PB & J Muffins
1 cup white flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup wheat germ (this is optional but it boosts the nutritional content with folic acid and vitamin E)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar (or honey or molasses, warmed)
1 tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/4 cups skim milk
1/3 cup processed peanut butter (you can't use the natural stuff, which totally sucks)
2 egg whites
2 tbsp. butter, melted
2 tsp. vanilla extract
your favorite flavor of jam
Directions:
1. Mix wet ingredients together
2. Mix dry ingredients together
3. Combine the two sets of ingredients in a large bowl and stir until just combined
4. Spoon batter halfway up into muffin cups
5. Add about 1 tbsp. of jam to each muffin
6. Then fill up muffin cups with remaining batter
7. Bake at 400 for 20 minutes
I make these bad boys almost every month. What's wonderful is that they are not a downfall to my diet--as long as I don't eat all at once. I have been known to eat 3 for breakfast though. I feel it necessary to insert here than on days when I'm being a Fatty Magoo, I work out so it's not as bad. Oh, and I just learned the other day on The Revolution that a good goal to have is to work out until you sweat. This is simple, yet revolutionary.
If you're making something other than dessert, try for a recipe that includes a vegetable or fruit. Here's a delightful butternut squash and carrot bread pudding recipe I've developed. Below that is a berry strata that is equally delicious and high in nutritional content.
Butternut Squash & Carrot Bread Pudding
1 butternut squash peeled and chopped into little cubes (you can use sweet potatoes too)
salt and pep
1 cup chopped onion
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 cups skim milk
1 cup cheese
about 1 tsp. of allspice and cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
3 eggs
2 egg whites
about 9 cups stale wheat bread (I always grab those day-old loaves at the store that are 2 or 3 bucks)
1/2 cup wheat germ (optional but you should use because it's high in vit. e and folic acid)
1 cup shredded carrots
Directions:
1. Drizzle olive oil, salt, and pepper over the cubed squash and roast on 400 for 17 minutes
2. Saute onion for about 5 minutes over low heat then add garlic and season with salt & pep
3. Combine milk, cheese, spices, eggs, egg whites, carrots, squash, and wheat germ in a huge freakin' bowl
4. Add cubed bread into mixture and pour into an oven-safe dish
5. Let the mixture hang out for a while, perhaps overnight if you can
6. Sprinkle some cheese on top
7. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.
In my notes, I wrote next to the recipe: "Shut up; this is delicious." Enough said.
Lemon Ricotta Cookies
(I can't earn any points for creating this recipe. It's from my favorite person ever, Giada de Laurentiis, of the Food Network.) Here's a link to watch Giada make these babies: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/lemon-ricotta-cookies-with-lemon-glaze-recipe/index.html
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| In the beginning there was a lump of batter... |
Cookies:
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 (15-ounce) container part-skim ricotta
zest of 1 lemon
Glaze:
3 tablespoons lemon juice
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| In the end there were cookies! |
zest of 1 lemon
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Cookies:
In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In the large bowl combine the butter and the sugar. Using an electric mixer beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating until incorporated. Add the ricotta cheese, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Beat to combine. Stir in the dry ingredients.
Spoon the dough (about 2 tablespoons for each cookie) onto baking sheets. Bake for 15 minutes, until slightly golden at the edges. Remove from the oven and let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 20 minutes.
Glaze:
Combine the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a small bowl and stir until smooth. Spoon about 1/2-teaspoon onto each cookie and use the back of the spoon to gently spread. Let the glaze harden for about 2 hours.
Lemon Yogurt Cake
(This is from Barefoot Contessa, of the Food Network. I made this cake for my grandmother after she returned home from the hospital. She loved it and I confirmed my status as an adorable and loving grand-daughter.)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 cup plain yogurt
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
zest of two lemons (zest lemons first then zest)
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup veg. oil (don't use olive oil here; you want something oily, not flavorful)
1/3 cup wheat germ
Sift together the flour, baking powder, wheat germ, and salt into 1 bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the yogurt, 1 cup sugar, the eggs, lemon zest, and vanilla. Slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. With a rubber spatula, fold the vegetable oil into the batter, making sure it's all incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 50 minutes at 350.
If you want to spice it up, make a glaze of 1 cup powdered sugar mixed with 1/3 cup sugar and 1 lemon, juiced. Pour on cake while it's still warm.
