So what do you do with a couple of spotty bananas that you’ve put in your freezer (besides make an amazing banana bread)? Try something new! 

I wanted to make some tasty muffins for my family’s breakfast but also wanted them to be a bit more robust in their nutritional profile. So I added a protein powder I thought would complement the flavors. I’m loving Four Sigmatic because it combines plant-based superfood proteins with adaptogenic mushrooms to create a tasty powder that’s easy to put in smoothies or baked goods. So here we go! 

3 Past-their-prime bananas (defrosted, if necessary)
⅓ cup Butter 
⅔ cup Sugar
2 Eggs
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
A pinch of Salt 
1 tsp Baking Soda 
1.4 oz Protein Powder (I used the Sweet Vanilla flavor for this one, but their Peanut Butter would also be awesome)
1- ½ Cups Flour 
A buncha Chocolate Chips 

Make sure your bananas are defrosted and mushy. ALSO, make sure your butter is melty and mushable (so take it out of the fridge a few hours before).  

Spray your muffin tins with an olive oil or coconut oil-based spray. Turn the oven on to 350. 

Put the mushy bananas and butter in a big bowl and smash them together (use a potato smasher, fork, whatever). Blend until it’s as creamy as possible.

Add sugar, egg and vanilla until combined. Stir in salt, baking soda and protein powder. 

Add flour and chocolate chips and combine, then divide the mixture into 12 muffin tins. 

Set the timer for 20 minutes and see how they look. Clean knife? Good. If not, add on a few minutes.  

Enjoy for a snack, dessert or breakfast!

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In addition to the Tuscan Stuffed Mushrooms I made for our Italian summer progressive dinner the other night, I also did these light crostini that were a big hit. I was worried that the edamame would make it too sweet, but the arugula provides a nice foil, as does the fresh lemon.

The original recipe calls for fava beans, but since they’re scarce when not in season, the edamame substitution makes this a super easy dish. I even swapped the Parmigiano-Reggiano the original recipe called for with the Pecorino Romano I was already using for the mushrooms.

1 cup shelled, frozen Edamame, thawed
1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp Olive Oil, divided
1-1/2 cups Baby Arugula (1-1/2 ounces), divided
3 tbsp grated Pecorino Romano
1/4 tsp Lemon Zest
1/2 tsp fresh Lemon Juice
1 Baguette
16 Mint or Basil Leaves, for garnish

Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.

Pulse edamame in a food processor until very coarsely chopped, then transfer half of mixture to a large bowl. Add 1/4 cup oil, 1/2 cup arugula, cheese, lemon zest and juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper to edamame in processor and purée until smooth.

Add to bowl of coarse edamame, then coarsely chop remaining cup arugula and gently fold into mixture.

Cut diagonal slices (1/3 inch thick) from baguette and place on a sheet pan. Brush or drizzle with remaining tablespoon oil. Bake until pale golden and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes.

Spoon mixture onto baguette toasts, then drizzle with oil and top with mint or basil.