Lunch Box Blueberry Muffins

These have more sugar than I'd like, but they also have lots of whole grains and fruit so they really are a great option to stick in a lunch box or eat for breakfast on the go. 

This recipe makes 24.  I bake them and cool them and stick them in individual sandwich bags and throw them in the freezer.

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups old fashioned or quick cooking oats
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 egg whites
1 cup milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup applesauce (or another 1/3 cup oil)
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

TOPPING (optional):

4 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1)  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2)  In a bowl, combine the first six ingredients. In another bowl, beat egg whites, water and oil. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in blueberries.

3)  Fill paper-lined muffin cups or muffin cups coated with nonstick cooking spray three-fourths full. Combine sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over muffins.

4)  Bake for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack.

Nutrition facts from Calorie Count.

Honey Whole Wheat Bread

Before making bread, I always preheat my oven to the lowest setting and then immediately turn it off.  This makes a warm and cozy spot for raising the dough.  This recipe is from allrecipes.com. I'm putting it here with a few changes I made.

• 3 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
• 1/3 cup honey
• 5 cups bread flour or all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted

1.  In a large bowl, mix warm water, yeast, and 1/3 cup honey. Add 5 cups white bread flour, and stir to combine. Let set for 30 minutes, or until big and bubbly.

2.  Mix in 3 tablespoons melted butter, 1/3 cup honey, and salt. Stir in 2 cups whole wheat flour. Flour a flat surface and knead with whole wheat flour until not real sticky - just pulling away from the counter, but still sticky to touch. This may take an additional 2 to 4 cups of whole wheat flour. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to coat the surface of the dough. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and a dishtowel. Let rise in a warm place until doubled.

3.  Punch down, and divide into 2 loaves. Place in greased 9 x 5 inch loaf pans, cover with dish towel and allow to rise until dough has topped the pans by one inch.

4.  Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 minutes; do not overbake. Lightly brush the tops of loaves with 2 tablespoons melted butter or margarine when done to prevent crust from getting hard. Let cool in pan 10 minutes and then turn out onto baking rack.  Either eat warm or cool completely before wrapping.

Coconut Banana Bread

I told you I liked coconut.  This is similar in flavor to the Banana Crunch Muffins I posteda couple of years ago but more dense and less sweet.  This recipe makes 2 loaves, because to my thinking, if you're going to gather ingredients and mess up the kitchen you may as well get a lot out of it.  You can always freeze or give away the extra loaf.  And actually, yesterday I made six mini loaves just because I was felt like it.

So there.

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup flaked coconut

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

4 eggs

1 1/2 cups white sugar

1 cup butter, melted and cooled or 1/2 cup melted butter + 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

2 cups mashed bananas

1 teaspoon almond extract

Directions

1)  Mix together flour, coconut, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and chopped nuts.

2)  Break eggs in a mixing bowl, and beat until light and frothy. Add sugar and melted butter (if using the applesauce, add here as well.)  Beat well. Stir in mashed banana and flavoring. Add flour mixture, and stir just to combine. Spoon into 2 greased and floured 9x5x3 inch loaf pans.

3)  Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let stand for 10 minutes, and remove from pan. Cool.

Overnight Cinnamon Rolls

 

Dough

1 (.25 ounce) pkg active dry yeast

1/4 cup warm water

3-4 cups flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 Tbsp white sugar

1/2 (3.4 ounce) pkg instant vanilla pudding mix

1/4 cup melted butter

1 cup warm milk

1 egg, beaten

Filling

1/4 cup softened butter

1 cup brown sugar

4 tsp ground cinnamon

Frosting

4 ounces softened cream cheese

1/4 cup softened butter

1 cup powdered sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 tsp milk

Directions

1) Combine yeast and water.  Set aside.

2) In a large bowl, stir together flour, salt, sugar and pudding mix.  Add butter, milk and egg.  Stir until well combined.

3) When yeast is bubbly, add to the flour mixture.  Beat with dough hook of mixer or turn out and knead by hand until dough bounces back when you poke it.

This bowl was a wedding gift to my parents in 1967.  Yours does not have to be that old.

4) Place in a large, greased bowl.  Cover with plastic wrap and a towel and let rise for about an hour or until doubled.

5) When dough has risen, roll out on a floured surface into a rectangle - about 10x17 inches.

6) Spread all over with 1/4 cup softened butter.

Some recipes say to use melted butter, but I think that's too messy.  Softened works great.

7) Combine brown sugar and cinnamon.  Spread over softened butter.

8) From the long side, roll the rectangle up tightly.

9) Using a serrated knife, cut the roll in half.  Then cut each half into eight pieces.

Using a serrated knife with a gentle, sawing motion will keep your rolls from getting smushed and unrolling.

10)  Place 4 rows of 4 rolls in a greased, 9x13 pan.

11)  Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight. (If you want to bake these right away, cover and let rise for about 45 minutes, then bake as directed.)

12) In the morning, remove from refrigerator and leave out at room temp for 1 hour.  Preheat oven to 350.

13) Uncover and bake for 15-20 minutes.

14) While rolls are baking, mix together ingredients for frosting.

15) Remove rolls from oven and while they are still warm, spread with frosting.

Just blob it on there.  The heat will make it spread easily over the rolls.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

• 1-1/2 cups white sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil (I sub applesauce for half of this)
• 4 eggs
• 15 oz canned pumpkin
• 1/2 cup water
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 cup semisweet miniature chocolate chips

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease and flour muffin pan or use paper liners.
2. Mix sugar, oil, eggs. Add pumpkin and water. In separate bowl mix together the baking flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices and salt.. Add wet mixture and stir in chocolate chips.
3. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full with batter. Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes.

Make 24+