"Death by Chocolate" Scones

Every once and a while I have a "scone" day and make a few batches of different scones to freeze for Tom to take to work. He either reheats them or lets them defrost a few hours and eats them at room temperature.

These are my FAVORITE scones and they never seem to make it to the freezer! I try not to make these too often because I have absolutely no will power when it comes to eating all 12 of these scones. Thank god I have a husband to help eat these! I cannot wait to bake these with Layla when she gets a little older, this is recipe I would like to pass down. If I must indulge in a chocolaty treat, this is the one I am going to eat. It is worth every calorie in my opinion :)

This would be a great recipe if you are having people over from Easter brunch. I will be sure to have a batch of these for everyone Easter Sunday morning. There is nothing better than one of these scones warm out of the oven..mmmmm

Death By Chocolate Scones
Makes 12 scones

Ingredients:
9 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup sugar
2 2/3 cups flour
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
6 tbsp cold butter-diced
3/4 cup milk
1 egg

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2. In a food processor chop 1/2 the amount of chocolate chips. Place chopped chocolate into a large bowl and add in cocoa, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.

3. With a pasrty blender or two knives, cut in diced butter until incorporated. (Mixture should have pea sized pieces of butter) Add in remaining chocolate chips.

4. Whisk together milk and egg. Add to dry ingredients and stir until moist. Knead dough a few times until it forms a ball.

5. Cut ball into 3 sections and flatten into a 1" disc. Cut 4 triangles from each disc and place them on a parchment lined baking sheet. (12 scones total)

6. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.

The Best Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Muffins

I have not been posting very often these days, but when I come across a recipe that I feel I must share I am happy I still have this blog. We are snowed in this morning which means it is a perfect day to do some baking. It is getting easier and easier to bake with Layla who is now 2 years 5 months. Each time is a little less messy. I measure the ingredients and let her dump it in the bowl and mix it around. 

The good part about baking GF muffins with Layla, is all the flour we spill on the counter tops won't get me sick by cross contaminating. I came across a recipe from the blog Gluten Free Goddess for apple-cinnamon muffins and decided to adapt the recipe to the ingredients I had on hand in my kitchen. 

I am so amazed by the results. Typically, gluten free muffin recipes can be either too dry and crumbly or too doughy. These muffins come out so light and fluffy, you would never guess they were GF. The combination of buckwheat flour and sorghum flour make these muffins a healthier whole grain version of the usual all purpose flour muffin. I would use this muffin batter as a base and add in any of your favorite flavors. In these muffins, I did a combination of raisins and semi-sweet chocolate chips. Layla and I have already eaten two each :) 

Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Muffins
Makes 12 muffins

Ingredients:

3/4 cup GF buckwheat flour
1/2 cup sorghum flour
1/4 cup tapioca starch/flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup  applesauce (I used original flavor) 
1/3 cup canola oil
3/4 cup organic brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 eggs
1/4 cup of apple juice
1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup raisins-optional


1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a muffin tin with 12 paper liners. 

2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients from buckwheat flour to cinnamon

3. In another bowl, whisk together wet ingredients: apple sauce, brown sugar, vanilla extract, eggs and juice. 

4. Add wet ingredients into dry and mix until batter is smooth. Do not over mix. 

5. Mix in chocolate chips and raisins (or any other add-ins you prefer)

6. Using a standard size ice cream scoop, scoop batter into 12 muffin cups. 

7. Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes (I baked mine for 22 mins) Test with a tooth pick to make sure they are cooked through and remove from oven. Let cool on a wire rack.8. You can freeze these muffins by wrapping them in plastic wrap once they are completely cool. 

The Worlds Most Dangerous Banana Bread

I was SO excited to see this recipe for banana bread in an issue of Bon Appetite Magazine. (see recipe below) Tom and I risked our lives to try this delicious bread on our honeymoon in Hawaii. We started off our vacation to Hawaii on the island of Kauai and ended in Maui.

While in Kauai, we met this nice couple who told us all about places to go when we visited Maui. One thing they mentioned was NEVER attempt to drive on the dangerous Kahekili Highway on the Northwest shore of Maui. Little did we know that on our exploration of the island that is exactly where we ended up.

We took a drive exploring the island and when we ended up on the beginning of this dangerous road we decided to give it a try. The road is VERY narrow with really steep drops. Only one car and fit by at a time on this highway, which allows cars to go both ways. If you ran into a car coming the opposite way, you would have to reverse into a small crevasse and let the other car pass before continuing on.

