Moist PB Banana Muffins & Surrendering to Jesus

I've decided to turn this blog into my own personal spiritual thoughts/diary/reflection + food diary! We'll see how this goes :)

Today I am thankful for the beach and for sisters in Christ that provide advice and support for me during hard times. There's just something about sitting at the beach, putting on some headphones, and reorienting your life with Jesus again. You don't have to worry about what others think. It's just you and God's creation. The reason why the beach is such a peaceful place for me is because it's still hard to imagine how God created such a vast thing that spans the entire world! But he did, and he controls every inch of it.
Recently, I have been so caught up with life and all of the worries that come along with it. But today I heard a sermon by John Piper where he just broke me down so that I could surrender all of the things that were stressing me out to Jesus. The key was prayer. We forget that prayer is the easiest to physically do, yet seemingly hardest discipline of the Christian walk. Prayer gives me peace and purpose, it gives me a hope and a yearning to hear from God. And the most awesome thing is that God doesn't care how ornate our prayers are..and he listens to every single word that we speak to Him.

If you look closely, you'll see dolphins!

"The confidence that a sovereign God governs for your good all the pain and all the pleasure that you will ever experience is an incomparable refuge and security and hope and power in your life." {thank you Ari!..we aren't in this alone!}

Bible verse of the day:

2 Corinthians 4:17-19

For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

Baking therapy for small groups tomorrow:

Polka dot muffin liners from Michael's

My model..i am so mean ;p

SUPER MOIST Mini PB Chip Banana Muffins w/ Greek Yogurt

Makes 48 mini, bite-sized, pop-em-in-your-mouth muffins

Ingredients
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature, plus more for pan
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups unbleached flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (generously rounded!) mashed very ripe bananas
1/2 cup good-quality Greek yoghurt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup Peanut Butter chips

Method
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a mini muffin tin with liners and PAM. In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, and beat to incorporate.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to the butter mixture, and mix until just combined. Add bananas, yoghurt, and vanilla; mix to combine. Stir in PB chips, and pour into prepared pan.

Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 10 minutes. Let rest in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool.

Mini Biscoff Banana Streusel Muffins

I'm going on a Biscoff craze...Mom said no more baking but I was in desperate need of some baking therapy (super stressed!) so decided to make a little care package for my cousins in Hawaii. They LOVE biscoff!

The stars of the show

For super moist muffins!

ingredients:

1 1/2 cups of all-purpose Gold Medal flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 medium very ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 cup Biscoff Spread
1/4 cup Greek Yogurt
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar

For the Biscoff Cookie Streusel:

1 cup chopped Biscoff cookies
6 tablespoons all-purpose Gold Medal flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 24- mini muffin pan.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt, set aside.

3. In a large bowl, stir together your mashed bananas, Biscoff Spread, yogurt, egg, vanilla, and sugars.

4. Add the dry ingredients into your wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Batter will be slightly lumpy, don't over mix.

5. Spread batter into prepared pan. In a small bowl, combine chopped Biscoff cookies, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter. Stir until combined. Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the batter in the loaf pan.

6. Bake in mini muffin pan for 12-13 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. 

7. Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Loosen the edges of the pan with a knife and remove from loaf pan, transferring bread to a cooling rack and cool completely before slicing.

Note-you can also use Trader Joe's Cookie Butter in place of the Biscoff Spread.

Adapted from Two Peas and Their Pod Blog

Reese's Banana Bread

Who doesn't LOVE peanut butter and chocolate??!.....

Some of the main ingredients 

Line your pan with PAM and a piece of parchment paper for easily pan removal.

Look at those chocolate chips all melted!

INGREDIENTS:

1/3 cup white sugar 1/3 cup brown sugar 1/4 cup apple sauce 2 eggs 1 cup mashed bananas 1/4 cup almond milk or regular milk DIRECTIONS: 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray one 9x5x3 inch loaf pan with a non-stick cooking spray. 2. In a medium bowl, beat the sugar and applesauce until smooth and creamy. Beat in the eggs, milk and bananas with the sugar mixture until it is well blended. 3. Mix in the flour, baking soda, salt and baking powder just until the mixture is moistened. Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl to blend all ingredients. Lastly, add chocolate chips and garnish with Reese's in the center. 4. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degree C) for about 60 minutes. Bread is done when the top is firm to the touch and a golden brown color. Time will vary according to loaf size and oven type. When bread is removed from oven, allow it to cool on it's side for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and let cool on a rack. RESULTS: Heavenly PB/Chocolatey goodness!! Best when served warm :) -B

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 cup Reese's PB chips 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional) 5-6 Reese's Miniatures for garnish