Peanut butter banana muffins - Coronavirus Cooking Series

Getting my pre-workout bananas on Fridays and getting a little extra, so I tried a different banana recipe at Broma Bakery. A lot tastier than the pancakes, but this had more ingredients including honey.

Ingredients:
-3 large ripe bananas
-1/2 cup peanut butter
-4 TBSP honey
-2 eggs
-2 tsp vanilla extract
-1 1/4 cup oatmeal flour (cuisinart-ed rolled oats)
-1 TBSP baking powder
-1/2 tsp salt
-1 cup dark chocolate chips (used probably 1/2 cup)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven 425 degrees. Line muffin tin with 12 cups and spray with oil.
2. Mash bananas in a bowl. Add peanut butter, honey, eggs, and vanilla extract. Mix.
3. Cuisinart-ed oatmeal. Add baking powder, salt.
4. Add in the oatmeal mix, and fold in with spatula.
5. Add in the chocolate chips. Don’t overmix.
6. Add into muffin cups.
7. Bake for 5 min at 425. Then turn down to 375 and bake for another 14 min.
8. Take out and cool for 10 min.

*Snacks

*Dessert

*Breakfast

Kale pesto - Coronavirus Cooking Series

I got extra kale on Friday from our Instacart delivery order. So, used this kale pesto recipe from paleoglutenfree.com

Ingredients:

-2 cups of kale (torn into pieces) - used more

-1/2 medium avocado - used 1 whole

-lemon juice - I used half a lemon

-2 TBSP olive oil

-2 TBSP water

-1 garlic clove - I used 1 big and 1 small, but needs more 

-1/2 tsp sea salt flakes - I just estimated

Directions:

Cuisinart it up!

Notes:

Tasted very “kale”-y. Needed more garlic next time. I think it tasted better than if I had just used the whole thing for just salad. I ate it with tuna sandwich and on toast with egg and everything but the bagel spice. Ate it all up and was full.

*Lunch

Banana Oatmeal Pancakes - Coronavirus Cooking Series

Taken from meaningfuleats.com
Surprisingly good and was able to use things I already had. Eric used pecan apple butter on top. Could spread more peanut butter or jelly. I ate plain. Eric said it was a good change up, but peanut butter and toast and honey still tastes better.

Ingredients:
-1 ripe banana
-2 eggs
-1/3 cup of oats
-cinnamon (could have used more)
-salt
-peanuts (about 1/8 cup) - or other nuts like pecans or walnuts 
-1 spoonful of peanut butter
-coconut oil or butter for cooking 

Directions:
1. Mash banana with a fork
2. Add 2 eggs and whisk with fork
3. Cuisinart oats, cinnamon, salt / separately cuisinart nuts
4. Add oats
5. Add peanut butter dollop
6. Add nuts
6. Add coconut oil or butter to pan and heat up
7. Use 1/4 cup to scoop onto pan to cook
7. Will need to use 2 spatulas to flip over bc top is runny

Note:

I made it the next day again without peanut butter inside because I spread it on the outside. However, it seemed more mushy inside. Was also thinking it was more banana-y, maybe because the banana was riper than the day before.

*Breakfast

"Everything-but-the-bagel" Chicken, Rice, & Frozen Broccoli - Coronavirus Cooking Series

Had to be a little creative this week because of the coronavirus.

Looked up how to bake frozen broccoli with Wellplated.com.

Ingredients:
-Chicken, rice, frozen broccoli
-Olive oil
-Everything-but-the-bagel spice
-Garlic powder
-Onion powder
-Salt
-Pepper
-Red pepper flakes
-Balsamic vinegar
-OPTIONAL: also had leftover red onion that I caramelized the night before 

Directions:
1. Make rice
2. Bake chicken with spices
3. Season and bake (or Air Fry) broccoli
4. Mix rice and baked broccoli together - add in spices + balsamic vinegar + caramelized onions
5. Serve chicken on top

Directions to bake frozen broccoli:
1st night I steamed in bag, and 2nd night I baked in oven bc may be harder if using oven for chicken in 1st night - could consider using Air Fryer next time.
1. Heat oven to 400 F - keep pan in oven
2. Season broccoli using spray olive oil
3. Place frozen broccoli on hot pan - sprayed on extra olive oil
4. Bake for 17-20 min

