Naturalpath

You might think that a girl who once packed up all of her belongings and moved, practically sight unseen, from left coast to right coast even with a job transfer to a place where she had no job, no family, and no real idea of what she was doing would be quite an adventurous eater--always anxious to try something new, never ordering the same thing twice. And while I'm sure that girls like this do exist, I am definitely not one of them. While I love the spirit of adventure and new things, the truth is that I am the type of person who will happily fall into a very deep food rut. The only reason I dont have coffee ice cream every time I visit my favorite ice cream parlor is because they have a rotating menu of homemade flavors, and coffee isnt always available. Ordering my first scoop of chocolate almond took several agonizing minutes of deliberation and an extraordinary amount of courage. I do not find it tiresome to eat the same dinner four or five nights in a row, and I happen to believe that one of the tastiest things in the entire world is homemade leftover anything. These are handy qualities to have if much of your food comes from the farmers' market or the garden, as I have come to realize that the true definition of eating seasonally means you devour something for so many meals on end that you don't even want to think about it until next year. At breakfast time, my routine pattern of eating extends well beyond a rut. It is more like a bottomless pit. It is a good thing Because life on a farm is defined by a never ending series of surprises, you really cannot plan ahead or count on much of anything. This, of course, is what makes it so interesting. It also means that I find a great deal of comfort in something as simple as knowing exactly what my morning meal will be for the next several months. For a while I was on an oatmeal jag, , cooked slowly on the stove with extra bran, a handful of wild blackberries from the freezer tossed in at the last minute. A bowl of hot oatmeal with a splash of cold milk, a dash of vanilla, and a sprinkle of cinnamon made for dozens of wholesome and invigorating breakfasts Having managed a bakery in New York, baking assorted and sundry types from apple walnut bran to zucchini carob in the wee hours of the morning, I'm also prone to muffin mania Ah, blueberry muffins from the beloved blueberry bounty earlier this year . My ususal eco-friendly disclaimer to seek out organically grown and/or locally produced ingredients whenever possible. Organic wheat bran, oat bran, and whole wheat flour are bargain priced when purchased from the bulk bins at natural food stores 2 cups (3oz/86g) wheat bran 1 cup (5oz/141g) oat bran 1 cup (6oz/170g) whole wheat flour 2 teaspoons (12g) baking soda 1 teaspoon (6g) baking powder 1/2 teaspoon (4g) salt 2 large eggs 2/3 cup (5oz by weight/156g) milk 2/3 cup (5-1/2oz/156g) yogurt 1/3 cup (2-1/4oz/65g) canola oil 1/3 cup (3-3/4oz/108g) molasses or cane syrup 1/3 cup (3-3/4oz/108g) honey 1 1/2 cups blueberries Place oven rack in middle of oven and heat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a standard size muffin pan (I use canola oil and a silicone pastry brush) or line cups with paper liners (which makes cleaning up a breeze). Combine wheat bran, oat bran, whole wheat flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl and set aside. Combine eggs, blueberries milk, yogurt, canola oil, molasses, and honey in a small bowl and mix well. (Note: you can use all honey or all molasses instead if desired.) Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix with a rubber spatula just until combined. Generously fill muffin cups with batter. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20 to 25 minutes. Cool muffins in pan for 10 to 15 minutes, then carefully remove from pan and serve warm, or let cool on a wire rack. And in the "aha how many ways can you use something" segment,are concerned with the environment or just enjoy saving money, you’ll appreciate the following tips. Cooking: Use muffin pans when prepping for recipes such as meatloaf, quiches, cheesecakes, brownies and mini-potpies. Ingredients will be close at hand, and they won’t take up as much space as individual bowls. Storage Great way to store items such as hair accessories and jewelry, small toys, beads, rubber bands, paper clips, nuts, bolts and screws. Is there a new year's resolution to get organized in here somewhere?? Decor: Vintage muffin pans make great wall hangings. The cubbies act as shelves to display a collection of small things. Gift Box : Place small items such as homemade or store-bought dishcloths, rolled-up cloth napkins, tea bags, candies or pot scrubbers into a covered muffin pan to give as a gift. - Perfect right now. Gardening Use a muffin pan for starting seeds or growing kitchen herbs. SNACK ATTACK: When serving ice cream, place scoops and toppings such as sprinkles, cherries, nuts and candy into each cup. The pan can also be used to hold various snacks, like pretzels, chips, cheese, raw veggies or dip. Parties: Great idea for holding various holiday cookie-decorating treats, such as colored sugar and frosting. Come summer bbqs, add condiments and toppings such as relish, onions, tomatoes, mushrooms, ketchup and mustard to a muffin tin for easy carrying and serving. You can also use the pans as centerpieces - just add votive candles. Always an unprecedented opportunity for creativity! .