Healthy Banana Walnut Bread (with Coconut!)

Healthy Banana Walnut Bread with Coconut

Recently, I've returned to my obsession with Despicable Me minions. Last year, us Nutty Crumpets were crazy enough to put the Banana Song at the end of our YPI presentation. We thought it would be funny and end the seemingly depressing topic on a light-hearted note, but that nearly cost us not advancing to the semi-finals. Although I can't say the second movie was the best movie I've ever seen, it was definitely an entertaining movie to watch. Yes, it completely contrasts the first movie as Gru the villain is no longer doing evil deeds, but the increased amount of minion action makes up for it. 

What the banana minion says when you pull the banana

Mc Donald's currently carries minion toys as part of the kids' Happy Meal. It's extremely strange for me to want to visit Mc Donald's much less beg to go. The toys certainly do their job very well of luring children (or children at heart, ahem) into buying their food. Thankfully, Happy Meals are not the worst thing to force down your throat and are fairly priced. The portion control and healthy options like milk and apples makes for a acceptable fast food meal. By the way, the hamburger is the 'healthiest' entree option, Happy Meal or not. Anyways, back to the toys. I was disappointed to find that my preferred minion toy was not available on the first trip to get a Happy Meal with Az. Since then, I have dragged my parents to five different locations in search of the 'banana minion'. A successful Coconut Crumpet feels happy about her accomplishment. But my mother says I need to become more mature. I beg to differ.
 
Not only is the banana minion my favourite, but I've become addicted to playing Minion Rush on my phone. And I rarely ever play games, mainly because I'm terrible at them. Something about collecting bananas and running other minions over is so amusing to me. Evidently I seem to have some bias towards the combination of minions and bananas. So, with the bananas that have been sitting frozen in my freezer for months, I dedicate this beautiful banana bread to all 10 million of the minion fans out there.

Super tall Healthy Banana Walnut Bread

Healthy Carrot Morning Glory Muffins

Healthy Carrot Morning Glory Muffin

This is the one and only carrot muffin recipe you need; it's flavourful, healthy, and jam-packed with delicious ingredients. Truly a glorious way to start the day (I'm so poetic).

I can rest assured knowing I've gotten my daily intake of veggies. This muffin includes all my favourite things: coconut, nuts, fruit, and veggies. It's filled with fibre too, as you can use whole wheat flour or add flax seeds like I chose to do. Remember the importance of scrubbing the colon everyday!

My mom always complains about my muffins that barely reach the rim off the muffin liner. No need to worry about that with these muffins; they rise nice and tall and have a beautiful dome-shaped top. Smear a little frosting and top with some toasted coconut flakes like Ambitious Kitchen's photo and you've got a presentable gift!

Enough of my blabbering, just go and make these muffins nowwwww~

Healthy Carrot Morning Glory Muffins

Adapted from Ambitious Kitchen

Yield: 12 full muffins

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups flour
• ½ cup ground flax seed
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp ground ginger
• Pinch of nutmeg
• ½ cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• 2 eggs
• ⅓ cup milk (try coconut milk!)
• 2 ½ cups shredded carrots (about 1 jumbo carrot, or 2 ½ medium carrots)
• ½ cup unsweetened applesauce (or date paste)
•  ¼ cup raisins
• ¼ cup coconut flakes, toasted*
•  ½ cup chopped walnuts, toasted**

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line or grease a 12 cup muffin pan.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, flax seed, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.
3. In a large bowl, mix brown sugar, vanilla, oil, and eggs until combined. Add in the milk and mix again.
4. Mix the carrots, applesauce, and raisins into the wet mixture.
5. Add all of the dry mixture, coconut flakes, and walnuts into the wet mixture. Fold until just combined. Be sure not to over mix!
6. Spoon the batter into prepared muffin cups with your handy-dandy muffin scooper. Top with some walnut bits or coconut shreds if it pleases you to do so.
7. Bake for 23 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out dry.
8. Cool on completely on a wire rack before attempting to peel the paper liners off, they stick a little bit.

*Toast coconut flakes in a preheated oven at 350°F for 2 minutes. Stir once and bake for 1 more minute. It smells ah-may-zing~

**Please refer to this recipe for directions on how to toast walnuts

Love from Coconut Crumpet's Corner ♡ 

Chewy Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

Chewy Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

Who says you can welcome the arrival of spring with some pumpkin goodies? Evidently seen by my stock of canned pumpkin in the basement, I love eating pumpkin no matter what time of year it is. 

On a lonely Friday night, I was motivated to do lots of baking. Maybe because I was avoiding my homework and studying responsibilities... These cookies were one of the goods that came out of the oven. They fill the house with an aromatic smell of warm spices, mmm~ I must inform you that these cookies require lots of chewing, prepare for a jaw workout! Nothing better than a good treat to go with some muscle toning right? I love texture and chewy things, so these cookies are totally up my alley. If you prefer less-chunky cookies, you have the option of grinding all the oats into flour and leaving out the mix-ins. Please don't be turned off by the less-than-appetizing colour seen in the photo, they taste amazing! Even Peanut Crumpet gave her seal of approval. 

These cookies get a little sticky the next day, so I give you permission to gobble up as many as you can in the first day. They're healthy anyways... Reheating them in the oven for 5 minutes before eating them will also help to dry the outsides. I always prefer warm cookies, imitating 'fresh from the oven' effect. 

Chewy Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

Adapted from MD School Mrs.

Yield: 20 cookies

Ingredients

• ¼ cup flour
• 4 tbsp ground flax seed
• 1 cup oats, divided
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• a pinch of salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp nutmeg
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp ground flax seed + 3 tbsp warm water (or another egg)
• 6 tbsp loosely packed brown sugar
• 2 tbsp honey
• ¾ cup pumpkin puree
• ¼ cup applesauce
• a splash of vanilla
• ½ cup walnuts, toasted*
• ¼ cup raisins

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a cookie tray with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
2. Combine 1 tbsp ground flax seed with 3 tbsp warm water in a small bowl to make the 'flax egg'. Let it sit for about 10 minutes to get thick.
3. In a food processor, grind ⅓ cup of oats into oat flour.
4. Combine flour, flax seed, oat flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large bowl. 
5. Whisk egg, flax egg, brown sugar, honey, pumpkin, applesauce, and vanilla in a separate bowl until well combined.
6. Add the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until thoroughly combined. Fold in nuts and raisins.
7. Using a cookie scoop, drop the batter onto the cookie sheet about 1 ½ inches apart. You may choose to flatten the top a bit.
8. Bake for 12 minutes, or until slightly golden brown.

*To toast walnuts: Spread walnuts evenly over a cookie sheet and bake at 350°F for 3 minutes. Keep an eye on them as they burn very quickly!

Love from Coconut Crumpet's Corner ♡