Bakery Style Whole Wheat Blueberry Zucchini Muffins

These muffins are made with white whole wheat flour, fresh blueberries, and grated zucchini. They are perfect for a healthy breakfast on-the-run, or for packing in school lunches. As an added bonus, adding applesauce to the batter makes these muffins extra moist!

Whole Wheat Zucchini Blueberry Muffins

Recipe Source: © Amanda Jenks

2 cups white whole wheat flour

1 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1/4 cup salted butter, partially melted

1 (4 ounce) snack container natural no-sugar added applesauce *plain or cinnamon flavor will work

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 heaping cups grated zucchini

1 (6 ounce) container fresh blueberries, washed and dried

Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Line a standard size muffin tin with muffin liners (you could also use a mini muffin pan). 

In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together until combined. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients.

In a medium bowl, combine the wet ingredients with a hand mixer (eggs, butter, applesauce, and vanilla) until completely incorporated. Pour the wet ingredients into the well of the dry ingredients. Also add the zucchini to the well. 

Mix the wet and dry ingredients together by hand or with the hand mixer just until combined. I prefer to use the hand mixer, because this batter will seem a little dry at first if you do it by hand. Using the hand mixer ensures that the moisture from the zucchini seeps into the batter more quickly, making the batter more moist faster. But if you choose to use the mixer you have to understand that it is easier to over mix the batter with a hand mixer. 

Whether you choose to mix by hand or with a hand mixer, do not over mix the batter! Over-mixing muffin batter will result in tough muffins with larger air pockets and the muffins will rise super tall in the middle and not on the sides. In other words, you'll have made chewy cone-top muffins, instead perfect light-and-fluffy domed muffins. 

Briefly and evenly fold the blueberries into the muffin batter with a rubber spatula. Fill the individual muffin tins completely to the top of the liner with batter (yes, they'll look full but that's how you'll get a nice dome). Bake standard size muffins for 20-22 minutes or bake mini muffins for 10-12 minutes. When muffins are fully cooked, a toothpick inserted in the center will come out clean. Cool for 5 minutes in the muffin tin, then transfer to a cooling rack and cool to warm or completely cool before eating.

Yield: 12 muffins

Calories per muffin: 190

Carbs per muffin: 32g

Whole Wheat Mini Chip Pancakes

Who knew that whole wheat pancakes didn't have to taste like cardboard? These are moist, light and fluffy. No one will ever guess that you used a whole grain flour in place of the white stuff. 

Make Your Granola Fit Your Mood

This plain jane granola recipe is perfect for customizing. Every time I eat it, I do so in a new and inventive way. So make it and get creative. There are so many possibilities!

Let's talk about moods for a minute. Today I'm feeling moody, and here's why: it's really easy to get discouraged as a food blogger.

I never got into this business (and yes, food blogging really is a "business") with the intention to make money. It really just started as a way to share the food and recipes I loved with family and friends--- it didn't matter how many views I got, what my photos looked like, or whether my recipes were "creative" and "original" enough for people to care to stop by--- what mattered was that when my two original readers (my mom and my husband) dropped by, they felt warm and welcome. 

By no means would I consider this blog popular, but I do remember when getting 18 views in a day felt like a lot (clearly I'm naive). The more this blog grows the easier it is to get caught up in the number of views I get each day and the money I am making, what my photos look like, how I compare to other food bloggers, etc.

And when I get swirled up in all of that blogger comparison and drama, I tend to get discouraged. We were talking about moods, right? I'm in a mood tonight because I feel so inadequate as a food blogger, and I haven't felt this way in a long time because I usually don't really care.

But the great thing about having moments like this is that they bring me back down to earth. They remind me of why I started this little blog in the first place. I started this blog because I love food. I reassure you that whether my posts get 5 views or 50,000 this blog will always be about sharing the best food with great readers... and I have really supportive readers, thanks! 

I sincerely hope that when you stop by, you feel like you're sitting right in my kitchen with me, having a little chat and sharing a delish dish. Oh, how I wish I could invite you all into my kitchen!

Now on to this granola. It's not a very clustery granola, which is why I make it because it is perfect for my homemade granola bars {recipe for those coming NEXT week}! If you want it to be more clustery just take out a cup of the old fashioned oats.

