Back to School Banana Treats

School is back in session. Don’t go bananas figuring out creative, healthy treats for your kids. Use them. Even better, involve your kids in the cooking and baking process.

“Both recipes are fun and kid friendly so your child can help you prepare them.” – Judy Elbaum

 “Banana muffins are a tasty and nutritious addition to the lunchbox [and] frozen bananas make a great afterschool snack,” Judy Elbaum, founder of Leave it to Bubbe, told the Journal. “Both recipes are fun and kid friendly so your child can help you prepare them.”

Chocolate Chip Banana Nut Muffins

1 ¼ cups all purpose flour
½ cup whole wheat flour
2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
½ cup shortening
1 cup very ripe bananas, mashed (about
3 bananas)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 Tbsp orange juice
2 tsp vanilla
½ cup chocolate chips, optional
½ cup walnuts, chopped, optional

Before you begin, you will need: a 12-cup standard size muffin pan (3” diameter x 1” deep) lined with 12 standard size cupcake liners.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
In a large mixing bowl, sift together the first six ingredients.
With a pastry blender, two knives or your fingertips, cut in the shortening until it resembles coarse meal.
In another mixing bowl combine the mashed bananas, eggs, orange juice and vanilla; then add it to the dry ingredients.
Mix together all ingredients until just combined; do not over mix.
If desired, fold in optional chocolate chips and nuts.
Fill each cupcake liner about ½ to ¾ full with the dough.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the muffins are golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the muffin comes out clean.
Makes 8 to 12 muffins.

Chocolate Dipped Frozen Bananas

4 ripe small bananas
Popsicle or lollipop sticks (about 5-
6 inches)
16 oz white, dark or milk chocolate
2 Tbsp Crisco (you can also use Canola oil, butter or margarine)
Assorted toppings: chocolate jimmies, rainbow sprinkles, chopped nuts, toasted flaked coconut, crushed cookies, Rice Krispies, granola

Peel bananas. Cut in half. Insert popsicle or lollipop stick into cut side very gently – about halfway into the banana. Be careful not to split the banana.
Place bananas on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Freeze for several hours or overnight. Once bananas are frozen, you can place them in a large baggie and store in the freezer until ready to use.
When you are ready to dip the bananas, place your favorite toppings on paper plates.
Place chocolate and Crisco in a microwave safe bowl and microwave at 50% power for one minute. Repeat this process, one minute at a time until all the chocolate is melted and smooth.
Pour the melted chocolate into a long, slender cylindrical vessel (such as a champagne flute), remove each banana from the freezer and dip it into the melted chocolate.
Once the banana is fully coated, work quickly and roll in your favorite topping, before the chocolate hardens.
If desired, you can melt a different color of chocolate to drizzle on the banana instead of a topping. For instance, if you’ve coated the banana in dark chocolate, you can drizzle white chocolate over it. It is okay to drizzle on a design after the coating has hardened.
Place coated and decorated bananas on a parchment lined baking sheet and freeze.
When the finished bananas are frozen, you can store them in Tupperware or aluminum storage containers.
Serve bananas directly from the freezer. They will turn mushy if they defrost.

From the time nutritionist Dawn Lerman was old enough to hold a spoon, her grandmother had her mixing, stirring and taste testing.

Her high-fiber banana oatmeal cookies and chocolate nana donuts are easy to make and “loaded with super-star ingredients for satiety, brain health and energy,” Lerman, author of “My Fat Dad: A Memoir of Food, Love, and Family, With Recipes,” told the Journal. “They are also delicious, portable and can be enjoyed as a snack or an on-the-go breakfast.”

Banana Oatmeal Cookies
Makes approximately 22 medium cookies.

2 1/2 cups rolled oats
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp baking soda
a dash (or more) cinnamon
3 medium bananas, the riper the better
¼ cup applesauce or pumpkin purée
1/3 cup maple syrup
2 Tbsp liquid coconut oil, or melted butter
¼ cup raisins or cranberries or dried blueberries or chocolate chips
Optional: Tbsp of almond butter, peanut butter or sunflower butter

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Lightly grease one or two baking sheets.
In a large bowl, whisk together oats, salt, baking soda and cinnamon.
In a medium bowl, mash bananas to a creamy consistency using the back of a fork or a potato masher. Blend in the applesauce/pumpkin purée, maple syrup. nut butter. if using, and oil. Mix until thoroughly combined.
Mix liquid ingredients into the dry mixture.
Fold in raisins, dried fruits or choco-
late chips.
Roll dough into balls the size of ping-pong balls and place on a prepared baking sheet. Flatten slightly. If the mixture is a little dry you can add a little extra oil or, if you prefer a sweeter cookie, add a touch more maple syrup. Depending on the time of year, the texture of the dough seems to fluctuate a little; if it’s a little mushy, add a touch more of the oats.
Bake cookies for 12-15 minutes or until they are slightly crispy around the edges and gently firm to the touch. Allow to cool on the baking sheet for 20 minutes before removing.

Chocolate Nana Donuts

1 1/2 cups oat flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup melted butter or coconut oil
or applesauce
1/2 cup coconut sugar, or sweetener
of choice
2 overripe bananas, mashed
1/4 cup milk of choice
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1/2 cup chocolate chips

To a mixing bowl, add your flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt, and whisk thoroughly. To a large mixing bowl, add your butter and sugar and beat them together with a hand mixer till creamy. Add bananas and mix till smooth. Add milk, vanilla, and eggs and briefly blend in. Add dry ingredients to your wet ingredients and mix till smooth.
Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a donut mold tin (or spray with non-stick spray). Let your batter rest for about 10 minutes, while your oven preheats. Fill the donut mold tin about 3/4 way full with batter. Bake for 18 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let them cool before popping them out of the mold.
Fun fact: You can make your own oat flour by adding oats to a blender. Give it a quick blend until it reaches a fine (flour) consistency.

For a fast, portable on-the-go breakfast or dessert, Lerman loves a good smoothie.

“Simply dump, stir and blend,” she said. “I love to double the recipe and freeze the leftovers in a popsicle mold for a nutritious after-school treat.”

Banana Strawberry Smoothie

1 frozen banana

1 cup of fresh strawberries

½ cup of yogurt

1/2 cup of milk

1 scoop of protein powder

Blend all the ingredients till smooth. Pour into a glass. Enjoy!