Apricot Almond Oatmeal Muffins

Makes 6 giant muffins

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 c whole wheat flour
• 1 c quick cook oats
• 1 T baking powder
• 1/2 t baking soda
• 1/2 t sea salt
• 1/2 c almonds, chopped
• 1 1/2 c dried apricots, chopped
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/4 c almond oil
• 1/3 c honey
• 1 c buttermilk
• 1 t vanilla
• 1/2 t almond extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and prep muffin tin. Combine dry ingredients in large bowl and wet in medium. Mix wet into dry and bake for 25-30 minutes.

Garden Fresh Salsa

Love flavors of summer!

Ingredients

• 4 vine ripe tomatoes, diced
• 3 cloves of garlic, pressed
• 1/2 c green onion, chopped
• 1/4 c lime juice
• 2 jalapenos, finely chopped (seeded if you want it cooler, leave seeds if you want it hotter)
• 3 T packed fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1/4 t sea salt

Directions
Mix.

Tips:
Include cilantro stems. That is where a great deal of the flavor is!

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

In the quest for the ultimate healthy baked goods, I decided to revisit my lemon poppy seed muffin recipe. I wanted them to be larger in size and have a nice rounded top. I also explored substituting more zest for the lemon extract and I was disappointed by the result. So, I would be sure to put the extract on your shopping list! Happy baking!

Makes 6 giant muffins

Ingredients

• 3 c whole wheat flour
• 1 T baking powder
• 1/2 t baking soda
• 1/2 t sea salt
• 3 T poppy seeds
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 6 T butter, softened
• 3/4 c honey
• 1 1/2 c fat free plain yogurt
• zest of 2 lemons
• 1/4 c lemon juice
• 2 t lemon extract
• 2 t vanilla

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and prep muffin tin. Combine dry ingredients in large bowl and wet in medium. Mix wet into dry and stir until just blended. Bake for 25-30 minutes.

All Natural, Whole Grain Lemon Poppy Seed Muffin Recipe

Cranberry Orange Muffins

While fresh cranberries are a seasonal item, frozen can be found year round. Nothing intrigues me more than trying out a new ingredient!

Makes 6 giant muffins

Ingredients

• 3 c whole wheat flour
• 1 T baking powder
• 1/2 t baking soda
• 1/2 t sea salt
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 1/2 c non-fat, plain yogurt
• 1/4 c butter, melted
• 2/3 c honey
• zest from one large orange
• 1 1/2 c cranberries, fresh or frozen, halved

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and prep muffin tin. Combine dry ingredients in large bowl and wet in medium bowl. Mix wet into dry, fold in cranberries, and bake for 25-30 minutes.

Whole Wheat Buttermilk Rolls

Makes 1 1/2 dozen rolls

Ingredients

• 2 c whole wheat flour
• 1 c bread flour
• 3 t rapid rise yeast
• 1 t sea salt
• 2 T butter
• 1/4 c honey
• 1 c buttermilk

Directions

Put all ingredients in bread machine, making sure yeast stays dry until blended, and run on quick dough setting.

When dough is finished, turn out on floured surface and let rest for 10 minutes. Prep baking sheet. Roll out dough into 1/2 inch thickness, cut out biscuits, and place on baking sheet. Let rolls rise 40 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake for 12 minutes and serve warm

Blueberry Tart with Roasted Walnut Crust

Makes one 11 inch tart

Ingredients

Crust

• 3/4 c walnuts, roasted & chopped (see roasting tip)
• 1 1/2 c graham cracker crumbs
• 2 egg whites, beaten until frothy
• 2 T butter, melted
• pinch of sea salt

Filling

• 12 oz Neufchatel cheese, softened
• 1/2 c yogurt
• 1/3 c maple syrup

Topping

• 3 c blueberries (1 1/2 pints)
• 2 T maple syrup

Preparation

Preheat oven to 325 degrees and prep 11" tart pan. Combine all crust ingredients in medium bowl and blend until moisture is consistent throughout. Press mixture into bottom of tart pan and 1/2" up sides. Bake 12 minutes. Let cool on wire rack.

In a medium bowl, use low speed on blender to beat all filling ingredients together. When crust is cool, gently spread in filling. Top with blueberries and drizzle over the 2 T of maple syrup. Refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.

Roasting tip: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread walnuts out on baking sheet and bake for 7 minutes or until fragrant.

Wild Blueberry Scones

I tried to make this recipe the first time and was unable to successfully fold in the full 1 1/2 c of blueberries, so I went on the search for a new technique. I'm happy to report that I have managed to work in the full amount of blueberries and they turned out just like I was hoping. Happy baking!

Makes 6-8 scones

Ingredients

• 2 c whole wheat flour
• 2 t baking powder
• 1/4 t baking soda
• 1/2 t sea salt
• 2 t lemon zest
• 4 T cold butter, diced
• 1 1/2 c frozen wild blueberries
• 3/4 c buttermilk
• 1/4 c honey

Prep scone pan and pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl combine all dry ingredients then cut in butter. Add blueberries and dust (mix) in batter. Add buttermilk and honey and mix. Turn out on floured surface and knead a few times until dough is no longer shaggy. Place in scone pan and bake for 26-28 minutes. Serve warm.

