Banana Waffles with Maple Walnut Syrup

Happy Mother's Day!

Let's pay tribute to all the fantastic Mother's we've encountered in our lives, and especially our own!

Isn't Motherhood an amazing thing?  I mean, a mother, someone who guides us through life, teaches us right from wrong, someone who is an advisor, mentor, and a friend.

My mother is all this and more.  She is strong but soft.  A mix of oak wrapped in velvet.  She's kind, generous, and loving....always there for support or to listen.  She's also a great cook that's taught me my love of food.

 So here's to all the Mother's in the world...Hip Hip Hooray!

What better way to celebrate than with a Mother's Day Brunch?

Here is an outstanding recipe from a famous spa in Arizona, Canyon Ranch.  I'm so glad to have received this recipe and can share this with you!  These delectable waffles are heavenly, and the syrup is a delight.  Tangy and fruity, yet sweet with a hint of maple.

These are such a great addition to a Brunch, Sunday breakfast, or even for a late dinner.  They would go great with my Italian Scrambled Eggs.  (Click on the link to check them out.)

So let's make waffles!


First let's make the syrup.  Take some berry jam, I used a Olallieberry fruit spread from a local farm, add the maple syrup and orange juice concentrate.  Stir until combined.

On to the waffles.  Mash 2 ripe bananas in a medium bowl.

Add your oil, egg, milk, and vanilla to the mix and stir to combine. 

Add your dry ingredients:  a combination of whole wheat flour and all purpose flour, baking powder, and salt.

Stir to combine well.  I use a measuring spoon to scoop the batter in to the waffle iron.

Now let the batter sit a minute and toast your walnuts in a skillet over medium heat.  Watch them or they will burn.  Toast for about 3 min.

Scoop your batter in to a pre-heated waffle iron and cook according to your waffle iron's directions.  Usually when they stop steaming they are done...golden brown.  Serve with the wonderful syrup and sprinkle with the toasted walnuts on top.


Oh my!  look at these babies!

A delectable waffle made for Mom!

Enjoy, and let me know what you are doing or making for Mother's day!

Banana Waffles with Maple Walnut Syrup

Adapted from : Canyon Ranch Cooking

Active Time:  20 Minutes

Total Time:  20 Minutes    

Makes 2 waffles, or 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

For the Syrup:

2 tablespoons all-fruit cherry or berry jam

2 tablespoons maple syrup

1 1/2 teaspoon frozen orange juice 

For the Waffles:

2 medium ripe bananas, mashed

1-1/2 teaspoons corn oil

1 egg or ¼ c egg whites

3/4 cup low-fat (2 percent) milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup whole-wheat flour

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 teaspoons toasted and chopped walnuts

                                                                                                                       

DIRECTIONS

FOR THE SYRUP:
Combine all the ingredients for the syrup, mix well, and set aside. Preheat a waffle iron.

FOR THE WAFFLES:
Combine the bananas, corn oil, egg whites, milk, and vanilla in a bowl and beat until blended. Add the flours, baking powder, and salt and mix well.

Spray the hot waffle iron with non-stick cooking spray. Spoon 3/4 cup of the batter onto the center of the waffle iron. Cook until a golden brown, or until it stops steaming. Repeat with the remaining batter.

TO SERVE:
Halve each waffle and top each half with 1 tablespoon of syrup and 1 teaspoon of toasted walnuts.

Roundup: Cinco De Mayo

Cinco De Mayo is right around the corner!

Here are some recipes that you may enjoy making in honor of Cinco De Mayo:

Chili Marinated Pork Tenderloin

Black Bean, Corn and Quinoa Salad

Chicken Guacamole Salad

Taco Soup

Homemade Taco Seasoning

Beth's Favorite Chicken Enchiladas

I hope you try one of these and let me know how your dish turned out.  Ole!

Easter vs. Cinco De Mayo

So last week Easter fell on my birthday.  MGG wanted to take me out to celebrate my birthday and we had such a great time!

But I LOVE Easter...

So I really wanted to do the whole Easter dinner thing, so we decided to have our Easter dinner a week later.  So yesterday we celebrated Easter....however, the menu was a Latin themed one...so we also paid tribute to Cinco De Mayo as well.

