Berry Berry Muffins

 I love Berries! It was fun to add them to muffins. My little grandchildren gobbled them up. That is always a good sign.

Ingredients
1/2 C coconut oil
1/2 C honey
1/2 C water
1/2 C almond or cashew milk
2 eggs
1/4 c chia
2 tsp baking powder
2 C wheat flour
1 C thawed mixed berries (Blueberries, raspberries, strawberries)

Directions  heat oven to 350  makes 1 dozen
1. Beat together oil, honey, water and milk. Then beat in eggs one at a time.
2. Then in another bowl mix together chia, baking powder, and flour. Fold into wet batter until combined.
3. Scoop into greased muffin cups and place in heated oven.  Bake for 15- 20 min or until done.
4. Take out of muffin tins and cool on cooling rack.

Chocolate Chip Muffins (whole grain)

This is a super easy recipe that is whole grain. I chopped up the chocolate chips which added a little bit of chocolate in every bite. They make a great little snack or a nice addition to a meal. 

Ingredients

2/3 C honey

1/2 C olive oil or coconut oil

1/2 C almond milk

1/2 C water

2 eggs

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 C chia

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 C whole wheat flour 

1/2 C dark chocolate chips chopped up

Directions make 12 mini muffins Heat oven to 400

1. Beat or stir together honey, oil, water. Beat or stir in the eggs. Set aside.

2. In a small bowl mix together salt, chia, baking powder, and flour. 

3. Fold flour mixture into wet mixture stir until all combined. 

4. Fold in chocolate chips. 

5. Grease muffin tin. Scoop muffin mix into tins. 

6. Bake 12-15 min. 

7. Take out of muffin tins and let cool on wire rack. Enjoy

Cranberry Orange English Muffins

It is always fun to eat a muffin whether it is for breakfast, lunch, brunch or even a snack. These are a wonderful whole grain muffins that have a fun addition of fruit. These would be easy to freeze in airtight container to have for later. 

Ingredients

3 3/4 C whole grain flour (I used spelt)
1 T +1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 C sugar or sweetener of your choice
5 oz of dried cranberries
2 medium bananas smashed
2 T fresh orange juice
3 tsp orange zest
2 1/2 C almond milk
2 eggs beaten
6 T coconut oil melted
dried oatmeal to sprinkle on top

Directions  makes 2 dozen

1. Heat oven to 400. Mix all the dry ingredients into a mixing bowl. Flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Stir until all combined with whisk or fork.
2. Stir in the cranberries.
3. Make a well in the mixture and pour in bananas, orange juice, zest, milk, eggs and oil. Stir until just combined. Don't over stir.
4. Grease muffin tins or use paper cups.
5. Scoop batter into cups. Sprinkle a little dried oatmeal on to each muffin before cooking.
6. Cook for 25 to 30 min. Take out of oven and cool on cooling rack.
7. Serve with warm with butter, honey, or jam.

Orange Bran Muffins

Love to have some yummy muffins to much on. These were fun to eat with my grandsons today. It was fun to add some orange to the the typical bran muffins. It was a fun addition. It is a good day here having fun with a couple grandsons for  a couple days while their parents are out of town. I love being able to see things through their eyes. They are sweet little boys. 

Ingredients

1/3 C Bob's Red Mill Oat Bran cereal

1 C almond milk

juice from 2 oranges

1/3 C chia seeds *optional

2 T orange zest

2 eggs

2 T coconut oil

1/3 C honey

2 C whole grain flour 

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 C unsweetened coconut shredded

other fun optional add in:

1/2 mini chocolate chips

1/2 C cut up apples

1/2 C dried fruit

Directions    Heat oven to 350 makes 1 dozen.

1. Pour cereal into a mixing bowl. Then pour in milk, juice, and chia seeds. Stir until all moistened. Set aside to let the cereal soften about 5 min.

2. Stir in zest, eggs, oil and honey. Stir until all combined. 

3. Then stir in flour, baking powder, salt. Stir in coconut. 

4. Scoop muffins mixture into greased muffin pans. 

5. Place in heated oven bake about 10-12 min. 

6. Take out of oven take out of oven and take out of pan. Place on cooling rack. 

7. I like eating them nice and hot out of the oven. 

Pumpkin Truffle Muffins

When you make these you need to make the truffles up ahead of time. We enjoyed these with dinner yesterday.  It was a fun treat having the truffles inside of them. My grandson who is a picky eater said he wants me to make them every time he comes over. It is fun to be a grandma to 3 busy boys. They all 3 have different personalities but, they are full of so much love for life and enthusiasm. I love it! I saw 2 of them perform in a program at church yesterday. They were so excited. It is fun to live close and be able to watch them. Happy Fall!

