Elvis Muffins aka Peanut Butter Banana Muffins with Flax (Vegan)

I'm always facing this conundrum where I either have no bananas, or like... twenty. I'm sure it comes as no surprise, but like all happy bakers - when I have too many bananas, I make banana bread. Or in this case, banana muffins. This recipe differs slighting from the delicious Banana Muffin Recipe that Carrie posted back in February. This recipe is vegan, omits extra fat, and features flax seed for added omegas.

Perhaps, in a sad an unfulfilled world, one doesn't need two banana muffin recipes. But here on Veggie Horizons, I feel that one can never have too many banana muffin recipes! You decide.

Elvis Muffins (aka Peanut Butter Banana Muffins with Flax)
These muffins are surprisingly moist given the lack of added fats and pack a kid-friendly peanut butter punch. Also, they remind me of Elvis.



Elvis Muffins. Hubba Hubba.

Ingredients
1 tbsp ground flax seed meal
2-3 tbsp of warm water
1 cup white whole wheat flour
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 tsp baking soda
2 medium mashed bananas
1/2 cup all-natural peanut butter
3/4 cup almond milk
1 tsp vanilla

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line muffin tin with paper liners.
2. Combine the ground flax seed meal and the warm water in a small bowl. Set aside.
3. Combine flour, sugar and baking soda in a large bowl and mix well.
4. Fold in the banana, peanut butter, almond milk and vanilla.
5. Mix until ingredients are just combined (careful not to over mix!)
6. Spoon the batter into the muffin liners, about 3/4 filling each cup.
7. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown on top or an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

S'mores Cookies Recipe - Enjoy Summer in March!

Even though I live in the sunny Golden state, it still rains. And, because I live less than a mile from the beach (no, no, I'm not bragging, I swear!), it gets very cold and damp sometimes. Yesterday was one of those chilly, rainy Saturdays that demand copious amounts of tea and the baking of some new and exciting treat.

S'mores Cookies

While at the grocery store, I got a hankering for s'mores. As a former camp counselor, s'mores are a favorite summer treat. The stick fingers, the crumbling graham crackers, the oh-so-satisfying Hershey bars. To die for.

But, since it was cold and chilly and clearly not campfire season, I had to resort to a different method of fulfilling my craving. I searched the net and found this amazing recipe for s'mores cookies on The Girl Who Ate Everything, which is fast becoming a favorite food blog. Amazing recipes and even better photos!

Let me tell you. These. Cookies. Are. Amazing. Definitely not on the healthy list, but, after my boss and one of my coworkers and I worked for 12 hours on Friday, these were necessary. I will definitely be bringing them to work tomorrow!


Tip: Try them frozen. Absolutely devine.

So, straight from the mouth of The Girl Who Ate Everything:

S'mores Cookies
Source: Ice Cream Before Dinner

11 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar, packed
½ cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 ½ cups flour
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup mini marshmallows
3 regular sized Hershey’s bars, broken into pieces
1-2 packages graham crackers, broken into squares

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line baking pans with parchment paper. I used one 11x17 pan and one 9x13 pan but you can really use any sized pans you want.

Lay out graham crackers side by side on the pans as close as possible (they should be touching). I used 16 graham cracker squares on one pan and 10 squares on another. You may have to add or remove graham crackers according to how much dough you have. If you want your cookies thicker you will use more dough and less graham crackers.


In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, sea salt and cinnamon to combine. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter with white and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until combined.

Add the flour mixture to the butter mixer and combine on low speed.


Fold in the chocolate chips and marshmallows. Chill dough in refrigerator for 1 hour to overnight. (Note from Carrie - I chilled for an hour and it worked perfectly).

Place tablespoons of dough on graham crackers about 1 – 1 ½ inches apart. I averaged about 1 1/2 tablespoons of dough per graham cracker square as seen in the picture above. Press down slightly with fingertips.


Bake for 5 minutes then remove from oven to press Hershey’s bar pieces on to the top. You can place as many pieces or as little as you want depending how much chocolate flavor you want.

Bake for 5 – 7 more minutes or until dough is beginning to turn golden brown at the edges. Remove to a wire rack to cool. For clean cutting make sure cookies are completely cool and cut with a sharp knife.

Fresh from the oven, pre cooling and cutting.