Breakfast – Page 18 – The Pajama Chef

Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

August 1, 2012July 31, 2012 Sarah

Need another Chocolate Zucchini recipe? Probably not, but I just had to share these muffins. I’ve tried many, many combinations of zucchini with chocolate… and this is my absolute favorite.

Truth be told, these muffins are probably my favorite thanks to the doubled up chocolate–cocoa powder and chocolate chips–as well as the slightly indulgent, rich buttermilk. You could definitely substitute another kind of milk or use lemon juice/vinegar with milk [which I personally do most of the time] but I think using the real stuff makes these muffins creamier, tangier, and lighter than they would otherwise be.

Fortunately for me [and others who aren’t quite fans of the true taste of zucchini or other squashes]… all that chocolate along with warm spices masks the veggie component… and that same veggie component conveniently makes these muffins healthy and the perfect addition to your breakfast. Right? 🙂

Chocolate Zucchini Muffins [slightly adapted from Coconut and Lime]
click to print

Ingredients:

2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup canola oil
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon allspice
2 cups shredded zucchini, squeezed and drained
1/4 cup chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin tin with 12 paper liners and set aside.

Whisk together eggs, buttermilk, and oil. Next, in a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking pwoder, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice. Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients, then add zucchini and chocolate chips. Stir until just incorporated.

Fill each muffin liner 3/4 of the way full.

Bake for 30-35 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 5-10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool fully.

Time: 45 minutes [10 minutes active].

Yield: 12 muffins.

Breakfast, Granola, Recipes

Mango Coconut Granola

July 27, 2012September 21, 2012 Sarah

Quiz time… what do I love but never buy?

GRANOLA!

Okay, that might have been a wee bit obvious judging from the title of this post, but alas… no permanent harm done.

Seriously though, I just don’t understand how companies that sell 10-12 ounce bags of granola for SIX to EIGHT dollars apiece each stay in business. [Please excuse my internet shouting. I get worked up about overpriced items. I’m ~~cheap~~ frugal.] I get why they have to charge those prices… many of the granola brands I’m thinking of are organic, have a variety of nuts or special sweeteners or dried fruit, etc. And the company has to pay its employees and stay in business too, of course. That’s all well and good, and these pricy granolas are mighty tasty. But for the time being, I can’t justify paying that much moolah for one portion of my breakfast that will be finished in a week, tops. Yup, grad student speaking here. So what do I do? Make my own!

I’ve actually been making quite a few different versions of granola that I haven’t blogged about over the past threeish months… mainly because I have so many recipes in the queue that are frankly more exciting. This time though, nothing is holding me back! This Mango Coconut Granola is a tropical treat. It is officially my favorite granola of all time, a prestigious title to be sure.

So what makes this granola so great? Well, let’s see. Quiz time again.

Is it:

a) the triple punch of coconut [oil, flakes, extract]?
b) the use of almonds, the greatest nut ever?
c) the use of very expensive dried mango that my grandpa bought me at Costco?
d) all of the above.

If you picked d, you are very, very smart.

Coconut times three plus almonds plus dried mangoes just cannot be beat, even though I realize that if I added up the cost of the ingredients for this granola they might rival the expensive brands. No bother though–making things at home is part of the fun, and if you can have homemade, crunchy, flavorful granola… why wouldn’t you?

So far, my favorite way to eat this awesome granola has been with Mango Chobani and blueberries, but it’s also great with any other fruit/yogurt combo.

By the way, in case you’re interested, I’ve recently started playing with instagram a lot. 🙂 I’ve had it since I got my iPhone but never really used it til this summer. If you want to follow me, I’m @thepajamachef. Be sure to leave your username in the comments too so I can follow you back! Thanks and happy Friday!

