Muffin Mania | Multi-Grain Peanut Butter Banana Muffin Recipe

jennifer fisher -thefitfork.com - multigrain pb banana muffins

It’s midnight muffin-making mania! Once again, I have stayed up way to late, but this time it is for the sake of having a healthy breakfast in the morning – after all, it’s still Better Breakfast Month! Two of my kids take a brown-bag breakfast to school to eat after sports practice. I often feel bad that they’re missing a hot meal at home (yes, I often scramble eggs, but that’s all I’m capable of at 5:45 in the morning). I feel even worse when I send them off with a meal where everything comes out of a wrapper – the protein bar, the fruit bar, the juice pouch and so on. New rule, only ONE wrapper per meal!

For this super yummy Multi-Grain Peanut Butter Banana Muffins, I tweaked a few recipes to make a new and improved muffin experience. In terms of baking concepts, I cut some of the oil and replaced it with a natural peanut butter – you could use any nut butter you like. I reduced a great deal of the white processed flour by substituting in whole wheat flour, bran cereal and flax seed.  There’s a whole lot of whole-grainy goodness going on in these morning, afternoon and night muffins. Another muffin recipe of mine you should try is the Berry Cheesecake Power Muffins, it has a totally different consistency (yet amazing taste) while these muffins today have a traditional texture.

jennifer fisher - thefitfork.com - multigrain pb banana muffin 2

If you haven’t put flax seed into baked goods before, you really should. There are three healthy benefits from sneaking a little flax seed into this muffin recipe. First, it adds extra fiber to the muffins, each tablespoon of flax seed has 8 grams of fiber. Second, flax seed is a plant-based source for omega-3, an essential fatty acid that provides and anti-inflammatory role in the body. Third, flax seed contains lignans, a compound that helps our body metabolize estrogen in a safer way. Studies have shown that consuming lignin may reduce the risk of breast and prostate cancer. Remember to use your flax seed in a ground state, that’s how you reap all the nutritional benefits.

I also have two cooking tips to share for this recipe. First, I used a little in-a-pinch baking solution my grandmother taught me. A great substitution for buttermilk  (which is so good in most muffin recipe but always ends up going bad in the fridge because who really uses it for anything else), is to sour your regular milk (even low-fat milk) by adding 1 teaspoon of white vinegar to 1 cup of milk. Let it sit for a few minutes to get to the right consistency.   The other tip is new to me tonight – and that is to spray muffin papers with cooking spray before pouring in the batter. This seemed like a weird thing to do, but I gave it a try – wow, the muffins didn’t stick at all inside the baking liners.

Next up in my Better Breakfast Month rotation, one of the quick and easy recipes from the gallery of Cooking Light’s Grab and Go Quick Breakfast ideas.  Fig, Applesauce and Almond Loaf (below) immediately caught my eye , but there are tons of other speedy and satisfying recipes on the site that will help make mornings easier.

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jennifer fisher -thefitfork.com - multigrain pb banana muffins IG

 

Multi-Grain Peanut Butter Banana Muffins Recipe

  • Non-stick cooking spray
  • ¼ cup canola oil
  • ¼ cup natural style peanut butter
  • ½ cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup bran cereal
  • 2 medium ripe bananas, mashed
  • 1/3 cup Greek yogurt
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1 cup low-fat milk
  • 1 teaspoon vinegar
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ½  cup whole wheat flour
  • 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon salt

For Streusel Topping:

  • ¼  cup whole wheat flour
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • ¼ cup rolled oats
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 3 tablespoons canola oil

 

Preheat oven to 375 F degrees. Line muffin cups with paper baking cups and lightly spray with cooking spray.

In large bowl, combine oil and peanut butter together with a whisk or electric mixer. Add brown sugar, stirring until combined. Next add egg, cereal, mashed banana, Greek yogurt, and vanilla, stir until just combined (will be a bit lumpy).

