sure!!

so you might notice that weird tiny circle pattern all over my pancakes... it's the pan... it's one of the calphalon ones that looks wicked weird, but works like a champ!

Cinnamon Banana Pancakes:
Recipe by For the Love of Cooking.net
Adapted from Cooking Light August 2009

1 cup of whole wheat flour (she used 1/2 wwf & 1/2 APF)
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
3/4 cup vanilla fat free yogurt
1 tbsp butter, melted (she used 2)
2 tsp cinnamon (she used 1)
1/8 tsp fresh nutmeg, grated
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 large banana, smashed


Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl, stirring well to combine. Combine yogurt butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, eggs and mashed banana in a small bowl, mix thoroughly. Add the flour mixture to the yogurt mixture, stirring until smooth.

Pour about 1/4 cup of batter per pancake onto a hot nonstick griddle or skillet. Cook 2 minutes or until the tops are covered with bubbles and edges look cooked. Carefully turn pancakes over; cook 2 more minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned. Top with freshly sliced banana and maple syrup. Enjoy.

PBBB cupcakes... cupcake hero!

Cupcake hero is back! Cupcake hero is back!! CB of i heart cuppycakes has brought it back! And she hates bananas... so the secret ingredient this month... BANANAS!! She's a fun one isn't she? Figures if she likes it, it must be darn good! And check out the sponsors... I could possible win.... this or this or this!

CB is a freakin awesome girl and she loves her some cupcakes... and I'm totally trying to bribe her with the fact I used BACON, yes bacon, (has anyone else noticed that bacon is so IN right now??) and peanut butter... who can say no to PB and bacon? Really now! Now don't think I'm just trying to cover up the banana goodness with these kick butt flavors, they actually go well with the banana... come on haven't' you ever heard of Elivis' love for this in sandwich form??? Must be why he went from skinny Elvis to big fat Elvis huh? Man these things are good... well lets face it, top anything with bacon and it's probably going to taste good. Needless to say I filed these under the "not healthy" category ;)

So my official submission for cupcake hero September is:

PBBB cupcakes AKA Peanut Butter Bacon & Banana Cupcakes
recipe by stephchows
makes 12

dry
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup oat flour (I just take oats and spin them in a coffee grinder to make flour)
1.5 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 Tbs milled flax seeds
1 tsp cinnamon

wet
3 very ripe bananas (about 1.5 cups)
1/4 cup white sugar
1 egg lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla

to add at the end
1/2 cup skim milk

for the filling
12 Tbs peanut butter (i used all natural chunky- but use what you like)
12 slices thick cut bacon cooked until crisp

Whisk together dry ingredients in a medium bowl
Beat together wet ingredients in a large bowl.
Slowly add dry to wet, alternating in the 1/2 cup of skim milk.
Scoop into 12 muffin tins, bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes.


Let the muffins cool for about 5 minutes, then slice in half and spread 1 Tbs of peanut butter on each muffin, top with 1 large slice of very crisp bacon (break it up to fit), then put the top of the cupcake back on. Serve warm right away.

CHOW



PS don't forget about the giveaway!!
You have until Sunday the 20th to enter!





And since you asked! Here are the nutritional facts for these bad boys!

Recipe format question...

So are you sick of banana recipes yet? I know I know... but I buy a lot of bananas each week, some weeks I get through them all... and other weeks... well I'll let the picture say it...


I just learned a fellow reader is actually allergic to bananas!?? No way! Sorry Sarah this recipe is OFF limits to you! I know these images will be tempting but just say no! I don't want to get blamed for getting you back in the ER. :)

I've tried a slew of banana bread recipes and have been pretty happy with my tinkering to make them healthy versions... yet I still feel the need to try and tinker with new recipes... and this one is my new favorite! It does have a little white flour in it (horrors) but I may give it a go with 100% whole wheat next time (I'll let you know how it goes and update a link to it from here).

