I got this recipe on the side of Bran Flakes cereal box. It is mostly healthy--no eggs, oil, or sugar--but it uses white flour and butter. My picky daughter enjoys them, so they must be pretty tasty too!
Honey and Spice Banana Bran Muffins
1 cup Bran Flakes Cereal
1/4 cup skim milk
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup melted butter
2/3 cup mashed ripe banana
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
Heat oven to 375 degrees. In a small bowl, soak cereal in milk for 5 minutes. In a large bowl, combine remaining ingredients, then add cereal mixture. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until well mixed (1 or 2 minutes). Spoon into greased or paper-lined muffin pan, filling cups 2/3 full. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until tops spring back when touched lightly. Cool 5 minutes then remove from pan. Yield: 12 muffins
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Monday, May 9, 2011
Super Moist Bran Muffins
This is the other recipe I have been meaning to post for quite sometime. I discovered this recipe on the back of my Bob's Red Mill Wheat Bran package. Our whole family loves them!
1 cup Bob's Red Mill Wheat Bran
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup milk
1/2 cup honey (or molasses)
3/4 cup applesauce
2 Tbsp oil
2 Eggs, beaten*
Optional - 1/2 cup raisins, 1/4 cup chopped nuts (I haven't made them with nuts or raisins)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine wheat bran, flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Stir in nuts and raisins. In a separate bowl, blend applesauce, milk molasses, oil, and eggs. Add to dry ingredients and stir just until moistened. Spoon into greased muffin tin (or paper muffin cups) and bake for 15-20 minutes. Makes 12 marvelous muffins!
*I have substituted 1 Tbsp of flaxseed meal mixed with 3 Tbsp of water for one egg in baking recipes. I tried it with this recipe and I liked the muffins even better! They were more moist.
1 cup Bob's Red Mill Wheat Bran
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup milk
1/2 cup honey (or molasses)
3/4 cup applesauce
2 Tbsp oil
2 Eggs, beaten*
Optional - 1/2 cup raisins, 1/4 cup chopped nuts (I haven't made them with nuts or raisins)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine wheat bran, flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Stir in nuts and raisins. In a separate bowl, blend applesauce, milk molasses, oil, and eggs. Add to dry ingredients and stir just until moistened. Spoon into greased muffin tin (or paper muffin cups) and bake for 15-20 minutes. Makes 12 marvelous muffins!
*I have substituted 1 Tbsp of flaxseed meal mixed with 3 Tbsp of water for one egg in baking recipes. I tried it with this recipe and I liked the muffins even better! They were more moist.
Black Bean, Tomato, Corn Salsa
I love a good black bean, corn salsa! I have been experimenting for quite sometime with recipes and I finally came up with my own that I love. Here it is...
2-3 medium Roma Tomatoes, diced
1 cup petite white corn
3/4 cup black beans
1/4 cup green onions, sliced
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1 tsp cumin
few shakes garlic salt
Stir them all together and enjoy! Serve with tortilla chips.
This makes a great snack that is very filling and healthy. Sometimes I like to put it in a tortilla or flatbread wrap and eat it like a burrito.
2-3 medium Roma Tomatoes, diced
1 cup petite white corn
3/4 cup black beans
1/4 cup green onions, sliced
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1 tsp cumin
few shakes garlic salt
Stir them all together and enjoy! Serve with tortilla chips.
This makes a great snack that is very filling and healthy. Sometimes I like to put it in a tortilla or flatbread wrap and eat it like a burrito.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Low-Sodium White Chili
I came across this recipe in the Worldwide Ward Cookbook, Mom's Best Recipes version. I was very excited about it because it looked very yummy and kidney-friendly for my husband. (At least I think it is kidney-friendly. I am still learning and it's all a bit overwhelming!) I took the liberty of making it with even less sodium than the recipe states. I will italicize the changes I made.
Too much sodium is linked to higher blood pressure, which isn't good for any of us, but high blood pressure is especially bad for people with kidney disease because it can cause more damage to unhealthy kidneys.
White Chili
2 1/2 C water
1 tsp salt-free lemon pepper
1 tsp cumin
3 1/2 C chicken breast
1 C onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced or crushed
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
(The actual recipe calls for 2 Tbsp butter)
1 bag of frozen white corn
2 4 oz cans green chiles
2 15 oz cans low-sodium white beans, undrained
2-3 Tbsp lime juice.