In non-reactive small bowl, add milk and vinegar. Let sit for 5 minutes to sour, will look slightly curdled. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, mix together flours, baking powder, flaxseed meal, and nutmeg.   Stir this dry mixture into wet mixture alternating with soured milk. Repeat until ingredients are combined, but not over-mixed.  Pour batter into prepared muffin cups approximately two-thirds full.

In medium bowl, add streusel ingredients. Mix together until combined but crumbly. Sprinkle streusel on top of muffin batter.

Bake in 375 F degree oven for approximately 20 – 22 minutes or until top lightly browned and toothpick pulls clean when inserted into the middle.

Cool on wire rack.

Makes 20 muffins.

Herbalicious | More Herbs, Less Salt Day

Herb-a·li·cious  [erb-a-lish-uhs]

Adjective: Highly pleasing to the senses, especially to taste or smell created by herbs: the herbalicious flavor of basil on ripe tomatoes; an herbalicious aroma of mint wafted through the room.

fresh herbs 1

Can you believe the word herbalicious is actually in the dictionary? Okay, we’ll maybe it’s not in the tomes of traditional vernacular; but it does deserve a legit spot in my vocabulary because anything about an herb is the word. It’s the word that you heard – it’s got flavor, it’s got groove,  it’s got meaning.  Yes, I know I’m being silly dilly here, but before you accuse me of sniffing too much sage or overdosing on oregano, I have something else to announce – today is an important holiday called More Herbs, Less Salt Day.” I’m serious.

You heard it here! I’m also blogging about why you should embrace herbs and give salt the shake off in more detail at Living Litehouse. Herbs can flavor up your recipes while reducing the need for less-than-healthful ingredients relied on for flavor – like excessive salt, butter and cheese. I use herbs every day in every way in my kitchen; check out my herbalicious recipe for Asian Flair Flat Iron Steak or for Mojo Sauce, a tasty choice for marinating, dressings and dipping. Why not spruce up plain bread and baked goods with herbs? I love to put an Italian blend of herbs on buttermilk biscuits – yum!

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Fresh herbs are fabulous when you have the time and talent to grow them or don’t mind the expense of buying them down at the fancy-schmancy grocery store.  Traditional dried and ground herbs tend to be boring, bland and one-dimensional; it’s no surprise they get pushed to the back of the pantry for years. But, Litehouse Foods has a genius product line of freeze dried herbs that can be stored for anytime use, yet rehydrate at warp speed in recipes. These Instantly Fresh Herbs are available in 15 different varieties including tried-and-true staples, such as parsley and basil, and also other unique flavor offerings such as lemongrass, cilantro and jalapenos.

jennifer fisher litehouse herb pyramid

Check out my post at Living Litehouse to find out more herbalicious details about how to use less salt and more herbs.

How to Freeze Peaches + Peaches ‘n Cream Smoothie

jennifer fisher thefitfork.com peaches nectarinesI scored a big fruit haul today, peaches for 25 cents per pound. Hoping to enjoy the sweet spoils of the season year-round, I loaded up my cart with as much I could stuff in the two big shopping bags I brought along. I ended up with 40 pounds for a grand total of 10 dollars!

After the kids and I gorged on peach after peach, letting the sticky dribble down our chins and arms, I declared an end to our binge on the bushel so we could at least have some leftover for the freezer and all the recipe creations cropping up in my mind.

Putting up peaches in the freezer is really pretty easy, and the taste and texture of the fruits holds up well to a life on pause in sub-32 degrees. Depending on what type of future use you have in mind, peaches can be prepped for the freezer in several ways including syrup packed, liquid packed, dry packed, pureed and portioned into ice cube trays. For those in a hurry, peaches can even be wrapped up whole and frozen.

