Blueberry White Chocolate Muffins

Mention white chocolate and you've got my attention.  Something about the smooth creaminess of a bite of white chocolate melts my heart every time.

I recently saw a recipe for muffins made with raspberries and white chocolate.  Knowing I had a clamshell of blueberries in my fridge, I took the idea and ran with it.  A bit of lemon added a little zing, and the white chocolate took simple blueberry muffins to a whole new level.

Blueberry White Chocolate Muffins

2 cups white whole wheat or whole wheat pastry flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk (I used unsweetened almond milk)
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
1/4 cup nonfat liquid egg substitute
2 tablespoons mild oil, such as canola
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
1/2 cup white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 400°F.  Line muffin pan with paper liners.  In medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

In small bowl, combine milk and lemon juice.  Let sit several minutes to curdle, then stir in lemon zest, egg substitute, oil, and vanilla.  Add liquid ingredients to flour mixture, stirring until just moistened.  Gently stir in blueberries and white chocolate.

Scoop batter into muffin cups, filling about 3/4 full.  Bake 14 to 16 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center of one comes out clean.  Makes 12 muffins, 4 points plus for Weight Watchers or 180 calories each.

Chocolate Chip Pancakes

Recipe inspiration comes from unlikely places.  A sweet gift from my son and his girlfriend resulted in a sweet breakfast idea!

A beautifully packaged pancake mix made a quick meal using only eggs, milk, and syrup from my kitchen.  It occurred to me it would not be difficult to recreate the yummy treat with a few other ingredients.  No pretty package but a pretty plate of steamy pancakes!

Chocolate Chip Pancakes

1 cup milk (I used unsweetened almond milk)
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 cup white whole wheat or unbleached flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup nonfat liquid egg substitute
2 tablespoons mini chocolate chips
Warm maple syrup or other toppings, to serve, optional

Preheat griddle to medium high heat.  Measure milk and stir in vinegar; let sit several minutes to curdle.  In medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Stir in egg substitute and curdled milk, then chocolate chips.

Pour about 3 tablespoons batter onto griddle for each pancake.  Flip when bubbles appear and edges begin to look dry.  Pancakes are done when both sides are lightly browned.  Makes 10 pancakes, 2 points plus for Weight Watchers or 69 calories each.

Birthday Sco-Nuts!

Ooh, ooh, ooh!  I'm so excited!  This month marks the first birthday of Tracy Cooks it Right.  I thought and thought about what I could make to celebrate.  What favorite could I lighten up to share with you?

I have a weakness for buttermilk donuts.  I know just where to go for the densest, sweetest glazed buttermilk donuts in my area.  The sad thing is, I can't bring myself to have this special treat but once or twice a year.  The fat and calories -  oh my!  So for my special celebration I bring you "Buttermilk Sco-nuts."  They are a cross between my beloved buttermilk donuts and scones.  Please enjoy!

And thank you to my special readers out there who stick with me through the thick and THIN of it all!

Buttermilk Sco-nuts

2 cups unbleached flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 tablespoons stick trans fat free margarine
3/4 to 1 cup lowfat buttermilk

Glaze:
3/4 cup sifted powdered sugar
1 tablespoon milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 400°F.  Coat a large baking pan with nonstick spray or parchment paper and set aside.  Measure flour, sugar. baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg into bowl of food processor.  Pulse until well blended.  Cut margarine into 1/2-inch cubes and add to bowl.  Pulse until mixture is well combined.

Dump flour mixture into medium bowl.  With wooden spoon, stir in 3/4 cup buttermilk plus more if needed, until mixture begins to form a ball.  Using hands, divide into 8 sections.  Form into oblong pieces about 4 by 1 1/2 inches each, place on baking pan, and flatten slightly.

Bake 12 minutes or until sco-nuts begin to brown.  Measure powdered sugar into small bowl.  Heat milk 10 seconds in microwave and stir into sugar along with vanilla.  Spread evenly on tops of sco-nuts and serve.  Makes 8 sco-nuts, 5 points plus for Weight Watchers or 204 calories each.

Gorgonzola Frittata

Add one elegant ingredient to an otherwise simple recipe and all of a sudden you have an over-the-top dish.  Gorgonzola cheese is the perfect elegance to enhance a frittata.

