Cranberry Raisin Bran Muffins....... Made From Raisin Bran Cereal!

So despite my best efforts.... my kiddos don't always eat everything I buy.  I am a big believer in trying new things.... especially when it comes to healthy foods.  I bought a few boxes of Raisin Bran Crunch a little while back hoping that the kiddos would dig right in and love it, I mean they love raisins, they love pretty much any kind of cereal, so they would love this right?  Yeah... wrong.  My hopes of replacing a few other boxes of what I call junky cereals that the kiddos love ( you know the ones with marshmallows, chocolate pieces,  and tons of sugar? ) with these boxes of raisin bran were a complete bust.  Now while the mama loves and eats this cereal.... I am only one person.  So I found myself standing in a blank gaze at the row (yes you read right row, as in 5 boxes) thinking to myself.... " Yeah now what?"

Well I present you with a solution.  Cranberry raisin bran muffins... made from yes you guessed it..... the raisin bran.  I baked up a batch of these... and behold, they all got eaten. In fact not only did they all get eaten.. but I was met with open hands begging for another and another.   So high five to me for figuring out a way to use up the once unwanted cereal..... because I hate wasting food, have I mentioned that before?  I believe I have.  Also... these muffins are mommy friendly too, as in friendly to your waistline.  They have only 120 calories in each.  A certain popular coffee chain who's name I won't mention... cough, cough, Starbucks, cough.... has a similar Cranberry Bran Muffin, and it has almost 500 calories in one!

Cranberry Raisin Bran Muffins

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups raisin bran cereal
1 cup low fat buttermilk
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons molasses
1/2 cup splenda granulated sweetner
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 cup all purpose flour
1/12 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/3 cup dried cranberries

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly spray 12 muffin cups with nonstick baking spray.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the first 8 ingredients (raisin bran through egg) set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and cranberries and stir.  Create a well in the center and add the raisin bran mixtures.  Using a large spoon or spatula, stir just until the dry ingrediens are moistened.

Spoon the batter evenly into prepared muffin tins filling each cup 2/3 of the way full.

Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until the center springs back when lightly touched.  Cool for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool.

My Favorite New Snack : Homemade Fruit on The Bottom Yogurt

Here's a little bit of trivia about me.  I love yogurt.  I have tried all different kinds.... every brand and every type imaginable.  Recently however, I have become a big fan of making my own mixes at home.  The only problem is portablity.  Well now my problem is solved.  With the help of 1/2 pint mayson jars.... you can make your own fruit on the bottom yogurts and even better, they are portable!  You can make any mix you like. 

 

For my mix.... I used plain Greek yogurt, berry jam, fresh blueberries and topped with a drizzle of honey and granola. 

 

I would love to hear what your favorite kind of yogurt is..... I am always up to try something new!

Baked Apple Streusel Pancake Bars......

Can you tell Breakfast is my favorite meal?  Do you ever make pancakes and then have leftover batter???  This is a great way to use it up!  Talk about a win win right? 

Baked Apple Streusel Pancake Bars
Yields: 20 Bars



2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or slightly less table salt
3 tablespoons sugar
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 3/4 cups buttermilk (whole milk can be substituted without any problems)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 small apple, diced into 1/2" pieces
2 cups Granola ( I like  apple cinnamon granola)

For Topping:
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Grease and Parchment your choice of baking dish. We used 2 8"x8" pans (for the straight sides), but a large pyrex baking dish should work just fine! Set aside. Mix dry ingredients and stir with a wire whisk. Add wet ingredients and stir until just barely combined. Add in Granola and apples, stirring just until coated. You want your batter to be lumpy with out any dry spots.
Pour into prepared pans. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Allow batter to rest in pans while oven is coming to temperature and mix Streusel topping ingredients in a small bowl. Drizzle over pancake mixture with a fork, or spoon into a zip top bag and use like a pastry bag, making thin, even lines. Bake for 12-15 minutes, when touched, it should spring back gently. Remove from oven and remove from pan (thanks parchment paper!) and place on wire rack to cool slightly. If you wish, brush tops with 2 more tablespoons of melted butter for a great shine.
These are great eaten the morning of, or as you have need throughout the week. You can also wrap individual portions and freeze them. Just take them out the night before, (or if you forget, pop them in the microwave to defrost) and let them sit on the counter so your breakfast is ready as you bolt out the door!
They're great for a brunch where people might find themselves eating away from the table, serve them with a little lemon curd, apple butter, or small amount of maple syrup! Enjoy!


Thanks to The Kitchin

Frozen Fruit & Yogurt Roll ups......