This granola is very "plain jane" for one simple reason: I like my granola to fit my mood. For example, tonight in my discouraged state I want to use it in a parfait with Oikos key lime greek yogurt, white chocolate chips, toasted coconut, and macadamia nuts (try it, please). That's the perfect combo for some healthy stress eating. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

On a day where I feel like eating extra healthy I might eat it for breakfast with some whole milk and pumpkin seeds, flax seed, and dried cranberries.

When I want this granola to have a fresher feel I eat it with greek yogurt and fresh seasonal fruit, like berries!

You get the idea. Store this granola in an air tight container for up to one week. Keep mix-in's like toasted nuts, seeds, coconut, dried fruits, chocolate chips, etc. on hand so that you can customize your granola to fit your mood.

Plain Jane Granola

Recipe Source: © Amanda Jenks

3 cups old-fashioned oats

2 cups quick oats

1/4 cup golden flaxseeds *whole, not ground

1/4 cup butter

1/3 cup honey

3 tablespoons brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon almond extract *a little goes a long way!

Combine both oats and the flaxseeds in a large mixing bowl. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a silpat mats and preheat oven to 325˚F.

In a small saucepan, bring butter, honey, brown sugar, and salt to a boil stirring constantly. Let boil for one minute, without stirring. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and almond extracts. 

Immediately pour honey mixture over oats and flaxseeds. Stir until evenly coated. Divide mixture between prepared cookie sheets, spreading granola into a thin layer on each sheet. Bake for 14-18 minutes total, stirring every 5-7 minutes. Granola will be toasty and golden once it is finished--- be careful not to burn it!

Cool completely and store in an airtight container for up to one week.

Serves: 15 (1/3 cup servings)

Calories: 170
Carbs: 28g

Mini Frittatas

For some reason I decided today would be a great day to talk about rollover ingredients. What's that you say? Rollover ingredients are ingredients you use for one specific purpose but you end up with extra. In this post we will be talking specifically about produce rollover.

For example, say you want to make this chicken salad, which calls for four green onions and half of a red pepper. Chances are your grocery store wouldn't be very appreciative if you brought a chef's knife into the store with you and chopped one of their peppers in half, so you buy a whole one. And unless your green onions are freaking huge I'm guessing there are more than four in a bunch.

Now since I really hate to let things go bad, I will usually plan another meal that requires those extra ingredients so that they are no longer "extra". But there are some weeks where I don't plan ahead so well and I find that at the end of the week I'm stuck with a random modge podge of small amounts of produce.

I've used this rollover produce in a lot of different ways over the past couple of years since we got married, but my favorite way by far are these little frittatas. They are very customizable which means that I can pull all of that produce out and both my husband and I can fill our frittatas with what we want in them. PLUS every time we make them they are different, because I don't usually have the same leftover produce on hand.

It all starts with an egg mixture in greased muffin tins.

Then all you have to do is just plop some of those add-ins into the egg. This particular time we made them we used broccoli, red pepper, green onions, ground sausage and mushrooms (the mushrooms were sauteed with the meat). We finished the frittatas with some shredded cheddar cheese.

When they are done baking, they are these light, fluffy mini frittatas packed with veggies and full of flavor. They are one of my favorite hot breakfasts!

Mini Frittatas

Recipe Source: Disney Spoonful

4 eggs

2 tablespoons milk*

2 tablespoons heavy cream*

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

about 1-2 tablespoons of veggie mix-in's per muffin, approximately 1 cup total= broccoli, peppers, mushrooms, onions, tomatoes, spinach, kale

Additional mix-in's (cooked bacon, cooked sausage, shredded cheese)

Beat eggs with milk and heavy cream. Add in salt and pepper. Divide mixture evenly between 6 greased standard size muffin tins. This is a great recipe to double if you want 12 mini frittatas. Top with desired mix-in's. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20-25 minutes, or until they are puffy and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve warm with hash browns and a fresh fruit salad.

*You can replace both the heavy cream and the milk with 1/4 cup half and half. I just usually have heavy cream and milk on hand, not half and half.

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If you'd like to use this recipe on your food blog my only request is that you give credit where credit is due.

