Blueberry Habanero Hot Sauce

Oatmeal, Blueberries, Egg, Cinnamon, Wheat bran, Blueberry Hot Sauce

My boyfriend brought me some wild blueberry hot sauce from his trip to Maine because of my obsession with hot sauce and blueberries. I instantly fell in love with the idea and taste of this sauce, so I attempted to recreate this recipe since it only required a few basic ingredients: wild blueberries, apple cider vinegar, habanero chili powder, ginger, garlic and honey. 

This unique blueberry hot sauce concoction tastes like a gingery blueberry sauce with a slightly spicy aftertaste. It's not as sweet as it sounds, but it pairs nicely with some carbs, meats, and perhaps even dessert.

My only critique would be the level of spice...or lack thereof. My rule of thumb is that if my boyfriend can handle it, then that means it doesn't pass my spice level test. So in my recipe, I threw in a generous amount of blueberries to turn it into a slightly thicker consistency. After refrigerating it for a few hours, the blueberries caused the sauce to thicken up nicely to a somewhat jammy-watery consistency. I also put in a good amount of fresh habanero pepper (not powder) to give it the extra heat it was missing.

Not exactly from Maine, but Butler's Orchard in Germantown, MD should do the job

4-6 minutes over low-medium heat

Blend well

Blueberry Habanero Hot Sauce:
1 1/2 cups Fresh blueberries
1 medium habanero pepper, seeded and minced (approx. 2 tbs)
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tbs honey*
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp cinnamon
*Add more if you want it sweeter

1) Add all ingredients to pot over medium heat. Reduce to low-medium heat after about 4-6 minutes, mix, and let sit for another 2 minutes.
2) With a handheld blender, blend the sauce well (or transfer to blender). Let sit for about 1 hour to thicken. Store in jar and refrigerate. May reheat before serving if want a more saucy/fluid consistency.

Chilled

*WARNING*:

Habanero peppers WILL burn your fingers and any body part it may contact. Make sure you wear some gloves as a precaution to avoid suffering the never ending burn.  

According to the Scoville Scale, which measures the "spicy heat" of peppers, jalapeno peppers came in with a rating of 3,500-8,000 Scoville heat units, whereas habanero chili peppers came in with a whopping 100,000-350,000 Scoville heat units.

Fruity Wraps

Fresh Fruits make everything taste better

I absolutely love eating fruit salads because frankly, tossing some spinach and lettuce with some veggies can get boring, Fruits add sweetness and juiciness (especially when they're in season!) to everything and are great sources of vitamins and nutrients. Anyway, after eating so many fruit salads, I, of course, needed a change. So here is my fruit salad inside a wrap. This tasted so fresh and sweet from the fruits with a kick of spice from my favorite sriracha. I also tried putting in grapes and it tasted excellent! On the other hand, adding mango made it a little too mushy for my taste.

What's next on my list? Maybe some kumquats...my current obsession.


Fruity Wraps

Whole Wheat Wrap
Turkey
Blueberries
Strawberries
Beets
Chayote
Red Onion
Avocado*
Spinach
Romaine or Iceberg Lettuce
White & Purple Cabbage
Horseradish Mustard
Sriracha
*I ran out of avocado for my picture, but it definitely tastes so much better with some creamy avocado


1) Bake wrap, turkey, and onion in toaster oven for about 2-3 minutes at 350F degrees or until warm
2) Spread some mustard and sriracha on the turkey (Plain Greek yogurt is also a great spread!)
3) Layer the beets first, then spinach, fruits, and lettuce to make the rolling a cleaner process
4) Stick in 2 toothpicks on each side to hold, slice diagonally, and enjoy your sweet, juicy, crunchy wrap!

More strawberries this time

Kumquat Balsamic-Glazed Salmon

Balsamic-Glazed Salmon w/ Kumquats

Everyone needs a "go-to" quick and easy dish to whip up. This is mine...and of course it involves salmon.

Salmon is my absolute favorite fish to eat because of its taste and omega-3 content. It's also an excellent source of Vitamin D, which I currently need more of. How perfect. I've also been in this whole kumquat mood lately because I love how it's a cross between a sweet orange and a sour lemon--the best of both worlds. The rind also contains 1 gram of fiber per kumquat, so use it, eat it, love it!

