Pineapple Muffins with Coconut Crumble

In honor of LiveSTRONG Day I wanted make something to participate in the Taste of Yellow event hosted by Winosandfoodies.com. The rules are to make some kind of yellow food and include a heart in the picture of the item. While I was thinking over what I could make, I found a heart shaped muffin tin that I had bought years ago, unused and in its original packaging. So I decided to make some type of yellow cupcakes or muffins. I'm not a big cupcake fan so I went with muffins. I turned to my trusty Cupcakes from the Cake Doctor cookbook and narrowed it down to either lemon or pineapple... pineapple won.

I have loved every recipe that I have ever made from Cupcakes from the Cake Doctor so I had high expectations. This recipe didn't let me down. It's really easy to whip up a batch of these and the coconut crumble which you top the muffins with really makes these special. And the smell of toasting coconut while the muffins bake makes the whole house smell great too.

Pineapple Muffins with Coconut Crumble Makes 12 muffins Vegetable oil spray for misting the pan Coconut Crumble ½ cup packed light brown sugar 2 tablespoons self-rising flour 1 tablespoon butter, at room temperature ½ sweetened flaked coconut Muffins 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature ½ cup granulated sugar 1 large egg 1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple, undrained ½ cup milk ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract 2 cups self-rising flour

Place the rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F. Mist the bottom of 12 muffin cups with the vegetable oil spray. Set the pan aside.

Prepare the crumble: Place the sugar, flour, and butter in a small bowl. Work the butter into the mixture using a fork. Stir in the coconut and set the crumble aside.

Prepare the muffin batter: Place the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until the mixture is creamy, 30 seconds. Add the egg, pineapple and juice, milk, and vanilla and blend on low speed until just combined, 30 seconds. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Fold in the flour with a wooden spoon or the rubber spatula, 25 strokes. The batter will still be a little lumpy. Spoon or scoop 1/4 cup batter into each prepared muffin cup, filling it two thirds of the way full. Sprinkle a heaping teaspoon of crumble topping on each muffin and gently press the topping into the batter. Place the pan in the oven.

Bake the muffins until they are lightly golden and just spring back when lightly pressed with your finger, 18 to 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes. Run a dinner knife around the edges of the muffins, lift them up from the bottoms of the cuts using the end of the knife, and pick them out of the cups carefully with your fingertips. Place them on a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes. The muffins are ready to serve.

Egg & Salmon Sandwich

Apparently, this is what Mary Lou, or other Olympians, eat for breakfast. It's an example of a "pre-training" meal. This is according to the article in the July/August, 2008 issue of Eating Well magazine. And if it's good for them, the it should be good for me.

I don't usually do the egg whites thing, I'm just too lazy and I think they taste bland, but here it seemed like a good idea because salmon itself has a strong taste and I didn't need to mix in too much richness with the egg yolks.

I'm a sucker for lox and bagels with all the fixin's. This is a much healthier breakfast option but gives the same satisfaction.

Egg & Salmon Sandwich Serves 1 ½ tsp. extra-virgin olive oil 1 Tbsp. finely chopped red onion 2 large egg whites, beaten Pinch of slat ½ tsp. capers, rinsed and chopped (optional) 1 ounce smoked salmon 1 slice tomato 1 whole-wheat English muffin, split and toasted

Strawberry-Almond Smoothie

Isn't part of the fun of cooking getting to use new ingredients? I love trying new things and experimenting with new ingredients. Of course it's not always so easy to FIND the new ingredients.

I found this recipe for a Strawberry-Almond Smoothie under the well-being detox diet section of the December, 2008 issue of Food & Wine Magazine. By the name it seems quite simple, but I was intrigued by the ingredients... coconut water, agave nectar and figs? Those are not the usual ingredients I expect in a smoothie. And this one has NO DAIRY!

Luckily, I had some leftover figs from when I made Polenta Crostini with Fig and Kalamata Olive Tapenade at Christmas. I headed to Whole Foods in search the coconut water and nectar agave.

If you are feeling creative, I hope you give this a try. The cinnamon is perfect to balance the sweetness. It's good for breakfast or a snack.

