Happy to (K)New You | Banana Flax Muffins (+/- Chocolate Chips)

December 31, 2012 By 18 Comments

Banana Flax Muffins | Once Upon a Recipe

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here we are friends, on the eve of a new year. I hope that Santa treated you all very well and that you ate and drank as much Christmas cheer as I did! Truth be told, I may have enjoyed a little too much Christmas cheer, but that’s what new year’s resolutions are for, right? I mean, what would a new year be without the promise to eat healthier/exercise more/take better care of one’s self?

Resolutions aside, I am filled with excitement. I think 2013 is going to be an amazing year. In fact, I can feel it. Good things await us all.

Banana Flax Muffins | Once Upon a Recipe

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And so I was all ready to share a fancy-pants appetizer recipe with you – one that you might like to make for a New Year’s Eve/Day party. But then I found myself in my kitchen this afternoon, baking up a batch of my very favorite (and most frequently made) muffins, and realized that I have yet to share the recipe with you. And I decided that I couldn’t let the year pass by without doing just that.

(Don’t worry, that fancy-pants appetizer works well year round and will be shared soon!)

Banana Flax Muffins | Once Upon a Recipe

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And so, dear friends, I give you my most very favorite muffin recipe. It achieved that status based on the fact that it is wickedly simple to throw together, the fact that I always have the ingredients sitting in my kitchen, and the fact that they have been a hit with absolutely everyone that I have shared them with. They are somewhat healthy too, with the option make them even more so (suggestions included) if you so desire. However, I recommend trying the recipe as I’ve written it first, then playing around to figure out what suits your tastes. To be honest, I’ve never been a fan of muffins that have no added butter or oil, as their gummy texture always gives them away. But to each their own!

With that, I raise my glass to thank you all for a wonderful year, and I send you warm wishes for the coming one. I hope that you all have the opportunity to usher in the new year with those you love most.

Cheers to 2012 – hello 2013!

Banana Flax Muffins | Once Upon a Recipe

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Banana Flax Muffins (+/- Chocolate Chips)

Despite being made with all whole wheat flour, these muffins are incredibly tender and moist. I usually make them without the chocolate chips, but for a little treat, I’ll add dark chocolate chips. Makes 12 muffins.

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

3 large ripe bananas, mashed

1/4 cup brown sugar, packed (or 2 TBSP. honey)

1/4 cup ground flax

1 egg, beaten

1/3 cup butter, melted (or applesauce)

1 tsp. vanilla

3/4 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat your oven to 375°F. Line a 12-count muffin tin with paper liners. In a large bowl, combine the bananas, brown sugar, ground flax, egg, butter, and vanilla. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the banana mixture and stir until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips, if using. Divide the batter evenly between the muffin tins. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the tops are just beginning to brown and a toothpick inserted into the centre of the muffin comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

These muffins freeze extremely well and make a great breakfast or snack!

Filed Under: Bread, Breakfast Tagged With: , , ,

Mid-Week Rant | Whole Wheat Apple Cinnamon Muffins

February 8, 2012 By 34 Comments

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dear crazy mothers from Toddlers and Tiaras,

You frighten me. You’re just straight-up scary. Yet, you’re also fascinating. Watching you obsess over your four-year old’s make-up, mimick your daughter’s “dance” routine from the audience (PS. You look like the devil is being exorcized from your body when you do this), and yell at her to “shine!” for the judges is like watching a train wreck. Part of me wants to change the channel. But…I just can’t. stop. watching.

Pageant dresses that cost $1500? Pageant coaches that charge $150/hour? Spray tans and fake teeth? Ridiculous. Have you heard of piano lessons? Sports? Dance class? Arts and crafts? What motivates you to push your young, impressionable daughters to partake in activities that value physical appearance more than personality or strength of character? Do you care so little about nourishing their self-esteem and instilling in them important life values like honesty, respect, and kindness?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And when you criticize your daughter for not smiling big enough for the judges, or for not holding still while applying her fake eyelashes, I feel a strong urge to punch you in the face. Or at least give you a damn good shake in an effort to knock a little sense into you. Get a grip! Look at the example you are setting for your daughter, who will one day grow up and be a mother and raise children of her own.

