Texas Chicken Burgers

These were so easy and quick to make, and taste amazing! Next time we're making them on the grill, which will probably be even better!

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground chicken
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 1 small zucchini, shredded
• 1 medium carrot, shredded
• 1 tsp chili power
• 1/4 tsp ground cumin
• 1/8 tsp ground red pepper (cayenne)
• 3/4 tsp salt
• whole wheat hamburger buns
• lettuce & tomato (optional topping for burgers)

You'll need a medium batter bowl, a piece of wax paper or a plastic plate, and a large skillet (sprayed with non-stick cooking spray).

In medium bowl combine chicken, green onions, zucchini, carrot, and spices and blend until mixed.  I found mixing with my hands to be the best method.

On the wax paper or plate, shape mixture into 4 patties, pressing firmly so they won't fall apart.

Heat your prepared skillet over medium hight heat for a few minutes, then place patties in hot skillet, cover and cook for 5 minutes, then flip and cooke 5 minutes more.  Keep flipping until cooked through (either use a meat thermometer to make sure it's at least 165 degrees F, or cut into a patty to make sure it's not pink inside).

Serve with lettuce & tomato and or your choice of condiments...

Adapted slightly from cookingchanneltv.com

Nutritional Facts (not including bun or condiments):  204 cal, 11 g fat, 151 g sodium, 1 g fiber, 22.5 g protein.

Light Blueberry Muffins

I found this recipe in a Hungry Girl cookbook.  I adapted it a little bit because it was actually a little too sweet the first time I made them. I also wanted to use real eggs instead of egg substitute.  This recipe makes either 36 mini muffins or 18 large muffins.  I love the minis myself...it just feels like you can eat more without the guilt... Of course that's all in my head, but they're still cuter in mini form!

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour - (reserve out about half of this flour in a soup or small batter bowl - I'll tell you why later!)
• 1/2 cup light domino (sugar & stevia blend for baking)
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt (I always use fine sea salt for baking)
• 1 cup light vanilla soymilk or almond milk (or any milk you want really)
• 1/4 cup sugar free or light pancake syrup
• 1 egg
• 2 egg whites
• 4 TBS light whipped butter, room temp (I use Brummel & Brown yogurt spread)
• 4 TBS unsweetened applesauce
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups blueberries (I recommend frozen for best turnout, keep in freezer until you need them)

Line muffin tins with baking liners or spray with nonstick spray.  

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  In a medium bowl whisk together flours, sugars, baking powder, salt.  In a large bowl combine milk, syrup, eggs, butter spread, applesauce and vanilla.  Whisk until thoroughly blended.  Butter bits may not break up completely but that's ok.  Add dry ingredients to wet and mix until completely blended.

Baker's Tip:  Put your 2 cups of frozen blueberries in the small bowl of flour we set aside earlier and stir to coat the blueberries in flour.  This prevents the blueberries from sinking to the bottom of the batter when you bake!  It's worth that extra little step I think.
Pour that blueberry & flour mixture into your bowl of batter and mix to combine.

Evenly distribute batter into muffin tins, filling each cup only 3/4 full or you will have overflow.

Bake for 15 minutes for mini muffins, 20 for large, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.

Look at that BLUEBERRY GOODNESS!!!

Nutritional Facts:  114 cal, 1.8 g fat, 13 g sugar, 45 g sodium, 2 g fiber, 3 g protein. (for one large muffin, or 2 mini)

Banana Nutella Muffins

Bananas?  Good.  Nutella??  Double GOOD.  Put 'em together and what do you get?  A fabulously moist banana-y chocolatey (but not too much) piece of heaven!!!  I really can't imagine a person who wouldn't like these unless they are allergic to bananas or chocolate.  Even then, I'd chance it!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp allspice
• 1/2 cup unsweet applesauce
• 3 very ripe bananas
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• about 6 TBS nutella

Preheat oven to 350.  Line muffin pan with liners or nonstick spray.
In medium bowl whisk together flours, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice, and salt until well combined.
In large bowl smash up your peeled bananas with a fork then whisk together with sugar, brown sugar, egg, applesauce and vanilla.  Slowly stir in flour mixture until there are no lumps.
Fill muffin tins 3/4 full then top each muffin with about 1 tsp nutella and use a toothpick to swirl it into the batter.

Bake for 15-17 min, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of one comes out clean.  Delicious warm from the oven!  Store the rest in an airtight container.

Nutritional facts: 138 calories, 2 g fat, 17 g sugar, 9 g sodium, 2 g fiber, 2 g protein.  Based on 18 muffins.