We continued down the road at about 5-10 MPH, experiencing the most beautiful views of untouched land. It took us hours but we came to a VERY small town called Kahakuloa. This town is home to about 100 native Hawaiians. It has no shops, except for one small road side stand called Julies Banana Bread. I remembered reading about this place in one of my guide books so we had to stop and give it a try.

You can only get a minimum of 2 loaves of bread so we bought them and headed back to the car for our long and dangerous drive back to the hotel. We each ate a slice of the moist and delicious banana bread and wanted to save the rest for later. We ended up finishing the first loaf before we started the car. The second loaf was devoured soon after. It was definitely an adventure worth risking our lives over. If we had ended up going over the edge, at least our last meal was Julie's famous banana bread. Thankfully, we made it back to the hotel just in time to enjoy the best pineapple we ever ate, which we picked up on the side of the very scary road. It was so ripe, you could cut it with a plastic knife or rip it open with your hands.....just like Tom.

Thanks to Bon Appetite Magazine for sharing this recipe so you can give this banana bread a try without the risk of falling off a cliff.

Kaheliki Highway 

Julie's Famous Banana Bread Stand

Recipe made at home: 3 mini loaves 

Best Pineapple in the world: Side of the road..Payment of honor system 

Layla enjoying Julie's homemade banana bread recipe 

Julie's Best Banana Bread

Makes One 9 x 5 x 3" loaf or Three 5 3/4 x 3 1/4" mini loaves

Ingredients:

Non stick vegetable oil spray (or Crisco) for greasing pan

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp kosher salt

3 large eggs

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2 large)

3/4 cup vegetable oil

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat baking pan (One 9 x 5 x 3" loaf or Three 5 3/4 x 3 1/4" mini loaves) with non stick spray or Crisco. (I like to line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper for easy release) 

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt. 

3. In another bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar, mashed bananas and vegetable oil. Add dry ingredients to banana mixture and stir until just combined. Scrape batter into prepared pan and smooth top. 

4. Bake until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 60-70 minutes (or 40-50 minutes for mini loaves) Transfer to wire rack; let bread cool in pan for 15 minutes. Run a knife along the inside of pan to release the bread. Turn out onto wire rack and let cool completely. 

5. This bread can be made 3 days ahead. Store in airtight container. 

Chocolate Buttermilk Bread

This is my go to recipe when I have extra buttermilk in the refrigerator. I have been making this recipe for years as a quick and easy bread for breakfast or a snack. This bread comes out moist and the top is cracked, crunchy and glossy (my husbands favorite part) almost like the top of a brownie. Lately I have been replacing some of the fat in the recipe, in this case butter, with flax seed oil. In this particular bread, I replaced 3 tbsp of butter with equal amounts flax seed oil.

Chocolate Buttermilk Bread
Yields 1 loaf (12 slices) 220 calories per slice

Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter-softened (1 stick)
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 3/4 all purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup chopped nuts or chocolate chips (or 1/4 cup of each)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 8 x 4 or 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. I like to line the bottom with parchment paper for easy release.

2. In a bowl of an electric mixer or using a hand held mixer, combine softened butter and sugar; blend well. Add in eggs; beat well. Stir in buttermilk.

3. Add in flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt and stir until dry ingredients are just moistened. Stir in chopped nuts and/or chocolate chips. Pour into greased pan.

4. Bake at 350 for 55-65 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes; remove from pan and cool on wire rack for 1 hour or until completely cool. Wrap tightly and store in refrigerator.

Roasted Vegetable Egg Sandwich

There are a few things I really miss since having to go completely gluten free. One being, a egg sandwich from the deli. On the weekends my husband and I take our daughter out to breakfast and it is usually hard for me to find something I want to eat at a deli. That being said, we were at Se-port deli yesterday morning (I already ate breakfast at home) and my husband ordered a bacon, egg and cheese sandwich that looked SOOO good! Seeing the runny eggs and bread put me in the mood for one, so I made my own version for dinner. Now, this isn't a bacon, egg and cheese but in my opinion it is a perfect healthy sandwich for lunch or dinner. As a matter of fact, I am probably going to eat this again for dinner tonight.

