Portland, Maine – It’s Fall, Y’all! Okay, no one else in Maine is saying it quite like that… but the excitement of leaf peeping, pumpkin hunting, and all things Autumn is here. I was seriously daydreaming about whether I could travel the globe to spend an entire year in Autumn – an entire year.
For now, the not-so-baby-Q and I are headed to the kitchen to welcome my favorite season. What’s inspired us? Laura Numeroff’s If You Give a Moose a Muffin.
This book is one our favorites. It’s one thing to read about muffins. It’s another to bake and eat muffins while you read! And the best thing about making muffins, it’s like blending a smoothie. You can hide so much healthy stuff in there. The kids will never know.
Today, we added flax-seed, whole wheat flour, apple sauce and chia seed. You can also throw in wheat germ, whatever goodness you have on hand.
Here’s our Banana Muffin recipe:
Ingredients:
- 1/3 cup of butter
- 1/2 cup apple sauce
- 3/4 cup of sugar
- 1/4 maple syrup
- 2 eggs or egg replacer
- 4 mashed bananas (honestly I throw mine in whole)
- 1/2 cup of whole wheat flour
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 tablespoon chia seed (optional)
- 1 tablespoon flax-seed (optional)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Cream butter and sugar
- Add Maple syrup and apple sauce
- Add two beaten eggs
- Add bananas and combine well
- Add dry ingredients to combine
- Add vanilla and cinnamon
- Spoon into muffin tin
- Bake 25 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit or until an inserted knife comes out clean
Yield: A dozen muffins (we had enough for two extra : )
SHORT ON TIME?
BUY your muffins at the grocery store. Pop them into your muffin tin. Sprinkle them with water. Put them in a preheated oven for 5-10 minutes. Pull them out. Call the kids into the kitchen and read the book. The only one who will know your secret is your CLEAN kitchen sink. And that’s a happy place unto itself.
SEWING?
Here’s an idea for a child’s romper featuring a moose appliqué. If you haven’t yet tried sewing for your little ones, check out this tutorial for the full lowdown. I think this little moose would be adorable!
WANT TO SEE A REAL MOOSE IN REAL LIFE?
If you are in Maine or plan to visit, check out the moose exhibit at the Maine Wildlife Park.
Happy Fall, Y’all!
Anna and Co.