Orange Cranberry Muffins

My favourite "snack" at McDonalds was the Orange-Cranberry Muffin. When I found the Orange Muffin recipe in Company's Coming Muffins and More Cookbook, I was happy. When I tried it with cranberries and without sugar, I was over the moon! Substituting olive oil for the margarine and using part whole wheat flour makes it even better. These freeze pretty well, and are a wonderful breakfast or coffee break snack.

1 whole unpeeled orange, washed and cut up
1/2 cup (125 ml)no-sugar-added orange juice
1/2 cup (125 ml) chopped dates
1 egg
1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons (80 ml) olive oil (OR 1/2 cup/125 ml  hard margarine, softened)
1 cup (250 ml) all purpose flour
3/4 cup (175 ml) whole wheat flour
1/4 cup Splenda artificial sweetener
1 1/2 teaspoons (7 ml) baking powder
1 teaspoon (5 ml) baking soda
1 cup (250 ml) dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 400*F.

Measure flours, Splenda, baking powder and soda in medium sized bowl. Make a well in the centre.

Cut orange into 7 or 8 pieces. Remove seeds. Combine orange pieces and juice in a blender. Puree. Add dates, egg and olive oil to blender. Blend.

Pour orange mixture into the well in the dry ingredients. Stir just to combine. Gently mix in cranberries.

Fill greased or paper lined muffin cups 3/4 full. Place muffin pan in the oven. After 5 minutes, lower the oven temperature to 350* F. Bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until muffins are lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the middle of one comes out clean.

Makes 12 large, 16 medium muffins.

Note: This recipe also made 3 mini loaves, which were nice when sliced and served with coffee or tea.

Golden Corn Cake

In the summer of 1990 my Grandma Brown was on her way to visit my Uncle and his family in Toronto. She made a pit stop in Winnipeg for a day, and we had a good time catching up. While she was there, I asked if she could remember a good recipe for corn cake- or "Johnny Cake", as my Mom used to call it. I thought- I grew up with this because my Mom grew up with it, so who better to ask then my Mom's Mom?! Grandma asked if I had anything to start with, and I pulled out my Fanny Farmer Boston Cooking School Cookbook. She quickly fingered this recipe, making a few changes, ("I'd made that a cup instead of 3/4, and that a cup instead of 1 1/4...") and we were golden. Cake that is. Golden Corn Cake.

This is the best eaten warm with butter and golden syrup. At Bible College they used to serve it with pancake syrup, and I learned to like it with peanut butter and pancake syrup. Diabetically speaking, it's very good with a low sugar jam, (I like strawberry with this) but if you like the E.D.Smith No-Sugar-Added syrup you might give it a try with peanut butter and syrup.

1 cup yellow corn meal
1 cup all-purpose flour (I substitute whole wheat flour for added fibre)
1/4 cup sugar or artificial Sweetener
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoos salt
1 cup milk (you might need to add an extra tablespoon or two if you use whole wheat flour)
1 egg, well beaten
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 375*F. Mix dry ingredients together in a medium sized bowl. Add milk, egg and oil. Stir just until mixed. Spread in greased 9" pan / 1.8 L baking dish for 15- 20 minutes, until top is golden brown.

9 Grain Pancakes

The Texture Police at my house thought these were a little too crunchy... but I thought they were brilliant. They have a nice nutty flavour, and topped with some no-sugar-added syrup or jam, they were just the ticket for a Saturday morning breakfast.

1 cup Rogers 9 Grain Cereal
2 cups low fat buttermilk
2 eggs
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 Tablespoon Splenda artificial sweetener or granulated sugar

Measure 9 grain cereal and buttermilk into a large bowl. Let stand 10 minutes.

Add eggs and vegetable oil. Mix well.

Measure flour, baking powder, baking soda and sweetener, and distribute evenly over surface of milk mixture. Fold dry ingredients into wet, just until blended. If batter seems too runny, let it stand for 5 minutes; the grains will soak up more of the milk and it will thicken up.

