brunch Archives - Page 7 of 8

Pumpkin Apple Muffins

November 4, 2011 ·

Adam’s nap cycle is pretty predictable. He typically naps for 2-3 hours each day, but occasionally goes through week-long periods of 1 hour naps. Sometimes it’s due to teeth, sometimes it’s due to growing, and sometimes who knows. We have been through it enough to know that it passes in about a week. So when we found ourselves through week 2 of short naps, it was a little disconcerting (and tiring) for all. Fortunately, we did made it through the latest short-nap phase, and these Pumpkin Apple Muffins are a result of those extra 2 hours I was not expecting.

I have been working on a recipe for Pumpkin Apple Muffins for quite a while. When I found myself with extra apples from other recipes and several cans of pumpkin puree, it was clearly time to execute my vision. The combination of my two favorite fall flavors was just so appealing. The result is a moist, flavorful muffin that is a perfect blend of pumpkin and apple.

After Adam’s blissful 3 hour nap, I decided we should split a muffin for snack. Before he could even finish his first bite, Adam said ‘more muffin.’ Over and over, ‘more muffin for Adam’ until he finished nearly 3/4 of our muffin. His enthusiasm says it all…these are fantastic!

Pumpkin Apple Muffins
Yields 12 muffins

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup white whole wheat flour
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup pumpkin puree
3 tablespoons canola oil
2 eggs (or 1 egg and 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed plus 3 tablespoons water – see note)
1/4 cup applesauce
1 medium apple, cored and shredded (any variety)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line 12 muffin cups in a standard muffin tin. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together flours, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder and baking soda until combined.
In a separate medium bowl, mix pumpkin, oil, eggs, applesauce and apple until combined.
Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and gently fold until combined. (note: batter will be thick)
Divide batter evenly amongst 12 muffin cups.
Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 5 minutes and then move muffins to a wire rack to cool completely.

Note: I only had 1 egg, so I used ground flaxseed as a substitute. 1 egg = 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed plus 3 tablespoons water. Mix flaxseed and water in a bowl and let sit for about 2 minutes. Add just as you would an egg.

Adapted from Low Fat Cooking @ about.com

Filed Under: breakfast, healthy, Recipes Tagged With: apple, baby/toddler, brunch, low fat, muffins, pumpkin, snack, toddler

Apple Cinnamon Oven Pancake

November 3, 2011 ·

I can still remember the first time I made this pancake. It was many years ago, after I moved into my very first apartment. I had purchased a Betty Crocker cookbook, and for whatever reason, out of all the recipes, the Puffy Oven Pancake jumped out at me. I was hosting a brunch to show off the new place, and thought it would be a perfect dish to serve. You know it’s a winner when after so many years, the memory of this pancake is fresh in my mind.

Over the years, I have made a few tweaks to the recipe. It is very easy to make and yields an impressive looking result. The pancake is light, and with the delicious cinnamon sugary apple topping, additional toppings are not necessary.

Apple Cinnamon Oven Pancake
2 tablespoons butter (I use light)
2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 medium apple, thinly sliced (any variety, I used granny smith)
2 eggs
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup low fat buttermilk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Put butter in a 9-inch pie plate and put in the oven to melt.
Mix sugar and cinnamon and set aside.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl whisk eggs. Add buttermilk, and whisk until blended.
Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in flour until blended. Batter will be lumpy, be careful not to over mix.
Sprinkle cinnamon-sugar mixture over melted butter. Top with apple slices. Pour batter over apple slices.
Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until pancake has puffed up and is golden brown. Invert on to a serving platter and cut into wedges.

Adapted from Betty Crocker

Filed Under: breakfast, healthy, Recipes Tagged With: apple, brunch, cinnamon, easy, pancakes, quick

Pumpkin Gingerbread

October 28, 2011 ·

Evidently it has unofficially become pumpkin week here at Alida’s Kitchen. I had something else planned for today, but it just seemed fitting to close the week with a new favorite and continue the pumpkin theme. It does not get more seasonally appropriate for fall/winter than pumpkin and gingerbread. This Pumpkin Gingerbread is no exception.

