French Breakfast Muffins, High Altitude

This is a wonderful breakfast treat. This is baked up like a muffin but isn't as sweet.  This recipe was adapted from The Butte's Heritage Cookbook.
This isn't  my most healthy recipe, but sometimes we need to splurge.

Ingredients:
1/3 cup shortening
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 Cup ground flax seed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup + 3 tablespoons milk, 1% lowfat


For Coating the Muffins:
6 Tablespoons Butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:
1.    Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a muffin tin with non stick cooking spray. Set aside.
2.    Mix together the shortening and 1/2 cup sugar until light and fluffy.
3.    Next, add egg, baking powder, flour, flax, salt, nutmeg and milk.  Mix well. Divide evenly among the 12 muffin tin. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown on top.
4.    In the mean time make cinnamon sugar by mixing 1/2 cup sugar and 1T cinnamon. Set aside.
5.    Melt 6 tablespoons butter in a medium sized bowl. Set aside.

For complete Nutrient breakdown including Omega-6 and 3 fatty acids, click HERE.
Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 2 1/2 Fat; 1 Other Carbohydrates.

Honey Almond Chicken

This wonderful recipe is from my soon to be daughter-in-law Ashley. It was a great hit with the whole family. Enjoy it. Serves 7

Ingredients:
3 pounds chicken tenders
8 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 cup red wine (I used Shiraz)
1/2 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup honey, divided
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Toast almonds when oven is ready. See directions below.
2. In a zip lock baggie combine the flour, salt and pepper. Add chicken tenders to bag, seal and shake to coat.
3. In a large skillet heat the butter and vegetable oil, over medium high heat. Remove chicken from flour mixture then fry them about 3-minutes on each side (they will not be cooked through).
4. Add soy sauce and wine to the frying pan, scrape up any bits left behind by the chicken. Bring to a boil. Remove chicken from pan and arrange in bottom of greased baking dish. Pour this sauce over the chicken. Sprinkle chicken with brown sugar and drizzle with half the honey. Bake uncovered for 15-20 minutes, or until 165F.
5. Remove chicken from oven, drizzle with remaining honey, and top with toasted almond slices.
6. To toast almonds: spread almond slices on a baking sheet. Toast in 350F oven. Watch closely, they burn easily. Set aside.

Nutrition:
Per Serving: 570 Calories; 22g Fat (35.2% calories from fat); 46g Protein; 45g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 132mg Cholesterol; 1249mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 1 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 4 Fat; 2 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.

Quinoa Salad with Black Beans and Mango

This is another great recipe from Veganomicon. This salad is easy to put together and very easy to substitute to make it your own. In my version I used red onions instead of scallions.

Ingredients:
1 cup mango, cut into small dice
1 cup red bell pepper, cut into small dice
1 cup scallion, chopped
1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups quinoa, cooked
15 ounces black beans, canned, drained and rinsed

Directions:
Combine the mango, red bell peppers, scallions and cilantro in a mixing bowl. Add the red wine vinegar, grapeseed oil, and salt. Stir to combine. Add the quinoa and stir until everything is well incorporated. Fold in the black beans. You can serve immediately or let it sit for a bit for the flavors to meld. To Serve, place a few leaves of lettuce on a plate and scoop some salad on top. This tastes good chilled and is even better at rom temperature.


Nutrition:
Per Serving : 240 Calories; 7g Fat (25.3% calories from fat); 9g Protein; 36g Carbohydrate; 7g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 313mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 1/2 Fruit; 1 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.

Pastry: Blackberry and Apricot Turnover

This lovely recipe is from Baking at Home by the Culinary Institute of America. This was a very easy recipe to make. However you need to start the day before to get your berries made and in the fridge. Plus it takes a day to thaw the Puff pastry in the fridge.  This recipe makes 8 large turnovers. You could easily make the turnovers half again as large.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 cups blackberries
2 medium apricots, peeled and chopped
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
2 each puff pastry sheets
1 large egg, whisked
2 tablespoons milk, cold
4 tablespoons coarse sugar

