Oatmeal Breakfast Cupcakes

Bananas have this habit of going from green to black. There is no in between. Maybe like a 5-minute window when I can handle the taste of a fresh banana. So, I find myself baking things that call for very ripe bananas. The oatmeal breakfast cupcakes are one of those things. 

These were a pretty great find from Chocolate Covered Katie (via Pinterest, of course). You can do a lot with them as far as add-ins go (I opted for raisins and cinnamon). They're easy to make ahead and freeze. Great to grab on your way out the door.  No processed sugar (unless you're the person who adds chocolate chips). Easy to make gluten-free and/or vegan.

I was actually kind of surprised by how they turned out. The outside texture is more of a cupcake/muffin, but the inside is like oatmeal. Not runny, but like sticky, gummy oatmeal. It was weird. Good, but weird. And I was shocked that the brother loved them. Seriously. He usually disses my healthy "chick" food. 

Oatmeal Breakfast Cupcakes

2 1/2 cups Rolled Oats

3-4 Bananas, mashed (overripe) 

1 tsp Salt

5 TBSP Pure Maple Syrup or Agave Nectar

1 cup Water

1/8 cup + 1 TBSP Coconut Oil

1 1/4 Pure Vanilla Extract

Optional add-ins: Cinnamon, Raisins (or any other dried fruit), Shredded Coconut, Chopped Walnuts, Ground Flax or Wheat Germ, Chocolate Chips, etc.

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 380*F and line a 12-cup muffin pan. I personally recommend spraying your liners with a non-stick spray as well…
• In a large mixing bowl, combine all the dry ingredients and stir well. 
• In a separate bowl, combine all the wet ingredients.
• Mix the wet into dry.
• Pour the batter evenly into your prepared muffin cups. 
• Bake for 20-25 minutes or until done. 

They're really good warm with butter…or peanut butter! Enjoy!

Healthy Banana Bread

We literally had a bunch of bananas go from green to overripe. There was no yellow. Seriously. It's kind of like how Oklahoma usually goes from winter to summer without any spring. I have several recipes pinned that call for overripe bananas. I REALLY wanted to make these banana bread brownies, but I didn't think I really needed a pan of those sitting around the house. The brother had mentioned he wanted banana bread, so I decided to make that instead. I got my recipe from "8 Weeks to a Better You" via Pinterest. First of all, this was WAY simple and fast to whip together. Just 7 ingredients. Secondly, I think it tastes great (and the mother agrees). It does have the whole wheat "healthy" texture. In the brother's words, "Oh, banana bread....Ah, it's healthy! What have you done?!" I guess the healthy taste doesn't bother me anymore. At this point, I have a harder time with the more processed, not-so-healthy taste. Judge me. If the whole wheat texture really bothers you, you could easily do a half-and-half mixture of whole wheat and all-purpose flour. Bottom line, I definitely recommend this recipe for a healthier, more natural banana bread! It's good plain and with natural peanut butter. 


Healthy Banana Bread

Ingredients:
3 overripe bananas
1/2 cup unsweetened natural applesauce
3/4 cup natural honey
2 eggs
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9x5 loaf pan.
• Put bananas in a large bowl and beat/mash (I used a KitchenAid stand mixer). Add applesauce and honey, mix well. Add eggs, beat until combined. Combine dry ingredients in another bowl, whisk together. Pour dry mixture into the wet mixture, mix just until combined. 
• Pour batter into loaf pan and bake for about 50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. 
• Let cool for 10 minutes in pan before turning it out onto a wire cooling rack. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Muffin Makeover

Here's one I've been meaning to put up for a long time! I made these yummy muffins towards the end of Christmas break. I took a recipe I found (my mom's mom's) for pumpkin bread. Then, I totally messed it up (eliminated the sugar, all-purpose flour, shortening, and water). I really had no idea how they would turn out. The batter was pretty good, which is always a good sign. They smelled good while they were baking, another good sign. When I finally tried one, I was impressed. I was kind of hoping that the brother would think they tasted too healthy, so then I would have leftovers to take to school...but no. He didn't even noticed. He loved them. The mother loved them too. Definitely a success for replacing processed ingredients with more natural ones!


