Whole Milk Yogurt Banana Custard Muffins #AEdairy #dairymonth

* This post has been compensated through the AE Dairy Blog Ambassador program.  All views and opinions shared are my own. *

Wake up this morning with a warm, soft Whole Milk Yogurt Banana Custard Muffin - the perfect way to celebrate National Dairy Month!

AE Dairy came out with a new Whole Milk Yogurt product line in May and I was so excited to find several flavors out on the grocery store shelf in time for June Dairy Month.  AE has always been known for their yogurts and it is one way they differentiated themselves from other dairy businesses in the 1960s.  Just like they responded to changing consumer needs back then, they have recognized changing consumer trends today for whole milk products.  

I have enjoyed each of the seven flavors of AE Dairy's Whole Milk Yogurt - Almond Sweet Cream, Banana Custard, Boysenberry, Cocoa Hazelnut, Raspberry, Strawberry and Sweet Cream.  The yogurts are thick and creamy.  Each serving provides 12 grams of protein, calcium and 5 probiotics - and all under 200 calories.  The whole milk yogurts are both delicious and satisfying.

One of my favorite flavors is the Banana Custard variety, and after the first bite I started thinking of different ways to use the whole milk yogurt.  I've used yogurt in smoothies and frozen yogurt pops in the past, but I thought the Banana Custard whole milk yogurt would be perfect in some banana muffins!  I hope you enjoy these pillowy-soft muffins as much as my family and I do.

Whole Milk Yogurt Banana Custard Muffins

1/2 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1 - 5.3 oz AE Dairy Banana Custard Whole Milk Yogurt

3 bananas

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 Tbsp vanilla

Cream butter, sugar and whole milk yogurt.  Mix in bananas.  Add dry ingredients and vanilla.

Add two tablespoons of muffin mixture into each muffin cup and bake at 350°F for 14-16 minutes.  Makes 2 dozen muffins.

I'm going to be celebrating National Dairy Month all week by sharing about some of our ice cream travels as part of our Iowa Ice Cream Roadtrip, as well as sharing two more delicious recipes featuring dairy products!  I've also joined up with several other bloggers this week to celebrate #dairymonth.  So be sure to check out all of their great recipes all week long!

Welcome to our week long celebration of June being #DairyMonth hosted by From Gate to Plate and Cooking With Carlee.  We are putting together our best recipes using cow milk, goat milk, butter, cream and cheeses.  We can't wait to share them with you.

Avocado Ranch Dressing by Tip Garden
Frosty Chocolate Pie by Jolene's Recipe Journal
Gluten Free Penne with Brie, Fig and Rosemary by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
Jalapeno Bacon Cheddar Grilled Cheese with Rhubarb Sauce by Grumpy's Honeybunch
Orange Creamsicle Martini by A Day in the Life on the Farm
Orange Creamsicle No Bake Cheesecake by Cooking With Carlee
Peaches and Cream Smoothie from Feeding Big
Strawberry Crisp Milkshake by From Gate to Plate
White Cheddar and Bacon Pasta Salad by Palatable Pastime
Whole Milk Yogurt Banana Cream Muffins by Corn, Beans, Pigs and Kids
Milk Braised Chicken Thighs from A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures

Have you tried AE Dairy's new Whole Milk Yogurts yet?  What is your favorite flavor, or which one are you excited to try?  If you can't find it at your local grocery store be sure to ask for it!  Remember to Comment for a Cause!

4 Ingredient Sunrise Smoothie

* This post has been compensated through the AE Dairy Blog Ambassador program.  All views and opinions shared are my own. *

I am a huge breakfast fan!  I have to have it in order to have any energy for the day, and I have three little kids that depend on me to have energy.  Don't you wish you could just bottle up the energy that a toddler has during a non-nap period and sell it!  I could be rich!  

Anyways, breakfast is important to me and my whole family.  I like to mix up our breakfasts throughout the week and at least once a week I try to have breakfast by myself.  Now that may sound selfish, but I need one morning to myself where I can make something extra special, just for me, and read a book or watch the news (rather than reading Corduroy or watching Curious George).  This morning was that morning.  I finished the latest book by Melanie Shankle, Nobody's Cuter than You: A Memoir about the Beauty of Friendship and I made myself a fun, refreshing and summertime Sunrise Smoothie, that also used up some ripe bananas that needed to be made into something...  What is really great about this smoothie is that it is simple, uses only 4 ingredients - most likely of which are staple foods in your house, and is a true "dump" recipe.

Sunrise Smoothie

1 Banana
1 - 6oz container AE Dairy Lowfat Vanilla Yogurt
6 oz AE Dairy Orange Juice (fill up empty yogurt cup with OJ)
2 handfuls of Ice (approximately 1 cup)

Dump all ingredients in blender and pulse til ice is crushed, then blend til smooth.  Makes 2 tall glasses.

For only four ingredients, this smoothie offers a lot of flavor and substance.  The Lowfat Vanilla Yogurt makes the smoothie healthy and creamy.  I have to admit, a lot of times when I have ripe bananas I go for a banana milkshake...  So this is a much healthier alternative.  And the Orange Juice gives the smoothie that added something, that added zip of energy.

What's your favorite breakfast smoothie recipe?  Remember to Comment for a Cause!