Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins - Blame Ruthy

Yes, I blame Ruthy for this post. Last week she shared a recipe for pumpkin chocolate chip cookies (you can find that here). I was skeptical to the say the least. I'm a bit of a purist when it comes to pumpkin. But I was curious. So when I was craving something sweet this past weekend I got to digging through my low-carb, sugar-free recipes and came across a Trim Healthy Mama recipe for Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins (recipe here). Since I had everything on hand, including some Lily's stevia-sweetened chocolate chips, I figured why not give it a try.

The results were pretty good. A nice, moist muffin with delicious pumpkin flavor.

However, I might skip the chocolate chips next time. It's not that they were bad, I just don't want anything getting in the way of me and that pumpkin flavor. At least not this time of year. Give me pumpkin or give me... Well, pumpkin.

After the first muffin, the dogs and I went for a walk in the woods.

It wasn't cool, but it wasn't blazing hot, either. Instead, it was just right. Nothing that would stop Maddie and Marvel from playing in the water.

Look at this tree covered in fern.

I just think that looks so cool. It gives the tree a lacy appearance. Very frilly.

Then it was back home for another muffin. 

What flavor combinations have made you curious enough to give it a try?

Award-winning author Mindy Obenhaus is passionate about touching readers with Biblical truths in an entertaining, and sometimes adventurous, manner. She lives on a ranch in Texas with her husband, two sassy pups, countless cattle, deer and the occasional coyote, mountain lion or snake. When she's not writing, she enjoys spending time with her grandchildren, cooking and watching copious amounts of the Hallmark Channel. Learn more at mindyobenhaus.com

Homemade Blueberry Muffins

Missy Tippens

I've been on a blueberry-buying kick lately. And we had a ton of them that needed to be used. So...

Blueberry muffins!!

My daughter and I chose a recipe from Food Network by Ina Garten. (Click here for the recipe.)

Of course, I forgot to take photos. But I did remember to take photos after they came out of the oven.

The recipe called for 2 cups of fresh blueberries. I wanted to use 3 cups, and we were glad we did. We love our muffins loaded. The recipe made 2 dozen.

We really liked this recipe. They weren't too sweet and felt healthy with all the blueberries. Here they are, oozing with blueberry goodness!

We ended up freezing some so we'll get to enjoy them later as well.

Yum! So what's your favorite muffin type?

www.missytippens.com

Speaking of Pumpkins...

Yes, fall has finally arrived. Though, we have a slightly different take on autumn here in Texas. Instead of leaves turning, we have sustained temps below 100 and, if we're lucky, we might only have highs in the 80s. But with the rest of the country talking pumpkin this and pumpkin that, I'm ready to indulge in some fall treats, so today we're revisiting my quickie pumpkin muffin in a mug recipe from last year. 

Here's what you'll need:

• 1 flat tablespoon 1/3 less fat cream cheese
• 2 heaping tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
• 1/2 - 3/4 teaspoon vanilla OR 1 teaspoon lemon juice 
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons golden flax meal
• 1 tablespoon almond flour (if you don't have almond flour, you can use 3 tablespoons of the flax meal)
• 3/4 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 5-6 teaspoons Truvia, separated (you can use more or less, depending on your tastes. If you use another artificial sweetener, adjust according to your personal taste)
• 1 generous tablespoon pumpkin puree
• 1 teaspoon coconut oil

Put cream cheese, yogurt, vanilla or lemon juice (I prefer lemon juice because it gives the frosting a less intense taste and, to me, tastes more like cream cheese frosting) and 2-3 teaspoons sweetener into a small bowl.

Mix until smooth and set aside. This gives the sweetener a chance to dissolve.

Now grab yourself a nice size mug, crack the egg into it and whisk with a fork.

Then add your flax meal/almond flour, pie seasoning, baking powder, sweetener to taste (I usually use about 3 teaspoons/packets), pumpkin and coconut oil and whisk until everything is incorporated.

Place mug in microwave and cook on high for 60-70 seconds. You can also bake it in a ramekin or divide batter between two holes of a regular size muffin pan and bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes. Those methods would probably make for a prettier muffin, but since I'm an instant gratification kind of girl, I usually go for the microwave. Besides, even in the micro, it still comes out with a nice, cakey texture.

**Note: My microwave is 1100 watts, so if yours differs, you'll need to adjust the time accordingly.

Once done baking, dump your muffin(s) onto a plate...

I like to cut mine in half before topping it with the frosting.

And I love that there's an ample amount of frosting, so that no bite is without.

I love it. Blissful pumpkin satisfaction without the guilt. Whoo-hoo!

