Strawberry Orange Muffins

Wow!!! Sorry for my lack of posting! Spring Break has just been too much fun. I was determined to make this week super fun for my kids (and cheap) and it has been a blast! Can't say I even touched my Spring Cleaning. Oh well...there is always next week, right? I can't do it all...I am not Martha.

Speaking of the devil...My mom is a little like Martha Stewart. (besides the jail thing, and the blond thing, and the men's shirt thing...) We always tease her about her perfectionism. Last summer, during our family reunion, the Keith Family Amazing Race #5 (more details about this to come), she made these muffins. My mom can turn a quick brunch into a five star feast. She experimented with these healthy muffins...and they were a HIT!! The second I got back home to Colorado I called her requesting this recipe. The streusal topping is amazing!! These are worth the long list of ingredients and the extra effort...don't let the recipe intimidate you....

Strawberry Orange Muffins

Source: Eating Well Magazine

Throw the following ingredients into your cart...

3 tablespoons almonds

2 tablespoons plus 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, divided

2 tablespoons plus 1/2 cup brown sugar, divided

3 teaspoons freshly grated orange zest, divided (see Variation)

1/2 teaspoon salt, divided

2 tablespoons plus 1/4 cup canola oil, divided

1 cup white whole-wheat flour , or whole-wheat pastry flour (see Note)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 cup nonfat or low-fat buttermilk

1/4 cup orange juice

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups chopped fresh or frozen (not thawed) strawberries , (about 8 ounces)

Put your apron on and ...

Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray.

Process almonds, 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 teaspoon orange zest and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a food processor until finely ground. Transfer to a small bowl, drizzle with 2 tablespoons oil and stir to combine.

Whisk the remaining 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Whisk the remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar, 2 teaspoons orange zest and 1/4 cup oil in a medium bowl with buttermilk, orange juice, egg and vanilla extract until well combined. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients; stir until just combined. Add strawberries; stir just to combine. Divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle with the almond topping, gently pressing into the batter.

Bake the muffins until golden brown and a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool for at least 5 minutes more before serving. juice.

Buttermilk Syrup

While Paul and I were on Christmas vacation in Utah a few months ago, we left the kids with Grandma and Grandpa and met with all of Paul's siblings (and spouses) for brunch. We had a blast. It was such fun to catch up with each other WITHOUT kids interrupting every few seconds. Sometimes, driving back to Colorado after a few days with family, Paul and I will look at each other and wonder how everyone is REALLY doing. Entertaining the kids, breaking up fights, keeping every one safe, naps, bedtimes...etc. on vacation seem to over power befriending the grownups in our lives. Have you experienced this? I think, now, we are going to insist on this precious adult-only time.

Whoa!!! I got a little off track there. Anyways, we met at a great breakfast joint called Maglebys Fresh. DE-LI-CIOUS! I had french toast with their homemade syrup. It was amazing. All of us were gushing over the warm, caramel-y, syrup. I was excited to try this recipe in hopes that it would compare. It does! Try it next time you make pancakes. And, really, probably not much worse for you than the preservative- filled- maple- syrup- with -corn -syrup- as- the -first- ingredient-that-we-all-buy....right?! Don't mind the dog in the background of the photo...just our chocolate lab Libby...Hey Girl! She wanted pancakes too!

Buttermilk Caramel Syrup
Source: Our Best Bites cookbook

3/4 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 Tab. corn syrup
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla

Put your apron on and get busy... combining buttermilk, sugar, butter, corn syrup, and baking soda in a saucepan.

Bring mixture to a boil and reduce heat to low-just make sure it's still bubbling. Cook, stirring constantly for 7-9 minutes or until the syrup reaches a golden brown. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

This syrup lasted my family or four about three mornings, just re-heated it each time and kept it in the fridge.

Whole Wheat Sour Cream Pancakes

There is something so therapeutic about Spring. I mean, really!!! Sitting outside and feeling the warmth of the sun...there is NOTHING better after a long winter. I did just that this morning...rolled my pants up, watched my kids play (and the three others I have here today), and tried to let my pastey white legs catch some rays. Truly...they are scarey (my legs that is, not the kids).

And then you have all the fun holidays to get ready for...Easter, 4th of July, Mother's Day, Father's Day, and 2 of my boys' birthdays. Fun in store for me!! And don't forget Mexico around the corner...ohhh baby! Life is good! Can't wait to bake and blog.

Eat these healthy, homemade pancakes and think about what fun is in store for you this Spring! Why don't you leave me a comment and let me know what you are looking forward to.

P.S. I will share the buttermilk syrup recipe with you guys manana (practicing my espanol for the upcoming vaca...!)

Whole Wheat Sour Cream Pancakes
Source: Can You Stay for Dinner?

Makes 8-10 3 " pancakes

1/2 cup whole wheat pancakes
1/2 cup flour
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup milk
1 egg
3 Tab. sour cream


Put your apron on and...

whisk the flours, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Separately, whisk the egg into the milk. Pour into the dry ingredients and stir just until combined.