I usually cook salmon it in three different ways depending on my mood: Stove, Baked, or Broiled. Here, I have it cooked on the stove and baked in the oven. Broiled to come.


Kumquat Balsamic-Glazed Salmon
Serving Size = 2

2 salmon filets
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
6 kumquats, chopped w/ skin
3 tbs onion, chopped
1 garlic, minced
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 cayenne pepper
salt & pepper


On the Stove:
1) Dry the salmon with a paper towel and season with salt, pepper, ginger, and cayenne pepper. Set aside
2) Heat skillet over medium high with cooking spray and place salmon skin side down.
3) About 2-3 minutes in, add balsamic, kumquats, onion, and garlic to pan. May decrease heat to medium if balsamic splatters
4) Cook for approx. another 1 1/2 minutes, then flip salmon over and cook for another 4-7 minutes depending on thickness. I usually just test it towards the end to see when it flakes. Let it sit for a few minutes and serve.

Baked:
1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
2) Dry the salmon with a paper towel and season with salt, pepper, ginger, and cayenne pepper.
3) In medium pan over medium high heat, sear salmon (skin side down) for 1-2 minutes, flip, and repeat. This gives it a nice crust prior to baking it in the oven.
4) In small bowl, mix remaining ingredients. Place salmon on baking sheet covered with foil. Pour balsamic mixture on top
5) Bake in oven for about 8-10 minutes depending on thickness. Let sit for a few minutes and serve.

Kashi vs. Fiber One Cereal

I just happened to come across the cereal aisle when I was searching for some dark chocolate at CVS. I'm more of an oatmeal and granola type person than I am a cereal person, but I figured I'd grab a few boxes since they were on sale.

I went with two popular "healthy" cereal brands, Kashi and Fiber One, because I oftentimes see them on commercials and websites, so I decided to entertain myself with a cereal nutrition feud. They're actually quite interesting...

Fiber One

Wait, is that dog food? No, it's Fiber One with its brown crunchy twigs. This is your basic yogurt parfait using plain Greek yogurt. I chose to pair the Fiber One cereal with Greek yogurt because it compensates for the lack of protein in the cereal. Likewise, the Fiber One cereal, with a whopping 14g of fiber per 1/2 cup, makes up for the lack of fiber in Greek yogurt. This makes for a nice fiber protein balance.

Yogurt Parfait w/ Berries

1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt 

1/2 cup blueberries

4 strawberries, chopped

1/4 cup cereal or granola

4 toasted walnut halves, chopped

2 dashes of cinnamon

Kashi GoLean

Kashi's GoLean offers more variety in appearance and texture. I had this cereal with almond milk because Kashi has a bit more protein in it than Fiber One after converting the serving sizes...and I was in that milky mood. Actually, Fiber One holds up to milk a lot better than Kashi, which tended to get soggy after a few minutes.

Notice difference in serving size. Tricky tricky

If I had to choose a winner, I would go with Kashi. Why? Primarily because Fiber One ruined it with Aspartame. I'd rather have honey, agave nectar and the like...or even plain ole brown sugar. IMO, there's just too much controversy and potential "side effects" over this ingredient that I prefer to avoid it as much as possible. 

Kashi also offers a great balance between fiber and protein and also contains more potassium. It has 9 grams of insoluble fiber, which is what it sounds like--it doesn't dissolve in water, so it simply passes through your body. Yep, it basically helps you poop due to its laxative effect. The list of ingredients are also easier to understand, which is definitely a good sign.

Don't be offended if you love Fiber One. The thing I actually like about Fiber One is the fact that it contains a wide variety of vitamins and minerals as you can see in the picture. But really, aspartame killed it for me.

Fiber One...Aspartame?? Whyyy

 
Strange Ingredients:

*Guar Gum: Fiber from the seed of the guar plant. It's used as a laxative and may help in weight loss by making you feel fuller as it expands in your intestine.

*Cellulose Gum: Thickening agent. Apparently it's safe because it just passes through the body with no nutritional value.

*Aspartame: Controversial artificial sweetener which I try to avoid due to its potentially harmful side effects. If an ingredient has this much debate over it, there's got to be something going on.

*Evaporated Cane Juice: Healthier alternative to refined sugar (although still from the same source) mainly because it undergoes a smaller degree of processing, thus, retaining more nutrients

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Green Turkey Panini Wrap

What would I do without my whole wheat South Beach Diet wraps?

