Creamy Chia Oatmeal

Good morning, and happy Wednesday! I'm offering up my sincerest apologies for this photo, but certainly not apologizing for the recipe. It's killer good and a huge hit with my husband, who begged me to put the recipe up for you guys. Hey, if Joey is raving about oatmeal, it's most certainly got something going on, right?

Over the past few weeks, my love for oatmeal has heated back up. My favorite thing about oats has always been the fact that if you cook them slowly, you can get your oats to absorb a ridiculous amount of water, hence making for a giant, filling bowl at breakfast without added calories. But it wasn't until recently that I realized you can also bulk up your oats and add great texture and nutrition by stirring in a tablespoon of chia seeds. 

If you're unfamiliar with chia seeds, they are a small but mighty food that provides fiber, omega fatty acids, calcium and antioxidants. They have a slightly nutty flavor and get bigger when added to liquid, making portions extra generous. If you're looking for more information, check out what Dr. Oz has to say about chia HERE.

Of course, this oatmeal is about more than just health. It's perfect, creamy, fluffy and all around delicious. All of which is made better by adding a generous scoop of peanut butter atop for good measure. 

Creamy Chia Oatmeal 

Makes 1 serving 

*1 2/3 cup water

*Pinch of salt

*3/4 cup rolled oats (not instant)

*1 tablespoon chia seeds

*2 to 3 tablespoons milk 

*1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

*2 packets Stevia or 2 tablespoons brown sugar 

*1 tablespoon natural peanut butter 

Instructions

*In a saucepan over medium heat, combine water, salt, oats and chia seeds. Cook, stirring occasionally, for six to eight minutes or until oats and chia seeds are puffed up and the oats just begin to bubble/boil. For ultra creamy oatmeal, cook at an even lower heat for more time. 

*When oats begin to bubble, add in the milk, cinnamon and sweetener or sugar. Continue to cook for two to three minutes, until the oats have absorbed the milk and the mixture is creamy. Remove from heat and transfer to a bowl. Top with the peanut butter. Serve immediately. 

Happy Cooking!

Madison

Baked Oatmeal

Since I'm guessing by now most of you have your Thanksgiving meal planned and your recipes selected, I thought it might be helpful to shift gears a bit. Chances are that during the next month you will probably have guests staying at your house overnight, or perhaps you are planning on hosting a brunch in the days leading up to Thanksgiving or Christmas.

For me, this type of situation has always proved to be a little tricky. The most common large-group breakfast and brunch dishes seem to be sugar-laden pastries, coffee cakes and greasy egg bakes. Not that there is anything wrong with that, I just prefer to start off the morning with something a little healthier.

I have no idea why it took me so long to get on the baked oatmeal bandwagon, but I'm so glad finally took the plunge. When Heidi's recipe for baked oatmeal started making its way around the internet, I was intrigued. But it wasn't until last night that I gathered up my ingredients and fired up the oven.

Although the original recipe calls for fresh berries, I used thawed, frozen berries since I wasn't about to pay an arm and a leg for fresh this time of year. I also baked the oatmeal in a 9x13-inch pan instead of an 8x8 and upped the number of bananas used, since the baked bananas are the best part of this recipe. Heidi's original recipe also calls for three tablespoons of butter, an ingredient I left out without any issue.

This dish left our house with the most heavenly aroma while it was baking and had us drooling when we pulled it out of the oven. I couldn't help but sneak a small bowl for dessert last night, and helped myself to more for breakfast this morning. While it still tasted good the next day, I would highly recommend baking it the morning you plan to serve it, since that's when the flavor and texture is pure perfection.

Baked Oatmeal
Recipe slightly adapted from 101 Cookbooks 

Ingredients
*2 cups rolled oats
*1/2 cup pecan pieces, toasted and chopped
*1/3 cup natural cane sugar
*1 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
*1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
*1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
*2 cups milk (I used 2%)
*1 large egg
*2 teaspoons vanilla extract
*3 ripe bananas cut into 1/2-inch pieces
*1 1/2 cups frozen mixed berries (blackberries, blueberries and raspberries), thawed

Instructions
*Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking pan with butter or nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
*In a large bowl, combine the oats, 1/2 of the pecans, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.
*In a second bowl, combine the milk, egg and vanilla. Stir until well combined. Set aside.
*Line the bottom of the prepared baking pan with the bananas in a single layer covering the entire bottom of the pan. Sprinkle with 3/4 cup of the thawed berries. Sprinkle the oats mixture evenly over the bananas and berries in the pan. Evenly pour the milk and egg mixture atop the oat layer. Give the baking pan a couple shakes to evenly distribute the milk mixture through the oats. Top with the remaining berries and pecans. Sprinkle with a little additional cane sugar, if desired.
*Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the edges are slightly bubbly and oatmeal looks set. The mixture will still be slightly moist but should feel 'set up' when you touch with your finger. Cool for 5 minutes on a wire rack before serving. Makes 6 servings or 12 servings as part of a larger brunch spread.

Approximate calories for 6 servings: 332 calories, 11 g fat (2 g sat. fat) , 314 mg sodium, 50 g carbohydrates, 9.6 g protein.  

