Category: Breakfast
Orange, Vanilla Bean & Cinnamon Pound Cake
| March 13, 2011 | Filled under Breakfast, Cake and Pastry, Fruit, Special Occasions, Winter |
In these last days of winter, it can be hard to find inspiration for new recipes – I’m tired of starchy winter vegetables, and it seems like there’s nothing in season. It’s times like these when I like to turn to citrus. Navel oranges are at the peak of their season and offer a refreshingly bright note amid winter’s heavier flavors.
This rich pound cake was inspired by one of my favorite breakfasts – Greek God’s Vanilla, Cinnamon, and Orange yogurt. I love the way the spicy, musky notes of the cinnamon and vanilla balance out the tangy citrus, and thought they would be a good way to jazz up my standard pound cake recipe. I really loved the way this came out — the sugars from the fresh orange juice caramelized and created a delicate “crust” around the cake, which is dense and tender.
This cake is perfect straight out of the pan but for an extra-special treat, try lightly toasting it under the broiler or in a hot pan.
Kitchen Tip: Ever wonder how bakeries get their loaf cakes to crack in a perfectly straight line across the top, rather than in a haphazard mess? Simply use the edge of a knife to draw a line of melted butter across the top of the cake before you put it in the oven — like magic, the crack will form right where the line was drawn. When tasting for doneness, do not insert your tester into the crack — since no crust forms here, the cake will be moister and may lead you to think that the cake isn’t ready. Instead, insert your test about an inch to one side or the other.
Click to continue reading and get the recipe for Orange, Vanilla Bean & Cinnamon Pound Cake –>
Oat Bran-Applesauce Muffins from Power Foods
| January 30, 2011 | Filled under Breads, Breakfast, Reviews |
I’ve been holding out on you; I’m sorry. I received a review copy of the fabulous new cookbook, Power Foods, a few weeks ago but things have been crazy around here and I just haven’t had the time or energy to write the kind of review that would do it justice. Instead I kept the book to myself, making recipe after recipe, thinking about how excited I was to get to share it with you all. Well, enough is enough. I hope that you’ll accept this muffin recipe as an apology.
Power Foods is a beautiful, softcover cookbook from the editors of Whole Living Magazine. The concept of the book is simple: 150 recipes featuring 38 healthy ingredients — from asparagus and Swiss chard to salmon and pecans. Unlike a lot of other cookbooks that are published this time of year Power Foods isn’t a “diet” cookbook; it simply promotes eating healthy, whole foods that are chock-full of nutrients. That’s my kind of cookbook!
I really like how this book is laid out. It starts with a one-page overview of each “power food” — explaining the food’s health benefits, providing tips for purchasing and storage, and directing the reader to specific recipes in the book that use the highlighted ingredient. Following that section are the standard cookbook chapters: breakfasts, starters & snacks, sandwiches & wraps, soups & stews, salads, main dishes, side dishes, and desserts. Finally, there’s a nifty little section that they call “The Basics” that includes informative overviews of things like oils, herbs, and sweeteners, as well as nutritional breakdowns for each “power food.”
There honestly isn’t a single thing that I don’t love about this cookbook – I’m completely smitten. Gorgeous, full-page photographs accompany most of the recipes, nutritional information is included for each recipe, and the ingredient lists are simple and straight forward (I’ve made a few substitutions here and there — like using oat bran instead of wheat bran in the recipe below — but the only thing I’ve actually had to buy especially for this book is flax).
And the recipes? Delicious and creative. These applesauce muffins were fantastic for breakfast. The walnut-crusted chicken breasts along with the shredded Brussels sprouts salad made a great weeknight dinner (it was on the table in under 15 minutes). Turnip was an interesting and welcome surprise in the paprika shrimp. I can’t wait to try the soba noodle soup, or the quinoa and turkey patties, or the halibut in green tea broth. I know, I’m swooning again. This book is just that awesome. I’ve never said this on this blog before, but here it goes: if you have any interest in healthy cooking at all, buy this book. Now. It’s $16.44 on Amazon and worth every cent.
Click through to continue reading and get the recipe for Oat Bran-Applesauce Mini Muffins –>
Oat Bran-Applesauce Mini Muffins
Reprinted from Power Foods
Yields 24
Loaded with soluble fiber, the old-fashioned oats in these muffins help reduce cholesterol and regulate blood sugar. Dates and applesauce — both full of fiber, vitamins, and natural sugars — create a complex caramel flavor when combined with the honey. (Go ahead and make these muffins in a full sized tin if you want. I did that and got 12 muffins from this recipe, cooking time didn’t need any adjusting. -LK)
- 2 cups unsweetened Applesauce
- 2 ounces Dates, pitted and chopped
- 1 cup Wheat Bran
- 1/2 cup low-fat Buttermilk
- 1 Egg
- 2 Tbs. Honey
- 3/4 tsp. freshly grated Ginger
- 1/2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
- 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbs Flour
- 2 Tbs. ground Flax
- 1-1/4 tsp. Baking Soda
- 1/4 tsp. Salt
- 1/4 tsp. Allspice
- 1/4 cup plus 1 Tbs. Rolled Oats (not instant)
Preheat oven to 375F. Cook applesauce and dates in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently, until reduced to 1-1/4 cups — 15-20 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool completely.
Add bran, buttermilk, egg, honey, ginger, and vanilla to applesauce mixture, stirring to combine. Let stand 10 minutes.
Whisk together flour, flax, baking soda, salt, allspice, and 1/4 cup oats. Stir into the wet ingredients.
Coat two mini muffin tins with cooking spray. Spoon batter into cups, filling each to the brim. Sprinkle the remaining oats over the muffins. Bake, rotating the tins halfway through, until a tester inserted in the middle of a muffin comes out clean — 20-23 minutes. Let cool completely.
Per muffin: 43 calories, 1 g. saturated fat, 4 g. unsaturated fat, 9 g. carbohydrates, 1.4 g. protein, 1.6 g. fiber
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of Power Foods to review and was given permission to reprint the recipe above. All opinions are my own, and my review is honest.
Comments