So I have bags and bags of frozen fruit in my freezer.  Some are store bought, a lot are from myself buying up berries when they are at a great price and freezing them.  I also have a ritual of making a big fruit salad to serve with something freshly baked on Sunday mornings.  I take the left over fruit salad and put in a gallon sized ziplock and freeze it.   This makes it easy for me later to take the bag out and dump it into my blender for my smoothies!  I also love to do this because it avoids waste.  (Little known fact about me... nothing bothers me worst than fruits and veggies being wasted or being thrown away.)  Now all of this is just fine and dandy... I love having a surplus of frozen fruit.  But I found myself getting tired of only using it for the same old things.  Either it goes in a smoothie, baked in a muffin of some type or added to the batter of our pancakes/waffles.  When I came across this recipe I almost did a back flip.  No, I'm just kidding... I can't do a back flip, but honestly I was over joyed.  So alas I share with you this awesome recipe:

Frozen Fruit & Yogurt Rollups
(from Once a Month Mom)

Ingredients:
10 flour tortillas
1-1/2 cups Vanilla yogurt
frozen berries
1/2 cup sugar
1 T. cinnamon
spray butter

Directions:
Mix cinnamon & sugar on a large plate. Spray one side of a flour tortilla with butter, covering the entire surface, then place butter side down on plate with cinnamon and sugar. Press down and move around, coating one side of tortilla in cinnamon and sugar.
Next, place tortilla, sugar side down on another plate. Spread about 1/8 cup of yogurt (I just eyeball this, I don’t measure) in a strip a little left of the center. Add some frozen berries (I bought a bag of mixed, strawberries, black berries, raspberries and blue berries- I cut the strawberries up). Roll the tortilla tight and place on a large cookie sheet.
Continue the process with the rest of the tortillas.
Place the cookie sheet in the freezer for about 2 hours. Remove from freezer, cut each tortilla in half and place them in a large zip lock bag and put them back in the freezer for storage.
To Serve:
Take out of bag and eat immediately. You can let them thaw a little bit, but if you let them thaw too long, they’re mushy, but can be eaten that way too.
Variations: you can try this with different flavors of yogurt and different fruits. Strawberries and bananas would be good…..just be sure to cut the strawberries up, a whole strawberry is hard to eat when frozen.

How to Make Buttermilk Quick Bread with 10 Variations.....

I was so excited when I came across this recipe.  I love basic recipes that you can manipulate and change! 

Basic Buttermilk Quick Bread Makes one loaf
2 cups (10 oz) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (4 oz) white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (8 oz) buttermilk
1 large egg
1/4 cup (2 oz) unsalted butter, olive oil, or vegetable oil
Heat the oven to 350°F. Grease or spray with nonstick cooking spray a standard 9x5 loaf pan.
Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Melt the butter, if using. Whisk it in a separate bowl with the buttermilk and the egg.
Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients. Gently stir and fold the ingredients until all the flour has been incorporated and a shaggy, wet batter is formed. Be careful not to over-mix.
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and pat it into the corners. Bake for 45-50 minutes. When finished, the loaf should be domed and golden, and a toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean. Let the loaf cool in the pan for 15 minutes before removing and slicing.
Wrap baked loaves tightly in plastic wrap and store at room temperature. Baked loaves can also be wrapped in plastic and aluminum foil and frozen for up to three months.
Basic Variations:
• Sugar can be reduced to a tablespoon for more savory breads.
• Up to half the flour can be substituted with an alternative flour.
• Replace the buttermilk with a mix of yogurt and milk or milk and a squeeze of lemon.
• Use up to 1 1/2 cups fruits, nuts, olives, cheese, or other ingredients, added to the dry ingredients.
• Use 1-3 teaspoons of herbs or spices, added to the dry ingredients.


10 Variations:
1. Cranberry-Walnut Loaf (pictured above) - 1 c. dried cranberries, 1/2 cup toasted and chopped walnuts, 1 tsp vanilla, zest from one orange
2. Apple-Cinnamon Loaf - 1 c. diced apples, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 cup toasted and chopped nuts
3. Cherry-Almond Loaf - 1 c. dried cherries, 1/2 cup toasted and chopped almonds, 1 tsp almond extract
4. Blueberry Loaf - 1 c. fresh or frozen blueberries, 1 tsp vanilla, zest from one lemon
5. Ginger-Orange Loaf - zest from two oranges, 1/4 cup minced crystallized ginger, 1 tsp cinnamon, pinch of cloves, pinch of nutmeg
6. Herbed Sun-dried Tomato and Cheese Loaf (pictured below) - reduce sugar to 1 T, 1/2 c. grated cheese, 1 tsp oregano, 1/2 tsp thyme, 2 T minced sun-dried tomatoes
7. Onion-Dill Loaf - reduce sugar to 2 T, one minced onion cooked until soft, 1 T minced fresh dill
8. Pesto Loaf - reduce sugar to 1 tablespoon, 1/4 c. pesto, 1/2 c. shredded parmesan cheese
9. Spicy Jalapeno Loaf - reduce sugar to 2 tablespoons, 1/4 cup minced jalapeno peppers, 1 c. shredded cheddar cheese, 2 tsp chili powder
10. Irish Soda Bread Look-Alike Loaf - reduce sugar to 1/4 cup, 1 T caraway seeds, 3/4 cup raisins

Source:
The Kitchin

Pumpkin Breakfast Bars......