Bake on hot, greased skillet or griddle until browned on bottom with little bubbles breaking on the uncooked top. Flip pancakes to brown the second side.

Serve warm with your favourite toppings.

Blueberry, Banana and Bran Muffins

This recipe is presented as it appears in "Graham Kerr's Best", Copyright 1995 by The Treena and Graham Kerr Corporation. G.P.Putnam's Sons. These are awesome muffins. You've got to give them a try with the Yogurt Spread. Beautiful. Published here by permission.

Time Estimate: Hands-on, 20 minutes; unsupervised, 25 minutes.
Makes 12 muffins

2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 egg whites
1/2 cup nonfat milk
1/4 cup molasses
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup cake flour
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
1 cup wheat bran
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup fresh or frozen (not thawed) blueberries
2 tablespoons sliced almonds
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 ripe banana, sliced

Blueberry, Banana Yogurt Spread
yields 1 1/4 cups

1/2 cup mashed blueberries
1 medium ripe banana, mashed
1/4 cup plain, nonfat yogurt


Preheat the oven to 400*F. In a large bowl, whisk the brown sugar and egg whites until frothy. Stir in the milk, molasses, applesauce and vanilla.

In a medium bowl, combine the flours, bran, baking powder and baking soda. Stir in the blueberries, almonds and cinnamon. Add the banana slices, keeping them separated and making sure each slice is completely coated with the flour. Gently add the wet ingredients to the flour mixture. Don't overmix- it took me approximately 40 stirs to incorporate.

Line the muffin tins with foil muffin cups. Fill each cup two-thirds full and bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. The muffins really stick to paper cups. I believe this is due to the low- fat content of the batter.

The yogurt spread: While the muffins are baking, mix the blueberries, banana and yogurt together until well incorporated.

To serve: Place each muffin on its own plate- remember: only one per serving- and spoon 1 tablespoon of the spread on the side.

Welsh Cakes

This winner was submitted to the Princess Margaret Home & School Association cookbook, "Our Family Recipes", by Mrs. Campbell, School Secretary Extraordinaire. A good make- ahead, cook- up- fresh quick bread.


1 cup shortening
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
3 cups flour
6 Tablespoons milk (approximately)
1 cup currents

Mix all ingredients together.

Form dough into rolls. Cut into rounds (or roll out and use a cutter).

Bake in 350* F fry pan. Bake on each side until golden brown.

Serve warm with butter. You won't be able to eat just one!

(Rolls can be frozen and cooked at a later date.)

Anna's Blueberry Muffins For Diabetics

Another winner from "Our Family Recipes", the Princess Margaret Home & School Association cookbook. Submitted by Anna Sigurdson. By making just a few changes to the original, you can make this high fibre muffin very diabetic friendly. Looks good!


1/2 cup Splenda Brown Sugar Blend OR 1/4 cup brown sugar + 1/2 cup Splenda OR omit brown sugar altogether.
3/4 cup rolled oats
2/3 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
grated rind of 1 orange
1 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen (if using frozen berries, do not thaw before adding to batter)

In a large bowl, combine Splenda, oats, flours, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and orange rind.

In a small bowl, beat milk, oil and egg together; pour over dry ingredients and mix gently, just until moistened. Gently fold in blueberries.

Spoon into large greased or paper-lined muffin cups, filling 3/4 full. Bake at 400 * F for 15- 20 minutes, or until tops are firm to the touch.

Makes 12 muffins.

Blueberry Muffins

Another winner from "Our Family Recipes", the Princess Margaret Home & School Association cookbook. Submitted by Anna Sigurdson. Looks good!


1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup rolled oats
2/3 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
grated rind of 1 orange
1 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen (if using frozen berries, do not thaw before adding to batter)

In a large bowl, combine sugar, oats, flours, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and orange rind.

In a small bowl, beat milk, oil and egg together; pour over dry ingredients and mix gently, just until moistened. Gently fold in blueberries.

Spoon into large greased or paper-lined muffin cups, filling 3/4 full. Bake at 400 * F for 15- 20 minutes, or until tops are firm to the touch.

Makes 12 muffins.

