Healthy Blender

Naturally Fermented Hearty White Bread

2010-11-27T20:01:00.001-05:00

Published by healthyblender.blogspot.com.

Who says white bread cannot be fully flavored and hearty? Forget your childhood memories of Wonder Bread and step in the world of natural fermentation, where a slice of bread becomes a meal. This bread is relatively mild with a slight sourdough taste and a chewy satisfying texture.

I followed the no knead methodology, using a one step fermentation process. No separate starter is needed.

Ingredients
4 cups All-Purpose flour (white)
2 cups water
5 by 7 inch non-stick bread pan

Recipe
Mix the flour and water in a bowl or container that can be covered. The dough is sticky during the first mixing; don’t worry if all the flour is not integrated or the dough is lumpy. Let the dough sit uncovered for an hour. Yeast and other flavoring microbes will be attracted. But don’t worry; all will be killed during the baking.

The fermentation process takes about 3 days in warmer climates, longer in cooler climates. Each day, stir the dough once and leaving it uncovered for about an hour. Once the dough is extremely bubbly and has increased 50% in volume, the fermentation process is finished.

Pour the moist dough into a buttered 5 by 7 inch non-stick bread pan. Let the dough proof for 2 hours. (Proofing is simply letting the dough rise in the baking pan before baking.) After proofing the dough should rise to neat the top of the pan. Proofing should not be skipped. Without proofing the texture of the bread might not be consistent.

Bake for 40 minutes at 400º (preheated), and then flip onto cooling rack immediately out of the oven. Let cool and enjoy.

Pumpkin Raisin Muffins (Update 1)

2010-11-27T19:53:00.002-05:00

Published by healthyblender.blogspot.com.

This is a slight refinement to my “Light and Fluffy Pumpkin Muffins” recipe. Less eggs, more flour, and a good helping of cinnamon. They still retain their very pumpkin taste with a light moist texture. The recipe makes 12 medium muffins.

Ingredients
15oz. can of pumpkin
2 eggs
1½ cups of water
2 tablespoons of baking powder
1 tablespoon of cinnamon
½ pound of raisins
4 cups of whole wheat flour

Recipe
Whisk the eggs; then stir in the water, pumpkin, baking powder and cinnamon. Add the raisins and then work in the flour until smooth. Butter the 12 well muffin pan and fill. It is OK to over fill as this is a thick batter.

Bake for 20 minutes in a preheated 425º oven. Sit back and enjoy the cozy aroma

You Can’t Lose Weight Counting Calories

2010-08-01T15:08:00.004-04:00

Published by healthyblender.blogspot.com.

Never too fat, never too thin, I have always studied the theories of weight control and discounted most of the popular fads. I’ve been an avid exerciser, at times more than necessary. But what I’ve learned over the last few years is that calories are one of the most misleading guides to weight control.

The two concepts that helped me most in my unscientific journey to finding my body’s proper equilibrium are food particle size and the expansion and contraction of my stomach and digestive system. Pseudo-scientific books and articles led me to understand how particle size influences digestion and the accordion action of the stomach. Over time the stomach expands and shrinks as needed. But this does not happen instantly.

I am primarily a vegetarian, but not an indulgent one. I drink a small amount of milk and eat cheese, seafood and poultry occasionally. My key to success is to avoid factory processed foods entirely, include the so called casual dining and fast food restaurants. The center isles of grocery stores, including Whole Foods (WFMI) are the most dangerous.

By now everyone has been grilled on the benefits of complex carbohydrates, but why does it matter? The small food particles are the smoother they taste, but also the easier they are to absorb in the digestive system. Pastry flour is ground into much smaller particles than all-purpose flour, which again is smaller than whole wheat flour. A calorie of pastry flour is more likely to be absorbed that the other two. Most processed foods are designed for maximum smoothness in the mouth and taste, so they are based on minimum particle size.