I truthfully can't remember where I found my starting point recipe... but I changed a bunch anyway (butter, heavy cream...and so on) here is my version...


bOnana bread (yup I know I put an o there... read below to find out why)
recipe by stephchows

Beat the following together in a bowl
1 Tbs ground flax seeds + 3 Tbs water (do this first then add the rest of the stuff)
2 cups bOnanans
1/3 cup apple sauce
1/2 cup white sugar (I used splenda granulated)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla

Whisk the following in another bowl
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
dash sea salt
1 tsp cinnamon

Then slowly add the dry mixture to the wet, alternating in the following
1/2 cup skim milk + 2 Tbs nonfat milk solids (powdered milk)


Pour into a 9x9" greased pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

OK Question for you... what did you think of the recipe format above? Weird? Fun? Easy to follow? Annoying and not easy to follow? This is the style I normally write in as I scribble things down and think it's super easier this way... but maybe it's just me... what do you think?


Now onto the "O"... My fellow Rochestarians may know already why I'm calling this bOnana bread... if they have ever been to the public market that is. The public market is a HUGE year round farmers market, but they also sell random household things and other things that aren't local... like bOnanans. There is this one vendor who sells bananas... but he can't seem to say the word right... so all you hear is this guys screaming out "BOOOOONANANAS, come get your bonanans here, only 30 cents a pound... BOOOONANANAS!!" Neva I know you know who I'm talking about right?? So John and I have started calling all bananas (whether we get them from him or the grocery store) bonanans.... so it's not a misspelling... it's on purpose. Hope you like this bonana bread :D

Another muffin? Yes, yes it is.

I know this week has already been full of muffins and cinnamon rolls... but I have to tell you about some more muffins!!! Because they kick some serious butt. No really! These things are going to hop out of the pan and beat up all the annoying people in your life. :)

I had a growing pile of brown bananas (sorry Clara I know you aren't a banana fan)... and I asked John how he'd like his banana's baked... chocolate banana cake? roasted banana muffins perhaps?? His response, "what about some kind of banana oat muffin, with lots of oats?" Now my roasted banana muffins have some oats in them, but not a ton... so off I went mixing and a mashing until I had these:


How seriously tasty does that look?? Damn tasty if you ask me! And baby they are GOOD! So tender! I'm totally making more this weekend, they are a great portable snack, and as always super healthy :) The milled flax seeds really seemed to help with the puffing/binding factor (I recently learned you can use milled flax mixed with water to replace eggs! You can learn about it here)... not that these don't have an egg in them... but still! Here's the recipe!


Banana Oat Muffins
recipe by stephchows
makes 12 muffins

dry
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup oat bran
1 cup rolled oats (not quick cooking)
1.5 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 Tbs milled flax seeds
1 tsp cinnamon

wet
3 very ripe bananas (about 1.5 cups)
1/4 cup splenda granulated (or 1/4 cup white sugar)
1 egg lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla

to add at the end
1/2 cup skim milk

Whisk together dry ingredients in a medium bowl
Beat together wet ingredients in a large bowl.
Slowly add dry to wet, alternating in the 1/2 cup of skim milk.
Scoop into 12 muffin tins, bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

CHOW!!!!

Banana Oat Cookies

I made these banana cookies this weekend and it was love at first bite. I'm already planning on making them again one night this week and shaping them into bars! SO FREAKIN GOOD! As per my usual, there is no oil or butter. These things are all about healthy, so moist, decadent, can't stop eating, I really wish I had some with me right now... ok you get the point! I can't believe how sweet these actually tasted considering the only sweet added is the bananas and the coconut, no added sugar here. Bring on the all natural baby!!

Did I mention there are flax seeds in these too? I'm currently having a love affair with flax seeds, I know it doesn't sound glamorous, but they are just so nutty and happy :) Neva can you eat flax seeds or are those an allergy too? Although I just realized these have both almonds and coconut in them :( I really am a bad friend constantly tormenting you with nuts galore! Sorry my dear :(

Go buy bananas now and stick them in a brown bag so they are super brown and happy by the weekend so you can make these!


Banana Oat Cookies or Bars
These are adapted from 101 cookbooks Nikki's cookies.

3 large, ripe bananas (the browner the better!), well mashed (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce
2 cups rolled oats
1/3 cup almond meal (almond slices + food processor for a few pulses)
1/3 cup flax seeds
1/3 cup coconut, finely shredded & sweetened
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
1/3 cup dried cherries or other dried fruit of your choice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, racks in the top third.

