Five Healthy Muffin Recipes| Guest Post by Craig of Cake Journal

I am glad to welcome Craig of Cake Journal to share some healthy baking... Over to him.

In most cases, the words healthy and muffin do not necessarily go together. By using alternative ingredients, it is possible to cut fat and sugar levels to a minimum. This decreases the muffin's caloric value and adds ingredients with nutritional value, such as vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. The following five recipes produce muffins that are not only tasty, but full of health benefits. 

Orange Scented Almond and Olive Oil Muffins
To make Orange Scented Almond and Olive Oil Muffins, first preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. The recipe produces 18 muffins, so place liners in an appropriately sized tin. First beat one cup of sugar and four eggs for two minutes. Add 1/2 cup of room temperature orange juice, 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil, 1/4 cup room temperature plain Greek yogurt, one teaspoon each of vanilla and almond extracts, and the zest from a large orange and beat again. Combine one cup of almond flour, 1 1/4 cups of all
purpose flour, and two teaspoons fine sea salt in another bowl. Slowly mix the dry ingredients with the wet until well combined, and then add 1/2 cup of sliced almonds.
Portion the batter by 1/3 cup per liner and bake for approximately 20 minutes. When finished, the muffins appear golden and moist. Allow them to cool for 20 minutes, and then apply a light dusting of powdered to the tops.

Apple Muffins
Apple Muffins do not require pan liners. Instead, spray a 12 slot pan with nonstick cooking spray and set the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Toss 1/4 cup of chopped pecans, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed, and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon in a bowl and set aside until the batter is poured. Using a whisk, combine one cup each all purpose and whole wheat pastry flour, one teaspoon baking
soda, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt in a second bowl. In a third bowl, combine 3/4 cup packed brown sugar, 1/4 cup canola oil, two eggs, one cup applesauce, and a teaspoon of vanilla extract. Whisk well, then slowly combine the dry ingredients with the wet, adding 3/4 cup of low fat buttermilk and 1/4 inch, peeled pieces of one golden delicious apple.
Divide the batter evenly between the 12 slots and top with the pecan mixture. Apple Muffins take 20-25 minutes to bake, or until an inserted toothpick can be removed cleanly. Allow to cool for 15 minutes before removing the muffins from the pan.

Blueberry Whole Wheat Muffins
Blueberry Whole Wheat Muffins require a baking temperature of 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Place 12 liners in a tin before preparing the ingredients. Mix 1 1/2 cups of whole wheat pastry flour, 1/2 cup rolled oats, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon baking soda. In a separate bowl, combine 1/2 cup each vegetable oil, reduced fat sour cream, and brown sugar, 1 teaspoon each of lemon zest and vanilla extract, and two eggs. Combine both bowls and fold in a cup of blueberries.
Place the batter evenly in the 12 slots of the tin. Bake the muffins for 20 to 24 minutes. The muffins will appear golden when finished.

Pumpkin Muffins
Bake Pumpkin Muffins at 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Tin liners are not necessary; simply spray a pan fit for 12 with cooking spray.
Mix one cup each all purpose and whole grain pastry flours, 1 teaspoon of baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ginger, 1/4 teaspoon cloves, and 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg. In another bowl, combine 3/4 cup of brown sugar, three
tablespoons molasses, 1/4 cup canola oil, two eggs, and whisk. Add a can of canned pumpkin and one teaspoon vanilla extract before combining with the flour mixture and 3/4 cup of low-fat buttermilk.
Divide the batter evenly in the tin and distribute 1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds among them. Bake for 20 minutes, followed by a 15 minute cooling period, and then remove them from the pan. You can find some more variations here

Carrot Muffins
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a 12 slot tin with muffin liners before combining 3/4 cup all purpose flour, 1/2 cup whole wheat flour, 2/3 cup brown sugar, 2 tablespoons wheat germ, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, and a pinch of salt in a bowl. In a separate container, whisk together two eggs, 1/3 cup vegetable oil, and 1 tablespoon vanilla extract. Combine the wet and dry ingredients, then add 2 cups of medium carrots and 1/2 cup of drained crushed pineapple.
Place the batter into the tin. Carrot Muffins bake for 30 minutes. In their final form, they are golden, and an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

So thats it Folks...
With Love,

Signs off!!!

