a breakfast kick of sorts

You must bear with me for a moment or two.  I am on a breakfast kick of sorts.

Normally, when I’m on such a breakfast kick, I revolve my mind around oats and yogurt and muffins.  And things like that.

But then, this week, a friend told me that she was just diagnosed with Celiac Disease.  That she would miss her beloved raisin bread and melty chocolate chip cookies the most.  And then, also, she would mourn the loss of her morning bowl of warm and creamy oats.  That’s when I realized (by golly!) that I needed to do something about this.  The raisin bread and cookies, I’ll tackle later.  But with so many gluten free grains to choose from, I knew she could quite easily find a breakfast that would once again make her feel right at home in her own kitchen.

If you’ve ever been into feeding your backyard birds or even if you’ve ever been to an animal feed store, you know exactly what millet looks like.  It’s one of the most popular seeds used for feeding birds, especially in the US.

A tiny, seeded species of cereal crops, this grain is completely gluten free.  The flavor is mild and subtly sweet, making it ideal for things like rice pilafs or tabbouleh.  Or–in my case–breakfast.

This isn’t as fast as throwing together a morning bowl of oats.  But there are some shortcuts.  You could easily double (triple?) the batch and have breakfast for the upcoming week.  If you really find yourself enjoying it, it might be worth purchasing some millet grits, which are ground more fine, making them quicker to cook up in the morning.  This is delicious with walnuts on top or served in an almost empty peanut butter jar, which will offer the most ultimate, creamy pleasure.

Whether your health demands that you go gluten free or not, millet will quickly win your heart.  And your breakfast.

Warm and Creamy Millet

(Serves 1)

This breakfast takes about 25 minutes of total prep and cooking time, which is why I highly recommend making it in bulk and refrigerating the leftovers for the following day.  😀

• 1 cup lowfat milk + 1/4 cup water
• cinnamon and nutmeg
• 1/4 cup millet
• dash of salt
• 1 very ripe banana, sliced
• 2 Tbsp. raisins
• toppings: walnuts

1. In a medium sauce pan, bring milk, water and spices to a bowl.  Add millet and a dash of salt.  Stir, cover and reduce heat to medium low, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching.  Cook for 15 minutes.
2. Add banana and raisins.  Continue cooking for another 5 minutes or until millet has reached desired consistency.  Top with walnuts and ENJOY! 😀

QUESTION: Are you adventurous with trying new grains or do you have your tried and true favorites?

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an unlikely pair.

No matter how unlikely it may seem, you just never know who you’re going to hit it off with.

Who might suddenly be your new best friend.

Chick peas and pumpkin are a very unlikely combination.  Slightly unexpected.  And while they’re not quite on the level of black bean brownies, they’ll still make you step back for just a moment or two.

Chick peas and pumpkin? Who would have thought.

I still haven’t decided if this is a smooth and creamy hummus or a sweet and spicy, gingerbread dessert spread.

I have decided that I love these flavors together.  That blackstrap molasses makes everything (yes, everything!) better.  That walnuts and molasses were meant to be.  And that next next year I need to stock up with one or two more cans of pumpkin.

Serve the spread on a crispy cracker.

Or swirl it into your yogurt with a sprinkle of Natures Path Pumpkin Flax Granola.

No matter how unlikely it may seem, you just never know who you’re going to hit it off with.

Who might suddenly be your best friend.

Gingerbread Hummus

Serve this sweet and spicy spread with crackers or yogurt.  Or, top off your morning bowl of oats (or pancakes!) with a scoop or two.  There’s not a trace of “bean” flavor to be found, and—like me—you will probably find yourself wondering why you didn’t stock up with more cans of pumpkin as well.  Enjoy!

• 1-15oz. can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 3/4 tsp cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp ginger
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp cloves
• 1/2 tsp lemon juice
• sea salt to taste
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 Tbsp. blackstrap molasses

1. In a food processor, combine all ingredients together.  Adjust salt and molasses to taste.  Enjoy! 😀

QUESTION: Hummus…yay or nay?  What is your favorite hummus flavor?

not your average brownie

Well.  I never thought I would say this. But.

