Cashew Cookie Dough Balls

Who doesn't love chocolate chip cookie dough? Last week I bought a tub of Eat Pastry cookie dough and had the bad habit of half baking a big spoonful of dough in a small ramekin dish and eating it with a spoon. Brent joined in on the fun, and when we finished the tub we decided we needed to find a healthier way to enjoy cookie dough. With a little bit of googling, I found this delicious recipe! Cashews and oats give you protein and energy, but the sweetener and chocolate chips make it feel like an indulgence. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 cup cashews
2/3 cup oats
2 Tbsp Agave
2 Tbsps Maple Syrup
1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
1/4 cup Mini Chocolate Chips

Directions:
1. In a food processor, blend cashews and oats until they become a powder.
2. Add the agave, maple, vanilla and blend until incorporated.
3. Stir in chocolate chips by hand.
4. Form into small balls by rolling between your palms. Keep in the fridge or freezer.

Dark Chocolate Cherry Oatmeal

Alaina is quite the crafty individual. This morning we hung out at her apartment to work on some baby shower gifts. See her in action below! I'm so impressed with her baby blanket making skills. My limited sewing experience meant I was in charge of making breakfast, pulling pins and providing moral support. For breakfast I made jalapeño bacon and my favorite breakfast food item, oatmeal. I found this oatmeal concept in Women's Running magazine. The combination of chocolate, cherries and almonds was delicious. I'll be adding this to my morning oatmeal menu of options.

Ingredients:
2/3 cup oatmeal (1/2 if you don't wake up super hungry)
1 cup almond milk
2 tablespoons crushed almonds
A few dark chocolate chips
1/2 cup frozen cherries, defrosted
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Zest of half a lemon

Directions:

Using a food processor, process the cherries, almond extract, zest and maple syrup. Place in a small bowl.

Everyone has their own way of making oatmeal. I use the microwave to make my oatmeal, putting the oatmeal in a bowl, pouring in the almond milk and microwaving for 1.5 minutes. Microwaves are not all the same, it might take more or less time. You can also cook the oatmeal on the stove by bringing the required amount of water or milk to a simmer and adding the oats and stirring until the oats are cooked through.

When the oatmeal is ready, top with the cherry mixture, almonds and dark chocolate chips. Enjoy!

Cinnamon Raisin Bagels

Two weekends ago I was in New York for my Columbia program's callback weekend. I had very little time in the city, but knew I could not leave New York without visiting Nussbaum & Wu, my favorite Morningside Height bagel joint. Los Angeles has great food, but is not known for their bagels, so when I got back I thought it would be fun to experiment with making my own. I gave it a shot even though I knew I would never be able to master their chewy on the outside/soft and doughy texture of a New York bagel. I decided to try making made a dozen of my favorite pre-run bagels, cinnamon raisin. I wasn't expecting much, especially since I used white whole wheat flour, but they were visually appealing and tasted great too! Brent and I each had a bagel with honey and cream cheese and we froze the rest. I love having a batch in my freezer for a quick breakfast on the run. Round one was a success, so I am excited to try savory bagels next. 

Ingredients:
1 cup raisins
1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons honey
4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 1/4 cups white whole-wheat flour
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon kosher salt
3-4 cups bread flour
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
Kettle water
6 quarts water
2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar

Cornmeal

Directions:
Put raisins in a small bowl and add enough boiling water to cover. After five minutes, drain and dry with a paper towel.

Whisk lukewarm water, 1/4 cup brown sugar, honey, yeast and oil in a large bowl until the yeast dissolves. Stir in white whole-wheat flour, cinnamon, salt and the raisins. Stir in enough of the bread flour to make a soft dough, about 2 1/2 cups.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Knead, gradually add more flour, until the dough is smooth and quite firm, 10 to 12 minutes. Cover with a paper towel and let rest for 10 minutes.
Divide the dough into 12 pieces. Roll each piece into a rope shape. Form bagels by overlapping the ends by 1 inch. Pinch together well so they don't come apart in the water. Set the bagels aside, uncovered, to rise until slightly puffy, about 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 450°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Bring 6 quarts water with 2 tablespoons brown sugar to a boil in a large pot.

