October brings Pumpkin Waffles

It's October and Fall begins! I always feel like using pumpkin in my recipes during this time of year. This morning, I decided to try the recipe we had recieved at my W.O.W. weight loss support group last Fall. After all, this recipe is 173 calories a serving and the pumpkin combines with spices and an orange twist which is mouth-watering to say the least! I'm glad I saved this recipe & I think you'll be happy to try it too.

Even better, I found it shared online from CraftyLady13 on Food.com:

Pumkin Waffles with Orange Syrup

I did make a few slight changes which made it seem more filling by using only one and a half cups of white flour and a half cup of 100% whole wheat flour. I used eggs and not an egg product. I didn't have pumpkin pie spice so I made my own blend of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and allspice.

Hope you'll like it!

Peanut Butter Oatmeal

I discovered this great thing from a weight watchers meeting. It is called BP2. It is basically dried peanut butter that doesn't have any of the peanut oils. It is a powder so you can put it in smoothies, hot cocoa, oatmeal, stir fry and many other things. I have tried a few things but my recent favorite is oatmeal.

1/2 cup instant oatmeal
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon PB2
1 cup lowfat milk
1 teaspoon canola oil

I mix all the dry ingredients then add the milk and oil and cook it on high in the microwave about 2-3 minutes or until done. It is really good and tastes like a treat instead of like yucky oatmeal.

Cranberry Orange Muffins

Cranberry and orange together is one of my favorite combinations, so I'm always looking for good recipes that combine the two. This one did the trick. I made a bunch of substitutions to make it healthier since I'm on WW, but I'll include both the real ingredients and my substitions. Your choice.

Cranberry Orange Muffins (makes 12 large muffins)

2 cups flour (I used whole wheat)
3/4 C sugar (I used 1/2 c Splenda and 1/4 c sugar)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup fresh cranberries (I used dried, which worked just as well)
1 egg (I used two egg whites)
3/4 C orange juice
1/4 c vegetable oil (I used 1/4 c fat free yogurt)
1 tsp orange zest

Combine the dry ingredients together. Stir in cranberries. Mix the egg, orange juice, oil, and zest together. Add in all dry ingredients at once and stir just until moistened. Fill muffin cups 3/4 of the way full. Bake at 400 F for 15-20 minutes. (I cooked mine at 375 for 16 minutes).

Enjoy. If you have all of the substitutions I did, these muffins are only two WW points each.

Banana Muffins with a Crunch

These are definitely my favorite banana muffins. I made a couple of substitutes to this recipe to make them healthier, and they were still delicious.

Banana Crunch Muffins (courtesy of Ina Garten)
3 cups all-purpose flour (I used whole-wheat flour)
2 cups sugar (I used half real sugar and half artificial sweetener)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 pound unsalted butter, melted (I used applesauce instead of melted butter)
2 extra-large eggs
3/4 cup whole milk (I used soy milk)
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (2 bananas)
1 cup medium-diced ripe bananas (1 banana)
1 cup small-diced walnuts
1 cup granola
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
Dried banana chips, granola, or shredded coconut, optional

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Line 18 large muffin cups with paper liners. Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the melted butter and blend. Combine the eggs, milk, vanilla, and mashed bananas, and add them to the flour-and-butter mixture. Scrape the bowl and blend well. Don't over mix.

Fold the diced bananas, walnuts, granola, and coconut into the batter. Spoon the batter into the paper liners, filling each 1 to the top. Top each muffin with dried banana chips, granola, or coconut, if desired. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the tops are brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool slightly, remove from the pan, and serve.

Blueberry Pancakes with Blueberry Syrup and Sweet Ricotta

I got this waffle recipie from my friend Corby, and modified it a little for pancakes. It is absolutely my favorite pancake I have ever tasted.

In a large bowl mix together:

• 2 eggs, plus 1 egg white
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tea vanila

Then add:

• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 3/4 cup quick oats
• 2 pinches wheat germ*
• 1 3/4 tea baking powder
• 1/4 tea salt
• 1/2 tea ground nutmeg

Mix all ingredients together. If you refrigerate the batter overnight, then the oats have a chance to soften up a little, but you don't have to. Pour batter onto a hot griddle. After you pour the batter, drop a handful of fresh blueberries (or chocolate chips) onto the batter. Cook until golden and flip. This recipie makes about 15 very filling pancakes. Serve hot with fresh blueberry syrup.

