Baked Banana Bread Oatmeal

I've been baking my steel-cut oats for years. Baking steel-cut oats takes a few hours of moderately attended time on the stove to 30 minutes of hands-off time in the oven, but I'd never thought much about applying the same approach to old-fashioned oats. After all, they cook fairly quickly on the stove top, even faster in the microwave, and can even be soaked for overnight oats instead. But with a little extra time for a leisurely breakfast on the 4th of July, the idea crept back into my mind, and since it was a holiday, I decided to make them extra luxurious.

Coconut oil has made the rounds as the latest super health food, but I eat it because it is delicious. I've always loved coconut-flavored foods and I'm happy it has gone from culinary villain to nutritional superstar (like another favorite, eggs) so I can eat it without guilt. And the glorious tablespoon in this recipe is really what takes it from good to exceptional. Banana, walnuts, and cinnamon call up all the familiar favorite flavors of banana bread, but coconut oil makes it as delicious as a piece slathered in butter. I like the complex sweetness of maple syrup here, but just as you may choose the lower calorie option of milk or banana, you may want to reduce or eliminate the amount of sweetener. (Like I said, this was a holiday breakfast for me.)

The recipe here is for an individual serving, but this is a great opportunity to scale up for a crowd of people or many breakfasts for one. With all the ingredients at the ready, it's easy to make several servings with individualized additions at once, which can either be baked in individual ramekins or a jumbo-sized muffin pan.

Baked Banana Bread Oatmeal
serves 1
adapted from Chocolate-Covered Katie

1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
Pinch of kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon, or to taste
2 tablespoons chopped toasted walnuts or pecans
2 tablespoon mashed banana
3 tablespoons milk of choice
1 tablespoon coconut oil, coconut butter, or melted butter (you can substitute extra milk or banana, but it will be much less rich)
1 tablespoon maple syrup, honey, or brown sugar, or to taste

1.Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a small baking pan, loaf pan, or 1-cup ramekin with cooking spray.

2. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together oats, salt, cinnamon, nuts, and brown sugar (if using). In a separate bowl, mix together banana, milk, coconut oil, and maple syrup/honey (if using). Add wet ingredients to try and mix to thoroughly combine.

3. Pour mixture into baking dish and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until firm. (Cooking time will vary based on the baking dish and whether or not you used oil). Raise the heat to broil and continue cooking for 3 to 5 more minutes or until the top has a nice crust. Turn oatmeal out onto a separate dish, if desired, and serve promptly.

Pomegranate Banana Oatmeal Smoothie

I don't juice, in the steroid or produce fashion. In my mind, juicing is just a fad that, while at least getting people to drink something better than soda, is just a way of removing all the fiber from what could be a much more nutritious and satisfying use of fruits and vegetables. Smoothies, on the other hand, those I'm all about. You can probably blame my grandma's homemade Orange Julius' for the beginning of my smoothie adoration, but now they're a much more frequently an easy way to enjoy a nutritious breakfast no matter what else is going on.

This smoothie has a short list of ingredients and each one is really important to texture, flavor, and nutrition of this tasty breakfast. The oats provide whole grains and a hint of texture, yogurt brings filling protein and creaminess, banana adds a bit of sweetness and thickness, with the honey balancing out the sweet-tart antioxidant punch of the pomegranate juice. I err on the side of tart with this recipe, but you may want to increase the honey if you've got a real sweet tooth or want to enjoy this as a dessert(-ish) treat instead. And if you don't mind sullying its beautiful ruby hue, tossing in a handful of greens is great way to squeeze a little extra nutrition in as well.

