Whole Wheat Cinnamon Peach Pancakes

I have been playing around with my favorite healthy pancake recipe. I have used it before with my Whole Wheat Pancakes with a Berry Sauce post. I love these pancakes because they are sweetened with honey instead of sugar, they're whole wheat and they are made with low-fat milk but they still satisfy that pancake craving. Peaches are my favorite fruit and I had some ripe ones in the fridge. I was wanting pancakes more than anything so I decided to mess around with some peach pancakes...they were yummmmy!

Whole Wheat Cinnamon Peach Pancakes
Adapted from Foodnetwork.com

Ingredients:

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 cup low-fat buttermilk
1/2 cup non-fat milk
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1-2 ripe peaches, chopped into small chunks
1/2 cup syrup
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Confectioners' sugar, optional

Directions:

Preheat oven to 200 degrees F. Preheat a large nonstick griddle or skillet over a medium-low flame.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. In another medium bowl, beat together the eggs, buttermilk, non-fat milk, honey and vanilla.

Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, mixing only enough to combine them. The batter will be somewhat lumpy. Fold in half of the peach chunks

Over low heat, heat the rest of the peach chunks with the syrup in a small saucepan to warm.

Use a 1/3 cup measuring cup to ladle the batter onto the griddle or skillet. Flip the pancake when the top is bubbling and it is golden brown on the bottom. Then cook until the other side is golden brown. Hold on an oven proof plate in the oven until the entire batch is ready.

Angel Food Cake with a Honey Lemon Yogurt Sauce

I've always loved angel food cake. Growing up I remember my great grandma made it every year and its was the best angel food cake I've ever had. I've always been reluctant to try it from scratch because let's admit, its intimidating to try to make something with such a specific texture. As it turns out, I messed this up...but I quickly figured out what I did wrong and made it again and it turned out beautifully.

 It just so happens that I didn't whip it up enough. I was so afraid of overwhipping it that it just fell flat. But if you whip it to medium peaks it will be perfect. In my experience medium peaks are when you pull the beater out and turn it upside down, the batter peaks a little and then falls slightly at the end. You don't want  it to peak straight up or it will be dry. Another thing that helps is cracking your egg white to a small glass dish and then into another dish so that if you end up with any yolk at all you can discard it. Just one drop of yolk will screw up the whole cake because that is where the fat is and any fat will compromise your cakes airy, light fluffyness and thats what angel food cakes all about. There's really nothing to be afraid of if you keep these things in mind.

I loved this sauce, it makes a great fruit dip as well. I origionally made this for Shawn because he had been requesting it but the cake was for him and the sauce was for me. For his birthday last week I made a strawberry cream angel food cake that was just divine, so keep your eyes peeled for that post.

PS: the cake featured in the photos is the one that fell flat, when I remade it for Shawns birthday it was lovely...so photos of that to come soon :)

Angel Food Cake with a Honey Lemon Yogurt Sauce
Cake from foodnetwork.com
Sauce from foodnetwork.com

Ingredients:

For the cake:

1 cup cake flour
1 cup sugar
12 large egg whites (egg whites from large eggs, no yolks in the whites!)
Pinch salt
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 lemon, zested
1 orange, zested

For the sauce:

1 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup honey
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Directions:

For the cake:

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.

Sift the flour together with 1/2 cup of the sugar and set aside.

Put the egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer. Be sure that the bowl is clean and dry, any fat in the bowl can prevent the egg whites from whipping up fluffy. Add the salt and the cream of tartar to the egg whites. Beat the egg whites on a medium-high speed until they reach soft peaks, about 5 minutes.

While the mixer is running, gradually add the remaining sugar. Dont plop the sugar in all at once or it will push the air out of the whites that we are trying to beat in. Add in the vanilla and zests and then stop the mixer. Add 1/3 of the flour/sugar mixture and fold gently fold, do this quickly but gently. Repeat the process 2 more times until all of the flour/sugar mixture is incorporated.

Transfer the cake batter into an ungreased tube pan.