I made a batch of black bean brownies.  And I ate one.  And I liked it.

I don’t know where this idea first originated.  I mean, who puts beans in their brownies?

I honestly don’t know, but I figured that while I was at it, I may as well just throw some pumpkin in there too.  May as well.

For better or worse, into the oven you go…

The kitchen smelled like chocolate.

The brownies looked like chocolate.

These brownies are chocolate.  No doubts about that, the flavor is all there.  No off putting beany flavors, whatsoever (phew!)

I don’t know what it is that came over me tonight.  All I know is that I have but one can of pumpkin left.  I’ve eaten my weight in almond butter this week.  And after this shenanigan, I imagine that my kitchen will end up living in a state of shock for just a while.

But that’s okay.  It was all well worth it.  I think you’ll agree.

Black Bean Brownies

These are brownies with health benefits, thanks to the filling fiber from the pumpkin and the fiber/protein combo from the beans.  And while I wouldn’t try to claim that these are going to be your new “go-to” recipe for brownies, I think they make a fun new twist as a healthier dessert for during the week.

These brownies are moist—fudge like!—and soft and filled with sweet chocolate.  I highly recommend adding the walnuts, chocolate chips and coffee, as these ingredients will really help to intensify the richness.  Smear these babies with almond butter, raspberry jam or sprinkle with shredded coconut and enjoy with a tall glass of ice cold milk.  Enjoy!

• 2 cups canned black beans, rinsed and drained
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder + 2 Tbsp.
• 1 pinch sea salt
• 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1-2 tsp instant coffee
• 1/4 cup chocolate chips (optional)
• 1/4 cup walnuts (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8×8 inch baking pan with cooking spray.
2. In a blender, combine black beans, eggs, pumpkin, cocoa powder, sea salt, vanilla extract, sugar, and coffee until smooth.  Transfer to a medium bowl and stir in chocolate chips and walnuts.  Transfer to prepared baking dish.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for about 25-30 minutes.  Brownies are ready when the top appears dry and the edges start to pull away from the sides.  Serve warm with a smear of your favorite nut butter or fruit jam.  ENJOY!

QUESTION: What is the most unusual ingredient you have ever cooked with?

a little extra time

When I was small, my mom seemed to always have a loaf of zucchini or banana bread tucked away somewhere in the freezer.  And if she just so happened to take out a loaf or two—if us kids saw them sitting patiently on the counter—we instantaneously understood.  It was like some unspoken “code,” which everyone naturally understood.

“Who’s coming over to visit, mom?”

The bread would be warmed and sliced into soft, thick hunks of sweetness.  Placed just so, on a tea style plate for when company would arrive.  Coffee for the adults.  Milk and juice for the kids.  And if we were really, really lucky, there would be slices of both zucchini and banana bread sitting on the table.  Which, of course, means that you can have a slice of each.  Of course.

Last night, I came home from work a little earlier than normal.  Early enough to actually do something before preparing dinner or going for a run or diving head first into homework.

First thought: I want to take a nap.  Second thought: I want a banana bran muffin.  Always place your bets on the muffin; they always win.  I never take naps, but they sure sound nice.

At first, I set out to make a standard, favorite, and very well-loved version of the banana bread, but I’ve been wanting to use some of my pantry’s wheat bran for a while now.  Banana and bran go so well together, that it seemed impossible not to take the muffins in such a direction.  Impossible! Besides, I wanted my muffins to be sturdy and satisfying.  I also wanted them sweet and delicate enough to pass for dessert.  Hearty and healthy enough to be eaten for breakfast.

Banana bran muffins.  Yes.  That is exactly what I wanted.

Muffins have the glorious concept of being able to freeze individually.  They travel well, when breakfast needs to be taken on the road.  They’re versatile enough to be crumbled over oats or yogurt, slathered with peanut butter,or broiled in the oven with a pat of butter.  And while they are, of course, most delicious served hot from the oven, they can be easily rewarmed with results that are just as yummy.

You could bake them for when company comes over.  Say, you know, for brunch or an afternoon cup of coffee.  Or you could bake a batch, just because.  Just because you have a little extra time.  Just because you feel like eating a banana bran muffin.