If Gorgonzola is not a flavor you favor, try goat or feta cheese instead, but a thrilling flavor is achieved with this tangy, rich blue cheese.  And don't be afraid to use egg "substitute."  It's not really a substitute at all, but just egg whites with beta-carotene added to provide the yellow color yolks would add.  You save on fat, calories, and cholesterol, and you get the benefit of a healthy lean protein.

Gorgonzola Frittata
 
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped carrot
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup nonfat liquid egg substitute
1/4 cup nonfat creamer (I use So Delicious Coconut Milk Creamer)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 ounces Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a seven or eight-inch ovenproof skillet.  Add onion, carrot, celery, and garlic.  Cook, stirring frequently, about five minutes until onion is translucent and carrots soften.

Preheat broiler.  Combine egg substitute, creamer, salt, and pepper.  Pour over vegetables in skillet abd sprinkle with Gorgonzola.  Cover and cook 5 to 8 minutes until frittata is almost set.  Place under broiler for 2 to 4 minutes until golden brown on top.

Let frittata rest several minutes and serve warm.  Makes 4 servings, 3 points plus for Weight Watchers or 136 calories each.

And more leftovers . . .

Not to beat the leftover topic to death, but I've just got to use more things up around here.  I bought a carton of eggnog for my guests that never got opened.  What to do, what to do . . . mmm . . .

After thinking awhile, I pictured a creamy breakfast smoothie with hints of holiday flavors as the holidays begin to drift away for another year.  A sprinkling of nutmeg on top completed the picture and my delicious breakfast began.

Eggnog Smoothie

1/2 cup (light) eggnog
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon ground flax seed
2 medium bananas, cut in chunks
Sweetener, to taste
6 ice cubes
Ground nutmeg for garnish, optional

Pour eggnog and water into blender container.  Add flax seed, then bananas and sweetener, if using.  Finally, add ice cubes and blend on high speed 30 seconds until smooth.  Pour into two glasses and sprinkle with nutmeg, if desired.  Each serving has 2 points plus for Weight Watchers or 170 calories.

Leftovers again??

Any special holiday with big meals results in leftovers, right?  Faced with a fridge-full, I decided to combine a few of them into a comforting casserole good for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

Use whatever leftover breads and veggies you have.  I combined white dinner rolls with whole wheat bread, and used cauliflower, carrots, and celery for the veggies.  Milk would work in place of light sour cream, but since I had this and that to use up, I did.

Hey!  Is anyone else wanting to keep the Christmas dishes out?  I can't bear putting them away just yet.

Savory Strata
 
4 cups chopped assorted raw vegetables
2 teaspoons garlic olive oil, or plain olive oil if that's what you have
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
5 ounces any type bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 teaspoons any chopped fresh herbs (I used sage and rosemary)
4 ounces Jarlsberg Lite Swiss cheese, grated (about 1 cup)
1 1/2 cups nonfat liquid egg substitute
1/2 cup light sour cream

Preheat oven to 400°F.  Coat baking sheet with parchment paper or nonstick spray.  Toss vegetables with oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.  Spread in one layer on pan and roast 15 minutes, stir, then roast another 15 minutes until browned; set aside to cool slightly.

Coat 8 by 8-inch baking pan with nonstick spray.  Place bread cubes on bottom of pan.  Sprinkle with herbs and vegetables and 2/3 of the cheese.  In small mixing bowl, whisk together egg substitute, sour cream, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.  Pour over ingredients in pan and sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Cover strata, and chill for at least two hours or overnight.  Remove pan from refrigerator and preheat oven to 350°F.  Bake strata for 30 minutes until puffed and golden.  Makes 6 servings, 4 points plus for Weight Watchers or 195 calories each.  Nutritional information will vary depending on the leftovers you have in your kitchen.

My Go-To Smoothie

My girlfriend asked me how I make my daily smoothie.  I realized I never posted it here, only in a guest blog I wrote for Suzzie V.  Here's the scoop:

Several years back when I decided to change my eating habits, I made a BIG purchase.  I bought a VitaMix blender.  No doubt about it, it was expensive and out of my budget.  However, there has barely been a day I haven't used it.  (And I highly recommend it.)

This is more a formula than a recipe because seasons change and so do the available fruits.  I use what I can from local farms, and I supplement with frozen fruit, if necessary.

I always start with a little water in the bottom of the blender.  I measure in one to two tablespoons ground flax seed and some sweetener.  Lately, I have been using one packet of stevia from the NuStevia company.  You might not choose to use a sweetener since fruit is typically already sweet, or you may prefer sugar, but a sweetener helps bring out the flavor and natural sweetness of the fruit.

