Tag Archives: eating on a budget

What’s For Dinner Wednesday: “Fake Alfredo” Sauce

10 Apr
The kids could choose which veggie they wanted to throw into their fake alfredo meal. Here's one with peas on top.

The kids could choose which veggie they wanted to throw into their fake alfredo meal. Here’s one with peas on top.

When we first began our search for low-fat and non-fat menu options, my friend Debra sent me a recipe for a “fake” Alfredo Sauce that she’d seen online but hadn’t had a chance to try. I decided to try it this week.

It is very similar to last week’s Cauliflower Soup recipe, and starts out being made the same way. But, you throw in some extra ingredients to give it a completely different flavor. Caroline didn’t love it, but Elizabeth did, and surprisingly, so did Alex. I loved it. I’d definitely use it again, although personally I’d like it with less nutmeg in it.

Does it taste just like real Alfredo Sauce? Nope. It’s a good sauce though, and very healthy. Surprisingly, after eating it last night for dinner, I saw another fake Alfredo Sauce recipe today on Fat Free Vegan, and she said she’s seen several in her travels too. So check hers out also!

I served this over cheese tortellini. I also threw in sauteed chicken and shrimp. The kids chose whether or not they wanted to add in broccoli or peas for a veggie. There was something in the dish that everyone would like.

INGREDIENTS

– 1 lg head cauliflower
– 3 C vegetable broth
– 3 C water
– 6 cloves garlic, minced
– 1 Tbsp butter
– 1 tsp salt
– 1 tsp ground nutmeg
– 1/2 tsp white pepper
– 1 Tbsp olive oil
– 1/4 C Plain 0% greek Yogurt **(I added another 1/4 cup).
1. Chop the cauliflower into florets. Bring the vegetable broth + water mix to a boil over medium high heat and add cauliflower. Cook until cauliflower is soft, about 15 minutes.
2. While cauliflower is cooking, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and saute for 4-5 minutes until fragrant.
3. Transfer cauliflower to a blender with some of the broth then add the sauteed garlic, salt, nutmeg, and white pepper and puree until very smooth. Add more broth or water if the mixture is too thick to move through the blender.
4. Add the yogurt and cook over low heat. Serve over pasta – OR use as a cooking sauce for baking chicken.

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Fat Free Strawberry Muffins (vegan)

5 Apr
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Happy Easter!

This past weekend was Easter. Normally we host Easter but this year my parents decided to host, and I was looking for something new to bring to add to their spread.

Since embarking on our new fat-free menu plans, I’ve been doing a lot of what we like to call “healthifying” and “defatifying” of our old recipes in order to make them something we can all eat.

It’s easy enough to do to almost any recipe: wheat flour instead of white, or half wheat/half white, egg substitute instead of eggs, fat free plain yogurt instead of oil, I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter instead of butter.

Even though it’s not hard to change over a recipe to make it healthy, it was such a great find when I came across the blog Fat Free Vegan Kitchen on Facebook. I was thrilled because it meant the work was done for me. The recipes are already fat free. What a relief.

When Susan posted some yummy looking strawberry muffins on her blog in the week leading up to Easter, I knew I’d found my new contribution for Easter brunch. The recipe called for everything I had on hand, including strawberries. For our brunch I doubled it and it made 15 muffins.

The response to this new recipe was outstanding. Everyone who tried them loved them, and there were only a few left at the end of the day. It’s definitely a recipe I’d make again, and I absolutely loved that for us they were worry-free because they were definitely fat free.

I hope you’ll venture on over to Fat Free Vegan Kitchen and check out some of Susan’s other recipes. And, I hope you’ll try these delicious muffins! You’d never know they were fat free. With summertime coming, we’re heading right into fresh strawberry season. Hang onto this recipe!

**For our modifications, I used skim milk instead of non-dairy. I used a dash of sugar instead of stevia, to sweeten the batter a bit, and I added more confectioner’s sugar to thicken up my glaze a bit. It seemed too runny to me at first.**

I’ve included all of Susan’s instructions as well as her notes and nutritional information. I find her blog very helpful and informative.

The glaze on these was delicious!

The glaze on these was delicious!

