Whole Wheat Biscuits

Who doesn't love flaky or golden, buttery biscuits?  I know I sure do.  Melt in your mouth yummy goodness.  But what I do NOT love is the amount of fat and calories that go into the store-bought or restaurant-style biscuits.  I shudder thinking about it.  And although these aren't a vast improvement, they certainly are way better because I make them with whole wheat and a lot less butter.  Yet they were still, surprisingly just as tasty that you were reaching for more.  From now on, I'm making these for my family.  Pillsbury can kiss my butt!  ;-P 

Whole Wheat Biscuits
(Makes 8)

 - 1 and 1/3 cup of whole wheat flour (I use the White Wheat kind by King Arthur - it's my favorite - great taste and not as harsh of a texture like other wheat flours!)
- 2 Tbsp sugar (or Splenda/Truvia alternatives)
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 4 Tbsp (1/2 of a stick) of butter (I use the light kind or Smart Balance) - 1/2 cup of fat-free or light buttermilk (or use regular milk with a drop of lemon juice)
- optional seasonings: dash of onion, garlic and Parmesan grated cheese (I used a 1/2 tsp combo of them all)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Lightly grease a baking or cookie pan then set aside.  In a large mixing bowl, combine the first five ingredients - flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Sift and mix well.  Cut in your butter with a knife until it blends into the mixture and crumbles.  Pour in the buttermilk (or just regular milk with a drop of lemon).  Sprinkle in your seasonings if you decide to use any. 


Use your hands to mix and blend.  Now knead by shaping the flour mixture into a ball then flattening and pulling the edges outward and back inward into a ball.  Repeat for 8 - 10 times.  Now place the dough on a floured surface like wax or parchment paper.  Roll it out and use a round drinking glass to cut into circle.  Make them into circles that are about 2 inches think. 




(Note: I made mine too thin, closer to 1 and 1/2 inches.  They still came out tasting great but they were a bit crumbly when I went to slice them in half to butter them!)



Spread out on the baking pan.  Bake at 375 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes or until your desired brownness.  Let them cool for about 3-4 minutes before you cut them in half to butter them or place jam on them.  I served ours with dinner (spinach ravioli).  We all really enjoyed them! 

I hope you enjoy them too!  Try making your own biscuits so you can save yourself the calories and unwanted additives in store-bought biscuits!

How about a 1:1:1 Egg? (That's a 1 minute-1 egg for 1 person!)

Sometimes I wonder if my brain lives under a rock?  Or perhaps it dwells inside a bubble?  That's how I often feel when I come across a story, an idea or in this case a recipe that I honestly didn't know about before.  And everyone else has heard of it and has neglected to tell me.  Or perhaps the truth is that I neglected to listen!  That's what happened this past week when I stumbled upon a recipe to microwave an egg in a bowl!!

You can microwave eggs???!!!  WHAT???!   I didn't know that.  No really, I didn't.  If I had I would have been doing it all the time, every week, a hella of a lot sooner.  Nope, instead I've been pulling out that frying pan, using cooking spray and spending unnecessary time making myself an egg during a busy morning.

Well that ends now!  Thank you Nutritious Eats for your post and for letting me know that there is a simpler, faster way to begin my day!  I'll never forget you!  Bless you!  Below is the recipe I used so that each of you can live a simpler life too!  Enjoy!





My microwaved egg was so adorable.  Here is Eggsy pictured on top of half a whole grain pancake!  They were the best of buds, until I ate them!  :-)



1:1:1 Egg -  (That stands for 1-minute, just one egg, for one person!)
Adapted from Nutritious Eats

1 egg
1 tsp of milk (or water)
1 tsp combination of your favorite seasonings (I used a garlic-salt-parmesan blend b/c I like to start my day by keeping the evil vampires away!)

Note: You need a microwave for this!

Grab a small microwavable dish.  Generously grease it with cooking spray.  You don't want your egg sticking to it.  Crack your egg into the greased dish and begin beating it with a fork. 




Add in your tsp of milk or water.  Now add in whatever seasonings you prefer best on eggs!  Then just cook in your microwave for one minute on medium high or high.  (Mine was ready in 45 seconds!)  Remove from heat. 

Check it out!  Isn't it cute!?  And it tasted just like you cooked it in the frying pan.   I promise!  Eat it and love it. 




Have you ever eaten eggs this way?  If not, would you be willing to try it?

Have an Eggs-cellent day and weekend my friends! 

