Breads and Muffins - Recipe Renovations

Category Archives: Breads and Muffins

Jan 12 2013

Banana Nut Oatmeal Muffins

by Steph

Banana Nut Oatmeal Muffins

3 Weight Watchers Points Plus

I just love muffins, but ones from the bakery are just terrible for you. I enjoy making them at home because they are a great thing to have for quick meals or snacks on the go. I found this recipe a while back for strawberry shortcake muffins, but since strawberries are out of season by me right now and cost about $100 a pint (if you can even find them) I decided to change them to banana nut oatmeal muffins. They came pretty yummy, but I will definitely be trying the strawberry version once summer rolls around.

Ingredients:

2 ½ cup quick oats
4 TBS honey
1 Egg
2-egg white
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
¼ cup wheat germ
½ cup chopped walnuts
1-Cup Non-Fat Greek Yogurt
2 Bananas

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

In a food process pulse the oatmeal a few times.

Add all remaining ingredients (except walnuts) and process until smooth.

Fold in walnuts. Spray a muffin tin and divide batter among 12 tins.

Bake for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the middle.

Enjoy with some butter or jam! Or both

Nutritional Information

12 Servings

3 Weight Watchers Points Plus per serving

151 Calories; 5.2g Fat; 0.7g Sat. Fat; 15mg Cholesterol; 20.7g Carbohydrates; 2.5g Fiber; 7.1g Sugar; 6.8g Protein

** Nutritional information calculated through weight watchers online recipe builder and calorie-count.com. Some data may not be accurate.

** I am not a nutritionist and am not affiliated with Weight Watchers. Please consult a doctor before starting any new nutritional program or diet

Categories: 2-4 PointsPlus, Breads and Muffins | 1 Comment »

Jul 6 2012

No Bake Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Oat Bars

by Steph

No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

5 Weight Watchers Points+

Last weekend we took our son camping for the first time. It was a great weekend. I decided to make some granola bars for the trip. They are a good portable snack that’s not too terrible for you. Well, I made these No Bake Chocolate Peanut butter bars and they were so ridiculously good and indulgent I couldn’t call them granola bars. They were so amazing; sweet, chocolaty, and yummmm. They are more like a dessert then a granola bar.

Ingredients

1 ¾ cup uncooked rolled oats

1 tsp. vanilla extract

½ cup peanut butter & milk chocolate chips

½ cup peanut butter

¼ cup honey

Equipment

Small pot

Small baking dish or rectangular container

Parchment paper

In a small pot, heat the peanut butter and honey over medium heat. Stir until combined. Add in the vanilla extract

Let cool for about 5 minutes.

Place the rolled oats in a separate bowl and add the peanut butter mixture. Mix Well

Stir in the chocolate & peanut butter chips

Line a baking dish with parchment paper and pour the oats into the baking dish. Press down with your hands and spread into an even layer.

Let cool in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or until set.

Cut into 12 bars, and try not to eat the whole batch

Enjoy!!

Nutritional Information

12 Servings

5 Weight Watchers Points+

174 calories; 8.9g fat; 2.9 sat. fat; 21.7 Carbohydrates; 2.3g fiber; 12g sugar; 4.1g fiber

No Bake Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Oat Bars

Ingredients

1 ¾ cup uncooked rolled oats
1 tsp. vanilla extract
½ cup peanut butter & milk chocolate chips
½ cup peanut butter
¼ cup honey

Equipment

Small pot
Small baking dish or rectangular container
Parchment paper

Instructions

In a small pot, heat the peanut butter and honey over medium heat. Stir until combined. Add in the vanilla extract
Let cool for about 5 minutes.
Place the rolled oats in a separate bowl and add the peanut butter & milk chocolate chips.
Add the cooled peanut butter mixture.
Mix with your hands until well combined.
Line a baking dish with parchment paper and pour the oats into the baking dish. Press down with your hands and spread into an even layer.
Let cool in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or until set.
Cut into 12 bars.

Nutritional Information

12 Servings

5 Weight Watchers Points+

174 calories; 8.9g fat; 2.9 sat. fat; 21.7 Carbohydrates; 2.3g fiber; 12g sugar; 4.1g fiber

Categories: Breads and Muffins, Snacks | No Comments »

Jul 4 2012

Whole Wheat Banana Bread

by Steph

Whole Wheat Banana Bread

4 Weight Watchers Points+

When I have overripe bananas I usually do two of two things. Freeze them for smoothies…or bake banana bread. Well my freezer is has a ton of frozen bananas in it, I need to start drinking more smoothies. So, I decided to make some banana bread. This Whole-wheat banana bread recipe is terrific. Seriously, I didn’t tell anyone it was whole wheat and everyone loved it. Proof, it was gone by lunchtime awesome.