Banana Bran Muffins—tweaked from an original Eating Well recipe

If you ever want to change things up, add a sprinkle of walnuts to the batter.  Or chocolate chips.  Or raisins, pumpkin seeds, apricots, blueberries, etc.  You can make these muffins as personalized as you like.

If you’re not used to cooking with all whole-wheat flour or unprocessed bran, don’t be intimidated!  The bananas and small amount of oil help to keep these babies soft, moist and perfectly tender.  There’s absolutely nothing that’s overly grainy or dry about them.

Enjoy! 😀

• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 3 medium, very ripe bananas, mashed
• 1 c. milk with 1 T. lemon juice (or 1 cup buttermilk)
• 1 cup unprocessed wheat bran
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1-3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon + 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• walnuts for top (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat 12 muffin cups with cooking spray.
2. Whisk eggs and brown sugar in a medium bowl until smooth. Whisk in bananas, buttermilk, wheat bran, oil and vanilla.
3. Whisk whole-wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the dry ingredients; add the wet ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula until just combined.  Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin cups (they’ll be quite full). Sprinkle with walnuts, if using.
4. Bake the muffins until the tops are golden brown and spring back when touched lightly, 15 to 25 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Loosen edges and turn muffins out onto a wire rack to cool slightly before serving.

QUESTION: What seems to always be in your freezer?

in the early morning

While I’ve always been a morning person, I don’t always bounce out of bed with limitless energy.  And yet, that’s exactly what I did this morning.  At 4:30 am.  On a Saturday.

What is wrong with me?

Anyways, I put the extra morning time to good use.

First, I got to work on fixing yesterday’s conundrum.  The misspelled word on my poster.  There was absolutely no way—no way!—that I was going to pay another $30 to have the poster printed.  So I took some photo quality printer paper and printed out part of the poster on an 8×11 sheet.  I really just wanted the word “The” so that I could paste it on top of the word “To.”

(It practically killed me to replace “to” with “the” on my saved version, without being able to so easily change it on the hard copy!)

While I wouldn’t say this was the most perfect, flawless solution, it did solve the problem…

My hope is that most people will stand far back and not even take notice. 😉

The sun was still barely waking up, as I rolled the poster back into its case.  It was just shy of 6 o’clock.  I didn’t have a long run planned.  I didn’t need to be out of the house until 9:30.  I literally still had an entirely full morning left.

Obviously, it only made sense that I bake a batch of blueberry muffins for breakfast.

I have always said that if I were to ever make it famous in life, I would want to be most famous for one of these two scenarios: (1) Owner and operator of a gourmet oatmeal buffet (don’t laugh, I can totally picture this!)  Or (2) a baker.  Of breads and pies and pastries.  And, mostly, of muffins.

Whole Wheat Banana Berry Muffins

Whole Wheat Banana Berry Muffins

Warm from the oven, these muffins make for an absolutely fabulous weekend breakfast.  They’re delicious as is, or crumbled into yogurt with almond butter too.  They also make the perfect breakfast-to-go, but honestly, I prefer eating them in the comfort of my home on some Saturday morning, in my pj’s, with a hot cup of coffee.

I used whole wheat graham flour for the fun, nutty texture.  But really, you can use any whole wheat flour that you happen to have on hand.  Enjoy! 😀

• 2 c. whole wheat graham flour
• 1 T. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 large egg
• 2 egg whites
• 1 c. milk
• 1/4 c. sugar
• 1/4 c. olive oil
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 c. mashed, very ripe banana (about 1-1/2 bananas)
• 1-1/2 c. frozen blueberries

1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. Whisk together first 5 ingredients up to nutmeg.  Whisk together next 7 ingredients up to banana in a separate bowl.
3. Add blueberries to dry mix; stir until blueberries are coated with the flour.
4. Add wet mix to dry mix.  Stir just until moistened.
5. Pour batter into 12-muffin pan coated with cooking spray.  Bake for 17-20 minutes in preheated oven.  Once done, run knife around edges and pop out onto cooking rack to cool.  Serve warm for the ultimate muffin experience.

Sigh.

I love muffins.

I love early mornings.

