Healthy Whole Wheat Flax Seed Banana Pancakes

13 Apr 2010 Leave a Comment

by chefashley in Appetizer, banana, Breakfast, Desserts, Ingredient Substitution, pancakes, Peanut Butter, Vanilla Tags: Banana Pancakes, Egg Substitution, ground flax seed, Healthy, Healthy Pancakes, Oil Substitution, sugar, Vanilla, WHole Wheat

Now THAT’S a mouth full.

Literally AND Figuratively.

On a lovely walk with Hendrix Sunday morning Christopher and I found an amazing little place called “The Apple Market”. This place had great, locally grown produce, as well as a garden center and general grocery store area! So many local products like soups, salad dressings and syrups, some I had never seen before like Cherry and Apple!!! I found a pineapple so large that I needed to carry it with two hands for only $2.99, as well as GIANT organic Bananas for .99 cents a pound!!! This awesome market is open Monday through Sunday (unlike your typical market) and is right around the corner so I think I will try and buy my produce from here only from now on.

SO that is where I scooped up the bananas for these delicious and filling pancakes which Chris had asked for the night before. I couldn’t BELIEVE how filling they were, and so easy to make Try them with the peanut butter syrup I whipped up

Healthy Homemade Banana Pancakes with fresh fruit and peanut butter syrup!

Healthy Whole Wheat Flax Seed Banana Pancakes

1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup unbleached flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon ground flax seed mixed with 3 tablespoons water, let stand 5 minutes
2 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons apple sauce
1 cup skim milk
Dash of pure vanilla extract
Ground cinnamon and fresh nutmeg to taste
1/2 teaspoon salt.
2 ripe bananas mashed

OPTIONALS

Extra 1/4 ground flax seed
Toasted almonds or walnuts
1/4 milk chocolate chips

Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg and any extra ground flax seed you are using. In separate bowl mix together ground flax seed mixture, milk. apple sauce, bananas and extract.
Stir flour mixture into banana mixture, batter should remain slightly lumpy and bumpy. If you are using any extras like chocolate chips or toasted nuts mix in until just incorporated at this point.
Heat lightly oiled frying pans and spoon 1/4 cup out for each pancake. Cook on first side until you see air bubbles on top of pancakes, flip and cook until golden brown on other side.
Enjoy with cut up fruit, or this delicious peanut butter syrup I made, recipe below.

NOTE: If you like thinner pancakes add more milk, thicker, add less!!!

Peanut Butter Syrup

1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup water
dash of pure vanilla extract
dash of maple extract

Thick whole wheat lumpy, bumpy banana batter

Almost ready to be flipped!

Healthy Banana Pancakes with fresh fruit topping and peanut butter syrup, ready to be enjoyed

Phyllo Eclairs

09 Apr 2010 Leave a Comment

by chefashley in Appetizer, Baked, Desserts, Phyllo Tags: cream filling, Phyllo, phyllo eclairs, powdered sugar, sugar, Vanilla

Came across this lovely recipe completely by accident and so very happy that I did! I’ve never used a recipe from this site before but this turned out really, really well!!!

Not only did I get to use the two egg yolks that I had left over from a previous recipe, but I made one of the yummiest treats I’ve had in a while! This totally seams like something that you would pay an arm and a leg for at a fancy bakery, but it was so easy to make and the ingredients weren’t expensive either! AND Chris could NOT stop raving about them. I like that. I like that a lot.

Delicious Phyllo Eclairs

Phyllo Eclairs

For 3 eclairs…

SHELLS

2 sheets phyllo dough at around room temp.
1-2 tablespoons white sugar
melted butter or cooking spray

VANILLA CREAM

4 tablespoons white sugar
1/8 cup cornstarch
Dash of salt
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup skim milk
1/4 cup half-and-half
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

OPTIONALS

1/8 cup melted milk chocolate for drizzling
Powdered sugar for sprinkling

To Make Shells

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut out 3 (12 x 6-inch) pieces of aluminum foil. Using index fingers as a guide, loosely roll up each foil piece jelly-roll fashion to form a cylinder with a 1-inch opening. Lightly coat outside of each cylinder with melted butter or cooking spray.
Place 1 phyllo sheet on a large cutting board or work surface and be sure to cover your remaining dough to prevent drying!!! Lightly coat with butter or cooking spray. Sprinkle evenly with granulated sugar. Repeat layers once. Cut phyllo stack lengthwise into 3 equal strips.
Place foil tube at bottom of each strip of phyllo and roll up jelly roll style and place on parchment lined baking sheet.
Bake at 375 for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on wire rack and store (if not using right away) in an airtight container.