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 cup strawberries, whole
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup non-dairy milk (as needed)
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup white whole wheat flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 6 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar (optional)
  • 4 teaspoons strawberry puree or all-fruit spread (optional)
  • a few drops vanilla extract (optional)DIRECTIONS
  • Preheat oven to 350. Prepare a mini-muffin pan by oiling it lightly or filling with paper liners.
  • Place the strawberries in a food processor or blender and process until they are pureed. Measure out 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons of the puree into a small bowl and set aside any remaining puree for another use. Add the maple syrup, non-dairy milk, lemon juice, and vanilla.
  • In a medium bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add the strawberry mixture. Mix until just blended–do not overmix. Fill mini-muffin cups with about 1 tablespoon of batter each. Bake at 350 F, checking after 10 minutes. When a toothpick comes out clean, remove and allow to cool completely. Frost if desired (see Notes below).

Notes

To prepare frosting, combine 6 tablespoons confectioners sugar, 4 teaspoons strawberry puree or strawberry all-fruit spread, and a few drops of vanilla extract. Stir well. If frosting seems too runny, add more sugar; if too stiff, add more puree. Frost center of muffins lightly just before serving (if you use too much, it will drip off), and refrigerate any leftovers.

To make these completely sugar-free, replace the maple syrup with more strawberry puree, and add stevia to taste.

Preparation time: 15 minute(s) | Cooking time: 10 minute(s)

Number of servings (yield): about 20 mini-muffins or 6 regular-sized ones

Nutrition (per mini-muffin, without frosting): 35 calories, 2 calories from fat, <1g total fat, 0mg cholesterol, 73.9mg sodium, 48.4mg potassium, 7.8g carbohydrates, <1g fiber, 2.8g sugar, <1g protein, 1 points.

Nutrition (per serving, with frosting): 47 calories, 2 calories from fat, <1g total fat, 0mg cholesterol, 74.1mg sodium, 48.5mg potassium, 10.9g carbohydrates, <1g fiber, 5.7g sugar, <1g protein, 1.3 points.

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What’s for Dinner Wednesday: Cauliflower Soup

3 Apr
You can either use fresh or frozen cauliflower for this recipe.

You can either use fresh or frozen cauliflower for this recipe.

Recently, my friend Karen sent me the link to a soup she really loved. It’s so fast and has very easy ingredients, and it’s one that I can drink in a mug, so it’s good for the days where I can’t stop for lunch. The link was to the blog Skinnytaste, and this soup has been a huge hit at our house.

The recipe originally calls for a head of cauliflower, and I have to say, it’s absolutely the best when made with fresh cauliflower. It’s thicker and tastier. But, I like keeping bags of frozen veggies on hand in my freezer for when I’m out of fresh veggies and I like that this recipe can also be made using the frozen ones.

Since trying this recipe out over February vacation, I’ve made it at least four or five times. You literally throw everything into the pot and let it simmer. When it’s done you blend and eat. It’s that simple. It’s completely healthy and it makes a great meal or even a great in-between-meals snack. Sometimes Caroline will have this as her after school snack. I’ll take that any day for a healthy choice!

The big, big deal though is the fact that prior to receiving this recipe, I did not have an immersion blender, otherwise known as a hand blender. I tried making it without one, and I could not. It was kind of a mess, to say the least.

A new immersion blender=a whole new world for me and my kitchen!

A new immersion blender=a whole new world for me and my kitchen!

I now have this immersion blender, and I SOOOO love it. I wanted one but I did not want to spend a lot of money so my friend Debra recommended this one from Walmart and it’s been great. I’ve used it for this soup and my cream of broccoli soup. I’ve also used the other attachment piece for making instant pudding and the batter for french toast.

The immersion blender is essential for this recipe, and I highly recommend both the recipe and the blender to make it happen! Below is Gina’s recipe from Skinnytaste, and I hope you’ll visit her blog and check it out!

Using a large head of fresh cauliflower made this batch of soup so thick and smooth and creamy.

Using a large head of fresh cauliflower made this batch of soup so thick and smooth and creamy.

CAULIFLOWER SOUP
INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 large head cauliflower – chopped
  • 1/2 cup chopped onions
  • 4-6 cups water
  • 2 chicken bouillon cubes
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • **we use chicken broth instead of water and bouillon cubes.

DIRECTIONS:
In a 5 quart saucepan, add all ingredients. Cover and simmer until vegetables are tender (about 20 minutes.) Puree with an immersion blender until smooth.

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What’s for Dinner Wednesday: Tracey’s Muffin Tin Mini Lasagnas

27 Mar
A new favorite meal for us!

A new favorite healthy meal for us!

My mom found me a new blog and I really like it. It’s called Tracey’s Culinary Adventures and the very first link she forwarded to me was today’s recipe. She sent it to me last Thursday, saying she thought we’d like these,  and I wrote back and said, “I am going to make them tonight, they sound so good!”