Question: What was the highlight of your Saturday?

I’m Dreaming In Chocolate.

 

I think I have become obsessed—completely and hopelessly obsessed!—with chocolate.

I don’t think there’s any hope of turning back.

 

 

It all started with Valentines Day, and my bowl of chocolatey chip covered oats.

It continued on through pumpkin-chocolate breakfast cookies (more on that in future posts.)

And now, I’m moving on to chocolate granola.

I’m dreaming in chocolate.

 

 

The nice thing about granola is that a little bit goes a long way.  That, and the fact that it’s pretty easy to turn granola into a health food, while still including a bit of an indulgent flair.

Oats.  Cocoa.  Peanut butter = health food.

Coconut.  Butter.  Honey = indulgent flair.

 

 

Granola is so easy to make, I’m surprised at myself for not making it more often than I do.  The one and only glitch that I’ve found is in making sure that there’s enough fat to give the granola its expected crunch.   A little butter or oil does the trick.

Well.

Okay, there’s one more glitch.  Granola needs to be checked very, very often, in order to avoid scorching or burning.  It happens quickly.  Trust me.  I’ve made more than my fair share of burnt granola, when I decided to go off and do something “real quick.”  Let’s just say that I’ve learned my lesson, and now I glue my feet to the kitchen floor whenever I make a batch of granola.

 

 

I’m dreaming in chocolate.

And there’s no hope of turning back.

 

 

(p.s. My most current obsession is taking crunchy, toasted wheat germ…

 

…sprinkling it on top of some yogurt, and finishing it all off with a healthy scoop of “I Dream in Chocolate Granola.”)

I highly recommend it.

 

 

I Dream in Chocolate Granola

Feel free to add walnuts, chocolate chips, chopped almonds, and any mixture of dried fruit to this granola.  Just make sure you let the granola cool for several minutes before sampling, as it is very, very hot when it comes straight from the oven (i.e., painful…and I speak from experience. 😉 )

Serve this chocolatey granola on your favorite yogurt snack or sprinkle on your dish of morning oatmeal.  Enjoy! 😀

• 1/4 c. honey
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 3 Tbsp. peanut butter
• 2-1/2 cup oatmeal
• 3 Tbsp. cocoa
• 1/4 c. coconut

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Boil honey, butter, and peanut butter together for about 2-3 minutes.  Take off the heat and combine with oatmeal, cocoa, and coconut.  Place on baking sheet that is coated in cooking spray, spread out and bake for 8-12 minutes, stirring after every 3 minutes or so.  Check often to avoid burning.  Granola is done when it feels hardened and appears toasted.  ENJOY! 😀

Question: What is your favorite way to eat granola? I love going backpacking and waking up to a bowl of granola with hot milk and dried fruit on top!

Life’s Not Always Pretty

 

Life’s not always pretty.

But it sure is delicious.

 

 

It was a very, very slow day at work today. 

In fact, it was hardly 3 o’clock when I finished seeing my last patient.  It was exactly 3 o’clock when I drove my little red car out of the lot.  And it was exactly 3:05 when I realized that the last thing I wanted to do was head straight home to face my ever growing pile of homework.  Oh me, oh my.  What a dilemna.

I toyed with going shopping, but it’s no secret that my sister and I have been going just a  teensy bit crazy with shopping lately. I think I need to hold off on any retail therapy for just a while.  I wouldn’t want the sales lady to know me by name, or anything. 😉

 

 

Besides, I think my kitchen has been resting just a little too long.  I’ve been itching to make something—anything! 

And so, with that final thought, I drove home.  I threw on my apron.  

And then I chopped an onion.

 

 

(I don’t always know where I’m going with a recipe or any given ingredient, but I’ve discovered that a scoop or two of salsa can do no wrong in most savory recipes…)

 

 

(…same goes for a spritz of lemon.  Salsa and lemon sure know how to spice up a party!)

 

 

These refried beans are a perfectly delicious option for filling a burrito or using as a dip for a dish of corn chips.

And, just as an extra bonus, this is the perfect recipe to make after a particularly stressful day.  You can chop away at an onion, smash a few beans, and make a snack (or lunch!) all in one shot. 