Bring water to a boil with the lemon pepper and ground cumin. Add raw chicken and cook 20-28 minutes. Remove chicken and cut into bite-size pieces. Put chicken back into water. In a frying pan, cook onion and garlic in butter until tender; add to soup. Stir in corn and green chilies. Bring to a boil. Add beans and lime juice. Cook until heated through.
Recipe by Jocelyn Meacham
Too much sodium is linked to higher blood pressure, which isn't good for any of us, but high blood pressure is especially bad for people with kidney disease because it can cause more damage to unhealthy kidneys.
White Chili
2 1/2 C water
1 tsp salt-free lemon pepper
1 tsp cumin
3 1/2 C chicken breast
1 C onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced or crushed
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
(The actual recipe calls for 2 Tbsp butter)
1 bag of frozen white corn
2 4 oz cans green chiles
2 15 oz cans low-sodium white beans, undrained
2-3 Tbsp lime juice.
Bring water to a boil with the lemon pepper and ground cumin. Add raw chicken and cook 20-28 minutes. Remove chicken and cut into bite-size pieces. Put chicken back into water. In a frying pan, cook onion and garlic in butter until tender; add to soup. Stir in corn and green chilies. Bring to a boil. Add beans and lime juice. Cook until heated through.
Recipe by Jocelyn Meacham
Strawberry Banana Smoothie
I didn't really feel like eating dinner last night. Probably because I had a big lunch at Wendy's. I tried to order something somewhat healthy (a grilled chicken sandwich, side salad, and lemonade), but then I ended up eating most of my daughter's cheeseburger and her kid Frosty that she didn't want. Yuck! I'm actually grateful for her sake that she didn't like it. I made her something much healthier when we got home. Fast food is definitely not the way to pump calories down her if you ask me.
So back to me. All I wanted last night was a smoothie for dinner. I love experimenting with smoothie recipes. They usually turn out good. I thought last night's version was rather tasty and I had better write it down.
1 cup Rice Dream rice milk
1 cup of plain yogurt
1 1/2 frozen bananas
5 large fresh strawberries
1/2 T of flax oil
1 T of wheat bran
It made enough for two large glasses. Yum, Yum!
So back to me. All I wanted last night was a smoothie for dinner. I love experimenting with smoothie recipes. They usually turn out good. I thought last night's version was rather tasty and I had better write it down.
1 cup Rice Dream rice milk
1 cup of plain yogurt
1 1/2 frozen bananas
5 large fresh strawberries
1/2 T of flax oil
1 T of wheat bran
It made enough for two large glasses. Yum, Yum!
Sunday, April 17, 2011
15 Super Foods for your Kidneys
I have begun my kidney health research. One of the first websites I came across was the DaVita website. From what I gather, DaVita is a company that specializes in dialysis and other treatments for kidney disease. There is a lot of information on their website about diet and nutrition. They compiled a list of 15 super foods for your kidneys.
Here they are:
1) Red Bell Pepper
2) Cabbage
3) Cauliflower
4) Garlic
5) Onions
6) Apples
7) Cranberries
8) Blueberries
9) Raspberries
10) Strawberries
11) Cherries
12) Red Grapes
13) Egg Whites
14) Oily Fish
15) Olive Oil
Sadly, my husband isn't much of a fruit fan. On this list, he enjoys red bell peppers, apples, and fish. It shouldn't be too hard to continue using olive oil, garlic, onion, and egg whites in my cooking. Cabbage will be a far shot, but I might be able to get some cauliflower down him.
This DaVita website claims to have over 700 kidney-friendly recipes. I just might have to sign up!
www.davita.com
Here they are:
1) Red Bell Pepper
2) Cabbage
3) Cauliflower
4) Garlic
5) Onions
6) Apples
7) Cranberries
8) Blueberries
9) Raspberries
10) Strawberries
11) Cherries
12) Red Grapes
13) Egg Whites
14) Oily Fish
15) Olive Oil
Sadly, my husband isn't much of a fruit fan. On this list, he enjoys red bell peppers, apples, and fish. It shouldn't be too hard to continue using olive oil, garlic, onion, and egg whites in my cooking. Cabbage will be a far shot, but I might be able to get some cauliflower down him.
This DaVita website claims to have over 700 kidney-friendly recipes. I just might have to sign up!
www.davita.com
Friday, April 15, 2011
Flatbread
I found a great deal at Smith's this week: buy one bag of Flatout Flatbread, get another one free! So... we've been experimenting with Flatbread this week. I bought the "Healthy Multi-Grain with Flax" kind.
