3 ingredient frozen banana bites.

Did you know frozen bananas taste just like ice cream? They get that same creamy texture with all the sweetness included. It's an amazing thing.

Chocolate chips+peanut butter+bananas are all you need to make these healthier, sweet tooth-satisfying bites that taste like ice cream. Genius, right?

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Ingredients:

1/4 ish cup chocolate chips (per banana)

Peanut butter

Banana(s)

Directions:

1. Slice bananas and lay half of them flat on a parchment/wax/silicone covered baking sheet.
2. Spread about 1 tsp peanut butter on each banana slice (as shown in first photo below).
3. Top each peanut butter covered slice with the remaining plain banana slices (as shown in second photo below).
4. Freeze for at least 30 minutes. This will make the next step easier.
5. When banana bites are frozen, melt chocolate chips as directed on bag label. I used semi sweet but have also used vanilla almond bark with yummy results.
6. Dip each banana bite halfway in chocolate. Return to baking sheet. Alternatively, you could spoon chocolate over each bite instead of dipping. This may require more chocolate.
7. Return baking sheet to freezer and freeze until set. I left mine in an hour or two. When set, serve immediately or place banana bites in container and return to freezer. 

blueberry banana doughnuts.

I got a doughnut pan for Christmas and I have been dying to use it. 2 months later, I finally got around to using it. 

We had a very ripe banana just begging to be baked and tons of frozen blueberries packed away in the freezer from this summer. Therefore, this was the perfect recipe to inaugurate this doughnut pan. (Did I use that word correctly? Hmph, probably not- oh well!)

If you go to the original doughnut recipe, I made several changes. I used different flour, sugar, and yogurt. I also made a delicious blueberry glaze which I highly reccommend. If you don't have enough blueberries or you prefer a more traditional glaze, you can't go wrong with vanilla glaze! Just go to whole and heavenly oven to find it. I hope you enjoy this health(ier) doughnut recipe as much as we did!

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blueberry banana doughnuts {with blueberry glaze}

Ingredients

• Doughnut recipe from whole and heavenly oven
• 2 cups flour (I used all purpose)
• 1/2 cup sugar (I used 1/4 cup stevia, 1/4 cup granulated sugar)
• 3 teaspoons cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 medium ripe banana, mashed
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup yogurt (I used strawberry greek yogurt)
• 3/4 cup buttermilk (I used 1% milk+lemon juice)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries 
• 
  
• Glaze recipe from blahnik baker
• ½ cup blueberries
• 1-1½ cups powdered sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F and grease a doughnut pan. Set aside.
2. In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl, mix mashed banana, eggs, yogurt, buttermilk, and vanilla until smooth. 
3. Gently fold dry mixture into liquid mixture until just combined. Gently fold in blueberries.
4. Fill greased doughnut pan 3/4 full of batter. Bake donuts at 350F 15-17 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool doughnuts in pan 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
5. In a small bowl, mash blueberries (or stick them in a food processor). Add powdered sugar to blueberries until smooth. You want the glaze fairly thick so add powdered sugar as needed.
6. Once doughnuts are cooled, transfer to wax paper (for easier clean-up). Dip them into the glaze or spoon glaze over doughnuts. 
7. We left doughnuts out for 2 days then transfered them to freezer. Pop in the microwave as desired  and enjoy!

banana oat muffins.

Here is a healthier banana muffin recipe for your Thursday! It uses wholesome ingredients such as oats and bananas. I used stevia instead of sugar to cut back on the carbs. The bananas and vanilla greek yogurt combined with the stevia help bring out sweetness in the muffins.  When butterscotch and white chocolate chips are added, these babies come out to only 16 grams of carbs (13 grams without baking chips). 

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banana oat muffins from britney munday

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups of old-fashioned oats

2-3 bananas

2 eggs 

1 cup of vanilla greek yogurt

½ cup Stevia (or sugar)

1.5 tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

1/2 cup baking chips or nuts, optional*

Instructions

1. Mash bananas in large bowl.
2. Add eggs and yogurt to large bowl. Mix well.
3. Mix in stevia, baking powder, and baking soda to banana-yogurt mixture. 
4. Use blender or food processor to grind oats into flour consistency.
5. Transfer oat flour to your large bowl. Mix well.
6. Fold in baking chips and nuts. 
7. Line 18 muffin tins or spray muffin pan with oil. 
8. Spoon batter equally among muffin tins.
9. Bake at 400 degrees F for 15-20 minutes.