In a large bowl combine the bananas, vanilla extract, and apple sauce. Set aside. In another bowl whisk together the oats, almond meal, flax seeds, shredded coconut, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until combined. Fold in the chocolate chunks and dried fruit. Drop Tablespoon-fulls, onto a Silpat lined baking sheet. Bake for 12 - 14 minutes.

Makes about 2.5 dozen bite-sized cookies. I'll let you know how many bars once I make these again.

you know you want to chow me ... go buy some bananas!

UPDATE: So I made these in bar form last night! I put them into a 9" stoneware pan and cooked them for about 30 minutes. I cut them into 12 bars and brought them to the office. The results: "delicious" "these are sooo goood" "mmmmm" I like those kind of reactions! Sounds good to me!

Chocolate Banana Muffins

A few weeks ago I made some fudgy roasted banana cake with walnuts... And it was seriously tasty, gone in one day kind of tasty. I made the recipe again except this time I made them into muffins. :) I feel like when I make stuff like this in a pan... I tend to chow more of it. If it's in pre-portioned pieces (muffins) I feel bad going back for seconds and thirds. With a cake it's easy to just say... oh just a little inch wide piece... and another inch wide piece... (come on now I know you've done it!) Then next thing you know half the cake is gone and for some reason your belly seems to be a little larger... ;) So this is the version for the portion control lovers out there.


Fudgy roasted banana cake with walnuts and chocolate chips
created by stephchows

4 roasted bananas (see below for how to)
1/4 cup splenda blend for baking (or 1/2 cup white sugar)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/3 cup Hershey's Cocoa
2 tsp Baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
dash salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup chocolate chips (i used semi-sweet chips)
1/2 cup walnuts (optional for those of you with nut alergies... yes Neva that's you :) )

ROAST whole bananas (yellow with a few black spots, they don't have to be totally overripe) by placing on a cookie sheet, roast in 350 degree oven for 15-20 minutes (until they are black), cool until you are able to handle them without burning yourself.

WHISK flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a small bowl.

PEEL bananas and place into a large bowl along with any liquid that pours out with them, stir in sugar, beat in egg.

ADD dry ingredients a little at a time to wet.

POUR into greased muffin pan (makes 12) and bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until a tester comes out clean.

Fudgy roasted banana cake with walnuts and chocolate chips

It was John's birthday on Saturday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!! So this past weekend was full of baking :) Since I already gave him his presents (Disturbed concert the previous weekend *insert head banging here*, and part of a wide screen TV (the other part was for Christmas lol)) I wanted to give him SOMETHING on his birthday...so I told him I'd bake him as much and whatever he wanted. We started thinking up what to bake friday night. Here's our list

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
Poose Cookies (which I updated by taking 1/2 cup flour out and subbing in 1/2 cup chocolate protein powder... they were DELICIOUS!)
Pumpkin Muffins
Roasted Banana Muffins (but something a little different then the usual)
Skinny Boston Cream Pie (postponed till next weekend)

Can you tell I love to bake?? We also made a ton of good chow, went out to Sinbads for dinner on his birthday (which we totally realized was also the 3 year anniversary of the first time we went out for lunch together haha. Just friends at that point, a big group of us from the gym went to celebrate his birthday, who would have ever guessed we'd be where we are now! EEEEE! :D ). And of course we had to take a trip to Leaf and Bean for a mint mocha latte light for John and a chocolate raspberry coffee for me, yum!

We really are such party animals, I'm an old lady at the ripe age of 27 lol. So here's the new interpretation of my Roasted Banana Muffins! I deleted a few things, added some cocoa, some walnuts, and baked it in a ceramic pie plate.

how cute is the little snowman nose poking out from the bottom of the pie plate

Fudgy roasted banana cake with walnuts and chocolate chips
created by stephchows

4 roasted bananas (see below for how to)
1/4 cup splenda blend for baking (or 1/2 cup white sugar)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/3 cup Hershey's Cocoa
2 tsp Baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
dash salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup chocolate chips (i used semi-sweet chips)
1/2 cup walnuts (optional for those of you with nut alergies... yes Neva that's you :) )

ROAST whole bananas (yellow with a few black spots, they don't have to be totally overripe) by placing on a cookie sheet, roast in 350 degree oven for 15-20 minutes (until they are black), cool until you are able to handle them without burning yourself.