Bake the cake on a sheet tray in the preheated oven until it is light and springy, about 1 1/4 hours. Cool the cake for at least 1 hour before unmolding.

For the sauce:

In a small bowl whisk together the yogurt, honey, and lemon juice until smooth. Pour into a serving pitcher.

Using a spatula, loosen the cake around the sides and middle. Release the cake and place on a serving plate. Cut into slices and drizzle with the sauce. Garnish with lemon zest.

Sweet and Spicy Coleslaw

I had some cabbage left over from fish tacos I made and was really craving coleslaw. I dont know about anyone else but coleslaw always reminds me of summer. It's not a cookout without it. There's so much you can do with is, I love to eat it on dagwood style sandwiches with fries or on top or burgers and its sooooo good with some battered fish. I wanted to make something different than your average coleslaw and found a good recipe with great reviews that I switched up a little bit. I am all about sweet and spicy so I loved this cole slaw. The origional recipe called for too much sugar in my opinion (yeah, I know, you never hear me say that).

Sweet and Spicy Coleslaw

Adapted from Foodnetwork.com

Ingredients:

2 pounds green cabbage
4 carrots
1 medium yellow onion
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup fat free plain yogurt
1/4 cup dijon mustard
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon of chipotle in adobo, diced (optional)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Cut cabbage in quarters and remove core. Peel carrots and onion and cut into pieces that would fit through the feed tube of a food processor. Fit food processor with the large-holed grater attachment and push cabbage, carrots, and onions through feed tube to grate. In a large bowl, toss vegetables together.

In another medium bowl, prepare the coleslaw dressing by whisking together the mayonnaise, mustard, cider vinegar, sugar, black pepper, and cayenne. Toss dressing with the cabbage mixture, and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours before serving.

Golden Graham Cupcakes

Believe it or not I actually have a cupcake post! Boy I've missed it...but my waistline has not...I'm still not having much luck in that department...but thats a whole other story. It was Shawn's roomates birthday. He loved my Thin Mint Cupcakes and requested some for his birthday (as I happily obliged). Then he changed his mind to Golden Grahams. I knew I could work with that so I was excited for another "Dame Good Creation". I just used a golden cupcake recipe as a base and incorporated Golden Grahams any way I could...You don't even want to know the damage I did to my body with these guys. The marshmallow frosting was just heaven in a spoon...multiple spoons...

Golden Graham Cupcakes

A golden cupcake with Golden Graham crumbs baked in, topped with marshmallow frosting and a Golden Graham treat then dusted with Golden Graham crumbs.

makes about 2 dozen cupcakes

Golden Cupcakes
Adapted from "Crazy About Cupcakes" by Krystina Castella

Ingredients:

2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs, separated, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup Golden Graham crumbs (grind cereal in blender or food processor)
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350F. Insert liners into a medium cupcake pan.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar with the electric mixer on medium speed until fuffy, about 3-5 minutes. Add the egg yolks. Beat well. Add the vanilla. Mix.
In a separate bowl combine the flour, golden graham crumbs, baking powder, and salt.
Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture, alternating with the milk. Mix well.
With clean beaters, beat the egg whites on high speed until stiff peaks form.
With a rubber spatula, gently fold the egg whites into the batter.
Fill the cupcake liners one-half to three-quarters full. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of cupcakes comes out clean.

Marshmallow Frosting (makes about 5 cups)
from "Cupcakes" by Shelly Kaldunski

Ingredients:

2 large egg whites
1 cup sugar
6 tbsp water
1 tbsp light corn syrup
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
pinch salt
1 cup mini marshmallows
1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

In a large, clean, heatproof bowl, combine the egg whites, sugar, water, corn syrup, cream of tartar and salt. Set the bowl over (but not touching) simmering water in a saucepan and heat the mixture, whisking constantly, until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is very warm to the touch, about 2 minutes.
Remove the bowl from the saucepan.
Using an electic mixer on medium-high speed, beat the mixture until it is very warm and soft (but not dry) peaks form, about 2 minutes.
Reduce the mixer to low and add the marshmallows and vanilla. Continue beating until te marshmallows are melted and the frosting is completely smooth, about 2 minutes more. Use right away.

