Banana Walnut Pancakes

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It's the weekend and time for breakfast!

Let's make pancakes!  I have a craving for a nice homey breakfast and that would include sweet, fluffy pancakes.  But let's not make any old regular pancakes, let's make them special.

With over ripened bananas always hanging around they are a great ingredient that will make any pancake moist and delicious.  I also have some walnuts leftover from a Mediterranean snack board we had last night.  Those go perfectly with bananas and will lend the pancakes a little crunch.

These are easy to throw together.  You have your basic pancake recipe with a few add-ins to make that perfect breakfast dish!  Who doesn't love bananas and walnuts?  With a few pantry items you will have a scrumptious breakfast on the table in no time and one that the whole family will devour.

Light fluffy steaming hot pancakes laced with bananas and walnuts are doused in warm maple syrup.  What breakfast could be better than that.  Oh my these are good!  Make some this weekend and treat yourself and your family to a special breakfast...or dinner!

Enjoy!

Banana Walnut Pancakes

makes 4 pancakes

1/2 cup all-purpose flour 

1/4 cup white whole wheat flour
1 tsp each baking powder

1/2 tsp salt
¾ cup mashed overripe bananas (about 2)
¼ cup milk
¼ cup sugar
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
1 egg
½ tsp. vanilla extract
Sliced bananas
1/3 walnuts, toasted and chopped

Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the mashed bananas, milk, sugar, butter, egg, and vanilla. Add wet mixture to dry mixture; stir just until combined.  Fold in walnuts.

Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-low; coat with nonstick spray or butter. Drop batter by 1/4 cup portions onto skillet and cook until bubbles appear and bottoms are brown, 2-3 minutes. Flip pancakes and cook until brown, 1 minute more. Serve pancakes with warm syrup and sliced bananas.  

Cranberry Walnut Muffins

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Fall reminds me of certain flavors.  Earthy whole wheat flour, cinnamon, pumpkin, apples, and cranberries come immediately to mind.  So today we are going to enjoy a recipe that has some of those flavors to get you in the mood for fall.


I used to work in the MGM Production plaza which was a complex of business headquarters.  It was a great complex and had a building with a food court that housed many different eateries.  One I particularly remember is the Coffee house that was open at the crack of dawn serving coffee drinks and some yummy pastries. 

I remember the day that I tried their Cranberry Walnut Muffins.  I thought I had died and gone to heaven.  A piping  hot muffin filled with crunchy walnuts, juicy plump cranberries, and a hint of cinnamon.  It was earthy, comforting, and oh so satisfying.  That muffin became a daily habit/ritual of mine for quite some time.  So much that I can still taste them all these years later.


It's wonderful how food brings back memories don't you think?  They can trigger all sorts of happy and sad times.  It's a powerful sensory experience when food is linked that way.

So I've decided that enough time has passed since I had my favorite indulgence and I've recreated that muffin at home.  No longer will I be deprived of that comfort feeling I had when biting into that hot muffin!  Today I'm sharing that with  you so that you too can enjoy the comforting feelings.


I took my basic muffin recipe and added some whole wheat flour for earthiness, along with some walnuts for crunch, cranberries for a flavor pop, and a dash of cinnamon.  I made these in an autumn shaped muffin tin of leaves, acorns, etc....but don't despair, they work perfectly in a regular shaped muffin tin!

Try these warm and comforting muffins this weekend.  The aromas that will fill your kitchen will make the masses come running for breakfast!


Enjoy!



Cranberry Walnut Muffins

yield:  6 muffins

Ingredients:

1 egg

1/2 cup 2% milk

1/4 cup Canola Oil

1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar

2 t. baking powder

1/2 t. salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup walnuts, chopped
1/2 cup dried cranberries

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Place egg, milk, and oil in a large mixing bowl and whisk together until light.  Add flour, sugars, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.  

Stir until moist. Fold in walnuts and cranberries.  Don’t overmix…batter should be lumpy and a little thick.

Spray a non-stick muffin pan with cooking spray.  Divide batter amongst 6 muffin cups filling most of the way full.

Bake at 425 degrees for 20-25 min.

Asparagus, Tomato, and Ancient Grain Salad

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I'm unofficially declaring 2017 the "summer of the salad"!

Everyone needs a great salad and this is one of my new creations. I took a regular vegetable salad combination like asparagus and tomatoes and decided to add an ancient grain (quinoa) to give it a little texture. Salads are an essential for hot summer nights, quick weeknight meals, meal prep or make ahead lunches and gatherings!  Did someone say 4th of July???

If you don't know about quinoa then you are in for a treat.  They classify it as one of the ancient grains which means they are grown and cultivated in the same way for thousands of years.  Quinoa was called the "mother of all grains" and considered sacred by the Incas.  It's rich in fiber, protein, omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants and is also considered gluten-free.

ASPARAGUS, TOMATO, AND ANCIENT GRAIN SALAD

Regardless of all that scientific stuff quinoa tastes awesome.  It's boiled like rice and has a great tendency to absorb flavors, so it is perfect in salads!

You know there are salads. Then there are salads.  There are a lot of ho-hum everyday salads out there and then there are FRESH, UNIQUE, and IRRESISTIBLY INTERESTING salads.  This Asparagus, Tomato, and Ancient Grain Salad falls in that category.  In-season, fresh, crisp vegetables are mixed with quinoa for texture and flavor, then topped with walnuts and feta for another layer of bold flavor.  All of this is drizzled with a reduced balsamic glaze that is TO DIE FOR!  The key to this salad is using the very best ingredients you can find which will ensure outstanding flavors.

One plus is that any left over dressing can be saved in the refrigerator for about 2 weeks and used on other salads, sautéed vegetables, or over strawberries.  Heaven!  So don't get rid of any leftover dressing, it's so good on it's own you might scoop out a taste with a spoon.  Beware! 

So think about Asparagus, Tomato, and Ancient Grain Salad as one of your side dishes in the upcoming 4th of July bash, or make sure to make this for a quick weeknight side dish.  It's very easy to put together and everyone will love your take on a refreshing grain salad.

Enjoy!

Asparagus, Tomato, and Ancient Grain Salad

Yield:  4 servings

Ingredients

Vinaigrette:

6 Tbls balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp honey
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

Salad:
1/2 cup quinoa
1 lb fresh asparagus, cut in 1 inch pieces
1/2  pint grape tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
2 oz or 1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled 

Directions:

For Quinoa:  Cook in a small saucepan according to package directions.  Set aside and allow to cool.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile prepare vinaigrette - add vinegar to a small saucepan, bring to a boil over medium heat and allow to boil until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Pour into a jar or bowl, add olive oil, Dijon mustard, honey, garlic and whisk to blend while seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

In a large bowl add grape tomatoes and walnuts.  Add asparagus to boiling water and allow to boil until tender crisp, about 4 - 5 minutes. Meanwhile fill a medium mixing bowl with ice and cold water. Drain and immediately transfer asparagus to ice water, for 10 seconds then drain asparagus well on paper towels. Transfer to the bowl with tomatoes and walnuts.  Add the cooled quinoa and toss well to combine.

Drizzle vinaigrette over the top and toss lightly. Sprinkle over the feta and serve.