Banana Bread with Orange Glaze

The Brother's are really picky about bananas cooked in things... which was a big pain when The Princess was allergic to eggs. There are many recipes that use bananas to replace eggs, which The Princess would eat, but The Brother's would not. It drove me crazy. Now, we don't have that problem anymore, but we always seem to have rotten bananas around. I swear my kids will gobble bananas like crazy and complain that we don't have enough. But, when I buy a whole bunch, suddenly no one wants them anymore and the entire bunch goes rotten.

That is what happened recently. I found myself with about 9 rotten bananas and needed to do something with them. We did make a batch of Chunky Monkey Muffins, but that only used 4. Brother #1 told me he would not eat the muffins, but would eat plain banana bread. Plain meaning it didn't have stuff in it like chocolate chips. This is the same Brother #1 who prefers chocolate chips in all other muffins or he won't eat them. Apparently banana and chocolate do not go together in his book. So, I decided to make some "plain" banana bread just for him.

This is a recipe I received in a recipe box as a wedding present. It was my FAVORITE recipe for banana bread up until The Princess was diagnosed with an egg allergy and we switched up our diet. There was just too many eggs, too much sugar and a whole lot more things wrong with this recipe. I decided it was time to "clean" up this recipe. I was nervous it wouldn't turn out since I made quite a few changes. Lucky for me and Brother #1 (and for you), it not only turned out, but Brother #1 said it was amazing! Although he probably won't like it tomorrow (because that is how fast his tastes change), at least it was a hit for one day. I will take that!

Banana Bread with Orange Glaze

Bread
1 cup buttermilk

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup coconut oil, melted

1/2 cup no-sugar added applesauce

3 bananas, mashed

2 eggs

1 chia egg (1 Tbsp chia mixed with 3 Tbsp water, let sit for 15 min before adding)

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 tsp almond extract (optional, but so delicious!)

3 3/4 cups wonder flour*

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 cup wheat germ

1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts (optional)

Glaze
1/4 cup agave nectar

1/8 cup orange juice

1/4 tsp almond extract (optional)

1/4 tsp vanilla

1 tsp melted butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 2 loaf pans with coconut oil.

Combine flour (* if using another whole grain flour besides wonder flour, cut the amount to 3 cups), salt, soda, cinnamon, wheat germ, shredded coconut and chopped walnuts (if using) in a bowl.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine buttermilk, sugar, coconut oil, applesauce, bananas, eggs, chia egg, vanilla and almond extract. Mix well.

Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until just barely combined.

Pour into prepared pans. Bake for 1 hour.

Just before bread is done baking, prepare the glaze. Combine agave, orange juice, almond extract, vanilla and melted butter and whisk to combine.

Remove bread from the oven when done and set pans on wire rack to cool. While bread is still hot, drizzle glaze all over the top of the loaves. Allow to cool slightly before turning out of pans.

Eat one loaf and give the other away to a neighbor in need (otherwise you will eat it too)!

Jana

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Egg-less Zucchini Spice Bread

Fall is the time of year when there always seems to be an abundance of zucchini - especially if you grow your own garden. While I am always looking for new ideas to use up my zucchini, there is always the favorite. Zucchini bread. I am also a lover of spice bread - meaning cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg - those kind of spices. So, why not blend the 2 together!

I had a recipe from years back that we used to make, but it calls for 3 eggs and oodles (and oodles and oodles) of sugar. While it tasted great, it was definitely a "treat" and not something to be eaten for breakfast. Obviously I needed a version without eggs and I wanted one that was a bit healthier. This is what I came up with after combining and changing a number of other recipes. It is equally as delicious, but also more filling and worthy of breakfast. Or lunch. Or why not dinner?

Egg-less Zucchini Spice Bread

2/3 cup turbinado (or raw) sugar

2/3 cup sucanat

1 cup coconut oil (or butter. Or even half coconut oil and half butter)

2/3 cup no-sugar added applesauce

1 Tbsp. ground flax mixed with 3 Tbsp. water (or 1 egg)

2 cups grated zucchini

3 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

2 1/2 cups wonder flour (or other whole grain flour, like spelt or kamut)

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. baking powder

3 tsp. cinnamon

1/8 tsp. nutmeg

1/8 tsp. ground cloves

1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (optional - for a special occasion)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.  Spray loaf pan (or muffin tins) with non-stick spray.

Combine sugars, oil, applesauce and flax mixed with water in a large bowl. Beat until well blended. Add the grated zucchini and vanilla and mix well. In another bowl, sift together the dry ingredients.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake at 325 degrees F for 45-55 minutes (for loaf) or 20-25 minutes (for muffins).

