A New Year a New (glorious) Muffin

Happy 2011 everyone!!

Very unlike me, but I slept until 11:30am this morning!!!  Well I guess it’s ok, it is New Years day and I didn’t get to bed until after 3am so really I just got in my 8 hours :) 

My breakfast today involved some fabulous muffins I made yesterday, but first I want to join the class in writing down some of my goals for 2011.

2011

1. Run a Half Marathon!  I haven’t registered just yet, but I am planning to run the Run to Remember at the end of May in Boston!  I feel like so many people I know have run half-marathons, so I KNOW I can do it!  I also love having something like this to train for.  Any other Bostonians running this one??
   
2. ORGANIZE!!  Lately there have been times when I just feel so stressed out, and it’s never over one thing in particular, but I can always trace it back to the fact that the house is a mess :(  I love a clean house but unfortunately I am not a neat freak, and neither is Brian.  It’s both of our faults.  We’ll clean on the weekend and then the busy work week starts up and some times there are those evenings where I get home from the gym (After work) at maybe 7:30/8, eat dinner, and all I want to do is relax for the hour I have left until bed time…and that my friends is where things go downhill.  2 days later I find myself upset because I can’t relax on account of the clutter.
   
   So that is where things need to change!  I’m not sure exactly the best way to tackle this but I NEED to do something!  Suggestions???
   
3. See my friends!  I love our house.  I love that we own a house.  I love the location.  I love our yard and neighborhood.  Although I can’t shake the feeling that once you moved out to the ‘burbs, you feel a little exiled from all your friends who still live in the city.  Not that I want to move back, I don’t, but sometimes I have a hard time dealing with the fact that I miss out on a lot and don’t see my friends as often.  Sure, I know it’s not really feasible to have last minute dinner dates, or pop over to someone's house for a quick hello as much, especially on week days, but I want to try to make an effort to see ALL my friends more often and maybe I wont feel as out of the loop as I do now.
   
4. Travel!  There are a few trips that I NEED to go on, and hopefully some will happen this year.  We are already starting to plan the first:
1. Europe – Belgium, Paris, Amsterdam (and anywhere else we can get in the time we are there!)  I’d LOVE to go back to Greece/Italy but I always feel like I can’t repeat until I’ve done some other countries.  Brian is a huge fan of Belgium beer, it’s his favorite, so I am really looking forward to Beer, Waffles, and chocolate :)    I haven’t been to Paris since 2000, and I don’t think I fully appreciated it then (well the food anyways) and Brian has never been…bring on the macaroons and crepes!
2. San Francisco/Wine Country – Have never been and it’s a big one on my list!!  I just want to eat my way through the area.  Ideally, I want to combine this with the Food Buzz festival this year…which is always around my bday (11/7) :)  Sounds perfect right?
3. VEGAS!!  Another place I’ve never been.  Sorry, Brian, but this is a girls trip ;)  I want to hang out by the pool all day and dance all night…nuff said.  Thinking maybe late Sept/Early Oct. 

Well I think those are the big ones, but I should probably add “Save $$” with all those trips I want to go one :)

Ok the muffins.  These are moist, delicious, and have a delicious cinnamon hint!!  Especially amazing with a smear of whipped cream cheese :)

A Glorious Morning Muffin (i.e. a morning glory)

This muffin stemmed from the fact that I had lots of leftover shredded carrot and zucchini after making some awesome stuffed peppers and turkey meatballs (still to come…maybe I need to add “blog more frequently to that list too!)

Makes 14-16 muffins

Adapted from Eating Well and Whole Foods

• 1 1/3 c. white whole wheat flour
• 2/3 c. all purpose flour
• 1/4 c. brown sugar
• 1/4 c. granulated sugar
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 egg
• 1 egg white
• 3 T canola oil
• 1/2 c. apple sauce
• 2 T maple syrup
• 2 T apple butter (optional, I had some in the fridge, you could add more apple sauce or maple syrup if you wanted)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups grated total of carrot and/or zucchini
• 1 apple, peeled and diced
• 1/4 – 1/2 cup raisins (I just used one of those snack size boxes)
• 1/4 cup shredded coconut
• 2 T finely chopped pecans, toasted
• 2 T wheat germ, toasted
• raw sugar (optional)

Pre-heat oven to 375, and coat muffin tin with cooking spray (I use canola oil spray)

Combine dry ingredients (Flours through salt) in a large mixing bowl, whisk together and set aside.

In another bowl whisk egg and egg white, add in oil, apple sauce, maple syrup, apple butter, and vanilla.  Stir to combine.

Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, and add the carrots, zucchini, raisins, apple, and coconut.  Stir batter just until all is combined.

Fill muffin tins about 3/4 of the way full.  Top with toasted wheat germ and pecans (I also added a sprinkle of raw sugar too).

Bake 15-18 min. 

Notes:  I like my breakfast muffins not too sweet, and these are almost teetering on being too sweet for me.   I think next time I’d cut out 2-3T of sweetener, whether it be sugar, maple syrup, or apple butter (the brand I had was sweetened).  Even still, they came out awesome!  Brian loves them too :)

      I’ve been able to make myself a foamy cappuccino every morning this week…heaven. 

 

Muffin like these are just screaming for a little whipped cream cheese…just like carrot cake for breakfast!

The mild temperatures lately made me go for a Spring-themed placemat/mug combo :)  I heart pink.  

Too early for Spring wishes?  No worries, the rest of the table is still decked out in Christmas galore (and Brian in the background haha)!

Now let’s get going on those resolutions!  It’s 60 degrees out on Jan 1.  I NEED to go running!!!