Recipe adapted from The Novice Chef

Easiest Turkey Meatloaf

I found this recipe on Pinterest and it is the easiest dinner to throw together last minute and stick in the oven!

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. ground turkey (or you can use ground chicken or beef)
• 1 box stovetop stuffing, any flavor you want
• 1 egg
• 1 cup water

Mix together in a big bowl, spread in loaf pan, and bake at 350 for 50-60 minutes.  That's it!  I've enjoyed trying different combinations of turkey or chicken and stuffings - and this was really good - ground turkey with the cranberry flavor stuffing!  The bits of cranberry in the meatloaf are delicious.  You can only find that around thanksgiving time, but I was thinking next time if I used a different stuffing flavor I could still mix in some craisins for the same taste.

Updates and Questions from me to you...

Dear three readers of mine,  ;-D

I am wondering if you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for my blog?  Some are telling me they can't seem to post comments on here.  Follow these instructions:

1. At the bottom of a post click on "No Comment" and it brings up a comment box.  
2. Type your comment.  
3. Below that box scroll down to Name/URL and click that, then just type your name there next to "comment as", and click continue.  
4. Then publish.  It will ask you to enter a jumbled letter combo to prove you're not a robot, then click publish again.  

The comments are sent to me for moderation first to prevent spam, so you won't see it show up right away.  If this doesn't work please let me know!!

I am working on putting nutritional facts with each recipe.  That is something I love in a cookbook or blog just so I know what I'm dealing with, (or how many minutes of zumba I'll need to do to burn it off!) so I wanted to include it here.  I've added the facts to most recipes that I have already posted, and will continue to add to future recipes.

Regarding pictures and recipe text - Do you prefer pictures within the text showing step by step as I make things, or all pictures after the text so it's easier to read/ print/ copy?  Or I can make a link to printable recipes on each post...?  Let me know.

And if you have any suggestions otherwise for the blog's appearance or the way I word recipes (am I explaining things enough or logically??), or even suggestions of recipes I can come up with to post here - also let me know!!

Email me at:  thebakingpost@gmail.com

Thanks readers,

Nicci

Breakfast Pumpkin Bread

I came up with this pumpkin bread recipe so that I could eat it in the morning and not feel guilty for eating dessert so early! It has wheat flour, wheat germ, flax seed, applesauce, pumpkin... So it's very good for you. And it has just the right amount of healthy sweetness to make it perfect for breakfast.  Great toasted with a little butter or yogurt spread!  And only 123 calories a slice!  So really, great anytime of day, or night.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup wheat germ
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp ground allspice
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt 
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 3/4 cup fat free milk
• 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 egg whites
• 1 TBS flaxseed meal mixed with 3 TBS water, allow to sit 2 minutes
• 1 15 oz can pure pumpkin
• cooking spray
• 1/3 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350.  Spray 2 loaf pans or 2 muffin tins with non-stick cooking spray.
Combine first 11 dry ingredients (flour through ginger) in a large bowl and mix well.

In another bowl whisk together the rest of the ingredients (brown sugar through pumpkin) until smooth.  

Make a well in the center of dry mix and add wet mix to dry mix and stir until just combined, don't over-stir. 

Pour batter into 2 loaf pans equally (or 2 muffin tins) and top with walnuts if desired.  Bake loaves for 1 hour or until a wooden toothpick inserted comes out clean.  If baking as muffins, bake for 45 minutes then check for doneness.

Nutritional facts: 123 calories, 1 g fat, 12 g sugar, 98 g sodium, 3 g fiber, 4 g protein. 

(Based on 2 loaves cut into 11 slices each)

Soft & Chewy Vanilla Sugar Cookies

These really need no introduction other than the name itself - they are soft yet chewy, and very vanilla sugar cookie-like.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup organic cane sugar
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1 large egg
• 2 TBS milk
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 cup bread flour (you can use all purpose for this step too, but the bread flour makes chewier cookies)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350, line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with cooking spray.

In a large bowl combine butter and sugars and using a whisk beat until creamed.  Add in egg, milk, vanilla, and whisk again until light and fluffy.

In a smaller bowl whisk together the flours, baking soda, & salt.  Slowly add the dry mix into the wet, stirring with a spoon until combined.

Using a small cookie scoop, drop onto cookie sheet 2 inches apart.  Bake 8-10 minutes, until golden brown edges form.  Cookie may seem undercooked in middle but will firm up while cooling.  If you want crispy cookies, add 2-3 more minutes to bake time.  Personally I like the soft & chewy version!