You can either cut it into 16 slices and the points value will be 3pp per serving, or 14 slices and it will be 4pp per serving.

Ingredients

2 Cups White Whole Wheat Flour (I like King Arthur)
1 ½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp cinnamon
2 Egg Whites
1 Egg
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 Medium very ripe bananas, mashed
1/3 cup low fat buttermilk
3 TBS canola oil
½ cup chopped walnuts

Equipment

Mixing bowl & whisk or Electric Stand mixer
2^nd Bowl
9×5 loaf pan coated with cooking spray

Preheat your oven to 350

Mash your bananas

Either in a stand mixer or bowl, whisk together your dry ingredients, Flour through Cinnamon.

In a separate bowl, beat together the egg whites, eggs and brown sugar.

Add the mashed Bananas, buttermilk and oil to the eggs and sugar

Fold in the flour mixture

Fold in the walnuts

Pour the mixture into a 9×5 loaf pan coated with cooking spray

Bake at 350 for 60 minutes, until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean

Remove from the pan and let cool.

Enjoy!!!

Maybe yours will last longer then half a day

Nutritional Information (for 14 servings)

14 servings = 4 points+

16 servings = 3 points+

144 Calories; 4.5g Fat; 0.5g Sat. Fat; 14mg Cholesterol; 23.8g Carbohydrates; 2.5g fiber; 3.9g protein

Whole Wheat Banana Bread

Ingredients

2 Cups White Whole Wheat Flour (I like King Arthur)
1 ½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp cinnamon
2 Egg Whites
1 Egg
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 Medium very ripe bananas, mashed
1/3 cup low fat buttermilk
3 TBS canola oil
½ cup chopped walnuts

Equipment

Mixing bowl & whisk or Electric Stand mixer
2^nd Bowl
9×5 loaf pan coated with cooking spray

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350
Mash your bananas
Either in a stand mixer or bowl, whisk together your dry ingredients, Flour through Cinnamon.
In a separate bowl, beat together the egg whites, eggs and brown sugar.
Add the mashed Bananas, buttermilk and oil
Fold in the flour mixture
Fold in the bananas
Pour the mixture into a 9×5 loaf pan coated with cooking spray
Bake at 350 for 60 minutes
Remove from the pan and let cool.

Nutritional Information (for 14 servings)

14 servings = 4 points+

16 servings = 3 points+

144 Calories; 4.5g Fat; 0.5g Sat. Fat; 14mg Cholesterol; 23.8g Carbohydrates; 2.5g fiber; 3.9g protein

Categories: Breads and Muffins | No Comments »

May 16 2012

Sausage and Caramelized Onion Pizza

by Steph

Sausage and Caramelized Onion Pizza

8 Weight Watchers Points+

You know how we do Friday night pizza night at our house, well plain pizza does get a little boring. So at times I like to try something a little different. I have to be careful though because my boys wont eat everything. When I was routing through my freezer, I found some extra turkey links I had left over from something or another. Sausage and onion just seem to go naturally together, and so was born Sausage and Caramelized onion Pizza.

I used sweet Italian sausage, but hot would be equally as delicious. The onions get super sweet when you cook them down. They just take a while, so you just need some patience. You could prep the onions ahead of time to cut down on your cooking time. You can also use store bought dough, instead of homemade. However, it may change the points+ value.

Ingredients:

1 recipe for Whole Wheat Pizza Dough (makes 2 pizzas)
2 links Italian Turkey Sausage, casings removed
¼ cup basil
2 tsp olive oil
½ cup shredded part skim mozzarella cheese
1 medium-large onion, thinly sliced
Extra Flour for dusting
Cornmeal

Equipment:

Pizza Stone
Large Skillet
Rolling pin
Pizza Peel

Preheat your oven to 475. Take the pizza dough out of the fridge (if its not already).

Heat the olive oil in a skillet. Add the sausage in chunks to the hot skillet. Crumble the sausage as it browns.

When its brown remove it from the skillet. Lower the heat to medium and add the onion. Let them cook for about 20 minutes.

While the onion cooks, you can prepare the pizza.

Dust the counter with flour and roll the pizza dough out. Sprinkle cornmeal on the pizza peel (to prevent sticking).

