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Carrot Raisin Muffins

September 19, 2011 by Leave a Comment

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In need of a new something to add to yogurt for breakfast and not in the mood for cereal, I started thinking about muffins. I happened to have just bought a bag of carrots and didn’t get to use them, so I wanted it to include carrots. When I think of a carrot muffin, I want it to include some plump gold raisins. And why not add some nuts for more texture?

Then I started looking online for a good recipe to use. I found the Vegan Carrot Spice Muffins from Oh She Glows, one of my favorite sites for clean, healthy recipes. Although her recipe is vegan, I subbed yogurt for coconut milk.

These muffins turned out to be a lovely Fall color that reminds me it’s almost time to buy pumpkin puree, and it was full of goodies like the raisins that really do pop, shreds of carrot, and really flavorful spices. Like all my baked things, I leave a few out and freeze the rest, grabbing one at a time to defrost when I want to take it for breakfast.

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Carrot Raisin Muffins

 

Adapted from Oh She Glows

Dry:

  • 1 & 3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 tbsp ground flax seed
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 3/4 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/8 tsp ground cloves
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt

Wet:

  • 1/3 cup + 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 1/4 cup + 3 tbsp water
  • 1.5 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1.5 cups grated carrots (about 3 small-medium carrots)
  • 2/3 cup raisins, soaked in water and drained
  • 1/3 cup chopped pecans

Instructions:

  • Preheat oven to 400F and spray tin with cooking spray.
  • Whisk all dry ingredients together in a large bowl. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients (maple syrup, applesauce, yogurt, water, vanilla). Add the wet to the dry and mix until just incorporated. Batter will be THICK!
  • Fold in the carrots, raisins, and walnuts. Scoop batter into the muffin liners, filling batter 3/4 of cup. Bake for about 18 minutes at 400F until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool for about 10 minutes. Makes 12 muffins.


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 Baking with vegetables makes me feel a little less guilty for eating a baked good. I actually think these are pretty healthful. There are no oil, eggs, or much sugar, and the other ingredients are simple. I have found myself eating less processed cereals in place of a homemade breakfast square or muffin and feeling better about the decision.

Print
Carrot Raisin Muffins
 

Ingredients
  • Dry:
  • 1 & ¾ cup whole wheat pastry flour
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 1 tbsp ground flax seed
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • ¾ tsp ground ginger
  • ⅛ tsp ground cloves
  • ½ tsp kosher salt
  • Wet:
  • ⅓ cup + 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
  • ⅓ cup unsweetened applesauce
  • ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
  • ¼ cup + 3 tbsp water
  • 1.5 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1.5 cups grated carrots (about 3 small-medium carrots)
  • ⅔ cup raisins, soaked in water and drained
  • ⅓ cup chopped pecans

Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400F and spray tin with cooking spray.
  2. Whisk all dry ingredients together in a large bowl. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients (maple syrup, applesauce, yogurt, water, vanilla). Add the wet to the dry and mix until just incorporated. Batter will be THICK!
  3. Fold in the carrots, raisins, and walnuts. Scoop batter into the muffin liners, filling batter ¾ of cup. Bake for about 18 minutes at 400F until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool for about 10 minutes. Makes 12 muffins.

Filed Under: Breakfast, Recipes · Tagged With: , , ,

High Protein Granola

July 21, 2011 by 3 Comments

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Granolas can be a little risky to have in your pantry because they are usually high in sugar and fat. I like to live on the edge, but I also like to find a better-for-you alternative.

One of my favorite sites, Oh She Glows, made this lightened up granola a few days ago. What intrigued me about it was that it didn’t have any dried fruit, and it used millet. She also didn’t use any oil, which adds calories fast, and used simple things I had at home. I did make a few substitutions for what I had at home.

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I subbed quinoa for the millet because that’s what I had, and added raisins after it came out of the oven, I learned that trick a few batches ago when the raisins burned while cooking with the granola. And I don’t make my own nut butter. I tried once and flopped.

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Lighter Granola

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup almonds, I mixed some slivered and some whole
  • 1/3 cup uncooked quinoa
  • 2 T ground flax meal
  • 1 T chia seeds
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • heaping 2 T applesauce
  • 1/4 cup Brown Rice Syrup
  • 3 T peanut butter
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp almond extract

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 325F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or non-stick mat.
  • In a large bowl, stir together dry ingredients.In a medium sized bowl, mix together the wet ingredients (except for the  extracts). Microwave for about 60 seconds. Now stir in the extracts until combined.
  • Add wet mixture to dry mixture and stir well until everything is coated.
  • Scoop onto baking sheet, spread out.
  • Bake for 20-25 minutes, stirring once half way through baking. Allow to cool for about 10-15 minutes on the baking sheet. Makes about 5 cups. Store in an air-tight container for 1-2 months.
  • Add raisins after it comes out of the oven if desired.

