Double Chocolate Banana Bread

Original Recipe HERE

Not a healthy banana bread.  There is no justifying that this is "good" for you - at least, for your waistline.  So good for your spirit, though.  I'd mess around with substitutes for the copious amounts of butter and sugar, trying to make this less guilt-inducing...but I fear then it would lose its essence.  So I will relegate it to the "occasional treat" list and enjoy every morsel when I do have it.

I assume these could be made into muffins and will probably try that next time.  Helps with portion control.  As with almost every baked good, this tasted better the next day: the flavors were stronger and the bread had "settled" and was a bit denser.

 

Ingredients

3 medium or large bananas, very ripe
1/2 cup butter (one stick), melted
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon [optional]
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 cup semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chunks or chips [I used semi-sweet mini chips]

 

Directions
(1) Heat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease a 9x5" loaf pan.
(2) Mash bananas thoroughly in a large bowl.
(3) Whisk melted butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla into the bananas.
(4) In a separate bowl, sift together baking soda, salt, cinnamon, flour, and cocoa powder.
(5) Add dry ingredients to wet; stir until just combined.
(6) Stir in chocolate chips.
(7) Pour batter into prepared pan.  Bake 55-65 minutes (minute took almost 65) or until a knife inserted into the center comes out batter-free.
(8) Cool bread in pan for 10-15 minutes, then invert onto a cooling rack.  Once fully cooled, store wrapped in foil.

Kid Participation:
* Mash bananas
* Crack egg
* Whisk wet ingredients
* Add dry ingredients to wet
* Pour batter into pan

Yogurt Banana Oat Muffins

Original Recipe HERE

I've made these twice and find them a filling snack.  The consistency is different than a usual muffin, probably due to the yogurt and oat flour.  I like to split them in half and spread peanut butter or Nutella on them.

Ingredients

1-1/4 cup oats [I used old fashioned]

1/2 cup yogurt [I used low fat vanilla]

1/2 cup milk

2 large, very ripe bananas, mashed [I used 3]

1/3 cup oil or applesauce [I used coconut oil]

1 egg

1/2 cup brown sugar

1-1/2 cup oat flour [about 2 cups oats]

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 cup raisins or walnuts [optional; I did not use]

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips [optional]

 

Directions

(1) Make oat flour by grinding approximately 2 cups of oats in a food processor until they reach a flour-like consistency.

(2) In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine oats, yogurt, and milk.  Let stand at least 10 minutes (mine was more like 45).

(3) Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Grease or line a 12-cup muffin tin.

(4) In a separate bowl, sift together sugar, oat flour, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, salt, and cinnamon.

(5) Add bananas, oil or applesauce, and egg to yogurt mixture.  Combine thoroughly.

(6) Add flour mixture to yogurt mixture.  Mix completely.

(7) Add raisins, walnuts, or chocolate chips if desired.

(8) Fill muffin cups 2/3 full.  Bake 16-20 minutes (mine were done at 18).  Allow to cool several minutes in tin before removing to cooling rack.

Kid Participation:

* Push buttons on food processor

* Add all ingredients to mixing bowls

* Demolish bananas

PB&J Banana Oatmeal Cookies

Original Recipe HERE

 

Are these true cookies?  I'd argue that they're not.  However, they are super easy to make, pretty healthy, and can be passed off as treats to your kids.  A great treat to make on snow days or neverending weekends or times that you think the siblings are going to rip each other to shreds if you don't distract and/or separate them.

 

I accidentally doubled the oats, so I threw in another banana and extra peanut butter.  My proportions weren't exactly what the recipe called for, but they still turned out fine.  I think it would be tough to mess these up.  I got about 25 cookies from that batch, so following the original measurements would yield less than that.

 

Ingredients

2 medium, ripe bananas

1 cup uncooked oats

2 Tablespoons peanut butter [I used creamy]

jelly

 

Directions

(1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silpat.

(2) Mash bananas thoroughly.

(3) Add peanut butter to bananas; stir until well combined.

(4) Add oats; stir until well combined.

(5) Place tablespoon-sized portions of dough onto baking sheet (I used a mini ice cream scoop).  They barely spread, so spacing isn't important.

(6) Make a hollow or indent in the top of each cookie.

