Barbeque sauce and banana muffins

GET READY FOR THIS AMAZING COMBO!!!!

post-combo that is...

Though people have combined some crazy things before... Maybe?

This week was tough. My brain was a flurry with all sorts of job shtuff, and well, there wasn't much room to process anything else.
At one point I found myself wandering around the grocery store precariously balancing ginger ale, an avocado, onion and maybe some sprouts. I had no plan. Sometimes, I just pick things up... Maybe that avocado really needed to be held. poor avocado.

As I hit lap 467 of my local fred meyer, I'd finally and half-heartedly decided on a dinner I thought to be acceptable. BBQ brussels and tofu. Nom. A Bye and Bye classic.

So my avocado and me (we've bonded) hit the condiment aisle in search of bbq sauce for our brussel sprout friends.

The first ingredient in every bottle of BBQ sauce (under 5 bucks, did I mention I am broke?) was high fructose corn syrup. THE FIRST INGREDIENT!!!! IN A 24OZ BOTTLE!!!
It seems that no tomatoes were harmed in the making of said sauce...

So cloudy brain and all, I decided to concoct my own sauce.
Whipping out my handy dandy indestructible smart phone, I scoured vegweb for a few choice recipes to smash together. The culmination was smoky, slightly sweet, with a firey mouth finish. I liked it. Sad to say that the rest of dinner was a disaster...I royally biffed the tofu. So much so, that even the Suzz chose to stick with just brussel sprouts and rice thanks...

I don't really have much to say about Banana muffins, other than that they are delicious and the recipe is below. Oh and I am trying to bring the muffin back to breakfast status (does that sound weird?), so these are low fat, whole grain and have a lil flax for that kick. They don't taste as healthy and hippie as that just made it sound....



Take-that-corn-refiners-association BBQ sauce

1tbls vegetable oil
1 small yellow onion, minced
1/2 tsp sea salt
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups ketchup (I used Hunts because it is hfc syrup free, has three ingredients, local and cheap...)
3/4 cup water
6 TBL Bourbon 
1 TBL Worcestershire sauce (check ingredients here, some sauces contain anchovies)
2 TBL soy sauce
1 tsp tapatio (or other hot sauce)
1/2 tsp liquid smoke (you can find this in the BBQ section of the store)
4 TBL brown sugar
1-1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
Several dashes fresh cracked pepper


In a 2QT sauce pan, saute the onion and garlic over medium heat until translucent, sprinkle with salt to speed up the process. Reduce heat to low, pour in ketchup and 3/4 cup of water. Mix thoroughly.
Stir in bourbon, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, tapatio, liquid smoke and brown sugar, until well combined. Turn heat up to medium and bring to a boil. Add peppers. Let boil, stirring constantly, for 1-2 minutes. Reduce heat and let simmer for 30-45 minutes, until reduced.

I was decidedly hungry before letting it reduce enough and I survived. And it tasted great...


I-have-rotting-Bananas-and-don't-want-pet-fruit-flies Muffins.

Quick note. I hate fruit flies.. finally got rid of them. Don't worry, I found them a nice home in the bottom of a cup of apple cider vinegar.


2 large or 3 medium very ripe bananas
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 1/2 tbl oil
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk (or other non dairy milk.)
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tbls ground flax seed
2 cups unbleached wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350F
In a medium bowl, mash the hell out of the bananas. Mix in the applesauce, oil, almond milk, vanilla, sugar and flax. Stir until well combined. Make a well in the middle of the wet ingredients. In a small bowl, combine all dry ingredients. Slowly stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients until just combined.

Lightly oil a 12 cup muffin tin. Distribute batter evenly.

Bake for 20-22 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.