Add two or three risen bagels at a time into the pot. The water should be at a lively simmer. Cook for 45 seconds, turn them over with a slotted spoon and cook for 45 seconds longer. Remove the bagels with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels; place on the baking sheet dusted with cornmeal. Brush with egg white to give them that glossy look.

Place the bagels in the oven, reduce heat to 425° and bake for 15 minutes. Turn the bagels over and bake until golden brown, about 5 minutes more.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Waffles

You know you're on vacation when you're making waffles. I always eat peanut butter chocolate oatmeal for breakfast. Today, however, with no need to rush around and take care of errands before the work week begins, I decided to switch it up and make waffles. After preparing them I realized they are essentially the breakfast as I usually have, just cooked in a waffle maker and topped with syrup. I love the texture of oatmeal in my waffles, the sweetness of the ripe banana, and the melty chocolate chips. They were a great start to my three week winter break! Last night Alaina and I celebrated our last day by creating a meal using nothing but ingredients from our fridge and pantry. We made creamy polenta with mushrooms, spinach and onions. For dessert we baked dark chocolate brownies for 3/4 of the recommended time (our version of molten lava chocolate cake). I am looking forward to having the time to cook these next few weeks and experiment with a few new recipes ideas. More posts to follow!

Ingredients:

1 very ripe large banana
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg
A pinch salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 heaping tablespoon almond butter
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/2 cup almond milk
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup whole white wheat flour
A sprinkle of chocolate chips

Directions:
Mash the banana with baking powder. Add egg, oil, salt, vanilla, almond butter, almond milk and stir.
Stir in oats and flour until just combined. Sprinkle in chocolate chips and fold gently.
Add half of the mixture to a waffle maker. Cook until golden brown. Serve with maple syrup and a few more chocolate chips. Makes two large waffles or four small waffles. 

Roasted Fig + Grape Oatmeal

Last week my farm box surprised me a with box of black mission figs. I thought about using them to make Fig and Prosciutto Flatbread, Fig Jam or some sort of panini. I ultimately decided to switch up my regular oatmeal routine so I roasted the figs and some grapes with a little bit of brown sugar and extra virgin olive oil. I loved the sweetness and crunchy texture of the figs along with the warm roasted grapes. I did not miss the chocolate in my breakfast! I used the rest of my roasted figs and grapes as a topping for my daily yogurt with granola.

     

Ingredients:
4 fresh figs, quartered
1/4-1/2 cup grapes
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1-2 tbsp brown sugar
1 cup old-fashioned oatmeal
1 cup almond milk

Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the fig quarters and grapes on a baking sheet and drizzle with the olive oil. Sprinkle the  brown sugar on top of the figs and grapes.
Place in the oven and roast until the figs and grapes are soft and bubbling, about 6-8 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare oatmeal. I simply use the microwave, putting the oatmeal in a bowl, pouring in the almond milk and microwaving for 1.5 minutes. Microwaves are not created equal. In Michigan my oatmeal is done in 1 minute. Alternatively you can cook oatmeal on the stove by bringing the required amount of water to a simmer and adding the oats and stirring until the oats are cooked through.
When serving, place the oatmeal in bowls, add the roasted figs and grapes, and top with a little more brown sugar. Serve immediately.

Runner's World Black Forest Blizzard

Living off of blended foods for the week after I got four wisdom teeth pulled turned me away from smoothies. I have tried to get into the whole green smoothie fad as a way to pack in the leafy greens, but I am just not a smoothie person. This Runner's World recipe, for example, had been hanging on my fridge for over a year. It even has chocolate! I finally blended it up last weekend after a run. Although it is not packed with spinach and kale, the protein from the greek yogurt and antioxidants from the cherries help reduce inflammation after a tough workout. The Black Forest Blizzard is the smoothie for non-smoothie lovers, tasting more like a light milkshake. I'm still working on drinking my greens, and finally blending up this Black Forest Blizzard is a step in the right direction. If anyone has green smoothie recipes that will convert me, send them my way!