Then I realized I’d eaten all the ricotta cheese as my chocolate fix the night before, so I had to go out and get that. And the wonton wrappers. But other than that, I had everything on hand and this sounded really good to me!

The recipe is a simple, easy one, and although it does have a few steps they are not hard steps and they are much easier than making a “real” lasagna. I liked that these were multi-layered, just as a lasagna would be, and I loved even more that they baked in ten minutes. They got four out of five thumbs up at our house, with only Alex not liking them. She liked the inside but not the wrappers. But overall, they were very well received and I’d most definitely make them again.

I am going to post Tracey’s recipe here, and any modifications I made, there weren’t many, but I encourage you to visit her blog because she really goes step by step in her description and it’s really well laid out. Additionally, she has some fabulous recipes on there, so check it out! My lasagnas were slightly more plain than hers as my family doesn’t love a lot of “stuff” in their meat layer, but you can really throw in anything that you like just as you would a regular lasagna.

TRACEY’S MUFFIN TIN MINI LASAGNAS

Dinner prep time often coincides with homework help time. On this night, I was listening to Alex read aloud, everything I always wanted to know about the state of Hawaii. Thank goodness for simple recipes!

Dinner prep time often coincides with homework help time. On this night, I was listening to Alex read aloud, everything I always wanted to know about the state of Hawaii. Thank goodness for simple recipes!

INGREDIENTS

12 oz ground turkey
1 medium onion, chopped (I skipped this.)
1/2 cup chopped mushrooms (I skipped this.)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano, divided
pinch red pepper flakes (I skipped this.)
1 1/2 cups part-skim ricotta cheese (I used fat free.)
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
24 wonton wrappers
1 1/2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese (I used fat free.)

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375 F. Spray a 12-cup muffin tin generously with nonstick cooking spray.

Add the ground turkey, onions, mushrooms, salt, and pepper to a large skillet set over medium to medium-high heat. Using a wooden spoon, break the turkey up into small crumbles and cook for about 10 minutes, or until the turkey has browned. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute, just until fragrant. Add the tomato sauce, 1 teaspoon of the oregano, and the red pepper flakes, and stir to combine. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if desired. Bring the sauce to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.

In a medium bowl, stir together the ricotta, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of oregano, the basil, and a pinch each of salt and pepper.

To assemble: Press 1 wonton wrapper into each well of the muffin pan – be sure to press them into the bottom and sides of the pan. Working with half of the ricotta mixture, divide it among the wells of the pan evenly, pressing the ricotta into an even layer. Working with half of the tomato sauce, divide it among the wells of the pan, spreading in an even layer rather than mounding. Sprinkle 2 teaspoons of the mozzarella over the top of each mini lasagna. Press a second wonton wrapper onto each mini lasagna then repeat the process of layering using the second half of the ricotta mixture, the remaining half of the tomato sauce and finally two more teaspoons of the mozzarella per cup.

Bake the mini lasagnas for 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Remove the muffin pan to a wire rack and let the mini lasagnas cool for a few minutes before removing them. Garnish with fresh basil before serving, if desired.

Makes 12

Two apiece were plenty for us. I did find these softened up when they were left over, but they still tasted good.

Two apiece were plenty for us. I did find these softened up when they were left over, but they still tasted good.

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Strawberry Compote for your next breakfast or brunch

22 Mar
We've made this twice already since finding the recipe in a magazine.

We’ve made this twice already since finding the recipe in a magazine.

Being a breakfast/brunch fanatic, when I saw this compote in a FamilyFun magazine recently, I knew I had to try it.  I love compotes of all kinds.  We already have a great recipe for a blueberry compote and one for a peach compote, but I’d yet to try a strawberry compote.

It was shown over crepes, which we love, but right away I could picture it over homemade waffles, over pancakes, french toast and even as a topping for our healthy mini cheesecakes.

The first time I made it, it was a hit right away. I served it with the mini cheesecakes as a dessert, but I spotted a cute little girl who shall remain nameless to protect her identity, eating it right out of a bowl with whipped topping, spoon in hand, no cheesecake in sight.

It was that good.

The second time we made it, it was for crepes, which we are actually having for dinner. We put out a variety of fillings and toppings, (remember our crepes buffet from a past post?) and this strawberry compote was a perfect topper and even a perfect filler, for strawberry banana crepes. I had a combination of fresh strawberries and bananas along with the compote in mine.