"Ah-vo-ca-doh" is the biggest thing to hit Subway since Jared Fogle. I guess they just recently discovered that Chipotle serves avocado, as well.

I'm sure we all know by now (Subway just found out) that avocado is good for you...but why? Avocado is indeed a super fruit (yes, fruit) packed with essential vitamins & minerals. Although it is fairly high in fat (good fat), it is known to help lower cholesterol, prevent heart disease, and is a good source of fiber, vitamin K, and folate. Not to mention, avocados have more potassium than bananas, making it the #1 source of potassium in fruits!

Avocado in moderation

I just bought a pound of Peppercorn Turkey from Lancaster Dutch Market in Germantown, MD for about $7. It's actually VERY peppery (which I love), but it's also on the salty side. To balance the saltiness from the turkey, I used Greek yogurt. Actually, I always use plain Greek yogurt in my wraps and sandwiches because it makes me think that I'm eating mayo, and I love the creamy texture it adds. Did I mention the fact that it is a great source of protein?

Anyway, my method to making panini wraps in my dinky foreman grill is to have a layer of spinach on both sides to avoid a soggy wrap. Just a thought...and a side of cherry tomatoes & egg, of course!

Low sodium salsa from Trader Joes

Here's what I decided to put in my panini wrap today (in order):

1 whole wheat wrap (South Beach diet)

Plain Greek yogurt

Horseradish mustard

Spinach

Avocado!

Cilantro

Turkey

Salsa

Tabasco

Onion

Spinach

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Pineapple Mango Salsa

Earlier this year, a friend of mine offered me a piece of his champagne mango as we were waiting for our class to begin. From the moment I put that piece of mango in my mouth, my mango life took a complete 180. Once you go champagne mango, you  never go back, and that's a fact.

Champagne mangoes are little midget mangoes from Mexico that contain more vitamin C than most other types of mangoes. The inside is incredibly sweet and juicy, and the best thing about this type of mango is that it has minimal fibrous texture making your mango experience that much more enjoyable. If you're having a difficult time imagining the texture (not taste), think canned peaches minus the additives. Yep, that's how velvety smooth it is! Amazing.

Pineapple Mango Salsa in a Pineapple Boat

I've had mango salsa before, but I've never tried making it with pineapples. Actually, the only reason why I threw in the pineapples was because I had this urge to make a pineapple boat for my mother's meeting and didn't know what to do with all those pineapple chunks. Well, after putting all of my ingredients together, the salsa came out amazing! Pineapple has officially made its way into my recipe forever.

I also decided to add some balsamic vinegar because it really brings out the flavors in fruits, especially in strawberries and mangoes. In fact, whenever I  make my fruit salad, I always try to push my mangoes to the bottom so that they would absorb the vinegar by the time I reach them. My only concern with adding balsamic vinegar to this recipe was that it could potentially turn the salsa brown, so I only added a teaspoon. A little splash goes a long way!

This recipe fit perfectly inside the pineapple boat

Pineapple Mango Salsa:

2 cups champagne mango, chopped
1 cup pineapple, chopped
1/3 cup red onion, finely chopped
1/3 cup red bell pepper, finely chopped
2 tsp serrano peppers (or jalapeno), minced
2 tbs cilantro
2 tsp peppers, minced
1 tsp balsamic vinegar*
1 tbs fresh pineapple juice
1 lime, juiced
1/4 tsp ginger (optional)


1) Cut out pineapple boat following the directions below
2) In a medium-sized bowl, mix all ingredients together. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours (longer the better) to allow flavors to blend. Serve chilled inside pineapple.

*If the balsamic vinegar makes the salsa darker than you prefer, put some of the salsa aside before adding the vinegar and place it on top when plating.


******************************************************************************

Find a stable side of the pineapple where it naturally stands,
then turn it to its side to cut off the opening/filling side
(about 1/2 - 3/4 inch from edge). I did not cut my pineapple
in half because I wanted the "boat" to hold more salsa.

Using a smaller knife, cut out an oval inside as close as you can to the skin.
Angle your knife towards the center of the pineapple for easy scooping.
Slice out 1 inch cubes.

Scoop out the pineapple cubes and juice and set aside.

Pineapple Boat!
Feel free to scrape and dig out more pineapple from the sides.

