I’ll post the rest of our bloopers from the Shape.com photoshoot tomorrow! Let’s just say Gym Buddy Megan was in a crazy mood that day…
Gyms can be scary places and not just because of the man with the tank top specifically cut to show his nipples or the lady belting show tunes along with her iPod. There is a lot of strange equipment in gyms and sometimes it can feel easier to just stick with what you know (and what has little stick figure instructions pasted on the side, hello adductor machine!). But if you can put on yourgame face and try out some new stuff you will be well rewarded with a better and more entertaining (at least for the onlookers) workout. This week the Gym Buddies and I are on Shape.com demonstrating 28 low-risk moves to try with equipment you’ve probably seen lying around but weren’t sure what to do with it.
Now, on to the good stuff. And by “good” I mean “looks disgusting but tastes delish” recipe I promised you yesterday. This post marks the first official recipe I’ve ever made up totally by myself! Granted, it’s just a muffin recipe so it’s not like I invented baked Alaska but considering I’m the girl who baked a turd, this was like Cooking Calculus for me.
You may remember me complaining that due to my need to “healthify” every baked good I make, everything I cook turns into banana bread. And not even good banana bread. So when I decided to go low-sugar with my kids, I knew I needed to come up with a real banana bread recipe (which I make in muffin tins because we are too impatient in my house to wait for a loaf pan to cook, duh). The rules were that it had to be 100% whole grain (I know, I’m sorry primal friends!), no added white or brown sugar, no artificial sweeteners or flavors and still be edible. Oh and my kids will only eat muffins if they have chocolate chips in them so it’s pretty much Iron Chef up in here.
The results? 4-star reviews from all the little picky people in my house! I don’t think that has ever happened before unless it was funfetti birthday cake with slick-50 icing. Check it:
Um, I have no idea why this pic of Megan appears a second time but I can’t make it go away! Ah well, she’s cute times two.
Here’s the whole recipe (with optional variations)
My No Added Sugar Chocolate Banana Muffin Baking Experiment
by Charlotte
1/2 c butter
1/4 c honey (you can probably omit if you want to get rid of all added sweeteners)
2 eggs
1 c unsweetened applesauce
1 1/2 c mashed bananas, about 3 (anyone else have the Wiggles stuck in their head now?)
2 c whole wheat flour (or oat flour or whatever)
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 oz chopped unsweetened Baker’s chocolate
Cream together wet ingredients. Add dry ones. Mix. Bake at 350 until done.
Variation 1: Omit honey and add 1-2 scoops vanilla protein powder for protein muffins
Variation 2: “Frost” with cream cheese whipped with 1 tbsp honey (adds more sugar obviously, but better than real frosting!)
Do you have a fave sugar-free/low-sugar recipe for me? PLEASE SHARE! E-mail it to me, link to your blog in the comments, copy and paste the whole thing in a comment… whatevs! Also, have you seen My Drunk Kitchen yet? This will be the best 5 minutes of your day, promise! Thanks Lindsey for the tip! I did not burn my boob making these muffins. (Warning for language)
Nice job on the recipe my friend!
I am not afraid to use plenty of sugar, or at least some 🙂
I have banana muffins that are vegan and GF on my site but they do use sugar, in the form of white and brown. I am sure you could reduce/eliminate and use stevia or honey or applesauce, etc but I havent bothered..haha!
I love the pics of your kids enjoying the fruits of your labor! I cannot imagine cooking for and keeping snacks on hand for…a family of 7?!! You rock!
And girl, if I could eat sugar and look like you I wouldn’t worry so much;) You have amazing recipes – I’ve gotten so many good ones from your site!
OMG, My Drunk Kitchen is HILARIOUS. How have I lived without seeing this yet?? Fan.tas.tic!!! And. . . . it reminds me of a roomie who, in college, would wake me up to supervise her post-bar frozen pizza baking so she wouldn’t burn down the apt. heheheheeee!!!
Good job on the whole baking thing!! Yay for edible food!
Seriously, I died laughing watching her. “And probably an egg.” ROFL. Glad you were there to babysit your pizza-eating roomie!
That video is the coolest thing I’ve watched all day. And I just watched Harry Potter, so that’s a serious compliment.
I’ve got a ton of sugar-free recipes on my blog, but most involve stevia. If you are interested, let me know, and I can email some to you!
Yes, I’ve gotten some great recipes from your site! My fave is a hummus one (eggplant?). And that video is hilarious so glad you liked it top! “Maybe if I just open the oven I’ll find a pie in there! … no.”
Those muffins look delicious! I wonder if my kids would like them. I’ve been contemplating getting that ab wheel from Lifeline for a while now. It looks really fun but I’m really trying to keep from bringing extra stuff into my house since we will be moving in a small space soon.
Honestly I’d skip the ab wheel. It’s really only good for a couple of exercises. It’s fun to use and it’s killer on the abs but it’s not overly functional and it’s huge.