So I was just telling my husband that I saw the Christmas stuff going up at Walmart. He frowned, but I like it. I pick up a few things here and there. Can you believe October is almost here? This year seems to have flown by in a blur. Now it's time for me to slow down and savor life for a while. But that doesn't mean there's not work to do. Proposals need to be written, new stories explored. 

Ah, the joys of being a writer. :)

Berries: For Brunch and for Books

I love berry season. As we approached Memorial Day, our local strawberry fields were starting to give out. Blueberries were coming in. And the grandkidlets and I took advantage as much as we could. 

I started thinking about some beloved books I read as a child involving berries of all kinds. I mention all the time one of the highlights of my life was picking blackberries on my maternal grandfather's farm. But I also picked huckleberries up in the mountains with my dad and his parents. Berries meant adventure. So, that's why I gravitated toward berry books.

First there was Blueberries for Sal which reminded me of my huckleberry adventures. It's considered a classic.

Here's where you can find a description and ordering on Amazon.

 

 
Then, when I was upper elementary age, there was Strawberry Girl by Lois Lenski. This was a book that touched my heart as a child, made me want to read Grapes of Wrath when I was older.

And here's another classic with ordering and description info. 

Now I've read a lot of books in my lifetime and I don't remember all of the children's books I read. But I do remember these two every berry season.

Now that you've let me go down memory lane, here's your reward.  A little dish I whipped up for Memorial Day weekend and will make again for the Fourth of July.  Plenty of protein and low sugar so you can enjoy this brunch dish/dessert without guilt.

Patriotic Muffin-Style Quiche

1 cup Pamela's Gluten Free Baking Mix

2 whole eggs
2 egg whites
water
1 cup fresh blueberries

whipped goat cheese (optional)

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2) Mix one cup Pamela's baking mix with whole eggs and egg whites. Stir with a whisk, adding a small amount of water to keep the mixture from becoming stiff. Be sure to combine well but don't over mix.

3) Add blueberries, gently stirring until combined.

4) Pour into a greased glass pie plate.

5) Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes, watching to make sure it doesn't burn and is done in the center.

6) Remove from oven and let cool on the counter for fifteen minutes. Cut into wedges.

7) Garnish with strawberries or additional blue or blackberries. The goat cheese adds additional protein and a great tangy taste to go with the berries. 

8) Store leftovers, if any, in refrigerator.

Do you have any berry picking adventures to tell? What is your favorite berry dish or book?

Lemon Blueberry muffins! And some pretty pictures.

Hello, everybody! The Fresh Pioneer is back with a delicious blueberry muffin recipe. I've been sick as a dog with a terrible cold, but it's gradually getting better. I now have a voice, although my kids really preferred the silent me, I'm sure.
  Anyway, does anyone remember that show, "Frasier"? Before I got married, I didn't have a TV for a long time, and then someone gave me an old, tiny set. I was never a TV watcher, but suddenly, living alone, I started turning it on, just to see what was happening in the world. Frasier was always on when I got off work and I fell in love with the comedic writing. One of my favorite characters was Daphne, the Cockney-accented maid. And some of the funniest lines I ever heard her utter had to do with MUFFINS.

 "Now me, I could eat a muffin a day, some days even two knowing they'd be free. So that'd be... ten a week, fifty-two weeks a year, for at least another... forty years, which works out to... Twenty thousand muffins![pause] My life suddenly seems long, measured in muffins." 

 That scene never fails to make me laugh!

 Well, we had gone blueberry picking earlier in the week  and got about 18 lbs so we made some pies, gave some away, ate a lot, and decided to make muffins. We'll pick more this Monday, but it's a short season this year, and we're not sure we'll get many for the freezer. We'll enjoy them while we have them, though!
                                         
                               ( Pie my husband ate by himself. WHY DO I NOT HAVE HIS METABOLISM?   )
 Preheat oven to 425F
Ingredients:
 4 TBS unsalted butter
2 cups flour
1 tbs baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
 grated lemon zest
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup milk
 2.5 cups blueberries

 Sift the flour, baking powder and salt, stir all sugar but 2 tbs into mix and make a well in the center. Then beat the egg, add the melted butter, lemon zest, vanilla and milk. Beat again until foamy. Pour into the well you just made in the dry mix.

 Mmmmmm.......

 Stir the mix until smooth, then gently fold in all the blueberries.

 Pour into muffin papers until about 3/4 full, bake 12-15 minutes. Take the lemon juice and sugar and mix together, an then brush the tops of the muffins.

 Taaaasty....

 I like my muffins with a little bit of cold butter, so it melts as they come right out of the oven.

And here are a few pictures from our beach trip. Our whole week was bright and sunny, perfect weather for the coast!