I have not done a lot of baking with crystallized ginger, so it was fun to try something new. It definitely enhanced the flavors in this gingerbread. The original recipe did not call for cloves, but I like my gingerbread a little spicy. I thought the cloves were perfect addition. I love that this is made with whole wheat flour and not a lot of sugar. Healthy, delicious and perfect for the season, this Pumpkin Gingerbread makes a delightful breakfast, brunch or even dessert.

Pumpkin Gingerbread

Yields 16 servings

1 3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour

2 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

2 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/3 cup chopped crystalized ginger

2 eggs

1 egg white

1/2 cup canola oil

1/2 cup molasses

1/3 cup brown sugar, packed

1 cup pumpkin puree

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 8″ square baking pan with cooking spray. Set aside
Combine flour, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and baking powder in a medium bowl. Stir in crystalized ginger.
Whisk eggs, egg white, oil, molasses and pumpkin in a large bowl.
Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, folding gently until just combined.
Pour mixture in prepared pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool on wire rack. Serve topped with crystalized ginger, if desired.

Adapted from prevention.com

Filed Under: bread, breakfast, dessert, healthy, Recipes Tagged With: brown sugar, brunch, fall, pumpkin, whole wheat

Pumpkin Banana Bread

October 24, 2011 ·

An overabundance of overripe bananas is never a bad thing. We all know those little black bananas mean that in the near future, some sort of banana treat will be made. Banana bread is always a safe bet, but this time of year I find myself wanting to make something with pumpkin as well. What better way to combine the two than to make Pumpkin Banana Bread.

This Pumpkin Banana Bread is very easy to make. Made with part whole wheat flour and less sugar, it becomes a healthier option. The bananas add natural sweetness, which along with the pumpkin, yield a moist and delicious bread. It’s not quite banana bread and not quite pumpkin bread, but a delightful combination of the two.

Pumpkin Banana Bread
Yields 3 small loaves

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup white whole wheat flour
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
2 bananas, mashed
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 canola oil
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

1 tablespoon brown sugar (for topping, optional)
1 teaspoon cinnamon (for topping, optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 3 small loaf pans with cooking spray. Set aside.
In a large bowl, mix together the flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and spices.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the bananas, pumpkin, oil, eggs and vanilla.
Add the dry ingredients to the banana-pumpkin mixture, and gently fold until combined.
If using, combine sugar and cinnamon for topping.
Pour batter into prepared loaf pans. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, if desired. Bake 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 5 minutes. Remove bread from pans to a wire rack to cool completely.

Adapted from Low Fat Cooking @ About.com

Filed Under: bread, breakfast, healthy, Recipes Tagged With: banana, brunch, easy, pumpkin, snack

Spiced Pumpkin Molasses Muffins

October 17, 2011 ·

I am always looking for new and different recipes for muffins. They are an easy make ahead breakfast that Mike can take on the go, on his way to work or while traveling. They are also easy for me to grab while I’m chasing after Adam, who then insists (very persistently) that I share with him. Pumpkin season seems to be very popular with everybody these days, and our family is no exception. For this muffin, I was looking for something pumpkin, healthy and with a little pizazz. Enter Spiced Pumpkin Molasses Muffins.

These muffins fulfill all of the above requirements and then some. The pumpkin and molasses flavors are nicely balanced, with neither one outshining the other. I topped the muffins with a mix of chopped pepitas, oats and brown sugar, which added some nice texture and visual appeal. The muffins would be delicious without this optional topping, but I highly recommend it. I also highly recommend making these muffins!