Yay for coming up with your own delicious recipe! And can I just say that the flower in Jelly Bean’s hair is adorable, actually she’s just ridiculously cute in general…….must have gotten it from her Momma 🙂
My fav sugar free recipe that I came up with and am super proud of : http://aflourishingfoodie.com/2011/06/06/dark-chocolate-raspberry-cups/
Just the title sounds amazing! Going to go check it out now!! And thanks – I think Jelly Bean has more flower than hair but I love it:)
Not to totally pimp myself out, but you did ask: http://smoothiegirleatstoo.blogspot.com/2010/11/moist-low-calorie-microwave-protein.html. Four ingredients not including sweetener and baking powder. And if you want to see if it’s sweet enough without ANY added sugar, try subbing banana for the Pumpkin (why did I capitalize that?). Also, you can totally bake these in muffin tins. And of course you can add chocolate chips for the kiddos (cacao nibs on top for you). Let me know if you do them- you will not be disappointed! (not sure about the kiddos though!) 🙂
Yes, I’ve made these several times! Delish but I have a hard time getting the timing right so they’re not soggy on the bottom. Still working on it…
Weird! I wonder why some people have trouble and others don’t…I always wonder if it’s altitude or whatever. Janetha had trouble for a while, but she persevered and it got better. Good luck and if you figure out what makes it better, then let me know- I’d definitely increase the time they are nuked to start with!
the BEAN ATE FOUR?!
the tornado think she saw a gauntlet whizzzz past.
hahah – those two really need to meet! Jelly Bean wants to try on all Tornado’s tutus!
hi!! congrats on the muffins, they look delicious!! (and your cute kids seem to like them – besides: i love that there are now more pics of your kids on the blog, although i’m normally not a kid lover!!) i have a ton of recipes without sugar on my blog i just use agave and maple syrup or lots of fruit!. the best recipes (IMO) are these two: http://fitundgluecklich.wordpress.com/2010/11/16/mehl-ol-butter-ei-freie-triple-choc-chip-muffins/ (chocolate chip muffins without flour, eggs, oil and butter, i just love this recipe!!) and http://fitundgluecklich.wordpress.com/2010/09/20/mmmmmmhuffins-mit-stummem-h/ (with banana and strawberries) – the recipes are in german language, google translator should do a good job, but if anyone needs help translating (or wants me to send the full recipe in english as an e-mail) just contact me, i would love to help you out!! have a nice day!!
Oh yes thank you Ulli! I tried your chocolate chip muffins last time you posted the recipe and I forgot to tell you that I LOVE them!! Thank you for the second recipe too – you are amazing! And yes, for anyone else interested, Google Translate does a wonderful job.
the pics of your kids are so cute, and those muffins looks amazing! will have to try when it gets cooler (it’s near 100* and a million percent humidity in Fla and I can’t bring myself to turn the oven on).
i love that wheely thing at the gym! so hard but so fun 🙂
Yay on successful recipe! I hope that you don’t view parenting like baking….your kids are way too cute to eat! (I hope you remember that part of the video so I don’t sound insane).
That video is HILARIOUS! Step one: Give an eff about baking. All future recipes will have this disclaimer on them.
My favorite line from the video was how baking is like parenting…
“First you have to create them, and that’s messy.” LOL
I want my own Gym Buddies SO BAD!!! This is probably not a new idea to you but I would LOVE to see you create a website (like http://www.findgymbuddies.com/ and http://www.exercisefriends.com/) but that isn’t completely lame like those. A website where people could put in their zipcode and gym that they go to and find gym buddies!! Or maybe just a message board? Some central place where people who want to wear tutus and have crazy gym fun can go to find others just like them! Any plans for something like that in the future?
So one of my sons does the same thing! I keep telling him it won’t fall off, but it hasn’t helped…
Yummy!
And I swear, the book is on its way soon!
(Soooorrrrrrryyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!!)
Ok that girl is so cute. I like her. haha
Ok, that cooking drunk girl is adorable. I like her.
I love “My Drunk Kitchen” with my whole entire heart.
And probably my face, too.
Those muffins look yummy. I will have to try some. When working with bananas I find its easy if you put them in a baggie and smush them, (or have the kids do it). then cut off an edge and squeeze it into the bowl.
Charlotte, everything I bake or cook looks like crap but it tastes good to me so that is all that matters – to me! 😉
Do you ever do nutrition stats for your recipes – I am guessing not with the intuitive eating. I actually don’t use butter so…. or margarine I should say…. I guess I could substitute something for butter cause these look really good! I LOVE THE PICS OF THE KIDDOS!!!
I don’t use sugar either in my recipes – well, I pick & chose my recipes by easy & what I have in the house most of the time. I do use stevia AND have been trying out the NuNaturals MoreFiber Stevia Baking blend that you use instead of sugar. I will be trying out some recipes in the next few weeks so will let you know…
Sound like a great recipe! I wish I wasn’t a hot mess in the kitchen…..haha
xo
Sarah
Get Up & Go
Thank you SO much for introducing me to My Drunk Kitchen! It is phenomenal, and totally reminds me of something I would make 🙂 Highlight of my day for sure.
Thanks for this great healthy recipe! Those muffins look delicious.
The video was hilarious! It made my day!
I have two ripe bananas on my counter, I’ll try your recipe this week! My go-to banana muffin recipe is not exactly low sugar (http://www.thecookbookchronicles.com/blog/?p=3212).
I use mostly honey instead of sugar, since my parents are beekeepers. You can find a few honey recipes on my blog and many more to come. You can easily adapt the recipes to add less honey if you prefer.