Banana Carrot Spinach Oat Muffins

Stop.

Do not look at this muffin and say, "EW! It's green!"

Instead, I want you to close your eyes and imagine that you're eating a mini banana bread muffin.

Now open your eyes.

This is when you discover that this same weird green muffin tastes just like banana bread.

But instead of using banana bread ingredients, I’m using a bag of spinach, some carrots, oats, bananas, and a touch of maple syrup to create a muffin that packs some serious nutritional punch.

And it's as simple as throwing everything in your food processor, blending it up, and baking.

I’m telling you, every time I eat one, I have to remind myself that they're good for me.

And if you’re on board, maybe your kids will be too.

And if you have a little one like mine, they might not yet realize that most kids think a green muffin is a scary thing. 

Banana Carrot Spinach Oat Muffins

servings: 36 mini muffins

Ingredients:

• 10 ounces frozen spinach, thawed + squeezed dry (about 1 cup after squeezed)
• 2½ cups rolled oats, more for a garnish
• 3 medium ripe bananas, sliced
• 2 cups grated carrots (about 6 ounces)
• ¼ cup maple syrup
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Add the spinach to a blender or food processor and pulse until it is finely chopped and almost pureed.
2. Add the oats, bananas, carrots, maple syrup, eggs, baking powder, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt to the spinach, then pulse until all ingredients are well-combined and the mixture is almost pureed, but not quite smooth. You may have to stop and stir the mixture a bit to make sure it doesn’t contain any large chunks.
3. Scoop the batter evenly into 36 cups of a mini muffin tin prepared with cooking spray, then top each muffin with a light sprinkle of the reserved oats.
4. Bake the muffins until a knife inserted into the center of one of the muffins comes out clean and dry —24 to 28 minutes.

: @NikkiDinki

: @NikkiDinkiCooking

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Gnudi

Let's admit it, food can be sexy. The pleasure it brings, the sometimes sinful experience of eating it, and of course the tantalizing discovery of new textures, tastes and smells.

And yes, of course, if you have some good looking company that helps the overall experience too. ;)

And when it comes to sexy foods, Gnudi has its place at the top of the list.

Its name alone provokes an inner desire and the simple idea of a ricotta dumpling, light and airy but still indulgently cheesy only makes that desire burn stronger.

You see “Gnudi” literally means “Nude.” These little guys are in a sense ravioli filling without the ravioli, so in a way they are, well, missing their clothes...hehe, dirty I know...

Well, whether or not you find a ricotta cheese dumpling sexy, I promise you WILL find it delicious.

RECIPE:

One 15-16 ounce container Ricotta

½ pounds frozen spinach, thawed + drained, chopped fine

½ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon ground pepper

Pinch of nutmeg

1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

½ teaspoon dried Oregano

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

¼ cup all-purpose flour

¼ cup Panko bread crumbs

3 egg yolks

Combine all the ingredients together in a bowl, don’t over mix. Roll mixture into small 1-2inch balls. Cook in boiling water for 3-4 minutes until the Gnudi float. Toss gently with sauce and ENJOY!

NOTES:

• Depending on the amount of water in your ricotta you may need more flour or bread crumbs.  If you cannot roll the mixture into a ball, add more flour or bread crumbs.
• Be sure the spinach is finely chopped. Even if you're using frozen pre-chopped spinach, run your knife through the spinach once more to ensure it is finely chopped.
• Make sure the spinach is as dry as possible.

Gnudi Shown with Kabocha Sqaush + Tomato Pasta

 

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