No Bake Skillet Apple Bread Pudding

I was so in the mood for bread pudding... RIGHT NOW... which is kind of a problem, because that is just one of those things which takes time, so it got me thinking and searching for a way to speed up the process.  Sure enough, where there's a will, there's a way!
Two things:
First, this was super easy and the apples gave it a yummy apple fritter kind of smell, only minus the fat.  My whole crew asked at some point what I was making that smelled so good. :)  You've gotta love a recipe that does that.  It would make a great breakfast, but I didn't think it was sweet enough to make it a dessert.
Second, on that note, maybe they were getting sweetness from the banana jam in the original recipe (which
I didn't have/use), but I thought it really lacked flavor and sweetness.  It just kind of tasted like french toast, so I sprinkled cinnamon and sugar over the top and that helped... but definitely needed some sweetness.
On the whole, it was a bit dry and not quite what I was dreaming of, but still yummy.  A great one if you've got some extra bread around!

No Bake Skillet Apple Bread Pudding 

1 1/2 cups milk, plus additional for drizzling (Dairy-Free milk works as well: coconut milk, almond, soy etc.)

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

4 cups of cubed whole grain bread, preferably stale

2 egg yolks

1/2 cup jam (Could also use apple pie filling, or 1/4 cup sugar)

1 large apple, sliced

Cinamon and Sugar for sprinkling

Coconut oil (or other) for greasing pan

1. Heat milk in a saucepan over low heat. Stir in salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

2. Place bread cubes in a large mixing bowl. When milk is hot but not yet simmering, pour milk over bread cubes. Mix gently.

3. Stir in egg yolks and jam, mixing gently until well combined. Fold in apple slices.

4. Heat 6-inch nonstick skillet over low-medium heat. Lightly grease with coconut oil. Pour bread mixture into pan and cover.

5. Cook bread pudding covered for 15 minutes, or until bottom is browned. Then flip entire pudding onto a plate and put pudding back in skillet, uncooked side down. Cook for an additional 10 minutes or until golden brown.

6. Scoop bread pudding into bowls. If you like, drizzle with a bit of coconut milk and honey or maple syrup. It is best served hot. 

(I drizzled with a bit of cream... yum!)

Adapted from: (The Kathmanduo)

Sweet Zucchini Pancakes

The zucchinis are taking over the world!  Actually, I kinda wish they were.  It seems anyone with a garden is anxious to get rid of them, but I audibly gulped as I noted the priced of $1.30 per pound at the grocery store.  Zucchinis are the best sneaky veggie there is!  You can disguise them in just about anything, and they don't take over.  I love them!  So if you hadn't noticed, this post is a shout out to all my friends with gardens to pass some my way so I don't have to buy them at top dollar.  OR WAIT... I guess if I were being a little less demanding, {guilty smile} this is my gift to you.  You now have another yummy way to use up those green guys. :)

Sweet Zucchini Pancakes (Tasty Kitchen)

½ cups All-purpose Flour

3 Tablespoons Sugar

1 teaspoon Baking Powder

¼ teaspoons Baking Soda

¼ teaspoons Salt

1 whole Egg

½ cups Greek Yogurt (nonfat Is Fine) (I used plain yogurt, not Greek, and it don't think it worked as well.  Greek is quite a bit thicker, and my batter was kind of runny weird.  Just saying. :)

2 Tablespoons Melted Butter

1 whole Zucchini, Grated

½ cups Water Or Milk

Preheat a nonstick skillet or griddle to medium-high heat (350ºF).

Whisk dry ingredients together (flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt) and set aside.

In a separate bowl, whisk egg, yogurt, and melted butter together. Combine dry and wet ingredients together and mix until just combined. Fold in grated zucchini. Add water or milk a little at a time until the batter consistency reaches the desired thickness. The more you add, the thinner your pancakes will be. For me, 1/2 cup was enough to thin the batter but keep them nice and fluffy.