 

 

Life’s not always pretty.

But it sure is delicious.

 

 

Refried Beans

If you prefer a creamier refried bean, toss this mixture into your food processor and give it a whirl.  This is a delicious filling for your burrito, when paired with feta cheese, avocados, fresh tomatoes and lettuce.  Or, serve it cold with some corn chips for a protein packed, fiber rich snack.  Enjoy! 😀

• 1 15-oz. can of pinto beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 2-3 Tbsp. salsa
• lemon juice
• garlic powder
• salt to taste
• pepper
• cayenne to taste (optional)

1. In a small saucepan, heat oil over medium heat.  Add chopped onions and cook until onions are soft and tender.
2. Add pinto beans and reduce heat to medium low.  Continue to cook and stir occasionally, 5-6 minutes.  Add salsa, lemon juice, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and cayenne if using.
3. With a potato masher, mash and stir all ingredients together.  Serve warm or cold as desired.  ENJOY! 😀

Question: If you had one day to do absolutely anything, what would you do?

surviving the storms of new england

 

I knew this was going to happen.  I knew that I was going to finish off my jar of dark chocolate dreams peanut butter, just to wish that the word “finish” didn’t belong in the same sentence. 

I knew I was going to miss dark chocolate terribly.

I knew I was going to have to make my own version of dark chocolate dreams, just to (sanely) carry me through this New England blizzard.

 

 

I’ve heard from countless, reliable sources that there is absolutely no excuse not to make your own nut butter at home.  “It’s easy!”  They say.  “You’ll never, ever buy a jar from the store again.”

Well, I’m really not looking for a replacement.  I’m just looking for a suitable substitute.  Yes.  Exactly.  To carry me through this blizzard.

With high hopes, a cup of pan roasted almonds, a box of cocoa powder, and a jar of honey, I set off to make myself some almond butter.

 

 

Before we continue on, I just have to point out that I used “roasted almonds” for this particular recipe.  You could most definitely make a raw almond butter.  Some people prefer it.  But, more times than not, I err on the side of roasting.  The heat will gently coax out the oils, and the aroma is out.of.this.world, ridiculously amazing.  In fact, it will almost make you forget about making almond butter altogether, instead noshing your way through a pan of crunchy almonds.  Resist the urge.  Trudge ahead!  And transfer those roasted beauties into a food processor.

 

 

Zwwwhirp…a minute or two in the processor.

And then this happens:

 

  

 

That is the powder stage.  The stage in which you will want to raise a white flag in surrender, declaring that you will never, ever make nut butter again.  Not to worry.  Keep on blending, being sure to scrape down the sides now and then.  Slowly but surely, the powder will begin to clump.  The clump will begin to cream.  And soon enough, almond butter is born.

I’m not saying that I’ll never buy a jar of nut butter from the store again.  However, it took only one warm, delicious bite of deep chocolate almond butter to confirm my beliefs that I could sanely make it through this kabillionth New England storm. 

Carry on, blizzard.  Carry on.

 

Dark Chocolate Almond Butter

Right before the almond butter reached the creamy stage is when I added all of the “extra” ingredients, but you can really add them any time after the butter begins to clump together.  Raisins.  Cinnamon.  Vanilla.  Sea salt.  Coconut.  Feel free to use your favorite flavor combinations for this!

Serve on graham crackers, whipped banana oats, or toasted almond butter sandwiches.  Enjoy!

• 1 cup almonds
• 4-5 tsp. honey
• 2 Tbsp cocoa powder
• 1 Tbsp. canola oil (optional, if almonds are on the dry side)
• sprinkle of sea salt

1. In a small saucepan, heat almonds over medium-low heat until aromatic.  This will take about 5-8 minutes.  Stir often.
2. Transfer almonds to a food processor and process until beginning to clump together.  This will take a while, but hang in there!
3. Add cocoa powder, honey, canola oil (if using), and sprinkle of sea salt.  Continue processing until smooth and creamy, to desired consistency.  ENJOY!

Question: What is your favorite kind of nut butter?  Favorite flavor?

a snowy day

We have snow literally coming out of our ears, here in New England!

