Multi-Grain Raspberry Pancakes

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There really is no better vehicle for raspberries then a pancake, those finicky seeds get lost in the soft fluffy layers of cakes, and permeate they're sweet goodness throughout.  We found a pint of these pretty berries at the grocery store for $.98 and they were pretty much ready to be be eaten pronto.  So, first thing Sunday morning, was to relax with some coffee and some of these.  It was a great start to a fantastic Sunday- these are packed with nutrients, but taste SO light and SO good.  They'll keep you feeling fuller longer and get you through your 3 mile run + hot yoga class or a chilly Bears game!  :)

Recipe:

Mix together the dry ingredients in a small bowl:

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/4 cup old fashioned oats

1/4 cup corn meal

2 tablespoons ground flax seeds

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

Mix together the wet ingredients in a medium bowl:

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon honey

1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt

1 1/4 cups fat free milk

zest and juice of 1 lemon

Combine the wet and dry in the medium bowl, batter will be lumpy, then fold in 1 pint of fresh raspberries ( chopped up), you can reserve a few for garnish.  Set your oven to "warm" and place a pie plate on the middle rack.  Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat, spray with cooking spray.  Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, scoop mixture and pour onto hot pan, leaving at space between each pancake.  When the batter bubbles, they are ready to flip.  Cook an addition 1-2 minutes and then place on a pie plate in your oven to keep warm while you finish up the rest.  Serve stacked with real maple syrup and fresh raspberries ( good to-go rolled up with a dab of peanut butter and slices of banana!)

Healthier Blueberry Muffins

Ellie Kreiger has been a kitchen staple for us these past couple years.  She has brought 3 cookbooks to our kitchen that have all become indispensable.  Each recipe is based on making healthier and most of the time- fresher more flavorful- versions of our favorites.  Cooking from her books makes us feel good about what we make and what we are eating.  In her latest cook book, Comfort Food Fix,  she shares a healthy spin on classic blueberry muffins and true to form, they are just as tender and delectable, our all time favorites still will always be the Fig Muffins, however!  Using half whole wheat flour, low fat buttermilk, applesauce and zest of lemon are all ways in which these muffins add a nutritional punch and flavor to a muffin!

Adapted from

Ellie Krieger Comfort Food Fix

makes 12 muffins

Nonstick cooking spray

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1 cup whole-wheat flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. table salt

1/4 tsp. baking soda

2 large eggs

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup canola oil

1 cup natural unsweetened applesauce

Zest of 1 whole lemon
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

3/4 cup low-fat buttermilk

1-1/2 cups fresh blueberries

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 400°F. Coat a 12-cup standard muffin pan with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, whisk both flours, the baking powder, salt, and baking soda.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, sugar, and oil until the mixture is pale and slightly frothy. Whisk in the applesauce, lemon zest, and vanilla. With the whisk, stir in about half the flour mixture, then half the buttermilk. Repeat with the remaining flour and then the remaining buttermilk, stirring until well incorporated.

Gently fold in the blueberries.

Divide the batter among the muffin cups, filling them to the top. Tap the pan on the counter to remove any air bubbles. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of one of the muffins comes out clean, 20 to 30 minutes.

Let cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the muffins to loosen them and then unmold. Serve warm or let cool completely and store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or wrap individually and freeze for up to 3 months.




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Fresh Cherry Pancakes

Who doesn't love a delicious pancake on a slow weekend morning?  Well we love our breakfasts, if you couldn't tell!  Making pancakes a little healthier for you is easy if you mix 1/2 whole wheat and 1/2 regular flour to your regular recipe, this adds fiber and protein to fill you up for a busy day.  Cherries are so good right now, and even though they take a while to pit and cut up, it is worth it!  Here is how we made these:

Ingredients

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup whole-wheat flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

1 cup low-fat buttermilk

1/2 cup non-fat milk

1 tablespoon honey

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup chopped fresh cherries

Method

Preheat oven to 200 degrees F. Preheat a large nonstick griddle or skillet over a medium-low flame.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (flour through salt). In another medium bowl, beat together the eggs, buttermilk, non-fat milk, honey and vanilla.

Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, mixing only enough to combine them.  Fold in the cherries. The batter will be somewhat lumpy.

 

Use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to ladle the batter onto the griddle or skillet. Flip the pancake when the top is bubbling and it is golden brown on the bottom. Then cook until the other side is golden brown. Hold on an oven proof plate in the oven until the entire batch is ready. When all the pancakes are ready, serve with real maple syrup and more fresh in season berries like strawberries!

LOVE eggs and toast

Happy 7 years to US at Urban Kitchen.  We started the day with some themed breakfast, and how sweet does that look?  With a simple heart shaped cookie cutter you can make anything "lovable".  Simple eggs, toast and Farmer's Market tomatoes with salty cheese= perfect way to start the special day.