Scoop 1/3 cup of batter onto the griddle and gently spread the batter if necessary. When you see bubbles rising around the edges, flip the pancakes. I found that some of the pancakes took as long as 10 minutes to cook (5 minutes per side). Top with butter and maple syrup!

Quinoa Pancakes

Quinoa Pancakes have a very "healthy," chewy ring to them, so my husband and kiddos were quite skeptical when I served them up hot off the grittle, but we were all happy with the results.  I've been hearing a lot about how nutritious quinoa is, and I had some left-overs that I had added to the Chicken and Wild Rice Soup, so I thought I would give this a try.  They were actually pretty tasty!  (Possibly in part, because I added just a bit a sugar to give it some sweetness. :)  We had ours with some applesause and it made for a yummy, healthy, filling breakfast!

Quinoa Pancakes (Popsugar)

1 cup cooked quinoa
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon course salt
1 large egg, plus 1 large egg white
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted, plus more for skillet

1/4 cup low-fat milk
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup, plus more for serving (I used sugar, because I was out of syrup)
Fresh fruit or fruit preserves (optional) for serving

1.     In a medium bowl, whisk together quinoa, flour, baking powder, and salt. In another medium bowl, whisk together egg, egg white, butter, milk, and syrup until smooth. Add egg mixture to flour mixture and whisk to combine.

2.     Lightly coat a large nonstick skillet or griddle with butter and heat over medium-high. Drop batter by heaping tablespoonfuls into skillet. Cook until bubbles appear on top, 2 minutes.

3.     Flip cakes and cook until golden brown on underside, 2 minutes. Wipe skillet clean and repeat with more melted butter and remaining batter (reduce heat to medium if overbrowning). Serve with maple syrup and fresh fruit or preserves if desired.

Makes about 12.

Good Morning Granola...

This has been my favorite way to start the day lately.  Healthy, delicious, and quite filling... not to mention EASY to make.  Winner all around!  I have made my own regular granola and honey nut granola, but I have been lazy lately and just found one I like at the store.  It is much cheaper to make your own, though.  Anyway, just giving you a good reason not to hit snooze! :)

Healthy Good Morning Granola and Yogurt (By Lyd

1 cup Vanilla Yogurt

1/2 cup Granola

1/2 cup Trail Mix

Handful of dried cranberries

Layer ingredients and mix in your bowl.

How to Hard Boil Eggs in the Oven... (THE BETTER WAY!)

It is just a little white egg.  Why has boiling it always intimidated me so?  I seriously have to google directions every time!  How long to I boil them?  Why did that one just explode?  Did I take them out too early?  Did I leave them in the cold water long enough?  Was the cold water the right temperature?  Then, why is the yoke still runny?  Ok- so it's not rocket science, but it definitely feels like EGG Science.  So imagine my delight when I saw a "pin" suggesting you bake them in the oven.  Rapturous Day!  You can't top these easy fool-proof instructions.  I will never make a hard (not boiled) egg any other way!  My kids loved peeling them. :) I loved shaking up our typical dinner menu.

How to Hard Boil Eggs in the Oven

To make the eggs, simply bake them in a 325 degree oven for 30 minutes. You can place them directly on the rack or use a muffin tin, which makes it easy move them in and out of the oven in bulk. Once the 30 minutes have passed, remove the eggs from the oven (carefully, because they are hot) and plunge them in cold water for 10 minutes.

The shells may have brown spots where they were in contact with hot metal. Sometimes that discoloration fades away in the water plunge, but sometimes it will leave marks on the whites.

(Source)

*Wouldn't this be perfect for Easter eggs?  This would save a lot of time!

Made a delicious Egg Salad Sandwich for dinner with mine.  What will you make?

Wheat Berry Pudding

So I was recipe hunting and a recipe for "Wheat Berry Pudding" totally caught my eye, because even with my love for a good bowl of cracked wheat, no matter how much sugar you put in it, you just can't call it dessert... wouldn't you agree? And let me back up and say that my love is sincere.  I have fond memories of mom at the stove in her PJ's on a cold winter morning, cooking up some good old fashioned cracked wheat before we had to catch the bus.  I'm pretty sure I was the only one who gobbled it up without complaint.  Ok- so I have unusual taste buds.  I am embarrassed to admit that sometimes it sat there all day- undisturbed, with one big scoop missing, and I would eat it again for my "after-school-snack." Yep- just had to make sure you understood that I really like hot cereal. :)  So I didn't have a food processor or the dutch-oven to try this out, but I followed it as closely as I could and tried to speed up the process a bit.

