Maple Oat Quick Bread (and Eat. Live. Be. Week 20)

Once I reached adulthood, I began to follow the rules. I eat balanced meals three times a day. I drink my 8 cups of water and limit caffeine intake after noon. And cake is definitely off limits for breakfast.

That's why I love this recipe. See, it bears a striking resemblance to cake, but since it isn't called cake, you can eat it for breakfast without any guilt. 

Thanks, Mollie Katzen. You're my hero. 

This week on Eat. Live. Be. we're talking about habits we're trying to break. Mine is eating the same old, same old for breakfast each day. I've made a point of 'mixing it up' a couple of times a week lately, and it feels good to add some variety to my eating habits. I'm not sure this bread counts as a healthy breakfast, but it sure does feel good!

Maple Oat Quick Bread, adapted from one of the best cookbooks of all time - The Enchanted Broccoli Forest

I reduced the maple syrup and swapped half the white flour for whole wheat. More nutrition, less guilt.

1 1/2 cups raw oatmeal

1 cup white flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

2 eggs

1/4 cup real maple syrup

2 tablespoons honey

1 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

4 tablespoons melted butter

a bit of Turbinado sugar, optional, to sprinkle on top of the loaf

Preheat the oven to 350* and lightly spray a medium loaf pan with Pam. 

Process the oats in a blender or food processor for about half a minute, till ground to a coarse flour. Pour the outs in a large bowl and add the remaining dry ingredients (including the lemon zest - I counted that as a dry ingredient). 

Now, add the wet ingredients to the blender or food processor. Process for just a few seconds, to combine. 

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix with a wooden spoon or spatula till well combined. 

Pour the batter into the loaf pan and sprinkle with some Turbinado sugar if desired. Bake for about an hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool briefly before removing from the pan, and then cool for at least a half hour longer before slicing. 

Here's a list of other bloggers participating in the Eat. Live. Be. Challenge: Sarah, Cate, Maris, Chris, Faith, Kristen, Emily, Jenna, Joanne, Casey, Patsy, Tri-Fit Mom, Claire, Allison, Jen and Leslie.


Linking this up to Real Food Wednesday and Koab Recipe Exchange.

Fruity Soda Bread (and Eat. Live. Be. Week 18)

I am extremely interesting at dinner. I prepare (and willingly eat) a varied menu of breads, grains, proteins, salads and vegetables. I don't repeat the same dishes very often, and I'm proud of that. I believe that eating a range of foods is an important component of a healthy eating lifestyle. It keeps me from getting bored and turning to sweets. And it gives me a range of vitamins and nutrients.

Breakfast is another matter. I eat the same thing for breakfast nearly every day. Cold, dry cereal. Barbara's Original Puffins, to be exact. 3/4 of a cup. Measured out in a ziploc bag and brought to work. It may sound sad, but it really isn't. It's easy, pretty healthy, and helps me get out the door in the morning. (I have four kids and a full time job. Need I say more?)

This week, on Eat. Live. Be, we're talking about bad habits we're trying to break. For me, it's the habit of eating the Same Old breakfast every day. I'm trying to introduce some variety to my morning diet. This quick bread was one such attempt, and it was really nice to have something other than dry cereal for a few days. Of course, as soon as I finished the 10 slices in the freezer, I was back to dry cereal. But it was nice while it lasted. I just may try it again soon.

Fruity Soda Bread, adapted from Mollie Katzen's Sunlight Cafe
Makes about 10 slices; about an hour prep

3/4 cup white flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons grated orange zest
1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup dried cherries
1/4 cup minced prunes
(1 cup cooked wheat berries, optional)
1 small green apple, peeled and chopped
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 egg
2 tablespoons melted butter

Preheat the oven to 350*. Spray a 9 inch pie pan with non-stick spray.

Combine the flours, cornmeal, salt, baking powder, baking soda and orange zest in a medium bowl. Add the sugar and rub it in to combine. Your fingers will smell orangey and lovely. Stir in the fruit and optional wheat.

Combine the buttermilk, egg, and butter in a separate bowl or large measuring cup. Slowly add this mixture to the dry ingredients, stirring and mashing till combined. Don't overmix.

Transfer the dough to the pan and smooth it out.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, until it's browning on top and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for at least 15 minutes. Slice and enjoy immediately, or wrap individual portions and freeze for easy breakfasts on the go.

Here's a list of other bloggers participating in the Eat. Live. Be. Challenge: Sarah, Cate, Maris, Chris, Faith, Kristen, Emily, Jenna, Joanne, Casey, Patsy, Tri-Fit Mom, Claire, Allison, Jen and Leslie.


Linking this up to My Meatless Mondays and Pennywise Platter Thursdays. 

