Surprise!

While my parents were away, I wanted to do something for them that would last after I headed off to Boston. So the surprise for them... some home-baked goodies in the freezer :) And since I couldn't just decide on one... they'll have some choices!! First up, Banana Bluberry Muffins. I followed the recipe from Beantown Baker, using whole wheat pastry flour and dark brown sugar, I think mine took ~18min.


Oops, looks like I might have tried one! Oh well, you know me with warm baked goods... oh yes, these were fantastic.

To incorporate some of the farmers market carrots, these Full Meal Muffins. I wrote down they were from Happy Herbivore, but couldn't find them on her site. I think the site moved, so maybe it's from the old one? Here's what I did...

Full Meal Muffins No. 2
happy herbivore (?)
makes 6 muffins

1 cups whole wheat pastry
1 1/2 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 ripe bananas, peeled (1/2c)
1 tbsp molasses
1/4 cup + 2T milk
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp vanilla
1 squirt honey
1/2 cup grated zucchini
1/2 cup grated carrot (1 med)
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
~2T craisins

Preheat 350 F, spray muffin tins with nonstick spray.

Whisk together flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder and soda in bowl.

Blend bananas, molasses, vanilla, honey and 1/4c milk until smooth (I just used a hand blender). Mix wet into dry, then add remining 2T milk and mix. Fold in carrots, zucchini, nuts and craisins.

Bake 15-20 min


Yeah, I like my veggies :) These are nice and hearty, great for breakfast or a filling snack!

With the rest of the shredded zucchini (I had shredded one picked up down the street... can't get more local w/o growing it yourself!) I decided on this recipe I saw on Steamy Kitchen yesterday. I adapted it slightly, so I"ll post what I did below.

Cardamom Coffee Zucchini Bread
adapted from Steamy Kitchen
yield: 2 loaves, or 6 mini loaves and 10 mini muffins

3 cups white whole wheat or whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 teaspoon table salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 tablespoon finely ground coffee beans
1 egg + 1/3c egg whites (equal to 2 eggs)
3/4 cup canola oil
3/4 cup sugar
scant 2/3 cup brown sugar
2 cups shredded zucchini
One 8.5oz can crushed pineapple (I eyeballed it from a 20oz can)

Preheat your oven to 350F.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, ground cardamom and espresso.

In your mixer, beat the eggs with the canola oil, sugar and the brown sugar. Add the zucchini and crushed pineapple. Turn the mixer to low and add in the flour mixture, half at a time, letting it mix in between. Do not over mix.

Bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. For my loaves, I think it was ~25min, the mini's only took 8 or 9min. Recipe says 1hr for the larger loaves.

I was curious about this one, especially combining cardamom and coffee with zucchini, but WOW. I really liked it (tried a mini muffin), so I hope they do too! I think I'll spread the love with these mini loaves, bringing one up to my grandparents and giving some to a couple friends. Phew!

Well ok, just one more... I couldn't forget about dessert!! I also made some Chocolate Chunk Muffins (full size instead of mini). Didn't try these, but they looked and smelled sooo good coming out of the oven!! I even used whole wheat pastry flour to make them a little more nutritious :)


All the loot packed up... (they're in the inside freezer in case you're reading:))

Enjoy!!