These are super yummy served with homemade Apricot Jam or Raspberry Apricot Jam.

Yes, we love muffins more than "loaves" at our house!

Jana

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Egg-less Banana Bread Muffins

I told you a couple weeks ago that I would share some recipes that I used to give me energy while running the Red Rock Relay. Well... you are in luck. Not only is this muffin packed full of good-for-you-while-running ingredients, they are just plain delicious! Who doesn't love banana muffins? Well, The Brother's don't, but they don't like much of anything with banana in it.

I love to hide ground nuts in my muffins. The Brother's don't like nuts, but when I grind them until they are very small they are mostly unnoticeable. They add a yummy flavor and some healthy fat and protein to the muffins. Add some whole-fruit jam (check out this post) for extra yumminess! Combine that with some fruit and you have a quick, healthy breakfast, snack or even lunch. These would be great sent to school in a divided container.

There is a healthy version, and a healthier version (in parentheses). Pick the one that suites your lifestyle - and pantry supplies!

Egg-less Banana Bread Muffins

3 ripe bananas

1/4 cup butter (1/4 cup coconut oil, melted)

1/2 cup sugar (1/2 cup raw or turbinado sugar)

1/2 cup brown sugar (1/2 cup sucanat or cane sugar)

1 cup wonder flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 Tbsp cinnamon

1 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 cup chopped walnuts for pecans (optional)

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (optional - for special occasion or extra fun treat)


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cream butter (oil) with sugar.

In a separate bowl, mash bananas with a potato masher or fork. Add bananas to butter (oil) and sugar and mix well.

Mix all dry ingredients together in a separate bowl. Combine dry ingredients with wet, making sure to scrape the sides of the bowl and mix well. Stir in the nuts, if using.

Spray cooking spray in muffin tin and add a spoonful of batter to each slot - 3/4 of the way full.

Bake for 25 minutes or until tops are lightly browned.

Makes 12 muffins.

Recipe adapted from The Clean Eating Mama

Jana

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Morning Muffins

My kids love muffins - in almost every variety. The problem... they generally always have egg in them and often aren't healthy at all. I have searched so many recipe books and blogs for healthy muffins that actually taste good and this is one of our favorites.

When it comes to breakfast, I have a couple of criteria I use to rate whether a breakfast is healthy (and therefore good enough for my kids. My criteria are as follows...

1. Healthy fats
2. Whole grains
3. Minimal (or no) processed sugar or sweetener
4. Yummy!
5. Easy

These muffins pass with flying colors. And it doesn't hurt that they have a little bit of chocolate in them as well (for The Princess - don't all girls love chocolate?).  Son #1 would eat these for breakfast, lunch and dinner if I would let him. I do grind my nuts (in my blender or food processor) before adding them instead of just chopping them.  The Princess's brothers are a bit weird when it comes to nuts so if they can't really detect them, it works better for everyone.

I generally make these over the weekend or the night before. They can be stored in a sealed container or plastic bag on the counter for a few days or in the fridge for around a week.

Don't panic when you see that it calls for *oat flour. You do not need to run to the store. Oat flour doesn't need to be bought - make your own my pureeing oatmeal in a blender until a fine, dry powder is formed. You can also make sour milk very easily. Simply add a tablespoon of vinegar to a one cup measuring cup and fill to the top with milk. Let it sit for 5 minutes before using in the recipe.

On a side note, I was out of sucanat so I made these with coconut sugar crystals and they worked just fine. In case you happen to have coconut sugar crystals hanging around...

Anyway, lets make some muffins! Here is the ingredient list:

Morning Muffins

1 cup sour milk (I used almond milk)

1/2 cup no-sugar added applesauce

1/4 cup coconut oil, melted

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 Tbsp. ground flax seed mixed with 3 Tbsp. water (or 1 egg)

1/3 cup sucanat (or packed brown sugar)

1/2 cup oat flour*

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 cup instant oats

1/4 cup mini chocolate chips (or regular size works well too)

1/3 cup chopped nuts - walnuts, pecans or almonds (optional, but highly recommended)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease 12 muffins cups.

Combine sour milk, applesauce, coconut oil, vanilla extract, flax seed (or egg) and sucanat and blend well.

Stir together oat flour, wheat flour, baking soda and cinnamon. Add flour mixture to wet mixture and blend well. Fold in oats, chocolate chips and nuts (if using).

Fill muffin tins. These do not rise very high, so a full muffin cup is ok.

Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.

Adapted from Short Order Mom

Jana

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