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Top Superfoods to Include In Your Diet ~ Guest Post by Virginia Cunningham

Top Superfoods to Include In Your Diet

When we first hear the term “superfoods,” many may only recognize them as just foods that have superior nutritional value; however, not only are they ideal to include in any diet, they also have properties that can fight certain diseases, and they benefit you far beyond what more terrible nutritional choices can.

These foods are often more common and easier to come by than many of us might think. A lot of people feel like eating healthy is too expensive or time-consuming; however, it’s surprisingly just the opposite!

Particularly when dealing with superfoods, they’re easy to grab at the grocery store and even easier to prepare.



Image courtesy of rakratchada torsap — FreeDigitalPhotos.net

To eat healthy, you don’t necessarily have to order a salad with low-fat dressing every day; eating healthy actually presents you with some great options and some foods that can truly improve your health, and even your clarity of thought.

Here’s just a few of your options:

1. Avocado — Avocado is a great alternative to oil or butter, and can also be eaten like a typical fruit or vegetable. It’s rich in omega-3s, and while many will say that it’s fattening, the fats in avocado are actually healthy for you.

2. Blueberries — They’re one of the single-most antioxidant-rich food items on earth and pack plenty of fiber for an even greater health benefit. You can truly never have too many blueberries, and they are delicious fresh or frozen!

3. Quinoa — As far as grains go, quinoa is one of the best, largely in part because of its high protein content (about 8 grams per serving). Complex carbs make it a fairly complete meal item in and of itself. It’s also extremely easy to cook; just boil one cup of quinoa in two cups of water (or broth) and then let it set.

4. Salmon — Once again, omega-3s make this item a superfood favorite. Salmon also has great flavor and plenty of protein, making it a reliable centerpiece for any meal. It also goes great on a bed of greens with olive oil.

5. Spinach — Vitamin A, C and K, potassium and fiber are all in the mix when you’re talking about spinach, or any dark leafy green for that matter. It’s a better choice than iceberg lettuce, which is going to be more water than anything else.

As a general rule, the darker the leaf, the better it is for you.

6. Almonds — Vitamin E, healthy fats and protein make raw almonds one of the best snacking options of the superfood lineup. They’re quick and easy to eat, and can also go great with salads or even certain breads and desserts.

7. Black Coffee — Before you add all the sugar, creamer and whipped topping, a cup of coffee is actually really good for you. The boost of caffeine is fine (in moderation) and you'll get plenty of antioxidants to go along with that boost.

8. Green Tea — Perhaps the holy grail of healthy hot drinks, green tea is packed with antioxidants and is thought to be one of the single-healthiest things a human being can consume. Other properties in green tea are thought to improve cognition and memory. It’s also got some natural caffeine, though much less than a cup of coffee.

Working Them All In

The great thing about these foods is that they’re easy to work into an everyday meal plan. If you’re looking for a way to improve your diet, but don’t want to sacrifice great-tasting food, these are all great options because of their flavor, and ability to be mixed with other foods and meals.

Don’t settle for fast food and frozen dinners. If you put a little bit of thought and time into your meals, incorporating superfoods can easily be a daily occurrence.

About the Author:
Virginia Cunningham is a freelance writer and health enthusiast living in the Los Angeles area. As a writer for NorthWest, she is able to share her knowledge of personal health and wellness, and finds that these top superfoods are some of the best out there. What superfoods do you include in your diet? Share your comments below!

Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored or paid guest-post. I was interested in her article and hence am sharing it here in my space.

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Best Healthy Alternatives for Sweeteners when Cooking ~ Guest Post by Bridget

You don't have to swear off sweets when you are making the transition to a healthy lifestyle. You simply need to make a few adjustments. Instead of eating an entire slice of double-layer cheesecake, you can serve yourself a small sliver or enjoy a couple of those cheesecake "bites" that you can buy in the store. Instead of making your desserts and sweet treats with refined white sugars, you can choose natural, healthy sweeteners instead.
Not sure where to start? Here are a few healthy alternatives for sweeteners you can choose when cooking, as well as information about how to make the substitution:

Honey

Not only is honey all-natural, but it also provides plenty of nutrients, such as antioxidants and B vitamins. You can find different varieties and flavors or honey, or you can use just plain-ol' classic honey. When you cook with honey, you won't need as much. For every cup of sugar that the recipe calls for, use only 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup of honey. Since honey has a different consistency than sugar, it can also alter the texture of your recipe. You should reduce other liquids in the recipe by 1/4 cup and increase the baking soda by 1/4 teaspoon.