Spiced Pumpkin Molasses Muffins

Yields: 12 muffins

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup white whole wheat flour
¼ cup flaxseed meal
¼ cup rolled oats
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
½ cup dark brown sugar
1 cup pumpkin puree
½ cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
2 eggs
3 tablespoons molasses
¼ cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ pepitas, chopped (optional for garnish)
2 tablespoons rolled oats (optional for garnish)
1 tablespoon brown sugar (optional for garnish)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line muffin cups with liners (or sprady with cooking spray). In a small bowl, mix together chopped pepitas, oats and sugar for garnish, if using. Set aside.
In a bowl, mix together the flours, flax seed meal, oats, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice until the ingredients are thoroughly combined.
In another large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, pumpkin puree, yogurt , eggs, molasses, oil, and vanilla until well-blended.
Add the pumpkin mixture to the flour mixture, folding until just combined (do not over mix).
Divide the mixture into the prepared muffin tins, and sprinkle each muffin with the pepitas-oats mixture.
Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 15 to 20 minutes.

Adapted from All Recipes

Filed Under: bread, breakfast, healthy, kid-friendly, Recipes Tagged With: brown sugar, brunch, fall, molasses, muffins, pepitas, pumpkin

Brown Sugar Coconut Blueberry Muffins

September 23, 2011 ·

The hunt for tasty ways to use the remainder of our blueberries continues. It’s not a bad problem to have, that’s for sure. We have been happily enjoying Blueberry Lemon Ricotta Pancakes, lots of blueberries in Greek yogurt, and many other treats. But it was time to make something new. I already have several blueberry muffin recipes that I love, but when I found a blueberry muffin recipe using brown sugar and buttermilk, I knew it would become an instant favorite.

While the recipe looked nearly perfect as-is, I decided to add a little twist and use coconut oil instead of canola oil. This was my first time using coconut oil, but I had high hopes it would be the perfect addition to these muffins.

The coconut oil imparts a delicious coconut flavor to the muffins, which works beautifully with the tangy blueberries. The muffins are incredibly moist as well. Score for the coconut oil, and score for another fantastic recipe for blueberry muffins!

Brown Sugar Coconut Blueberry Muffins

Yields: 12 muffins

Ingredients

1½ cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup packed brown sugar
1½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt (optional)
⅓ cup coconut oil (or canola oil)
⅓ cup buttermilk
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups blueberries (fresh or frozen)
2 teaspoons brown sugar, for topping
2 teaspoons sweetened flaked coconut, for topping

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line 12 standard muffin cups with paper liners.
In a large bowl, stir flour, sugar and baking powder.
In a medium bowl, whisk together oil, buttermilk, eggs and vanilla until well blended.
Add wet ingredients to flour mixture, stirring gently until just combined.
Gently fold in blueberries.
Divide batter evenly among 12 muffin cups. Top each muffin with a sprinkle of brown sugar and a sprinkle of coconut.
Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes and then move to wire rack to cool completely.

Brown Sugar Coconut Blueberry Muffins
Yields 12 muffins

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
1/3 cup coconut oil (or canola oil)
1/3 cup buttermilk
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups blueberries (fresh or frozen)
2 teaspoons brown sugar, for topping
2 teaspoons sweetened flaked coconut, for topping

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line 12 standard muffin cups with paper liners.
In a large bowl, stir flour, sugar and baking powder.
In a medium bowl, whisk together oil, buttermilk, eggs and vanilla until well blended.
Add wet ingredients to flour mixture, stirring gently until just combined.
Gently fold in blueberries.
Divide batter evenly among 12 muffin cups. Top each muffin with a sprinkle of brown sugar and a sprinkle of coconut.
Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes and then move to wire rack to cool completely.

Adapted from Babble

Filed Under: breakfast, healthy, Recipes Tagged With: blueberries, blueberry, brown sugar, brunch, buttermilk, coconut, coconut oil, muffins, snack

Zucchini Bread

August 24, 2011 ·

Childhood summers, playing in the vegetable garden, my 3rd birthday “cake”, that’s what this zucchini bread tastes like.

Throughout my childhood, my parents had a vegetable garden. I remember they grew cucumbers, green beans, various other vegetables, and of course zucchini. Zucchini plants are the gift that keeps on giving. Even better, lots of zucchini meant lots of delicious zucchini bread!

My mom said she got this recipe from an old relative of my dad’s. Isn’t that the way it is…the greatest recipes are the old tried and trues? Classic zucchini bread…one of the best simple pleasures.

