1 Dozen Hearty Pumpkin Muffins

When you're a small family like the doctor and myself, you definitely need muffin recipes that only make a dozen.  It's just SO NICE to a) not use up a ton of ingredients at one time, b) not eat whatever type of muffins for days and days and days and days, and c) do a one-bowl, one-pan operation that is faster to bake and faster to clean up!

I adapted this recipe from this website I just found that I will be frequenting!  Looks like the author posts a ton of great stuff! :)  

**Please note that my heart in adapting this recipe was to make them healthy-- I cut down on the sugar, I substituted coconut oil for the butter, didn't use all-purpose flour and subbed whole wheat white plus ground flax seeds (SO GOOD for your heart!).. added more spices for flavor, etc... So when you take a bite of these and they don't knock you over the moon with their sugary-sweetness, don't be disappointed!  Just pat yourself on the back that you made something GOOD for you-- and treat yourself to a second muffin, guilt-free! ;)

And yes, I know it's springtime and 60 degrees Fahrenheit outside... and I should be posting recipes like "Citrus-Marinaded Chicken" or "Asparagus and Pea Shoot Linguine" or springy-sounding things.... But this is one of many posts dedicated to *cleaning out my freezer* from last summer/fall's bountiful harvest.  Today, I wanted to use up some of the AWESOME pumpkin puree I have.... so here goes!

Hearty Pumpkin Muffins (makes 12 regular muffins)

*Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

*Line a 12-cup muffin pan with liners. (Lately I've been using fancy parchment cupcake liners and they are divine! SO worth the money!)

Ingredients:

1/4 C coconut oil

1/3 C dark brown sugar

3/4 C (heaping!) pumpkin puree

1/4 C milk (can use whatever kind you want! almond, rice, soy, etc. if you want dairy-free!)

1/4 C brewed coffee (could use water OR extra milk if you hate coffee!--- but I don't know how anyone could hate coffee.....?) :)

2 eggs

1 C White Whole Wheat Flour (I just bought some at Trader Joe's and I am IN LOVE!)

1/2 C ground flax seeds

1/2 C oat bran (NOT oatmeal!-- but oat bran!)

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. (heaping!) ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground ginger

couple shakes of ground nutmeg

couple shakes of ground gloves

Mix oil and sugar.  Carefully beat in pumpkin puree, milk, coffee, and eggs.  In the same bowl, carefully scoop out all the dry ingredients, (just go down the list!), and add them right on top of the wet mixture.  Mix all the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined.

I used a large cookie/cupcake scoop to scoop out the batter into the 12 muffin cups... but if you don't have on in your kitchen, just use a big spoon or a clean 1/4 cup measuring cup! :)

Before I popped them in the oven, I sprinkled each scoop of batter with some Caramel-Cinnamon Sprinkles my Mom got me.  If you don't have those, you could either 1) leave them plain 2) sprinkle with cinnamon and "sugar in the raw"-type Turbinado Sugar 3) make a streusel topping with flour/butter/brown sugar/cinnamon 4) sprinkle walnuts or pecans... etc.. the possibilities are endless! :) 

Bake at 375*F for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean!

ENJOY!  These mighty muffins are PACKED with GREAT ingredients you can really feel good about eating!!!! :)

sabbath day refreshment

hey there and happy Sunday. :)

hope your Sabbath was not only restful but refreshing.  one of the many things i learned in my time overseas as a missionary was that my Sabbath day should not only a day of napping/not working/getting physical rest, but should be a day that **refreshes** my whole self.  i soooo enjoy doing things on my Sabbath days that recharge my batteries in all directions--- beyond the afternoon nap on the couch.

 one of the things i did today that was super-refreshing was to learn something new.  i can't help myself--- like my Momma always says, "if you're not learning, you're dead."  i just HAVE to learn new things---- all the time!!!---- to feel like myself.  it's just part of my DNA.  so my latest project is: learning how to play the guitar. :)

 

the sweetest couple at my church has an extra guitar that they are letting me borrow as i pluck around and try to teach myself how to play this instrument that i have wanted to learn since 2006---- when i first started singing in the praise & worship band for the Cru movement on my college campus.  sooo... 6 years later, tim and rena are helping me achieve my dream; thanks guys! :)  i'm not very good, at ALL,   wait, let's be real, i don't even really know where to put my fingers. or wrist. or do... pretty much anything.