Breakfast Muffins For Non-Morning People

Tired of cold cereal for breakfast? Desirous of lovely, hot muffins to go with your orange juice or coffee? Not a morning person? Not a problem.

Before you go to bed:
1. Choose your muffin recipe.

2. Mix up all the dry ingredients and cover the bowl.

3. Mix up all the wet ingredients, cover and refrigerate overnight.

4. Take out your muffin pan and paper liners, and get the muffin tin ready with the liners.

5. If your oven has "Oven start/ stop" timer capabilities, set the oven to go on half an hour before you normally get up in the morning. Set it to stop an hour after it starts. Don't forget to set the temperature specified in the recipe.

6. Go to bed.

7. Get up 10 minutes early. If you didn't set the oven to come on, get up 15 minutes early, and turn the oven on before you go to the bathroom.

8. Take the wet ingredients out of the fridge. Add to the dry ingredients. Mix just until moistened. Fill the prepared muffin tin. Put the muffin tin in the oven.

9. Go have a shower. While you shower the muffins will bake. Check the time; either get dressed and then take the muffins out of the oven, or take them out before they burn and then get dressed.

10. Et Voila. Muffins for breakfast.

Baked Oatmeal

Tired of instant oatmeal? Give this one a try. Mix it up and pop it in the oven before you have your shower, and when you are dry- voila! Breakfast- hot and tasty, taken from the Saskatchewan E.M.M.C. Ladies' cookbook.

3 cups Oatmeal (quick or old fashioned, but not instant)
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 - 1 cup raisins (or chocolate chips)
1 cup milk
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 350* F. Spray a 9" square baking pan with cooking spray.

Mix oatmeal, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, sugar and raisins together. Make a well in the center of these dry ingredients. Into the well, measure the milk, eggs and vegetable oil. Stir together, starting in the center to mix the eggs with the milk. Mix until blended, with no dry bits. Scrape into prepared pan and bake for 20 - 25 minutes.

Serve with hot cinnamon milk. You can heat milk in a small saucepan on the stove, or in the microwave. For each cup of milk, use one cinnamon stick, which you will break into 2 or 3 pieces. For stovetop, heat and stir over low heat til milk is steaming. To microwave, measure milk into a glass measure; add the broken cinnamon stick and microwave on full power for about 2 minutes to heat milk through.

Makes 9 generous squares.

Note: Recipe can be easily halved and baked in an 8" round pan to serve 2-3. If you are serving a mixed crowd, you can divide the recipe and bake it in 2- 8" round pans. Half can be made with raisins and the other half with chocolate chips, or the dried fruit of your choice.

Chocolate Chip or Berry Muffins

1 1/2 cups all purpose white flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup French Vanilla flavoured coffee cream
1/4 cup milk or water
1 egg
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup chocolate chips OR blueberries (fresh or unthawed frozen), strawberry chunks or raspberries

Mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a medium sized bowl. Stir in chocolate chips or berries. Make a well in the center.

In another bowl, mix French Vanilla cream, milk, egg and oil.

Pour milk mixture into the well, then mix gently only until all dry ingredients are incorporated. Divide into greased or paper lined muffin tins.

Bake at 375* F. for 20 - 25 minutes, til risen and lightly browned.

Yield: 8 large or 12 small muffins

Diabetic Banana Muffins

A few more tweaks to the "Company's Coming Muffins and More" recipe, et voila!


1/3 cup all purpose flour
2/3 cup whole wheat flour
1/3 cup wheat germ
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 Tbsp Splenda, artificial sweetener
1/2 cup mashed bananas
1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil
1/4 cup fat-free sour cream
1/3 cup low-fat buttermilk
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 400*F.

Mix flours, wheat germ, baking soda and Splenda in a medium sized bowl. Make a well in the center.

In another bowl, mix bananas, oil, sour cream, egg and vanilla. Mix together well. Pour into dry ingredients and stir just until blended.

Fill 8 paper lined or greased muffin cups.

Put into oven, then immediately reduce temperature to 350* F. Bake for 20- 25 minutes.