Spread the cheese on top of the dough, then the sausage and onion. Top with the chopped basil.

Bake for about 8 minutes until crispy.

Enjoy!!

Nutritional Information

Makes 2 pizzas, 6 total servings

8 WW Points+ per serving

CALORIES 269; FAT 8.7g; SAT. FAT 1.7g; CHOLEST. 16mg; CARB. 37.7g; FIBER 6.7g; SUGAR 3.7g; PROTEIN 11.1g

(Calculated through calorie-count.com, some data may not be accurate)

Sausage and Caramelized Onion Pizza

Ingredients:

1 recipe for Whole Wheat Pizza Dough (makes 2 pizzas)
2 links Italian Turkey Sausage, casings removed
¼ cup basil
2 tsp olive oil
½ cup shredded part skim mozzarella cheese
1 medium-large onion, thinly sliced
Extra Flour for dusting
Cornmeal

Equipment:

Pizza Stone
Large Skillet
Rolling pin
Pizza Peel

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 475. Take the pizza dough out of the fridge (if its not already).

Heat the olive oil in a skillet. Add the sausage in chunks to the hot skillet. Crumble the sausage as it browns.

When its brown remove it from the skillet. Lower the heat to medium and add the onion. Let them cook for about 20 minutes.

While the onion cooks, you can prepare the pizza.

Sprinkle flour on the counter and roll the pizza dough out.

Sprinkle cornmeal on the pizza peel (to prevent sticking).

Spread the cheese on top of the dough, then the sausage and onion. Top with the chopped basil.

Bake for about 8 minutes until crispy.

Nutritional Information

Makes 2 pizzas, 6 total servings

8 WW Points+ per serving

CALORIES 269; FAT 8.7g; SAT. FAT 1.7g; CHOLEST. 16mg; CARB. 37.7g; FIBER 6.7g; SUGAR 3.7g; PROTEIN 11.1g

(Calculated through calorie-count.com, some data may not be accurate)

Categories: 8-10 PointsPlus, Breads and Muffins, Light Meals, Recipes | No Comments »

Feb 10 2012

Whole Wheat Pie Crust

by Steph

A while ago I had some friends over for dinner and we were talking about pie, I don’t know why…all my conversations end up being about food. I had to admit I had never made a pie. I love desserts, make them all the time. And I love cooking, I don’t know how it had happened that I never made a pie crust. Weird…any who…I thought I would try making a homemade whole wheat pie crust. It was a lot easier then I thought it would be. I wrote down the recipe but for the life of me can’t remember where I got it from. But its fairly simple. I did it by hand, next time I will use a food processor to combine the dough.

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour (I use bob’s red mill)
1/3 cup cold butter
1/4 cup sea salt
about 4 tbs of water

Equipment:

food processor or bowl
rolling pin

In a bowl or food processor, mix the flour and salt.

Cut in the butter either by hand or by food processor

Add water 1 TBS at a time until the dough starts to come together. If you are using the food processor, process until the dough forms a ball. If by hand need the dough until it forms a ball. But don’t overwork the dough.

Roll into you desired shape, round or rectangular. I made rectangular because I made a large pot pie in a casserole dish

And done, easy enough. I won’t be buying store bought pie crusts anymore.

Nutritional Information

Makes 1 pie crust.

9 servings = 3 points+ per serving

8 servings = 4 points per+ serving

CALORIES 121; FAT 7.1g; SAT. FAT 4.3g; CHOLEST. 18.1mg; CARB. 12.8g; FIBER 2.2g; SUGAR 0g; PROTEIN 1.7g

(Calculated through loseit.com, some data may not be accurate)

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour (I use bob’s red mill)
1/3 cup cold butter
1/4 cup sea salt
about 4 tbs of water

Equipment:

food processor or bowl
rolling pin

In a bowl or food processor, mix the flour and salt.

Cut in the butter either by hand or by food processor

Roll into you desired shape, round or rectangular.

Categories: 2-4 PointsPlus, Breads and Muffins, Recipes | No Comments »

Jan 16 2012

Friday Night Pizza

by Steph

One of my first jobs was working at a local pizza place. I ate pizza EVERY DAY. I thought I would get sick of it, never happened. I love pizza. However, ordering take out pizza gets expensive. And while a lot of pizza places have started offering whole wheat pizza crust, its still not that good for you.

