bananas Archives - Makin' it Mo'Betta

Double Chocolate Banana Muffins

Kim

My son always asks for bananas when I am forced to go grocery shopping with my children, and it’s really hard to deny your children fruits and vegetables if they ask for them…even when I know they will not get eaten. Unless I buy one, which I never do, because lets face it – having bananas sitting around going bad is an excuse to make stuff like these muffins. Or this!

Y’all…these are good! As I’ve mentioned every time I post something with bananas, I don’t even like bananas, but these were really good. They had a good texture, they rose well, they were nice and chocolate-y, with only a hint of banana flavor (of course, I didn’t use the full amount of banana called for….I subbed in some Greek yogurt to make up the difference.) All THREE of my kids liked them, which almost NEVER happens..but admittedly happens much more frequently when chocolate is involved!

Double Chocolate Banana Muffins

(Yields 12 standard muffins)

1 1/2 cups mashed banana*

1/3 cup oil (I used this )

1 egg

3/4 cup sugar*

1 1/2 cups flour

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup mini chocolate chips

Raw sugar for tops (optional)

*If you do not have the full amount of banana, you can sub in applesauce, yogurt, pumpkin…pretty much any pureed fruit or mild flavored veggie to make up the difference. I used Greek yogurt.)
*The original recipe called for one cup of sugar. I reduced it since my bananas were very ripe and therefore very sweet.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a muffin pan with non stick cooking spray or line with cupcake liners.
In a large mixing bowl, combine mashed bananas (and yogurt in my case), oil, and egg.
In a separate bowl, whisk together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, and baking powder.
Add the flour mixture to the banana mixture, stir until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips, reserving a few extra for the tops if desired. (This just makes them look pretty!)
Fill prepared muffin cups approximately 3/4 full. Sprinkle the tops with raw sugar and remaining mini chocolate chips if desired.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until done. (Can check centers with toothpick if unsure…should come out clean, unless you hit a melty chocolate chip!)

Recipe Source:

I may be linking up at any of the following – (Monday) , , , , (Tuesday) , , ,, , (Wednesday) , , , , (Thursday) , , (Friday) , , , ,, , , ,

2-Ingredient Pancakes {Weight Watchers friendly!}

Kim

This will be the shortest recipe post ever…b/c it’s seriously just 2 ingredients. Or if you are like me and have to add stuff…maybe 3. So, we could spend some time discussing , and how it was added to the Oxford dictionary. Seriously?! I didn’t know the “dance” had a name. Or we could discuss how Miley Cyrus apparently has made the word famous by her embarrassingly ridiculous performance on the MTV Music Video Awards. Or we can just cringe and hope all that goes away very soon. I’m sure my girls have already watched in on YouTube. *shudder*

Yeah, let’s move on before everyone loses their appetite. And, if you don’t know what I’m talking about, then just Google it or get on Twitter b/c it’s (unfortunately) errrywhere. Poor Billy Ray.

Speaking of everywhere, I’ve spotted this recipe on Pinterest many times, but was first inspired to give it a go after seeing it at . Something this simple, and being so low in points was something I had to try. Even though I don’t like bananas. Yep, one of the two ingredients is bananas, but I decided to give it a go anyway. (Because I was really wanting pancakes but didn’t want to use up a half a day’s points on them!)

All you need is a ripe banana, 2 eggs, and a blender (or food processor). I also added cinnamon to help cover up the banana flavor 🙂

2-Ingredient Pancakes

1 ripe banana

2 eggs

cinnamon (optional)

Blend ingredients until smooth in a blender or food processor.

Pour onto a heated, greased/sprayed griddle or skillet.

Cook until it appears almost set, then flip and finish cooking on the other side.

Serve with choice of toppings. I used sugar free maple syrup. I got 6 pancakes from this batch and calculated it as 4 points. If you use Egg-Beaters, the points would be even lower!

