Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Our little E loves bananas.  Every morning she eats one, saying “nana” and signing it at the same time.  Inevitably, we end up with leftover bananas that are past their prime.  Please tell me I am not the only one that ends up with that scenario! 

But, these muffins make me want to end up with over-ripe bananas.  In fact, since we’ve made these, I’ve even picked up the “red-banded” clearance bananas at the store just so I could make these again.  Bananas and chocolate chips – a delightful combination.   

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins – Adapted from my mom’s banana bread recipe

Ingredients

• 3/4 C sugar
• 1 T butter, melted
• 1/3 C applesauce
• 3 mashed overripe bananas (about 1 C of mashed banana)
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 3/4 C white whole wheat flour
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 C dark chocolate chips

Directions

In a large bowl, combine 1 3/4 C white whole wheat flour, 1/4 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. baking soda and stir well.  In a second bowl, mix together 1/3 C applesauce, mashed bananas, 3/4 C sugar and 1 T butter.  Mix in 2 lightly beaten eggs and 1/2 tsp. vanilla.  Then, stir in the chocolate chips.  If desired, reserve 1-2 T of chocolate chips to sprinkle on the tops of the muffins.   

Using a cookie scoop, measure out batter into 12 lightly greased muffin cups, filling them 2/3 of the way full.  Sprinkle with remaining chocolate chips, if desired. 

Bake at 350 for 18-22 minutes, checking with a toothpick after 18 minutes for doneness.  The toothpick should come out clean when the muffins are done.  Don’t over bake! 

Cool for 2 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely.  Store extras in the freezer so they don’t dry out! 

Rhubarb Banana Apple Muffins

Our 16 month old has kept us on our toes over the last few months.  She’s running, climbing, playing, and of course eating.  As you can imagine, feeding her good, whole foods, is of the utmost importance to us.  She loves her fruits and veggies, and pretty much everything else. 

These muffins are full of whole wheat flour, oats, banana, eggs, buttermilk and rhubarb.  Our little E polished off two for breakfast.  That’s a win! 

Banana Rhubarb Muffins – Adapted from My Project Mommyhood

Ingredients

• 3 3/4 C white whole wheat flour
• 1/2 C old fashioned oats
• 2 C brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 3 over ripe bananas
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 C buttermilk
• 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 3/4 C applesauce
• 1/4 C olive oil
• 3 C chopped/sliced rhubarb

Directions

Begin by mixing together all the dry ingredients, in a large bowl: 3 3/4 C white whole wheat flour, 1/2 C oats, 2 C brown sugar, 1 1/2 tsp. salt, 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda, 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon.  Stir well. 

In a second bowl, combine 3 mashed bananas, 2 eggs, 1 1/2 C buttermilk, 3/4 C applesauce, 1/4 C olive oil and 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla.  Stir well.  Then, add to the dry ingredients and stir until moist and combined. 

Stir in 3 C chopped rhubarb. 

Lightly grease 32 muffin cups (or use liners), and pre-heat your oven to 375.  Using an ice cream scoop, add 2 scoops (about 1/4 C) muffin batter to each muffin cup.  Bake for 16 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.   

Cool on a wire cooling rack and serve after cooling.  Makes 32 muffins.  Store extra muffins in an airtight container in the freezer.  Keep the ones you want to eat on the counter, but don’t keep those air tight! 

Thanks for hanging in there with me during our busy season; I hope to share some more yummy recipes this summer. 

Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chips Squares

These healthy, filling sweet squares are the perfect after school treat!  Omit the chocolate chips, and you have a snack perfect for little eaters. 

Free from eggs, dairy and wheat, these are also an allergy friendly snack!  Just be sure you also use allergy friendly chocolate chips. 

Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Squares – Adapted from Mel’s Kitchen Café

Ingredients

• 5 overripe bananas
• 1/2 C unsweetened applesauce
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 1/4 C sugar {or honey}
• 4 1/2 C old fashioned oats
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 C chocolate chips, divided

Directions

Begin by pulsing the 4 1/2 C of oats in a blender or food processor until finely ground.  Mix in 1 tsp. baking powder, 1 tsp. baking soda, 1 tsp. cinnamon and 1/2 tsp. salt. 