Serving for TWO

Brush olive oil on both side of two pieces of bread ( we used a dark rye), using a heart shaped cookie cutter, remove and reserve the center.  Heat a non stick pan over medium heat and place the bread and heart centers in the pan, crack and egg in to the cut outs and cook for 2 minutes before flipping, cook an additional minute until desired egg doneness, we like over easy.  Then serve the toasts with sliced tomato and a salty hard cheese such as Pecorino, Parmesan etc.  Enjoy and feel the love!

Early Morning Biscotti with Cherries, Almonds and Chocolate

Over the holidays for the annual cookie party, Jamie made the most incredible biscotti for her cookie recipe.  It had orange zest, pistachios and was dipped in white chocolate- and so incredibly tasty!  So imagine our surprise to find a similar, and healthier, version of biscotti in our favorite go to cookbook So Easy, Ellie Kreiger.  It's not hard to make, just a little time consuming.  The process is to make the dough, easy, then form in a log and bake it for 25 minutes, cool for 15 minutes, carefully slice ( it does crumble so use a sharp knife and be gentle and slow!), place slices back on cookie sheet, bake 10 minutes, flip over and bake 10 more minutes.  So, this was done on a lazy, well we had some time, Sunday and we're enjoying it and sharing it all week long!  The combination of almonds, chocolate and cherries is certainly a favorite; you can also switch out these 3 ingredients with anything similar you may prefer or have on hand... pistachios, cranberry, white chocolate.... pecans, golden raisins, caramel baking chips.... and so on.  Give it a try, you won't be sorry... till they are all eatin up!

Ingredients

(adapted from So Easy, Ellie Kreiger)

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups whole-wheat pastry flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1/4 cup olive oil
Zest of one orange
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup dried tart cherries, finely chopped
1/2 cup almonds, finely chopped
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips, finely chopped
Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium bowl whisk together the all-purpose and whole-wheat flours, the baking powder and salt. In a large bowl beat together the sugar, eggs, oil, orange zest and vanilla extract until well combined. In batches add the dry ingredients until the mixture forms a dough. Beat in the cherries, almonds and chocolate.
Transfer the dough to a floured work surface and knead several times. Shape into a log about 10 inches long and 3 inches wide. Transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for 15 minutes. With a serrated knife, cut 1/2-inch diagonal slices. Arrange cut side down on the baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Turn the cookies over and bake the biscotti until golden, 5 to 10 minutes longer. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Yield:

12 biscotti, 1 biscotti is a serving

Blueberry and Almond French Toast Bake

This breakfast was delicious, and So Easy from her cookbook Ellie Krieger says it perfectly, "The hardest thing about this dish is waiting for it to come out of the oven because as it is baking it fills your kitchen with the most enticing, heartwarming, vanilla-cinnamon aroma. Its looks and taste hold up their end of the bargain too. Inside it is egg-y, perfectly sweetened, and studded with bursting warm blueberries. Outside it is crisp and crowned with sugared toasted almonds."  Put this together the day before and cover in the fridge over night.  Waking up and putting it in the oven is really a treat- no need to make batter and more dishes in the morning, just enjoy your coffee and wait for the timer to go off! We halved the recipe to serve just 4 and below is our version, enjoy:

Ingredients

• Cooking spray
• 4 ounces French baguette, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 4 large eggs
• 4 large egg whites
• 1 cups fat free milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 2 cups fresh blueberries
• 1/8 cup sliced almonds
• 1 tablespoons dark brown sugar

Spray a 8 by 8-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Arrange the bread in a single layer in the baking pan. Whisk together the eggs, egg whites, milk, vanilla, cinnamon and maple syrup. Pour the egg mixture over the bread in the pan, spreading it around so the liquid saturates the bread. Scatter the blueberries evenly on top and sprinkle with the almonds and brown sugar. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Uncover the baking pan and bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Serve warm, cold or at room temperature.

Sunday Morning Breakfast Sandwich

They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day and to be honest, it is our favorite meal of the day! This was certainly a hearty, easy and healthy way to start our day. Using left over chopped basil, green onion and red pepper from homemade pizza night we made an egg scramble, topped with leftover mozzarella and bacon on fresh Ciabatta bread from Trader Joe's. Serves 2 very hungry people....Here's how we made this

Beat together:

2 eggs

2 egg whites

1 tablespoon fat free milk

1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper

Bring a 10" omelet pan ( sprayed with Pam), over medium high heat. Pour in the eggs, cook pulling the edges in towards the middle of the pan to distribute the un-cooked eggs across the pan ( like you were making an omelet) when it is half way set, toss in chopped veggies... we did about:

2 tablespoons - 1/4 cup each of:

Green Onion

Basil

Red Pepper

Tuck veggies into eggs and flip the omelet over. Take off the flame and top with 1/4 cup fresh mozzarella cheese ( sliced thin), cover with a plate to allow cheese to melt ( about 2 minutes).

