Yummy Easy Totally Fabulous Quinoa Muffins

Lazy Day for Gola, too!

Lucky me, I don’t have to go into work today! Thank you, Presidents!

Besides spending some major QT with my puppy, bathed in Bitter Apple Spray (I’m sure you puppy owners know exactly what that is!) I’m using this morning to bake my most favoritist Banana Quinoa Muffins. I’ve been making these like crazy lately because they’re filling and easy to grab on my way to class.

I’m sure I’ve posted this recipe before, but it’s special, and hey, this is MY blog, so here we go again.

One word of advice: Make sure you rinse the quinoa first in a fine mesh strainer (and I do mean fine). This washing will get rid of bitter outer coat of the grain, called saponins. So wash first, then boil.

Today I am going to add some chocolate chips to this recipe, because hey, everything tastes better with chocolate. Enjoy!

Fabulous Banana Quinoa Muffins

3/4 cup quinoa
2 medium bananas, peeled and mashed
2 eggs
1/2 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
1/2 cup real maple syrup (honey or sugar)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped
1/3 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup all-purpose flour (unbleached)
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1.5 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
pinch of salt

1. Rinse quinoa thoroughly. Put quinoa and 1.5 cups water in medium pot. Bring it to a boil over high heat, cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 18-20 min.  Turn off and let it stand for 10 minutes, covered. Yields approx 2 cups.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter and flour one 12- muffin pan
3. In a large bowl combine the mashed bananas, eggs, yogurt, maple syrup and vanilla extract.  Mix to combine.  Add 2 cups cooked quinoa, pecans and raisins.  Mix and set aside.
4. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, whole wheat flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
5. Add the flour mixture to the banana mixture and mix just until combined.
6. Fill each muffin tin with 1/3 cup of the batter.
7. Bake for 25-28 minutes or until brown. Remove from the oven and let muffins cool in the an for 12 minutes.  Release the muffins from the pan and allow them to cool on a wire rack

Yummy Baked Apples

If you know me, you know I ADORE Fall. Not the dreary, windy Fall that’s happening outside my window now, but the brisk, crisp, sun-is-shining, leaves are turning Autumn. I could live in perpetual Fall and be one very happy girl indeed.  I also enjoy the seasonal food that goes with this time of year: squashes, apples, pears (but I do miss my summer berries, peaches and nectarines), pumpkin, cranberries. Something about those healthy, hearty foods say “cuddle with me.” As soon as I get my Snuggie, I’m good to go (I should be getting mine in the mail soon!)

In the spirit of my favorite season, I’m posting a baked apple recipe that I’m going to be trying out this weekend. Baked apples remind of being a child during this time of year, and I loved how my kitchen filled up with the smell of cinnamon.  I think you should try this recipe out too and we’ll compare notes.

Unfortunately, making this recipe is going to be the highlite of my weekend since I’ll be hitting the books HARD…Oh, and I’ll be testing a pumpkin scone recipe for my Food Production Mgmt class. The recipe calls for MAJOR amounts of sugar, and I realized that this is the first time I’ll have that “crack” in my apartment. You can bet that it’s going in the garbage, and that my neighbors will love me when I pawn off my sugar-laden baked goods on them.

Oh, and one more thing involving baking–I just ordered these muffin mixes, created by another Holistic Health Counselor. They look ah-maz-ing…I ordered the apple and cacao flavored, and since they were covered by Daily Candy today, I’m sure they’ll be running out of stock soon!

Baked Apples Stuffed with Cranberries and Almonds  (From Whole Foods)

Serves 2

Serve these tender apples with a sweet-tart filling alongside roasted turkey or pork, a delicious pairing with the apples’ hint of cardamom–though you could substitute cinnamon. They make a great stuffing alternative for those who don’t eat wheat or gluten. They’re also tasty for breakfast, snack or dessert–perhaps with whipped cream.

Ingredients

2 Granny Smith apples
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup fresh or frozen and thawed cranberries
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
6 dates, pitted and chopped
Zest and juice of 1 orange
2 tablespoons roasted almonds, roughly chopped

Method

Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut 1/2 inch off the top of the apples and reserve tops. Use a paring knife or spoon to hollow out the apples, leaving about a 1/2-inch-thick wall and base. Set aside. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add cranberries, honey, cardamom, dates and orange juice and zest and cook until cranberries begin to collapse and liquid thickens, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in almonds.

Spoon cranberry mixture into apples then replace the apple tops. Put into a small baking dish filled with 1/4 inch water, cover with foil and bake until tender, 15 to 30 minutes (depending on apples). Uncover, carefully pour off the water and continue baking until very tender and golden, 10 to 15 minutes more.

Nutrition

Per serving (about 9oz/264g-wt.): 320 calories (80 from fat), 9g total fat, 4g saturated fat, 15mg cholesterol, 0mg sodium, 64g total carbohydrate (9g dietary fiber, 50g sugar), 3g protein

Mountain Muffins

Mountains of Love

In honor of my Appalachian Trail vacation coming up on Friday (I’ll be hiking the trail in Maine and New Hampshire Fri-Monday), here’s a great recipe from my friend and fellow holistic health counselor, Tamra at Be Will 2 Live Well. She’s one of the most fabulous people I know and also creates the most incredible baked goods.

Here’s her recipe for MOUNTAIN MUFFINS (never shared before!):

Mountain Muffins
½ olive or canola oil
½ sucanat sugar
½ cup applesauce (unsweetened)
2 large eggs
1 cup flour – Spelt or Gluten Free Pamela’s
½ cup ground flax seed
¾ tea. Baking soda
1 tea. Cinnamon
1/8 tea. Salt
1 ½ cup cranberries
½ cup chopped almonds
¼ cup chocolate chips
¼ cup coconut
Mix ingredients together, pour into lined muffin pans.

Oven to 400* bake 20-25 minutes

Voila!