Pomegranate Banana Oatmeal Smoothie
serves 1

1/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup plain (or vanilla) low-fat yogurt (soy or coconut milk yogurt for vegans)
1 banana, preferably frozen, sliced
1/2 cup pomegranate juice
1 teaspoon honey or agave, or to taste

1. In a blender, combine oats, yogurt, banana, juice, and honey; puree until smooth. Serve immediately.

Zucchini, Banana, and Flaxseed Muffins

It's not often that I have enough time to bake breakfast and sit down and eat it in the morning, but that's just what I did with my day off on Labor Day. Most of my morning was spent on labors of love in the kitchen, with my oven occupied for hours, and these were the perfect fuel to keep me going. Zucchini muffins were the obvious choice for my breakfast baking, given my ample crop, and these came with the highest recommendation from a coworker - her nine-year-old son ate five of them in one day. As usual, I added my own spin to the recipe, swapping out all-purpose flour for whole wheat pastry flour, using the more intensely flavored dark brown sugar in lieu of the light, and reducing the amount. The banana-dark brown sugar combination adds a subtle bananas foster note to the recipe, backed up the rich (and omega-3 dense!) flax meal. Gorgeous green flecks of zucchini permeate each bite, suspended deliciously in a tender whole wheat pastry flour matrix. I froze a good portion of these muffins for weeks of breakfasts at the ready, which I know I'll be eager to scarf done when my zucchini crop has completely dwindled away.

Zucchini, Banana, and Flaxseed Muffins

adapted from Martha Stewart

makes 12 muffins

Nonstick cooking spray
1 3/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour (or all-purpose flour)
1/2 cup ground flaxseed
3/4 to 1 cup lightly packed dark brown sugar (to taste)
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 cups coarsely grated zucchini (from 1 large zucchini)
1/3 cup mashed ripe banana (from 1 large banana)
3/4 cup whole milk
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat 12 standard muffin cups with cooking spray. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, flaxseed, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Add zucchini and banana and stir to combine. In a small bowl, whisk together milk, egg, and vanilla. Add milk mixture to flour mixture and stir until combined (do not overmix).

2. Divide batter among muffin cups. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Let muffins cool completely in pan on a wire rack, about 30 minutes.

Whole Wheat Zucchini Muffins

My zucchini consumption is no longer keeping up with my zucchini crop. I currently have eight zucchini in the fridge and at least a half dozen on the vine that are sure to join them shortly. But no shortage of ingredients means no shortage of recipes to share! I'll be honest, I've been putting off making zucchini bread/muffins because that's the first recipe that people typically go for, but it was time to take on this classic. I find that there's far too little distinction between cupcakes and muffins these days, so when I bake my own, I make the lightly sweetened, whole grain variety. The problem with a lot of whole grain baking is that the end product is too dense, but using whole wheat pastry flour remedies that problem entirely. Baked goods turn out light and tender while maintaining the nutty flavor of the whole wheat flour, so there're little reason to use anything else for baking most of the time. Applesauce, banana, and honey create a subtle, nuanced sweetness, keeping the muffins especially moist along with milk and heart-healthy olive oil. I used this recipe to make six jumbo muffins instead of the original ten to twelve (I have what you might describe delicately as a hearty appetite), but with no unvirtuous ingredients and great flavor, I see no reason not to eat with aplomb. I've included the original baking instructions, but if you choose to make the larger variety as well, begin checking for doneness starting at five to ten minutes after the baking time specified (ovens will vary). With luxury of a long holiday weekend, it's the perfect opportunity to take the time to bake up a hearty breakfast to linger over, enjoying each delicious, nutritious bite and savoring your well-earned break.

Whole Wheat Zucchini Muffins

adapted from Greatist

makes 10 to 12 regular-size muffins or 6 jumbo muffins

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (or regular whole-wheat flour)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
1/2 cup apple sauce
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup milk (of your choice)
1 banana, mashed
1/4 cup honey or maple syrup
1 cup grated zucchini (about 1 large zucchini)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a large mixing bowl combine all the dry ingredients. In a separate medium-sized bowl, whisk together the apple sauce, olive oil, milk, banana, and honey.

3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir to combine. Fold in the zucchini.

4. Fill lightly greased or lined muffin cups, and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the tops have browned. The insides will be exceptionally moist!