Makes 8 muffins.

Banana Muffins

It started out as the Banana Muffin recipe in "Company's Coming Muffins and More"... but I tweaked it a little... easy to double for a crowd.


1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup mashed bananas
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil
1 egg
2 Tbsp sour cream
1/2 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 400*F.

Mix flour and soda in a medium sized bowl. Make a well in the center.

In another bowl, measure bananas, sugar, oil, egg, sour cream and vanilla. Mix together well.

Pour wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir just until mixed.

Fill 8 paper lined or greased muffin cups. Put in oven, then immediately reduce oven temperature to 350* F. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes.

Obviously yields 8 muffins.

Diabetic Baked Oatmeal

Tired of instant oatmeal? Give this one a try. Mix it up and pop it in the oven before you have your shower, and when you are dry- voila! Breakfast- hot and tasty. This is the half size, diabetic version of a Favourite Recipe, taken from the Saskatchewan E.M.M.C. Ladies' cookbook. Have a quarter or a third for breakfast hot, and save the rest for a snack later on.


1 1/2 cups Oatmeal (quick or old fashioned, but not instant)
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 cup Splenda
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup skim milk
1 egg
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce or canola oil

Preheat oven to 350* F. Spray a 1.5 L casserole/ baking pan with cooking spray.
Mix oatmeal, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, Splenda and raisins together. Make a well in the center of these dry ingredients. Into the well, measure the milk, egg and applesauce. Stir together, starting in the center to mix the eggs with the milk. Mix until blended, with no dry bits. Scrape into prepared pan and bake for 15-20 minutes.


If you use a glass casserole dish, this can be microwaved for about 5 minutes on high heat. Test the middle with a toothpick; if it comes out clean the baked oatmeal is ready. If not, microwave an additional 2-3 minutes.


Serve with hot cinnamon milk. You can heat milk in a small saucepan on the stove, or in the microwave. For each half cup of milk, use half of a cinnamon stick, which you will break into a couple of pieces. For stove-top, heat and stir over low heat til milk is steaming. To microwave, measure milk into a glass measuring cup; add the broken cinnamon stick and microwave on full power for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes to heat milk through.
Makes 4 servings.
Notes:

-To serve 4 - 6 people, double the recipe, and bake for 20- 25 min in a 9" square pan.

-If you are cooking for diabetic and non- diabetic folk, you can bake another batch in your other 8" round pan for the Sugar People, using 1/3 cup sugar instead of Splenda*



Nutritional Analysis: (Baked Oatmeal alone)
Serving size 1/4 of the whole batch 


Calories:  208 (with applesauce) 327 (with oil)
Total Fat: 3.5 g (with applesauce) 17.5 g (with oil)
Cholesterol: 48 mg
Sodium: 247.23 mg (with applesauce) 247 mg (with oil)
Total Carbohydrates:  41.3 g (with applesauce) 39 g (with oil)
   Fibre: 3.7 g (with applesauce) 3.65 g (with oil)
   Sugars: 17.44 g (with applesauce) 16 g (with oil)
Protein: 8 g


*Analysis was done as for a recipe using Splenda.
If the numbers are too high for you dietary needs, divide the baked oatmeal into 6 pieces.


Per 1/6th, Baked Oatmeal alone:
Calories: 139 (with applesauce) 218 (with oil)
Total Fat: 2.34 g (with applesauce) 12 g (with oil)
Cholesterol: 32 mg
Sodium: 164.8 mg (with applesauce) 165 mg (with oil)
Total Carbohydrates: 27.6 g (with applesauce) 26 g (with oil)
   Fibre: 2.5 g (with applesauce) 2.4 g (with oil)
   Sugars: 11.6 g (with applesauce) 10.7 g (with oil)
Protein: 6.34 g

Bran Muffins

This is a recipe that I've adapted from the Company's Coming Muffins and More cookbook. The original has long been a favourite, and this lower sugar version is every bit as good. These muffins freeze well, so make a batch, and keep them on hand for a good breakfast treat. Have them with no-sugar added peanut butter or a slice of old cheddar to add some protein and make the meal complete.