Pineapple Shopping Tips:
from 12,167 Kitchen and Cooking Secrets by Susan Sampson

1) The crown is compact
2) Leaves are green and moist
3) Leave in the center of the crown releases with a gentle tug
4) The stem end smells sweet, not fermented
5) There's a slight "give" when pushing on skin
6) Feels heavy
7) Eyes (thorny studs in the skin) are protruding of weepy

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Kale and Bean Lasagna

Kale and Bean Lasagna w/ Tofu

Sorry spinach, I needed a change. Hello to the Queen of Greens: kale

I wasn't planning on making a lasagna post simply because it's one of those "duhhh" recipes, but I thought I'd share my way of making a healthier version packed with nutrients that tastes just as good as your typical/boring ground meat, ricotta/cottage cheese, etc combo. Well, I cheated a little with the feta, but that's because I secretly love feta cheese. A lower-fat cheese probably would've been a healthier option, but feta was in my fridge...so now it's in my lasagna.

While I was making the cheese layer mixture, I realized that I'd have to put a LOT of feta cheese to cover 2 layers. Well, since I didn't want my mom's blood pressure to spike from all that sodium (thanks, feta cheese), I ended up using some leftover silken tofu from last night and added it into my cheese mixture. Actually, that worked out very nicely because it almost resembled ricotta cheese! Almost. I also wanted to use a mixture of beans (red, black, pinto, garbanzo, etc) because my family buys a ton of beans to store away and use when making rice. The beans replaced my ground meat because I love the taste and texture of beans, and my mom is on the verge of claiming meat as evil. Either way, beans were the perfect "meaty" substitute and is definitely a nice change. I did not miss the cow at all.

Nutrition Rant: Kale is a nutritional powerhouse and an excellent source of vitamins K, A, and C. Research has proven that kale converts glucosinolates (also found in broccoli) into cancer preventive compounds. In short, Kale = Amazing.

Let sit for 5-10 minutes

Kale and Bean Lasagna:

4 whole wheat lasagna noodles 
(Depends on size of baking dish and noodles)

Sauce:
2 1/2 cups of tomato (or pasta) sauce
1 tbs red wine vinegar
1 1/2 tsp oregano
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cayenne
1 tbs sriracha
1/2 cup onions, chopped
1 cup cauliflower, roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cup uncooked beans
Salt & pepper to taste

Tofu & Cheese:
1 1/2 cup silken tofu, mashed
1/2 cup feta cheese (or parmesan), extra for topping
6 Kale leaves, stems removed
1 egg white
1/4 tsp garlic powder


1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
2) Soak beans overnight (at least 8 hours). Boil water, add beans, and reduce to medium-low heat for about 25-40 minutes.  
*Since I used mixed beans, I just bit into a few beans as they were cooking to see if they were soft enough (but not mushy)
3) Cook whole wheat lasagna noodles, al dente. Set aside
4) Sweat onions over medium heat; add garlic and cauliflower. Add pasta sauce (was too lazy to make my own), oregano, chili powder, cayenne, sriracha, and vinegar. Stir in cooked beans and let them soak up the sauce. Salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
5) Steam kale for about 5 minutes. Remove excess water and chop.
6) Medium bowl: Mix mashed tofu, feta cheese, egg white, kale, and garlic powder. Set aside
7) In casserole dish, spray non-stick on bottom. Layer in order: noodle, bean sauce, tofu mixture, repeat for second layer. Sprinkle top with feta cheese (or mozzarella)
8) Bake covered for 40 minutes; uncovered for another 5-10 minutes.

M&M Pretzel Kisses

M&M Pretzel Kisses

Just thought I'd share a quick snack that's super cute and fun to eat! It can be made using different types of Hershey kisses (dark chocolate, milk, striped, white chocolate, seasonal, etc...maybe not the filled ones) and can be topped with either M&Ms or Reese's Pieces for some peanut butter action. You can also play around with different types of pretzel shapes (regular, circle, square), but I just stuck with my mini pretzels because they were all I could find at the moment.

Anyway, have fun with all of the different options! They're adorable and SO easy to make!

All you have to do is this:

Shiny kisses after 2 minutes in the oven

Pressed

1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2) Lay out pretzels on baking sheet, top each of them with a hershey kiss, and bake in the oven for 2 minutes

3) After 2 minutes, they should be shiny (but still holding their kiss shape) and ready to be pressed with an M&M

4) Take your M&M, lightly tap the tip of the hershey kiss to push the pointy tip down, then place the M&M on top and lightly push down. The hershey kiss will easily sink in.