Baking with Dorie: Honey Nut Scones

I'm pleased to join the Baking with Dorie group, a small group of bloggers who post about recipes from Dorie Greenspan's Baking: From my home to yours. Thank you for welcoming me in!

I know I should be ashamed to admit this on a blog that is supposed to be both healthy and ordinary. But every once in a while, when I'm feeling particularly relaxed (or hungry) I do enjoy me a good buttery breakfast of biscuits or scones (preferably accompanied by tea with milk to make it feel authentically British). I've posted my favorite biscuit recipe over on my other blog.  And I think I have found a favorite scone recipe too!

Scones are a wonderful, luxurious, special occasion breakfast. These are unusual because they have - you guessed it - honey and nuts. (I used pecans instead of walnuts.) They also call for regular milk instead of buttermilk.

This recipe appears on page 31 of Baking: From my home to yours. For those of you who don't own the cookbook, I've copied my version of it below, adapted from the original.

Honey Nut Scones, from Baking: From my home to yours
The original recipe calls for walnuts, which I don't care for. I substituted pecans and they were wonderful. Feel free to use walnuts if you prefer. 


1 large egg
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 cup cold whole milk (or use part skim milk and part cream, which is what I did)
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut in pieces
1/2 cup chopped pecans


Preheat the oven to 400*. Line a baking sheet with foil.

Mix together the egg, honey and milk.

Combine the flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Add in the butter and use your fingers to rub it into the dry ingredients. (I love this part! Enjoy the texture of the butter and the coarseness of the grains. It's like a personal massage!)

When the butter is in pea-sized pieces, pour in the liquid ingredients. Mix briefly and then add in the nuts. Gently knead the dough for just a minute or two till it all comes together. Turn it onto a work surface and divide it in half. Flatten each piece and pat it into a circle. Cut each circle in 5 or 6 wedges and put on the baking sheet.

Bake the scones for about 20 minutes till golden. Cool for at least a few minutes before devouring with jam, cream cheese, or simply plain.

Chocolate Muffins and Pancakes

Chocolate Ricotta Muffin

I know that chocolate muffins may seem out of place on a healthy eating blog. But I truly believe that eating what you enjoy - in moderation - is an important part of healthy eating. I don't deprive myself of any of the foods I enjoy, and chocolate is high on the list. These cupcakes provide a hefty dose of chocolate, but they are made of all natural ingredients, so you can feel indulge without the guilt. 

These muffins are from one of my favorite cookbooks - Sunlight Cafe, by Mollie Katzen. Today, I made an amazing discovery. I added a bit of extra milk and flour to the extra muffin batter (I had about a cup left after I filled all twelve cups in my muffin tin) and made pancakes. Wow! They were amazing, and it felt great to put the extra batter to a good purpose. Plus the kids were delighted to oblige. There's nothing like chocolate to wake up your taste buds! 

Chocolate Ricotta Muffins (and pancakes)

The original recipe, from Mollie Katzen's Sunlight Cafe, is really just for muffins. But I discovered that the batter - with just a bit of extra milk and flour - makes KILLER pancakes. If you make the muffins the night before, you can leave the extra batter in the fridge overnight and whip up pancakes quickly in the morning. 

1 cup white flour

1 1/3 cup whole wheat pastry flour

3/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

7 tablespoons cocoa powder (please use Dutch unprocessed)

1 cup sugar

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup ricotta cheese

2 large eggs

1 1/3 cups milk

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

4 tablespoons butter, melted

(optional - an extra 1/4 cup whole wheat flour and 1/2 cup milk if you're making pancakes)

Preheat the oven to 350*. Spray 12 standard muffin cups with non-stick spray. 

Combine the flours, salt,  baking powder, cocoa powder, sugar, and chocolate chips in a large bowl. 

In a separate bowl, combine the ricotta, eggs, milk, vanilla, and butter. 

Pour the ricotta mixture into the dry ingredients and use a wooden spoon to mix it  until it's well combined. DO NOT OVER-MIX. 

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups. Fill them to the top if you like them large, or a bit less if you like them smaller. (If you want to make pancakes, leave over about a cup of batter.) 

Bake for about 25 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool for at least 1/2 hour before removing from the muffin tins. 

(If you have any extra batter and care to have a really decadent breakfast, add the extra flour and milk to the cup of batter. Heat a cast iron or nonstick pan and spray with nonstick spray. Spoon the batter in and cook for 2-3 minutes per side on medium low heat. Serve warm.)

The wet ingredients. 

Droste's cocoa,
my cocoa of choice

The dry ingredients

Chocolate pancakes. Mmmm....

This plate of pancakes was eaten up
before I could say "I can't believe
we're having chocolate for breakfast!"

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