250 ml (1 cup) low-fat buttermilk
250 ml (1 cup) natural bran*
50 ml (1/4 cup) all-purpose white flour
200 ml (3/4 cup) all purpose, whole wheat flour
5 ml (1 tsp.) baking soda
7 ml (1 1/2 tsp.) baking powder
5 ml (1 tsp.) cinnamon (optional)
175 ml (3/4 cup) raisins
50 ml (1/4 cup) canola or olive oil
50 ml (1/4 cup) molasses
1 egg
7 ml (1 1/2 tsp.) vanilla
In med. sized bowl, stir buttermilk and bran* together. Let stand 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine flours, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and raisins. Stir well. Push up around sides of bowl, making a well in the center.
Add remaining ingredients to bran mixture in order given. Beat with a spoon until mixed. Pour into well. Stir just to moisten. Batter will be lumpy.
Divide into greased or paper lined muffin cups. Bake at 350 * F., for 15- 20 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes. Remove from pan. Makes 12 large muffins.
Note: To make the Husband's Favourite "Raspberry Bran Muffins", use 1 cup raspberries, fresh or frozen (un-thawed) and add 25 ml., (1/8 cup) Splenda sweetener to the flour mixture.
*To increase fibre, add 25 ml (1/8 cup) Red River Cereal with bran to buttermilk. This also adds a crunchy texture.


Per Muffin:
calories: 158
Fat: 5.75 g
   saturated: .21 g
Cholesterol: 17.5 mg
Sodium: 123 mg
Carbohydrates: 24 g
   sugars: 11.25 g
   fibre: 3.27 g
Protein: 3.7 g

Fresh Fruit Muffins

(Here's one that I made up for breakfast, and everyone liked them and everything!)

2 cups flour
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup Splenda (artificial sweetener)
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups fresh fruit, chopped up (1 small banana in chunks and a cup of coarsely chopped strawberries was very yummy)
1 cup skim milk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup Canola/ vegetable oil
2 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 400* F.

Mix dry ingredients together in large bowl. Add fruit.

In another bowl, mix milk and egg, then add oil and vanilla. Add to dry ingredients. Fold together, mixing just til blended.

Divide into 12 paper lined or oiled muffin cups. Pop the muffin pan into the 400*F oven, then immediately reduce the oven temperature to 350* F. and bake for 15 - 20 minutes, til tops are lightly browned and the center of the center muffin tests done with a toothpick.

Mmmm! (make sure you share your fresh fruit and berry combinations with us in the comments section!)

Currant Scones

This is based on the Currant Scone recipe in "Company's Coming Muffins and More" cookbook. I've kicked up the fibre and left out the sugar. It's an easy recipe to halve, and it has become my favourite scone recipe. They are delightful with butter and a bit of No- Sugar- Added Orange Spread. And don't forget a cup of good, strong tea!

2/3 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup bran flakes cereal (I press it down, crunching it up, until it measures a cup)
4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup butter or hard margarine, cold
1/2 cup currants, or lightly chopped raisins
1 egg
2/3 cup milk
milk for brushing tops
granulated sugar for sprinkling

In large bowl combine flours, cereal, baking powder and salt. Cut in butter until crumbly. Stir in currants. Make a well in the center.

In small bowl, beat egg until frothy. Stir in milk. Pour into well. Stir with a fork to form soft dough. Turn out on lightly floured surface. Knead 8 to 10 times. Divide into two equal parts. Pat each into a 6 inch circle. Transfer to greased baking sheet. (I never knead the dough, and I make the circle right on the baking sheet)

Brush tops with milk and sprinkle with sugar*. Score each top into 6 pie shaped markings. Bake at 425*F for 15 minutes, until risen and browned slightly. Serve hot with butter and jam. Yield: 12 scones.

*you can skip this step, to make lovely currant "biscuits", or use a 1/4 tsp. measure to give each circle just a slight dusting of sugar. I usually leave off the sugar, when I'm making them just for me.