Blueberry Muffins with a Hint of Ginger and Lemon {Monk Fruit in the Raw}

{I received free samples from Cumberland Packing Corp., maker of Monk Fruit In The Raw. By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by Cumberland Packing Corp. and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.}

Stories from blueberry muffin baking:

1. Lemons have decided to hate me.  I don't really understand, honestly, we've always had such a great relationship, but the day of these muffins?  Yeah, not so much.  I got squirted in the eye with juice at least 4 times while I was zesting them.  Like, there wasn't even any juice exposed and it still managed to somehow hit me in the eye.  I repeat, they hate me.

2. For some reason, the folks down at Trader Joe's thought it would be a good idea to make curry powder and cinnamon look really similar, so much that I almost put freaking curry powder in these muffins!  The spices in our house are pretty jumbled up and so as I dug through the chaotic plastic bin that is our spice rack I spotted something that looked like cinnamon and grabbed it.  Upon (somewhat) closer inspection I saw that the label had some word that started with a 'C' on it, further confirming that this bottle held cinnamon.  Thank god I caught a whiff of it's very not cinnamon-y smell or these muffins would have been a lot worse and also quite spicy.

3. I hereby proclaim myself a blueberry fanatic.  That's right, it's official now.  After adding 1 1/3 cups of blueberries to this batter (which, admittedly, was probably too much), I came to the realization that I put more blueberries on my oatmeal in the mornings.  Yes, more.  No wonder my family goes through frozen fruit so fast.  I eat almost 2 cups per meal.

4. MONK FRUIT IN THE RAW.  I like this stuff, I really do.  It gives me pleasure to use only a couple tablespoons of "real" sugar per recipe and than still have the result taste perfectly sweet.  I don't know if you realize this, but that's really cool.  Low calorie is cool too because it means I can eat more (!!). Also, when you pour the Mink Fruit in the Raw it looks like little tiny snowflakes (actually, more like fake snow, but whatever) and that makes me happy.

5. Blueberry muffins are good, but blueberry muffins with a hint of lemon and ginger are really really really good.  Really.  (P.S. they smell perfect while they cook.  Don't blame me if you decide to camp out in front of your oven while they're baking)

Blueberry Muffins with a Hint of Lemon and Ginger

• 2 cups spelt flour
• 1/3 cup Monk Fruit in the Raw
• 3 tbsp turbinado sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp powedered ginger
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup milk
• 3 tbsp vegetable or coconut oil
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp vinegar
• 1 tbsp lemon zest
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 - 11/3 cup frozen blueberries (I used 1 1/3 and it was probably too much, but I love blueberries so I didn't mind.  Use whatever you see fit)

Preheat oven to 350F.  Grease a muffin pan.  In a large bowl, mixtogether all dry ingredients until completely incorporated.  In another bowl, whisk together milk, oil, lemon juice, vinegar, lemon zest and vanilla.  Let sit a couple minutes to let the vinegar mix into the milk.  After a couple minutes, add wet ingredient to dry and mix just until incorporated. Don't overmix.  Gently add in blueberries.  Scoop about 1/4 cup batter into each muffin hole.  Bake in preheated oven for 16-18 minutes, until firm.  Let cool before remiving from pan and storing in an airtight container.  Makes 12 large muffins.

Creamy Lemon Bars

If you were to ask me about my favorite recipes on this blog, almost every one would most likely contain chocolate.  What can I say?  I'm a chocoholic.  But after trying these Creamy Lemon Bars, I can say that they would most definitely make the list.

Why yes, they are good enough to hold their own next to a bunch of kick-butt chocolate recipes.

There's nothing super special about these bars.  In fact, they're actually quite simple.  Just a quick crust and a lemon filling.  So what puts them on my favorite list, you ask?  That's simple.  They taste really really good.

No one really had high hopes for these bars.  Like, sure, they would taste good, and you would have no problem with eating some, but no one was like "Oh my god i can't wait until those Lemon bars are ready because they're gonna be amazing and I'm gonna eat the whole pan in one sitting" (for the record, that may be the way I react when there's chocolate mousse chilling in the fridge).