*I used a combination of butterscotch chips and white chocolate chips

pb banana & oat dog treats.

I've been wanting to make dog treats for Rose for awhile now but I never seem to get around it. I won't lie- it's probably because I'm too busy making people food!  We ran out of store bought dog treats a few weeks ago so I decided it was time to try it out. 

I made these last night and Rose taste-tested one. She gobbled it up quite quickly so I'm assuming that means she enjoyed it ;) 

These were too easy to make and you may already have the ingredients on hand. If you don't have flax, you could probably just add more oats. In case you are worried about any of these ingredients, here is a list of people food that is safe for dogs. 

Below is the recipe & pictures of our sweet Rose just because she's cute! :)

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pb banana & oat dog treats 

adapted from miss molly says & lola the pitty

Ingredients:

1 cup oat flour 
2 small bananas, mashed
⅓ cup peanut butter 
2 Tbsp flax seed (can be ground or whole)
1 egg (or 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Put all ingredients in a medium mixing bowl.
3. Mix ingredients together thoroughly until well combined.
4. Use a medium cookie scoop (or a spoon) to form balls of dough. Flatten out balls of dough using the back of the cookie scoop or your hand.
5. Place on a nonstick baking sheet (or use parchment) and bake for 20 minutes. Bake until edges are slightly brown.

pumpkin smoothie.

Aren't so many smoothie recipes super summer-y? Smoothies such as pineapple mango, blueberry peach, strawberry banana, the list goes on. Don't get me wrong- I love all those yummy flavors but it's September (aka FALL) so it is time for some fall smoothies!

So, here is a super quick and easy fall smoothie recipe. And it is perfect for using up that can of pumpkin puree that's leftover from that pumpkin dessert you just made!

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pumpkin smoothie

Ingredients

1/2 banana, frozen
1/2-3/4 cup milk (I used unsweetened vanilla almond milk)
1/4 cup pumpkin, puree 
1/2-3/4 cup vanilla greek yogurt
Sprinkle of Pumpkin Pie Spice
Sprinkle of Cinnamon
Sweetener (honey, maple syrup, stevia, etc.), optional

Instructions

Blend all ingredients together. Add more milk until you reach desired consistency.


Inspired by

http://www.peanutbutterandpeppers.com/2013/09/09/oatmeal-pumpkin-breakfast-smoothie/ &

http://ahealthylifeforme.com/pumpkin-banana-vanilla-smoothie/

healthy chocolate peanut butter shake

Here's a healthy shake recipe to get your chocolate peanut butter fix any time of day! It has 17 grams of protein (7g from peanut butter and 10g from greek yogurt) so it can easily be a meal replacement shake. I had it for breakfast and it was one of the best decisions of my day ;)

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healthy chocolate peanut butter shake from mama miss

Ingredients

1 sliced, frozen banana 

1-2 Tbsp cocoa powder

2 Tbsp peanut butter

~1/2 cup vanilla almond milk (any milk would do though)

~1/2 cup vanilla greek yogurt

Directions

1. Blend all ingredients in blender or food processor. Add more milk for a more sipp-able consistency.

banana zucchini bars.

If you grow zucchini in your garden, you might have zucchini growing out of your ears like we do. If so, here is a perfect & easy dessert recipe to use some of that zucchini (and also those spotty, overripe bananas!). Not to mention these bars are super moist and delicious. The original recipe calls for all zucchini so you could easily do all zucchini or all bananas.

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banana zucchini bars from jam hands

Ingredients:

1 Cup Zucchini, grated

1 Cup Banana, mashed3/4 Cups Butter, softened
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
2 Eggs
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 3/4 Cups Flour
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1 1/2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
1 1/2 Cup Chocolate Chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. 
2. Cream butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla.
3. Add dry ingredients.
4. Add zucchini, mashed banana, and chocolate chips.
5. Grease a 9×13 inch pan and pour the batter in. Bake for 35-40 minutes.

peanut butter banana pupcakes.

Our puppy, Rose, turned 1 on April 19th. I just had to make her a special birthday treat. And I was pumped to find this dog-friendly recipe from my feelings taste like a cupcake blog. It has 2 of Rose's favorite foods: peanut butter and bananas so it is pretty much perfect. And let me tell you- she devoured her cupcake!

        

      

    

I opted not to make the frosting but instead put a dollop of peanut butter on top and stuck a dog bone on top. In case you were wondering, she saved the dog bone for last :) 

Rose getting ready to demolish that cupcake!

