April 25, 2024

Protein Banana Bread Breakfast Bars

Protein Banana Bread Breakfast Bars

I found this recipe on a website called PaleOMG.  I love their photos on Instagram, and they have great ideas for healthy snacks and things to give your kids.  I changed the recipe a bit, just subbing a few things here and there, and now I present to you:  Protein Banana Bread Breakfast Bars!

That’s a mouthful.  These PBBBBs are just like banana bread, but not cloyingly sweet.  They are made with almond flour and whey protein powder, so you’re getting a good dose of protein in your sweet treat.  These were easy and delicious!  I’m storing mine in the fridge, and hope there is enough left for me to enjoy one with my morning coffee tomorrow!

Protein Banana Bread Breakfast Bars

Ingredients:

  • 2 bananas, mashed
  • 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 2/3 cup almond flour
  • 1/3 cup whey protein (vanilla, but I used cinnamon!)
  • 1/4 cup tapioca or arrowroot flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/3 cup cacao nibs (I used mini chocolate chips)
  • 1/4 cup sliced almonds (I used sesame seeds)

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350*F.  Grease an 8×8 square pan.
  2. Mix all the ingredients together, except for chocolate chips and almonds.  Then fold in cacao nibs or chocolate chips.  Pour into the prepared pan, and cover the top with the almonds or sesame seeds.
  3. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the middle is set.  Cool for 10 minutes before cutting.
  4. I cut mine into 1″x4″ bars, so I had 16 servings.  Store in the fridge, covered.

 

Explore, experiment, enjoy! — Dana


To view even more of Dana’s unique recipes, you can visit her at Frugal Girlmet!

Irish Soda Bread

Irish Soda Bread resize

For last week’s recipe, I needed a carton of buttermilk.  I still had quite a bit left, and I knew I wanted to use it all up, so I found a few recipes that fit the bill.  None, however, sounded as tasty as this one for Irish Soda Bread!

A “soda bread” is simply a quick bread that uses baking soda and /or baking powder to rise, as opposed to yeast.  That means you don’t need to wait for it to rise, or worry about the yeast being old and feeble (or killing it with water that is too hot … or not hot enough to wake it up … Have I mentioned lately I hate baking with yeast?!?!)  This recipe comes together in a food processor, but if yours isn’t big enough to fit all the ingredients, or you just like using a pastry cutter, you can certainly put some elbow grease into it and do it the old-fashioned way.

This recipe is based on a Martha Stewart recipe, but I made a few changes.  The biggest change is that, unlike regular soda bread that is kind of bland and dotted with raisins, this one has chopped currants throughout, so it is more of a currant-flavored bread.  Also, the original recipe called for caraway seeds, but I used anise seeds instead.  This bread keeps on the counter, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and foil, for a few days.  Cut a big slice, cover it with butter, and match it up with your favorite coffee or tea.

Irish Soda Bread

Ingredients:

  • 4 cups flour
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 tablespoons anise seed
  • 4 tablespoon cold butter, cubed
  • 1 10-ounce box currants (or use 2 cups of raisins)
  • 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3 tablespoons buttermilk

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350*F.  Butter a large round Pyrex baking dish, all the way to the top.
  2. In the bowl of a large food processor, blend together the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and anise seed.  Add the cold butter cubes and pulse to blend.  Add in the currants and blend again.
  3. In a large bowl, beat together the buttermilk, egg, and baking soda.  Add this to the food processor and blend again until thoroughly mixed.  It will be wet and sticky!
  4. Scoop the bread dough into the buttered Pyrex dish and smooth into a mound.  With a brush or the back of a spoon, brush the top with the 3 tablespoons of buttermilk.  Bake for 70-80 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Christi’s Homemade Bread Recipe

When it comes to bread, there is nothing better to me than homemade!  I love the way the bread makes my home smell while it is baking in the oven.  I have always been a homemaker at heart, and there is nothing more special to me than to make a couple of loaves of homemade bread for my family.  My hubby works hard each day, for us, and he deserves something special for dinner.  I love a lot of things homemade, but this recipe is my all-time favorite.  I hope you will give it a try and let me know what you think of it!

