Peanut Butter Frosted Whole Wheat Banana Donuts

I've previously mentioned my recipe hoarding tendencies. Pinterest might just be encouraging that habit at the moment. This recipe, however, was made back when I first saw it posted on Prevention RD. I love banana bread, Dave loves when I break out the donut pan, so I knew we'd have a winner. I decided to change the frosting on these to highlight the amazing combination of peanut butter and banana. These are a perfect treat for a weekend morning.

For the donuts, you will need:
*6 tablespoons sugar

*1 egg
*
1/2 cup over-ripe banana, mashed (about 1 1/2-2 small bananas)
*
3 tablespoons canola oil 

*1/2 tsp vanilla extract

*1 tablespoon nonfat Greek yogurt

*1/4 teaspoon salt

*1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
*
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

*1/4 teaspoon baking powder

*3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons whole wheat pastry flour

For the peanut butter frosting, you will need:
*3 tablespoons peanut butter
*2 tablespoons Greek yogurt
*about 1/4 cup powdered sugar
*splash of milk

1. Preheat your oven to 350 F. Spray doughnut pan with cooking spray.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the egg and sugar for about 10 minutes, until the mixture is light and pale. Stir in the banana, oil, vanilla, and yogurt.

3. In a separate bowl whisk together the salt, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and flour. Add to the egg mixture; stir together until combined. Spoon the batter into the prepared doughnut pan, filling wells 1/2 way, and bake for 10-12 minutes.

3. Make the frosting topping by combining all ingredients and mixing well. You can add more powdered sugar or milk to help reach desired consistency. Spread on cooled donuts using a flat spatula.

Mexican Quinoa

Do you participate in Meatless Monday?  Dave and I started this about a year and a half ago. It began by eliminating meat for one day a week. I would have never guessed how much less meat we would eat over time. We are not vegetarians by any means, but I find we now only cook meat about 2-3 times a week. This  has also helped to lower our weekly grocery bills. If you are looking for a diet change this new year, I suggest giving Meatless Mondays a try.

It seems that quinoa is everywhere lately. The good news about that is how much easier it is to locate and afford quinoa here now compared to when I first started cooking with it. This has the elements of a perfect weeknight dish. It uses one pot, cooks quick, fills you up, and is delicious. We enjoyed this dish warm which I think is perfect for this time of year. It reheated well for lunches the next day. I think it would also make a great cold salad dish in the summer. I found this recipe on Annie's Eats.

You will need:
*2 teaspoons olive oil

*2 cloves garlic, minced

*2-3 jalapenos, seeded and finely chopped
*
1 cup uncooked quinoa (don't forget to rinse well before cooking!)
*
1 1/4 cups vegetable broth

*1 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed

*1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, with juices

*1 cup frozen corn
*1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
*
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

*half of lime, juiced
*Desired toppings-some ideas: shredded cheese, Greek yogurt, salsa, avocado

1. Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and jalapenos and saute  for about 1 minute.  Next, stir in the the quinoa, veggie broth, beans, diced tomatoes with juices, corn, and salt.  Allow the mixture to reach a boil.

2. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and cover.  Simmer for about 25 minutes, or until most of the liquid has been absorbed. Remove pan from the heat; stir in the cilantro and lime juice. Serve with any toppings you'd like. We enjoyed cheese, Greek yogurt, and some tortilla chips.