Brunch Casserole

I wanted to try a new breakfast meal that encompasses all my favorite ingredients - eggs, bacon, hashbrowns and more.  This is what I came up with after browsing a few inspirational recipes online.  It has nearly everything I go for, except for grits and pancakes.  But those can be served with this wonderful dish. 

I can't wait to serve this up for my family visiting this weekend for the Memorial Day holiday.  I know they'll love it as much as my husband and I did.  It's so filling too! 





Mandy's Brunch Casserole
(Serves 8 to 10)

1 pound bag of shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed
1 small bag (3 oz) of bacon bits (or use your own crumbled turkey bacon, about 1/3 cup)
1 medium onion, diced
6 eggs
1 can of cream of mushroom soup - I used fat-free, low sodium kind
2 cups of shredded cheese - I used reduced fat cheddar
1/2 cup of milk - I used 2%
1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
salt and pepper seasoning to taste - I used at least 1/2 tsp of each
1/2 cup of green onions, diced for topping the casserole


Note: I make it easy on myself and use the bags of potatoes and bacon, like this:





Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Lightly grease a 13x9 inch baking pan with cooking spray.  Spread the hash brown potatoes at the bottom of the pan.  It should cover the entire cassrole dish with some going up the sides as well, like this (pictured below):





In a medium skillet, cook your onion and bacon until brown, about seven minutes.  Set aside when done.


In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with the milk, cream of mushroom soup, parmesan cheese, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper and 1 cup of the shredded cheese.  Mix and stir well until all blended.  Add in the cooked onion and bacon.  Stir until mixed together.  Pour over the hash brown potatoes.





You can now either bake immediately or leave in the fridge overnight to soak.  If you bake right away, then top with the remaining 1 cup of cheese and the green onions.  If you place it overnight, then wait to top with the cheese and green onions right before baking! 


Bake at 375 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes in the oven.  Test it by placing a fork or knife in the casserole.  If it comes out clean, your breakfast is ready.  If not, let it bake a bit longer.  Mine was ready after the first test.  We sure devoured this up! 


What do you serve a large crowd for breakfast?  Do you make any casseroles similar to this that your family loves?

Early Start Muffins

As I was looking through my ingredients in the pantry and on my counter over the weekend, I realized I had all the things to make my usual Peanut Butter and Banana Oat muffins.  Only I also had a bunch of blueberries as well.  That may make a great combination, I thought to myself.  And what a great way to start the day, especially as I'm returning to the workforce again next week - after a year and a half of being a stay at home mom (yikes!). 

Therefore, I created these muffins on the spot.  I am naming them "Early Start Muffins" since they have a lot of things your body needs to start the day right.  They have bananas (great for potassium), blueberries (wonderful antioxidants) and peanut butter (the good fat and a source of protein).  When I combine that with minimal (all natural) sugar, whole wheat flour and oats, the end result is a mighty breakfast packed into a normal size muffin! 

Here's the recipe that surprised me with how good it is and is sure to be in my hands for breakfast once or twice a week:




Mandy's Early Start Muffins

(Makes 18)

Dry ingredients:

1 and 1/2 cups of whole wheat flour (I use the King Arthur white wheat brand)
1 and 1/4 cups of old fashioned oats (or quick is fine)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup of all natural sugar (I used Truvia)

Wet ingredients:

2 bananas, very ripe and mashed
1 and 1/4 cup of reduced fat (or skim) milk
4 Tbsp of Peanut Butter, all natural creamy
2 egg whites ( 1/3 egg substitute or one regular egg)
1/2 cup of applesauce

Add in last:
1 and 1/4 cup of blueberries


Lightly grease a 12-muffin tin and a 6-muffin tin with cooking spray.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

Mix the dry ingredients in one medium size bowl. Sift and stir.  Set aside.

Mash the ripe bananas in a separate large bowl.  Add in all the other wet ingredients EXCEPT the blueberries.  Whisk and stir until all is combined and nearly smooth.  Small chunks of banans or peanut butter is okay but it should mostly be liquified.

Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture.  Stir well until combined.  Add the 1 and 1/4 cup of blueberries last.  Gently blend them into the mixture so you don't crush them or puncture them. 

Spoon or pour out batter into the greased muffin tins, 3/4 of the way full.  Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until lightly browned around edges.  Remove from the oven.  Let them cool. 




