Wheat Germ Flax Banana Muffins

Bananas. Mmmmmm. As much as we love and use them in their freshest state I'd have to say that I purposely buy the ones that are a little extra ripe at the grocery store whenever I can. One, because they are usually much much cheaper, and two because then they are already ready for me to use for baking or to freeze for smoothies!!

For healthy snacks for my family and friends I am always trying to come up with different types of tasty and as healthy as possible treats. These muffins are a great go to snack. They are awesome when they come out of the oven but they also freeze amazingly well...I put them in little ziplock bags once they are cooled and straight into the freezer. That way you can pull them out one or two at a time and let them thaw on the counter for 10 or so minutes, or pop them into the microwave for 30 seconds or so & they are as moist and delicious as they were to start with! I am always tossing one or two into my husband's lunch bag in the morning before he goes to work. By the time he's ready for one they are thawed and at at just the perfect temperature to enjoy! Give them a try and see what you think!

Recipe
preheat to 400F - makes approximately 16 muffins or 46 mini (mini muffins are not just for kids!!)

1/2 cup Quick Oats
1/2 cup All Purpose Flour
1/2 cup Whole Wheat Flour
1 Tbsp Baking Soda
3/4 tsp Salt
1/2 cup Wheat Germ
1/4 cup Milled Ground Flax
1/2 cup to 3/4 cup Brown Sugar
1/2 cup Milk (I use Fat Free)
2 Eggs
3 Bananas, Mashed
1/3 Cup Vegetable or Olive Oil - can also substitute applesauce or plain yogurt
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional) - I like walnuts in mine!

Directions
Preheat your oven to 400F.
Mix dry ingredients together in a medium sized bowl and set aside. Put sugar, eggs, oil, vanilla and your mashed bananas into your mixing bowl or large bowl. Add in your dry ingredients until mixture is well combined. Stir in chopped nuts if using.

Spray or oil your baking pans and then scoop in your batter. I've found that the baking times I've listed below work for me in my oven. The best way to know if your muffins/loaves are done is to check them with a tester - if it comes back clean, or to gently press on the top middle of them - if they bounce back once pressed in they are done! Once finished allow them to cool for a few minutes in the pan you baked them in and then move them to a cooling rack to finish cooling!

Mini muffins - 10 to 12 minutes
Regular sized muffins - 15 to 20 minutes
Mini loaves - 30 to 40 minutes
Bread loaf pan - 50 minutes to 1 hr

Banana Buttermilk Pancakes

      Almost every Saturday since we've been married, minus a few random ones, and the ones that we've been traveling/moving I've made my husband pancakes. He is a pancake fiend....at least for my pancakes. :) 

For that very reason...that he loves MY pancakes....they don't get old to make. In fact I really love making them...just to see him smile and devour them! Doesn't hurt that they are healthy and delicious as well!! No added Sugar or Oil in them!!

Any of the left overs I let cool, spread out on a cooling rack, and then place in a airtight container or two to a ziplock bag, then into the refrigerator they go. During the next few days I make pancake sandwiches out of them...if they are for a breakfast to go I toss two of them into the toaster to heat up, and then spread peanut/almond butter on them and place fruit (bananas or strawberries or blueberries or a mixture of the all) in the middle and wrap it up in a paper towel to be eaten on the way to work. If they are for a snack later I do the same minus the toasting part and place them in a ziplock. Yummy!! I dare you to try them sometime soon!

Banana Buttermilk Pancakes

makes about 12 pancakes

 Separate Bowl                                                                                                

1 Cup Whole Wheat Flour                                                                                       

1/2 Cup All Purpose Flour                                                 

1/2 Cup Oats                                                                        

1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder                                                                        

1/2 tsp Baking Soda                                                                   

Dash Salt                                                                                      

             

Mixing Bowl

1 Egg, Beaten  

2 Ripe Bananas, smashed with fork

1 1/2 to 2 Cups Buttermilk  or (5 Tbsp Buttermilk Powder & 1 1/2 to 2 Cups Skim Milk)

Optional Additions

Chopped Walnuts, Pecans,  &/or any other fruit (I love adding in blueberries!)

1. Sift Flours, B. Powder, B. Soda, and Salt together.
2. Combine Egg, Bananas & milk. Stir dry ingredients into liquid until just combined. Fold in any additional ingredients.