Pumpkin Muffins

Ingredients:
1 cup honey (local) 
4 eggs
1/3 cup all-natural applesauce*
2 cups all-natural canned pumpkin
3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground cinnamon (I probably added a little extra) 

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 
Grease or line a 12-cup muffin pan.
Mix honey, eggs and pumpkin
Add in dry ingredients and mix
*Add applesauce until the right moisture is achieved
Divide batter into muffin cups
Bake for...15-20 minutes or until done.

I think that's about right! It's been awhile since I made them... and of course I didn't exactly write everything down.

Oatmeal Banana Muffins

The basic idea for this recipe was found via Pinterest. However, I naturally changed some stuff up. Like, for instance, I did not use real sugar or real eggs...resulting in muffins that are just about 82 calories a pop. I also added some cinnamon. I was a little bit concerned about how they would turn out after making such changes. Honestly, I don't think anyone would ever know. Not that I've shared them with anyone to find out. (No, I did not eat all 12 at once. I froze 10. I have found it works really well to pull a couple out before I go to bed, so in the morning they're room temperature. Then, I just put a little peanut butter on them. SO GOOD.) This recipe is definitely a keeper!


Oatmeal Banana Muffins

Ingredients:
2.5 cups oats (can be gluten-free)
1 cup fat free plain Greek yogurt
1/2 cup egg substitute (equivalent of 2 eggs)
3/4 cup sugar or sugar substitute (I used Ideal brown sugar)
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda 
2 ripe bananas
Cinnamon for sprinkling (optional)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Spray a 12-cup muffin pan or line it with the little paper things.
Mix everything together in a good food processor or blender (I used my Ninja).
Pour into pan.
Sprinkle with cinnamon. 
Bake, oh, 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Homemade Whole Wheat Bread

Homemade bread is really the best.  I'm reminded of this every time I go to Minnesota and have some of my grandpa's bread.  After being there this summer, I have resolved to exclusively make my own bread (or at least give it a go).  Not only does it taste great, it's free of all those preservatives you can't pronounce, sugar, and even dairy, if you so desire.  I made a couple loaves for the family last week, and I made a couple loaves for me to take off to college yesterday.  (I have sliced and frozen these loaves because I do not go through bread by myself that fast.  This way, when I need some bread, I can just get a slice or two out of the freezer and pop it in the toaster on the setting you use on frozen waffles and things.  I think it's brilliant.  We'll see how well it really works.)

Whole Wheat Bread

Ingredients:

2  cakes yeast (or 4 1/2 tsp)

1 1/2  cups lukewarm water

3/4  cup milk (I know that soy milk works too!)

1/2  cup pure honey (I like to use "local" honey)

1  TBSP salt

1/3  cup shortening

3 3/4  cup whole wheat flour

3 1/4  cup white flour (I like unbleached)  

Directions: 

Dissolve yeast in water in your mixing bowl.  Scald milk in small saucepan.  Stir in honey, salt and shortening; let cool and add to yeast mixture.  Add whole wheat flour to the mixing bowl; beat until well mixed.  Gradually add white flour to mixing bowl.  (About 2 cups in, I switch to the dough hook on the KitchenAid stand mixer.  Then I slowly add in a third cup.  I haven't needed the entire 3 1/4 cups yet.)  The dough should become more smooth, but not too dry.  Knead (or let your mixer knead) until the dough is elastic.  Place dough in greased bowl.  (I just spray my mixing bowl with the Crisco spray stuff when I flip the top up to remove the dough hook.)  Spray the top of the dough with what you used to grease the bowl.  Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled.  Punch down and let it rest for 10 minutes.  Preheat the oven to 375.  Shape into 2 loaves and place in greased pans.  Let rise again until almost doubled.  Bake for about 30 to 45 minutes.  Remove from pans and cool on wire rack.  Each loaf will get you about 16 good slices.  Enjoy!