Martha Monday: Hearty Blueberry Muffins

While I have to admit that I usually prefer my baked goods to be heavy on the decadent ingredients that
make them oh-so-tasty, every once in awhile it's not so bad to have a pure, healthier baked treat that really allows all of the natural flavors to shine through. Not to mention, I have a pantry full of whole-wheat flour and wheat germ that I wasn't really sure what to do with : )

I actually reduced the brown sugar in this recipe to 1/3 cup with no issues, and you could try replacing the oil with applesauce or banana puree to cut down on fat content as well--though I have to admit that the hint of tropical flavor coming through from the coconut oil in this recipe is really delightful.

At 135 calories, 5 grams of fat, and 2 grams of protein per muffin, these little cakes make a great afternoon snack to fill you up and keep you going til the end of the work day. Or anytime really, these muffins are awesome! :)

Hearty Blueberry Muffins
     from Martha Stewart
     makes 12-14
3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
3/4 cup low-fat plain yogurt
1/4 cup virgin coconut oil, melted, or safflower oil
2 large eggs
8 oz fresh blueberries (about 1 1/2 cups)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. Whisk together flours, wheat germ, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk together brown sugar, yogurt, oil, and eggs in another large bowl. Add yogurt mixture to flour mixture and gently mix until just combined. Fold in blueberries with a rubber spatula.

2. Divide batter among muffin cups. Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Let cool in pan 10 minutes. Transfer muffins to a wire rack and let cool completely.

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Vanilla Cardamom Quinoa Pudding

Just as I have become a reformed rice pudding hater, quinoa is another food that I've come around to slowly. It's seemingly exotic, can be somewhat bland and, let's be honest, I was one of those people still calling it "kin-oh-uh" until that Whole Foods Parking Lot viral rap.

But in a half-assed hearted attempt to improve some of my carb choices, I thought there must be a way to combine this super food with a little bit of the sweetness I still crave. As a high-quality protein with lots of fiber, iron, calcium, riboflavin, magnesium, yadda, yadda, yadda--basically all the good stuff you need that you never want to eat (if you're a cupcake fiend like me), quinoa is an awesome gluten-free replacement for rice in this light summer pudding.

I used almond milk because it's all I had on hand, but you could easily replace it with regular milk, or even substitute for the heavy cream to make this recipe completely dairy free, and vegan.

A couple of notes: Be sure to rinse your quinoa before using it. The seeds are actually coated with a chemical (saponin) that is usually washed off during processing but, just in case, you'll want to give it another rinse as it can interfere with the digestion of all the yummy healthful benefits mentioned above. In that case, you might as well just eat rice pudding :)

Vanilla Cardamom Quinoa Pudding
     adapted from Enlightened Cooking
1 cup quinoa, rinsed
3 cups almond milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon cardamom
1/4 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 teaspoon rosewater (optional)
Chopped pistachios for garnish (optional)

1. In a medium saucepan, combine quinoa, sugar, cardamom, salt, milk and cream. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover leaving lid ajar, and simmer stirring occasionally for 30-35 minutes, or until quinoa is very soft and mixture is thickened.

2. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and rosewater (if using). Transfer to a heatproof bowl and let cool to room temperature. Serve cool or chilled topped with chopped pistachios if desired. Serves 4-6.

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Pistacia Vera

Even though I try to keep up with bakery developments in my home town, luckily my parents are always on the lookout for new sweet spots to try out for whenever I come to visit. This was the case on my last trip home--even though my visit was a surprise, my mom didn't miss a beat and dropped several hints that there was a place in Columbus' German Village called Pistacia Vera that she thought I might like.

I know what you're thinking--German Village?? For those who haven't had the pleasure of visiting Columbus, Ohio, German Village sparks the same reaction in many Columbusites that Georgetown invokes in some here in D.C. "It's out of the way!" "It's crowded!" "It's so hard to park!"All valid points. But Pistacia Vera is more than worth the trip to this quaint cobblestoned neighborhood.

Billing itself as a "dessert boutique," Pistacia Vera might as well call it like it is--a patisserie. I was amazed walking into the adorable shop, with a case full of pastries that could have come straight from Paris.

In addition to the traditional galettes, financiers, palmiers and (my all time favorite) cannelés there are, of course...macarons! Can you tell I just can't get enough of these things? :) Pistacia Vera whips up traditional flavors like pistacio, coconut and nutella as well as amazingly delicious, unique flavors like Black raspberry Rose, Cassis Chocolate Bergamot, and Yuzu Bergamot.

In addition to phenomenal pastries, Pistacia Vera also offers a small brunch menu from 7am-2pm daily--be sure to get there early to snag one of the few tables in the light-filled dining room. If Columbus isn't on your radar any time soon, never fear--Pistacia Vera has an online boutique! Their macarons, nougat, toffee, cookies and coffee are all available to order.

If you go:
Pistacia Vera
541 South Third Street
Columbus, OH 43215
(they have a parking lot across the street!!)

