Flax Seed Banana Raisin Muffins

I am constantly looking for the perfect muffin recipe,
and my requirements are fairly simple:

*Healthy ingredients
*Easy process
*Wheat-free
*Low in WW points

After nearly a dozen experiments, I think I've finally scored with this particular wheat-free goodness. Not only do they taste wonderful (which my southern man helped me confirm) but they are the the healthiest -- including potassium (bananas), fiber (oat bran), and essential omega-3 fatty acids (flaxseed).


"Wet Team"
1/2c unsweetened applesauce
1/4 c honey (or to taste)
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2c banana puree (about 3-4 medium bananas)

"Dry Team"
1c Brown Rice Flour
3/4c Oat Bran
1/2c Flax Seed Meal
1/4 tsp salt
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground cinnamon


Preheat oven to 350F and lightly oil the bottom of the muffin tins.

1.) Combine wet team in a large bowl and mix until well blended.
2.) Combine dry team in medium bowl.
3.) Gradually add dry ingredients into wet ingredients, stirring to combine.
4.) Pour about 1/2c of batter into mega muffin cups
(1/4c for regular muffin cups).
5.) Bake for about 25 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.
6.) Cool in muffin tin for 10 minutes, then remove and cool on rack.

Notes:
Enjoy these immediately, or freeze them for up to 3 months.

At this point, only dark chocolate chips (about 1/2c) would make this an even more nutritiously decadent treat ...

Like my previous oat cake recipe, I substituted unsweetened applesauce in place of an oil (safflower or canola) to reduce the amount of fat, bringing these mega muffins to a total of 5 WWpts (2.5 WWpts for regular size muffins).

Carrot & Ginger 3 Ways Muffins

As an extension of my quest for wheat-free muffin goodness (and my OCD urges to use up veggies and fruits in the fridge before they expire ...) I have stumbled upon another tasty concoction. I used 3 different carrot muffin recipes to achieve this très gingery treat, "and it goes a little something like this, HIT IT":



"Dry Team"
1 1/2 c Brown Rice Flour
3/4 c rolled oats
1/2 c firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp cinnamon
+
1 c shredded carrot

"Wet Team"
1/4 c applesauce
1 large egg (or 1/4 c egg beater)
3/4 c almond milk
+
1 tbsp minced crystallized ginger
2 tsp fresh grated ginger

Preheat Oven to 375F

1.) Assemble "dry team" in a large bowl, stirring in the carrots last.
2.) Combine "wet team" ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring in the fresh and crystallized ginger last.
3.) Make a well in the dry team bowl and pour in the wet ingredients. Stir to combine.
4.) Spray your muffin tins (I use a 6-jumbo muffin tin) with canola or safflower oil, and scoop in about a 1/2 cup of the mixture.
5.) Bake in the oven for about 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes cleanly out of the center of the muffin.
6.) Cool in the tins for 5-10 minutes, and then on a rack until room temperature.

Note: These muffins are significantly more fluffy and cake-like than the previous banana muffins, but that is the joy of having muffin options :) :) :)

Red Pepper Enchilada Sauce

Tomatoes. Who needs 'em? Especially all that gushy slime ...
But seriously, what about those who have tomato allergies?
Like my dearest fiance ...

Enter: Red Pepper Sauce.

So far we've used this for enchiladas (pictured below), but it would also make a fantastic sauce for fish or pork dishes. A truly tasty alternative for those not wanting/needing tomatoes :)


3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 lg onion, chopped
black pepper (to taste)
4 stalks of celery, chopped
2 lg red peppers, chopped
2 jars of roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp white pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried oregano (2 tsp fresh)
2 tsp cumin
2 cups of water
--------------------
Heat options:
4oz can of diced green chiles
or
1-2 minced jalepenos
handful of chopped cilantro
or
3 cubes of Cilantro Jalapeno Pesto Sauce (see below)

1.) Heat olive oil in dutch oven over medium-high heat, add onions, season with black pepper, and saute until translucent (5-7 minutes)
2.) Add both peppers, celery, and saute for another 3-5 minutes.
3.) Add garlic and saute for about one minute, or until garlic is fragrant.
4.) Then add salt, white pepper, garlic powder, dried oregano, and cumin. Saute for another 1-2 minutes, and then add the water.
5.) Once mixture reaches a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer covered for 20 minutes.
6.) Remove from heat, add cilantro and chile, allow 10-15 minutes to cool, and then blend with immersion blender.