Zucchini Bread
Yields 4 small loaves

3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup canola oil
2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups grated zucchini (with peel)
3 cups flour (I used 1 1/2 cups all-purpose and 1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
dash of salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray 4 small loaf pans with cooking spray (or grease/flour). Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk to combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Sift dry ingredients.
In a large bowl, beat eggs, oil, sugar and vanilla until creamy. Add zucchini and stir until combined.
Fold the dry ingredients in with the wet ingredients until combined (do not over mix).
Evenly distribute batter among 4 small loaf pans and bake for 60-70 minutes. Let cool in pans for 5 minutes and then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

Filed Under: bread, breakfast, Recipes Tagged With: baked, brunch, easy, snack, zucchini

Zucchini, Banana, and Flaxseed Muffins

August 22, 2011 ·

Zucchini, Banana, and Flaxseed Muffins are a healthy muffin that tastes good too! They are made without any butter or oil, yet the are moist and delicious due to the zucchini and banana.

New magazine day is one of my favorites days of the month. Since I subscribe to several magazines, this translates into several favorite days a month! Actually, I think Mike might like new magazine day more than I do. Especially when after just one quick perusal, it looks like this…

10 flags after just a quick glance. Not bad, eh? Just wait until I get a chance to be more thorough!

It was hard to choose what to make first, but there was clearly no better way to kick off zucchini week here than Zucchini, Banana, and Flaxseed Muffins! Good thing too, because these might be the tastiest muffins ever! I know, I know, I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. But this time I mean it!

After one bite, you will never guess that these are healthy and low fat! Sure there is zucchini and banana, but I’m sure you’ve noticed a lot of times muffins find some way to become glorified cupcakes. Not these. There is no butter and no oil added to these muffins, yet they are incredibly moist and delicious. For an additional nutrition boost, I subbed in some whole wheat flour. I also replaced whole milk with buttermilk since it seems everything is made better with buttermilk.

This week I will be featuring several zucchini recipes throughout the week. I hope you will all enjoy them as much as we have!

Zucchini, Banana, and Flaxseed Muffins

Yields: 12 muffins

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup whole wheat pastry flour
½ cup ground flaxseed (flaxseed meal)
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
1½ cups coarsely grated zucchini (I used 1½ zucchinis)
1 mashed ripe banana (approx ⅓ cup)
¾ cup buttermilk
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
nonstick cooking spray

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat 12 standard muffin cups with cooking spray. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together flours, flaxseed, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon.
In a small bowl, stir zucchini and mashed banana together. Add to flour mixture and stir to combine.
In medium bowl, whisk together milk, egg and vanilla. Add milk mixture to flour mixture and stir gently until combined (do not overmix).
Divide batter evenly among muffin cups. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes in pan and then transfer to wire rack to cool completely (about 30 minutes).

Notes

Adapted from Everyday Food, September, 2011

Filed Under: bread, breakfast, healthy, kid-friendly, Recipes Tagged With: banana, brunch, everyday food, flaxseed, low fat, muffins, zucchini

Chocolate Banana Peanut Butter Muffins

August 5, 2011 ·

My maternal grandmother was incredible in the kitchen and notorious for her baking. She always had a vast array of ‘Grandma Goodies’ on hand, which certainly pleased her lucky grandchildren! She knew everyone’s favorite goodie (granted it was near impossible to choose just one) and loved to make sure those favorites were always available. One of my favorite goodies was a peanut butter rice krispie treat she made. Much to my delight, she once told me it was okay to have one for breakfast. “It has cereal after all!” is what she told me. Who was I to argue with such reason! I tried using that rationale to convince my parents, but it didn’t quite go over the way I hoped. I found myself faced with yet another bowl of cereal for breakfast.

My grandma was a wise woman and definitely on to something, if you ask me. I think she would support me wholeheartedly today, because I am going to tell you IT’S OKAY TO HAVE CHOCOLATE FOR BREAKFAST!