A handful of raw peanuts and a spread of peanut butter might have the same number of calories, but by now you understand that the absorption ratio will be quite different. Chewing the peanuts in your mouth will never match the particle size of the peanut butter when you swallow. The same can be said for oranges and orange juice, and apples and applesauce.

The media has paid a lot of attention to radical gastric bypass surgery to shrink the stomach and reduce the size of the small intestine. This prevents the patient from overeating and reduces the absorption surface area of the small intestine. This temporary fix has shown dramatic results, but can be undone without discipline since the shrunken stomach pouch can expand again.

I found that when I gave up meat and packaged foods my stomach shrank naturally over a period of time. I cannot eat large quantities of food without feeling overstuffed. This has created totally natural breaks in my food consumption.

Eliminating processed foods will also reduce your cravings for sweets and eventually lead you to be repulsed by the foods that you once craved. Now I find unsweetened baker’s chocolate to have a much more intense flavor than a Hershey (HSY) bar. And after even a small amount of ice cream, even the best quality brands start tasting icy.

Finally, don’t be lulled into feeling comfortable with organic or all natural processed foods. There is no reason to believe that the absorption of organic pastry flour is any different than conventional pastry flour.

In my article "Casual Dining: Frozen Dinners with Waitress Service", I reviewed former FDA Commissioner David Kessler’s book “The end of overeating.” Kessler provides a detailed description of the business of engineered food.

Naturally Fermented 100% Whole Wheat Sourdough Rolls

2010-02-02T15:16:00.013-05:00

Published by healthyblender.blogspot.com.

I have finally perfected the natural fermentation of 100% whole wheat rolls. I say rolls because when I tried to make a 100% whole wheat bread, the inside was still raw while the outside was overdone.

These rolls are wonderfully chewy with a sour cheesy taste. The crust is light. The flavor is rich without being overwhelming. The fermentation process takes 3 to 5 days.

I do not use a starter; instead I ferment the whole dough. The trick to natural fermentation is the balance of flour to water and type of flour. I use a 2 to 1 flour to water ratio. Too wet a dough ferments too much bacteria and rolls become overly acidic. Too little water and no action takes place.

It is important to use whole wheat flour for the rise. Whole wheat flour contains much more dormant yeast than white or all-purpose flour. The objective is to awaken the yeast to raise the dough and create the rich sour flavor.

Ingredients
6 cups whole wheat flour
3 cups water

Recipe
Place the whole wheat flour in a large container, than add the water on top. Stir with a large damp wooden spoon. Don’t worry if not all of the flour is wet. The water will seep into the dry flour of time.

Let the container sit on the counter during the day and refrigerate overnight. Remove the counter’s cap for about an hour each day. After the dough starts to develop bubbles, stir once a day to integrate any dry flour.

When the dough show lots of bubbles, dump on top of a 12 well buttered muffin pan. Use a damp large wooden spoon to push the dough into the wells.

Bake for 30 minutes at 400°. Flip the pan and the rolls should drop out. Let cool for an hour and enjoy!

High Protein Cocoa Breakfast Drink (Update 1)

2009-12-27T15:56:00.001-05:00

Published by healthyblender.blogspot.com.

It’s Mercury Retrograde, so it’s time revise and improve! Since my original recipe in July of this year I have been constantly trying new ingredients and tweaking measurements. My simple protein drink has become a lot more full flavored and nutritious.

The truth is somewhere between science and myth for the health benefits of most spices and minerals. You might or might not experience the same benefits that I did from my enhancements.

Cinnamon is believed to control blood sugar and retard the onset of diabetes. Turmeric is believed to prevent or retard cancer and inflammation. Wheat germ contains a high degree of protein and essential vitamins and minerals. In addition to containing minerals, pure sea salt is alkaline and helps balance excess acid.

A word of caution on sea salt: leave it out if you eat any processed or restaurant foods. You are getting too much salt already. Being vegetarian and eating no processed foods, I consume virtually no salt. I believe that I needed the sea salt for PH balance.

