Triple Chocolate Banana Milkshakes

Ok you guys...last night I finished the second Delirium book...Pandemonium! I know we have a date to discuss Delirium (the first book) on April 3 (I hope some of you are reading this so we can have a little discussion!). So here's the problem with flying through this awesome series...the third book - Requiem - doesn't come out until 2013! Ahhh! I'm so bummed because it ended on such a cliff hanger. I hate that! Of course, I didn't realize this until I was already partially through the second book. Oh well...still worth reading, even if the wait is a long one!

Oh and remember, if you are on Goodreads, we can be friends!

 

So last night I had a hankering for something sweet after dinner. I'm trying to be better about eating healthfully and so dessert options are often limited. Mostly, I stick to sugar-free, fat-free pudding, but let's face it...it gets old after a while!

Last night I had an idea for a milkshake. I had just frozen a !@#$load of bananas a few nights ago and always keep a handy supply of instant pudding in the cupboard. By using frozen bananas instead of ice cream and some prepared chocolate fudge pudding, I achieved a delicious, creamy, chocolately milkshake that was entirely guilt-free! Only 3 Pts+ per serving.

Seriously.

I'm mildly obsessed. Even Shaun, Mr. No-Sweets, drank his entire shake.

Triple Chocolate Banana Milkshakes
Serves 2; 3 Pts+ per serving
1 1/4 C fat free milk (or milk of your choice)
1 1/2 frozen bananas
1/2 C sugar-free, fat-free chocolate fudge pudding, prepared
1 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp lite or sugar-free chocolate syrup
1/4 C fat-free Cool Whip

Place milk, bananas, pudding, cocoa and vanilla extract in a large glass measuring cup or in a blender. Blend (in blender or in measuring glass with an immersion blender) until smooth and creamy. Line two glasses with a bit of chocolate syrup and distribute milkshakes in said glasses. Top with a Tablespoon or two of Cool Whip and drizzle with a little more chocolate syrup.

Enjoy immediately.

I think half the fun of this shake is the presentation. Just a little extra work like lining the glass with chocolate syrup and using a whimsical, soda shop paper straw for devouring make this a super special treat that I can't wait to make again and again.

And the best part of all? It's 100% guilt-free! Get out your party hats!

Questions of the Day:

Do you have any guilt-free desserts?

Are any of you reading Delirium for our mini-book club discussion next week?!

psst..in case you missed The Peach & The Pit this week, here's what's been going down...

I found some Spring things to seriously obsess over

Christine decided on some new hair color(s)

Kimberly had a fabulous weekend in the Hamptons...

Banana Bread Muffins

Goooooood morning!

Sorry I'm coming at you a little late today...I spent last night at my parents' house to watch the Oscars with my mom and took the bus into the city way early this morning. Did you watch the Oscars? I had only seen like 1 movie (The Help!) so I wasn't totally into it, but I always love Billy Crystal...I mean, When Harry Met Sally is legit one of my all-time favorite movies! I always love the red carpet though, no matter what the event! Who was your favorite look?

I hate to admit it because I'm so not a fan...but Angelina Jolie looked pretty fabulous. I think she's my pick for best dressed.

Worst dressed? This one was a tie for me.

I love you Melissa McCarthy, but no. Just... no.

And J.Lo? You are too gorgeous for this monstrosity.

Anyhow...I'm certainly no fashionista, so let's get back to what I'm good at...

When we arrived home late on Sunday evening last week from Penn State, I realized that we had like 10 bananas hanging around that needed to be used up, not to mention a giant container of strawberries.

So Monday I spent the day making muffins!

I tested out some strawberry yogurt muffins...but I think they need a bit of work and so they will have to wait for a while...

 they look a whole lot better than they taste

But!

I had an idea to make banana bread. And then I had an idea to make the bread into muffins. I love muffins because they are already prepackaged and ready to eat.

Though I love a nice slice of bread, I really can't be trusted with a loaf of quick bread. That's just the truth. Oh and I love how muffins cook in about a quarter of the time as quick breads do.

 

These are lightened up a bit but still totally delicious. I could eat like 10 of them. Which is why they now reside in my freezer...so that I don't eat 10 in a sitting.

Banana Bread Muffins

Makes 20 muffins; 4 WW Points+

1 3/4 C all purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

6 very ripe bananas

6 Tbsp margarine, melted (I use Land o' Lakes baking sticks)

2 eggs

3/4 C brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.

In a separate bowl, mash up the bananas with a fork. In a mixer or with a hand mixer, combine the melted margarine and brown sugar. Add the eggs and vanilla. Mix in the bananas until completely combined.

Add the flour and mix just until combined.

Pour batter into 2 muffin tins lined with baking cups. Bake for 12 - 15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

 

Voila!

So there you have it. Some fashion and some food on this Monday morning :) I hope you have a fantastic week!

Questions of the Day:

Did you watch the Oscars? Who were your best and worst dressed?

What do you do with fruit on its last legs?

psst...today I'm blogging about my shoe detox over on The Peach & The Pit...how many pairs of shoes do you own? How do you wrangle 'em?

Chocolate Covered Banana Oats

There was a time in my life when I didn't eat breakfast. I literally could go from my morning wake up call to 12 or 1 in the afternoon on only a cup (or 3) or coffee.

How did I do that?!

Once I gave in to the whole breakfast-is-the-most-important-thing-ever thing, I never looked back. Now, breakfast is a must, every.single.morning. I don't really have a standard breakfast. I'm an equal opportunity eater.

Sometimes I like a yolky eggs overeasy (especially when Shaun makes them for me) with a bit of crispy, buttery toast. Sometimes I go basic scrambled eggs with a little bit of cheddar cheese.

Pretty much anytime I can eat fluffy pancakes coated in real maple syrup. I actually can't think of too many things that are better than that.

On a weekday, you can often find me toting a green monster smoothie to work. I fill my smoothies with bananas, almond milk, peanut butter, protein powder, and sometimes blended oats.

But sometimes, I get tired of the liquid breakfast on-the-go. And that's when I have oatmeal. I've had it so many different ways, but my latest creation is by far my favorite. Occasionally, oatmeal can be so dry and tasteless. But not my chocolate covered banana oats!

I know. You are probably thinking I am nuts for making this sweet treat my breakfast. But trust me. It's so delicious. The cool bananas are a wonderful burst of flavor. The lite chocolate syrup is not overly sweet but also adds another level of moistness to the otherwise dry oats. Have I ever steered you wrong?

Chocolate Covered Banana Oats
1/2 C quick oats (or old-fashioned)
1 C milk (I use unsweetened almond)
pinch of salt
1 packet of Splenda, or sweetener of your choice
1 banana, sliced
1-2 Tbsp lite or sugar free chocolate syrup (recommended: Hershey's)

Prepare your oats on the stovetop as directed. Stir in the sweetener. Layer the bananas on top. Drizzle with chocolate syrup.

I adore peanut butter in my oats. But the calorie and fat factor is a bit of a deterrent for me. I need something a little lighter, but still filling. Chocolate covered banana oats please!

So what do you think? Are you a breakfast eater? What is your go-to? Is chocolate syrup in your oats too sweet for a morning meal?

Psst...if you like what you see here, please check out my other blog that I write with my 2 fab sisters, The Peach & The Pit Of It! Hope to see you over there!