Chocolate in the form of Chocolate Banana Peanut Butter Muffins, that is! After all they are made with banana, peanut butter and whole wheat! I think individually each would be reason enough to forego your everyday cereal in favor of these muffins. Together, there is no excuse really.

These muffins are phenomenal. Chocolate and clove are a genius combination. The spices, along with the banana, take this muffin from a chocolaty dessert to a chocolate spice muffin. Combined with the peanut butter, it becomes the perfect breakfast muffin. My grandma would have definitely approved of this!

Chocolate Banana Peanut Butter Muffins

Yields: 12 muffins

Ingredients

½ cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup white whole wheat flour
⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1¼ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt (optional)
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground clove
⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup mashed ripe banana (approximately 2 large bananas)
⅓ cup nonfat Greek yogurt
1 large egg
½ cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used mini chocolate chips)
8 tablespoons natural peanut butter (smooth or chunky)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare standard 12-cup muffin pan with liners or by spraying with cooking spray; set aside.
In a medium bowl, sift together flours, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt (if using), cinnamon, clove and nutmeg.
In a large bowl, whisk mashed bananas and yogurt until smooth. Whisk in the egg, sugar, oil and vanilla until well blended. Add the flour mixture and fold gently until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips.
Fill each muffin cup about two-thirds full with the batter. Spoon about 2 teaspoons of peanut butte into the center of each cup. Evenly divide remaining batter to cover the peanut butter.
Bake 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool for 5 minutes in pan before transferring to wire rack to cool completely.

Adapted from Christina Marsigliese and Amy’s Cooking Adventures

Filed Under: bread, breakfast, Recipes Tagged With: brunch, chocolate, muffins, peanut butter

Whole Wheat Peanut Butter Muffins

July 20, 2011 ·

Whole Wheat Peanut Butter Muffins are a healthy muffin recipe made with buttermilk, brown sugar and topped with chopped peanuts and chocolate chips.

When I boldly declared Whole Wheat Peanut Butter Muffins as my favorite muffin of all time, Mike was not surprised in the least. Not only do they have peanut butter, which I love, but they also have brown sugar and buttermilk, two of my favorite baking ingredients. Chocolate chips and chopped peanuts don’t hurt either. 🙂

Today I am sharing with you a muffin recipe that I thought was lost forever. Many years ago, I bought a bag of whole wheat flour, and featured on the back was a recipe for peanut butter muffins. I decided to give the recipe a try and was blown away. The muffins tasted just like a peanut butter sandwich only in muffin form. They were incredible.

Fast forward years later, after many moves, the recipe sadly got lost in the shuffle. Until now! I googled away and found my beloved recipe at A Tasteful Garden. I had all of the ingredients on hand, so immediately got to work.

I decided to swap canola oil for butter and add chopped peanuts on top. I also used mini chocolate chips. I like that with small chips, it seems as though you get more chocolate per bite. As with most quick breads made with whole wheat flour, these muffins are dense and hearty. I find they are best enjoyed with a big glass of milk.

These muffins are even better than I remembered, and now thankfully will never be lost again!

Whole Wheat Peanut Butter Muffins

Yields: 12 muffins

Ingredients

2¼ cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt (optional)
¼ cup canola oil
½ cup brown sugar
¾ cup peanut butter
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
¾ cup buttermilk
1 cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips (optional)
⅓ cup chopped peanuts, for topping (optional)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare muffin pan with cooking spray or muffin liners. Set aside.
Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium-sized bowl.
Cream together the oil and brown sugar. Add the peanut butter and mix until incorporated. Beat in the vanilla and eggs, one at a time. Scrape sides of the bowl often to make sure everything is evenly mixed.
Add one-third of the dry ingredients and mix until moistened. Add half of the buttermilk, mix until combined. Add the remaining dry ingredients and remaining buttermilk. Fold in chocolate chips, if using.
Divide batter evenly between prepared muffin pan. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts, if using. Bake until golden brown, 22-24 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool in pan for 5 minutes, then move to wire rack to cool completely.

Adapted from King Arthur Whole Wheat Peanut Butter Muffins, found on A Tasteful Garden