In the three weeks since I started adding sea salt to my breakfast drink, my muscle response to weight training improved miraculously. I have also found that the sea salt reduces bloating and shrinks my stomach – important for vegetarians. I am more cut and toned than ever, but I offer no promises for you.

The ground flax contains both soluble and insoluble fiber. But ground flax is unlikely to provide the cancer prevention benefits of flax oil. I take 2 tablespoons a day of flax oil separately, along with a good helping of green leafy vegetables at lunch.

Of course everyone has heard about the antioxidant power of cocoa. So enjoy it outside the world of cake and candy.

I am in perfect health and constantly experimenting with food and spices. Please don’t take my experimentation as medical advice.

Ingredients
1 cup nonfat milk
3 raw eggs
2 tablespoons ground flax
1/3 cup wheat germ
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon turmeric
¼ teaspoon sea salt
4 tablespoons 100% pure unsweetened natural cocoa powder
6 rounded tablespoons non-fat unsweetened plain yogurt

Recipe
Add nonfat milk, eggs, ground flax, wheat germ, cinnamon, turmeric and sea salt to the blender. Blend at low speed for 10 seconds. Caution: Skip the raw eggs if you are older, very young or have weak immune system.

Next, add the unsweetened cocoa and blend at low speed for 10 seconds. Add the yogurt, blend at low speed for 10 seconds and then at high speed for 10 seconds.

Light and Fluffy Corn-Raisin Muffins

2009-12-13T14:49:00.004-05:00

Published by healthyblender.blogspot.com.

This is the light and fluffy version of my previous corn muffin recipe. 25% less cornmeal and 25% less whole wheat flour are added to the same amount of eggs and water. The result is a less dense, but still satisfying texture. This time I included raisins for an added touch of sweetness.

The recipe makes 12 medium size muffins plus some extra batter to make some cookie size treats. I topped the cookies with some raw unsalted peanuts for fun.

Ingredients
3 eggs
3 cups water
1 tablespoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons baking powder
3 cups whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon honey
1 cup raisin
3 cups cornmeal
½ cup raw unsalted peanuts (optional)

Recipe
Whisk eggs in large bowl. Add water and baking powder and whisk. Add the whole wheat flour and stir until fully integrated, then work in the honey and raisins. Lastly, stir in the cornmeal until it’s fully integrated.

Preheat the oven to 425°. Butter a 12 medium well muffin pan and a large cookie sheet. Fill the muffin wells to the top and ladle small pancake size cookies on the baking sheet with the rest of the batter. Press a few peanuts into each cookie. (You can skip the cookies if you have an extra muffin pan.) Bake for 20 minutes.

Easy Natural Fermentation Sourdough Bread

2009-10-22T20:01:00.001-04:00

Published by healthyblender.blogspot.com.

I call this my Swiss cheese bread because of its texture and taste. I use a combination of natural fermentation and no-knead techniques to develop chewy, but not too tart bread. The entire process takes a week since I develop a fresh starter for each loaf. For convenience I use the same container to age the starter and then soak the dough.

Very little work is required and no specials skills are needed. No store bought yeast is required as we are capturing the natural yeast from the flour and the environment. Store bough yeast has no flavor and we are creating a full-flavored bread. I’ve found cornmeal speeds up the fermentation process. Start the process for the next loaf after you bake this loaf so you can keep on rolling!

Ingredients
1 cup cornmeal
5 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 cups water
1 cup sunflower seeds (optional)

Recipe
First we will build the starter. Pour 1 cup of water into a container with a lid. Add 1/8 cup of flour and the same amount of cornmeal each day for 5 days. This is called feeding the starter. After about 2 days the mixture should develop mild air bubbles and turn slightly yellowish. The mixture will smell slightly sour with a wheat aroma.

Keep the starter at room temperature during the days and refrigerate overnight.