Tomato Soup

This soup has a great medium consistency and excellent flavor, especially considering the prep time. Hope you enjoy!

Ingredients

• 2 T olive oil
• 1 medium sweet onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, pressed
• 1 bay leaf
• 28 oz whole tomatoes, in juice
• 1 T honey
• 3 slices of bread, torn into 1 inch pieces
• 1 c chicken broth
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 c fresh chives, chopped

Directions

In a dutch oven, heat oil over medium high heat. Add onion, garlic, and bay leaf and cook, stirring frequently, until onion is translucent (about 3 to 5 minutes). Add tomatoes, honey, and bread and smash mixture with potato masher to break down tomatoes. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove and discard bay leaf.

Transfer soup to a blender and puree until smooth. Transfer back to dutch oven, add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve up in individual sized bowls, then sprinkle each bowl with fresh chives and pepper.

Rosemary Garlic Drop Biscuits

Love the speed of prep and flavor of these!

Makes 8 biscuits

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 c whole wheat flour
• 1/2 c bread flour
• 2 t baking powder
• 1 t sea salt
• 1/2 t fresh ground black pepper
• 2T + 1t fresh chopped rosemary
• 1 t pressed garlic
• 1 c milk
• 1/4 c olive oil

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees and prep baking sheet. Combine dry ingredients in medium bowl and wet in small. Mix wet into dry, drop dough on baking sheet, and bake for 18-22 minutes. Serve warm.

Gingerbread

Instead of the sweet dessert version, I decided to make a healthier breakfast version.

Makes one loaf - Serves 8

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 c whole wheat flour
• 1/2 t baking soda
• 1/2 t sea salt
• 2 t ginger
• 1 t cinnamon
• 1/2 t cloves
• 1/2 t nutmeg
• 1/2 t allspice
• 1 t Dutch-processed cocoa
• 1 egg, beaten
• 3 T butter, melted
• 1/3 c light molasses
• 1/4 c honey
• 1/2 c buttermilk
• 1/2 c milk

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prep 9x9 baking pan. Combine all dry ingredients in medium bowl and all wet ingredients in small bowl. Mix wet into dry and bake for 40 minutes, or until done.

Multi Grain Dinner Rolls

Makes 12 rolls

Ingredients

• 2 c whole wheat flour
• 2 c bread flour
• 2 T sesame seeds
• 2 T flax seeds
• 2 T quinoa
• 2 T millet
• 1 T rapid rise yeast
• 2 t sea salt
• 1 3/4 c milk
• 2 T butter
• 1/3 c honey

Put all ingredients in bread machine, making sure yeast stays dry until blended. Select regular dough setting and press go.

When dough is finished, turn out on floured surface, cover, and let rest for 10 minutes. Prep 13 x 9 baking pan. Divide dough into 12 equal pieces, shape into rounds, and place in pan. Allow rolls to rise for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls

These have great flavor and are wonderfully light and fluffy.

Makes 12-15 rolls

Ingredients

• 2 c whole wheat flour
• 1 1/4 c bread flour
• 3 t rapid rise yeast
• 1 t sea salt
• 1 egg
• 2 T butter
• 1/4 c honey
• 1 c water

Directions

Place all ingredients in bread machine, making sure yeast stays dry until blended. Set to basic dough setting and press go.

When dough is finished, turn out on a floured surface. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Prep 9x13 pan. Cut dough into 12-15 equal pieces, shape into rounds and place in pan. Allow to rise for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake for 15 minutes.

Cinnamon Chip Scones

My new ventures, Cinnamon Chip Scones and Bretzels, required me to purchase some ingredients online, as they were not readily available at my local grocery stores. I was wondering if this was a high or low in my life. But, after tasting these, two things became apparent, (1) I no longer cared, either way, and (2) I was eating another small piece. Should you choose to purchase ingredients online, I highly recommend King Arthur Flour. http://www.kingarthurflour.com/ Not only do they have a wide selection, good prices, and quick turn around time, but they also have fantastic prices on Madagascar Bourbon vanilla (which is, I'm told, the best vanilla that money can buy).

Makes 6 scones

Ingredients

• 1 c whole wheat flour
• 1 c bread flour
• 1 t baking powder
• 1/4 t baking soda
• 1/4 t salt
• 1 t cinnamon
• 1/4 c butter
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/4 c honey
• 2/3 c buttermilk
• 1 t vanilla
• 1 c cinnamon flav-r-bites (or cinnamon chips)

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and prep baking sheet. Combine flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Cut in butter. Combine wet ingredients in small bowl. Mix wet into dry and fold in cinnamon chips.

Turn out dough on floured surface and knead 10-12 times, or until dough is no longer sticky. Shape dough and cut into 6 equal pieces. Place scones on baking sheet and let rest for 5 minutes so cinnamon flav-r-bites can absorb moisture. Bake for 20-22 minutes.

Lemon Bread

I wanted to create a lovely lemon bread, with smooth texture, while limiting unnecessary calories. Using just lemon zest, you get that lemon flavor you love without the bitterness and extra calories that come with having to add a lot of sweeteners. Hope you enjoy!

