A Girl's Gotta Bake

I've been in a baking mood lately, and a snacky mood, for that matter. Hence the muffins.

Morning Glory Muffins
adapted from Whole Foods' recipe
Yield: 8 jumbo or 16 regular-sized muffins

Ingredients:
1 1/3 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 cup + 2T cane sugar
1 T molasses
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup seedless raisins
2 eggs
1/3 cup coconut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 Granny Smith apple, cored, peeled and shredded
1/2 cup grated carrots
1/2 cup walnuts, finely chopped
wheat germ, for topping

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; break up any brown sugar lumps with your fingers or a wooden spoon. Add in the raisins, coating them with the mixture so they don't sink to the bottom of the muffins during baking.

In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, oil and vanilla, then add to flour mixture and stir just until combined. Add apples, carrots and walnuts and stir gently until well combined.

Spoon batter into paper-lined muffin tins, filling each about 2/3 full. Sprinkle with wheat germ and bake for 15-20 minutes for regular-sized or 25-30 for jumbo, until cooked through.

I first tried Morning Glory muffins last year at a farmer's market. A bunch of cyclists were lined up for them after a Saturday morning ride and so I had to find out what all the buzz was about. I can see why these babies are their fuel of choice! They're delicious and nutritious. To be honest, I hadn't thought about this recipe until a few weeks ago when we were on the road early and made a pit stop for some breakfast. Bruegger's had a Morning glory bagel on special and I had to get it, slathered with peanut butter, of course. I couldn't stop thinking about it and so I had to go home and make the muffins myself.

Farmer's Market Finds

I went to my first farmer's market of the season this week! What could be better than getting outside and checking out all of the local goods while chatting away with the farmers, artisans and bakers themselves? Oh yeah - sampling!! I love being able to learn about and try new foods direct from the source, and being a foodie, farmer's markets are for me like a toy store is to an eager child. 

I flocked immediately to Beltane Farm's table. They had an array of goat cheeses out to sample as well as a cooler full of goat milk yogurt. I tell you, it's not easy to find goat or sheep yogurt around here, so I was pretty stoked to see the single-serving yogurts alone. But once I tasted their chevre..my goodness, I was sold. I have never tasted goat cheese that creamy and luscious. I bought the herbed chevre and immediately dug in when I got home, putting them atop Bespoke crackers. 

Quick side note about these crackers. They were bought on a whim on vacation this winter and my cheese and cracker snob of a boy (and I mean that in the best way possible) deemed them the best crackers he'd ever eaten. That's some pretty high praise coming from him. They aren't just your average cracker, mind you -- these were oat-based and flavored with lemon and rosemary. Unique and absolutely delicious. So delicious, in fact, that when we got home with an empty bag, we went online and ordered six more. Don't judge. We ordered three more rosemary-lemons and we had to get the variety pack with the other two flavors to try.

Anyway, back to the farmer's market. I truly enjoy seeing what types of foods people are crafting these days. One booth had flavored pumpkin seeds, another had homemade artisan trail mix. There were jellies and jams, pies, pestos, and salad dressings. I hope to be one of them one day!

Aside from the goat cheese, I also bought some more plants for my garden. And by garden I mean pots with soil that line the back of our house. The patch of land where I planted the flowers is so rocky I'm not sure they'll even grow well, but we'll see. The Moorefield Herb Farm had a tempting display of herbs, fruits, vegetables and flowers.

The Caribbean hot peppers initially caught my eye because of my spice-loving friends. It's supposed to be hotter than a habanero, which scares me a little, but it should make for some kickin' hot pepper jelly. Eesh. As I was perusing the rest of her table, the strawberries also caught my eye. I've never grown fruit before and I was reassured that the Alpine variety, in particular, should grow well in a potted environment because they're so tiny. After a quick trip to Home Depot, my new plants are all nestled in their pots awaiting the rains.

Small Changes

We've all been there. Too tired, too busy, very empty fridge. If you've been neglecting your supermarket or have been in a food rut lately, I've got some good news for you. Small changes can make all the difference to your recipes and help you break out of your less than thrilling routine of eats and make quick work of a delicious meal.

Let's talk lunch, the inspiration for this post. I started eating cafeteria food again thanks to my job, and when there aren't enough leftovers from the night before to bring in the next day, it results in me eating my fair share of sandwiches. Take the classic turkey and cheese, please, and check out my swaps.

Wheat bread --> Tomato-Basil wrap

Mustard --> Red wine vinegar

Deli Turkey --> Fresh roasted turkey

Iceberg Lettuce --> Arugula

Tomato --> Leave it in and add some red onion

Swiss cheese --> Sharp cheddar

Take out the bread, the filling and the condiment and envelop some fresh turkey in a flavored wrap and add in some bitter greens that have been dressed in red wine vinegar and you've got a delicious new twist on the lunch-time staple. I can't believe how much the vinegar does for this dish. It's so tangy and bright and really helps to boost the otherwise bland turkey.

With my lunchtime revelation out of the way, let's backtrack to breakfast. Probably the easiest way to make a bland breakfast into a morning must-have is the addition of herbs and spices. Eggs, for example, benefit greatly from some fresh or dried herbs. Whether you're having a quick scramble or hard boiled, try adding salt and pepper, for starters. If you like a kick, add some hot sauce or a ground pepper blend. Not an egg person? Try adding cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice or nutmeg to oatmeal, cottage cheese or plain yogurt. A dash of vanilla, some homemade preserves or a packet of flavored instant breakfast go a long way, too! Still attached to your beloved bowl of cereal and milk? Add some wheat germ and raisins. Trust me on this one!

Now dinner is probably the hardest meal for me to figure out. Don't get me wrong, I love trying out new recipes and whipping up something yummy, but food ruts do happen! I came across this article years ago and had the forethought to scan it in and save it. This list will be a lifesaver for any protein you plan on putting on the table.