BUT!  i did learn a really fun acronym today to help me remember the order of the 6 strings!  

     Eddie
     Ate
     Dynamite
     Good
     Bye
     Eddie

totally sad. and dangerous.  YET-- it helps me know the names of the strings in their order (EADGBE).  kind of morbid, but i know i'll never forget those notes! :)

on to my other project of the day: bread baking.
there is just something about kneading dough for minutes on end that transforms my heart & takes me to a happy, happy place.  i think i've always loved it----- ever since my Play-Doh days!  for reals.  on to the recipe:


100% Whole Wheat Bread (with flax and honey) :)
{from the glorious bakers at King Arthur Flour. thanks guys!}
click here to get the original recipe.  below, i'm posting what i baked today because i made a few changes! (for example, my mom doesn't have powdered milk at her house so i used the nonfat half-n-half that was in the fridge, etc.)

• 1 cup warm water
• 1 packet active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• scant 1/4 cup fat-free half and half
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 3 1/4 cups King Arthur Premium 100% Whole Wheat Flour (plus extra, (maybe up to 1/2 to 2/3 cup extra) cause my dough was sticky and needed it)
• 1/4 cup ground flax seeds (ground flax mill)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1) In a large bowl, dissolve yeast into warm water & honey.   i combined the half & half and orange juice in a separate bowl and microwaved it till it was lukewarm. (probably the sickest combination i've ever put in a microwave. ever.  but SO worth it in the end!  i think it helped to have those cold liquids be the same, warmish temperature as the water/honey/yeast mixture... and the acidic OJ really cuts down on the sometimes-bitter taste of all that whole wheat flour.  it goes completely undetected in your finished product!).  :)

2) Add the rest of the ingredients and stir till the dough starts to leave the sides of the bowl. Transfer dough to lightly greased surface, oil your hands, and knead it for 6 to 8 minutes, or until it begins to become smooth and supple.  This is the point in my dough-making journey where I had to add extra flour.  Just eyeball it... baking needs to be fun.  :)  The dough should still be soft, for sure!--- but I had to add that extra flour because I used liquid half & half instead of the powdered milk, called for in the orig recipe. 

3) Transfer your happy little dough ball to a lightly greased bowl, cover it, and allow the dough to rise till puffy, but not necessarily doubled in bulk, about 1 to 2 hours, depending on the warmth of your rising-spot. (i let my dough rise in the oven, turned off, but the oven light was turned on.)   :)

3) Transfer the risen dough to a lightly greased work surface, and shape it into an 8" dough loaf. Place the log in a lightly greased 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" loaf pan, cover the pan loosely with lightly greased plastic wrap, and allow the bread to rise for about 1 to 2 hours, or till the center has crowned about 1" above the rim of the pan. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350°F.  (NOTE: i've made this recipe several times in a 9x5" loaf pan, and the bread still tastes great, but the "crown" on its top just won't be as pronounced.)

4) Bake the bread for 35 to 40 minutes (although I did a full 40 today!), tenting it lightly with aluminum foil after ~20 minutes to prevent over-browning. [The finished loaf should be 190°F on an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center.]

5) Remove the bread from the oven, and turn it out of the pan onto a rack to cool.  NOW-Rub the top o' that baby down with butter.  If you can control yourself, the KAF bakers tell us to "cool completely before slicing."  No way I could wait for that!  ;)  Enjoy that bread with whatever you wanna put on it---- or maybe even plain!!  It's just that good.  [and good FOR you!]  :)  Store the bread in a plastic bag at room temperature.

wonderful whole wheat pancakes :)

when i lived in rome, pancakes were a staple in our apartment. there was NOTHING quite like waking up to a grande cappuccino & a fluffy stack of american goodness on a saturday morning. italy + america is always a good love affair. :)
 

however, now that i'm a doctor's wife, i'm not gonna lie... i sometimes feel the pressure to be "healthy."  let's face it.  a woman at 25-almost-26 isn't the same as she as at 15-going-on-16, either... so the need for healthy cooking & eating in my life isn't just because of dr. stoller. it's just plain GOOD for me.

therefore, i have started an obsession with whole wheat flour.

