cooking

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

/ jenniferdyck / 1 Comment

We all have that one recipe we can recite by heart. The recipe that feels like a dash of this and a dash of that. You’ve made it so many times that you are not sure you even read the words on the card anymore.

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For me, it is Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins. They are a staple in my kitchen and it is not uncommon for me to be whipping up a batch at 9 pm on a Sunday night to fill lunch kits for the week.

But don’t worry, I’ve measured this recipe out and tested them umpteen times!

Here are my Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins!

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

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Ingredients:

  • 2 cups whole-wheat flour
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup ground flaxseed
  • 1 Tbsp cinnamon
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 6 medium bananas
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup canola oil
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 1 cup chocolate chips plus extra (optional)

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350F.  Prepare two muffin pans with parchment muffin liners or spray with canola oil. You are making 24 standard sized muffins.
  2. In medium size bowl, whisk together flours, flax, cinnamon, baking powder and baking soda.
  3. If you are using a stand mixer: to the stand mixer bowl add the bananas and beat. Add eggs, beat until well combined. Add canola oil and beat until well combined. Add sugar and vanilla then continue to beat until well combined.
    OR If using a regular second bowl, mash bananas, beat in eggs, beat in canola oil then beat in sugar and vanilla.
  4. Add dry ingredients to wet mixture and stir just to combine ingredients but not fully combined. Yes, this is backwards to a standard muffin method but I make mine in my stand mixer for less mess and simplicity and this works just great!
  5. Add 1 cup chocolate chips and stir just to combine ingredients.
  6. Add batter to prepared muffin pans using 1/4 cup self-releasing scoop.
    Optional: drop 2-3 chocolate chips or walnut pieces to the top of each muffin.
  7. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove from oven, let stand for 5 minutes. Remove from pans and let cool completely on a wire rack.

Notes:

If your bananas are ripe but you are not ready to make muffins; peel them and put into a resealable bag in your freezer. Keep adding bananas until you have 6 – now you are ready to bake!

Peeled, frozen bananas are also quick and easy for smoothies!

Storage:

Keep in a resealable container on the counter for 1-2 days or in the freezer for up to a month.

Always…Jenn

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Patty Pan Squash Soup

/ jenniferdyck / 6 Comments

What do you do with a giant patty pan? Make soup of course!

Giant Patty Pan Squash | www.jenniferdyck.com

This growing season we have been introduced to the patty pan.  The start of the season brought bite size morsels to our table that we grilled, sauteed and ate raw.

Baby Patty Pan | www.jenniferdyck.com

Now that the season is well under way, these summer squash have turned into the monsters of our CSA garden bin and it’s time to switch up how we are going to eat them.

Our farmer, Will Bergmann, suggested that you can make soup.  We are a soup loving family so this quickly became our next meal.

Patty Pan Squash Soup | www.jenniferdyck.com

I hunted online for a recipe but I could not find one that suited what we had on hand for ingredients and one that maximized the produce that had arrived from the farm.

As with any soup, please add extras and change up the flavours to suit your family. Potatoes would add some heartiness, or a handful of cooked noodles.  The basil and parsley could easily become a combination that includes; dill, tarragon, thyme or oregano.

Patty Pan Squash Soup

Patty Pan Squash Soup | www.jenniferdyck.com

Ingredients:

  • 8 cups unpeeled patty pan, cubed
  • 4 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 3 Tbsp canola oil
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
  • 1 medium carrot, diced
  • 2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, divided
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric
  • 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
  • 2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1/4 cup Feta cheese OR sour cream

Directions:

  1. Dice the squash and set aside.
  2. Chop the garlic and set aside.
  3. In a large saucepan or small stock pot, heat the canola oil over medium heat.  Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently for 1 minute.
  4. Add the flour, stir to combine and continue cooking for 1 minute.  Stir for the entire minute.
  5. Slowly whisk in the broth and continue to whisk until well blended.
  6. Add the squash, carrot, 1 tsp pepper and turmeric.  Stir to combine.  Your broth will not cover all of the squash and this is fine.  The squash will release moisture.
  7. Cover the pot and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer until the carrots are tender.
  8. Remove from heat and use an immersion blender to puree until smooth. Alternately you can puree in a food processor or blender but you may want to allow the soup to cool slightly.
  9. Return to heat, stir in basil and parsley.
  10. Serve garnished with Feta cheese or sour cream and the additional pepper.  The cheese is important as it gives the soup a bit of salt.

Storage:

Keep in a sealed container in the fridge for 3-5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Notes:

If you are going to freeze the soup, for best flavour, I suggest adding the fresh herbs after you’ve thawed and reheated.

Do you have extra zucchini?  I have successfully made this soup with 4 cups of cubed patty pan and 4 cups of cubed zucchini.