Soaked Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookie Bread

Yield: 1 loaf

Original recipe credit: How Sweet It Is

1 cup oats

1 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup butter, softened

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 large egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

1/3 cup mini chocolate chips

1. Combine oats and buttermilk in a medium bowl, stirring well to coat all oats. Let sit overnight, 12-24 hours.

2. Preheat oven to 350°.

3. In a large bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar. Add in egg, vanilla, and buttermilk mixture, stirring well to combine. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Stir well; add into buttermilk mixture, mixing well. Fold in chocolate chips.

4. Pour into a greased loaf pan. Bake at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean (minus chocolate chip smears). Cool in pan 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool at least 20 more minutes before serving.

Morning Glory Muffins

Now that Lane likes to help me in the kitchen, I find myself baking almost every day. We had a bunch of apples and carrots, so Morning Glory Muffins it was! These are just sweet enough and pretty healthy, too! Throw in some flaxseed or wheat bran if you have it for added nutrition.

yield: 18 muffins

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup white flour

3/4 cup sugar

2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

2 cups finely shredded carrots

1 large apple, peeled, cored, and finely diced

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup unsweetened flaked coconut

3 eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup oil

1/4 cup apple juice

1/2 cup buttermilk

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Place raisins in a small bowl and cover with water. Let soak for 10 minutes. Drain and squeeze off extra water.

3. In a large bowl stir together flours, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in carrots, apple, pecans, raisins, and coconut. In a small bowl whisk together eggs, vanilla, oil, apple juice, and buttermilk. Add egg mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until moist.

4. Coat 18 muffin cups with cooking spray. Pour batter into muffin cups. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Strawberry Bread

Yum. If you have an abundance of over-ripe strawberries, this is a perfect recipe for them. Good warm or cold, as breakfast or as dessert, it's just, simply, yummy.

Original recipe credit: allrecipes.com (heavily adapted from the original)

yield: 2 loaves

4 cups sliced strawberries

3 cups flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup oil

4 eggs

3/4 cup chopped pecans

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Purée 2 cups strawberries in a food processor or blender. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt, stirring well with a whisk. In a small bowl, beat eggs; add buttermilk, oil, and puréed strawberries, stirring well. Add egg mixture to flour mixture, stirring well to combine. Fold in remaining 2 cups strawberries and pecans. Pour into two loaf pans coated with cooking spray.

4. Bake at 350° for 40-50 minutes or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans.

Oat Muffins

Mmm... these muffins are SO yummy! They're kind of chewy and not too sweet; perfect for a healthy afternoon snack. I meant to toss in a tablespoon of flaxseed but forgot, and I think they'd be really good with a cup of chopped apples as well.

yield: 12 muffins

1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 cup oats
3 Tbsp oil
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp molasses
1 egg
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Combine buttermilk through egg in a medium bowl; stir well.
3. Combine remaining ingredients in a large bowl; make a well in center of mixture. Add buttermilk mixture; stir just until moist. Spoon batter into 12 muffin cups coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pans; cool on a wire rack.

Pumpkin-Apple Muffins

These muffins are *just* sweet enough and chock full of healthy stuff: flaxseed, wheat bran, and walnuts, among others. These are a perfect snack because they're not too sweet and there's no guilt in eating one!

yield: 24 muffins

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup white flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup wheat bran
1/4 cup flaxseed
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup canola oil
1 cup pumpkin purée
2 eggs
2 cups apples, chopped or shredded
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
1/2 cup raisins

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. In large bowl stir together flours, sugar, and next 7 ingredients (through salt).
3. In small bowl stir together buttermilk, oil, pumpkin, and eggs. Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture, stirring well to combine. Stir in apples, walnuts and raisins. Spoon batter into 24 muffin tins coated with cooking spray.
4. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until a knife inserted in center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool 2 minutes in muffin tins before removing from tins.

