Muffin Makeover

Lemon Chickpea Breakfast Muffins

Good Morning!!

Taking advantage of some recent cooler nights and an abundance of fresh blueberries, I decided to bake. I made two recipes from a collaboration of the Culinary Institute of America and the Harvard School of public health.

The first recipe I experienced tasting at the Healthy Kitchens Healthy Lives Conference last February. It is full of goodness...soluble fiber in the chickpeas for cholesterol lowering, and healthy fats in the oil. Find the recipe along with a video tutorial here.

I didn't even follow the directions exactly and mine turned out great. I forgot to beat the egg whites separately and then add them at the end. I just made sure to mix the ingredients thoroughly in the food processor. Next time I will take the extra step and beat the egg whites and fold them into the batter. The purpose of that step is to make the muffin lighter.

Puree the chickpeas, oil, juices and zests, egg yolks until smooth. Add sifted ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt, cardamom) to the chickpeas, stir. Then add ground almonds. Next, you are supposed to whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks and fold into the batter. (I forgot that part, oops!) scoop batter into muffin papers and top with additional sugar, ground almonds and cardamom. Bake at 325 degrees for 12-13 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Mine took longer, and I am wondering if this was written for a convection oven. 

Blueberry muffin makeover

A fun and abundant blueberry picking adventure provided the opportunity to make a healthier blueberry muffin. These muffins are just the right size, not the super large, all white flour, high sugar versions you find in the bakery section of the supermarket or big box stores. 

This recipe from the Culinary Institute of America uses whole wheat flour, almond flour and less sugar than a traditional bakery style muffin, resulting in an overall lower sugar and a higher fiber content. I did not have whole wheat "pastry flour" but instead used whole wheat flour and my tasty treat turned out just fine.  Since this recipe makes about 18 regular sized muffins, I had leftover batter after I made the traditional 12, so I made some mini muffins as well.  If you are looking for a smaller treat, these are a nice couple bites. 

Mix dry ingredients first, then add the blueberries to the dry mixture to help coat the berries with flour so they do not sink to the bottom of the batter. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs first and then add the liquid ingredients and sugar. Add the liquid mixture to the dry ingredients and berries but do not overmix. Bake in a 400 degree oven for about 15 minutes. 

For those of you signed up to get my blog delivered straight to your inbox, click here for my last post that due to technical difficulties, did not get sent. You can see my blueberry picking adventure :)

Enjoy in good health!

** Blog content may not be applicable to your condition. Please discuss individual nutritional needs with Brenda during scheduled visits.

National Nutrition Month!

National Nutrition Month, March 2017

Putting your best fork forward suggests for us to think about the foods we are eating and strive to get the best nutrition possible. One of the best ways to do this is to be in charge of what you are eating by cooking more at home. You do not have to be a gourmet chef, just willing to experiment and try new things. 

We all know to have better nutrition, we need to eat more vegetables. Just by knowing that fact does not mean it translates into action. Most people will eat more vegetables if they are delicious.  So we all know broccoli is healthy and probably even know it is a superfood and can help prevent heart disease and may be protective against some cancers. Some may be motivated to eat steamed broccoli on the side of their plate solely for the health value. Many though will become tired of this and need variety. In my last newsletter, I posted a broccoli soup recipe. Other yummy ways to enjoy the same food are in a salad version or roasted with other satisfying flavors. 

From Food and Nutrition Magazine

Top: Broccoli Salad with Almonds and Creamy Dijon Dressing Sara Haas, RDN

Above: Lemon Thyme Roasted Broccoli Jamila Rene' Lepore, RDN 

One of my favorite ways to increase vegetable intake is to add them to what I am already making. For example, you can make plain quinoa below as a side dish or with a couple extra steps, you can boost the nutrition and flavor by adding sautéed additions. 

To increase the flavor of Quinoa, toast it first in a 350 degree oven for a few minutes

Sauteed mushrooms in olive oil and a bit of white wine, added to quinoa and topped with green onion really increase the flavor (pictured in first 2 photos above). Last photo shows minced shallot, mushrooms and kale which were sautéed and later added to cooked quinoa on another day. Spinach could work in place of the kale but added way at the end of the sautéeing process since it wilts quickly. Kale can stand the longer cooking time as it is tougher.

Same idea with brown rice. Instead of just a plain side of brown rice, how about adding some onion, celery and carrot? Neither of these vegetable additions mentioned will get us to 1/2 plate of veggies however, they give us a head start and make a side dish a little more intersting and definitely more nutritious!

Chop 1/2 onion, 1-2 celery stalks, 1 carrot and soften a bit in pan with 1 Tbsp olive oil for about 5 minutes. Add brown rice and stir for 1 minute. Add vegetable or chicken broth and cook as directed. Yum!

Simple goals for a salad, pick three colors and then vary those colors each time.

Those of you who know me, have heard me suggest, "pick three colors for a salad." If you choose vibrant colors, you are getting great nutrition. A simple and easy combo is green, orange and red. Immediately you might think of lettuce, carrots and tomato but red pepper works great too. Some pre-shredded or pre-chopped veggies may help you get the job done when crunched for time. Some of my favorite convenience veggies are shredded purple cabbage and shredded carrots. Enlist the help of family members to get the vegetables on the table!! Kids love to twirl salad spinners! Vary your lettuces to keep it new. Arugula adds a spicy flavor. 

There are so many places to get inspiration to try new things or add vegetables in a new way. Some of my favorites are Cooking Light and Eating Well. Head over to pinterest to find loads of inspiration. I am regularly adding recipes to my own pinterest page. Feel free to check it out for some ideas. 

Have a great week! Be Well!

-Brenda