Everything but the Kitchen Sink Muffin

I was wandering around the house tonight wanting to snack and/or bake…but also so aware NONE of my summer clothes fit me properly. I pulled out my faithful recipe book and turned to all my muffin recipes. There was one in there, probably about 6 or 7 years old and I’ve never made it but the ingredient list always intrigued me. I thought “there is way too much stuff in this recipe for it to cook properly!” I simply ignored the recipe until tonight. Tonight it spoke to me. I didn’t have all the ingredients, as usual; I always tend to ‘tweak’ a recipe and put my own touch on it. It’s a chunky muffin to say the least, jam-packed with good ‘stuff’ and it may seem like not alot of batter. Throw common sense out the window for this one folks and try it. Oh and they’re practically fat free too.

For those recipe-purists out there I will post the recipe as it was given to me, but I’ll put my changes in parentheses beside.

1 cup grated zucchini or a mix of carrot and zucchini (I opted for the mix)

1/2 cup Applesauce

1/4 cup raisins

1 14 oz tin of mandarin oranges, drained and cut finely (I had none, so used pineapple tidbits!)

1 cup of a flaked cereal (author used Special K, I used bran flakes)

1/4 cup oil (I chose NOT to use this, subbed applesauce instead for all but 2 tbsp and that I did use oil for)

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/3 cup sugar (*UPDATE: Just had a 2nd one and very sweet. I would say you don’t need a full 1/3 cup. I’m just sayin’…)

3/4 cup WW flour

3/4 cup all purpose flour

1 tsp cinnamon

dash nutmeg

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 chopped walnuts (I didn’t have any so I used pecans instead)

1/4 soy milk or regular milk (I didn’t even need this!)

3 tbsp coconut for topping (I didn’t have any so used pumpkin seeds!)

- PREHEAT OVEN TO 400 DEGREES F

-I used 12 regular sized muffin cups, or could use 6 large if you had them. Will need to be greased or non-stick paper liners used.

-In large bowl mix zucchini (and carrot), raisins, oranges, applesauce and cereal. Set aside.

-Stir in oil if using and vanilla

-In separate bowl add dry: flours, sugar, spices, BP, BS and salt

-Add dry to the wet and fold in nuts. This would be when you would add in the milk if the batter is not moist enough but I found I didn’t need it.

-Divide evenly into muffin cups and top with coconut (or pumpkin seeds in my case)

-Bake 20 mins or until toothpick comes out clean. I had to do 30 minutes…oh and just because I always need a little chocolate a threw in a few chocolate chips too!

 I know this seems a little un-traditional in the mixing and not at all like a normal muffin recipe…I thought so too and perhaps that’s why I ignored it for so long. I’m not disappointed though. I find them sweet, hearty and healthy.

It’s almost the end of May and it’s raining. Again. Or still? No, that’s not fair because we did have a few lovely days last week. Well one comes to mind actually- last Friday. It was clear and sunny….warm even. It’s summer in less than one month and if the sun doesn’t hurry up and hit this city I…I…um, well I don’t know what I’ll do but it won’t be pretty dammit! I. Need. Sun. OK, enough about what I need though and let me tell you what’s been going on lately…

We had a wolf drop by the clinic today. No, not a “pet” wolf- it was a wild one from the Grouse Mountain Refuge for Endangered Wildlife  who needed some medical attention. He came heavily sedated with his OWN Veterinarian and several others standing guard. I have to admit I was expecting this lithe grey coloured wolf like the ones recently featured in a National Geographic article I read…not the HUGE furry white beast that was carried in. His sheer size surprised me- he was massive. Had I familiarized myself with the Grouse Mountain website, I would have known what to expect! Weighing in at only 100 lbs though, it was pretty clear his coat was quite thick and dense thus attributing to that weight. For a ‘small animal practice’ it was pretty exciting to have a wild animal of that kind in our humble little clinic!