Yields approx. 6 cups of sauce

Bobby Flay's Jalapeno Pesto Sauce:

1 1/2 cups cilantro leaves
6 grilled jalapenos
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons pine nuts
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Brush the jalapenos with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill until charred all over, about 6 minutes. Dice chiles, including skin and seeds. Combine cilantro, grilled and diced jalapenos, garlic, pine nuts, salt and pepper in a food processor and process until coarsely chopped. With the motor running, slowly add the oil and process until emulsified. Scrape into a bowl.

Roasted Garlic, Potatoes and Pesto Pizza

Of the many great eatery/drinkery options in the Castro, the Escape from New York Pizzeria is one such option we've indulged in quite a few times. This is a take on their "You Say Potato" pizza:


Yields 2 individual pizzas @5.5 WWpts

Olive oil spray
2 small red potatoes, sliced into thin rounds
dried oregano
salt
black pepper
14-16 cloves of garlic, peeled
2 whole wheat pita pockets
2 cubes of Krieger's pesto (see below)

Preheat oven to 400F
1.) Take a baking sheet and fit a piece of foil over the surface. Spray the foil with olive oil, and sprinkle oregano, salt, and pepper over the oiled foil.

2.) Top the seasoned foil with the potato rounds (one layer). Then spray the tops of the potato rounds with the olive oil, and repeat the sprinkling of oregano, salt and pepper.

3.) Toss the cloves of garlic in 1/2 tbsp of oil and enclose in a foil pouch.

4.) Place the potato sheet on the lower oven rack (in the bottom 1/3rd of the oven), and the garlic pouch on the upper oven rack (top 1/3rd). Roast for 25-30 minutes.

5.) While the potatoes and garlic are roasting, thaw 2 cubes of Krieger's pesto and spread over the top of the pita pockets.

6.) Once potatoes and garlic are done, remove from oven and combine in a bowl. Leave off to the side.

7.) Position the pesto pita pockets on top of the potato's seasoned foil, and spread half of the potatoes and garlic onto each pita.

8.) Put back in the oven for another 10 minutes to heat everything through together.


Ellie Krieger’s Basil Pesto:

¼ c pine nuts
1 clove garlic
3 c fresh basil leaves, loosely packed
¼ c grated Parmesan
1 tbsp lemon juice
¼ c olive oil
Salt and pepper

Toast the pine nuts in a dry pan over a medium heat until fragrant and golden brown, stirring frequently, about 3 minutes. In a food processor, process the pine nuts and the garlic until minced. Add the basil, Parmesan cheese and lemon juice and process until finely minced. With processor on, slowly pour the oil down the food chute. Process until well blended. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Note: I like to freeze leftovers in an ice cube tray, and then use one cube per person in dishes like pesto pastas and the above pizza recipe ...

Tex Mex Pasta Salad: A Labor of Love

We are heading to a friend's house for a 4th of July barbecue, and have been tasked with bringing a side dish. Given that the wedding is T-minus 4.5 months away, I wanted to create a salad that works with my current health goals ... namely my "need-to-look-great-in-the-big-white-dress" goal. So I of course emailed my lifeline (mom), and she reminded me of our family's favorite pasta salad she has been making for years. My mom is the core inspiration my love for cooking all things healthy, and everything I know about planning and preparing meals that make killer leftovers I've learned from her.

What follows is an alteration of the original recipe that is both WW (low fat) and southern man (sans tomatoes or vinegars) friendly. Be forewarned: the preparation of vegetables does involve a particular time commitment, but is TOTALLY worth the wait. And it is so fantastic that you might want to consider making two batches (as I did) -- one to take to the party, and one to keep at home ...


12 oz tricolor corkscrew pasta

“Dressing”
3 tbsp olive oil
6 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 jalapeño, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp dried oregano (or 2 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped)
1 tbsp ground cumin
½ tsp salt
Freshly ground black pepper

“Salad”
1 c red onion, finely chopped
1 green pepper, finely chopped
1 red pepper, finely chopped
1 c frozen corn, thawed
1 can (4 ounces) green chili peppers, chopped
4 ounces pimentos, sliced
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
4 ounces Tillamook sharp cheddar cheese, cubed
1 handful fresh cilantro, finely chopped

1.) Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling water for 9 to 11 minutes, or until al dente; do not overcook.

2.) Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, lime juice, jalapeño, garlic, cumin, oregano, salt and black pepper to taste. Set the cup aside while mixing the other ingredients.

3.) In a large bowl, combine the onions, peppers, corn, chili peppers, pimentos, black beans, cheddar, and cilantro

4.) Stir in the pasta. Pour in the oil mixture and toss gently to combine.

Yields 10-12 one cup servings @ 4 WWpts

The Best Roasted Veggies. Ever.

