As you can see, I bake quite a bit. Ryan and I are fortunate enough to have the time to make most of our own meals, and we love sharing a loaf of freshly baked bread at dinner.
But many of the goodies that I pull out of my oven are not what you would call "healthy", in fact, some of these goodies are down-right decadent. If Ryan and I ate every single cookie, brownie, cake or pie that I made, we would probably be a lot larger and in much poorer health. The key to staying trim while still enjoying these desserts is moderation. We always invite friends over when we make dessert because foodshould be communal. Or after Ryan and I share a piece of cake or munch on a warm cookie, we give the rest away to friends and family members. Thus we are able to enjoy these special treats without having to eat a pound of butter every week.
One of the main reasons I want to open a bakery is to be able to share my food with people in the community. I'm often tempted to hand out brownies or bread to people on the street because we have so much at home! Right now, our freezer is packed with bagels, loaves of bread, rolls and muffins. Thankfully, all of these baked goods freeze wonderfully, so I know they will get eaten eventually.
But on a daily basis, Ryan and I do enjoy a lot of my baked goods. We subsist on the weekly loaves of bread I make, and I enjoy at least one whole-grain muffin everyday. These muffins are VERY HEALTHY and are loaded with antioxidants, whole grains, and natural fruit. They are fat-free and have no added sugar, and I can't get enough of them. If you've never had a muffin without sugar, these may not be sweet enough for your taste buds at first. But, over time, you will find your tastes changing, and you will actually prefer these muffins to the sugar-laden treats you can find at the grocery store or local bakery.
These muffins can easily be made vegan by substituting soy yogurt for the 1/2 cup included below. I used ground flax seed instead of eggs, which help the muffins rise and impart a rich, nutty flavor. Adding toasted walnuts or raisins or unsweetened coconut would be excellent adaptations. So please, give these a try, and let me know if you experiment with different combinations of fruits and nuts.
But many of the goodies that I pull out of my oven are not what you would call "healthy", in fact, some of these goodies are down-right decadent. If Ryan and I ate every single cookie, brownie, cake or pie that I made, we would probably be a lot larger and in much poorer health. The key to staying trim while still enjoying these desserts is moderation. We always invite friends over when we make dessert because foodshould be communal. Or after Ryan and I share a piece of cake or munch on a warm cookie, we give the rest away to friends and family members. Thus we are able to enjoy these special treats without having to eat a pound of butter every week.
One of the main reasons I want to open a bakery is to be able to share my food with people in the community. I'm often tempted to hand out brownies or bread to people on the street because we have so much at home! Right now, our freezer is packed with bagels, loaves of bread, rolls and muffins. Thankfully, all of these baked goods freeze wonderfully, so I know they will get eaten eventually.
But on a daily basis, Ryan and I do enjoy a lot of my baked goods. We subsist on the weekly loaves of bread I make, and I enjoy at least one whole-grain muffin everyday. These muffins are VERY HEALTHY and are loaded with antioxidants, whole grains, and natural fruit. They are fat-free and have no added sugar, and I can't get enough of them. If you've never had a muffin without sugar, these may not be sweet enough for your taste buds at first. But, over time, you will find your tastes changing, and you will actually prefer these muffins to the sugar-laden treats you can find at the grocery store or local bakery.
These muffins can easily be made vegan by substituting soy yogurt for the 1/2 cup included below. I used ground flax seed instead of eggs, which help the muffins rise and impart a rich, nutty flavor. Adding toasted walnuts or raisins or unsweetened coconut would be excellent adaptations. So please, give these a try, and let me know if you experiment with different combinations of fruits and nuts.
Banana Blueberry Whole Grain Muffins
2 Cups Whole Wheat Flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves
1 cup frozen or fresh blueberries
3 bananas (very riped and mashed)
2 TBSP ground flax seed plus 6 TBSP water
1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 cup yogurt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and grease a 12 cup muffin tin. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt and spices. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, combine flax seed and water, stir and allow to become slighly gummy (wait 1-2 minutes). Add in mashed bananas, applesauce, yogurt and vanilla extract. Stir until well combined.
3. Toss your blueberries in your flour mixture (this will prevent them from sinking). Gently fold your wet mixture into your flour mixture and stir until just combined.
4. Divide batter amongst muffin tin and bake in your preheated oven for 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in pan for 5 minutes before removing to cool on a wire rack.
These muffins freeze incredibly well! I usually take 2-3 out at a time from the freezer and keep them in the fridge for a morning snack.
2 Cups Whole Wheat Flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves
1 cup frozen or fresh blueberries
3 bananas (very riped and mashed)
2 TBSP ground flax seed plus 6 TBSP water
1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 cup yogurt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and grease a 12 cup muffin tin. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt and spices. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, combine flax seed and water, stir and allow to become slighly gummy (wait 1-2 minutes). Add in mashed bananas, applesauce, yogurt and vanilla extract. Stir until well combined.
3. Toss your blueberries in your flour mixture (this will prevent them from sinking). Gently fold your wet mixture into your flour mixture and stir until just combined.
4. Divide batter amongst muffin tin and bake in your preheated oven for 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in pan for 5 minutes before removing to cool on a wire rack.
These muffins freeze incredibly well! I usually take 2-3 out at a time from the freezer and keep them in the fridge for a morning snack.
RSS Feed
