Saturday, April 24, 2010

Pina Colada Muffins




As many of my baking or cooking ventures go, I'm motivated by items I have that I want to use up. Today it was some coconut left over from Passover. I usually end up throwing it out at some point when it is no longer usable (usually the next Passover.) Along with some crushed pineapple, I had the makings for

Pina Colada Muffins

Ingredients:

2 cups all purpose flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/4 cup Splenda® or sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs, well beaten
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup to 1-1/4 cup crushed pineapple, drained
1 cup coconut

1. Sift dry ingredients into large bowl.
2. Beat eggs and add to dry mixture along with milk and oil. Stir until moistened.
3. Add coconut and pineapple and mix well.

4. Spray muffin pan with veg.spray and fill with mixture approx.3/4 full.
5. Bake at 425° for 20 minutes. Makes 12 muffins.

The inspiration for this recipe came from a recipe for "Hawaiian Muffins" from a little red booklet called "Just Muffins" compiled by Gaye Hansen.
Her recipe called for sugar - I substituted Splenda® to make it a little more diabetic friendly for my DH. It also called for only 3/4 cup of crushed pineapple - I used 1 cup - and if I make them again, I'll increase that to 1-1/4 cups in order to add a bit more moisture.

We liked them - especially when warm out of the oven and spread with margarine.

The weight watcher point value - to be advised!


Saturday, April 17, 2010

Root Soup

Where did the time go? My last post was during my Passover cleaning. Since then I have barely given a passing thought to this or any of the other 2 work related blogs I help administrate. I'd like to say it's been a very busy time (it has) but I think it has been because of poor time management. And along with the poor time management, I have neglected tracking weightwatcher points and have had some serious misdemeanors in food choices. So far, no weight gain - but I'm flirting with danger.Time to get back on track.

I looked in my fridge this morning to see what would make a good zero point soup. I had parsnip (left over from chicken soup prep at Passover) carrots, and beets. All root vegetables. I was curious to find out if the 3 together would make an interesting soup. Thus, my "Root Soup" was created.

Root Soup


Ingredients:
2 cups carrot coins (about 3 large carrots)
1-1/2 cups parsnip coins (about 3 med.)
2 cups julienned beets (3 medium)
1 L. vegetable stock
Bay Leaf
1/4 tsp. fresh pepper
1/4 cup fresh chopped dill
2 1/4" sized chunks of sour salt
1 tsp. sugar

1. Spray the inside of a soup pot with vegetable spray.
2. Sweat the vegetables.

3. Add the stock and simmer until all the vegetables are soft.
4. Add the seasonings while the soup is simmering. Taste and adjust seasonings as required.

I don't think I have ever made a soup without onion. I realized once this soup was finished that I could have used onion since it qualifies as a "root" which was my criteria. Potato would also be an option (but it would add points).

It resembles borscht because the beets colour everything, but the parsnip adds a distinctly different flavout.
I like it well enough to make it again - perhaps with the additions of onion and potato for variety.

Before
and After