Muffin Mix Makeover

So I've been doing a bunch of experimenting with ways to healthify baking mixes for things like cakes and muffins. I mean, let's face it, mixes are easier when you are going 100 different directions like this mom is, and my kids love chocolate chip muffins for breakfast. The problem with most of the mixes you find at the average grocery store is that they aren't very nutrient rich. I've had some great successes (and some not so great mishaps) that I'd like to share with anyone interested.

1st Recipe:

Preheat oven to 375*

1 pouch Chocolate Chip Muffin Mix (for this recipe I used Betty Crocker)

*the recipe calls for 1/2 cup of water*

Substitution:

1/2 cup Greek Yogurt (unflavored/nonfat)
1/3 cup Natural Applesauce
1 scoop protein powder
1/3 cup PB2 (optional)
2 tbsp peanut butter chips (optional)
Water to thin mixture to your desired consistency.


Spray mini muffin pay with Olive Oil spray (or Vegetable). Fill muffin cups 2/3 way - it should make 18 mini muffins. Bake as directed on package. The muffins will look a little different - the tops won't be smooth, but they a so moist and taste fabulous!

Nutritional Values

-Regular Recipe-
3 Mini Muffins
Amount Per Serving
Calories 130 Calories from Fat 35
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 3.5 G	6
Saturated Fat 1.5 G	8
Trans Fat 0.5 G
Cholesterol 0 Mg	0
Sodium 210 Mg	9
Potassium 40 Mg	1
Total Carbohydrate 22 G	7
Dietary Fiber 1 G	3
Sugars 11 G
Protein 2 G
Thiamin	4
Riboflavin	2
Niacin	2
Folic Acid	2

-Healthier Recipe-

3 Mini Muffins
Amount Per Serving
Calories 70
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 1.2 G
Saturated Fat .07 G
Trans Fat 0.5 G
Cholesterol 0.3 mg
Sodium 32.1 mg
Potassium 6.8 mg
Total Carbohydrate 4.5 G
Dietary Fiber 1 G
Sugars 2.3 G
Protein 2 G
Thiamin	4.5
Riboflavin	5
Niacin	2

Plus small amounts of Vitamin A, Magnesium, Calcium, and Iron


While baking from scratch is ideal, moms on the go don't always have the kind of time it takes to do so. Mixes can be made healthier with a few simple substitutions.  Enjoy!

The Yum Factor of Kale Chips

Kale is a nutritional standout in three basic areas: (1) antioxidant and anti-inflammatory nutrients, (2) much-needed micronutrients (in which the average U.S. adult is currently deficient), and (3) cancer-preventive nutrients called glucosinolates. (for more info on Kale, click HERE to visit the World's Healthiest Foods website)

I'm not sure when or where I first remember hearing about KALE CHIPS, but I do recall thinking that they sounded gross. As I've researched different foods for their anti-inflammatory benefits, the one food that always seemed to be highlighted as a super food was Kale. The problem with Kale is that it is quite bitter when raw so, last week I decided to buy some Kale and try out a chip recipe of my own.

I bought the curly leaf kale from Hy-Vee. You can get it in organic (or not). I read around 15 online recipes for Kale Chips. Many of them called for season salt, and I am not a big fan of season salt. None of the recipes recommended the same temperature for baking. In the end, I decided to do my own thing...would you expect anything less?!

Supplies Needed

• 1 bunch of DRY Kale
• Couple of Tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Freshly Ground Supreme Pepper
• Freshly Ground Himalayan Pink Sea Salt
• Foil
• None Insulted Baking Pan

RECIPE

1. Preheat oven to 350*.
2. Cut the *DRY* Kale leaves from the stalk - into a little larger than bite size pieces (the kale shrinks during the cooking process).
3. Pour 1 Tbsp of Olive Oil into a medium mixing bowl. Add pepper and salt to taste (I didn't measure my salt and pepper - I gave the pepper mill 3 twists and the salt 2. Only YOU know how much salt and pepper you like on your food).
4. Add the *DRY* Kale leaves to the oil/spice mix and stir until the leaves look lightly coated. If it doesn't look like you have enough oil, you can add more - but do not drench the leaves! The goal is to give them some flavor, not make them greasy.
5. Line the baking pan with foil then place the Kale curl-side down. The Kale will flatten as it bakes. The leaves should be spaced out so they aren't overlapping.
6. Add a little more salt or pepper if you desire.
7. Bake in a 350* oven for approximately 10 minutes - rotating pan halfway through. Baking time will vary depending on the size of the leaves.
8. Take Kale Chips out of oven once they are crispy. They will have some browning around the edges.
9. They taste best when eaten right out of the oven. Enjoy!