Allow cookies to cool 10 minutes on tray after baking, then remove gently to cooling rack.  Store in airtight container for up to a week, or in the freezer up to 3 months.

Note from original recipe:  Averie Cooks recommends refrigerating the dough before baking, for at least 3 hours, and up to 5 days.  I didn't do this as I wanted to make the cookies NOW!  But she says cold dough prevents flat cookies.  Mine didn't turn out flat, they seemed perfect to me, but it's worth a shot to try it her way in the future when I don't need cookies immediately.  Another recommendation she passes on is to only bake a few cookies and save the dough in an airtight container in the refrigerator (for up to 5 days) and bake a few at a time for that wonderful just-baked taste, and it doesn't hurt to make your house smell good either!  Also, you can form balls with the cold dough and put in a freezer bag and freeze until you want to bake cookies, and you don't even need to thaw the dough, just take it out of the freezer while oven preheats, and bake as usual, adding an extra minute or two bake time if needed.  Good idea!!

Mediterranean Omelet

Eggs, cheese, veggies - easy protein for breakfast - what more can you ask for??

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 1 TBS milk
• sea salt
• pepper
• 1 TBS olive oil
• 2-3 TBS chopped red pepper
• 2-3 TBS chopped fresh spinach
• 2 TBS chopped sun dried tomatoes
• 2 TBS crumbled feta cheese

Heat olive oil in medium skillet over high heat for a few minutes.  While that heats up, chop your red pepper, spinach, sun dried tomatoes.  Throw all of those in the skillet and saute for about 4 minutes.

Meanwhile crack your eggs into a bowl, add milk, sea salt & pepper to taste, whisk with fork until ingredients just come together.  

Pour eggs over the veggies in skillet and let cook for 2 minutes, reduce heat to medium.  

While eggs are firming up on the bottom but still slightly runny on top, sprinkle your crumbled feta overtop.  

Lift omelet from all sides in a circular motion with spatula to allow uncooked eggs to run underneath.  Rotate your skillet as you do this to make sure all sides are lifted.  Cook until eggs have set on bottom and are a golden brown color, but the top is still somewhat moist.  

Lift up one half of the omelet with your spatula and fold it neatly overtop the other half, being careful not to break it in half...  This is an artform I believe! 

Slide omelet onto a plate and EAT!

For a lighter cheese option use this!

Pasta With Cauliflower

This is a fairly easy to make dinner that takes only a little prep work, a pasta pot and a skillet.  It is pretty healthy if you go easy on the cheese!  And like most pasta dishes, it's great the next day after the flavors have time to blend overnight...

Ingredients:

• 1 head of cauliflower, chopped into small florets
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced 
• 3 TBS olive oil
• 2 cups chicken stock (you can also use chicken broth or vegetable broth)
• 12 oz small cut pasta like a short rigatoni or orecchiette
• sea salt and black pepper to taste
• 2 TBS chopped Italian parsley and/or basil
• 2 TBS unsalted butter (or butter alternative like Brummel & Brown yogurt spread)
• 1 cup freshly grated (if possible) parmiggiano romano cheese 

Ingredients for Bread Crumb Topping:

• 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs made from a few slices of Italian bread
• 1 TBS chopped Italian parsley
• 2 TBS olive oil
• 1/2 tsp fresh lemon zest

Optional:

• Add baked chicken to the dish (especially good with leftovers).                                       Bake chicken breast tenderloins covered in olive oil, and seasoned with salt, pepper and oregano at 375 for 18-20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

In a large skillet with high sides, (like my absolute FAVORITE skillet ever, Paula Deen's 5 qt. covered deep saute pan) add the olive oil and garlic and let it sizzle over medium heat for 30-60 seconds until garlic becomes fragrant.

Add the cauliflower, season with sea salt & pepper and saute for 9 minutes or until most of the cauliflower is turning a golden brown.

Add the chicken stock and cover, simmer on medium heat for about 15 minutes or until cauliflower is tender.

Meanwhile, boil water for your pasta and cook according to package directions.  Reserve 1/4 cup of starchy cooking water when draining pasta.

Add pasta to skillet with cauliflower, add the starchy water, butter, parsley and cheese.  Stir then cook for another minute or two on medium to let sauce thicken and coat the pasta.

Take skillet off heat and set aside, covered.

To make topping, add olive oil to a small skillet and let it preheat over medium heat.  Add your bread crumbs, parsley, and lemon zest and let it toast until the bread crumbs are toasty and crunchy.

Sprinkle topping on pasta and serve!

Recipe from Laura in the Kitchen