what do you think about when you think of bananas?

ew... gross. get your mind out of the gutter. 

bananas remind me of my mother. i bet you didn't see that one coming. but it's true. banana has always been her flavor. she is literally the only person i know who likes banana now&laters. 

i myself over dosed on bananas after seventeen years of swimming and i only eat them out of desperation or to cure a cramp. 

but i have a ton of appreciation for an ingredient i can still use after it has past it's prime. and let's be real. how often do you get to finish ALL the bananas you bought? 

not only are these muffins the perfect place to get rid of your over ripe bananas, it is quick to make and they are the perfect grab and go breakfast snack after a workout or before you start your day.

whole wheat banana + choco chip muffins
serves: 12 muffins
prep time: 10 minutes
bake time: 20 minutes
total time: 30 minutes

4 over ripe bananas. 1 cup brown sugar. 2 eggs. 1 tsp vanilla extract. .75 c butter (1.5 sticks), melted. 2 cups whole wheat flour. 1.5 tsp baking soda. .5 tsp salt. .5 c mini choco chips. .5 c chopped pecans plus extra for muffin tops.

preheat the oven to 375 f. in the bowl of a stand mixer or a mixing bowl with a whisk or hand blender, whisk together the banana and brown sugar until well combined. 

with the mixer on, add in the butter, eggs and vanilla.

turn the mixer to slow and pour in the dry ingredients till just incorporated. 

fold in the choco chips and pecan bits. 

pour the batter into prepared muffin tins (either with muffin cups or lightly buttered). top with a few pecans and bake for 16-20 minutes until golden brown on top. 

serve warm or room temperature. 

xoxo,
a

whole wheat banana + choco chip muffins
prep time: 10 minutes
bake time: 20 minutes
total time: 30 minutes
serves: 12 muffins

4 over ripe bananas. 1 cup brown sugar. 2 eggs. 1 tsp vanilla extract. .75 c butter (1.5 sticks), melted. 2 cups whole wheat flour. 1.5 tsp baking soda. .5 tsp salt. .5 c mini choco chips. .5 c chopped pecans plus extra for muffin tops.
preheat the oven to 375 f. in the bowl of a stand mixer or a mixing bowl with a whisk or hand blender, whisk together the banana and brown sugar until well combined. 
with the mixer on, add in the butter, eggs and vanilla.
turn the mixer to slow and pour in the dry ingredients till just incorporated. 
fold in the choco chips and pecan bits. 
pour the batter into prepared muffin tins (either with muffin cups or lightly buttered). top with a few pecans and bake for 16-20 minutes until golden brown on top. 
serve warm or room temperature. 

the count down is officially on. in nineteen days i will be entering a new decade of my life. 

looking back on the last three decades, i realize i am heading into uncharted territory. when i was young, i always speculated what would happen to me before thirty. i thought i would be married with four kids by thirty. ummmmmmm..... one down, four to go? 

when i discovered cooking i set the lofty goal of a restaurant by thirty. ha. 

but nowhere in my adolescent fantasizing about my future did i ever contemplate what would happen to me after i turned thirty. that was an age beyond what i could comprehend. 

my first thirty years were strongly goal driven and VERY planned. i put a lot of pressure on myself to reach the goals i set out for myself. goals that i had set years prior with out any thought to who i would grow to be or how my interests would change. 

so for the next thirty, i plan to spend my time working at things i love and quickly letting go of those that i don't. 

baking is one of those things that i'm learning to love. when i first started, i found the precision and patience baking requires daunting. however, the hurry up and wait aspect of baking is the perfect method for me as i'm running around the house doing a million different things. all i have to do is set it and forget it until the timer goes off. 

i've been working on a light but moist muffin that i can grab as i'm running out the door and these did not disappoint.

black and blue muffins
serves: 12 muffins
prep time: 10 min
bake time: 20-25 min
total time: 35 min

1.75 cups whole wheat flour. 1 tsp baking powder. .5 tsp fine salt. .25 tsp baking soda. .5 c packed brown sugar. .5 c butter. 2 eggs. .25 c olive oil. .5 c cottage cheese. 1 tsp orange zest. 1 tsp vanilla extract. .5 c halved blackberries. .5 c blueberries. oats and extra brown sugar optional. 

preheat your oven to 350 f. 

whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder and set aside. 

in the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment or with a hand blender, cream together the butter and brown sugar. 

with the mixer on slow, crack in the eggs one at a time. 

in succession, add in the oil, cottage cheese, extract and zest. 

when the wet ingredients are combined, slowly add in the dry ingredients just until everything is combined.

turn off the mixer and fold in the berries. 

pour the batter into a prepared muffin tin. sprinkle the tops with a little brown sugar and some oats. 

bake for 20-24 minutes. until a toothpick comes out clean and the top is a light golden brown. 

xoxo
a

black and blue muffins
serves: 12 muffins
prep time: 10 min
bake time: 20-25 min
total time: 35 min

1.75 cups whole wheat flour. 1 tsp baking powder. .5 tsp fine salt. .25 tsp baking soda. .5 c packed brown sugar. .5 c butter. .25 c olive oil. .5 c cottage cheese. 1 tsp orange zest. 1 tsp vanilla extract. .5 c halved blackberries. .5 c blueberries. oats and extra brown sugar optional. 

preheat your oven to 350 f. 

whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder and set aside.
in the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment or with a hand blender, cream together the butter and brown sugar.
with the mixer on slow, crack in the eggs one at a time.
in succession, add in the oil, cottage cheese, extract and zest.
when the wet ingredients are combined, slowly add in the dry ingredients just until everything is combined.
turn off the mixer and fold in the berries.
pour the batter into a prepared muffin tin. sprinkle the tops with a little brown sugar and some oats.
bake for 20-24 minutes. until a toothpick comes out clean and the top is a light golden brown.