Everything changed when I took the first bite.  Dang, these guys were good!  I shared them with everyone in my family and before I knew it, every last bar was gone.  There's only one solution there: make them again.  So I did.  And you know what you should do?  Make them.  And then make them again because soon you'll have enhaled the whole first pan.

Creamy Lemon Bars
Crust:

• 1 1/3 cup + 2 tbsp oat flour (sorry for the weird measurement)
• 2 1/2 tbsp honey
• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• 1/4 tsp salt

Filling:

• 1 package shelf stable tofu (1 1/2 cups)
• 1/3 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 1/2 tbsp arrowroot starch/flour
• zest of 1 lemon

Preheat oven to 350F.  Grease an 8x8 pan with cooking spray.  In the bowl of a food processor, combine all crust ingredients.  Mix until combined and a wet mixture has formed.  If it seems too dry, you can add a bit of milk until the proper consistency is reached.  Press into an even layer in the bottom of prepared pan.  Bake crust for 10 minutes.  Meanwhile, combinr all filling ingredients in food processor.  Mix until completely incorporated with no tofu clumps remaining.  Pour into baked crust.  Bake in oven for another 20 minutes, until filling has firmed around the edges.  Remove from oven and let chill in oven for at least 2 hours, until entire filling is firm.  Slice into 16 squares and serve.  Store in fridge.

Revisited Recipe of the Day:

Crustless Lemon Honey Cheesecake

Lemon Blueberry Crumble Bars

I look forward to fresh blueberries all year.

When someone asks me my favorite food, blueberries are usually the answer I give them. Of course there are many other foods that I love (salmon, cherries, chocolate, figs, peanut butter), but blueberries are definitely up there on the list.

I find it so incredibly annoying that fresh blueberries are only available for a short part of the year, at least where I live.  If it where up to me, blueberries would be like apples, available all the time for a relatively good price.  But, alas, that is not so, so I've just got to make the best of blueberry season each year.

Last week we went blueberry picking.  I love love love blueberry picking and, as you might imagine, I was quite excited.  It's honestly like paradise to walk through row after row of blueberry bushes that are filled with sweet, juicy blueberries. The sign at the farm we picked at said to limit yourself to 2-3 berries to taste.  That was so totally not going to happen.  I ate to my hearts delight, and then gave them a big tip when we payed for the berries we had picked.  See?  Things even out.

Anyway, we ended up picking 12 pounds of blueberries that day, and guess how many are left.  Not one berry.  We've got a very blueberry heavy diet at my house, in case you didn't know.

Ironically enough, I made these bars during the time where we had heaps of fresh blueberries, but I used frozen berries instead.  This was because I was too busy shoving the fresh blueberries into my mouth.

Also in these bars: lemon and a yummy oatmeal crumble.  They're great and you should make them.  Because summer is the time for blueberries, is it not?

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Lemon Blueberry Crumble Bars
For Crumble:

• 2 cups quick oats (make your own by quickly pulsing rolled oats in a blender or food processor)
• 1/2 cup oat flour
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 cup applesauce
• 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp lemon zest
• 1 tsp vanilla

For Filling:

• 2 cups frozen blueberries
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp arrowroot starch/flour or cornstarch
• 2 tbsp maples syrup
• 1 tbsp lemon juice

For Crumble:

1. Preheat oven to 350F.  Grease an 8x8 square pan.
2. Combine oats, oat flour, and cinnamon in a large bowl.  Add applesauce, maple syrup, lemon juice and zest, and vanilla to bowl.  Mix until a thick dough forms.
3. Press all but 1/2 cup of crumble dough into the bottom of prepared pan to create a crust.  Make sure the dough covers the entire area of the pan.
4. Set aside to remaining 1/2 cup of dough for later.

For Filling:

1. Place all ingredients in a small saucepan.  Bring to a boil over high heat.  Reduce heat and let simmer a couple minutes until a sort of jelly has formed.  Remove from heat and let mixture cool.
2. Once cooled, pour over prepared crust, and spread into an even layer.  Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup of crumble on top.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes, until crumble has browned slightly.  Let cool completely before cutting in squares and serving.
4. Makes 16 small squares. Store in fridge.