Last night, as My Guy and I sat through the most intense, nail-biter of a hockey game he said, “I can’t wait for hockey to be over so we can go for a bike ride again.” As much as we love our dear Canucks and the fact we’re in the Stanley Cup Finals, I don’t think we’ve even so much as glanced at our bikes for the past 3 weeks. Some may say it’s a sad excuse for hockey isn’t on EVERY night after all…but it’s our story and we’re sticking with it. We do have several days ahead of us however before the next game…so really there isn’t a valid reason I can’t get out and ride. Oh wait, yeah I forgot: IT’S POURING RAIN OUTSIDE!! Summer is creeping up on us and I’m not bikini-ready…

 I bought a big jug of OJ at my last grocery shop with the intent of getting back into taking my Greens. I used to take this stuff faithfully and felt great while doing it…and then I let life get in the way and I stopped. I started out using the Greens + Extra Energy and then with all the bowel and intestinal issues I had, I thought perhaps the Greens + Daily Detox might be a better product. I really did notice a difference on the Extra Energy but I got lazy. That’s all there is to it. This product doesn’t come super cheap but I truly feel like it’s money well spent because it’s so good for my body. I had some last night and will again tonight. If you haven’t tried the Greens products from Genuine Health I suggest you look into them and give them a try. Plus the website is jam-packed with info so that alone is a great place to start! Personally I’m happy and I’ve only tried 2 of them! Oh if only I could afford more! 

Coming soon will be some new recipes and reviews so check back often!

I can’t stop making it. I am on this serious mission to get the PERFECT texture and mouth-feel to my seitan. I have a batch in the oven now baking; wrapped tightly in foil at the suggestion of several others over at The Veggie Boards. I’m told this *may* provide the not-so-chewy, meatier texture My Guy is looking for. I’m totally having a blast experimenting with this and don’t care really how many times I have to keep making the stuff, cause I keep on eating it! As I put away groceries yesterday after my big shop, I realized we have some gardein products that are nearing their expiry date! With all the crazy seitan-making going on in this house, the gardein and tofu got neglected. *UPDATE: the recipe I use now is here.*

I had an awesome bike ride through my beautiful Mount Pleasant neighborhood the other night. It was so nice to just coast along the flat parts of Ontario Street and watch life go on around me. The green spaces were full, front yards had children playing, bikes were whizzing past me and runners out as well. Everyone was out and the feeling that Spring is finally here, was palpable. It’s been a great week for exercising for me; I ran farther than I’ve run before at the beginning of the week but I also paid for that act by a throbbing knee! No worries. I’m resting it up and using my bike until I’m ready to use it again…This is a perfect time to begin an exercise program or to get back out if you’ve gotten a little lazy over the winter. There is nothing better than a spring day, with the fresh smell of grass, earth and leaves upon a slightly brisk wind…you can feel the warmth of the sun and know that soon it will be summer and it’s full strength will blast down on us! I feel energized at this time of year and have no desire to visit the gym. I want to feel the air and see others out and about, moving and celebrating the moment.

Grab a friend and go for a walk. Or pull out your bike and do a little tune up. When was the last time you rode it? Is it road-ready? Spring is meant to be enjoyed and savoured. It’s a time for new growth and new beginnings. Maybe you slipped on your New Years Resolution…so what? Spring is re-birth so make a new resolution and jump right into it!

My spring day involves waiting on the seitan to bake…a bike ride…a stop at Michaels for some stuff…and who knows what else?

What does YOUR spring day involve? Oh and yes, for those inquiring minds emailing me about the sietan, I WILL post pics of the baked stuff once it’s done!

So I’m at the gym today and I see someone out of the corner of my eye step onto the treadmill beside me. It’s a young girl in her Catholic school uniform! I see people wearing all sorts of stuff at the gym that I don’t consider work-out wear, but this one took the cake. She was standing on the treadmill, setting up her stuff and she wasn’t even wearing running shoes or sneakers! I thought to myself, “OK I’ll sit back and watch this play out…”

She held her own fairly well, wasn’t breaking a sweat but then again she wasn’t running either. When she finally did increase her speed, damned if I was going to let her beat me! I kept going past my time, feeling my legs burn and my chest begin to burn but I was determined to go farther and longer than this girl in a school girl uniform! Immature I know. She floundered just when I thought I might pass out, grasping at the bars on the treadmill to hold herself up…and I slowed down, as if I meant to stop soon after her. Sigh. Just a little friendly competition at the gym.

But this post is meant to be serious in the sense, I don’t understand people who choose to work out in what looks like uncomfortable clothing to me. I couldn’t imagine sweating up a storm in jeans and a sweatshirt! I also need proper footwear; it just makes everything go smoother if your feet and legs are happy. I’m not saying go out and buy expensive gear and top of the line yoga pants etc, it is possible to find exercise clothing for reasonable prices. The more comfortable you feel, the more apt you are to keep at it and return for your next work out. Ach, call me crazy.