I  add a ripe banana for creaminess and flavor, and I never leave the banana out.  After that, the fun begins.  This morning, I used two different types of plums and a handful of raspberries.  Yesterday was half an orange and about 20 red grapes.  The day before was mango and a fig.  As you can see, no two smoothies are ever alike in my kitchen.

Finally, I toss in six ice cubes and blend for 30 seconds on high speed.  This "recipe" serves two, my husband and myself.  Since it is mostly fruit, it is not our entire breakfast, but it is the perfect way to start the day.

Daily Smoothie

1/3 cup water
1 to 2 tablespoons ground flax seed, as desired
Sweetener, as desired
1 ripe banana, cut into chunks
Any other fresh or frozen fruit, as much as you'd like
6 ice cubes

Place all ingredients in blender container.  Blend on high speed for 30 seconds.  Pour into two glasses and serve.  Each serving has 1 point plus for Weight Watchers and the calories vary depending on the sweetener and fruits used.

Gingerbread Granola

Someone asked me the other day if I am ready for the holidays.  WHAT??  Ready for the holidays?  I can't even fathom the idea yet.  It's WAY too soon.

(Unbaked)

But here is an idea that kind of begins my venture into holiday cooking.  It began as Pumpkin Granola and morphed into a more unique version.  Haven't we all experienced a lot of pumpkin at this point in the season?  Time to move on . . . and maybe, just maybe, begin to think about the holidays.

 (Baked)

It's not that I don't like pumpkin, really.

Gingerbread Granola

3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup molasses
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup unsweetened flake coconut
1/2 cup seedless raisins

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Coat a large baking sheet with parchment paper or nonstick spray; set aside.  In large mixing bowl, stir together applesauce, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt.  Add brown sugar, maple syrup, molasses, and vanilla and mix well.  Stir in oats, pecans, and coconut.

Spread oat mixture on prepared pan.  Bake 20 minutes, remove from oven to stir, and bake 15 to 20 minutes more.  Watch carefully at end the so as not to burn granola.  Stir in raisins.  Makes 7 cups total, 21 (1/3-cup) servings with 4 Weight Watchers points plus each or 167 calories.

Roast Something Different

Those of you following me for awhile know my love for roasted veggies (see here, here and here).  Today I tried a new thing - roasted apples - resulting in lovely fall flavors and versatility.

Toss apples with a few other ingredients and cook in the oven.  The roasted apples are delicious on their own, topped with whipped cream, over oatmeal or ice cream, or any other pairing you think of. 

Roasted Apples

1 tablespoon agave nectar
1 teaspoon canola or other plain oil
1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
Pinch salt
3 large (about 7-ounce) apples, unpeeled
Whipped topping, optional

Preheat oven to 375°F.  Coat baking sheet with nonstick spray or parchment paper.  In large mixing bowl, whisk together agave, oil, lemon zest, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt.  Core and chop apples; add to bowl and mix well.

Place apples in single layer on baking sheet.  Bake 15 minutes, stir, then bake 10 to 15 minutes more until apples are golden and soft.  Serve with whipped topping, if desired.  Makes 5 (1/2-cup) servings, 1 point plus for Weight Watchers or 75 calories each.

Bread My Grandmother's Way

This bread recipe has been in my recipe box for years.  It was my grandmother's special recipe, and she passed it down to me.  Like everything I make, I changed it a bit, but I kept her old-time method.

The flavor of this bread improves with time, so make it a day ahead if you can.  With each bite, I have fond memories of my grandmother "Bobbi," and I hope it gives you similar warm feelings.

Grandmother's Autumn Bread

1 cup (about 5 1/2 ounces) dried figs
1 cup (about 5 ounces) pitted dates
1 cup boiling water
1 cup agave nectar
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 whole egg
2 egg whites
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Coat 9 by 5-inch baking pan with nonstick spray.  Chop figs and dates and place in small bowl.  Pour boiling water over fruit and set aside.

Stir agave, pumpkin, egg, egg whites, and vanilla together in large mixing bowl.  Drain fruit, reserving liquid, and set aside.  Add baking soda and salt to reserved liquid.  Add flour alternately with liquid to agave mixture, mixing well after each addition.  Fold in fruit and pecans.

Pour batter into prepared pan.  Bake one hour until top springs back when lightly touched.  Makes one  loaf with 16 generous slices, 5 points plus and 200 calories each.

