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.

peanut butter granola.

Oh my goodness. I found another granola recipe that is to-die-for! It's simple to make and takes just a few minutes to mix up.  This particular recipe is full of delicious peanut butter flavor and tastes delicious in yogurt, with milk, and of course on its own!

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peanut butter granola from eat live run

Ingredients:

1/4 cup oil (I used part canola, part coconut)

1/3 cup sweetener (I used part honey, part pure maple syrup)

1/4 cup peanut butter

1/2 tsp salt (optional)

1 tsp cinnamon

4 cups old fashioned oats 

1/4 cup flaxseeds

1/2 cup dry roasted peanuts (I left out)

1/2 cup sunflower seeds

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees F
2. Microwave (or melt on stove 3-5 minutes) oil, sweetener, peanut butter, optional salt and cinnamon.
3. While cooking, mix together the oats, flax, peanuts and sunflower seeds. 
4. Pour hot mixture over the oats and toss well to coat. 
5. Spread out granola onto lined sheet trays (I used parchment) and bake for 40-45 minutes, stirring occasionally and turning tray midway through.
6. Let granola cool completely for that perfect crunch!

vanilla almond granola.

We do love cereal and granola around here but I am just tired of paying for it. If you want the good, healthy stuff it can go up to around $3-5- yikes! The only exception to that was last week when Kroger had Kashi cereal on manager's special for only $1.50- now that was steal!  But sadly... it doesn't happen very often.

Alas, I decided to try my hand at some homemade granola. Let me tell you- it was delicious! It can also easily be adapted for GF eaters by using GF certified oats and can be vegan by using coconut oil and maple syrup. 

It was also super easy to make. It seriously took only about 5 minutes to mix together and then you just throw it in the oven. If you don't have time to stir every 15 minutes, just leave it in and after it cools, break bunches apart as you please. I can't wait to make some different versions of granola!

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vanilla almond granola from sally's baking addiction

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2-3/4 cup chopped or slivered almonds
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch salt
1/2 cup pure maple syrup or honey
1/4 cup melted coconut oil or another liquid oil (i.e. melted butter, olive oil, etc.)
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300F degrees. 
2. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
3. Toss the oats, almonds, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl. Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk the syrup or honey and oil together until combined. Whisk in the almond and vanilla extracts. Pour over the oats and toss to coat. Make sure all of the oats are moistened.
4. Spread onto the prepared baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Allow granola to cool completely. It will get crunchy during the cooling process. 

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

anything goes oatmeal.

I call this recipe "anything goes oatmeal" because I believe you can add almost anything to this simple oatmeal recipe and it will probably turn out delicious. This recipe makes an incredible breakfast, lunch (don't judge), snack, or dessert. 

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• ½ cup milk of choice (you'll probably want more to add in at the end)
• 1/4 tsp salt (I left out)
• 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
• Sweetener to taste (I left out because the baking chips were sweet enough) 
• Add-ins of your choice**
• Baking chips- 
• chocolate chips, dark chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, etc. etc.
• Walnuts, peanuts, almonds, etc.
• Peanut Butter
• Cinnamon
• Brown sugar
• Mashed or chopped banana

Directions:

1. Combine 1/2 cup oats with some milk. Cook for 1 minute.
2. Add salt (if desired) and your add-ins. (Tip: if adding the banana, add this ingredient right before consuming.)
3. Cook for intervals until the consistency is how you like it. I usually do 30 second intervals or so and add milk as needed. When you are getting close to your last interval of cooking, add in the vanilla. 
4. You can now stir in your mashed or chopped banana & sweetener.
5. Enjoy!!

My favorite combos** 

• chocolate chips, peanut butter, & chopped banana. 
• white chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, & peanut butter.

Source: http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2009/03/11/chocolate-chip-cookie-dough-oatmeal/

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/

soft-baked monster cookies.

M&Ms, peanut butter, chocolate chips, and oats all in one recipe?! Say what? I say awesomeness. Also I'm not a huge fan of crispy, crunchy cookies but I do just love soft, chewy cookies which is exactly what these are! These cookies are really easy to make (and clean up after!) so get baking my friends!

Ingredients
1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter, softened to room temperature
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup peanut butter
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 and 1/4 cups all purpose flour 
1/2 cup oats
3/4 cup M&Ms 
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F degrees. 

2. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugars together. Mix in the peanut butter, egg, and vanilla (in that order). Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Slowly mix in the baking soda and flour. Do not overmix. Fold in the oats, M&Ms, and chocolate chips. If the dough is very soft and unmanageable by hand, chill the dough for 30 minutes before rolling.

3. Rolls balls of dough, about 2 Tablespoons of dough per ball, onto prepared baking sheet. Press a few extra M&Ms on top for looks, if preferred. Bake for 9-10 minutes - do not bake past 10 minutes. The cookies will appear undone. I took mine out at 9 minutes, which is recommended. Slightly press down the baked cookies with the back of a spoon, since the cookies only slightly spread in the oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Cookies will firm up as they cool. 

Recipe from http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2013/01/15/soft-baked-monster-cookies/

fudgy oatmeal cookie cups.

[adapted from http://bakingwithmelissa.blogspot.com/2013/02/fudgy-oatmeal-cups.html]

 If you love oatmeal and chocolate chip desserts, this is a recipe you won't want to miss! Plus aren't they just adorable?!

Betcha' can't just eat one ;)

ingredients-

1 cup butter, softened
2 cups packed brown sugar
2 eggs

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

3 cups quick cooking oats

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 Tbsp vanilla extract, divided
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk (I used fat free)
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
3 Tbsp butter

directions-
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (temp should be set at 325 degrees if using darker pans). Lightly grease a 2-24 count mini muffin pans (makes 48).

2. In a large bowl, beat together 1 cup butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Mix in eggs and 1 tablespoon vanilla. In another bowl, combine oats, flour, baking soda, and 1 teaspoon salt; stir into butter mixture. 

3. Stir in 1 cup of mini chocolate chips. Set aside.

4. In a medium saucepan, heat sweetened condensed milk, chocolate chips, 3 tablespoons butter, and 1/2 teaspoon salt over low heat, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat. Stir in 1 tablespoon vanilla.

5. Using a small cookie scoop place dough into muffin tins filling the cup 1/2 way to the top. Spread 1 tsp of the chocolate mixture evenly over the top of each cup, and dot each cup with the remaining oat mixture.

6. Bake for 10 minutes in preheated oven.

7. Let cool completely, then remove from pans.

**Removing them can be tricky, just wait for them to cool and use a knife to ease up the edges. 

monster cookie bars.

[adapted from http://domesticatedduchess.blogspot.com/2011/08/monster-cookie-bars.html]

ooey gooey. delicious. that's all.

1 stick Butter

1 cup White Sugar
1 cup Brown Sugar
1-½ cups of Creamy Peanut Butter
3  Eggs
2 teaspoons Baking Soda
4-½ cups Quick Cooking Oatmeal

1 package (12 Oz. Size) Chocolate Chips (I didn't have these on hand so I chopped up chocolate candy pieces!)

1 package (12 Oz. Size) of milk chocolate M&M's

1. Combine the butter and sugars, blend well.

2. Blend in eggs and baking soda.

3. Add peanut butter in mix and blend until smooth.

4. Then cup at a time, start mixing by hand the oatmeal.  

5. Slowly add in the M&M’s and chocolate chips (by hand).

6. Spread in a well greased 9x13 pan for 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees– do not overbake! These taste better just a little on the soft side. Store in an airtight container.