5) Let cool for at least 1-2 hours or put in fridge to harden up faster. The kisses stay "fudgy" for a few hours, so if you like them softer, make them a few hours before serving.

Tip: It may take 2 or 3 trys, but once you get it down, you'll be pressing like a machine! The hershey kisses stay soft  and mushy for a long time, so you can do a LOT all at once!

Brown Rice Medley

Brown rice, Green Lentil, Red and White Quinoa

Here is an easy way to cook your brown rice right out of the oven. Not to mention, the lentil and quinoa amp up the nutritional value as well as the overall taste of this dish.

Brown rice has this wonderful nutty taste and chewy texture that I absolutely love. It does take longer to cook than white rice, but it is definitely worth the wait.  Since brown rice is a whole grain and still has its bran intact (unlike white rice), it contains more fiber, protein, manganese, and selenium. So stop being lazy! Just cook a large batch and keep it in the fridge because it stores well.

However, if you are in a hurry, skip the white rice and try substituting it with oatmeal. I have done this plenty of times and it works out great (unless you're making stir fry or something fancy...hmm). I usually make old fashioned (rolled) oats and beat an egg into it after about 3.5 minutes, but steel cut oats would also be a great alternative because it's chewier like brown rice AND it takes 25-30 minutes to cook.

In this recipe, I really wanted to dress up the brown rice with more fiber, protein, texture, and color. I used Alton Brown's method of baking brown rice in the oven at 375F, but I did not use the same ingredients because it was boring and had butter. My family usually makes brown rice with a mixture of beans, but I forgot to soak them so they did not make it into my recipe. Barley would also be a great addition to this brown rice medley. Sadly, I ran out of vegetable stock and had to omit that as well. Next time!!

***EDIT: See picture of rice baked with beans at bottom!

Rinse and drain

Pour boiling broth and mix

After 1 hour in the oven

Brown Rice Medley:
1 1/2 cup brown rice
1/4 cup red quinoa
1/4 cup white quinoa
1/2 cup green lentil
5 cups vegetable broth (low sodium)

1) Preheat oven to 375F degrees.
2) Rinse and soak brown rice for at least 2 hours (6-8 hours if possible), then drain
3) Rinse quinoa (unless package says it's not necessary) and lentil. Drain and mix with brown rice in casserole dish
4) Boil vegetable broth. Pour into casserole dish and stir.
5) Cover with foil and bake in oven for 1 hour. Let it sit for a few minutes before serving. Can store in fridge after cooling or transfer to rice cooker to keep warm.

I had to post a picture of the rice with beans because it tremendously
elevates the taste and texture of the rice. Soaked 1 to 1.5 cups of uncooked
beans for 2-3 hours and did not add any extra water/broth to my recipe.
Came out perfectly!

Chickpea Barley Salad with Tofu Mayonnaise

Tofu Mayo + Sriracha

This is a great side dish for those who are vegan and/or for those who just want a basic low-fat alternative to mayonnaise. I personally don't think I could ever go vegan, but since I don't eat mayo, this is the perfect substitute for me. My sister, however, is a vegan, so I figured this post would be appropriate.

My mom and I attended this "cooking seminar" where they made tofu "mayonnaise."  I thought this was an excellent idea for those who want to cut down on saturated fat yet maintain that thick and creamy mayonnaise texture in their food.  

Silken tofu is frequently used in vegetarian and vegan recipes, such as salad dressings, pies, pudding, bread, and etc.  It is low in fat and carbs and is a good source of protein, as well. Here is my version of tofu mayonnaise with a splash of cider vinegar and lemon juice. 

Chickpea & Barley Combo

In this "salad," I used pearled barley and chickpea because they are excellent sources of fiber and protein. Although pearled barley has been processed more than hulled barley and technically is not a "whole" grain for that reason, it still contains 8g of fiber and 5g of protein (1/4 cup). This combination of barley, chickpea, and vegetables mixed with this tofu mayo creates a low fat, high fiber & protein nutritious powerhouse.  

A few things to consider: Soak chickpea and barley overnight for faster cooking.  Also, cook in broth or stock for more flavor.