This sandwich consists of a variety of roasted vegetables, egg and balsamic glaze (which you can find at the grocery store). You could also add cheese, maybe mozzarella or provolone would go well. The recipe below makes A LOT of vegetables, way more than one sandwich needs but they are great left over and you can use them on sandwiches the rest of the week or as a side dish to dinner. I used gluten free bread but any type of bread, English muffins or rolls will work. Enjoy!

Ingredients: 
Olive oil
1 head of asparagus: 2 inch dice
8 oz package of mushrooms- sliced
1 small zucchini-thinly sliced
1 bell pepper-red or green-sliced into 1/2" pieces
1 small onion-thinly sliced
2 sliced of bread or an English muffin
1 egg
Salt and pepper-to taste
Balsamic glaze

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. One a baking sheet, place diced asparagus, sliced mushrooms, sliced zucchini, sliced pepper and sliced onion. Coat all the vegetables with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 20-25 minutes until they start to turn brown in spots and are cooked though. Remove from oven and set aside.

2. In a small non-stick pan coated with cooking spray or oil, add egg and cook over easy or over medium.

3. While the egg is cooking toast the bread. When the bread is toasted, add as much vegetables as you would like and drizzle with balsamic glaze. Top with egg and season with salt, pepper and more glaze.

Double Blueberry Muffins with Citrus Topping

Here is another muffin recipe from Better Homes and Garden's latest issue. The muffins are full of fresh blueberries with a hidden blueberry surprise in the center. The lemon and orange sugar topping gives these muffins bright flavor and a little crunch.

Double Blueberry Muffins with Citrus Topping
Makes 12 regular muffins and 6 large

Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 eggs
3/4 cup buttermilk or milk
6 tbsp butter, melted
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries **if using frozen blueberries, do not defrost ahead of time.
1/2 blueberry preserves
1 tsp finely shredded orange peel
1 tsp finely shredded lemon peel
1 Tbsp sugar (use raw turbinado sugar for more crunch)
2 tbsp butter, melted

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line 12 muffins cups with paper liners. Set aside.

2. Stir together flour, 3/4 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt in a medium size mixing bowl. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and set aside.

3. Whisk together eggs, buttermilk, 6 Tbsp melted butter; add mixture all at once to dry ingredients. Stir until just moistened (batter should be lumpy) Fold in 1 cup blueberries. Remove 1 cup of batter.

4. Spoon remaining batter into prepared muffins cups. Spoon 2 tsp. of blueberry preserves into the center of each muffin. Top with reserved 1 cup of batter to cover preserves, filling cups 2/3 of the way full. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

5. Meanwhile, stir together, grated orange and lemon peel with the 2 Tbsp of sugar. Remove muffins from the oven, brush with 2 Tbsp of melted butter and sprinkle the citrus sugar on top of each muffin. Cool in muffin cups on wire rack for 15 minutes. Serve warm.

Twice Baked Potatoes with an Egg, Basil and Cheese

As I have mentioned before, I usually do breakfast for dinner once a week. It's convenient, budget friendly and who doesn't love breakfast?
This recipe is a spin on eggs and home fries. I added some fresh basil and Pecorino Romano to my twice baked potatoes, but you can add any flavors you like to this dish. I think cheddar cheese and chives would work great too...maybe even some crispy bacon crumbled on top. Enjoy!

Twice Baked Potatoes with an Egg, Basil and Cheese
Serves 2

Ingredients:
2 large baking potatoes
2 tbsp butter-room temperature (you can add as much or as little as you would like)
2 tbsp sour cream  (you can add as much or as little as you would like)
Milk (if needed)
Salt
Pepper
1/4 cup grates Pecorino Romano Cheese
1/4 fresh basil, chopped
4 eggs

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Bake potatoes for 50 minutes to 1 hour until very tender when pierced with a fork. Set aside until cool enough to handle (you can bake the potatoes ahead of time)

2. Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop out flesh of potatoes into a bowl, leaving 1/8" border in potato skin. Into the bowl with the flesh of potatoes, mash in sour cream, butter, basil and Pecorino Romano cheese. Add in enough milk to make the potatoes very creamy. Season with salt and pepper to taste. (This step is easy in an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment)

3. Add the creamy potato mixture back into the skin and place on a baking sheet. Make a well in the potato mixture and crack 1 egg on each half. Bake at 400 degrees F for 13-15 minutes (13 minutes will yield a runnier yolk)

4. Garnish with some extra chopped basil and cheese.

Lemon Yogurt Cake

I can't believe I haven't shared this recipe with you before. This is one of my favorite recipes for a quick and simple delicious cake. Most of the time I have these ingredients on hand, so this shows up in our kitchen quite often. It makes a perfect breakfast/brunch cake for guests or even a simple dessert served with some whipped cream and hot tea. This would be a great recipe for an upcoming Easter Brunch. Enjoy! 