Happy Baking!
Madison

Semi-Homemade Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Cups

Good news! I baked you cinnamon rolls, pumpkin ones in fact. I couldn't imagine a better way to start your weekend, or any day of the week for that matter, than with a warm ramekin oozing with dough and pumpkin and spices.

But let me fill you in on a little secret. I hate cooking with yeast. I mean I wish I was a master of all things dough-based, but yeast and I have a bit of a tortured relationship. So I went all Sandra Lee on you and did a little semi-homemade job on a can of Pillsbury Grands Biscuits.

Although I typically discourage the buying and using of things like pre-made biscuits, these things get me every time. They have the flaky layers deal down, that's for sure. So on those mornings when you just want a fruit smoothie and your hubby is sick of eating cereal or oatmeal for breakfast, these are the perfect solution. They're super easy to put together and reheat really well.

Semi-Homemade Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Cups

Ingredients
*1 can refrigerated Pillsbury Grands Flaky Layers Biscuits (8 count)
*1 cup brown sugar
*1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice or ground cinnamon
*1/3 cup pumpkin butter (I used purchased but you could also use my Healthy Pumpkin Butter recipe)
*1 3/4 cups powdered sugar
*1 tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice
*3 to 4 tablespoons milk
*1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions
*Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease five oven-going small ramekins (mine are 4-inches in diameter) with nonstick cooking spray or five jumbo muffin cups. Set aside.
*Roll each biscuit into a five-inch long rope between your hands. Flatten each rope so it forms a rectangle (roughly 5 inches long by 2 or 3 inches wide).
*In a shallow dish, combine the brown sugar and pumpkin pie spice. Dip both sides of each biscuit rectangle into the sugar mixture to coat.
*Spread a small spoonful of pumpkin butter into the center of each biscuit rectangle and spread, making sure to leave a border around the edges. Roll up the biscuits lengthwise and pinch the ends to seal. Cut each rectangle into two slices. Repeat with remaining rectangles.
*Place three cut pieces into each of the ramekins or muffin cups. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the cinnamon rolls and browned and puffy.
*Cool slightly. Meanwhile, combine the powdered sugar, orange juice, milk and cinnamon. Stir to combine. Drizzle over the warm cinnamon rolls and serve immediately. Or, cover and reheat in the microwave when ready to eat.

Happy Baking!

Madison

Protein Pancake

 

Lately on the blogosphere, there have been plenty of recipes popping up for protein pancakes. I absolutely love a good whole wheat pancake so the idea of a protein-packed version with fewer carbs and a more admirable nutritional profile seemed like the best of both worlds.

Last week I set out to make one of the recipes I found on a popular blog and was disappointed in the results. Maybe it was because the recipe called for a 'scoop' of protein powder, which is a pretty vague amount. But the results weren't impressive. The second recipe I tried was equally as disappointing and left me wanting something that tasted more like a pancake and less like a bowl of oats.

So I decided to take matters into my own hands and whip up something that would pack in plenty of protein but would still taste like the pancakes I know and love. And trust me, we both love pancakes around here and know the taste and texture that's just right. 

I used this recipe as a guide for the protein-packed version of my favorite breakfast and was pleasantly surprised with the flavor that the vanilla protein powder added along with the added sweetness from the Stevia. Of course, if you want even more protein, feel free to spread with a spoonful of peanut butter.

Protein Pancake 

Makes 2 to 3 Servings

Ingredients

*3/4 cup whole wheat flour

*1/4 cup vanilla protein powder

*3/4 teaspoon baking soda

*1 teaspoon Stevia or brown sugar 

*1 large egg, lightly beaten

*3/4 cup milk

*1 teaspoon vanilla extract

*Peanut butter (optional) 

Instructions

*In a large bowl, combine the flour, protein powder, baking soda and Stevia. Set aside. In a second bowl, combine the egg, milk and vanilla extract.
*Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
*Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add batter to skillet. (This recipe makes enough for two or three pancakes/servings. See below for nutritional information for three servings.)
*Cook for two to three minutes, or until bubbles form at the surface of the pancake. Flip and cook one minute more. Serve with peanut butter, if desired.

Happy Cooking!

Madison

Peanut Butter Spread

Wow! Thank you all so much for your enthusiastic response to the giveaway. I wish I could give every one of you an ice cream maker. Alas, I have to choose just one person, and that person is....

Congrats, Ashley! E-mail me (madisonjanemayberry@gmail.com) with your name, address and your selection of which type of ice cream maker you would like and I will get it to you asap!

Last weekend I found myself making waffles for the first time with our new waffle iron, only to realize halfway through that we were out of maple syrup. Typically, when I'm trying to keep sugar and calories down, I opt for the artificially sweetened bottled light pancake syrup or sugar-free pancake syrup. But on Saturday I didn't have anything remotely close to syrup and was too lazy to make my way to the store.

Instead, I whipped up this creamy peanut butter spread. While it's not quite as drippy as syrup, its thicker consistency does prevent it from making pancakes, waffles and other breakfast goodies from becoming soggy underneath and it helps to stretch the peanut butter across a larger surface. Major bonus in my book. Because although I would like to eat tablespoon after tablespoon of peanut butter, my hips and thighs beg me not to.

After I made this spread, I imagined that it would make a delicious dip for pretzels or fruit, or a great spread atop toast. And if you sprinkled a little granola and chocolate atop it, I can only imagine it would be perfect on its own, too.