Pumpkin Truffles
Ingredients

6 oz dark chocolate chips or bar
1/3 C canned coconut milk
2 T coconut oil
1 1/2 tsp pumpkin spice *
1 tsp vanilla
crushed nuts to roll them in (I used pecans)


Directions

1. In a small saucepan on medium low heat pour in chocolate, milk, and oil. Stir until all melted and nice and smooth.
2. Stir in the spices until all combined.
3. Take off the heat and stir in the vanilla.
4. Pour into small bowl and let cool in the fridge for about 40 min to harden.
5. Take bowl out of fridge. Rub some coconut oil on your clean hands for easier handling.
6. Scrape with the side of a spoon the chocolate until you get enough for a small ball. Roll into a ball with your greased hands.
7. Put nuts in a small bowl and roll the ball into the nuts.
8. Place in air tight container and place in fridge to harden. Enjoy!


Pumpkin Muffins
Ingredients

1 C buttermilk or milk + 1T vinegar (let sit for 20 min)
1/2 C honey
2 T coconut oil
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1  C canned pumpkin puree
3/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp salt
1 T baking powder
2 C whole grain flour ( I used spelt flour)

Directions   heat oven 350  makes 12 muffins

1. Beat in blender together milk, honey, oil and eggs. Then pulse in vanilla. Then pulse in pumpkin puree. Set aside.
2. In small bowl pour in pumpkin spice, salt, baking powder and flour. Stir together with wire whisk.
3. Fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients. Stir until all combined. 
4. Grease muffin pans and scoop muffin mix into pans.
5. Cut truffles in half and push one in the middle of each uncooked muffin. Place into heated oven.
5. Bake 10-12 min.
6. Take out of the oven and take out of the pan and cool on a cooling rack.

Pumpkin Spice Muffins

Pumpkin muffins are one of my favorite kind of muffins. These are no exception. They were moist and delicious. The flavor was fantastic. I loved adding the chia for extra protein. They were wonderful while I ate this Coconut Curried Butternut Soup. 

Ingredients

1C buttermilk or milk + 1T vinegar (let sit for 20 min)
1/2 C honey
2 T coconut oil
2 eggs
1/3 C chia
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/4 C canned pumpkin puree
3/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp salt
1 T baking powder
2 C spelt flour or whole grain flour

Directions   heat oven 375  makes 30 mini muffins

1. Beat in blender together milk, honey, oil and eggs. Then pulse in vanilla. Then pulse in pumpkin puree. Set aside.
2. In small bowl pour in pumpkin spice, salt, baking powder and flour. Stir together with wire whisk.
3. Fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients. Stir until all combined.
4. Grease muffin pans and scoop muffin mix into pans and place into heated oven.
5. Bake 10-12 min.
6. Take out of the oven and take out of the pan and cool on a cooling rack.

Zucchini Carrot Muffookies (Whole Grain)

I hope the name of these puts a smile on your face like it does wit me. My daughter Deanna came up with a name for these. She said they were a combination of a cookie and a muffin. It is fun to come up with names instead of the traditional names. I am all for that plan. These were a hit with my family. My husband was sneaking a couple before  got a picture of them. I managed to save a couple for the picture. This is a great way to use your zucchini out of the garden too. Enjoy!

Ingredients

1 1/2 whole grain flour (I used spelt flour)
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
3 T cornstarch
1/2 C coconut oil
1/2 C honey
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 C grated zucchini
1 /2 C grated carrot
2 C oatmeal
1 C dark chocolate chips

Directions  Heat oven to 350

1. In a bowl pour in the flour, salt, cinnamon, soda, cornstarch, and blend until all combined with a wire whisk set aside.
2. In a separate bowl beat together oil, honey, egg and vanilla until light and fluffy.
3. Pour in the zucchini and carrots and blend until combined.
4. Stir in the flour mixture too.
5. Then stir in the oatmeal and then the chips. Let sit to thicken a couple minutes.
6. Scoop on to cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or on a greased cookie sheet.
7. Place in heated oven and bake until light golden about 10 min.
8. Cool on cooling rack and enjoy. Store in airtight container.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Whole Grain Muffins

It sounded like a fun idea to make chocolate and peanut butter muffins. It is a yummy combination, so why not make it into a muffin. I made 2 kinds one with cocoa one without. You can decide which one sounds best.  They are made from whole grains so they are great to eat anytime of the day.