Stevia

Stevia is an herb that naturally has no calories. It's nature's solution to "diet" products! The sweet leaf is several hundred times more sweet than sugar, so you won't need nearly as much of it to sweeten your dish. Use only 1/2 teaspoon of Stevia for every 1 cup of sugar. You may want to experiment with amounts as Stevia leaves a strong aftertaste that some may not like.

Maple Syrup

This natural sweetener is tapped from the sap of maple trees. You can use it for much more than just topping your waffles in the morning. When baking with it, use about 1/4 cup of maple syrup for every 1 cup of sugar. You should also then reduce the liquid in the recipe by 3 tablespoons and increase the baking soda by 1/4 teaspoon.

Brown Rice Syrup

Made from fermented brown rice, brown rice syrup is lower on the glycemic index than white sugar and has more nutrients. You can use brown rice syrup in your cooking by replacing 1 cup of sugar with 1/4 cup of brown rice syrup.

Blackstrap Molasses

This byproduct of sugarcane processing is loaded with nutrients, such as iron, magnesium and vitamin B6, and is a healthy alternative to white sugar. Use 1-1/4 cup of molasses for every cup of sugar in the recipe. You should also cut the liquid in your recipe by 1/3 cup and add 1 teaspoon of baking soda.
There are many other options for healthy sweeteners, depending on what you're cooking and what your preferences are. Many use agave syrup, though there has recently been some controversy over whether or not agave is any different nutritionally than high-fructose corn syrup. Other options include:
• Xylitol
• Unsweetened applesauce
• Vanilla
• Dates (or date sugar)
• Fruit
Experiment with your recipes until you find the right substitutions (or combination) at the right measurements.
What healthy alternatives for sweeteners do you use in your cooking? Share them in the comments!

About the Author:
Bridget Sandorford is a freelance food and culinary writer, where recently she’s been researching San Diego culinary arts. In her spare time, she enjoys biking, painting and working on her first cookbook.

Image source: Google search engine
Disclaimer: This is not a paid post. I found the article interesting and hence am publishing the same.
So thats it Folks...
With Love,

Signs off!!!

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Bunny Cakepops ~ Guest post by Pranjali

I have never held guest posts in my space but it will happen someday. I just donot have the time to put up a schedule, get in touch with friends and then publish them here. But a guest post event is always there in my mind. So when Pranjali of Foodydelight came forward to write a guestpost on cake pops, I happily accepted it. It is for another website which specializes in cakepops, only in cakepops. How cool is that. The site is filled with beautifully decorated cakepops and more are in the mbaking. So over to Pranjali.

I am glad to share a new recipe on this blog. Today’s recipe is about creating cake pops. It can be made in various shapes. The below recipe is for Bunny Cake pops. I would also like to introduce to the new cake pop site “How to make cake pops”. This site has various styles of cake pops and you will get all the detailed recipes. You can also find other interesting design of cake pops and other helpful information to create cake pops by visiting this beautiful cake pop site

INGREDIENTS
•Basic un-coated cake balls – 6
•Vanilla candy wafers
•Lollipop sticks
•Black edible gel pen to draw eyes
•Pink heart shaped sprinkle for nose
•Some pink sprinkles for feet
•Mini marshmallow for ears
•Pink gel pen

Making process

1. Freeze the basic cake balls until they are set.
2. Melt the candy wafer following the packet instructions.
3. When the cake balls are ready, push the stick into the chilled cake balls and dip them into melted candy and tap off any excess coating
4. When the pops are dry, apply a little melted candy in position for the nose and attach pink heart shaped sprinkle.
5. Use a pink gel pen to pipe coating on either sides of the nose. Also attach sprinkles as feet.
6. For the ears, use mini marshmallows. Firstly you need to shape the marshmallow in the shape of ears. Only you need to press the marshmallow with your finger and make them to look like bunny ears. Then attach ear- shaped marshmallow on the cake pop as the ears.
7. Bunny cake pops are ready

About the Author: Pranjali Naik is a food blogger and owner of foodydelight.

