Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Beeker's Healthy Muffins



      1 Cup Old Fashioned Oatmeal (or steel cut oat meal) lowers cholesterol and reduces the risk of heart disease and keeps you regular!
      2 cups  Milk, 2% (for you anti-milk people out there:
    • Calcium: Builds healthy bones and teeth; maintains bone mass
    • Protein: Serves as a source of energy; builds/repairs muscle tissue
    • Potassium: Helps maintain a healthy blood pressure
    • Phosphorus: Helps strengthen bones and generate energy
    • Vitamin D: Helps maintain bones
    • Vitamin B12: Maintains healthy red blood cells and nerve tissue
    • Vitamin A: Maintains the immune system; helps maintain normal vision and skin
    • Riboflavin (B2): Converts food into energy
    • Niacin: Metabolizes sugars and fatty acids
    • http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/news/20100922/milk-drinkers-may-lose-more-weight )
      2  Egg, large (Eggs are a good source of nutrients. One egg contains 6 grams of protein and some healthful unsaturated fats. Eggs are also a good source of choline, which has been linked with preserving memory, and lutein and zeaxanthin, which may protect against vision loss.)
      .5  Brown Sugar unpacked...just makes it taste good...
      2 tsp Baking Powder (lightens the texture) 1 tsp Baking Soda (raising agent) 1 tsp Salt  (flavor, shelf life, calms down the baking soda )
      1 tbsp Cinnamon, ground  (reportedly helps to stableize blood sugar in diabetics, increases metabolism, and tastes yummy
      .5 cup Cranberries, dried, sweetened (craisins) (Cranberries have moderate levels of vitamin C, dietary fiber and the essential dietary mineralmanganese, as well as a balanced profile of other essential micronutrients.  Also good for fighting urinary tract infections in women)
      .5  Walnuts,  chopped (significantly higher amounts of omega 3 fatty acids as compared to other nuts, also a good source of fiber, B vitamins, and vitamin E.)
      4 tbsp Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate Chips  ( flavonoids - antioxidants which protect the body from aging and heart disease, and its great with the cranberries!)



    Directions

    Makes 24 muffins
    Pre heat oven 350
    If you are using steal cut oats put them in your mixing bowl and add the milk to soften them..unless of course you like crunchy muffins :)  Use your food processor or grate by hand your zucchini and carrots. Add wet veggies, Bananas, and eggs to milk and oatmeal. Add flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon to wet ingredients. Add cranberries, walnuts and chips. Divide evenly between 24 muffins. Either spray tins with pam or use cup cake liners to keep from sticking as there is no oil in this recipe.

    You can sub out the bananas for grated apple or apple sauce. You can use blue berries or other fruit in place of the cranberries and chips. I just happen to be in the mood for this combo :)

    Number of Servings: 24

    Nutrition Facts
      Servings Per Recipe: 24
      Serving Size: 1 serving
    Amount Per Serving
      Calories160.3
      Total Fat4.4 g
         Saturated Fat1.2 g
         Polyunsaturated Fat1.9 g
         Monounsaturated Fat0.7 g
      Cholesterol19.3 mg
      Sodium209.3 mg
      Potassium109.3 mg
      Total Carbohydrate24.1 g
         Dietary Fiber2.4 g
         Sugars9.8 g
      Protein4.2 g

    Fried Cat Fish

    Fried Cat Fish

      Flour, white, .5 cup 
      Catfish 1 lb (4 oz per serving)
      Canola Oil, 1 tbsp 
      Japanese Breadcrumbs - Panko (1 cup), .5 serving
      Pepper, red or cayenne, .5 tbsp (we like it spicy!)
      Pepper, black, .5 tbsp 
      Salt, 1 dash 
      Milk, nonfat .5 cup


      Directions

      Mix 1/2 the flour ,panko, peppers (you can use Hot Shot in place of the separate peppers), and salt on a plate. Put 1/2 flour plain on another plate. Pour milk in small bowl. Cut fish filets into 2 oz portions. Roll fish in flour, then dunk fish in milk and then roll in flour/panko mixture. The three layers are what makes it crispy.Heat oil in pan over high (may need to turn down if your pan gets to hot) Place fish in pan. Turn over after about 2 minutes. Cook until fish is just opaque and flakes easily. We serve this with Alexia fries, and a salad.

      Number of Servings: 4
      • servings Per Recipe: 4
      • Amount Per Serving
      • Calories: 245.2
      • Total Fat: 7.0 g
      • Cholesterol: 66.6 mg
      • Sodium: 120.6 mg
      • Total Carbs: 21.8 g
      • Dietary Fiber: 1.1 g
      • Protein: 22.3 g

      Curried Peanut Shrimp

      Curried Peanut Shrimp


      This is one of my favorite all time recipes.  I don't bother with the skewers...just cook it all up in a frying pan over medium high.   Serve with rice.  
      Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 8 shrimp)

      Ingredients

      • 1/3  cup  orange marmalade (just some chopped up orange works if you don't have marmalade)
      • 1/4  cup  orange juice
      • 2  tablespoons  natural peanut butter
      • 1  tablespoon  Dijon mustard
      • 1 1/2  teaspoons  curry powder
      • 1  teaspoon  vegetable oil
      • 1/2  teaspoon  salt
      • 1/4  teaspoon  crushed red pepper
      • 1/4  teaspoon  chile sauce with garlic (in the Asian section, with a rooster on the label.)
      • 32  large shrimp, peeled and deveined (about 1 pound)
      • Cooking spray

      Preparation

      Combine the first 9 ingredients in a blender, and process until smooth. Reserve 1/4 cup marinade. Place remaining marinade mixture in a large zip-top plastic bag, and add shrimp. Seal and shake to coat. Marinate in refrigerator 30 minutes.
      Prepare grill or broiler.
      Remove shrimp from bag, reserving marinade. Thread shrimp onto each of 4 (12-inch) skewers. Place kebabs on a grill rack or broiler pan coated with cooking spray; cook 3 minutes on each side or until shrimp are done, basting frequently with remaining marinade. Spoon reserved 1/4 cup marinade over shrimp.

      Nutritional Information

      Calories:
      228 (24% from fat)
      Fat:
      6.2g (sat 1g,mono 2.1g,poly 2g)
      Protein:
      19.6g
      Carbohydrate:
      24.6g
      Fiber:
      0.3g
      Cholesterol:
      129mg
      Iron:
      2.5mg
      Sodium:
      626mg
      Calcium:
      60mg
      from Cooking Light, JULY 1999