Peanut Butter Spread
Ingredients
*4 oz. plain, 2% Greek yogurt
*1 tablespoon natural, creamy peanut butter
*1/2 to 1 teaspoon stevia or brown sugar
*1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
*1 to 2 tablespoons milk (depending on how thick you want it)

Instructions
*In a small bowl, combine all the above ingredients. Stir until well combine. Start with 1 tablespoon of the milk, then add additional if you want a thinner consistency. Spoon over waffles, pancakes or atop toast.

Happy Cooking!

Madison

Heathier Recipe 1: Banana Muffins

 

Since I had three very ripe bananas sitting atop my fridge, I decided to jump right in on this request to make banana muffins healthier. Banana bread is one of my favorite breakfast treats and an extremely easy food to make healthier because the ripe bananas naturally provide moisture and sweetness to the recipe.

Upon first looking at the original recipe, I noticed a few things. First, it contained sour cream; great for adding moisture and flavor but not so hot nutritionally. Second, they were made with all-purpose flour. Not the end of the world but something that could benefit from a healthy face lift. There was also a full stick of butter in these muffins and a hefty dose of sugar.

So what's a girl to do? For starters, I stirred in vanilla yogurt for the sour cream to cut down on fat and calories and used a combination of whole wheat and all purpose flour for a dose of whole grains and fiber. I also cut back on the amount of sugar used, since I find most recipes are a little heavy on the sweetness. And I cut back on the butter by a few tablespoons and used a little unsweetened applesauce in its place. 

The calorie comparison (calculated using sparkrecipes.com) between the original and my new, healthier version are pretty impressive: 

Original Recipe: 205 calories, 11 g fat (6 g sat. fat), 60 mg chol., 25 g carb, 14 g sugar, 3 g protein.
New Recipe: 154 calories, 6 g fat (4 g sat. fat), 15 mg chol., 24 g carb., 12 g sugar, 2 g protein.

Banana Muffins 

Recipe adapted from Epicurious.com

Ingredients

*1/2 cup all-purpose flour

*3/4 cup whole wheat flour

*1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

*1/2 teaspoon baking soda

*1/4 teaspoon salt

*2 very ripe bananas, mashed

*6 ounces light vanilla yogurt (such as Dannon Light and Fit)

*1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

*1/2 cup sugar

*6 tablespoons butter, softened

*2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce 

*1 large egg

*1 large egg yolk 

Instructions:

*Preheat oven to 350°F. 

*In a bowl combine the flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt. 

*In a large bowl, combine mashed bananas, yogurt, vanilla extract, sugar, butter, applesauce and eggs until well combined. Add flour mixture to the wet mixture. Stir until just combined. 

*Line 12 muffin cups with paper baking liners. Spoon batter into muffin cups. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack. 

Happy Baking!

Madison

Vegan Strawberry Streusel Bread

If I'm completely honest with myself, the reason I've avoided vegan baking is because it seems scary and unknown.

Butter and eggs I understand. I know that when you add them to recipes they produce soft, rich, fluffy baked goods that make people oooh and ahhh.

Vegan baking, on the other hand, is another world full of words like flax eggs, vegan margarine and the likes.

So to help you all, and myself, out I stopped by Mama Pea's site, which is full of amazingly approachable vegan recipes, and picked out the easiest baking recipe I could find. Of course, the Apple Spice Coffee Cake seemed a little too much like fall for this time of year, so I switched things up and subbed in chopped fresh strawberries for the apples. Has anyone else noticed how amazingly delicious strawberries are right now?

If you've never ventured into vegan baking, this is a great place to start. And even if you are a vegan baking expert, this streusel bread is worth making. Serve with coffee, at a brunch, or as a mildly-sweet dessert. The choice is up to you.

Have a happy weekend, all!

Vegan Strawberry Streusel Bread
Adapted from Mama Pea's Apple Spice Coffee Cake 

Ingredients
*1/2 cup non dairy milk
*3/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce
*1/4 cup canola oil
*1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
*1 teaspoon vanilla extract
*1/2 cup brown sugar
*1 cup whole wheat flour
*1 cup all-purpose flour
*1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
*1/2 teaspoon baking soda
*1/4 teaspoon salt
*1 cup chopped fresh strawberries

For the topping:
*3 tablespoons brown sugar
*1 tablespoon sugar
*2 tablespoons flour
*2 1/2 tablespoons vegan margarine
*1/4 cup old fashioned oats
*2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Instructions:
*Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan or line with parchment paper. (I prefer to grease and line just the bottom with parchment.)
*In a small mixing bowl, combine the non-dairy milk, apple sauce, oil, cinnamon, vanilla and brown sugar. Stir until well combined.
*In a large bowl, combine the flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir to combine. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Stir until just combined.
*Gently stir in chopped strawberries. Transfer batter to loaf pan.
*In a small bowl, combine the ingredients for the topping and combine with fingers until mixture is well combined and crumbly. Spread mixture atop batter in loaf pan.
*Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Serve with vegan margarine or strawberry preserves.

Happy Baking!

Madison

Tropical Coconut Smoothie

 

Thanks to everyone who entered the Larabar giveaway. The winner is Roxy who said: 

E-mail me at madisonjanemayberry@gmail.com and I will get your Larabars in the mail! 

