PEANUT BUTTER BANANA OATMEAL CUPS

I do love breakfast. I enjoy the ritual of warm coffee with a glug of coconut creamer, first thing. The first hot sip, just creamy enough; two hands wrapped around my mug. It's not the caffeine, I like decaf just the same, it's just the ritual. I appreciate that there are less choices food wise, a narrower expectation, so when I make avocado toast with everything bagel seasoning, an over easy egg and fresh tomato for a month straight, I don't tire of it. Nothing else sounds better, so I'll take the usual.

 The kids don't feel quite as romantic about morning rituals. How do they come out the gate so raring to go? Curran can start the toast while I cut some fruit, and get an egg going for each of them.  We'll do loaded green protein shakes if we're on the go, breakfast sandwiches if the avocados need to be used, homemade waffles and pancakes with goat yogurt, honey and seeds on the weekends, and they inhale chicken breakfast sausages like they may not have a chance to eat for the rest of the day. The littlest isn't keen on a bowl of oats, but if they come in muffin format, it qualifies as a pastry and it is met with enthusiasm. Because some mornings I just can't with the buffet. Especially with school mornings coming up next week, it will be nice to have something easy. 

I started with this baked oatmeal ratio and changed a few things to make them more portable. I added some chocolate protein powder and peanut butter so the little pucks taste like a treat... relatively speaking. I can see these going so many directions - stick with the berry profile, you could add pureed pumpkin or sweet potato for more vitamins and fiber, or chocolate chips! Because who doesn't love a breakfast with a wee bit of chocolate? So while I thought these were just going to be for the kids, they're perfect to grab en route to the gym, or for anyone getting out the door quick in the morning. Anyway, hope these are helpful! 

PEANUT BUTTER BANANA OATMEAL CUPS

Makes 12

Someone will ask if you can use muffin liners, and I think so, though I haven't tried. I use this muffin tin and with a little coconut oil, things pop out no problem. I find that liners, with a semi wet batter, just steam and stick together. I used just one egg here so they are tender and delicate, ours still stayed together well enough to eat like a muffin. They could take a second egg if you want them to be more solid. Also, if you want more of a porridge texture, warm one up with almond milk and mix to combine. Add berries, fruit etc. from there. 
Protein powders we like: Ora Organics, Amazing Grass, and if you don't care if it's plant based, Lean Pro Matrix. 

INGREDIENTS

2 large, very ripe bananas, mashed
1 egg
2 Tbsp. coconut oil, warmed
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup smooth, natural peanut butter
1/2 tsp. sea salt, adjust based on your peanut butter
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 cups unsweetened nut or regular milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 scoop of chocolate protein powder (optional)
2 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
1 scant teaspoon baking powder
1 Tbsp. flax meal, optional

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350' and grease a muffin tin.

In a large bowl, combine the mashed banana, egg, oil, maple and whisk well to combine. Whisk in the peanut butter, salt, cinnamon, nut milk, vanilla and protein powder. Stir in the oats, baking powder and flaxmeal and let it all sit a few minutes. 

Distribute the mixture between the tins, should leave you with 12, about 2/3 full (they don't rise). Bake for 20 minutes or until you press on the center and it is tender, but not squishy wet. They will continue to set as they cool. They are fine at room temperature for a day, then keep cups stored in the fridge for up to a week. 
 

Oatmeal Cups with Peanut Butter and Banana

Baked oatmeal cups with banana and peanut butter for a quick breakfast bite.

By Sara Forte

Date Published: 2018-08-21

Recipe Yield: 12

Ingredients

• 2 large, very ripe bananas, mashed
• 1 egg
• 2 Tbsp. coconut oil, warmed
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 1/3 cup smooth, natural peanut butter
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt, adjust based on your peanut butter
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 2 cups unsweetened nut or regular milk
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 scoop of chocolate protein powder (optional)
• 2 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
• 1 scant teaspoon baking powder
• 1 Tbsp. flax meal, optional

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350' and grease a muffin tin.

