Does this happen to your family a lot too? Whenever I buy bananas for the family, nobody eats them and then they get overly ripe, just hanging around in the kitchen. And when I don't buy any bananas, my family asks me for them. I never seem to be able to catch the wave. :)

So, having a couple of recipes that would use up these overly ripe bananas comes in handy. One of my family's favorite is Cekodok Pisang (Fried Banana Balls). They're lovely as an afternoon snack with a cup of tea or coffee. Some other recipes that I'd make with bananas are "Old School" Banana Cake or for a simple breakfast option, Gula Melaka Banana Pancakes.

This time around, I decided to make a Banana Bread instead. It is a basic recipe that you can build upon and customize to your own liking. I only had 3 bananas left and it still turned out great. However, I am certain you can add up to 5 or 6 bananas if you have that many. Both Bella and Jamie enjoyed the bread for breakfast and sometimes for afternoon tea too.

Banana Bread
by Miss Crumbs A Lot, adapted from All Recipes

Recipe
Ingredients
2 cups All Purpose Flour (sifted)
3/4 cup Pure Cane Sugar
2 Eggs
1/2 cup Butter
3 to 6 Overly Ripe Bananas (mashed)
1 tsp Baking Soda
1/4 tsp Salt

Cooking Method
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and lightly grease a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan.
2. In a mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Add in eggs and mashed bananas, mix until well combined.
4. Gently stir in sifted flour, baking soda and salt until well combined.
5. Pour batter into greased pan and bake for 60 to 65 minutes or when a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the middle of the loaf. Cool slightly before removing from pan to slice and serve.

It has been quite a while since Kian and I started the Slow Carb Diet, reducing carbs, sugar and dairy. Having lost a significant amount of weight, we have since kept up with the diet loosely and also started experimenting with others as well. We recently introduced intermittent fasting into our routine and have taken interest in the Ketogenic diet. Having read up a little about it, I found so many delicious and interesting recipes out there.

I made a Almond Flour Bread recipe that was very similar to the Flourless Almond Butter Bread that I had shared some time ago. However, this recipe produced a more spongy texture and is less dense. I personally felt it was more bread-like. It is very easy to make and keeps very well wrapped up in foil in the refrigerator. And the bread makes an awesome avocado toast or sandwich while maintaining a low carb count.

Almond Flour Bread
by Miss Crumbs A Lot, adapted from FatForWeightLoss

Recipe
Ingredients
1/2 cup Butter (room temperature)
2 tbsp Coconut Oil
7 Eggs
1 tsp Baking Powder
2 cups Almond Meal / Flour
1/2 tsp Xanthan Gum
1/2 Tsp Salt

Cooking Method
1. Preheat oven to 355 degrees F. Grease and line a bread pan with parchment paper.
2. Melt 1/2 cup butter slowly using the microwave in 30 second intervals. Mix in 2 tbsp coconut oil. 
3. Using an electric mixer, beat 7 eggs until light and fluffy. Add in melted butter and coconut oil. Mix well.
4. Add in 2 cups almond meal, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp xanthan gum and 1/2 tsp salt. Mix well.
5. Pour batter in lined bread pan and smooth out the top.
6. Bake for 45 min in 355 degrees F. Insert a skewer into the middle of the bread and ensure it comes out clean. Cool on a cooling rack.

​Makes 1 loaf

Mother's Day is a wonderful celebration honoring the mother of the family, as well as motherhood, maternal bonds and the influence of mothers in society. I always look forward to this day because Bella and Jamie get really excited with wanting to surprise me. Even if it is as simple as presenting me with a cup of coffee that they brewed by themselves (with Kian's supervision, of course) and a homemade card, I love how thrilled they get to be able to do that for me.

Another family tradition that we have on Mother's Day is that I will get to take a break from cooking. Kian, Bella and Jamie love taking over the kitchen and making breakfast or brunch for me. Pancakes and crêpes are one of my favorite breakfast foods and they do make some exceptional ones.

If you're looking for different ideas for breakfast or brunch on Mother's Day that you can fix on your own or together as a family, here are my top 3 favorite ones from my blog. 

1. Gula Melaka Banana Pancakes
A great combination of the good old fashioned classic pancake recipe with a Southeast Asia twist. 

2. Cloud Eggs
Marshmallow textured like eggs whites with runny eggs yolks. A fun recipe to make with the family.

3. Kaya Coconut Jam
Spread it on toast with some butter & serve it with soft boiled eggs, coffee and you'll have yourself a Singaporean breakfast.

Cloud Eggs have been one of the latest food trends that have been flooding social media. Cloud Eggs are basically prepared by puffing up the egg whites to a marshmallow-like texture, like clouds. You can add in additional ingredients like in this recipe, scallions and bacon. Other options include parmesan cheese, chives, ham etc.
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I made this super quick and easy breakfast for my family and the kids loved them. They do not usually like runny egg yolks but in this case, the fluffy egg whites soaked  up the egg yolks like gravy and they did not mind that at all. Most recipes would caution you from over baking to prevent the eggs from browning too much. But it is our personal preference to have it a little browned. Do watch it as it bakes if you prefer a lighter color "cloud".