On day 6, add 1 more cup of water to the starter and the remaining cornmeal and flour. Stir, but don’t worry about lumps. Add the optional sunflower seeds and stir. Let the dough sit covered in the refrigerator for 24 hours. This will allow the gluten to form without the yeast being too active.

On day 7, pour the dough into a large bowl and let rise for 6 hours. Stir or fold at the halfway point.

Preheat the oven to 400°. Butter a 5 by 9 inch bread pan and pour the wet sticky dough in. Bake for 45 minutes.The bread should fall right out of the pan. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate. The bread cuts best after it is completely cold.

Light and Fluffy Pumpkin Muffins

2009-10-14T14:42:00.001-04:00

Published by healthyblender.blogspot.com.

I’ve found that the ratio of liquid ingredients to flour determines whether muffins are lighter like bread or heavier and more crumbly. The higher the liquid contact of the batter to flour, the lighter the muffins will become. An extra cup of flour would give you a very dense crumbly muffin. Remember to count the pumpkin as a liquid.

Pumpkin makes a good base for a variety of spices. I like cinnamon and some raisins for extra sweetness. You can substitute honey for raisins or add ground nutmeg or cayenne pepper for some heat.

This recipe makes 8 to 10 large muffins. The muffins in the picture are spiced with cinnamon and sweetened with honey. To my disappointment, I forgot the raisins.

Ingredients
3 eggs
1½ cups water
2 tablespoons baking powder
1 tablespoon cinnamon
15 oz. can of pumpkin
3 cups whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon honey
1 cup raisins (optional)

Recipe
Whisk eggs in a large bowl, then whisk in water and baking powder. Add cinnamon and whisk. Add pumpkin and whisk.

Stir in flour with a large wooden spoon. Add honey and thoroughly stir until all of the flour and honey is absorbed in the batter. Then fold the optional raisins into the batter.

Preheat the oven to 425°. Butter large muffin pans with 8 to 10 wells. Ladle batter, filling the wells to about ¼ inch of the top. Bake for 20 minutes and let sit for 10 minute before removing. The muffin will need to cool on a baking rack in about 1 hour.

Easy Peanut Raisin Bread

2009-10-13T10:50:00.003-04:00

Published by healthyblender.blogspot.com.

This is a hearty breakfast or dessert bread. Chewy and very filling; this is a satisfying treat without the need for any sweetening. No kneading is required, just a little stirring or folding of the dough and time will develop the gluten. Let patience do the work for you!

Ingredients
2 to 3 cups water
5 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
½ cup cornmeal
¼ tablespoon rapid-rise yeast
1 cup raisins
1 cup peanuts
¼ cup sunflower seeds for topping

Recipe
Mix water, flour and cornmeal in a container with a lid and let sit for 24 hours. It’s okay for the mixture to be lumpy. Include enough water for the mixture to be very moist, including a thin layer of water on top of the mixture. Leave at room temperature covered (sealed) for at least 12 of the 24 hours and refrigerate overnight.

The next morning, pour the sticky dough with excess water into a large bowl, then sprinkle the yeast of the dough and stir. Add the raisins and peanuts and fold the dough. Let the dough sit for at least 6 hours. Cover bowl with wax paper. Fold the dough at the midway point.

Preheat the oven to 400°. Butter a 5 by 9 inch bread pan and pour the wet sticky dough in. Sprinkle the sunflower seeds over the top of the dough. Bake for 45 minutes.

Bread should fall right out of the pan. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate. The bread cuts best after it is completely cold.

Easy Wheat Kernel Bread

2009-09-25T15:52:00.002-04:00

Published by healthyblender.blogspot.com.

When is a slice of bread a meal? When you make your own thick and chewy bread, you are on your way! Combine a slightly sourdough base with hearty wheat kernels. The kernels are the actual wheat seeds from which flour, bran and germ are derived. This bread takes time, but not much effort. So give yourself a few days and have some fun!