 Pre-heat griddle or large skillet over medium heat and grease lightly. Pour even amounts of pancake batter onto griddle and allow to cook until tops of pancakes are bubbly; turn over and cook until light brown.      

We use plain or vanilla yogurt & fresh fruit on our pancakes, but I promise they are equally delicious with peanut butter, syrup or any of your favorite toppings!!           

                                                 

My husband helping with the fruit topping/decorating. :)

Strawberry Yogurt Oat Scones

 Strawberries are in season around here right now, and I've been buying at least a few pints every week for the past month. The last pint in the fridge was ready ready for the eating so I thought I'd make some fresh strawberry scones. 

For a long time I thought that scones were "fancy food", food you only ate at teas or showers or in sophisticated coffee shops. The older and wiser I get the more I'm realizing that foods that I may have previously deemed "fancy only" are really only just foods...foods that if I want to I can make or buy and eat at any time! So..if you've ever thought that scones were a food only to eat on special occasions, think again! They are actually quick, easy and a delicious breakfast or of course great when hosting a tea party/shower. :)

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup oats
½ cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
¼ cup brown sugar
Zest of 1 lemon
⅓ cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
1 cup plain greek yogurt
1 cup strawberries, sliced
1 egg, lightly beaten for egg coating

Lemon Icing
Juice of 1 lemon
Powdered Sugar

Preheat oven to 400F.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or baking sheet.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, soda, salt, sugar, and lemon zest. Add the cubed butter and use a fork blend to cut the butter into the dry ingredients until it is the size of small beans. Add the yogurt and strawberries and stir with a wooden spoon gently until just mixed together. Do not over mix!!

Lightly flour a surface and place the ball shaped mixture on it. Softly press it into a square about 2 inches thick. Cut into 8 triangle shaped scones. Place onto baking sheet and  brush with beaten egg coating. Bake until golden brown, about 15-17 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack if you can!! :) Drizzle the lemon glaze on top of scone & enjoy!!

Scones are really best the day that they are made but they’ll keep for a few days in an airtight container. ENJOY!!

YUMMY!!

Adapted from Completelydelicious.com

Quick & Healthy Granola Bars...

In my opinion people spend WAY too much money buying store bought granola and granola bars. Yes, I'm guilty too...it's pretty easy to just snag a box of granola bars off the shelf at the grocery store. A few months back however I decided to give making granola bars a go...I figured they couldn't be that hard to make, and I could probably create some that were even healthier than the ones I purchased at the grocery store. With this recipe you can make up to two dozen bars!

These granola bars are great as an on the go snack, or in your lunch; my husband wants at least one in his lunch bag each day! You can crumble them up and mix them in with some yogurt and fruit for a quick and healthy breakfast, or over ice cream for dessert. I've given them to friends who are pregnant/have a new baby, for a quick healthy bite to eat when they really need one. My hunger strikes usually right after the gym or while I'm running errands so I've started carrying one in my purse so my blood sugar doesn't plunge, or worse that I decide to buy something quick to eat while I'm out. (Which usually means something not very good for me!) The possibilities are endless!

Quick & Healthy Granola Bars

Work time: 15 min
Total time: 3 hrs (includes cooling time)

Lightly spray a 9x13in baking pan and line with parchment paper! (This is a must do step!)
Preheat Oven to 350F.

Mix together the following ingredients on a rimmed baking tray. Toast in oven for 10-12 min, stirring once.

2 Cups Whole Oats
1 Cup Sliced Almonds or  Chopped Walnuts/Pecans
1 Cup Shredded Coconut
1/4 Cup Sunflower Seeds or Pumpkin Seeds
2 TBS. Sesame Seeds

While the dry mixture is in the oven mix the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl together.

1/2 Cup Agave Syrup or 3/4 Cup Maple Syrup (Agave syrup will make them chewy/ Maple Syrup will make them crunchier).
2 TBS. Olive Oil
1/3 Cup Brown Sugar
1 Cup Dried Cranberries or any other Dried Fruit of your choice (I've used Strawberries, Apricots and Dates so far!)

Once toasted remove from oven. Turn oven down to 300F.

Mix all the ingredients together really well, and then place in parchment lined baking pan. Press mixture firmly down with the back of a spatula around the bottom of the pan until the top is even.

Bake 25-30 min. until golden brown. Let cool on a wire rack for 2 hrs. Grab the edges of the parchment paper and gently remove it from baking pan. Slice into bars & place into bags or cling wrap.  Enjoy!