The recipe below includes a glaze to pour over top of the cake. I usually do not add the glaze because my family tends to prefer the cake without the sweetness of the glaze. However, if you think you would prefer to add the glaze, by all means...glaze away. 

See if you can spy my sous chefs little hands helping me take the photos :) 

Lemon Yogurt Cake (Recipe from Barefoot Contessa at Home) 
Yields 1 loaf

Ingredients: 
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour 
2 teaspoons baking powder 
½ teaspoon kosher salt 
1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt 
1 1/3 cups sugar, divided 
3 extra-large eggs 
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (2 lemons) 
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract 
½ cup vegetable oil 
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice 

For the glaze: 
1 cup confectioners’ sugar 
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice 

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8 ½ x 4 ¼ x 2 ½-inch loaf pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper. Grease and flour the pan. 

2. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt into one bowl. 

3.In another bowl, whisk together the yogurt, 1 cup sugar, the eggs, lemon zest, and vanilla. Slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. 

4. With a rubber spatula, fold the vegetable oil into the batter, making sure it’s all incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 50 minutes, or until a cake tester placed in the center of the loaf comes out clean.

5. Meanwhile, cook the 1/3 cup lemon juice and remaining 1/3 cup sugar in a small pan until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is clear. Set aside.

6. When the cake is done, allow it to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Carefully place on a baking rack over a sheet pan. While the cake is still warm, pour the lemon-sugar mixture over the cake and allow it to soak in. Cool.

7. For the glaze, combine the confectioners’ sugar and lemon juice and pour over the cake. 

Shakshuka: Peppers, Onions and Eggs

 Sometimes on cold rainy days when my husband and I are both feeling a little bored, we like to feed our addictions at Barnes and Noble. He heads to the CD department and I head upstairs to the cookbooks. This past weekend, I picked up a new book I've had my eye on titled Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi. It's a book full of gorgeous vegetable recipe that can act as main dishes or side dishes. It also has a chapter on pasta and grains, fruits and cheese.

Every week, I like to make breakfast for dinner. It is usually an inexpensive meal, quick, easy and always enjoyable for myself, husband, daughter and dog. I came across a recipe in my new book that looks unbelievable in the picture. The name of this dish is Shakshuka, a North African dish with many different variations. It's basically caramelized onions, peppers, herbs with a runny egg. It came out really great and I am definitely making this recipe again. I would serve this with a piece of crusty bread or roasted potatoes. This is definitely a recipe worth trying. I hope you enjoy!

I am posting the original recipe below, as well as a few changes I have made.

Shakshuka
Serves 4

Ingredients: 
1/2 tsp cumin seeds or 1/4 tsp ground cumin
3/4 cup light olive oil or vegetable oil (I did not use this much oil, I just coated the bottom of the pan with oil and it was enough) 
2 large onions- thinly sliced
2 red bell peppers, cut into 1/2" strips
2 yellow bell peppers, cut into 1/2" stripes (I used 1 yellow, 1 green pepper) 
3-4 tsp muscovado sugar ( if you do not have this type of sugar, use brown sugar)
2 bay leaves
6 thyme sprigs-leaves picked and chopped
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsely
2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro, plus extra for garnish
6 ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped
1/2 tsp saffron (I did not have this on hand, so I omitted this spice)
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper-to taste
up to 1 1/8 cups water
4-8 eggs (depending on how many you would like to serve per person) 
Additions: You can add a variety of different ingredients if you would like, such as, feta cheese, preserved lemon or sliced Chorizo. If you are adding sausage, I would suggest cooking it separate and adding it to the sauce toward the end. 

1. In a very large pan dry roast the cumin on high heat for 2 minutes. Add in oil and onions and saute for 5 minutes. Add in peppers, sugar, and herbs and continue to cook for 10 minutes on medium-high to get a nice color.

2. Add in tomatoes, saffron, cayenne and some salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low and cook for 15 minutes. During the cooking keep adding water so that the mix has a pasta sauce consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning. You can prepare this mix well in advance.