My new goal is still what I posted last time, getting to the gym MORE but in those visits it’s to build up endurance. I’m so pleased with how my knee feels; how I sometimes don’t feel any twinges of pain AT ALL! And if I do, I stop…I don’t push it.

Another goal? My Guy and I are eating more fruit. We said we needed to eat more but both of us struggled with how high maintenance fruit can be…really. It seems like such a chore sometimes! We’ve been preparing up fruit salad to bring to work and we’re loving not only the awesome mid-morning snack but the way it’s making us feel too. It’s a little change but we really do notice a difference…I have to say in all honesty though, we eat very well. There’s no junk food in the house but we do keep some digestive biscuits around for a sweet fix with tea…or I’ll have a handful of raisins, chocolate chips and almonds.

Perhaps our biggest indulgence is beer and wine. Of course these are loaded with calories! My Guys current fave? Howe Sound Brewery’s Rail Ale Nut Brown. We first discovered this beer before Christmas and his eyes still light up whenever we pick some up. One of my favourites? Stanley Park Brewery’s 1897 Belgian Style Amber. Mmmm, so crisp and clean I can taste it now! I do love my wine still, don’t get me wrong, but sometimes a cold beer really hits the spot. So maybe this is where we indulge…where do YOU indulge? Oh and indulge responsibly. Of course.

In love with Chia

I learn something exciting that pumps me up EVERY day from CBC radio. Today was yet another mind-blowing commute into work as I tuned into the last 5 minutes of a segment on “Chia Seeds”. Yes the same chia as those popular grass headed characters from the 80′s is now back as a SUPERFOOD. I am totally serious. I had no idea this seed was so amazing and full of good stuff our bodies need.

Let’s start with a little background on this tiny seed. It’s Latin name is Salvia Hispanica; a flowering plant in the mint family. Folklore dictates it was so prized by the Aztecs it was offered to rulers, traded for goods and valued higher than gold. Chia has the highest amount of Omega 3′s of any other plant which means it’s great for our heart, skin and hair! The seeds are about the size of poppy seeds so they can be easily ground up to add to other foods such as breads and apparently, quite tasteless (not sure if this is a necessarily good thing…). I’ve been doing a ton of reading on chia today and many articles call it “natures forgotten super food” due to the omegas, high protein and fibre content.

Seems to good to be true doesn’t it? Well it comes with a hefty price tag…I thought quinoa was expensive! I urge you to check out your local health food stores and co-ops; maybe they have chia for a reasonable price. In my neck of the woods there is a little company that’s doing it’s best to bring chia to the masses via a cereal called (I love this) Holy Crap. The site claims it’s the ‘worlds most amazing breakfast cereal’ and I admit, I’m intrigued.

I’m a self-professed cereal-aholic. I have admitted it openly that I sometimes have cereal for dinner. Two bowls sometimes. I’m not ashamed to say this. I do not however have my cupboards full of sugar-laden garbage cereals, and do try to be somewhat choosy about what I put into my bowl. This Holy Crap cereal sounds like a little bit of heaven that is seriously good for you and yes, I need to try it. The company seems a little overwhelmed with orders and are shipping out a ton of cereal so once the frenzy dies down, I’d love to try some.

Another company selling this seed is Webber Naturals under the name ChiaNutra…Also Cobs bread is apparently baking with it now but I’ve yet to see this myself or check it out in the bakery…

Don’t get me wrong there are a TON of places selling chia seeds and products but I’m only going to mention the companies I know of, or were mentioned on CBC this morning in this segment…because I trust where the info came from.

Just when you thought that little green afro seed-head from the 80′s was a silly passing fad…we realize we could have munched on our Chia Pets if we were hungry.

Cheers to chia- I look forward to trying this super food!

What will I learn tomorrow?

It’s that time again folks! Here is a mish-mash of stuff that I’m excited about this week…

San Francisco, I love you. Kudos to the powers that be in office for the most recent ban that involves one of my fave-places-to-hate, McDonalds! What have they done now you ask? City Council has decided to BAN HAPPY MEALS (and other “meals” as supplied by these chain fast food joints that offer toys with meals over a certain calorie and fat %). It’s just one little step to making healthy food more accessible to all; especially low income families that eat out at McD’s because it’s affordable…and yes, for the damn toy. I think this is a HUGE move and if other cities can get behind it and enforce the same ban on all other meal-deals for our kids, then we might be on to something…

I’m one happy camper when I stumble upon sites like this. My head was spinning at all the reusable options for lunches, leftovers and more! The name says it all: Life Without Plastic. Yeah man.

