Eggless Apple Banana Muffins

DJ had a feast with his class a few days ago. Everyone was responsible for bringing their favorite things.Some brought smoothies, others brought mini-pizzas -- and I was bound and determined to bring something that DJ enjoys and flex my muscle in the kitchen. I decided on muffins. I knew the muffins couldn't have egg due to allergies in the classroom. Using a miniature muffin pan, I was able to make two bite muffins. Perfect for little toddlers to pick up and helped tons with portion control. Or popping more of them into your mouth quicker. 

Ingredients
1/4 cup butter
1 tsp vanilla
2 ripe bananas
1 cup applesauce

1 1/8 cup flour
1/3 cup+1 tbsp brown sugar
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt  


Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease/line a muffin tray.
Melt the butter and set aside to cool. Mash the bananas with a fork and mix in the sugar and vanilla and beat till the sugar blends well into it. Add the melted and cooled butter and give a good whisk.

Mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, applesauce and salt. Mix the flour mix into the wet ingredients with a spatula and fold it in just until combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared muffin cups and bake for 20-22 minutes or till the muffins have risen and become golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. 

Source: Easycooking: Eggless Apple Banana Muffins

Apple-Cheddar Salad with Walnuts

Yesterday was day one of taking salad for my lunch, watching portion sizes, and limiting myself to one can of Pepsi a day. So instead of my usual quickly heated in the microwave frozen meal and diving into my candy drawer in my desk mouth first, I had this salad. 

The apple and cheddar are a wonderful combination. I liked the walnuts but found myself eating them separately. This salad is simply dressed with a mixture of apple juice, apple cider vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper. This salad came together quickly and I was done within 10 minutes. I am proud to report - I found myself full and my candy drawer still in tact. 

Ingredients
1/4 cup(s) apple cider or apple juice

2 tablespoon(s) cider vinegar

1 teaspoon(s) honey

1/4 teaspoon(s) salt

1/8 teaspoon(s) coarsely ground black pepper

1 medium (10-ounce) head Boston lettuce, torn into pieces

1 pound(s) (2 to 3 medium) Pink Lady, Honey Crisp, or Empire apples, cored and thinly sliced

1/4 cup(s) walnuts, toasted

3 ounce(s) shaved extra-sharp Cheddar cheese

Directions

In large serving bowl, whisk together cider, vinegar, honey, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper. Add lettuce and apple slices to bowl and toss to coat. Arrange salad on 6 plates; top with walnuts and Cheddar cheese.

Source: GoodHousekeeping

Banana- Caramelized Apple Bread

Last night, I stepped on the scale for the first time since 2008. My weight tends to stay the same, so I really didn't see the point about worrying about a set of numbers. Then, it happened. I stepped on and saw a number that was about 10 pounds higher than what I expected to see. In a feeble attempt to fight that the scale was broken, I stepped on two more times - all with the same result. 

I took a look around the house - scones on the dining room table, cans of pop by my seat, the empty macaroni-and-cheese-for-the-second-time-this-weekend pot, this delicious bread half-devoured on the stove. And for the record, that was all me. I realized that it was time to make a change. No, I am not going to go completely health-food on you. I believe in the wonderful adage, "All things in moderation." So, a reasonable slice of this delicious bread with some yogurt is my breakfast. The idea of cooking the apples in brown sugar and cinnamon before adding them to the batter? Genius. 

Ingredients

1 stick plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 tablespoons dark brown sugar

2 Granny Smith apples—peeled, cored and cut into 1/2-inch dice

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 very ripe bananas, mashed (1 cup)

1/4 cup fresh orange juice

Directions

In a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter with the brown sugar. Add the apples and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until tender and golden, 4 to 5 minutes. Add 1/2 teaspoon of the cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon of the vanilla and transfer the apples to a plate.

Preheat the oven to 350°. Grease and flour a 9-by-5-by-4 1/2 inch loaf pan. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, salt, cloves, nutmeg and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon.

In a large bowl, using a handheld electric mixer, beat the remaining stick of butter with the granulated sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and mix until smooth. Add the mashed bananas, orange juice and the remaining 1 teaspoon of vanilla and beat until smooth. Add the dry ingredients and beat on low speed until smooth. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the apples.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface. Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean; cover loosely with foil if the loaf becomes too dark. Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10 minutes before turning it out onto a rack to cool completely.

Source: Melissa Murphy, Foodandwine.com

Apple Strudel Muffins

One of DJ's current favorite movies is Over The Hedge. Weeknights, we spend in "school" learning letters, making crafts, and reading books. On weekends, he is allowed to pick one animation movie to watch. Many times, he'll pick Over The Hedge. It's a cute little movie about a pack of animals that learn that while they eat to live, humans live to eat. 
There is an adorable little clip (click here to watch it) that explains all of the things that food is to humans: how it's made, heated and cooled, right down to how it is thrown in a garbage can.  

How true it is - food really does affect our lives and moods. Regardless of whether I'm happy, sad, or the million things in between - I cook and bake. When I feel so frustrated that I think I'm going to blow my lid, I get myself in the kitchen to take it out on some baked goods. These muffins were a blow-off-the steam-and-give-me-my-cell-phone-and-five-minutes-of-peace-so-I-can-find-a-recipe-ASAP. Some people smoke, others drink, and some gamble - my get away is no further than my own kitchen. 


These muffins are great - and I especially love the strudel on top. After reading some of the reviews, I adapted the original recipe slightly based upon the suggestions of others. I split the sugar between brown and white. I added cinnamon to the batter as it was just originally in the strudel. Lastly, I added a few tablespoons of apple sauce. A wonderful balance of cinnamon, sugar, and apple make these muffins moist and delicious and made the house smell nice and cozy warm. All you need with smells like those are a big, comfy hoodie, hot chocolate or coffee, a movie, a blanket, and some snuggles - maybe with your favorite three-year-old. 
Enjoy! 

Ingredients

For the muffins:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 heaping tablespoons applesauce

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cup apples, half grated other half chopped

For the strudel:

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon butter

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 12 cup muffin pan. In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.

In a large bowl, beat together butter, sugars and eggs until smooth. Mix in vanilla. Stir in apples, and gradually blend in the flour mixture. Spoon the mixture into the prepared muffin pan. In a small bowl, mix brown sugar, flour and cinnamon well to avoid sinking. Once blended, cut in butter until mixture is like coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over tops of mixture in muffin pan.

Bake 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Allow to sit 5 minutes before removing muffins from pan. Cool on a wire rack.

Source: Adapted from AllRecipes.com