Ingredients:
1 cup frozen, dark sweet cherries
1 frozen banana (freeze them with the peel off)
1 cup dark chocolate almond milk
1/4 cup Greek yogurt
2 teaspoons agave syrup
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
Famous Chocolate Wafer for sprinkling (optional)

Directions:
Combine all ingredients (expect the wafer) in a blender. Blend until smooth and creamy. Top with crumbled chocolate wafer.

Banana Bread Pancakes

Bananas are nature's energy bar. I eat the potassium rich food every morning with my oatmeal, and before heading out on an afternoon run. I love bananas when they are bright and yellow, but I can't eat them plain once they've started turning brown. Baking with brown bananas, however, is ideal. The browner the banana, the better the banana muffins, banana bread and banana bread pancakes. After devouring The Tripel's banana bread french toast a few weekends ago, I decided to experiment with mini banana bread pancakes. I knew this dish would be a hit before I even made it. How could I possibly mess up with banana bread pancakes, topped with butter, maple-agave syrup, blackberries and golden raspberries? It'll be a while before I make regular pancakes. Banana bread style is the way to go!

Ingredients:

2 cups whole white wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2/3 cup milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 large ripe bananas, mashed
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Maple Syrup (or my new favorite maple-agave syrup blend from Trader Joe's)

Directions:
In a bowl or a mixer, combine flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Measure out the milk in a measuring cup and add the vanilla extract to it. Whisk together the dry ingredients and add in milk and vanilla, stirring to combine. The mixture will still be dry. Add in mashed bananas last and mix. Pour in melted butter and stir until batter until smooth.

Heat a pan or griddle on medium heat. Using a big spoonful of batter, pour into mini rounds and cook until bubbles form on top – about 2 minutes. Flip and cook for a minute or two more. Repeat with remaining batter. Serve hot with butter and syrup.

Makes roughly 20 mini pancakes or 10 large pancakes.

Baked Eggs with Chorizo and Potato

Marta, Brooke, Mary Ann and I braved the crowds, and celebrated Easter Sunday at Saint Monica Catholic Church in Santa Monica. The parish organized eleven services throughout the day, and they were all filled to capacity. It was beautiful seeing a long line of people wrapped around the block waiting for their spot in church to worship. After mass we cooked a tasty Easter brunch with mimosas, fruit salad, carrot cake, and this egg dish. Thank you Food and Wine Magazine for making this my go-to brunch dish. I've made it several times over the past few years, and am finally sharing it with my huge following of fans to enjoy.  Happy Easter!

Ingredients:

2 pounds medium Yukon Gold potatoes
1 1/2 pounds chorizo (we used soyrizo from Trader Joe's)
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
6-8 large eggs

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375°. Put the potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and cook over moderate heat until tender, about 25 minutes; drain and let cool. Peel the potatoes and cut them into 3/4-inch pieces.
Meanwhile, heat a 12-inch cast-iron skillet. Add the chorizo, break it into chunks with a wooden spoon and cook over moderate heat, turning, until cooked through and lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Scrape the chorizo mixture into a bowl and wipe out the skillet.
Heat the oil in the skillet. Add the potatoes, season with salt and pepper and cook over moderate heat, turning occasionally, until golden and crispy, about 6 minutes. Stir in the chorizo mixture. Remove the skillet from the heat.
Using a ladle, make 6-8 indentations in the potato-chorizo mixture about 1 inch apart; crack an egg into each one. Bake the skillet in the middle of the oven for about 12 minutes, or until the egg whites are just set but the yolks are still runny.

http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/baked-eggs-with-chorizo-and-potatoes

Peanut Butter Chocolate Banana Oatmeal

Alaina introduced me to Chocolate Covered Katie's creative oatmeal recipes. As loyal oatmeal eaters, we were excited to experiment with her various concoctions. We both had a few failed attempts, so we challenged ourselves to create our own delicious breakfast oatmeal recipe with a touch of creamy chocolate sweetness. Over the past week this has become the reason I get out of bed in the morning. When my alarm goes off at 5:15, I am so tempted to snooze, but knowing that gooey chocolate and peanut butter oatmeal is waiting to be prepared helps me get out of bed. 