*The KEY to making good Kale Chips is having completely DRY Kale. My Kale had been in the frig a few days, so it had some moisture on it. Prior to baking - I laid the stalks out on paper towels for a couple of hours after patting them dry. I have also seen where people use salad spinners for a quick dry. I have read that baking damp/wet kale results in a horrible smell in the house and an product that isn't fit to eat*

Pepper Stuffed Peppers

I'm always looking for ways to make traditional recipes my own. I do this by adding or subtracting or manipulating the ingredients to make them healthier and/or tastier. Stuffed Peppers have been a favorite of mine since I learned how to make them in high school. Traditional stuffed pepper recipes call for butter or oil, added salt, white rice, tomato sauce, and ground beef.

For this recipe, I omitted butter/oil and salt. I used diced tomatoes with green chilies instead of plain old tomato sauce then replaced the ground beef with my meat mixture and the white rice with brown. I also added two other types of peppers to my mixture to give the stuffing a flavor boost.

Peppers are a great source of nutrients - including C, A, and B-complex vitamins.

*Tip:  I am not a fan of any kind of ground meat due to fat content and texture, but Jess enjoys ground beef. Diabetics and those with metabolic disorders are supposed to limit their red meat consumption to a couple of servings a week, so I started browning 93/7 ground beef with ground white turkey in equal proportions and season with Slap Ya' Momma. I use this meat mixture in chili, soup, tacos, etc...without any complaint from Jess (so far).

Recipe

• 4 Stuffable Green Peppers
• 1 Banana Pepper
• 3 Sweet Mini Yellow, Red, or Orange Peppers
• 1 14oz Can Diced Tomatoes w/ Green Chilies
• 1 1/2 -2 Cups Cooked Brown Rice
• 3-4 oz. Browned Meat (see above)
• 1 Cup Shredded Cheese (any kind)
• salt to taste (I use none)

Directions:

1. Preheat Oven to 375*.
2. Cut tops off of green peppers and remove middles - do not break peppers open. Add peppers to a pot of boiling water. Reduce heat and simmer, cooking 5 minutes. Remove peppers, placing them top-down on a paper towel to drain water out.  *Overcooking the green peppers makes them soft and reduces nutrient content.
3. While green peppers are cooking, dice banana & mini peppers. Mix together cooked rice, diced tomatoes/chilies, browned meat, and diced peppers.
4. Spray a baking dish with non-stick spray. Place green peppers in baking dish and fill with stuffing mixture to the point of "over-stuffing" them. Place remaining stuffing mix around base of peppers.
5. Bake for 8 minutes then remove from oven. Sprinkle with shredded cheese and return to oven. Bake a few more minutes - until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Serve warm! These stuffed peppers have 34-38 carbs per pepper.

Vegetarian Alternative - since I don't eat ground meat, I wait to add the browned meat to my stuffing mix until after I've filled one or two of the peppers with the rice mixture. I use a little cheese in the middle when I make the "vegetarian" version.

*Tip: Anytime I get peppers from my grandparents' garden or the store in bulk, I will freeze the ones I don't use  - WHOLE. This preserves the flavor and makes them easier to work with later.

Pears. Glorious. Golden. Pears.

Every fall, the branches of my Grandma and Grandpa Maples' pear tree hang heavy with pears - the sweetest, juiciest, most glorious pears ever.  Grandma has always been good about sending bags of produce home with us after Sunday dinner.  In years past, I haven't taken many pears, because the boys don't eat them as well as they do apples.  But this year was different.  After canning salsa this summer, I decided I'd like to try canning some pear butter.  So after their 80th Birthday dinner in October, I asked my Grandma if I could take a whole crate full - and ended up with a crate and two sacks full of home grown pears.  Now, if you are going to can pears, regardless of the recipe, it's best to let them soften a bit - so says Grandma.  Not too soft though.  They should be to the point where they are just beginning to ripen.  Firm but not hard.  I sorted through my pears - pulling the ones that were ready to eat and putting them in the frig.  Pears will last a while if stored in a nice cold produce drawer.  The remainder of the pears were left in the crate and put in the garage to ripen a bit.  I left the pears for about a week.  The first crate was eventually peeled (for Pear Butter and Spiced Pears) and then the second crate I got a few weeks ago was only washed - I cut the bad spots out of both bacthes prior to chopping up.

