Tofu Banana Bread

I was once afraid of people saying, "Who does she think she is?" Now I have the courage to stand and say, "This is who I am."

This morning I reunited with my long lost friend - oatmeal. I had an extra couple minutes so I decided to get fancy and make them on the stove instead of the microwave. Chris says he likes the taste better that way, I think I like the taste better in the microwave... but it did save me from having to clean up any explosions that would have indefinitely happened. I topped each with half a banana, sliced strawberries and galaxy granola. I found this at the grocery store about a month ago and it has 70% less fat than other granolas because they use fruit instead of oils. How perfect.

If you haven't heard, Woman's Health Magazine is holding a blog contest. I have nominated a few of my favorites, go ahead and enter me for a chance to be nominated! I'll love you forever and you can enter as many times as you like! I also added a few of my favorite blog reads as a tab, check them out! All those girls are amazing!

After waking up from a dreamless night, I decided to throw some baby powder on my roots, dress down and relax. It felt good and I love getting to work earlier than normal. It makes me feel productive. However, I do miss my Ojon Dry Shampoo. I am a firm believer every girl should carry this in her beach and/or gym bag. It works so well! Do you ever use dry shampoo? I know so many who are clueless to this! Hello to days without showers and not looking homeless!

Chobani announced today via twitter that it was national Banana Bread Day. What a perfect way to introduce you guys to tofu banana bread! It is vegan and oh so delicious. I first was introduced to this by Chris' mom. If you are afraid to try tofu, this is the way to do it!!

Tofu Banana Bread:

2 ripe bananas
1/2 pound tofu
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup whole wheat flower
1 cup unbleached flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup walnuts optional

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a loaf pan with cooking spray. Line pan with foil, letting edges overhang, and spray foil with cooking spray. Blend or beat the tofu and bananas together in a food processor or mixer until smooth. Scrape down the sides. Add sugar and vanilla. Process until fully blended. In a medium bowl, mix together flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add flour mixture to the banana mixture and beat or pulse in a food processor just until smooth. By hand, fold in walnuts, if using. Spread batter into prepared pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes until lightly browned, springy to the touch, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Remove from pan. Peel off the foil and let the cake fully cool on the wire rack. Enjoy! I got this recipe from food.com and it tastes amazing. Serves 10 and is 160 calories per serving.

dry and wet ingredients

blended tofu and banana

all ingredients combined, this is one thick batter!

finished product, if you look closely you can see the piece i tore off the top!

So good! I can't wait for breakfast!

It's Wednesday, so I am sure you all can only assume what I was doing. Kickboxing class! I never get sick of it, and I hope you don't get sick of reading about it. I am obsessed with my instructor. I don't know who invented turbo time, but they are a genius! Pre-workout. Your Welcome, now take your butt to the gym! I hadn't worked out since Saturday and was feeling extra guilty about all the pasta and pumpkin cheesecake I ate last night!

Chance wanted his 15 minutes of fame!

I made some asian style lettuce wraps for dinner. It was my first time and I have to say I'm pretty impressed with the recipe I came up with!

Cara's Asian Lettuce Wraps and Rice:

2 chicken breasts
cooking spray
6 green onions (finely sliced)
10-15 baby carrots (finely sliced)
2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1/2 jalapeno (finely diced)
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon garlic
juice of one lime
1 cup uncooked rice
lettuce or butter lettuce would have been good
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Cook chicken breasts with cooking spray, salt and pepper. Slice and set aside. In the same pan (on low) add garlic, lime juice, sesame oil, fish sauce, soy sauce, 1/2 sliced green onions and jalapeno. Stir until warm. Add your chicken to the sauce and let it hang out until you are finished cooking your rice. Top lettuce wraps with rice, chicken, sauce and the sliced green onions and carrots. Done!

I think that was a successful night of cooking!

Do you have a favorite class at the gym? Would you rather cook your oatmeal in the microwave or on the stove? Have you ever tried tofu before? If so, what was the recipe?

xoxo,
Cara

I HEART MUFFINS

 TGIF! If you must have motivation, think of your paycheck on Friday.