 

 

Sent home early.  No critical homework due. 

There’s but one thing for a girl to do in such a situation.

 

 

First I made a steaming hot cup of licorice tea…

 

 

…and then I had myself a date with Mr. Quaker.

 

 

These are my stand by, true blue, you’ve never let me down, fool-proof recipe for granola bars.  What I love most about these chunky little bars, is that the combination of flavors is limitless.  Honey?  Molasses?  Agave?  Chocolate chips?  Peanut butter chips?  Raisins?

Absolutely limitless!

Today’s combination of flavors included pecans, dark chocolate chips, flax…

 

…and a deep, intoxicatingly rich swirl of blackstrap molasses. 

 

 

Honey would have given these bars more of a golden hue vs. the deep chocolate color.  But I absolutely love the flavor that molasses imparts.

And, really now, who doesn’t like the color of chocolate?

 

 

You want to know something?  When Mr. Quaker is around, a little bit of extra snow around the place doesn’t look so bad after all.

 

Granola Bars with chocolate chips and pecans

These bars can be made with any mixture of your favorite ingredients—peanut butter chips, dates and coconut come to mind!  Enjoy them for breakfast, as a snack or even as a dessert with a cup of tea.  They also keep very well, and can be packed as a fun addition with your lunch-to-go.

ENJOY! 😀

• 1 T. olive oil + pam for spraying pan
• 1-1/4 c. old fashioned rolled oats
• 1/4 c. dark or semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/4 c. ground flaxseeds
• 1/4 c. chopped pecans
• 1/4 c. blackstrap molasses
• 1/4 c. natural, chunky, salted peanut butter
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Spray an 8-by-8-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Line bottom and two sides with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on each side.  Spray again with cooking spray. In a bowl, combine oats, chocolate chips, flaxseeds, and pecans; set aside.
2. In a small/medium saucepan, combine molasses, peanut butter, oil, and vanilla. Cook over medium until melted. Add dry ingredients to pan, turn off heat and stir to combine. Transfer mixture to prepared pan; smooth top. Bake until golden and edges pull away from sides of pan, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool completely in pan. Using paper overhang, lift bars out of pan. On a cutting board, gently cut into 8 pieces using a serrated knife. Store in an airtight container, separating pieces with wax or parchment paper, for one week.  ENJOY!

Question: What is your favorite activity on a snow day?

snow to be expected

Here in New England, we’re experiencing a bit of calm before a storm.  The news stations are claiming that 12-24 inches are expected by tomorrow.  Time to take out the snowshoes!

I figured it would be a good idea to get as much fresh air as possible today before the storm came, and went out for a nice, long walk.

And then I came home to bake a batch of breakfast muffins. 

Excuse?  The upcoming storm.  It’s not such a bad idea, you know, to prepare for any potential electric outages. 😉

Breakfast Muffins—as seen in Moosewood Restaurant’s “Cooking for Health” cookbook, with some tweaking.

I love muffins.  So when I find a muffin recipe that sounds both delicious and healthy, I throw on my apron and I bake a batch. 

These are perfect for breakfast, as they’re not overly sweet and give you plenty of fiber and nutrients to keep you going throughout the morning.  Simply pair with a glass of milk, a dish of yogurt, some fresh fruit and/or a handful of walnuts.

• 1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 T. molasses
• 3/4 c. dried cranberries
• 1 c. oat bran
• 2 c. finely chopped apples
• 1/2 c. whole wheat flour
• 1-1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 c. rolled oats
• 2 T. ground flax
• 1/2 c. chopped walnuts

1. Preheat oven 5o 375 degrees.  Spray 12-cup muffin tins with cooking spray.
2. In a mixing bowl, stir together the yogurt, eggs, vanilla, and molasses.  Stir in craberries, oat bran, and apples. 
3. In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon, stirring in the oats, walnuts (if desered) and flaxseeds.  Fold the dry mixture into the wet mixture, just until combined.
4. Spoon batter into the prepared muffin tin; fill to the brims. 
5. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until toothpick inserted comes out clean.  Cool on a wire rack.  ENJOY! 😀

Question: Are you expecting snow where you live?