Mango Coconut Granola [from Megan’s Cookin’]
click to print

Ingredients:

6 cups rolled oats
1 cup almonds, sliced or chopped
1 1/3 cups sweetened coconut flakes, divided [could use unsweetened]
1/3 cup brown sugar [if using unsweetened coconut, could increase to 1/2 cup brown sugar]
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted and slightly cooled
1/2 cup honey
1/2 tablespoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon coconut extract
1/3 cup dried mango, chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Spray a large baking sheet with cooking spray and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine oats, almonds, 1 cup coconut, and brown sugar. In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together coconut oil, honey, and cinnamon, then add vanilla and coconut extracts. Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients and mix well.

Press mixture evenly into baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, then stir, press again, and bake for another 15 minutes. Cool completely, then add dried mango and remaining 1/3 cup coconut flakes. Store in an airtight container.

Time: 45 minutes [15 minutes active]

Yield: about 9 cups.

Breads, Breakfast, Recipes

Garam Masala Chocolate Zucchini Bread

July 23, 2012July 22, 2012 Sarah

So if you have a garden or know someone who does… or heck, ever go to the farmer’s market, chances are, you are practically swimming in zucchini by now. Am I right? Classic zucchini bread is good once or twice… but then, that starts to get a bit boring. What to do, what to do, what to do… I know, I know! Add some Indian spices to that classic quick bread. Since that’s the logical solution, obviously. 😉

Don’t run away now. Just think about it. Classic zucchini bread usually has sweet spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, etc., right? Well, what does garam masala have in it… ummm…. oh thanks Wikipedia… pepper, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, and sometimes other things like chiles, ginger, star anise, etc. See! Garam masala–a spice mixture–is just a fancied up mix of those familiar spices. And savory spices aren’t completely unfamiliar to baked goods. Have you forgotten about pfeffernusses?

If you like Indian flavors, I can guarantee that you’ll love this twist on classic zucchini bread. This version is just as quick and satisfying, and since it’s made with [some] whole wheat flour and applesauce instead of just white flour and oil, it’s a wee bit healthier too. Though truthfully, those health benefits are probably negated thanks to the chocolate portion of this bread. Oh well, the combination of those aromatic spices with the sweet chocolate just makes this bread even more utterly delicious than it could be otherwise. It’s the perfect summer treat and I hope you’ll give it a shot… even though it may sound a bit weird. Just don’t tell those who might freak out a bit about savory spices in quick bread… at least not before they give it a try! 🙂

Garam Masala Chocolate Zucchini Bread [adapted from allrecipes.com]
click to print

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour [250 grams]
1 cup whole wheat flour [120 grams]
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons garam masala
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3 eggs
2 cups grated unpeeled zucchini, pressed with paper towels to squeeze out extra water
1 cup applesauce
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9×5 loaf pan with cooking spray and set aside.

In a medium bowl, stir together dry ingredients: all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, sugar, cocoa powder, garam masala, baking soda, and baking powder. In a large bowl, beat eggs with whisk until fluffy. Then add zucchini, applesauce, and vanilla to eggs and whisk to combine wet ingredients.

Slowly add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, mixing with a wooden spoon until just incorporated. Do not over mix. Fold in chocolate chips, then pour mixture into prepared pan.

Bake for 70 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Check on bread at 50 and 60 minutes, and cover with foil if bread is getting too dark.

Time: 75 minutes [15 minutes active].

Yield: 16 servings.

Breakfast, Muffins, Recipes

Grandma’s Blueberry Muffins

July 5, 2012July 17, 2015 Sarah

Hey! Hope you had a happy Independence Day! Ben and I didn’t do anything super exciting… just had a little cookout [with awesome coleslaw and some Greek burgers he made], played Mario Kart on the Wii [I’m getting pretty good!], and watched a few fireworks on our balcony from the neighbors and the town’s celebration. We decided we didn’t want to deal with the traffic. 🙂 But we always enjoy the 4th of July because it was on that day that we got engaged four years ago, when I was staffing a summer project with Cru in Virginia Beach. Ben and a friend drove out to surprise me… so fun. 🙂 But anyways, back to the week.