*Wheat germ is found on the cereal aisle of the grocery store. You have to keep it in the fridge after you open it. You can add a few pinches to any baked goods. It will help you get more whole grain and fiber in your diet.

To make the syrup: Put about a cup of blueberries into the blender, and pulse. Pour this into a saucepan and add a heaping teaspoon of sugar, more to taste. Boil the syrup until the blueberries start to break down a little, but not to long, you don't want to boil away the fresh taste of blueberries. When it is hot, turn the heat down to low. (This makes enough syrup for about 6-8 pancakes... which is enough for me and my husband. I keep the extra batter in the fridge, and make fresh syrup when I want them again). You can top your pancakes with syrup and whipped cream, but I like Sweetend Ricotta better. It adds a little zippy flavor.

For Sweetened Ricotta: Mix about 1/2 cup of ricotta cheese with a teaspoon of sugar, and a little vanilla. Put a little dab on top of the pancakes. This is better for you than whipped cream, and it has a lot of protein in it as well.

Smoothies

Here is an easy smoothie recipe I found on the back of some frozen mixed fruit. It makes one serving and is a great way to get one or two fruits in.

1 cup frozen fruit
1 to 1 1/2 cup fruit juice or milk

Blend and serve.

I use a magic bullet and it works great but I am sure a normal blender would work as well. Enjoy:)

Cinnamon Rolls

I got this recipe and all the tips from a great lady in my ward at a cooking class.

Cinnamon Roll Frosting


4-5 cups of powdered sugar (to taste)
1 stick of real butter, room temp. (1/2 cup)
½ cup of shortening
3-8 Tablespoons of heavy whipping cream (until you reach the consistency you want)
2 teaspoon vanilla

Mix the butter and shortening together with hand mixer until well blended. Add about 3 ½ cups of powdered sugar and one tablespoon of heavy whipping. Add whipping cream and powdered sugar until desired thickness and sweetness. Add vanilla in and mix well. I added the vanilla in at the end by mistake and it tasted really good but you could also add it along with the first tablespoon of whipping cream. Also, I do a half batch for every batch of cinnamon rolls.

Cinnamon Roll Filling

¾ cups light or dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon (or to taste)
Blend together

Lion House Dinner Roll Recipe Modified for Cinnamon Rolls

2 cups warm water (110-115 degrees)
2/3 cup nonfat dry milk
2 Tablespoons dry yeast (instant works fine)
¼ cup sugar
2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup real unsalted butter
1 egg
5-51/2 cups bread flour

In a kitchen aid or any electric mixer combine the water and the powdered milk and stir with whisk attachment on low to medium speed until milk dissolves. Add the yeast to this mixture and stir again. Add sugar, salt shortening, egg, and 2 cups of the flour and mix until ingredients are wet. Then mix on medium speed for two minutes. The dough will look like pancake batter. Add two more cups of flour and mix on medium speed again for 2 minutes(using whisk attachment) Change to the dough hook and add the remaining flour ½ cup at a time until dough is tacky(when you touch it, it will stick to your finger but as you pull away it will let go.) The dough should be soft, not overly sticky, and not stiff. You may not need all the remaining flour.

Place dough in a large well oiled bowl, turn over so all dough is oiled, cover with plastic and let double in size, about 20-30 minutes.
Sprinkle counter with flour and lay out the dough in a rectangular blob. Roll out about ¼ inch think or just one big rectangle. Spread a thin layer of unsalted butter on top of dough. Add the cinnamon roll filling and spread evenly. Starting at the long side gently roll the dough up forming a log. (Make sure to roll it up tightly but not too tight) Pinch the seam together and tuck under the ends. With dental floss cut into 9-16 cinnamon rolls depending on desired thickness. The trick with the floss is to hold it tight and quickly slide it under the log then cut it in half, then cut those half’s in half etc… Place on a well greased (or parchment paper or silpat) jelly roll pan, cover with plastic wrap and let double in size again, about 15-20 minutes. Hint: Place the ends of the log end side down so they have that pretty swirl facing up.

Bake at 375 for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown on top.