Maple Yogurt Banana Muffins

It has been too long since I posted a recipe!   We had a huge change in routine ever since we started karate and violin lessons for all 3 children and mommy!  On top of that, I have been getting my flower beds and veggie patches ready for our short and late growing season.  No wonder I'm tired these days...  

Whew!   

I had a craving to make banana muffins.  Is that an odd notion? Even with my sudden food allergies, I still like to bake things I cannot eat.  It's the act of baking that makes me happy.  I pray that one day, my body will heal itself and I can enjoy the same foods as my family.  In the meantime, it hasn't stopped me from making their favourite classics, like banana muffins. 

I used my Honey Whole Wheat Banana Muffins recipe and used maple syrup and plain yogurt instead of honey and buttermilk.  Hubby had the difficult task of tasting these muffins and he declared them "good".  The children enjoyed them too with a glass of milk after school snack.  They were also convenient for a quick and easy breakfast.   

Maple Yogurt Banana Muffins

makes 12 regular sized muffins 

1 ½ cups whole wheat flour

½ cup wheat germ

2 Tbsp ground flax seed

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 large egg

1/3 cup maple syrup

1/3 cup plain yogurt

1 tsp vanilla extract

¼ cup canola oil, melted butter or coconut oil, melted (I used melted butter)

4 bananas, mashed (between 1-2 cups, it's a flexible recipe!)

Preheat oven to 400F

Mix all dry ingredients together.  Add egg, maple syrup, yogurt and vanilla to the dry ingredients.   Add bananas and melted butter.  Mix until the ingredients are well blended together. 

  

Scoop batter in 12 greased or lined muffin tins, each about ¾ full. 

Bake about 15 min or until until done. Check the muffins around 10-12 minutes.  Mini-muffins were done around 10-12 minutes, so check accordingly.

 - Adapted from 100 Days of Real Food:  Whole Wheat Banana Bread

My kiddies prefer the "mini" muffin size for their little hands.  I filled each greased mini muffin cavity up to the top.  I was able to make 24 mini muffins and 2 regular sized muffins in paper lined ramekins.  The mini-muffins were done baking around 10-12 minutes.  

Enjoy!

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Fresh Strawberry Scones

I had some fresh strawberries that were begging to be made into something yummy!  Inspired by the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, I thought that Fresh Strawberry Scones would be wonderful with a cup of tea in this rainy June weather. 

They turned out lovely!  I made 2 batches (28 scones total) and after sharing some, there are only 4 left! 

They were pretty easy to make.  With a pastry blender, cut the diced butter into the dry mixture.

Cut the butter down to the size of peas and the flour mixture looks like coarse crumbs.   

Dump the yogurt and egg mixture into the bowl and toss around with a fork.  Don't worry if the dough is in shaggy clumps, it will come together.  

 Look at the luscious, juicy strawberries! 

Add the dice strawberries to the dough and gently toss around with a fork.  

The diced strawberries are pretty delicate, so use a light hand in mixing in the fruit with the dough.

Pour the unformed dough onto a lined baking sheet.  I used my Silpat liner.   

Use your hands to pat all the strawberries and dough in a rectangular shape.  

Carefully cut the dough into the shape and size as desired.  Make sure the liner is not damaged. I used the edge of my silicone spatula/flipper to cut the dough. 

 Ready for the oven!

Bake at 400F for 12-15 minutes, until golden.  From this batch, I was able to cut out 14 scones.  

Fresh Strawberry Scones 

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup cold butter, diced
1 cup diced fresh strawberries
1/2 cup non-fat plain yogurt
1 large egg

1/4 cup icing sugar

1/2 tsp milk (or more if necessary)

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a medium bowl, mix flour, 1/3 cup sugar, baking powder, and baking soda.  Add diced butter and use a pastry blender or two knives to cut the butter into the dry mixture until it resembles coarse meal with pea sized butter pieces.

In a small bowl, whisk sour cream and egg until smooth.

Using a fork, stir sour cream mixture into flour mixture until large dough clumps form. Use your hands to press the dough against the bowl into a ball. (The dough will be sticky in places, and there may not seem to be enough liquid at first, but as you press, the dough will come together.)

Place on a lightly floured surface and pat into a 7- to 8-inch circle about 3/4-inch thick. Sprinkle with 1 tsp. of sugar (optional). Use a sharp knife to cut into 8 triangles; place on a cookie sheet (preferably lined with parchment paper), about 1 inch apart. Bake until golden, about 12-15 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes and serve warm or at room temperature. 