WHISK flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a small bowl.

PEEL bananas and place into a large bowl along with any liquid that pours out with them, stir in sugar, beat in egg.

ADD dry ingredients a little at a time to wet.

POUR into greased ceramic pie plate and bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until a tester comes out clean.


CHOW!!!! And hide this cake... it's possible it was totally demolished over the course of one day. Good thing we work out a lot :D haha!

Roasted Banana Muffins

I don't know about you, but I've heard from a bunch of different places about roasting bananas before using them in baked goods... I always thought this sounded good but it wasn't until this weekend I realized just how much I was missing out!! I stuck the bananas on a cookie sheet in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes... they came out black and gross looking but once you peeled back the skin the insides were a nice vibrant yellow and so super soft. They smelled AMAZING and I couldn't wait for them to cool to start adding things in. (Make sure you let them cool a little though, otherwise you'll have scrambled cooked egg in your muffins... ewwwww)

The weekend was full of all types of baking, pancakes (recipe to come later this week), pumpkin cinnamon buns, poose cookies, and then finally roasted banana muffins. I'm not sure where I exactly came up with the recipe, I basically made it up as I went and (amazingly) wrote measurements down as I went along. Add a little bit of this a little bit of that... They came out of the oven steaming, so inviting, just asking to be devoured... oh, and they were.


John even proclaimed they were the best thing I had come up with to date! Pretty impressive statement if you ask me :) So they have his stamp of approval :) We sat and happily munched on these throughout the course of the night, and John told me this morning that amazingly some of them actually survived the night! And amazing feat if you ask me :) You see the recipe only made 12... next time I will be doubling this for certain.

Roasted Banana Muffins
created by me
makes 12

1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup old fashion oats (take them and pulverize in a food processor)
2 tsp baking powder
dash salt
1 tsp cinnamon
3 small to medium roasted bananas (how to: below)
2 Tbs splenda blend (or just use more honey to taste and leave this out)
1.5- 2 Tbs Honey
1 egg
1/4 cup skim milk

ROAST whole bananas by placing on a cookie sheet, roast in 350 degree oven for 15-20 minutes (until they are black), cool until you are able to handle them without burning yourself.

WHISK flour, pulverized oats, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a small bowl.

PEEL bananas and place into a large bowl, stir in sugar & honey, beat in egg.

ADD dry ingredients a little at a time to wet, alternating adding in skim milk a little at a time, ending with milk.

POUR into greased muffin tins and bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until a tester comes out clean.

Try not to chow them all in one sitting... it's hard not to though :)

Banana Bread Bake OFF!!!!

So I've decided to enter my yummy banana bread in a banana bread bake off! I mean how exciting! I love this whole online blog bake off events they are fantastic!! So click on the image above or head over to Not Quite Nigella to learn more!

Most banana bread recipes call for a stick of butter and a cup or MORE of sugar!? That is just not right in my book. There is no reason you should take what could be a good for you food and weigh it down with sugar and unnecessary fat. Instead I’ve taken a basic recipe and tweaked it to make it a low-fat butter free version that still is moist and tastes great!

Low-fat banana bread

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1/4 cup oats

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

2 overripe large bananas

3/4 cup no sugar added apple sauce

1/4 cup splenda for baking

1/2 Tbs imitation vanilla or 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (you can NEVER have too much vanilla)

1 egg

optional: 1/2 cup chocolate chips or nuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Mix dry ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

Using a spoon or a fork mash peeled bananas in a large bowl. Add apple sauce, sugar, vanilla, egg and mix well. Slowly add dry ingredients stirring to incorporate. Add chocolate chips or nuts if desired.

Spray a 9inch cake pan (yes cake not a bread loaf pan) with cooking spray and pour the batter into the pan. Use a spoon to spread to cover the bottom.

Cook for 25-30 minutes or until a knife comes out clean when poked into the center. Do not over bake (it will get dry... yuck).

I like to slice it up like a cake. So get baking and chowing! I made the other night and John ate half of it before the morning... and the rest by the end of the day... hahaha love it!