Cinderella Pancakes

Today is National Pancake Day!  In honor of this obscure holiday (thank you FB friends for telling me about it), I whipped up a batch of pumpkin pancakes, aka Cinderella Pancakes.  I found the recipe at The Idea Room.

Cinderella Pancakes

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/4 c. packed brown sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 egg
1 1/4 c. milk
1/2 c. canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
2 TBSP canola oil
Mix dry ingredients, combine wet ingredients. Mix together. Batter will be thick. To make pancakes, add a bit more milk to pancake consistancy.  Cook in waffle maker.

I topped mine with a bit of maple syrup and fabulous Butter Pecan Granola from RN for Wellness.  This granola deserves a post of it's own.  Keep your eyes open, because I will most definetly be doing a post on it soon!

Muffin Madness

I love muffins - they are so much like cake to me.  Some time ago I saw a t-shirt that said "Muffins are just ugly cupcakes."  Well, actually muffins are just my kind of cupcake.  You see, I'm not much of a frosting fan.  

Muffins - the big huge ones from Costco - used to be a breakfast staple around our house.  Until I found out Chocolate Muffins are 690 calories, 38 grams of fat and Poppy Seed Muffins are 672 calories and 38 grams of fat.  I don't count calories or any other nutritional information, but I know those numbers aren't good!  I sorta lost my appetite for them after that.

However, I do love muffins.  So I have been making my own muffins.  When you make things yourself, you know what goes it in - no doubts.  You can make substitutions to make it healthier!

I found this chocolate muffin recipe and make it periodically.  I like it, but I could pass it up for something else, but the kids love it!

Chocolate Yogurt Muffins

1 1/2 c. whole wheat flour
3/4 c. organic cane sugar
1/3 c. flax seed (rich in Omega-3)
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1/2 c. cocoa
1/2 c. chopped walnuts (rich in Omega-3) - I leave them out because I am allergic, and Natalie doesn't like nuts.
1/2 c. dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 c.  vanilla yogurt

 1/4 c. oil
1/4 c. milk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line baking cups with wrappers or mist with oil.
Mix all dry ingredients together in a bowl. In another bowl, blend together yogurt, oil and milk.

Add dry ingredients to yogurt mixture and stir just until blended.

Fill muffin cups with batter about 3/4 full. Bake at 400 degrees F. for 16 - 18 minutes or until a toothpicks comes out mostly clean. Makes 12-16 regular muffins 

The next recipe I found and made for the first time today.  These may very well be one of the best muffins I have ever made.  I LOVE them!  T-A-S-T-Y!  The original recipe is for a "cake" but I modified it to make muffins (easier to serve and you can freeze some!).

Breakfast CUPcakes

1 cup butter, melted and cooled
3/4 cup vanilla yogurt
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups whole rolled oats
¾ cup honey
2 eggs
1/2 t. sea salt
1 t. baking soda
1 t. vanilla
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Stir together butter, yogurt, flour and oats in a glass bowl. 

Stir in honey, eggs, salt, baking soda and vanilla.  Fold in chocolate chips.   

Pour into a lined muffin  pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.  Makes approximately 21 muffins.