5. Let the muffins cool to firm up, or eat them while they are ultra-tender and warm!

Banana Sunflower Seed Cookies

Because I'm packing up to move, I've been forced to dig in the archives for recipes to share. I'm being as culinarily creative as I can with most of my cooking equipment packed away, but there's been no baking for a while as that was some of the first kitchen stuff to be packed. That being said, I can't believe that I've let these simple, tasty little cookies linger in the to-be-published list for so long! The batter takes just minutes to prepare, rewarding you with little banana bread-esque pillows of deliciousness. There's enough sweetness to be appropriate for a light dessert, but these are definitely healthy enough to be breakfast on the go. Whole wheat pastry flour keeps these cookies incredibly light and tender with a generous helping of salty, crunchy sunflower seeds making them a filling, wholesome snack. The next time you have some very ripe bananas that you don't want to throw away, give this recipe a try. Not only will it save some bananas from the trash, but you'll end up with a tasty, crowd-pleasing snack with just a small time investment.

Banana Sunflower Seed Cookies
from Bob's Red Mill
makes about 3 dozen

2 very ripe medium bananas

1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup sunflower seeds, roasted and salted
1 tsp baking soda

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Peel and mash bananas. In large bowl, beat oil, bananas and sugar. Mix flour with sunflower seeds and soda. Add dry ingredients to banana mixture and stir until thoroughly mixed.

2. Drop dough by rounded tablespoons about 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake about 15 minutes, until edges are golden brown. Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Carrot-Walnut Cookies

I used to eat a granola bar and piece of fruit as my morning snack each morning at work, but although I chose granola bars without high fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners or non-whole grains, I was not happy with how high sweeteners fell on the ingredient list. I changed by snack to nuts and dried fruit without added sugar, but I've been missing having something a little more special for my morning snack. I've made granola bars many times in the past, but when I saw this recipe on the Whole Foods website, I knew it was a great new solution to my problem. It's only filled with healthy ingredients-nuts, whole grains, and fruit-but still a sweet little treat that will go splendidly with a piece of fruit and cup of green tea. Food is a very important part of my life and having 10 minutes with a healthy, delicious snack in the morning goes a long way towards buoying my energy and mood for the rest of the workday. This is truly a cookie you can feel good about eating, be it morning, noon, or night.

Carrot-Walnut Cookies
adapted from Whole Foods
makes about 24 cookies

1 cup raw unsalted walnuts
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
2 carrots, grated
1 apple, grated
1 very ripe banana, peeled and mashed
1/2 cup apple juice

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. Combine walnuts, oats and raisins in a food processor and pulse until finely ground. Transfer to a bowl and stir in flour, baking powder, cinnamon and ginger. Add carrots, apples, banana and apple juice and stir until combined. Drop by rounded tablespoons an inch apart on the prepared baking sheets, making about 24 cookies. Press down on each cookie with the back of a fork to flatten them slightly. Bake until tops and bottoms are lightly browned, 20 to 25 minutes.

Frozen Peanut Butter Banana Puree

While waiting for my parents to arrive for a visit last weekend, I saw the basis for this recipe on Five Ingredient Fix, a show on Food Network that can be either hit or miss with me. My ears definitely perked up when I heard this recipe because I had a bunch of bananas that needed to be used up and I'm always in the market for a healthy and easy-to-prepare dessert. It drove me nuts that she kept referring to this as ice cream, which I define by inclusion of milk/dairy (or milk substitute like soy, hemp, or almond milk, although I also don't think of that as real ice cream either), but it's also not quite technically a sorbet either. Whatever you call it, it's a pretty healthy and tasty dessert for all the banana lovers out there. I made the banana puree and froze it separately from the walnuts and chocolate chips so they could be incorporated according to each person's preference, but you could also stir them in after the banana, peanut butter, and honey are pureed together. While it isn't a substitute for Ben and Jerry's Chunky Monkey ice cream, this can definitely satisfy a craving for a frozen dessert and make for a sweet, but healthy, treat.

Frozen Peanut Butter Banana Puree
serves 3 to 4
adapted from Food Network

4 medium ripe bananas
2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
1 to 2 tablespoons
Chopped dark chocolate or chocolate chips (optional)
Chopped toasted walnuts (optional)

1. Slice bananas into 1-inch pieces and freeze. Place frozen bananas chunks in a food processor and puree until smooth. Add peanut butter and honey and process until thoroughly combined. Serve immediately or freeze until ready to eat. Top with chocolate and enjoy!

