Blueberry Yogurt Muffins
Any seasonal fruit will work in this muffin recipe. These muffins are perfect for a quick breakfast or take along to work.
12 -18 muffins depending on the size of your pans.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons toasted wheat germ
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup low-fat plain yogurt
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 1/2 cups fresh or thawed frozen blueberries
Chopped walnuts for the top of the muffins
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Coat a 12 -18 cup muffin pan with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, wheat germ, baking powder and salt.
In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and yogurt. Whisk in the sugar and oil.
Add to the flour mixture and stir just until the dry ingredients are moistened. Stir in the blueberries.
Divide the batter among the muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full. Sprinkle chopped walnuts on top. Press them down lightly.
Bake for 20 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack and cool slightly.
Store the muffins in a covered container for up to 1 day at room temperature or up to 1 month in the freezer.
Honey Oatmeal Bread
This bread is delicious toasted and it make wonderful French Toast.
Ingredients
3 cups unbleached bread flour
1 cup rolled oats (old-fashioned oats)
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons instant yeast
1 1/3 cups lukewarm milk
Directions
In the bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, combine all of the ingredients, mixing to form a dough that holds together.
Switch to the dough hook and knead the dough for 5 minutes or until it is smooth.
Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover and allow it to rest for 1 hour; it’ll become quite puffy, though it may not double in bulk.
Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled surface and shape it into a log.
Place the log in a greased 9″ x 5″ loaf pan, cover the pan with lightly greased plastic wrap and allow the dough to rise for 60 to 90 minutes, until it crests 1″ over the top rim of the pan.
Bake the bread in a preheated 350°F oven for 45 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 190°F.
If the bread appears to be browning too quickly, tent it with aluminum foil for the final 10 minutes of baking.
Yield: 1 loaf.
Blackberry Buckwheat Pancakes
Despite the name, buckwheat is not related to wheat, as it is not a grass or a cereal. Buckwheat is actually the seed of a flowering fruit that is related to rhubarb and sorrel. It’s completely gluten-free and unrelated to wheat and all the grasses in the wheat family. So it’s a popular substitute for wheat for those who are gluten-intolerant. When ground into flour, the flour makes delicious pancakes and waffles. If you find the taste too strong, you can use all-purpose flour for half of the recipe amount. I store the flour in my freezer to keep it from spoiling. For more information on the health benefits of buckwheat visit the World’s Healthiest Food site.
Ingredients
¾ cup fresh or frozen and thawed blackberries
1 cup buckwheat flour
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 large egg, beaten
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 cup buttermilk
Maple Syrup
Directions
Heat a well-seasoned griddle, cast iron skillet or nonstick pan on medium heat.
Whisk together the dry ingredients—the flour, baking powder and baking soda—in a mixing bowl. In Pour the melted butter over the dry ingredients and start stirring.
Beat the egg and honey into the buttermilk with a fork. Add in the buttermilk/egg mixture and melted butter into the dry ingredients and stir only until everything is combined.
Stir in blackberries.
For each pancake, pour a scant 1/4 cup batter onto the hot griddle. Spread the batter into a circle that’s about 4 inches in diameter.
Cook over medium heat until the pancakes are brown, turning to cook the second side when bubbles appear on the pancake surface and the edges are slightly dry for 1 to 2 minutes more.
Serve with Maple Syrup.
Sunday Breakfast-Huevos Rancheros
See directions below on how to cook dried beans and how to make refried beans.
For 2 servings
Ingredients
Olive oil
¼ of a medium onion, chopped
2 cups of your favorite salsa
2 tablespoons jarred chopped jalapenos
½ teaspoon chili powder,
2 corn tortillas
4 large eggs
2 ounces queso fresco cheese, crumbled
1 cup refried beans, see recipe below
Directions
Prepare the refried beans according to the directions below.
Heat the oven to 150°F, and place two serving plates in the oven to keep warm.
Heat a teaspoon of olive oil in a large nonstick skillet on medium high, coating the pan with the oil as it heats.
Add one tortilla to the pan, and cook until crispy on one side, turn over and cook the second side. Place the tortilla on a plate in the oven. Repeat with the second tortilla.
Using the same skillet that was used for the tortillas, add the salsa, jalapenos, chili powder and onion. Bring to a boil and reduce to a bubbling simmer.
Crack 4 eggs into the skillet with the sauce and cook for 4 – 5 minutes for runny yolks, more for firmer eggs.
To serve: spread a ½ cup of the refried beans over the tortilla. Top 2 fried eggs, half of the salsa mixture and half of the cheese.
Repeat with the second tortilla. Serve immediately.
Refried Beans
This recipe can be prepared ahead and reheated in the microwave while you cook the eggs.
4 servings
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
¼ of a medium onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
2 cups cooked pinto or black beans or 1 (15-ounce) can, low-sodium, drained and rinsed
1/3 cup low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth or bean cooking water
Salt and pepper
Directions
Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and chili powder and cook for 1 minute more.
Stir in the beans and chicken broth and cook until the beans are warmed through, about 5 minutes.
Mash the beans coarsely with the back of a wooden spoon, adding more chicken broth to moisten, if needed. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
How To Cook Dried Beans
Ingredients
1 pound dried beans
¼ teaspoon baking soda
4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, diced
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more if needed
Directions
Place the beans in a bowl or pot with the baking soda, cover with cold water and allow to soak overnight. Drain and rinse before proceeding.
In a medium pot, add the soaked beans, chicken broth, 2 cups water, the garlic and onion. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 1 hour.