This made a total of 18 muffins for me.  I kept 6 out in a plastic container and froze the rest of them.  Muffins are such great breakfast or snack items.  They are quick to eat, not messy (usually) and can be eaten on the go.  By making them at home and carefully selecting good, wholesome ingredients, you're guaranteed a healthy, delicious item! 

To defrost: simply remove from the freezer and microwave each one for about 30 to 45 seconds.  Or leave out overnight in a storage tight container so it can come to room temperature.

Enjoy!  Muffins are a big favorite of mine.  They are one of the first things I really started experimenting with when I became a stay at home mom. I know I'll be eating a lot of these on a weekly basis now that I'm entering the workforce again! 

Baked Granola AND Granola Bread

I love granola.  I love the taste of it.  I even love the way the word sounds rolling off my tongue.  "Gra-no-la," - Sounds fancy, doesn't it?! 

Granola bars, granola bits and now even granola bread.  I love them all. 

Below is a simple homemade granola recipe that I found in my Double Delicious cookbook.  It intrigued me because it used a bit of carrot puree in it and had less fat than many other granola recipes out there.  Then I found a wonderful granola bread recipe in my bread machine cookbook.  So now you can make granola and save some to make in fresh bread too.  It smells so wonderful baking in your kitchen, trust me!  I adapted both recipes slightly and changed a few measurements.  I hope you enjoy them!




Baked Granola Bits
(Makes 4 cups)

Adapted from the Double Delicious cookbook

1 cup of oats
1 cup of rice cereal (such as Rice Krispies)
1 cup of puff cereal (such as Kashi)
1/2 cup of peanuts, dry roasted (or other variety like cashews, almonds, etc.)
1/2 cup of sunflower seeds, dry roasted
1/2 cup of raisins
1/2 cup of carrot puree (or carrots cut into fine pieces)
1/3 cup of honey
1/4 cup of ground flaxseed meal
1/4 cup of sesame seeds
2 tsp ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 13x9 inch baking pan lightly with cooking spray. 

Combine all above ingredients in a bowl.  Mix well.  Pour and press into the greased baking pan.  Bake for 30 minutes.  Check it about half way through and stir up the mix. 

Remove from the oven and let it cool for about five minute before sampling.  I divided mine up into 1/2 cup portions and placed them in individual plastic bags.   This is a lower-fat, great version of traditional granola.  You even get in a veggie too, thanks to the pureed carrots, which after baking you can't even see them there!





My favorite way to eat granola is mixed in with my Greek yogurt.  Good stuff!  A filling, delicious snack.  Or often I eat this for breakfast or lunch!





Be sure to save 1 and 1/2 cups of that baked granola to then try out this delicious homemade bread recipe! 

See below:







Granola Bread

(Makes one 2 lb. loaf)

1 and 1/2 cups of buttermilk (I use the dry powder kind and add water to it)
3 T. oil
4 T. honey
2 cups wheat flour
2 cups bread flour
1 and 1/2 cups of granola bits (see above recipe)
1 T. + 1 tsp. gluten
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
2.5 tsp SAF yeast or 1 T. bread machine yeast

I used my bread machine for this so I haven't tested it in the oven.  But it came out wonderful!  I simply placed all the above ingredients in my bread machine, in the order they are listed.  I set the cycle to "basic".  The loaf size is 2 pounds and the crust is set to medium.

If you are doing this by hand, you'll want to follow the typical kneading and rising in three phases.  Then bake for 1 hour or longer, until done.

The flavor of this bread is a nutty, sweet taste but it's not overpowering.  It will make a great breakfast bread or it would be great in French toast (which I intend to make this weekend). 

My bread machine crushed and blended the nuts and raisins so well that you could barely even tell they are in there.   As my friend Jess would say, this is no "birdseed bread."  :-) 

Try it, I think you'd really enjoy it!






For another great granola recipe, check out my no-bake granola bars .  Go get your granola on!  It's good for you and it travels well too! 

Banana Crumble Muffins

I enjoy finding new blogs and new virtual friends who share my affinity for good food, especially taking steps to make recipes a little bit healthier and better for you.  They inspire me just like my real-life friends do.  Half of my friends are very fit and exhibit a clean-eating lifestyle.  The other half could really care less about it and just cook what they can, when they can.  I like having pals on both ends of the spectrum. 