On Tuesday I had the pleasure of visiting the dentist and having four fillings done. It was, as you can imagine, about as fun as it sounds. Two new cavities and two old repairs makes for one awfully sore mouth and some pretty numb lips. 

I really should do a better job at brushing my teeth at night. Typically, I laugh at Joey for taking so darn long to brush his teeth. Guess he got the last laugh this time.

When I got home, I decided a smoothie was the best plan of attack for lunch, along with a salad and a veggie 'hot dog'. The whole process of trying to eat was comical, to say the least. I'm just glad there wasn't anyone around to see the little drops of smoothie dribbling down my chin. 

Attractive. Joey has sooo much to look forward to when we get married. 

This smoothie, on the other hand, is a real beauty inside and out. To keep things interesting I've been switching up what types of milk I buy: rice milk, almond milk, regular milk and coconut milk beverage. And when I found myself with some coconut milk in my fridge last week and a half eaten bag of frozen tropical fruit mix in the freezer, I knew a beautiful smoothie was about to be born.

Tropical Coconut Smoothie

Ingredients

*1 cup frozen mixed tropical fruit mix (I get mine at Target)

*3/4 to 1 cup coconut milk beverage, such as So Delicious brand 

*1 teaspoon stevia or other natural sweetener

*1/2 teaspoon coconut extract (optional)

*1/4 cup vanilla or coconut flavored yogurt (I prefer Dannon Light and Fit)

Instructions

*Combine all ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth. You can add an ice cube or two, if an even thicker consistency is desired. 

Happy Cooking!

Madison

Cocoa Protein 'Muffin'

Breakfast is my absolute favorite meal of the day. As strange as it may be, I think about what I'm going to have for breakfast while drifting off to sleep the night before. Breakfast is a big deal around here.

In the past I skipped breakfast more times than I'd like to admit, thinking that it was better to avoid racking up calories first thing in the morning. My poor metabolism. Now I aim to eat about 400 to 500 calories at breakfast, which isn't difficult considering how ravenous I am the moment I wake up.

I had been reading about protein muffins on Gena's site for a while now, but it wasn't until last week that I got motivated to dig through my pantry in search of the ingredients I needed to make one. Of course, I didn't have all the suggested items so I winged it a bit and was thrilled with the results. It turned out moist, dense and was huge (major bonus in my book). And on top of it all, the ingredient list ended up being pretty stellar.

Give it a try next time you have a craving for a bakery-like treat without the guilt.

Sidenote: I've been traveling, running and going at a hectic pace this weekend so blog photography is courtesy of my iPhone. Eventually I'll get better at bringing my real camera with me when I'm traveling. Perhaps when I cave and get a more atractive camera bag!

Hope you all had a wonderful long weekend, and thanks for all your feedback on the pies!
What are your favorite things to eat for breakfast? Do you eat breakfast at all?

Cocoa Protein 'Muffin'
Inspired by Smoothie Girl and Fitnessista

Ingredients
*1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
*1/2 teaspoon baking powder
*1 egg white (from one large egg)
*1 scoop chocolate protein powder (I measured and it ended up being just shy of 1/3 cup)
*2 tablespoons peanut flour or whole wheat flour
*1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
*1 teaspoon stevia or 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar

Instructions
*In a small baking dish or microwave-going cereal bowl, combine the applesauce, baking powder and egg white. Beat until well combined. Add in the chocolate protein powder, flour, ground cinnamon and stevia or brown sugar. Beat until all ingredients are evenly combined.
*Place dish in the microwave and cook for 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 minutes on high, until mixture is puffed up and bounces back when you touch the center with your finger.
*Remove from dish, transfer to a plate and top with desired toppings, such as nut butter, low-sugar pancake syrup or Greek yogurt. Makes 1 muffin

Calories per muffin: About 360 depending on the type of protein powder

Happy 'baking'!

Madison

Peanut Butter Cup Pancakes

After talking in my last recipe post about my commitment to sharing more healthy recipes and inspiration from my daily life in food, I know what you must be thinking.

Peanut Butter Cup Pancakes? Well, that hardly qualifies as a healthy breakfast. But let me explain.

For a while now, pancakes have gotten a bad reputation for being unhealthy and full of empty calories. But with a little tweaking, they can actually be a great way to start your day. What may look unhealthy on the outside is filled with good-for-you ingredients like whole wheat flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, protein powder and low-fat milk. And topping your pancakes with peanut butter or Greek yogurt instead of syrup saves loads of calories and grams of added sugar.

Since Joey requests pancakes on a regular basis, I loved the idea of mixing the dry ingredients ahead of time and storing them in the pantry for a hassle-free breakfast in the morning when I'm short on time or just feeling a little lazy.