We have used it as tortillas for burritos and wraps. We also experimented with flatbread pizza tonight for dinner. It wasn't quite as tasty as normal pizza, but it wasn't bad either. We visited the Flatout website for recipes: www.flatoutbread.com
In one piece of this flatbread there is 8g of dietary fiber (31% of your daily value), 9 grams of protein, 1 gram of sugar, and 100 calories. On the downside, it is a bit high in sodium at 280 mg a piece. Just to compare... 1 slice of the Nature's Pride Double Fiber 100% Whole Wheat bread has 5g of fiber, 5g of protein, 4g of sugar, and is also 100 calories. There is less sodium though at 150mg. Of course you also have to consider that most of us eat two slices of bread together. That would give us more fiber and protein, but also more calories, sugar, and sodium.
Keeping all of that in mind, I think flatbread is the healthier choice. I might have to go back and buy more!
We have used it as tortillas for burritos and wraps. We also experimented with flatbread pizza tonight for dinner. It wasn't quite as tasty as normal pizza, but it wasn't bad either. We visited the Flatout website for recipes: www.flatoutbread.com
In one piece of this flatbread there is 8g of dietary fiber (31% of your daily value), 9 grams of protein, 1 gram of sugar, and 100 calories. On the downside, it is a bit high in sodium at 280 mg a piece. Just to compare... 1 slice of the Nature's Pride Double Fiber 100% Whole Wheat bread has 5g of fiber, 5g of protein, 4g of sugar, and is also 100 calories. There is less sodium though at 150mg. Of course you also have to consider that most of us eat two slices of bread together. That would give us more fiber and protein, but also more calories, sugar, and sodium.
Keeping all of that in mind, I think flatbread is the healthier choice. I might have to go back and buy more!
Whole Wheat Pancakes
I love this whole wheat pancake recipe from scratch. It is fast, easy and delicious. My picky eaters will always eat them!
Whole Wheat Pancakes
1 large egg
1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup milk
1 T granulated or packed brown sugar
2 T vegetable oil
3 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
Beat egg in a medium blow until fluffy. Beat in remaining ingredients until smooth. For thinner pancakes, stir in 1-2 extra T of milk.
Heat griddle or skillet over medium heat to 375 degrees. For each pancake, pour slightly less than 1/4 cup batter onto hot griddle. Cook pancake until bubbly on top, puffed and dry around the edges. Turn and cook on other side until golden brown.
Yields 9 4-inch pancakes.
Recipe from Betty Crocker Cookbook, 2000 edition
Just as a side note, my favorite whole wheat flour to use is King Arthur Flour, Premium 100% Whole Wheat Flour.
Whole Wheat Pancakes
1 large egg
1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup milk
1 T granulated or packed brown sugar
2 T vegetable oil
3 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
Beat egg in a medium blow until fluffy. Beat in remaining ingredients until smooth. For thinner pancakes, stir in 1-2 extra T of milk.
Heat griddle or skillet over medium heat to 375 degrees. For each pancake, pour slightly less than 1/4 cup batter onto hot griddle. Cook pancake until bubbly on top, puffed and dry around the edges. Turn and cook on other side until golden brown.
Yields 9 4-inch pancakes.
Recipe from Betty Crocker Cookbook, 2000 edition
Just as a side note, my favorite whole wheat flour to use is King Arthur Flour, Premium 100% Whole Wheat Flour.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Cheesy Stars
Lunch was a success today! My little one even asked for "more", something she doesn't do very often (unless it's chocolate or cheese sticks). The recipe I made for lunch today comes from the book, Baby Bites by Bridget Swinney. My mom gave me this book for Christmas a couple of years ago and I have really enjoyed it.
Today's Recipe: Cheesy Stars
Cheesy Sauce (yields about 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup chopped butternut squash
1/2 cup whole milk (can also use formula or broth)
1/4 cup grated Cheddar cheese
Optional: dash of onion powder, dash of garlic powder
1) Put squash in a microwave-safe dish. Add 1 T of water. Cover and cook on high for 1 1/2 minutes. Let stand several minutes.
2) Puree squash using a hand blender. Gradually add 1/2 cup of milk while pureeing.
3) Transfer mixture to a small saucepan. Stir in cheese until melted. Add shake of garlic and onion powder.