Lyd's Tip:  I used cracked wheat because it cooks a lot faster. (If you only have wheat berries, you can just pulse them a couple times in the blender—it will be noisy, but it will cook in about half the time.)

Dessert or not?  I'm still a little undecided.  I liked it a lot, but then I liked it before, so I'm probably not the best judge. :)  I liked the cinnamon a lot though and I just got a food processor for Christmas (can we say REALLY HAPPY ME!) and I am anxious to try this out again using "proper methods" just because I am truly fascinated that cracked wheat could be served as a healthy, delicious dessert. Who knew?  Who still doesn't know?  Me either...
I'll keep you posted on my findings, but here is the recipe so far:

Wheat Berry Pudding (EatingWell)

1 cup wheat berries, (see Note) (Remember my tip about the cracked wheat)

2 tablespoons plus 3 cups low-fat milk, divided

1 cinnamon stick

1 strip orange zest, (1/2 by 2 inches)

Pinch of salt

1/2 cup pure maple syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup low-fat maple yogurt, (optional)

Sort through wheat berries carefully; discard any stones. Rinse well. Place in a large heavy saucepan and add water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer, adding more water if necessary, until the wheat berries are tender, about 1 hour. Drain well.

Place the wheat berries and 2 tablespoons milk in a food processor. Pulse, scraping down the sides as necessary, until most of the wheat berries are coarsely chopped (some may remain whole).

Combine the chopped wheat berries, the remaining 3 cups milk, cinnamon stick, orange zest and salt in a Dutch oven or other large, heavy-bottomed pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring often to prevent sticking, until the mixture is very thick, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the heat; discard the cinnamon stick and orange zest. Stir in maple syrup and vanilla.

Serve warm or chilled, sprinkled with cinnamon and topped with a dollop of maple yogurt, if desired. (Stir in more milk if the pudding gets too thick as it stands.)

TIPS & NOTES

Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate the cooked wheat berries (Step 1) for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 1 month. Cover and refrigerate the pudding for up to 2 days.

Note: Wheat berries of any variety (hard, soft, spring or winter) can be used interchangeably. Labeling is inconsistent—you may find them labeled “hard red winter wheat” without the words “wheat berries.” Find them in natural-foods markets and online at kingarthurflour.com. Some recipes instruct soaking overnight, but we found it unnecessary.

To cook: Sort through wheat berries carefully, discarding any stones, and rinse with water. Bring 4 cups water or broth and 1 cup wheat berries to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, but still a little chewy, about 1 hour. Drain.

NUTRITION

Per serving: 182 calories; 2 g fat ( 1 g sat , 0 g mono ); 6 mg cholesterol; 35 g carbohydrates; 7 g protein; 3 g fiber; 71 mg sodium; 43 mg potassium.

Carbohydrate Servings: 2

Exchanges: 1 starch. 1/2 low-fat milk, 1 other carbohydrates

Fast Break for Breakfast...

My children go to a great school, and one of their focuses is on good nutrition.  For school lunch, they contract with an awesome catering company that focus on home-cooked, fresh, local, healthy food as much as possible.  They recently sent out this article and I thought it had some great breakfast ideas worth posting, so I'm passing it along.

"Whether or not children eat breakfast affects their learning, but so does what they eat. Children who eat a breakfast containing both complex carbohydrates and proteins in equivalent amounts of calories end to show better learning and performance than children who eat primarily a high protein or a high carbohydrate breakfast. Think grains, plus nuts, dairy or meat, plus fruits.

Breakfasts high in carbohydrates with little protein seem to sedate children rather than stimulate their brain to learn. Think sugared cereals, plus pop-tarts, plus juice.

