Peanut Butter and Banana Streusel Muffins

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 16 minutes

Steusel

• 3 tablespoons whole grain pastry flour
• 3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon honey
  

Muffins

• 2 cups whole grain pastry flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 pureed ripe banana (about 1 medium banana)
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/3 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray.

To make the steusel: In a small bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, butter, and honey with a spoon until the mixture forms wet crumbs.

To make the muffins: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt until combined. In a large bowl, whisk together the banana, applesauce, peanut butter, sugar and egg until blended. Whisk the milk and vanilla into the banana mixture until combined.

Stir the flour mixture intot he banana mixture with a spoon, just until blended. Do not overmix. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, dividing evenly. Crumble the streusel mixture on top of the muffin batter, dividing evenly.

Bake for 16-18 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Remove from the pan and serve warm.

Banana-Stuffed Cinnamon French Toast

Makes 4 servings

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 5 minutes

Filling:

• 1 ripe banana, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons Neufchatel cheese
• 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 2 pinches ground nutmeg
  

French Toast:

• 8 thin slices whole wheat cinnamon-raisin bread
• 1 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 1 egg white
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Confectioners' sugar, for dusting
• 1/4 cup pancake syrup

To make the filling: Mash 2 rounded tablespoons banana slices in a small bowl with the back of a spoon. (You should have about 2 tablespoons mashed.) Stir in the Neufchatel, sugar, lemon zest, and nutmeg until smooth.

To make French toast: Spread 4 slices of the bread with the banana filling, divided evenly. Top with the remaining banana slices and bread slices to make 4 sandwiches. Whisk together the milk, egg, egg white, and vanilla in a shallow dish or pie plate until blended. Dip the sandwhiches into the egg mixture, turning them over with a spatula to coat both sides.

Meanwhile, heat a large nonstick frying pan or griddle over medium-low heat and coat with cooking spray. Add the sandwiches and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, or until golden brown on both sides, turning with a spatula half way through the cooking. (To keep warm, place the French toast sandwiches on a baking sheet in a preheated 250 degrees F oven.) Dust with confectioners' sugar. Drizzle with pancake syrup and serve hot.