Makes one loaf

Ingredients

• zest of 2 lemons
• 2 c whole wheat flour
• 1/2 t sea salt
• 2 1/2 t baking powder
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/4 c butter, softened
• 2/3 c honey
• 3/4 c milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prep loaf pan. Combine dry ingredients in medium bowl and wet in small. Combine wet into dry and bake for 40-45 minutes.

Cinnamon Oatmeal Pancakes

The amount of cinnamon in this recipe is a good compliment to fruit spreads used as toppings. If you want more cinnamon flavor, I would increase the amount of cinnamon up to 2 T.

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 c quick cook oats
• 1/2 c whole wheat flour
• 1 t baking powder
• 1/4 t sea salt
• 1 T + 1 t cinnamon
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 1/2 c milk, warmed 1 minute in microwave
• 2 T butter, melted
• 3 T honey
• 2 t vanilla

Directions

Combine dry ingredients in medium bowl and wet in small bowl. Mix wet into dry. Let mixture sit for 5 minutes (so that oatmeal may absorb moisture) while griddle is preheating to 350 degrees. Bake until golden brown. Serve with fruit spread toppings like strawberry and blueberry.

Lemon Sweet Rolls

Mmmm... a new favorite

Makes 9 large rolls

Ingredients

Lemon Dough

• 2 1/2 c white whole wheat flour
• 2 c bread flour
• 2 1/2 t active dry yeast
• 1/2 t sea salt
• 1/2 t nutmeg
• zest of 2 lemons
• 1 egg
• 1/4 c butter
• 1/4 c honey
• 1 1/2 c milk
• 2 t vanilla

Sticky Lemon Filling

• 2 T butter melted
• 2 T honey
• zest of 2 lemons
• 1 T lemon juice
• 1/4 t nutmeg

Lemon Icing

• 4 oz cream cheese, softened
• zest of 1 lemon
• 2 T lemon juice
• 1/4 c honey

Directions

Combine all lemon dough ingredients in bread machine, making sure yeast stays dry until blended. Allow machine to warm ingredients and knead for 5 minutes. Let dough rise for about one hour.

While dough is rising, prep 13x9 pan and prepare sticky lemon filling by combining all ingredients in small bowl. When dough is finished rising, roll out dough on a floured surface to an 18x9 rectangle. Spread sticky lemon filling over dough. Roll up dough starting at long end. Cut rolls in 2 inch lengths, making 9 rolls. Place rolls in prepared 13x9 pan and allow to rise another hour.

While dough is rising, pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. When dough is finished rising, bake for 35 minutes or until golden brown. While dough is baking, prepare lemon icing. Serve rolls warm with icing.

Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Bread

This is a childhood favorite of mine. Although this recipe is not incredibly sweet, like I remember as a child, it is still a favorite.

Makes 1 loaf

Bread Ingredients

• 2 c whole wheat flour
• 1 3/4 c bread flour
• 2 1/4 t active dry yeast
• 2 t sea salt
• 1 egg
• 2 T butter
• 1/4 c honey
• 1 1/4 c buttermilk
• 1 c raisins

Cinnamon Swirl Ingredients

• 2 T butter
• 2 T honey
• 4 t cinnamon
• level 1/4 t cloves

Directions

Add bread ingredients, less raisins, together in bread machine making sure yeast stays dry until blended. Allow bread machine heat ingredients, and knead for 7 minutes. Add raisins, and let machine knead for an additional 3 minutes. Turn bread machine off and let rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Prep loaf pan. Combine cinnamon swirl ingredients in a small bowl. Remove bread from bread machine, place on floured surface, and roll out to 9 x 18 rectangle. Spread cinnamon swirl ingredients over bread. Roll up loaf starting from narrow end, place in prepared loaf pan, and let rise an additional 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake for 45 minutes or until done.

Wild Mushroom and Barley Soup

This is slight modification of an excellent, clear broth mushroom soup recipe from Cook's Illustrated. I will definitely be making this again!

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 3 T canola oil
• 1 large sweet onion, minced
• 1/2 oz dried porcini mushrooms, cut into bite sized pieces
• 1/2 t sea salt
• 4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
• 1 lb fresh mushrooms (white, cremini, portobello, or mixture. Do not use shiitake mushrooms as they develop a very chewy texture in soup.)
• 3 cloves garlic, pressed
• 9 c chicken broth
• 1/2 c pearl barley
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 t minced fresh thyme
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Remove gills from fresh mushrooms with a spoon. (This prevents soup from becoming muddy.) Cut into bite size pieces.

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven, over medium heat. Add onion, porcini mushrooms, and salt and cook until onion is soft, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add carrots and cook until carrots are soft, an additional 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in fresh mushrooms and cook until they release moisture, about 7 to 10 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds.

Add broth, barley, bay leaf, and thyme. Bring soup to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes. Discard bay leaf and add pepper to taste before serving.

Note, if using quick barley, add 25 minutes before soup is finished simmering.

Pumpkin Raisin Pecan Muffins

Makes 6 giant muffins

Ingredients

• 2 c whole wheat flour
• 2 t baking powder
• 1 t baking soda
• 1/2 t sea salt
• 1 T cinnamon
• 1/2 t nutmeg
• 1 c raisins
• 1/2 c pecans, chopped
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 1/2 c pumpkin
• 1/2 c buttermilk
• 1/4 c butter
• 1/2 c honey
• 1 t vanilla

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and prep muffin tin. Combine dry ingredients in large bowl and wet in medium. Mix wet into dry and bake for 22 minutes or until done.