High-protein foods perk up the brain by increasing levels of two “alertness” neurotransmitters, dopamine and norepinephrine. A high-protein meal really is a “power breakfast” or a “power lunch.”

Like the structural steel of buildings and the metal meshwork in concrete, proteins provide the framework for every cell of the body. Just as workers at a construction site need a steady supply of building materials, tissues undergoing repair and those that are growing need a steady supply of protein to build and rebuild organs, muscles, antibodies, hormones, and enzymes - every kind of cell in the body.

Examples of balanced breakfasts include:

     1. Scrambled eggs, toast, orange juice

     2. Cheese melted on toast with a piece of fruit

     3. Peanut butter and banana slices on an english muffin, milk

     4. Whole-grain waffle, sausage link, orange slices

     5. Oatmeal with sliced almonds, raisins, cinnamon and milk

     6. multi grain toast with sun-butter spread and blueberries

     7. Granola cereal, plain yogurt, a sliced apple

     8. Veggie omelet, bran muffin, fruit with yogurt

     9. Whole-grain toast, bacon slice, fruit

     10. Whole-grain pancakes or waffles topped with berries and/or yogurt, milk

     11. Whole-wheat zucchini pancakes topped with fruit, milk

     12. French Toast topped with fruit, orange juice or milk

     13. Cream cheese on a whole-grain bagel, orange juice

     14. Cashews, whole grain bagel, fruit

15. Turkey and avocado slices rolled in a whole grain tortilla

Of course, it’s what you eat not what you say that impresses a child most. By treating yourself to a healthy, balanced breakfast, you model to your children that eating a healthy breakfast gives the whole family a smart nutritional start.

And if you aren’t a breakfast eater, how about a smoothie? All kinds of combinations of fruit, yogurt, nut butters, avocado, can quickly be made into a fast (and portable) breakfast.

Maybe your kids would enjoy making up their own breakfast smoothie recipes!? Send us your successes and flops and we’ll have fun sharing them here.

Here’s our recent family favorite, the Pumpkin Pie Smoothie:

     1 cup Vanilla yogurt

     3/4 cup canned pumpkin puree

     1 banana

     1 cup peaches

     Cinnamon to taste

Here are a few links to other breakfast smoothie drinks:

4 recipes for High-protein smoothies

http://www.livestrong.com/article/363668-high-protein-breakfast-smoothies/

School-ade breakfast smoothie

http://www.askdrsears.com/topics/family-nutrition/brain-foods/school-ade-breakfast-run-smoothie

Mango Smoothie

http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/mango-smoothie-00000000050660/index.html#

Most of all we hope that eating a high protein breakfast will give you, your kids and their teachers a successful and enjoyable morning."

By Amy Driggs,

On behalf of the School Wellness Committee

Decadent Pumpkin Muffin

So how was the feast?!  Ours was pretty yummy.  That turkey is powerful stuff- I could hardly wake myself up this morning. :) Well, here is something happy to wake up to.  It is a great, healthy way to use up the other half of that big pumpkin can. (I just made one pumpkin pie, so I had the other half hanging out.)  It doesn't even use oil, and I made it using whole wheat and didn't even put in the 1/2 cup of brown sugar.  It was still great.  These muffins held together really well- a great consistency, and quite pumpkinly-delicious. :)  We ate them for breakfast.

Lyd's Tip:  I like to keep an eye out for discounted yogurt at the grocery store.  Sometimes they mark it down and it still has some time left before expiration.  It is great in pancakes and muffins.  It adds flavor and moisture.

Decadent Pumpkin Muffin (allrecipes)

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I made this recipe twice and used whole wheat the second time.  It turned out great.)

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon ground allspice

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

2 cups canned pumpkin puree

1 1/2 cups white sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar (I just left this out.)

1/2 cup applesauce

1 cup fat free vanilla yogurt

4 egg whites (I just put in 4 eggs- though I'm sure it would be healthier with the whites.)

1 egg

2/3 cup water

1 cup raisins (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line two 12 cup muffin pans with paper muffin liners.

