Quinoa Muffins

We are moving in the next couple of weeks. We have been busy with a garage sale, packing up boxes and sorting through all of our stuff! I am trying to use up as much baking supplies and anything in the pantry that I can, so we don't have to move it all. I have a large supply of quinoa currently, so I have been making hot cereal and salads with it.

I usually exercise first thing in the morning and I need a little something to keep my energy and blood sugar up. Usually I have half a banana or a little cereal. I thought some quinoa in a muffin might be just the combination I need. Quinoa brings a perfect balance of carbohydrate, fiber and protein which works great for blood sugar and energy for exercising. I found some pumpkin in the freezer, so I thought I would add that too for moisture and as a replacement for oil. The result- a moist, low-fat, whole grain, high protein muffin with a hint of cinnamon and pumpkin. The quinoa adds a nutty flavor and some dried fruit would be great in these too. I didn't have any on hand, but dried apricot, cherries, or cranberries would be excellent. Enjoy!

Quinoa Muffins
adapted from Every Day Food

1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed
1 tbsp oil
1/2 cup pureed pumpkin
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup unbleached which flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
3/4 cup skim milk
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup dried fruit (raisins, cranberries, cherries, diced apricots)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium saucepan, bring quinoa and 1 cup of water to a boil. Reduce to a simmer; cover and cook until water is absorbed in quinoa is tender, about 12-15 minutes. Allow to cool slightly.
2. Coat a standard 12-cup muffin pan with non-stick spray. In a medium bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and quinoa. Add dried fruit if using.
3. In a small bowl combine milk, egg, pumpkin, oil, and vanilla. Add milk mixture to flour mixture and stir until combined. Divide batter among prepared muffin cups.
4. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a muffin comes out clean, about 25-30 minutes. Cool muffins on pan for about 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Per muffin: 126 calories, 2g fat, 22g carbohydrate, 2g dietary fiber, 5g protein

Sweet Potato-Banana-Coconut Muffins

I have decided that sweet potatoes are one of my favorite foods. I really can't get enough of roasted sweet potato slices with olive oil, salt, pepper and a drizzle of maple syrup. Thankfully, sweet potatoes are very nutritious and full of fiber, beta carotene, and potassium. Beta carotene, which is converted to vitamin A in the body, is important for vision, healthy immune system, and for skin and cell health. Potassium is needed for proper heart, kidney, muscle, nerve and digestive system function. Sweet potatoes do not need to be saved for Thanksgiving! They can make a great side dish baked, mashed or roasted. I try to get in at least one sweet potato a week. I had not thought of using sweet potatoes in muffins before though, so when I saw this recipe I knew I had to try it. I added a banana for sweetness and significantly decreased the sugar in the original recipe. I also added more fiber and decreased the fat by using egg beaters. These are a great start to the day or for a delicious snack! Enjoy!

Sweet Potato Banana Coconut Muffins
Yield: 12 standard size muffins
Adapted from this recipe

2 cup whole wheat flour
¼ cup ground flax seed
¼ cup brown sugar
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
1 banana, mashed
½ cup mashed sweet potato
½ cup shredded coconut
¼ cup egg beaters
½ cup plain fat-free yogurt or Greek yogurt
½ cup skim milk
1 tsp vanilla

1.Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray muffin tins with non-stick spray.
2. Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl
3. In a separate bowl, combine the remaining wet ingredients and coconut
4. Add wet ingredient to dry ingredient and stir until combined. Do not over mix
5. Divide into muffin cups

6. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown

Per muffin: 154 calories, 4g fat, 25g carbohydrate, 2.4g dietary fiber, 4.4g protein

Banana Oat Muffins

I love a warm bowl of hearty oatmeal for breakfast. I am not a microwaved oatmeal girl. I only like it cooked on the stove and I prefer oatmeal with some bite and chewiness. I am not a fan of oatmeal mush in the morning. I add almond butter, flax seed, dried blueberries, walnuts, and milk to my oatmeal- there is no other breakfast like it and it keeps me full all morning long. Lately I have been buying organic oats from the bulk bins at the grocery store. I am trying to buy more organic items when possible- if the price is is reasonable and it is an item we regularly consume like coffee, oats, etc. Well, several weeks ago I was in Target and I knew we were out of oats. I decided to just buy the store brand instead of having to go to another store for organic. Big mistake. The next day I made oatmeal like usual, but instead of the chewy bite I am used to, it was a pile of mush. You really couldn't see the individual oats, just a paste. I don't think these are old fashioned oats like the package claims.  So, I have been trying to make oat recipes to use these up so I can go buy more of the good oats! 