Zucchini Bread

Zucchini muffins make a great snack! They're even better if you freeze them first...

yield: 2 loaves (or 1 loaf and 18 muffins, which is what I usually do)

3 cups shredded zucchini
2 cups oats
2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
1/4 cup brown sugar
5 tsp baking powder
1 Tbsp grated lemon rind
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1-1/2 cups skim milk
6 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Press zucchini on several layers of paper towels. Cover with additional paper towels; set aside.
3. Combine oats with flour, sugar, walnuts, and next 6 ingredients (walnuts through nutmeg) in a large bowl; make a well in center of mixture. Combine milk, oil, vanilla, and eggs in a bowl; stir with a whisk. Add zucchini; stir. Add to flour mixture; stir just until moist. Divide batter evenly between two 8 x 4-inch loaf pans coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes in pans on a wire rack; remove from pans. Cool completely on wire rack.

Cran-Walnut Banana Bread

Oh. My. Yum. I got bored with regular banana bread and decided to experiment. This banana bread is full of healthy extras and pairs tart cranberries with sweet chocolate chips.

yield: 1 loaf

3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
1 cup white flour
1/4 cup wheat bran
2 Tbsp ground flaxseed
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1 cup mashed banana
1/3 cup plain yogurt
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
1/4 cup dried cranberries

1. Preheat oven to 350° .
2. Combine flours, wheat bran, flaxseed, baking soda, and salt. Stir with a whisk.
3. Beat sugar and butter together in large bowl until blended. Add eggs, stirring well. Add banana, yogurt, and vanilla; beat well. Add flour mixture; beat until just moist. Stir in walnuts, chocolate chips, and cranberries. Pour into loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a knife comes out clean.

Pumpkin Bread

Warm, moist pumpkin bread is the ideal treat on chilly fall days!

yield: 2 loaves, 12 slices each

3 1/3 cups flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup buttermilk
4 eggs
2/3 cup water
1 15-oz can (2 cups) pumpkin

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Combine flour through allspice in a bowl; stir with a whisk.
3. Place sugar, oil, buttermilk, and eggs in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until well blended. Add 2/3 cup water and pumpkin, beating at low speed until blended. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture, beating at low speed just until combined. Spoon batter into 2 9x5-inch load pans coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pans on a wire rack; remove from pans and cool completely.

Zucchini Pineapple Bread

yield: 2 loaves

3 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 eggs
2 cups sugar
2 cups grated zucchini (about 2)
2/3 cup canola oil
1/2 cup egg substitute
2 tsp vanilla
1 20 oz can crushed pineapple, drained

1. Preheat oven to 325° .
2. Combine flour through cinnamon in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk
3. Beat eggs with a mixer until foamy. Add sugar through vanilla, beating until well blended.
4. Add zucchini mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Fold in pineapple. Spoon batter into two 9x5 loaf pans coated with cooking spray. Bake at 325° for 1 hour. Cool 10 minutes before removing from pans.

Carrot Bread

yield: 1 loaf

3/4 cup sliced carrots
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup fat-free vanilla yogurt
1 egg
1 egg white

1. Preheat oven to 350° .
2. Cook carrot in boiling water 15 minutes or until soft; drain. Process in a food processor until smooth.
3. In a medium bowl combine flour through cloves; stir with a whisk to combine. In a small bowl combine carrot puree and sugar through egg white; stir with a whisk to combine. Add carrot mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until moist.
4. Pour batter into an 8-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 50 minutes or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool 10 minutes before cutting.

Banana Bread

yield: 1 loaf

1 cup whole-wheat flour
1 cup white flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed banana
1/3 cup plain yogurt
1 tsp vanilla
cooking spray

1. Preheat oven to 350° .
2. Combine flours, baking soda, and salt. Stir with a whisk.
3. Beat sugar and butter together in large bowl until blended. Add eggs. Add banana, yogurt, and vanilla; beat well. Add flour mixture; beat until just moist. Pour into loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a knife comes out clean.

Pumpkin Walnut Raisin Bread

yield: 1 loaf

1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
1/4 tsp ground mace
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup canned pumpkin
3 Tbsp canola oil
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Cooking spray

1. Preheat oven to 350° .
2. Combine flour through mace in a large bowl. Make a well in the center of mixture.
3. Combine sugars and eggs in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add pumpkin, oil, and vanilla: stir well. Add raisins and nuts; add to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Spoon batter into a bread pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 50 minutes or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean.