Chocolate Banana Ice Cream

Tags

bananas, chocolate, dessert, food, ice cream, recipe, treats

I eat this ice cream a few times a week.

The best part(s)? There’s absolutely no cream in it!

AND. You don’t need a fancy pants ice cream maker.

AND. You won’t feel guilty after you eat it.

AND.

AND.

It’s the best gosh darn soft served ice cream I’ve ever had.

So what’s the secret? Partially frozen bananas, peanut butter, and cocoa powder.

Chocolate Banana Ice Cream (From Use Real Butter)
>> Click here for printable recipe

Ingredients

• 2 ripe bananas
• 1 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1 tbsp peanut butter

Directions:

1. Slice the bananas into 1/4-inch thick slices. Place in a sandwich bag or container and freeze for 2 hours.
2. Process the partially frozen bananas in a food processor until it reaches a creamy consistency. This will take about 30 – 45 seconds.
3. Add in the cocoa powder and peanut butter. Process until well blended.
4. Serve immediately. Will serve two — if you can restrain yourself….

My Two Cents: I’m not exaggerating when I say I’m completely obsessed with this recipe. It’s a genius way to use up the last few rotting bananas on the counter. PLUS I get my daily dose of potassium in a new and fun way.

You don’t have to make this the same day you freeze the bananas, either. Freeze bananas in slices as they become rotten. Then when you’re in the mood for ice cream, simply leave on the counter for a half hour before processing in the food processor.

Freeze any leftovers you have — though it will get very hard overnight (like a rock hard). But you can defrost it in the microwave for 15-20 seconds — it’ll soften up to soft-serve consistency perfectly.

If you’re making this for many people, use 1 banana per person.

Add in anything you desire. I’m thinking Nutella next time?

ENJOY! I hope you are as breathlessly head over heels in love with this recipe as I am.

P.S. A very Happy Birthday to my first reader and number one fan of this blog, my Mom!

Banana Chocolate Chip Bars with a Nutella Swirl

Tags

baking, banana bars, bananas, bars, Brownies, chocolate, chocolate chips, food, Nutella, recipe, recipes

Long weekends always almost call for delicious desserts.

My mom invited my whole family over for a turkey dinner last night (Thanksgiving Part 2!) because she snagged an extra $5.00 13 lb turkey the week before Thanksgiving. So I thought I’d bring something for dessert.

I wanted to go beyond the standard cake or brownie. And I’ve been cookie-ed out since Christmas. I had 3 bananas on the counter and thought, “hmmm something with bananas.” Then I remembered I had Nutella. And bananas and Nutella are always a good pairing. “hmmm….I wonder if there’s a brownie recipe out there for this.”

Of. Course. There. Is.

And it exists here on this gigantic INDEX OF AMAZING NUTELLA RECIPES:

http://www.nutelladay.com/nutella-recipes/

If you have never seen this index, bookmark it now. There is literally every single kind of sweet decadence that exists with Nutella in it on this page. Brownies, cakes, cookies, pancakes, candy, pizza, you name it. So sure enough, they had my banana and Nutella combo in bar form. And you bet I made it.

And you bet that it was a hit!

Banana Chocolate Chip Bars with a Nutella Swirl (Adapted from The Onyx Plate)

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted (1 1/2 sticks)
• 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 3 ripe bananas, mashed
• 1 egg
• 2 cups flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 cup chocolate chips (semi-sweet or milk chocolate)
• 3/4 – 1 cup Nutella

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 13 x 9 inch baking pan with cooking spray, or line with parchment paper.
2. In large bowl, mix together the melted butter, brown sugar, and white sugar.
3. Mix in the vanilla, egg, and bananas.
4. In a separate bowl, sift together the baking powder and flour, then gradually add the flour mixture to the banana batter until just incorporated. The batter will be lumpy because of the bananas — do not over mix.
5. Fold in the chocolate chips and spread the batter out onto prepared pan. Melt the Nutella in the microwave for 30 seconds to make it easy to spread. Then drop it onto the batter in dollops. Take a knife and cut through the Nutella to make the swirls.
6. Bake for 35 minutes or until the center springs back when you touch it. (The toothpick test might not work so well here since the Nutella may mess you up.)
7. Let cool for 30 minutes to 1 hour in the pan before cutting and serving —- if you can wait that long!

My Two Cents: Between 11 people, there were only 3 small pieces left in this pan by the end of the night. These bars were like banana bread, but better. You didn’t have to slice the bread and have it crumble in front of your face. You didn’t have to deal with a gooey dense center (even though those are good on occasion). Instead, this turned into a banana-y, Nutella-ness, cakey, beautiful, blond (not quite brownie), Bar.

In essence, an oodle of yummness.

Try it and taste for yourself!