While waiting for the pears to ripen "a bit," I scoured the internet for diabetic-friendly recipes.  The problem with canning any kind of fruit is that most recipes call for an enormous amount of sugar.  More sugar than most people need to consume, let alone a diabetic.  In the end, I decided to adapt a few recipes and make my own.  That's how I ended up with 4 fabulous recipes centered around Grandma Maples' pears:  Low-Sugar Salted-Carmel Pear Butter, Low-Sugar Spiced Pears for the Freezer, Low-Sugar Cinnamon Pear Jam, and Low-Sugar Vanilla Bean Pear Jam (from here on out, Low-Sugar will be abbreviated with LS).  I must admit that my favorite recipes are the Salted Carmel Pear Butter and the Vanilla Bean Pear Jam.  The flavors in both of these are unique and crisp - the PEAR shines through and isn't overpowered by strong spices.  Jess prefers the Cinnamon Pear Jam and Spiced pears.  Both of these are a tad more traditional in flavor.  I feel like the four recipes offer a little something for everyone!

 

Pears are a great source of fiber and vitamin C.  They are an excellent low calorie, sweet treat.  Pears are also easy to can.  Yes - easy.  They are naturally juicy which means they make their own syrup and don't need extra water while cooking down.  In my opinion, this also means less sugar is needed. 

Now, canning doesn't have to be difficult or intimidating.  It isn't expensive either.  I purchased my large, porcelain canner with a rack in it for $18.97 from Wal-Mart.  I highly recommend

 getting a jar lifter and funnel.  The other utensils sold with the canning supplies might come in handy but aren't really necessary.  I started off this summer with pint jars but quickly figured out that half pint jars are ideal for small batches and for gift giving.  I love the wide-mouth half pint jars - they are cute and really showcase the flecks of vanilla bean in the Vanilla Bean Pear Jam.  Stores now carry no/low sugar pectin.  Get this.  It is an important part of the thickening process, especially since my recipes call for less sugar. 

 

CANNING TIPS:  Your canning pot will come with instructions on how to use it.  Jars can be boiled or run through the dishwasher prior to use.  I use my sink, filled with hot tap water, to keep the jars warm pre-canning (remember to sanitize said sink prior to use).  The jars should be wiped down quickly with a clean paper towel prior to placing the butter/jam in them. Most recipes you find will tell you how long to process the jars - it can be anywhere from 10-20 minutes.  All of my canned pear products only take 10 minutes in boiling water. Make sure to leave 1/4 inch head space between product and lid and do not over tighten ring - it should easily turn (finger tip turn).  Once you've removed the jars from the boiling water, they need to cool overnight (at least 12hrs) before you press the middle-top of the lid in to see if they sealed properly.  If the lid makes a "clicking" noise when pressed, it did not seal properly.  I suggest putting this jar in the frig or sharing it with someone you know will eat the pear butter/jam right away.  Both can also be placed in a freezer bag and frozen until you are ready to eat. 

 

RECIPES

LS Salted-Carmel Pear Butter (adapted from nomnivorous.com) -- 4 pints/8 half pints

 

I love this recipe because it is simple and can be thrown into the crock pot without much fuss.  The flavors are fabulous and do not overpower the pear like most traditional fruit butter recipes do.  It screams "Welcome Fall"!  Eat it on toast, in yogurt, on pancakes, add to muffins or cake mixes, etc...  The possibilities are endless!

• 7lbs (22-24 medium size) pears - peeled*
• 2 Tbsp. pure vanilla extract
• 4 Tbsp. lemon juice (doesn't have to be fresh)
• 1 cup Turbinado (RAW) Sugar
• 1 tsp. sea salt
• 1/8 tsp. ginger
• 1/8 tsp. all spice
• 1-2 Tbsp. pectin

Directions:

1. Peel pears (a carrot peeler makes quick work of it) and cut into chunks.  Place in a slow cooker (6-8qt).
2. Add vanilla, 1/2 cup of the sugar, lemon juice and stir.  Place cooker on low, cover with lid, and let the pears stew for 8 hours.
3. 8 hours later - add remaining ingredients.  Using an immersion blender (or potato masher), puree' the mixture until smooth.
4. The new mixture is going to simmer on low for about 12-14 more hours, which will allow the ingredients to meld into a rich, salted-carmel flavor .  The lid should be propped open with chopsticks or a wooden spoon.  If the lid is not propped open - the mixture will not thicken.
5. Between 7-9 hours into the second cook phase, stir the mixture and conduct a taste/consistency test.  Adjust the salt, sugar, etc...to you taste. 
6. Once it the butter has reached the consistency you prefer, fill the jars and can it according to the instructions (process in boiling water 10 minutes), freeze, or store in frig for 2-4 weeks.

