baking

Honey Raisin Bran Muffins

/ jenniferdyck / 1 Comment

I would consider myself a classic baker. I enjoy recipes that are nostalgic, warm my heart and are tied with food memories. Trying new recipes is fun but I find that I always revert back to my basics, especially when I’m craving a taste of comfort.

Everyone needs a classic bran muffin in their repertoire. The original recipe came from my mom’s recipe box and I remember her baking these in my youth.

When these muffins come out of the oven they have that delicious slightly crusty muffin top.

The only real change I made was to add the dash of nutmeg, pinch of cloves and of course swap out that vegetable oil for canola.

If you plan to eat multiples of these babies in one day, be sure to drink your fluids so your digestive system keeps on flowing. Wheat bran is a source of insoluble fibre and while it moves through your digestive system doing it’s amazing work, if will absorb moisture. Don’t let it get stuck, stay hydrated.

From my kitchen to yours, fibre up and enjoy!
Jenn

Honey Raisin Bran Muffins

Ingredients:

2 cups milk
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 eggs
3/4 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup canola oil
1/2 cup liquid honey
3 cups wheat bran
2 cups raisins or dried cranberries
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1 Tbsp cinnamon
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
pinch of ground cloves

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350F and spray two muffin tins with canola oil cooking spray or line with muffin liners.
  2. In a large bowl mix together milk and lemon juice. Set aside for 5 min.
  3. After 5 min, mix in eggs, brown sugar, canola oil and honey until well combined. Stir in bran and raisins. Let sit for 10 min. Skipping the 10 minutes will leave your batter too runny, your raisins too hard and your bran gritty. Do not skip this step.
  4. In a separate bowl, whisk together; the flours, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, nutmeg and cloves.
  5. Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture and stir until just combined.
  6. Divide the batter into the prepared pans using a full 1/4 cup scoop. I usually get 24 plus 3 muffins. I know, a bit annoying. You can go back to top up evenly or bake off another round or invest in a mini loaf pan and you get a bonus snack for yourself.
  7. Bake in the preheated oven for 18-20 minutes or a toothpick comes out clean.
    Notes:
    -You can cut this recipe in half for 12-14 muffins.
    -Muffins freeze well.
    -Store your wheat bran in the freezer to extend shelf life once open. Wheat bran will go rancid once open and nobody enjoys a rancid bran muffin!

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Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

/ jenniferdyck / 1 Comment

We all have that one recipe we can recite by heart. The recipe that feels like a dash of this and a dash of that. You’ve made it so many times that you are not sure you even read the words on the card anymore.

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For me, it is Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins. They are a staple in my kitchen and it is not uncommon for me to be whipping up a batch at 9 pm on a Sunday night to fill lunch kits for the week.

But don’t worry, I’ve measured this recipe out and tested them umpteen times!

Here are my Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins!

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

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Ingredients:

  • 2 cups whole-wheat flour
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup ground flaxseed
  • 1 Tbsp cinnamon
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 6 medium bananas
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup canola oil
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 1 cup chocolate chips plus extra (optional)

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350F.  Prepare two muffin pans with parchment muffin liners or spray with canola oil. You are making 24 standard sized muffins.
  2. In medium size bowl, whisk together flours, flax, cinnamon, baking powder and baking soda.
  3. If you are using a stand mixer: to the stand mixer bowl add the bananas and beat. Add eggs, beat until well combined. Add canola oil and beat until well combined. Add sugar and vanilla then continue to beat until well combined.
    OR If using a regular second bowl, mash bananas, beat in eggs, beat in canola oil then beat in sugar and vanilla.
  4. Add dry ingredients to wet mixture and stir just to combine ingredients but not fully combined. Yes, this is backwards to a standard muffin method but I make mine in my stand mixer for less mess and simplicity and this works just great!
  5. Add 1 cup chocolate chips and stir just to combine ingredients.
  6. Add batter to prepared muffin pans using 1/4 cup self-releasing scoop.
    Optional: drop 2-3 chocolate chips or walnut pieces to the top of each muffin.
  7. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove from oven, let stand for 5 minutes. Remove from pans and let cool completely on a wire rack.

Notes:

If your bananas are ripe but you are not ready to make muffins; peel them and put into a resealable bag in your freezer. Keep adding bananas until you have 6 – now you are ready to bake!

Peeled, frozen bananas are also quick and easy for smoothies!

