Davini's Banana Flavored Syrup...any ideas??

[finesse73]

I bought that flavor in hopes that a flax seed muffin recipe could taste like banana muffins....wrong, wrong, wrong!! The banana flavoring did not help at all! I had never tasted flax seed before and I will not make those muffins again. So any ideas for my huge bottle of banana syrup??

[JoanOH]

I can't tell what stage of this WOE you're in, so adjust accordingly.

Moderator NulloModdo has been discussing a product called CarbQuik that's Atkins friendly and a Bisquik replacement. I ordered a bottle of Da Vinci's banana syrup with the thought of using that product to make some banana nut bread.

I use different syrups to flavor the Mock Danish recipe (to which I add 1 tbsp of either flax meal or wheat bran for a more bread-like texture).

I've not tried banana syrup in either of these, so it's just a suggestion!

Joan J

[finesse73]

Thanks for the ideas. I do have the carb quick, so maybe I'll try it with that. (or maybe I'll wait until you do..ha) Regarding where I'm at, I do need to start induction again, as I did not follow the rungs as I was supposed to. (However, I have not had any food I'm not allowed...just too much of what I can..) So I will have to wait awhile for the carb quick again.

[NulloModo]

Flax muffins on their own can have an odd taste, I agree. But, if you can get your hands on some good oat bran (very low carb if it is well seperated), you can make flax/oat muffins that taste just like real bran muffins, the bannana flavor might go well with those.

[finesse73]

Yes, I've decided the flax muffins must be an acquired taste? So many people raved about them so I couldn't wait to make them. The only way I could choke down the two I did eat were by spreading peanut butter on them...I threw the rest away. Just couldn't do any more!

[Heidi3]

Yes, I've decided the flax muffins must be an acquired taste? So many people raved about them so I couldn't wait to make them. The only way I could choke down the two I did eat were by spreading peanut butter on them...I threw the rest away. Just couldn't do any more!

NO they taste terrible I agree and there is no way to aquire a taste for flax as far as I am concerned but you can wait and save the stuff it does not go bad and use it up as you find things to put it in ...like maybe a custard? I just imagine the banana syrup tasting like a Laffy Taffy?....

[JoanOH]

I adjust recipes with flax to 1/2 flax meal and 1/2 unprocessed wheat bran, or I even completely substitute the wheat bran in the flax recipes. MUCH better taste! It seems that most recipes calling for flax here need to have "a pinch of salt" added to them, too.

Unprocessed wheat bran is not as high in fats (which is not necessarily a good thing!), lower in calories, and has a nice "wheat-y" taste to it. I use it as a hot cereal, for crackers, and in the mock danish recipe. It IS allowed in the same ways flax is.

Joan J

[Heidi3]

does it taste like Laffy Taffy?....or actual bananas?

[finesse73]

Well, it smells like laffy taffy, but taste wise, I have only tried it in those flax muffins, due to their strong flavor i could only taste a faint hint of banana.

[finesse73]

Maybe someday I will be adventorous and make an imitation of Ben & Jerrys "Chunky Monkey" ice cream. That would probably be easy enough, via an ice cream recipe with this banana syrup, mock choc chips, and walnut pieces. That will have to wait though, I need to lose my next 30 lbs. and get back to induction...as I've been eating low carb stuff...but extra portions. Let me know if anyone tries a chunky monkey version ice cream!

[LindaJay]

There's a recipe around somewhere called Kim's Flaxmeal muffins - I found it: http://users3.ev1.net/~fontlady/flax...n_muffins.html
and I think it is pretty good. The cinnamon masks the flax flavor, although the last time I made them I think I added a little bran as well since they tended to be spongy -- but the flavor was OK. I use these as a base for both banana (but I hate flavorings, so I put some real banana in there!) or zucchini muffins too. I think the zucchini ones came out pretty good.

There is also a very basic flax bread, that sounds weird but is good for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches:

1 tbspoon ground flax
1 tbspoon butter melted
1 egg
1/4 tsp baking pwdr

whisk and let sit 1 minute
microwave on high 2 minutes in a sandwich size tupperware container or similar size thing.