Rolling up the phyllo sheets

Shells before they hit the oven

Shells fresh out of the oven

TO MAKE VANILLA CREAM

Combine first 4 ingredients in a small saucepan, stirring with a whisk until well blended. Gradually add milk and half-and-half, continuing to stir with a whisk. Cook over medium heat until mixtures comes to a boil, still stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low and cook for 1 minute, STIRRING CONSTANTLY.
Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
If not using right away transfer to a ziploc bag and refrigerate.
To pipe mixture into shells cut edge of ziploc bag and squeeze mixture into phyllo shells. If desired, drizzle with melted milk chocolate chips and sprinkle with powdered sugar!

Heavenly Meringue Cookies

09 Apr 2010 Leave a Comment

by chefashley in Appetizer, Cookies, Egg Tags: almond extract, Cookies, egg whites, Meringue, meringue cookies, sugar, vanilla extract

These cookies were so light, fluffy and delicious…and my dad was quite shocked when he picked one up and it was as light as air. I haven’t had these delicious cookies in such a long time that I decided to whip up a batch to enjoy with EASTER DINNER. They were so extremely easy to make and disappeared just as quickly as I put them out!

I absolutely love meringue even though it’s primarily sugar and stiffly beaten egg whites. I’m not a huge fan of waste though so I saved my two egg yolks and used them for Phyllo Eclairs, which Chris went on and on about (recipe to come).

Portion your batter and add a few drops of different food coloring and create a festive treat. Pinks, blues and purples for spring, red and green for Christmas, or just red for Valentines day.

Delicious meringue cookies

2 egg whites
1 teaspoon white vinegar
Dash of salt
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (the recipe called for clear vanilla extract but c’mon, I’m not going to search for and buy it for this ONE recipe)
1/2 cup granulated white sugar, or superfine sugar

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
Separate egg whites into a bowl and reserve yolks for use in a different recipe.
Pour in vinegar and salt and using a hand held mixer on high speed beat until mixture is foamy and doubled in size.
Add extracts and sugar 1 tbsp at a time until stiff peaks form when you lift beaters from bowl.
Bake for 50 minutes or until they become crisp and golden brown.
Store in an airtight container.

Pipe cookies onto baking sheet lined with parchment

Meringue cookie before it hits the oven

These cookies remind me of Christmas during a simpler time, a time when I didn’t have trays and trays of baked goods to bake and prepare, but rather to enjoy!

Cinnamon/Sugar grilled bananas

14 Mar 2010 Leave a Comment

by chefashley in Appetizer, Breakfast, Desserts, grilled Tags: banana, Cinnamon, cinnamon and sugar, grilled, grilled banana, sugar

I had a craving for something sweet the other night and didn’t know where to turn! After opening and closing every cupboard, and the fridge twice, I finally set my gaze upon the last few bananas that were hanging near the wine rack. I’m not usually a huge banana fan, but Chris is, so I thought I would try something new for my love. And it was actually quite satisfying

Here is my grilled bananas recipe!

Cinnamon/Sugar grilled Naners

One banana per person
Vanilla Sugar and cinnamon for sprinkling

Preheat grill between med-high.
Cut bananas in half lengthwise and then cut each in half again so you are left with four portions.
Place bananas cut side down and sprinkle with cinnamon and vanilla sugar.
Cook 4-5 minutes or until sugar begins to caramelize.
Serve with ice cream or enjoy them on their own.

Grilled naners with cinnamon and sugar

Oven baked cinnamon and sugar pita chips

06 Mar 2010 Leave a Comment

by chefashley in Appetizer, Breakfast, Chips, Desserts, Pita Tags: Chips, Cinnamon, homemade chips, oven baked, Pita, pita chips, sugar

Delicious oven baked cinnamon and sugar pita chips that Chris and I have come to LOVE!

SO tasty and satisfying, and extremely simple to make!

I drizzled some (in my pictures) with a homemade cream cheese frosting I made a few weeks ago and they were extra delicious.

Considering that this recipe only calls for approximately 1 tsp. of extra virgin olive oil, sugar and cinnamon per 16 chips, I really don’t mind making these delicious chips often.

Oven baked cinnamon and sugar pita chips

As many or as few pitas that you would like, keeping in mind that 1 pita = 16 chips.
1 Tsp. extra virgin olive oil, sugar and cinnamon.

Preheat oven to 325.
Split pitas in two and drizzle 1/2 tsp. olive oil on each half. Spread around with back of spoon.
Mix together cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle on pita halves.
Cut pitas in half length and crosswise until each half makes 8 chips.
Line baking sheet with parchment paper and bake for 8 minutes or until you reach desired crispiness.
Drizzle with icing of your choice or enjoy on their own.