Skinny Blender Pancakes

Last week, after my birthday weekend with the fam, I had to recover from a giant sugar/food coma. It was time to lighten things up. These pancakes are "skinny" but they definitely hit the spot. I bet you can't guess what's in them! It's an interesting list of ingredients, and when I first made them I was skeptical but they are delicious with any pancake topping. 

Speaking of my birthday, I also thought I would use this post to show off a few of the birthday gifts I got last week.

My parent's got me this blender, which made making these pancakes so effortless. My hubs, David, got me the griddle. It heats up super fast and the actual griddle part flips over and becomes an indoor grill. It is so saweeeeeeeeeet and has opened up a world of cooking opportunities for me.

Skinny Pancakes

Recipe Source: Chef In Training, originally a Biggest Loser recipe

6 egg whites

1 cup dry rolled oats

1 cup small curd cottage cheese
2 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

Combine all ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth. Preheat a griddle to 350 degrees (or heat a skillet to medium high heat on the stove).

Spray griddle with non-stick cooking spray and pour 1/4 cup portions of batter onto griddle. Cook until bubbles appear in the surface and then flip. Cook until the second side is golden brown.

Serve immediately with your favorite pancake toppings.

Maple Bacon Donuts as A Valentine's Day Gift

If your sweetheart is anything like mine, then I'm guessing they'll love this Valentine's gift. I mean, is there a better way to express love than a sweet and salty home baked good covered in crispy bacon? No, no there's not.

You can get the printable that I used on my paper bags here and here. I bet you are wondering why one of the documents has a "?" and the other has a "!". Well, it just depends on what kind of message you want to get across. I realize that "Don't you know I love you" is a question. But on the printable it sort of looks like you're saying, "I love you?". I personally like the one with an exclamation point better, "I love you!".

By the way, if you are skeptical about the maple-bacon-combo, you've got to try these. They're delish. If you'd rather not make the dough from scratch, then go buy some plain glazed donuts, dip them in the homemade maple frosting and finish them off with cooked crumbled bacon. They'd still be a yummy gift, just easier.

Baked Maple Bacon Donuts

Recipe Source: Adapted from Make Lemonade and More!

Maple Bar Dough:

1 1/2 cups milk

5 tablespoons butter, cut into cubes

5 tablespoons sugar, divided

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 cup warm water

2 tablespoons yeast

2 large eggs, beaten

5 1/2 cups flour (plus or minus 1/2 a cup - depending on humidity)

2 teaspoons cinnamon

Additional Ingredients:

16 slices bacon, cooked until crispy and then crumbled

Scald milk in a small saucepan over medium heat (don't boil it--- scald it! When milk is successfully scalded it looks frothy around the edges inside the pan). Once milk is scalded, remove from heat and stir in three tablespoons sugar and the butter. Set aside and let cool to lukewarm.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment combine warm water, remaining two tablespoons of sugar, and yeast. Your water will need to be warm enough to activate the yeast but not hot enough to kill it. Let the yeast mixture sit for five minutes. It should bubble and grow.

Once the yeast is ready and the milk mixture has cooled to warm, add the beaten eggs to the yeast. Then gradually mix in the milk mixture and the cinnamon. The cinnamon may clump but it will un-clump when you add in all of the flour.

Add half of the flour and mix until combined. Then remove the whisk attachment and secure the dough hook attachment. Stir in the remaining flour. You will know that the dough is ready when it cleans the side of the bowl, is soft, but does not stick to your fingers. 

Knead dough in machine for 5 minutes. Spray another large bowl with non-stick cooking spray. Remove dough from mixer and place in prepared bowl. Cover. Let rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours at room temperature OR refrigerate overnight (8-12 hours). Either way, the dough will double in size.

After dough has risen, roll it into a rectangle about 1/2 inch thick. Using a cookie cutter, cut out donuts. You can also use a pizza cutter to cut the rectangle of dough into bars. Place on parchment paper lined cookie sheets. Let dough rise for 30 more minutes.

While they rise, preheat oven to 425 degrees. Bake for 7-8 minutes or until they are a light golden brown. Remove and let cool slightly. Meanwhile make the icing.

Maple Icing:

1/3 cup butter

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup milk

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

2 teaspoons mapleine (maple flavored extract)

1/8 teaspoon salt

Combine butter, brown sugar, and milk together in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Let simmer for three minutes. Remove from heat and using a hand mixer blend in powdered sugar, mapleine, and salt.