Remembering Chocolate Chocolate Chip Muffins

Some foods conjure up fond memories.  I've been making these muffins since I was first married years ago.  They ooze chocolatey goodness, even now, after a "health" makeover.

Lots of butter, chocolate bars, sugar, white flour, and twice the amount of chocolate chips were all in need of removal or reduction.  This was a makeover with beautiful results, no doubt about it.

Ok, maybe these are a bit of a splurge, even with the changes, but fond memories are surely worth it!

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Muffins

1 3/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup lowfat buttermilk
1/4 cup canola oil
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375°F.  Line muffin tin with cupcake papers or coat with nonstick spray.  In mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.  In small bowl, whisk together buttermilk, oil, egg, and vanilla.

Pour liquid into dry ingredients and stir just until combined, then stir in chocolate chips.  Scoop into muffin cups.  Bake 20 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center of muffin comes out clean.  Makes 12 muffins, 6 points plus and 235 calories each.

Orange Cranberry Baked Apples

I wanted something more than the same old, same old when it comes to baked apples.  Since I am fond of the flavors of orange and cranberries together, I combined them with the apples with tasty results.

Nothing says "fall" - other than pumpkin - like apples.  And the smell of apples cooking in your kitchen emphasizes that statement.  Because these are "baked" in the slow cooker, you can put them together and go on with your day, enjoying the fragrance as you come and go.  And you know what?  This new flavor combination really works well together.

Orange Cranberry Baked Apples

4 medium Granny Smith apples, cored
1 medium orange
2 tablespoons dried cranberries
4 teaspoons chopped pecans
2 teaspoons maple or brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Place apples in one layer on bottom of slow cooker.  Obtain one teaspoon zest from orange peel and juice the orange.  Pour orange juice in and around the apples.

In small bowl, combine orange zest, cranberries, pecans, sugar, and vanilla.  Divide evenly between apples, pushing it down into each core.  Turn slow cooker on to low and cook 4 hours or until apples are tender.

Makes 4 servings, 1 point plus and 144 calories each.

Fall Fig Banana Walnut Bread

It's happening again.  The kids are back in school.  The temperatures are dropping a bit.  The leaves are just beginning to change color.  And the food blog world is jumping into fall recipes.

Pumpkin, apples, soup, and more.  Everywhere you turn.  Well, figs are on my mind.  Remember my tree?  Finally, these babies are getting ripe.  Here is a tasty quick bread to welcome autumn my way.  But . . . you can be sure pumpkin is just around the corner . . .

Fig Banana Walnut Bread

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup unbleached white flour
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup mashed very ripe banana (about 1 medium)
1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt (I used Greek-style)
1 large egg
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped fresh figs (about 3 medium)
1/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Coat 9 by 5-inch bread pan with nonstick spray.  In one mixing bowl, whisk together both flours, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  In another mixing bowl, combine banana, yogurt, egg, water, and vanilla, and mix well.

Add liquid to dry ingredients and stir until just combined.  Fold in figs and walnuts.  Smooth batter into prepared pan.  Bake 40 to 45 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Leave in pan five minutes, then remove to wire rack to cool completely.  Makes 12 slices, 3 points plus and 171 calories each.

Breakfast at Tracy's - Day Three!

What a gorgeous day!  Welcome to our final breakfast together this week.   It's time to take a sip of your coffee and a bite of these fresh and tasty waffles.

Inspiration for recipes comes from many places.  This idea developed from a breakfast I ordered in Lake Tahoe, California.  The 50's-type diner had many intriguing options, but nut waffles caught my eye.  One taste and I knew back home in my kitchen I would re-create the deliciousness of my vacation.

Pecan Waffles

1 cup white flour
3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
2 tablespoons finely chopped toasted pecans
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups lowfat buttermilk
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons finely chopped toasted pecans, for topping
Maple syrup, optional
Butter, optional

Preheat electric waffle iron.  In mixing bowl, whisk together flours, pecans, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  In small bowl, whisk together buttermilk, egg, and vanilla.  Add liquid to dry ingredients and stir just until combined.

Use about 1/2 cup batter for each waffle.  Cook until desired crispiness.  Sprinkle each waffle with a few chopped pecans, and serve with maple syrup and butter if desired.  Makes 8 waffles, 4 points plus and 167 calories each, plus additional for toppings used.  Two waffles is a filling helping.