Then add the salt and stir. Cover and continue simmering until the beans are tender, about 30-45 minutes Taste for seasoning.
Set aside 2 cups for the refried beans and save the remainder for another recipe.
I have lots of company during the summer months and I like to have easy breakfast foods available to serve for whenever the guests get up. Breads that incorporate seasonal fruit are also a favorite of mine. The addition of fruit makes them moist and flavorful. I also like baking breads with the addition of sourdough, which is always in my refrigerator. It gives bread a nice tang and the breads have a longer shelf life.
I usually have potatoes precooked in my refrigerator to turn into omelets or sides for egg dishes. I also make a big fruit salad and that is always a big hit. All these breakfast foods are a great way to start a summer’s day of activities.
Fluffy Blueberry Pancakes
Pancake mix can be prepared the night before by mixing the dry ingredients and covering them. I mix the wet ingredients together and place them in the refrigerator overnight. In the morning I just combine the two, add the berries and heat the grill. Pancakes can be kept hot in a warm oven.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups unbleached self-rising flour
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 2 cups fresh berries
Directions
Whisk together the flour, cinnamon, and baking soda.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, honey, buttermilk and melted butter.
Add to the flour mixture and mix until blended. Fold in the blueberries.
Let the batter rest for about 5 minutes, while the griddle or frying pan heats up. Heat to medium high (375°F to 400°F), until a drop of water dribbled onto the surface bounces across it.
Brush lightly with vegetable oil..
For each pancake, drop 1/4 cup of batter onto the hot surface. Turn the pancakes over once bubbles have risen to the surface, and cook the second side until golden brown. Serve hot.
Yield: 8 to 10 medium pancakes.
Brunch For One
Ingredients
- 1 medium parboiled potato, peeled and diced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small tomato
- 1 bell pepper
- 1 large egg
- Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Directions
Heat the oil in a small skillet. Add the diced potatoes and saute until golden brown.
Cut a slice off the top of the pepper and cut a ½ inch circle from the center of the pepper.
Push the cooked potato to the edges of the skillet. Place the pepper ring in the center of the skillet and cook on one side for about 2 minutes.
Slice a thin circle from the center of the tomato and position it in the middle of the bell pepper ring and season with salt. Cook for 2 minutes.
Lightly beat the egg in a small dish. Carefully pour the egg over the tomato. Season ground black pepper.
Cover the pan and cook until the egg is set.
Carefully remove the bell pepper ring with a spatula to a serving plate and surround it with the sautéed potatoes. Sprinkle with chopped chives.
Peach & Yogurt Muffins
Batter
- 1 cup (8 ounces) lemon, vanilla, or other fruit-flavored yogurt, regular or low-fat (not nonfat)
- 1/4 cup milk
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (1/2 stick, 2 ounces) butter, melted
- 1 cup chopped peaches or other fresh seasonal fruit
- ½ cup chopped walnuts
- 2 large eggs
- 2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Topping
- 1/4 cup unbleached All-Purpose Flour
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces) softened butter
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease and flour the wells of a muffin pan, or line the pan with paper liners and grease the liners.
Whisk together the yogurt, milk, sugar, melted butter, fruit, and eggs.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients, pour in the wet ingredients, and stir just till blended.
Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each about 2/3 full.
Combine the topping ingredients, mixing until well combined. Sprinkle a generous tablespoon of topping over each muffin.
Bake the muffins for 16 to 18 minutes, until they’re lightly browned. Remove the pan from the oven, and after a few minutes transfer the muffins to a rack to cool. Yield: 12-15 muffins.
Sourdough Blueberry Bread
Serves: 8
Cake Batter
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup milk
- 3/4 cup sourdough starter, at room temperature
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
Topping
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/3 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
Directions
Grease a 9 inch spring-form pan. Cut a piece of parchment to fit the bottom of the pan and grease it. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
In a big bowl mix all the dry ingredients. In another bowl beat the egg lightly; add oil and milk.
Add the egg mixture to the dry ingredients with the sourdough starter; stir until well combined.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle the blueberries on top.
To make the topping: Combine sugar, cinnamon and flour in small bowl. Rub in butter pieces with fingertips or pastry cutter until mixture resembles coarse meal.
Evenly distribute the crumb topping over the blueberries.
Bake 55-50 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
Cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 30 minutes then remove the cake from the pan.
Whole Wheat Sourdough Bread
This bread is delicious toasted and served with some homemade jam.
Ingredients
- 1 cup sourdough starter, at room temperature
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons lukewarm water
- 3 cups whole wheat flour
- 2 tablespoons whole grain bread improver, optional; but makes for a faster rise
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon instant yeast
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Directions
Combine all of the ingredients in an electric mixer bowl, mixing with the paddle attachment until a dough forms.
Let the dough rest, covered, for 20 minutes, then switch to the dough hook and knead until fairly smooth and slightly sticky.
Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover it, and let it rise until almost doubled, about 90 minutes.
Gently fold the dough over a few times on a lightly floured work surface.
Shape it into an 8″ log, and place it in a greased 9″ x 5″ loaf pan.
Cover the loaf and let it rise until it’s crowned 1 inch over the rim of the pan, about 60 to 90 minutes.
Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350°F.
Bake the bread in the center of the oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the loaf is golden brown and a digital thermometer inserted into the center of the bread registers 205°F to 210°F.
Remove the bread from the oven, let it sit in the pan for 5 minutes, then turn it out onto a rack to cool.