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This granola was super crunchy and crispy. It had plenty of clumps too. I like adding raisins because they are like the little prize that you hope to get in each scoop, but it’s not necessary. If you thought quinoa in granola was strange, it’s no big deal. Just adds more protein and crunch.

If you’ll notice from the ingredients, there are a lot of superfoods. From the quinoa to flax meal to chia seeds to oats and peanut butter, there’s a lot of power for energy. Lots going on in this recipe! Added with yogurt or milk, it’s a great combo of protein and carbs, necessary every time you eat.

If you are unfamiliar with brown rice syrup, it is very sticky and has a distinct flavor. If you find you don’t like the flavor of the finished product, you could sub maple syrup.

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So are you going to give it a try?

Print
High Protein Granola
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 

Serves: 5 cups
 

Ingredients
  • 2 cups rolled oats
  • ½ cup almonds, I mixed some slivered and some whole
  • ⅓ cup uncooked quinoa
  • 2 T ground flax meal
  • 1 T chia seeds
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • ½ tsp kosher salt
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • heaping 2 T applesauce
  • ¼ cup Brown Rice Syrup
  • 3 T peanut butter
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ½ tsp almond extract

Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 325F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or non-stick mat.
  2. In a large bowl, stir together dry ingredients.In a medium sized bowl, mix together the wet ingredients (except for the  extracts). Microwave for about 60 seconds. Now stir in the extracts until combined.
  3. Add wet mixture to dry mixture and stir well until everything is coated.
  4. Scoop onto baking sheet, spread out.
  5. Bake for 20-25 minutes, stirring once half way through baking. Allow to cool for about 10-15 minutes on the baking sheet. Makes about 5 cups. Store in an air-tight container for 1-2 months.
  6. Add raisins after it comes out of the oven if desired.

Filed Under: Breakfast, Recipes, Snacks, Vegetarian · Tagged With: , , ,

Double Strawberry Walnut Quickbread

May 16, 2011 by 3 Comments

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Hello beautiful fluffy pieces of bread. Have some leftover strawberries? Like a soft and fresh homemade piece of quickbread for breakfast with subtle sweetness and a surprise inside? This bread is for you, ready in one hour.

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The story of this bread is that I made a similar one over a year ago, pre-blog days, and have been thinking about recreating it for a while. You know I love breakfast breads, like muffins or loaf breads that I can freeze. I also love berries, and have a recent thing for walnuts. I also like the process of baking. It’s just as fun as the reward, if you ask me.

Quickbreads are things like muffins or loaf breads, anything without yeast. These are ready fast,  no rise time. That’s what makes it quick.

Strawberry Walnut Quickbread

(makes 8 large slices or 16 squares)

Ingredients:

  • 1 stick butter, softened
  • 3/4 C sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 C whole wheat pastry flour (you could sub regular all-purpose)
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 C plain Greek yogurt
  • 1/2 C walnuts, chopped
  • 1 1/2 C strawberries, chopped
  • 1/4 C strawberry jam

Instructions:

  • Preheat oven to 350*.
  • Beat butter and sugar until fluffy and combined. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat well after each egg goes in.
  • Beat in vanilla.
  • In a measuring cup or separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.
  • Add flour mixture and yogurt alternatively, starting and ending with flour. Mix until combined.
  • Fold in strawberries and walnuts by hand.
  • Spray cooking spray in a loaf pan and pour half in. Spread jam over the half evenly.
  • Pour other half on top and add a few strawberry pieces.
  • Bake for one hour or until a toothpick comes out clean.
  • Let cool on wire rack before taking out of loaf pan. Let cool completely before slicing.
  • Freeze as a whole or in slices.

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This isn’t the healthiest bread to come out of my kitchen, it does use a stick of butter. But it is seasonal with fresh strawberries and has healthy fats from the walnuts. It has an extra kick of protein from the yogurt (that makes it healthy, right?). There’s also a sneaky factor of hidden jam inside for extra mmmm.

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It slices in thick, flowy pieces that just ask to be smothered with more butter or jam and eaten hot.