While donuts are still warm, dip the tops of the donuts into the icing. Top frosted donuts with cooked crumbled bacon. Store leftovers in the fridge (because of the bacon). 

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Shared here: On the Menu Mondays @ StoneGable

Birthday Cake Pancakes

Last monday was my husband's birthday. I had a very eventful day planned for him, mostly because I was trying to make up for the fact that I spent the better part of his last birthday with my head over the toilet bowl {I was pregnant}. 

Needless to say, he deserved a great birthday this year and it was supposed to start with these pancakes--- which are a birthday tradition in this little family.  As fate would have it the power was out all morning on his birthday so I didn't get to make them. We ate them a few days later.

That's the great thing about these pancakes. You can enjoy them any day, not just on birthdays.

Birthday Cake Pancakes

1 1/2 cups flour

1 cup yellow cake mix

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

1/2 cup milk

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/3 cup sprinkles

Heat large skillet over medium heat, or preheat an electric griddle to 350 degrees. In a large bowl mix together dry ingredients (flour through salt). In a separate bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Add the milks, melted butter, and vanilla to the lightly beaten eggs and whisk until combined.

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredients into the well. Stir until fully mixed and then fold in the sprinkles.

Scoop scant 1/3 cup portions of batter onto the skillet or griddle. It will spread so leave room between pancakes. When the tops of the pancakes begin to bubble flip them and cook for 2 more minutes or so. Both sides should be golden brown.

Serve with butter, syrup, and/or icing (recipe below).

Icing:

1 cup powdered sugar

1/4 cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix all ingredients until smooth.

Recipe Source: Pennies on a Platter



Shared here: Pin Me Fridays @ Diana Rambles

Everyday Cinnamon Rolls (made in 30 minutes)

I'm craving a cinnamon roll.

This happens to me all the time. When I do get the itching for a cinnamon roll I have two options. ONE, I can spend a few hours making them completely from scratch and by the time they are done I have no interest in them anymore, or TWO I can go buy an altogether mediocre cinnamon roll from one of those places that wishes they were Cinnabon.

I have learned that neither of these options are desirable, which is why I bring to you the most gooey, moist, wonderfully delicious cinnamon rolls of all time. They can be made in thirty minutes flat and will get rid of any cinnamon roll craving very quickly. Yeah, you can thank me later.

It all starts with a pie plate and half a stick of butter. Melt said butter in microwave, right in your glass pie dish; add 1/4 cup brown sugar.

Stir the brown sugar into the butter and spread in an even layer on the bottom of the pie plate.

Not that it matters but I forgot to take a picture at this point when I sprinkled three tablespoons of chopped pecans over this butter and brown sugar mixture. Next open your can of crescent rolls (don't judge me, I happen to love canned crescent rolls) and press the seams together, making a rectangular sheet.

Spread a lot of butter over your dough.

Sprinkle a cinnamon sugar mixture generously over the butter. Starting at the long side, roll up the dough into a log. Pinch the dough closed. 

Cut into eight cinnamon rolls with a very sharp knife, dental floss or all-purpose thread.

Place cut cinnamon rolls in prepared pan. I like to sprinkle any leftover cinnamon sugar over the tops of the rolls. Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

Serve them hot, fresh from the oven. When we plate ours we like to flip the individual rolls upside down (so the gooey pecan part is on top) and then we drizzle them with sweet vanilla glaze. BEST CINNAMON ROLLS EVER. Easy, too.

Everyday Cinnamon Rolls

Cinnamon Rolls:

1 can crescent roll dough

1/2 cup (1 stick) softened butter, divided

1/4 cup brown sugar

3 tablespoons chopped pecans (optional)

1/4 cup white sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Sweet Vanilla Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar

1/4 cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8- or 9-inch glass pie plate with non-stick cooking spray. Put half of the butter (1/4 cup) in the prepared pan and microwave until butter is melted. Stir in brown sugar and spread evenly on bottom of pan. Sprinkle pecans over brown sugar mixture if desired.

Open the canned crescent rolls and pinch the seams together so that you have a rectangular sheet of dough. Spread remaining butter (1/4 cup) over dough. In a small bowl, combine white sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle evenly over buttered dough. If there's too much cinnamon sugar, save for sprinkling on top of cinnamon rolls before baking.

