Pumpkin Muffins

Technology is so amazing that now instead of flipping through one of my thirty cookbooks or one hundred cut out magazine recipes, I am scrolling through my new Epicurious app on the iphone (LOVE!). At my fingertips I now have recipes and ratings to flip through while lying in bed Sunday morning. No fresh ginger, next recipe! No vanilla extract, opps add to shopping list, next recipe!

This is the perfect sweet and savory muffin that gets my  thumbs up with the other 38 viewers on the app :)

Spiced Pumpkin Muffins:
-1 c. flour
-1/2 c. whole wheat flour
-1/3 c. sugar
-1/4 c. brown sugar, packed
-2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
-1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-1/3 c. shelled pumpkin seeds (lightly toasted)
-1/3 c. coarsely chopped walnuts (lightly toasted)
-1 1/4 c. canned pure pumpkin
-1 c. milk
- 2 large eggs
-6 tablespoons melted butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and spray muffin cups with non stick spray.

Whisk flours, sugars, baking powder, spices and salt in a bowl. Mix in half of the pumpkin seeds and walnuts. Set aside remaining half.

In a separate bowl mix pumpkin, milk, eggs, and butter until blended. Add to dry ingredients and stir until incorporated.

Spoon into muffin cups and use the remaining pumpkin seeds and walnuts to top each muffin.

Bake for roughly 25 mins and cool.... devour not all at once!

Carrot Cake

This cake was an experiment for Easter a few weeks back, but it was AMAZING! It was very moist because of the rasins and orange juice and had the traditional cream cheese frosting, which I can't pass up!

Carrot Cake:
1 orange
1 lemon
3/4 c. golden rasins
3 eggs
1 1/4 c. light brown sugar
2 2/1 c. carrots, finely grated (I cheated and bought the shredded carrots at the grochery store)
1 c. self rising flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger (use fresh if you can)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 c. ground almonds
1/4 c. walnuts, chopped

For the icing:
3 c. confectioners' sugar
1/2 c. cream cheese
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice and grated zest from lemon

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Line the base of a 8 inch pan with parchment paper. Lightly grease with vegetable oil.
• Grate the zest of the orange and the lemon and set aside. Squeeze the orange juice into a bowl and add the rasins to the juice. Set aside.
• Whisk the eggs and sugar with the orange and lemon zest for 5 mins until pale and full of air. Add the grated carrot and beat.
• Slowly add in the spices, salt, ground almonds, baking soda and flour then mix quickly...not too long or the dough will be tough.
• With a spatula mix in the rasins and orange juice that has been sitting. Also mix in the walnuts.
• Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 40 mins.
• Cool in the pan for 15 mins. Chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
• To make the icing beat the first cup of sugar with the cream cheese in a large bowl. Once you have created a paste add the remaining sugar with lemon juice and zest. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before icing the cake.

This recipe came from "Cook Yourself Thin"
It serves 9 and has 310 calories per serving

Banana Bread with Walnuts and Flaxseed

One of my favorite treats is baked goods! I love my Kitchen Aid mixer like it is part of my family and try to use it whenever I can. Most banana breads are high in sugar and fat, but this recipe is very hearty and moist, while still being delicious!

The key to this recipe is grinding your own flax seeds (use a small coffee grinder!) To get all the nutrients you must grind the seeds, not eat them whole... something I have to admit that I didn't know until the past year. Flax seeds have a ton of fiber, phytochemicals and omega-3 fatty acids which make them a 'super food'. When you buy flaxseed make sure the store has high turnover and if possible buy a brand that has been vacuum sealed for freshness. You must store these seeds in the refrigerator or freeze to keep from oxidation.

Banana Bread

• 2 Tablespoons of unsalted butter
• 1/2 c. whole-wheat flour
• 3/4 c. all purpose flour (unbleached)
• 1/4 c. ground flaxseed
• 3/4 teaspoon course salt
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 large egg and 1 large egg white
• 1/2 c. light brown sugar (look for additives!)
• 1.5 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 c. mashed bananas 
• 1/2 c. walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and use a light olive oil spray on the bread pan. 

In a bowl mix together both flours, flaxseeds, salt, baking powder and baking soda. 

With an electric mixer mix beat the eggs along with melted butter, sugar, vanilla and bananas. Mix until combined and add in the flour mixture until all is incorporated together. Stir walnuts in by hand. 

Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake until lightly brown, roughly 35 minutes.

My trick to knowing if the bread is done is to stick a knife into the center and once it comes out clean its ready to take out. I prefer my bread a little underdone because it keeps cooking even after you take it out of the oven.

Want to make muffins? Preheat oven at 350 degrees and bake for 15-20 mins!

Natural Granola Bars

Self Magazine online featured this recipe. Looked so easy and yummy for a quick natural snack during the week. I made a few tweaks to make sure everything is pure! Read the labels before you buy!

Ingredients

•  Nonstick cooking spray
• 1 cup quick-cooking rolled oats (Make sure they are natural with no additives!)
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 2 tablespoons ground flaxseeds
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 beaten egg
• 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce (again make sure this is just apples, nothing else!)
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 16-ounce package mixed dried-fruit bits (read the label to ensure there is no added sugar or coloring)
• 2 tablespoons sunflower seeds (roast the sunflower seeds first for a nutty flavor)
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/4 cup dark-chocolate chips (read the label here!)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line an 8-by-8-inch pan with aluminum foil and coat with cooking spray. Set pan aside.

2. In a large bowl, combine oats, both flours, ground flaxseeds, and ginger. Add egg, applesauce, honey, brown sugar, and oil; mix well. Stir in fruit bits, roasted sunflower seeds, walnuts, and chocolate chips.

3. Spread mixture evenly in prepared pan. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until lightly browned around edges. Cool completely on a wire rack. Use edges of foil to lift cooked granola from pan, and cut into bars.