Strawberry-Almond Smoothie 1 serving 2 Tbsp. raw almonds, soaked over night and drained 1 cup coconut water Pinch of salt 1 cup frozen strawberries 2 dried white figs, coarsely chopped 1/2 tsp. agave nectar Pinch of ground cinnamon

In a blender, puree the almonds with the coconut water and salt until smooth. Strain the almond milk through a fine sieve. Rinse out the blender. Add the strawberries to the blender with the figs, agave nectar, cinnamon and the almond milk and puree. Pour into a tall glass and serve.

Blueberry-Coconut Pound Cake Muffins

Lately I've been making cupcakes for my co-workers. We are all working a lot of hours in preparation for our project launch on September 17th. One of the guys I work closely with prefers muffins over cupcakes. He also really loves coconut. I discovered this recipe for Individual Blueberry-Coconut Pound Cake Muffins from Sara's Secrets while looking for something he may like. The only problem is that this recipe only makes seven muffins so I have to multiply it by 6 to make enough muffins for my entire team.

These went over very well. In fact a few people told me they are the best muffins they have ever had. And I have to agree. Some team members don't like muffins (I can't imagine) but they tried them anyways and gave me a big thumbs up. Even my family liked them and they told me not to lose the recipe because they are so amazing.

I really like that they are kind of like a pound cake because they are heavier. There is alot of cocount so if you don't like coconut you might not like these muffins. But if you do like it, you'll fall in love.

Individual Blueberry-Coconut Pound Cake Muffins
Serves 7

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons freshly grated lime zest
2 large eggs
5 tablespoons heavy cream
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons sweetened flaked coconut
1/2 cup blueberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and butter and flour 7 (1/2-cup) muffin cups (just butter if nonstick).

Beat together butter, sugar, and zest until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Beat in cream, then flour and salt, on low speed until just combined. Stir in 1/2 cup coconut and gently stir in blueberries.

Spoon batter into cups, filling the cups, and smooth tops. Sprinkle tops with remaining 3 tablespoons of coconut.

Bake in middle of oven until a tester comes out clean and edges are golden brown, about 25 minutes. Invert onto a rack and cool.

Southwestern Tofu Scramble

I dare you! That's right, I dare you to make something with tofu as the main ingredient. I decided to try this recipe for Southwesten Tofu Scramble which I found in the April, 2008 issue of Eating Well Magazine because it the picture in the magazine looked very appetizing and it was a reminder to me that I would like to incorporate more tofu in my diet as a healthier way of eating. I first "got into" tofu while I was trying to lose some weight over 10-years ago. I started making some recipes that called for tofu just to try it out and I kept being surprised with the tasty results. That happened again with this recipe! My expectations weren't that high - I was just hoping for some flavor.

While I made this for dinner, I also had it for breakfast this morning. It was perfect for either. For dinner I meant to wrap it up in corn tortillas and make tacos with it, but my tortillas we old and inedible. I really loved the freshness and crispiness of the veggies in this dish. I think the use of corn and zucchini is really important to the overall texture. And while the recipe calls for "prepared" salsa, I purchased the "homemade" kind like pico de gallo in the produce section. I also think the clean texture of the tomatoes in that contributed to the overall taste.

I hope y'all give this one a try and go ahead and add something healthy to your weekly menu!

Southwestern Tofu Scramble 3 tsp. canola oil, divided 1 14-ounce package firm, water-packed tofu, rinsed and crumbled 1 1/2 tsp. chili powder 1 tsp. ground cumin 1/2 tsp. salt, divided 1 small zucchini, diced 3/4 cup frozen corn, thawed 4 scallions, sliced 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese 1/2 cup prepared salsa 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Heat 1 1/2 tsp. oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add tofu, chili powder, cumin and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring, until the tofu begins to brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

Add the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil to the pan. Add zucchini, corn, scallions and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring, until the vegetables are just tender, about 3 minutes. Return the tofu to the pan and cook, stirring, until heated through about 2 minutes more. Remove from the heat and stir in cheese until just melted.

Top each serving with 2 tablespoons salsa and 1 tablespoon cilantro.