Recipe Adapted from The Good Neighbor Cookbook

Banana bread with love...

It has been entirely too long since I've posted. These past almost 9 months have been like a roller coaster health wise, and I finally feel like it's changing to a fairly smooth ride again. Yay!! Today I decided that it was time to start writing on my blog again...and since I haven't written in a while I decided I'd start with something that makes me feel loved and happy!

I have been eating banana bread since the earliest I can remember. My mother use to make it religiously when I was a child. She'd pack it in my lunch (yes I know now that I was spoiled) with a little butter smeared in-between two slices and no matter when, or what time I ended up dragging it out of my school bag it just made life a little better. It was perfect for a mid school day snack, as a pick me up either between school and whatever sport practice I was practicing for, or as something to tide me over on my way home from said practice.

Nowadays I make it myself...not near as often as my mom did but often enough to make my hubby happy. It's my go to procrastination baking food...yes, I I'll admit it I love love to bake when I should be doing something else. Especially when I should be packing. :)  In my defense though, it is a great food to travel with! One way or the other....there is just something about the smell of it baking that makes me smile, and puts me in a better mood than I was before.


Banana Bread with love
Heat Oven to 200C or 350F

1 1/2 C.  Whole Wheat Flour
1 C. Whole Oats
1 C. All Purpose Bread Flour
2 tsp. Baking Powder
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp cinnamon
dash nutmeg/ginger/cloves

3/4 cup brown sugar 
3 eggs or 4 egg whites
dash of vanilla extract
1/2 cup plain yogurt/applesauce/vegetable oil (your decision)
3 to 4 ripe/mashed bananas
1/2 to 1 cup skim/low fat milk or buttermilk
1/2 cup chopped nuts (pecans/walnuts) - optional

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips - optional but oh so delicious!!

Directions
1. Mix dry ingredients together in a small bowl

2. In a separate mixing bowl mix together wet ingredients

3. Slowly mix the dry ingredients into the wet mixture just enough to combine. Do not beat. Fold in chopped nuts (walnuts are wonderful) &/or choc. chips (1/2 cup) if desired.

4. Mixture should be slightly runny, too thick and your bread will end up dry. I usually start with a half cup milk and add a bit more if needed after ingredients are mixed together.

5. Spray 3 bread loaf pans, 4-5 mini loaf, or 24 muffin pans, and bake in oven for 45min to 1 hr. If baking in muffin pans it should take around 30 min. Toothpick should come out clean when checking loaves.

6. Cool in pan for 10 minutes and then cool completely on wire baking rack. Store lightly covered (towel on counter) or in refrigerator. Can also be frozen for up to 1 month. If freezing, cool completely, wrap in foil and then place in airtight plastic bag in freezer. Enjoy!!

Abe's Granola

Mmmmmm….Granola. Pure crunchy goodness when mixed together with yogurt & fresh fruit. How delicious it makes the leftover milk in the bottom of your cereal bowl taste…. even just as a snack all on it’s own it’s such a tasty treat!  It’s an easy fix for a quick breakfast on the go, or is a great go to trail/travel snack. You can bring granola along with you anywhere…even with all of our current travel restrictions. J

Now of course has to come the bummer part… With it being so delicious & it’s travel plus qualities it’s got to have it’s problems right? Yep.  For those who are pinching their pennies store bought granola is super expensive, especially for how little you get in each container. If you can past the $$ issue, then here’s the sticker that in my humble opinion is granola’s biggest strike against it. It tends to be really, really high in calories per serving. Most store bought granolas will run you between 200-300 calories per a ¼ cup serving. Boooo! Such a small portion with that high of a calorie count makes this girl, someone who pays attention to the calories she’s putting into her body, not willing to indulge in the crunchy granola deliciousness on a regular basis.

What to do? Well since my husband LOVES granola & I LOVE my husband, and want to have something on hand that is not only quick and tasty but also healthier for him to boot (and me too), I decided to do my granola recipe homework.  After much searching and testing I found a recipe from Cooking Light that I’ve tweaked to my & my hubby’s liking. Per ½ cup it’s 155 calories unless you add in the flaked coconut (which my husband says is worth it but I don't really care for flaked coconut), and then it’s only 169 calories per ½ cup. Enjoy!!