Directions:
1.     In a medium saucepan, stir together the granulated sugar and cornstarch to break up any clumps. Add the blackberries and apricots to the sugar mixture and toss to coat evenly. Let rest for 5 minutes to draw the juices from the fruit. Place over low heat and bring to a simmer. Simmer until thickened, 6-8 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat and stir int eh lemon zest, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom. Transfer to a bowl and let the blackberry mixture cool, covered, in the refrigerator, for at least 2 hours or up to 1 week.
2.    Preheat the oven to 400F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
3.    Working with 1 sheet of pastry at a time on a lightly floured surface, roll the puff pastry sheet into a 12-inch square. Cut into 4 squares and lightly brush the edges of each square with egg wash. Spoon about 1/4C of the blackberry mixture onto the center of each square and fold the pastry in half diagonally to make a triangle. You can seal the edges by pressing the tines of a fork or making small slits along the edge with a paring knife, or by simply pressing the edges with your fingertips. Transfer to a prepared baking sheet. Use a sharp knife to poke 2 or 3 holes in the top of each pastry. Keep refrigerated while rolling and filling the second puff pastry sheet. (Chilling the turnovers before baking for at least 15 minutes will improve their appearance and texture.)
4.    Make Egg Wash by combining 1 large egg, whisked with 2T cold milk. Brush the turnovers with egg wash and scatter with coarse sugar. Bake until the pastry is evenly golden and very flaky, 20-22 minutes.
*No adjustments for high altitude

Nutrition:
Per Serving: 434 Calories; 24g Fat (50.1% calories from fat); 6g Protein; 49g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 27mg Cholesterol; 164mg Sodium.  Exchanges: 2 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 1/2 Fruit; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 4 1/2 Fat; 1 Other Carbohydrates.

Raspberry Coulis

This recipe is from Gourmet Meals in Minutes by the Culinary Institute of America. This recipe is wonderful, and very easy to make.  "A coulis is simply a term used to refer to a thick puree or sauce. It is easy to create variations of this sauce by substituting fresh or frozen strawberries, kiwi puree, or chopped mango for the raspberries."
This recipe makes 16 servings

Ingredients:
2 cups raspberries
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Directions:
1.     Combine the raspberries, 1 cup of the sugar, and the lemon juice in a saucepan over medium heat. Simmer, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved, about 10 minutes.
2.    Strain the coulis through  a fine-mesh sieve.
3.    Add more sugar/or lemon juice to taste, if necessary.

Nutrition:
Per Serving : 63 Calories; trace Fat (1.1% calories from fat); trace Protein; 16g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; trace Sodium.  Exchanges: 0 Fruit; 1 Other Carbohydrates.

Pastry: Vol au Vents

I wanted to get out some really simple pastry recipes. This one, from Gourmet Meals in Minutes, is very easy to make. However, I used the Pepperidge Farms brand puff pastry shells and mine were not very large. There was no way I could fit 9 berries on top or the amount of whipped cream called for. However, it is very easy to adjust this recipe on the fly. I will also depend on how large your berries are. I highly recommend this recipe.
This recipe serves 8

Ingredients:
8 each puff pastry shells, frozen
1 pint raspberries
2 pints blackberries
2 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream, Whipped
8 each mint sprig
1 cup Raspberry Coulis

Directions:
1.     Bake the puff pastry shells according to the manufacturers' instructions. Cool completely.
2.    Spoon 2T of the whipped cream into each baked shell. Arrange 5 berries on top of the shipped cream. Layer with another 3T whipped cream and arrange 9 more berries on top.
3.    Garnish with a sprig of mint.
4.    Serve with 2T of Raspberry Coulis.
*High Altitude: No adjustments necessary

Nutrition: This is based on using all the ingredients above. As I mentioned I didn't use all of the ingredients. 
Per Serving: 569 Calories; 46g Fat (71.1% calories from fat); 6g Protein; 36g Carbohydrate; 7g Dietary Fiber; 102mg Cholesterol; 145mg Sodium.  Exchanges: 1 1/2 Grain(Starch); 0 Vegetable; 1 Fruit; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 9 Fat.

Capellini with Grilled Vegetables

This is a wonderful, very filling recipe from one of my favorite books; "Gourmet Meals in Minutes," by the Culinary Institute of America.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
2/3 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
2 medium red onions, cut 1/2" rings
2 medium zucchini, cut 1/2" rings
2 medium yellow squash, cut 1/2" rings
1 whole fennel bulb, cut 1/2" rings
1 pound angel hair pasta, Capellini
1 whole shallot, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 pounds cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup white wine
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon basil, chopped
1/2 cup vegetable broth
6 ounces Gorgonzola cheese, broken up
Directions:
1.     Preheat the grill and bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.
2.    Combine the vinegar, 2/3C olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss the onion, zucchini, squash, and fennel with the vinaigrette and grill until tender. When the vegetables are cool enough to handle, cut them into 1 1/2-inch dice.
3.    Cook the capellini in the boiling water until al dente, about 6-8 minutes. Drain well. Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a saute pan.l Add the shallot and garlic. Saute until aromatic. Add the grilled vegetables, tomatoes, and the wine. Heat thoroughly. Season with the herbs, salt, and pepper. Adjust the consistency with the broth if necessary.
4.    Toss the capellini wth about half of the Gorgonzola cheese, and top with the vegetable mixture. Garnish with the remaining Gorgonzola.
Nutrition:
Per Serving : 546 Calories; 28g Fat (45.9% calories from fat); 15g Protein; 60g Carbohydrate; 6g Dietary Fiber; 19mg Cholesterol; 964mg Sodium.  Exchanges: 3 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 2 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 5 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.