3. Remove bay leaves, the divide the pepper mixture among four deep frying pans, or one large pan, big enough to fit eggs. Heat the pepper mixture on medium heat to warm up, then make gaps in the mixture and break eggs into each gap. Sprinkle eggs with salt and pepper and cover the pans with lids. Cook on a very gentle heat for 10-12 minutes until eggs have just set. Garnish with cilantro and serve.

Healthy Breakfast or Snack: Waffles, Peanut Butter and Apple

Here is a quick and healthy breakfast, lunch or afternoon snack idea.

Toast one frozen waffle, spread on almond butter or peanut butter, top with 1 thinly sliced apple and drizzle with a bit of honey, cinnamon and sliced almonds or walnuts.

My absolute favorite frozen waffles are Nature's Path waffles. My favorite is the gluten free Chia Plus or Homestyle. Whether you eat gluten free or not, these frozen waffles are soooo good! I have seen them at Whole Foods, Wild by Nature and Stop and Shop. Enjoy!!

Golden Harvest Muffins

Another muffins recipe. I choose this recipe because I wanted another healthy snack idea for Layla. I like giving her one of these muffins in the afternoon when she wakes up from her nap, something to hold her over until dinnertime. These muffins are healthy and satisfying, filled with shredded apples, carrots and raisins. Tom also enjoys these muffins in the morning to keep him content until his second breakfast later that morning :)

These muffins smelled and looked amazing right out of the oven. I am definitely trying this recipe using gluten free flour. I will let you know how they come out. One muffin has 250 calories. Enjoy!

**If you have a shredding attachment to a food processor, it makes the process easier. If not, you can use a hand help cheese grater.

Golden Harvest Muffins (Recipe from Pillsbury Best Muffins and Quick Breads)
Makes 18 regular sized muffins

Ingredients:
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup sugar
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cloves
2 cups shredded peeled apples (about 2 apples)
1/2 cup shredded peeled carrot (1-2 carrots)
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans-optional
3/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup milk
2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs, beaten

1, Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 18 muffin cups with paper liners or grease muffin cups.

2. In a large bowl combine all purpose flour, whole wheat flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and cloves; mix well. Stir in shredded apples, carrots, coconut, raisins and nuts, if using.

3. In a medium bowl, combine oil, milk, vanilla and eggs; mix well. Stir into dry ingredients and mix until just moistened.

4. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full and bake for 20-25 minutes until toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Gluten Free Buttermilk Biscuits

Blackbird Bakery Gluten Free is my newest baking cookbook. I got this as a gift for Christmas and I am looking forward to trying every single recipe, they all look amazing. I decided to test out these gluten free  buttermilk biscuits because I am having my family over this weekend to celebrate my dad's birthday.

I gave these a test run because I never know what to expect when baking gluten free. I am getting familiar with the ingredients and most recipes come out great (some better than the gluten recipes). These biscuits are one of those recipes that came out better than expected. They were moist, flaky and buttery, just as a biscuit should be. I will definitely be baking these again this weekend for the family. I know everyone will enjoy!

Buttermilk Biscuits (Gluten Free) Recipe from Blackbird Bakery Gluten Free by Karen Morgan
Makes 8 large

Ingredients:
1/2 cup sorghum flour
1 cup corn starch
1/2 cup tapioca flour
1 tsp guar gum (I used equal parks xanthum gum)
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tbsp baking power
3 tbsp cold unsalted butter, diced
3 tbsp cold vegetable shortening, diced
1 cup buttermilk
2-3 tbsp water, if needed
Butter, honey, agave nectar or jam for serving

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

2. In a large bowl combine the dry ingredients and stir to blend.

3. Add in diced butter and shortening. Using a pastry cutter, cut in the fats into dry ingredients until the mixture resembles small peas.

4. Stir in buttermilk and lightly mix with wooden spoon or with your hands until it forms a ball. (The less you work the dough, the better the biscuits will come out) If the mixture is too dry, you can add 1 tbsp of water at a time.

5. Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead until smooth; 3-4 times. Form dough into a 1" thick disk. Using a 3 inch diameter biscuit cutter, cut out 8 biscuits and place on an ungreased cookie sheet.

6. Bake 12-15 minutes, or until lightly golden brown. Remove from oven and transfer to wire rack to cool slightly. Serve warm.

Whole Wheat Apple Muffins

I really love making muffins and trying new recipes. I tend to make at least one batch a week and freeze them for Tom's breakfasts during the week. That kind of makes me sound like a stepford wife, but I enjoy baking too much to consider that title.