Peanut Butter Cup Pancakes

Dry Ingredients
*1/2 cup all-purpose flour
*1/2 cup whole wheat flour
*1/4 cup protein powder (vanilla or chocolate)
*1/2 teaspoon baking soda
*2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
*1 tablespoon brown sugar (optional, or you could substitute 1 teaspoon stevia)
*1/4 cup miniature chocolate chips

Wet Ingredients
*1 teaspoon vanilla extract
*1 cup low-fat milk
*1 large egg, lightly beaten

Toppings
*Natural peanut butter and/or Greek yogurt

Instructions
*In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients. In a second bowl, combine the wet ingredients. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir until just combined, leaving a few lumps to keep the pancakes light and fluffy.
*Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add pancake batter, a 1/4 cup at a time, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side, flipping when bubbles form on the surface of the pancake.
*Top pancakes with a tablespoon of creamy peanut butter or Greek yogurt. And if you're feeling bold, go with both.

Rough nutrition info: Each 1/4 cup pancake is about 185 calories, without the peanut butter. Although I like to eat two pancakes with a tablespoon of peanut butter when I'm eating these babies for breakfast. 

Make Your Own: Chewy Granola Bars

Even though I love my job, working in an office every day has its drawbacks for anyone active and fitness minded. There's the hours of sitting every day and the cravings to be outside in the summer sunshine. And then there's the challenge of planning snacks and lunches to take along each day.

A few times a week I run home over lunch, but many days I take lunch along. And I always, always pack snacks. Granola bars or protein bars are a favorite snack of mine when paired with a piece of fruit in the afternoon, but when I actually take time to look at the ingredient list of many of my favorites, it makes me cringe.

Take, for example, Quaker Chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bars. Snack staple of kids and adults alike. They lure you in with the '100 calorie' burst on the box, but the ingredient list is less than stellar.

I find it hard to believe all these ingredients are necessary, or healthy for that matter. So I set out to make my own, and was more than trilled with the results. Although they fall apart a little easier than their store-bought counterparts, they are bursting with fresh, real flavor thanks to the addition of almond butter, honey and vanilla. And as a bonus, they make your kitchen smell like you're making waffle cones. Doesn't get any better than that!

Make Your Own: Chewy Granola Bars

Ingredients
*1/3 cup almond butter
*1/3 cup honey
*1 teaspoon vanilla extract
*1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
*2 cups Kashi GoLean Crunch! cereal (large pieces broken up slightly)
*2 cups regular rolled oats
*1/4 cup miniature chocolate chips

Instructions
*Line an 8x8x2-inch baking bakin with aluminum foil. Set aside.
*In a small saucepan, combine the almond butter, honey and vanilla extract. Cook, stirring frequently, over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, until mixture is hot and well combined. Remove from heat.
*In a large mixing bowl, combine the Kashi cereal and oats. Our almond butter mixture over cereal mixture and stir until evenly combined. Stir in chocolate chips.
*Press mixture into lined baking pan. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Remove granola bar mixture and foil from baking pan and cut into 8 bars. To store, wrap in aluminum foil or store in a zip-top bag and keep in the refrigerator.

Nutrition information per bar: 195 cal., 9 g fat, 119 mg chol., 180 mg potassium, 28 g carbohydrates, 3 g fiber, 5 g protein, 13 g sugar

Happy snacking!

Madison

Ginger Spice Scones

Whew. 

I hope you had a slightly more relaxing weekend than I did and are returning to your schedules refreshed and wide awake. After spending a couple days with Joey and my mom at my apartment, I took off on Saturday, with Nutmeg in tow, for a bridal shower for my best friend up in Minneapolis. It was a whirlwind trip to say the least, but even a few hours with those you love is more than worth the time in the car.

On the kitchen front, I've been baking and eating scones. Over the years, I've made a few scone recipes and eaten even more. Most of those scones have been less than memorable. Dry, crumbly, and unhealthy. 

These scones are different. They're light and fluffy (thanks to a hefty dose of baking powder and soda) despite their stellar whole-wheat nutritional profile. Maybe, for some, they are too light to be considered a true scone, but for breakfast lovers like me, they really hit the spot. Of course, when I get my hands on a jar of sugar-free fruit preserves, I spread the stuff on everything in sight. Scones are no exception. 

Have a scone. And a happy Monday!

Ginger Spice Scones

Ingredients

*1 3/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour (or a combination of 1 cup whole wheat flour and 3/4 cup all-purpose flour)

*1/3 cup granulated sugar

*1 tablespoon baking powder

*1/2 teaspoon baking soda

*1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

*1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

*1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

*1/3 cup butter 

*2 large eggs

*1/4 cup milk

*Sugar-free blackberry preserves an Greek yogurt (optional) 

Instructions

*Preheat oven to 375°F. In a large bowl, combine the whole wheat pastry flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and ginger. With a pastry blender, blend in the butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. 

*In a small bowl, combine eggs and milk. Add wet mixture to dry mixture and stir to combine. Turn onto floured surface and knead a few times until mixture comes together. Roll dough out into 1/2-inch thickness and cut into circles with a round cookie cutter or the top of a glass. 

*Transfer scones to baking sheet and bake for 11 to 13 minutes or until golden brown and slightly crisp around the edges. Cool on wire rack. Serve with blackberry preserves and Greek yogurt, if desired. 

Happy Baking!

Madison

Peanut Butter Granola

Happy (almost) weekend, everyone! I don't know about you, but I sure am ready for a few days to relax with Joey and Nut. Joey has business in Des Moines on Monday morning so he will be staying with me a little longer than usual, and it means we get to have a Sunday night together. I'm ridiculously excited. 