Blend together the 5 overripe bananas, 1/2 C applesauce, 2 tsp. vanilla and 1/4 C sugar. 

Mix the wet and dry ingredients together.  Stir until moist. 

Stir in 2/3 of the chocolate chips, reserving 1/3 of them for the top of the squares. 

Pour into a lightly greased 9x13 baking dish and top with the remaining chocolate chips. 

Bake at 350 for 18-20 minutes until the edges are lightly browned and the center is set.

 

Cool and slice into squares. 

Serve and enjoy!

Banana Bread Baked Oatmeal

Baked oatmeal is one of our favorite ways to start the day.  Especially with a little one around these days, this quick, filling and delicious breakfast gets made once a week.

There are many recipes for baked oatmeal out there – most are filled with butter or oil and are high in sugar.  For this recipe, we went to our traditional baked oatmeal base that we’ve used in our favorites like Berry Baked Oatmeal or Zucchini Bread Baked Oatmeal.  This base is rich in flavor and has no oil or butter.  Applesauce does the trick, adding more fantastic fruit to your morning breakfast. 

This banana bread baked oatmeal got great reviews and tasted just like a slice of banana bread.  Yum, yum!  Consider topping it with your favorite banana bread add-ins, like chocolate chips. 

Banana Bread Baked Oatmeal

Ingredients

• 3 C old fashioned oats
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/3 C brown sugar
• 1/2 C unsweetened applesauce
• 1-2 medium overripe bananas, mashed
• 1 C milk
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 egg

Directions 

Begin by mixing 3 C oats, 2 tsp. baking powder, 1/4 tsp. salt and 1/3 C brown sugar together in a medium bowl.  Add in applesauce and mashed banana.  Stir well. 

Pour in 1 C milk, and 1 egg, and a 1/2 tsp. full of vanilla. 

Pour the mixture into a lightly greased 9x9 baking dish. 

Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool for 5 minutes before serving. 

Serve warm with yogurt or milk and any toppings you would enjoy, or just eat as a piece, as you would cake! 

Banana Blueberry Baked Oatmeal

This recipe is perfect for a back to school morning.  Make it the night before and either bake it then, or bake it in the morning.  Double the batch and you can freeze leftovers as a easy grab-and-go breakfast during the week. 

Loaded with wholesome oats and flavorful bananas and blueberries, you are sure to enjoy this version of one of our favorite breakfasts!

Banana Blueberry Baked Oatmeal

Ingredients

• 1/2 C applesauce, unsweetened
• 1/2 C brown sugar (no need to pack this one)
• 1 egg
• 3 C oats (quick or old fashioned, or a mix)
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• dash of cinnamon
• 1 C milk (add 1/4 C milk if you make the night before)
• Splash of vanilla
• 1/2 C fresh or frozen blueberries
• 1-2 medium bananas

Directions

In a large bowl combine 1/2 C applesauce, 1/2 C brown sugar and 1 egg.  Stir well.  Add in 3 C oats, 2 tsp. baking powder, a pinch of salt, a dash of cinnamon and 1 C milk.  If you are making this the night before and not baking it immediately, add an additional 1/4 C milk.  Stir in a splash of vanilla. 

Carefully stir in the blueberries.  Then, slice up your banana(s) into thin slices. 

Lightly grease a 9x9 glass baking dish and arrange 1/3 of the banana slices on the bottom of the dish. Pour half of the oat mixture over the top.  Then arrange 1/3 of the slices of banana over the top of the oats.  Top with remaining oat mixture.  Arrange bananas over the top. 

If you are baking immediately, place the baked oatmeal in an over heated to 350 degrees F and bake for 35-40 minutes until the center is set.  If you are not baking right away, cover and refrigerate overnight until you are ready to bake.  Place the pan in a cold oven and then turn the temperature on to bake and bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes until warmed throughout and the center is set. 

