Blender Muffins

Mel's Kitchen Cafe has really been hitting the mark during quarantine for healthy, delicious, easy snacks! These are super simple muffins that you blend everything up and pour it in the muffin tins. I love that she uses such basic ingredients too. We gobbled these right up!! The kids ALL loved them and so did Bronson and I. The recipes make 12.

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE BANANA BLENDER MUFFINS {GLUTEN-FREE}

INGREDIENTS

•  2 ripe medium-size bananas (about 10 ounces)
•  1/2 cup (4 ounces) sour cream or Greek yogurt
•  2 large eggs **Conserving my eggs, I used 1 cup applesauce instead
•  1 teaspoon vanilla extract **I ran out of vanilla, so I used almond extract
•  1/3 cup (2.5 ounces) honey (or granulated sugar) **I used 1/2 cup of honey
•  1/2 cup (1.5 ounces) natural, unsweetened cocoa powder (see note)
•  2 cups (7.5 ounces) old-fashioned rolled oats **I only had quick oats, worked great
•  1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
•  1/2 teaspoon baking soda
•  1/4 teaspoon salt
•  1/2 to 1 cup (3 to 6 ounces) chocolate chips + more for sprinkling **These are so chocolatey, I just sprinkled some chocolate chips on top, but didn't mix any in

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup standard muffin tin with paper liners and lightly coat the liners with nonstick cooking spray (or omit the liners and grease the muffin tin).
2. Add the bananas, sour cream or yogurt, eggs, vanilla, honey, cocoa powder, oats, baking powder, baking soda and salt to a blender. Process until well-blended, scraping down the sides of the blender if needed.
3. Add the chocolate chips to the blender and stir with a spoon or spatula.
4. Portion the batter evenly into the muffin cups, about 2/3 to 3/4 full. Sprinkle a few chocolate chips on top of each muffin (optional).
5. Bake for 15-18 minutes until the muffins spring back to the touch and are baked through (don't over bake or they might be dry!).

NOTES

Keep in mind you need certified GF oats to make these muffins 100% gluten-free (not all oats are gluten-free).

The full amount (1/2 cup) cocoa powder makes for a very chocolatey muffin. If you want to dial that down just a bit, use 1/3 cup cocoa powder instead.

Also, these muffins are just very lightly sweet (the ripeness of your bananas will help the sweetness factor along, too) which is how I like them for breakfast fare but if you like your quick breads a tad sweeter, increase the sugar/honey as needed.

QUICK BLENDER BANANA CHOCOLATE CHIP MUFFINS {GLUTEN-FREE}

INGREDIENTS

•  2 ripe medium-size bananas, lightly mashed (about 1 cup/10 ounces)
•  1/2 cup (4 ounces) sour cream or Greek yogurt
•  2 large eggs **Used 1 cup applesauce
•  1 teaspoon vanilla extract **Used 1/2tsp maple extract
•  1/3 cup (2.5 ounces) granulated sugar (can substitute honey) **Used 1/2 cup honey
•  2 1/4 cups (8 ounces) old-fashioned rolled oats **Only had quick oats, worked great
•  1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
•  1/2 teaspoon baking soda
•  1/4 teaspoon salt
• **I added 1 tsp cinnamon to give it more flavor and it was so tasty!!
•  1/2 cup (3 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips + more for sprinkling

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup standard muffin tin with paper liners and lightly coat the liners with nonstick cooking spray (or omit the liners and grease the muffin tin).
2. Add the bananas, sour cream, eggs, vanilla, sugar, oats, baking powder, baking soda and salt to a blender or food processor (a blender will get the mixture slightly smoother). Process until well-blended.
3. Stir in the 1/2 cup of chocolate chips to the batter with a spoon or spatula.
4. Pour the batter evenly into the muffin cups; the tins will be fairly full. If you want a pop of chocolate on top, sprinkle a few chocolate chips on each muffin.
5. Bake for 15-18 minutes until the muffins spring back to the touch and are baked through.

NOTES

Keep in mind if you are wanting to make these officially gluten-free, make sure the oats you are using are certified gluten-free (not all oats are). If you don't have a blender or food processor, check out Nicole's post for details about using oat flour in place of the old-fashioned oats.

Also, these muffins are just very lightly sweet (the ripeness of your bananas will help the sweetness factor along, too) which is how I like them for breakfast fare but if you like your quick breads a tad sweeter, increase the sugar/honey as needed.

I have not subbed quick oats in this recipe but you could certainly experiment.

Energy Bites

Kid Friendly Protein Balls
From Oh So Deliciouso

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups oats
• 1 1/2 cups coconut
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/4 cup chia seeds
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
• 1 tbsp vanilla protein powder for kids, can use other flavors too! (I didn't have this, so I just added a bit of vanilla!)
• other mix-ins! 