Notes:

Yes, these taste like bananas. However, I think adding a little more spice and some nuts would make it more of a banana nut bread flavor, which I would be okay with (of course, nuts add points if you are doing Weight Watchers).
I think I would also like them with chocolate chips (duhhh!)
These are very thin pancakes, but you can eat SIX without guilt 🙂
I personally prefer the texture better after they cooled a bit – less egg-y, sponge-y.
They could be used like a crepe, and wrap things in them.
I tried this with pumpkin instead of banana and it didn’t work well..however, I think it’s doable, I just have to play with it. If you try it and it works, let me know.
Even though I didn’t love them, I would make them again. Maybe with chocolate chips a blueberry topping.

Anyone else out there dieting? Does it suck for you too? Actually Weight Watchers really hasn’t been too bad. I’ve been doing it for several weeks now and I’m down 13 lbs. I’d like to lose 9 more. My pants today are baggy, so it’s worth it 🙂

I may be linking up at any of the following – (Monday) , , , , , , , , , , , (Tuesday) , , ,,, , and , , (Wednesday) , , , , , , , (Thursday) ,, , , (Friday) , , , , , ,, , , ,, , , ,, , (Saturday) , , , (Sunday) , , ;

Chocolate Bourbon-Spiked Banana Bread

Kim

Ohhhh YES! Chocolate + Bourbon + Bread = one divine combination. is a smart woman! The other day I had a few bananas that needed to get used up, (or frozen to make banana ice cream.) I, however, remembered I had pinned this fabulous banana bread recipe and I had some bourbon. (Thanks to my brother, who always gives me liquor for my bday since I refuse to go to the liquor store. Mainly b/c I am always dragging 1 to 3+ children around. BTW bro…bday coming up soon! *hint hint*) Which reminds me…OH MY LORDY, I’LL BE FORTY!!! Holy cow. But that is a different post altogether.

Back to the bread…it was amazing.

Chocolate Bourbon Spiked Banana Bread

adapted from (from )
**my changes are in italics**

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
3 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temp *I used 1/4 cup Smart Balance Butter & 1/4 cup coconut oil
1 cup sugar *I used 1/2 cup sugar & 1/2 cup Stevia
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups bananas, mashed (about 3 medium bananas) *I didn’t have quite enough banana, so I added enough applesauce to equal 1 1/2 cups
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons bourbon
1 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
1 cup semi-sweet dark chocolate chips (I used Ghiradelli – roughly chopped since they are large chips)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 9×5 inch loaf pan. *I made 4 mini loaves.
In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium high speed until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the mashed banana, lemon juice, and bourbon and mix until just combined.
Add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
Stir in the walnuts and chocolate chips. Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread to distribute it evenly.
Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan 20 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely. *I think the mini loaves took about 30 minutes. We polished off 2 loaves pretty quickly, then I put 2 in the freezer…portion control!

Verdict – Delicious! It had a nice crusty outside, and was very moist on the inside – loaded with chocolate, mild banana, and a hint of bourbon! So.good.

I’m linking up this recipe with , , , , , , , , ,

Banana Ice Cream with Oreos

Kim

Yesterday I posted this pic –

and asked if anyone could guess what it is.

On Facebook I had a guess of “maybe a smoothie of some sort? With blueberries and chocolate??”

Excellent guess, but it was actually

Banana ‘Ice Cream’ with Oreos!

Yes, once again, I have taken something perfectly healthy and uhh….de-healthified it?

oops. my bad.

My kids wanted a treat, and I had frozen bananas on the brain since having an email conversation with another blogger who is preggars, and ‘enjoying’ all the crazy food obsessions and repulsions that come along with pregnancy. And yes, that conversation included the healthy banana.

For whatever reason, I had Oreos in my house. Which is such a NO.NO. Since I have absolutely zero will power. Anyways, I decided I would take the bananas we had in the freezer, blend them up and toss in a few Oreos.

My kids thought it was a delicious, decadent treat!

Oreo Banana Ice Cream

I used 3 frozen bananas

4 or 6 Oreos (sorry, can’t remember!)

1/2 T. cocoa (mainly for color – my kids eat anything chocolate)

and had enough to fill 3 ice cream cones, plus some leftover!

**Don’t throw away those over ripe bananas, just peel and stick in the freezer in a freezer bag. Then you can enjoy ‘ice cream’ whenever the mood strikes. Leave out the Oreos, and it can be completely guilt free!

Linking up with ,