Chickpea Barley Salad w/ Tofu Mayo

17 oz silken tofu
1 tbs + 2 tsp cider vinegar 
1 tbs + 2 tsp lemon juice
2 tsp dijon mustard 
1/2 - 3/4 tsp garlic powder
1 tbs sriracha (optional)
Salt to taste

2 cups peeled pearl barley, cooked
3 cups chickpea, cooked

1/4 cup red bell pepper, chopped
1/4 cup green bell pepper, chopped
1 jalapeno, minced
1 tbs onion, minced or grated
1 stalk of celery, chopped
1/4 cup almonds (optional)
cilantro

1) Add diced tofu into blender with vinegar, lemon juice, and mustard. Add garlic powder and salt to taste.
2) Blend until soft and to mayonnaise-type consistency. Add soy milk, almond milk, or grapeseed oil if prefer a more runny consistency.
*Note: 17 oz makes a lot of mayo, so store in airtight container or jar and refrigerate
3) Toss everything together and serve! May chill before serving, as well.

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Nutrition Facts: Pearled Barley
Serving Size= 1/4 cup
Calories: 160
Total Fat: 0g
Saturated Fat: 0g
Carbohydrate: 32g
Dietary Fiber: 8g
Protein: 5g
Potassium 200mg


Nutrition Facts: Chickpea
Serving Size= 1/4 cup
Calories: 110
Total Fat: 2g
Saturated Fat: 0g
Carbohydrate: 29g
Dietary Fiber: 14g
Protein: 8g

Nutrition Facts: Silken Tofu
Serving Size= 3oz,
Calories: 45
Total Fat: 2g
Saturated Fat: 0g
Carbohydrate: 2g
Dietary Fiber: 0g
Protein: 5g
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Healthy Indulgence: Banana French Toast Sandwich

Almond Butter, Banana, Dark Chocolate <3

Almond butter. Banana. Dark chocolate. French toast. Need I say more?

When you can't decide between two dishes, why not have both? Here's my take on a peanut butter and banana sandwich morphed with a French toast. Just a thought!...a very yummy thought. =)

I bought this amazing Whole Wheat Quinoa Bread w/ Flaxseed from Whole Foods the other day, and I can't seem to get enough of it. I also bought some WW sourdough bread which unfortunately tasted like play dough. NEVER again! Good thing it was BOGO since Whole Foods was closing up. Can't complain there! =)

"Grated" (more like peeled) the Dark Chocolate with a knife

I treat myself to a piece (or 2) of dark chocolate every morning to keep me happy for the day. It's pretty much what keeps me going in life. Here, read this article for yourself about how beneficial dark chocolate can be for your health and your LIFE! Amen! =)


Ok, here we go:

Flipped after a little over a minute

Banana French Toast Sandwich:
 Serving Size = 2

4 slices of whole wheat bread
1 egg
1 tbs almond milk
1/4 tsp cinnamon

2 tbs almond butter (1 tbs per sandwich)
1 banana, sliced
Dark Chocolate, grated
Confectioners sugar





1) Spread almond butter on each slice of bread (1/2 tbs per slice). Top 2 pieces of bread with banana and grated dark chocolate, then sandwich!
2) Whisk egg, milk, and cinnamon in a bowl. 
3) Spray non-stick cooking spray onto pan over medium heat. Dip entire sandwich into egg mixture and soak both sides for a few seconds (depending on thickness of bread)
4) Cook on both sides until lightly browned (about 1 to 1 1/2 minutes). Sift confectioners sugar over french toastwich and sprinkle dark chocolate on top.

YES

Had to share my fortune: Talk about reading my mind!!

Skinny Mini Apple Muffins

Do you ever have the urge to devour those giant buttery muffins topped with that evil sugary streusel topping?  It takes a lot of self control to avoid foods that are detrimental to your health, but you don't have to deprive yourself any longer because this nutritious muffin recipe is here to prevent you from getting that muffin top.

These mini apple muffins are incredibly moist, flavorful and nutritious. When you take a bite, you get little chunks of the sweet apple and walnuts.  In fact, you can actually feel good about eating these muffins because they have NO added butter and/or oil and contain only 3 tbs of brown sugar. I also used almond milk to cut down the carbs, but this is not necessary if you only have regular milk.