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It is husband approved, although he just nibbled as a snack and didn’t eat for breakfast. He doesn’t have a sweet tooth like me. We really are sweet and salty.

The below picture is half of the batter with jam on top before baking. If you want a thicker layer of jam, use more than 1/4 cup.

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Make sure you top it with fresh strawberries to make it look pretty on top when it comes out of the oven.

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Slice it once cooled, place it outside and fan the slices over each other in the sunshine for best presentation.

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Or enjoy your hard work pre-slicing as a loaf of bread. Wrap it in cellofane with a ribbon and present to your favorite school teacher or friend.

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Who wouldn’t like this?

Filed Under: Breakfast, Dessert, Recipes · Tagged With: , , ,

Strawberry Banana Nut Butter Muffins

February 10, 2011 by 7 Comments

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Ok y’all, I wasn’t planning on getting into Valentine’s Day foods but I had an itch to make muffins, and thought why not make them go with the holiday. In one day, you could have breakfast and dessert from a muffin shape. I’ll think about what you could have for lunch and dinner out of a muffin. Perhaps a cornbread muffin with your dinner? Or mac and cheese cooked in little cups?

Anyway, back to these muffins…they are really good and pretty health conscious too. There’s two fruits–strawberries and bananas. There’s two nuts–pecans and peanut butter, and no butter or oils. Fluffy on the inside, nice and light.

The peanut butter flavor is pretty evident, the color is golden, and the pecans provide a nice crunch.

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Strawberry Banana Nut Butter Muffins

inspired by Oh She Glows

Ingredients:

  • 1 C whole wheat pastry flour
  • 3/4 C unbleached white flour
  • 1/4 tsp. sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 C brown sugar
  • 1/2 C chopped pecans
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 egg
  • 1 1/4 C almond milk
  • 5 T nut butter (I used a smooth operator creamy peanut butter), warm in microwave to get a little looser for mixing
  • 2 T maple syrup
  • 1 large banana mashed, left chunky
  • 3/4 C strawberries, chopped + a few slices for topping

Instructions:

  • Preheat oven to 375*. Grease muffin tin with Pam and set aside.
  • In one bowl, combine dry ingredients (flour, salt, cinnamon, brown sugar, pecans, baking soda, baking powder).
  • In medium bowl, combine wet ingredients (1 egg, beaten, peanut butter, maple syrup, milk)
  • Add wet to dry and mix well.
  • Fold in strawberries and banana.
  • Mix well together by hand, no mixer needed.
  • Scoop into muffin tin. Should make 12 large muffins.
  • Bake for 25 minutes and let cool.

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Does this little plate say “Be my valentine?” or what?

P.S. New story on CultureMap about Valentine’s Day etiquette. I met Lizzie Post, the great-great granddaughter to etiquette expert Emily Post. We talked about how to shop smart for V-Day.

Filed Under: Breakfast, Recipes · Tagged With: , , , ,

Cocoa Nut Balls

January 31, 2011 by 5 Comments

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Today’s recipe is brought to you by the ingredient: Dates.

Every other Monday, I participate in an ingredient challenge with a few bloggers around the country. This week’s recipe is the date, and since I already cook with them regularly, I have a few recipes to link to below.

Dates are not the most appealing dried fruit based on looks, but they are very versatile and easy to add to sweet or savory dishes. They are sticky so you don’t need extra stick like honey, and they are sweet so you don’t need extra sugar. If you like them by themselves, they would be a great simple snack. But I don’t.

I made this recipe based off of a recipe that Ashley made.

Cocoa Nut Balls

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Ingredients:

  • 1 C mixed almonds and pecans (could sub walnuts, I always use pecans instead.)
  • 1/2 C pitted Medjool dates
  • 1 T cocoa
  • 2 T coconut (mine is sweetened)
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Instructions:

  • In a food processor, pulse the nuts until they’re in pieces. Remove from food processor and add in dates. Pulse those.
  • Add back the nuts, cocoa and coconut.
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  • Pulse until it all comes together.
  • I added a few Tablespoons of water one at a time just to get them to come together easier.
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  • Form into balls and refrigerate or freeze.
I keep mine in the freezer for long periods of time.
One batch makes about 13 balls.
These are great little snacks of unsalted nuts, naturally sweetened fruits, and a little sweet coconut. The cocoa gives it a devilish feel, but they are pretty harmless for you.
Other recipes with dates I have created include:

To see the other bloggers and their recipes using dates, click their pages here:

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Filed Under: Recipes, Snacks · Tagged With: , ,