Remember back to grade school…did you carry a lunchbox? I remember the start of each school year and the huge decision that faced me…what lunchbox THIS year? This site, Lunchboxes.com, has something to satisfy every desire and every memory. Trust me. I lost myself in this site today. Over and over…

I don't love Hello Kitty, but I do have a soft spot for nerds.

I wanted to talk about Vegan Lunch Box again…I love this lady. And her little Schmoo. Looks like she hasn’t written much LATELY but her blog is a riot to look through, the pics will wow you and make you believe, maybe, just maybe your little one WILL eat their lunch after all. If you’re not familiar with Bento Boxes you really do need to check this site out, or go straight to the source, Laptop Lunches.

Oooh. Ahhh. So pretty. So organized.

Bran Buds. For real. I put them on all my OTHER cereals….yet to try them on salads. But super crunchy and nutty. Is it sad I’m excited about Bran Buds?

Yup. This really gets me going.

So My Guy made this soup last week…or was it 2 weeks ago now? Regardless of when it was, it was freaking delish! Even 7-year old Moops gobbled it up and proclaimed, after nodding vigorously, it was EXCELLENT. My 2 cents? Make it the day before you plan on eating it so the flavors, particularly the roasted garlic, have time to mellow and blend. Oh yeah the recipe was taken from an amazing book called ‘A Beautiful Bowl of Soup: The Best Vegetarian Recipes” by Paulette Mitchell.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup (with toasted walnuts) –> we used pecans….

1 butternut squash, quartered lengthwise and seeded

1 large yellow onion (prefer the sweet ones)

2 carrots, halved horizontally

Olive oil for brushing over the veggies

1 whole garlic bulb

3 cups Vegetable stock

1 tsp curry powder

1/4 cup dry sherry (we had to omit this due to fact we had NONE!)

1 tbsp packed light brown sugar

pepper to taste

2 tsps minced fresh oregano or 1/2 tsp dried

1/8 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 cup milk or half and half (we cut the calories and used milk)

salt to taste

How to prepare:

-Preheat Oven to 350 F and line a baking sheet with foil

-Place squash segments skin side up, onion and carrots on foil. Brush all surfaces with olive oil.

-Remove papery skin from garlic bulb, trim stem, cut 1/4inch of bulb to expose the cloves – but leave them intact- brush with oil and wrap in foil. Place alongside the veggies.

-Roast in oven for about 40 minutes or until VERY tender. Set aside until cool enough to handle.

-Squeeze the garlic cloves out of the bulb and scrape the flesh from the squash.

-Add equal amounts of roasted vegs/garlic and stock to blender and puree until smooth (this may take several batches to get right consistency. Of course use a food processor if you have….we don’t)

-Heat 1 tbsp of oil in saucepan and add curry powder; stir for about 30 seconds. Pour pureed soup into the pan and stir in any remaining stock, sherry (if you use), brown sugar, pepper, oregano and cinnamon. Cover and simmer, stirring every once in awhile for about 10-15 minutes.

-Add the milk and stir until heated through. (may need to use hand processor at this point if you want smoother! We did….)

-Garnish with walnuts. The actual recipe calls for a garnish with creme fraiche but we’re saving the calories…

Let this sit overnight and holy man IT IS GOOOOOOD.

Enjoy….

The Food Channel recently released it’s Top 10 Snack Trends of 2010 (jeez and the year isn’t even over!) I thought I’d break it down for you, add my comments and maybe alternative suggestions? Depends what’s on the list exactly; you see, I haven’t exactly looked at the list thoroughly yet. The story caught my eye this morning and I thought, “Hey, I should blog about that…”

10. “Nostalgia’s New Again.” The article mentions such dietary necessities (not) like Twinkies, Ding Dongs and Ho-Ho’s. *Shudder* Now I am not opposed to yummy treats…but c’mon! Twinkies?? Hasn’t it been said there are so many preservatives in these things they are incapable of molding? I love old stuff; old stuff can be cool…when we’re talking antique furniture or metal lunch boxes….let’s not go back to the snacks of the past.

