Vegan Banana Muffins

These are some of the best banana muffins I have ever had! So moist....and they stay moist even when you leave them out and unwrapped. I posted a picture of them yesterday and had a couple people ask for the Recipe....so here it is :) Thanks to my friend AmyMae for sharing it with me :)

Vegan Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

What You Need: (Makes 16)
2 cups all purpose flour
1 and a 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup canola oil
4 ripe bananas, mashed - the riper the better!
1/4 cup water
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup vegan semi sweet chocolate chips
What You Do:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease your muffin tins or use muffin liners.
In a bowl, mix the flour, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, mix the sugar and the oil. Add the mashed banana to the sugar mixture, then add chocolate chips, water and vanilla. Finally, add the flour, and mix everything well.
Evenly pour the batter into the muffin tins. Place in the oven for about 30 minutes.
Enjoy!

I usually double this and it makes 24 muffins....with a little extra batter that I make 8 mini muffins with....(my little girl likes baby muffins :)  my family each likes their muffins with different things in them... so I add walnuts and chocolate to them after I fill the muffin papers :) Some with just walnuts... some with walnuts and chocolate...and some just plain

Cupcakes for Church

I really enjoy baking....but surely don't need to eat what I bake! So when the opportunity came up to bring cupcakes to my wards Relief Society birthday dinner I signed up for not only one dozen but two. I had a hard time deciding which ones to make...so I decided to stick to 2 that I knew would turn out. One of which has always been a huge hit. A dark chocolate cupcake with a orange cream cheese frosting.

 

I decided to melt some chocolate and make some flowers since spring is on it's way :)

 

 

The second one I choose to make was a chocolate malt cupcake with a chocolate malt frosting.

 

This frosting is amazing!!!! It's got a great chocolate flavor and has an almost moose like texture. The only thing I don't like about it is that if it's refrigerated it gets a little hard. It's still super yummy and gets soft if you leave it out for a while... but it just isn't the same as when you make it fresh and serve it within a few hours after.

 

My hubby isn't a fan of Frosting but LOVES both of these!!!

 

 

Hmmm... what shall I bake next!? I have so many things on my list.... but again I will have to get it out of my house! 

Sick :(

Really wanted to get back on the blogging wagon but with us needed to exchange our new laptop and all of us being sick I haven't. I still need to get all the newer photos from my moms computer.

This weekend was pretty crummy! The kids and I got the stomach/intestinal flu, and Robert had a cold flu :( Lets just say we have gone through a ton of laundry soap in the last 4 days! Our apartment is destroyed! I guess that's what happens when both parents are down and trying to take care of 2 kiddos!

New Laptop!

Super excited about our new laptop! My parents are pretty awesome and paid for almost all of a new laptop! We haven't had a computer worth using in a long time! There is so much to do now! Organize photos is first on my list! I also want to get back to blogging! I can't believe it's been over a year since I have posted anything. I'm sure no one even looks at this anymore :) My goal is to do it at least once a month...hopefully more but we shall see.
Life has really changed since going from one kiddo to two, and I'm loving it! I can't believe my little man is a 1st grader! He loves going to school and loves his teacher. We had a really hard time trying to figure out where we should have him placed.... but I think we have found the place for him. He is in a class with children who have down syndrome and other disabilities... we really wanted him to be in our home school with typical peers... but it didn't work. The children in his class were great but the teacher wasn't :( He is so much happier where he is at now! He still only has a few words. Speech has been really tough for Robert. I can tell how frustrated he gets because of it. We are hoping that its something he catches on to soon. I'm hoping that his sister talking will help with that.
Madilynn has been such a great addition to our little family. She is so feisty and fiery! But she also has  super sweet side... and is a total goofball! Her and her brother are best friends... well most of the time anyway! Everyone talks about how the older sibling picks on the younger one... not the case with these 2. She picks on him and makes him cry :( All she has to do is yell and scream and he hands over whatever she wants.

Well the 2 sweet monsters need me.... but I will be posting again soon and have photos to go with it!

I love this little man!

Just a few things I LOVE about YOU little man!

Instead of signing thank you when we give you something you have asked for..... you tilt your head up and pucker up for a kiss!

I know that you wish your little sister would go away... but when you do want to be around her you are soooo sweet to her.

You always are wanting to go buh bye.... it breaks my heart when I have to tell you no, after you have brought me your jacket and shoes.

You love to dance! 

I love how when you need attention from either daddy or I and we are holding Maddi, you ask us to give her to the other. Then as soon as our arms are empty you are right there ready for loves.

You are such a snugly little guy! I can always count on a hug or a kiss from you when I need it. Well almost always.

I LOVE YOU LITTLE MAN!

I'm so lucky!

As I sit here holding my new little Peanut.... I can't help but think about how lucky I am. Lucky to have 2 special spirits that are all mine!

My little man is so amazing... I don't know what I would do without him in my life. In the 5 years that he has been apart of our lives, he has taught us so much. It's amazing how parents are suppose to teach their children about life.... but it's the children who do so much of the teaching. I never thought that I would get so excited about my little man learning the simplest things.... but I find myself getting so excited when he fallows simple directions I give him... like throwing something in the trash.... or putting toys back in his room. For most 5 yr olds these are pretty simple things... but for him they are big. I'm sure some parents think it is strange how excited I get about the small things.... but I know how much harder it is for him to figure things out. I do have the days where I wonder when he is going to talk.... or when he will learn to jump and run.... or dress himself.... or if I'm ever going to get him potty trained. I think about how so many of my friends have children that are years younger then him, and can do most of those things already. There are days where I wish he didn't have Down Syndrome. But I know how special he is and how lucky I am that he is mine. I know that I was chosen to be his mom for a reason. He is the most loving Little boy. And he is perfect just the way he is!

It has been great having this new little lady in our family. I have truly enjoyed the past few weeks with her. Being able to do a VBAC (vaginal birth after c-section) with her was something I needed. Because of the situation with little Robert (having a c-section and him going straight to the NICU) I didn't feel like I had had a baby. Being able to push her out, see her, and hold her immediately, was truly amazing. I had been afraid that by doing the VBAC and being able to do all those things with her right away, I would have a stronger connection with her then I had had with lil Robert. I didn't though. It was a totally different experience though. I got to watch Robert give her a bath (the nurses in the NICU gave lil Robert his).... I got to have her in our room the whole time.... and best of all she came home when I went home. But with all of the stuff we went through with Little Robert..... how could I not have a strong connection with him. They are both so special to me. I can't believe how blessed I am to have them both.

I'm also so blessed with an amazing husband. I can't believe we have been apart of each others lives for 12 years now. We have had a lot of ups and downs.... but no matter what I know that he loves me. I can't imagine my life without him! He loves me for who I am... he takes care of meand our children....he makes me feel special....he tells me how beautiful I am.... and so much more. He is an amazing daddy! Whenever he is home, little Robert is his shadow... he loves his daddy so much! I can't believe I get to spend forever with him!

Seeing my little man for the 1st time after Madi was born
Holding Madi for the 1st time.

little Robert meeting Madi for the 1st time.

Daddy with our 2 Angels!

She is Here!

Our little Peanut has arrived!

Madilynn Ruth Lathrop

Dec 23rd 2010 6lbs 6oz 19 3/4 inches
More pictures to come!