May is National Strawberry Month AND National Salsa Month
Did you know that almost 14% of people think that cilantro tastes like soap? It’s true, and it’s completely scientific.
Tag: fruit
Chocolate-Covered Banana Pops
If you give me a coupon, I am more likely to buy something. If you give me a coupon and put the item on sale, it’s a done deal. The product is in my cart.
That’s how I found myself with a box of these chocolate-covered banana slices. I became an immediate fan. The packaged treat was just so convenient as a snack around the house.
…But I wasn’t about to buy another box without a coupon, especially since I knew I could make an enhanced, decorated version at home.
You really only need 2 ingredients for this recipe: bananas and chocolate. If you are feeling festive or fancy, add some crushed nuts, shredded coconut, granola, candy pieces, sprinkles, butterscotch chips, or anything else that would taste good with bananas and chocolate.
Ingredients
- 1 banana, cut into thirds
- 2 tablespoons chocolate chips
- toppings of your choice: crushed nuts, shredded coconut, granola, candy pieces, sprinkles, butterscotch chips, etc. Out of the toppings I have tried, I think that coconut is the best.
Directions
- Melt chocolate chips in the microwave. Place them in a microwave-safe glass bowl, and microwave on high for 45 seconds. Stir, and microwave for an additional 20 seconds. Continue to microwave for 20 seconds and stir until the chocolate is smooth.
- Pierce each section of banana with a popsicle stick. Dip the banana in chocolate, using a spoon to spread the chocolate evenly.
- Roll the banana in your toppings.
- Place the banana pops on a sheet pan covered with wax paper. Freeze for 6 hours or overnight.
- Eat and enjoy!
Do you combine coupons and sales?
P.S. I am linking up with Angie and Abbey @ Three Cats and a Girl for Fiesta Friday!
Salted Peanut Butter Klondike Bar
What would you do-oo-oo-oo for a Klondike bar?
Now that you are considering all sorts of crazy feats, let’s switch gears and chat about the great month of March. I love March for several reasons.
Strawberry & Nutella Baked Taquitos
February is National Chocolate Lover’s Month
It’s no secret that I LOVE nut butter. I like nut butter with bananas. I like nut butter with oatmeal. I like nut butter with pretzels. I like nut butter with carrots. And I really like nut butter with chocolate.
Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
It’s January, which means three things:
- The air is cold.
- The gym is packed.
- We are all celebrating National Oatmeal Month. Am I right?
Although there is nothing I can do to bring warmer weather or expel a few Resolutioners from the gym, I can continue to help you celebrate National Oatmeal Month.
Lemon poppy seed is one of my favorite muffin flavors. Lemon is light, and happy, and the taste of summer. Maybe these muffins will provide enough sunshine to last me to June.
Ingredients
- 2 cups oatmeal
- 1 1/2 teaspoon poppy seeds
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 1/2 cup applesauce
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp honey
- juice from 1/2 medium lemon
- zest from 1/2 medium lemon
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and liberally coat a 12-count muffin pan with nonstick spray
- Grind oatmeal in a food processor to make a coarse flour
- Whisk together oat flour, poppy seeds, baking soda, baking powder, and milk
- In a separate bowl, combine milk, orange juice, applesauce, vanilla extract, honey, lemon juice, and lemon zest
- Mix wet ingredients into dry ingredients
- Evenly distribute batter between 12 muffin wells
- Bake for 10-12 minutes
- Let cool in pan
- Remove from pan, eat, and enjoy!
Cranberry-Banana Gingerbread (with Blind Spot Nutbutters)
December is national fruitcake month.
Depending completely on your personal opinion, my childhood was either blessed or deprived. Why? Because, to my knowledge, I never tasted fruitcake.
This fact doesn’t disappoint me. Cursory research says that fruitcake was originally created to last for a full 365 days. A baked good that lasts more than a month is a little freaky. What do they put in that stuff?
So here is my version of a fruitcake with bananas, cranberries, oatmeal, and (of course) nut butter. I figure that any loaf with fruit in it can be called “fruitcake,” right?
Unlike real fruitcake, this bread will only last for about a week in the fridge (if you manage not to eat the whole loaf at once).
Makes 1 loaf, about 10 slices
Ingredients
- 3 overripe bananas
- 1 egg
- 2 cups oatmeal
- 1.2 oz (about 3.5 tablespoons) Gingerbread Cookie Blended Nut Butter
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 cup fresh cranberries, chopped
Direction
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 8X4 inch bread pan with nonstick spray.
- In a blender, combine bananas, egg, oatmeal, nut butter, and baking soda. Blend until smooth.
- Stir in spices.
- Fold in chopped cranberries.
- Pour into greased baking pan. Top with sliced bananas, if desired.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- Let cool completely.
- Slice and top with anything you would like! Butter, jam, more nutbutter, etc.
- Eat and enjoy!
Blind Spot Nutbutters Monthly Recipe: It’s a Zoo in My Lunchbox
From January to April, I was a student teacher at a local elementary school.
In my last month of student teaching, I made a list of the many reasons that I was eager to finish:
- I will have time to blog again.
- I will have time for photography again.
- I will have time to run again.
- I will have time to bake again.
- I will have more time. Period.
