Cranberry Cream Cheese Muffins/Bread

I've had a lot of cranberries in my freezer for awhile, just waiting to be made into something yummy. Problem is, I couldn't decide what. So, I was searching Pinterest yesterday, and I found a recipe I'd pinned but hadn't made yet. (Shocker.) I decided that these needed to be made into muffins!

And wow, was this a hit. They are not overly sweet, I did try to make them slightly healthier (thus the applesauce vs using butter), but the boys devoured them. Gabriel ate 3 or 4... after eating 2-3 servings of dinner. Adrian only ate 1, but again, that was right after dinner!

If you are looking for a fairly healthy snack/breakfast, this is it! 

Remember, comments are loved! What's your favorite use of cranberries?

Printable Recipe

Cranberry Cream Cheese Muffins/Bread

Ingredients

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• ⅔ cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 4 eggs
• 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
• 2 cups flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 cups cranberries

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350° (for bread) or 375° (for muffins). Lightly grease 2 loaf pans or lightly grease/line with muffin liners 24 muffin tins. 
2. Cream together cream cheese, sugars, and applesauce. Slowly add in eggs and vanilla; mix until combined.
3. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, and salt. Slowly add to cream cheese mixture just until combined. Stir in cranberries.
4. Spoon into prepared muffin liners or loaf pans. For muffins, bake for 18-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. For bread, bake for 60-70 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. 

Yield/Time

24 muffins, 2 loaves of bread (12 slices each)

*Note: bread has not been tested, I've only made muffins!

45 minutes (muffins), 1 ½ hours (bread)

Nutrition Facts *I calculate nutrition facts for reference only, this is not done scientifically

114

Source (for original): 12 Tomatoes

Strawberry Cinnamon Muffins

I love strawberries. When strawberries are in season here in northern Michigan, we usually buy at least 2 flats... so over 20 pounds. At least. I make 3 or more batches of jam, we eat strawberries for days, and then I freeze whatever is left. Last year, Gabriel & I picked some vs doing the pre-pick, but I think this year I'll have to just buy some that are already picked. I'm due June 25th, so... picking probably isn't going to work out. I'm still hoping that making strawberry jam & freezing strawberries is going to be doable. If baby comes early, this might get interesting. ;) 

After starting to buy local, fresh strawberries a few years ago, I just can't buy them in the store anymore. They just aren't comparable! 

The best thing about getting so many and freezing them in the summer is having strawberries all winter! Then, when I stumble across a strawberry recipe... I don't have to use mediocre ones from the store. 

This recipe is fabulous! These muffins are perfectly sweet, and full of strawberries! My one complaint is that, using frozen strawberries, they seem to be a bit soggy. That didn't stop anyone else from devouring them, though! (Didn't stop me, either.) I always warn people if I'm slightly less than satisfied with the way a recipe is turning out, and everyone told me with this that they will gladly take my rejects. ;) 

If you use frozen strawberries, cut down slightly on the milk. If you use frozen sugared strawberries, the 1/4 cup sugar is not needed! (Unless you want it, in which case I won't judge.) 

Remember, comments are loved! What's your favorite summer strawberry recipe?

Printable Recipe

Strawberry Cinnamon Muffins

Ingredients

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup sugar *cut out if using sugared strawberries
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
• 1 egg
• 1 cup milk *cut down if using frozen strawberries
• 2 cups strawberries, chopped into pieces
• Cinnamon Sugar Filling/Topping:
• 3 tablespoons melted butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 Tablespoon cinnamon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°. Grease or line a 15 cup muffin tin and set aside.
2. In a large bowl mix together flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. In another bowl, combine applesauce, egg, and milk. Add to the dry ingredients, and fold in strawberries.
3. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter. Reserve half and fold the other half into the batter. Fill each muffin cup with about ¼ cup of the batter. Top with remaining cinnamon sugar filling.
4. Bake for 12-20 minutes or until lightly brown. Remove from the oven and cool slightly.

Yield/Time

15 muffins

45 minutes

Nutrition Facts

163

Source (for original): The Recipe Critic

Herbed Wheat Muffins

My husband, Nate, doesn't have nearly as much of a sweet tooth as I do. Sometimes that's disappointing, sometimes it's just a fun challenge! I stumbled across this recipe when we were engaged, when he had a rough day and I wanted to show him how great of a wife I would be. ;)

I've made it quite a few times since then, but much more often in the last year. That is largely due to the fact that I acquired a tarragon plant at the farmer's market--this is one herb that's pretty expensive, and I'm too cheap to buy that very often. Now we always have plenty! (And usually have some to give away, if I'm keeping up on drying it! So, local readers... let me know if you need some!)

