My Mom Wears Pink Converse

Hi Guys! So sorry it has taken me forever to post today I have been running around like a chicken with its head cut off all morning trying to get things situated for the move, handling some personal stuff, and get ready for my fabulous weekend with the boyfriend in Delaware on the beach.  This girls needs some color like WOW. Legit, see through.  Not kidding, look:

That's me in the white shorts and yellow top (super unflattering picture!). See. Through. O well, moving on. Hopefully this weekend I can come back and show you guys a tan pic! Fingers crossed!

Well, beside that, a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders because Mama Nay Nay has decide to come to NYC to help me move. She always keeps me nice and calm and it definitely means a nice dinner and some girl time so, woot woot! Look at her adorableness:

Hot shoes Nay Nay- you so cute!

So last night I decided to make some treats for the lovely woman of AWNY for our 8:15 morning meeting.  I joined AWNY (The Advertising Women of New York) about 2 months ago and love it. I am on the Young Executives Committee so I the second Wednesday of every month we have a committee meeting to discuss events, networking, etc.  The girls are great and the community is wonderful.  I thought they deserved a little pick-me-up so Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins were made. One of the girls is Gluten Free and couldnt eat any of the cupcakes (I felt so bad!) Maybe next month I'll try and whip up a gluten free batch for her.  I believe I am up to the challenge :)

These muffins are so good.  Sorry for all of you who hate this word but they were moist (my bad but I think you're ok), light, and chocolatey to the extreme! I took some tips from both Gina and Amy and mixed and matched their recipes to make this lovely creation.   

Ingredients:

6 ripe medium bananas, mashed

1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce

1/4 cup fat free vanilla yogurt 

1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour

2 cups whole wheat flour 

1-1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

4 tbsp butter, softened

1 cup sugar

4 large egg whites

1 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 cup chocolate chips

Steps:

1) Preheat oven to 325 degrees F

2) In a medium bowl combine both flours, baking soda and salt and set aside 

3) In a large bowl cream together butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy

4) Add egg whites, bananas, applesauce, vanilla yogurt and vanilla to the sugar mixture and combine with the electric mixer.
5) Add flour mixture and chocolate chips to the wet mixture and blend with the electric mixer at low speed until combined (if you go to fast the flour will go everyone and make a mess!)

6) Pour batter into muffin pans (with paper cupcake liners- whatever those are called!) and bake for 30 to 45 minutes. 

7) Let the cool and enjoy!

* Makes 24 cupcakes

I enjoyed one last night with a little bit of butter. Amazing.  Had one this AM for breakfast as well... AND I couldn't resist devouring one at around 3 for a snack. SO yup, made 24, 3 were eaten by me, in less than 24 hours. Well worth it.

These deserve a solid Star Fabulous Rating of 9/10! The only thing that would make em better is if they were a little better!  Make sure to allow the batch to make 24 cupcakes and not be thrown off by size. Less cupcakes=larger portion. Larger portions changes the nutritional information.  (But then again, if I was going to eat three is just one day, maybe I should have just make giant cupcakes)

Star Fabulous Rating: 9/10

Pumpkin Walnut Raisin Muffins

Miss me? Its been a while! I was busy enjoying the amazing weather in the city this weekend.  Saturday was unbelievably beautiful and the great weather obviously brought me to Central Park for a nice long walk with the girls followed by an amazing Whole Foods picnic lunch on Sheep's Meadow. Sunday my sister and I decided to be children of the year and after an... eventful night... we voyaged to the Casino at the crack of dawn to surprise our Mom for Mother's day!   

This girl won big at Black Jack (thanks for your help dad!).  On the long trip back on the train I had plenty of time to commit to Tina's New Book!  She has some great advice and some amazingly easy recipes. 

While watching re-runs of desperate housewives I decided to finally use up the can of pumpkin in the cabinet that I got ages ago when I was on my pumpkin kick.  Tina goes on for quite some time about how fabulous these pumpkin muffins that she made were so I thought, what a better way to use the ingredient.  

Very simply recipe, which obviously makes everything better for me AND as you all know, I heart raisins and since those were incorporated I was good to go!  

I love raisins so much that my mom gave me one of those GIANT industrial size containers on Easter and its almost gone.  Nothing like some great trail mix and any cookie involving raisins to really make your raisin supply dwindle quickly!

Well now to this recipe.  My favorite kind of recipes are the ones were the steps are simple 1) put everything a bowl, 2) mix, 3) put in pan 4) bake.  This is one of those kind of recipes! 

Ingredients: (snagged from Tina)

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup oats

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 1/4 cup canned pumpkin pie mix

1 egg

1 tbsp canola oil

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 cup raisins

1/4 cup walnuts

Steps: 

1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F

2) Coat muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray

3) Mix all ingredients into one big bowl with a spoon

4) Pour batter evenly into muffin tins.

5) Bake for 18-20 minutes.

These really hit the spot for me and I am not even really a pumpkin girl.  I bet they would  have been even better in the fall, I love to eat seasonal foods. 

I'd give these a Star Fabulous Rating of 6/10 because they are very delicious but I really do wish they were a smidge bigger! I bet they would be a solid 7/10 with some chocolate chips too.  Chocolate makes everything better (at least now a days, I am on a serious Chocolate binge!)

Star Fabulous Rating: 6/10

Berry Delicious Muffins

Today is rainy and disgusting so after a day of splurging at Lord and Taylor with my roommate, I trekked home in the rain prepared to make Berry Delicious Muffins! I have been craving muffins recently so what better afternoon treat then a delicious muffin.  These treats are adapted from Gina's Blog, she is a mastermind when it comes to creating diet friendly nibbles.


They are absolutely heavenly and quite easy to make.  The trick to their sweetness- applesauce!


Ingredients:
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 cups 100% whole wheat flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups frozen mixed berries
1 large egg, beaten
1 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp melted butter or margarine


The original recipe called for fresh berries but if you are on a budget like this girl, the frozen ones are just as yummy and much more friendly on the wallet! 

1) Preheat the oven to 325°.
2) In one large bowl combine flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt and mix well.
3) In a separate bowl mix eggs, melted butter, vanilla and applesauce (it will look like more wet mixture than you are generally used to seeing when using apple sauce in a baking recipe. 
4) Add the wet mixture to the flour mixture and stir until just blended.  
5) Add the mixed berries to the mixture and fold them in (I like to mix them sort of vigorously, smushing the berries a smidge to add flavor- and the great pinkish color). 

6) Pour the batter into 15 lined muffin tins and bake at 325° for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

7) Let them cool and DIVE IN! (heat them up and throw a little butter on them if you are feeling very decadent) 

These muffins are very moist, and as they are made with applesauce, they are a fabulous "healthy" option for your sweet tooth. 


Best lazy rainy Saturday ever- re-runs of Desperate Housewives and a sweet treat.  Now if only I can get myself up and going for the big benefit tonight!  At least these treats will give me a natural adrenalin rush!


Had to add this: I bet these would be delicious with any of the below:
Almonds
Chocolate
Coconut

Star Fabulous Rating: 4/10