Raisin Bran Flaxseed Muffins

This is a wonderful, moist bran muffin recipe. I topped  mine with coarse sugar. These muffins were a hit at my house. I love the flax, and maple syrup in these! This recipe is from "The Flax Cookbook."

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Golden Flaxseed, Ground
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups unbleached flour
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups Raisin bran
2 cups buttermilk, low fat
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 large egg
1/4 cup egg whites
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425F and coat 18 muffin cups with canola cooking spray. (I got 24 out of this).
2.    Combine flax, flours, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl and beat on low to blend well. Add raisin bran and bet on low speed until just blended in.
3.    Combine buttermilk, oil, maple syrup, egg, and egg whites in another bowl and whisk with fork to blend well. Pour into dry ingredients and beat on low speed just to blend.
4.    Spoon 1/4C batter into each prepared muffin cup and bake until tester inserted in center of muffins comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool.
Nutrition:
Per Serving: 214 Calories; 7g Fat (26.9% calories from fat); 5g Protein; 36g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 13mg Cholesterol; 392mg Sodium.  Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 0 Fruit; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 1/2 Fat; 1 Other Carbohydrates. 1g Omega-3 fatty acids, .9g Omega-6 fatty acids, 4 Weight Watchers Winning Points.

Caramel Apple Muffins

Another muffin rich in Omega-3's and 6's. This little muffin packs a whopping 1.2g! This recipe is from the Flax Cookbook, and it makes 12.  The nice chunks of apple are especially appealing.
Ingredients:
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup sour cream, light
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup caramel topping, from Jar
1 large egg
1/8 cup egg white
1/2 Unbleached White Flour
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/3 cup rolled oats
6 tablespoons Golden Flaxseed, Ground
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups apples, peeled, finely chopped
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Thickly coat muffin pan with cooking spray, then lightly flour each muffin cup, or use muffin papers.
2.    Combine oil, sour cream, sugar, and caramel topping in mixing bowl. Beat until well blended. Add egg and egg white, and beat until the mixture thickens slightly.
3.    Add dry ingredients (white and whole wheat flour, oats, flax, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg, and salt) to food processor and pulse for about eight seconds until mixture is blended and oats have been processed into smaller pieces. Add dry mixture to the batter in mixer and beat on low just until blended. Stir chopped apples gently into batter with a spoon.
4.    Pour about 1/4C of batter into each muffin cup and bake in center of oven until center of muffin springs back when gently pressed, about 15 minutes.
*For high altitude I baked at 400F

Nutrition:
Per Serving: 186 Calories; 9g Fat (40.2% calories from fat); 4g Protein; 26g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 19mg Cholesterol; 133mg Sodium.  Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 0 Fruit; 1 Fat; 1 Other Carbohydrates. 1.2g Omega-3 fatty acids, 1.3g Omega-6 fatty acids, 4 Weight Watchers Points

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

This is yet another wonderful muffin recipe from "The Flax Cookbook."  I baked these in my IKEA Dromer Muffin Pan. I really like the tall muffins. Makes 12 muffins.

Ingredients:
1 1/8 cups all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons golden flaxseed, Ground
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup mashed bananas, 2 large
1 large egg
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup light sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup milk, 1% low-fat (high altitude use low fat buttermilk)
1/2 cup mini Morsels

Directions:
1.   Preheat Oven to 350F. Line 12 muffin cups with foil muffin liners or spray muffin cups with canola cooking spray.
2.    In medium sized bowl add flour, flaxseed, sugar, baking powder, and salt and stir with fork to blend. Set aside.
3.    In medium sized bowl add mashed bananas, egg, melted butter, sour cream, vanilla extract, and milk. Beat on medium until well blended. add dry ingredients to banana mixture while beating on low speed just until blended (don't over mix).
4.    Stir in chocolate chips.
5.    Use 1/3C measure to fill each muffin cup about 3/4 full. Bake muffins until tops are pale golden and tester inserted into center comes out with some melted chocolate attached but no crumbs (about 30-32 minutes). Transfer muffins to rack and let cool five-minutes, then transfer to cooling rack.
* For high altitude bake in center of 400F oven for 20-22 minutes.

Nutrition:
Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 238 Calories; 11g Fat (38.8% calories from fat); 5g Protein; 34g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 29mg Cholesterol; 155mg Sodium.  Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 1/2 Fruit; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 1 Fat; 1 Other Carbohydrates. .8g Omega-3 fatty acids, .4g Omega-6 fatty acids, 4 Weight Watchers Winning Points