 

Banana Corn Fritters

Tags

bananas, cooking, food, fritters, quick meals, recipes

When I have rotting bananas on the counter, I don’t always want to make banana bread. And to be honest, freezing bananas grosses me out. I’ve frozen them both in the peel and without the peel, and because they turn dark brown/black, it’s not an appetizing visual to cook or bake with them.

So I prefer to use the rotting flesh in real time.

The other week I had 3 completely brown bananas on the kitchen table. And I wanted to make something savory this time. Bananas are so healthy and packed with nutrients, sometimes they should be utilized without 1 cup of sugar to accompany them.

So I went searching and found these fritters. They’re much healthier than the traditional fried fritter, bigger, and can be served as the main meal with a few other sides, or an accompaniment to a main course.

Banana Corn Fritters (From Eating Well)

Serves 5

Cook time: 30 min

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 1/4 cups mashed bananas (about 3 medium)
• 1 large egg
• 2 tbsp milk
• 2 tbsp canola oil

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil and coat with cooking spray.
2. Whisk cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper in a medium bowl. Mix banana, egg, and milk in another bowl. Add the cornmeal mixture to the banana mixture and stir until just combined (will be lumpy).
3. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, reduce the heat to medium. Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, scoop batter evenly onto pan. (I could fit 5 fritters on mine). Flatten slightly with the back of a spoon. Cook the fritters until golden brown on each side, about 1-2 minutes per side. (Remember, you’re not cooking them all the way through.) Transfer to the baking sheet. Heat the remaining tbsp of oil and cook the remaining batter.
4. Transfer fritters to oven and bake until puffed and firm to the touch, about 8-10 minutes.

My Two Cents: These were like little cakes, but they weren’t sweet cakes. So they’re a great side to a bowl of soup or salad—or even meat, such as pork or chicken. I think I should’ve made a soup to go with this, because these would’ve been perfect dipped in a Mexican-like bean soup.

The banana wasn’t subtle, but it wasn’t overpowering either. And the cayenne pepper was quite noticeable, but in a good way. I never expect anything with banana flavor to get a little kick–I liked it!

Alone, the fritters are a little on the dry side since they are baked, not fried. So a topping of sour cream would work well here. I actually brought some extras to work the next day and slathered them with hunks of peanut butter.

All in all, an interesting savory take on bananas.

What other savory banana dishes are out there that I can try?

 

Whole Wheat Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Tags

baked goods, baking, bananas, chocolate chips, food, Muffins, recipe, recipes, whole wheat

I recently achieved not one, but TWO of my goals.

I did a half hour of yoga today, and was both annoyed at how my body was twisted in all sorts of weird ways, yet rejuvenated after I was all done.

I also bought a kitchen shelf and new storage containers. Now I finally have a place to put my different types of flour. I can stock up on canned goods. And I now have extra space for appliances I don’t use frequently, or big dishes that never fit anywhere else. Hooray! (And, folks, I must thank Josh over at Crying Onions for the shelf suggestion–thanks, Josh!)

It’s amazing how a shelf can really brighten your day. And yoga.

So to celebrate my two most recent accomplishments, enjoy a healthy muffin with me. These banana chocolate chip muffins are made with whole wheat. And as my mother would say, you would never know when you bite into it… (When I was younger, my mom would often put whole wheat flour or flax into baked goods. We would often cringe at the thought, but now that I’m older and my metabolism is slowing down, I understand why my mom snuck whole wheat into baked goods. You get to eat some sweets–but without all the guilt!)

Whole Wheat Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins (Adapted from Joy of Baking)

Makes 16

Ingredients:

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1 1/2 cups mashed banana (about 3 large ripe bananas)
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup maple syrup (preferably pure)
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line 16 muffin cups with paper liners.

2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.

3. In another large bowl, combine the mashed bananas, eggs, maple syrup, brown sugar, milk, oil, and vanilla. With a rubber spatula or wooden spool, lightly fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. Then fold in the chocolate chips. Be careful not to overmix the muffin batter. The dry ingredients should be mixed in, but it should still be lumpy.

4. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tins about 3/4 full. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then remove onto a wire rack to cool completely.

5. Eat your heart out.

My Two Cents: You can’t go wrong with these muffins.

And might I recommend baking these in cute, colorful, reusable silicon cups? My future mother-in-law gave these to me as a Christmas present this past year, and I absolutely love them. Best part? Dishwasher safe!

Also, beware. These are so good that before you know it, you’ll be sitting on the couch in a muffin-coma…

Peanut Butter Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies

Tags

baking, bananas, chocolate chips, Cookies, food, peanut butter cookies, recipes

I was craving all three of these ingredients last night. And instead of eating a few spoonfuls of peanut butter, a banana, and some chocolate chips, I decided to see if there was a recipe out there that combined all of them into one.