Golden Graham Treats
Adapted from Cinnamon Toast Crunch Treats, and Fruity Pebble Treats

Ingredients:

1.5 tablespoons margarine or butter
1/2 (10 ounce) package regular marshmallows or 4 cups mini marshmallows
3 cups Golden Graham cereal

Directions:

Melt margarine in large saucepan over low heat
Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted
Remove from heat
Add Golden Grahams and stir until well coated.
Using buttered spatula or waxed paper, press mixture evenly into a small pan coated with cooking spray.
Allow to cool

Whole Wheat Peach Muffins

Shawn was leaving for the road again with his friend/co-worker Anthony. I wanted to make them a little something for the long drive. Seeing as to how I have to eat whatever I make, I wanted to make something healthy(ish)...These muffins turned out okay...I changed up the recipe to include wheat flour and I think I messed up the whole wheat/all-purpose flour ratio. They were just a little too dense and somewhat bland (sorry boys!) These muffins have great potential, so I think with the right tweaks they will be wonderful. Peaches are my favorite fruit so I will be sure to try these again with the following recipe...

Whole Wheat Peach Muffins
Adapted from Tasteofhome.com

Ingredients:

1 egg
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup of sour cream
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped fresh or frozen peaches, thawed
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar

Directions:

In a bowl, beat egg; add milk and oil. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt; stir into the egg mixture just until moistened. Stir in the peaches.

Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups three-fourths full. Sprinkle the top of each muffin with a pinch or two of the dark brown sugar. Bake at 400° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in a muffin comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack. Yield: 10 muffins.

Dijon, Saltine and Wheat Germ Crusted Chicken Fingers

I was watching the Food Network one lazy morning (surprise!) when Anne Burrell was hosting a "Healthy Kids Meal" episode. I was inspired to make a kids meal of my own using her chicken finger recipe. There is something about a kid's meal that is unbelievably comforting and the fact that it's healthy is a plus...I made this and watched pointless tv in my pajamas...totally felt like a kid again!

I made minor changes to her recipe and used my homemade chipotle ranch instead of hers (as the reviews weren't too promising). I also paired it with a classic box of Kraft Macaroni cheese where I used skim milk and replaced the butter with about 1/3 of margarine spread. I also tossed in a chopped chipotle pepper in adobo sauce for a kick...and boy was it a good kick :) These chicken fingers had the crunch of a fried chicken tender but without the guilt. I loved the kick of dijon. My favorite part has to be the saltines. I remember when I was little my grandpa always made sure to have a jar of saltines that I could get my greedy little hands into...I LOVED those things...this reminded me of that and gave me a lovely trip down memory lane.

Dijon, Saltine and Wheat Germ Crusted Chicken Fingers

Adapted from foodnetwork.com

Ingredients:

2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Kosher salt
1/2 cup Dijon mustard
1/2 cup low fat plain yogurt
1 tablespoon Franks Hot Sauce
1 sleeve (about 25) saltine crackers, crumbled
1 cup toasted wheat germ
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted, optional

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Cut the chicken breasts on the diagonal into wide flat strips and season with salt, to taste. In a large bowl, combine the Dijon, hot sauce and the yogurt, toss in the chicken and stir to coat evenly.

Pulse the crackers in a food processor until they look like fine crumbs. Add the wheat germ and toasted almonds and pulse until it is a homogeneous mixture. Put this mixture into a wide flat dish. Roll the marinated chicken in this mixture, 1 piece at a time, pressing the cracker/wheat germ mixture to evenly crust each piece. Lay the prepared chicken onto a sheet tray fitted with a rack. Baking the chicken on a rack will allow the air to circulate around the chicken to cook it evenly and make it crispy.

Bake the chicken in the preheated oven until the chicken is cooked through but not dry, about 12 to 15 minutes. Remove the chicken from the oven to a serving platter and serve with dip of choice.