In a medium bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon, and cloves. In a large bowl, beat together the pumpkin, white sugar, brown sugar, applesauce, yogurt, egg whites, and egg. Blend the flour mixture into the sugar mixture, alternating with the water, to form a smooth batter. Fold in the raisins. Transfer to the prepared muffin pan.

Bake 16 to 18 minutes in the preheated oven, until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool on wire racks.

Zucchini-Banana Bread

Did I mention how much I love zucchini bread?  I love it so much that I picked up the "free" overgrown zucchini, at the farmer's market, that was bigger than my baby.  I had about five people stop me and comment on its abnormally large size.  I know huge zucchini are kind of obnoxious, but my good there are so many uses!!!  I love the way zucchini lets other ingredients take center stage.  It's just good healthy filler in casseroles, stove-top dishes, and desserts.  So versatile!  This recipe was pretty tasty- fun to throw bananas in there.  Of course I made it whole wheat. :)

Zucchini-Banana Bread (Taste of Home)

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I did whole wheat and it tasted great.)

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg

1 cup mashed ripe bananas

1/2 cup canola oil

1/2 teaspoon banana extract

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup shredded zucchini

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

In a large bowl, combine the first six ingredients. In a small bowl, beat the egg, bananas, oil and extracts. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in zucchini and walnuts.

Transfer to three 5-3/4-in. x 3-in. x 2-in. loaf pans coated with cooking spray. Bake at 325° for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. Yield: 3 mini loaves (6 slices each).

Nutritional Facts: 1 slice equals 175 calories, 9 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 12 mg cholesterol, 116 mg sodium, 23 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 2 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 1-1/2 fat, 1 starch, 1/2 fruit.

Quick & Easy Pumpkin Pancakes

I love a good home-made pancake, but I must confess that on a busy morning, those mixes can really come in handy.  This recipe takes the "convenience" of a mix and gives it some holiday flare in a hurry.  I was happy to find that they no longer tasted like pancakes "from a mix". :)

Quick & Easy Pumpkin Pancakes (about.com)
·           2 cups dry boxed pancake mix
·           1 1/2 cups water
·           3/4 cup canned pumpkin
·           1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
·           powdered sugar

Spray non-stick cooking spray onto griddle or frying pan and preheat on medium high heat.

In a large bowl, mix dry pancake mix and water until well blended. Add pumpkin and cinnamon and continue to mix until thoroughly blended. If mix is a little too thick add water, one tablespoon at a time. If mix is too thin, add dry pancake mix, one tablespoon at a time.

Pour onto griddle or frying pan to desired size. When mix begins to bubble at the top, flip and continue to cook until golden brown on both sides.

Once pancakes are done, sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired, or use syrup of choice.

Cherry Rhubarb Crisp... rhubarb gets a second chance!

Until this dish, rhubarb and I DID NOT get along.  My first and only memory was at about age 6.  My best friend Mandy would tear off a large stem from one of the bush-like leafy plants, offer one to me, and gnaw on it like a candy stick... which is, by the way, as polar opposite a taste I can come up with.  I couldn't abide the stuff.  My face puckers at the mere mention.  But, knowing taste buds can change, and knowing I'm kind of an adult, I bravely decided to give rhubarb another chance.  I AM SO GLAD I DID!  ...Now don't get too excited... my rhubarb bundle sat wilting in the crisper to near expiration before I actually summoned the courage to face them, and it's not like we're best friends... but at least now we're civil. :)  In this dish, it was quite delightful.  They reminded me of a sweetened up tart green apple, and the perky pie cherries made a really good companion... although they required a lot of TLC while de-pitting. (One of those cool de-pitter gadgets is now on my kitchen wish-list.)  But, as always, the crisp is unhealthily my favorite part. :)  Loved the hint of ginger.  A winner... and another food nemesis conquered. :) Victory!