9. Bold and Spicy is IN, bland is out. I don’t know about you all, but I do prefer some flavour to my snacks…who wants bland?

8. Yogurt. This makes me happy. I love to see that North American yogurt sales are sky-rocketing and consumers are embracing this seriously yummy, and low calorie option for a sweet attack. When was the last time you looked in the yogurt section of your local grocer? The flavour combo’s, milk fat percentages and sizes are out of this world! If you can’t find a yogurt within all that, there’s something wrong with you. I try to keep yogurt in my fridge all the time because I often get cravings for something smooth, cool and sweet (and I think, “YES ICE CREAM!”)…so while yogurt isn’t ice cream, it does satisfy me.

7. Sweet & Salty. Oh yeah. Kettle Corn- need I say anything more?

6. The Granola Bar. Praise the bar! All hail the granola! These guys are a staple in my daily life…I have them in my purse for quick snacks and they’re a great snack to offer kids instead of stopping at a store for a chocolate bar. Like yogurt, the varieties available nowadays are really amazing. If you’ve read my earlier posts you know I am a fan of Nature Valley and Kashi. Both brands offer superior ingredients, low fat and calories and great taste. Yes, really.

5. Fruit in all it’s glory. Yay! Fruit is here to stay and it’s about time we embrace it. It’s portable, low calories, delicious and good for us. Fruit is sweet…mmm sweet.

4. Nuts for nuts. I support the nuts. Hey, head out of the gutter people…I’m talking about almonds, pecans and peanuts to name a few. These are best in their raw form; the fat is a good fat as long as it’s eaten in moderation. A handful of nuts with a piece of fruit makes a smart choice for a snack…so does throwing on some seeds and slivered almonds on your salad at dinner. Nuts make sense. I always wanted to be a Nut Farmer.

3. Liquefy it. I guess we’re all loving our smoothies, anti-oxidant laden fruit drinks, energy beverages and so on…that’s all good as long as these drinks don’t replace the idea of a REAL MEAL.

2. “Grazing is the new Snacking”. This is what the Food Channel says. Really. I’m a fan of grazing. I do it. But one should keep in mind, grazing is SMALL amounts of usually good for you type things…not a half scoop of ice cream 8 times a day.

1. Chips and Dip. Huh. Really. This is number one?? The article goes to explain this isn’t just your run of the mill chips and dip- it’s been redefined. We’re talking falafel chips, hummus, black bean spread and pita chips. Ok, cool. I can definitely dig that.

Here's one guy who deserves HIS label!

I get this all the time…I ask servers in restaurants if they have any vegetarian specials (usually after they spend 2 minutes telling me about the fantastic steak deal that’s on…) and they point to the menu and say, “Of course! We have chicken and fish and…” At this point they usually stop in mid-sentence because I’m banging my head against the table muttering something like, “Vegetarians do not eat fish or chicken! Vegetarians do not eat fish or chicken!” I look up from the table to see the innocent, wide-eyed look of a deer caught in the headlights. The poor souls haven’t a clue.

I don’t eat fish or chicken. I do however partake in the occasional dairy product and I say ‘occasionally’ because to do so more, hurts my tummy. Alot. I don’t call myself a Vegan because I eat eggs, and I eat cheese (sure one could say Lacto-Ovo)…a Vegan eats NO ANIMAL PRODUCTS WHATSOEVER. Being a Vegan is a very strict practice and it’s one I tried to stick to, but alas, I didn’t make it. I’m happy with my choices now…I’m just not happy with all these silly labels floating around out there.

If you are eating LESS meat than you used to, fabulous. I’m ecstatic for you that you’ve made that decision, but do you really need to call yourself a Flexitarian of all things? So this would mean practicing Catholics, who have long since abstained from eating meat on Fridays, are Flexitarians too? Hmmm. Opens up a whole other chapter doesn’t it? I love that people are practicing eating less meat, but does there have to be a name for it?

I have even heard this gem thrown around: West Coast Vegetarian (they eat fish). Call me crazy but in my dictionary, that type of person is usually referred to as a Pescatarian. I’m not sure if it’s cool to have a label to identify what you eat or if people think maybe we Vegetarians are lonely and need the company?

I’m usually not this rigid….but lately this one has been really, really bugging me. I’m trying to relax about it…in the meantime, go see what all the fuss is about over Meatless Mondays and see if you can incorporate it into YOUR lifestyle.

But for heavens sake, don’t make up some loony label for it!