The methods on ‘How to Freeze Peaches’ below also works well with all stone fruits including nectarines, apricots, plums, cherries and such!

peaches blanched and sliced

How to Freeze Peaches

1)     In a large pot, bring water to a rolling boil. Dunk peaches in boiling water for approximately 45 seconds.  This flash-cooking process is called blanching and is an effective way to prepare nearly all fruits and vegetables for the freezer

2)     Using a slotted spoon, remove peaches from boiling water and immediate submerge into large bowl filled with ice water to stop the cooking process.

3)     Remove the skin from peaches; it should easily slip off with a few nudges. Unless you are planning a blemish-free photo shoot, don’t worry if a few pieces of skin are still stuck on the peach.

4)     Slice or cube peaches and place in large bowl. For every quart of peaches, add approximately 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and 2 tablespoons to 1/3 cup of sugar, depending on your preference. Let macerate for 30 minutes. If preferred, the sugar may be omitted.

5)     Decide on freezing method.

  • To syrup pack, spoon peach slices and syrupy juices into zip-top bag, leaving 1-inch of headroom at the top.
  • To liquid pack, place peach segments into zip-top bag and add water or juice (like apple or white grape), leaving 1-inch of head room at the top.
  • To dry pack, arrange peach segments on a cookie sheet and place in freezer for 1 hour until firm; transfer to preferred storage container. The beauty of this method is that the fruit doesn’t stick together in one solid clump in the freezer; sliced can be taken out one at a time, as needed.
  • To puree, add to blender and puree until smooth. Pour into ice cube trays and freeze until solid; store in a zip-top bag.

6)    Use a permanent market to write date on each bag. Peaches keep well in the freezer for up to 12 months

bagging peaches for freezer

jennifer fisher thefitfork.com peaches n cream smoothie

Peaches ‘n Cream Protein Smoothie Recipe

  • 2 cups unsweetened almond milk
  • 1 teaspoon Stevia
  • 2 scoops favorite protein powder, vanilla
  • 1 ½ cups, frozen peach slices
  • 1 cup ice

Place all ingredients into a blender, process until smooth.  Serves 2.

To-Go Thai Peanut Chicken Jar Salads & Tips on Salad Layering

jennifer fisher - thai peanut chicken salad - main option 1 When stuff starts flying at you fast, don’t fuel your life with fast food. While it may seem convenient or comforting to scarf up a meal that comes in a grease-stained bag; trust me, you’ll regret it by the end of your busy day. Energy will tank, headaches will take hold, workouts will suffer, cravings will activate and by 8pm you will have devoured every treat set aside in your pantry for occasional cheats. When I know the week is going to busy, I plan ahead and make jar salads that can be kept fresh in the fridge and on call whenever hunger strikes. In just one session, I can make lunches (or dinners) for a week in just a tad bit more time than it takes to prepare a single salad.  If you have a big appetite, you might think the jar salads look modest; but it’s amazing how much lettuce, produce and proteins a motivated person can pack into a standard 2-cup canning jar. In the past, I’ve shared a recipe for Ancho Chopped Chicken Salad in a Jar, but today I’m showing everyone how to make a To-Go Thai Chicken Jar Salad over at the Litehouse Living Blog. Not only is this recipe packed with good-for-you ingredients, the Thai Peanut salad dressing by Litehouse Foods, is tasty beyond description and is actually made without peanuts making it lower calorie and fine for folks with nut allergies. how to layer jar salads   Dressing Layer: Salad dressing should always be the first ingredient poured into the bottom of a jar salad. Let your taste buds be your guide. Choose from basic homemade oil and vinegar or one of the many delicious salad dressing options from Litehouse Foods such as Lite Honey Dijon Vinaigrette or Sesame Ginger. Simply changing the dressing along with a few key ingredients can give your jar salad a whole new flavor personality. Grains and Protein Layer:  The key to choosing the best ingredients for this layer (you might have several) is to understand that those nearest the bottom will be marinating in the dressing until you are ready to unscrew the lid and dig in. Toss in some quinoa, brown rice or whole grain noodles to sop up the sauce and then top with some muscle-making meat, poultry, tofu chunks or even hard-boiled eggs. Hearty Produce Layer: Choose any combination of veggies that won’t get soggy or limp if the dressing sloshes up prematurely. Cherry tomatoes, artichokes hearts, cucumber slices, radishes, mushrooms, broccoli florets and other non-leafy veggies are tasteful additions. Get creative and experiment with non-oxidizing fruits such as grapes, mandarin orange segments and berries. This is also a great time to add Litehouse Foods Instantly Fresh Herbs; the proximity to the dressing combined with the moisture from the produce seems to bring these freeze-dried herbs back to life. Leafy Delicate Layer: Add your favorite lettuces, greens and delicate items near the top. Spinach, arugula, romaine, kale, cabbage are all winners and along with unexpected ingredients, such as alfalfa sprouts, give your jar salad lots of crispy crunch. Amazing Extras Layer: Give your jar salad an extra pop of yum with a thin layer of nuts, seeds, dried fruit, crumbled bacon (gasp) or scrumptious cheeses. Litehouse Foods has a delicious selection of handcrafted cheeses perfect for sprinkling atop any salad including rich and creamy Blue Cheese Crumbles  and tarty and salty Feta Cheese Crumbles.