Progressive Adjustable Bread Keeper

The sad fact is that as soon as baked goods come out of the oven, they begin to stale. As unfortunate as this is, it also contributes to our appreciation of them. But, to hold off these affects a little while, I highly recommend the Progressive Adjustable Bread Keeper. The keeper expands to fit up to an 11" loaf, has vent controls to help keep bread and baked goods fresh, includes a convenient bread board for slicing, and is top rack dishwasher safe. You can also put baked goods in this keeper before they have fully cooled. The design and vents makes sure moisture stays away from baked goods is able to escape from the keeper. I have had an excellent experience with this product and am thoroughly convinced it greatly helps in keeping baked goods fresh. This item is available on Amazon for $12.95 and is eligible for super saver shipping. Happy baking!

Avocado as a New Sandwich Spread

Other than being a fruit that is densely packed with nutrients and an excellent source of healthy fat, Avocado tastes fantastic as a mayonnaise replacement. Not to mention a avocado has half the fat and calories of mayonnaise. So, the next time you go to make your favorite sandwich, be sure to try avocado for the spread.

Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Muffins

These baked up beautifully! Pretty tasty too.

Makes 6 giant muffins

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 whole wheat flour
• 1 c quick cook oats
• 1 t baking powder
• 1/2 t baking soda
• 1/2 t sea salt
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 T canola oil
• 1/4 c honey
• 1 c buttermilk
• 1/2 c peanut butter
• 1 c banana, smashed (about 2 large)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prep muffin tin. Combine dry ingredients in large bowl and wet ingredients in medium. Warming the peanut butter helps it to blend better into the mixture. Mix wet into dry and bake for 25-30 minutes.

Blueberry Bagels

Yum!

Makes 10 bagels

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 c dried blueberries
• 2 c boiling water
• 1 1/2 c luke warm water
• 2 T honey
• 4 t active dry yeast
• 1 T canola oil
• 2 1/2 c whole wheat flour
• 1 c + up to 1 c bread flour
• 2 t cinnamon
• 2 t sea salt
• 2 t vanilla
• 2 T blueberry fruit spread
• 6 quarts water

Directions

Put dried blueberries in a small bowl and add enough boiling water to cover. Let stand for 5 minutes, then drain in colander.

Whisk together luke warm water, honey, yeast, and oil together in a large bowl. Let set until yeast is bubbly. Add whole wheat flour, 1 cup of bread flour, cinnamon, sea salt, vanilla, blueberry fruit spread, and blueberries, then blend together.

Turn dough out onto a floured surface, knead for 10 minutes adding up to 1 more cup of bread flour to dough while kneading. Let rest for 10 minutes. Cut dough into 10 equal pieces, form each into a 10 inch long rope, and join ends to form bagel. Let rise for 20 minutes on floured surface.

Prep baking sheet according tot he method of your liking. Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot and preheat oven to 450 degrees. Boil rising bagels for one minute on each side, while water is at a lively simmer, then let drain on a cooling rack. Turn oven down to 425 degrees and bake bagels for 15 minutes on one side, then flip and bake an additional 5 minutes.

Black Bean Burgers

Makes 5 bun sized burgers

Ingredients

• 1 c black beans, rinsed
• 1/2 c cooked brown rice
• 1/2 c onion, chopped
• 1/2 c cooked corn
• 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1 t cumin
• 1 t coriander
• 1 t cayenne pepper
• 1 T cilantro, chopped
• 1 egg

Rinse and chop ingredients as directed above. Preheat griddle to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, add black beans and smash with a fork until thick and pasty. Add all other ingredients and mix. For each of the five burgers, spoon ingredients onto griddle first, then smooth/mold into burger shape. Cook about 10 minutes, flipping once, until golden brown.

Top with: cheddar, avocado, cilantro, salsa, corn

Cinnamon Raisin Bagels

For some reason I though making bagels would be difficult. There is one more step (boiling), but they are easy and fun to create. After tasting these, I will never go back to bland store bought bagels again!

Makes 10 bagels

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 c raisins
• 2 c boiling water
• 1 1/2 c luke warm water
• 1/4 c honey
• 4 t active dry yeast
• 1 T canola oil
• 2 1/2 c whole wheat flour
• 2 T cinnamon
• 1 t allspice
• 2 t sea salt
• 2 t vanilla
• 1 c + up to 1 c bread flour
• 6 quarts water

Directions

Put raisins in a small bowl and add enough boiling water to cover raisins. Let set for 5 minutes and then drain in colander.

Whisk together luke warm water, honey, yeast, and oil in large bowl. Let set until yeast is bubbly. Add whole wheat flour, cinnamon, allspice, sea salt, vanilla, raisins, and 1 cup of bread flour, blend together.