Sorry for the absence.  A lot has been going on at the birdie house.  The kiddos are finally back in school and they are already tired of oatmeal and cereal in the mornings.  It's so hard to find the time to get a really good breakfast into them during the school week.  So the mamas here baked up a batch of these Pumpkin Breakfast Bars for the kiddos (and myself).  They are super simple, yummy and you guessed it low in sugar and calories.  This is also a great way to get rid of any leftover cans of pumpkin you may have from Thanksgiving!  Another plus is after they are done baking you can cut them into squares and wrap them individually so they can be grabbed real quick when heading out the door.

  

Ingredients:

2 cups rolled quick oats
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 large egg
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup low fat milk ( you can sub out the milk for almond milk and lower the calories)
1/4 cup sugar free maple syrup
1/3 cup splenda granulated sweetner
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup raisins, chopped

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly coat a 9 inch square baking pan with nonstick baking spray.

In a large bowl, combine the first 5 ingredients (oats through cinnamon).  Stir.  Add the remaining ingredients and stir until thoroughly combined. 

Pour into prepared baking pan and smooth the top.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the center springs up when touched or toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the middle.  Let cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes and then turn out of pan to cut (bottoms will become slightly wet if left in pan)

Cut into 12 portions and wrap individually.

Calories:

80 calories per bar - if made with low fat milk
50 calories per bar - if made with almond milk

Banana Split for Breakfast...... Yes Please!

Yummy huh?  Well I am eating this as part of my lunch right now.  Guess what?  It's super good for you!  No kidding.  Instead of ice cream, it's greek yogurt, instead of choclate sauce it's fruit jam or preserve and topped with either granola or nuts. 

 

Ingredients:


1 ripe yet firm banana, peeled
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons fruit jam or preserves
2 tablespoons sliced almonds or other nuts
Handful fresh berries or cherries

Directions:

Split the banana lengthwise and lay the two halves in a shallow bowl. Use an ice cream scoop to scoop out the yogurt and put it on top of the banana. Warm the jam in the microwave for 15 to 30 seconds or until it is very runny. Use a spoon to drizzle the jam over the yogurt, and sprinkle the nuts over everything. Top with the berries or cherries, and dig in!

Wholesome Blueberry Pancakes.....

The hardest thing about eating right for me is breakfast.  Breakfast is my favorite, favorite, favorite meal!  I love it so much that one night a week at my house.... I make breakfast for dinner for the little birdies.  The problem with breakfast?  It is usually high in sugar, fat, carbs and calories.  For a while I was cooking for the family..... a scrumptious big breakfast, and making myself a smoothie.  Now I am not knocking smoothies.  When the kiddos are in school it is my go to breakfast of choice because I can take it with me on the go.  But, it is so hard not to sit down and indulge in a big stack of pancakes... especially when everyone else around you is.  So alas I present you with this yummy healthy version of Blueberry Pancakes (and yes this will be what I make for breakfast tomorrow morning).


Ingredients:

1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup splenda granulated sweetner
1/2 cup low fat milk
1 cup low fat cottage cheese
2 large eggs, well beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup fresh blueberries

Directions:

In a medium bowl, mix together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and sweetner.

In another bowl, whisk together the milk, cottage cheese, eggs and vanilla extract.

Whisk the wet ingredients into the dry, being carful not to overmix.  Fold in the blueberries.

Preheat a nonstick griddle or skillet over medium heat.  Allow the pancake batter to rest while the griddle is preheating.  Spray the griddle lightly with cooking spray.

Pour 1/4 cup of batter per pancake and spread into 4 inch circle.  Cook the pancake for 3 to 4 minutes on the first side, until edges appear dry, some of the bubbles have popped, and the underside is browned.  Flip the pancake and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes.  The centers will puff and remain moist.  Serve hot.

Use sugar free or light syrup to keep it healthy.  I have found an awesome 0 calorie sugar free syrup I love by Walden Farms:

This can be found at most heath food stores including Sprouts, Whole Foods and Vitacost online. 

Calories: 
180 Calories in 2 pancakes

Easy Oven Baked French Toast Casserole - The Healthy Way.......

My family loves french bread.  I usually buy two at a time just to let the other loaf sit out for a day to use for this recipe (and for my french onion soup).  I love this recipe.... it's perfect for Sunday mornings, or family holiday gatherings. What makes it even better than your traditional french toast casserole is this one is low on calories and sugar making it a healthier breakfast choice.   I just assembled this tonight so the mama bird and little birds can sit and watch the tournament of roses parade on t.v. tommorrow. 

 Ingredients:

1 cup liquid egg substatute
2 large eggs
2 1/2 cups of low fat milk
2/3 cup of splenda granulated sweetner
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon of maple extract
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
12 ounces of french bread, cut into 2 inch squares
2 teaspoons of powdered sugar

Directions:


Spray a 13 x 9 inch baking dish with non stick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, whisk together the egg substitute, eggs, milk, sweetner, extracts and cinnamon until well mixed.  Add the bread pieces into the mixture and quickly coat by gently stirring. 

Pour into baking dish.  Cover and refridgerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until puffed in center and lightly browned. 

Remove from the oven and lightly dust with powdered sugar before serving.


150 Calories :  Serving size is 1/10th of the casserole