Finally...Healthy Banana Apple Chocolate Muffins finishes the breakfast routine.

Ok...I think I have come to the last of my breakfast recipes. Smoothies are churning out at least 3 times a week. Extra smoothie now make simple popsicles for those after mealtime desserts. Apricot and cheese omelette are whipped up in a quick 7 minutes as we rush off to send Daddy to work or somewhere. And Noah's ark is prepared about twice a week for those slower mornings. And for the final recipe, I think I have experimented with about 5 batches of different muffins - from Bananas to Zucchini, to Bananas to Chocolate to Bananas to Apple and Chocolate. 

I think I have finally got the consistency that I am pleased with after experimenting with position of tray in oven, the baking time and the amount of egg used. We have been popping these muffins in during breakfast, during those late nights with Daniel as he studies and for those for fun times when the tummy is growling just before meal times. What I really like about this recipe is that it has NO butter, NO oil [save for the olive oil that greases the tin] and everything is really either gluten free or organic. Investing in organic ingredients seems costly at the outset but knowing that I can make many different batches of muffins and pop them into my mouth and my family's mouth anytime without any guilt is really a worthwhile investment. Nowadays, I go past shops and see fluffy [often means filled with butter and milk] muffins sold for $2 or more, I think it is exorbitant and unhealthy. These are just photos from a couple of attempts. I just got stopped taking after these because I was busying trying to find out what works and what does not:)

[Make a dozen muffins]  - I got this from recipezaar and read the reviews and made the modifications suggested there for a healthier option. 

• 3/4 cup organic whole wheat flour
• 3/4 cup gluten free self raising flour
• 1 large organic egg
• 3 ripe bananas [use the same bunch of bananas from smoothies] 
• 4 tablespoons organic applesauce
• 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
• 1/2 cup of organic brown sugar [vary according to health requirements]
• 1/2 of chopped up dark chocolate [this adds some antioxidant into the muffins]
• 2 chopped organic apples 

The above serves as a base for any other healthy fruits you want to add for added taste. I tried chopped apples and I like it very much. I think it would be fun to experiment with blueberries, raspberries etc. For the more adventurous cooks, mash up pumpkins and other vegetables and add it in. Your tots will never know. The bananas seem to make up for the lack of butter and I am amazed at how such a simple change to the original muffins doesn't much compromise on taste. Pop the extras in the freezer to last the week. 

So here we have it, the close of the chapter on healthy breakfast for kids:) 

We Are Ready for our HongBaos

The Week

It was a week to tie up the final clean up of our house. Clearing old furniture and making way for the new. I always like design - art, paper, colors and house, so...even with all the moving and clearing, it was enjoyable but exhausting. We created more corners and nooks for reading and fellowship. We have a wonderful corner in our bedroom, with our wing chair [a deal that I bought from craiglist], our big bookcase, a sheepskin and a lamp. Our dining room has finally regained its glory after standing in as a makeshift storeroom. And our balcony has gotten a new facelift with new tables, seats and I think we are going to add in some bamboo plants just to complete the look. So, with the many areas in our house for sitting, reading and sipping tea, we are ready to open the doors of our humble house not just to our Chinese New Year visitors, but to wonderful time of fellowship over God's word and organic tea:) and biscuits. I am really looking forward to that. It has been a week of blessings.

Tues & Thurs - Teaching this series in school of Tots has again taught me much and I will share this in a later entry. This week, I taught about the water. We dabbled with objects that floated and sinked, we looked at the uses of water and how it is so important to life. We had fun with water - ice cubes and blue berries, bubbles, ice lollies and swimming pool:) And I am glad that the tots could hide God's word in their hearts and thank Him for making water.

Wed - BSF has commenced again. And this time, our group members [CC and I are in the same group] are all young mothers or wives just like us. And they are a nice lot. I look forward again to lying down on the green pastures and sitting beside the still waters. 

Fri - Audrey and Hian Leng popped by for a visit. They are god-given friends who delight to spend time together with us, discussing about God, the Bible and His work. We praise and thank God that He is at work, awakening souls to question the fallacies and trappings of man-made traditions, moralism and legalism and pointing them towards the truth of His word.

Sat - The most exciting event of the week for the kids has got to be Darrell's birthday. Little Sarah told her ballet teacher about the party and was greeted by a puzzled stare. Well...the kids were excited anyway. So here we are at our usual Sat breakfast hangout, Sarah sticking stickers onto the homemade card and Samuel coloring it. 

The prata man right inside our house. And it was good!

Sun - Daddy's 66th Birthday cum Family Reunion

This probably kick started the eating festivity for the CNY. I was glad for the dinner at home. It has been 2 years since my mother whipped up a storm. 2008 being my illness and 2009 being my daddy's. For both years running, my family celebrated reunion dinner at the hospital. As my daddy prayed before our reunion dinner, I could hear the overwhelming gratitude in his heart as he thanked God for health of his children and his grandchildren. And I am filled with gratitude too...

Laughing at Mommy

Dear Little Samuel has a great sense of humor and loves to laugh at Daddy and Mommy when they are caught in silly poses. Mommy's clumsy attempt at the monkey bar elicited some mighty funny responses from Samuel.

Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!

A post from 2009 that deserves a mention. Godpa Melvin and godma Viola came back from UK for the December Hols, graciously lugging a box of art supplies and a huge paper doll house from ELC that mommy got carried away with buying for Sarah and Samuel *oops*.

Well, the kiddos and their cousin Hannah had a great time playing with "snow" - the Christmas present that godpa and godma bought. Playing with snow along a HDB corridor is really quite amusing and truly an experience of a lifetime:) Sarah says she wants to make a snowman the next time round. Haha...It looks like we only have snow to last for another Christmas.

Thank you for the great present Godpa and Godma:)