Cut Ciabbata bread into 2 and then slice horizontally for your sandwiches. Drizzle each open face with olive oil and place face down into a heated pan on the stove top. Press them down to get a nice golden brown toast.

TO build:

Place half of the cooked eggs on toasted Ciabatta bread bottom, layer on some cooked bacon and then top with the Ciabatta bread top; repeat for other sandwich and enjoy!

Apple Walnut Muffins

Another great, whole grain, fruity vitamin packed muffin recipe!  There are several ways you can make this muffin your own, using what you have on hand!  For instance, if you don't have walnuts you could us pecans... if you don't have apple butter or apple sauce you could use pumpkin or carrot puree.. if you don't like cinnamon, don't use it.... and if you don't have an apple, this muffin works without it, according to our reliable sources.  Don't have buttermilk?  Use 3/4 c. fat free milk and a squeeze of lemon juice- tastes and works just like the real thing.  We made this recipe as follows and the result is a real treat of a muffin, decadent crumble topping with the brown sugary nutty goodness and a tender moist muffin full of apple flavors from Arnie and Julie's homemade apple butter and apple sauces ( thank you for the Christmas gift!), and the chunks of apples really bring this one home.  So gooooooood, please try it:

Ingredients:
Cooking spray
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup canola oil
2 large eggs
1/2 cup natural applesauce

1/2 cup apple butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup lowfat buttermilk
1 Gala apple, cored and cut into 1/4-inch pieces

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a 12-capacity muffin pan with cooking spray.

In a small bowl, mix together 2 tablespoons of the brown sugar, the walnuts and cinnamon.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose and whole-wheat flour, baking soda and salt.

In a large bowl, whisk the remaining 3/4 cup sugar and oil until combined. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, whisking well after each addition. Whisk in the applesauces and vanilla.

Whisk in the flour mixture in 2 batches, alternating with the buttermilk. Whisk just until combined. Gently stir in the apple chunks.

Pour the batter into the prepared muffin pan and sprinkle with the pecan mixture. Tap the pan on the counter a few times to remove any air bubbles. Bake for 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center of 1 of the muffins comes out clean.

Let cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the muffins to loosen them and unmold. Cool completely on the rack.  These can be wrapped up and stored in the freezer for easy grab and go breakfasts or snacks.  Just pull one out the night before or toss in the microwave for 45 seconds and enjoy!



Fig Bran Muffins

Finding a great recipe for healthy muffins isn't easy.  So when we found these, in an Ellie Krieger cookbook, we gave it a try.  Figs are such a wonderful tasting fruit ( see our fresh figs and goat cheese recipe!) and putting them in a muffin gives it a lot of great flavor, not to mention added health benefits: Figs are a fantastic source of vitamin B6 which is responsible for producing mood-boosting serotonin, lowering cholesterol and preventing water retention, they are also high in dietary fiber, calcium, magnese and potassium!  Plus these muffins are very moist, thanks to homemade applesauce.  Make these muffins on the weekend, then wrap them individually and freeze them in a sealable plastic bag. Then in the morning pop one in the microwave for a minute and you'll have a warm, healthy muffin to eat on the go. Enjoy with your morning coffee or lowfat milk for a great start to a busy day.

Makes 12 muffins

Ingredients

Cooking spray
1 cup chopped dried figs, plus 3 whole dried figs

1 1/2 cups bran cereal (recommended: All-Bran)

1 cup lowfat milk

1 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup natural applesauce

1/2 cup honey

1/3 cup canola oil

2 tablespoons unsulfured molasses
1 large egg, beaten

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a 12-capacity muffin pan with cooking spray. Thinly slice the whole figs.

In a large bowl, combine the cereal and milk. Let sit until softened, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk together the whole-wheat flour, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl.

Add the applesauce, honey, oil, molasses, and egg to the cereal mixture and stir until combined. Add the flour mixture and stir until just combined. Gently stir in the chopped figs. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and top each muffin with a fig slice. Tap the pan on the counter a few times to remove any air bubbles.

Bake for about 20 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in center of 1 of the muffins comes out clean. Let cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. If necessary, run a knife around the muffins to loosen. Unmold and cool completely on a rack.

