Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps

I love lettuce wraps. There's something about the succulent chicken, sweet hoisin and crisp lettuce that create an explosion of awesome in the mouth. There are so many different ways to make your filling, but I just used what I had around the kitchen. Although slow cooking is not necessary, I found it to be the best way to get soft, juicy shredded chicken in a rich sauce.

Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps Recipe:

• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• handful of mushrooms, diced
• 5 Thai chiles, diced
• 2 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
• 1 can water chestnuts, drained and diced
  
• (Sadly, I was out of fresh garlic and onions. I would add 1/2 onion chopped and 3 minced garlic cloves)
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2/3 cup hoisin sauce
• 3 tbsp red chili paste
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
  
• Butter or Boston lettuce would be ideal, but I couldn't find either at my local grocery store so I was stuck with Iceberg. It works though!
  

Throw everything except the lettuce in the slow cooker and cook on low for 8-10 hours. At about 8 hours, shred the chicken with two forks. Mine just fell apart; it was beautiful. Serve over lettuce with rice.

Go make this now. You will not be disappointed.

Spaghetti and Meat-less Balls

Okay, okay, just to clarify: I am not a vegetarian. I eat meat frequently, just not every day. Mainly because I don't think it's necessary in a meal. Plus having to create balanced meals without meat is a creative challenge.

I think my favorite meat-less ingredient to play around with is chickpeas. They have such a versatile flavor, texture and application. I use them in place of flour in baking ALL the time, and it's a great way to add valuable protein to dessert. Tonight, I wanted spaghetti and used the same process I did for the falafel to make chickpea balls. It was very good too! Though after the fact, I definitely altered the recipe to what I think would be a more desired taste and texture.


Spaghetti and Meat-less Balls Recipe:

• 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 3 garlic cloves
• 2 heaping tbsp fennel seed (to get that wonderful Italian sausage flavor)
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 cup bread crumbs

• 1 tbsp olive oil
  
• 1/2 yellow onion, diced
• 1 celery stalk, diced
• 1 carrot, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2/3 cup chicken broth
• 1 fresh tomato, diced
• 2 tbsp Italian seasoning
• salt, pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup green olives, sliced
• 1/4 cup Kalamata olives, sliced

• 1 pkg spaghetti, cooked according to package

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Throw the first set of ingredients in the blender, minus the bread crumbs, and blend. A food processor would be better. After the mixture is well incorporated, add the breadcrumbs and mix by hand. Lightly grease a muffin tin and scoop out the chickpea mixture in meatball sized portions. Bake for about 25-30 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat and saute the onions, carrots, celery and garlic. Add the canned tomato, fresh tomato, paste, chicken broth and seasoning. Stir and bring to a boil on medium high heat. Reduce, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. You could leave the sauce at this consistency, but I wanted a thicker marinara type of sauce. I also wanted to use one of my new favorite kitchen gadgets: the immersion blender. Blend it all up, throw in the olives and return back to a simmer.

Once the pasta is finished and meat-less balls are cooked, combine everything and garnish with green onions and Asiago (or Parmesan) cheese.

Two Minute Carrot Cake

First of all, I must admit that I jacked this recipe from here and edited it a little bit.

Second of all, you should also jack this recipe because it's very handy when you want some tasty carrot cake in two minutes.

Third of all, remember that this is a cake...in a mug...microwaved for two minutes. You're not getting Betty Crocker's five-star layered carrot cake. You ARE getting a nice little treat that's sort of like a muffin and perfect for breakfast, snack or dessert.

Two Minute Microwave Carrot Cake Recipe:

• 3 tbsp flour
• 1 1/2 tbsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp Vietnamese High Oil Cinnamon (What, you don't have that? Weirdo. No seriously, use regular cinnamon)
• 2 tsp allspice
• 1 tbsp applesauce
• 3 tbsp milk
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup shredded carrot

The website has various steps, but all I did was put the dry ingredients in a mug followed by the wet ingredients. Stir it all up. Microwave for 2 minutes. Eat. It would be even better with a dollop of cream cheese or whipped cream. Nom-a-lom-a-ding-dong.

