Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

I have made chocolate chip banana bread a million times with my previous  one bowl banana bread recipe.  But I think this new chocolate chip banana bread recipe is going to be in my repeat recipes files.  I tried using whole wheat flour and greek yogurt with this new recipe.  It is so moist and wonderful.  You can't even tell that its whole wheat flour or has yogurt in it.  The taste of bananas shines in this bread.  You could add in 1/2 cup of your favorite nuts but I usually only do chocolate chips, so it is up to you.  Definitely make this chocolate chip banana bread recipe, the yogurt is the secret ingredient that makes this bread extra delicious.  Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

½  cup  (1 stick) butter, at room temperature

¾ cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 ½ cups flour (I used whole wheat.)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 ripe bananas, mashed

½ cup plain greek yogurt

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ cup chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Light grease a loaf pan with non-stick spray.

In a stand mixer, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

Add eggs, one at a time.  Add vanilla, bananas and yogurt.

In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt.

Slowly, add dry ingredients half a cup at a time to wet ingredients. 

Stir in chocolate chips.

Pour into prepared loaf pan.  Bake for about 1 hour.  (I check the bread by inserting a toothpick into the center of the bread, if it comes out clean, it is done.)

Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes.   Turn bread out onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

Makes 1 loaf.

Easy Nutella Cookies

These easy Nutella cookies came be made in 20 minutes or less, including baking time.  They are that easy!  I love Nutella, a hazelnut chocolate spread.  I've seen several online recipes for Nutella cookies and I adapted this recipe from Kirbie's Cravings.  I used whole wheat flour instead and made about 14 cookies.  You must try this easy Nutella cookies recipe next time you are in a pinch to make cookies.  The cookies are nice and soft in the middle with a light crisp edge.  Absolutely delicious! 

Easy Nutella Cookies

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

½ cup and 1 tablespoon flour (I used whole wheat.)

1 egg

1 cup Nutella

½ cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, mix together flour, egg and Nutella with a spoon.  Stir until dough comes together and no lumps of flour remain.  Stir in chocolate chips.

Make dough balls about 1 to 1 ½ inch in diameter.  Place on baking sheets, spaced about 2 inches apart.

Press lightly on dough so the dough balls are like round disks.  Smooth edges so you have thick round smooth disks.

Bake for about 10 minutes.  Allow cookies to cool on cooling rack.

Makes at least 1 dozen cookies.

Sophie's Colcannon

My colcannon recipe is perfect for St. Patrick's day.  If you don't know what colcannon is, it is a traditional Irish dish of mashed potatoes and cabbage (or kale).  Colcannon is such a warm, filling side dish.  I saw several recipes online that required just boiling the cabbage but I love the taste of sauteed cabbage with onions.  I would add some bacon too if I had any.  I served my colcannon with my mini meatloaves and it was perfection on a cold snowy day.  We had a snow day on Wednesday but it was a bust since DC hardly got any snow.  All we got was slush and everything gets shutdown in DC.  Lucky for me I got to stay home since work was closed, woohoo!  Buddy and Ellie were happy to just stay in and snuggle.  I'm still waiting for Buddy's blood test results and hopefully I will know if his thyroid meds are at the right dosage.  I was told by the vet that if its too high, he could be more anxious which could explain why he's been crying/whining at the door in the mornings when I leave for work.  Poor guy, he misses me so much and luckily I got to stay home an extra day this week.  Make colcannon soon and enjoy!

Sophie’s Colcannon

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

2 russet potatoes, peeled and diced

¼ to ½ cup milk

½ cabbage, shredded

½ onion, diced

3 tablespoons butter, divided

2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

In a saucepan, add diced potatoes and cover with cold water.   Bring to a boil.  Cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.  (If you can pierce the potatoes easily with a fork then they are done.)

Drain water from potatoes.  In the same saucepan or a bowl, add 2 tablespoons and ¼ cup milk to potatoes.  Mash with a fork or potato masher.  Add in additional milk if needed. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

In a large pan over medium-high heat, add olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter.  Add in onions and cabbage.  Sauté for about 10 to 15 minutes or until onions and cabbage are tender and lightly browned.   

Add mashed potatoes to onions and cabbage.   Stir to combine.  Season with additional salt and pepper if needed.

Serves 4.