Try out this recipe if you want to satisfy your cravings the right way because you will be surprised at how you can actually bake delicious and healthy muffins without sacrificing the taste.

I adapted my apple muffin recipe from this blueberry muffin recipe and used it as my base. I made this recipe before with blueberries, banana, oil and all, but my apple version makes these muffins much more moist, tastier, and healthier.  I knew the sugars from the sweet fuji apples would naturally sweetened up the muffin, so all of that extra sugar is absolutely unnecessary. Try using this method with your apples:

When I use apples in muffins, I like to use them in two ways: shredded and chopped. However, I couldn't find my shredder, so opted for the zester. Either way, as long as you break down the apple and extract the juice, same difference.  I found this method to be very effective in locking in the moisture and enhancing the taste.  That way, you get both a moist muffin with little chunks of apple. Try it out! It  truly makes a world of a difference.

Topped with oats

Skinny Mini Apple Muffins:

 Serving Size = 18

1 1/2 cup WW flour
1/4 cup bran
1/4 cup ground flax
1/4 cup rolled oats (extra for topping)
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt

1 egg (Vegan: Substitute w/ 3tbs water + 1tbs ground flax)
1 cup almond milk
3 tbs brown sugar (optional)
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup apple, zested/grated/shredded
1 cup apple, chopped
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped


1) Preheat oven to 375 F. Spray mini muffin pan with non-stick spray
2) Medium bowl: Mix WW flour, AP flour, bran, flax, oats, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
3) Large bowl: Beat together egg, milk, sugar, apple. Mix dry ingredients into wet. Mix in walnuts.
4) Fill mini muffin pan almost to top (approx. 1 1/2 - 2 tbs). Sprinkle oats on top of batter and lightly press them on top. Bake 12-14 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Let sit in pan for about 3-5  minutes, then transfer to cooling rack.

Delicious chunks of apples and walnuts

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Nutrition Facts: Skinny Mini Apple Muffins

Serving Size= 1 mini muffin

Calories: 86.5
Total Fat: 3.3g
Saturated Fat: 0.35g
Carbohydrate: 13g
Dietary Fiber: 2g
Protein: 2.6g
 
**Per muffin, 21.3 calories, 2 g of total fat, and 0.2g of saturated fat come from the WALNUTS (good for you, but can be eliminated if you wish)
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Green Pea Cakes

Green pea cakes topped with yogurt and sliced almonds

Here's a healthy dish you could easily whip up with whatever you have in the kitchen.

When I was living on campus, I made a similar recipe using canned tuna since I had to make do with whatever was in the kitchen at the moment.  Well, now I don't have any canned tuna at home, so peas it is!

Green peas are an excellent source of dietary fiber, folate, vitamin C and K, and other beneficial nutrients, which is why I decided to play with it in my recipe. I used frozen peas, and instead of boiling them in water, I simply thawed it out overnight in the fridge. You could also microwave it according to the package's instructions. However, boiling vegetables make them lose their nutrients in the water, so you should use this method sparingly.

Yogurt for the creamy texture and Sriracha for the heat

I love making these little cakes because they're easy to make AND extremely versatile. They have that fluffy yet meaty crab cake texture along with a nice crust from the breadcrumbs. As I mentioned above, I made this with tuna before.  If you want to switch up the ingredients by using pureed corn/carrots/other veggies, fish meat, mashed beans, or etc, all you have to do is add breadcrumbs until the mixture gets sticky enough to form the cakes.  In fact, it's almost like you're making burgers...except cooler.

1 cake is missing...

Green Pea Cakes:

 Serving Size = 9

Ingredients:
2 cups frozen peas, thawed
1/4 cup onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 egg
2 tbs Greek yogurt
1 tsp sriracha
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp lemon juice
Dash of salt & pepper
3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 tbs ground flaxseed*

1/2 tsp garlic powder
* I added flaxseed to compensate for the lack of whole wheat breadcrumbs

1) Blend (not puree) together peas, onion, garlic, yogurt, sriracha, mustard, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Transfer to medium bowl
2) Mix in bread crumbs, flaxseed, and garlic powder
3) Spray non-stick cooking spray onto pan over low-medium or medium heat. Shape palm-sized "cakes" and place on hot skillet for approximately 3-4 minutes each side or until lightly browned with crust
Tip: it might help to make the cakes while the pan is heating to quicken the process

Nice patty-textured cake