Thanks for visiting me this week for breakfast.  
 Please come to my kitchen for more meals in the days to come.  
  It was lovely to have you! 

* * * 
Lastly, please check out my guest post at Danica's Daily.
What a joy it was to share a little bit of me with her readers.

Breakfast at Tracy's - Day Two!

Welcome back to my kitchen this beautiful morning.  Pull up your chair and pour yourself some coffee.  Today we are having a warm and cheesy entree I think you will enjoy.

My husband and I had breakfast with friends recently at an adorable but quirky cafe.  One of the items on the menu was breakfast pizza.  I just loved the idea (but couldn't resist a breakfast burrito that day).  I vowed to experiment in my own kitchen and make my own version.  Here it is!

Breakfast Pizza

1 frozen deep dish pie crust
2 eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
5 frozen artichoke hearts, defrosted and sliced
1/2 cup fresh spinach leaves, sliced
4 ounces Jarlsberg Lite or other light Swiss cheese, shredded
1 ounce reduced fat Cheddar cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 375°F.  Carefully loosen crimped edge of pie crust and gently pop crust out of foil pan.  Place on baking sheet and let defrost 15 minutes.  Push crust down on pan, leaving a border of the crimped edge and pushing together any cracks that occur.

Whisk eggs with salt and pepper.  Pour into crust and distribute evenly.  Scatter artichoke hearts and spinach over eggs.  Sprinkle evenly with Swiss and then Cheddar cheese.  Bake 15 to 18 minutes, until egg is set and crust is golden brown.  Cut into wedges and serve.  Makes 6 servings, 6 points plus and 210 calories each.

Note:  Any assortment of veggies or cheeses will work as toppings for this pizza, as well as added meat like sausage or ham.  Vary it to your liking and adjust the nutritional values as necessary. 

Come again Friday for a final breakfast with me this week. 
Have a great day!

Breakfast at Tracy's - Day One!

Good morning!  Thanks for joining me so bright and early.  It will be fun to have breakfast together several days this week.  My coffee is ready so here we go!

There are many granola recipes out there.  Most of them contain copious amounts of butter or oil.  Add that to the fat in the nuts and the coconut usually in granola and this breakfast is no longer acceptable for the lighter lifestyle I choose.

I fiddled around a bit and came up with this lighter version.  It's delicious in a bowl with milk.  It's a great topping for yogurt or chopped fruit.  It makes an unusual but tasty filling for a baked sweet potato (maybe not for breakfast).  I bet you can think of even more ways to enjoy it!

Granola

3 cups rolled oats
1 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup sweetened flake coconut
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup agave nectar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 300°F.  In large bowl, combine oats, almonds, coconut, cinnamon, and salt.  In measuring cup, whisk together maple syrup, agave nectar, and vanilla.  Pour over oat mixture and mix well.

Spread granola mixture on large baking sheet.  Bake 15 minutes, stir, then bake 15 more minutes.  Cool and store in well-sealed container.  Makes 4 2/3 cups, or 14 (1/3-cup) servings, 4 points plus and 159 calories each.

Note: Vary this recipe according to your taste.  Add dried fruit like raisins, dates, or cranberries.  Add chocolate chips or M&M's.  Use another type of nuts instead of almonds.  Just be sure to adjust the nutritional counts.

Come again Wednesday for another yummy breakfast in my kitchen. Have a wonderful day!

Heavenly Little Donuts

There are many breakfast bakery options at the supermarket.  Read the ingredient lists and you may question their healthfulness.  It only takes a few minutes to throw together these Sour Cream Mini Donuts and it is comforting to actually know what is in them.

You can have three of these fluffy donuts for the same Weight Watchers point plus value as one tiny plastic-wrapped thing full of ingredients you can't pronounce.

This is what my mini donut pan looks like.  I bought mine online, and you can see details here.

 

Sour Cream Mini Donuts

1 cup unbleached flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 cup nonfat milk

1 egg

2 tablespoons light sour cream

1 tablespoon canola or other light oil

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Coat mini donut pan with nonstick spray, preferably the baking version, and set aside.  In medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and nutmeg.  Measure milk into one-cup or larger liquid measuring cup.  Whisk in egg, sour cream, oil, and vanilla until well combined.

