Healthy Whole Wheat Banana Oat Muffins

Everyone who knows me knows how much I love to bake. I mean, I LOVE it!!! There is just one thing...with me being pregnant and Bubba training for the Tough Mudder in a few months, we have been trying to eat even more healthy than we normally do. With that, I have been trying to come up with some healthy (or at least healthier) recipes to bake that will still hit the spot! And boy did I come up with one tonight!

I love banana bread! It has always been one of my favorites! You can find my go-to banana bread recipe here. However, it is full of delicious sugar and butter. I wanted to make a recipe that was a bit healthier. This recipe has no butter, no oil and only 1/2 cup of brown sugar! A little whole wheat flour, oats, banana and applesauce makes a scrumptious, chewy treat! And at just 110 calories each, you really can't go wrong!

Healthy Whole Wheat Banana Oat Muffins

Adapted from Joy the Baker.

Ingredients:
1 ¼ cup whole wheat flour
1 cup quick oats

1/2 cup unpacked brown sugar1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 whole egg, beaten
2 egg whites, beaten
½ cup natural applesauce
3 ripe bananas
½ cup chocolate chips, optional

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F.  Spray muffin tin with cooking spray and set aside. In a large bowl, stir together dry ingredients.

In a smaller bowl, mash bananas with fork. Add whole egg and applesauce.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. The batter will be fairly thick.

In a medium sized bowl, with an electric hand mixer, beat the egg whites until medium stiff peaks form.  Fold the egg whites into the batter in three additions. Fold in chocolate chips if using.

Spoon batter into muffin tin. Fill about ¾ full. Bake for 16 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Orange Creamsicle Cookies

Do you remember when your were a kid on those hot summer days playing outside with your friends? Running around, jumping on the tramp, riding your bike from friends home to friends home. Oh, how I loved those summer days and man do I miss them. The best part of those hot days was running to the freezer and grabbing a popsicle. One of my favorites--Orange Creamsicles! When I found this recipe, I couldn't wait to try it. And let me tell you...AMAZING! 

Orange Creamsicle Cookies

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 firmly packed brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons orange zest 
2 cups white chocolate chips

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and creamy. Beat in egg and vanilla until smooth. Gradually add flour mixture until combined. Stir in orange zest and white chocolate chips.
Drop rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 8 - 10 minutes or until golden brown around edges. (Try 8 minutes first-you don't want to over bake so they will stay soft and chewy!) Cookies will be plump. Cool for several minutes on cookie sheets before transferring to rack to cool completely. Store in airtight container.

Crepes

When Bubba and I first got married, Crepes were our Saturday tradition. You can serve them so many ways with lots of different ingredients, but our favorite is Nutella and Strawberries! This recipe is pretty simple, it is just getting the cooking part down.

Crepes

1 cup flour
2/3 cup water
2/3 cup milk
2 eggs
pinch of salt
2 tbs melted butter

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and the eggs. Gradually add in the milk and water, stirring to combine. Add the salt and butter; beat until smooth.

Heat a lightly oiled frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each crepe. Tilt the pan with a circular motion so that the batter coats the surface evenly.

Cook the crepe until the bottom is light brown. Loosen with a spatula, turn and cook the other side. Serve hot.

Banana Chocolate Chip Cake

When Bubba and I were living with his sweet grandparents, Grandma Sweetie Pie made this cake for his birthday. It is to die for! If you like bananas and chocolate, you will love this!

Banana Chocolate Chip Cake
Recipe adapted from the World Wide Ward Cookbook.

Cake:
1 1/4 C. sugar
1/2 C. butter
2 eggs
1 tsp. baking soda
4 tbs. sour cream
1 1/2 C. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla
1 C. bananas, mashed

Topping:
1/4 C. packed brown sugar
1/8 C. granulated sugar
1 tbs. cinnamon
1 C. chocolate chips
1 C. nuts, chopped (optional)

Line an angel food cake pan with waxed paper and grease well. (I didn't use the wax paper, but greased the pan well and it cam out just fine.) Cream the sugar, butter and eggs. Combine baking soda and sour cream; stir into butter and sugar mixture. Add flour, salt and baking powder. Mix well. Stir in vanilla and bananas. Pour half of the batter into pan. Combine Topping ingredients. Sprinkle half of the topping over the batter in pan. Pour remaining batter into the pan and sprinkle with remaining topping. Bake at 325F for 45-60 minutes. Cake is done when toothpick comes out clean. Cool before removing from pan.