Cloud Eggs
by Miss Crumbs A Lot

Recipe
Ingredients
2 Eggs
1/4 cup Chopped Scallions
1/3 cup Chopped Bacon (cooked)
Pinch of Salt
Dash of Pepper

Cooking Method
1. Separate egg whites into a chilled bowl and set the egg yolks aside, individually.
2. Whisk egg whites until a firm peak is formed.
3. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Add in chopped scallions and bacon.
5. Fold in gently.
6. Place egg white mixture onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Form two "clouds" and create an indent in each one.
7. Bake at 450 degrees F for 3 minutes.
8. Remove from oven and add egg yolks into the indents. Bake for another 3 minutes.
9. Serve warm.

Makes 2 servings

Gula Melaka Banana Pancakes will take your breakfast or brunch to a whole new level by combining the classic pancake with a Southeast Asian twist! Gula Melaka, otherwise known in English as palm sugar, is a type of sugar derived from the sap of flower buds from the coconut tree. In the Southeast Asia region, Gula Melaka is used in some savory dishes but mostly in desserts and cakes. Gula Melaka, in a liquid state, can be very dense and sticky, which makes it a great substitute for your traditional maple syrup in your pancakes. It is readily available in most Asian supermarkets or the Asian/ international foods aisle at your local supermarket.
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This easy pancake recipe will have you whipping up an amazing weekend breakfast or brunch in less than 30 minutes. Topped with the rich flavor of the Gula Melaka syrup, you may just make this your weekly breakfast go -to!

Gula Melaka Banana Pancakes
by Miss Crumbs A Lot

Recipe
Pancake Ingredients
1 cup All Purpose Flour (sifted)
2 tbsp Sugar
1 cup Milk
2 tbsp Salted Butter (melted)
1 Egg
1 tbsp Vegetable Oil
1 large Banana (sliced)

Syrup Ingredients
1 pkt Gula Melaka / Coconut Palm Sugar (approx 8.8 oz)
3 Pandan Leaves (screwpine leaves) (knotted)
1/2 cup Water

Cooking Method
1. Make the syrup first by grating the Gula Melaka with a grater. Combine the grated Gula Melaka with water in a small pot. Mix till the sugar has dissolved.
2. Add the knotted pandan leaves and bring it to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and allow it to thicken slightly for a few minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
3. Set your oven to the warming function or preheat it to 140 degrees F, to keep cooked pancakes warm before you serve them.
4. In a bowl, whisk together the milk, melted butter and egg until well mixed. Add in the sifted flour and sugar and mix well.
5. Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat. Lightly grease the pan with the vegetable oil using an oil brush or paper towel.
6. Spoon 2 to 3 tbsp of the batter onto the pan for each pancake. Cook until the surface of the pancake begins to bubble, about 1 to 2 minutes. Carefully flip the pancakes and cook until browned on the other side.
7. Place the cooked pancakes onto a baking tray and keep warm in the oven until ready to serve.
8. Top pancakes with sliced bananas and Gula Melaka syrup before serving.

Serves 4

Flourless Almond Butter Bread, a slight variation from the Flourless Peanut Butter Bread recipe that I had previously posted. Bella is allergic to peanuts and friends have also asked if almond butter can be used instead. I think the substitution would not affect the recipe but I decided to try it, just to be sure. 
Just like the Flourless Peanut Butter Bread recipe, this quick and easy  recipe requires only 5 ingredients and is gluten free, low carb and high in protein. It is so easy to make and takes no time at all. Just a couple of minutes to mix the ingredients together and off it goes into the oven to bake. After 25 minutes of baking, you'll get a soft and moist bread that taste and feels like any traditional baked bread.

Flourless Almond Butter Bread
by Miss Crumbs A Lot, adapted from "Kirbie's Cravings"

Recipe
Ingredients
1 cup Unsweetened Almond Butter (I used Justin's)
3 Eggs
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1 tbsp Vinegar
1 tsp Truvia Baking Blend (or you may use regular sugar)

Cooking Method
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 x 5 inch bread loaf pan and set aside.
2. In a mixing bowl, add all the ingredients and whisk (I used an electric mixer) until a smooth paste is formed.
3. Transfer batter into greased pan and bake for 25 min until bread loaf is done, ensuring that a skewer or toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the middle.

​Makes 1 loaf

Flourless Peanut Butter Bread, a quick and easy recipe with only 5 ingredients that is gluten free, low carb and high in protein. While I have been getting excellent results from the low carb diet that I am on, waiting for my once a week cheat day to have bread can be pretty challenging. Hence, I went in search for a flourless bread recipe and chanced upon this one.
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It was extremely quick and easy to make. It only took me less than 5 minutes to put all the ingredients together and off it goes into the oven to bake for 25 minutes. It bakes really well and the end result resembles and taste like wheat flour bread. Surprisingly, the peanut butter flavor was not overpowering and I particularly enjoyed it with butter.