Nutritional analysis per serving (Serving size: 1 muffin)
Calories 230; Total Fat 8 g; (Sat Fat 1 g, Mono Fat 4 g, Poly Fat 2 g) ; Protein 5 g; Carb 42 g; Fiber 6 g; Cholesterol 20 mg; Sodium 135 mg

Excellent source of: Fiber, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, Folate, Manganese, Phosphorus
Good source of: Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Potassium, Selenium, Zinc



Banana Pancakes

Breakfast has always been our favorite meal, whether it's making it at home or going out to a quaint and yummy restaurant.  There's no doubt that when you wake up to start a new day, with the sun rising, the smell of freshly brewed coffee, and being in warm pj's... that breakfast is a special meal, especially on the weekends with ample time to make delicious creations!   Pancakes are a favorite for many, and they are fun to customize based on your cravings or ingredients on hand.  To make a heart healthy AND very delicious, light, fluffy pancakes- follow this recipe and enjoy a happy morning :)

Yield: 4 servings (serving size 2, 5-inch pancakes)



Directions

DRY ingredients:
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

Sift together dry ingredients in a medium size bowl. 

** Sifting breaks up clumps, adds air to the flour which helps produce lighter cakes, and makes measurement more uniform**
WET Ingredients:
2 large eggs
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
1/2 cup mashed banana ( about 1 medium)
1/2 cup non-fat milk
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

In another medium bowl, beat together the eggs then add buttermilk, banana, non-fat milk, honey and vanilla.

** Substitute the mashed banana for an equal amount of either Pumpkin puree, Applesauce or just buttermilk. 
*** If you don't have buttermilk on hand simply add a tablespoon of lemon juice to regular milk, stir and let rest for about 3-5 minutes, and bada bing you'll have Buttermilk!


Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, mixing only enough to combine them. The batter will be somewhat lumpy.

Use a 1/3 cup measuring cup to ladle the batter onto the griddle or skillet. Flip the pancake when the top is bubbling and it is golden brown on the bottom. Then cook until the other side is golden brown. Hold on an oven proof plate in the oven until the entire batch is ready. When all the pancakes are ready, you can serve with warm pure maple syrup or fresh made fruit preserves and sprinkle with confectioners' sugar!

Broccoli, Tomato and Feta Fritatta

Happy Halloween, and good morning! This breakfast turned out so colorful and tasty, we wanted to share it with you. Easy, fresh, healthy, filling and tastes delicious, follow this recipe and welcome to a really good morning:

Serves 2

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Ingredients

4 eggs

pinch of salt

1 tablespoon fat free milk

1/2 cup chopped broccoli

8 cherry tomatoes, halved

2 ounce crumbled Feta cheese

1 teaspoon unsalted butter

Directions

Beat eggs, salt and milk together. In an oven safe skillet, melt the butter over medium heat on the stove top. Add in the broccoli to soften and coat. Pour the eggs in the pan and cook until the eggs just start to firm up, pushing the eggs back and forth with a spatula. Spread evenly over the pan, and take off the flame. Top with tomatoes and Feta, then put it in the oven for 10 minutes until the eggs are completely set, but not browned. Divide on two plates and serve warm, with toast and coffee.

Asparagus for Breakfast- yes that is what we said

Ingredients:

1 pound trimmed and washed asparagus, pat dry

1 teaspoon EVOO

1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest

1 teaspoon fresh grated Nutmeg

4 eggs, over easy or sunny side up

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Line a large baking sheet, jelly roll pan is the best, with aluminum foil. Place the asparagus in the same direction on a single layer, drizzle the olive oil over them to coat and then sprinkle with salt. Bake for 5 minutes. Then toss them to their other side with tongs. If the tops are getting browned, just fold the foil over the top part. Continue to bake for 3-5 minutes until desired doneness. We like them a little firm still, so 3 minutes more does the trick. Remove from the oven and grate the nutmeg and lemon zest over the hot spears. Serve with eggs over easy or sunny side up, and some whole wheat Italian toast!

Breakfast at Jamie's

Lemon-blueberry muffins, with a sour-sweet glaze.... these muffins were incredible. Jamie spent her birthday camping up in Michigan; while she was there, her and Chris went to pick blueberries..... they brought home LOTS of fresh, peak of the season, blueberries, then she made them in to these delicious treats for our Sunday brunch! Enjoy, Thanks Jamie!!


Yield: 1 dozen (serving size: 1 muffin)

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoon baking powder
dash salt
1/2 cup butter softened
1/2 cups 2% milk
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
2 cups blueberries
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Glaze:
1-1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°.




In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in milk, lemon rind and juice.

Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture just until moistened. Fold in Blueberries.

Spoon batter into 12 muffin cups coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 25-30 minutes or until the muffins spring back when lightly touched. Remove muffins from pans immediately, and place on a wire rack to cool.

For the GLAZE:

In a small bowl, combine lemon juice, butter, vanilla and powdered sugar. Drizzle glaze evenly over cooled muffins.