Everyone, this past weekend the culinary goddess blessed me with a child. A stork left a gift on my doorstep. Behold, my new child, the (nameless) Ice blue kitchen-aid mixer. Isn’t he a beauty? Since purchasing a kitchen-aid mixer is really a once-in-a-lifetime thing, he will need a good name, so here is where I need some help–send me some ideas! What is the best name for my new mixer?

Now, for the tough part. As if naming my child wasn’t hard enough, what in the world do I teach him to do first? Growing up, I loved baking oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. I could pretty much make them with eyes closed, so I thought that recipe would be the first thing that I make. Well, this recipe from I’ll Have What She’s Having spoke to me. Call it an epiphany, call it what you want. I suddenly realized that the first thing my baby mixer needed to learn, was the mashed bananers & nutella muffin recipe. Duh, he’s just a child, so mashed bananers are the way to go.

These are quite possibly the best muffins ever. I’m being serial. With some slight alterations and additions, these muffins are full of nutrients and fiber that your body can’t resist. Yes, healthy muffins ARE a real thing…you probably just haven’t realized it yet, if you have been hitting up your local Starbucks, purchasing whatever muffin has the word “reduced fat” slapped in the title, thinking that you are being so good. But These are the ones that are satisfying, nutritious and delicious.

Preparation:

Peel banana.

Smash bananaaaaa. A fork works great.

Mix mashed banana, melted butter (melt in glass bowl in microwave for around 30 seconds), and egg. Add greek yogurt and vanilla and mix. Add in the flour mixture, and mix until combined.

Add in the chopped walnuts and Nutella! Mix until just combined.

Distribute batter evenly with a spoon, filling about 3/4 of the way full. Top with sliced bananer and a sprinkle of nuts! Pop into the oven for about 25 minutes.

Mmmm the walnuts get all toasty on top. It’s the best! Remove from oven and set on a wire rack to cool. When cool enough, drizzle Nutella on the top and munch away!

Nom Nom Nom….

Also, don’t forget, today is the Online Bake Sale for Japan! The bake sale will take place at Sabrina’s blog, The Tomato Tart, Wednesday, March 30th, 2011. You can bid on almost 100 different baked goods made by yours truly and many other fabulous food bloggers. All proceeds will go to Second Harvest Japan.

Join us in donating to this great cause and fill your bellies with something tasty in the process!

Happy Bidding!

Banana NUT-ella Muffins:

inspired by: Lynn @ I’ll Have What She’s Having

Ingredients:

• 2 cup white whole-wheat flour (or 1 cup all purpose flour and 1 cup whole wheat flour)
• 2 Tbsp wheat germ (optional, but if you add it, sub for 2 Tbsp of flour)
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 ripe bananas, mashed
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt (non-fat or low fat)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3/4 cup walnuts, chopped
• 1/2 cup Nutella

   Topping:

• 1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
• 1 ripe banana, thinly sliced
• Nutella for drizzling

Directions:

Makes 12-18

1. Preheat the oven to 375. Line a 12 cup muffin tin. This is helpful to do before you get covered in mashed bananas and Nutella.
2. In a large bowl, mix the flours, wheat germ, baking powder and salt together.
3. In a mixer, mix the mashed bananas, melted butter and egg together. Add in the yogurt and vanilla.
4. Add the dry mixture into the mixer, until just combined. Add in the Nutella and walnuts and stir for around 30 seconds.
5. Pour batter evenly into the prepared muffin tins. Top each muffin with a few thin slices of banana.
6. Bake for 25-30 minutes, testing near the end with a toothpick, until it comes out clean.
7. Cool on a wire rack and drizzle with Nutella (I would say “optional” here, but its really not. It’s a must!)

From the Little Yellow Kitchen,

Chrissy