There are 2 things about recent food and nutrition trends that I absolutely love:

1.) Experts emphasize eating real food that tastes really good. Eating well does not mean flavor-less foods, and diet-concsious meals do not have to taste like cardboard. For example, consider everything that Ellie Krieger cooks. I HIGHLY recommend buying her cookbook ("The Food You Crave"), but you can also access all of her recipes online at www.foodnetwork.com ...

2.) Healthy eating regimens can be individualized. As a lifelong student and aspiring educator, there are few things in the world that irritate me more than "standardizing" anything. We are all different, and different is good. What works for the Jones's is not necessarily what works for the Smith's ... insert other kumbaya sentiments here. Even the US Dept of Agriculture has jumped on this band wagon, and instead of a one-food-pyramid-guide-fits-all approach that we all grew up with, they offer assistance in determining a more individualized approach (see www.mypyramid.gov/index.html)

Yet underlying these current nutrition trends is one steadfast rule everyone and their mother continues to agree on: for optimum health one should eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. And that is where my favorite vegetable recipe of all time comes into play. This is a Rachael Ray recipe that I make at least 2 times a week. It works wonderfully as a side dish, or as the main dish atop a bowl of brown rice. Left overs also make for a tasty egg scramble the next morning ... that is, if there are any leftovers ...


Roasted Ginger Garlic Broccoli
4-5 c broccoli florets
1 1" piece of ginger, peeled and grated (it grates easier if frozen ahead of time)
2-3 cloves of garlic
3 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 pinches of crushed red pepper OR 1/2 tsp of white pepper (my preferred spice)

Preheat oven to 450F
Toss ingredients together and season with salt and black pepper.
(or combine spices/oil in a bowl & then toss together, seen below)
Roast in bottom 1/3 of oven for about 12 minutes.


But wait! The fun doesn't stop here! Depending on what you have in your refrigerator, this recipe also works wonders on the following vegetables:
Onions (any color)
Bell Peppers (any color)
Green Beans
Cauliflower
Potato slices
Carrots
Squash

Really ... the sky is the limit with this one.

Oat Cakes

As I get older, more and more people around me are discovering that they have intolerances to things like dairy, alcohol, and wheat (to name a few). And since beginning WW last July, my own body cleansing process made me realize that I cannot handle my favorite indulgences like I used to ... such as dairy (LATTES!) and alcohol (BEER!). In fact, I have begun to question whether or not caffeine and/or wheat should be added to my own list of intolerances. As a life-long bread lover, I should admit on record that wheat allergies seem like an unfair lot in life. However, my fiance's dad has severe wheat alleriges, and through my recent explorations of baked goods (to "woo" my new family) I have been educated to a wide range of non-wheat-oriented bread-like-morsels.

Oat Cakes are among my favorite of said morsels. This recipe is one I've tinkered with in my attempts to emulate trendy NoCal bakeries (yields 6 cakes @ 2 or 3 WWpts):


"Dry Team"
2 c rolled oats (I use McCanns)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

"Wet Team"
2 tbsp unsweetened applesauce
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 c egg beaters (optional, leave out if vegan is desired)
1/3 c apple juice

"Fillings"
A.) Lemon Ginger (2pts)
1/2 c finely diced crystallized ginger
1 tbsp lemon zest
1 tbsp lemon juice

B.) Cinnamon Raisin (3pts)
1/2 c diced raisins
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp orange zest
1 tbsp orange juice

C.) Cherry Orange (3pts)
1/2 c diced dried cherries
1 tbsp orange zest
1 tbsp orange juice

1/4 c brown rice flour

Pre-heat oven to 350F

1.) I find it is easier to assemble/chop the fillings first, so choose your filling and set ingredients aside in a small bowl.

2.) In a large bowl, combine "dry team."

3.) In a medium bowl, combine all "wet team" ingredients EXCEPT the 1/3 c of apple juice -- reserve to the side.

4.) Add the applesause/honey/vanilla/egg beater mixture into the large dry team bowl and stir to combine.

5.) Stir in your chosen filling.

6.) Then stir in the 1/3 c apple juice in increments.

7.) Scatter brown rice flour on work surface and roll the dough into a 10-12 inch-long log. Cut in half, and then cut each half into thirds (for 6 cakes). Form the cakes into desired disc shape, taking care to dust each side with the brown rice flour.

8.) Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit a baking sheet and evenly distribute the cakes across the sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes on the sheet.

[Lemon Ginger and Cranberry Orange are pictured above]
Alterations:
*For a slightly less dense version, substitute 1 tbsp of canola or safflower oil for one of the tbsp of applesauce.
*You could also pulverize one or both cups of oats in a food processor to achieve a slightly less dense cake.