Ingredients:

1 cup rolled oats

1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk (or whatever milk you like)

1-2 spoonfuls of semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 spoonful of natural peanut butter

1/2 a banana, sliced

Directions:

Mix rolled oats and chocolate chips in a microwavable bowl. Add the milk. Drop peanut butter on top in the middle (it will soften and get gooey and yummy), and sprinkle a few more chocolate chips, and place banana slices on top. Microwave for 1-2 minutes, depending on your microwave oven, and how you like your oatmeal. I like mine a little crunchy. (Mine in Michigan is ready in 1 minute, and here in LA is ready in 2. Strange huh?) Stir for gooey deliciousness. Be happy to be awake. 

Moving Day Energy Bars

Tears were flowing as our plane took off from our home in Washington DC to embark on our new journey in California. As much as we love Los Angeles, we also couldn't help tearing up the next morning when we caught a glimpse of the Capitol building on the news. Washington DC is inspirational. It is a city filled with intelligence and passion. Washington DC has made us stronger, and taught us what it means to work hard for what you believe in. After two years of learning from some of the best educators in country at Georgetown and KIPP DC: AIM Academy, we are taking what we have learned and bringing it back to California. Brent will be putting his MBA to use at McMaster-Carr, and I'll be teaching 5th grade at KIPP in South LA. Mama raised us to never throw away food, so in the weeks before our move I started cooking unusual combinations of food to make sure everything got used. While Marta was visiting DC we decided to use the last of our baking supplies to make energy bars. We just started throwing energy bar ingredients into the kitchenaid and hoped for the best. The result was quite delicious, required no cooking and was perfect to have on hand while packing. It has now been over a week since I've had all my kitchen supplies, and I am so eager to cook! The moving truck arrives in LA tomorrow, so I'll be energized and ready to cook and blog West Coast inspired meals. 

 

Ingredients:

1 cup natural peanut butter

2 1/2-3 cups old fashioned oats (depending on how the peanut butter and oats are sticking)

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup grade a maple syrup

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup dried cranberries

1/3 cup dried apricots, chopped

Directions:

1. Line a 9x9 square baking pan with wax paper, leaving a 2 inch overhang on 2 opposites sides. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine first five ingredients, tossing with a wooden spoon to mix evenly. (I used my mixer)
3. Last, mix in the dried fruit.
4. Pour the mixture to prepared baking pan, spreading it evenly to the sides. To make energy bites, divide mixture in a mini muffin tin. Press down firmly to compact the granola.
5. Chill in the refrigerator until firm, at least 2 hours, up to overnight. When firm, using the wax paper overhang, lift granola out of pan and place on a cutting board. With a large, sharp knife, cut into bars.

Artichoke Quiche

This weekend was celebratory! Brent graduated from Georgetown with his MBA, and we are so proud of him. Mama and Papa, Mama Lowry, the Backous' and Ross all spent the weekend together celebrating the occasion. Last night we went out to dinner at Posto in Logan Circle for pizza and pasta. Then, despite its pretentiousness, we braved the line at Georgetown Cupcake for dessert. (I recommend the Peanut Butter Fudge) This morning we kept the party going with a graduation brunch. I was inspired by Daniele (Queen of the Perfect Brunch) to make Artichoke Quiche. She raves about how easy it is to prepare, how it can be made ahead of time, and that it tastes great warm or cold. I risked a new recipe, and knew it was a success when Ross announced, "Usually quiche sucks, but this is really good!"

Ingredients:
1 (14 ounce) can quartered artichoke hearts, well drained
1 9 inch pie crust
2 garlic cloves
4 eggs
3 tablespoons grated pecorino romano cheese
6 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
1 -2 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup light cream

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In pan over low-medium heat, add olive oil, saute whole garlic cloves for a minute.
3. Add artichoke hearts and saute them until they start to brown.
4. Remove garlic cloves, and let the artichokes cool completely.
5. In a bowl, beat the eggs, add the cream, cheeses and pepper, mixing well.
6. Add the artichokes and the oil from the pan to the egg mixture, mix well.
7. Carefully pour mixture into pie crust.
8. Bake for 35 minutes or until filling is set and just starts to brown.