Sweet Breakfast Tabouli

Couscous made with apple juice? Mint for breakfast? These two things sent me straight to the store last night so that I could make Sweet Breakfast Tabouli with Dried Plums this morning.

Unfortunately, the whole thing turned out a bit TOO sweet for me! It was interesting to make, but I think my use of really high quality, fresh, organic ingredients maybe added too much flavor . . . The plums are sweet enough. Tasting the mix of the couscous, mint and diced plums it was pretty good. But the african honey I used is really intense and I think it over-killed the flavors. I will try to make this again but this time I will really only drizzle a little bit of the sauce on top . . . I poured the entire thing on there this morning!

Sweet Breakfast Tabouli with Dried Plums 1/2 cup dried plums or other dried fruit 2 Tbsp dried mint flakes or 1/2 cup fresh mint 1 cup apple juice 1/2 cup bulgur or whole wheat couscous 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice 2 Tbsp. honey 1 tsp. flax oil or rice bran oil

Chop the dried plums (or other fruit and the fresh mint, if using). In a storage tub or small casserole with a tight-fitting lid, mix the chopped plums and dried mint.

In a small saucepan, bring the apple juice to boil and add the bulgur. Return to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover tightly. Simmer for 10 minutes, until the juice is absorbed and the bulgur is tender. (If using couscous, pour the couscous into the boiling juice, stir, and take off the heat.) Let stand to steam for 10 minutes. Scrape the bulgur into the tub with the plums and mint. Stir, and cover to steam the fruit. Chill for later use, or serve warm.

To serve, in a small cup, stir together the lemon juice, honey, and oil. Drizzle over the bulgur and fluff to mix.

Chocolate Banana Bread

I love banana bread so was excited to see a recipe for Chocolate Banana Bread in Tyler's Ultimate cookbook. And I thought it would be a perfect entry for this month's Waiter, There's Something in My . . . Bread hosted by Andrew at Spitoon Extra. I just had to sit around for a week waiting for the bananas to ripen enough to use for the recipe.

Chocolate Banana Bread Ingredients: 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for the pan 2 cups all-purpose flour 3/4 cup sugar 1/4 cup cocoa powder 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon kosher salt 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted 2 large eggs 3 very ripe bananas 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan. Mix together th flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt ina large bowl. IN another bowl, cream the butter until lightened, then beat in the chocolate, eggs, bananas, and vanilla. Stir in the dry ingredients just until combined; do not overbeat.

Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake until a toothpick stuck into the center of the bread comes out almost clean, 50 to 60 minutes. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for at least 15 minutes before unmolding.

Pineapple Muffins with Coconut Crumble

I originally bought the fixing for these muffins to participate in the Muffin Monday blogging event. The problem was that I didn't get to make them in time. So i decided to make them Sunday morning for breakfast.

The smell of the coconut baking is amazing. But the best part is getting at the crumble while it is still hot. These muffins didn't last too long as leftovers. They become to moist, maybe due to the pineapples. By the second day of leftover I had to throw them out.

Pineapple Muffins with Coconut Crumble Crumble: 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar 2 tablespoons self-rising flour 1 tablespoon butter, at room temperature 1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut Muffins: 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1 large egg 1 can (8oz.) crushed pineapple, undrained 1/2 cup milk 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 2 cups self-rising flour

Preheat over to 400 degrees. Spray the bottom of 12 muffin cups with vegetable spray.

Prepare the crumble: Combine sugar, flour and butter in a bowl. Work the butter into the mixture using a fork. Stir in the coconut and set aside.

Prepare the muffin batter: Place butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric miser on medium-high speed until the mixture is creamy, 30 seconds. Add the egg, pineapple and juice, milk and vanilla and blend on low speed until just combined, 30 seconds. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Fold in the flour with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, 25 strokes. The batter will still be a little lumpy. Spoon or scoop 1/4 cup batter into each prepare muffin cup, filling it two thirds of the way full. Sprinkle a heaping teaspoon of crumble topping on each muffin and gently press the topping into the batter.