Ingredients
1 cup wheat kernels
5 cups all-purpose flour (unbleached)
2 cups water

Recipe
Soak 1 cup of wheat kernels for 24 hours in covered container. The kernels can be refrigerated while soaking.

Stir 5 cups of all-purpose flour into 2 cups of water and let sit for 24 hours in a separate covered container. Don’t worry about lumps or dry flour spots; as the damp dough rests the moisture will develop the gluten. The dough can be refrigerated overnight, but it should be left at room temperature for at least 12 hours.

Drain the kernels and simmer on the stove for at least 3 hours. After simmering, drain the kernels and stir into the dough. The simmer juice makes a nice soup broth. Add ¼ tablespoon of rapid-rise yeast and stir gently. Let the dough sit in a wax paper covered bowl for 6 to 8 hours. Stir the dough once or twice during the wait.

Preheat the oven to 400°. Butter a 5 by 9 inch bread pan and pour the wet sticky dough in. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes. Bread should fall right out of the pan. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate. The bread cuts best after it is completely cold.

Note: Given the liquidity of the dough, do not fill the bread baking pan higher than a ½ inch from the top.

Easy Peanut Butter Raisin Muffins

2009-08-16T13:58:00.003-04:00

Published by healthyblender.blogspot.com.

Enjoy the pure taste of natural peanut butter with the slight sweetness of natural raisins in a rich dense muffin. Make sure your peanut butter does not contain anything more than peanuts and possibly a slight amount of salt. If you can find salt-free natural peanut butter with no chemicals or preservatives, all the better. Your raisins should be unsweetened; raisins are sweet enough on their own.

In this recipe any old “Jif” won’t do. Peanut butter dominates the batter, so only the best will give you truly outstanding flavored muffins. Remember the word natural is key; I’ve had some pretty dreadful organic peanut butter with thickeners, stabilizers and all sorts of other chemicals.

This recipe makes 16 large muffins.

Ingredients
3 eggs
1½ cups water
3 rounded tablespoons baking powder
2 lbs. natural crunchy peanut butter
1 to 2 cups of unsweetened raisins
4 cups whole wheat flour

Recipe
Whisk eggs in large bowl. Add water and baking powder and whisk.

Add the peanut butter and breakup the large clumps with a large wooden spoon. Don’t worry for now if smaller clumps of peanut butter remain. I prefer crunchy peanut butter for this recipe, but creamy will work just as well. Next add the raisins.

Add the flour and fold until the peanut butter and flour are evenly distributed and fully absorbed in the batter. This will take a great deal of strength. The batter is very thick.

Preheat the oven to 425°. Cut a ½ inch slice of cold butter and thoroughly coat the sides and bottom of the wells in your muffin pans.

Fill each muffin well near the top. They will rise slightly during baking. Bake for 25 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes in the muffin pans after baking. Run a butter knife along the sides of each muffin well to pop the muffins out.

Banana Pancakes

2009-07-28T19:27:00.002-04:00

Published by healthyblender.blogspot.com

Surprisingly, when I forgot to add baking powder to my experimental banana pancakes they still fluffed up nicely. I guess the extra fiber and creaminess of the banana did the trick. If you find them too heavy, go ahead and add a tablespoon of baking powder to the recipe.

Spread some butter over the pancakes before eating for extra taste, and then add a couple of sunny side up eggs on top for a hearty breakfast or brunch.

Ingredients
1 cup of milk
2 eggs
1 large banana
1 tablespoon baking powder (optional)
½ cup cornmeal
¾ cup whole wheat flour

Recipe
Preheat a nonstick fry pan on low. If your pan’s finish is good, no butter will be required for cooking the pancakes.

Add milk and eggs to the blender. Cut the banana in 4 or 5 parts and add to the blender. Blend 5 to 10 seconds. Do not over blend. Specs of banana are ok; we want to cream, not liquefy the mixture.