If I may make a suggestion: Tell your daughter that she is beautiful, smart, and funny. Every day. Because I guarantee that there will come a day when she doesn’t believe it; when she questions whether she is smart enough, good enough, or pretty enough. She needs to hear these words, so that when she is doubting herself, she will hear your voice, telling her that she is all that and more.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Crazy pageant mom, life is hard. People can be mean. Be kind to your daughter. And teach her to be kind to others. Finally, to the mother whose child won the “grande supreme” title, and then promptly exclaimed that she won the pageant because she is so beautiful and talented and that all of the other girls are ugly and stupid…please, please, set your daughter straight. In about 10 years, she’s going to be waltzing through her school’s hallways as though she owns the place, teasing and bullying other girls that don’t meet her standards of perfection. I know, because I was one of those girls who suffered through three hellish years, all because I was flat-chested and didn’t wear cool clothes. So stop living vicariously through your 6-year old, stop forcing your 4-year old to eat salads while the rest of your family eats pizza so she will lose 5 pounds before the pageant (!!!), and stop teaching her that life is all about looking pretty and winning obnoxious trophies and crowns. Life is about so much more. Let her be a kid, for crying. out. loud.

Most Sincerely,

Amanda

Ok, rant over. Time to make muffins!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These muffins are wonderful little packages filled with whole wheat flour, a healthy shot of cinnamon, and big chunks of apple. They are so moist, and the sugar on top creates a sweet little crunch. I recommend storing these muffins in the freezer if they aren’t eaten within the first couple of days of baking them, as I fear that all of those beautiful apple chunks might get a little dodgy if they sit out too long. I actually stuck the whole batch in my freezer – I grab one each morning on my way out the door and by the time I’m ready to eat it at work, it’s perfectly thawed and dee-licious!

Whole Wheat Apple Cinnamon Muffins (barely adapted from Smitten Kitchen)

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
A healthy pinch of salt
1 TBSP. cinnamon
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup + 2 TBSP. brown sugar, packed
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 cup plain yogurt
2 large (or 3 small) Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and coarsely chopped

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Prepare a 12-count muffin tin (for big muffins), or prepare two tins (to make 18 smaller muffins).

Mix together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon, and set aside. In a separate bowl, cream the butter and the white sugar, as well as 1/4 cup of the brown sugar, until fluffy. Add the egg and mix well, scraping the bowl at least once. Gently mix in the yogurt with a wooden spoon. Stir in the dry ingredients and fold in the apple chunks. The batter will be quite thick.

Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, sprinkling with the remaining 2 TBSP. of brown sugar. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 400°F, and bake for an additional 8-10 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool the muffins for 5 minutes in the pan, then turn them out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy for breakfast or a lovely afternoon snack! Preferably with a hot cup of tea.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PS. During one of the commercial breaks, I saw an ad for a show called “My Strange Addiction”, in which a dude was trying to explain his emotional, physical, and sexual relationship with his car. Um, sexual relationship? Wha? And then it showed him making out with his car. As in, kissing his front bumper whilst the lower half of his body was underneath the car. With tongue.

…seriously?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What is the one show that you’re most embarrassed to admit that you watch?

Filed Under: Bread, Breakfast, Fruit Tagged With: , , , ,

Expecting the Expected | My Favorite Blueberry Lemon Muffins

August 25, 2011 By 10 Comments

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One lesson that I’ve recently been taught by life is that it (life) does not always turn out as you expect it to. Life is a long and winding road, full of unexpected turns, unanticipated road blocks, and even annoying construction. The route that you map out – your plan – does not always work out, and sometimes you need to reroute. I can imagine that lady’s voice – you know, the one that seems to be present on all GPS systems – saying, “Turn around! Wrong way! Recalculating…” Her voice is so annoying.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Figuring out a new route can be difficult, stressful, frustrating. Life tossed me a curve ball a few months back, and I am doing my best to find a new way, to challenge myself and figure it all out. And figuring it out? Well, that’s a whole different ball game. Last week, another curve ball was thrown into my world. A good friend was killed in an accident. A kind, wonderful, sweet, beautiful friend, suddenly taken at age 27. Aren’t you supposed to attend the funeral of your friend when you’re both old and gray, after living a full life? That was my expectation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’m not quite ready to write about my friend. It all feels a bit too surreal right now. So instead, I bake. Because with baking, you can have expectations. I can be certain that if I combine the right amount of flour with the right amount of baking powder, sugar, eggs, milk, butter…and if I bake it all up at this temperature for that amount of time…I can expect a delicious outcome. Sure, things can go wrong in the oven from time to time. Cakes can flop, cookies can burn, bread might not rise. But most often, the science of baking delivers expected results. And if a great batch of muffins is all I can count on right now, then so be it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You can count on these muffins. You can count on them being delicious, and you can count on them being eaten in short order. And you can probably count on the fact that you have blueberries sitting in your fridge or freezer right now.