Starting at the long side, roll dough into a log pinching the dough closed when finished. Cut into eight rolls. Place in prepared pan. Sprinkle with any extra cinnamon sugar. Bake for 20 minutes.

While cinnamon rolls are baking whisk powdered sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla together until smooth. When rolls are done, drizzle with glaze while hot and serve immediately.

Recipe Source: Kevin and Amanda

This week I'm partying at!

MamaBuzz

Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Rolls

David and I have a favorite "go-to" cinnamon roll recipe, which I am sure I will eventually share with you. However it is fall, and I am convinced that no one in the entire world loves pumpkin as much as I do.

These pumpkin spice cinnamon rolls are to die for. They would be perfect for Thanksgiving morning. But don't wait until then to make them!

Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Rolls

For Dough:

• 1/4 cup warm water
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon yeast
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 cup shortening
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour

For Filling:

• 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, softened
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice

For Frosting:

• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 3 tablespoons butter, softened
• 3 cups confectioner's sugar
• 1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/4 tsp vanilla
• 1/3 cup milk

Cooking Directions

1. Combine water, yeast, and 1 teaspoon sugar in small bowl. Set aside.
2. Mix pumpkin, eggs, milk, 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice, brown sugar, salt, and shortening together until smooth. Stir in activated yeast mixture.
3. Add flour and mix until a smooth dough forms. Knead 8-10 times and form into a ball. Place in greased bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm place for one hour.
4. Punch dough down. Roll dough into a 15x22 inch rectangle.
5. To make filling mix butter, brown sugar, and 1 1/2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice. Spread over dough.
6. Roll dough rectangle up starting on a longer side. Pinch the loose dough ends together to create a seam.
7. Using dental floss or thread cut cinnamon roll dough into 18 rounds (approximately 1" thick each).
8. Pre-heat oven to 350.
9. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Place cinnamon rolls on cookie sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
10. While rolls are baking prepare frosting: Cream butter and cream cheese together. Add powdered sugar, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla, and milk and beat until smooth.
11. When rolls are done baking cool slightly, but frost while still warm.

Recipe adapted from My Baking Addiction

5 out of 5 stars

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Make Your Own Pre-Cooked Bacon

I usually buy the cheapest brand of thin cut bacon which is usually somewhere around $2.75 for a 12 ounce box.

Bacon is wonderful.

Bacon is delicious.

Bacon is my favorite greasy food.

I would buy bacon at any cost.

But not really, because when I went to the store this week to get a box of bacon all the cheap stuff was gone (apparently it had gone on sale). The next cheapest brand was $4.79ish for the same size of container. Re-freaking-diculous. I put it in my cart and ten minutes later I found myself back by the bacon returning my cherished prize. It turns out that my in-store buyers remorse had completely consumed me. There was absolutely no way I was leaving that store with a nearly-five-dollar expensive box of bacon.

I am cheap, what can I say.

Plus I take pride in my grocery budgeting skills.

Enough about that. So basically I am standing there in front of the bacon nearly in tears, muttering nasty things under my breath when all of a sudden I see a package of thick cut bacon for $2.39. When I say thick cut, I mean really thick cut, ok. Like look at these suckers (pictured below). I just really prefer thin cut bacon.

Now onto more delicious business. Did you know you can make your own pre-cooked bacon? It lasts in the fridge for one week and in the freezer for two months.

Just like normal pre-cooked bacon you can fry it up in a pan or you can cook it in the microwave for 30-60 seconds. It's true. Very true.

All you have to do is cover a cookie sheet in aluminum foil. Put a cooling rack on the covered cookie sheet. Then line your bacon up all nice and wonderfully on the cooling rack.

Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes (thick cut) or 18-20 minutes (thin cut). But really though you should keep an eye on it after 15 minutes. Bacon burns in the blink of an eye when you cook it in the oven.

I speak from experience. Here is my thick cut bacon all coooked and crispy with a pool of bacon grease all happy and fatty underneath. 

After the bacon bakes, let it cool completely. I package mine in a freezer bag and use parchment paper for dividers between the ooober yummy layers of bacon.

Like I said, it will last for one week in the fridge and two months in the freezer. Enjoy!