Pure the blender contents into a glass bowl. Add the optional baking powder and whisk. Add the cornmeal and whole wheat flour and whisk until the gluten is developed.

Turn up the fry pan to medium. I make 4 to 6 inch pancakes one at a time over the stove. Flip after the edges harden and the center bubbles.

Tofu Cocoa Pudding

2009-07-27T20:17:00.004-04:00

Published by healthyblender.blogspot.com

I know real men don’t eat tofu, but after watching The New York Times Mark Bittman video for chocolate pudding made from a tofu base I became inspired. For being “THE MINIMALIST” his recipe was still too complicated for me. I didn’t have the patience to melt semisweet chocolate when my staple raw unsweetened cocoa provides a much more pronounced flavor. I also saw no need for expensive soy milk; there is plenty of soy in tofu already.

I dropped Mark’s extra sugar and spices, so I could enjoy the essence of pure cocoa. The main taste sensation is savory and slightly bitter. Try the basic recipe first before determining whether you need to sweeten.

Ingredients
14 oz. to 1 lb firm tofu
1 cup nonfat milk
4 heaping tablespoons unsweetened cocoa

Recipe
Add milk and cocoa to the blender, but do not start blending. Depending on how heaping your tablespoons are, you can add an extra tablespoon or two of coca for good measure. We delay blending because we don’t want the cocoa to turn the milk into a paste before adding the tofu.

Drain the packaging water from the tofu. (Whole Foods 365 brand firm tofu 14 oz package is the least expensive in my area. It’s close enough to a pound for me.) There is no need to press the excess liquid from the tofu. Crosscut the tofu in ¼ inch squares and add to the blender on top of the milk and cocoa.

Blend on low speed for 5 seconds, then high speed for 5 seconds. Stop the blender and stir with a large wooden spoon. Push the tofu chunks down and the blended part of the mixture up. Repeat a few times until smooth; 3 to 4 blends should suffice.

Do not over blend. A few tofu specs on the sides of the blender are ok. We want the pudding to remain thick. Too much blending will turn the pudding into soup.

Cool in the refrigerator for about 3 hours, then enjoy!

Cocoa Peanut Butter Muffins

2009-07-25T08:13:00.007-04:00

Published by healthyblender.blogspot.com

I call these cocoa peanut butter muffins, but I prefer to blend raw blanched peanuts rather than use store bought peanut butter since I cannot find salt-free peanut butter. (Whole Foods 365 brand natural crunchy peanut is a reasonable substitute. It contains only peanuts and salt.)

Don’t confuse natural with organic. Natural contains only ingredients that you can pronounce. Organic peanut butter might contain all sorts of chemical sweeteners, thickeners and stabilizers. Natural peanut butter will separate (with the peanut oil on top) at room temperature.*

As I said in my cocoa protein drink post, I use Nestlé’s unsweetened cocoa. Dutch cocoa is a little less harsh, but I have read that some nutritional value is lost in the processing.

This is a very rich muffin, even in its unsweetened form. One muffin will carry you from an early lunch to a late dinner. The recipe makes 8 large muffins.

Ingredients
1½ cups of water
2 eggs
4 rounded tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1 lb. raw blanched peanuts or 1 lb. natural crunchy peanut butter
2 rounded tablespoons baking powder
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup raisins

Recipe
Add water, eggs and unsweetened cocoa to the blender and blend low speed for 10 seconds.

Add peanuts to the blender. (If you are substituting crunchy peanut butter, skip to the next paragraph. Do not add peanut butter to the blender.) Blend low speed for 5 to 10 seconds. Then stop blender and stir with a large wooden spoon to push the peanut chunks down. At the same time pull the creamy part of the mixture up. Repeat until the mixture is relatively smooth with specks of peanut. A pasty texture with dimples is perfect.

Empty the blender into a large bowl. If you are substituting crunchy peanut butter, add it to the bowl now and break it up with a large wooden spoon. Stir in the baking powder with the wooden spoon.

