Baked Chocolate Banana Doughnuts

When Brad and I lived in Tokyo, we used to walk down a steep hill that led from our apartment to a narrow street. The first time we walked down this street it felt like we had gone back in time. Well, it felt that way until we saw a small dog with a hot pink mohawk. Many people who aren't familiar with the area likely miss this street with it's many restaurants and shops. Our favorite ramen shop was there, along with a little underground bistro called Vanilla Bean and an amazing doughnut shop called Hara Donuts. Stopping at the doughnut shop became a bit of a habit. We discovered very early on that it was well worth it to wait for the freshest doughnuts because they had the most amazingly crispy crust surrounding a soft, airy, subtly sweet inside.

I often find myself craving those walks, those doughnuts, and a cup of coffee on a lazy Saturday morning.

While I did not recreate the classic Hara Donut (which is soy based and healthy, as far as doughnuts are concerned), I did make these baked chocolate banana beauties. Riley helped. He's getting really good at "dumping" and mixing dry ingredients. It's also really fun hearing him say the word "ingredients" and to witness his growing interest in cooking. Actually, I have to give him credit for this recipe because it was his idea in the first place. One morning he just said, "Mommy, I want to make chocolate doughnuts with banana!"

Who was I to say no to a request like that? 

The doughnuts themselves are refined sugar free, but the glaze (which is optional...kind of) is not. I just couldn't resist adding the glaze and some fun sprinkles! #sorrynotsorry

I haven't found a place to walk that I love quite as much as the one from our Tokyo apartment to the train station, but I'm still on the lookout. Until then, I'll be enjoying these with my coffee every once in a while.

Baked Chocolate Banana Doughnuts

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1/2 cup milk
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1/3 cup mashed banana
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Glaze:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup milk
• Sprinkles

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Combine the dry ingredients in a medium bowl.
3. In a small bowl, combine the wet ingredients, including the smashed banana.
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until combined.
5. Spoon the batter into a doughnut pan that has been lightly buttered or sprayed with cooking spray.
6. Bake the doughnuts for 12-15 minutes.
7. Meanwhile, combine the ingredients for the glaze and stir until there are no lumps. (For an extra smooth glaze, sift the dry ingredients together first.) 
8. Remove the doughnuts from the oven and cool completely before dipping in the glaze and decorating with sprinkles.
9. After dipping the doughnuts in the glaze, set them on a rack set over a baking sheet to sprinkle. Let the glaze dry. 
10. EAT.

Healthy Baked Apples with Muesli Crisp (+ an announcement!)

I'm having a little love affair with breakfast. It's the first thing I think about when I wake up in the morning and I always want something hearty, sweet, and involving cinnamon in some way. These healthy baked apples with muesli crisp are the perfect solution. I'm going to eat them every day once apples are in season for real. It's gonna have to happen. With a dollop of creamy Greek yogurt sweetened with honey pleaseandthankyou.

It's good that I'm obsessed with something so wonderfully healthy because I seem to be putting on a little weight. Can you tell?

Yep! Baby #2 is growing in that there bump and it wants all the comfort food in the universe (seriously, all of it. send mashed potatoes and gravy). 

We are so happy and thankful to have had a relatively problem-free pregnancy so far and cannot wait to welcome a new little one into our family! Riley is beyond excited to be a big brother and I love it when he walks up to me to bury his face in my growing belly. Sometimes, in the sweetest little voice, he says "Hi baby" and I melt in a puddle on the floor.

Whew! I'm so relieved to get that out there.

Now I can bombard you with my woes about morning sickness and crampy legs and heartburn, right? No? Not so much? OK.

Let's get back to these baked apples...

Quite a while ago, the lovely folks at Seven Sundays in Minnesota sent me some of their delicious muesli and my love affair with this easy breakfast item began. I've eaten it soaked overnight, warmed, sprinkled over yogurt, and straight out of a bowl with milk. You really can't go wrong. I've decided that my favorite flavor is the Vanilla Cherry Pecan. Chewy dried cherries, buttery, crunchy pecans, and a hint of vanilla basically creates a perfect start to the day. And the perfect topping for baked apples.

I simply halved an apple and scooped out the core with a melon baller, then sprinkled each half with a little tiny bit of brown sugar (which it doesn't really need, to be honest) and topped that with the muesli. The dressed up apples baked for 30 minutes, concentrating their naturally sweet flavor and toasting the muesli to perfection. When they came out of the oven, I sprinkled a little cinnamon over the crisp and scooped a spoonful of creamy honey Greek yogurt in the middle of each apple. Heaven.

So, I'm going to continue stuffing these in my face because there's not a whole lot to feel bad about here.

You must make these. You MUST.

Healthy Baked Apples with Muesli Crisp

Serves 2

Total time: 35 Minutes

Ingredients

• 1 apple (red delicious was, well, delicious...but use whatever you can find)
• 1 teaspoon unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar (optional)
• 1/3 cup muesli (I used Seven Sundays Vanilla Cherry Pecan)
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/3 cup honey or vanilla Greek yogurt

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Begin by halving the apples lengthwise and scooping out the core (plus a little extra) with a melon baller.
3. Smear the butter evenly on each apple and sprinkle with the brown sugar.
4. Top with the muesli and bake for 30 minutes or until the apples are just tender but not mushy and the topping is golden.
5. Remove from the oven and transfer to serving plates.
6. Dollop with the Greek yogurt and eat immediately.