It's sad that I wish some of the week days away so quickly. I'm going to be 24 this year and I can't help to think "where has the time gone?!". Most people have a hard time with 25, being a quarter of a century old... and don't get me wrong I probably definitely will! 24 is the age my parents got married and the age my cousin and his wife had their first kid. It definitely makes me sit down and think where I am in my life. No where near these things! But it is a new year and I can happily say I am happy not to rush life. I am happy that my relationship is healthy and strong and I still have a lot of growing to do myself! So take that 2011! Maybe I'll only have a mini-breakdown come September!

I know I said I was going to make banana walnut oatmeal this morning, but I completely forgot we had a work breakfast scheduled! Being the thinker that I am I found a peanut butter banana recipe that I made a few tweeks to and it turned out DELICIOUS!

Cara's Oatmeal, Peanut Butter and Banana Muffins:
1 cup of skim milk
2 tablespoons of honey
2 mashed up bananas
1/2 cup of organic peanut butter
2 cups of flour
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3-4 tablespoons oatmeal


Preheat the oven to 375. Mix your dry ingredients in one bowl and the oil, milk, bananas, honey, peanut butter and eggs in a separate bowl. If you are like me, your bananas might not be as mushy on their own... to help them out I put them (skins on) in the microwave for 40 seconds. It did the trick! Combine the dry with wet ingredients and mix well. Add to lined and sprayed (PAM) muffin tins. Sprinkle the tops with oatmeal. Cook for 20-25 minutes, or until a tooth pick comes out clean. This will make 15-18 muffins. I made 6 heart shaped muffins for Chris and I and threw the rest in a bread tin to take to work!

My dry ingredients. I sifted these just to make sure there weren't any clumps!

Mix well! The last thing you want is some flour spots in your muffins!

The finished products! look good huh?! And NO butter! I have better photos of the heart muffins Ill add later.

My little chef, Chance! He always is helping me in the kitchen. Look how big he is getting!!

Who needs oatmeal when you can have it in a muffin! I got the idea for "Fill in the Blank" Friday from another blog and who doesn't love reading above other people's lives and their perspectives! I mean that is why you visit my blog right?! I finally showed my boyfriend my blog last night and he LOVED it. He has always been my rock and so supportive of everything I do. 

BTW, does anyone have any good suggestions for a sentimental anniversary gift? I already have something in mind but wanted to give him a gift he doesn't already know about! If you do send me an email....

1.   My favorite quote is -  There are sooo many!! I have always loved "knowing is better than wondering, waking is better than sleeping, and even the biggest failure, even the worst, beats the hell out of never trying."

2.  A bad habit I have is  -  Leaving for work on time! No matter if I wake up an hour and a half before I have to leave I am always in a rush!

3.  The first time I felt like a "grown up" was - when Chris and I moved into our first solo apartment together, no roomies. It was my senior year of college. Also, the day I started paying for my own health insurance. I've always paid my own bills, but this was a hard adjustment planning for a 401k at 23.

4.  Weekends are - oh so wonderful! I get to catch up on sleep, always make it to the gym, hang out with friends and lay on the couch doing absolutely NOTHING. Although they would be better if Chris didn't work all weekend.

5.  When I was a child I wished my name was -  this is a hard one. I have always loved the name Avery though! My full name is Carolyn, but I have gone by Cara for about 10 years now. I am always wondering when I will go back. I'm not ready to grow up yet!

6.  I wish - I could make enough money in my career to not worry about money. Be able to travel, buy a house and go out on the weekends without counting my pennies. One day!

7.  A secret I have is - I used to wake up my dog Princeton every morning with the same song. "Good morning, good morning, good morning to you. Good morning to you Mister Princey-Poo!" I still get upset and miss him everyday.

Remember to always follow your heart <3

Much love and I hope your Friday at work goes by quickly!
xoxo,
Cara