I made Aaron's favorite cookies which use 3 cups of oats- hurray! I like to make a batch of cookie dough, cook off a dozen or so and then freeze the rest in 2 cup servings. That way I can pull out some dough anytime and the 2 cup portion usually produces about 12 cookies. We don't need too many cookies at one time at this house or we will eat them! 

I also decided to try more muffins. Muffins have been a quick breakfast around here, so I just keep experimenting with more recipes.  These banana-oat muffins turned out to be super moist and flavorful. They would also be great with walnuts or chocolate chips. Perfect for breakfast, after school snack, or bedtime I think you will enjoy them too! I adapted them from another blog which used oat bran flour. If you have oat bran flour, then try that recipe. I don't have that type of flour at home and I prefer recipes that don't send me running to the store, so I adapted the recipe for what I had on hand. Enjoy!

Banana Oat Muffins
Yield: 12 muffins plus one mini loaf pan
Bake: in 375ºF oven for 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean

  2 cups  rolled oats
1/2 cup yogurt, plain low fat
1/2 cup milk, low fat
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup Canola or vegetable oil
2 bananas, large, ripe, mashed
1 egg, large, lightly beaten
1  cup whole wheat flour

1/4 cup ground flax seed
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup chopped walnuts or mini-chocolate chips (optional)


Instructions
1. In a bowl mix together rolled oats, yogurt and milk. Let soak for several minutes.
2. Mix  flour, flax, salt, spices, baking powder and baking soda in a bowl.
3. Add brown sugar, mashed banana, egg and oil to rolled oats mixture. Mix well.
4. Add dry ingredients to the rolled oats mixture. Mix well.Add nuts or chocolate if using. 
5. Fill greased or paper lined muffin cups 2/3 full.  Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Zucchini Bread

As mentioned in my previous blog, I am going zucchini in my garden and it is growing very well. Almost every day for the past week I have been able to pick a ripe, medium sized zucchini. That starts to add up fast! I like zucchini because it is so versatile and has a very mild flavor. My goal this week is to prepare it in a way that my husband 1. eats it and 2. likes it!

Because he has told me that he doesn't really like "squash," I ate it  almost every day when he was out of town last week. When I still ended up with four ripe zucchini I decided it  was time to make bread. Zucchini bread is a great way to use up several zucchini at one time. I came across a Paula Dean recipe from The Food Network that had a lot of positive comments. Normally I steer away from Paula Dean recipes because she tends to use a lot of fat and cooks more comfort, southern foods that are not usually part of my repertoire. However, this recipe used oil instead of butter and had so many good reviews I thought it was worth a try. The first time I made this recipe last week, I made it in a bundt pan and it turned out amazingly good! I added whole wheat flour, changed up the sugars, and added in some ground flax. It was so moist, but also seemed a little greasy due to the amount of oil. I brought it into work one day and it was gone by that afternoon.

Today I made it again as muffins. This time I made a few more adjustments- less oil, less eggs, and less sugar. Normally I do not mess around with taking out eggs in recipes, but because of the fat content of flax that I added, I knew I could eliminate a couple of eggs as long as I added some water. The end result was just as moist with less grease. Success! Now I am waiting for my husband to try them. . . then we will know the true result. I think he will like them and I think you will too! Enjoy!

Zucchini Bread (adapted from Paula Dean)

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups unbleached white flour
1/4 cup ground flax.
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs beaten with 2 tbsp of water
1/3 cup water
2 cups grated zucchini
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray two standard loaf pans, one bundt pan, or two muffin tin pans with non-stick spray (if not using paper liners in muffin tins).
2. Combine the flours, flax, sugars, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in a large bowl.
3. In a separate bowl combine zucchini, eggs, oil, water, lemon juice and vanilla
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix together. Fold in walnuts if using. Pour batter into prepared pan.
Bake until browned and toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. For loaf pans- approximately 60 minutes, bundt pan- approximately 45 minutes, and muffins- approximately 30 minutes.