*Pears do not have to be peeled.  I prefer peeled pears for pear butter because it gives it a smoother consistency.  It is cooked on low the entire time to give the pear syrup and ingredients a chance to carmelize (thus the name Salted-Carmel).  I will warn you that the first time I made this, I did not cook it down long enough with the lid propped open -- it took a lot longer than the recipe calls for to reach the consistency I wanted.  Remember to prop the lid open!  Finally, the Turbinado sugar is a healthier choice than the refined sugars (including brown), but it does have a higher water content.  This is why pectin is necessary in this recipe.

LS Vanilla Bean Pear Jam  (adapted from foodinjars.com) -- 6 pints/12 half pints

I think this is my favorite fruit preserve recipe - ever!  There is something about the simple flavors of the pear and vanilla bean that make this jam a luscious treat.  This jam packages up the prettiest - all golden with lovely specks of vanilla bean peeking through - which is why I used the special half pint jars to can them in!  Brie and this Pear Jam are awesome together!

• 10 cups of chopped pears -- skins on (medium-large sized pears)
• 1-2 vanilla beans (depending on how vanilla-y you want it) -- split and scraped and sectioned*
• 2 cups Turbinado (RAW) Sugar
• 3-4 Tbsp. no/low sugar pectin

Directions:

1. Combine chopped pears and sectioned vanilla beans, as well as all of the loveliness that was scraped out of the beans, in a large bowl -- stir.  Cover with lid or foil and place in frig overnight.
2. Place pear mixture and remaining ingredients in a large pot - cooking over medium heat until fruit is easily smashed with a spoon. 
3. Once fruit has softened remove the solid vanilla bean pieces.*  Then using an immersion blender, or potato masher, smash the mixture until it is semi-smooth.  Remember - jam isn't supposed to be lump free like jelly!
4. Add pectin and bring to a rolling boil.  Mixture should boil for 1-5 minutes to activate the pectin (no/low sugar pectin products can take 1-2 weeks to fully thicken on the shelf or a few hours in the frig).
5. Fill the jars and can it according to the instructions (process in boiling water 10 minutes), freeze, or store in frig for 2-4 weeks.

*I will talk about what you can do with your "spent" vanilla bean sections in an upcoming post.

LS Cinnamon Pear Jam (adapted from foodinjars.com) -- 4 pints/8 half pints

This recipe is Jess' favorite.  He was hooked after one taste.  The cinnamon in this recipe gives it a more traditional Fall flavor.  It isn't overpowering but is distinct.  It is a nice variation of a fruit spread and makes a great gift!  The color will be darker than the Vanilla Bean Pear Jam due to the cinnamon. 

6 cups of chopped pears -- skins on (medium-large sized pears)

2 cups Turbinado (RAW) Sugar

2Tbsp. lemon juice

2-3 Tbsp. no/low sugar pectin

1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon (I prefer Saigon cinnamon.)

Directions:

1. Combine chopped pears and sugar in a large pot - cooking over medium heat until fruit is easily smashed with a spoon.   
2. Once fruit has softened - add cinnamon and lemon juice. Then using an immersion blender, or potato masher, smash the mixture until it is semi-smooth. Remember - jam isn't supposed to be lump free like jelly!
3. Add pectin and bring to a rolling boil. Mixture should boil for 1-5 minutes to activate the pectin (no/low sugar pectin products can take 1-2 weeks to fully thicken on the shelf or a few hours in the frig).
4. Fill the jars and can it according to the instructions (process in boiling water 10 minutes), freeze, or store in frig for 2-4 weeks.

So there you have it folks!  Three unique recipes that cut the sugar content in half compared to other recipes out there for similar butters/jams.  Not totally carb free but much more diabetic and calorie friendly.  I hope you have the opportunity to try one of them sometime.  It is definitely well worth the time and effort to make (and can) your own fruit spreads! 

Next time on Luscious Living - LS Spiced Pears, "Crisps," and using "spent" vanilla beans.


~Devine Persuits~    Tish