Happy Birthday Coconut Cake

Happy Birthday, Dad!

My dad's birthday was this weekend and to celebrate, the whole family met at a cabin in Burnet, TX. I eagerly volunteered to make the birthday cake and decided on a layered coconut cake with cream cheese frosting. It ended up a bit more dense than I had expected (more like a shortcake) and not too sweet, which was nice. You could definitely tell it didn't come from a box. Colorful sprinkles were a must to make it birthday special-y.


Coconut Cake Recipe:

• 2 1/4 cups cake flour
• 2 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup butter, softened
• 2 large eggs
• 1 (14oz) can coconut milk (remember to shake well before using)
  
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract

• 8oz cream cheese
• 1 tub whipped topping
• 1 cup powdered sugar

• 2 cups sweetened coconut flakes, divided
• sprinkles!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees . Grease and lightly flour two round 9-inch cake pans. In a large bowl, sift the cake flour, baking powder and salt together. Lightly stir with a whisk. In a separate large bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar on medium until well incorporated. Add in the eggs one at a time, mixing after each. Then alternate adding the flour and coconut milk. Stir in the vanilla extract.

Divide the batter between the two pans and place in middle rack. Bake for about 35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely (ideally on a wire rack for faster timing, but I don't have one of those fancy things so I just do it on the stove top...works!)

While the cake's baking (or cooling) bring the cream cheese to room temp and put the whipped topping in the fridge (it's normally in the freezer, but you want it to be very soft). Beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar in a bowl on medium speed until smooth. Gently fold in the whipped topping until all incorporated. You can add more or less sugar depending on how cream cheese-y you like it. Cover and place back in fridge until ready to frost.

Once the cake is COMPLETELY cooled (very important), you can begin frosting. Place one cake layer on a dish, glob on a decent amount of frosting and smooth out. Sprinkle a nice layer of coconut flakes on top.

Then, add the second layer on top, glob on more frosting and smooth out the top and sides. How many coconut flakes you use is pretty much dependent on how good you are at sticking it to the sides. I went with the subtractive process and put a lot of handfuls on the cake and scraped away as needed. Finally, top with sprinkles. You can either eat right away or place in the fridge overnight to allow the frosting to solidify more.

Ropa Vieja

Sounds so lovely and gourmet, you'd never guess that it literally translates to "Old Clothes." Well, except if you know Spanish. Oh well, good eats are good eats. This traditional Cuban dish is sure to warm any hungry heart. The slow-cooked shredded beef concoction with peppers should ideally be served over white rice with black beans and maybe some fried plantains. I really needed to use up old corn tortillas so decided to serve it taco style. I apologize to any Cubans that might one day read this. I did accompany with black beans though!


Ropa Vieja Recipe:

• 1- 1 1/2 lb flank steak, tenderized
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
• 1 jalapeno, diced (seeded if desired)
• 1 tomato, diced
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup beef, chicken or vegetable broth
• 2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp jalapeno powder (optional)
  
• salt and black pepper to taste
• Fresh cilantro for garnish
  

Okay, are you ready for these directions? It might get kind of intense, so try to follow along closely.

1. Throw everything (sans cilantro) in the slow cooker
2. Turn knob to low setting (8 to 10 hours)
3. After 8 hours, shred the beef with a couple forks (it will be very soft)
4. Continue to cook until ready to serve!

Man, SO labor intensive. This dish could, of course, be prepared on the stove top so if you're without slow cooker, do not be deterred. You'll want to cook the onions and brown the steak in a skillet then add everything and slowly simmer for an hour or so. Enjoy!

Black Lentil Curry

Oh curry, how shall I profess my undying love for thee? You are so tantalizing, mouth-watering and brimming with exotic zest and spices. You are not only the meal upon my table once a week, but also the namesake for my cat. In a word, you are...perfection.