4) In the meantime, prepare a 1/4 cup of small, star-shaped pasta.
5) Pour cheesy sauce over cooked pasta.
As a note, this recipe freezes very well. I save plastic, gerber baby food containers to freeze leftovers in.
What I like about this recipe is that it is fairly high in calories and as a bonus it contains a vegetable. Getting her to like something with a vegetable in it is very exciting.
Today's Recipe: Cheesy Stars
Cheesy Sauce (yields about 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup chopped butternut squash
1/2 cup whole milk (can also use formula or broth)
1/4 cup grated Cheddar cheese
Optional: dash of onion powder, dash of garlic powder
1) Put squash in a microwave-safe dish. Add 1 T of water. Cover and cook on high for 1 1/2 minutes. Let stand several minutes.
2) Puree squash using a hand blender. Gradually add 1/2 cup of milk while pureeing.
3) Transfer mixture to a small saucepan. Stir in cheese until melted. Add shake of garlic and onion powder.
4) In the meantime, prepare a 1/4 cup of small, star-shaped pasta.
5) Pour cheesy sauce over cooked pasta.
As a note, this recipe freezes very well. I save plastic, gerber baby food containers to freeze leftovers in.
What I like about this recipe is that it is fairly high in calories and as a bonus it contains a vegetable. Getting her to like something with a vegetable in it is very exciting.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Food As Medicine
I have always had an interest in nutrition and what healthy foods can do for your body. I believe that a healthy diet is essential to preventing many health problems. I also believe that a healthy diet can help your body repair what needs fixing.
In our family, we have several health challenges. When planning and preparing meals, I am constantly looking for foods that might help alleviate some of those challenges. Recently, we've learned that my husband's kidneys are not functioning properly. So I am beginning my research on foods that are good for kidneys. (There will be more to come on this).
I have also learned that sometimes the more important thing to do is cut-out the foods that are causing you problems in the first place. For example, I struggle with seasonal allergies. In some of my research, I have learned that dairy products, refined sugars and fatty foods can exacerbate allergy symptoms. This spring I have cut out most dairy from my diet and am limiting sugar intake. So far it seems to be helping.
My daughter struggles with eating altogether and has since she was a tiny baby. So my challenge with her is to get her to eat enough so that she can gain weight and grow properly. (There will be more to come on this as well).
Thus, another purpose of this blog is for me to keep track of the foods that are healing for our family. I hope that as I commit myself and our family to a healthier, healing diet, we will see improvements in our overall health.
In our family, we have several health challenges. When planning and preparing meals, I am constantly looking for foods that might help alleviate some of those challenges. Recently, we've learned that my husband's kidneys are not functioning properly. So I am beginning my research on foods that are good for kidneys. (There will be more to come on this).
I have also learned that sometimes the more important thing to do is cut-out the foods that are causing you problems in the first place. For example, I struggle with seasonal allergies. In some of my research, I have learned that dairy products, refined sugars and fatty foods can exacerbate allergy symptoms. This spring I have cut out most dairy from my diet and am limiting sugar intake. So far it seems to be helping.
My daughter struggles with eating altogether and has since she was a tiny baby. So my challenge with her is to get her to eat enough so that she can gain weight and grow properly. (There will be more to come on this as well).
Thus, another purpose of this blog is for me to keep track of the foods that are healing for our family. I hope that as I commit myself and our family to a healthier, healing diet, we will see improvements in our overall health.
Feeding My Family
I love cooking and I am a decent cook. Yet as a wife and mother, I find it challenging to feed my family. I want to make meals (and snacks) that are highly nutritious, budget-friendly, and tasty. I'm sure my goals in the kitchen aren't much different from anyone else's. In fact, there are thousands of cookbooks, recipe sites, and blogs with great ideas... So why start another blog about food you might ask?
The purpose of this blog is to help me meet the specific needs of my family. Every family has challenges surrounding the dinner table. Whether it be food allergies, little time, less money, or just plain picky eaters. When you find a meal that your whole family can eat and enjoy that is truly something to celebrate (and remember). I hope this blog will help me keep track of those recipe gems that work for our family.
The purpose of this blog is to help me meet the specific needs of my family. Every family has challenges surrounding the dinner table. Whether it be food allergies, little time, less money, or just plain picky eaters. When you find a meal that your whole family can eat and enjoy that is truly something to celebrate (and remember). I hope this blog will help me keep track of those recipe gems that work for our family.
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