I thought it was also high time for me to share what I've been eating for breakfast the last couple weeks. Last week, after seeing Jenna's post about granola, I was compelled to make some of my own. Of course, I decided to forgo using a recipe and just stick with equal parts butter, oil and honey. I realize that Granola is typically made with regular rolled oats, but I made this granola with a combination of regular rolled oats and the quick-cooking variety. It would be great if I could say it was for creativity's sake, but truthfully, I ran out of rolled oats.

The good news? Quick-cooking oats made a fabulous substitute. Although I wouldn't recommend using 100% quick-cooking oats, the mix worked out well. And you know me, if you put peanut butter on something I'll follow you around and love you forever. I've been enjoying my granola served with an ice-cold glass of 2% milk and chopped walnuts.

P.S. - How cute are these two?

Peanut Butter Granola

Ingredients
*1 2/3 cup rolled oats
*1 2/3 cup instant oats
*1/3 cup peanut butter
*1/3 cup vegetable oil
*1/3 cup honey
*Serve with milk (I vote for 2%) and chopped walnuts

Instructions
*Preheat oven to 275°F. In a large bowl, combine the oats. In a small bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, vegetable oil and honey. Stir until well combined.
*Pour peanut butter mixture over oats and stir until oats are evenly coated. Spread evenly onto baking sheet. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until lightly golden and toasted, stirring once halfway through baking. Cool completely and store in an airtight container.

Happy Cooking!

Madison

High Protein Health-Nut Banana Bread

I'm always looking for ways to incorporate more protein into each meal and snack I eat. After becoming vegetarian, I knew that finding new protein sources was going to be crucial to my success.  Each day I try to drink a protein shake filled with fruit, Greek yogurt flies out of the refrigerator, and I go through peanut butter faster than I want to admit.

And although I enjoy scrambled eggs for lunch or dinner quite often, I can never get myself to eat them for breakfast. It's got to be on the sweet side for me, without causing a whole bunch of guilt and a sugar crash after. That's where this banana bread comes into the picture.

Yes, another banana bread, despite the fact that there are already two recipes for it on the site. But this bread is delicious and healthy. It's not your grandmother's banana bread. No, it's filled with yogurt, protein powder, flax seed, whole wheat flour and peanut butter for a hearty dose of protein and fiber. And with only a 1/2 cup of sugar in the entire loaf, it has a mildly sweet flavor that won't weigh you down.

High Protein Health-Nut Banana Bread

Ingredients
*3 medium ripe bananas, mashed
*5 tablespoons butter, melted
*1/3 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt (I use Dannon Light and Fit) 
*35-40 grams vanilla-flavored protein powder (I use Pure Protein Vanilla Whey Protein)
*1/4 cup sugar
*1/4 cub brown sugar
*2 large eggs
*1 teaspoon baking soda
*1/4 teaspoon salt
*1 teaspoon vanilla extract
*1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
*1/4 cup ground flax meal
*1/2 cup all-purpose flour
*3/4 cup whole wheat flour
*2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
*2 tablespoons milk 

Instructions
*Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with aluminum foil; set aside.
*In a large bowl, beat together the bananas, butter, yogurt, protein powder, sugar, brown sugar and eggs. Beat until well combined. Add in baking soda, salt vanilla extract, cinnamon and flax meal. Stir until combined.
*Beat in flours until just combined. Reserve 1/2 cup of the batter. Transfer remaining batter to loaf pan. Stir peanut butter and milk into the reserved batter and stir until combined. Spread peanut butter batter atop batter in loaf pan. Run a knife through to evenly distribute peanut butter batter layer.
*Bake for 50 minutes, until golden brown on the surface. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Happy baking!

Madison

Breakfast Muffies

You know those special pans you can buy at specialty cooking stores that are designed to help you create muffin tops or 'muffies'? Yeah, I don't have one of those pans, but I am most certainly a fan of muffin tops.

Unless we're talking about muffin tops above your jeans. Definitely not a fan of those.

The good news about these muffies? They won't give you a muffin top. In fact, they're actually quite healthy, made with mashed bananas, whole wheat flour, oats, and a little butter and sugar. If you're a fan of soft, fluffy, cake-like cookie-muffins then these are for you.

Of course, a single muffie on its own isn't enough to keep me full all morning, so I dressed mine up this morning with a smear of creamy peanut butter and a dollop of Greek yogurt. A divine way to start the morning, indeed.

Breakfast Muffies
This recipe calls for oat flour, which is incredibly easy to make. Just place 1 1/2 to 2 cups of regular rolled oats in a food processor and process for about a minute, until the oats form a finely ground meal. Use as you would flour! 

Ingredients
*1 cup oat flour (see note, above)
*3/4 cup whole wheat flour
*1/4 tsp. baking powder
*3/4 tsp. baking soda
*1/4 tsp. salt
*1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
*3 very ripe bananas, mashed
*1 large egg
*1/3 cup sugar
*2 1/2 Tbsp. butter, melted
*1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Instructions
*Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease with non stick cooking spray. 
*In a small bowl, combine the oat flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and ground cinnamon. Set aside.
*In a large mixing bowl, combine the bananas, egg, sugar and butter. Stir until well combined. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring until just combined. Stir in chopped walnuts.
*Drop by heaping tablespoons onto baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until cookies are lightly golden around the edges and puffed. Remove and transfer to wire rack to cool. Makes 10 muffies

Nutritional Facts per muffie: (estimated from SparkRecipes) 191 cal., 8.2 g fat (2.6 sat. fat), 26 mg chol., 109 mg. sodium, 27 g carb., 3.2 g dietary fiber, 11 g sugar, 4.4 g protein. 239 g potassium


Happy Baking!
Madison

Carrot Spice Muffins

Every morning starts off pretty much the exact same in my apartment.