I will admit, this is a very healthy-tasting muffin. (So.... not my favorite.) Nate loves them, and so does my mom. The boys are touch and go--sometimes they will devour the batch, sometimes they hardly touch them. If you are looking for a good, healthy, breakfast or snack--try these!!

Printable Recipe

Herbed Wheat Muffins

Ingredients

• ¾ cup whole wheat flour
• ⅔ cup all-Purpose flour
• ¼ cup wheat germ *or cornmeal
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ Teaspoon Salt
• ¼ Teaspoon baking soda
• 1 egg, beaten
• ⅔ Cup buttermilk 
• ¼ cup honey
• ½ Teaspoon dried basil
• ½ Teaspoon dried tarragon
• 2 Tablespoon butter, melted

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Coat muffin cups with cooking spray (or use muffin liners).
2. In a small bowl, combine the flours, wheat germ, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.
3. Combine the egg, buttermilk, honey, and butter; stir into dry ingredients until just moist. Fold in basil & tarragon.
4. Fill prepared tins ¾ full with batter. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack. Serve warm.

Yield/Time

Yields: 8

Prep Time: 15 Cook Time: 20

Nutrition Facts

162 (using buttermilk sub)

Source (for original): Cooking for Two

Remember, comments are loved! What's your favorite healthy muffin?

Nutella Oat Banana Muffins

I love Nutella. I know I've mentioned that before, but it's worth mentioning again. It's a pretty important Serena-fact. Right up there with the book & nerd obsessions. If I could get away with it, I'd add Nutella to pretty much everything. Assuming, of course, that there is any left after I've just eaten it from the jar.

Just kidding, I don't eat it from the jar. Very often.

Anyhow, you get the point. Nutella is a staple in the Lee household. So when I saw this recipe... Nutella Oat Banana Muffins? Yes, please. I've already mentioned that I love adding oats to muffins, and I love banana muffins in general. Now we're adding Nutella? It's practically my birthday! (No, not really. There's not nearly enough sugar in these things to qualify as something for my birthday.)

These are one of those recipes that the boys & I could devour, no problems. When I've shared them with work & family, same thing. Nate, on the other hand, has decided he doesn't like these. That's OK, more for me. ;) Don't worry though, he gets his own muffins! Recipe to follow for that soon!

(Oh, and random tidbit: the off-brand Nutella at Aldi's is not worth buying. Trust me. That's not Nutella.)

Printable Recipe

Nutella Oat Banana Muffins

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup old fashioned oats
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• ½ cup milk
• ¼ cup applesauce (or vegetable oil)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 bananas
• Nutella

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°. Line muffin tins with 15 papers, or lightly grease.
2. In a medium bowl, all dry ingredients. Stir until well combined.
3. In a large bowl, mash the bananas. Add eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla. Stir to mix ingredients until well combined. 
4. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture; add wet ingredients until combined. Do not over stir.
5. Divide batter evenly among the muffin tins.
6. Add 1 to 1 ½ teaspoons of Nutella to the top of each muffin and gently swirl with  toothpick to produce pretty swirls. (Note: "pretty swirls" is very relative, as you can see in the picture.)
7. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Yield/Time

12 muffins

40 minutes

Nutrition Facts

128/muffin (153 if using oil)

Source (for original): Chef in Training

Remember, comments are loved! Tell me about your love of Nutella. ;)

(Healthier) Banana Muffins/Bread

We all, at some point or another, have bananas that get past their prime. I usually don't eat bananas until they are all speckly brown (about 2 days before they turn themselves into banana bread), but the boys will eat them whenever. Bright green, pretty yellow, almost completely brown... Adrian, especially, doesn't care. "Ba-nana, ba-nana!" With his love of bananas, we don't have nearly as many that get over-ripe, but with the humidity this summer it happened more often than not. Once that happens, our usual preference is banana muffins. I love making my traditional banana muffins/bread, but I have adapted that over the years to be a bit healthier. 

I honestly prefer these over my more traditional recipe. Knowing that it's healthier for me is a great, and I love the oats in this! Oats in muffins are some of my favorite things. They add a bit of texture, and some great health benefits.

In general, I love making things like this. Using up bananas that would otherwise go to waste, and making something that all my boys enjoy (and myself!), is a win-win situation!