(7) Bake 15 minutes, or until golden.

(8) Remove cookies to cooling rack.  Spoon about 1/4 teaspoon of jelly onto each.

 

Kid Participation: Just about everything except operating the oven.

 

Coconut Zucchini Banana Bread

Original Recipe HERE

I had two bananas that Husband wanted to throw out because he can't stand the smell of bananas that are even slightly past ripe...it's some sort of sixth sense he has.  I also had grabbed several zucchinis last time I was at the grocery store, but I wasn't feeling inspired.  I decided to combine them into muffins that were healthier than what I'd normally gravitate toward.  The Weight Watchers Points Tracker says they are 5 points each, though.  Eh, still healthier.  Especially since I patted myself on the back for leaving out the chocolate.

I made 12 muffins and one small (aka, flat-ish) loaf of bread, so I estimate this would make 20 muffins.  The kids really liked them.  Next time I'll cut down on the coconut (I used one cup).  They were a little too sweet to be the breakfast-y muffins I was aiming for, but eliminating the coconut entirely might make them too bland.  Oh dear, Husband is going to have to suffer through another round of stinky browning bananas for the sake of tweaking this recipe...

Ingredients

3 eggs

1/4 cup vegetable oil [I used coconut oil]

2 medium bananas, well mashed

2 teaspoons vanilla

3 to 4 cups grated zucchini [I used 3 medium]

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup honey

2 Tablespoons brown sugar

3 cups whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 to 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 to 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg

1/2 to 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut

Directions

(1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease muffin tin or bread pan.

(2) If using coconut oil, melt to liquid form using a double boiler.

(3) In large mixing bowl, whisk eggs. Add oil, banana, vanilla, zucchini, and sugars. Let set several minutes until sugar is partially dissolved.

(4) In separate mixing bowl, sift together flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and coconut.

(5) Add dry ingredients to wet mixture. Stir until just combined.

(6) Transfer batter to baking tins. Bake 20-25 minutes for 12 muffins and approximately an hour for a full loaf. Test for doneness by inserting a knife in center; bread is done when it comes out clean.

(7) Remove from oven. Run knife along edges to loosen. Leave in tins 10 minutes; remove to rack to cool completely.

Kid Participation:
* Mash bananas by hand
* Whisk wet ingredients
* Whisk dry ingredients
* Stir all ingredients together

 

Banana Waffles

Original Recipe HERE

 

One of my many breakfast-for-dinner staples.  I especially like it because it doesn't require buttermilk.  Yes, I know I can make buttermilk on my own.  But it seems like I'm always running low on regular milk, and I don't like to sacrifice it for a recipe.  Also, the bananas give a subtle sweetness (especially if the ones used are at the just-past-ripe stage) and banana flavor without being overpowering.  I can eat these with a little butter spread on top and sans maple syrup because they have a distinctive enough taste on their own.  Kids love them, and I double the recipe to make enough for them to have breakfast the next day.  I get twelve regular waffles (three large waffles divided into four sub-waffles) out of a doubled recipe, so using the original amounts wouldn't give us nearly enough food.  The amounts listed below are the doubled ones.

 

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon salt

4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 to 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1-1/2 cups milk

2 large eggs

2 Tablespoons honey

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

4 ripe bananas, thoroughly mashed [but not smooth]

 

Directions

(1) Preheat waffle iron.

(2) In medium mixing bowl, sift or whisk together flours, salt, baking powder, and cinnamon.

(3) In large mixing bowl, whisk eggs.  Add milk, honey, vanilla, and bananas.  Combine thoroughly.

(4) Add dry ingredients to wet in several increments; stir until just combined.  Batter can be lumpy and should not be smooth.

(5) Ladle batter onto waffle iron and cook according to iron's directions.

 

Kid Participation:

* Mash bananas

* Whisk dry ingredients

 

Baked Blueberry & Banana Oatmeal

Original Recipe HERE

I threw this together on a night when I had no idea what I was making but didn't want to resort to pasta or egg sandwiches yet again.  *N* was eating dinner at a friend's house, so the remaining four of us pretty much polished off the entire dish.  I was shocked to see it disappear before my eyes so quickly - and disappointed, since I was hoping to make the next day's morning routine easier by having breakfast already made.  I will definitely make this again.

