January Challenge is Wrapping Up; February Challenge is ON!

I extended the January Challenge for a bit to accommodate our late start with the first Fiddlehead Challenge. Entries are coming in now, so make sure you get yours in by Monday, Feb. 22.

For February: What do you do with leftover rice? There are lots of possibilities with this one. Your recipe can be for any kind of rice: brown, white, long grain, short, glutinous (that's the Thai sticky rice).

My favorite thing to do with leftover Thai sticky rice is to make breakfast out of it. Just heat it up with a drop or two of milk or water -- try coconut milk! -- and mix in some fresh strawberries, honey and some shredded coconut. This simple but delicious breakfast will make you order extra rice to take home!

First-Ever Fiddlehead Challenge: What to do with One Black Banana

This year, Fiddlehead will be celebrating its one year anniversary during the month of June. To help us celebrate, I'm asking you, the readers, to participate in a series of monthly challenges. I'll post a challenge each month -- a suggestion to try a new ingredient, a call for your best healthy meal in under 30 minutes, etc. -- and you send me your recipes, suggestions and stories and I'll pick the winner to be posted here on Fiddlehead.

In addition, I'll be serving up some new content and will be doing some "redecorating" of the site soon!

Here's your challenge for JANUARY:

Most banana muffin or bread recipes call for 2 or 3 mashed, ripe bananas, but what do you do when you only have one? Send me your recipes and suggestions for ONE BLACK BANANA, or follow the recipe below and send your comments!

Chocolate-Nut-Banana Mini Muffins

Preheat oven to 375 and grease one mini muffin pan.

Dry Ingredients

3/4 c. all purpose flour

1/4 c. whole wheat flour or wheat bran

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/8 tsp. salt

dash of freshly grated nutmeg

Mix these together well in a bowl.

Add

1/4 c. chopped walnuts or cashews

In a separate bowl, mix

Wet Ingredients

1 egg

1/3 c. honey

1/4 c. light brown sugar

1 mashed BLACK BANANA

1 tbs. vegetable oil

1/2 tsp. vanilla (or, try fiori di sicilia. It's a blend of vanilla and citrus flavors.)

Mix the dry into the wet with a few light strokes. Add

1/4 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Scoop the batter into the muffin cups and bake for 18 min. or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let sit in pan for a few minutes before removing.