Cherry Berry Granola Bars

I don't waste time posting mediocre meals. All of the dishes featured on this blog are ones I consider deliciously yummy. I often speak of blogworthy recipes, and the easiest way for me to know if something blogworthy is Brent's reaction to the dish. I made Cherry Berry Granola Bars on Saturday morning, and before they had even finished cooling Brent popped 3 bars in his mouth. As if he was playing a game of chubby bunny, he attempted to say, "These are really good!" I happen to agree. The variations on this recipe are endless. Switch things up by using pecans or almonds. Try any combination of dried fruits, and use a variety of nut butters for different flavors. Have fun with this tasty breakfast bar.

Ingredients:
1 2/3 cups rolled oats
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup oat flour (I processed rolled oats in a food processor)
1 cup dried fruit (I used a mixture of cherry, blueberry, cranberry)
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/3 cup nut butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 tablespoons melted butter
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 tablespoon water

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8″ x 8″ x 2″ pan with parchment paper, allowing it to go up the opposing sides. Coat the parchment paper with non-stick spray.

Stir all the dry (including nut butter) ingredients together. In a separate bowl, whisk together the vanilla, melted butter, maple syrup, corn syrup and water. Toss the wet ingredients with the dry until the mixture is crumbly. Spread in the prepared pan, pressing them down to make sure they are evenly spread, and molded. I used a ziploc bag to help me press the bars down, as the mixture was very sticky! Bake the bars for 30-35 minutes, or until they’re brown around the edges.

Cool the bars in their pan completely. Once complete cool, cut the bars into squares. If they are too crumbly, try cooling them in the freezer for a few minutes. To store, wrap the bars individually in plastic or to be more eco-friendly, stack them in an airtight container. These bars can also be frozen for later use. Makes 12 bars.

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen.

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. There is no gift giving stress, just good food and good people. What I love most about Thanksgiving is the pie. I absolutely love pie, especially pumpkin pie. Pumpkin products are a little harder to find overseas, so eating pumpkin pie was always a special treat. On Thanksgiving I would eat pumpkin pie for breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert. I know it might seem strange expressing my love for a November holiday in February, and even stranger that this is not a post for pumpkin pie, however these pumpkin muffins allow me to enjoy the flavor of Thanksgiving pumpkin pie all year. Just like I freeze my banana muffins, I bake these muffins in bulk, and then stored in the freezer for lunches. I have also given two versions of the recipe so that you can decide whether you would like to make a healthier muffin, or more of a dessert.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups whole white wheat flour (or all-purpose flour)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin (from a 15 ounce can)
1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce ( or 1/3 cup vegetable oil)
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pumpkin-pie spice
1/2 cup sugar plus one tablespoon (or 1 cup sugar)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
As many chocolate chips as you like

Directions:
Put oven in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Put liners in muffin cups.
Whisk together pumpkin, apple sauce, eggs, pumpkin pie spice,  sugar, chocolate chips, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl until smooth, then whisk in flour mixture until just combined.
Stir together cinnamon and remaining 1 tablespoon sugar in another bowl.
Divide batter among muffin cups (each should be about three-fourths full), then sprinkle tops with cinnamon-sugar mixture. Bake until puffed and golden brown and wooden pick or skewer inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes.
Cool in pan on a rack five minutes, then transfer muffins from pan to rack and cool to warm or room temperature.

Cashew Cookie Larabar

I love larabars, especially the cashew cookie. It makes a great post-run snack, and unlike other foods that claim to be all-natural, but contain ingredients I cannot even pronounce, larabars really are 100% natural. The cashew cookie only has two ingredients, dates and cashews. Buying larabars can get pricey, so this weekend I was determined to find the right proportions and make the cashew cookie larabar at home for half the cost. 

Ingredients:
16 pitted dates
2/3 cup raw unsalted cashews

Instructions:
1. In the food processor, pulse the cashews until it turns to bite size pieces. I like my larabars chunky, so left mine a little bigger. Put cashews into a separate bowl.
2. Pulse the dates until there are not chunky. Put the dates into the bowl with the cashews.
3. With your hands mix the two together until the nuts and dates are well incorporated.
4. On a piece of plastic wrap, spray with non-stick spray then put mixture on the plastic wrap and top with another layer of plastic wrap. Roll to about 1 inch thickness with a rolling pin.
5. Wrap after shaping into large square and put into refrigerator for about 20 minutes. Remove from refrigerator and cut into desired sizes. You can even use cookie cutters to make fun shapes! After cutting them, you can now individually wrap them and place them back in the fridge.