Win! Use ‘em up friends, and make these reliable little muffins. For once, expect the expected.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Blueberry Lemon Muffins  (slightly adapted from Enjoy, The Best of Bridge Series)

2 cups flour

1/2 cup sugar

3 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

Zest from one lemon

1 egg

1 cup milk

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup fresh (or frozen) blueberries

Topping:

1/4 cup butter, melted

Juice from one lemon

1/3-1/2 cup sugar

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Prepare a muffin tin (12) by greasing or lining the cups. Mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest in a large bowl. Beat the egg, milk, and butter in a separate bowl. Add the vanilla. Add the egg mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until just mixed (the batter will be lumpy). Fold in the blueberries. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake for 20-22 minutes.

For the topping: Combine the melted butter and lemon juice in a small bowl. Put the sugar in a separate bowl. When the muffins are slightly cooled (but still warm), dunk the top of each muffin into the butter/lemon juice mixture, and then into the sugar. Enjoy!

Filed Under: Bread, Breakfast, Fruit Tagged With: , ,

Here Comes The Sun | Orange Strawberry Muffins

May 8, 2011 By 12 Comments

Happy Mother’s Day to all of the wonderful mamas out there! I was able to spend the morning with my fabulous mama, and celebrated her with the most fabulous cinnamon buns ever. In fact, those present at our little brunch exclaimed that they were the best cinnamon buns they had ever tasted. Don’t worry, I will share later this week, but I’m going to hold out on you for now. I have been meaning to share this muffin recipe for a couple of weeks now, and little old life has gotten in the way of me doing so. Spring brings with it the start of many outdoor activities, like soccer and Ultimate frisbee, and at present three of my weeknights are occupied with these activities. Little Miss Bella is in love with this new season, and its new sights and smells, and we are trying to let her enjoy it as much as possible. This means long evening walks, playing fetch in the park, and joining honey and I on the occasional run. When is a girl supposed to blog with that schedule?

My papa spends his winters in Phoenix to escape the frigid Canadian weather, and when he returned in April, he brought back with him 600…yes, six hundred oranges. Six hundred of the most juicy, sweet, amazing oranges I have ever tasted. He threw about 40 oranges my way, and I enjoyed several oranges per day for the first few days before I soon realized that I would not be able to consume all of those delicious oranges before they were past their prime. So I scoured recipe books, foodie magazines, and blogs for some orange recipes. One failed orange cake (which used 12 oranges!) and a batch of orange butter (think lemon butter, but with oranges) later, I stumbled upon this recipe for Orange Strawberry Muffins. I was intrigued by a few aspects of the recipe, including the almond topping and the addition of strawberries. These muffins baked up tender and sweet, with a lovely little hit of orange flavor. And they are quite healthy in comparison to other muffin recipes out there. Give these muffins a try if you’re looking for something a little bit different than the every day muffin. They just might be that little ray of sunshine that gets the day off to a good start.

Orange Strawberry Muffins (slightly adapted from eatingwell.com)

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 tsp. orange zest

1/4 cup canola oil

3/4 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup orange juice

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

1 1/2 cups chopped fresh or frozen (not thawed) strawberries

Topping:

3 TBSP. almonds

2 TBSP. flour

2 TBSP. brown sugar

1 tsp. orange zest

1/4 tsp. salt

2 TBSP. canola oil

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Prepare a 12-cup muffin tin (with cooking spray or muffin liners). In a food processor, combine the almonds, 2 TBSP. all-purpose flour, 2 TBSP. brown sugar, 1 tsp. orange zest and 1/4 tsp. salt and pulse until finely ground. Transfer to a small bowl, add the 2 TBSP. oil and stir to combine. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. In a separate bowl, combine the remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar, 2 tsp. orange zest, 1/4 cup oil, buttermilk, orange juice, egg, and vanilla and mix well. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients; stir until just moistened. Add the strawberries; stir just to combine. Divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle generously with the topping.

Bake the muffins until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 18 to 20 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Happy eating!



Filed Under: Bread, Breakfast, Fruit Tagged With: , , ,

Some Things Just Go Together | Banana Peanut Butter Muffins

March 19, 2011 By 5 Comments

Hello long lost friends. It seems like ages since I have shared any deliciousness with you. It practically has been ages. It has been a stressful few weeks. The biggest stress of all has been preparing to list my condo for sale. Honey and I, and mostly our little (but rapidly growing) Bella have outgrown the condo, and are preparing to look for a cute little house. However, first things first, we must sell my condo. It was finally listed for sale this week, after many hours of cleaning, decluttering, and all-out stress. And unfortunately, the stress is only beginning, as we now have to be prepared to get out of dodge at a moment’s notice if someone wishes to view our condo. Which is not easy when we have a pup to worry about.

