Banana Fudge Pops

These handy popsicle molds are not necessary--some people make popsicles with paper cups and popsicle sticks.  However, if you happen upon any at a garage sale or second-hand store, they are handy to have around.

Basically all you do is thoroughly mash bananas, peanut butter, cocoa powder, vanilla, and milk together; spoon into popsicle molds; and freeze.

Begging pardon--my amounts are approximated.  I didn't measure anything; and I ended up with too much filling.  The leftover filling I froze in an ordinary container for spoon eating.  For six pops, three bananas probably would have been enough.

Banana Fudge Pops

3-4 ripe bananas, mashed
1/4 to 1/3 c. Peanut butter
3-4 T. Cocoa powder
1 splash vanilla extract
Milk, to thin

Beat all ingredients together until smooth.  Taste for correct amounts of cocoa and peanut butter.  Add frozen blueberries or strawberries, if desired.  Spoon into popsicle molds.  Cover with lids, add sticks, and freeze.  Makes 6-8

Savor on a summer day!

Post-Workout Smoothie (Milkshake?)

Pure deliciousness

At what point does a smoothie cross the line and become a milkshake?  Is it when it tastes too good to be true?  Is it when chocolate is added?  Is it when it ceases to be healthy?  Whatever the case, this beverage is so delicious that it probably crosses that line.

I've recently taken up running.  And being the perfectionist that I am, I haven't started it without doing some research.  My sources tell me that it's best to eat something--especially protein--within 30 minutes after working out.  This helps rebuild the muscles you've damaged exercising. 

Other sources have told me particular things that are good to eat after running--yummy things like dark chocolate, bananas, and peanut butter.  Considering everything I've read, this smoothie seems to be the perfect food to eat/drink after running: it cools you off, it re-hydrates you, it's full of protein, and it's delicious.  Regardless of how many calories it contains, you've probably just burned them off, and you deserve the reward!

*You don't have to work out before drinking this; but if you do, there will be no guilt in savoring every delightful sip.

Just five lovely ingredients

Here are the ingredients: cocoa powder, banana, peanut butter, almond milk, and frozen yogurt.  (There is enough sugar in everything else to sweeten the cocoa.)  I use frozen ingredients in my smoothies so that they won't be diluted with ice cubes.  If you like it thicker, go ahead--but I'm warning you, it would be better to freeze the banana.

Place it all in the blender and blend until smooth.  Vary amounts according to taste.

Tip: an easy way to clean your blender is to fill it with water and add a drop of dish soap.  Blend on low (some blenders have an "easy clean" setting) until clean.  Rinse thoroughly.

Chocolate Protein Smoothie

1 medium banana
Peanut butter to taste
Cocoa powder to taste
Vanilla frozen yogurt to taste
Almond (or regular) milk to thin

Blend until smooth.  Savor every sip.

Little Snack Cookies

2 old, very ripe bananas
1 c. quick oats
Cinnamon to taste
Nuts, if desired
Chocolate chips, if desired
Raisins, if desired

Preheat oven to 350° F.  Mash bananas and stir in oatmeal (and other ingredients, if desired).  Drop by teaspoon onto greased or paper-lined cookie sheet.  Bake 15 minutes.

Enjoy your healthy cookies!

**I saw this idea on Pinterest, but the cinnamon and add-ins were my idea.  :)  

Our 100th Post

Chocolate-Ribboned Peanut Butter Banana Bread

Topping:

1/2 C. all-purpose flour

1/2  C. packed brown sugar

1/4 C. creamy peanut butter

1/2 t. ground cinnamon

Batter:

1/2 C. butter, softened

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 1/4 C. sugar

2 eggs

1 C. mashed ripe bananas (3-4 bananas)

1 t. vanilla extract

2 1/4 C. all-purpose flour

1 1/2 t. baking powder

1/2 t. baking soda

1 t. ground cinnamon

1 1/2 C. semisweet chocolate chips

For topping: In small bowl, stir flour, brown sugar, peanut butter, and cinnamon until crumbly; set aside.

In a large bowl, cream butter, cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, beating well. Beat in bananas and vanilla. Stir in flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon until just moistened.

Divide half of batter between two greased 8"x4" loaf pans. Sprinkle with half of topping and top with chocolate chips. Repeat layers of batter and topping.

Bake at 350° F. for 45-55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire rack.

Enjoy with a glass of milk.

Note: This tastes even better when you prepare it with your friend and blogging partner!  Thank you for sticking around 100 posts!  ~H&K

Banana Breakfast Cookies

Delicious, filling substitute for granola bars!