(Not exactly the most appetizing in photos though)

Wow...I'm not..insane

But I am crazy for curry. I realize "curry" is incredibly general and I love ALL of them. We make a Garam Masala based curry almost every week and it is my favorite. Sometimes we just use simple veggies, sometimes chicken; Steven even did meatballs once. This week, I used black lentils.

I did the best I could to "quantify" everything, but usually I just dash seasonings here and there. This sounds about right though. I like a really cinnamon-y Garam Masala curry, so I use about 2 tbsp of the stuff when I make curry. Steven...not so much so he'll use 1/2-1 tbsp. Really, it's up to you!

Black Lentil Curry Recipe:

• 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp ginger, minced (We buy fresh ginger, but powder would probably work too though the flavor wouldn't be as strong)
• 1 carrot, diced
• 2 tbsp olive oil (might need more if you decide to cook chicken before)
• 1 tbsp cumin powder
• 1 tbsp Turmeric powder
• 2 tbsp Garam Masala (less if you don't want that super cinnamony taste)
• 1/2 tbsp coriander (we have coriander seeds, which we smash in a mortar and pestle but you can buy coriander powder)
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp black pepper (adjust to taste)
• 2 tsp salt (adjust to taste)
• 1 tsp peanut or cashew butter (any nut butter works. It's mainly for consistency and adds just a hint of flavor. But you really only need a very little bit bc too much and the whole dish will taste like peanut butter)
• 2 8oz cans tomato sauce (we accidentally used one once that had green chiles in it and it was AWESOME. Added a bit of spice so I might suggest using one can of that or just sticking to the original tomato sauce)
• 1/2 cup green peas (frozen works best)
• 1/2 cup corn (frozen works)
• 2 tbsp plain nonfat yogurt or coconut milk

• 1/2 cup black lentils
• 2 cups cups water

Rinse the black lentils very well in cold water. Place in a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer and cover with lid for about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, caramelize onions in the olive oil over low to medium-low heat. Once translucent, add minced garlic, ginger and carrots. Once the ginger and garlic barely brown and the carrots become a bit more tender, add all the spices (except peanut butter) and mix until everything is well-coated.

Add the two cans of tomato sauce and cook on medium heat until bubbly. Then reduce heat to low and simmer for 25 minutes with a lid. If it looks a little too thick for your liking, add 1/4 cup of water or chicken broth until you get desired consistency.

After it simmers for awhile (and makes your house smelling all INCREDIBLE) add the peas, corn, lentils and dollop of peanut butter. Let that all come together nicely for about 10 minutes. At the end, add your yogurt or coconut milk to get a nice creamy texture. I typically use yogurt because I like the tang. Mix it all together and BAM.

Time to serve this awesome stuff over white/brown/basmati/jasmine rice. Pick your poison.

Now, before tonight, I had made brown rice several times in a variety of ways...all of which failed. Too chewy, undercooked, mushy, etc. I tried a new method tonight and can I get a hell yeah? It was great. You'll need to bring about 12 cups of water to a boil on high heat in a large pot with a lid. While this is heating up, rinse the brown rice thoroughly. When the water is boiling, add the rice and boil uncovered for 30 minutes. Then drain on a strainer, put back in the pot with heat off and steam for 10 minutes. Voila: fluffy, tasty brown rice.

Vanilla Ice Cream Sans Machine!

Sometimes you just gotta satisfy a craving for ice cream on an 80-degree Sunday in Texas....

...in January.

Don't get me wrong; the weather is beautiful. But I just moved into an apartment with a fireplace and, well, I was looking forward to using it before summer hits in about 2 months. Oh well, I decided to use my fire-making time otherwise: by making ice cream!

I don't have an ice cream machine and I didn't want to do the whole 10th-grade-chemistry-class-ice-cream-in-a-bag project. This way is a little more time consuming, but still super easy.

