My mind keeps coming back to Valentine's Day - funny because I don't usually give it a forethought until a day or two prior. It's just not a big holiday around this house. Well, maybe this year it will be. We've decided to cut back even more and my mind is spinning with crafty ideas to show my family and friends how much I care. Here's what's in the idea bank, just so I don't litter my bookmarks (we know they are trashed enough right now....)
For the Kiddos and Family Heart Shaped Pancakes (these are just pink, but I'm considering making them into heart on my own. Amy has a TON of good ideas for mixing up different pancakes and healthifying them! Scratch-N-Sniff Bags (Do I want to attempt this with toddlers?) Valentine's Crafts for Kids
We usually eat our "bread" breakfasts w/ fresh fruit - YUM!
My fabulous, foodie sister introduced me to the site, EatingWell.com. I really like it! It has some great tips about eating well. While not everything is what I'd consider eating well, I'm grateful it gives some awesome substitutions for foods everyone loves that just aren't healthy. At least if I HAVE to make a certain dish, I now have a resource to make it more healthy. Plus, I feel most of their recipes are easily adaptable. It's an especially great resource if you're trying to lose weight and has some great meal plans.
Here is one of my favorite recipes: Morning Glory Muffins
18 muffins
Active Time: Total Time:
Ingredients
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups grated carrots, (4 medium)
1 apple, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 cup raisins
1 large egg
2 large egg whites, or 4 teaspoons dried egg whites (see Ingredient Note), reconstituted according to package directions
1/2 cup apple butter
1/4 cup canola oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons finely chopped walnuts, or pecans
2 tablespoons toasted wheat germ
Preparation
Preheat oven to 375°F. Coat 18 muffin cups with cooking spray.
Whisk whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, sugar,
cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Stir in
carrots, apple and raisins. Whisk egg, egg whites, apple butter, oil and
vanilla in a medium bowl.
Make a well in the dry ingredients and stir in the wet
ingredients with a rubber spatula until just combined. Spoon the batter
into the prepared muffin cups, filling them about three-fourths full.
Combine walnuts and wheat germ in a small bowl; sprinkle over the muffin
tops.
Bake the muffins until the tops are golden brown and
spring back when touched lightly, 15 to 25 minutes. Let cool in the pans
for 5 minutes. Loosen edges and turn muffins out onto a wire rack to
cool.
Tips & Notes
Make Ahead Tip: Get a head start
on your morning muffins the night before by mixing up the dry and liquid
ingredients separately (refrigerate liquids). In the morning, combine
the two, scoop and bake.
Ingredient note: Dried egg whites are
pasteurized—a wise choice when making meringue toppings that may not
reach 160°F (the temperature at which eggs are considered "safe").
You'll find them in the baking or natural-foods section of most
supermarkets. Reconstitute according to package directions.
Nutrition
Per muffin:
163 calories;
4 g fat
( 0 g sat , 2 g mono
);
12 mg cholesterol; 29 g carbohydrates; 3 g protein; 2 g fiber; 154 mg sodium; 149 mg potassium. Carbohydrate Servings: 2 Exchanges: 1 starch, 1/2 fruit, 1/2 other carbohydrate, 1 fat