5:30 - Alarm goes off
5:45 - I am making breakfast with coffee in hand
6:00 - I'm seated on my couch, eating breakfast and catching up on my favorite blogs

I catch up on the lives of my blog 'friends', get updates about family (my future sister in law just started a blog!) and drool over amazing recipes shared by talented chefs and home cooks. But rarely do I ever bake something from said blogs. It's not that I don't dream of cooking from other sites, it's just that with limited time and resources, I try to save my 'recipe cooking' for things I plan to share on Espresso and Cream.

But on Monday I stumbled upon a recipe I knew I needed to bake. Natalie, over at The Sweets Life, posted a recipe for Carrot Spice Muffins from Dorie Greenspan's book Baking from My Home to Yours. I don't frequently eat muffins because I have a sneaking suspicion that many muffins are actually more nutritionally akin to cupcakes.

This recipe, on the other hand, was something I could get behind. Something I could make my own and enjoy for breakfast without guilt. To fit my needs, I cut back the sugar by 1/3 cup; my grandma, who is a wonderful baker, has a theory you can cut the sugar dramatically in most recipes without consequence because we are been accustomed to overly sweet food. Additionally, I made these little cakes with 100% whole wheat flour because white flour and I don't socialize on a daily basis. I added kosher salt for a kick of flavor and made a few other minor alterations.

Surprisingly. considering they were completely whole wheat, they were pleasantly light. And for me, the sweetness level was spot on. Though if you like your muffins a tad sweeter, go ahead and add 1/3 cup of brown sugar to the mix.

Thanks, Natalie, (and Dorie!) for sharing this recipe!

Also, a few house-keeping notes. In addition to a the new header I designed while I was home sick last week, I also created an all new Recipe Page that has some of my favorite recipes listed for easy access. I've also updated my About Me, FAQ, and Press pages!

Carrot Spice Muffins
Adapted from The Sweets Life and Dorie Greenspan

Ingredients
*2 cups whole wheat flour
*1 tablespoon baking powder
*1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
*1/2 cup sugar
*1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
*1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
*1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
*2 large eggs
*3/4 cup milk
*2/3 cup oil
*1 teaspoon vanilla extract
*1/2 cup golden raisins
*1 cup finely grated carrots

Instructions
*Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease or line 18 muffin cups. Set aside.
*In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger. In a second bowl, combine the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla extract. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, stirring until just combined. Gently stir in the golden raisins and carrots. Do not over mix.
*Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until lightly golden. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Serve with butter.

Happy Baking!

Madison

Breakfast Cookie Dough

Happy Valentine's Day, all! Before I say anything about Breakfast Cookie Dough, I want to let you all know how much I love you all. Over the past year, you've made this site more than I could have imagined it being, and I'm oh so thankful for you. Every time you e-mail me, send me a photo of a recipe you've made from the site, Tweet me, or comment about a recipe, I'm reminded of how blessed I am. I truly hope your Valentine's Day is full of all the love you deserve.

Now that feelings have been shared, let's get to the goods: cookie dough for breakfast, 100% guilt-free. I got inspired to make something like this after seeing many recipes for cookie dough 'dip' for fruit and other items. However, even the healthiest versions of this dip contained at least a little cream cheese. In my book, cream cheese and healthy breakfasts don't really walk hand in hand. 

So I made this, Breakfast Cookie Dough, because I love sweet things in the morning, but I hate that rock-in-your-stomach feeling after eating a dense breakfast pastry. Even though I don't have kids, I imagine it would be a fabulous way to get picky eaters to wolf down a breakfast full of protein and calcium without much fuss.

This recipe isn't rocket science, but it sure is tasty. And for someone who likes breakfast to taste indulgent, it's the perfect fix.

Breakfast Cooke Dough

Ingredients
*1 container plain, unsweetened 2% Greek yogurt (I use Fage brand)
*1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
*1 Tbsp. creamy peanut butter
*1 to 2 tsp. Stevia, Truvia or other natural, no-calorie sweetener 
*1 Tbsp. dark or milk chocolate chips, chopped

Instructions
*In a bowl, combine the Greek yogurt, ground cinnamon, peanut butter, and sweetener. Stir gently until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips. Sprinkle addtional chocolate chips on top, if desired.

Happy cooking!

Madison

Berry-Love Smoothies

Inevitably, as Valentine's Day creeps closer, I start to think about people I love and cherish. I'm fortunate to have quite a few of those individuals in my life, and on February 14th I plan to make sure they all know how deeply I care for them. And while it's so important to love those around us, I think it's time we start showing our bodies a little bit more love, too.