I assume that other berries could be substituted.  I have a bag of blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries in my freezer right now that would be worth a try.  Also, pureeing some (or all) of the bananas and mixing them into the wet ingredients might make for a moister, more uniformly-flavorful dish.

 

Ingredients

3 to 4 medium ripe bananas, sliced into 1/2" rounds

1 to 2 cups blueberries [I used thawed frozen berries]

1/2 cup honey or agave

2-1/2 cups uncooked oats [I used old fashioned] 

1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans [optional; I did not use]
1/2 cup toasted wheat germ [optional]

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt 

2 cups milk

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

yogurt for topping [optional; I used fat-free French vanilla]

 

Directions

(1) Preheat oven to 375° F. Lightly grease a 9x13" baking dish.

(2) Arrange banana slices in a single layer in the dish. Sprinkle blueberries over bananas.

(3) Dust 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon over fruit.  Drizzle with 2 tablespoons honey.

(4) Cover with foil.  Bake 15 minutes.

(5) Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, thoroughly combine oats, nuts, baking powder, remaining cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.

(6) In separate bowl, whisk together remaining honey, milk, eggs, and vanilla.

(7) Evenly spread oat mixture over fruit.  Slowly pour milk mixture over oats, distributing as evenly as possible.

(8) Bake oatmeal for about 30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the oatmeal has set. Serve warm from the oven, with yogurt if desired.

 

Kid Participation: Eat it and love it.

 

Banana Sour Cream Pancakes

Original Recipe HERE

It was National Pancake Day, which it seems is a holiday created by IHOP.  While the offer of free shortstacks for every patron all day long was tempting, I wasn't about to call and make the recommended reservations, load three kids in the car, drive in rushhour traffic, and battle the pancake-loving masses for a booth.  I'd already been planning on pancakes for dinner at some point this week, so this night was as good a night as any.  I doubled the recipe and had plenty for dinner and enough for breakfast for the kids and me the next day.

I followed the advice of some reviews and added the bananas as a puree to the batter.  This ensured a uniform banana flavor throughout each pancake, though next time I might use an extra banana and add it as the original recipe says..  The lemon flavor added a nice extra dimension but was a wee bit too strong for my preference. Next time I'll do 1/2 or 3/4 teaspoon of zest.  I imagine that plain yogurt (especially Greek) could be substituted for the sour cream.

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups flour

3 Tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 cup sour cream

3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon milk

2 extra-large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

butter

2 ripe bananas

Directions

(1) Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.

(2) In separate bowl, whisk together sour cream, milk, eggs, vanilla, and lemon zest.

(3) Mash bananas until smooth or puree in a food processor.  Add to wet ingredients.

(4) Add wet ingredients to dry ones, mixing only until just combined.

(5) In large skillet, melt 1 Tablespoon butter over medium-low heat until it bubbles.

(6) Ladle batter into pan to make 3 or 4 pancakes. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, until bubbles appear on top and the underside is nicely browned.

(7) Flip pancakes; cook for another 1 to 2  minutes, until browned. Remove from heat.

(8) Wipe out pan with paper towel [optional].  Add more butter to pan; continue cooking pancakes until all batter is used.

Kid Participation:

* Sift dry ingredients

* Whisk wet ingredients

* Mash bananas or push food processor buttons

Simple Banana Bread

Original Recipe HERE

I must have at least fifteen banana bread and muffin recipes saved, all very similar to each other.  So I'll keep making my way through my inventory, keeping my standards high, until I have it narrowed down to just a few.  Many bread attempts are too dry on the outside yet still gooey on the inside.  That's why I often make them into full-size muffins instead (because while I like the quick-eating convenience and feeding-of-the-masses ability of mini-muffins, I find the texture of regular size muffins is usually better and the taste somehow seems more pronounced).

This recipe was super easy: the batter was made in less than ten minutes and didn't even require a whisk, much less an electric mixer.  Reading through the comments shows many variations, so I took a few tips and ended up with the following recipe that was delicious.  It had a strong banana flavor, was perfectly crusty on top while perfectly moist inside.

