Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

This is the time of the year when I start getting summer squash weekly in my CSA share.  One fun way of enjoying some of the squash is to hide it in delicious & healthy chocolate muffins.

I use this Oil-Free Chocolate Zucchini Walnut Muffin recipe and make it with or without the nuts.  Either way the muffins are delicious and we find them plenty moist - not needing any margarine to enjoy.   Adults & kids alike enjoy them for breakfast or dessert.

My yield on this recipe is 18 muffins.

A cherry twist on banana bread

I have to admit, I love cherries.  If you do too, here's another cherry recipe for you.

Cherry Banana Bread
http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2006/04/cherry-walnut-banana-bread.html
I have not made this bread with the walnuts listed in the original recipe since we're trying to keep things really low fat.  I have baked this recipe as mini loaves and as muffins.  I love her tip of letting the bread cool completely overnight to make it more moist.   I found the mini loaves to be more moist but the muffins almost as good, and more convenient (we always seem to be in a hurry!)   Remember, if you bake the bread in these smaller sizes, you need to adjust your baking time.  Start checking the muffins after 18 mins and the mini loaves after about 22 mins.   My yield on this recipe is 18 muffins or 4 mini loaves.

My quick baking tip for applesauce - use the kid snack sized cups of unsweetened applesauce instead of trying to measure it out.  They're roughly equivalent to 1/2 cup or 4oz.

Pumpkin muffins or bread

I am still working my way through the large supply of organic pumpkin cans I stocked up on a couple months ago.   We've been enjoying a lot of pumpkin muffins and sometimes pumpkin bread.

Pumpkin Spice Bread
http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2006/12/pumpkin-spice-bread.html
This pumpkin spice bread is very delicious and can be made with fat for those that don't love fat free baking... or without fat it's still very delicious.  This recipe is higher in sugar than others I use, so I only make it occasionally.   I use white whole wheat flour in this recipe and it turns out perfectly.
Click here for the nutrition facts for this recipe made into 18 fat free muffins.

Pumpkin Raisin Muffins
http://www.nutritionmd.org/recipes/view.html?recipe_id=547
The yield for me on this recipe was much higher than listed.  I got 18 muffins and one mini loaf of bread out of this... and they were gobbled up quickly.   I ran low on raisins so I substituted dried cranberries instead.

Tip: When a recipe calls for you to only use part of a canned good, such as this recipe where you have part of a can of pumpkin left over, simply put the remainder in a Ziploc freezer bag, mark the bag with the contents and freeze it for later use.   One week I made these muffins and then froze the remaining pumpkin. The following week I took that out of the freezer and used it to thicken a stew I was making!
 

What's your smoothie recipe?

I often get asked for my smoothie recipe.  The problem is... there is no recipe!  I just use whatever I have on hand in my fridge/freezer!

This is what my blender looked like before I turned it on this morning

I start with enough liquid to cover the blades - usually Silk Fruit + Protein or fruit juice... but you can use water too.   Then I like to cover the liquid with a thin layer of chia seeds (you can get a big bag of these at Costco now).   Next I add a green - either kale or spinach.  Then the fun part - add a few extra fruits and veggies.  Today I added half a carrot, an entire orange (I used the knife to peel off the outer skin), some frozen cherries, and half a frozen banana.  I almost always add at least half a frozen banana for delicious natural sweetness.    I always recommend using a deep colored berry/cherry (raspberries are my favorite) especially if the green is a bit tough/bitter like kale.     I either stock up on organic frozen berries when they're on BOGO sale at the grocery store or buy the big 3lb bag of organic mixed berries at BJs for $9.99.

My smallest customer enjoying his smoothie and an apple for breakfast

I should note that usually my smoothies are not pretty.   When you blend bright greens with deep colored berries, the result is usually brown.   But don't let your eyes fool you - the result is delicious and so healthy too!

My latest breakfast obsession

I've recently gotten into making overnight oats in the slow cooker.   I put all the ingredients in before I go to bed at night and by the time my earliest riser wakes up in the morning, hot breakfast is ready and I can still snooze away in bed while they help themselves to a delicious, hot & healthy breakfast.  