Add the raisins and whole wheat flour to the bowl. Fold the mixture until the flour is absorbed. Folding controls the flour from becoming airborne. The mixture is very thick and plastic, so it cannot easily be stirred.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Butter 8 large muffin wells. Rub a slice of cold butter against the sides and bottom. Then fill each well using the wooden spoon and a spatula. The dough holds together during baking, so you can fill to the top.

Bake for 25 minutes, and then cool for 10 minutes in the pan. Run a butter knife along the sides of each well to loosen and remove muffins. Let cool on a wire rack for at least 1 hour.

*Natural peanut butter must be kept refrigerated after opening.

Honey Cinnamon Corn Muffins

2009-07-20T14:16:00.009-04:00

Published by healthyblender.blogspot.com

When you are tired of those supposedly healthy corn muffins available at Whole Foods and your neighborhood groceries and supermarkets, drop the excess oil and sweeteners and bake with me. The rule of thumb is when the store muffins glistens or stains its box, it is too greasy. And keep in mind artificial sweeteners might be even worse health-wise than real sugar.

I have a dry cinnamon corn muffin for you, only slightly sweetened with natural honey. This muffin has a texture closer to a quick bread, but also crumbles slightly like a traditional muffin.

The recipe makes 16 large muffins. I don’t use an electric mixer, so some strength is required to stir the dough in its final stages. You can try a strong mixer with whisk and dough hook accessories.

The recipe is very forgiving – exact measurements are not required. So set forth and create yourself a hearty breakfast or lunch muffin.

Ingredients
3 eggs
3 cups water
3 rounded tablespoons baking powder
2 rounded tablespoons cinnamon
4 rounded cups whole wheat flour
¼ cup honey
4 rounded cups cornmeal

Recipe
Butter your nonstick muffin pans. 16 large muffin wells are required. Just take a slice of cold butter and rub the sides and bottom of each well until thoroughly coated.

Whisk eggs in large bowl. Add water and whisk. Add baking powder and whisk. Add cinnamon and whisk.

Add the whole wheat flour and whisk until the gluten develops. Next add the honey and whisk until thoroughly distributed. Now rinse off the whisk, we need to switch to a stronger tool.

Add the corn meal and fold in with a large wooden spoon. Folding first will prevent the cornmeal from becoming airborne. Use all your strength to stir the dough with the wooden spoon until the cornmeal is thoroughly integrated.

Preheat the oven to 425°. Use the wooden spoon and a spatula to fill each of the 16 muffin wells. Bake for 20 minutes.

Let sit for 10 minutes after baking; the muffins will begin to separate from the pan. Slide a butter knife down the sides of each well to free the muffins.

Let the muffins cool for 1 to 1½ hours before eating. I have refrigerated these muffins successfully for 2 to 3 weeks.

Extra Thick and Creamy Strawberry Banana Smoothie

2009-07-11T21:06:00.003-04:00

Published by healthyblender.blogspot.com

When the choice is between frozen fruit and adding ice cubes to fresh fruit, I’ll always freeze the strawberries and banana and skip the ice cubes. Once you try this you’ll never settle for strawberry ice cream again. Even the best ice creams leave you feeling the tiny ice crystals on your tongue – YUK!

The optional ground flaxseed acts as a thickener to the smoothie and adds a touch of fiber to your diet. This smoothie is so thick you might want to eat it with a spoon.

Warning! Increasing the size of this recipe will cause excess strain on your blender.

Ingredients
1 cup non-fat milk
1 medium frozen banana
10 medium frozen strawberries
1 rounded tablespoon of finely ground flaxseed (optional)

Recipe
Cut the banana in 4 pieces and freeze overnight. In the case of this drink, the size of the banana is not critical. Medium to large is fine. However, too much banana will overpower the strawberry flavor. I’ve had good luck buying fresh bananas.