Oatmeal Muffins
These are great little muffins for on the go or a sit-down breakfast. And contrary to what you may think, they are not dry at all.
These are great little muffins for on the go or a sit-down breakfast. And contrary to what you may think, they are not dry at all.
2 eggs
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/4 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup maple syrup
1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cup rolled oats
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. honey
1 tbsp. cinnamon
* You could also add peeled and chopped apples and/or pineapple for a fun twist
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| Every story has a beginning... |
Directions:
1. Mix wet ingredients together
2. Mix dry ingredients together in separate bowl
3. Mix both sets of ingredients together until combined
4. Bake at 400 for 20 minutes
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| Middle... |
Delicious and healthy baked goods are just a recipe away.
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| And an end. |
Mocha Cake w/ Cream Cheese Frosting
This recipe hails from a fantastic book my fantastic future mother-in-law gave to me. It's entitled The Food You Crave by Ellie Krieger. She's a registered dietician and worked at NYU so anything she says is brilliant and should be taken to heart. It is freaking delicious.
Ingredients
For cake:
Cooking spray
3/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup Dutch processed cocoa
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 eggs
2 egg whites
1 1/2 cups lowfat yogurt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon espresso powder, dissolved in 1 tablespoon of hot water
2 ounces good-quality dark chocolate
For the frosting:
1 (8-ounce) bar Neufchatel cheese (reduced fat cream cheese), softened
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon espresso powder dissolved in 1 teaspoon hot water
1 teaspoon coffee liqueur or vanilla
1 small square chocolate
Arrange rack in center of oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9 by 13-inch cake pan with cooking spray and set aside.
Whisk together flours, cocoa, salt, baking soda and baking powder in a medium bowl, then sift ingredients through a fine mesh strainer.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together melted butter and oil. Add eggs and egg whites and whisk to incorporate. Fold in yogurt, vanilla, sugar and dissolved espresso powder. Melt the chocolate in the microwave for 90 seconds or over a double boiler. Fold chocolate into batter.
Gradually add sifted dry ingredients and stir until just incorporated; do not overbeat. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until cake has risen nicely and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely.
While cake is cooling, make the frosting:
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and beat with an electric hand mixer until soft and creamy. Spread frosting evenly over cake and cut into squares. Finely grate one small square of chocolate. Sprinkle the chocolate shavings over the cake.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together melted butter and oil. Add eggs and egg whites and whisk to incorporate. Fold in yogurt, vanilla, sugar and dissolved espresso powder. Melt the chocolate in the microwave for 90 seconds or over a double boiler. Fold chocolate into batter.
Gradually add sifted dry ingredients and stir until just incorporated; do not overbeat. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until cake has risen nicely and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely.
While cake is cooling, make the frosting:
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and beat with an electric hand mixer until soft and creamy. Spread frosting evenly over cake and cut into squares. Finely grate one small square of chocolate. Sprinkle the chocolate shavings over the cake.
Tips to choosing healthy-ish baking recipes:
1. Look for recipes that use a blend of oatmeal and white flour (don't even attempt to bake with all wheat flour because you'll end up with wheat pizza dough--ick).
2. Find recipes that have less than 1 cup of sugar and instead sweetens using vanilla, citrus juice or zest, and honey (the lemon ricotta cookies don't follow this rule but they are SO good)
3. Keep it natural: vanilla, honey, and molasses are best in their pure, unadulterated forms
4. Use less chocolate chips and use more cocoa (like in the recipes above)
5. When using chocolate, go with dark chocolate (I've read 70% and higher is a good amount of cocoa to look for when buying)
6. Try recipes you think will be good, but have potential to be made better (that tip goes across the food genres)
7. Find recipes with veggies or fruit in them
Note: If you have no buttermilk, just make your own. It's easy. Say you need 1 cup of buttermilk. Just mix whatever milk you have with 1 tbsp of lemon juice or white vinegar. Let the mixture sit a few minutes and you'll see how it gets lumpy.
Note: If you have no buttermilk, just make your own. It's easy. Say you need 1 cup of buttermilk. Just mix whatever milk you have with 1 tbsp of lemon juice or white vinegar. Let the mixture sit a few minutes and you'll see how it gets lumpy.
ENJOY!
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