Weight Watchers Blueberry Muffins

The following recipe was featured in my Muffin Swap event. You can read about it and view other muffin recipes HERE.

Ann’s Weight Watchers Blueberry Muffins

Recipe adapted from HERE

2 cups whole wheat flour
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup Splenda
1/4 cup sugar free table syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 small carton egg beaters
1 cup fresh blueberries
1/2 cup fat free milk
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
Butter Flavored Pam

Preheat oven 350. Sift all dry indredients together. Set aside. In separate bowl, beat Splenda, syrup and vanilla. Add egg beaters slowly. Beat until fluffy. Alternately, add flour mixture and milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Fold in blueberries. Spray muffin pan with Pam and fill pan for 10 muffins. Bake for 25-30 mins or until toothpick comes out clean. Enjoy!

Chocolate Raspberry Swirl Muffins

The following recipe was featured in my Muffin Swap event. You can read about it and view other muffin recipes HERE.

Joelen’s Chocolate Raspberry Swirl Muffins
made with Hershey’s Chocolate RaspberryCream Filled Chips

Recipe adapted from HERE

2 cups white whole wheat flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 cup Vanilla soy milk (Silk brand)
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 raspberry puree (thawed & mashed frozen raspberries)
1 package Hershey’s Chocolate RaspberryCream Filled Chips

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Stir together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in a large bowl. Make a well in the center. In a small bowl or 2 cup measuing cup, beat egg with a fork. Stir in milk and oil. Pour all at once into the well in the flour mixture. Add the Hershey’s Chocolate RaspberryCream Filled Chips.

Mix quickly and lightly with a fork until moistened, but do not beat. The batter will be lumpy. Pour the batter into paper lined muffin pan cups.

Bake for 25 minutes, or until golden.n.

Banana Chocolate Chip Almond Muffins

The following recipe was featured in my Muffin Swap event. You can read about it and view other muffin recipes HERE.

Joelen’s Banana Chocolate Chip Almond Muffins

Recipe adapted from HERE

2 cups white whole wheat flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 cup Vanilla soy milk (Silk brand)
1/4 cup canola oil
1 rip banana, mashed
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup toasted slivered almonds

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Stir together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in a large bowl. Make a well in the center. In a small bowl or 2 cup measuing cup, beat egg with a fork. Stir in milk and oil. Pour all at once into the well in the flour mixture. Add the mashed banana, chocolate chips and almonds.

Mix quickly and lightly with a fork until moistened, but do not beat. The batter will be lumpy. Pour the batter into paper lined muffin pan cups.

Bake for 25 minutes, or until golden.

Mini Peppermint Patti Muffins

The following recipe was featured in my Muffin Swap event. You can read about it and view other muffin recipes HERE.

Joelen’s Mini Peppermint Patti Muffins
made with Hershey’s Mini York Peppermint Patti Chips

Recipe adapted from HERE

2 cups white whole wheat flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 cup Vanilla soy milk (Silk brand)
1/4 cup canola oil
1 package Hershey’s Mini York Peppermint Patti Chips

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Stir together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in a large bowl. Make a well in the center. In a small bowl or 2 cup measuing cup, beat egg with a fork. Stir in milk and oil. Pour all at once into the well in the flour mixture. Add the Hershey’s Mini Peppermint Patti baking chips.

Mix quickly and lightly with a fork until moistened, but do not beat. The batter will be lumpy. Pour the batter into paper lined muffin pan cups.

Bake for 25 minutes, or until golden.

Caramel Applesauce Cupcakes

This recipe was featured in my Springtime Cupcake swap event, which you can read about HERE.

Erin’s Caramel Applesauce Cupcakes:

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 cup finely chopped, peeled apple
(Granny Smith or Jonagold apples for baking)

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

2 large eggs

1 1/2 cups applesauce

1/2 cup melted butter

Combine all dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add eggs, butter, and applesauce. Mix for 2 minutes at slow speed. Scrape bowl. Mix at medium speed for 1 minute. Scrape bowl, and stir in chopped apples and walnuts.

Your oven should be preheated to 350 degrees. spoon cupcake batter into cupcake pans lined with paper or foil cupcake liners. You should fill each cup approximately 1/2 to 2/3 full making sure you have the same amount of batter in each cup.

Bake your cupcakes for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove the applesauce cupcakes from the pan, and cool completely on a wire rack.
Top with caramel topping or frosting and enjoy!

Peanut Butter Cup Chocolate Cupcakes

This recipe was featured in my Springtime Cupcake swap event, which you can read about HERE.

Charity’s Peanut Butter Cup Chocolate Cupcakes:

Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cook

Time: 22 Minutes
Ready In: 37 Minutes
Yields: 24 servings

2 cups all-purpose whole grain flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 cup and 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 package chocolate pudding mix
1/4 cup and 1 teaspoon butter, softened
2-1/4 cups white sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups milk
24 peanut butter cups

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin pan with paper or foil liners. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa, pudding mix, and salt. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well with each addition, then stir in the vanilla. Add the flour mixture alternately with the milk; beat well. Fill the muffin cups 3/4 full. Add peanut butter cups on top.

3. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted into the cupcakes comes out clean. Serve when cooled.

Pretzel Twisting, Anyone?

It’s yet another cold night and with some extra time on my hands, I decided to try a pretzel recipe that my friend Amber shared with me. However, I wanted to be a little more adventurous and add a healthy sweet spin.

Here’s my recipe for honey wheat apple cinnamon pretzels:

Dough:
1/8 cup hot water
1 envelope active dry yeast
1 1/3 cups warm water
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 cup applesauce
1/4 cup honey
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
4 cups whole wheat flour

Baking soda bath:
4 cups water
4 tablespoons baking soda

Cooking spray
Melted butter
Cinnamon sugar for topping

– Prep your baking soda bath by adding ingredients to a 3-4 qt pan and letting it come to a gentle boil.
– Prep another baking sheet with cooking spray, being sure it is fully greased.
– Preheat your oven to 475 degrees.

– In a large bowl, combine hot water & yeast. Stir until dissolved.
– Add warm water, brown sugar, applesauce, honey and cinnamon. Stir until combined.
– Slowly add 4 cups of whole wheat flour, stirring with a wooden spoon until mixture forms a dough that doesnt stick to the sides of the bowl.
– Lightly flour counter or a large baking sheet and also your hands.
– Knead the dough until it is stretch & smooth. Push dough down and away from you with the palms of your hands, turning the dough as you work.
– Divide the dough into 8 equal sized balls. Using the following 4 steaps, shape each dough balls into a pretzel shape:
1. Roll the dough into a 14″ long rope as thick as your thumb. Bend the dough into a U shape.
2. Cross one ends of the rope over the other one. The ropes should cross about 3″ from the tips.
3. Twist the crossed ends, making a full turn. Fold ends back, towards the middle of the U.
4. Open the ends slightly to form a pretzel shape. Press ends into the dough firmly.

– After you’ve made your pretzels, your baking soda bath will be ready.
– Using a pancake turner/wide slotted spatula, immerse one pretzel into the water and allow it to come up to the surface. It will float when its ready – about 30-35 seconds.
– Place pretzel onto your greased cookie sheet, shaking off excess water.
– Spray the tops of your pretzels with cooking spray and bake for 8-10 minutes.
– Remove from oven and place on cooling rack.
– Brush with melted butter and top with cinnamon sugar.