Double Delicious (6 page)

Maple Spice Muffins

You simply can’t go wrong with maple and allspice. At least in our house you can’t. My husband actually claims that “this is what heaven smells like.”

Shown here with Jerry’s Cinnamon Buns (recipe Jerry’s Cinnamon Buns).

QUICK!

Prep:

20 minutes

Total:

50 minutes

Yield:

Makes 12 muffins

• Nonstick cooking spray
  
• ¼ cup trans-fat-free soft tub margarine spread
  
• ½ cup pure maple syrup
  
• 1 (6-ounce) container of low-fat lemon yogurt
  
• ½ cup nonfat sour cream
  
• 1 large egg
  
• 1 large carrot, washed and grated
  
• 1 small apple, grated
  
• ½ cup raisins
  
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
  
• 1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
  
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
  
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
  
• 1½ teaspoons cinnamon
  
• 1 teaspoon allspice
  
• ½ teaspoon ground clove
  
• ¼ teaspoon salt
  

• 1.
  Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray or line with paper baking cups.
  
• 2.
  In a large bowl, stir the margarine, maple syrup, yogurt, sour cream, egg, carrot, apple, and raisins, breaking up the margarine with a spoon.
  
• 3.
  Sprinkle the 2 types of flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice, clove, and salt over the margarine mixture. Stir until just combined, but do not overmix—the batter is supposed to be lumpy.
  
• 4.
  Divide the batter among the muffin cups. Bake until the tops of the muffins are lightly browned and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center, 20 to 25 minutes. Turn the muffins out onto a rack to cool.
  
• 5.
  Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or wrap individually and freeze for up to 1 month.
  

Shepherd:

Does heaven really smell like cinnamon?

1 serving = 1 muffin
Calories: 198, Carbohydrate: 35 g, Protein: 4 g, Total Fat: 5 g, Saturated Fat: 1 g, Sodium: 250 mg, Fiber: 2.5 g

Jerry’s Cinnamon Buns

There is nothing Jerry loves more than cinnamon buns. Nothing. So I came up with a substitute for the ones loaded with fat and calories that he’ll sometimes eat on the road.

Photograph “Cinnamon-Maple Quinoa”.

Prep:

1 hour 45 minutes

Total:

2 hours

Yield:

Makes 16 buns

SPONGE

• 1½ cups lukewarm nonfat (skim) milk
  
• ¼ cup 100% orange juice
  
• 2 (¼-ounce) packets active dry yeast
  
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
  

DOUGH

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
  
• 2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour
  
• ¼ cup nonfat (skim) milk powder
  
• ¾ teaspoon salt
  
• ½ cup
  carrot puree
  
• 1 large egg
  
• 3 tablespoons trans-fat-free soft tub margarine spread
  
• Nonstick cooking spray
  
• ½ cup firmly packed light or dark brown sugar
  
• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
  

GLAZE

• ¼ cup
  cauliflower puree
  
• 3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
  
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  
• 1 teaspoon 100% orange juice
  

• 1.
  To make the sponge, place the milk in a small glass bowl and microwave 40 to 50 seconds on high until the mixture is lukewarm. Stir in the orange juice, yeast, and sugar. Set aside in a warm place until foamy, about 10 to 15 minutes.
  
• 2.
  To make the dough, in the bowl of a standing mixer using a dough hook, combine both types of flour, the milk powder, and salt, and mix on low until combined. With the mixer still on low speed, add the yeast mixture, carrot puree, and egg. Increase the speed to medium and knead for 5 minutes.
  
• 3.
  Add the margarine and run the mixer 1 minute more—the dough will become sticky and will cling to the hook. With floured fingers, remove the dough stuck to the hook and place it in the bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
  
• 4.
  After dough has doubled in size, place it on a cutting board with floured hands. Cut the dough in half.
  
• 5.
  Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray and place half the dough on it. Flatten the dough out with your fingers, patting the edges to make them even. Sprinkle the surface of the dough with half of the brown sugar and 1 tablespoon of the cinnamon.
  
• 6.
  Roll the longest edge of the dough away from you to form a log. With a serrated knife, slice the dough into 1-inch rounds and flip them swirl-side down on the baking sheet.
  
• 7.
  Repeat steps 5 and 6 with the remaining dough.
  
• 8.
  Preheat the oven to 350°F while the rolls rise for 15 minutes more.
  
• 9.
  Meanwhile, make the glaze. Whisk all the ingredients for the glaze in a small bowl and set aside.
  
• 10.
  Bake the buns until they are cooked through but still soft to the touch, 18 to 20 minutes. Remove and cool before drizzling with the glaze.
  

Joy:

These cinnamon buns have about one-tenth the fat of the ones you buy at the mall, plus offer up a splash of vitamin C thanks to the cauliflower frosting.

1 serving = 1 bun
Calories: 203, Carbohydrate: 39 g, Protein: 5 g, Total Fat: 3 g, Saturated Fat: 0.5 g, Sodium: 165 mg, Fiber: 3.5 g

Banana Chocolate-Chip Waffles

A brunch favorite. It takes just a few gooey, melted chocolate chips to make these waffles feel like a special treat on a weekend morning.

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Prep:

10 minutes

Total:

20 minutes

Yield:

Serves 4

• 1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
  
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
  
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder
  
• ¼ teaspoon salt
  
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
  
• 2 large egg whites
  
• ½ cup low-fat (1%) buttermilk
  
• ½ cup
  carrot puree
  
• 1 ripe banana, mashed (about ½ cup)
  
• 2 tablespoons bittersweet or dark chocolate chips
  
• Nonstick cooking spray
  

• 1.
  Preheat a waffle iron on high. In a large bowl or zipper-lock plastic bag, mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In another large bowl, beat the oil, egg whites, buttermilk, carrot puree, and banana with an electric mixer. Mix on low speed for 1 minute until smooth. Stir in the chocolate chips.
  
• 2.
  Add the flour mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon until just combined—the batter will be lumpy. Coat the waffle iron with cooking spray. Ladle 8 to 4 cup of the batter into each compartment of the iron. Cook until the top of the iron releases easily and the waffle is lightly brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Serve immediately.
  

Jessica:

My rule—chocolate chips at breakfast only happen on weekends or holidays.

Calories: 298, Carbohydrate: 40 g, Protein: 7 g, Total Fat: 13.5 g, Saturated Fat: 2 g, Sodium: 565 mg, Fiber: 6.5 g

Scrambled Egg Muffins

We eat lots of eggs—specifically egg whites combined with a whole egg, to lighten things up. Here I’ve added chickpeas to keep things low in fat but high in protein.

QUICK!

Prep:

10 minutes

Total:
25 minutes

Yield:
Serves 4

• Nonstick cooking spray
  
• 4 slices nitrate-free turkey bacon
  
• 3 large egg whites
  
• 1 large egg
  
• ½ cup chopped, low-sodium chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  
• ¼ cup nonfat (skim) milk
  
• 4 teaspoons grated Parmesan
  

• 1.
  Preheat the oven to 400°F. Coat an 8-inch square piece of aluminum foil with cooking spray and lay the bacon on the foil. Transfer to the oven and bake for 10–15 minutes while you prepare the egg filling.
  
• 2.
  In a small bowl, whisk the egg whites, egg, chickpeas, and milk. In a 6-cup muffin tin, coat 4 of the cups with cooking spray. Divide the egg mixture among the 4 cups. Remove the bacon from the oven and snip with scissors or thinly slice. Sprinkle the bacon over the eggs and top with 1 teaspoon of the Parmesan.
  
• 3.
  Bake until the eggs puff and are cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from the muffin pan and cool slightly before serving.