Flourless Peanut Butter Bread
by Miss Crumbs A Lot, adapted from "Kirbie's Cravings"

Recipe
Ingredients
1 cup Unsweetened Smooth Peanut Butter
3 Eggs
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1 tbsp Vinegar
1 tsp Truvia Baking Blend (or you may use regular sugar)

Cooking Method
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 x 5 inch bread loaf pan and set aside.
2. In a mixing bowl, add all the ingredients and whisk (I used an electric mixer) until a smooth paste is formed.
3. Transfer batter into greased pan and bake for 25 min until the bread loaf is done, ensuring that a skewer or toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the middle.

Makes 1 Loaf

Savory Steamed Rice Dumplings, or as what we commonly refer to as "Chwee Kueh" in Singapore, is a popular breakfast dish back home. "Chwee Kueh" literally means "water rice cake". It is a really simple dish - a rice flour and water mixture that is steamed in small cup-shaped containers or saucers and topped with a savory dried radish topping.

After 2 1/2 months, my mom's visit has come to an end. Before she left yesterday, we asked her what she'd like to do or eat. Although she was going back to Singapore where Singaporean cuisine was readily available, she wanted me to cook Hainanese Chicken Rice for lunch. And I made some "Chwee Kueh" for her breakfast as well.
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I have not made these rice dumplings in a while and made a mistake by filling the mold cups almost to the brim and that caused the dumplings to sink a little in the middle while steam cooking. But that worked in our favor as the little indentation served as a cup to hold more toppings, although the bottom of the rice dumpling was a little too densed for my liking. So, do note not to fill up your molds too much when you make this.

Savory Steamed Rice Dumplings
adapted from "Singapore Hawker Food"

Recipe
Topping Ingredients
14 oz Chinese Dried Radish
4 tbsp Chopped Garlic
15 tbsp Cooking Oil
1 tbsp Sugar

Dumpling Ingredients
2 1/2 cup Rice Flour
2 tbsp Caltrop Starch or Cornstarch
6 1/3 cups Water
1 tsp Salt

Cooking Method
1. Soak chinese dried radish in water for 15 to 30 min. Drain and mince in food processer.
2. Heat oil in a pot and place the dried radish in. Simmer on med/low heat for 40 min.
3. Add chopped garlic and stir well. Simmer for another 10 to 15 min or until fragrant. Remove from heat.
4. Add salt into water and bring it to boil. Remove from heat.
5. Add rice flour and starch into water and mix well.
6. Pour mixture into molds. (Small 2 inch diameter cups) Fill about 1 inch deep.
7. Steam cook for 15 to 20 min.
8. Serve with radish topping and sambal chilli, if desired.

Kaya Coconut Jam on toast is one of my favorite Singaporean breakfast foods, and some may say it is the national breakfast of Singapore. What is a Singaporean breakfast? Frankly, there is no hard and fast rule. If a hawker stall or eatery is serving it in the morning, there is no reason why you cannot have it for breakfast. Hence, it is not uncommon for Singaporeans to have a hot bowl of noodles for breakfast. 

"Kaya" is basically a jam made from coconut milk, egg yolks, sugar and flavored with pandan leaves (screwpine leaves). "Kaya" is a Malay word which means "rich", referencing the custard texture of the jam. It is often served on toast (sometimes with butter or margarine), and paired with soft-boiled eggs seasoned with soy sauce and white pepper, along with a hot cup of coffee or tea. It is considered to be a breakfast staple in Singapore and is available at almost every hawker center or coffee shop. It is so popular that Singaporeans often have it as snack as well.
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I usually make a large batch but you can scale the recipe down to 2/3 portion. The jam can be made and kept refrigerated in an air-tight container and goes well with toast, crackers and other pastries like croissants. The recipe only calls for egg yolks, so I usually use up the leftover egg whites by making an egg white omelet.

Kaya Coconut Jam
by Miss Crumbs A Lot, adapted from cookbook "Singapore Hawker Food" by Jimmy Chua

Recipe
Ingredients
9 Egg Yolks
300 g Sugar
375 ml Coconut Milk
10 stalks Pandan Leaves (Screwpine Leaves) (cut into small pieces)
3 tbsp water
2 drops Pandan Essence
Cheese Cloth

Cooking Method
1. Make pandan extract first. Place cut pandans leaves in food processor or blender. Add water and blend until it is in the form of a paste. 
2. Lay the cheese cloth over a bowl and transfer the pandan paste onto the cloth. Squeeze out all the juice into the bowl. This should yield 2-3 tbsp of extract. Set aside.
3. Whisk egg yolks and sugar together in a large bowl until it is well mixed.
4. Add coconut milk and mix well.
5. Add pandan extract and pandan essence and stir well. At this point, it should look like pastel green cream.
6. Transfer mixture into a pot through a seive.
7. Heat mixture over low med/low heat, stirring constantly. It is important to stir constantly to prevent lumps.
8. Cook for 45 min or until it is a thick, jam like consistency.
9. Set aside to cool before storing in air-tight containers. Keep refrigerated,
10. It is best to allow refrigerated "Kaya" jam to get to room temperature before consuming.