In a large bowl, combine the mashed banana, egg, oil, maple and whisk well to combine. Whisk in the peanut butter, salt, cinnamon, nut milk, vanilla and protein powder. Stir in the oats, baking powder and flaxmeal and let it all sit a few minutes.

Distribute the mixture between the tins, should leave you with 12, about 2/3 full (they don't rise). Bake for 20 minutes or until you press on the center and it is tender, but not squishy wet. They will continue to set as they cool. They are fine at room temperature for a day, then keep cups stored in the fridge for up to a week.

More Information

Time

• Prep Time: 15 Minutes
• Cook Time: 20 Minutes
• Total Time: 35 Minutes

Nutrition

• 308 calories
• 19 grams fat
• 29 grams carbohydrate
• 9 grams protein

Tags

Cuisine: American

Category: Breakfast

Keywords: quick, breakfast, to go, gluten free, oatmeal

STONE FRUIT + YOGURT MUFFINS

I've been on a muffin kick this week, which is a byproduct of me buying too much produce. My eager zucchini purchase ended up in these muffins (also in her book), which are AMAZING, teetering towards dessert but with the perfect amount of moisture from the zucchini that melts away into all that delicious chocolate. I halved the recipe to get a dozen muffins and couldn't believe there were two full cups of zucchini in there. Then there are all the peaches, nectarines and plums; my favorite summer fruits, right behind ruby red strawberries. They smell so delicious and carry nostalgia for me of summers on the beach with my family, but I am the only one in our family who will eat a ripe one over the sink or chopped up in a green salad. What is not to like?!?! I question Cleo as she meticulously picks every trace of fruit from these muffins. Alas, a lot of extra stone fruit in the kitchen. These are not nearly as sweet as cake, but have a lovely almond essence and jammy fruit bits that feel like the perfect summer treat. I love them split and toasted the following day, though they are great straight out of the hand too. 

It's supposed to be nearly 100' here this weekend, so the muffin marathon will come to a swift hault. I'll leave the recipe for these right here in the meantime. 

Muffins with Stone Fruits + Yogurt

Makes 10

I made these gluten free, but you could swap in whatever flour you use regularly. Swap in unbleached all purpose for the same yield of the almond, brown rice and flax, or an equal measure of gluten-free all purpose if that is what you stock. If you prefer them dairy free, sub in a coconut or almond based yogurt. 
I love them split and toasted the following day, but they are great just straight out of the hand too. 

Ingredients

2/3 cups whole, plain yogurt
1/4 cup avocado oil (or other neutral oil)
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. almond extract

1 cup superfine brown rice flour
1/2 cup almond meal (blanched of unblanched are fine)
1 Tbsp. flaxmeal
1/2 cup light brown sugar (muscavado sugar or coconut sugar)
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 heaping cup diced stonefruit (any combo of peaches, nectarines, plums, cherries), plus more for topping

turbinado (raw) sugar, for topping

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350'. Grease 10 holes of a standard muffin tin.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk the yogurt, oil, eggs and almond extract together well. Add the rice flour, almond meal, flaxmeal, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon and fold everything until fully combined. I like to let it sit for a couple minutes to hydrate, not sure if this matters. Fold in the fruit.
Fill the tins about 2/3 full. Put a couple extra pieces of fruit on top of the muffins and then sprinkle a bit of turbinado sugar on top. Bake on the middle rack for 18-20 minutes. Remove to cool completely. 

Sara Forte 2018-07-05

Gluten Free Muffins with Peaches, Nectarines and Yogurt

10

Delicious, wheat-free muffins with pockets of sweet peaches.

• 1/2 cup whole, plain yogurt
• 1/4 cup avocado oil
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 tsp. almond extract
• 1 cup superfine brown rice flour
• 1/2 cup almond meal
• 1 Tbsp. flaxmeal
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 cup diced stone fruit

197 calories

Preheat the oven to 350'. Grease 10 holes of a standard muffin tin.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk the yogurt, oil, eggs and almond extract together well. Add the rice flour, almond meal, flaxmeal, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon and fold everything until fully combined. I like to let it sit for a couple minutes to hydrate, not sure if this matters. Stir in the fruit.