Directions to Air Fry broccoli (haven't done):
1. Season broccoli using spray olive oil
2. Air fry for 20 min at 400 F - mix occasionally

Directions to caramelize onions:
1. Chop onions - half onion and the do radial cuts
2. Heat olive oil or butter/olive oil in pan on medium-high heat
3. Add onions and cover/cook on medium-high heat
4. Cover until onions somewhat translucent
5. Reduce heat to medium and intermittently stir
6. After 10 min, add salt
7. Let onions stick/brown/burn, and then stir
8. Total process could take up to 30 min to an hour depending on how many onions
9. Can add some balsamic vinegar towards the end

*American

Lemon Pepper Chicken

Recipe modified from TheDiaryofaRealHousewife.com

Ingredients (amounts were all estimated):
-Chicken tenders
-1 Tbsp olive oil
-1 lemon (juiced)
-2 tsp lemon pepper seasoning
-1 tsp dried oregano
-1/2 tsp garlic powder
-1/2 tsp paprika
-lemon zest, garlic flakes, ground pepper

Directions:
1. Zest lemon - put aside
2. Marinate chicken with lemon juice + spices for 3 hours
3. Put chicken onto cooking sheet
4. Add on the additional lemon zest, garlic flakes, ground pepper onto chicken
5. Bake for about 20 min at 375 degrees.

Notes
Was ok.  Cook chicken at 375 as 400 makes chicken too dry.
Next time add some diced garlic to the marinade.
I served with potatoes and broccoli.  Maybe try next time with green beans.

*American

Sesame Encrusted Chicken Tenders

Recipe taken from Skinnytaste.com

Ingredients:
-Chicken tenders (18 oz)
-2 tsp sesame oil
-2 tsp low sodium soy sauce
-6 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds (used less maybe 5 Tbsp and pan-toasted them)
-1/4 cup of Panko (used more domed scoop)
-salt and pepper
-garlic powder + garlic flakes
-olive oil spray

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425 and spray baking sheet with olive oil spray.
2. Marinate tenders in sesame oil, soy sauce, +/- chili garlic, salt, pepper, garlic
3. Toast sesame seeds
4. Mix toasted sesame seeds, panko, salt, pepper, garlic powder, garlic flakes into flat bowl.
5. Place tenders into mix and coat well.
6. Place tenders onto baking sheet.
7. Lightly spray olive oil onto tenders.
8. Bake for 8-10 min. Then turn over and cook for another 4-5 min.

Served with rice and broccoli.

Edit: changed recipe to marinate tenders beforehand - also added some chili garlic sauce

*American

*Asian (sort of?)

Mediterranean Yellow Rice

Recipe taken from The Mediterranean Dish and What a Girl Eats

Ingredients:
-2 cups long grain rice (uncooked)
-3 Tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
-1 medium yellow onion, diced
-1 garlic clove, minced (I used 3 garlic cloves and could have used more)
-2 lemons + zest (I just used 1 lemon)
-2 cups of low sodium chicken broth
-1 tsp turmeric (sprinkled)
-1/2 cup of toasted pine nuts or slivered almonds
-pinch of salt and pepper (didn't do, but should have)
(OMITTED - orzo and parsley garnish)

Directions:
1. Wash rice and soak for 15-20 min
2. Heat olive oil in pan (I used extra large pan) until oil shimmering.
3. Add onions and cook for 3 min until translucent
4. Add garlic
5. Add rice
6. Add turmeric + salt + pepper
7. Add lemon juice and broth
8. Bring liquid to a rolling boil (reduce a little)
9. Turn heat on low and cover for 20 minutes
10. Remove rice from heat, leave it covered, and sit for another 10 minutes
11. Add lemon zest + toasted nuts
12. Garnish with parsley - didn't do

Notes:

-could have used more salt as I forgot it

MODIFIED SIMPLIFIED VERSION - ALL IN THE RICE COOKERFOR SIMPLICITY

Ingredients:
-rice (basmati)
-onion flakes

-garlic flakes

-garlic powder

-turmeric (sprinkle)

-salt and pepper

-1 lemon + zest

-low sodium chicken broth (instead of water)

Directions:

Put all in rice cooker 

Served with toasted pine nuts