I have decided to severely cut down on eating processed foods. My friend over at House of Lukaya suggested I have a cooking day - a day where I cook several things that can refridgerate/freeze so I have ready made, homemade meals later in the week. That's what I'm doing today.
As always, I am purusing my Cooking Light Annual Recipe books.
Cooking Light (the magazine) puts all of the years recipes into one hard bound book. I got my first one the year I got married and have been a faithful buyer of this periodical every year. Even years, like this one, where I have the magazine subscription!
Breakfast is the biggest challenge for me on cutting out processed foods. I usually get up with not to many minutes to spare before having to leave for work, so I need something quick. In January 2008, the magazine did a feature entitled "Body Boosters: How what you eat can improve your health, mind and appearance". The article focused on recipes that included super-foods and the vitamins and minerals the body needs most. The recipe for Orange-Cranberry Wheat Germ Muffins caught my attention (orange, cranberry, brown sugar) and I decided to try it. The wheat germ provides a excellent does of Vitamin E which can benefit eye, heart and brain health. These muffins were excellent! The sprinkling of turbinado on the top provided a great crunchy texture. I would say take the time to do the fresh squeezed orange juice - it makes a world of difference on flavor and doesn't take that much effort. These muffins are recommended best served warm, but they are delicious at room temperature too!
Orange-Cranberry Wheat Germ Muffins (Cooking Light Annual Recipes 2009)
(Yield: 1 dozen. Serving size: 1 muffin)
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour (about 6 3/4 ounces)
1/2 cup raw wheat germ
1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon grated orange rind
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
Cooking spray
1 tablespoon turbinado sugar
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 7 ingredients (through nutmeg) in a large bowl; stir with a whisk. Make a well in center of mixture.
Combine brown sugar and next 4 ingredients (through eggs); stir with a whisk. Add egg mixture to flour mixture; stir just until combined. Spoon batter into 12 muffin cups coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Bake at 375 degrees for 17 minutes or until muffins spring back when touched in center.
CALORIES 197 (26% from fat); FAT 5.8g (sat 0.6g, mono 3.1g, poly 1.6g); PROTEIN 3.4g; CARB 33.8g; FIBER 1.2g; CHOL 35mg; IRON 1.7mg; SODIUM 149mg; CALC 54mg