Going Bananas!

Yesterday I made a super simple banana chocolate chip muffin recipe that's a great way to use up brown bananas and isn't too unhealthy. Don't they look yummy! They taste delicious too!

Here are the ingredients you'll need:

• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 cup mashed bananas (approximately 2 large bananas)
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup of chocolate chips

Since I'm in Sweden I made some substitutions which don't seem to have made a difference. I used rapeseed oil instead of vegetable oil and I cut up a large bar of dark baking chocolate into tiny pieces because apparently in small-town Northern Sweden they don't have chocolate chips!

To Make:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease muffin tray with butter using a bit of wax paper. Mix together the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and cinnamon) in a large bowl. In a separate bowl mix together the mashed bananas with the egg and oil. Stir the banana mixture into the dry ingredients just until blended (do not overmix). Stir in the chocolate chips.

Divide the batter among muffin tray, filling each about 3/4 full. Bake muffins until tops are pale golden and toothpick inserted into centre comes out with some melted chocolate attached but no crumbs, about 15-20 minutes. Transfer muffins to rack and then let cool.

Ta da!!!

Don't they look yummy?

Yup. I was right, they're delicious!

A Sweet Treat for my Ears

I've been sitting on a $10 M/C gift card since Christmas. Since it's in Canadian funds I didn't know what to do with it aside from hold onto it until we return to Canada in July, but that's just no fun. So I found the perfect way to spend it! Shopping online at the Gallery AC store from Canadian label Arts & Crafts. And my first purchase is Zeus' album Say Us for only $1.99!

Released in February of 2010 the album consists of twelve tracks of what the Arts & Crafts website describes as "smart pop hooks with jangling electric guitars, three-part harmonies; [in other words] classic rock n' roll."

I'm listening to it this morning, and I like it! And I'm not surprised since I've long liked Jason Collett, a Toronto musician for whom Zeus originally played as a backing band. And though their sounds are comparable, Zeus holds their own, and Say Us is a dynamic and enjoyable album that I am happy to add to my growing collection of home-grown favs. And the best part is, this sweet indulgence doesn't have any calories - or any sugary pop anthems to make my ears hurt.