My apartment is overrun with black bananas.  For most folks, this would be a cause for concern, but for me it’s a gift that keeps on giving.  Black bananas lead to batches of naturally sweetened homemade granola bars, cookies and breads.  Looking for yet another way to use up these mounds of black bananas, I came up with a super moist muffin that is cross between carrot cake and a bran muffin.  Introducing Carrot Raisin Bran Muffins!  Ta-da!

These whole wheat muffins are made with whole rolled oats and wheat bran so they are loaded with fiber.  Packed with bananas and shredded carrots, you are secretly working on your daily fruit and veggie serving requirements while enjoying a delicious muffin.  Unlike most bran muffins, these are naturally sweetened with raisins and honey and packed with bananas and carrots, so they are moist, nutritious and perfectly suited for a breakfast or quick snack.

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I love the flavors of apple pie, but rarely have the patience (or energy) to make a whole pie from scratch.  Besides, of all the pies out there, apple pie falls into the Labor Intensive with Great Risk for Failure category.  Plus, establishing portion control rules for an entire apple pie in a house of two people is just asking for trouble.  Bleh.  No thanks.  Instead, I decided to find a way to incorporate all my favorite apple pie flavors in a simple-to-make, easy-to-hold, and light enough to enjoy with a cup of tea scone.

Made with whole wheat flour and rolled oats, these whole grain cream scones are specked with fresh apples tossed in honey and cinnamon.  Only lightly sweet, they are perfect topped with a slather of apple butter or just eaten plain alongside a warm cup of tea or cider.  All the spiced apple flavors you love from apple pie in a light, simple scone.

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Is there anything more quintessentially Fall than pumpkins?  You know that the seasons have officially changed when you start to see pumpkin-flavored-everything popping up everywhere you look.  I’ve already let you in on my favorite pumpkin scones and pumpkin pie bites, so it’s about time that I hook you up with a go-to pumpkin bread recipe.

Unlike most mass produced pumpkin breads, this one isn’t overly sweet.  Instead of tasting like orange-colored-sugar-bread, this one actually tastes like pumpkin.  Only lightly sweetened with honey, this allows the pumpkin and spice flavors to really shine through.  Made with whole wheat flour this quick bread is lightly flecked with chopped pecans.  Moist and tender, this pumpkin spice bread is the perfect recipe to welcome back the Fall.

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I’m embarrassed to admit this, but there was a time in my life when the majority of my meals came in the form for a bar.  Prepackaged, processed food-like substances pressed into tight bars (usually dipped in some type of synthetic chocolate) were easy to eat on the go, cheap enough to buy in bulk and washed down just fine with a Diet Coke.  Now, much older and only slightly wiser, I’ve abandoned those chemical-laden, artificial-everything bars in favor of real foods, but I find myself longing for the convenience and simplicity of a good bar.  Only this time around, I’m a bit more picky.  I want a bar with ingredients I can pronounce.

Oats, almond butter, raisins, apricots, walnuts, almonds.  Yup, I can pronounce all of those!  Saying that these granola bars are ridiculously easy to make it an understatement.  They are simple enough that you could mass produce them in your own kitchen.  No joke.  They are free of any processed sugar, endlessly adaptable and perfect little snacks to take on the go.  Say hello to the new generation of bars!

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Friday nights are pizza night around here.  A simple way to relax after a long week, Friday Night Pizza Night has become something of a religion in our household.  I’ve always insisted on making our own healthier versions of this take-out favorite.  For awhile, I was using whole wheat or low-carb tortillas for the base instead of standard pizza dough.  Once it became apparent that these tortillas were just as jam packed full of non-food items and chemicals as the take-out pizza I was attempting to avoid, I set out to begin making my own pizza dough.

This simple recipe takes almost no active time to prepare and you can easily pronounce all of the ingredients (I can’t say the same for those low-carb tortillas).  The dough is sturdy enough to support any variety of toppings and freezes well so you can stock up for future Friday nights!  The light wheat flavor is paired with a combo of Italian seasonings to give it an extra flavor punch.  You will be surprised at how quickly you get the hang of it.  Before you know it, your friends will be calling you for their Friday night take-out pizza!

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Recently, I’ve been on a quest to eliminate processed sweeteners from my diet.  Say goodbye to Splenda, Truvia, and good ‘ol fashioned granulated white sugar.  Sounds a little hippy, to be sure, but I figured that cutting out processed sugar as much as possible can’t be a bad thing.  Since this quest isn’t managing to quiet my incessant sweet tooth, this has let me on a constant search for sweetening replacements in baked goods.  Hello, honey-sweetened baked goods!

This uber-moist banana bread is made with whole-wheat pastry flour, sweetened with honey and all starts with an olive oil base.  Studded with toasted walnuts and wild blueberries this loaf packs a subtle nutty, banana flavor.  With a tangy sweetness from the honey, this moist quick bread is sure to become a family favorite in no time.

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Can we turn the clock back a few months to the beginning of cherry season and pretend that I haven’t been hiding this perfectly good brunch recipe from you all summer?  Ok, thanks.  People, I know the calendar says September but, in a very grown-up fashion,  I’m refusing to acknowledge that this summer is rapidly coming to an end.  It’s over 90 degrees in New York.  The beaches are packed.  And, thanks to that whole “being a responsible adult” thing, I haven’t had a chance to wear my new swimsuit even once.  So, no, summer I hereby declare that you are not over yet and this bright, summery cornbread proves it.

This cherry cornbread is a perfect way to make use of those last remaining fresh cherries haunting the markets.  The mild sweetness of the cornbread pairs with the sweet, tangy cherries in a flavorful twist on a classic.  Perfect for a summer brunch, this cornbread is widly moist from the cherries and made with healthy whole wheat flour.  Consider your summer plans extended.

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