 

Homemade Bread

Makes 4 loaves

Homemade Bread

Ingredients:    

 2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
4 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees to 115 degrees)
6 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons salt
1/4 cup shortening, melted and cooled
12 cups all-purpose flour, divided

 

Directions

  1. In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Add sugar, salt and shortening; stir until dissolved. Add half the flour; beat until smooth. Mix in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough that cleans the bowl. Turn onto a floured surface. Knead 8-10 minutes or until smooth and elastic.
  2. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1-1/2 hours. Punch dough down. Cover and let rise again for 30 minutes.
  3. Divide dough into four parts and shape into loaves. Place in four greased 9″ x 5″ x 3″ loaf pans (I use Pampered Chef Loaf Pans). Cover and let rise in a warm place until just to the top edge of the loaf pan*, about 30 minutes. Bake at 375 degrees F for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans and allow to cool on wire racks.

*If you don’t want that dry-flour look on the top of your bread (as shown in the picture above), brush butter all over the top of the loaf before removing the bread from the loaf pan.  It not only makes the bread taste delicious, but it also gives the bread a nice golden brown color.

We like a denser bread versus a light and airy bread, so I only allow the bread to rise just to the top edge of the loaf pans before going into the oven.  If you want a lighter, airy bread, you will let it rise a little higher before placing in the oven.  Keep in mind that the bread will rise a bit further during the baking process.

 

Enjoy!!

 

Gluten-Free Hearty Whole Grain Bread

Here on our At Home with GCH blog, Monday’s are always focused on healthy but oh-so-yummy! recipes.  We’ve been on a gluten-free kick for quite a while now.  This week I am going to share my husband’s favorite gluten-free loaf of bread.  Shhhhh… (it is made from a mix)!  Really truly!  And it is incredible!  Very hearty…nice, thick crust…tasty…and full of such good-for-you ingredients.

This mix Hearty Whole Grain Bread Mix is made by a wonderful company, Bob’s Red Mill.  They offer an extensive line of gluten-free baking products as well as many other items.  You should check their website out!  Many grocery stores and ‘big-box’ stores carry their products.

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Here’s the list from the label (note there are no preservatives or ingredients with 14 letters):

  • whole grain buckwheat
  • garbanzo bean flour
  • potato starch
  • cornstarch  IMG_1617
  • sunflower seeds
  • sesame seeds
  • whole grain sorghum flour
  • tapioca flour
  • cocoa powder
  • evaporated cane juice
  • fava bean flour
  • dried molasses
  • xanthan gum
  • caraway seeds
  • active dry yeast
  • sea salt
  • whole grain teff
  • potato flour
  • onion powder
  • guar gum
  • soy lecithin

If your home is like ours…this will be gone within 2-3 days.  This bread has no preservatives so you might consider keeping it in the refrigerator.  Slice as needed.

Additional Ingredients: IMG_1615
1+3/4 cups warm (110 degrees) water
1/4 cup oil
2 eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon cider vinegar

Directions:

  1. Dissolve enclosed packet of yeast in the warm (110 degrees) water; let stand for 5 minutes ‘til foamy
  2. Grease a 9X5 loaf pan; then line with parchment paper, cut to fit.  also grease parchment paper
  3. Pour dry mix into stand mixer bowl
  4. Add yeasty water mixture and run mixer for 15 seconds
  5. Add eggs, oil, cider vinegar
  6. With mixer on low, blend ‘till batter is smooth and all ingredients are incorporated
  7. Turn mixer to medium speed and beat for 15-20 seconds
  8. Pour batter into loaf pan; smooth top of batter with wet fingers or spatula
  9. Cover loaf pan with plastic wrap and put in a warm (75-80 degrees) place to rise for 40-45 minutes; I place mine into the microwave.  Allow dough to rise so it is level with the top edge of pan
  10. Preheat oven to 375
  11. When dough has risen, bake for 60-65 minutes or ‘til internal temperature of bread is 205 degrees (I use an instant – read thermometer)
  12. Cover bread with a loose tent of foil after approximately 35-40 minutes as it starts to brown
  13. Remove from oven; allow to cool for 5 minutes
  14. Then loosen edges of bread with a knife or small spatula
  15. Using parchment paper strips, lift bread from pan and place on wire rack to cool completely before slicing
  16. As the bread is cooling, I rub the top ONLY of the loaf with about a 1/2 tablespoon of butter; this just softens the top crust of this very hearty loaf of bread

 

♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥

God loves you!  ♥  (Don’t ever forget that!)

