Whole-Wheat Chocolate Chip Banana Bars

What do you do when you have over-ripe bananas to be used? Bake, of course! But what to bake? Normally I would make these sweet banana cookies, but we are all out of oats! So I browsed the internet hard to find me something on the healthier side that featured bananas. And…drum roll, please…I came up with whole-wheat chocolate chip banana bars (found it from a great blogger’s site)! Banana bars? Sound weird? They’re not. It’s basically brownie-shaped banana bread with chocolate chips. Yeah, they’re good. Hungry brought them to work and he got major points from his coworkers.

The texture of the banana bars are cake-like rather than brownie-like, light and fluffy. Some hybrid of banana bread and cake. It’s yum. What makes this recipe healthier? Whole-wheat flour, no butter, and not too much sugar. Yeah, there are chocolate chips in it, but I mean, you got to live a little. Some baking recipes are complicated. This one is not. It’s basically mix together, put into sheet pan, and bake. And you know I love easy recipes. Alright, let’s make these delicious banana bars.

Feb272014

Mum’s Famous Banana Cake

Okay, so maybe it’s only famous among my friends and family because it’s the only cake they ever got at my birthday parties. It’s the only cake I would eat growing up, and I haven’t branched out much still (but I will take down a cheesecake or carrot cake nowadays). I don’t know, I’m just not a huge fan of cakes. But my mum’s banana cake, ooooh YES! It’s incredibly easy to make and you will want to eat piece after piece (I personally can literally eat endless amounts of this). It came from the same place that she took her scone recipe.

Banana Cake

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Baking Time: 34-40 minutes

Ingredients

2 eggs
1 stick butter
6 oz sugar (.85 cup sugar)
8 oz regular flour (1.8 cups)
1 tsp baking powder
2-3 bananas
1 tsp baking soda
2 tbsp milk

Directions

Get out a box/rectangular/circle pan and line it with wax paper. Tip a little flour in and spread it around. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F
Mix the baking powder and flour in a smaller bowl
Cream the butter and sugar together in your main big bowl
Add in an egg, mix it, and then add the other egg in.

Now mash your bananas into smithereens and slowly mix them in too
Now in a pot on the stove, put the milk in and get to a boil. Now you have to be quick at this. Quickly, stir in the baking soda. It will come up into a fluff that smells amazing. Mix that immediately into the rest of the wet ingredients.

Always fascinated me growing up…still does

Finally, mix in the flour mixture. Do it nice and slowly, so that it mixes evenly. Now that you have your batter, slowly pour evenly into your wax-papered-pan

Wish I had used 3 bananas in this batch

Put in the oven for 34 minutes. Weird number. The normal number is 40 minutes, but my mum advised me to check it at 34 and it was ready and done! Take it out and let it sit for a few minutes before putting it on a rack or another cool pan

Now just needs the icing!

Lemon Icing

Prep Time: 3-5 minutes

Ingredients

1 1/4 cup powdered sugar
juice of 2 mini lemons (or 1/4 cup)
zest of lemon
2 tbsp butter

Directions

Pretty basic, just melt the butter in a bowl and then mix everything else in (the zest, lemon juice, and suuugarrrr)
Slowly start to ice the cake, using a spoon and then draping it over. It can be runny which is why it is best to do it slow so it starts to solidify

Looks like a little piece but I had at least 4…

And then you shove as many pieces as you can in your mouth! Just kidding…but seriously. This cake is so delicious and, for me, reminds me of home. What better combination? It was a hit at work, a little something everybody can enjoy. The subtle banana flavor with the lemon is a great combo. You gotta try this recipe! And as always…stay hungry and fit!

BONUS PUPPY PIC

Jul032013

2-Ingredient Healthy Energy Rounds

Some of you may know that we are travelling to Iowa tonight (yes, we’re driving over night, 7pm-9am probably) for a 4th of July family reunion. Some may run screaming at the words, “family reunion,” but I always look forward to the chaos of it all…and the delicious food of course. I love family! And many of you know that I’m currently prepping for contest so I’m doing very clean eating. My meals mostly contain tuna, other fish, vegetables like spinach and peppers, almonds, oatmeal and brown rice. Sounds boring, but I’m alright with it (especially with hot sauce). OKAY GET TO THE POINT–I need healthy, clean food for the road trip there for my attempt to stay awake. Luckily I stumbled upon this blog for the idea.

Of course, we’re bringing fruit and fiber cereal to snack on, but I wanted to bake a little something so here we are. Basically, 2-ingredient rounds full of energy and electrolytes! I can’t even tell you how easy this was to make. Perfect and delicious for snacks on the go.

Simple and delicious

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Baking Time: 12-15 minutes

Ingredients

1.5 cup oats
2 bananas (mashed)
almonds (optional)
cinnamon (optional)

Directions

You’re probably saying, “That’s IT?” to the above. Yep. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.
To start off, mash up your bananas really well, get it nice and smooth.

mash mash mash

I had some almonds I wanted to use, so I decided to add it into the mix. Again, you don’t have to do anything more than oatmeal and bananers. If you want to use almonds, cut or grind them up.

Pathetic amount of almonds (I HATE cutting them)

Now you want to mix it all together in a big bowl. Start with a base of oats and almonds and then add the mashed bananas in and stir.

Mixed up!

Make sure you mix it all up really well. I added cinnamon to it because I LOVE cinnamon and put it in everything. Now line up a baking sheet with wax paper or you can use a cooking spray/oil. Plop those rounds on there. Should make about 12.

Ready to bake

Bake for about 12-15 minutes (mine took 13). Let cool and then EAT.

Ready to be EATEN

They are so easy and delicious, it’s the perfect energy snack for on-the-go. And it is HEALTHY. No crap in it! And I’d imagine they’d be lovely with milk. Again, this takes no time at all, I did it while packing to show that it’s easy. Enjoy this quick, delicious, nutritious recipe to stay hungry and fit!