Vanilla Ice Cream Recipe:

• 2 cups milk
  
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp sugar

Optional:

• 1 peppermint (smashed)
• chocolate syrup

Combine all the ingredients except for the peppermint in a shallow plastic container and place in the freezer. Freeze for a couple hours then take out the container and stir the mixture up. It will probably be very frozen on the sides and still wet in the middle. Freeze for another hour, stir and put in a blender. If you want to make a flavored ice cream (in addition to vanilla) now is the time to add the extras. A few suggestions are mint, peanut butter, chocolate chips, fruit, etc. I was craving mint chocolate ice cream so I added a smashed peppermint. Blend the mixture until creamy and smooth. Place back in the freezer for an hour. At this point, the mixture might still be a little icy (think creamy sno cone.) If that's your thing, then dig in! But if you're going for creamy ice cream, blend again and return to freezer for final hour. It might seem like a lot of work, but trust me, the end result is worth it. Top with chocolate syrup for a tasty homemade treat.

Chocolate Date Bars

I have to be honest with you guys, I really have no idea what this is. I call it chocolate date bars because that's basically what it tastes like, but I was originally going for chocolate oatmeal cookies. When I discovered that I didn't have all the necessary ingredients, I improvised. It turned out to be a pretty tasty baked good that I would recommend for breakfast over dessert. Not too sweet, full of healthy ingredients and good for energy.

Chocolate Date Bars Recipe:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt or applesauce or margarine
  
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups rolled oats
• 1/4 cup milk
  
• 1/2 cup chopped dried dates

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda salt and cinnamon in a large bowl. In another bowl, mix the yogurt (applesauce/margarine) and sugars. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Stir in the dry ingredients little by little. Mix in the oats. The batter will probably be pretty thick at this point, so add the milk as needed. Add in the chopped dates.

Grease a 13x9 inch pan and pour in the batter. Try and spread out as evenly as possible. Again, this batter is pretty thick. Bake for about 10-15 minutes

Let cool and enjoy with a cup of joe or milk!

We Got The Beets

♫ Ooo eee ooo killer tofu ♫

Remember The Beets from Doug? What a great band; I wish they were real.

I digress.

So tonight the pantry and fridge were quite bare, save some carbs and vegetables.













I noticed a can of pickled beets that I purchased...mmm...about 8 months ago and wondered what I could do with such a delicious, yet odd commodity. The dialogue in my head was as follows:

"Rice again? Nah. Ooo Orzo pasta. I've never cooked this before. Yes, yes...Orzo pasta with pickled beets and an assortment of random ingredients!"

Uhh..MAZING! I never knew pickled beets were so delicious when warm and mixed with random stuff.

My boyfriend and I eat a "Stuff Pasta" once a week. We actually call it "Stuff Pasta." It's a great (cheap) way to utilize fresh vegetables. Usually it's thin spaghetti or bowtie with caramelized onions, garlic, whatever green vegetable we bought that week, fresh tomato and green onion and shaved Asiago cheese.

This week, I made a Stuff Pasta that we have never had before and DAMN, it was good. And pretty. Full of healthy ingredients right in the pantry. I can't think of a snappy name for this dish; it involves too many things.

Stuff Pasta (Orzo with roasted chickpeas, veggies and beets) Recipe:

• 1 pkg Orzo pasta

• 1 can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained
• 1 broccoli crown, stem diced and separated from florets
• 1/2 yellow onion, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, sliced
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 2 tsp Kosher salt
• Fresh cracked black pepper
• 2 tsp Greek Oregano
• 1 tsp Cayenne pepper

• 1 can pickled beets, drained
  
• 1 fresh tomato, diced
• 2 green onions, diced
• Drizzle of olive oil

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spread the garbanzo beans, broccoli stems, onions and garlic slices on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, salt, peppers and Greek oregano. Mix so all the veggies are coated and roast for about 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, take a spatula and move the veggies around to cook evenly. Put back in oven for 10 minutes.