Body-image and weight isn't something I've talked much about on Espresso and Cream, since I'm not an expert on either accounts, but it's something I hope to talk more about in the future. Like many people, I struggled for years to make peace with my body, food and how I see myself in the mirror. Throughout college (and on my weaker days in the present) I played the comparison game with the women around me: she had skinnier thighs, prettier hair, better arms, you name it. And you know what? None of it made me any happier, thinner or prettier. Instead of building up those around me, I was quietly tearing them, and myself, down.

This isn't to say forget about healthy living and self-improvement and be happy with your unhealthy self. In fact, it's quite the opposite, because self-improvement starts with loving the body, mind and heart you've been given. (excuse me if I sound like a self-help book) A little over a year ago, I saw things I wanted to improve about myself, like my eating habits, exercise routine and the way I treated myself. And while I may not be completely there yet, I'm a whole lot closer than I was 12 months ago.

So no matter where you are at emotionally, take a little extra time this week to be good to your body. Maybe that's as simple as thinking kind thoughts about yourself when you look in the mirror, or perhaps it means making a commitment to eating more veggies or making your trips to the gym a priority. Big or small, every step is worth taking. And if you're looking to be extra good to yourself, this smoothie is an excellent and pain-free way to do so.

Tell me: What do YOU love about yourself? Come on, don't be modest. I really want to know!

Berry-Love Smoothies
Ingredients
*1/2 cup mixed berry juice (I have been using Naked Juice Blue Machine thanks to Joey)
*1/4 cup water
*3/4 cup frozen raspberries
*1/4 cup plain yogurt or Greek yogurt
*1 tsp. Stevia or other natural no-calorie sweetener

Instructions
*Combine all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth and creamy.

Happy blending!

Madison

Buttermilk Bluberry-Lemon Pancakes

Some of you may be issuing a sigh of frustration upon the realization that I'm posting yet another pancake recipe. But if you're anything like me, there is never such a thing as too many ways to fry up a breakfast cake.

Up until this summer, I wouldn't have given a second thought to pancakes. They didn't interest me, seemed unhealthy, and couldn't hold a candle to a bowl of Greek yogurt or oatmeal. But at some point in the last few months my indifference toward the pancake shifted to like and then full-blown love.

And while I typically fall head over heels for dense, hearty hot cakes, this time I was drooling over a softer, fluffier cake. Speckled with blueberries, brightened with lemon juice and buttermilk, these little babies are enough to make even the biggest pancake skeptic take another look at breakfast.

Buttermilk Blueberry-Lemon Pancakes
Ingredients
*1 cup whole wheat pastry flour or whole wheat flour
*1/3 cup self-rising flour
*1/2 tsp. baking soda
*3 tsp. stevia
*1 1/3 cups buttermilk
*1 tsp. lemon juice
*1 large egg
*1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
*1/2 cup fresh blueberries
*Maple syrup 

Instructions
*In a large bowl, combine the whole wheat four, self-rising flour, baking soda and stevia.
*In a second bowl, combine the buttermilk, lemon juice, egg and nutmeg. Beat until well-combined. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and beat until just combined.
*Lightly grease a nonstick skillet with butter. Heat over medium heat. Add batter, a 1/4 cup at a time, to the skillet. Sprinkle with some of the blueberries. When bubbles form on the surface of the pancakes, flip and continue to cook for about 2 minutes more.
*Serve with maple syrup.

Happy Cooking!

Madison

Whole Wheat Apple CInnamon Bread

I have the most delicious bread for you. Serious goodness coming your way. It had such a profound impact on me that I made it last weekend, and then I baked another loaf this week and am already down to a single piece. In my own defense, I brought four slices to work yesterday.

While writing about this apple bread, I began to realize that I have a slight obsession with quick breads of every kind. So if, for some unknown reason, apple bread isn't your thing, maybe one of these is:

Butterfinger-Pumpkin Bread 

Whole Wheat Flax Seed Banana Bread  

Banana Bread Ultimate

Since the snow keeps falling and the wind keeps blowing here, I don't think I'll be getting sick of hearty quick breads any time soon. Anyone else out there have a favorite quick bread recipe? Share them in the comments below! 

Whole Wheat Apple Cinnamon Bread
Adapted from The Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook 

The first time I made this bread, I skipped the refrigeration stage. While the bread was still delicious, it didn't hold together like I wanted it to. The second time, with refrigeration, yielded a much more pleasing result. Don't skip this step and save yourself some grief. 

Ingredients 
*3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
*1/4 cup all-purpose flour
*2 tablespoons ground flax seed (optional)
*1 tablespoon baking powder
*1/4 teaspoon salt
*2 large eggs
*1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
*3/4 cup granulated sugar 
*2 tablespoons apricot or peach preserves
*1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
*2 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and chopped

Instructions
*Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. Set aside. In a large bowl, stir together the flours, flax seed, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
*In a second bowl with an electric mixer or by hand, beat together eggs, butter and sugar until creamy and well combined. Stir in preserves and ground cinnamon. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Stir in chopped apples.
*Transfer batter to loaf pan and smooth top with a spatula. Refrigerate in the loaf pan for 1 to 2 hours, or overnight. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, until golden brown around the edges and just slightly soft in the center. Cool in pan on wire rack for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edges of the loaf and turn out onto wire rack to cool completely. Cover with plastic wrap until ready to eat.

Happy Baking!

Madison