Heavenly.

So, with many people choosing the brunch option for the upcoming Easter holiday meal, I thought I’d post this recipe today, in case you decide to include it in your menu. The recipe is delicious, fast and easy, a check plus in my book. I keep a variety of frozen fruits on hand so we used a one pound bag of frozen strawberries from Aldi’s for this recipe.

STRAWBERRY COMPOTE *from FamilyFun, February 2013
INGREDIENTS

1 pound fresh or frozen strawberries, quartered plus more for garnish if desired. (I did not quarter them, as they were frozen.)

1/4 cup sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Super-easy directions make this a great recipe for a busy day.

Super-easy directions make this a great recipe for a busy day.

DIRECTIONS

1.) In a medium saucepan, stir the strawberries and sugar together. Let the mixture stand until the fruit’s juices release, about 30 minutes. (If you are using frozen strawberries, heat them with the sugar over medium heat until they’re defrosted, about 2 minutes *mine took longer.*)

2.) In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and lemon juice. Combine them with the strawberry mixture. Simmer the sauce on medium-low until it thickens, about 10 minutes, then set aside.

See what kinds of things you can think of to serve this with!

Again, mine took a little longer to thicken, but here is what it looks like when it's done, so cook until it is thickened. You'll be able to tell.

Again, mine took a little longer to thicken, but here is what it looks like when it’s getting thicker, so cook until it is thickened. You’ll be able to tell.

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What’s For Dinner Wednesday: Light Vegetable Fried Rice

20 Mar
This Vegetable Fried Rice was a huge hit!

This Vegetable Fried Rice was a huge hit!

We all love Chinese food, but it’s not something we get very often. I was thrilled when I recently found a recipe on the Red Barn Blog for a homemade version that was healthy. I actually believe the post was a guest post on the Red Barn Blog by the Budget Gourmet Mom, a blog I also follow.

I decided to try it a couple of weeks ago, although not following the recipe exactly, but rather using it as a guide when making ours. It was such a huge hit, I’ve already made it again. Five thumbs up, both times.

I like this recipe because you can use whatever vegetables you have on hand and throw them in. I can foresee using sugar snap peas or pea pods when I have them next, or throwing in zucchini when I make it again.

Here is the recipe as it’s written by the Budget Gourmet Mom on the Red Barn Blog. I’ve made a note of any changes I made. This was great served with Duck Sauce or with Sweet and Sour Sauce on the side, both of which are nonfat.

This Chinese Fried Rice is great as a side dish for any meal. We last used it when we had pork chops.

This Chinese Fried Rice is great as a side dish for any meal. We last used it when we had pork chops.

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 cups cooked cold white or brown rice
  • 1 tablespoon canola oil  (We used olive oil.)
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 2 cups fresh vegetables, I used broccoli and carrots
  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten (We used egg substitute.)
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • DIRECTIONS
  1. In a large skillet preheat oil over medium-high heat.
  2. Add in the rice and fry, tossing carefully with wooden spoon. Add the vegetables and continue to cook for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  3. Push the rice off to the side of the pan and place the beaten eggs next to the rice. Cook, stirring the eggs until firm. Fold into the rice.  (I cooked my eggs in a separate frying pan.)
  4. Add the soy sauce, toss, and serve.

Thanks to the Red Barn Blog and the Budget Gourmet Mom for sharing this delicious dish!

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Springtime Smoothies

15 Mar
A healthy springtime snack!

A healthy springtime snack!

Just the other day I wrote about some of the signs of spring’s arrival that I look forward to: things like the weather changing, longer days and the chance to play outside.

Another thing that happens when the seasons change is that our menu changes a bit too. As the weather warms up our snacks are often cool and refreshing rather than warm and toasty.  Our dinners are often cooked outside and then eaten outside too.

One snack in particular that my kids love is smoothies. I make them at home in the blender all the time, but most especially as the weather gets warmer.

Just the other day I got a request to go through the McDonalds drive through for one of their Shamrock Shakes. Unfortunately, that request had to be denied. However, I knew that at home, I could recreate the same sort of shake in the form of a green smoothie, and it’d be much cheaper and much healthier.

With some Aldi’s Nonfat Vanilla Yogurt, skim milk, ice and some green food coloring, (you could also add in some mint extract for flavoring if you wanted) I was able to create a snack that was lower in fat, calories, sugar and carbs than what the original request had been.

A quick couple of minutes in the blender and you've got your healthy after school snack!