Cherry Rhubarb Crisp

(Jen @ My Kitchen Addiction)

3 cups rhubarb, thinly sliced

2 cups cherries, pitted

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon corn starch

3/4 cup quick cooking oatmeal

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon ginger

Pinch salt

1/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Coat a baking dish with baking spray and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the rhubarb, cherries, granulated sugar, and corn starch, tossing to evenly coat.

In a separate bowl, combine the oatmeal, brown sugar, ginger, and salt. Add the butter, and combine with a pastry blender until the mixture is crumbly.

Transfer the rhubarb mixture to the prepared baking dish. Top the rhubarb mixture with the oatmeal mixture.

Bake for 35 minutes, until the top is golden and crisp.

Swing Bars

Why "Swing Bars"?  No idea.  I sat pondering that myself, and my best guess is that the "o" resembles a good round tire swing?  Or perhaps it's because you swing back and forth trying to decide if this is a healthy or unhealthy snack, or even if it is a snack at all.  You "swing" from sticky and deathly sweet, over to chewy clusters of raisins, cheerios and nutty roughage.  Your guess is as good as mine... or better. :)  But we're not here to discuss names, are we?  They were admittedly strange- they didn't "set" or actually turn into "bars".  They were just kind of blobs... but they were yummy blobs.  Truth be told, I'm still "swinging" back and forth trying to decide whether or not I liked them.  You tell me. :)

SWING BARS (From the back of a Hospitality Honey Nut Toasted Oats Bag)

1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk

1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter

3 cups cheerios, crushed (ok- SO EMBARRASSED... while typing, I just noticed it said "crushed" and there is my problem, right there.  I'm sure that's why it didn't set up.  I really need to start examining my recipes a bit closer.  Anyway- don't miss that step like I did.  I'm ashamed. :)

3/4 cup raisins

Preheat oven 350. In large bowl, stir together condensed milk and peannut butter, Add cheerios and raisins. Blend well.  Press mixture into a greased 13x9 pan.  Bake 10-20 minutes or until lightly browned.  Makes 2 dozen 2 inch squares.

 

Pop-up Pancakes-- Whole Wheat, Dairy-Free & Delicious!

If my face would have been comfortable pressed up against the oven glass door, that is where it would have been.  As a child, I distinctly remember WAITING FOREVER by the oven door for those pop-up pancakes to "pop-up".  It was fun watching my kids, particularly my 3 year old, get just as excited.  Mom made them for us often, but I think I have her beat on this batch, because I don't remember them being whole wheat (although ww flour found it's way into almost everything else that I can recall).  This is a breakfast favorite for me, because I can mix it up quick, throw it in the oven and get everyone ready and come back and they're all done... no flipping of pancakes... or should I say burning of pancakes. :)  AWESOME.  And, might I add, quite tasty. :)

Pop-Up Pancakes (healthyfoodshouldtastegood.com)

2 T butter

6 eggs

1 cup rice milk

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/4 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven 400 degrees.  Melt butter.  Pour half of butter into 9x13 dish (I did mine on a baking sheet, and I think it cooked faster).  Using your washed hands, spread butter over bottom and sides of pan.  This works better than cooking spray.  In a separate bowl beat eggs well.  Then add flour and mix well.  Add remaining ingredients including the second half of the butter and mix well.  Pour into the greased pan and bake for 20-25 minute.  Serve warm.

Barb’s 10 Grain Muffins

If you know me, you know that I'm always up for a hearty, high fiber muffin in the morning.  One of my favorite breakfasts!  I just made a fresh batch of my Three-Grain Muffins yesterday.  It's a really good recipe- makes a huge batch- which I like. :)  But I realized I had made these a while back and forgotten to post the recipe, so here is YET ANOTHER muffin recipe coming your way. :)

"I love Bob’s Red Mill 10 Grain cereal. On the bag was a recipe for some muffins. I made them. OK, but not great. So I did what any other creative cook would have done, I futzed. Trial and error resulted in a fiber-filled muffin that was delicious, moist, kept well in the freezer and best of all, didn’t have the consistency of sawdust."