Spoon about a quarter cup of batter onto a griddle over medium, and heat that has been coated with nonstick cooking spray. Flip after 3-4 minutes, just as you notice bubbles forming around the edges of each pancake, and cook 2 minutes more.

I served mine with homemade buttermilk syrup.

Breakfast Quiches

Paul and I have decided to try working out in the morning now. We are going to wake up at 6 a.m. and just get it over with. Working out at night sucks. Who has the energy for that in the evening?! All I want to do every night is sit on my butt and clean the house up for the next day during commercials. We will see how it goes! I need a little more clean eating and a little less cookies and cuppycakes also. So, maybe I will start after tomorrow night. We are going to a fancy shmancy restaurant with some friends and eating a ton. And then Friday, we have company coming into town. Maybe we start eating better on Monday. Yeah...Monday...

These breakfast delights aren't that horrible...

Mini Breakfast Quiches / Baked Ham and Egg Cups
Recipe by Our Best Bites

4 eggs
1 C egg substitute* (or an additional 4 whole eggs instead)
3/4 C shredded low-fat sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 C shredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 C cottage cheese
5 oz frozen spinach, defrosted, water squeezed out and roughly chopped
(that's half a standard frozen box of spinach)
1/3 C roasted red peppers, diced
1 oz finely diced ham, canadian bacon, or crumbled bacon (about 1/4-1/3 C)
1/4 C sliced green onions
1/4 t kosher salt
1/8 t black pepper1/2 t hot sauce
foil muffin tin liners OR 12 slices ham
*1/4 egg substitute = 1 whole egg, so if you're using all eggs, or some eggs and some egg whites, you can adjust accordingly.

Put your apron on and ...

Preheat oven to 350
In a bowl, combine all ingredients (except ham slices) and stir well.
If using ham slices, spray muffin tin with non cook spray and place one piece of ham in each well to form a bowl.
If using foil muffin liners, spray the insides of the liners with non-stick spray.
Evenly divide egg mixture between the 12 muffin wells (about 1/4 C each), being careful to keep ingredients well dispersed. You want them to fill right up to the top.

Place in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes. The tops should be puffed and just barely set on top. Eggs will sink after cooling.
Store them in an airtight container in the fridge, or freeze them. When reheating in the microwave, make sure to take off the foil liner! And if you're reheating from frozen, I try to take them out the night before so they can thaw in the fridge. Then when you microwave them, set them on a folded paper towel to drain excess moisture.
Eat them alone, or for a well-rounded breakfast crumble on top of a piece of whole grain toast along with a glass of milk and a piece of fruit. Makes 12.

Whole Wheat Banana Blueberry Muffins

Sundays. Bless this day!! I just took a nap cuddling my 4 year old on the couch. It won't be long til he is too old for such nonsense. I guess I shall cherish these moments for now.

Where did that come from?! I am like, the least sentimental person EVER!

I make these muffins whenever we have bananas and blueberries in the house. It is like the magic combo of ingredients. They are healthy, easy, and delicious. My boys don't seem to mind the whole wheat. I love a recipe that you keep falling back on. (like this granola I posted. Since I have posted it, I have made it three times! ) These muffins are a keeper.

Whole Wheat Banana Blueberry Muffins

Source: How Sweet It Is

Put the following ingredients in your cart...

2 cups whole wheat flour

1/3 cup sugar

1 egg

1/2 cup applesauce

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. vanilla extract

4 ripe bananas

1/2 cup blueberries

Put your apron on and...

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare muffin tins with liners or spray with pam. Mix sugar, applesauce, and egg until creamy and smooth. Add bananas and vanilla. Add dry ingredients. Stir til mixed thoroughly. Fold in blueberries. Spoon batter into the muffin tins and bake for 20-25 minutes.

Clean Eating Thursday #6- Whole Wheat Blender Waffles

I told you.... we LOVE waffles. You will be seeing lots of waffles here at The Bakery Box. This recipe is hearty. The wheat berries leave a nice subtle nutty crunch. Wheat berries? Yes, wheat berries. If you are like me, you have never heard of such a thing. Don't worry...truck on down to your nearest health food stores and ask someone. At my Sunflower Market they are in the bulk food bin area. A bag of wheat berries is about $3 and it will last you months with this recipe. Give it a try. These are so filling, half a waffle will fill you up and keep you full for awhile.

Whole Wheat Blender Waffles

Source: The Sisters Cafe

Put the following ingredients into your cart...

1 c. plus 1 Tb whole wheat berries

1 c. milk

2 eggs

4 Tb oil

2 Tb sugar (or honey)

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

Blend wheat berries and milk on high for 4-5 minutes, until batter is smooth. Add remaining ingredients and blend on low for a minute, or until incorporated. Cook on hot waffle iron. (Stir batter before pouring into waffle iron, because the heavier wheat particles will settle at the bottom.) Makes about 10 waffles.(To make pancakes instead of waffles, use 1 c. wheat berries and 2 Tb oil.)