Whole Wheat Waffles

It's suppose to snow in the DC metro area tonight and tomorrow...so far no snow in DC yet but I am hoping for a snow day!  I know Buddy and Ellie would love for me to stay home because Buddy has been going through some separation anxiety the last few weeks.  The vet told me it could be his dosage of hypothyroid medication which can make him hyper if its too high.  Hopefully I'll find out after this last blood test if his thyroid levels are normal or not.  Don't you just hate waiting to hear news?  Here is a funny video of Buddy recently howling at fire trucks that drove by - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=syQsXj7l37k Buddy is still Buddy!

Anyway I was craving waffles last week and I finally made them!  This is my first time making waffles using whole wheat flour and coconut oil.  I love the subtle hint of coconut in these whole wheat waffles.  Overall these whole wheat waffles are healthy but of course I covered them maple syrup and had a few slices of bacon on the side.  How delicious do these whole wheat waffles look?     

Whole Wheat Waffles

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

1 ½ cups white whole wheat flour (I got mine at Trader Joe’s.)

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons sugar

1 egg

1 ½ cups milk, lukewarm

1/3 cup coconut oil, melted (You may also use melted butter or vegetable oil.)

Directions

Preheat waffle iron.

In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar.

In a separate bowl, mix together coconut oil, egg and milk.

Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients.  Stir until just combined, do not over mix.  The batter will be slightly lumpy.

Cook waffles according to your waffle iron instructions.

Note:  I used my Cusinart Griddler with the waffle plates and they take about 5 to 7 minutes at 350 degrees.

Mini Meatloaves

I actually like meatloaf, kind of weird right?  I never ate meatloaf as a kid because it just wasn't something my Chinese mother would make for dinner.  But the thing about making meatloaf is that it takes an hour to bake.  This is where I came up with making mini meatloaves with my muffin tin.  Anything in a mini form is always better right?  Just like me!  Haha!  I guess you would only get this joke if you actually know me in person because I am sized petite 0.  So yes, mini is always better!  I also happened to have shopped at Whole Foods recently so these mini meatloaves are made with grass-fed ground beef and cage-free raised without antibiotic eggs.  Enjoy these mini meatloaves!

 

Mini Meatloaves

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

1.5 pounds lean ground beef

1 egg

½ cup breadcrumbs

½ cup onions, diced

¼ cup ketchup

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

½ teaspoon granulated garlic

1 packet Lipton onion soup mix

½ cup water

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with non-stick spray.

In a bowl, mix ground beef, egg, breadcrumbs, onions, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, onion soup mix, and water until combined.

Form each mini meatloaf into balls and place in prepared muffin tin.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until done (internal meat temperature should be 160 degrees F).

Makes 12 mini meatloaves.

Spicy Sesame Peanut Noodles

If you have been following my blog, you know how often I've made sesame noodles or peanut noodles or a combination of both.  This time I made it spicy!  I adapted this Spicy Sesame Peanut Noodles recipe from Nigella Lawson's Sesame Peanut Noodles recipe.  I'm actually not a big fan of overly spicy foods but these Spicy Sesame Peanut Noodles are the perfect amount of spice.  I was just also thinking of friends I know who have nut allergies and I might try using tahini in place of nut butters next time.  Enjoy this new spicy version of sesame peanut noodles!

Spicy Sesame Peanut Noodles

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

1/3 cup creamy peanut butter

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce

2 tablespoon lemon juice (or lime)

½ pound cooked pasta (I used linguine.)

bell pepper, sliced

sesame seeds, roasted

Directions

In a bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, vegetable oil, garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, sweet chili sauce and lemon juice until well blended.

Add spicy sesame peanut sauce to cooked pasta and toss to coat everything well.  Add in bell pepper.

Top with sesame seeds.

Serve immediately warmed or serve chilled. 

Pesto Clam Tortellini

This dish doesn’t even need a recipe since it literally has 3 ingredients!  You can make this in under 20 minutes since you mostly need time to get the water boiling.  I was feeling really lazy and pasta is my lazy go-to-dish.  Enjoy this pesto clam tortellini!  Also I would definitely top this with some grated parmesan cheese, if you want a "4th" ingredient.

 

Pesto Clam Tortellini

 

Ingredients

frozen tortellini

pesto sauce (store bought)

1 can chopped clams

Directions

Cook tortellini according to package directions.  Add in pesto sauce and toss to coat tortellini.  Stir in clams.  

Done!