So thats it Folks...
With Love,

Signs off!!!

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Happy New Year| Randam Rantings| Grilled Honey Pineapple with Chocolate Sauce| and Guest post for Sumanarthy's Kitchen

Disclaimer: This is gonna be a lengthy post so please bear with me.
Like all the food bloggers out there, I wanted to end 2012 with a recap, a thankyou note and a wish. But then the kid never allows me to sit in front of the laptop these days. As soon as the welcome screen pops live, he comes crawling at jet speed out of no-where. And then it is literal banging to the screen... oh, I don't know till when the lappy is gonna last and its just been out of service. That said, I just couldn't find time to browse through recipes and put down those recipes that the readers loved as a post. The lappy remains closed all through daytime and I sit to compose a post or trim a pic only when the kid has been rocked to sleep. And at times, I just give up and crash on the bed.

So giving up on the replay post, I moved on to other thoughts. A whole lot of ideas have been going through my mind on what to post on new year's eve. Orange curd tartlets or a chocolate mudcake.. why not butterscotch blondies (..oh the blondies have been in my to-do list for a long time) or nutella brownie bites. Ideas seem to come pouring. But I just couldn't bring myself together to bake something. The idea of celebrating a New year without the huss is weighing me down and is making me sulk. And just like a booster, came by the FB msg from Karthi. She wanted another guest post for her beautiful blog and the theme was Xmas and new year. Since I had already posted a Christmas fruit cake for this year, I took up the theme of New Year. Not wanting to do an elaborate bake, I wanted to keep it simple and when I saw a fully riped pineapple sitting on my kitchen counter, I knew what the recipe was going to be. Its a simple but elegant dish and is best served hot, topped with a dollop of ice cream and drenched in chocolate sauce. Do hop over to Sumanarthy's kitchen to know more. She hasn't posted it yet so do give it sometime.

Talking about this year, its been quite adventurous and I can describe it as a wholesome package of joy. We took a step ahead in life and ventured into parenthood ~ entered our god-sent-gift on the month of April and ever since he has been keeping us on our toes. Its been a roller-coaster ride, I would say. But end of the day, when I see him cuddled next to me, his tender hand resting peacefully across my bosom, my heart feels like bursting with love and happiness.

On the blogging front, I would say I have my own milestones. Done with my 200th post (..ok I know it is too slow, but I am happy that I could get there), my blog has got 300+ followers and am planning to open my FB page (... I didn't till now, becos I know me and I know I will not be actively maintaining it), announced my first event, had a winner for that and got done with a giveaway. Started with posting the cake that I bake for my kid's monthly birthday on the 22nd of every month which has got many readers attention and comments. And yeah, I thought of giving up blogging with the entry of the kid, but I was reluctant to do so. But thanks to DH and amma, I am in full form till now. Lets see what the future holds.

On the personal front, I have seen F.R.I.E.N.D.S sitcom for the 3rd time, completed all the seasons, finished reading the whole Harry Potter series for the 7th time and am reading more articles on food photography (I know my photos donot reflect anything of that kind but I am still on the READING stage). Added to that I never miss an episode of GREY's ANATOMY and now I have two dream boys added to my list... McDreamy and McSteamy.

When I was thinking that the year was coming to a peaceful end, (...yeah the Mayan calendar was proved to be wrong and we still live, thanks to that) the whole world was shook first by the Connecticut shooting and then by the Delhi r**e. No-one in their right mind would attempt to do something like that and still the sinners live. A friend of mine posted this on her wall:

Rightly said... No action has been taken till date that would make the victim's family happy. No action has been taken by the government to assure the citizens that they are in safe hands and sins like this will not be tolerated. Days after this incident happened, I came across another article: read this and this. Where has humanity gone, where has law gone, where has social dignity gone, where is the world going to end up. Lets wake up, lets stand up and fight for our rights. I know nothing can be done against the government and these ill mannered men but atleast we can ensure our own safety.

** Stand up when you see a b*****d rubbing against a woman
** Call back and I say use words, when you see a group teasing a girl
** Shout when you see someone verbally assaulting a lass
** Have a pepper spray in hand or atleast a compass, believe me it comes handy
** Protect your children, have an eye on them anytime, anywhere. Donot trust anybody, your father, your brother, your FIL even your huss, when it comes to your child.
** Talk to your child, let them know what is bad touch and good touch. Make them talk about their day and you will know if anything has gone wrong.

