My Perfect Banana Bread

May 8, 2013 by Gina Mueller

I originally wasn’t planning on posting this banana bread recipe so i didn’t take step by step pictures (sorry). However, it turned out so BOMB DIGGITY  that i had to share it.  This is the banana bread recipe I have been searching for!  My Quest began over a year ago (see quest).  Im not sure the quest will ever officially be over because I love experimenting with new banana bread, but this is my new go to recipe.

Bonus points- its made with coconut oil and oatmeal!

The funny part- I was making it to get rid of left over ingredients in preparation for the move.

 My Perfect Banana Bread

Adapted by The Live in Kitchen

For the bread:

1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup oatmeal

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

4 tablespoons coconut oil

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana (about 3) – leave some chunks!

1/3 cup plain yogurt

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup roughly chopped walnuts

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Coat a bundt pan with cooking spray and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, oatmeal, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside. In the bowl mix coconut oil and brown sugar on medium speed until well blended, about 1 minute. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the banana, yogurt, and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients- do not overmix.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake 40-45 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes in the pan on a wire rack, then remove and cool completely on the wire rack.

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Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies with Coconut Oil

Nov 5, 2012 by Gina Mueller

My Aunt Janet was the one to introduce me to making cookies with coconut oil vs butter about a year ago.   I love coconut so the light taste in a cookie makes it even more delicious to me.  If you do not like coconut I would not recommend using coconut oil as you can taste it.  This was my first time incorporating coconut oil into a cookie so I was  a bit nervous, but they turned out perfect!

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies with Coconut Oil
Adapted by Nestle Kitchens

Ingredients 

• 1 cups white whole-wheat or all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups oatmeal
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 3/4 cup virgin coconut oil, room temperature
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 2/3 cups (10-oz. pkg.) semi sweet chocolate chunks

Directions

Preheat oven to 350° F.
Combine flour, oatmeal, baking soda and salt in small bowl.  Beat coconut oil in seperate mixer bowl until smooth. Add brown sugar, granulated sugar and vanilla extract; beat until creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Gradually add in flour mixture. Stir in chocolate chunks.  Place cookie dough balls on a ungreased baking sheets. I use a small spoon so all cookies are the same size.  Bake for 9 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks or paper towels to cool completely.

Here is the coconut oil I used.

After beating the Coconut oil until smooth add the sugars.

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Chicken Pot Pie Soup

Oct 7, 2012 by Gina Mueller

Fall is here!  And nothing is better than a warm cup of soup on the first cold fall day.  Chicken Pot pie is a weakness of mine so when I found a healthy version of this delicious comfort food I pounced at the chance to make it.  My favorite part of this soup was having the freedom to fill it with as many veggies as I could imagine.

Ingredients
Adapted by SkinnyTaste.com 

• 1/4 cup flour (to make gluten-free use 2 tbsp cornstarch instead)
• 2 cups water
• 4 cupss skim milk
• 2 large celery stalks, chopped
• 1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 10 oz sliced baby portabella mushrooms
• 3 chicken bouillons cubes
• pinch of thyme
• 10 oz frozen classic mixed vegetables
• 1 potato,  cubed small
• 1 yam, cubed small
• 16 oz cooked chicken breast, diced small
• salt and pepper

Directions

Combine 1/2 cup of the cold water with flour in a medium bowl and whisk until well blended. Put to the side.

Pour remaining water, 1 1/2 c, and milk into a large pot – slowly bring to a boil. Add celery, onion, mushrooms, chicken bullion, thyme, fresh pepper, frozen vegetables and return to a boil. Partially cover and simmer until vegetables are soft, approximately 20 minutes. Add chopped potatoes and yams let simmer for 5 minutes. Add chicken, and slowly whisk in flour mixture.  Allow soup to thicken by allowing it to cook a few more minutes.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Fresh ingredients.

Chop potato, yam, celery, mushrooms and the yellow onion.

Thickener, a flour and water mixture.

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Healthy Lemon Broccoli Pasta

May 14, 2012 by Gina Mueller

This pasta is one of my favorite summer time meals.  I have been a lover of lemons for some time now and the idea of mixing lemons with pasta falls in the middle of delicious and perfection for me. Did I mention this recipe is crazy easy to make! What makes it so easy?  Clean up! You only need one pot – no strainer needed!  It takes less than 20 minutes to whip together and it always turns out delicious; great leftovers too.

Ingredients

• 29 oz Chicen Broth
• 3 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp gr lemon rind
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 6 oz angel hair pasta
• 3 c. Broccoli Florets (can be frozen)
• 1 1/4 c. low fat or lite sour cream
• 2 oz parmesan Cheese

Instructions

Combine and boil chicken broth, lemon juice, lemon rind and pepper.  Add Pasta and broccoli, simmer (without a lid) until noodles are cooked. Do not Drain!  Stir in  Sour cream and sprinkle with parmesan.

Quick snapshot of the ingredients.  Feel free to use frozen broccoli – I usually do!

Combine and boil chicken broth, lemon juice, lemon rind and pepper.

A little peppah!

Dont forget to rollout the lemon before you slice! (i forgot)  Makes it easier to juice.

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Greek Yogurt Covered Blueberries

Apr 16, 2012 by Gina Mueller

I am always searching for healthy treat options to satisfy my sweet tooth.  I, like many others, recently discovered greek yogurt and enjoy finding ways to use it as a substitute.  This frozen treat was the perfect way to incorporate my new favorite ingredient into a simple healthy summer treat.  This will be a new necessity for my summer freezer like frozen grapes!

Ingredients

• Berries (blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, rasberries)
• 1/2 c Greek Yogurt

Directions

Prepare a cookie sheet with wax paper.  Place 1/2 c of yogurt into a bowl, dip berries in yogurt and place on wax paper a centimeter apart.  Once sheet is covered with berries place cookie sheet inside freezer for a couple hours.

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