Fill the tins about 2/3 full. Put a couple pieces of fruit on top of the muffins and then sprinkle a bit of turbinado sugar on top. Bake on the middle rack for 18-20 minutes. Remove to cool completely.

PT20M PT20M PT40M

gluten free baking

Breakfast

muffin, gluten free, wheat free, yogurt, stone fruit, peaches, nectarines

PISTACHIO RHUBARB LOAF

A single scoop from Thrifty was just over a dollar. The ice cream scoop was kind of a rounded cylinder shape, and it made a "click clack" noise when the attendant would release your chosen flavor into the sugar cone or cup. It was more like a scoop and a half, really. I consistently chose apricot-mango (why, young Sara?) and my sister, rainbow sherbet. It was located inside a Rite-Aid that was both across from the city library and in the same center where we went to a weekly math tutoring program, so we were frequent visitors. It may have been dinner some nights? My mom has never liked cooking and we lived to tell the tale so no sense in fretting too much about that. My mom would also get a scoop every now and then, likely something better and chocolatey because she was older and wiser. I have a snapshot memory of the three of us sitting outside the automatic doors, against the taupe-y stucco walls, eating our treats, me complaining I didn't like my flavor and preferred the one my mom chose. She took one more big spoonful and swapped with me. She took my bullshit apricot-mango and gave me her chocolately one and while I hope I at least said thank you in that fleeting moment, I've gone back to that memory a number of times when I par down what this whole motherhood thing looks like. Yes, I hear all the self-care, don't-lose-yourself conversations and I agree, but there is also a huge part of it that is just surrendering. You surrender to the mess and the cost and the exhaustion and work and the worry. You surrender your superior ice cream flavor.  You never know how actions and words are perceived on the other side - sometimes lost or forgotten, or perhaps they stick with someone forever. 

I gave this loaf recipe a test run for our Mothers day brunch plans. The Sweet Laurel cookbook is full of grain and refined sugar free baking recipes - nearly all with almond or coconut flours and maple sweetened. The original calls for six eggs, so I risked scaling that back because we don't like when baked goods taste so, well, eggy. This makes for a looser crumb and a wetter texture and I'll take that over eggy. I added nubs of a quick roasted rhubarb for tiny pockets of tart jam throughout. You could eliminate this completely if you'd like, or maybe use lemon instead of orange and swap in blueberries. 

If you have a mother or are one or want to be one or are struggling with the one you have or can even think of someone else who has been that figure for you, a happy Mother's Day weekend to you. 

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PISTACHIO RHUBARB LOAF

Makes one 9x5 loaf

Recipe adapted from Sweet Laurel

This recipe will not work with a 1:1 swap for a regular wheat flour or any whole grain flour for that matter. Coconut flour is super absorbent and the liquid ratio will not translate. They sell small bags at Trader Joes, most larger grocery stores, or a handful of sizes and brands online.

Roasted Rhubarb

• 1 cup diced rhubarb
• sprinkle of sugar
• pinch of salt
• 1 tsp. coconut or avocado oil

The Loaf

• 3/4 cup coconut flour
• 2 Tbsp. flaxmeal
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• 1/3 cup coconut oil
• 4 large eggs
• zest of one small orange
• 1/2 cup orange juice (about 1 juicy orange)
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup raw pistachios, divided

Instructions

Oven to 375', line a sheet with parchment. Toss the diced rhubarb with a sprinkle of sugar, teensy bit of salt and coconut or avocado oil. Roast for 10-12 minutes, just enough to take the crunch off. Remove to let it cool completely.

Preheat the oven to 350'. Line a loaf pan with parchment and grease it with coconut oil or what have you.  In a large bowl, combine the coconut flour, flax, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl, whisk together the coconut oil, eggs,  orange zest and juice, maple and vanilla. A little at a time, stir the wet and dry ingredients together. Fold in the rhubarb and 1/2 cup of the pistachios. 

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Chop the remaining pistachios and sprinkle them on top of the loaf. I like to add a bit of turbinado sugar on top too.

Bake the loaf for 35-45 minutes until a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Remove the bread and set it on a rack to cool completely. Cut it into thick slices and toast before serving. 

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