Instructions

1. In blender or food processor blend oats, then coconut to a more fine texture. You dont want them to be too fine- like flour.

2. In food processor or stand mixer using paddle attachment- add all ingredients into bowl. Mix until all ingredients are all incorporated and evenly distributed. You wan the texture to be a little sticky and not too dry. If adding in extra mix-ins like nuts, dried fruit or other powders add a little more honey and peanut butter. 

3. Roll into a ball the size of your preference. I like a 1 inch ball equals about 2 bites. Place on parchment lined cookie sheet. Place in freezer for two hours. Remove and place into an air tight container. Store in fridge for 1-2 weeks. Freezer for 3 months. To thaw- separate balls and let sit at room temp for about 15 minutes. 

Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownie Granola Bites

From Mel's Kitchen Cafe

INGREDIENTS

GRANOLA MIXTURE:

•  2 cups (7 ounces) quick oats (or old-fashioned oats pulsed in a blender)
•  1 cup (4 ounces) finely chopped almonds (see note)
•  3/4 cup (1.5 ounces) sweetened or unsweetened shredded coconut
•  1/2 cup (1.5 ounces) natural, unsweeteened or Dutch-process cocoa powder (see note)
•  1/2 cup (2 ounces) almond flour (see note)
•  1 cup (6 ounces) mini chocolate chips

SYRUP:

•  1 1/4 cup (11.25 ounces) creamy peanut butter
•  1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
•  1/2 cup pure maple syrup or honey
•  1/4 cup melted coconut oil (optional; see note on why I like to use it)
•  1 teaspoon vanilla extract

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line half sheet pans with parchment paper; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together the oats, almonds, coconut, cocoa, almond flour, and chocolate chips.
3. In a medium bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together the peanut butter, applesauce, maple syrup, coconut oil and vanilla. Microwave or heat on low until pourable (don't overheat). Let it cool if it's too warm or the chocolate chips will melt.
4. Pour the syrup mixture over the dry ingredients and mix until evenly combined.
5. Scoop the batter into 2-tablespoon sized spoonfuls (I use a medium #40 cookie scoop) and roll into balls. Lightly grease your hands with cooking spray if the granola mixture is too sticky.
6. Bake for 10-12 minutes just until the outside of the granola bites are set. Don't over bake or the middles might be dry.

NOTES

Almonds: for finely chopped almonds, I think it's easier to use sliced or slivered almonds (I finely chop them in my Vitamix blender) - whole almonds work, too, just keep an eye on them so they don't turn to almond flour or almond butter.

Cocoa Powder: Dutch-process will give a richer, dark chocolate vibe to the granola bites, but either type of cocoa powder works quite well.

Almond Flour: you can sub in all-purpose or oat flour (easy to make at home: just process oats in a blender until finely ground) for the almond flour.

Peanut Butter: I haven't tried these with natural peanut butter; I think it would work fine if the variety of natural peanut butter you use is fairly creamy (and not super thick).

Coconut Oil: I always use the 1/4 cup coconut oil. It's not a lot, but it gives a slight fudgy texture to the bites. Without it, they tend to be just a little tiny bit gummy in texture (however, my sister loves them without the coconut oil so I think it's just a personal preference).

Peanut Butter Blossums

One more delicious new cookie recipe I found that was addicting! I probably ate these in 3's after every meal...breakfast included!!

Ingredients

• 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 4 ounces (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
• ½ cup smooth peanut butter (I used crunchy!!)
• ½ cup granulated sugar, more for rolling
• ½ cup light brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• Nonstick spray or vegetable oil for cookie sheet, optional
• 5 dozen (one 11-ounce package) Hershey’s Kisses, foil removed

Preparation

1. Sift together flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. Using an electric mixer, cream together butter, peanut butter, 1/2 cup granulated sugar and light brown sugar. Add egg, milk and vanilla; beat until well blended. Gradually add flour mixture, mixing thoroughly. If the dough is very soft, refrigerate for about 1 hour.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray, oil or line a cookie sheet with nonstick liner and set aside. Roll dough into 1-inch balls. (For a precise number of cookies, divide the dough into 5 pieces, and shape each piece into 12 balls.)
3. Roll cookies in sugar and place 2 inches apart on cookie sheet. Bake until very light brown and puffed, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove sheet from oven and lightly press a candy kiss into center of each cookie, allowing it to crack slightly. Return to oven until light golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from oven, cool completely and store in an airtight container.  

**I kept these in the fridge to keep the chocolate from melting in the humidity and they kept great!

Link:Peanut Butter Blossoms 

Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

I love pumpkin cookies, but haven't found a cookie recipe I love, until now! These are not a super sweet cookie and NEED a frosting with them. I'm not a big frosting person, but found a yummy cream cheese frosting to pair with this recipe and love it. Normally, I put chocolate chips with everything, but I think this needs the frosting to add the sweetness. I put the link to the website where I pulled the recipe from at the bottom. However, the recipe I posted has a few changes based on some of the reviews I read. Also, it called for a brown butter frosting if you like that instead of the cream cheese.

