Banana oat cupcakes

In an effort to provide a healthier alternative to the banana cakes and cupcakes I have made in the past, I decided to give these a go. There is no butter in the recipe and it is packed with oats. 

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups plain flour
1 cup rolled oats

1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar (minus 2 tablespoons)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
1 egg

1 tablespoon of honey
3/4 cup low fat milk
1/3 cup rice bran oil
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup mashed bananas

Method

Grease and line a 12-cup cupcake pan with paper bake cups,
Place flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl and stir to combine. Set aside.
In a large bowl, lightly beat the egg then add in the honey, milk, oil, and vanilla. Stir to combine. Add the mashed banana, and mix thoroughly until well blended. Stir the flour mixture into the banana mixture and mix until just combined. Don't over stir the batter! 

Divide the batter evenly between them.
Bake at 200 degrees C for 18 to 20 minutes.

Adapted from All Recipes

I iced them quickly with the always popular lemon cream cheese icing and sent them off with Mr X to work. Looking back, I should have put more effort in and actually piped the icing onto the cupcakes. I guess there is always next time...

Oat pancakes

These look like regular pancakes, don't they?

I found this recipe a few months ago. Since than, I have made these 2 or 3 times. That is saying something, because I have only offered to make them 2 or 3 times and Mr X has said yes every single time.  

There is an ingredient in here that made me a little nervous - cottage cheese. I have never used it before in cooking, but know that it is a good source of protein and low in fat. These pancakes help keep you fuller for longer than traditional pancakes made with white flour, making them a great healthy alternative.

I made the oat flour my grinding up oats in a coffee grinder.

Ingredients:
½ cup oats
½ cup cottage cheese (I use low fat)
1 teaspoon vanilla

1 tablespoon honey (optional)
2 eggs (or 4 egg whites)

Method:
Grind the oats in a coffee/spice grinder until they resembles a flour consistency. Add this, along with the rest of the ingredients to a food processor or blender and process until smooth.
Spray a frying pan with cooking spray (or use a little butter) and cook small amounts just like you would with regular pancakes. My only suggestion is to keep them small - large ones don't cook through very well.
Top with your preferred topping - we drizzle ours with honey.

I would have taken a photo of the finished product, but Mr X was too fast and ate them before I had a chance!