WIAW (2) & Food Firsts (1)

I have a few different lists of goals. I have  a life list, which I have not put online, but it's been there for a while and I am slowly chipping things off and probably more rapidly adding things to it. It is a work in progress.

I also have a Project 52 list, which I made because of Karen's suggesting it. I also have not put this one online, as a lot of the things on my list are private, things I want to do for me. BUT. One of my goals for myself recently was to try a new recipe once a month. I have been pinning recipes, as well as just going and buying stuff and throwing it together on my own accord. I love doing that; it's like an experiment or a game. You win if it tastes good. You try again if it doesn't.

I have blown my goal out of the water. So far, I have probably made a new recipe at least once a week. Here is one I made recently that I liked! They are not too sweet, which I like, but if you have a sweet tooth, you may want to add a little sugar. Also, I will probably add more cinnamon next time! These make a great breakfast muffin or a nutritious snack. They have approximately 100 calories per muffin.

Low-fat Apple Oatmeal Muffins

Prep Time: 10 minutes / Cook Time: 20 minutes / Total Time: 30 minutes (adapted from this recipe)

Ingredients:

2 cups apple, peeled and shredded

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup quick oats

2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 cup fat-free milk (I used unsweetened Almond milk)

2 tbsp canola oil

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup plain fat-free yogurt

2 egg whites (I used one whole egg)

1. Combine wet and dry ingredients separately. 

2. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Stir. 

3. Put batter into lined or greased muffin tin. **NOTE: I used papers, and the muffins got stuck to the paper, so I ended up eating half muffin, half paper. I would suggest a greased tin or better papers than the ones I have! Darn it Martha!

I only filled mine about half full, since I would rather have more smaller muffins rather than less bigger ones. The recipe suggests 12 muffins, but I made 24 (obviously, if you only make 12, they will have approximately 200 calories per muffin instead!)

4. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. 

5. Eat three two one (see, I am glad I made them smaller!)

For more recipes I am thinking of trying, or to find me on Pinterest, go HERE. Also, since it is Wednesday, here's WIAW, part deux, hosted by Jenn at Peas and Crayons.

Breakfast: 

Steel Cut Oats with Apple / Pumpkin Seed / Sunflower Seed / Almond Milk

Spinach & Egg Muffin with Yellow Bell Pepper

Gummy Vitamins (yum)

Lunch/Dinner:

Mixed Bean Soup

Corned Beef

Chicken Breast

Snacks:

2 Apple Oat muffins

Strawberries with Cottage Cheese

Carrots and Hummus

Greenish Drink (Almond milk / Spinach / Frozen Peaches / Flax seed)

What I learned? I did not eat very much green stuff on this day! Also, I use the little light blue bowl a lot. Also, I need to work on my food photography. Katrina, over at Capture Your 365, suggests reading this article for some food photo tips.

Do you try new recipes often? Do you have a new favorite? Are you good at taking food photos?

An Apple a Day Monday: III

Remember last week when I made the Apple Cake? Now I had buttermilk left over, as well as still having plenty of apples. I didn’t yet know what I wanted to make with these items. I contemplated buttermilk biscuits or buttermilk apple muffins.

(Check out Apple a Day I and Apple A Day II.)

Then, I got the prize in the mail that I won from Corey! Flaxseed Meal! I have never used it before, but have been putting it in oatmeal, on cereal and now in baking…and its great! I used the recipe that was on the back of the bag and amended it a bit to fit what I had on hand. And…they turned out great! Like a nutty, yummy, bran muffin…without the bran! For those of you who are gluten free, flaxseed is GF, so all you need is some GF flour (can sub for oats as well) and you are all set!

Bran Flax Muffins

(aka Oat Apple Nut Buttermilk Flax Muffins [and Squares])

1½ cups flour

¾ cup flaxseed

¾ cup oat bran (I used stone ground oats)

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. salt

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 ½ cup carrots, shredded

2 apples, peeled and shredded

½ cup raisins (I used craisins instead)

1 cup nuts, chopped (I used walnuts)

¾ cup milk (I used buttermilk instead)

2 eggs, beaten

1 tsp. vanilla

Mix dry ingredients (first 7 on the list). 

In a separate bowl, mix the rest of the (wet) ingredients. 

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Do not over stir. Batter may be slightly lumpy. Pour into greased muffin tin. Fill cups approximately ¾ full. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Yields 15 medium sized muffins**

**NOTES: I ended up filling 12 cups ¾ full and still having a lot left over, so I used a bread pan and 2 mini bread pans to use up the rest. You could also easily cook these in a 9x13 baking dish and just cut them into squares. 

Next up: The apple craze continues! What else can one make with an apple? Don’t forget to check back next Monday to find out...and for another edition of “An Apple a Day”, which will be a feature each Monday in November.

Have you ever used flaxseed meal? Have you ever made your own oat bars?