Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Muffins

I don’t know if you’ve figured it out yet, but I have a soft spot for any kind of baked good. I will admit that I don’t gravitate toward them as much as I used to, due to taste buds changing and the desire to be more healthy, but if you hand me a muffin, I’ll at least take a bite.

I wanted to add some more nutrition to my original banana chocolate chip muffin recipe, and I’m not sure that I really achieved that since I kept the chocolate chips (you can substitute with nuts to make a nutty banana oatmeal muffin), but they turned out so great that I’m sharing the recipe with you here.

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These muffins are sweetened with banana and maple syrup. I suppose the unsweetened applesauce could naturally add some sweetness too, but you can’t even tell it’s in there.

Make sure to cool these babies completely before eating them - they tend to stick to the paper liner. Alternatively, skip the paper liner completely so you don’t have to worry about that.

I keep these in the fridge and enjoy them with breakfast with a hot cup of tea. Mmm.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins

What you need:

• 1 large ripe banana, mashed

• 1 cup whole wheat flour

• 1/8 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 cup maple syrup

• 1/8 cup melted coconut oil

• 1 tablespoon ground flax seeds

• 3 tablespoons hot water

• 1 teaspoon natural vanilla extract

• 1/2 cup rolled oats

• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1/4 cup chocolate chips (or chopped nuts of your choice)

• 1/8 cup almond milk

• 1/2 cup applesauce (I’ve also had great success with plain soy yogurt)

• extra chocolate chips/nuts and oats to top (optional)

what to do:

1. Grease or add liners to a cupcake or muffin tin and preheat the oven to 350ºF

2. Make flaxseed egg by mixing the ground flax and hot water in a bowl and let sit

3. Mix your dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl

4. Mash the banana and mix the wet ingredients in a smaller bowl

5. Add wet ingredient mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until well mixed

6. Fill pan cavities and top with extra chocolate chips and rolled oats if desired

7. Bake for 25 minutes, until a nice golden brown

8. Remove from oven and transfer muffins to a wire rack (I use these from Amazon and love them!) and cool completely before enjoying (if they are not cooled completely, they tend to stick to the paper liner if you used one)

Store these in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.

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What do you like adding to your muffins?

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Chocolate Chip Cookies (vegan)

I don’t think there is anything more classic than a good old chocolate chip cookie. And no one loves a good chocolate chip cookie more than I do. But lately, I’ve been noticing this “problem” I’ve been having. I can’t stand the taste or smell of eggs - even when it’s baked, or especially baked.

You think I’m making this up, but it is 100% true.

Perhaps my tastebuds really have shifted since we’ve been on the journey to more healthy eating and living. I actually can’t even remember when the last time eggs were in my refrigerator. It’s been that long.

The other day, I was craving chocolate chip cookies something fierce. I ended up baking these and made way too many. 42 to be exact. Which is much more than I can eat alone. Thankfully, my husband has a whole office full of people to share with, so I sent a large container with him to work. I low-key felt like a mom sending sweet treats to school for a birthday. It was funny.

The best part about these is that there are no funky ingredients. I don’t have to make an egg replacer or figure out where to buy one at. It just uses every day ingredients that I can find in my fridge and pantry on most days.

Now, you can switch out the hazelnuts if you want to and just have chocolate chips, but I personally love the crunch of a good hazelnut. And, honestly, I have hazelnuts to spare - there are so many in my freezer that I don’t know what to do with all of them! (Hint: I made Nutella with some of them, and you can find the recipe in my pantry favorites ebook!)

Hazelnut Chocolate Chip Cookies

What You Need:

• 1/2 cup vegan butter, melted

• 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted

• 3/4 cup organic cane sugar

• 3/4 cup brown sugar

• 1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce

• 2 tsp vanilla

• 2 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 1/2 tsp baking powder

• 1 tsp salt

• 1/2 cup hazelnuts, chopped*

• 1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips*

*If you choose not to use hazelnuts, just use 1 cup of the chocolate chips instead

What to Do:

1) Preheat the oven to 350º F and prepare a cookie sheet with parchment paper
2) In a large bowl, mix the sugars, oil, butter, applesauce, and vanilla together
3) In a separate bowl, mix together dry ingredients
4) Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients
5) Fold in the chocolate chips and hazelnuts
6) Chill the dough for 10 minutes
7) Scoop up TBSP sizes of the cookies and place on prepared cookie sheet.
8) Bake for 13-14 minutes, until golden brown

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I seriously can’t stop eating these, so I need to share!

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Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies (vegan + gluten free)

You all probably think I have nothing else to do than bake unhealthy things to eat. Well, you're only partially correct. I've been up to all sorts of things these days, like seeing different parts of the state, and training for a "Tough Mudder." On that note, this recipe should not have been partaken of, since I'm cutting down on my sweets. But let me just say, if I were to cheat, these would be worth cheating for. 

I didn't actually intend to make these. Here were the circumstances: There was a very ripe banana on my counter, and I had gluten free flour that I was dying to use for something. I also just loved the idea of a peanut butter cookie - the kind that melts in your mouth and tastes oh-so-good with a cold glass of [almond] milk. I've always loved a good peanut butter cookie.

When I was in university, I used to make huge batches of these (a non vegan version though) and keep them in the freezer in a large airtight container. I would train my self discipline by not eating all of them in one sitting. Seriously the best poor student dessert - cheap! Haha.

Since making this batch, I catch my husband every once in a while snacking on a cookie or two. I guess that's a good sign, right? Or not...I'll let you and his waistline decide. 

This was the first time I tried these with gluten free flour, and I must say that I am quite pleased with the result! It turned out better than I thought it was going to, and I couldn't even tell the difference.

Vegan & Gluten Free Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

What You Need:

• 1/2 cup vegan butter, softened

• 1/2 cup natural creamy peanut butter

• 1/4 cup organic cane sugar

• 1/4 cup brown sugar

• 1/2 tsp baking soda

• 1/2 tsp baking powder

• 1/2 ripe banana + 1 tsp baking powder (mashed together)

• 1/2 tsp vanilla

• 1 1/4 cup all-purpose gluten free flour

• 1/2 TBSP non dairy milk

• 1/4-1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips

What to Do:

1) Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F

2) Cream the butters together for 30 seconds. 

3) Add sugars, baking soda, and baking powder.

4) Add banana mixture and vanilla

5) Beat in as much flour as you can, and stir in the rest.

6) Add the nondairy milk until dough is creamy.

7) Fold in the chocolate chips.

8) At this point, you can chill the dough if necessary.

9) Drop dough on parchment covered pan in small balls and bake for 7-9 minutes.

10) Allow to cool slightly on pan (to avoid the complete crumbling of the cookies when you move them), and then finish cooling on wire rack.

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Are you a fan of peanut butter chocolate chip cookies? Any tips for Tough Mudders? I love reading your comments, so let me know below!

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