Tag Archives: Photography

Roasted Banana Baked Oatmeal

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I did it again.

NanandPecan

I, again, roasted bananas. And, again, I baked some oatmeal.

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Like I told you before, I am ON oatmeal right now. And as much as I love my oats+nut butter+apple combination,  baked oats are such a nice change. The roasted bananas? Well I bought a huge bag of ripe bananas. What better way to use them?

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This dish is satisfying, comforting and nourishing. You just feel better after eating it. It’s a great start to a day.

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I can’t get over the plump raisin and crunchy pecan combination.

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The banana flavor is spot on. Roasting bananas makes them taste amazing, and in the oatmeal, adds the perfect sweetness.

Method:

Preheat oven to 400*.  Grease a 9-inch baking dish. I brushed mine with melted coconut oil.

Start with:

2 bananas

Cut bananas in half, lengthwise, and place on a baking sheet. Roast in preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until soft and skin is black. Set aside and let cool completely. Reduce oven heat to 375*.

Next:

2 c. oats (I used old fashioned)
1/2 c. chopped pecans
2/3 c. golden raisins
1/3 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Mix dry ingredients in a bowl.

Then:

1 egg, lightly beaten
1.5 c. milk (I used almond)
1/3 c. honey
1 tsp. pure maple syrup
2 Tbsp. melted + cooled coconut oil
2 roasted bananas, from above, mashed

Add wet ingredients to a bowl. Mix well. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix well to combine. Place in  greased 9-inch baking dish. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until firm on top and golden around the edges.

*Notes:
-I used 2 Tbsp. melted coconut oil but melted butter would work fine.
-I served mine in bowls, with almond milk and extra cinnamon. So good!

Enjoy!

Wissahickon Walk

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Greg lives in a great part of Philly. He can take a three minute walk to a station and get on a train that takes him to Center City in 15 minutes. He has a great market that is only a 10 minute walk away. He lives right near two great towns with local shops and restaurants. And, he lives close to several entrances of Wissahickon Park.

Being in the city is great, but it is so nice to have such a close escape. Here are some photos from a walk we took one seasonably warm day in January.

Enjoy!

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Week in Photos

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It’s finally Saturday everyone! Here are four little things that made my week bright.

{This pizza. Made by mom. Doesn’t it look amazing?}

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{This kitchen. Because even though it is tiny (and messy) it helps me do what I need to do.}

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{This snack. Because it was just right when I ate it.}

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{This list. Because it was given to me by such a nice person, for such a good reason.}

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I hope that your weekend brings you happiness!

Roasted Banana Bread + Maple Buttercream Mini Cupcakes

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I’ve got a little treat for your Friday.

done5

And, I know these cupcakes have a long name.

nans

They can’t just be banana cupcakes because roasting the bananas take these to a different place than non-roasted bananas would. And, they can’t just be roasted banana cupcakes because they kind of remind me of banana bread. A little. In a good, delicious way.

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The maple buttercream is delicious. I want you to try it soo bad!

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And I made mine mini. Because they are cute, and pop-able. And yes, eating three at once is okay. Because they are mini!

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Now, if you desire a true cakey cupcake, these may not be for you. BUT they are so delicious and worth a try if you’re a little scared. They are moist and a little dense, packed with flavor — incredible. The combination of roasted bananas + maple buttercream = wow. So, so good.

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Also, don’t be intimidated by the ingredient/step list. I have it broken down into sections, so it looks more complicated than it really is.

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I think you are really going to enjoy these!

Method

Banana Cupcakes:

To begin:

Place 24 mini cupcake liners into two mini cupcake pans. Grease liners.

Start with:

2 bananas

Preheat oven to 400*. Cut bananas in half, lengthwise, and place on a baking sheet. Roast in preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until soft and skin is black. Set aside and let cool completely. Reduce oven heat to 350*.

Next:

1 c. cake flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt

Place all four ingredients in a mixing bowl. Stir well with a whisk.

Then:

1/3 c. milk (I used almond)
2 cooled, roasted bananas (from above)
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Mix together in a bowl.

5 Tbsp. butter, softened
1/2 c. white sugar
1 egg, at room temperature, beaten

Beat butter and sugar in a bowl until smooth. Add half the egg to the butter/sugar mixture. Beat until just combined. Add half of the banana mixture to the butter/sugar. Beat until just combined. Add remaining egg and banana mixture and mix until combined. Add to dry ingredients and, using a wooden spoon, mix until just combined.

Fill the muffin liners with batter, filling each about 3/4 full. Bake in 350* oven for 8-12 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.

Maple Buttercream

1 stick unsalted butter, very soft
3/4 c. powdered sugar
1.5 tsp. pure maple syrup
Small dash of salt

Beat butter until soft, fluffy and completely smooth. Add powdered sugar and beat well. Add maple syrup and salt and mix until combined.

Pipe buttercream onto cupcakes.

*Notes
-This made 24 mini cupcakes for me.
– Decorate cupcakes with sprinkles, chopped pecans or even sliced bananas!

Enjoy!

Baked Sweet Potatoes with a Crumb Topping

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I’m really, very lucky when it comes to food.

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I am surrounded by people who are great cooks and bakers. My grandma and both of her daughters — my mom and my aunt — are masters in the kitchen. There is never a lack of delicious food at family gatherings because of them.

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With Greg, I am even lucky. His mom and his sisters share a love of food, cooking and baking, too, and they make so many amazing things.

This recipe is from Greg’s mom. She made it two Thanksgivings ago and also a couple of times since. I am so in love with this dish, I just had to get the recipe.

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I have always loved sweet potatoes. My grandma makes the best sweet potatoes — simply cubed, cooked and then sauteed in a little butter and brown sugar. So good. They have always been a favorite of mine.

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And I’ll be honest. I’ve always been afraid of sweet potato casserole. I just love the taste of sweet potatoes so much, that, I’m afraid a lot of extras (marshmallows) will conceal the taste. And, something else you should know, I don’t love the word casserole.

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But this — this slightly sweet, creamy, smooth dish is just so good. The topping is slightly crunchy and adds just the perfect flavor and texture to the sweet potatoes — which still taste like sweet potatoes.

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I could have this dish with every meal for the rest of my life and be a happy girl.

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I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. Thank you to Greg’s mom for such a delicious recipe!

Method:

Preheat oven to 350*. Grease a 9-inch baking dish or 12 ramekins, as shown in photos.

Start with:

4 c. cooked sweet potatoes
1/3 c. sugar
2 eggs
3 Tbsp. butter, softened
2/3 c. milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Place ingredients in a bowl. Mix with a handheld electric mixer until smooth. Spoon mixture into baking dish or ramekins.

Next:

2/3 c. brown sugar
1 c. oats (I used old fashioned)
1/3 c. flour
1/2 c. butter, cubed

Combine ingredients in a bowl and, using the back of a fork or a pastry blender, mix the ingredients until “crumby.” Spoon crumb topping onto sweet potato mixture, either in a baking dish or ramekins.

If using a 9-inch baking dish, bake for 45 minutes in a preheated oven. For the ramekins, bake for 25 minutes, or until golden brown on top.

Enjoy!