This recipe often makes a frequent appearance our kitchen during the autumn months. The recipe comes from the cook book Best Muffins and Quick Bread from Pillsbury. Each standard size muffin has only 190 calories. These muffins are kid friendly as well, just make sure to chop the apples very small if young children will be snacking on them. 

Whole Wheat Apple Muffins

Makes 12 regular size or 6 large 

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 cups chopped peeled apples

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar

1/4 tsp salt

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup skim milk

1/4 cup melted butter or margarine

1 egg slightly beaten

Topping:

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 tbsp finely chopped nuts

1/4 tsp cinnamon 

**The picture on this post is shown with a topping of coarse sugar and cinnamon instead of topping above

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line muffin tin with paper liners. 

2. In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup all purpose flour and apples; stir until apples are coated

3. In a large bowl, combine remaining 1 cup of flour, whole wheat flour, 1/2 cup brown sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon; mix well. Add apples and all remaining muffin ingredients. Stir until dry ingredients are moistened. Divide batter evenly into prepared muffin cups. 

4. In a small bowl, combine all topping ingredients; sprinkle about 2 tsp over each muffin cup. 

5. Bake are 400 for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean (larger muffins will take longer to cook) Remove from oven, cool on wire rack and serve warm. 

Healthy Snacking for children and recipe for Whole Wheat Carrot Raisin Muffins

Here are some healthy snack ideas for children ages 15 months to 3 years. I have also included a healthy whole wheat carrot/raisin muffin recipe below. Layla loves to eat 1-2 of these mini muffins as a nutritious afternoon snack. I made a large batch and wrapped individual muffins with plastic wrap and placed them in the freezer. I take 1-2 muffins out of the freezer and reheat in the microwave for 15 seconds. These also make a great healthy breakfast for adults. Make a combination of mini muffins for baby and regular sized for yourself.

For calcium:
- Half a mini bagel with tomato sauce and cheese; toasted under broiler
-Single serving of cottage cheese or yogurt topped with fresh fruit, such as blueberries or peaches
(serving size 1/4-1/2 cup)
-Small bowl of whole grain cereal with chopped raisins and milk
-Small bowl of ricotta cheese (1/4 cup to 1/2 cup) with cinnamon and sugar or fruit puree
-Applesauce mixed with cottage cheese

For Protein:
-Thin slices of ham or turkey breast tucked into whole grain pita bread
-Whole wheat crackers with peanut, almond, or soy nut butter (for older children)
-Half a warm wheat tortilla, spread with spoonful of mashed beans, sprinkled with shredded cheese, rolled up
-Hard boiled eggs (sprinkle with mild curry powder or paprika)

For Produce:
-Sliced apples or ripe pears with sliced cheddar cheese
-Ripe banana dipped in strawberry yogurt
-Toasted slices or zucchini or banana bread with cream cheese
-Roasted red and yellow peppers with hummus
-Veggies such as cooked carrot sticks, broccoli with black bean or spinach dips

**Snack ideas from The baby and toddler cookbook

Whole Wheat Carrot Raisin Muffins (adapted from Martha Stewart Living)
Makes 36 mini muffins or 12 regular muffins

Ingredients:

Nonstick cooking spray
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup packed dark-brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup raisins
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large egg
1/3 cup skim milk
3-4 medium carrots, shredded
1 medium ripe banana, mashed

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat a muffin pan with cooking spray or line with muffin liners.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt until there are no lumps. Stir in oats and raisins. Add oil, egg, milk, carrots, and banana and stir until blended.

3.Fill each muffin cup 2/3 way full with batter. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a muffin comes out clean, check mini muffins between 10-15 minutes (depending on oven) and 23 to 25 minutes for regular sized muffins. Serve muffins warm or at room temperature. Freeze extras.

Hurricane Sandy Muffins (Pumpkin Nutella Muffins)

I call these Hurricane Sandy muffins because I made a big batch in preparation for the storm. Muffins are a great breakfast/snack that don't need to be refrigerated or frozen. I stumbled upon this recipe on Pintrest and put it on my "Recipes I want to Try" list. A major reason I wanted to try this recipe is to use up the jar of Nutella in my pantry that is slowly expanding my waistline. Unfortunately, for my skinny jeans there is still 1/3 of the jar left. Enjoy, this recipe is a keeper.