Ingredients

1/4 C natural peanut butter
1/2 C honey
2/3 C coconut oil
1/2 C almond milk
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1/3 C cooked quinoa (I used leftovers from cooked cereal)
1 1/3 C old fashioned oatmeal
1 1/3 C whole grain (I used Kamut flour)
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
2 T cocoa * (for chocolate version)
1/2 C dark chocolate chips

Directions  Makes 1 dozen muffins heat oven to 350

1. In a bowl beat together peanut butter, honey, oil. Beat until nice and creamy. While Beating add the milk, eggs and vanilla.
2. Stir in the quinoa, oats, flour, salt, soda, baking powder, and *cocoa. Stir until all blended.
3. Fold in the chips.
4. Scoop into greased muffin cups and place in hot oven. Bake 12-15 min or until done. Don't let them over bake.
5. Cool on cooling rack.
6. Enjoy!

Mango Oatmeal Muffins

Ingredients
2 3/4 C spelt flour or whole grain flour 
1/2 C quick oats
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder (aluminum free, please)
2 tsp cinnamon
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 C almond milk
2/3 C honey
1 tsp. vanilla 
1/2 C coconut oil
1 C Mango puree (mashed mangoes)

Directions makes 18-24 muffins
1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Grease muffin pans. 
3. Mix together dry ingredients  in a large bowl.
4. In a medium bowl, combine the eggs, milk, honey, vanilla, and the puree mango. Add wet mixture to dry ingredients stir until just blended.
5. Fill muffin cups.
6. Bake 10-15 min. Take out of pan and let cool. 

Blueberry Banana Quinoa Oatmeal Muffins (gluten free)

I hope you had a wonderful Mother Day weekend. There are lots of wonderful ways to be mothers to children. I am so grateful to have a wonderful Mother that teaches me so very much.  I am grateful to be a Mother. It is what I always wanted to be when I grew up and I have not been disappointed with my choice. My husband and children made a terrific meal yesterday. I felt their love for me. 

These muffins got the thumbs up from those who ate them today. My grandson Jacob was going for 2nds or 3rds and he said "These are delicious." So that is a winner in my book. 

Ingredients:

2 ripe banana mashed equal to 1 C 

 3/4  plain yogurt
1/2 C honey
2/3 C coconut oil
4 tsp vanilla
2 C quinoa flour or  oat, kamut, wheat, or spelt flour

1 1/2 C old fashioned oatmeal
4 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon (heaping)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 C Blueberries

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 375 bakes in 8-9 min

2. Mix banana, yogurt, honey, oil and vanilla together.

3. In a separate bowl mix all the dry ingredients together. Then combine with the wet ingredients. Fold in the blueberries gently.

4. Scoop into greased muffin pans. Place muffin pans in preheated oven. 

5. Remove from muffin pan and cool on cooling rack. Enjoy! 

6. Store leftovers in airtight container in the fridge. You could also make extras and freeze them.

Easter Brunch Carrot Cake Muffins

 These carrot cake muffins are wonderful to eat anytime of day. It would be a lot of fun to eat them for an Easter breakfast or brunch. It would also be a fun way to welcome in Spring. :) They are loaded with healthy ingredients. I loved how mosit they tasted yum.


Ingredients
1 1/2 C kamut flour (or your choice of whole grain flour)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 C grape seed oil
1/3 C raisins *optional
1 C grated carrots
1/3 C honey
1/2 C pineapple tidbits, drained, and dried off

Directions
1. Mix together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
2. In a separate larger bowl, mix together wet ingredients. Gently stir in dry ingredients.
3. Pour in greased muffin tins.
4. Bake at 350 for about 20 min or until done.

Pineapple Mango Bites

I am a big fan of pineapple and mangoes so why not put them in a muffin bite?  That is what I did.  They turned out moist and sweet. They would be great for breakfast or a snack.  

Ingredients

1 1/2 C oatmeal old fashioned

1/2 C plain Greek yogurt

1/2 C almond milk

1/2 C honey

2 T coconut oil

1 egg

1 banana, mashed

1/3 C mango, diced

1/3 C pineapple, diced (I used fresh)

1/2 C coconut, unsweetened, shredded

1/3 C oat flour 

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt.

Directions (Makes 12 muffin-sized bites)

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease muffin tins or fold in parchment paper. In a large bowl, mix together oatmeal, yogurt, milk, honey, and coconut oil.

2. Fold in egg, banana, mango, pineapple, and coconut.

3. Stir in oat flour baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Let it rest for 5 to 10 min.

4. Put mixture in muffin tins. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.

Healthy Sweet Pocket of Raspberry Jam Muffins (wholegrain)

What are you doing to enjoy your Summer. I having been on a mission to do something fun each day, before Summer vacation is over. Sometimes at the end of Summer I think of all the things that I wish I had done. So that is why I am working on doing something fun each day. It has been a lot of fun. I have created some impromptu gatherings that have been a lot of fun. It has been fun to enjoy family time and the great outdoors. I love to soak up all the outside time that I can. So what do you do in the Summer time when all the world is green ..? (from a song I sang at church when I was younger.) It has been fun to get peoples responses. Make the most of Summer it is slipping by way too fast.