♥  coleen

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If you would like to send a personal message to Coleen concerning this blog post, you may email her at: Coleen@girlfriendscoffeehour.com

At Home With GCH: Cinnamon Bun Cake

I don’t know about you, but I love the smell of cinnamon ANYTHING wafting through my house! So when I found a recipe for a cinnamon roll cake, I knew I had to take it and make it my own!  I hope you enjoy this recipe for Cinnamon Bun Cake as much as my family and I did!

 

Cinnamon Bun Cake

Cake:

3 cups flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup sugar

4 teaspoon baking powder

1.5 cups milk

2 eggs

2 teaspoon vanilla

.5 cup butter (1 stick), melted

Topping:

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

1 cup brown sugar

3 tablespoons flour

1 tablespoons cinnamon

Glaze:

2 cups powdered sugar

5 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9×13 baking pan with cooking spray, or grease and flour it. Set aside.

For Cake: In your mixer, add the flour, salt, sugar, baking powder, milk, eggs, and vanilla. When it is combined completely, slowly stir in the melted butter. Pour into the prepared pan.

For Topping: In a large bowl mix the butter, brown sugar, flour and cinnamon together until well combined and creamy. Drop spoonfuls over the batter and use a knife to marble/swirl through the cake.

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Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes or when a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

 

FOR GLAZE: In a small bowl, mix the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla together with a whisk. Drizzle evenly over the cake. The glaze can be drizzled when the cake is warm or cooled.  I prefer it when it is cool, but it will work either way.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

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Enjoy!!

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GCH: What’s on Your Plate? – Pumpkin Bread

Today I thought I’d share my Grandma Jessee’s recipe for Pumpkin Bread.  My grandma was born in 1902 and died in 1994, which made her 92 years old.  She was the sweetest, God-fearing woman you’d ever want to meet.  For most of my childhood, she lived right next door to us so I’d go over there and hang out with her and help her cook, or watch her “stories” with her.  She always made this recipe around Thanksgiving, so whenever I think of fall recipes, this is my default.  I’ve made a couple of changes to her original recipe to modernize it, such as the Pam Baking Spray and using Self-Rising flour, but the taste is identical.

My Grandma Jessee

Now if you’re like me and have picky eaters in your house or family members with nut allergies, you can choose to omit the raisins and/or pecans.  I made several loafs yesterday – one with raisins and pecans, one with raisins only, one with pecans only, and one without either raisins or pecans.  It’s delicious either way!  I hope you and your family will enjoy this recipe!  Please leave a comment if you make it and let me know how it turned out for you!

PS – a tip for you about eggs… my mother always taught me to crack my eggs into a separate bowl instead of into the bowl with the other ingredients.  This is for two reasons – if you get any shell in there, you can pick it out and also, if you happened to get a bad egg, you won’t ruin your entire mixture by cracking it directly into the bowl! 🙂

Pumpkin Bread

Pumpkin Bread

Ingredients:

3 cups sugar

2 cups pumpkin

4 eggs

1 tsp nutmeg

1 ½ tsp cinnamon

1 cup oil

2/3 cup water

3 1/3 cup self-rising flour

1 cup raisins

1 cup chopped pecans

 

You’ll also need:

Very large bowl

Pam Baking spray

Measuring Cups

Measuring Spoons

Spatula

2 – 9x5x3 loaf pans

Mixer

 

Directions:

Combine all ingredients except raisins and nuts, mix well.  Then fold in raisins and nuts.  Spray 2 – 9x5x3 loaf pans with baking spray.  Divide batter and pour into each pan.  Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 1 hour.

ENJOY!! 🙂

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You can visit Shauna at her personal blog for more recipes, crafting, and other fun stuff!  http://www.workhomeplay.net