Chocolate Chip Buttermilk Scones

These are so yummy...just like everything from Gina over at Skinny Taste.  I seriously love her blog and cooking style.

"Skinny" Chocolate Chip Buttermilk Scones (via Skinny Taste)

Ingredients:

3/4 cup cold low fat buttermilk

1/4 cup sugar (I used 1/2 stevia, 1/2 regular)

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 large egg (I used egg sub)

1 cup all purpose flour

1 cup white whole wheat flour

1 Tb baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

3 Tb cold butter, cut into small pieces

3/4 cup mini chocolate chips

1 large egg white, lightly beaten

2 Tb sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375° and spray baking sheet with Pam.  Combine the first four ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk.  Set aside.

Combine flours, baking powder and salt in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk.  Cut in chilled butter with a pastry cutter (I do not have a fancy pastry cutter, so I used 2 knives and it worked fine), until the mixture resembles coarse meal.  Gently fold in chocolate chips. Add milk mixture to dry mix, stirring just until moist.

Place dough onto a floured surface and knead lightly with floured hands.  Form dough into an 9-inch circle onto baking sheet, about 3/4" thick. Using a knife, cut dough into 10-12 wedges all the way through.

Brush egg white over dough and sprinkle with 2 Tb of sugar.  Bake for 18-20 minutes, until nice and golden.  Serve warm and try not to eat them all in one sitting.  They are soooo good with a cup of coffee.

We ate them all before I could get a picture:)  This is the pic from Skinny Taste.

Tips:

* When the ingredient says "cold" (the butter and buttermilk), make sure it is nice and cold.  This helps hold the dough together.

* The buttermilk makes a difference, so I did not make these dairy free (anyone know if there is even a "soy" buttermilk out there??).  I did, however, use Earth Balance for the butter and my chocolate chips were dairy free.  The minimal amount of buttermilk did not seem to upset my stomach too much.

* I am kind of a chocolate chip snob.  I like the Ghirardelli Mini Semi-Sweet Chips. 

* I debated about going straight whole wheat flour, but I think the mix of white and wheat gives them a nice texture, while still adding some fiber.  All wheat flour may cause them to be too dense.

My Favorite Banana Bread

I've tried many different recipes for banana bread...full fat, low fat, vegan, sugar free, you name it.  If I see a new recipe, I try it.  This is my favorite one.  It is so moist and full of flavor, but low in fat and sugar.  I love the addition of the chocolate chips, but of course you could leave those out.  Seriously though, why would you do that?!

My Fave Banana Bread

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In large bowl beat the following together:
3 ripe bananas, mashed*
1/2 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt (vegan versions work well)
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce**
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar (I use Stevia)
2 eggs (I use an egg sub)
1 tsp vanilla

In a separate bowl, stir together the following:
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
Pinch of salt
1 tsp baking soda + another 1/4 tsp

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until combined.  Do not over mix!  Gently stir in 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (I like the non-dairy ones).  Pour batter into a greased loaf pan.  Place in preheated oven and bake for about an hour.  Do the toothpick test to check for doneness.  Let cool on wire rack, but cut you a little piece because it's amazing right out of the oven:)

* As soon as a banana gets a little too ripe, I pop it in the freezer.  I always have frozen bananas in there.  They are great for smoothies and banana recipes like this...just let them thaw on the counter for 15 minutes or so.
** The applesauce is really a sub for oil.  The difference in using the 2 is that the oil makes the bread more fluffy and drier and the applesauce makes it more dense and moist.  Obviously I use the applesauce because it pretty much eliminates all fat in the recipe, but if you prefer oil, use 1/2 cup.