Banana Walnut Bread

I've had a huge craving for banana bread all week and a snowy Saturday morning is the perfect time to whip up a loaf. I seldom buy bananas to eat plain, but I can't resist a piece of banana bread. I've been obsessed pumpkin baked goods lately and it's time for a change of pace. My favorite part about the Christmas season are all the wonderful cookies, cakes, candies, and breads and I'd bake something new nearly every night if I had enough people to feed with my culinary creations. While I love all manner of treats, I still like to make them as healthy as possible, using more nutritious substitutions when they don't detract (and perhaps even enhance) the flavor and texture of the final product. Many people think that banana bread is healthy just because it has bananas, but fail to think about the often copious amounts of butter and sugar and the refined white flour. This bread is made with whole wheat pastry flour and flaxseed meal with a sprinkling of heart-healthy walnuts and is great as breakfast, a snack, or even dessert (I prefer a slice with tea before bed). In a season of constant indulgences, it's good to have some treats that aren't a nutritional black hole.

Banana Walnut Bread
adapted from Cooking Light

1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana
1/3 cup low-fat plain yogurt
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 large eggs
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 cup ground flaxseed
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts
Cooking spray

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.

2. Combine first 4 ingredients in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed. Add granulated and brown sugars; beat until combined.

3. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients (through ground allspice). Add flour mixture to banana mixture; beat just until blended. Fold chopped walnuts gently into batter and pour batter into pan. Bake at 350° for 55 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven; cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack. Remove bread from pan; cool completely.

Banana Bread Oatmeal

Oatmeal is one of my favorite areas to experiment with right now. Oatmeal is healthy, filling, and can be prepared quickly on a weekday (quick oats in the microwave) or slowly enjoyed on the weekend (steel cut oats on the stove). It also doesn't take very much to take oatmeal from a plain-Jane meal to a delicious treat. If you're feeling a bit unhealthy after overindulging at your Thanksgiving feast, a hearty breakfast of oatmeal is a great way to get back on track. This oatmeal is healthy and full of flavor and will give you the energy to entertain or clean up after your guests, or venture out into the insanity of Black Friday shopping.

Banana Bread Oatmeal
serves 1

1/2 c. steel-cut oats, rolled oats, or quick oats
1 banana, cut in half
2 T. toasted chopped walnuts
1 T. honey
1/4 t. cinnamon
Milk, half-and-half, or cream, for serving

1.Cut one half of the banana into 1/4-inch thick slices on the bias. Mash the other half in a small bowl and set aside.
 
2. Prepare oatmeal according to package directions. Add mashed banana and stir thoroughly to combine. Top with sliced banana, walnuts, honey, and cinnamon. Pour milk over oatmeal and enjoy warm.

Banana Bread

When I buy bananas, I rarely eat them raw and usually save them for banana bread. It's not that I dislike bananas, but I definitely prefer them as part of something else instead of on their own. I got a really good deal on bananas last week and have been eagerly anticipating making banana bread ever since.

I often like to switch out part of the all-purpose flour for wheat flour and add flax seeds for a boost of omega-3s.

Banana Bread
adapted from the Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana (4 to 5 medium)
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup cooking oil or melted butter or margarine
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease the bottom and 1/2 inch up the sides of one 9x5x3-inch or two 7 1/2x3 1/2x2-inch loaf pans; set aside. In a large bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Make a well in the center of flour mixture; set aside.

2. In a medium bowl combine eggs, banana, sugar, and oil. Add egg mixture all at once to flour mixture. Stir until just moistened (batter should be lumpy). Fold in walnuts.

3. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes for 9x5x3-inch pan or 40 to 45 minutes for 7 1/2x3 1/2x2-inch pans or until a wooden toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. If necessary, cover loosely with foil for the last 15 minutes to prevent overbrowning. Cool in a pan on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely before slicing.