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Enjoy! And eat some blueberries for me, will ya?

Revisited Recipe of the Day:

Peach Blueberry Breakfast Crumble

Lemony Edamame Hummus (Version 2)

This dish brings back memories.

Do you recognize it? 

I made something very similar about 6 months ago, when blogging was somewhat new to me.  If you go back to the post, you may notice that the plate and wooden backdrop are not things that are usually pictured on this blog.  This is because I made that recipe while on vacation in the little vacation house we have that only contains flowery pink dishes and worn out wooden tables for pictures (I actually LOVE that table though).

So yeah.  That's my story.  It makes me smile because that was when I was just getting into really making up recipes.  And I made that one up on my own, and it made me so happy.  And then I took whatever dishes I had lying around and took some pretty good pictures of it to boot.

Now, at a time where I feel I've grown a lot as a blogger, I present you version two of Edamame Hummus.

Here's whats different:

• Both chickpeas and edamame beans as the base
• No tahini
• Pictures taken at my actual house

Here's what's the same:

• The great lemony hummus flavor!

Lemony Edamame Hummus

• 1 1/2 cups shelled and cooked edamame beans
• 1 cup cooked chickpeas
• juice of 1 small lemon
• zest of  small lemon
• 3 tbsp water
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• optional: spices of choice to add some zing to the hummus (I like mine to just have lemon, but other people like more of a spice factor)

Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor.  Blend until all ingredients are incorporated and mixture has the texture of hummus.  You can make it as chunky or smooth as desired.  Transfer hummus to a container or serving dish and store in fridge until serving time.  Serve with chips, crackers, veggies, or on a sandwich.

Revisited Recipe of the Day:

Carrot Chickpea Hummus

Crustless Lemon Honey Cheesecake

Here's the thing:

I don't like cheesecake.

Yep, I said it.  It's something about the cream cheese taste and how incredibly heavy the cake is.

The good thing is, I managed to fix everything I don't like in this Lemon Cheesecake which I love.  Now I'm a downright Cheesecake Lover!

This Lemon Honey Cheesecake is made primarily with 2% greek yogurt.  It's important to use the 2% so that your cheesecake comes out nice and creamy.  I also added cream cheese to the base of the cheesecake.

Next comes lemon juice and lemon zest.  This adds a huge pop of flavor.  Lemon is a must when it comes to summer flavors.  But, of course, lemon is very sour.  The cheesecake needed a sweetener, and I knew just what to use.

As you can see from the title of this post, honey was my preferred sweetener in this recipe.  This is because it pairs great with lemon and is a liquid, and will therefore blend well into the cheesecake filling.  Honey is a great substitution for any liquid sweetener.  I've found that it's sweeter than maple syrup, which definitely comes in handy when trying to limit sugar.

In addition to this, honey enhances the flavor of tons of ingredients.  In this recipe it works very nicely with the lemon.  I adore honey and lemon together!

So next time you're entertaining and want to blow your audience away with a healthy dessert, look no further than this Lemon Honey Cheesecake.  Yes, it is that good.

Crustless Lemon Honey Cheesecake

• 1 1/2 cups plain 2% greek yogurt (I don't recommend using fat free)
• 1 cup non fat cream cheese
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp honey
• 3 egg whites (9 tbsp if using the kind in a carton)
• 1/4 cup arrowroot starch or cornstarch
• 1 tbsp lemon zest
• 1/4 lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350F.  Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.  Mix until all ingredients are incorporated.  It will look thin and watery, but that's ok.  Pour mixture into a greased 8x8 circle pan (a springform is best).  Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes.  Remove from oven.  Chill in fridge overnight, or for at least 8 hours.  After chilled, cut into slices and serve chilled.  Store leftovers in the fridge.

Sorry it's been so long since I last posted.  Things have been crazy busy over here.  Hopefully everything will be back on track soon.

In the meantime, enjoy this Lemon Cheesecake.  It is sooooo yummy.

Disclosure: By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by National Honey Board and am eligible to win  prizes associated with the contest. I received a gift card to offset the expense of my ingredients.