A quick couple of minutes in the blender and you’ve got your healthy after school snack!

To give you some quick comparisons:

One cup of Aldi’s nonfat Vanilla yogurt:

140 calories

0 Fat
0 Saturated Fat

0 Trans Fat

1% cholesterol (5mg)

9% carbohydrates (27g)

22g sugar

13% protein (7g)

(don’t forget to add in your skim milk and if you’d like, some mint flavored extract and fat free whipped cream!)

One McDonald’s Shamrock Shake 11.3 oz. (nutrition information taken from Livestrong.com)

416 calories

15%  Total Fat (9.8 g)

30% Saturated Fat (6g)

12% cholesterol (38 mg)

24% carbohydrates (72.4 g)

18% Protein (9.4 g)

61.5 g sugar

So next time you get a request for that special fast food shake, see if you can recreate something similar at home too! It’s cheaper (especially times three or four people) and it’s better for you!

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New cookie recipe: I consider these “Superfoods”

8 Mar

I have a new chocolate cookbook that I received from Caroline for Christmas this year. IMG_0115

It’s fantastic.

I already went through it and tabbed a bunch of recipes, and we’ve already made two of them so far, both were delicious. One of them I am going to share with you today. Elizabeth and I made it together last weekend as a surprise for the rest of the family when they were out.

Overall, many of the recipes in this cookbook are already “healthified,” made with some healthier options. Today’s recipe is one of those healthier option recipes.

In fact, it’s so healthy, I might consider these cookies a “Superfood!”

You laugh (I can hear you) but just look at the ingredients in this recipe, read my post about super foods from last week and read the following blurb that I just read *today* in the March 13 issue of Better Homes and Gardens magazine, that supports my superfood cookie claim:

“When you think ‘superfood,’ you probably picture kale or blueberries. But potent plant goodness comes in liquid form, too. Coffee is the nation’s number one source of antioxidants, accounting for 40% of our overall intake, according to research from the University of Scranton.”

Elizabeth was so excited to be the kid in the kitchen this time around!

Elizabeth was so excited to be the kid in the kitchen this time around!

First, let me just say that reading this thrilled me. I think I probably get more like 50% of my antioxident intake from coffee!

And second, although I’m being humorous, this recipe actually has coffee in it, which is why I drew your attention to that fact.

The cookies were a hard, crunchy cookie, which is the kind I prefer. Everyone here loved them, all thumbs up, and I didn’t think twice about offering them dessert, knowing that I was really providing them with daily doses of antioxidants!!

Below is the recipe. Now keep your eye open for all the healthier choices and you’ll see why these cookies were a superfood in my house!

My new superfood cookies

My new superfood cookies

CHOCOLATE & COFFEE WHOLE WHEAT COOKIES
INGREDIENTS

3/4 cup unsalted butter or margarine (we used I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter.)

1 cup brown sugar

1 egg (we used egg substitute)

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

pinch of salt

scant 1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1 tablespoon bran (We took bran flakes and crushed them up in a ziploc bag and took 1 tablespoon from there.)

1 1/3 cups semisweet chocolate chips

2 cups rolled oats

1 tablespoon strong coffee (I used decaf!)

2/3 cup hazelnuts toasted and coarsely chopped (I skipped this ingredient.)

Using the larger of my two Pampered Chef scoops makes our cookies more uniform.

Using the larger of my two Pampered Chef scoops makes our cookies more uniform.

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Grease two large cookie sheets (I don’t grease, mine are fine.)

Cream the butter and sugar together in a bowl. Add the egg and beat well.

In a separate bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. Then add in the whole wheat flour and bran.

Mix in the egg mixture, then stir in the chocolate chips, oats, coffee, and hazelnuts.

Mix well.

Put 24 rounded tablespoonfuls of the mixture onto the prepared cookie sheets.

Bake 16-18 minutes or until golden brown. (Ours took less, around 15 minutes.)

Remove from oven, then transfer to a cooling rack and let cool before serving.

Enjoy!!

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What’s For Dinner Wednesday: Easy Orzo with Broccoli and Chicken

6 Mar
This meal is a much healthier option for us!

This meal is a much healthier option for us!

As we’ve been going through the process of redesigning our various meals to be a better fit for our diet restrictions, there are some meals that I’ve really been missing.

Sometimes I don’t miss them because I loved them as much as I loved the ease of preparing them on a busy night. Others, I miss because I just loved them.

One of the easy-to-prepare meals that I missed was this one because everyone liked it and it was fast. But, it’s not a good fit any longer.