Cranberry Walnut Granola

Greek yogurt, strawberries, honey and granola, yum! We made this granola for a Rally to Restore Sanity brunch here in Washington DC. I wish I could say this was the best dish at the brunch. The prosciutto strata, pumpkin muffins, and artichoke sausage pie were incredible, but this granola served as a light and refreshing palate cleanser. It has crunch, just right sweetness, and spice. Make sure to watch your oven while baking. All ovens cook differently, and burnt granola is no fun.

 

Nonstick canola oil spray
1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar, divided
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup egg whites (about 2 large egg whites)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground pumpkin spice (or allspice)
3 cups old-fashioned oats
1 cup walnut halves, broken in half
1 cup dried cranberries

Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 325°F. Generously coat heavy large rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray. Stir 1/4 cup sugar and syrup in heavy small saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves, occasionally brushing down sides with wet pastry brush. Pour into large bowl; cool to lukewarm. Whisk in egg whites, extract, and spices. Add oats, nuts, and remaining 1/4 cup sugar; toss well.

Spread mixture in even layer on prepared baking sheet. Bake 35 minutes. Using metal spatula, turn granola over (bottom will be brown). Bake 10 minutes. Sprinkle cranberries over; bake until dry, about 10 minutes longer. Cool granola completely in pan.

Banana Muffins

I hate throwing away food, and bananas just seem to go bad all the time. I modified dozens of recipes and came up with this yummy healthy treat. Now I always buy extra bananas, wait for them to get super ripe, make muffins, freeze them and use them as a replacement for granola bars in my lunch box. Warning: Don't expect super sweet muffins. They are sweet, but not dessert style muffins.

Ingredients
3 or 4 very ripe bananas, smashed
1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce
1/2 cup sugar (or 3/4 cup if you are looking for a sweeter muffin)
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
A handful of chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups of whole white wheat flour
Chopped walnuts or oatmeal to top the muffins

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). With a wooden spoon, mix apple sauce into the mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl. Mix in the sugar, egg, and vanilla. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the mixture and mix in. Add the flour and chocolate chips last, mix. Pour mixture into muffin tins. Top each muffin with a few walnuts. Bake for 20-25 minutes. 35-40 minutes for mini-loaves. Allow to cool, then enjoy!

Whole Wheat Waffles

In three weeks I am marrying the man of my dreams. Brent has a passion for service, is incredibly kind to everyone he interacts with, and has the spontaneity a type a girl like me needs. Marrying Brent and celebrating with loved ones is enough of a gift, but friends and family have gone above and beyond to make me feel special during this exciting time in my life. Three weeks ago my sisters planned the perfect bachelorette party in New York City. We took a food tour in Greenwich Village, a foodie's heaven, then went out for dinner and dancing. Last weekend my Mom planned Alicia and I a Julia Child themed wedding shower complete with family recipes from all of the guests. Over the past few weeks I have also been coming home to Crate and Barrel packages. Despite feeling undeserving of these gifts, as a foodie I wasted no time in putting my new kitchen toys to use. This morning I used my new waffle iron (thank you Mrs. Maccoby) and kitchenaid (thank you Weber family) to make waffles from scratch. This recipe confirmed that you should stop wasting your money on pancake and waffle mix. You'll likely have all the ingredients for this recipe at home!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups white whole wheat
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons sugar
1 large egg
1 1/2 cups milk
1/3 cup melted butter
One banana sliced
More butter for spreading
Yummy syrup!

Directions:
Mix the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and sugar. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, and butter or oil. Slowly mix together the wet and dry ingredients, stirring just till combined.
Cook the waffles as directed in the instructions that came with your waffle iron.
Top with butter, sliced bananas and syrup. Enjoy! Make 4 large waffles.