Maple Banana Walnut Muffins

Tonight is bakery night so just a small post about muffins (again!). We had about 25 old bananas clogging up the freezer so I thawed them out and made a whole whack of muffins. These are just a variation on my hearty apple muffins and protein power muffins. I also tried to make a banana walnut pudding cake (yes, I am a one trick dessert pony) but I need one more try to get it right.

INGREDIENTS
Makes 12 large muffins
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup wheat bran
- 1/4 cup oat bran
- 2 cups pureed banana
- 1/3 cup canola oil (or applesauce)
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract

- 2 tsp maple extract

- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

- 1/2 cup chocolate chips

- 1/2 cup hemp seeds (optional)

METHOD
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease a muffin tin.

1. Whisk together flour, baking powder and soda, sugar, spices, salt, and bran in a bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together banana, oil, extracts and syrup until well-blended. Add to dry ingredients and mix until just moist (over mixing makes for tough muffins). Fold in walnuts, chocolate chips, and hemp seeds (if using).
2. Divide batter into muffin tins and bake for 18-20 mins, until a toothpick comes out clean.

Aloo Palak - Potatoes in a Spinach Gravy

I really can't believe how fast time is flying. Its been week since my last post. I have been making mostly simple sabzis the past week since we have been apartment hunting almost every evening after work. A subzi and some steamed rice is all I have energy for after work and poking around strangers' houses.

Aloo Palak

Aloo Palak is a sure-shot winner at home since TH loves both potatoes and palak. And its generally a quick recipe for me since I chop the spinach during weekends and freeze it or sometimes buy it chopped.

Aloo Palak is originally a Punjabi recipe, (which reminds me - what happened to RCI??) and the authentic recipe includes addition of some methi or fenugreek leaves to it. My version is very customized to my laziness so you may or may not find it to resemble something you would get in a Punjabi restaurant ;)

What I Used:

Palak / Spinach / Cheera - 2 cups, chopped
Potatoes / Aloo - 2, cubed
Onion - 1 small, chooped (I used 5-6 shallots so that works as well)
Garlic pods - 2 to 3, minced (or 1/2 tsp garlic paste. This is optional but I love the flavour so added it)
Ginger - a small piece
(Alternately, you can use 1 tsp ginger garlic paste but the taste is going to differ by a lot, downwards!)
Cumin / jeera / jeerakam powder - 2 tsp
Coriander / malli powder - 1 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp, or to taste (I used 3 green chillies)
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Salt - to taste
Oil - 1.5 tbsp (I used 1 tbsp ghee / clarified butter for a better flavour)

How I Made It

1. Heat oil in a pan and fry the onions till they turn soft and transparent. Add the cumin, coriander, chilli and turmeric powders and fry for another minute.

2. Mince the garlic and ginger together. Add to the above.

3. Add the potatoes and very little water. Keep covered and cook till potatoes are almost done. (A fork inserted should come out clean)

4. Now add the spinach and some salt. Mix well and cook on a low flame for 15 to 20 mins.

This goes very well with phulkas, chapatis, rice and even dosa.

I am sending this over to Mansi's Vegetarian Thanksgiving Event. 

Related Recipes

Palak Dal

Keerai Masiyal

Palak Paneer

Palak Pakoras

Chettinad Aloo

Potato Ishtoo

Sweet n' Sour n' Hot Tofu n' Noodles

I bought a pineapple a while ago and it has been sitting on the counter begging to be made into something. So, I decided to pull out the juicer and use it as the base for a sauce. I am not the biggest pineapple fan, but this dish is quite tasty and very easy to make on a busy night. I like the addition of heat to a fairly standard sweet n' sour sauce--you can always add more curry paste if you want it hotter.

INGREDIENTS

- 150g noodles

- 1 1/4 cups pineapple juice

- 2 tbsp hoisin sauce

- 2 tbsp brown sugar

- 2 tbsp white vinegar

- 1 tbsp chili garlic sauce

- 1 tsp yellow curry paste

- 1 tbsp cornstarch

- salt to taste

- 1 tbsp oil

- 1 pkg tofu, cubed

- 1 green pepper, chopped

- 4 green onions, sliced

METHOD

1. Cook noodles as per the directions. Drain and set aside.

2. Meanwhile whisk together pineapple juice, hoisin sauce, sugar, vinegar, garlic sauce and curry paste. Whisk in cornstarch.

3. Heat a wok over med-hi heat. Add oil and fry tofu cubes until golden. Add green peppers and fry for 2 mins, until softened but not soggy. Add sauce to the wok and bring to bubbling. Add cooked noodles and mix well. Add some salt, if needed. Let sauce thicken and coat the noodles. Stir in green onions and serve.