Grain-Free Muffins
As promised in last week’s post on quick, nourishing breakfasts, here’s my recipe for grain-free muffins using almond flour. These have been modifed from a recipe found in The Grain-Free Gourmet . They are VERY versatile, and are reminiscent of bran-muffins with a hint of sweetness from honey. Unlike the coconut flour muffins, these are not “eggy” at all and hold together remarkably well. They have all the attributes of wheat flour muffins without the extra carbs…and are a lot more nutritious to boot! This recipe makes about 12 muffins:
Grain-Free Blueberry Muffins
2.5 cups of almond meal, almond flour, or hazelnut flour (can be made by grinding crispy nuts in a coffee grinder)
3 large eggs
1/4 cup of honey
1/2 tsp. of baking powder
1/2 tsp. of sea salt
1 Tbs. of vanilla extract
1 cup blueberries
Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
Prepare muffin tins with liners or lightly grease with oil or butter. Mix all ingredients until smooth.
Fold in the blueberries.
Bake for 30-40 minutes.
Optional add-ins:
For zucchini-spice muffins:
add:
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. allspice
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup shredded zucchini instead of blueberries
Substitute fresh pitted cherries, or any other desired fruit for the blueberries so that it amounts to 1 cup of fruit.
Add 1 cup of chopped, bittersweet chocolate or unsweetened chocolate chips for a chocolate chip muffin!
Kellogg’s Propaganda on Children’s Nutrition
Look at all those happy, healty kids. The Kellogg Corporation wants you to believe that by eating a processed carb and sugar-laden breakfast, these kids will be more “alert” in school and that their products build optimal nutrition. This is marketing genius at its height, folks. I know my readers will have enough saavy not to be fooled by the claims of such propaganda (which appeared in my Sunday paper this week), but I just couldn’t let this go.
Thrifty, Real Food Breakfasts for Busy Moms
It’s August, which means school is just around the corner. School days mean more rushed mornings, and for moms it can be a huge temptation to succumb to convenience foods like boxed cereals, eggo waffles, and the like. The benefit of said products is that they are easy, quick, and relatively cheap. The downside (if I even have to mention it) is their complete lack of adequate nutrition, including high amounts of sugar and processed grains. Not a good way for kids to start their school day (or any day for that matter). Fortunately, with a little bit of planning, you can provide your family with quick, nourishing breakfasts on those rushed school mornings and save time AND money!
5 Simple, Thrifty Immune Boosters
With swine flu threatening to be back with a vengence this fall, the authorities seem bent on everyone getting a vaccine. Vaccines developed in less than, oh, a few months, really make me nervous since they obviously haven’t had time to be really tested over the long haul. Personally, I would rather build my immune system to be able to optimally handle a virus. Whether you decide to get a vaccine or not, there are some simple things you can do to build up your immune system now:
Baby Step #3: Saving Money by Menu Planning
Last week I got so busy that I didn’t make a menu plan for the week— I had to wing it! I felt very lost, but since I’m a creature of routine, I pretty much stuck with my regular breakfast routine and made use of what was in season from the garden and the CSA. This week I’m sort of combining Menu Plan Monday with a longer editorial, continuing my not-to-be abandoned series on the Baby Steps to Transitioning to Real Foods (If you missed the others, check out #1 and #2). Hang with me, it’s rather long, but the menu plan is at the end. Read the rest of this entry »
