mixed berry muesli

I am on my second trip in less than two weeks. Only this time instead of heading to the balmy desert to enjoy poolside mojitos paired with copious amounts of sunshine, I'm headed to the great white....East coast. Pittsburgh to be exact. While I have normally avoided the Steel City this time of year since my move to Seattle, my adorable newborn nephew pulled me homeward this February. And let me tell you, even 60 and sunny felt cold after Palm Springs. Now I'm stuck in a 27 degree snow globe with three - yes, three - feet of snow on the ground. Shivering yet?

All this cold weather left me looking for something a little more satisfying - and warmer - than my typical fruit and yogurt breakfast. Enter muesli. If you've never heard of muesli it's simply any mixture of cereals, dried fruit and nuts that is typically eaten for breakfast. I can attest that it's delicious and the perfect cure for a frigid Pittsburgh morning. Another bonus, the recipe that I'm showcasing here is reminiscent of a decadent berry crumble...but without the guilt. It's that good. Enjoy!

mixed berry muesli
makes 4-6 one cup servings

2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
1/4 cup toasted almonds, chopped
1 cup fresh or frozen mixed berries
1/4 dried cherries, chopped
1 tablespoon cinnamon
a dash of freshly ground nutmeg
1/2 cup low fat milk
1 1/2 cups low sugar mixed berry juice

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl or container that will hold at least one quart. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Serve warm (can be heated in the microwave) or cold with yogurt.

blueberry banana muffins

I've been out of town, and consequently out of my kitchen, for the past week soaking up some much needed sun in Palm Springs, CA. After five beautiful days filled with plenty of time by the pool, margaritas, loads of mexican food and the necessary supplemental peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, I was excited to find my way back to the kitchen this morning.

The house was quiet when I awoke. I unpacked (ambitious), got dressed for a run (also ambitious) then set about getting my hands dirty in my favorite way. On the agenda this sunny Seattle Saturday - healthy blueberry banana muffins. I can't believe I made muffins this morning considering the onslaught of enchiladas, ice cream and tequila I tortured my body with in Palm Springs - but hey, what's a girl to do? These muffins were however inspired by a friend of mine who had stopped cooking for awhile due to a "disaster" he had with banana bread. Disaster. His words, not mine! For those of you who love to spend as much time in the kitchen as I do, you know that baking requires more attention to measurement than cooking. In fact, one mishap in this area can result in a "disaster" as my friend unfortunately discovered. Not only did he add extra bananas to his recipe (for that extra banana-y flavor - not recommended) he also included one whole CUP of baking soda. That's right. A CUP! I'll give you a moment to think about that. If you're conjuring up the taste of toothpaste, and having a good chuckle, you're on the right track. The muffins I made this morning have the correct amount of baking soda (powder actually in this case). Promise.

This recipe is considered healthy due to the minimal amount of sugar in it; most of the sweetness comes from the bananas and blueberries. Also, oat bran and very little oil and egg help. So in my friend's honor - banana inspired muffins. Enjoy!

blueberry banana muffins
makes 6 mammoth muffins (or 12 standard sized muffins)

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup oat bran
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup mashed ripe bananas (approximately 3)
1/2 cup low fat milk (or soy)
1 large egg
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen, unthawed, blueberries
1 - 2 tablespoons raw sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line 6 (or 12) muffin cups with paper liners. Combine dry ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk to blend.

Place mashed bananas in a large bowl. Stir in milk, egg, oil and lemon juice. Mix in dry ingredients; then fold in blueberries. Divide batter amongst the muffin cups. They should each be almost full. Sprinkle tops with raw sugar. Bake muffins approximately 20 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Turn out muffins onto a wire rack and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.