Nana Lallies

How I wish I could make a living by my Pen or my Oven.

Or my Camera for that matter!

I'm struggling to write and cook with my current schedule. It's incredible what a hiatus from the things you love can do. I wouldn't think a break can lead to unhappiness. Apparently it can. Being so close and yet so far, withdrawal has set in and I've been a little cranky.

*sigh*

~:~

You can imagine how I felt when I thrust these little babies into the oven today.

A few stolen moments and some fruit stashed in the freezer gave me a little respite. Those gorgeous berries you see nestled in the batter are olalliberries (oh-la-leh), kept in the freezer from my picking excursion in June.

These nutritious muffins- whole wheat with no butter or oil- create a heavenly aroma and a toothsome treat. Olallieberries are special, but blueberries or blackberries are an easy substitute.

Banana-Olallieberry Muffins


aka Nana-Lallies

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup mashed ripe banana
2 eggs
1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt
a splash of milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup olallieberries

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 12-cup muffin pan.

In a large bowl, mix the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, and baking soda. In another small bowl, whisk the banana, eggs, yogurt, milk, and vanilla. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined. Gently fold in the olallieberries. Spoon batter into muffin pan and bake for 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

~::~