Skinny Banana Blackberry Muffins

For many years my friends and I played scrabble with a ninety-year-old woman named Myldred.  I was sitting at a church friend's house and saw her walking to her mailbox one day and suggested to my friends that we visit her sometime.  Some guys from church ended up raking her leaves and I went in to talk and have lunch with her.  I left three hours later knowing that I had been blessed to meet this special woman.  

From that day on, there was a special place in my heart for Ms. Shinlever. My friend Taylor and I were looking for a new Wednesday night ministry, and after one evening of dinner and fellowship with Ms. Shinlever, we felt we had found somewhere we could make a difference. Since Ms. Shinlever could not leave her home, Taylor and I began making dinner for her every Wednesday and soon began spending our evening around the Scrabble board. We invented words (our best yet is Taylor's attempt to spell LEGLER) and try to keep Ms. Shinlever from cheating (we usually end up being the ones who are wrong when Ms. Shinlever insisted it was a word). It was a time to get away from all our other worries and troubles and focus on someone else.

Sometime later, Ms. Shinlever had a fall and was moved to an assisted living home—but she wasn’t going to get away from us that easily! We followed her there and ended up calling ourselves 'The Scrabble Girls.'

Myldred went on to be with the Lord over a year ago;  I miss her - but I've never forgotten the impact she made on my life.  The assisted living staff and her family often told us that we did not understand what we had done for her, but they were mistaken—they did not understand what she had done for us.

If I could to choose to be like anyone - it would by Myldred.  She was kind-hearted and fun - she often made us laugh.  Most of all, she had this love for people that was contagious - you couldn't help but enjoy her company. 

 I never knew that a simple lunch with an elderly woman would result in what it did!  I believe God places the people in your life for a reason.  It's not a mistake.  Remember to love those those around you.  Even take some time out to show someone a random act of kindness - you never know what could come of it.  

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

1 Corinthians 14:12

If you haven't visited Sally's Baking Addiction - you should!  That's where I found this fabulous recipe!  The original recipe calls for blueberries, but I exchanged them for blackberries since I have a plentiful supply of them in my freezer.  These turned out AMAZING!

Ingredients:

2 & 1/2 C whole wheat flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 C local honey

1/2 C brown sugar 

(you can substitute for honey  + molasses or sucanat)

2 mashed ripe bananas

1/4 C non-fat vanilla greek yogurt

1 large beaten egg

3/4 C almond milk

1 & 1/4 C fresh or frozen blackberries

1. In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon).

2.  In another bowl, mix together the honey and brown sugar.  Use a fork to break up the lumps.  Add in the mashed bananas, yogurt, and beaten egg.  It'll be really thick!

3.  Gently mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.  Add the almond milk 1/4 cup at a time.  Do not overmix the batter.  Fold in the blackberries.

4.  Spray 15 muffin tins with nonstick cooking spray.  Bake the first 12 muffins at 325 degrees for 18-2o minutes (poke the center with a toothpick and see if it comes out clean).  Bake the last 3 muffins - make sure you add a little water to the empty muffin tins. 

Each muffin is 131 calories!

I added a little of my homemade crockpot blackberry jam!  (I know, not skinny - but used in moderation.)  I'll give you the recipe for it soon!

ENJOY!

Strawberry Honey Oatmeal Muffins

My friend Jessica and I were on our way to a movie and were running a little late already when we ran out of gas.  So there we were in her car, less than a mile from my parents’ house – stuck.  I asked Jessica if she wanted me to call my dad, she responded, “But what will he say?”  I told her, “Oh, he’ll definitely have something to say!”  My dad was always known to have some kind of response – diddy-isms as we liked to call them.

                Well, dad came to the rescue (as he was always known for doing).  He brought his container of gas and as we knew he would, a humorous comment.  “Jessica, honey – the car doesn't run on air.  It doesn't run on air,” Dad said as he hugged Jessica and laughed.

                There are so many times that my dad came to the rescue.  Flat tires, failed alternators, dead batteries, lost without directions – all I had to do was call and my dad would drop everything and come running as fast as he could.  He always knew what to do to fix the problem. 