Blueberries and Breakfast

I am a breakfast lover. In fact it is by far my favorite meal of the day. I love yogurt, berries, toast with peanut butter, eggs over easy, omelets, pancakes, waffles, oatmeal, whole grain cereal, dried fruit etc, etc. I grew up eating breakfast every day before school. There was a (very frustrating in my parents opinion I am sure) time during high school years where I refused many breakfast foods, especially cereal with milk because “I could taste the grass that the cows were eating.” Many early morning minutes were spent arguing about the taste of the milk with my parents. Now, I look forward to my morning cup of coffee and delicious breakfast. I do not like being rushed in the morning, so I set aside a few minutes for breakfast and coffee every morning before I take my dog Jake for a walk.

My husband on the other hand, although he enjoys breakfast foods, he does not enjoy getting up in enough time to eat breakfast before work. Usually he scrambles out the door with minutes (or negative minutes) to spare and does not eat breakfast. As a good wife, and as a dietitian, knowing the benefits of a good breakfast, I have taken it upon myself to provide him with some type of breakfast he can take to work. This has been interesting (see rhubarb bread in my previous post) and most mornings it is just a banana and some almonds, toast, or some yogurt. Yesterday I came across a smokin' deal and I bought two pounds! I decided to use some for blueberry muffins. Usually, I ration fresh blueberries very carefully because 1. they are my favorite fruit, 2. they are a seasonal food, 3. they can be expensive. A handful in my oatmeal or yogurt or in our pancake batter on the weekends is my typical use (besides sneaking a few when I open the fridge). But, I decided to give some up for the greater good of my husband’s breakfast!

I adapted this muffin recipe from BHG. There was a ripe banana in the freezer, so I added that to the batter for extra moisture and flavor. I also added some whole wheat flour for more nutrition. I have been experimenting with using ground flax lately, so I added a few tablespoons to this as well. Flax seeds have become popular in the past several years, but I often hear misconceptions about them from my patients. Flax comes in several forms- usually oil, whole seeds, or ground. Flax has been promoted as a good omega-3 source. Omega-3 oils are heart-healthy fats that help reduce inflammation in the body and are very beneficial for blood pressure, heart health (reduce triglycerides and increase HDL cholesterol) and are being used as a treatment for depression. Flax seeds contain the plant form of omega-3 oils (a-linolenic acid (ALA)). Unlike the omega-3 oil in fish (EPA & DHA), ALA must be converted to a form that can be used by the body. Usually less than 5% of ALA is converted a form the body can use as omega-3. So, all of that to say, flax oil or seeds are really not a good source of omega-3 fat.

However, they still have other excellent nutritional qualities. I usually recommend ground flax seeds because the whole seeds pass through the body undigested, meaning one will not absorb all of the nutrition from them. Two tablespoons of ground flax contains 70 calories, 3g of protein, and 3g of dietary fiber. Ground flax is a great source of fiber which helps lower cholesterol, keeps blood sugar stable, regulates the digestive system and promotes satiety. Ground flax is also a good source of protein which will also help keep you full longer between meals. It adds a nutty texture and flavor to yogurt and oatmeal, easy to add to smoothies, and works great in a lot of baked goods. I do recommend keeping it in the refrigerator or freezer however once it is ground. Because of it’s high fat content, it can go rancid quickly if left at room temperature. Substitute any type of berries or add some nuts for even more nutrition, texture and flavor. Enjoy!

Healthy Start Blueberry Muffins

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

3/4 cup unbleached white flour

1 cup oats

4 tablespoons ground flax

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoons baking soda

pinch of salt

1 beaten egg

1 ripe banana, mushed

3/4 cup milk

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons Canola or vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup fresh blueberries

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Grease twelve 2-1/2-inch muffin cups or line them with paper bake cups; set aside.

2. Stir together flours, flax, rolled oats, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Make a well in the center of the mixture.

3. Combine egg, banana, milk, brown sugar, oil, and vanilla in another bowl. Add egg mixture all at once to flour mixture. Stir just until moistened. Fold blueberries into the batter. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each three-quarters full.

4. Bake in a 400 degree F oven for about 15 minutes.

Per Muffin: 160 calories, 4g total fat, .5g sat. fat, og trans fat, 16mg cholesterol, 112mg sodium, 27g carbohydrate, 2g dietary fiber, 8g sugar, 4g protein