Barb’s 10 Grain Muffins (penguintrax.com)

• 1 XL egg
• 1/2 cup sugar (I use turbinado)
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup unbleached flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 cup Bob’s Red Mill 10 Grain Cereal
• 1 1/4 cups sour milk or buttermilk  (to sour milk, mix a generous teaspoon of vinegar into 1 1/4 cups milk)
• 1 large ripe banana, mashed
• 1/2 cup dried coconut (can substitute sweetened & flaked coconut if necessary)

Preheat oven to 400 F. Prep enough muffin tins to make 14-16 muffins (line with paper, use silicone liners with no-stick spray, etc.)

Combine cereal and buttermilk and let stand for 10 minutes.

Cream sugar, butter and egg. Add banana. Mix well.

In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients.  Add to egg mixture along with the soaked cereal. Mix until just combined.

Spoon into prepared muffin cups.  Bake approximately 12-15 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool in pans for 10 min, then on a rack until thoroughly cooled.

These freeze very well.

Rockin' Ricotta...

I recently mentioned that I've got a "thing" for ricotta (Spiced Asian Pears with Sweetened Ricotta), but that was an understatement!  Lately, I have been playing around with all the AMAZING simple dessert options this versatile cheese has to offer.  So easy to make and something about saying "ricotta" makes it sound like you can cook. :)  Here are a couple different combinations that I have tried... and LOVED!

*I'm partial to this one- perhaps steming from "Blueberries For Sal" my favorite childhood read. :)
Sweetened Ricotta with Fresh Blueberries 

1 cup ricotta

1 T sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

handful of fresh blueberries

*Doug liked this one best.  Shocker... chocolate & raspberries.  That was a "given".

Cocoa Ricotta with Fresh Raspberries 

1 cup ricotta

1 T cocoa powder

2 T sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

handful of frozen or fresh blueberries 

*My girls really liked this one.

Ricotta with Fruit Preserves

1 cup ricotta

2 T jam (I used some of my homemade blackberry jam)

1/2 tsp vanilla extract (if desired)

(I garnished with red sugar sprinkles, just so you're not stumped trying to figure out what that is. :)

Yogurt & Honey Fruit Cups

I made this as a simple snack for the kids, and it was a big hit that had them begging for more.  A little extra prep goes a long way on this one.  It's nice, because you could pretty much use whatever fruit or yogurt you have on hand.  This would also be a yummy way to start the day.

Yogurt & Honey Fruit Cups (Taste of Home)

4-1/2 cups cut-up fresh fruit (pears, apples, bananas, grapes, etc.)
3/4 cup (6 ounces) mandarin orange, vanilla or lemon yogurt
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon grated orange peel
1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Divide fruit among six individual serving bowls. Combine the yogurt, honey, orange peel and extract; spoon over the fruit. Yield: 6 servings.

Nutritional Facts
3/4 cup equals 97 calories, trace fat (trace saturated fat), 2 mg cholesterol, 22 mg sodium, 23 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 2 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 1 fruit, 1/2 starch.

"Biggest Loser" Turkey Breakfast Burrito

I'm not usually one to "follow the crowd"- at least I like to think I'm not, but somehow, someway my hubby and I got watching the last couple seasons of "The Biggest Loser".  (BTW I think this season has been pretty lame and it was time for Conda to go 8 weeks ago.  Just my "humble" opinion. :)  But a few weeks back, they put a plug in for Jennie-O turkey burger and made these breakfast burritos that looked really good to me.  They are super high in protein and I thought they ended up tasting really good.  I made it for dinner and the kids really liked it.  It made a nice big batch too.  So moral of the story... "sometimes hopin' on the bandwagon pays off?" :)

"Biggest Loser" Turkey Breakfast Burrito
Makes 8 Servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: Under 30 minutes

1 ¼ lb. Jennie-O extra lean ground turkey breast
½ c. wheat bran, if desired (I used oat bran because it's what I had- it works well and it high in protein too.)
1 ½ c. canned black beans
½ c. unsweetened apple sauce
½ c. green bell peppers, diced
½ c. red bell peppers, diced
1 egg + 1 egg white
1 tsp. chili powder
1¼ tsp. garlic powder
1¼ tsp. onion powder
1¼ tsp. paprika
1 tsp. salt, if desired
½ tsp. black pepper
*Optional Convenience Tip: Replace all spices with store-bought taco seasoning.

