Muffins!

I have a new appreciation for muffins. Muffins get a bad rep because your mind and your salivary glands often go to the butter sugar-laden pieces of heaven from Dunkin Donuts, bake shops, and diners. I recently had the most delicious blueberry crumble muffin at the bakery in my town and yes, I'm sure I consumed my daily sugar intake for the day by 10am but it was worth every single calorie.

In my effort to eat less processed foods, I have been trying to make my own midmorning snacks and muffins have been my secret weapon. Obviously I can't indulge everyday with a muffin the size of my 18 month old son but with a few swaps, you can find a happy medium.

Apple Cinnamon Muffins

I found the original recipe for these muffins on Pinterest, obviously (http://www.pinterest.com/pin/247557310737623036/) but changed few things in their preparation. First, I'm not sure if the author knows a "t" is for teaspoon and a "T" is for tablespoon. I caught the error when I read the amount for baking soda. I don't bake at all but I knew that was a bit much. Also, the original recipe called for a cup of Stevia - again, I thought that was too much so I trimmed that down.

Anyway, here is the skinny:
1 cup of whole wheat flour (I used Bob's Red Mill)
3/4 cup of Truvia Baking Blend
1 tsp of vanilla
1 tsp of baking soda
1 tsp of cinnamon (or more if you love it like I do!)
1/2 of unsweetened applesauce
2 egg whites OR one whole egg

Preheat oven to 350
Mix liquid ingredients and then add the dry
And add to muffin tins

Now this recipe CAN make 8 muffins BUT I made 10 mini muffins so I could bring two with me to work for my 10am snack.

What I also love about muffins, especially these, are that 1) you more than likely have all of the ingredients in your house so you don't have go to out, 2) they freeze well, 3) you can create new versions by simply adding more stuff like nuts, berries, and chocolate chips without really having to think.

Nutrition Facts
Servings 10.0
Amount Per Serving
Calories 81
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 1 g	2 %
Saturated Fat 0 g	2 %
Monounsaturated Fat 0 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0 g
Trans Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 22 g	7 %
Sodium 132 mg	6 %
Potassium 2 mg	0 %
Total Carbohydrate 13 g	4 %
Dietary Fiber 1 g	5 %
Sugars 1 g
Protein 3 g	5 %
Vitamin A	0 %
Vitamin C	0 %
Calcium	0 %
Iron	22 %
* The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA.

Proud Working Mom

As a working mom, I am proud of many things but one of the top three is that we have a home cooked meal for dinner at least five nights a week. Usually by Friday, I am spent and take out seems like a fantastic option but since I have the ability to spend Sunday's prepping for the upcoming week - things usually work out okay.

I am not one to create my own recipes and Pinterest has become a close personal friend of mine but the other night I was craving meatball subs and decided to take a stab at creating my own. I also had some random items in the fridge that I was looking to use and this is what I came up with:

Pesto Meatball Subs, serves 4 or 5; 

1 pound of ground meat ( I used
http://www.laurasleanbeef.com/products/ground-beef

but you could use anything from beef to turkey)

1/4 cup of ricotta cheese

1 tablespoon of pesto sauce 

1 egg

Fresh Mozzarella

Tomato Sauce

Buns (we used whole wheat hot dog buns)

Preheat oven to 375*

Add the first 4 ingredients into a bowl and mix well, but don't over handle, and make into mini meatballs. I was able to make 14. 

Bake between 20 and 25 minutes. 

Meanwhile slice mozzarella into thin slices and place buns on another cookie sheet. 

Once the meatballs are done, place 3 in each bun and top with cheese. 

Broil for about 5 minutes or until cheese melts to your liking.
(Make sure this step has your undivided attention and you don't start playing magnets with your 15 month old or else you might have crispy buns)

Once out of the oven, top with sauce and serve! 

What I like about adding the sauce last is the bun doesn't become soggy and the flavor of the meatballs isn't lost. 

This meal can also, easily be made ahead, frozen, or adjusted to meet the needs of your eaters. 

Donut Day

 Although National Donut Day is a different day of the year, my family has our own Donut Day. August 17th was my Nana's birthday and even if her latest stages of dimentia she knew that she wanted donuts as a birthday breakfast. This wasn't always the case, but as she aged we would all meet at her extended care facility's courtyard with a 12 pack of Dunkin and Box of Joe and celebrate with our matriarch.

Austin enjoying his first Donut Day 

At 4'11 inches my Nana was a one of a kind. Her refrigerator was always stocked with Jell-o and each time we left her house, she should always slip us a $10 or a $20 for "ice cream" or "something nice". She made the best meals, had the best basement to play in, and could be found watching Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune nightly. I remember growing out of a pair of snow boots and giving them to Nana as a hand-me-down. In return I got a coat that was a little to big. I was one of few 6th graders who could swap clothes with her Nana.

After she passed away, we decided to continue the tradition. The one day of the year where low-carb, low-fat, paleo, clean eating, or whatever the diet-of -the-day was was pushed aside and donuts reigned supreme. Inspired by my pear tart success the other day, I decided to bake my own donuts.


Do I dare call what lies below a recipe? No - because although I list four ingredients, there is no mixing and no measuring. It is pure idiot-proof bliss.

What you'll Need:
Pilsbury's Grand! Biscuits
Cinnamon
Sugar
Vegetable Oil


Step 1: Line a cookie tray with parchment paper or (if you are fancy like us) one of those baking sheets and preheat your oven to 425*F
Step 2 : Open a can of Pilsbury Grands! Biscuits. We used the honey flavored one
Step 3: Lay the biscuits out on the cookie sheet and using the lid from your vegetable oil container, punch out donut holes.
Separate and lay your "munchkins" alongside your donuts.
Step 4: Lighly coat all sides with vegetable oil
Step 5. Bake for 7 minutes
Step 6: Top your donuts in cinnamon and sugar (I eye-balled the amount in a bowl, blended, and added more as needed).

This recipe was borrowed from the following link and she coats hers with icing - a taste far to advanced for us: Easy Baked Donuts

Harnessing my Inner Martha

TWO POSTS TODAY!
(crazy!)

Ok so I am a maven in the kitchen when it comes to cooking but I NEVER bake. I stink at it, it is my hell, and I will be that mom that purchases baked good at the store because that is how I have been genetically wired. Sposito/Coccia women can cook but baking = no bueno.

I also never post about food but I was so proud of this little gem (and when you look at it, you'll think - wow, she really must suck at baking because that is the easiest thing ever, but I needed a personal win so let me have it)

I adapted this from Better Homes and Gardens and this is the original recipe: http://www.bhg.com/recipe/pies/country-peach-tart/

But this is what I did:
1 Pastry for Single-Crust Pie (or buy Pilsbury like I did)
2 Tsp of Truvia Baking Blend
1/4 cup of all purpose flour
1/4 tsp of nutmeg
1/4 tsp of cinnamon
3 peeled pears (from our PEAR TREE - take that Barefoot Contessa!)
1 Tsp of lemon juice

1. Preheat over to 375* and prepare pie crust
2. Line a baking sheet with foil, sprinkle lighlty with flour, and roll out pastry (circle, square, trapezoid, whatever tickets your fancy)
3. In a large bowl, stir together truvia, 4 tsps of flour, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Add pears and lemon juice.
Keep stirring until everything is coated
4. Mound pear mixture in the center of pastry, leaving a 2 inch border
5. Fold border up, over peaches and sprinkle top with a little more Truvia (just a little)
6. Bake 35 minutes and, if you feel fancy, broil on low for another 4.

It may not get an A for presentation but I was pretty pleased with myself