 Multnomah Falls, along the Columbia Gorge. Great rest stop, but tons of people The crowds made it hard to hike to the top.

Mo's, the famous seafood restaurant. Scattered up and down the coast, it's not a fancy place but the food is delicious! 

My five year old is entranced at the idea that local kids can catch their own dinner. I was less entranced, but I did take pictures.

 The crabs you keep have to meet with certain size, gender, etc standards. Behold, the keepers.

 At Newport, about an hour from Lincoln City, where we stayed... one of the many little candy shops. My kids all picked one item. Some picked jelly bellies, some picked a sucker, I got fresh caramels, the girls picked chocolate. My husband just shook his head. He's not a candy eater. Crazy, huh?

 The Devil's Punchbowl, south of Lincoln City. At high tide and especially during storms, this cauldron is filled and the show is spectacular. We went at low tide...

 Pelican sighting!

 The Oregon coast does have some beautiful beaches. You just have to make your way down to the sand. :)

 A rainbow seen from the bottom. A fun little science lesson happened while we were whale watching. The spray from the rocks made a rainbow we saw from far away, but when we got close, it was a perfect circle above us (because rainbows seen from below or above are circles).

 We saw this little family down in one of the coves. See the mom and baby to the right? Now, look left. All the way left...

Yup, two little kids had clambered all the way up the rock face. Made me smile. Brave mom! I never would have survived watching that.

 We had a great time! We also got together with my college roommate who is from Mississippi, and visiting her home state when we were in college was the inspiration for a lot of Pride, Prejudice and Cheese Grits. Anyway, here are all our kids together. In ten years, we won't have this stair case!

And one last picture in case Mary Curry decides to stop by. :) The lighthouse at Heceta Head!

Until next time, my friends! Meanwhile, back to my Monday deadline! Happy muffin-making!

Spring Celebrations with Lemon Coconut Muffins

Jan here. How are things going with all of you? Pour yourself a cup of coffee or tea, and let's chat!

I want to tell you about the spring celebrations going on at our house!

First of all, the school year is over, and we now have a college junior and a college senior in the family. The boys are SO looking forward to only working at their jobs rather than working with a full-time academic load.

Second, last week I signed my third contract with Love Inspired!

The working title is "A Home in Deadwood." You'd never guess that this sweet little town nestled in the Black Hills is the notorious Deadwood - scene of Wild Bill Hickok's death, gun fights, Calamity Jane's final resting place, Al Swearingen's "Gem" Saloon and "theater", along with countless tales that have made their way into the folklore of the Old West.

This story has been so much fun to work on, and I'm thrilled I get to share it with you!

Third, the cover for my August release is available!

This one is Levi and Ruthy's story. Isn't the cover fabulous? The book is available for preorder here.

Even with all this celebrating going on, I'm still trying to stay on the Trim Healthy Mama plan.

Can I really celebrate and stick to my healthy eating goals? You betcha.

These muffins are low carb, no sugar, and gluten free.

There is a warning though - since they're made with coconut flour, they taste like coconut. I happen to like coconut, but if you don't, be warned ☺

This recipe is from the Trim Healthy Mama book. I changed the name from the original "Light White Muffins" because I added a healthy dose of lemon (mmmmm!)

Lemon Coconut Muffins

Ingredients:

2/3 cup store bought coconut flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
6 eggs
8-10 teaspoons Truvia
4 Tablespoons melted coconut oil
4 Tablespoons almond or coconut milk (you can substitute water)
1 teaspoon lemon extract

In a food processor, mix the coconut flour and baking powder until they are smooth and clump-free. 

Add eggs, Truvia, coconut oil, almond or coconut milk, and lemon extract.

Process until all lumps disappear and the mixture is smooth.

It looks a bit like polenta, doesn't it? It's about the same
consistency, too.

Divide the batter evenly between nine prepared muffin cups, and bake at 350° for about 20 minutes.

We ate a couple when they were fresh on Sunday afternoon, but we had the rest for breakfast. I warmed them up and served them with some fresh berries. 

Just the thing for a spring morning, right?

Speaking of spring, we went to Custer State Park on Saturday afternoon after we finished our chores.

We saw a few Bison bulls like these scattered here and there, but the big herd (cows with calves) was hiding somewhere.

And we were welcomed by the official Custer State Park welcoming committee. These burros are semi-wild (they become very friendly if you offer to share an apple with them). They're descendants of burros brought into the Hills by the gold-rush miners in the 1870's.

And we did a little hiking. The views are breathtaking! This is looking south east, across the foothills and the prairie to the Badlands, about fifty miles away.

You can tell we're still early days when it comes to spring. The grass is just beginning to green up.

But we have wild flowers!

How is spring looking at your house?