Mix all seasonings really well into turkey breast. Then put in the egg, egg white, apple sauce and the wheat bran, and stir very well. Let it sit for half an hour or overnight covered in the refrigerator, minimum 15 min. Spray the pan, add the ground turkey mix, brown it and break it up into pieces with a wooden spatula while in the pan. Add chopped bell peppers and sauté with meat for about 5 minutes, continuously breaking up the turkey into smaller pieces. Drain the beans, and then add to the pan. Cook for another 2-3 minutes.

Optional Add-Ons:
1 oz. shredded Llight cheddar cheese (45-60 cal)
fresh salsa
guacamole
lime juice
hot sauce to taste

Next:
Spray pan with cooking spray and scramble 2 egg whites. (34 cal, 7g protein)
Serve with one of the following:
2 corn tortillas OR 1 large whole wheat tortilla (80 cal, 5g fiber)
1 whole grain toast (80 cal, 5g fiber)

Side:
Add ½ c. of fresh raspberries (32 cal, 4g fiber)
TOTAL for the entire dish: 296 cal, 14g fiber, 29g protein
(Burrito, Side of egg whites, Raspberries):

Nutrition per 1 serving of burrito filling: 150 cal, 20 cal from fat, 2g total fat, 0g sat fat, 55mg cholesterol, 310 mg sodium, 13g total carb, 5g dietary fiber, 3g sugars

Lemon Yogurt Loaf Recipe

I kind of have a thing for sweet quick breads.  (Which is why I can only make them every so often. :)  It was fun to try one with yogurt- made it moist and tasty- I also love lemon zest in just about anything!  All in all- a happy loaf and a happy girl. :)

Lemon Yogurt Loaf (Taste of Home)
3/4 cup plus 4 teaspoons lemon yogurt, divided (I used vanilla, but added a couple drops of lemon extract)
1/2 cup dried apricots, quartered (I didn't have apricots, so I used dried cranberries)
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar, divided
3 eggs
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
2 cups self-rising flour

In a blender, combine 3/4 cup yogurt and apricots; cover and process until smooth. In a bowl, cream the butter and 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar. Beat in the eggs, lemon peel and yogurt mixture; mix well. Add flour just until combined. Spoon into a greased 8-in. x 4-in. loaf pan.
Bake at 325° for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Combine the remaining yogurt and confectioners' sugar; drizzle over loaf. Yield: 1 loaf.
Editor's Note: As a substitute for each cup of self-rising flour, place 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a measuring cup. Add all-purpose flour to measure 1 cup.

Crock-pot Rice Pudding

Oh- comfort food!  I love anything pudding and anything crock-pot, so together... a beautiful marriage for me!  I remembered making a really big batch of rice pudding in the crock-pot several years back and I just loved it- so I returned to the same book hunting for the recipe, but I don't think I found it.  It was still a good batch though- I kind of liked the lemon flavor (probably in part because I think some of my unusual spices and extracts get lonely, so I love an excuse to dust them off) and how could adding cream not be a good idea?!  The texture was a little different- the rice might have need a bit more time, but still tasty and it sure smelled good while it was cooking!

Mama's Rice Pudding (From Fit-it and Forget-it Cookbook)

1/2 cup white rice uncooked

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp lemon extract

1 cup plus 2 T milk

1 tsp butter

2 eggs beaten

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup raisins

1 cup whipping cream

nutmeg to taste

1. Combine all ingredients except whipping cream and nutmeg in slow cooker.  Stir well.

2. Cover pot. Cook on Low 6-7 hours, until rice is tender and milk absorbed.  Be sure to stir every 2 hours during cooking.

3. Pour into bowl.  Cover with plastic wrap and chill.

4.  Before serving, fold in whipped cream and sprinkle with nutmeg.