Bake the muffins until they are lightly golden and just spring back when lightly pressed with your finger, 180 to 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cook for 5 minutes. Run a dinner knife around the edges of the muffins, left them up from the bottoms of the cups using the end of the knife, and pick them out of the cups carefully with your fingertips. Place them on a wire rack and cool for 15 minutes. The muffins are ready to serve.

#9: Corn Bread, Some Good Grub

This Corn Bread with Scallions recipe is probably one of the easiest recipes every published in Food & Wine Magazine. It was featured as an example of #9 Updated Chuckwagon Recipes on Food & Wine's 100 Tastes to Try. This recipe was created by Paula Disbrowe and will be published in her Cowgirl Cuisine cookbook due out in March, 2007.

The ingredients are simple so the only special thing I needed to get for this recipe was the green onions. I did not have any corn oil so I bought a small bottle of organic corn oil as well. The only problem was that I do not own a cast-iron skillet. Instead of trying to improvise, I decided to call in the help of a friend.


My friend Julie invited me over and we made this recipe together. It is a perfect thing to make as a team not because it is complicated, but because it is so easy we didn't mess anything up with our gabbing. Julie picked up a roast chicken from the grocery store and she also made sweet potatoes which her husband mashed for us. It was a perfect meal. Before we ate we finished up the bottle of 2003 Tandem Porter-Bass Vineyards Chardonnay which I had brought over.

I am kind of picky when it comes to cornbread. I like it sweet and can't stand it when it turns out bland. There is only a little bit of honey in this recipe so I was a bit concerned. It did not turn out to be sweet corn bread, but it did turn out to be good corn bread. I was surprised how well the green onions added amazing flavor. They were not over powering but they contributed a homey quality and we all liked it. I had some the next day for breakfast and it did not dry out.

Corn Bread with Scallions 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup coarse, stone-ground yellow cornmeal 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon salt Pinch of freshly ground pepper 1 1/4 cups low-fat milk 2 tablespoons honey 2 large eggs, beaten 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon corn oil 8 scallions, white and tender green parts only, thinly sliced

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400°. Place a 10-inch cast-iron skillet in the oven to heat. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt and pepper. In a small bowl, whisk the milk, honey, eggs and 1/3 cup of the oil. Add the wet ingredients to the cornmeal mixture and whisk just until combined. Stir in the scallions.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the hot skillet and swirl to coat. Pour the batter into the skillet and bake for about 30 minutes, until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool slightly, then turn the corn bread out onto a plate. Invert it onto a rack to cool. Alternatively, serve the corn bread hot from the skillet.


note* with nine servings (a big slice), each piece of corn bread is 6 Weight Watchers points.

Banana Cream Pie for Breakfast

Health magazine's January/February 2007 issue features several healthy recipes that look really good (and easy to make). The recipe for Banana Cream Pie caught my eye when they featured it for breakfast. It's kind of like yogurt with granona and fruit, but calling it Banana Cream Pie makes is sound so much better.

The key to this is a good tasting vanilla yogurt, so make sure you get one you like. Their recipe calls for whole-grain graham crackers so I used regular low-fat honey graham crackers and it still tasted yummy.

note* this meal has 5.5 Weight Watchers points

Banana Cream Pie (serves 1) 1 (6-ounce) vanilla low-fat yogurt 1 sliced medium banana 2 sheets whole-grain graham crackers, crumbled. Instructions Mix yogurt, banana and graham crackers.

Rachael Ray's kick start kiwi smoothie

This morning I made a Kick Start Kiwi Smoothie. I found the recipe in the December/January 2007 issue of Every Day with Rachael Ray magazine.

What a exhilarating drink! The little bit of lime juice and the tart sweetness of the kiwi fruit yields a very refreshing taste. It is quite light but also fulfilling. Drinking this is a great way to start the day.

note* each serving is only 2 Weight Watchers points.

Kick Start Kiwi Smoothie 4 kiwi, peeled and thinly sliced 1 tsp fresh lime juice 1 banana 1/2 cup plain fat-free yogurt 2 Tbsp honey 10 cubes ice cube(s)

Instructions
In a blender, combine all ingredients except for 2 kiwi slices. Server in tall glasses and garnish each with a kiwi slice.