The Best Homemade Raspberry Muffins

 

Ingredients

• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 tbsp white vinegar
• 2½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ¾ cup white sugar
• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 egg
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1½ cups frozen raspberries
• 6 tsp coarse sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Line muffin cups with parchment muffin liners, or lightly coat with unsalted butter or cooking spray.
2. Combine milk and vinegar in a measuring cup. Stir and allow to sit for 5-10 minutes. Milk will thicken or curdle, effectively making buttermilk.
3. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
4. Using an electric mixer, combine brown sugar, white sugar, butter, egg, vanilla and milk/vinegar in a large bowl and mix until combined.
5. Add the dry mix until just combined, do not overmix.
6. Fold in the frozen raspberries
7. Scoop the muffin mixture into each cup, filling it to the top of the liner.
8. Top each muffin with ½ tsp coarse sugar.
9. Bake for 5 minutes at 425F and then reduce temperature to 350 and bake for 18-20 minutes until a toothpick can be inserted and removed cleanly.  Recipe and picture by Nick and Alicia
   

Healthy Breakfast Casserole

 Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  
  
  
• 2 medium red bell peppers, chopped (about 2 cups)
• ¾ cup thinly sliced green onion (about 1 small bunch)
• 5 ounces roughly chopped spinach (about 5 cups)
• 12 eggs
• 3 tablespoons full-fat dairy (heavy cream, half-and-half, whole milk, sour cream or yogurt)
• Several dashes of your favorite hot sauce, like Cholula
• ½ teaspoon fine salt
• 10 twists of freshly ground black pepper
• 4 ounces (1 cup) crumbled feta or goat cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 9 by 13-inch pan with butter (don’t be tempted to use cooking spray; it doesn’t work nearly as well). 
2. In a large skillet, warm the olive oil over medium heat until shimmering.  Add the bell pepper and green onion and cook until the pepper is tender and cooked through, about 8 to 10 minutes. 
3. Add the spinach to the skillet and cook, while stirring, until wilted, about 2 minutes. Set the pan aside to cool for a bit while we prepare the egg mixture. 
4. Crack the eggs into a medium mixing bowl. Add your dairy of choice, several dashes of hot sauce, plus the salt and pepper. Whisk just until the egg yolks and whites are blended. 
5. Stir in half of the cheese (we’re reserving the other half for topping the frittata before baking). Transfer the lightly cooled veggies into the bowl, and stir to combine. 
6. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Evenly disperse the remaining cheese on top. 
7. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes (keep an eye on it), until the eggs are puffed and appear cooked, and the center of the frittata just barely jiggles when you give it a gentle shimmy. For good measure, insert a fork about ¼-inch into the center of the eggs and make sure the fork comes out clean
8. Place the frittata on a cooling rack until you’re ready to serve. Slice with a sharp knife, and serve. Leftovers will keep well for about four days in the refrigerator. Enjoy leftovers chilled, at room temperature, or gently reheat in the microwave or oven.  Recipe and picture from Cookie and Kate
   

Chocolate Cheesecake Cake

 

Cookie Crust

25 Oreo cookies, finely ground 

4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted 
1/2 tsp. salt 

Filling

8 oz. cream cheese 
3/4 c. granulated sugar 
1 Tbsp. cornstarch 
1 Tbsp. milk 
1 whole egg 
1 egg yolk 
1/2 c. mini chocolate chips 
1/4 tsp. salt 

Cake

2 c. all-purpose flour 
1 3/4 c. sugar 
3/4 c. dark cocoa powder 
2 tsp. baking soda 
1 tsp. salt 
1 c. buttermilk, room temperature 
1/2 c. vegetable oil 
3 eggs, room temperature 
1 tsp. vanilla extract 
1 c. hot water 

Buttercream Frosting

1 1/4 c. unsalted butter, room temperature 
1 c. powdered sugar, sifted 
3/4 c. dark cocoa powder 
3/4 c. light corn syrup 
2 tsp. vanilla extract 
10 oz. dark or semisweet chocolate, melted and slightly cooled 
1/2 tsp. salt 

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray three 8-inch round cake pans with nonstick spray. Line bottoms with parchment paper and spray again. Set aside. 

Combine all crust ingredients in a food processor and pulse to combine. Mixture should resemble wet sand. Evenly divide crumbs between the three pans and firmly pat into an even crust. Set aside. 

Mix dry cake ingredients on low speed until combined. In another bowl, combine buttermilk, oil, eggs, water, and vanilla. Slowly add wet ingredients to the dry, mixing constantly. 

Pour batter over prepared cookie crusts. Bake 25–30 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out nearly clean.

For cheesecake filling, preheat oven to 325. Spray 8 x 8 baking pan with nonstick spray. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, beat sugar and cream cheese until smooth. In a small bowl, whisk together milk, cornstarch, and salt. Add milk mixture to sugar mixture and combine. Pour into prepared baking pan. Bake 20–25 minutes, or until slightly set around edges and soft in the middle. Let cool completely, then fold in mini chocolate chips.

To make buttercream frosting, heat semisweet chocolate chips in microwave for one minute. Stir until smooth and silky.

In food processor combine butter, powdered sugar, cocoa, and salt. Mix until smooth. Add corn syrup and vanilla; mix until just combined. Add melted chocolate. Pulse until mixture is smooth.

Place first cake layer top-side-up in the middle of cake board. Pipe a rim of buttercream around edge of cake, then evenly spread about 1 c. of cheesecake filling inside the rim. Place second cake layer on top and repeat with buttercream and cheesecake filling. Place final cake layer top-side-down on second layer of filling.

Apply a thin coat of frosting around entire cake to lock in crumbs. Freeze 10–15 minutes. After crumb coat sets, finish frosting and decorating cake with remaining buttercream.

Black Bean and Butternut Squash Burritos

Ingredients

• 1 medium butternut squash, peeled, cubed, & roasted
• 1/2 cup uncooked short grain brown rice (yields: 1.5 cups cooked)
• 1-2 tsp olive oil
• 1 cup chopped sweet onion
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 red pepper, chopped
• 1 tsp kosher salt, or to taste
• 2 tsp ground cumin, or to taste
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, or to taste
• One 15-oz can black beans (about 1.5-2 cups cooked), drained and rinsed
• 3/4 cup Daiya cheese
• 4 tortilla wraps (large or x-large)

Toppings (Optional):

• avocado
• salsa
• vegan sour cream
• spinach/lettuce
• cilantro

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F and line a large glass dish with tinfoil. Drizzle olive oil on squash and give a shake of salt and pepper. Coat with hands. Roast chopped butternut squash for 45 mins. or until tender.
2. Cook brown rice
3. In a large skillet over medium-low heat, add oil, onion, and minced garlic. Sautee for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Now add in salt and seasonings and stir well.
4. Add chopped red pepper, black beans, and cooked rice and sauté for another 10 mins. on low.
5. When butternut squash is tender remove from oven and cool slightly. Add 1.5 cups of the cooked butternut squash to the skillet and stir well. You can mash the squash with a fork if some pieces are too large. Add Daiya cheese and heat another couple minutes.
6. Add bean filling to tortilla along with desired toppings. Wrap and serve. Leftover filling can be reheated the next day for lunch in a wrap or as a salad topper.

Picture and recipe from Oh She Glows!!