Whether you're celebrating Easter, Cinco De Mayo, Mother's Day or just Spring...you need to make these dishes.  They were off the hook!!!

Here's my Easter Menu:

Chili Marinated Pork Tenderloin

Black Bean, Corn and Quinoa Salad

Roasted Asparagus with Toasted Lime Breadcrumbs

Casa Blanco - Portuguese White Wine

Strawberry White Chocolate Trifle

It started with a pretty decorated table, set for Easter.

White, yellow, and green dishes make a pretty spring place setting, flanked by asparagus handled flatware.  Place settings sit on top of a festive spring runner of pastel colors.   Each guest receives a See's chocolate egg nestled in a bed of pink grass in the soup bowl. 

Pillar candles surrounded by moss hold a treasure of Easter eggs nestled among more moss.

Sweet love birds add a nice spring touch.  And individual Easter baskets at each place setting sets the mood.

On to the food!

I've given you the recipes and a photo of each dish.  I hope you will make one or all of these and let me know what you think.  

Chili Marinated Pork Tenderloin

Serves 4 - 6

2 Pork Tenderloins (about 2 lbs total)

1 c apple juice

¼ c fresh lime juice

1  jalapeno chili, minced

3 cloves of minced garlic

½ t paprika

½ t dried oregano

½ t black pepper

½ c sour cream

¼ c canola oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a shallow casserole dish combine apple juice, lime juice, jalapeno, garlic, paprika, oregano, and pepper.  Remove 1 T. of marinade and add this to the sour cream.  Set sour cream aside.  Add oil to the marinade and stir to combine.

Add pork tenderloins and allow to marinate at room temperate 30 min.  Place tenderloins in a roasting pan and bake for 30-35 min until pork reaches at least an internal temperature of 155 degrees.

Slice and drizzle sour cream mixture over the top.  Serve with extra sour cream mixture.

Roasted Asparagus with Toasted Lime Breadcrumbs

Serves 4 - 6

2 Bunches of Asparagus
Olive oil
salt & pepper
Fresh breadcrumbs
butter
1 lime

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place asparagus on a baking sheet.  Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. 
Roast for about 20 min.

Meanwhile place the fresh bread crumbs in a skillet with a tablespoon of butter and toast until brown.  Add the juice of 1/2 lime to the breadcrumbs.

Serve over asparagus.

Black Bean, Corn and Quinoa Salad

Source: Williams-Sonoma

Ingredients:

For the dressing:

2 Tbs. fresh lime juice

3 Tbs. white vinegar

2 Tbs. minced fresh cilantro 

1/4 tsp. ají amarillo paste

1/4 tsp. dried oregano

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup olive oil

 

1/2 cup quinoa

1/4 tsp. salt

1 cup drained cooked black beans, or purchased

2/3 cup thawed frozen corn kernels, preferably Peruvian

1 tomato, seeded and finely diced

1 small red bell pepper, seeded and finely diced

To make the dressing, in a bowl, whisk together the lime juice, vinegar, cilantro, ají paste, oregano, salt and pepper. Add the olive oil in a thin stream, whisking constantly until smooth and emulsified. Set aside.

In a saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the quinoa and 1 1/2 cups water. Stir in the salt. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer until the quinoa is tender and all the water has been absorbed, about 10 minutes. Transfer the quinoa to a colander and rinse under cold running water. Drain thoroughly, then transfer to a large nonreactive bowl.

Add the black beans to the bowl with the quinoa. Pat the corn dry with paper towels and add to the bowl, along with the tomato and bell pepper. Pour in the dressing and stir to coat all the ingredients well. Transfer the salad to a large serving bowl or individual plates and serve immediately. Serves 6.

Strawberry White Chocolate Trifle

Prepared Angel Food Cake
2 oz box of White Chocolate Pudding
2 c milk
1 lb fresh strawberries

Mix white chocolate pudding and milk.  Refrigerate until set according to package directions. 

To assemble:  break pieces of Angel Food cake and place in the bottom of a trifle bowl. (Individual bowls or 1 large bowl) Spoon some white chocolate pudding over the cake.  Layer on sliced strawberries.  Repeat layers again ending with sliced strawberries.  Top with fresh whipped cream.

Enjoy!!!