Clean Eating Thursday #5- Healthy Maple Almond Granola

As stated in previous posts, we here have a breakfast obsession. I am always trying out new recipes and ideas to spice up breakfast. My gal pals are always teasing me saying my kids smell like syrup when I drop them off in the morning. Boxed cereal...you are NOT welcome here!!

I love plain yogurt for breakfast. I have been sprinkling it with flaxseed, nuts, berries and agave nectar. YUM!! Well...this granola is AMAZING with yogurt. I found it in my The Happy Baker Cookbook. (Which by the way...I LOVE! The happy baker, Erin, is a crack up and her food photography is my favorite I have seen.) This granola is clean and healthy (except for the maple syrup (which you could substitute honey for if you are trying to eat 100% "clean"))

My kids were eating this dry by the handful. It is sweet and cinnamon-y and crunchy. I will be adding this to our breakfast staples.

Healthy Maple-Almond Granola
Source: The Happy Baker

Put the following ingredients into your cart...
1/2 cup Maple Syrup
2 Tab. honey
1 Tab. vegetable oil
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup flaxseed meal
2 cups quick oats
1 cup slivered or whole almonds
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut
1 cup dark/bittersweet chocolate chips
Put your apron on and...

1. Preheat your oven to 300 degrees. Spray with Pam your 9 X 13.

2. In a medium saucepan, combine syrup, honey, oil, cinnamon and nutmeg. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Add vanilla. Stir in the rest of your ingredients except the chocolate chips.

3. Bake for 35-45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Granola will crisp when cool. When completely cool, add chocolate chips. (I added dried cranberries. Raisins would be good too. Any dry fruit)
Store in an airtight container.

Berry Sour Cream Waffles

Are you a breakfast person? I believe there are two kinds of people in this world, those who go to bed at night thinking about what they are making for breakfast and those who get up in the morning , wipe the sleep from their eyes and pour a bowl of cereal. (OK...that sentence just made me think about a family classic..."What About Bob?" when Bob says, "There are two kinds of people in this world. People who love Neil Diamond and People who don't. My ex-wife loved Neil Diamond." HA! That show is a hoot!!!) ANYWAYS... I am a breakfast person (and I don't hate Neil Diamond f.y.i.). I had gestational diabetes with my last little guy and learned how much cold cereal sucks. I could only eat 1/4 cup cold cereal, or I cold have a waffle spread with peanut butter, or eggs with toast, or oatmeal with nuts. Needless to say, we had hot breakfast everyday and we have never turned back. SERIOUSLY!!! The only cereal I have in my cupboard is rice krispies (and I use these to make krispy treats!). Hop on the band wagon and start your day off right with something FILLING! These are our family favorite waffles (not the healthiest) (I will share those with you another time!)

Berry Sour Cream Waffles
Source: Lick the bowl good

Put in your shopping cart the following ingredients...

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tab. Sugar
1 Tab. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
8 Tab. (1 stick) butter, melted
1 cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups of fresh or frozen berries (I used raspberries and blackberries here.

Put your apron and get busy!

Preheat your waffle iron. Lightly spray the grids.
Meanwhile whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl to combine and make a well in the center.

If adding berries, add about 1/4 cup of the flour and coat berries to keep them from sinking to the bottom of the batter.

Whisk the melted butter, milk, sour cream, and eggs in a medium bowl until well combined. Pour into the well. Mix together until smooth. Gently fold berries into the batter.

Spoon about 1/4 cup of the batter into the center of each waffle quadrant. Cook waffle according to your waffle maker.

Serve hot with butter, syrup , jam...etc. I eat mine plain...THAT is how good they are!

Makes about 5 big waffles.

Gingerbread Waffles

I got a waffle iron for my birthday in October and since have tried probaly ten recipes for waffles....look out...here they come! What isn't to like about waffles? Hot, fresh, filling, the aroma... And my boys scarf them done no matter what recipe I decide on. I gave them frozen Eggo waffles the other morning when I was rushed and they turned their little noses up at them saying they tasted funny. The boys loved these holiday gingerbread waffles though. They smelled so good cooking!( The waffles that is, not the boys...if clarification was needed.) My house smelled like Christmas all morning. We ate ours with maple syrup, but I also think these would be good with fresh whipped cream.

Gingerbread Waffles
Source: Annies Eats

Put in your shopping cart the following:

2 cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup sugar1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
¾ tsp. salt
1½ tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground ginger
¼ tsp. grated nutmeg
¼ tsp. ground cloves
4 large eggs
6 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and
cup milk
½ cup sour cream
3 tbsp. unsulfured molasses

Put on your apron and...

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices. Whisk to blend. In a medium bowl, combine the eggs, butter, milk, sour cream and molasses and whisk to blend well. Add the wet ingredients to the bowl with the dry ingredients and whisk to combine until all the dry ingredients are incorporated.
Preheat a waffle iron, fill each section adequately and cook til golden. Serve immediately.