Turn dough out on floured surface and knead for 10 minutes, adding up to 1 more cup of bread flour to dough while kneading. Let rest for 10 minutes. Cut dough into 10 equal pieces, form each into 10 inch rope and join ends to form bagel. Let rise for 20 minutes on a floured surface.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees and prep cookie sheet according to the method of your liking. Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot. Boil risen bagels for one minute on each side, water should be at a lively simmer, then let drain on cooling rack. Turn oven down to 425 degrees and bake bagels for 15 minutes on one side, then flip and bake an additional 5 minutes.

Whole Wheat Pizza Crust

Makes one pizza crust

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 c whole wheat flour
• 1 t salt
• 1 1/2 t rapid rise yeast
• 1 1/2 T olive oil
• 1 c water
• 1 t honey

Directions

Add all ingredients to bread machine making sure yeast stays dry until blended. Set bread machine to dough setting and press go.

When dough is finished, pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Remove from machine, and let rest for 10 minutes. (This will make the dough more elastic and easier to shape.) Shape on pizza pan and top as desired. Bake for 20 minutes, or until done to your likeness.

Whole Wheat Rosemary Bread

Makes 2 loaves

Total time 2 hours

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 c whole wheat flour
• 1 c bread flour
• 1 T rapid rise yeast
• 1 t sea salt
• 1 c water
• 2 t honey
• 1 T butter
• 2 1/2 T + 1 T fresh rosemary, chopped

Place all ingredients, less rosemary, in bread machine, making sure yeast stays dry until blended. Set bread machine to quick dough setting and press go! During kneading, add 2 1/2 T rosemary.

When dough is finished, spray cookie sheet with nonstick spray. Divide dough into equal halves, shape as desired, sprinkle remaining 1 T rosemary over loaves, and let rise an additional 45 minutes. Before dough is finished rising, preheat oven to 375 degrees, bake for 15 minutes.

Buttermilk Biscuits

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 c whole wheat flour
• 2 c bread flour
• 2 T baking powder
• 1 1/4 t sea salt
• 3 T honey
• 6 T cold butter, diced
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 1/4 c buttermilk
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 T half & half

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Prepare baking sheet according to the method of you liking. In a large bowl, mix flours, baking powder and salt together. Add honey and butter. Cut butter into mixture with a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal and only small bits of butter remain.

Add egg and buttermilk and mix, dough will look shaggy. On a lightly floured surface, knead dough a few times. Roll dough to a 1/2 inch thickness and cut biscuits. Gather up remaining bits of dough, re-roll, and cut additional biscuits. Place biscuits on baking sheet, combine egg yolk and half and half for wash. Lightly brush tops of biscuits with wash and refrigerate, uncovered, for 12 minutes. Bake for 18 - 20 minutes and serve piping hot.

Lime Blackberry Muffins

These might sound a little odd at first, but lime blackberry is a wonderful flavor combination!

Makes 6 giant muffins

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 c whole wheat flour
• 2 t baking powder
• 1 t baking soda
• 1/2 t sea salt
• zest of 2 limes
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 c non-fat buttermilk
• 1/2 c honey
• 2 T butter, melted
• 2 T lime juice
• 2 t vanilla
• 1 1/2 c blackberries

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl and wet in medium. Combine wet into dry, fold in blackberries, and bake for 20 minutes or until done.

Carrot Cake Pancakes

If you ever wanted a sweet treat in the morning without the guilt, this is for you.

Serves 4

Ingredients

Spread

• 3 oz Neufchatel, at room temp
• 2 T maple syrup
• 1/4 t cinnamon

Pancakes

• 1 3/4 c whole wheat flour
• 2 t baking soda
• 1/4 t salt
• 1 t cinnamon
• 1/2 t allspice
• 1/3 c walnuts, chopped
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 1/2 c carrots, finly grated and heated in microwave for 90 seconds
• 2 c non-fat buttermilk
• 3 T honey
• 2 T butter, melted
• 1 t vanilla

Directions

Combine all spread ingredients in small bowl, mix until smooth, and set aside. Preheat griddle to 300 degrees.

Combine all dry pancake ingredients in a large bowl and wet in medium. Mix wet into dry. Bake until golden brown and top with small amount of spread.

Blueberry Lemon Bran Muffins

I just love the combination of blueberry and lemon!

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 c whole wheat flour
• 3/4 c wheat bran
• 2 t baking powder
• 1 t baking soda
• 1/2 t sea salt
• 1 1/2 t cinnamon
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 c buttermilk
• 1/2 c honey
• 2 T butter, melted
• 2 t vanilla
• 1/2 t lemon extract
• zest of one lemon
• 1 1/2 c blueberries

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and prep muffin tin according to the method of your liking. Combine dry ingredients in large bowl and wet in medium. Combine wet into dry, fold in blueberries, and bake for 25 minutes.

Pumpkin Buttermilk Pancakes

Serves 3

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 c whole wheat flour
• 3/4 t baking soda
• 1/2 t salt
• 1 t cinnamon
• 1 t allspice
• 1/2 t ginger
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 c pumpkin
• 2 c buttermilk
• 2 T butter, melted
• 3 T honey
• 1 t vanilla

Directions

Pre-heat griddle to 350 degrees. Combine dry ingredients in large bowl and wet in medium bowl. Mix wet into dry, spoon onto griddle, and bake until golden brown.

