Bake a batch of protein muffins on a rainy day

Is anyone else amazed at the amount of rain we are getting in SoCal this winter? Just when I think the rain is gone, the forecast shows a few more days and after that a few more days. Rinse and repeat.

I know what you are going to say, because everyone at the grocery store, post office and local Starbucks says it when rain is mentioned: “we need it.” And it’s true. Southern California needs the rain.

The good news is most of California is no longer in a drought situation, which has plagued our state for several years now. All the rain that has been deluging us since the start of the year has grown the snowpack from 67 percent to 136 percent and still rising.

What does this mean? The snowpack is snow that has fallen on the ground and accumulates until temperatures warm up in the spring. When the snow melts, it replenishes the water supply to streams and rivers. It also helps to refill groundwater basins. Snowpack is like a frozen water reservoir.

A nice fringe benefit of all this rain? Mammoth Mountain is now the snowiest ski resort in the U.S., having received over 37 feet of snow since winter began. The ski resort is slated to remain open until the Fourth of July. Skiing in June? Let’s go!

The not so great consequence of this much-needed rain? The ever-increasing number of potholes on the road. Has anyone else noticed? My youngest son and I were coming home one day last week and I happened to hit a pothole. The jarring effect of hitting it made the teeth in our mouths click.

How do these potholes seem to appear so quickly after a heavy rain? According to Professor Steven Ackerman and Professor Jonathan Martin, aka “The Weather Guys,” potholes result from a combination of the stresses of traffic and water.

The Weather Guys, who are both professors in the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences at University of Wisconsin-Madison, explain that while the top layer of a roadway is water resistant, cracks can appear on the surface caused by traffic and the heating and cooling of the surface.

When the weather is hot, the heat causes the surface of the road to expand. When the sun goes down and the temperature drops, the roadway then contracts. Any water trapped in the cracks can seep below the surface to underlying materials.

If the water freezes, it expands the cracks making them larger. When the ice melts it leaves behind a crack that is bigger than it was before. This cycle weakens the surface of the road and makes it easier for traffic to break down the road materials and develop holes.

Springtime is considered by many to be “pothole season” (who knew there was such a thing?) because of freezing nighttime temps followed by warm daytime temperatures, causing several expand-contract cycles of the roadway surface.

Rain usually puts me in a baking mood. Firing up the oven helps to heat up the kitchen and fill it with warm, cozy smells. This week’s recipe is from the website ahealthylifeforme.com. This recipe makes a yummy batch of muffins that can be enjoyed at breakfast or as an afternoon treat. I made mine into mini muffins just for fun. They are perfect for enjoying on a rainy day.


Banana Peanut Butter Protein Muffins

Makes about 18 muffins

Photo by Betty Williams

Ingredients

  • 2 large bananas
  • 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 5 oz. container vanilla yogurt
  • 1/2 cup milk (dairy or dairy-free)
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 cup vanilla protein powder
  • 1 cup oat flour (dry quick oats blitzed in the blender)
  • 1/2 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 3/4 cup dark chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly spray muffin tins with non-stick spray or line with baking cups. In a stand mixer, mash the bananas and add peanut butter, yogurt, milk and vanilla extract; combine. In a separate bowl, combine protein powder, oat flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and half of the chocolate chips. Add protein powder mixture to banana mixture and mix until just combined. Fill muffin cups about two-thirds full and top with remaining chocolate chips. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until tester inserted in center of muffins comes out clean.

 




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