Pumpkin Nutella Muffins (Recipe from Alaskafromscratch.com)
Makes 12 muffins

Ingredients:

1 cup pumpkin puree (canned, not pie filling)
1-1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup canola oil
1/3 cup water
1 tsp vanilla
1-3/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/3 cup Nutella


1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a 12-count standard or 6 count large muffin pan with baking cups.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, sugar, eggs, oil, water, and vanilla until well-combined.

3.In another bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice.

4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, mixing until smooth. Pour batter into the baking cups, filling about 2/3-3/4 full.

5. Put the Nutella into a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 20-30 seconds or until it thins out just enough to swirl.

6. Using a teaspoon, drop a spoonful or two of Nutella onto the top of each muffin and swirl with a knife.

7. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until set. You can eat these at room temperature but they are best served warm. Reheat in microwave for 10- 20 seconds.

Chocolate Hazelnut Banana Bread

I knew the second I read this recipe in Cooking Light magazine that I wanted to make it for Tom's breakfast. It just sounds sooo good...chocolate hazelnut banana bread..yummm. How bad could anything with Nutella be?

I called Tom at work and asked him how it came out. He said it was "sooo goood" and that I should make this a regular for breakfast. Next mission is making a gluten free version for myself to eat :)

This recipe is a "lighter" version of banana bread but I think you could apply the chocolate hazelnut part to any banana bread recipe. I like to keep things "lighter" for breakfast but maybe if I made this for a crowd I would use my favorite banana bread recipe (full fat version :) This recipe is definitely worth picking up a jar of Nutella and giving a try. Enjoy!!!

Chocolate Hazelnut Banana Bread
Makes one 9" x 5" loaf

Ingredients:

5 tablespoons chocolate-hazelnut spread (such as Nutella)
3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon canola oil, divided
3 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 medium ripe bananas, sliced
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup whole buttermilk
Cooking Spray or Crisco to grease pan
1/4 cup hazelnuts, coarsely chopped (Optional)
1 ounce bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped (Optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350° and grease a 9" x 5" loaf pan and dust with flour (I like to line the bottom with parchment paper.

2. Combine chocolate-hazelnut spread and 1 teaspoon oil in a microwave-safe dish; microwave at HIGH for 30 seconds or until melted. Stir and set aside.

3. Combine 3 tablespoons oil, butter, brown sugar, and banana in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium-high speed until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.

3. Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Beating at low speed, add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to banana mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture; beat just until combined.

4. Scrape half of batter into a 9 x 5-inch and top with chocolate-hazelnut spread mixture. Spread remaining batter over chocolate mixture. Using a wooden pick, swirl batter. Sprinkle batter with hazelnuts.

4. Bake at 350° for 55 minutes or until a wooden pick comes out with moist crumbs clinging. Cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack. Remove bread; cool on wire rack.

5. Place bittersweet chocolate in a microwave-safe dish; microwave at high for 30 seconds. Drizzle bread with chocolate; let stand until set.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Scones

I am always looking for new pumpkin recipes because it's a favorite in my household. Here is a recipe I came across, from King Arthur's Flour, for Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Scones. I hope you enjoy these just as much as my husband will this week for breakfast.

You can store leftover pumpkin puree in the freezer and use it for the next batch anytime. I like to wrap the pumpkin in plastic wrap and place it in ziplock bag, labeled pumpkin puree and the amount.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Scones 
Makes 8 large scones or 12 regular size scones

Ingredients: 
2 3/4 cups All-Purpose Flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 cup cold butter
1 cup to 2 cups chocolate chips, minced crystallized ginger, or cinnamon chips
2/3 cup canned pumpkin
2 large eggs
coarse white sparkling sugar, for topping


1) In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and allspice.

2) Cut the butter into 1/2" pieces and work in to flour mixture just until the mixture is unevenly crumbly; it's OK for some larger chunks of butter to remain unincorporated. (You can use a pastry blender for this step or your hands)

3) Stir in the chocolate chips and/or crystallized ginger, if you're using them.

4) In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the pumpkin and eggs till smooth.

5) Add the pumpkin/egg to the dry ingredients and stir until all is moistened and holds together.

6) Line a baking sheet with parchment; if you don't have parchment, just use it without greasing it. Sprinkle a bit of flour atop the parchment or pan.

7) Scrape the dough onto the floured parchment or pan, and divide it in half. Round each half into a 5" circle (if you haven't incorporated any add-ins); or a 6" circle (if you've added 2 cups of fruit, nuts, etc.). The circles should be about 3/4" thick.