3 ripe bananas
2 c. rolled oats
1 c. raisins
1/3 c. plain yogurt
1 t. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350° F.  Mash bananas in a large bowl.  Add remaining ingredients.  Mix well; allow to sit for 15 minutes.  Drop on paper-lined cookie sheets.  Bake 20 minutes or until lightly brown.

Best Smoothie Ever

1 banana, frozen
2 T. peanut butter (approximately)
1 T. cocoa powder (approximately)
water (or milk) to thin
sweetener may be added to taste, if so desired

Combine in a blender until smooth.  Chill before eating, if desired.

Peanutty Chocolate Banana Muffins

2 c. flour
1 c. sugar
1 T. baking powder
½ t. salt
1 c. mashed, ripe bananas (I used 3 bananas)1/3 c. milk
1/3 c. peanut butter
3 T. peanut oil (can use vegetable or canola)
1 egg
1 c. chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 400° F.  Place papers in 17 muffin cups (18 if you make small muffins). 

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.  In a separate bowl, mix bananas, milk, peanut butter, oil, and egg.  Add to dry ingredients, mixing just until moistened.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Place ¼ c. batter in each muffin paper (use less per muffin if you want 18 muffins). 

Bake 20-25 minutes.

The reason the number of muffins is off is that this recipe originally made 1 loaf of bread, baked at 350° for 60 minutes.  And the original recipe calls for chocolate chips and chopped peanuts to be sprinkled on top before baking.

Banana Nut Bread

This is my new favorite banana bread! It seems that after a while, my stand-by recipe gets old. Then a quest for a new b-bread recipe begins. That may end now. The last search began because my then-present recipe had too many ingredients. So I looked for something simpler, and here it is! This recipe is from ELT, the 1930's cookbook. I didn't change a thing. (I didn't even correct the grammatical errors!)

1/2 c. fat

1 c. sugar

2 eggs

3 crushed bananas

2 c. whole-wheat flour

1 t. soda

1/4 c. nut meats

Crush bananas and whip until very light. Cream butter and sugar, add eggs, then flour, soda and nuts. Add bananas. Turn into a well greased bread pan. Bake in a moderate oven at 350° for 1 hour.

I never used to like nuts in banana bread. But in the spirit of following the recipe precisely, I added them as directed. It was so delicious that way! Although I may add cinnamon next time, this recipe is definitely a keeper.

Because of Jesus Christ,

H

Speedy Fruit Salad

1 pint fresh strawberries, sliced

1 lb seedless grapes, halved*

3 bananas, peeled and sliced

1 8-oz. container strawberry yogurt (or flavor of your choice)

*fresh blueberries may be substituted--my preference at least

Combine and serve. Serves 12

Chocolate Chip Banana Pancakes

K, the next time your neighbor gives you ripe bananas, you can do this with your pancakes! =D

1 1/4 c. flour
1 T. sugar
2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. ground cinnamon
1 1/4 c. milk
1 small ripe banana, mashed (about 1/2 c.)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 t. vanilla extract
1/3 c. miniature chocolate chips, divided

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl. After thoroughly mixing, stir in milk, banana, egg, and vanilla. Fold in 1/4 c. chocolate chips. Grease nonstick skillet or griddle; heat over medium heat. Pour batter onto griddle making 3-inch rounds. Cook about 2 minutes, or until tops are bubbly; flip and cook another 2 minutes, or until golden. Prepare remaining pancakes, adding more grease to griddle with each batch. Place on individual plates and sprinkle with remaining chocolate chips. Yeild: approximately 4 servings.

Blueberry-Banana Muffins

1 3/4 c. flour
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1/4 c. quick oats
2/3 c. sugar
1/3 c. oil
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla
3 ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 to 3/4 c. blueberries (fresh or frozen)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees (F). Place paper liners in 16-18 muffin tins. Sift flour, salt, baking powder, and soda; stir in oatmeal. Combine sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla; beat until bubbly. Stir blueberries into flour mixture. Mash bananas and add to liquid mixture. Add flour mixture to liquid mixture and gently stir until dry ingredients are moist. Fill prepared muffin tins 2/3 full. If desired, sprinkle tops with sugar. Bake for about 25 minutes or until lightly browned and toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove to wire rack to cool.
Yeild: I always get 17 muffins out of this.
Note: If desired, substitute chocolate chips for the blueberries. =)

Why stir the blueberries into the dry ingredients? I've read that it keeps them from turning the muffins green with their juice. If you wish to add them to the wet ingredients, or add them after combining everything else, go right ahead and do so. It probably doesn't matter. =D