I think these muffins might help your week out, don’t you?

My Grandma’s Blueberry Muffins are the absolute bestest blueberry muffins you ever did taste! So don’t you dare change a thing about them. 🙂 I certainly wouldn’t dream about it, even though the amount of butter and sugar in these little guys is really enough to warrant the name “cupcake” instead of “muffin.” Like, seriously. But they are worth it! I promise.

Even more so than the sweet muffin or the naturally sweet, juicy, fresh-picked blueberries, the crumb topping is what I absolutely adore about these blueberry muffins. Could that get any better? I think not. These muffins might look like your average bakery blueberry muffins, but they are absolutely not. And I’m not saying that just ’cause they’re from Grandma. Not at all. These muffins are sweet and a wee bit over the top, but they are still super light and fluffy to let the berry shine… unlike heavy bakery muffins. I don’t even bother trying other recipes anymore because I’m never satisfied. My Grandma simply knew what she was doing with these muff muffs! 🙂

Once you try them, I’m sure you’ll agree! Enjoy!

Grandma's Blueberry Muffins

Servings: 24
Time: 30 minutes
Print

from my Grandma

Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 eggs
1 cup skim milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 3/4 cup blueberries
1 tablespoon butter, melted

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Grease or line muffin tins with paper liners, then set aside.

Put flour, sugar, and baking powder in a large bowl. Mix well. Cut in butter until crumb like. Reserve 1 cup crumb mixture.

Add eggs, milk, and vanilla to crumb mixture in large bowl. Beat until smooth, then gently fold in blueberries. Fill prepared muffin tins about 3/4 of the way full.

Place reserved crumb mixture into a small bowl, then dribble in melted butter. Toss with a fork to make crumbs. Sprinkle on top of each muffin cup.

Bake for 20 minutes or until crumb topping is golden brown. Store covered for up to one week, or can be frozen up to six months.

Breakfast, Pancakes, Recipes

Chocolate Chip Banana Pancakes

July 2, 2012July 3, 2014 Sarah

So, even though I love Jack Johnson… I don’t really like banana pancakes. I’m not a fan of globby, warm, overripe banana goo. What can I say? I prefer underripe bananas. I’m weird. All that being said… I absolutely adore these banana pancakes. They are so light, fluffy, and just sweet enough to be a little extra treat in the morning [or at noon or in the evening… pancakes are good anytime!].

So what makes these banana pancakes so great? Let me give you a hint: It’s not just the chocolate chips.

The bananas in the mix are mashed, not sliced, which give each bite full of banana flavor without that warm banana goo. This batter reminds me so much of banana bread, it’s uncanny! I cannot say enough good things about them, except to say that you should definitely check out the original post on Skinnytaste. Gina’s heart shaped pancake mold is absolutely precious… and I’m sure makes the pancakes taste a teensy weensy bit better. But I’m here today to say that even if you just make these the regular ‘ole way, they are still pretty amazing. 🙂

Chocolate Chip Banana Pancakes [from Skinnytaste]
click to print

Ingredients:

2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 large banana, ripe, mashed well
1 cup skim milk
3 large egg whites
2 teaspoons canola oil + more for cooking [or use cooking spray]
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
banana slices, chocolate chips, syrup, butter, etc. for topping

Directions:

Preheat skillet over medium heat. Add a little oil to skillet to heat up.

In a small bowl, mix together flours and baking soda. In a large bowl, beat together banana, milk, egg whites, oil, and vanilla until smooth. Then gently fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients.

Pour 1/4 cup batter onto hot skillet, top with 1 teaspoon mini chocolate chips. Cook for about 90 seconds to 2 minutes on each side, flipping when bottom is lightly brown and batter starts to bubble.

Repeat until all batter is used, and serve pancakes with additional banana slices, chocolate chips, butter, syrup, etc.

Time: 20 minutes.

Yield: 12 pancakes.