Revisited Recipe of the Day: 

Honey Banana Ginger Almond Butter

Lemony Edamame Hummus

Beans and I have a weird relationship.

Take black beans for example.  I pick them out of chili, yet gobble up black bean brownies like there's no tomorrow.

Or chickpeas.  Alone or in hummus, they're just "uck", but the moment you roast them they become a highly addictive snack.

It's the same with edamame.  Just the plain bean... I think I'll pass.  Blended into hummus... oh my god, give me more!

I told you it was weird.

But sometimes, it's good to embrace your oddities.  After all, they can lead to very good things.  Like Lemony Edmame Hummus, which is indeed, very good.

Lemony Edamame Hummus
(makes 1 1/2-2 cups)

• 1 12-oz bag shelled and cooked edamame
• juice of 1 lemon
• zest of 1 lemon
• 3 tbsp water
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp tahini

Place all ingredients in a blender.  Blend on high until desired consistency is reached.  I like mine just slightly chunky, so it still has a bit of a chew to it.  You can make it as smooth or chunky as you like.  Stop to scrape down sides of blender and move mixture around when necessary.  Serve hummus with chips, on a sandwich, or with vegetables.  Keep refrigerated.

Have you ever tried Trader Joes Edamame Hummus?  This recipe was based off of it.

Though similar, this spread isn't exactly the same, as it has more of a lemony punch than that from the container at the store.  Personally, I like this version better.

But, then again, homemade is always better.

Revisited Recipe of the Day:

Carrot Chickpea Hummus

Lemon Zucchini Bread

Bread machines make me happy.

They warm up the house on cool days, produce a mouth-watering smell, and do all the work in making delicious homemade bread.

C'mon, what's not to love?

Today I have a light and cheery recipe to share.  It's sure to brighten up all the gloomy days that are bound come as the fall months progress.

Plus, it's made in the bread machine so the hands-on time = practically nothing.

A slice of this bread would be absolutely amazing on a rainy morning alongside a good book and a steaming glass of lemon tea.

And then I recommend you make a sandwich out of it for lunch.  You could also revisit this delicious bread for dessert topped with some sweet jam.  And maybe a midnight snack.

There are millions of other options too.  Please don't let my suggestions limit you're creativity.  I'm pretty sure this is one recipe that you'll never tire of.

Lemon Zucchini Bread - from The Bread Lovers Bread Machine Cookbook
(makes a 2 pound loaf)

• 1 cup fat-free milk
• 1 1/2 cups shredded zucchini
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 2/3 cup bread flour
• 1 1/3 cup whole wheat flour
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• grated zest of 1 lemon
• 1 tbsp plus 1 tsp gluten
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 1/4 tsp SAF yeast or 2 3/4 tsp bread machine yeast.

Place all ingredients in bread machine pan in order listed.  Set crust on medium and program for Basic cycle.  Press start.  Wait as the smell of freshly baked bread slowly wafts through your house making it feel like you live in a bakery.  When the baking cycle (finally) ends, remove bread from pan immediately, and let cool before slicing and serving.

I think it's only fair to tell you guys that zucchini does not play a major role in this bread.  It's pretty much just in it to provide some more nutrients and veggies.

Therefore, anyone who's a true believer that zucchini doesn't belong in sweet foods, may like this recipe a bit more.  At least, as long they're willing to even taste it.

Of course, that's not to say that a zucchini bread lover would not enjoy this.  I myself am a zucchini bread lover and I enjoyed it quite a bit.  All I would say is approach this recipe as a lemon bread, not a zucchini one.  That way, there's no disappointment when the zucchini flavor doesn't shine through as much as you were expecting.

Well, that's pretty much it.  Hopefully next time something's making you feel down, you'll whip up this bread and let it brighten up your day.

Revisited Recipe of the Day:

Lemon Blueberry Scones

Lemon Blueberry Scones + a Giveaway!

Double Trouble.

You, my friends, should consider yourselves very lucky.  Because, today, you are a getting a double-dose of delicious-ness.  Not only will there be an awesome scone recipe, there will also be an even more awesome giveaway to enter (scroll down for details).

Sounds great, huh?

