Life Altering Peanut Butter Muffins

Very rarely do I have a recipe that forces me to really think about what ingredients go into a dish or how a dish is prepared, but this recipe has done both, for the simple reason my little girl is allergic to peanuts and this is the recipe that help lead to her diagnosis. You see Sammie's Uncle is allergic to nuts, so we held off trying peanut butter with her until she was communicating well enough to tell us something was wrong. Upon trying these she got a rash and a persistent cough, which was quickly followed by a dose of Benadryl and a call to the doctor. We had a doctor visit and a blood draw that day, she did excellent through it all. When the results came back, she tested positive for being allergic to peanuts only, but the doctor suggested avoiding all nuts and any thing else that states it "may contain peanuts" to try and avoid the possibility of cross contamination. We have gone through our cabinets and cleared out all the items that either contain nuts or may contain nuts, it's surprising what things were discarded. We have begun looking for alternatives in preparing some of our favorite foods, like no bake cookies and Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwiches, so be on the look out for some reviews on alternative foods and recipes.

(In light of my daughters reaction no picture was taken, as the muffins were quickly quarantined and removed from the house.)

Recipe from Deceptively Delicious by Jessica Seinfeld
Ingredients
Nonstick cooking spray
1 cup firmly packed light or dark brown sugar
1/2 cup natural peanut butter
1/2 cup carrot or cauliflower puree
1/2 cup banana puree
1 large egg white
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions
1.Preheat the oven to 350F. Coat a 12 cup muffin tin with cooking spray or line with paper baking cups.
2. In a large bowl, mix 1/2 cup of the brown sugar with the peanut butter, the vegetable and banana purees, and the egg white, using a wooden spoon.
3. Put the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl or zipper-lock bag and stir or shake to mix. Add to the bowl with the peanut butter mixture and stir just to combine (the batter will be a little lumpy-do not over mix). Add the remaining 1/2 cup of brown sugar and stir once or twice.
4. Divide the batter among the muffin cups and bake until the muffins are lightly browned and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center, 15 to 20 minutes. Turn the muffins out onto a rack to cool.
5. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or wrap individually and freeze for up to 1 month.

Banana Bread

I have never been one to do much baking in the oven; I’ve done my share of boxed goods, but nothing really from scratch. So this was a new adventure for me and I loved it. The little princess has been growing tired of her usual breakfast, so we wanted something that would make a good alternative and chose another recipe from Deceptively Delicious. Jessica, as has always been the case, gives great directions on making this tasty treat. Not only did my princess enjoy it, Mom and I have enjoyed are share of it as well.

-Nonstick cooking spray
-3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup firmly packed light or dark brown sugar
- ¼ cup canola or vegetable oil
- 2 large egg whites
- 1 ½ cups banana puree
- 1 ½ cup cauliflower puree
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degree F. Coat a 9x5-inch loaf pan, or 2 mini pans, with cooking spray

2. In a bowl or a zipper-lock bag, mix the flours with the baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon, if using, Set aside

3. In a large mixing bowl, mix the sugar and oil with a wooden spoon until well combined. Mix in the egg whites, banana and cauliflower purees, and vanilla. Add the flour mixture and mix just until combined.

4. Pour the batter into the loaf pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 55 to 60 minutes for the large loaf, 25 to 30 minutes for the mini loaves. Let cool on a rack for 5 minutes, then turn the bread out of the pan to cool before serving.

Now I cooked mine in a silicone bread pan, and it took about 45 to 50 minutes and 350 degrees F., just something to keep in mind.