Multigrain Peach Pie Muffins

It is that wonderful time of year to have fresh peaches again. The flavor of a fresh ripe peach is wonderful. One of my favorite ways to have them is with vanilla ice cream. :) I was having a gathering with some friends, so I decided to try something new. They taste a little bit like peach cobbler or peach pie. I think muffins taste even better the second day when all of the flavors have set in. They were a fun treat.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 wholegrain flour (I ground up 1 C kamut 1 1/2 C spelt and 1/2 C teff. There was leftover)
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cardamom
1/2 tsp fresh nutmeg or 1/4 tsp dried nutmeg
2 C old fashioned oatmeal
1 1/2 C milk
2 eggs
1/3 C coconut oil
1/2 C honey
2 ripe peaches diced in small pieces

Directions: Made made about 38 mini muffins

1. Preheat oven to 400.

2. Mix the first 6 ingredients together.

3. In a separate bowl mix the oatmeal and milk together to soften the oatmeal.Set aside for 5-10 min.

4. Then mix the oatmeal mixture with the eggs, oil and honey.

5. Then fold the oatmeal mixture into the flour mixture.

6. Then fold in the diced peaches.

7. Pour into greased muffin pans. Bake 15-20 min. Remove from pan and serve. Enjoy!

* You can also dust them with powdered sugar.

Buckwheat, Oatmeal and Amaranth Hot Cereal

I have enjoyed this mixture as hot cereal a couple times. Lauri suggested that she puts coconut oil in her hot cereal. She said it gives and extra creamy texture, and I agree. I really like what the coconut oil adds to the cereal. I also like the extra bonus, the oil it helps it to not boil over. :) The combination of all the grains is wonderful. Think of all the nutrition you are starting your day off with. All combined in just one bowl. =)


Ingredients:
3 C hot water
2/3 C old fashioned oatmeal
1/3 C amaranth
1/3 C buckwheat
1 1/2 T coconut oil
*I have used quinoa as one of the grains too.
sweeten to your preference
top with cut up fruit, nuts, coconut etc...

Directions:

1. Put a medium saucepan on the stove. Then pour in all the ingredients. (It adds to the nutrition to let the grain soak for 15 min or more. It is not necessary though.) Then turn to medium heat, and cover with a lid. Stir occasionally. Let cook until all the water is absorbed and, completely softened.

2. Pour into bowl, add sweetener, and desired topping. Have a great weekend!

Multigrain Strawberry Banana Muffins

It was fun to get some glimpses of the royal wedding today. She looked beautiful! The elegant dress looked gorgeous on her. I love to be a part of romance. I think everyone enjoys it to different degrees. It brought back memories of watching Princess Diana get married. I remember enjoying watching that as well. At the time I wasn't married, but was looking forward to it in the next couple years. Now watching this wedding many years later, I am married, and enjoy the wedding with new insights. I love being married! It is wonderful to find someone that fills my life with so much happiness and joy. Watching this wedding, and others makes me think about my own marriage, and the day I got married. It also makes me think of ways I could be a better wife. Love is such an important part of each of our lives. It was a fun morning. The words keep coming to my mind, "Every girl is a princess" and I believe it! :)

Yesterday it was fun to try, yet another muffin. I was pleased with the result. I think I liked them even better this morning. It was fun to mix 5 different grains into them as well. It is nice when it can be healthy and taste good at the same time. I also read some good reminders on how to make better muffins.

Tips to improve your muffins:

1. Don't ever beat them with a mixer.
2. Fold the ingredients together. Stir around 20 times. The batter will till be lumpy.
3. Beat the wet ingredients separately in a separate bowl.
4. Using a cookie scoop works great for scooping the batter into the muffin pans. It helps to keep me from over stirring.
5. Avoid over baking them.
6. Remove them from the pan quickly after taking them out of the oven. Leaving them in the pan, they will continue to cook and dry the muffins out.
7. If you are adding frozen berries to your muffins, do not thaw them before adding them. They will be mushy.
8. Mixing the berries into the flour, before adding the wet ingredients helps to keep them from sinking to the bottom of the pan, and keeps them separated nicely.

Ingredients:

1/2 C coconut oil
1/2 C plain yogurt
2/3 C honey
2 tsp vanilla
3 large eggs
4 over ripe bananas mashed
1/4 C banana liquid
2 C strawberries fresh or frozen in small pieces or perserves
4 1/2 C whole grain flour or  mixed whole grains*
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt

Directions: made 46 small muffins Bake at 350

1. Place peeled bananas in a glass bowl. Cover it with plastic, and microwave for 5 min. Strain out liquid (which should be about 1/2 C). Pour the liquid into a saucepan. Boil the liquid until it equals 1/4 C. Set aside to cool.

2. In a medium sized bowl, beat with a wire whisk, eggs, honey, oil, vanilla, mashed bananas and liquid from bananas. Set aside.

3. Whisk in a separate bowl flour, baking powder, soda, salt, and cinnamon. Then gently fold in the strawberries until they are completely covered with flour.

4. Then fold in wet ingredients. Stir around 20 turns. The batter will be lumpy.

5. Scoop with cookie scoop into greased pan.

6. Bake 10 to 12 min if they are small muffins. Just till barely golden.


* (I ground 2 C spelt, 1 C kamut, 1/4 C buckwheat, 1/4 C amaranth, 1/4 C brown rice I had a small amount left over.)