Asparagus & Swiss Crustless Quiche

Makes one quiche

Ingredients

• 1 lb fresh asparagus
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 c half & half
• 1/2 c milk
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/4 t basil
• 1/8 t cayenne pepper
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1 T whole wheat flour
• 6 oz Swiss cheese, finely grated

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Trim tough ends (about last 2 inches) of asparagus and cut into bite size pieces. Steam asparagus for 8 minutes. In a small bowl, beat together eggs, half & half, milk, salt, basil, and cayenne pepper. Place steamed asparagus and green onions in baking dish, add flour and toss to coat vegetables. Sprinkle vegetables with shredded Swiss, and pour egg mixture over top. Bake for 30 minutes or until egg is set.

Corn Chowder

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 T butter
• 1 t olive oil
• 1/2 c onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1/2 t thyme
• 2 T whole wheat flour
• 1 c potato, diced
• 2/3 c half & half
• 1 1/3 c milk
• 1 c water
• 2 t chicken bullion
• 1 lb frozen corn
• salt & pepper to taste

In 2 qt or larger pot, warm butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and thyme and cook until onions are transparent, 8 to 10 minutes. Add potatoes and flour and stir until flour coats vegetables. Add half & half, milk, water, chicken bullion. Boil for 7 minutes to soften potatoes, then lightly mash potatoes with potato masher. (Breaking down the potatoes will give the soup a nice texture.) Add corn, salt, and pepper and simmer for 12 minutes or until corn is done to your liking.

Tip: If you are new to making soup and the flavors are not popping like you would like, try adding a little more salt and/or pepper.

Honey Oatmeal Sandwich Bread

Makes one loaf

Ingredients

• 1 c quick cook oats
• 1 1/2 c whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 c bread flour
• 1 t sea salt
• 2 1/2 t rapid rise yeast
• 1 3/4 c milk
• 2 T butter
• 1/4 c honey

Directions

Place all ingredients in bread machine making sure yeast stays dry until blended and press go!

Blueberry Buckwheat Pancakes

Serves 3

Ingredients

• 3/4 c buckwheat flour
• 3/4 c whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 t baking powder
• 1/2 t baking soda
• 1/4 t sea salt
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 1/4 c buttermilk
• 3 T honey
• 2 T canola oil
• 2 t vanilla
• 1 1/2 c blueberries, fresh or frozen

Directions

Preheat griddle to 350 degrees. Mix dry ingredients in medium bowl and wet in small bowl. Mix wet into dry, then fold in blueberries or use alternate method for incorporating blueberries detailed below. Bake until golden brown.

Buckwheat flour: Buckwheat gives baked goods a grayish tone, which is quite different from other flours, but has a nice flavor that is a welcomed change of pace. If you do not have, or do not want to use buckwheat flour, substitute whole wheat flour.

Blueberry Incorporation: If you have a cherry picking blueberry pancake eater like I do, (who shall remain nameless, but whose name rhymes with "hubby"), then your going to have to up your blueberry incorporation game to ensure all pancakes have an adequate number of blueberries and proper distribution throughout the pancake. I take a soup ladle, pour about 15 blueberries and scoop about three spoonfuls of batter into the ladle, mix together in the ladle, and pour onto the griddle. This does a fantastic job of properly distributing blueberries throughout all the pancakes.

Pancake batter: Depending on how you measure ingredients and how densely packed the flour is, your pancake batter can be thick or thin, making similar pancakes. To thin out pancakes, add about 2 T of buttermilk at a time. To make pancakes thicker, add up to 1/4 c of flour at a time.

Easy Spinach Lasagna

Makes a 9x13 pan

Ingredients

• 9 whole wheat lasagna noodles
• 2 10oz pkgs of frozen chopped spinach
• 1 egg, beaten
• 3 c cottage cheese
• 1/2 c Parmesan cheese
• 3/4 c chopped onions
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1/2 t oregano
• 1/2 t basil
• 1 t sea salt
• 1/2 t fresh ground black pepper
• 8 oz mozzarella, grated

Directions

Put noodles on, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Defrost spinach in microwave by heating for 8 minutes, stirring once. Place defrosted spinach in colander to drain. Blend spinach and all remaining ingredients, less mozzarella, together in large bowl. When all ingredients are prepared, layer noodles, spinach mixture, and mozzarella in 9x13 in baking pan and bake for 35 minutes.

Pumpkin Pie

I decided to go whole Betty on this recipe and use fresh pumpkin. I have also made this with canned pumpkin and, while fresh pumpkin is very nice, this is great with canned too.

Makes one pie

Ingredients

Crust

• 1 1/2 c graham cracker crumbs
• 1 t ground ginger
• 1 t orange zest
• 1T honey
• 2 T butter, melted
• 1 T water, plus 1 t if necessary

Filling

• 2 egg whites + 1 egg, beaten
• 3/4 c honey
• 1 t cinnamon
• 1/2 t ginger
• 1/2 t nutmeg
• 1/4 t mace
• 1/4 t sea salt
• 2 c fresh pumpkin or solid pack canned pumpkin
• 1 t vanilla
• 12 oz evaporated skimmed milk

Directions

To bake fresh pumpkin, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut pumpkins in half, remove pulp and seeds, and place face down on baking sheet. Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes, or until knife easily pierces skin. Remove skin from pumpkin and place in medium bowl, mash with potato masher until consistent.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and prep pie plate according to the method of you liking.