I'm somewhere in the middle.  I strive to eat better and cook better but I certainly enjoy good ole' white sugar and some preservatives every now and then too, in moderation.  It's all about the balance, right?  Here's one recipe that I don't think any of my friends could argue about.  This banana crumble yummy goodness is courtesy of a new blog I discovered called Muncher Cruncher.  I took her recipe and made a few adjustments for my taste buds, leaving out the pudding, adding in an additional banana and some flax seed too.  It's healthier than most muffin recipes and it's great tasting too!  Enjoy!






Banana Crumble Muffins
(Makes about 12 large or 24 mini muffins)
Adapted from Muncher Cruncher


1 and 1/2 cups wheat flour (I use King Arthur White Wheat)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
4 tbsp ground flax seed meal
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 bananas, mashed 
1/4 cup white sugar (I used Stevia)
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 egg whites (or 1 regular egg)
3/4 cup fat free vanilla yogurt (I used Greek)

Crumble Topping: 
1 tbsp light butter
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoon wheat flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
 
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Generously spray a 12-muffin tin baking pan with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, mix together the 1 and 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder, ground flax seed meal and salt. 

In a separate bowl, beat together the bananas, sugars, egg whites, and yogurt. Stir the banana mixture into the flour mixture until incorporated. Spoon batter into muffin tins until they are 3/4 of the way full.

Now you can prepare the crumble topping.  In a small bowl, mix together the butter, brown sugar, 2 tbsp flour and cinnamon. It should form a crumble mixture.  Sprinkle topping over muffins. 




In the above photo, you can see that the top two muffins have the crumble topping.  The bottom two do not have the crumble (not yet anyway!)


Bake for 16-18 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.   Serve and enjoy. 




You wouldn't even know that they are banana muffins looking at them.  But just wait until you bite into them..... soooo good! 


You can also freeze these for later.  I love to make a batch of muffins and freeze 2/3 of them for another time.  I simply place them in freezer-safe storage bags, label them and pull them out when I want to eat them.  I can typically heat one up in the microwave for breakfast or a snack in less than a minute.  Muffins are great for on-the go too! 


Do you use liners when you make cupcakes or muffins? 

Fact: I can't stand using liners.  I know those pans can be a pain to clean but I like getting more out of my muffin and not having to peel it from those papers!

Rolling Pancake

How many different ways can you change up your breakfast?  Lots of ways, thankfully.  I saw this German Pancake recipe a few weeks ago and bookmarked it so I could try it out.  I love recipes like this where you throw it all in a pan then into the oven and just let it bake uninterrupted.  So easy and you can focus on other things around the house!





There are many names for this recipe - German Pancake, Big Pancake, Baked Pancake, Fluffy Pancake, etc.  Call it what you want, I say.  I decided to entitle it "Rolling Pancake" because mine looked like it was slowly trying to roll out of the pan.  If I had baked it longer, perhaps it would have ended up at the bottom of my oven floor.  That would have been interesting.....NOT!  


I took the recipe I found and lightened it up where I could.  I also added some fruit and spice.  Next time I make it, I think I'll add even more.



Rolling Pancake
(Serves 4 - 5)

Adapted from Mandy's Recipe Box (not me Mandy, a different Mandy)

6 tbsp light butter
3/4 cup of unbleached flour (I used white wheat flour)
3/4 cup of reduced fat milk
6 eggs, beaten
1 mashed, ripe banana (optional but I really loved adding this in!)
1/2 tsp cinnamon (I added this extra spice)


Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Place the butter in a 13x9 inch baking pan that has been coated with cooking spray.  Let the butter melt.  Meanwhile, in a medium size bowl, place all other ingredients.  Mix well with a hand mixer.  It will have some lumps. After the butter has melted, remove the baking pan from oven and pour in the batter.  It may sizzle or crackle in sound but that's normal. Bake for 20-25 minutes.  Enjoy seeing what kind of design or shape your pancake turns out to be.


Note that the consistency of this pancake is more like French toast than a buttermilk-type pancake.  It's very tasty though.  Plus, I love the idea of just putting it in the oven  (instead of my skillet) so I can sit down and drink my coffee or cook a side of bacon to go along with it! 


Here's what the pancake looked like half-way through the baking process:







Now here's what it looked like coming out from the oven:





Do you have a good pancake recipe that you make for your family?  I'm always on the lookout for new variations!  I love to enjoy pancakes or French toast at least once a week!



Have a great weekend!  I'll see you Sunday when I post my meal plan for the upcoming week!

Cheezy Grits and Eggs Casserole

Yesterday's funny food poem was inspired by the recipe in this post.  Actually it started even before that....  I attended a brunch a few months ago where a friend made a dish with eggs, grits and cheese.  It was so simple yet so amazingly scrumptious.  I wanted to recreate that meal but lighten it up where I could. 


