In the Mood to Bake

In an effort to be healthy, everybody is looking for new recipes that provide great taste without the calories and fat. Below I've listed 3 muffin recipes that pack big flavor without costing you. They all freeze wonderfully as well.  

Oat & Carrot (3 Points on Weight Watchers)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Country Choice organic Multigrain Hot Cereal (uncooked) from Trader Joe’s
• 1 ½ cups flour
• 1 tsp baking power
• ½ tsp. baking soda
• ½ tsp. ground cinnamon (more if you want a stronger taste)
• 1 tsp cloves
• 1 cup no sugar added applesauce
• Handful of shredded carrots
• ½ cup fat free or low fat milk
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ¼ non-fat plain European style yogurt (trader Joe’s brand)
• 1 egg

Directions:

• Pre-Heat oven to 400 Degrees.
• Combine oats, flour, baking powder and baking soda and cinnamon in a large bowl and mix well.
• In a separate bowl mix together the applesauce, milk, brown sugar, yogurt, egg, carrots and cloves.
• Add the dry ingredients and stir/mix until the dry ingredients are moistened.
• Bake for 18 – 20 minutes.
• Makes 9 muffins

Rosewater, Berry & Polenta Muffins (3 Points on Weight Watchers)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup loose Polenta (I bought the Golden Pheasant brand from Safeway on Tassajara Road and Dublin Blvd.)
• 1 cup flour
• 3 tsp. baking power
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tablespoon of honey
• ½ cup Rosewater (I bought this from Grand Sahara middle eastern market off of Dublin Blvd).
• 1/2 cup no sugar added applesauce
• Handful of dried berries (any combination that you see at the store. I bought a mixture from Safeway that included Cherries, plums, cranberries, blueberries and Raspberries. All are high in antioxidants).
• ½ cup fat free or low fat milk
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• ¼ non-fat plain European style yogurt (trader Joe’s brand)

Directions:

• Pre-Heat oven to 425 Degrees.
• Combine all ingredients in your mixer and mix on a low speed.
• Pour into muffin tins and bake for 22 minutes
• Makes 11 muffins

Apricot & Orange Zest Polenta Muffins (3 Points on Weight Watchers)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup loose Polenta (I bought the Golden Pheasant brand from Safeway on Tassajara Road and Dublin Blvd.)
• 1 cup flour
• 3 tsp. baking power
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tablespoon of honey
• Juice of ½ an Orange
• Zest of one orange
• 1/2 cup no sugar added applesauce
• Handful of diced dried Trader Joe’s brand apricots
• 1 cup fat free or low fat milk
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• ¼ non-fat plain European style yogurt (trader Joe’s brand)
• 1 egg

Directions:

• Pre-Heat oven to 425 Degrees.
• Combine all ingredients in your mixer and mix on a low speed.
• Pour into muffin tins and bake for 22 minutes
• Makes 12 muffins