Some Things Just Go Together | Banana Peanut Butter Muffins

March 19, 2011 by 5 Comments

Hello long lost friends. It seems like ages since I have shared any deliciousness with you. It practically has been ages. It has been a stressful few weeks. The biggest stress of all has been preparing to list my condo for sale. Honey and I, and mostly our little (but rapidly growing) Bella have outgrown the condo, and are preparing to look for a cute little house. However, first things first, we must sell my condo. It was finally listed for sale this week, after many hours of cleaning, decluttering, and all-out stress. And unfortunately, the stress is only beginning, as we now have to be prepared to get out of dodge at a moment’s notice if someone wishes to view our condo. Which is not easy when we have a pup to worry about.

My body has done a fantastic job of protecting me from all of the sickness that everyone seems to be dealing with…until yesterday. I have succumbed. I now have one of those annoying cold/flus that don’t necessarily make you feel completely terrible, but just overall pooped and blah. With a very sore throat to boot. *sigh* Life may feel rough right now, but then I think about those people who have it far worse. The current crisis in Japan has definitely made me feel thankful for my life, despite some difficult days here and there. (Boogie over at The Boogie blog has some great suggestions for how to help).

One of my favorite stress-relieving activities is baking. I find calm and serenity in measuring out ingredients and building something warm and comforting. Not to mention the bonus of eating said deliciousness when it’s all said and done. Last night, after lying on the couch watching bad TV for much of the evening, I threw these muffins together. Banana and peanut butter just go together. At first bite, these muffins took me back to my childhood of peanut butter and banana sandwiches. Lots of banana flavor with a hint of peanut butter. Yum. And comforting indeed.

Banana Peanut Butter Muffins (from Lululu at Home)

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (next time I will try whole wheat)

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup butter, softened

1/4 cup peanut butter (I used natural smooth PB)

2 eggs

3 large bananas, mashed (I used 4)

1 sliced banana for garnish

Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare your muffin tin with liners or grease.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl. In a separate bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the peanut butter. Add in the eggs, one at a time, followed by the mashed bananas. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add in the flour mixture until just combined.

Fill the muffin cups with batter. Top with a slice of banana. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Enjoy!

PS. Chocolate chips would be a great addition to this recipe for some added richness, although they taste just fabulous the way they are. I bet peanut butter chips would be incredible as well. Oh the possibilities!

Filed Under: Bread, Breakfast, Sweet Treats Tagged With: , ,

A Queen’s Breakfast | Cranberry Oat Scones

January 26, 2011 by 1 Comment

I’m on a baking binge this week. I have decided to do the no grains diet again for the month of February. I know, I know, I’m CRAZY. This coming from the girl that eats granola every morning, loves a big ‘ol sandwich for lunch, and adores pasta, bread, and everything grain-y in between. Consequently, I’m trying to get my grain fix in these last few days of January by baking some of my favorite treats. Fortunately, I have a few posts lined up, so the rest of you will not have to suffer in grain-free hell with me. I know, I’m too kind. 🙂

Baked goodies are a real breakfast treat for me. Knowing that a tender muffin, a warm cinnamon bun, or a crumbly scone is waiting for my empty stomach in the morning…almost makes getting out a bed a little easier. I haven’t tried a lot of scone recipes since I came across this one a couple of years ago. It is such a good recipe – I’ve never felt the need to search for another. The sweetness from the cranberries and the little bit of sugar requires no additions to these yummy scones, so leave the jam in the fridge and try them out on their own. The fresh lemon zest and buttermilk give such a fresh flavor. These are keeper scones right here.

Cranberry Oat Scones (adapted from joyofbaking.com)

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

3/4 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 cup cold butter, cut into small pieces

3/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

1/3 cup dried cranberries

zest of one lemon

2/3 to 3/4 cup buttermilk

Egg wash: 1 large egg + 1 TBSP. milk

Preheat the oven to 375°F and place rack in the center of the oven. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, baking powder. Add the butter and cut it into the flour mixture with two knives or a pastry blender until it resembles coarse crumbs. Add the rolled oats, dried cranberries, and zest. Mix until combined. Stir in the buttermilk (start with 2/3 cup and add more if necessary) and mix just until the dough comes together.

Transfer to a lightly floured surface and press the dough into a circle that is approximately 7 inches round and about 1.75 inches thick. Cut the circle into 8 triangular section. Place the scones on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Make an egg wash of one beaten egg mixed with 1 TBSP. of milk and brush the tops of the scones with the egg mixture.

Bake for 15-18 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from the oven and lightly dust with icing sugar. Enjoy (and try not to eat all 8 scones in one sitting would ya?)! Very happy eating to you all.

Filed Under: Bread, Breakfast Tagged With: , , , , ,

Celebration! | Morning Magic Muffins

November 30, 2010 by 2 Comments

Mmmmmmuffins! Who doesn’t love muffins?! I am a “healthy” muffin lover – I adore hearty and wholesome muffins with good texture and lots of flavor. I even prefer this kind of muffin to the cakey, dessert-like kind. I’m much more likely to reach for a bran muffin than a chocolate chip muffin on most occasions. Call me crazy.

Honey and I just finished our latest food challenge – to go 30 days without eating grains. As in, no bread, no pasta, no rice, no oats, and many other NOs! It was an unbelievable challenge. You might think it would be easy, but when you really start looking closely at food (especially prepackaged food), much of it includes some form of grain. There is a science behind this diet, you can read more here if you’re interested. Anyways, despite a few grumpy days and almost constant hunger…we are impressed with the results, not to mention very proud of ourselves. We ate more fruit, vegetables and lean protein than normal, since we could not rely on filler items such as rice, pasta, and bread to complete our meals. Ok, we did cheat a couple of times, but only when absolutely necessary! Isn’t cheating an essential component of every diet?

Food challenges are great for opening your stomachs to new ideas! Regardless, today marks the last day of our challenge, and I decided to make these amazing muffins in celebration. Although we are going back to grains (as if I’m going to be able to enjoy the holiday season without all that delicious baking that will be showing up everywhere I set foot in the next month!), we are going to try to eat less of them on a regular basis.

This recipe comes from a colleague of mine, although I have altered the recipe a little to my taste. Try these muffins – they are loaded with wholesome ingredients to help you gain energy for the day ahead. They are lovely all on their own, but a little butter and/or jam never hurt anyone. Happy eating!

PS. Stay tuned for some delectable holiday cookie recipes next week!

Morning Magic Muffins

2 cups whole wheat flour

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

2 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. cinnamon

A large pinch of salt

2 cups of peeled, grated carrots

1 apple, peeled and grated

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup chopped nuts (almonds are my favorite)

1/2 cup coconut

3 eggs

3/4 cup canola oil

2 tsp. vanilla

Combine the first 11 ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Stir well to blend. Beat the eggs, oil, and vanilla in a small bowl. Add to the dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened (the batter will be very thick). Grease a 12-count muffin tin and fill the cups nearly to the top (or you may make 18 smaller muffins). Bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the muffin comes out clean. Enjoy!

Filed Under: Bread, Breakfast Tagged With: , , ,
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