Category Archives: baking

Best Brownies Ever

19 Monday Mar 2012

Posted by in baking, recipe

≈ 6 Comments

Boxed Brownies … never again.  Well, not that I made them very often anyways.  I’m not sure why but brownies is something I never really made much.  A while ago I found a recipe that I thought looked pretty easy so I wrote it in my little recipe book of favourites (which I don’t usually write in until I make the recipe and see that it is book worthy).  Well my friends, this recipe is definitely a keeper!  They were absolutely delicious.  I couldn’t stop eating them.
Thank goodness I have a little more freedom with what I can eat now (see my Dukan Diet Series).  I had company over the other night so I made them for dessert.  Wow!  So good!

{check the bottom of this post for an awesome brownie contest} Continue reading →

Dukan Diet: Food Substitution

03 Friday Feb 2012

Posted by in baking, Dukan Diet, recipe, Update

≈ 4 Comments

I’m on the third phase of the Dukan Diet, which means I can have a few more foods than on the previous phase.  I’m really enjoying this phase much better, and I am still losing the weight.  Not as fast as in the first two phases, but that is all right with me.

I was looking through a recipe book to find a whole wheat pizza dough recipe (because tomorrow I am having a celebration meal of home made pizza – I’m excited) and I found a good muffin recipe.  They taste good, but one does have to remember they are a very healthy recipe.  If you are looking for a muffin filled with sugar this is not the right recipe for you!

Applesauce Pumpkin Muffins

Can you see how healthy they look.  They are from “The Eat-Clean Diet Cookbook by Tosca Reno.  I picked it up last Spring when visiting a friend in Muskoka.  I browsed through the book and it seemed to have a lot of healthy recipes in it, so I was sold.  I think
this is the first recipe I’ve made from the book … it’s a start.  I know you want to run right into your kitchen and make these yummy healthy muffins, so I will share the recipe with you and my recommendations after making them myself.  I feel like I can substitute one of these muffins for a piece of bread that I am allowed in this phase.

Ingredients:
1 c old-fashioned oatmeal, not instant
1/2 c unsweetened applesauce
1/2 canned pumpkin
2 large egg whites + one yolk, lightly beaten
2 tbsp + 1 tsp canola oil
1/2 cup of milk or milk alternative or 1/2 c apple juice
1 tbsp double-acting baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 c amaranth or quinoa flour or flour of your choice
1/4 c whole wheat flour
1/4 c maple sugar flakes
1/2 c dried cranberries or raisins (optional)

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 375F/190C. Line muffin pan with paper or silicon liners or coat with cooking spray.  (Let’s face it, paper is the easiest way to go for clean up after!)
2. Combine oatmeal, pumpkin, applesauce, juice or milk, eggs and oil.  Mix until all ingredients are blended.
3. Measure and mix all dry ingredients.  Make a well in the centre and pour wet ingredients into dry.  Add dried fruit if using.  mix until dry ingredients are just moistened.  Fill muffin cups 2/3 full.  Bake 15 – 20 min or until lightly browned on top.

Suggestions:
The book suggests to have some light cream cheese with them.  They seem to be like they would be a good breakfast treat.

My Recommendations:
The only thing I did differently to the recipe is that I forgot the extra 1 tsp of oil.  I also used fresh-frozen cooked pumpkin instead of canned.  I used skim milk.  I used normal baking powder.  I used flax flour as “your choice”.  I didn’t have maple sugar flakes but I had maple sugar pearls, so I used some of those but I didn’t use a full 1/4 cup, so my muffins have very very little sugar.  You could leave out this step or if you don’t have the flakes you could probably use real maple syrup or honey instead.  I will try one of those options next time.  I also did not add any raisons or cranberries.  Mine took about 25 min to cook.

Dukan Diet Consolidation Phase Update:
I don’t have much new to report but that I am 9 lbs away from my goal weight.  How exciting is that?  I went to the grocery store today to buy 1 thing and came out with one thing not even thinking about buying chips or any of that junk (even thought it still tastes good).  When this phase is over all that is left is the last phase that is there for the rest of my life – 1 protein day a week.  I’ll be glad when I get to that phase.  It’s not too far off now.  It definitely has been an interesting process for me.