Ingredients

3 or 4 ripe bananas, smashed

1/2 cup low-fat plain yogurt
1/2 cup white sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 egg, beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

pinch of salt

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

3/4 cup shredded dried coconut [optional]

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips [optional]

Directions

(1) Preheat oven to 350°F.  Grease 4x8" loaf pan or 12-cup muffin tin.

(2) Mash bananas to uniform, smooth consistency.  In separate bowl, whisk egg.

(3) With wooden spoon, mix yogurt and mashed bananas in large mixing bowl.

(4) Mix sugar, egg, and vanilla into banana-yogurt mixture.

(5) Sprinkle baking soda & salt over mixture; stir.  Add flour; mix thoroughly.  Add coconut and chocolate chips (if using); stir until just mixed.

(6) Pour mixture into loaf pan or muffin tin.  Bake 1 hour for bread or 25 minutes for muffins (done when knife inserted in center comes out clean).

(7) If bread, cool on rack before removing from pan.  If muffins, remove immediately from tin and cool on rack.

Notes: For the sake of comparison, I would use apple sauce instead of yogurt (or using a vanilla or strawberry or banana yogurt).  I would also try honey in place of sugar, and a lime glaze would add a nice tartness.

Kid Participation

* Mash bananas

* Stir wet ingredients

* Crack egg

* Stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients

* Sneak chocolate chips when they think Mama isn't looking

Coconut Banana Bread with Lime Glaze

Original Recipe HERE

I had this on my "to try" list for a long time, but it kept getting bumped because I thought it might be just another banana bread recipe and nothing to get excited about.  But I had another case of Browning Bananas, and since I always have all the ingredients for this on hand, I decided to go for it one night.  So glad I did.

I considered skipping the glaze, because I'm not always a fan of lime flavoring, but luckily I didn't.  It brings the bread "to another level" (for lack of a better way to say it).  I think this would be even better as muffins, since you'd get a hint of lime in almost every bite, as well as some of the toasted coconut (because the coconut flavor of the bread wasn't very pronounced - all I tasted was banana).  The bread was moist without being gummy or having that combination of slightly-undercooked texture in the middle and a little too browned on the edges.  Definitely a do-again.

Update: These turned out fabulously as muffins.  I baked them for 22 minutes and got 18 muffins.  I made extra glaze and used it all.  Also, since the coconut flavor in the bread wasn't easily detectable the first time, I added half a teaspoon of coconut extract to the batter when making muffins.  I don't know how much it changed the taste, but it certainly didn't harm it.

Ingredients

* For Bread:
2 cups white flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup white sugar

1/4 cup (4 Tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened

2 large eggs

1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 4 large bananas)

1/4 cup sour cream or plain yogurt [I used light sour cream]

3 Tablespoons apple juice or milk [I used 2% milk]

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup shredded coconut

2 Tablespoons shredded coconut (for topping)

* For Glaze:

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 1/2 Tablespoons lime juice (fresh preferred)

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease 9x5" loaf pan (or spray with non-stick spray).  Line bottom with parchment for added ease of bread removal.

2) Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt.

3) Mash banana.

4) In large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until blended. Add eggs and beat to combine.

5) Add banana, sour cream or yogurt, apple juice or milk, and vanilla. Beat until blended.

6) Add flour mixture and beat on low speed until just combined. Stir in 1/2 cup coconut.

7) Pour batter into loaf pan. Sprinkle additional 2 Tablespoons coconut on top.

8) Bake 60 minutes or until knife or skewer inserted in center comes out clean, but check bread after about 40 minutes. If top has browned and coconut pieces look toasted, cover top of bread lightly with piece of foil. Continue baking until done.

9) Remove loaf pan from oven and place on cooling rack for 10 minutes.  Carefully remove bread from pan and place back on cooling rack with piece of wax paper (or foil, parchment, or paper towel) underneath rack.

10) Thoroughly whisk powdered sugar and lime juice together.  Use a spoon to drizzle glaze over top, letting excess drip below. Cool for another 15 minutes before slicing.