For the crust, combine graham cracker crumbs, ginger, and orange zest, honey, butter, and water and mix until crumbly. If mixture is dry, add additional water. Press mixture onto bottom and sides of pie pan and bake for 8 minutes.

Combine all filling ingredients, except evaporated milk, in medium bowl. Mix, add evaporated milk, and mix again. Pour into pie shell. Bake for 40 minutes or until center is set.

Buying fresh pumpkin: The best pumpkins to use for pumpkin pie are sugar pie pumpkins or pie pumpkins. They are small, dark orange, sweet and great for pies, cheesecakes, soups, and breads. These pumpkins are about 4 lbs each, and you will need one for this recipe.

Gourmet Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Whether you are carving pumpkins or making something yummy, be sure to save those pumpkin seeds for a fun treat!

Ingredients

• pumpkin seeds
• olive oil
• sea salt
• inspirational seasoning (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Remove the bulk of the pulp from seeds. You can wash the seeds or not, your choice, just make sure they aren't really wet when you go to prepare them. Place seeds in a bowl, drizzle a little olive oil, sprinkle a bit of sea salt, then add any inspiration you like. Toss seeds to create an even coating. Place seeds on a baking sheet and bake for 50 minutes or until golden brown, stirring periodically.

Here are a few ideas for seasonings: chili powder, Cajun seasoning, tequila lime seasoning, cayenne pepper, black pepper, seasoning blend, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian herbs, Parmesan cheese, and cinnamon.

Side Note: We tried Parmesan cheese, chili powder, garlic powder, and cinnamon. All were good, but the Parmesan were my personal favorite.

Strawberry Oatmeal Bars

Makes 6 to 8 bars

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 whole wheat flour
• 1 1/4 c quick cook oats
• 1/2 t baking powder
• 1/4 t sea salt
• 1/3 c honey
• 1/4 c butter, melted
• 2 t vanilla
• 3/4 c strawberry fruit spread

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and prep 9x9 pan according to the method of your liking. Combine dry ingredients in medium bowl, add butter and vanilla, and stir until crumbly. Set aside 3/4 cup of mixture and press remaining mixture into 9x9 pan. Spread fruit spread over top pressed mixture, then top with reserved mixture. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.

Broccoli Crustless Quiche

Makes one quiche

Ingredients

• 4 eggs
• 3/4 c milk
• 1/2 c half & half
• 1/2 t sea salt
• 1/2 t fresh ground pepper
• 1 T butter
• 1/2 c onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 2 c fresh broccoli florets
• 1 1/2 c mozzarella, grated

Directions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Beat eggs, milk, half & half, salt, and pepper together in medium bowl and set aside.

In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, and saute until onions are translucent. Add broccoli and cook until broccoli is a nice, bright green. Place skillet veggies in pie pan, cover with mozzarella, then pour over egg mixture.

Bake for 30 minutes or until egg is completely set.

All Natural Broccoli Crustless Quiche

Peanut Butter Muffins

These have a delightful texture and nice depth of flavor

Makes 6 giant muffins

Ingredients

• 2 c whole wheat flour
• 3 t baking powder
• 1/2 t sea salt
• 2 t cinnamon
• 1/2 c chunky peanut butter
• 2 T butter, melted
• 1/2 c honey
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 c milk
• 2 t vanilla

Directions

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees and prep muffin tin according to the method of you liking. Combine dry ingredients in medium bowl and wet in small. Combine wet into dry and bake for 15 minutes.

Peanut butter tip: If you keep your all natural peanut butter in the fridge like me, warm it in the microwave for about 30 seconds to make it easy to get out of the jar, measure, and blend into mixture.

All Natural, Whole Grain Peanut Butter Muffins

Apple Oat Walnut Muffins

Mmmm.... fall. I've been waiting for the crisp air and warm flavors of fall! Here is a healthy way to celebrate the change in season.

Makes 5 giant muffins

Ingredients

• 1 c old fashioned oats
• 1 c whole wheat flour
• 1 t sea salt
• 2 t baking powder
• 2 t cinnamon
• 1/2 c walnuts, chopped
• 1 1/2 c apples, chopped
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/4 c walnut or canola oil
• 1/3 c honey
• 1 c milk

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prep muffin tin according to the method of your liking. Combine dry ingredients in medium bowl and wet in small. Combine wet into dry and bake approximately 23 minutes.

Apple Tips: A great apple to use for baking is Mcintosh. And if you are wondering if you need to peel the apples, I would recommend that you don't. Not only are many nutrients in the skin of the apple, but leaving the skin on also saves time.

All Natural Whole Grain Apple Oat Walnut Muffin Recipe

Cherry Almond Muffins

I'm feeling professional today. "Why?" You might ask. I have just entered the world of specialty oils. I found a few recipes that intrigued me and they use almond and walnut oils. I was able to find these at the local Whole Foods store. When I opened up the almond oil for this recipe, I was met with a simply delightful aroma! Hope you enjoy!

