Banana PB Raspberry Muffin & A Giveaway!

It's my 100th post!  Can you believe it?  When I started this blog in March 2012 I wasn't sure what direction it would take or if I would even keep it up. I knew I had a lot of favourite recipes to share but would I continue to find things worth talking about?  Writing here has become a great hobby and inspired a whole bunch of new recipes.  Sometimes when we are eating supper one of the kids will say, "this definitely needs to go on the blog."  It makes me smile.



Finding new recipes to try comes from all kinds of sources, including cookbooks from the library. It's one of my favourite ways to try out a book before making the commitment to purchase it. Last week I picked up the Weelicious cookbook and Luke proclaimed it was the "best cookbook he has ever seen." I'm not sure I'd agree about it being the best cookbook ever, but it did have some inspiring family friendly ideas.   He's picked out several recipes to try and I've promised we can try them all as long as he's in the kitchen helping out. 

Luke's a great sous-chef when it comes to baking and cooking. Even if it's food he doesn't want to eat, he's happy to stir, chop and mix. He also likes to lick the bowl clean.  Presentation means a lot to him and he's the first to notice when food is plated nicely.  I joke with him that someday when he lives in a house full of guys in college he'll be the star roommate who can cook. 

We altered the original recipe to be a little more Kale Eats friendly with the addition of whole wheat flour, coconut oil and succanat.  Warm out of the oven they were a wonderfully ooey gooey mess.  Luke topped his with some homemade strawberry jam, although I don't think that's necessary.  The cookbook picture had jam on it, so of course, that was how he wanted it!



In honour of my 100th post, I'm offering a giveaway of a favourite cookbook of my own: Optimal You by Christine Gingerich.  Full of great tasting recipes and powerful lifestyle strategies to achieve optimal health, it's a real treasure.  You can read a little about it here and I talked a bit about her as well here.  How to enter?  Just leave me a comment below with what province/state you're reading from.  Contest closes March 10th at 4pm EST.  Open to anyone in North America.  Winner will be selected at random. NOTE: to comment below the easiest selection is "Name/URL".  If you don't have an URL, just put your name.  If you're the winner~ I'll track you down!

 Banana Peanut Butter Raspberry Muffin

adapted from Weelicious

1 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
2 ripe bananas
1 egg
1/4 cup succanat (can sub cane sugar)
1/3 cup coconut oil melted
1/4 cup almond milk
1/4 cup natural peanut butter (approx)
12 raspberries

Preheat oven to 400degrees.  Line muffin pan with liners.
In a medium bowl mix together flour, salt and baking powder.  Reserve.
In a stand mixer, add bananas and mix until completely mashed.  Add the egg and succanat and mix until combined.  Add the oil and milk and mix.
Add the flour mixture in parts, mixing a bit between additions.  Mix until it is just combined.
Drop about 2Tbsp of batter into each muffin liner and top with about 1tsp of peanut butter and 1 raspberry.  Put another Tbsp of batter on top of raspberry/PB to cover.
Bake for 15-20min.  Cool slightly before eating.  Enjoy!