I've tried a few recipes so far, but this, by far, is my favorite one I've found.
Slow Cooker Cherry Almond Oatmeal
http://www.theyummylife.com/Slow_Cooker_Cherry_Almond_Oatmeal

I omit the butter/fat in this recipe and use applesauce (instead of shredded apple) for simplicity    It's basically impossible to limit myself to one serving with this one... it's soooo tasty!  Reminds me of a cherry pastry.    I even cut back on the brown sugar to 1 Tbsp and it still tasted great.  The dried cherries already provide a lot of sweetness.   I think next time I'll try omitting the sugar and see how it turns out.

Blueberry Breakfast Cake

This one is way too popular in our household.  The entire thing disappears in less than 24 hours and there's even some fighting about the last piece!  Guess I need to double the recipe for this growing family!

Blueberry Breakfast Cake
http://happyherbivore.com/recipe/blueberry-coffee-cake/
The last time I made it, I only had fresh blueberries in the house, so that's what I used.  It still turned out great.
I've been sprinkling the top with a cinnamon & sugar mix.  I haven't tried her recommendation of brown sugar yet.  Let me know if you do!

Low Fat Apple Swirl Loaf

This vegan treat can be made wheat free by using spelt flour.   Spelt flour is expensive (over $2/lb) but it works well.   I omit the oil in this recipe and it turns out great.  

We've eaten this for a dessert or along with breakfast.
http://plantpoweredkitchen.com/recipes/recipe-low-fat-apple-swirl-loaf/

Doughnuts for breakfast!

Banana Bread Breakfast Doughnuts
 http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2012/02/22/banana-bread-breakfast-doughnuts/

I often make these doughnuts and everyone loves them - including the banana hater in the house.

I have tried the recipe with both spelt flour and white whole wheat flour.  Both turn out fine, but I prefer the texture of the spelt (although the spelt is way more expensive!)

I don't add any oil, and instead increase the milk (almond or soy) to 1/3 cup.
I do add chocolate chips... this is probably why they're so popular.  I use the mini chocolate chips and just lightly sprinkle the top of my batter bowl with them and then mix in.  So not too many... but just enough that I can call them chocolate chip doughnuts!

I've only made these with agave syrup... but am interested in trying maple syrup as the sweetener instead.  Let me know how they turn out if you do!    Also, once I was a bit short on the Agave syrup and they still turned out fine... so I think it can work to cut back the sweeter a bit if you'd like.

The recipe says to bake for 30+ minutes.  Mine are always very done in 20 minutes.

The yield on this recipe for me is 12 huge doughnuts. 

The most delicious pancakes!

Today is world pancake day.   I know my post is late in the day.... but here is my recommendation.

These pancakes are incredibly thick, delicious and so healthy.   One of my sons even squealed with delight the first time I served them to him as he loved the exploding blueberries as he cut into them!   The blueberries add such natural sweetness that everyone in our family eats them just as they are - no extra sugar or fat on top needed!

Blueberry Pie Pancakes
Recipe adapted from here: http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2011/06/09/blueberry-pie-pancakes/

Serves 3

1 & 1/2 cup blueberries
1 cup flour (I use white whole wheat)
6 Tbsp (3/8 cup) rolled oats (I just use regular ol' Quaker oats)
1 & 1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp baking powder
3/8 tsp salt
1 & 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
3 Tbsp sugar or 3 packets stevia (optional)
1 cup nondairy milk (I usually use vanilla Silk)

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl, then add wet.  Mix, but don't over-mix.  Cook on an oiled or sprayed pan, on low-medium, flipping each pancake once. 

Here are the nutrition facts for one serving: http://tracker.dailyburn.com/recipes/thick_blueberry_pie_pancakes

Pumpkin Spice Muffins

Pumpkin Spice Muffins
http://fatfreevegan.com/blog/2010/03/01/pumpkin-spice-muffins/print/

These muffins are very easy to make and can be a tasty snack or breakfast treat.

I have only used white whole wheat flour to make these - let me know if you try another kind.   I really enjoy the spices in pumpkin bread, so I recommend adding a little (1/4tsp?) pumpkin pie spice as well.   Sometimes I separate out the batter and add mini chocolate chips to one section and raisins to the other.

The yield for me is 17-18 muffins.

Here are the nutrition facts for a yield of 18 muffins as I prepare them with raisins.