I decided to institute Friday pizza night at our house, to help with my pizza cravings. It also makes my life a little easier. I spend a lot of time each week planning out our meals. It takes a lot of work, I’m not going to lie. So if I can have one or two meals every week that are always the same, thats great. We also do Sunday night pasta dinners, but thats for another post

I got the Friday night pizza idea (and whole wheat pizza crust recipe) from a lovely blog Dash of Sass. This is a very simple recipe, even if you are terrified to use yeast. Seriously, it comes perfect every time I make it. Its thin and crispy and very good for you.

Have you ever made homemade pizza and its crispy on the crust but soggy in the middle? That stinks. So I finally found the secret. When you pre-heat your oven, put your pizza stone in the oven to preheat. Make sure it gets nice and hot while your oven pre-heats. Make your pizza on a pizza peel covered with cornmeal (this is the one I have) and when the oven and stone are hot, slide your pizza off the peel onto the stone. Make your pizza with any topping your little heart desires…The recipe below and nutrition is for the whole wheat pizza crust only. The nutrition of the whole pizza will vary with the ingredients you use.

Here are your ingredients:

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (I use Bob’s Red Mill)
1/4 cup ground flax seed
1 package active dry yeast (or 2 1/4 tsp)
1 tsp salt
1 TBS Agave or Honey
1 TBS canola oil
1 cup hot tap water (not too hot or will kill the yeast)

First step is to proof your yeast. Get 1 cup hot tap water, not to where its burning your finger, but hot. Sprinkle the yeast over top

Let the yeast dissolve into the water and let sit for 10 minutes. The mixture will get foamy and smell yeasty. Then you know its ready. If it does nothing, your yeast is bad. Throw it out and buy new yeast.

While you are letting your yeast proof, mix the dry ingredients in a stand mixer. Combine the flax seed, flour and salt:

ground flax seed

Flour and salt

Add your oil, honey and yeast mixture.

Switch to the dough hook on your mixer and mix the dough until it forms a ball.

Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap and dish towel. Let rise in warm place for 45 minutes until dough has doubled. I usually preheat the oven to 170 while I am mixing the dough and then turn it off. I let the dough rise it the nice warm oven.

dough after rising time

Split the dough into two balls. If you are not using the dough right away, place each in a oiled ziploc bag and freeze for later. Or if you are using it, place on a floured surface, cover and let them rise for another 15 minutes or so.

dough before second rise

dough after second rise

Roll your dough out to desired thickness, I like mine thin

Put on your desired toppings, this one was just plain.

Cook in a 450 degree oven for 8-10 minutes. It cooks very fast. I might have left this one in the oven a “little” too long. Its a little on the well done side.

The picture is not the greatest but this is a wonderful pizza recipe, I hope that you too will start Friday Night Pizza!

Enjoy!!

Nutritional Information (for the whole wheat crust only, does not include toppings):

Makes 6 servings. Serving Size is 1/3 of one pizza

5 WW PointsPlus per serving (calculated through WW online recipe builder)

CALORIES 208; FAT 5.1g; SAT. FAT 0.4; CHOLEST. 0mg; CARB. 35.5g; FIBER 7g; SUGAR 2.9; PROTEIN 5.5g

(calculated through loseit.com, some data may not be accurate)

Categories: 5-7 PointsPlus, Breads and Muffins, Light Meals, Recipes | No Comments »

Jan 3 2012

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins

by Steph

I love the fall, when everything pumpkin comes out. Pumpkin bread, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin beer its sooo yummy. Yes I know this post is in January (I’m a little late getting started, don’t judge).

Pumpkin is so great to bake with because it adds tons of flavor with no fat. And what could make pumpkin muffins better? Add chocolate! Chocolate makes everything better. And they are 100% whole wheat and natural. I made half full size muffins and half mini muffins. I think I will do all mini muffins next time, they are perfect for a bite size treats. The total recipe was able to make 12 muffins and 12 mini muffins.

Ingredients

1 Cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
1 egg
2 egg whites
1 tbs canola oil
2 tbs apple sauce
1/3 cup agave nectar
1 tbs molasses
1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (see my recipe here)
1/2 cup skim milk
1 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour (I use bob’s red mill)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tbs vital wheat gluten (I use bob’s red mill)
1/2 cup Sunspire Grain sweetened chocolate Chips (you can use other chocolate chips however these are lower points so changing that would affect the points plus value)

Instructions

1) Mix all wet ingredients, including pumpkin pie spice

2) In a separate bowl whisk together your dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, baking powder and vital wheat gluten). Then stir in your chocolate chips. Coating the chocolate chips in the flour mixture prevents them from all falling to the bottom in your muffins.