Pumpkin Cookies 

2/3 cup granulated sugar  
2/3 cup packed brown sugar   
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla  
3/4 cup pumpkin   
2 eggs
2 1/4 flour  
1 teaspoon baking soda  
1 "heaping" teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt 

1. Heat oven to 375°F. In large bowl, beat granulated sugar, brown sugar, 3/4 cup butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed, scraping bowl occasionally, until well blended. Beat in pumpkin and eggs until well mixed. On low speed, beat in flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.  

2. On ungreased cookie sheets, drop dough by heaping tablespoonfuls.  

3. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until almost no indentation remains when touched in center. Immediately remove from cookie sheets to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 45 minutes.

Link: Betty Crocker Pumpkin Cookies 

Cream Cheese Frosting

2 8-oz. packages cream cheese
1/2 cup butter, softened
3 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar
2 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract

Whip together the cream cheese, butter, and extract until light and fluffy. Add in the powdered sugar and whip until smooth and fully incorporated.
**This made enough frosting for a double batch of cookies.

I pulled the cream cheese frosting recipe out of a Best Bites book, but the recipe on their website is different so I didn't post the link.

I stored these in the fridge and they have been delicious everyday!!

 

Breakfast Overload

If you don't know, I LOVE breakfast food! I could eat breakfast for every meal. Part of that love, comes from my sweet tooth. I have had some recipes I've wanted to share for a while and just keep forgetting, so now you are getting them all together. 

First, remember that butterscotch syrup recipe I posted with the Aebleskivers? I make that in large batches now and haven't bought syrup in over a year to save on money and enjoy more flavor. I made one slight change for the large batches:

1-1/2 Cup sugar
1-1/2 cubes butter
3/4 Cups milk
1 Teaspoon baking soda
1 Teaspoon vanilla
1 Teaspoon maple extract - this adds a lot of flavor

Melt butter in pan, then add sugar, milk and baking soda. Cook 7mins stirring constantly and barely boiling. Take off heat and add vanilla and maple.

Next, Brons has become a bit of a breakfast chef and loves to surprise me with delicious breakfasts. He found this pancake recipe a few years ago and we have not made any other kind of pancake since. He found this recipe on Allrecipes.com.

3/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1 cup flour
2 tablespoons while sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
2 tablespoons melted butter
*I add 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla and 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
 
1. Combine milk with vinegar in a medium bowl and set aside for 5 minutes to "sour".
2. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Whisk egg and butter into "soured" milk and vanilla and almond extract. Pour the flour mixture into the wet ingredients and whisk until lumps are gone.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and coat with cooking spray. Pour 1/4 cupfuls of batter onto the skillet, and cook until bubbles appear on the surface. Flip with a spatula, and cook until browned on the other side.

**You will definitely want to double or triple this recipe. 1 batch makes about 10 pancakes.

Finally, this is my absolute favorite! Croissant French Toast. I got this recipe from The Pioneer Woman.

8 croissants (rounder is better) - If they are large croissants, 4-6 or you will run out of batter.
1/4 cup half and half (heavy cream or whole milk works too)
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon cinammon
5 large eggs

Split the croissants in half through the middle.

In a bowl, whisk together the half-and-half, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and eggs. Dunk each croissant half into the mixture so that it's fully coated. Set the pieces aside on a plate.

Heat a large nonstick skillet (I use my griddle) over low heat, then melt a small amount of butter in it. Add as many croissant halves as will fit, cut-side down, then increase the heat very slightly (don't go above medium low). Allow the pieces to cook on the first side for 3 to 4 minutes. Move them around to make sure they don't burn. When they're deep golden brown on the bottom, flip them to the other side and let them cook for another 2 minutes or so. Remove from the pan and cook the rest of the croissant halves.

She serves this with a blackberry syrup that is so tasty.

1 pint fresh blackberries

1 cup sugar (I use 1/2 cup)

1/2 cup water

2 tablespoons cornstarch

In a saucepan, combine the blackberries, sugar and 1/2 cup water. Bring to a gentle boil and cook for 5 minutes on low. Stir in the cornstarch, then continue cooking, using a whisk or spoon to mash the larger pieces of blackberries. Remove from the heat when it's nice and thick.

We eat our french toast with fresh whipped heavy cream, fresh berries, some of the blackberry syrup and my homemade maple syrup on top. Definitely, not something we have on a regular basis, but such a yummy indulgence for special occasions.

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/croissant-french-toast.html?oc=linkback