Serve warm, sliced or in a bowl with milk. 

Enjoy!  

This would also make a great after school snack cake!

Oat Cakes with Caramelized Banana & Blueberries

These oat cakes are like baked oatmeal but made on the griddle.

The recipe comes from a colleague of mine, and they are so easy to make and downright delicious. 

Oat Cakes  - from Joy

Ingredients

• 3/4 C Old Fashioned Oats
• 2 T milk
• 1/4 C applesauce
• 1 egg
• 1/4 tsp. baking powder
• pinch of salt
• dash of cinnamon

Caramelized Bananas

• 1 medium banana
• 2 tsp. maple syrup

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the 3/4 C oats, 1/4 tsp. baking powder, pinch of salt and dash of cinnamon with 2 T milk, 1/4 C unsweetened applesauce and 1 egg.  Mix well. 

Allow the mixture to stand for 10-15 minutes for the oats to soften. 

Meanwhile, slice the banana and place into a lightly buttered skillet. 

Cook over medium heat along with 2 tsp. maple syrup for 3-5 minutes, then carefully flip.  Cook on the other side for an additional 2-3 minutes.  Then, turn the burner off and leave the bananas in the pan on the stove. 

When the oat mixture is ready, place 1/4 C of the mixture (I used a cookie scoop) onto a griddle pre-heated to about 350 degrees.  Flatten out the mixture a little bit with your ladle. 

Cook about 5 minutes and then flip, continuing to cook for 3-4 minutes until the cakes are golden brown. 

Serve topped with caramelized banana and blueberries. 

Enjoy!

Whole Wheat Banana Rhubarb Bread

Thanks to a suggestion from a fellow foodie, I have a new favorite bread – banana rhubarb.

I never would have thought to put these ingredients together, but they are fantastic.  Sweet and tangy, lovely wrapped in a sweet bread. 

The bread is fairly healthy for you too using all whole wheat flour, Greek Yogurt, reduced sugar and only 1 full egg. 

Tasty and healthy – the perfect combination. 

Whole Wheat Banana Rhubarb Bread – Adapted from Mom

Ingredients

• 1/2 C sugar
• 1/4 C honey
• 1/3 C Greek Yogurt (slightly heaping)
• 1-2 medium bananas, mashed
• 1 egg + 1 egg white
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 1/2 C white whole wheat flour
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• Splash of milk (if needed)
• 1/2 C chopped rhubarb

Directions

Cream together the 1/2 C sugar with 1/3 C Greek Yogurt (or applesauce).  Add in 1/4 C honey, mashed banana, egg and egg white and 1/2 tsp. vanilla.  Mix. 

Pour in 1 1/2 C white whole wheat flour, 1/4 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. baking soda.  Stir well. 

If batter is overly thick, add in a splash or two of milk (up to 1/4 C) to thin slightly.  The batter will be thick, but shouldn’t be like cement :) 

Stir in chopped rhubarb. 

Pour into a lightly greased 8-inch bread pan.  Sprinkle with coarse sugar if desired.

Bake at 350 for 50-55 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 

Serve warm or at room temperature. 

Remember to store your bread this way so that the top stays crunchy! 

Enjoy!

Ingredient Spotlight: Bananas

This week, we’re talking bananas.  If we are lucky enough to end up with bananas that look like the photo above, we love to bake with bananas – our favorite recipes are below. 

Light Hawaiian Banana Bread – the banana bread from my childhood.  I have no idea why it’s called “Hawaiian” because there’s no coconut, pineapple or other tropical ingredients.  But, it is fantastic, and each serving has only 1.7g of fat! 

Fruit Kabobs – These are a super fun way to enjoy fruit all summer long for a BBQ.  Bananas make a great addition to this treat. 

Berry Banana Muffins – Likely our favorite way to enjoy bananas, wrapped up in this berry-filled muffin. 

Link up your favorite banana-based recipes today as part of the Ingredient Spotlight.