Since chicken, broccoli and pasta is still one of our favorite combinations, I was looking for a healthier option to make instead.

Recently I’ve seen dishes which use orzo popping up on various blogs, recipe emails and even on Pinterest. We use orzo in our chicken soup, but I never think to use it as a side dish or a main dish, ever. Last night I decided to try. I had half a package left from the last soup Don made, and I had broccoli, chicken tenderloins and chicken broth all on hand.

I did something I don’t often do: I winged the recipe myself. No set measurements, although I used a broccoli orzo recipe from Skinnytaste.com as a guide, along with another orzo recipe on My Soup For You as my inspiration.

That said, here is what I did for a fast, mostly one-pot meal that got all thumbs up:

I keep a lot of the Aldi's Fit and Active chicken broth on hand. They also sell vegetable broth.

I keep a lot of the Aldi’s Fit and Active chicken broth on hand. They also sell vegetable broth.

I started out by thawing six tenderloins.  I cut them up into bite sized pieces and sauteed them in a frying pan with a little bit of chicken broth and garlic.

While that was going, I cooked my orzo, about four ounces of it, in chicken broth instead of water. I cooked it according to the package directions, about 7 minutes, and drained out the broth when done.

I took a steam-fresh pack of frozen broccoli florets out of the freezer and put it in the microwave for about 5 minutes.

Quick, easy and delicious. Love that!

Quick, easy and delicious. Love that!

That whole scenario took about 10 minutes total. The longest part of the meal was thawing the chicken beforehand.

Once the orzo, broccoli and chicken were each done, I put them all into the one frying pan that held the chicken, together, and cooked a few minutes, adding more chicken broth, until it was to my liking.

I served the meal in bowls with the option of adding a sprinkle of Parmesan Cheese on top, and my fans at the dinner table went wild. They loved it. I’d definitely make it again, but I’d make more. There was not a drop left.

This recipe was fast, easy and good for you! Give it a try and see if you agree!

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Muffins for your Monday Morning

4 Mar
These muffins were a great healthy start to our day, baked by Don last weekend!

These muffins were a great healthy start to our day, baked by Don last weekend!

If there’s one thing I can say about Don, it’s that he’s a team player for sure. He’ll pitch in and do whatever is needed, whenever he can. Last weekend we had a particularly busy morning and I wanted to make muffins for breakfast–we were both craving homemade muffins–but with all the other things I needed to do, I wasn’t going to be able to get it done, so Don said he’d do it.

Don loves to cook, hates to bake. He likes being able to wing it with his cooking, throwing in this or that, and baking is an exact science. You throw the wrong thing in and that’s the end of your recipe.

So the fact that he volunteered to bake muffins for us, was really great. I gave him a basic muffin recipe from my Better Homes and Gardens cookbook (pg. 60 if you have their New Cook Book) and showed him all the variations he could choose from as long as we had the necessary ingredients.

The option he chose to go with was an oatmeal muffin and he threw in raisins. He’s always loved Oatmeal Raisin cookies, so this option did not surprise me. I love baking with raisins, they’re so sweet  and I devoured these muffins too. Everyone did, some with jelly once they realized the raisins were not chocolate chips, and some without jelly.

This means Don can no longer claim he can’t bake. The secret is out. Next time I’m in a bind, he’s on.

Here’s his recipe, taken from the Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book. I’ll give you the basic muffin recipe first, with our modifications, and the oatmeal variation at the end, just the way the cookbook does.

Muffins
Ingredients

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour  (whatever the recipe, we do half wheat, half white flour)

1/3 cup sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1 beaten egg

3/4 cup milk (we use skim)

1/4 cup cooking oil (we use nonfat yogurt instead of oil)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

In a mixing bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and 1/4 tsp. salt. (Salt is not listed in the ingredients though; I don’t know why.)

Make a well in the center.

Combine egg, milk and oil; add all at once to the flour mixture.

Stir just til moistened (batter should be lumpy).

Lightly grease muffin cups or line with paper bake cups; fill 2/3 full.

Bake in a 400 degree oven for about 20 minutes or til golden. Remove from pans, serve warm.

Makes 10-12 (we got 12).

Oatmeal variation:

Prepare as above except reduce flour to 1 1/3 cups and add 3/4 cups rolled oats to the flour mixture.

Other variations included: Blueberry, Cranberry, Jelly, Date Nut, Cheese, Banana, Pumpkin, and Corn muffins.

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