The reviews I read of the flax bread were raving, but I think its really weird -- so I slice it really thin and only use it for PB&J -- but the muffins do come out pretty good.

[finesse73]

That's the recipe I used with my banana syrup....I did not like it at all. I used cinnamon also, it did not help. Flax has a very strong flavor. Smothered with peanut butter was the only way I choked them down. Maybe with some bran they would be a little better tasting?

[Heidi3]

I thought of something ...you can make agar jelly out of it!....you may just have a jelly laffy taffy! or you could add walnuts or coconut when you are on the nut rung!
(you could also use gelatine but then I am thinking you could use 2bigs recipe for gummies? I do not use the stuff so I am not sure of the measurments)

recipe for agar jelly

1.5 tbsp of agar agar powder or flakes
1/2 a cup of hot water

over a stove stirring constantly dissolve agar in the water when it comes to a boil and is completely dissolved then turn it down and stir in the following you can mix them all together and stir them in...

3/4 cup cold water
1/3 cup cream or 1/3 cup coconut milk
1/3 cup banana syrup

pour in to a square baking pan and let chill then cut them into cubes and have them as a dessert or snack

you can pick these up with your fingers

[finesse73]

I have never heard of agar. That must be what makes the jelly consistancey. That sounds like a great snack though, especially for the summer time!

[Jen111]

A good muffin recipe using the Banana Syrup

BANANALESS BANANA MUFFINS
Splendid Low-Carbing for Life, Volume 1 (c) Oct. 2003
Jennifer Eloff
The recipe for these delicious, flourless muffins was given to me by a man who enjoys my cookbooks: Kevin A. Sapp of Cary, NC. His sons love the muffins, as do my much older sons – actually, we all like them!

Yield: 12 muffins
1 muffin
188.0 calories
6.9 g protein
16.4 g fat
3.0 g carbs

8 oz light, OR regular cream (250 g)
cheese, softened
2 eggs
11/3 cups ground almonds (325 mL)
1/2 cup SPLENDA® Granular (125 mL)
1/3 cup vanilla whey protein (75 mL)
1/4 cup Da Vinci® Sugar Free (50 mL)
Banana Syrup
1/4 cup olive oil (50 mL)
1 tbsp whipping cream (15 mL)
2 tsp baking powder (10 mL)
1/2 tsp baking soda (2 mL)
1 tsp vanilla extract (5 mL)
1 tsp cinnamon (5 mL)

In food processor or in bowl with electric mixer, process cream cheese until smooth. Add eggs, ground almonds, SPLENDA® Granular, vanilla whey protein, Da Vinci® Sugar Free Banana Syrup, olive oil, whipping cream, baking powder, baking soda, vanilla extract and cinnamon; process.

Fill 12 greased muffin cups. Bake in 350°F (180°C) oven 18 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown and cake tester comes out clean.

Variations: Create-a-Flavor Muffin: Use any appropriate flavor Da Vinci® Sugar Free Syrup. Omit cinnamon, where it makes sense to leave it out. This muffin, using regular cream cheese, can actually be used on a “fat fast.”

Fruity Muffins: Use Da Vinci® Sugar Free Vanilla or French Vanilla Syrup and add 1 cup (250 mL) fruit such as blueberries (4.5 g Carbs), peaches (4.4 g Carbs) or raspberries (3.7 g Carbs). You can try fruity flavors of Da Vinci® Sugar Free Syrups to match the fruit, however, you could wind up with a very colorful muffin with some of them. Children might actually enjoy that!

Banana Nut Muffins: Add 3/4 cup (175 mL) chopped, fresh walnuts or pecans. (3.6 g Carbs)

Da Vinci® Alternative: Use water, 2/3 cup (150 mL) SPLENDA® Granular and 1 tsp (5 mL) banana extract instead of vanilla extract. (3.4 g Carbs)