Recipe Friday - Healthy Banana-Blueberry Muffins

Last week blueberries were on sale at my grocery store. Four pints for $5!!! I wanted to make blueberry muffins but last time I did, they turned out awful. I think I've honestly tried half a dozen recipes and none of them met my expectations.... until NOW! Thanks to Martha Stewart (she'll never let you down) I made the BEST blueberry-banana muffins ever! Seriously, my kids couldn't get enough of them.

Ingredients

• 1 cup whole-wheat flour (spooned and leveled)
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
• 1/4 cup wheat germ (I used ground flax seeds instead)
  
• 1 teaspoon baking soda (I also added a teaspoon of cinnamon)
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 ripe bananas (about 1 pound)
• 1/3 cup reduced-fat (2 percent) milk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup frozen blueberries (I used a pint of fresh blueberries- YUMMY)
  

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. In a bowl, whisk together flours, wheat germ, baking soda, and salt.
2. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugars with a mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. In another bowl, mash bananas with a fork (you should have 3/4 cup); stir in milk and vanilla.
3. With mixer on low, alternately add flour mixture and banana mixture to butter mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture; mix just until combined. Fold in frozen blueberries.
4. Divide batter among muffin cups. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean, 25 to 28 minutes, rotating pan halfway through. Let cool in pan 10 minutes; transfer muffins to a rack to cool 10 minutes more.

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Healthy Banana-Blueberry Muffins and more delicious recipes, smart cooking tips, and video demonstrations on marthastewart.com

Recipe Friday - (almost) Sugar Free Banana Bread

I LOVE banana bread a little too much. I've been known to eat half a loaf in just one day, and it takes a lot of restraint to keep myself from devouring the entire thing. The 45 minutes it takes to bake in the oven and the amazing smell that fills the air makes me so hungry that the 3rd degree burns I get from eating it hot are totally worth it (jk, don't try that). I was so happy when I attempted to make banana bread without sugar (aside from the chocolate chips, which are optional) and it turned out GREAT. My husband didn't even notice it was sugar free and my kids loved it too, but who doesn't LOVE banana bread?

(almost) Sugar Free Banana Bread
3 Ripe Bananas
1/3 cup melted butter
1 cup skim milk powder
1/2 tablespoon liquid Stevia
1 beaten egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
pinch salt
1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Method
Pre-heat Oven to 350
1. Mash bananas
2. Use electric mixer and mix mashed bananas with butter on med speed for 1 minute
3. Add Stevia, skim milk powder, egg, and vanilla and mix for another minute
4. Add baking soda and salt. Mix 30 seconds
5. Mix in flour until dough forms
6. Stir in chocolate chips (optional)
7. Pour into greased loaf pan and bake for 45 minutes

ENJOY!

Me Ka Aloha
- Elisabeth

Recipe Friday - Black Bean Brownies

No your computer isn't on the fritz, today's recipe is indeed a brownie recipe made with BLACK BEANS. The first time I ever saw a recipe like this was over six years ago at my aunts house. She had a cook book all about beans. I expected to see the usual, bean salad, enchiladas... but when I flipped it open I noticed a dessert section. Really? An entire chapter dedicated to desserts made with beans? My aunt assured me that the brownie recipe was actually really good. Fast-forward to two summers ago when I visited my cousin in Ottawa. I went to her house for dinner and guess what was for dessert? Bean Brownies! Then (now here's a crazy coincidence) we went to Dave's cousin's house (yes, we both have cousins in Ottawa) and baking in the oven was... BEAN BROWNIES. Alright so, these are surprising good, like I mean they're not going to taste quite as good those huge frosted fudge brownies from Starbucks, but we're trying to be healthy right? Where else are you going to find a brownie with about 4 g of fibre per serving and 3 g of protein? Come on, be brave, give these a try and let me know what you think.

Ingredients:

15 ounce can of black beans, drained and rinsed
2 bananas
1/3 cup agave nectar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup raw sugar
1/4 cup dark chocolate chips
1/4 cup instant oats


Preheat oven to 350F. Combine all ingredients, except oats and chocolate chips, in a food processor and blend until smooth, scrapping sides as needed. Stir in the oats and chocolate chips and pour batter into a greased 8 x 8 inch pan. Bake approx 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool before slicing. These brownies will be more dense and fudge-like. If you find these brownies are too soft or too fudgey, add another 1/4 cup oats.

Me Ka Aloha

- Elisabeth

Recipe Friday - Banana Pancakes

Happy Good Friday!! Every Good Friday, my church has a pancake breakfast and family hike. There's always a HUGE turnout, kids running around (high on Chocolate Easter Eggs), people lined up for a second or third helping of sausages, the smell of maple syrup, friends and families crowded around tables, toddlers dressed up like bunnies, families hiking with strollers and baby carriers... Ah I love Easter Weekend! I've been looking forward to this church activity for a few weeks now and it's reminded me of one of my daughters favorite breakfast...

BANANA PANCAKES!
1 cup whole wheat flour
8 drops of liquid Stevia or 1 tablespoon of sugar
2 teaspoons of baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 egg, beaten
1 cup plain soy milk
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 ripe bananas mashed

Directions
Combine whole wheat flour, Stevia (or sugar), baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. In a separate bowl, mix together egg, soy milk, canola oil and bananas.

Stir flour mixture into banana mixture; batter will be slightly lumpy. If the batter is too smooth, the pancakes will be tough.

Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over med-low heat. Pour 1/4 cup of the batter onto the griddle. When bubbles rise and break surface, turn over. Cook until pancakes are golden brown on both sides. Serve with sliced bananas and strawberries.

ENJOY!

- Elisabeth