We started out ok, with the Ultimate Winter Couscous. It was… ok. I mean, the idea was great—roasted butternut squash and parsnips over couscous or bulgur—but I should have just done my own thing with it, instead of splurging on the nine hundred ingredients that didn’t add anything amazing to the final dish. And then we made the cinnamon and berry breakfast quinoa, which was really delish—full of berries and toasted nuts, and surrounded by a pool of sweet almond milk. Then we were supposed to make Indian-inspired salmon in a creamy mustard sauce and black eyed pea curry…and that’s where things went downhill.
First of all, we had a ton of leftovers from the couscous dish that weren’t worked into any future meals according to the plan. And secondly, I’m somewhat of a salmon purist. Salmon is SO good (not to mention SO expensive) that if I’m going to make salmon, I’m not going to drown it creamy sauces and cover up its naturally amazing flavor. So, that’s where we started to stray. And we haven’t looked back since. Who needs a cleanse, anyway.
So, to fully embrace my rebellion, I made banana nut muffins. With peanut butter. And oats. And chocolate chips. And even peanut butter chips. Take that, cleanse.
2 super ripe bananas, mashed
½ cup peanut butter
2 eggs, well beaten
1 ½ cups flour
½ cup quick rolled oats
¾ cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
Optional:
½ cup chopped toasted walnuts
½ cup chocolate chips
½ cup peanut butter chips
Preaheat oven to 350. Grease a muffin pan with 6 large cups (or use a smaller sized cupcake pan with more cups, or even a loaf pan—vary cooking times: less for cupcake pan, more for loaf). Mix bananas, peanut butter, and eggs together in a large bowl. Stir in flour, oats, salt, sugar, and baking soda. Add optional items and blend. Put batter in muffin cups, and bake for 25-30 minutes. Serve warm or cooled.
