Generally speaking, I would almost always rather be baking. As I’ve gotten older, it has become such a meditative, relaxing enterprise that I don’t know why it took me so long to figure it out. Darn you whiskey 20s!
I first discovered the joys of baking towards the tail end of both my 20s and a bad/doomed relationship whilst living in NYC. Domestic bliss it was not. But, when I would wake up early on the weekends and fill the apartment with the warm smell of buttermilk biscuits or a fresh apple pie, it almost gave the illusion of a home and of a life less hectic, and I have been hooked ever since. Maybe that’s f****d up. But hey, baking blisses me out. And, there’s nothing I love more than to put on a little The Head and the Heart on the stereo and whip up something whose smell can both hollow out and fill up my heart at the same damned time. Maybe I’m sentimental about a good banana-walnut muffin, but this is my blog and I can truth if I want to.
So, in honor of my love of baking, I thought I’d post a few recipes and photos of what’s been happening in my kitchen though I don’t claim to be exceptionally talented at either. Baking is a passion and the photos are a necessity for the blog.
Today’s experiment was inspired by the bunch of brown bananas in my fridge. Any home baker knows that brown, mushy bananas are like a prized cow at the 4H club. Those who don’t understand (i.e. bake) would turn their noses up at said bananas and presume them to be “rotten” and “no good”. But, bakers see the world of expired fruits a bit differently. We don’t see a fruit past its prime but rather a plethora of possibilities in the forms of muffins, cookies and breads (which may explain some of our poorer life choices earlier on in life, but hey, so be it).
Anyhow, back to the point. Mushy bananas. Usually when I find myself confronted with mushy bananas I turn to my go-to Banana Walnut recipe, whip up a dozen or so of them, and have them for breakfast, hand them out to coworkers, etc. But, here’s the thing: though I love to bake, I rarely allow myself to fully enjoy any of my baked goods. Sure, I’ll have a taste to make sure it passes the yum-factor inspection, but rarely do I let myself partake in the fruits of my baking. Why? The ugliest five letter word in my vocabulary: carbs.
I am a carb counter and this blog post is starting to feel unsettlingly confessional. But, there it is. I’m baker who counts carbs. So, in light of this, with mushy bananas awaiting, I thought I would try to make a baked good I could eat without the carb guilt so that I could actually enjoy a muffin for once.
Here is the end result:
No Flour Banana-Apple Muffins (Adapted from various recipes online. My additions include the apples, the spices, the milk, and the vanilla.)
Ingredients:
- 2 1/2 cup oats
- 1/3 cup plain yogurt
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 2 old, mushy nanas
- about a tsp of cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves (really to your taste/liking)
- 1-2 tsps of vanilla (again, to your taste/liking)
- a cup of cubed, spiced (I use the same spices from above) apples
- brown sugar (opt’l and to taste)
- Other add ins: walnuts, raisins, whatever makes you happy
Instructions:
- Pre-heat oven to 400F/200C
- Mash up bananas in a large bowl. Once they’re good and mushy, add in other ingredients and mix well.
- Add more milk if necessary to get your desired consistency, but you don’t want the batter to be too wet.
- Spoon mixture into a buttered muffin tin.
- Bake for 15-20 mins. Check with a toothpick. If it comes out clean then they are done! If not, leave in oven for a few more minutes.
- Once done, let cool in the pan for 5 minutes
- Then, remove the muffins from the tin and place on a cooling rack and enjoy!
Some notes: These are great for breakfast and a healthy snack. I wouldn’t consider them a sweet treat. I had mine warmed up and with some butter and it was fantastic. Some jam or honey would also be good. Heck, maybe even some yogurt.
Also, my measurements aren’t always “exact”. But, this is a rough estimate which I hope is at least a good starting point. Anyhow, I hope you can use this recipe as is or adapt it to your liking.
Lots of love, and remember: Bakers do it Better.
xoxoxo
G
Moments Overlooked 