Peanut Butter Banana Pupcakes:

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/3 cup rolled oats
2 ripe bananas
1/2 cup natural, unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup natural peanut butter
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda

Directions:
1.  Mash up bananas.  Add eggs, vanilla, applesauce and peanut butter to mixture.  
2. Combine flour, oats, baking powder and baking soda.
3. Add flour to wet mixture and stir.
4. Divide batter into cupcake pans.  
5. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Recipe Source: http://www.myfeelingstastelikecupcakes.com/2012/05/banana-peanut-butter-pupcakes.html?m=1

healthy peanut butter, chocolate chip, banana muffins.

I just love muffins, especially banana chocolate chips ones. 

Then they got even better...banana, chocolate chips, AND peanut butter!

SAY WHAT!? 

It's true and totally possible.

And they are even kinda healthy. They are made with honey instead of granulated sugar. They contain no butter or oil.  And they include high protein greek yogurt!

Those ripe bananas are totally calling your name. (I can hear them!) 

Get baking!

ingredients:

2 ripe large bananas, mashed with no chunks
1/4 cup honey 
1/4 cup dark brown sugar (I used light brown sugar)
1/2 cup yogurt (I used vanilla greek yogurt)
1 large egg
1/3 cup milk (any kind)
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter (non-oily natural works)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 and 3/4 cups white whole wheat flour (or an even mix of whole wheat + all-purpose)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2-1 cup chocolate chips (you decide)

directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 F degrees. Spray 12-count muffin pan with nonstick spray or line with muffin cups. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk the mashed bananas, honey, brown sugar, yogurt, egg, and milk together until combined.  Whisk in the peanut butter and vanilla extract until smooth and thick. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and chocolate chips together.  Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and lightly whisk until combined.  Try not to overstir the muffin batter or your muffins will have a tough (not soft) texture. Stir as little as possible until no flour pockets remain.
4. Fill the muffin cups practically all the way to the top. Between 3/4 full and all the way full. Bake for 5 minutes at 425F degrees. 
5. Keeping the muffins in the oven, reduce the oven temperature to 350F and continue to bake for 12 more minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  

**Thank you Sallys Baking Addiction for yet another addicting recipe :) **

banana chocolate chip muffins.

Mmm bananas. Mmm chocolate chips. Mmm muffins.

If you were lucky(?) enough to get snowed in a couple weeks ago, what did you do during the "snowpocalypse" or the "polar vortex"? Here's what I did: I baked. And baked some more. And baked again. This was one of the 4 recipes I tried. Here are a couple of the other recipes I made: cookie dough pretzel bites and cranberry bliss cookies.

I've made several banana chocolate chip muffin variations but these, oh these muffins, are just simply stellar. I wouldn't change a thing about this recipe because they are perfect just the way they are.  

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large or 3 small/medium ripe bananas, mashed
1 large egg
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted (if you only have salted butter, leave out the salt)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup milk
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, as well as more for sprinkling

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 12 muffin cups with paper or foil liners.*
2. Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. In a separate medium bowl, mix the mashed bananas, egg, butter, vanilla extract and milk. Stir the banana mixture into the dry ingredients just until combined (do not overmix). Stir in chocolate chips.
3. Fill muffin liners about 3/4 full (you can also choose to decrease the number of muffins if you like larger muffins). Sprinkle extra chocolate chips on top, if desired.
4. Bake for about 32 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into the center is free of crumbs. Cool on a wire rack.

*The ingredient amounts listed below only make a dozen but I'm sure it could be easily doubled if you needed more.

Recipe Source: http://jessienextdoor.com/2011/10/09/banana-chocolate-chip-muffins/

banana bread cookies.

Do you ever have ridiculously overripe bananas you don't know what to do with? Yeah, it happens all the time. Bananas seem to go brown before you even realize it. I only like them when they are yellow and still a little firm.  This presents a problem when I don't want to be wasteful either. You too? Well, never fear...banana bread cookies are here!

These seriously taste like a cookie version of banana bread.  Bottom line: these cookies are the bomb so you should try them.

ingredients:

1 c all-purpose flour
1/2 c white whole-wheat flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
10 tbsp butter, softened
1 c sugar
1/2 c packed brown sugar
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 c mashed banana (I used 3 bananas)
1 c old-fashioned rolled oats
1 c chocolate chips (I used milk chocolate and semi sweet)

directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees

2. Put butter and sugars into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Reduce speed to low. 

3. Add vanilla; mix until combined. Mix in banana. 

4. Mix in flours and baking soda until just combined

5. Stir in oats and chocolate chips.

6. Drop dough onto baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart. Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until golden brown and just set, 12 to 13 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks 5 minutes.