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Apple-Ginger Bread Pudding

So this is what happens when I have a little bit of leftover ginger root from attempting to cook an actual dinner. Or rather, this is what happens when I have A LOT of leftover ginger because I attempted to cook an actual dinner before realizing that the recipe didn't actually call for ginger...at all. Oops.
But it all worked out in the end because now I can bring you this fabulous bread pudding.  I am a bread pudding convert, but I know that it can still be a little boring if not done well; bread, eggs...there's not really much to it, but that also makes this dessert an excellent blank canvas for myriad ways of jazzing it up.

This recipe is adapted from my go-to cookbook, Better Homes and Gardens, and could also be made with dried pears and crystallized ginger, but my grocery store didn't carry those (my grocery store is also often out of spinach, shredded lettuce, ground beef and doesn't carry arugula at all, so I shouldn't be surprised).  Best of all, this recipe is low-fat and would pair excellently with a caramel sauce or some other spiced cream sauce to complement the ginger (cardamom, maybe?)   The original recipe calls for French bread, but I had a loaf of honey-wheat leftover from my first foray into breadmaking, so feel free to mix it up.  Using brioche or challah would probably taste amazing...but probably not so low-fat.

A couple of notes: I think this is the first time I've ever actually had "day-old bread" on hand when a recipe called for it. Rather than wait, you can always just dry your bread cubes by placing them on a baking sheet and toasting them at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

Apple-Ginger Bread Pudding
4 beaten eggs
2 1/4 cups milk
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tbs vanilla
1 tsp finely shredded orange peel (optional)
1 Tbs finely grated fresh ginger
4 cups dry French bread cubes
1/3 cup snipped dried apples
1/4-1/2 tsp cinnamon, nutmeg and/or cardamom (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl, beat together eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, orange peel, ginger and spices (if using).  In an ungreased 2-quart square baking dish toss together bread cubes and dried fruit; pour egg mixture evenly over bread mixture.  Press mixture lightly with the back of a large spoon.

2.  Bake, uncovered, for 40-45 minutes or until puffed and a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.  Cool slightly.

Nutrition per serving: 191 calories, 4g total fat (2g saturated fat), 111mg cholesterol, 180mg sodium, 30g carbs, 1g fiber, 7g protein.

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The Boys of Baking

Don't get too excited ladies, we're not talking about the new 2011 Calendar you can expect under your tree this year :) Since beginning my blog, I've gotten to hear great stories from my friends about their baking exploits.  Surprisingly, a number of these came from my guy friends, eager to share that they, too, liked to bake the occasional cupcake or had learned to bake the most incredible fruit pies with their grandfathers growing up.  And so, in their honor, I am starting the Boys Who Bake series on The Cupcake Avenger.  Please join me in welcoming my second-ever guest blogger and super brave friend Matt Sullivan who agreed to be featured in volume 1!  Hit me up at cupcakeavenger@gmail.com if you'd like to be considered for the next installment of Boys Who Bake!

 

I was invited this week by my friend Hilary to write a guest spot for the "Cupcake Avenger". Yes, I am a male. And yes, I just successfully baked something. I consider this a minor victory for men everywhere. 

This may be blasphemous, but I decided to make my medium muffins vice cupcakes. And muffins are just bald cupcakes, right? :)

I spent some good time looking at recipes for this venture, and narrowed my focus down to creating something healthy I could bring back to my office, as we are constantly inundated with all sorts of caloric-packed treats. I finally landed on Oatmeal Blueberry Muffins, and found the healthiest recipe I could find. However, I currently live in the Middle East, and finding everything I needed for this was difficult and/or impossible. I did the best I could. 

The baking was actually quite fun. I am already ready for an encore. Perhaps if Hilary will host me again in the future I can take a crack at something a wee bit more complicated. 

When it was all said and done, they turned out rather flat looking, but they are delicious! It's an added bonus knowing they aren't completely terrible for you. 

*It is of note to point out I listened to rock music while I was baking to make this experience as masculine as possible. 

Here is the recipe for anyone who wants to try it out as well:

Oatmeal Blueberry Muffins

1/2 cup flour

1 3/4 cup uncooked oatmeal

5 Tbs Splenda brown sugar blend

1 Tbs baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup skim milk

1/4 cup Egg Beaters or 1 egg equivalent

1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce

2 Tbs vanilla extract

1 to 1 1/2 cups blueberries (thawed, if frozen)

1 Tbs Splenda

1 Tbs ground cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 375° F and line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper baking cups.

2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, oatmeal, brown sugar blend, baking powder and salt. Mix well with a spoon.

3. In a small bowl, using a spoon or fork, combine vanilla extract, skim milk, Egg Beaters, and apple sauce.  Mix well.

4.  Add this mixture to the flour mixture and beat until ingredients are well-blended.  Fold in the blueberries.

5. Pour an equal amount of batter into each cup until cups are about 2/3 to 3/4 full.

6.  Combine Splenda and cinnamon; sprinkle evenly over muffins.

7.  Bake for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Each muffin provides approximately 115 calories, .9 g fat, 0mg Cholesterol, 120mg sodium, 21.9g Carbohydrates including 2.1g of Dietary Fiber and 8.3g Sugar and 3.8g Protein

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