8) Brush each circle with milk, and sprinkle with coarse white sparkling sugar or cinnamon sugar, if desired.

9) Using a knife or bench knife that you've run under cold water, slice each circle into 6 wedges.

10) Carefully pull the wedges away from the center to separate them just a bit; there should be about 1/2" space between them, at their outer edges.

11) For best texture and highest rise, place the pan of scones in the freezer for 30 minutes, uncovered. While the scones are chilling, preheat the oven to 425°F.

12) Bake the scones for 22 to 25 minutes, or until they're golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of one comes out clean, with no wet crumbs. If you pull one of the scones away from the others, the edges should look baked through, not wet or doughy.

13) Remove the scones from the oven, and serve warm. Wrap any leftovers airtight, and store at room temperature. Reheat very briefly in the microwave, if desired.

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Muffins

I finally found a chocolate muffin recipe that is worth making. I tried this recipe before I knew I had Celiac Disease, so I know just how good these muffins taste. I have tested different recipes and they either come out to dry or not chocolaty enough. These muffins are very moist, a deep chocolate color with melted chocolate chips throughout. They are "chocolaty" without being to rich. I am adding this to my regular muffins recipes for my husband Tom and my daughter Layla to enjoy :)
A plus..they are SO easy to make.

I love making Layla a few mini muffins as a special treat. I use to break them into little pieces for her but now that she is getting good at taking bites she likes to hold the entire muffin and gobble it up :) Don't be fooled by the title chocolate chocolate muffins. In comparison to most muffin recipes, this recipe has very little added fat and only 1/2 cup sugar for the entire recipe. If you would like decrease the sugar content more, you can always skip the extra chocolate chips on top.

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Muffins
Makes 12 standard muffins, 6 large or 24 mini muffins

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup warm water
1/4 cup canola oil
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp vanilla
1 large egg
1/2 cup chocolate chips-divided in 1/4 cups

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2. In a large bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Add in 1/4 cup of chocolate chips. Mix until distributed evenly.

3. In another bowl (I like to use a large measuring cup) whisk together warm water, canola oil, red wine vinegar, vanilla and egg.

4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until just combine. Do not over mix.

5. Prepare muffin pan with paper liners and fill each liner with batter. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup of chocolate chips.

6. Bake for 15 minutes until inserted toothpick comes out clean.

(If you are making mini muffins, check them after 8-10 minutes)

GF Banana Bread

The store Sur La Table just opened at a mall close to where I live. At this location they offer cooking classes ranging from $60-$120. Take a look at the schedule for Septemper and October below. They have all different classes such as Fall Entertaining, knife skills, fast and easy chicken dinners and many more.

Last week I took their gluten free baking class. It was a hands on class which is hard to find and I had a good time. I felt the class could have been a little better with a teacher that had more experience cooking gluten free. I was assured by my partners, which happened to be chefs from their corporate offices, that their other classes are more organized and offer more helpful information and recipes. Regardless, it was fun and I got to take home a few gluten free baking recipes.

Out of all the recipes, the favorite among the guest was the banana bread. It was extremely moist and I enjoyed the fact it wasn't super sweet. I would definitely try this recipe again.

I was planning on taking a picture of the bread for my blog but.....the slices I brought home that night were eaten by my gluten eating husband and 1 year old daughter at 6:30am the next morning. Never mind the gluten filled pumpkin bread I made for them the day before. Oh well, I guess i'll have the make the recipe again and hide it when it comes out of the oven.






GF Banana Bread
Makes one 9" x 5" loaf

Ingredients: 
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 1/3 cups flour blend (see below)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup bananas, mashed
2 tbsp sour cream
3/4 cup walnuts. chopped

Flour Blend: Makes 5 1/2 cups
3/4 cup white rice flour
4 cups potato starch
3 1/2 tbsp guar gum
1/2 cup albumen (powdered egg whites)
Blend all ingredients together thoroughly and place in air tight container. Store in pantry if using frequently or refrigerator or freezer to keep fresh longer.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9"x x 5" loaf pan and line the bottom with parchment paper (parchment paper is optional).

2. Using an electric mixer with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg gradually and scrape down bowl.

3. In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients. Add all dry ingredients to wet and mix until combined.

4. Add in mashed bananas and sour cream to batter; mix until combined. Fold in nuts by hand.

5. Pour batter into greased loaf pan and bake 55-60 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.