Recipe from http://eatingappalachia.com/2009/09/08/banana-bread-cookies/

pumpkin banana pancakes.

Before I get started, I wanted to share some exciting news with you! Grant and I adopted a puppy- a cute, playful, sweet, perfect little puppy. Her name is Rose and we just love her!! We adopted her from The Indianapolis Humane Society. It was a great experience.

Here are some pictures of her enjoying some time in this beautiful fall weather :)

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Fall is here and you know what that means- pumpkin recipes galore! Pumpkin recipes have been flooding my Pinterest page and I love it. 

I woke up this morning and thought these pumpkin pancakes would be perfect for this beautiful fall day.  They also have chunks of bananas inside which make for a tasty surprise. 

Before I share the recipe, I did make some additions and substitutions to the recipe. The link to the original recipe is below so you can decide for yourself what you add or take out.  

Banana Pumpkin Pancakes

Ingredients:

- 1/2 cup of all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup of white whole wheat flour
- 1/4 cup of packed brown sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
-  a sprinkle of nutmeg
- 1/2 cup of pumpkin puree
- 1 Tbsp canola oil
- 1 egg
- 1 cup of milk
- 1 medium banana, cut into slices or small pieces

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients, except the banana slices, with a whisk.  

2. Add the bananas, and mix with a spoon until the bananas are evenly distributed throughout the batter.

3. Heat a lightly greased skillet on medium heat. With a small ladle or large spoon, scoop the batter onto the pan (about 4 inches diameter), and heat until the top begins to bubble or until you can flip the pancake without making a mess. Heat the other side until golden brown. Repeat Step 3 until the batter is used up.

Recipe from http://www.nooschi.com/2009/10/banana-pumpkin-pancakes.html

banana blueberry coffeecake.

Coffeecake is already a wonderful thing but coffeecake with bananas AND blueberries make it even more wonderful. This breakfast treat was moist and rich. It was a positively perfect combination of banana bread and a blueberry muffin. It'll make your mouth and belly happy. Guaranteed. 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter or margarine
3/4 cup sugar
1 3/4 cup flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 ripe medium bananas, mashed
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)

Instructions:

1. Cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Add 3/4 cup of the flour, and beat just until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Reserve 3/4 cup of the crumb mixture.

2. To remaining butter/sugar/flour, add 1 cup flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda and nutmeg. Mix until combined.

3. In a separate bowl, combine eggs, mashed bananas, milk and vanilla. Add to the dry ingredients and mix just until moistened. Fold in blueberries.

4. Pour into a greased 8 or 9 inch pan and sprinkle with the reserved crumb mixture. Bake at 375 for 25-30 minutes or until both topping and cake are golden brown. 

Recipe courtesy of http://cookwithsara.blogspot.com/2009/08/banana-blueberry-coffeecake.html

banana zucchini chocolate chip muffins.

What's the only thing better than banana bread? Banana bread with chocolate chips? No, better than that. The answer: banana bread with chocolate chips AND zucchini [in muffin form]. 

These muffins were the perfect dessert or snack. They're a great way to use brown and mushy bananas. And they are (relatively) healthy too!

What you need:

• 3 very ripe bananas
• 1 cup zucchini, shredded
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 cups of all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tbsp butter, melted
• 1/2-1 cup chocolate chips (optional, but not really)

What you do:

1. Preheat oven to 350.  

2. In a medium bowl mash the bananas with a potato masher or fork.  Add the shredded zucchini, sugar and egg.  Mix well.

3.  In another medium bowl mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.  Gradually add the dry mix to the wet mix stirring until well combined.

3.  Stir in the melted butter and add the chocolate chips.  

4. Pour into lined muffin pans and bake until a fork or toothpick comes out clean. I won't lie, I don't remember how long I baked them haha oops.  

Variation: Pour into a greased loaf pan and bake in the oven for about 1 hour. Check for doneness by poking the center with a toothpick.  If it comes out mostly clean with a couple of crumbs hanging to it then its done.  If its covered with wet batter then stick the bread back in the oven for 5-10 minutes longer and check again.  When finished let the loaf cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before removing.  To remove, place a plate on the top of the pan and then flip the pan and plate over together so the bread is upside down on the plate.  Slowly free the bread from the pan then roll the bread right side up.

**Recipe adapted from http://shootsandroots.wordpress.com/2011/08/25/chocolate-chip-banana-zucchini-bread/