Storage:

Keep in a resealable container on the counter for 1-2 days or in the freezer for up to a month.

Always…Jenn

Zucchini Chocolate Chip Cake with Cinnamon Oat Crumble

/ jenniferdyck / 3 Comments

Every season brings a plentiful produce item that I find myself creatively including in many meals and snacks. Right now that item is zucchini.

From muffins to cakes to cookies, from grilled, to spiralized and diced, my family has been eating it in all sorts of ways this season.

After combing the internet for the perfect zucchini cake recipe that used ingredients that I had available, I came up empty handed and decided to merge a few to create my very own cake.

My family hopes you’ll enjoy this as much as we do!

Zucchini Chocolate Chip Cake with Cinnamon Oat Crumble

Zucchini Chocolate Chip Cake with Cinnamon Oat Crumble | www.jenniferdyck.com

Ingredients:

Cake:

  • 2 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour
  • 1/2 cup rolled oats
  • 2 Tbsp wheat germ
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup low fat plain Greek yogurt
  • 1/2 cup canola oil
  • 1 Tbsp vanilla
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 cups packed shredded zucchini (peel on)
  • 1/2 cup chocolate chips
  • 3/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Cinnamon Oat Crumble:

  • 2/3 cup rolled oats
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup whole-wheat flour
  • 1/4 cup canola oil
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 325ºF.  Prepare a 9 x 11 pan with parchment.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, oats, wheat germ, cinnamon, baking soda and baking powder.
  3. In a second large bowl, beat together eggs, yogurt, canola oil and vanilla until well combined. Add the sugars and continue beating. Stir in the zucchini until well combined.
  4. Add wet ingredients to flour mixture and stir just to combine ingredients.
  5. Add the chocolate chips and walnuts (if using) and stir just to combine ingredients.
  6. Add batter to prepared cake pan and leveled into the corners as needed.
  7. To prepare the crumble: combine oats, sugar, flour, canola oil and cinnamon until well blended. Stir in the chocolate chips. Mixture will appear like damp sand. Sprinkle this mixture over the top of the entire cake.
  8. Bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool in pan on a wire rack. Serve warm with ice cream for a decadent treat or slice and serve at room temperature for a coffee time snack.

Ginger Cookies

/ jenniferdyck / Leave a comment

Old Family Recipes

Holiday Ginger Cookies | www.jenniferdyck.com

I had not made gingersnaps in a long while. They have been on my long list of “must make” all season. When my cousin asked about our Grandma’s recipe it was the push I needed to get baking these beauties.

What we think is the original recipe from our youth calls for shortening – well, that wasn’t happening! So off to the kitchen I went.

Old Ginger Cookie Recipe | www.jenniferdyck.com

I know that Canola Eat Well has a fabulous Gingersnap cookie that uses canola oil so I set out to make the flavour of our youth into a modernized, non shortening containing cookie.

It was relatively easy to make the update to canola oil. The newer version has the same great chew and spicy flavour I remember.

Time to go #EatAllTheCookies!

Always…Jenn

Ginger Cookies

Gingersnaps | www.jenniferdyck.com

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup canola oil
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 cup fancy molasses
  • 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp cloves
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar for rolling

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, cream the oil together with the sugar until well blended and it looks like wet sand.
  3. Add the egg and molasses and mix well.
    Tip: measure the molasses in the same liquid measure cup as you used for the oil and it will slide right on out like magic!
  4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and salt.
  5. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix well.
  6. For consistent cookie size, use a 2 tsp self releasing scoop, to help form balls. Shape the balls with your hands to be smooth and symmetrical. The dough may not roll in your hands the same way as a solid fat dough but it does hold together and will make smooth balls. If you are exact with your 2 tsp scoop you will get 48 balls. (My scoop is Oxo Good Grips if you are looking to purchase one).
  7. Put the 1/4 cup of sugar in a small bowl or shallow dish. Roll each ball in the sugar to coat evenly and place 2″ apart on the prepared cookie sheets.
  8. Bake for 10 minutes. Allow to rest on baking sheet for 2 minutes before gently moving the cookies to a cooling rack.

Notes:

Dough can be pre-made. After step 5, form the dough into a large ball, place in a resealable bag or in a bowl covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 24 hours prior to baking.

Storage:

Keep in a resealable container on the counter for 2-3 days or freeze for up to a month.