Even though I can no longer call on my earthly father to rescue me, I can still call on my heavenly father.  He is always there when I call on him.  His presence is a comfort during hard times.  I don’t always understand his ways, but I know that he’ll never forsake me.  He will always be there for me.  My circumstances may seem unbearable at times, but I know I don’t have to walk through them alone.

“Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the LORD. Jeremiah 1:8

“You came to my rescue, Lord, and saved my life.” Lamentations 3:58

Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. Psalm 23:4

I found this recipe over at Whole Foods New Body!  If you are looking for some great clean eating recipes, it is a great place to visit!

Ingredients:

 3 cups Quick Oats

3/4 cup vanilla almond milk

1/4 cup local honey

2 eggs

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 cup all natural applesauce

1/4 cup plain non-fat Greek yogurt

3/4 cup diced strawberries

1. Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl.  Fold in the strawberries last.  

2.  Divide into 14 muffin tins that have been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.  (I used baking cups, but they stuck really bad to the paper, so next time I'll just spray the tins.)

3.  Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.

Approximately 100 calories a muffin! 

Summer Muffins with Citrus Glaze

What better way to start off a Monday morning than with a little devotion and a low calorie muffin?  Some bread to feed your belly and some scripture to feed your soul.  Make sure you check back next monday for some more Monday Morning Muffins!

It was a normal day in Kindergarten - hectic, as always.  As usual, I wolfed down my lunch in 10 minutes and ran out to meet my 20 little five-year-olds in the hallway.  After throwing away their trash and dispensing of their tray and silverware, they would make their way into the hallway one by one.  As they came out, I was handed the clipboard and the lunch basket; with my lunchbox and water bottle already in hand, I was getting quite bogged down.  "I don't think I can carry all this," I said, trying to balance my load without dropping anything.  "Well, then it's a good thing you have me!" replied Bryson.  He was elated to carry the lunch basket for me and another student happily took the clipboard.  It took the simple words of an eager to remind me that I didn't have to do it on my own - that I had 20 little helpers who desperately wanted to help.  

Isn't this just like us sometimes?  We think we can carry it all on our own and try so desperately to balance it all without dropping everything.  We forget all along that God is there, anxiously waiting for us to hand it over to him.  Try as we might - we just can't do it on our own.  It's hard to lose control and hand it all over (easier said than done), but what a relief to know that we don't have to do it on our own.  I don't always understand my circumstances, but I do know that I serve a God who will uphold me in my darkest hour.  
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.  Isaiah 41:10 NIV

I was looking for a new recipe for Sunday brunch and I found this recipe at SparkRecipes!  It is a little involved, but was well worth the time.  Mine didn't turn out exactly like the ones in the picture on the website, but they were still very good. 

Ingredients:

1 egg
1 egg white
3⁄4 cup brown sugar
2 cups grated carrots
2 small zucchini, grated (about 1 cup,
excess moisture pressed out with a
paper towel)
1⁄3 cup canola oil
1 tbsp orange zest 
1 tsp baking powder
1⁄2 tsp baking soda
1⁄2 tsp cinnamon
1⁄4 tsp salt
2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour


For the Icing:
1 tbsp orange zest
2 tbsp orange juice
1⁄2 cup confectioner's sugar
Note: 1 large enough will give you enough zest and juice for the whole recipe

1.  Preheat the oven to 350.  Line 18 muffin cups with liners.

2.  Combine the eggs and brown sugar and a bowl.  Mix on medium speed with a hand mixer for 2 minutes.  Stir in the carrots, zucchini, oil, and orange zest.  

3.  Mix the dry ingredients together with a fork (cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and flour) and then add to the wet mixture.  Mix with the hand mixer until just combined.

4.  Divide the batter evenly among the 18 muffin cups.  Bake 18-20 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes in the pans, then transfer to a wire rack.

5.  Prepare the icing by whisking together the confectioner's sugar, orange zest, and orange juice.  I would only add the 2nd tbsp of orange juice if needed because mine turned out a little bit thin.  After the muffins have cooled, top each with 1 tsp of icing. 

I wondered how my family would like them, but they got my 4-year-old niece's stamp of approval!  I heard a loud declaration of, "I love these muffins!"  Not many were left over after brunch.

Nutrition Information: 145 calories, 4.9 g fat, 10.3 mg cholesterol, 115.2 mg sodium, 27.9 carbs, 2.4 fiber, 2.6 protein

Enjoy!