Makes 6 giant muffins

Ingredients

• 2 c whole wheat flour
• 3/4 c dried cherries
• 1 t cinnamon
• 3 t baking powder
• 1/2 t sea salt
• 1 c sliced almonds, roasted*
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 c milk
• 1/2 t almond extract
• 1/4 c almond oil
• 1/3 c honey

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and prep muffin tin according to the method of your liking. Combine dry ingredients in medium bowl, reserving some roasted almonds to sprinkle over muffin batter. Combine wet ingredients in small bowl. Combine wet into dry, put batter in muffin tin, and sprinkle reserved roasted almonds over batter. Bake for 20 minutes.

*To roast almonds, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place almonds in a baking sheet in a thin layer. Bake for 5 to 6 minutes, or until golden brown and fragrant, stirring once.

All Natural, Whole Grain Cherry Almond Muffin Recipe

Banana Multi Bran Muffins

It is said that necessity is the mother of all invention, and I think this extends to the kitchen as well as to the rest of life. While I wanted to make banana bran muffins, I could not find a suitable bran cereal to use as a base ingredient. All available options on the shelf were filled with hydrogenated oils and refined sugars. In hubby's (and admittedly mine as well) moment of desperate baked good need, he suggested using the Nature's Path Organic Flax Plus Multibran Cereal we love so much. I agreed that this was quite an attractive idea, indeed, and went about inventing.

Makes 5 giant muffins

Ingredients

• 1 c whole wheat flour
• 1 t baking soda
• 1/2 c walnuts
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 c milk, warmed 25 sec in microwave
• 2 T butter, melted
• 2 t vanilla
• 2 ripe bananas, smashed
• 1 1/2 c Nature's Path Organic Flax Plus Multibran Cereal

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prep muffin tin according to the method of your liking. Combine dry ingredients in medium bowl (less cereal) and wet in small bowl. Mix wet into dry, then fold in cereal and bake for 35 minutes.

Honey Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread

This is a wonderfully soft and light whole wheat sandwich bread. Hope you enjoy!

Ingredients

• 2 c bread flour
• 2 c whole wheat flour
• 2 t sea salt
• 1/4 c butter
• 1 1/2 c milk
• 1/4 c honey
• 2 t rapid rise yeast

Place all ingredients in bread machine, making sure yeast stays dry until blended, and press go!

All Natural Whole Grain Honey Whole Wheat Bread Recipe

Keep your whole wheat recipe from turning out bitter

I now think whole wheat flour is delightful, but that wasn't always the case. Early attempts at whole wheat baking yielded bitter goods (and a slightly bitter me). The trick to whole wheat flour is to keep it out of the heat and not let it sit around the house for too long; otherwise it develops a strong bitter flavor. King Arthur Flour recommends only keeping whole wheat flour for two months, storing it in the freezer, and pulling out the amount you need the night before and placing in the refrigerator. I used to keep all my flours in canisters on the counter, but this very hot summer turned my whole wheat flour bitter quite quickly. So now all my flours go in the freezer. But, I don't pull the flour out the night before. I just pull it straight out of the freezer and put it right in the recipe. This seems to work well and is a good compromise for a girl on the go. Happy whole wheat baking!

Carrot Raisin Bread

Since this bread is loaded with all natural goodness, you need very little oil or sweetener. The cinnamon really helps to bring out the best in the other ingredients making this a very flavorful, healthy treat.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 c whole wheat flour
• 1 t baking powder
• 1/4 t baking soda
• 1/2 t sea salt
• 2 t cinnamon
• 2 T canola oil
• 1/4 c honey
• 1/2 c orange juice
• 1 t vanilla
• 1 egg
• 2 c carrot, grated
• 1/2 c raisins
• 1/2 c walnuts chopped

Preheat oven to 350 and prep loaf pan according to the method of your liking. Combine dry ingredients in medium bowl and wet in small bowl. Mix wet into dry and bake for 50 minutes.

Multi Grain Sandwich Bread

My new Zojirushi BBCC-X20 bread machine has made me more powerful than ever! *said with head tilted back and slightly sinister laugh* (teasing) I wanted to make sandwich bread and pizza dough at home and a bread machine was the only way to make this work with my busy lifestyle. So now begins a whole series of bread machine experiments. I would like to add that, to date, I have been very pleased with the Zojirushi machine, both in terms of performance and functionality. Below is a lovely all natural whole grain bread recipe that I hope you will enjoy!

Ingredients

• 2 c whole wheat flour
• 2 c bread flour
• 2 T sesame seeds
• 2 T flax seeds
• 2 T millet
• 2 T quinoa
• 2 t sea salt
• 1 T rapid rise yeast
• 1 1/2 c milk
• 1/3 c honey
• 2 T butter, softened

Place ingredients in bread machine, making sure yeast stays dry until blended and press go!

Farm Fresh Peach Oatmeal Muffins

Makes 6 giant muffins

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 c quick cook oats
• 1 c whole wheat flour
• 2t baking powder
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/2 t cinnamon
• 1/3 c honey
• 1/4 c canola oil
• 2 t vanilla
• 1 egg, beaten
• 3 ripe peaches, diced

Directions

Dice peaches. Mash about 1/4 of the peaches with a fork. Combine dry ingredients in medium bowl and wet in small. Mix wet into dry and add peaches. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.