Kid Participation:
* Whisk dry ingredients
* Mash banana
* Crack eggs
* Add coconut to batter and stir
* Sprinkle coconut as topping
* Whisk glaze
* Drizzle glaze (if you don't mind it being very unevenly distributed)

Banana French Toast

Original Recipe HERE

I was looking for a way to use up some dangerously ripe bananas, as was the case with the cookies a while back (I promise we do eat plenty of bananas at the peak of freshness, but there's always one or two out of every bunch that lingers past its prime).  Since it was the weekend and Husband was available to wrangle the kids, I did a quick search for a banana pancake recipe.  I came across this one instead, and because we do pancakes often, decided to go for french toast.  That was risky, since I can never time things properly.  I soak the bread too long or not long enough, and I usually start off with the heat for the pan too low...so I get impatient that the bread is taking too long to turn golden, I crank up the temperature, and suddenly I have blackened french toast.  This time was no exception, but there were enough good slices for Husband and *N* while I took one for the team and ate the burned ones.

I used regular wheat bread because that's all we had, but I generally have better luck with a baguette or a similar thicker-cut loaf.  I keep meaning to try challah.  Anyway, you could definitely taste the banana, and I smothered mine with butter and a little syrup...very good.  It was an easier "special breakfast" than homemade pancakes and waffles are, as well as a much easier clean-up job.

Ingredients

2-3 large ripe bananas

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 egg

3 egg whites

3/4 cup lowfat milk

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

8 slices bread

Cinnamon and confectioner's sugar, for dusting [optional]

Directions

1) Puree the bananas, vanilla, egg, egg whites, cinnamon, and milk in a blender or food processor.

2) Preheat the griddle. If using an electric skillet, preheat to 375 degrees F.  Use a nonstick spray if needed.

3) Place the bread in an oblong pan and pour the batter over it. Turn the slices of bread so the batter is absorbed evenly. Soak the bread until soft and almost falling apart. You can do this step in two batches.

4) Slip the bread into the skillet and cook until lightly browned on one side. Turn and cook until done. Dust with additional cinnamon and confectioner's sugar, if desired.

Notes: Next time I'll slice up an additional banana or two for a topping, and some sort of nut sprinkled on top (or in the batter?) would be a nice touch.

Kid Participation:

* Peel bananas.

* Crack eggs.

* Dust with cinnamon and sugar.

Banana Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

Original Recipe HERE

I had some flirting-with-rotten bananas that were asking to be used (because throwing them in the garbage would stink up my kitchen).  I'd been wanting to try this recipe, so...yeah.  Easy solution.  These turned out really well.  They had a light, almost muffin-y texture to them that would make it really easy to justify them as a breakfast food - because doesn't everyone usually put a few chocolate chips in their morning oatmeal anyway?  No?  Really?  You should.

The original recipe says that it makes 12 servings.  I got 25 good-sized cookies out of this, so maybe a serving = 2 cookies?  If that's the case, I need to talk to them about their math.  Because no serving of cookies should include only two.

Husband brought these to work so I wouldn't eat them all, and he was asked for the recipe.  That affirms that they were just as good as I thought they were.

Ingredients

¾ cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1-½ cups flour

1-¾ cups oats [I used quick cook]

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 to 3 whole, very ripe bananas

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 350ºF.

2) Using a mixer, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and mix well.

3) In a separate bowl, combine flour, oats, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.  Stir in chocolate chips so they're coated with flour mixture.

4) Add flour mixture to wet ingredients [I used the hand mixer to expedite this].  Add bananas and stir [hand mixer, again] until combined.

5) Drop large balls of dough onto parchment-lined baking sheets, leaving 2 inches between them.

6) Bake for 10-12 minutes until cookies start to turn slightly brown at the edges.  They will still be soft in the middle; immediately remove from baking sheets and put on a cooling rack.

Notes: I think chopped nuts could be a good add-in.  I'm storing them uncovered - since they're so moist they might get too chewy (for lack of a better word...the first one that came to mind was "humid," though that doesn't make sense).  Though I liked them just the way they were, next time I'll try substituting half the white sugar with brown to see if I can get them more cookie-ish.

Update: Made again but with 1/2 cup white sugar and 1/2 cup brown sugar as well as 1 cup white flour and 1/2 cup wheat flour.  I didn't notice much of a difference - just slightly more dense (less cake-like).

Kid Participation:

* Measure and mix dry ingredients.

* Mash bananas before adding to the dough.