Add liquid to dry ingredients and whisk vigorously one minute.  Using teaspoon, fill mini donut cups half full and no more.  If overfilled, cute little donuts end up with no hole in the middle.  Bake 8 minutes, or until donuts spring back lightly when touched.  Let cool no less than two minutes in pan, then donuts should fall out easily.  Re-spray pan before making each new batch.

Place powdered sugar in small paper bag.  While still warm, put 4 donuts at a time into bag and shake to coat with powdered sugar.  Serve immediately.  Makes about 32 mini donuts, 1 point plus and 38 calories each.

A healthy good morning to you!

It is an exciting challenge when someone requests a recipe.  My kitchen becomes a busy place of creativity.  This bran muffin came about when my friend became discouraged by the cost of "healthy" muffins in the grocery store.  In a few minutes, you have a batch of budget-friendly breakfast treats.

Bran Muffins

1 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup unprocessed wheat bran
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup nonfat or unsweetened nondairy milk
1/3 cup applesauce
2 tablespoons canola or other mild oil
1 tablespoon white distilled vinegar
1 tablespoon molasses
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup frozen blueberries, unthawed, optional
or
1/3 cup seedless raisins, optional
or
1/2 to 1 cup any other fruit, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Coat 12 muffin cups with nonstick spray or line with paper muffin liners; set aside.

In large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, bran, baking soda, and brown sugar.  In another medium bowl, combine milk, applesauce, oil, vinegar, molasses, and vanilla.  Stir liquid into dry ingredients just until combined.  If desired, stir in blueberries or raisins or other fruit.

Spoon batter evenly into muffin cups, each about 2/3 full.  Bake 25 to 30 minutes, until toothpick inserted in a muffin comes out clean.  Makes 12 muffins, 3 points plus each.

Strawberry Coffee Cake

Have you noticed strawberries are for sale everywhere these days?  I have, and I was so excited to bring a beautiful basket home from the market the other day.  Lo and behold, the flavor was blah.  Instead of tossing them, I made coffee cake!

Inspiration for this recipe came from one I saw on allrecipes.com.  Of course I lightened it up to fit my own health guidelines.  The coffee cake was a hit with my family!

Strawberry Coffee Cake

1 cup unbleached flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup Splenda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup nonfat milk
1 egg
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 1/2 cups sliced fresh strawberries

Topping:
1/4 cup unbleached flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Coat 8-inch square baking pan with nonstick spray; set aside.  In mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, Splenda, baking powder, and salt.  While your ingredients are out, measure flour and sugar for topping in small bowl and set aside.

Measure milk into a measuring cup.  Whisk in egg and melted butter.  Stir into flour mixture in mixing bowl until just combined.  Spread batter on bottom of prepared baking pan.  Place sliced strawberries in one layer on top of batter.

Add 2 tablespoons butter to other topping ingredients and stir with fork until crumbly.  Sprinkle evenly over top of strawberries.  Bake 25 to 30 minutes until top is golden and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Serve immediately.  Makes 9 servings, 4 points plus each.

Note: As usual, if you choose to abstain from Splenda, use 1/4 cup additional sugar in the batter.  However, the change will add one point plus to each serving.

The Colors of Spring!

Do you look forward to seeing rhubarb in the market each spring?  I always knew it was a sign that spring had sprung, but it never really excited me to see those red stalks of rhubarb in the produce department.  At some point years ago I realized the love my husband has for rhubarb.  From that time on, I began to open my mind to rhubarb possibilities.

  

If you don't feel the love for rhubarb, just substitute some cut up strawberries.  You will still be enjoying the colors and flavors of spring in your muffins.

Rhubarb Zucchini Muffins

1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unpacked brown sugar
1/2 cup lowfat buttermilk
3 tablespoons fat free egg substitute
1 1/2 stalks fresh rhubarb (about 6 ounces), diced (1 1/2 cups)
1 small (2 1/2-ounce) zucchini, grated (3/4 cup)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Place paper liners in 12-cup muffin tin or coat with nonstick spray; set aside.

In medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  In large bowl, whisk together brown sugar, buttermilk, and egg substitute.  Stir in rhubarb and zucchini.  Add flour mixture and stir just until combined.

Fill muffin cups evenly with batter, each about three-quarters full.  Bake 18 to 20 minutes, until tops spring back when lightly touched and toothpick inserted in center of one muffin comes out clean.  Makes one dozen muffins, 2 points plus each.

Note:  If you like muffins pretty sweet, add 1/4 cup Splenda when you add the brown sugar, though my testers thought they were sweet enough without.