[This is part of the Dukan Diet series.  Check out the rest of the posts by clicking HERE.]

Something You Won’t See in Ontario

24 Tuesday Jan 2012

Posted by in baking, miscellaneous

≈ 5 Comments

Most of you know that I lived in Ontario for the past 9 years (I moved back to the Maritimes in August, 2011).
While I was there I might have had one medium size carton of Molasses that lasted me for a while.  I do love Molasses, especially on homemade bread!  Delicious!  The thing was that it is not that popular in Ontario.  Not in the K-W area where I was, anyways.

No one shared my love for Molasses, so I didn’t have it that often.  No going into a restaurant for breakfast and finding some Molasses (Yup, I know of some places here in the Maritimes that have it).
No one eats it for pleasure on bread or licks the knife after spreading it on the bread, or some even lick the plate clean (please only do this in the privacy of your home!).  “What? You use molasses for more then just cooking?” would be a question I have gotten in the past.  That’s if people even use it for cooking.  To my recollection I don’t remember having many homemade molasses cookies while I was there!

One day while getting groceries at Price Choppers (who can tell by the picture above that’s where I was?) here in good ‘ol Nova Scotia, I was checking out what was in the isle when I found Molasses – a ton of Molasses.  Not just a few cartons, like you would find at a Price Choppers in K-W but a whopping 6 – 7 different sizes and even a couple different brand names.  My favourite is the jug of Molasses on the left side of all the wonderful options of the goodness.

I remember my first week at ADC, where I’m studying, when a fellow student said, “Oh, I wish I had some Molasses.”  Another student piped up and said, “Check the fridge, I think I saw some in there.”  Music to my ears.  Where else would you find Molasses in a student lounge other then at a Maritime college.

If you have never had Molasses besides in baking go out and by yourself a nice fresh loaf of bread (or better yet, make your own), slather on some butter and load it with Molasses.  Sometimes it is nice dipping the bread in the molasses too.  Be sure to have enough bread so you can get the extra that drips from the bread.

Do you like Molasses?  If so, what’s your favourite way to eat it?  I’d love to hear what you think about the stuff!  Leave me a comment below.

If you are receiving this through email, please go to Jackman’s Journeyto comment on this post

Pumpkin Instead of Butter!

02 Sunday Oct 2011

Posted by in baking, Cooking

≈ 3 Comments

As I live with my Sister we are sharing baking tips and enjoying each others cooking and baking.  I’m going to share with you something my Sister shared with me.  It is fantastic.  I don’t know why, but I have never asked here where she heard of this idea or if she just tried it out one day.  Maybe she will comment and let us know!  Maybe you already know this trick, but just in case you don’t here it is:

Use pumpkin instead of butter in your baking!

Yup, you got it.  Pumpkin instead of butter.  Crazy!  How does it work?  I don’t know but it is a healthier alternative and adds a nice taste (which most of the time you can’t even tell there is pumpkin in the baking).

First you will need to get your hands on a pumpkin.  I recommend going to a local farmer or pumpkin patch and buy (stealing is not good) a nice sized pumpkin.  If you do a little research you will be able to find a local farmer close by.  (If you are in K-W or C-Bridge I know where you can get one – so no excuses that you can’t find one.)

Once you get your pumpkin at home, cut it into quarters.  Heat your oven up to 350.  Then put the pumpkin pieces onto cookie sheets with parchment paper (easier cleanup after).  You might have to bake the pumpkin in batches depending on how big your pumpkin and oven are.

Now that your pumpkin is snug in the oven, bake for about an hour or until the pumpkin is soft.

Pull out the pumpkin (Don’t forget your oven mitts!  It’s hot!) and let cool until you can work with it.  Spoon out the pumpkin into a bowl.  At this point there are two options.  You can puree the pumpkin in a blender or just mix it around in the bowl with a fork (the second option will not be as smooth as the first).  This really depends on your preference.