i'm sure any brand is okay, but i wanted my first-bag-purchase to be kind of special... so i went for it. the $3.99 bag of king arthur whole wheat flour.

and oh baby, it is good.

i adapted the classic 'piazza armellini pancake' recipe to fit whole wheat flour (the little particles are like sponges--they soak up liquid like nobody's business)!... and i am pretty pleased with the end result. 

whole wheat pancakes :) 

1 and 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
3-4 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons baking powder
1 and 1/3(ish) cups lowfat milk (i use 1%) :)
2 eggs (if using medium or large)... (1 is probably sufficient for extra-large or jumbo)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
a few shakes of cinnamon :)
2-3 tablespoons melted butter

mix all dry ingredients together well-- that means both flours, salt, brown sugar, and baking powder. [i use a regular table fork to make sure any chunks of brown sugar get disintegrated and incorporated into the flour].  add in 1 cup of milk and stir a little. you will definitely need at least another 1/3 cup of milk... but might need up to a 1/2 cup.  just use your eyes and see if it has "pancake batter" consistency. :)  incorporate the eggs into the batter, & add the vanilla, cinnamon, and melted butter.  give it all a final few whorls with your fork & it should be ready to go :)

look at this tasty (AND fiber rich) batter!

i used a martha stewart nonstick square griddle... you can use a fryin' pan or whatever you have. i tend *not* to grease the cooking surface, because frankly, my griddle surface doesn't need it, AND it just adds more cals! who needs that?! not this girl.

a perfect trifecta of whole wheat goodness.

for today, i decided these little hottie-cakes needed more than just syrup. they needed fresh-of-the-season fruit goodness!  i rinsed a few raspberries, added some powdered sugar (maybe 1/3 cup?!), microwaved for 30-40 seconds, and voila' = super easy, super fresh, fruit topping :)

OH PRAISE HIM! finished product, with (a hem..) a little whipped cream (how could i not?!?!).. but wait! it's okay, cause i used *turkey* sausage instead of regular (and fattier!) pork sausage. booyah.

if you haven't tried it, you MUST check out the *majesty* of meijer's organic food collection. it. is. GREAT. and so much cheaper than your run-of-the-mill organic goodies.  SO. DELISH.

all i can say after that is praise the LORD for His cornucopia of goodness that flows forth from the farmer's fields! :)  and!--check out these little pancakes-- you won't be sad you did. ;)

banana-blueberry bread

how is it that despite the outside temperature of 85 degrees, i still get a hankerin' to bake?

my fridge was full of randomness, so i decided to make a quick bread out of it. and a whole wheat one, for that matter (i always feel so much better about eating my baked treats when there's some whole wheat goodness in there). ;)

i found this recipe from a cookbook i received as a bridal gift--- Lisa Lillien's "Hungry Girl: 200 recipes under 200 calories."  her recipe is for "top banana bread," which called for 1 1/2 cups of mashed bananas... of which i only had 2.  SO!  i figured, why not throw in some mashed blueberries?  i wasn't to be foiled by my lack of bananas. :)

you can check out lisa's original recipe in her book, OR you can try the one i modified to fit my life... i love to be healthy and all, but we don't carry "liquid egg substitute" in the stoller house. it just sounds wrong.

Banana Blueberry Bread (modifed from lisa lillien's top banana bread recipe)

1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated white sugar

1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 2 bananas) PLUS enough mashed blueberries to fill 1 and 1/2 cups worth (about 1/4 cup berries for me)

2 eggs

1/2 cup no-sugar-added applesauce

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 F.  In a large mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients (both flours, sugars, baking powders, cinnamon, & salt).  Mix well.

In another smaller bowl, combine all wet ingredients (bananas, blueberries, eggs, applesauce, & vanilla).  Mix well, then add the liquid ingredients to the dry, and stir until just blended.

Grease a large loaf pan [9x5] with cooking spray or whatever you like, and pour batter into the pan.  Bake for about 40-50 minutes or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.

hope you enjoy making this yummy bread, and PLEASE feel free to improvise/change the recipe as you see fit--- this was my 1st draft :)  but an oh-so-yummy one!

and how *bummed* am i, by the lack of food pictures! ahh. whenever i decide to get my buns to Best Buy, i'll eventually get my sweet little digital camera fixed... until then, you'll just have to imagine the food in your mind. :)

buon appetito :)