First up:  the scones.

To sum it up in one sentence, they are berry filled lemony goodness that could actually qualify as a healthy breakfast, or a great snack.

Boy, that was one jam-packed sentence.

Lemon Blueberry Scones - inspired by this recipe

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 2 tbsp raw cane sugar, plus more for sprinkling on top
• pinch salt
• 5 tbsp cold unsalted butter (for vegan version, sub margarine, or other vegan butter, and omit salt)
• zest from one lemon
• 1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)
• 1/2 cup vanilla or plain Greek yogurt
•  1/2 cup milk (dairy or non-dairy)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Whisk together flours, baking powder, sugar, and salt in large bowl.  Then, cut butter into small pieces, and add to flour mixture.  Mix until well combined.  Next, add blueberries (if using frozen, don't thaw) and lemon zest to dry ingredients, and gently stir.  Mix in yogurt and milk.  Eventually, using your hands to mix will be necessary to incorporate all the flour.  Once well mixed, form dough into a circle that's a little under 1 inch thick.  Cut into eight pieces and arrange on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or foil.  Bake for 10-15 minutes or until firm to touch, and golden brown on bottom.

Now, onto the giveaway.

This one is sponsored by the mighty fine folks from slimkicker.com.

SlimKicker is a fitness game and calorie counter that makes dieting easier and more fun than it's even been before by turning your goals into a level up game.  You can advance through each level by tracking your healthy calories, exercising, and completing challenges like quitting soda for a week.  Along the way, earn points and rewards to keep you motivated.  Also available are recipe ideas for certain diets such as Weight Watchers and Dukan Diet.

The reward for winning the giveaway is your very own Ozeri Touch Professional Digital Kitchen Scale in the ever stylish black.


How to enter the giveaway:

Simply comment with your original suggestion of a fun and creative fitness or diet challenge.  This should be only 1-2 sentences long, and completely your idea.  Also, please be sure to include your name and email in the comment. 


(contest open to U.S. residents only)


The person with the best challenge idea with be declared the winner in a weeks time, so stay tuned.

I look forward to reading about all of your great ideas.

Oh, and keep in mind:  If you're one of the only people the enter, your chances of winning are much much higher.

The giveaway is now closed.  Congratulations Crisha!  For you prize, contact the slimkicker folks at team (at) slimkicker.com.

Lemon Blueberry Muffins

I love blueberries.

Fresh blueberries, frozen blueberries, dried blueberries.

As a kid I would devour them.  The blueberries in the fridge would be gone before anyone even knew they were there, the bags of dried blueberries emptied quickly, and the frozen blueberries hidden in the freezer turned by lips purple day after day.

But none of that even compared to when we had blueberry muffins.  No, those things disappeared in a matter of minutes, that's how much I loved them

Actually, that's how much I still love them.

Blueberry muffins remain one of my favorite ever treats.  Whether it's a jumbo sized one for breakfast, or a petite little bite for dessert, I will never turn my nose up to a cake with blueberries.  Never.

Lemon Blueberry Muffins - inspiration comes from here
(makes around 18 cupcake sized muffins)

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 cup plain yogurt
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
2 lemons worth of lemon zest
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup frozen or fresh blueberries (You can add more or less depending on how much fruit you want; I used more)

Preheat oven to 350F.  Mix together flour, baking powder, and salt in one bowl.  In another bowl, whisk together yogurt, sugar, eggs, lemon zest, and vanilla.  Then, slowly add the flour mixture to the yogurt one.  Fold the vegetable oil into the batter until well incorporated (it'll look a bit weird at first, just keep mixing).  Mix in blueberries and then quickly pour batter into lined cupcake pans so that nothing turns purple.  Bake for around 15 minutes or until the cupcakes turn golden and a toothpick inserted comes out clean (except for possibly some blueberry goo, which is fine).  Let cupcakes cool before eating.

I swear, blueberry muffins never get old.  This recipe just adds a bit of a twist to your basic one by adding a refreshing lemon zing.

And I have to say, these muffins disappeared just as quickly as, if not faster than, the ones from my childhood.  And that, my friends, is very hard to do.