Right now the frozen whole strawberries are cheaper and better quality than fresh. A variety of strawberry sizes is fine.

Add milk, ground flaxseed, 2 frozen banana pieces and 2 frozen strawberries and blend low until smooth (about 5 seconds). Repeat with 2 more frozen banana pieces and frozen strawberries. If the blender freezes, does not vortex the mixture or overheats, stop blending and breakup the mixture with a wooden spoon.

Add 3 more frozen strawberries and push down with the wooden spoon. Blend low for about 5 seconds. Add the remaining frozen strawberries and push down again with the wooden spoon.

Now blend high until the mixture forms a vortex. Stop blending every 10 seconds or so and stir the mixture with the wooden spoon.

The mixture will show some dimples when it’s done and that’s ok. The smoothie will pour out into your serving glasses in thick blobs. Over blending will cause your smoothie to melt – a major disappointment.

NOTE: The blender should always be turned off when you are adding ingredients and using the wooden spoon.

Hearty Cornmeal and Whole Wheat Pancakes

2009-07-10T20:15:00.002-04:00

Published by healthyblender.blogspot.com

Have yourself some hearty whole wheat pancakes! These are slightly on the rustic side with a bit of a Tex-Mex seared corn taste. I added natural raisins for a bit of sweetness. The real adventuresome may even add a jalapeño.

Ingredients
2 eggs
½ cup of non-fat milk
½ tablespoon baking powder
¼ cup cornmeal
½ cup whole wheat flour
Hand full of raisins (optional)

Recipe
Preheat your non-stick fry pan on low.

Whisk the eggs in a glass bowl. (I always thoroughly rinse the shells before cracking open the eggs.) Add the milk and whisk. Add the baking powder and whisk.

Add the cornmeal and whole wheat flour and stir with a wooden spoon. You will need to develop the gluten which will take a bit of muscle. Cheaters can use an electric mixer.

Once the batter is smooth, add the raisins and stir a little more.

Now turn up the heat to medium. You won’t need butter if your non-stick surface is good and the pan is hot enough, but you can fry in butter for taste.

It’s time to fry. 4 to 6 inch pancakes work best. Flip when bubbles develop and the edges looked cooked.

Homemade Cocoa High Protein Breakfast Drink

2009-07-05T14:02:00.002-04:00

Published by healthyblender.blogspot.com

This cocoa breakfast drink is so rich and creamy that no sweetening is needed. All the protein you need is in one large glass. After breakfast, you’ll start the day clear headed with an uplifting sense of euphoria. And you won’t be hungry until lunch.

The drink forms a frothy head similar to a cappuccino when poured into a tall glass. Hopefully this can replace your morning Starbucks or McDonalds fix.

Ingredients:
1 cup non-fat white milk
1 tablespoon finely ground flaxseed
3 large or extra large eggs
4 tablespoons 100% pure unsweetened natural cocoa powder
6 rounded tablespoons non-fat unsweetened plain yogurt

Recipe:
Add milk and flaxseed to the blender. Great care must be taken with the raw eggs. Rinse each egg thoroughly before cracking open. Make sure there is no dirt, stains or any residue on the eggs. If you are young, old or have a compromised immune system, please skip the raw eggs. After adding the eggs, blend on low speed for about 10 seconds.

Add the cocoa powder to the blender. I use Nestlé’s Toll House 100% Pure Cocoa because it is the cheapest and I cannot taste the difference. Blend again for about 10 seconds.

Finally, add the yogurt to the blender. The only two yogurt brands I found without sugar or any other sweeteners were Axelrod and Cascade. Axelrod is less expensive. Blend for 15 seconds on low and 15 seconds on high.

Some people might find the ground flaxseed too gritty. The drink would be fine without it. Flaxseed contains a combination of both soluble and insoluble fiber to keep things moving at the right pace. Whole Food’s 365 brand was the lowest price I found for finely ground flaxseed.