Do share the below pic in your space if you wish to.

Okay I know I have mouthed penned many of my thoughts here and am putting an end to it. All I wanted to tell is Stay safe, be safe and Play safe.

WISHING YOU ALL A HAPPY AND SAFE YEAR AHEAD. And thanks to all my dear readers who have taken their time throughout the year to stop by and say a Hi through your comments. Do visit more often.

Updated on 26/1/2012 with the full recipe

~*What U Need*~ For the chocolate sauce/gravy Butter - 2 tbsp Unsweetened cocoa powder - 1 tbsp Flour - 1 tbsp Sugar - 2 tbsp Milk - 1/2 cup Vanilla - 1/2 tsp How I Made it: Heat butter in skillet. Stir in flour, cocoa powder and sugar and continue to cook over low heat for 2-3 minutes. Add the milk slowly say 1 tbsp at a time, whisking till incorporated. Cook for another 2 minutes, until thick. Add vanilla and remove from flame.

Store in air tight containers...

~*What U Need*~ For the Grilled Honey Pineapple Pineapple slices - 4, fresh or drained Honey - 2 tbsp Butter - 2 tbsp How I Made it: Heat butter in a grill or griddle. Place the pineapple once the grill is hot, drizzle honey around the sides and cook for 3-4 mins till nice and caramelized. Flip, drizzle more honey and cook again. Once caramelized remove from pan.

Serve hot, with a dollop of icecream (..which I missed) and drizzled with chocolate sauce.

** My Notes:
** Use fresh pineapple or canned ones. If using canned drain the juices fully.
** Using a grill gives the beautiful lines, but since I didn't have one, I used a griddle. But I highly recommend using a grill.
** You can also add 1 tsp of lime juice and 1/4 tsp of cinnamon. ** I used Cadbury's cocoa powder and hence skipped the vanilla.
** Cook till forms a thick custard and if it is too thick, dilute using milk to the desired consistency
** The sauce can be stored and used within 2 days. Serve as a dip for fruit bites or breads.

So bye guys, See you next year... Have fun and enjoy life. and do check out this video which I found quite useful..

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Sabudana / Sago / Javvarisi Vadai ~ A guest post for Sumanarthy's Kitchen | Navrathiri Vrat Recipes

When Sumanarthy of Sumanarthy's kitchen asked me to do a guest blog at her space, I did not have any reason to tell no. And when she said that the theme was navratri special, I was super excited since I had wanted to try the sabudana vada that is traditionally made for navrathri vrat / fasting season and what better time than this. The recipe is simple to put together but be sure to use good and fresh sago pearls or else the vada tends to burst when put in hot oil. So why wait, head over to her space for the recipe of this crispy snack.

With this the navarathiri special recipes here @ MCTR for the year 2012 comes to an end.

Updated on 12/10/2012
Re-posting here at MCTR

This makes a super crunchy snack for your tea-time. Crispy outside and soft inside, you can never say no to this. I would suggest eating this fresh out off the kadai as they tend to lose their crunchiness after some time.

~*What U Need*~ Sabudana / Javvarisi / Sago / Tapioca pearls - 1/2 cup Potato - 1, medium Roasted peanuts - 1/4 cup Rice flour - 1 tbsp Green chillies - 2 nos, finely chopped Chopped coriander leaves - 1 tbsp Curry leaves - 1 sprig Cumin seeds - 1/4 teaspoon Salt - to taste Oil - to deep fry

How I Made it:
Wash sago pearls and soak in water for 4 to 6 hours. Drain and set aside. Pressure cook the potato for 2 whistles. Cool, peel the skin and mash well. Peel the skin off the peanuts and blend to a coarse powder.
Take the soaked sago pearls in a mixing bowl along with mashed potato and peanuts. Add rice flour, green chillies, curry leaves, coriander leaves, cumin seeds and salt. Mix well. Make small round patties from the mixture and arrange them in a plate.

Heat oil in a kadai and fry the vadas till golden brown. Drain the excess oil using paper towel.

Serve hot with tea / coffee.

** My Notes:
If the mixture is not binding together, add extra rice flour and mix.

So thats it Folks...
With Love,

Signs off!!!

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