Orange Rolls

Everyone loves orange rolls! We used to have them for Sunday Dinners when I was growing up, but I hadn't had them in years. I found this recipe and it is yummy! They tasted so good, but they didn't rise like I would have liked. I am going to double the yeast next time to see if that makes a difference. The recipe says to bake the rolls on a cookie sheet, but growing up, all of our orange rolls were baked in a muffin tin so I decided to give it a try. They all came out looking very uniformed. I hope you enjoy!

Orange Rolls

1 1/4 Cup Scalded Milk
1/2 Cup Margarine (not butter)
1/3 Cup Sugar
1 tsp. Salt
1 Packet Yeast
4-5 Cups Flour
1/4 Cup Orange Juice
2 TBSP Orange Rind

Icing:
2 TBSP Orange Juice
1 Cup Powdered Sugar
1 tsp. orange Rind

Mix milk, margarine, sugar, salt and yeast. Let sit for about 15-20 minutes. Add 4-5 Cups Flour to make sticky dough. Let rise until double in bulk. Grease hands well and punch down the dough. Divide into 2 segments and roll out the first into a large rectangle. You can either cut them into 1/2 inch strips and tie them into bow knots, or roll it up and cut it into individual rolls. Place on parchment covered jelly roll pan and let rise until double in size. Bake @ 400 degrees for 12 minutes.

Make Icing while first batch is baking. Spread over rolls within the first few minutes of them coming out of the oven.

Homemade Peach Pie

This recipe came from my dear Grandma Bonnie and it is delicious! It is my favorite to make at the end of summer when peaches are in season. It is also pretty easy to make. The recipe makes 2 peach pies, so if you just want one, cut the recipe in half.

Pie Crust

2 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp salt

1 cup shortening

Mix with pastry cutter until crumbly. The crumbles should be about pea sized. Don't over mix. Add 5 tbs of cold water and mix until it all comes together.

Divide dough in half. Using two pieces of wax paper to sandwich dough, roll out with a rolling pin to about 1/4" thickness. Place in pie dish and shape crust. Prick the dough with a fork. Bake at 425F for 10 minutes. Watch closely for bubbles and if they start to form, pop with a fork.

Peach Pie

Mix together:

1 1/2 cups cold water

1/8 tsp salt

2 1/2 cups sugar

3/4 cup corn starch (add a little at a time)

Boil two cups of water and then add mixture. Cook until thick. It will start to turn white in color and turn more transparent. Add a 3-oz. package of peach jello and 1/4 cup lemon juice. Mix together.

Silce peaches and and layer in pie crust. Pour jello mixture over peaches. Chill for 3-4 hours or until set. Enjoy!

Fresh Mango Sorbet

We have been very lucky living in Florida. One of our friends have these two huge mango trees and we had an endless supply of mangoes for about 3 weeks in early June. We were in heaven here in the Ward home! This recipe was fun to make and delicious to eat!!

Fresh Mango Sorbet

Ingredients:
4 ripe but firm mangoes, about 12 oz each, peeled, pitted and cubed
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup
6 tbs fresh lemon or lime juice

Directions:
Combine the mango cubes, sugar, corn syrup and lemon juice in a blender or food processor that has been fitted with the metal blade. Pulse to chop, the process until thick and smooth, scraping sides as necessary. The mango puree may be made up to one day ahead; cove and refrigerate until ready to use.

Pour mixture into an ice cream maker and mix until thickened, about 25-30 minutes.

Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is a great recipe for those bananas that start to over ripen. They are always a hit in my home!

Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies
Adapted from the World Wide Ward Cookbook.

Ingredients:

2/3 cup shortening

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

3 ripe bananas, mashed

2 1/2 cups flour

1/4 tsp baking soda

2 tsp baking powder

1 cup chocolate chips

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp vanilla

Directions:

Combine all of the wet ingredients, then add the dry ingredients. Mix well with mixer. Spoon cookie dough onto cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes.

*The dough is a littler more sticky/runny than most cookie doughs.