I found a version of this recipe in a magazine and changed it up to make it healthy. It was a great way to use this. The berries tasted great in them. You could use any kind of berries. It had been a while since I had made muffins. It was a nice treat. 

Ingredients:

2 eggs

2 T honey (More if you want sweeter)

3/4 C of rice milk or any kind of milk

1/4 C coconut oil

2 C spelt flour

2 1/2  tsp baking powder

1/4tsp salt

1 1/4 C raspberries (replace with any kind of berry)

1/2 C raspberries preserves all fruit. (You could use any kind of berry)

Directions: Heat oven to 375  makes 12

1.Beat together in a bowl eggs, honey, milk and oil. Set aside 

2. Pour into a new bowl flour, baking powder, and salt. Fold in the wet mixture. 

3. Fold in berries until just mixed.

4. Scoop out one cup of batter and set aside.

5. Grease muffin tins. Pour in the remaining batter into the cups evenly distributing. 

6. Pour 1 tsp of preserves into the center of each muffin tin on top of the batter.

7. Then evenly distribute the 1 cup of batter on top of all the muffins. 

8. Place in hot oven and bake for 15 to 20 min. Cool on cooling rack. Enjoy!

Whole Grain Chocolate Pumpkin Muffins

 I came up with this idea last night. I thought instead of pumpkin chocolate chip muffins to make chocolate pumpkin muffins. They turned out great. My family keeps eating them so that is always a good sign. They could be frozen for a quick snack too. Hooray, for "healthy snacks" .

Ingredients
3 1/2 C whole grain flour (I mixed 2 C spelt, 1 C kamut, and 1/2 C quinoa, ground together)
1 C light brown sugar, packed
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
2 tsp nutmeg
2 tsp cinnamon
1 15-oz. can pumpkin, or 2 C fresh pumpkin puree
1/2 C coconut oil (another oil would also work if you are in a pinch)
1/2 C  applesauce
2/3 C Pure Almond Milk
1/4 C cocoa (mine was a blend of Dutch and natural cocoa)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease pans with cooking spray.

2. Mix together dry ingredients in a large bowl. In another bowl, combine pumpkin, oil, applesauce, and almond milk.

3. Mix together wet and dry ingredients until just combined. Pour in mini muffin tins.

4 Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Makes about 36- 40 mini muffins.

*You could make it into a loaf instead of muffins.

Healthy Morning Side Muffins

Image credit NASA 

I love the morning when the sun is just coming over the mountains. I love seeing how the sun sheds light on to the mountains. I love the sunshine it warms my soul. The sunrise brings a fresh start to a new day. Look to the sun for light. :)  I love light. This world is a beautiful place. :)  

I love the weekends It is so nice to have my husband home and regroup as a family. This weekend we left the projects behind, and enjoyed a "field trip" as my husband called it. We were gone for the day and evening enjoying time together. We went and visited a college campus for my daughter, and a new shopping center. Then another daughter was in a pageant and we enjoyed watching  her stretch to new limits. My children teach me by the things they do.  It was a fun day to be together. The cool thing is when your gone all day, and leave a clean house, the house stays clean. It is nice to have a day off every once in a  while. We all need it.

These were yummy muffins, As have said before I think muffins are even better the next day. I think all the flavors are enhanced. I look for muffins not to be sweet like a cookie. If you are looking for sweeter you can increase the sweetener. These are a great way to start your morning. :)

Ingredients:

3 C whole Grain flour (I used mixture spelt, kamut, and buckwheat)

1 T baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp allspice

6 T coconut oil 

3/4 C coconut sugar or other sweetener

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 C rice milk

1 ripe banana mashed

1 C grated carrots

1 to 1 1/2 C pineapple tidbits (drained)

Directions:

1. Measure and pour into a bowl all the dry ingredients. Stir together with a wire whisk and set aside.

2. In a mixing bowl beat the softened coconut oil and then beat in the sugar till creamy. Beat for a couple minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time and then the vanilla. 

3. Then beat in the milk and  bananas.  Stir in the dry in ingredients. 

4. Stir in the carrots and pineapples.

5. Pour into greased muffin pans. Bake 375 for 12-to 25 min. depending on the size of your muffins. 

6. Remove from the pan while still warm. Store extras in airtight container.