To make icing glaze:

Add 1/2 tsp milk to icing sugar and mix.  Add extra 1/4 tsp milk at a time if needed. Drizzle the icing over the cooled scones.  Another option is to place icing in a ziplock bag, snip a tiny corner and pipe the icing on. 

- Adapted from Allrecipes.com: Simple Scones

  

Enjoy!

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Muffin Tin Monday - May 14, 2012

What a great Mother's Day weekend!  We usually celebrate our holidays for almost a week.  It all started when hubby had to work Christmas Day or Christmas Eve several times the past few years.  To get around this, we celebrate over a course of a few days.  It's great when my birthday lasts for a week!  

We were busy with activity the whole weekend. The kiddies were starving when we got home after their piano lessons.  Of course, that's when moms become Iron Chef Mommies...complete with a panel of judges with discerning kiddie palates.

The theme?  Whatever in the fridge and pantry to feed starving, grumpy, whiny kids... it should be relatively healthy and FAST! 

This is what my fridge and pantry yielded:  red grapes, goldfish crackers, leftover oven roasted corn, leftover oven roasted bacon and yogurt with fresh strawberries.  

They ate in record time and declared themselves full after they inhaled everything!  Whew!  

For more great lunch ideas, please check out  Muffin Tin Mom.

Enjoy!

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Blueberry Muffins

Blueberry muffins are a classic staple in our household.  When blueberries are in season and on sale, I buy as much as I can and freeze them on cookie sheets so we can enjoy them year-round. 

I have made many muffins and realized that I learned how to make muffins way back in my Grade 8 Home Economics class.  In just a few short years, my kiddies will be old enough to make this! 

Muffins are easy to make but I was in search of a recipe that was fluffy, fruity, lightly sweetened, moist and not dense.  My old stand-by recipe was pretty good but not as moist as I would have liked.   Then I decided to try the Blueberry Muffin recipe from The New Best Recipe cookbook as posted on www.simplyrecipes.com.  I needed to use up some plain yogurt.   

Boy, was I surprised how moist and fluffy they turned out!  Almost as fluffy as a cupcake, yet still a muffin.  Of course, I didn't follow the recipe exactly but close enough to get what I was looking for.  I never would have thought that plain yogurt is the trick! 

The batter was thick and fluffy due to the plain yogurt. 

A small sized ice cream scoop made the job so much quicker and easier.  

I was able to make 12 regular and 16 medium sized muffins from one recipe. 

I filled the muffin cups right up to the top.  I also dusted them with a bit of cinnamon sugar before baking.

Finished product!  Look how they rose and browned nicely. MMMmm... 

Blueberry Muffins

3 cups of all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
10 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened  (I used 1/2 cup non-hydrogenated margarine)
1 cup sugar (I used 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup white)
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel (I used 2 tsp vanilla extract instead)

2 cups blueberries
1 Tbsp flour (if using defrosted frozen berries)
 1 Tbsp white sugar  (optional cinnamon sugar for lightly sprinkling tops before baking)
1/4 tsp cinnamon   

Adjust the oven rack to the middle-lower part of the oven. Preheat oven to 375°F.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar together, beating until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating until incorporated after each one. Beat in the grated lemon peel (or vanilla).

Beat in one half of the dry ingredients until just incorporated. Beat in one third of the yogurt. Beat in half of the remaining dry ingredients. Beat in a second third of the yogurt. Beat in the remaining dry ingredients and then the remaining yogurt. Again be careful to beat until just incorporated. Do not over beat. Fold in the berries. If you are using frozen berries, defrost them first, drain the excess liquid, and then coat them in a light dusting of flour.

Use standard 12-muffin muffin tins. Coat each muffin cup lightly with olive oil or grapeseed oil using a pastry brush, or with a little butter. Or use one of those convenient vegetable oil sprays. Distribute the muffin dough equally among the cups. Sprinkle tops with a little cinnamon sugar, if desired.  Bake until muffins are golden brown, about 25 to 30 minutes. Test with a long toothpick (we use a thin bamboo skewer) to make sure the centers of the muffins are done. Set on wire rack to cool for 5 minutes. Remove muffins from the tin and serve slightly warm.

Yield: Makes 12-16 muffins. (I was able to make 12 regular and 16 medium sized muffins with this recipe.  I normally check the muffins after 15 minutes and then every 5 minutes until done, as every oven is different).  

- Adapted from The New Best Recipe, posted on www.simplyrecipes.com. 

Enjoy!

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