Living Litehouse

Melon with Serrano Mint Syrup Recipe & How to Pick a Ripe Watermelon

Yes, I know –another watermelon recipe. But ‘tis the season for watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew and all other delicious, juicy fruits of summer. Hurray!

melon mint and serrano salad

A reader (and husband) favorite was the Spicy Sesame Salmon on Seared Watermelon I posted last month. I just have to post the picture again because it was THAT good.

jennifer fisher - thefitfork.com - spicy sesame salmon seared watermelon

Oh, and I haven’t yet forgotten this Watermelon at Heirloom Tomato Salad.

watermelon heirloom tomato salad

Yesterday, I rehydrated from my 9 mile run in 90-percent humidity with a glass of real watermelon juice. While watermelon is loaded with potassium, I stilled kicked up my drink with even more electrolytes thanks to a grape Nuun Hydration tablet. So crisp and refreshing; it was a runner-friendly aqua fresca!

nuun watermelon juice with grape

Wondering how to pick a good watermelon? I know all the tricks. First, look for a yellow, creamy spot on the bottom-side, this means it’s been ripening in the, as it should be! The deeper this “field spot,” the sweeter the melon. Second, a watermelon should have a dull finish (honeydews, too); if it’s super shiny, it won’t be ready to eat. Third, it should feel heavier than it looks.  Watermelons are over 90 percent water, and the ripest ones are the juiciest and, therefore, pack the most pounds. This watermelon I’m holding below weighed more than 35 pounds (even though it doesn’t really look like it) and it was the best one I’ve had this summer!

watermelon should feel heavy

This Melon with Serrano-Mint Syrup Recipe is a recipe I created that ran in Taste of Home magazine way back in May of 2008. At the time, I was growing a mountain of mint and was looking for creative ways to use it. The spicy-sweet syrup was my solution!

SAMSUNG

Melon with Serrano-Mint Syrup Recipe

Prep: 30 min. + chilling

  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • 1/2 teaspoon minced serrano pepper
  • 1/4 cup minced fresh mint
  • 1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
  • 4 cups each cubed watermelon, cantaloupe and honeydew

In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, water, lemon juice, honey and serrano pepper. Bring to a boil; cook for 3-5 minutes or until slightly thickened. Remove from the heat; stir in mint and lemon peel. Cool to room temperature.

Strain syrup; discard pepper, mint and lemon peel. In a large bowl, combine the melons. Add syrup; gently toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, stirring several times. Serve with a slotted spoon. Yield: 12 servings.

Nutritional Facts1 cup equals 92 calories, trace fat (trace saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 13 mg sodium, 25 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 1 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 1 fruit, 1/2 starch.