Abe’s Granola

Serving Size: ½ cup

Serving Per Recipe: Approx. 10

Ingredients:

2 cups regular oats

1/3 cup ground flaxseed or wheat germ

¼ cup chopped walnuts

¼ cup chopped slivered almonds

2 tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp ground ginger

¼ tsp ground cloves

¼ tsp allspice

1/3 cup orange juice

1/3 cup honey

¼ cup packed brown sugar

2 tsp olive or canola oil

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/3 cup dried cranberries or craisins

1/3 cup raisins

½ cup flaked coconut (optional)

cooking spray

Tinfoil

Directions: Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.

Place the first eight ingredients in a bowl together. If you are adding in coconut mix it in as well at this point. Stir to combine so that seasonings are evenly spread throughout.

In a small saucepan combine the orange juice, honey & brown sugar. Stir mixture over medium heat just until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat and stir in the oil & vanilla extract.

Pour liquid mixture over oats & stir until oats are coated evenly. Spread the mixture out onto a tinfoil covered cookie sheet that has been coated with cooking spray. Bake at 300 degrees for 10 minutes; take out and stir well. Return to oven and bake in 10-minute intervals until golden brown, or to your liking. It usually takes around 30 min max when I make it. Remove from oven & stir in raisins & cranberries. Cool completely and place in individual serving sized zip lock snack bags, or in an airtight container. Use with in a month of making…if it lasts that long! J

Recipe adapted from: CookingLight

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins. Pure Deliciousness!!

I love love love pumpkin.... period dot. Personally I think it should be eaten whenever, wherever & at all times of the year, not just during the fall & winter seasons. That being said I try to make something with pumpkin in it as often as possible.

This past week I started craving something with pumpkin in it, and decided to make some Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins. The original recipe says that it's a spin off of Starbucks, but since I've never had Starbucks' Pumpkin Muffins I really have no idea. I do know however that these are delicious...and worth the time that it takes to make them.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins


Makes: 24 muffins


Ingredients:


Filling
8 oz. 1/3 fat cream cheese
1 cup powdered (confectioner) sugar


Muffins
2 cups bread flour
1 cup all-purpose whole wheat flour
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp. ground cloves
1 tbsp. + 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
Dash of salt
1 tsp. baking soda
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 cups canned pumpkin
1 cup vegetable oil (can substitute plain yogurt for 1/2 cup)


Muffin Topping
1/2 cup sugar
5 tbsp. Flour
1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
4 tbsp. cold butter, chopped small
optional (1/4 cup) chopped nuts


Directions


First things first....you must plan ahead to make this recipe!! You need to make the filling at least 2 hours in advance so that it's firm enough that you can cut it into pieces for the individual muffin fillings later.


Mix the powdered sugar with the cream cheese until smooth & then spread into a log form, about 1 foot in length, in the middle of a piece of cling wrap. Roll the cling wrap closed, wrap in aluminum foil & place into freezer for at least two hours.

Once you've got your filling into the freezer start on the muffin topping mixture. Mix the sugar, flour & cinnamon together in a small bowl. With a fork mix the chopped butter in until the mixture is crumbly. Cover with cling wrap & place in your fridge until your ready to use it.


About an hour & half into the chilling of your cream cheese start making your muffin mixture. Turn on your oven at this point & preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Mix the eggs, pumpkin, oil/yogurt & sugar together in a bowl. In another bowl mix your dry ingredients; bread flour, whole wheat flour, spices, dash of salt & baking soda. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet until they are fully blended. Spray your muffin tins with Pam & then fill them a quarter full with the muffin mixture. You can use muffin wrappers if you'd like but I find that they are much easier to freeze  and thaw later without the wrapper on.


Next comes the cream cheese filling. Take it out of the freezer and slice the cream cheese log into 24 slices. It's okay if it's not totally firm. I slice as I go & place each slice in the middle of one of the muffins. Place the rest of the muffin mixture on the tops of the filling for all of the muffins & then sprinkle the topping over each muffin. Bake for 20-25 min. Cool on wire rack....I think the muffins are best eaten slightly chilled but to each their own. If I'm craving one right away I'll let it cool on the wire rack, and then place it in the freezer inside of a plastic container for about 15 min. YUM!!!

Store in an air tight container in the fridge. To use as snacks throughout the next week, or month, freeze them!! They freeze fantastically. Place one or two to each ziplock sandwich bag and place in the freezer. They only take around 15 mins to thaw to a nicely chilled temperature, or you can microwave them for about 15 seconds if you're in a hurry!





Recipe Adapted from AnnieEats & BakeSpace