So here is my version of Cheezy Grits and Eggs Casserole.  My husband and I loved this one.  I wish my daughter Vivian would have liked it too but she wasn't real impressed.  However, she did eat the turkey-bacon "chips" that I made to accompany it (which was just cooked, crispy bacon broken into bits - hahaha!).  Oh well, maybe when she becomes older, she'll gain better taste buds and be more appreciative of mommy's cooking..... Here's hoping!  :-)









Cheezy Grits and Eggs Casserole
(Serves 6)

3 cups of water
3/4 cup of quick cooking grits
4 tbsp light butter (half a stick)
2 cups of reduced fat shredded cheese, any variety
2 extra large eggs
1/4 cup of milk
3/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 tbsp green onions
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
dash of Cajun seasoning
dash of Paprika


Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Lightly grease a 2 Qt (about 8 x 12 inch) baking pan with cooking spray.  In a medium sauce pan, cook your grits according to the package directions - It should be three cups of water to 3/4 cup of grits.  Boil and stir until creamy, about seven minutes.  Reduce to low heat.  Add in the light butter and 1 cup of the reduced fat cheese. Stir and mix well. 



In a small, separate bowl combine the two extra large eggs with 1/4 cup of the milk.  Stir well.  Then pour into the sauce pan with the cooked grits.  Add in the seasonings - garlic and onion powders, green onions, salt, pepper, cajun spices and paprika.  Stir several times.  Then pour entire mixture into the greased baking pan.  Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup of shredded cheese.  Bake in the oven for 20 - 25 minutes at 400 degrees.  If you're lucky, your cheese will harden and form a nice crust on top, just like mine did! 







Ooooh, this is good stuff folks!   When the edges are slightly browned, the casserole is done.  Remove from the oven.  Let it cool for about ten minutes before cutting and serving.  Enjoy! 


(Variations: I've also added 1/3 cup of bacon bits to this and it tasted even better!  Experiment with your own favorite veggies and meats in this breakfast recipe.)


Have you ever been to a brunch?  What food(s) stood out during your brunch experience?

Easy Breakfast Sausage and Biscuit Casserole

Did I catch your attention with the word"easy?"  Those four letters always captivate me when I'm looking for recipes.  Plus, I needed something simple after yesterday's cooking disaster.  Thank goodness this turned out so manageable and delicious.  I mean, it would be ridiculous if I managed to screw up a can of biscuits, pre-cooked turkey sausage, eggs and cheese!  Am I right?

So here it is, my quick and easy breakfast sausage and biscuit casserole.  Think of it like a breakfast pizza.  It can be thrown together right before you bake it or you can let it sit overnight in the fridge.  It's your choice.

This would be a great recipe to use with leftover holiday ham or any other meat you have after Christmas.  Mix it up!  You could even throw in some veggies too, such as chopped spinach or broccoli.  Even though I call this "Breakfast" casserole, we ate ours for lunch and dinner!  It can be enjoyed any time of the day!






Easy Breakfast Sausage and Biscuit Casserole

(Serves 6 to 8)

2 cans of  8 grand biscuits (I used the reduced fat, whole wheat kind)
1 package (14 oz) or two links of pre-cooked turkey sausage, cut up into small pieces
4  large eggs, beaten
1/2 cup of reduced fat milk
1/8 cup of parmesan cheese (optional)
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp gr. pepper
dash of Cajun seasoning
1/2 cup or more of reduced fat shredded cheese, any variety you like (cheddar, monterey, etc.)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Generously grease a 13x9 inch baking pan with cooking spray.  Open your can of biscuits.  Divide or cut them in half.  Layer them at the bottom of the greased baking dish, just like this:





Then dice your pre-cooked turkey sausage (or ham, bacon or other meats you have) and toss them over the biscuits.  In a small bowl, beat the eggs with the milk, parmesan cheese, salt, pepper and seasonings.  Pour eggs evenly over the sausage and biscuits.   Sprinkle shredded cheese on top. 

The uncooked casserole will look like this:




Place it in the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes.  Remove from oven and sprinkle with additional cheese if desired.  Let cool for about five minutes before cutting.   I cut mine into eight rectangles. 






Yummy and super duper easy!   Enjoy!

This would be fantastic if you served it with my shrimp and grits recipe too.  Just sayin'.  Hint, hint.