My body has done a fantastic job of protecting me from all of the sickness that everyone seems to be dealing with…until yesterday. I have succumbed. I now have one of those annoying cold/flus that don’t necessarily make you feel completely terrible, but just overall pooped and blah. With a very sore throat to boot. *sigh* Life may feel rough right now, but then I think about those people who have it far worse. The current crisis in Japan has definitely made me feel thankful for my life, despite some difficult days here and there. (Boogie over at The Boogie blog has some great suggestions for how to help).

One of my favorite stress-relieving activities is baking. I find calm and serenity in measuring out ingredients and building something warm and comforting. Not to mention the bonus of eating said deliciousness when it’s all said and done. Last night, after lying on the couch watching bad TV for much of the evening, I threw these muffins together. Banana and peanut butter just go together. At first bite, these muffins took me back to my childhood of peanut butter and banana sandwiches. Lots of banana flavor with a hint of peanut butter. Yum. And comforting indeed.

Banana Peanut Butter Muffins (from Lululu at Home)

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (next time I will try whole wheat)

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup butter, softened

1/4 cup peanut butter (I used natural smooth PB)

2 eggs

3 large bananas, mashed (I used 4)

1 sliced banana for garnish

Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare your muffin tin with liners or grease.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl. In a separate bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the peanut butter. Add in the eggs, one at a time, followed by the mashed bananas. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add in the flour mixture until just combined.

Fill the muffin cups with batter. Top with a slice of banana. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Enjoy!

PS. Chocolate chips would be a great addition to this recipe for some added richness, although they taste just fabulous the way they are. I bet peanut butter chips would be incredible as well. Oh the possibilities!

Filed Under: Bread, Breakfast, Sweet Treats Tagged With: , ,

Celebration! | Morning Magic Muffins

November 30, 2010 By 2 Comments

Mmmmmmuffins! Who doesn’t love muffins?! I am a “healthy” muffin lover – I adore hearty and wholesome muffins with good texture and lots of flavor. I even prefer this kind of muffin to the cakey, dessert-like kind. I’m much more likely to reach for a bran muffin than a chocolate chip muffin on most occasions. Call me crazy.

Honey and I just finished our latest food challenge – to go 30 days without eating grains. As in, no bread, no pasta, no rice, no oats, and many other NOs! It was an unbelievable challenge. You might think it would be easy, but when you really start looking closely at food (especially prepackaged food), much of it includes some form of grain. There is a science behind this diet, you can read more here if you’re interested. Anyways, despite a few grumpy days and almost constant hunger…we are impressed with the results, not to mention very proud of ourselves. We ate more fruit, vegetables and lean protein than normal, since we could not rely on filler items such as rice, pasta, and bread to complete our meals. Ok, we did cheat a couple of times, but only when absolutely necessary! Isn’t cheating an essential component of every diet?

Food challenges are great for opening your stomachs to new ideas! Regardless, today marks the last day of our challenge, and I decided to make these amazing muffins in celebration. Although we are going back to grains (as if I’m going to be able to enjoy the holiday season without all that delicious baking that will be showing up everywhere I set foot in the next month!), we are going to try to eat less of them on a regular basis.

This recipe comes from a colleague of mine, although I have altered the recipe a little to my taste. Try these muffins – they are loaded with wholesome ingredients to help you gain energy for the day ahead. They are lovely all on their own, but a little butter and/or jam never hurt anyone. Happy eating!

PS. Stay tuned for some delectable holiday cookie recipes next week!

Morning Magic Muffins

2 cups whole wheat flour

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

2 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. cinnamon

A large pinch of salt

2 cups of peeled, grated carrots

1 apple, peeled and grated

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup chopped nuts (almonds are my favorite)

1/2 cup coconut

3 eggs

3/4 cup canola oil

2 tsp. vanilla

Combine the first 11 ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Stir well to blend. Beat the eggs, oil, and vanilla in a small bowl. Add to the dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened (the batter will be very thick). Grease a 12-count muffin tin and fill the cups nearly to the top (or you may make 18 smaller muffins). Bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the muffin comes out clean. Enjoy!

Filed Under: Bread, Breakfast Tagged With: , , ,