Once you have pureed or mixed with a fork it’s time to measure, bag, and freeze.  My sister chose to measure in 2 cup portions.  She then zip locked it and put it in the freezer.  This way she can pull out a bag and it will probably last for the week in our baking.  (We like having muffins around and they don’t last long.)  Now it is ready to use in any of your baking.

I have had banana muffins and peanut butter cookies using the pumpkin as a substitute and it is great.  At first I thought it was some kind of special thing that my sister made and bottled and put extra things in the pumpkin.  Then I found out her trick and how easy it is.  As long as we have the pumpkin, I will use it this way!

Other butter substitutes:  apple sauce, banana, oil (although not oil for muffins – tends to go to bottom of muffin) and you may know other substitutes for butter.  If you do, drop a line and let us know!

Other use for the baked pumpkin:  pumpkin spice for lattes (mmmmm)  I have a recipe.  I’ll have to see if my friend doesn’t mind me sharing.

Don’t forget to save the pumpkin seeds and bake them for a nice healthy snack.  For a good recipe go to: Pumpkin Seeds There are other recipes and variations.  I did not use Worcester sauce.   I just used oil and some kind of spices.  Be creative!  They are tasty.

If you are receiving this through email, please go to Jackman’s Journeyto visit the blog

Whole Wheat Blueberry Muffin

24 Sunday Jul 2011

Posted by in baking

≈ Leave a comment

Muffins are delicious!  I try to bake healthy muffins, but hadn’t found one that still had some fluff to it like when you bake with white flour.  I finally found a recipe I like thanks to Me & My Pink Mixer.  I did change up a couple of things.  So, here is my version of the muffin.

Whole Wheat Blueberry Muffin

Ingredients:
1 C    Apple sauce
2 C   Whole wheat flour
1/3 C Unpasteurized honey (you can use any kind of honey, but unpasteurized is better)
1 tsp Baking soda
1/2 tsp Salt
1 1/2 C fresh blueberries
1   Large egg
1 tsp  Vanilla
2 tbsp butter, melted

1. Preheat oven to 325 and line muffin tin with paper liners
2. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt into a medium size bowl.  Whisk together.
3. In a small bowl mix egg, butter, vanilla, applesauce, and honey.  Add to flour mixture and stir until just mixed.
4. Fold in blueberries.
5. Scoop into muffin liners with a large ice cream scoop (a 1/4 c or soup ladle will work too!)
6. Bake 25 – 20 min or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Notes:
1. I wanted to make these muffins last night, but I didn’t have any blueberries, so I substituted two mashed bananas.  Before I put them into the oven I sprinkled a little bit of cinnamon on top.  I also used margarin instead of butter.
2. Next time I am going to try to make them with olive oil instead of butter.  I have tried this before and I think it was too much oil or olive oil is just not good for baking.  I will give it one more try.  Some baking just needs a little bit of butter.

Banana Version
You can see the cinnamon sprinkled on top
I think you could put almost any fruit in this muffin.

Whole Wheat Blueberry Pancakes

11 Monday Jul 2011

Posted by in baking

≈ Leave a comment

This is a good pancake recipe.  Not as good as the Oatmeal Buttermilk Pancakes but if you don’t have buttermilk and oatmeal on hand, these will do just great.

Ingredients

1  1/4  C   whole wheat flour
2 tsp       baking powder
1              egg
1  1/4  C   milk
1/2  tsp   salt
1     tsp   vanilla
1     tbsp sugar/ splenda / honey (whichever you prefer)
1/2      C  blueberries

*note – add 1/4 c apple sauce instead of 1/4 cup of milk*

Instructions

1.  Blend together flour and baking powder and set aside
2. Beat together egg, milk, salt, sugar, vanilla, apple sauce (if using).  Add flour until moistened.
3.  Add blueberries or chocolate chips and stir
4. Pour approximately 1/4 C of batter on pan.  Cook until bubbly and flip or cook until golden brown.

* Depending on the pan you might have to lightly spray with cooking spray or a spot of oil since there is no butter or oil in the recipe to keep from sticking.

If you are receiving this through email, please go to Jackman’s Journey to visit the blog