While the veggies are roasting during the final 10 minutes, cook the Orzo pasta according to the package directions.

Now attend to the broccoli florets. I chose not to roast with other vegetables because broccoli florets tend to get brown and crisp really fast in a hot oven. I threw them in a microwave-safe bowl with a splash of water, salt and pepper, covered with paper plate and microwaved for about 3 minutes. (Contrary to popular belief, microwaving vegetables with a lid is actually a healthy method that retains the nutrients.)

When the Orzo is finished, drain and return to pot. Drizzle some olive oil and pour in the roasted mixture, broccoli florets and pickled beets. You'll notice the entire dish suddenly takes on a lovely fuchsia hue from the beets. Garnish with fresh tomatoes and green onions.


An award-winning Stuff Pasta, if I do say so myself. And my boyfriend, who often gawks at vegetarian meals, loved it too.

Coconut Curry Baked Chicken Tenders

I must say that Indian food has definitely become one of my favorite cuisines. My boyfriend or I make a big batch of rice and slow-cooked curry at least once a week. You really can't find the depth of flavor, variety of spices or unique tastes in any other kind of food. And the funny part is, I remember balling my eyes out about 12 years ago whenever my parents mentioned the words Indian food. Listen to parents; your taste palate really DOES mature.

My boyfriend received a wonderful spice rack for Christmas, full of exotic salts, rubs and powders that I have been mulling over for weeks. One whiff of the Coconut Curry Powder and I was sold. Instead of making our usual curry dinner, I decided to shake (and bake) things up a bit. This recipe requires a few steps, but the outcome is delicious and nutritious. And by using chicken tenders, dare I even say, kid-friendly?

Coconut Curry Baked Chicken Tenders Recipe:

• 1 1/2 lb chicken tenders


• 2 cups plain non-fat yogurt
• 1/4 cup minced cilantro
• 4 cardamom pods, crushed (use mortar and pestle)
• Dash of salt
• Dash of pepper
• Dash of garlic powder
• 1/2 lime juice


• 1 1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
• *3-4 tbsp. coconut curry powder

*I understand that most people won't just have coconut curry powder lying around. In fact, we usually make our own spice blends. To keep with the same flavors, you could mix coriander, cumin, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper and dried coconut flakes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Set aside a 9 x 11 baking pan. Wash and pat dry the chicken and set aside. Mix the yogurt with the first set of ingredients in a bowl (keep about 1/2 cup separate to have as a serving sauce). Mix the Panko and coconut curry seasoning in a shallow dish. Using tongs, dredge each chicken tender in the yogurt mixture first, then the Panko and place in the baking dish. For two people, I made about 8 tenders.


Bake in oven, uncovered, for about 10 minutes. Flip and bake for another 8-10 minutes. Serve with brown rice and spinach and top with remaining yogurt sauce (oh and always have some srirachi sauce on hand).

That's Fal-awful Good!

I'll give you a moment to finish cracking up at my hilaaaarious pun title for this post.

Can you guess what's for dinner tonight?

FALAFEL!

But can you guess what I'm going to do different? Make it healthier!

Okay enough guessing. I got this idea from a recipe I stumbled upon on foodgawker.com (a.k.a. where I spend 75% of my day). Basically just instead of frying the falafel, you bake them. Sure the taste and texture won't be exactly the same thing, but I'm not going for same; I'm going for new.

Anyway, it was super easy and delicious. Give it a try!

Baked Falafel Pita Pockets Recipe:

• 1 15oz can of chickpeas (drained)
  
• 1/4 onion, diced
• 1 handful fresh parsley
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp cumin
• 2 tsp coriander
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 cup whole wheat flour (or white)

• 1 pkg whole wheat pita pockets
• 1/2 red onion, sliced thinly
• 1 tomato, sliced
  
• 1 bunch of spinach (arugula would be even better!)

• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 1/2 cucumber, diced
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Dash of salt
• Dash of pepper
• Dash of garlic powder

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Throw the first set of ingredients in a blender and...BLEND! A food processor would be a better choice, but I am lacking in that department. Shoot for a thoroughly incorporated/still chunky consistency. Scoop tablespoon sized balls onto a greased baking sheet and bake for about 20-25 minutes. My batter was a little thin (probably because of the blender) so I used a muffin tin. It worked perfectly.















While they're baking, combine the yogurt, cucumber, lemon juice, salt, pepper and garlic powder. I like my tzatziki sauce a little chunkier, so I just mixed it all together. If you want a thinner, smoother consistency then I recommend throwing in the blender.

When the falafel are finished and slightly cooled, it's time to assemble your pocket. Cut a falafel (falafa? falafe? what is the singular?) in half and place at the bottom of the pocket. Add some tzatziki, then the sliced red onion, spinach leaves and tomato. Add two more falafel on top and finish with tzatziki sauce.

Hearty Beef Stew

Hmm...there appears to be a pattern to this blog so far:
dessert in new baking pan-->slow cooker meal-->dessert in new baking pan-->slow cooker meal...

Hey, what can I say? I love using new gadgets!

A not-so-distant relative of Beef Stroganoff, Beef Stew is warm, rustic and very simple to make. I opted for some lean stew beef (very cheap!) and your average stew veggies. Typically, the goal of slow cooker meals is that they are easy to make before work and ready when you get home. This is also true of this meal, except I spent about 45 minutes prepping the night before. Not fun but totally worth it! I just woke up, threw everything in the pot and headed out the door.

*Note this is an after picture.

Beef Stew Recipe:

• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 tbsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp salt
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp hot smoked paprika
• 2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1lb lean stew beef
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce (I love the flavor so added some extra)
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, sliced
• 1 stalk of celery, chopped + handful of chopped celery leaves
• 2 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced

Mix the flour and seasoning in a gallon ziplock bag. Place beef in the bag and coat evenly. Put beef in the slow cooker and add all of the veggies. Pour the broth and dash the Worcestershire sauce. Stir to mix thoroughly and cook on low for 10-12 hours. Garnish with fresh parsley.

Baked Banana Donuts

Given the choice between a donut or a kolache in the morning, I always go with the kolache. Even though donuts aren't a frequently craved food of mine, sometimes you just can't help but want a deep-fried, sugary piece of dough.

As with most of my recipes, I decided to satisfy this spontaneous craving by making it healthier! I had 3 bananas just chillin' in the freezer (ha ha ha) and was tired of the same old banana bread recipe. I just received a donut pan for Christmas so decided to make a baked banana donut. I topped with a simple maple glaze to add some shine and extra sweetness.


Although I wouldn't recommend this to a donut-fanatic or someone who swears by the fried yeast variety, this recipe is tasty, versatile and fun. And really, I just love anything banana.

Baked Banana Donut w/ Maple Glaze Recipe:

• 3 bananas (small to medium size)
• 2 egg whites
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups white flour
• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground allspice

• *1/4 cup maple syrup
• *1/4 cup powdered sugar
• *2 tbsp water
  

*Honestly, I just kinda eye-balled it.

In a medium bowl, mash the bananas. Add the vanilla, oil, sugar and egg whites and mix together. Next add dry ingredients and mix until moist and well-combined. Spoon into your donut pan. Because this dough is thick and sticky, it's kind of a messy endeavor, but try to fill each donut cup about 2/3 full and even. I only have a 6-donut pan so I had a lot of leftover dough. Instead of waiting until they were finished and re-loading full of sticky dough, I just plopped the rest in a muffin tin and baked them all together. In a 425-degree Fahrenheit oven, the donuts were done at about 8 minutes; muffins took about 12 minutes.

While they're baking, mix the maple syrup, powdered sugar and water. Allow the donuts to cool and then smear on the sweet glaze.