Spicy Tilapia with Pineapple-Pepper Relish

I made this for dinner last night and it was so good that I had to post it right away! It is spicy, but the sweet pineapple is such a nice compliment.

Spicy Tilapia with Pineapple-Pepper Relish

Adapted from Cooking Light: Cooking through the Seasons.

2 tsp canola oil

1 tsp Cajun Seasoning

1/4 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp ground red pepper

4 (6 oz. ) tilapia fillets

1 1/2 cups chopped fresh pineapple chunks

1/3 cup chopped onion

1/3 cup chopped plum tomato

2 tbs rice vinegar

1 tbs chopped fresh cilantro

1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped

4 lime wedges

1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Combine Cajun seasoning, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Sprinkle fish evenly with spice mixture. Add fish to pan, and cook 2 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness.

2. Combine pineapple and next 5 ingredients in a large bowl, stirring gently. Serve pineapple mixture with fish. Garnish with lime wedges.

*I added a little oil to the spice mixture and applied with a brush. I also made the Pineapple Relish before cooking the fish so that it was all ready to go once the fish was done.

Banana Bread-Cake

This has become one of my favorite banana bread recipes. It is really easy to throw together and always turns out great. It has this delicious sugary crust that is irresistible! It doesn't last more than a day or two in my house.

Banana Bread-Cake

3/4 cup butter, softened
2 1/4 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 1/4 cup mashed bananas
1/3 cup sour cream
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
3 cup flour
1 1/8 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
dash of cinnamon

Mix all of ingredients together starting with the liquids. Then add the dry ingredients. Mix until combined.

To prepare the bundt cake pan, spray with a cooking spray, then coat the inner edges really well with sugar. This will make a really yummy, sugary, crispy, thin outer layer.

Bake at 350 for 50-60 minutes.

Blueberry Coffee Cake Muffins

Produce in Florida has been a lot more expensive than I had anticipated, so when I found blueberries on sale, I had to buy them. I love blueberry muffins! This is my the best blueberry muffin recipe that I have tried! These muffins come out so moist. They are easy to make and wonderful to eat!

Blueberry Coffee Cake Muffins

Adapated form Barefoot Contessa.

Ingredients:

• 12 tbs (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3 extra large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 8 ounces (about 1 cup) sour cream
• 1/4 cup milk (I used almond milk)
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 2 half-pints fresh blueberries, picked through for stems

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F. Place 16 paper liners in muffin pan.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs 1 at a time, then add the vanilla, sour cream, and milk. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low speed add the flour mixture to the batter and beat until just mixed. Fold in the blueberries with a spatula and be sure the batter is completely mixed.

Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin pans, filling each cup just over the top, and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the muffins are lightly browned on top and a cake tester comes out clean.

Apple Turnovers

I love Ina Garten (Barefoot Contessa)! Her recipes are always wonderful and she also has a traveling husband who comes home for the weekends. This is another one of her great recipes and easy to boot!

Apple Turnovers
Adapted from Barefoot Contessa.

Ingredients:

1 tsp grated orange zest
3 tbs freshly squeezed orange juice
1 1/4 lbs. tart apples such as Empire or Granny Smith (3 apples)
3 tbs dried cherries
3 tbs sugar, plus extra to sprinkle on top
1 tbs all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
pinch kosher salt
1 package (17.3 ounces, 2 sheets) frozen puff pastry, defrosted
1 egg beaten with 1 tbs water, for egg wash

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400F.

Combine orange zest and orange juice in a bowl. Peel, quarter and core the apples and then cut them in 3/4-inch dice. Immediately toss the apples with the zest and juice to prevent from turning brown. Add the cherries, sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.

Flour a board and lightly roll each sheet of puff pastry to a 12 by 12-inch square. Cut each sheet into 4 smaller squares and keep chilled until ready to use.

Brush the edges of each square with the egg wash and neatly place about 1/3 cup of the apple mixture on half of the square. Fold the pastry diagonally over the apple mixture and seal by pressing the edges with a fork. Transfer to a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Brush the top with egg wash, sprinkle with sugar, make 2 small slits and bake for 20 minutes, until browned and puffed. Serve warm or at room temperature.

*I found it easier to build the turnover on the baking sheet instead of transferring to the baking sheet after it was put together.