Blueberry-Lemon Breakfast Muffins

THREE weeks to go until the wedding! I’ve been spending a lot of the time in the kitchen, experimenting with recipes and cooking for family members. These were the muffins I made this morning- sent a few with my sister back to grad school, some to my aunt who just had surgery, and the rest are stowed away in our kitchen for an on-the-go breakfast!

Blueberry-Lemon Breakfast Muffins

(adapted from Betty Crocker yogurt-bran muffin recipe)

1 cup bran cereal, crushed into fine pieces

1 egg, slightly beaten

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 1/2 cups vanilla yogurt

zest and juice from one lemon

1 1/2cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup fresh blueberries (or raisins)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and grease bottoms of 12 muffin cups.

In medium bowl, stir together egg whites, oil and yogurt. Zest one lemon and add to egg mixture (1-2 teaspoons). Divide the rest of the lemon in half and squeeze juice into mixture as well, to taste.

In a separate bowl, sift together cereal, flour, brown sugar, baking soda and salt. Stir dry mixture into wet ingredients until just moistened. Gently stir in berries (or raisins). Carefully spoon into muffin cups until about 3/4 full. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until tops are golden.

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Peanut Butter-Banana Ice Cream Sandwiches

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Mmmmm… Who doesn’t love peanut butter, chocolate chunks, and a dollop of smooth, creamy ice cream? For Ben’s birthday dessert this year, I made him some of his favorites- scalloped potatoes, ham smothered in in baked beans, and finished it off with these ice cream cookie sandwiches. Peanut butter cookies, of course! They were super easy to make, and were definitely a hit! You can make these with any cookie, really, but this recipe was easier than most!

EASIEST PEANUT BUTTER-BANANA COOKIES:

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup creamy or chunky peanut butter

1/2 mashed up, very ripe banana (I substituted this for one egg!)

Handful of oats (about 3 T. or so)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mash up banana in a medium bowl until smooth and creamy with few to no chunks. Mix in peanut butter, vanilla, and oats until blended. Roll into approximately 1″ balls and place about an inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Press tops of the cookies with the back of a fork for that classic criss-cross design. Bake 12-14 minutes. Allow to cool completely and freeze for about thirty minutes.

Makes about a dozen cookies, or a half dozen sandwiches.

To prepare the sandwiches…

When chilled, place a rounded scoop of ice cream (I used Edy’s Slow-Churned Fudge Tracks) on bottom cookie and press together with top cookie. Allow ice cream to squeeze out the sides (this may require a little cleaning up… but no licking!). Sprinkle mini semi-sweet chocolate chips around edges and wrap in plastic wrap. Freeze for a few hours before serving.

Claire2 Comments

Very Berry Icebox Pie

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This easy icebox pie recipe always reminds me of summers growing up in CT, on days when no one felt like finishing off a meal with anything but something light and refreshing. This pie makes use of a ready-made graham cracker crust, a combination of Greek and regular yogurts, and light cool whip. Mix it up, pour it into the crust, run a knife through the top to make it look pretty, stick it in the freezer for a few hours, and voila- dessert couldn’t be any easier!

1 8 oz. container lite cool whip
1 ready-made graham cracker crust
2 6 oz. containers Greek yogurt, flavor of your choice (blueberry and vanilla here)
1 tbsp fruit preserves
Fresh strawberries and blueberries, for garnishing

Preheat oven to 375 deg. Bake crust 6 minutes. In a large bowl, mix together yogurt and cool whip until smooth. Fill crust.

Heat preserves 30 seconds or until runny. Pour over top of pie and swirl slowly with a knife.

Freeze at least four hours. Thaw 15 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh fruit.

Claire1 Comment

Greek Chicken Fajita Salad

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Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium red bell pepper
1/4 cup mushrooms, sliced
1/2 small yellow onion, sliced
¼ cup white wine
¼ cup chicken broth
1 tsp garlic powder, garlic pepper, or zesty Greek seasoning
1 ½ tsp oregano
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 cups baby spinach
2 cups chicken breast
2 tbsp balsamic vinaigrette dressing and marinade
½ cup crumbled feta cheese
Hummus, to taste
4 10″ whole wheat flour tortillas

1. Defrost chicken and pound to about 1/2″ thickness. Place in large ziplock storage bag and marinate in balsamic dressing, refrigerated, for at least one hour.
2. Heat olive oil over medium heat. Add bell pepper and onion and cook for 3 – 4 minutes to soften. Add mushrooms and continue to cook for 3 minutes until golden brown. Add wine, chicken broth, lemon juice, oregano and garlic seasoning. Reduce heat and cook down until vegetables are very soft- about 15 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.
3. To the same pan, add chicken and spinach. Cook chicken on medium until cooked through, about 3-4 minutes each side. Add spinach and stir until wilted. Add spinach to peppers, onions, and mushrooms mixture.
4. Slice cooked chicken into small cubes.
5. Heat tortillas in the microwave for 30 seconds, spread with hummus, and then fill with veggies, chicken, and top with feta cheese. Enjoy in wrap form, or cut up and serve over more spinach for a salad.

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Summery Banana-Nut Granola

Why buy granola in the store when you can make a lightened-up version from your own kitchen? This “healthified” version takes advantage of ingredients you probably already have in your pantry, and won’t make you question just how good for you it really is like some of the brands you see in the “health food” aisle.

Using only sweeteners such as ripened bananas, honey, and unsweetened applesauce, this granola is a guilt-free way to add a little extra crunch to your life! Enjoy it in a yogurt parfait, with a glass of cold milk, or just as a snack on its own!

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What you’ll need:
2 cups old-fashioned oats
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 cup chopped nuts of your choice (I used a mixture of cashews, walnuts, almonds, peanuts, and sunflower seeds)
Pinch of salt
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 very ripe banana
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp honey
1/2 cup dried fruit (I used raisins and some banana chips)

Preheat oven to 325 deg. Mix dry ingredients- oats through salt- in a large bowl. Set aside.

In a blender, purée applesauce, banana, and vanilla. Add to oats mixture and mix well. Batter will be moist and thick.

Spread on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake in 15 minute increments until toasted.** For the last 10 minutes of baking, add fruit. Raisins will become puffy and moist.

Cool for 10 minutes, then store in an airtight container.

**For me, this took about an hour, as the mixture was very moist and I enjoy my granola very crunchy.

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