Printable Recipe

Banana Bread/Muffins, Healthified

Ingredients

• ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup whole wheat flour
• ¾ cup rolled oats
• 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 ¾ cups mashed bananas (approx 3 large or 5 medium)
• ¾ cup sugar
• ⅓ cup vegetable oil or applesauce

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350° for bread, or 375° for muffins.
2. Grease bottom and ½” up the sides of 1 loaf pan OR grease 18 count muffin tins; set aside. Combine flours, oats, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Make a well in center of flour mixture; set aside.
3. In a medium bowl combine eggs, bananas, sugar, and applesauce. Add all at once to flour mixture. Stir just until moistened. Spoon batter into prepared pans.
4. Bake for 55-60 minutes for bread, or 18-20 minutes for muffins. (Or until a toothpick inserted near center comes out clean.) If necessary, cover loosely with foil for the last 15 minutes of baking bread to prevent overbrowning. *note: it may just be me, but I always have to cook the bread about 10-15 minutes longer.
5. Cool bread in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and cool completely on wire rack. 
6. Remove muffins from pan immediately and cool completely on wire rack. 

Yield/Time

1 loaf (16 servings) OR 18 muffins

Prep: 15 minutes Cook: 20-60 minutes

Nutrition Facts *I calculate nutrition facts for reference only, this is not done scientifically

Bread: 120  

Muffins: 106

(using applesauce)

Source (for original): Better Homes & Gardens, adapted

Zucchini Bread & Muffins

So I mentioned the other day that I am getting a lot of extra zucchini & summer squash from my grandparents. Well, sometimes one of those little guys hides until it's not-so-little, or we just want to let them grow big enough to shred. Then the possibilities are endless! My grandma has a great sheet cake recipe, and there are so many muffins/quick breads these can go in...

I don't know if I would say this is my favorite recipe, but this really is a classic. It's from the Better Homes & Gardens cookbook, slightly adapted. (I would say healthified, but.... not much.)

My boys love these muffins! They could sit and devour one in what seems like seconds... then ask for another one. Feeding these boys through their teenage years is seriously going to require us starting a hobby farm. (That was really obvious the other day when Gabriel ate 4 -no, that's not a typo- bowls of oatmeal for breakfast. Yes, he is only 4 years old. And no, I don't know how he does it--he's actually pretty skinny.) 

Oh, and Gabriel's favorite thing about these muffins? "That they have ZUCCHINI in them!!"

I personally prefer the muffins over the bread--single servings, easier for Gabriel to get himself... He's not getting himself snacks, but if I am in the middle of helping Adrian with something it makes it a lot easier if he can get himself another muffin. I don't know, really. There's just something about muffins that I prefer.

However, that is not to say the bread isn't great, too! If I'm taking it to work or Mama's (which I did, with this), I prefer the bread. Then people can cut whatever size slice they want, which is much harder to do with muffins. Being the mom of two small boys, I'm suspicious if I see half a muffin anywhere. ;)

Oh, and speaking of taking this to work and Mama's--I took the loaf of bread to work, my coworkers ate some, and I then took the rest to Mama. My original plan was to share some with her & my brother, then take whatever was left back to work. It didn't make it back to work. Mama was entirely too excited about it, and apparently Kyle was too. :)

Printable Recipe

Zucchini Bread & Muffins

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour (I've subbed about 1/2 cup flour for oats before)

3 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon nutmeg (If you are not a big nutmeg fan, cut down to 1/2 or 3/4. It's a very strong flavor in this.)

2 eggs, beaten

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 cups finely shredded, peeled zucchini

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup applesauce, unsweetened (Can sub for oil, if needed)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350° for bread or 375° for muffins.
2. Grease the bottom and up the sides of two 8”x4”x2” loaf pans, or grease/line with paper 24 muffin tins. Set aside
3. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, baking powder, and nutmeg. Make a well in the center of the mixture; set aside.
4. In another medium bowl, combine the eggs, sugar, zucchini, oil, and applesauce. Add zucchini mixture all at once to flour mixture. Stir until just moistened. Spoon batter into prepared pans or muffin tins. (If using muffin tins, fill to just under the liners.)
5. Bake bread for 50-55 minutes, and muffins for 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then remove to wire rack. Cool bread before slicing.

Yield/Time

24 slices bread or 24 muffins.

1 hour 15 minutes for bread, 45 minutes for muffins

Nutrition Facts

124/slice or muffin *I calculate nutrition facts for my use only, this is not done scientifically

Source (for original): Better Homes & Gardens

Remember, comments are love! What's your favorite zucchini recipe? Share with me in the comments!

