Cranberry Bran Muffins

 Cranberry Bran Muffins

1 cup quick cooking oats  

½ cup All Bran cereal

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup boiling water

1 cup low-fat milk

1 cup dried cranberries

1/3 cup dark brown sugar 

1 large egg  

 ¼ cup light canola oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon grated lemon peel

 1¼ cups all-purpose flour    

1 ¼ teaspoons baking soda

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare the 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners. (I’ve found the foil ones “release” the muffin better than the paper ones.)

In a bowl, combine the oats, bran cereal, and salt. Pour boiling water over and stir. Add milk and cranberries, stir and set aside.

In another bowl, whisk together brown sugar, egg, vanilla, and lemon peel. Stir into bran mixture.

 In a large bowl stir together flour and baking soda.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry mixture and stir just until blended. Spoon the batter evenly into the muffin pan.

Bake 18 to 20 minutes until the muffins are lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out dry.

Cranberries contain a natural antibiotic substance that makes the bladder wall inhospitable to the organisms responsible for urinary tract infections. Commercial juice is often too diluted to be effective.  Making your own juice with fresh cranberries and apples is a great way to get all of the available vitamins, and bioflavonoids to support your good health.

 

Kiwi Marinated Beef Stew

Kiwi Marinated Beef Stew

Rather than simmering a stew for a longer period of time to tenderize the meat I like the reduced cooking time required for this recipe. The browning sauce suggested here was one my Grandmother used in her kitchen.

Serves 4

1 ripe kiwi                          

1 pound quality steak

1½ tablespoons olive oil  

1 cup diced onion

1 cup sliced carrots

1/3 cup diced celery 

1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms

 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1½ cups of light beer

½ cup water

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon vinegar

¼ teaspoon thyme

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

8 ounces potatoes cubed

½ teaspoon browning sauce (Kitchen Bouquet)

¼ teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon salt

To tenderize the steak vigorously rub the peeled Kiwi into both sides of the meat. Cut the meat into small bite-size pieces and refrigerate it for an hour.

In a heavy large saucepan over medium high heat, warm the oil until hot but not smoking. Brown the meat quickly and temporarily remove it from the pan. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and mushrooms and cook over med-high heat, stirring frequently, until the onions are translucent.    

Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and stir quickly for a moment until the flour disappears.

Add beer, water, mustard, thyme, and parsley. Stir to combine and bring the mixture back to a boil. Add the potato and beef. Reduce heat to low and simmer this until the potato is tender, 15 to 20 minutes.

Add the browning sauce, pepper and salt. Heat for another 2 minutes before serving.

Green Garden Pea Soup

I found this a pleasant change from the traditional dried split pea soup. Use croutons and a bit of shaved Parmesan as a garnish. Serve with a crusty roll and a salad.

Serves 4

 

1 ½ tablespoons olive oil  

1 cup diced onion

1 cup diced celery

1 tablespoon flour

¾ cup diced carrots

4 cups fresh or frozen peas (thawed)

2 cups organic chicken broth

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

¼ teaspoon black pepper

1 cup lowfat milk (2%)

 ¼ cup light sour cream

Optional:

Top the serving bowl with Shaved Parmesan Cheese and/or croutons

  

In a heavy large saucepan over medium high heat, warm the oil until hot but not smoking. Sauté onion and celery (3 to 4 min) until the onion is soft.   

Add the flour, stirring it for one minute.  Add the carrot, peas, broth, salt, sugar, and red and black pepper.  Bring the liquid back to a boil, reduce it to medium low, and simmer it for about 15 minutes (until the vegetables are tender).

In a blender or food processor, purée the veggies/broth mixture in batches and return it to the saucepan.

Stir in the milk and sour cream. Simmer the soup another 2 to 3 minutes.

 Serve, garnish, and enjoy!