By golly gosh darn dang it there was.

Evidently I’m not the only person out there who craves these three wonderful ingredients at the same time.

But before I continue with the recipe, I need to inform you that these are not your typical cookies. They’re actually very different, dense, thick cookies. They don’t have eggs. They also don’t have white granulated sugar. (I know…you’re thinking, “Megan, you have sinned. No granulated sugar? No eggs? Two very important ingredients in your basic cookie? I’m leaving.”)

But don’t leave yet! These cookies are (somewhat) healthy, tasty, and actually very filling. You don’t feel like you need to eat 6 of them to be satisfied (only 3 for me…)

Go on and try ‘em.

Peanut Butter Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies (Adapted from Zesty Cook)

Makes 15-20 cookies

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1/4 cup mashed bananas (about 1 medium)
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1 tsp vanilla
• pinch of salt
• 1 cup flour
• 1/3 cup chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Mix together maple syrup, brown sugar, canola oil, peanut butter, banana, and vanilla with a wooden spoon. Add the flour and salt; stir to combine.

3. Stir in the chocolate chips.

4. Roll dough into small balls and place on a baking pan. Press down on the balls with the back of a fork or spoon. Bake for 15 – 20 minutes until the tops are golden brown. Let cool on a wire rack before serving.

My Two Cents: Please, oh please squash down your dough a bit before you bake these cookies. The first batch I made I (wise old me) just left them in their ball form, and they didn’t spread out at all. Whoops.

But I am actually really impressed with these cookies. No butter. No eggs. No granulated sugar–yet they don’t taste deprived of sweetness at all. The brown sugar and maple syrup are sweet enough. Plus, the peanut butter itself is sweet. If there was any more sugar in this, it would actually be too sweet for my palate.

Originally this recipe called for oat flour. I don’t have any oat flour, and I’m not sure if that would’ve made a difference in the texture of these cookies, but have at it if you have it in the house. Also, chunky peanut butter would give these cookies a different texture element. And pecans. Pecans would be excellent in these. I’m not normally a nut person, but these cookies tasted more like breakfast cookies than dessert cookies, and pecans would pair well with that idea in mind. And, you know, I do like to eat cookies for breakfast…

Chocolate Swirl Banana Bread

Tags

baking, banana bread, bananas, breads, chocolate, food, quick bread, recipe, recipes

I buy bananas every week, and usually by the end of the week there are two or three brown ones fermenting on my table. I usually freeze them, but last week my sister and her husband were visiting me, so I decided to whip up some banana bread.

I was in the mood to add chocolate to this one, and then I remembered I had bookmarked one gorgeous looking banana bread recipe a few months ago from Elizabeth’s site, Free Food Boston. It called for 3 ripe bananas, a little bit of butter, and some Greek yogurt. I’ve been on a huge Greek yogurt kick lately. I’ve been trying to make healthier choices about what snacks I bring to work,  and fat-free Greek yogurt is a great choice. I mix in granola and fresh fruit–it’s the perfect mid-morning or mid-afternoon snack.

But back to the bread. This isn’t terribly healthy, but it is healthier than most quick breads, which call for 1 stick of butter

Chocolate Swirl Banana Bread (Adapted from Free Food Boston)

Makes 1 loaf

Ingredients:

• 2 cups flour
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 3 ripe bananas (1 1/2 cups)
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium-size bowl.

3. Place the sugar and butter in another bowl and beat until well blended, about 1 minute. Add the bananas, eggs, and yogurt; beat until blended. Add in the flour mixture gradually, keeping the mixer at low speed; mix until the flour is just combined into the batter.

4. Place the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on HIGH for 1 minute. Then stir the chocolate chips until they are smooth. Add 1 cup of the banana batter to the melted chocolate, stirring until combined.

5. Spoon the chocolate batter alternately with the banana batter into an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 greased loaf pan. Swirl the batters together with a knife to get a marbled effect.

6. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely (if you can even wait that long).

My Two Cents: I love any baked goods with banana in it. So naturally I adored this recipe! Half of it was inhaled by 3 people within 15 minutes.

Swirling is an art. Clearly I have not perfected that art. Kudos to you if you are a swirling queen/king

This bread was incredibly moist. There was just enough butter in it to give it the fat it needed, but the lip-licking moisture came from the yogurt and bananas.

And FYI–the original recipe called for almonds (1/2 cup to be exact) to be added to the mix, but I’m not a huge fan of nuts in my baked goods. If you are, by all means add them!

Plus, this was so easy and quick to whip up. One of the reasons why I love quick breads is because you can make the batter in 15 minutes or less, and then sit around visiting with other people while the soft banana aroma slowly fills your house.

Enjoy!