Cinnamon Rhubarb Muffins

I'm sure I am not the only one when I say that I don't feel like I have time for myself these days. How often, as moms & wives (dads/husbands too!) do we feel like we have to get X, Y, and Z done before we can relax, and have time for 'us'? (And let's be real, it seems like we have to get the rest of the alphabet done too.) Don't misunderstand, Nate does a lot too, but I'm the one with anxiety, which makes it harder for me to leave things undone.

I've been trying to make a conscious effort lately to do more things for me. (Wow, that sounds selfish. Go back and read the first paragraph if you skipped it. ;) ) One of those things is working on my recipe book, and keeping that updated. If I'm going to do that... time to start blogging more too!

So who loves rhubarb? (Or, easier question: Who DOESN'T love rhubarb??)

Rhubarb is technically nearing the end of its season, but the rhubarb at Grandma's is still going strong. Grandpa does an amazing job of keeping it happy using the right fertilizer (fish, if you were curious), and when we harvest we pull the whole stalk out to enable the plant to keep producing. I keep volunteering to freeze some of it for her, and that means I get to snag some for myself too. ;)

We all have our favorite rhubarb things. Mine just depends on what I'm eating at the time, to be honest. Just give me rhubarb, and I'm good. Jam, rhubarb custard bars, rhubarb crunch, rhubarb pie.... wow, I better get more of that rhubarb in the freezer; when I start listing things like that it sounds like I used a lot more of Grandma's rhubarb than I thought. (Don't worry Grams, I'll get more rhubarb in the freezer for you to take to Florida!)

My new favorite (just because it's the most recent) is these Cinnamon Rhubarb Muffins. I love a good muffin, it's a great breakfast/snack for the boys and I. And if I can make it moderately healthy, I feel better about eating it for breakfast. I adapted these from the original, but either way these are pretty healthy-without cutting down on flavor!! They have just the right amount of sweet, the lovely tartness of the rhubarb, and plenty of cinnamon! A perfect combination.

Cinnamon Rhubarb Muffins

Ingredients

2 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup unsweetened/natural applesauce *note: sub sour cream or greek yogurt if you don't have applesause!
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups rhubarb, thinly diced *or more... I'm going to try for 2 - 2 1/2 cups next time, I'll update when I do!
Cinnamon sugar mix

Directions
Preheat oven to 400°. Line 15 muffin tins with paper or foils, or grease lightly.

Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl until well combined. In a separate large bowl, mix together the applesauce, butter, eggs, and vanilla until thoroughly mixed. Then add the dry ingredients to the wet, and mix until just combined. Add the rhubarb and gently mix until combined.

Divide batter evenly among the muffin tins, until it is just shy of being filled. (Careful not to overfill!) Sprinkle each with cinnamon sugar mix.

Bake for 14-17 minutes, until golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove and let cool slightly before serving. Best served cool!

Yield/Time

15 muffins

30 minutes

Nutrition Facts

163/muffin

Source (for original): In This Kitchen

Banana Peanut Butter Oatmeal Muffins

Well, I've been slacking about blogging lately, but given that I am the size of a hippopotamus, tired, working full time, and chasing a 2 year old.... think you can forgive me? :)

Although, to be fair, in about 5 weeks it's going to be worse. I won't be the size of a hippopotamus (hopefully) or working out of the house full time, but I will be even more tired, chasing a 2 year old, and taking care of a newborn.

Anyways, on to the recipe... I've been looking for a health(ier) muffin recipe for awhile, that actually looks good. Some of those healthy muffin recipes out there don't really look that appealing... I want healthy AND tasty! So when I saw this, I knew I had to try it! I love bananas (and need them for the potassium a lot right now), and I love peanut butter.... definitely worth a try!

They are very much a healthy muffin.... they are very thick, and not very sweet. But, that being said, they are still really good! Fresh of out of the oven, I thought they could use more banana--but when having another one cold, the banana is much more noticeable.

If you are looking for something healthy & yummy... these are worth making!!!

Banana Peanut Butter Oatmeal Muffins

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 cup quick cooking oatmeal
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 medium size bananas, mashed
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°. Lightly grease muffin tin, or line with paper cups.
2. In a large bowl mix all dry ingredients together. In medium size bowl mix the wet ingredients well. Pour wet ingredients into dry and mix until no flour streaks remain.
3. Divide batter evenly into muffin tin, filling almost to the top. Bake 16-20 minutes until toothpick stuck in center comes out clean.
4. Remove to wire rack to cool.

Yield/Time

18 muffins

30 minutes

Source (for original): Life is Nothing Without Him