Blackberry Oat Muffins {SRC}

These Blackberry Oat Muffins are extra special, and pretty enough to serve to guests!

I found them over on Emily’s blog – Life on Food – my assignment for this month’s Secret Recipe Club. 

Emily has lived in 4 states – ranging from the corn fields of the mid-west to the hot south, and now resides in the north east.  And, she has some amazing looking recipe on her blog: Texas Roadhouse Dinner Rolls, Sweet Potato Hash with Brussels Sprouts & Bacon, Carrot Cake Pancakes, and Crockpot Herbed Garlic Chicken (which uses my favorite spices!). 

I ended up choosing these blackberry oat muffins, and we really enjoyed them.

In true Finding Joy in My Kitchen fashion, we made some healthy substitutions:

• Used whole wheat flour rather than all purpose
• Reduced the sugar by 1/2 C. 
• Used applesauce in place of Greek yogurt. 
• Reduced the amount of butter. 

The result was a delicious muffin. 

Blackberry Oat Muffins – Adapted from Emily @ Life on Food

Ingredients

• 2 C whole wheat flour
• 3/4 C Old Fashioned Oats
• 1/2 C brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 C unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 C milk
• 2 T butter, melted
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 6 oz. fresh blackberries

Directions

In a large bowl mix together 2 C whole wheat flour with 3/4 C oats.  Add in a pinch of salt, 1/2 C brown sugar, 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder, 1/2 tsp. baking soda, and 1/2 tsp. of cinnamon.  Stir well. 

Add in 1 C unsweetened applesauce, 1 egg, 1 tsp. vanilla extract. 

Stir in 2 T melted butter and then up to 1/2 C milk, until you have a thick, but batter-like batter. 

Chop up your blackberries into coarse pieces.  I sliced each berry into 2-3 sections.

Toss those berries into the batter. 

Carefully fold the berries in until just combined. 

Scoop into muffin tins that have been lightly greased.  They will fill about 12 regular muffin tins, or 6 jumbo muffins. 

If desired, sprinkle the top with coarse sugar. 

Bake at 350 for 20-23 minutes until lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffin comes out clean. 

Cool for 2-3 minutes in the pan.  Then, remove the muffins and allow them to cool on a cooling rack. 

Serve slightly warm, or at room temperature. 

Enjoy! 

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Berry Puff Pancake

This delicious puff pancake is a super fun morning treat. 

And, of course, I made it even better for you. 

We used 100% white whole wheat flour, 1 less egg, reduced the amount of butter and sugar, and used 2% milk rather than whole.  Loaded up the berries and served with with maple syrup rather than whipped cream. 

Delicious. 

Berry Puff Pancake – Adapted from Recipe Girl

Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• 1 C milk (we used 2%)
• 1 C white whole wheat flour
• 1/8 C white sugar (or try, 4 T honey)
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 1 T butter
• Splash of vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 C berries (we used blueberry, raspberry, blackberry)
• Pure maple syrup

Directions

Combine 3 eggs with 1 C milk and 1 C white whole wheat flour.  Stir.  Then, add in 1/8 C sugar, and a pinch of salt.  Using a blender (we used our immersion blender), blend until smooth. 

Meanwhile, melt 1 T butter into a large, oven-proof skillet.  Swirl the butter in the pan so that the bottom and sides are coated. 

Pour the batter into the skillet.

Toss the berries on top. 

We used frozen berries (we did not thaw them first) and they worked really well. 

Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, until the pancake is set in the center and lightly browned on the edges. 

Cut into wedges and serve warm. 

Enjoy!

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No-Bake Mixed Berry Cheesecake

This cheesecake would be a fun and wonderful dessert for your family this Valentine’s Day.  It’s easy to make (don’t let the ingredient list fool you) and tastes incredible. 

If you’d prefer, use cherries for the sauce, or perhaps just raspberries.  We really enjoyed the mixed berry approach, but the topping preference is flexible.  The cinnamon in the crust adds a depth of flavor that really set this dessert over the top. 

Elegant, yet simple. 

That’s a win in my book!

No-Bake Mixed Berry Cheesecake – Adapted from Cooking Classy

Ingredients

• Base
  • 1 package graham crackers, crushed
  • 3 T butter
  • 2 pinches of cinnamon
• Filling
  • 8 oz. Neufchatel cream cheese, softened
  • 2/3 C powdered sugar
  • 2/3 C whipping cream
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp. corn starch
• Berry Topping
  • 2 C frozen mixed berries (raspberries, blackberries & blueberries)
  • 1 T sugar or honey
  • 1 T corn starch
  • 1/3 C cold water
  • 1/2 tsp. lemon juice

Directions

*Note: this dessert is best assembled right before eating, and the whipped topping keeps in the refrigerator for 1-2 days, so keep that in mind before making up the dessert. 

Combine the graham cracker crumbs with 2 pinches of cinnamon. 

Melt 3 T of butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally.  Toss in the graham cracker crumbs and stir until coated.  Remove from heat and set aside. When cool, store in an airtight container until ready to assemble.  

To prepare the berries, combine 1 T sugar and 1 T corn starch in the bottom of a small saucepan and mix well. 

Slowly add in 1/3 C cold water, stirring as you add in the water to avoid clumps with the corn starch.  Add in 1/2 tsp. lemon juice. 

Pour in the frozen berries and place the pan on the stovetop over medium heat.  Stir almost constantly until the mixture comes to a slow boil. 

Reduce the heat to simmer and stir frequently while letting the berries simmer for about 5 minutes.  Then, remove from the heat. 

Using a strainer that has thin mesh, carefully pour small amounts of the berry mixture into the strainer.  Using a spoon, squish the berries around until the berry pulp remains in the strainer and all the good syrup runs through.  Repeat until you have removed all the seeds from the sauce. 

Cover and store the berry sauce in the refrigerator until you are ready to assemble the dessert. 

Finally, prepare the cream cheese filling.  In a medium bowl, whip the cream cheese with an electric hand mixer for 3 minutes until smooth and well whipped.  Add in 2/3 C powdered sugar and 1 tsp. vanilla. 

Whip again until smooth.  Scoop the cream cheese mixture out into a container that you will store the cream cheese filling into.  Then, in the same bowl add 2/3 C whipping cream.  Using your mixer, whip the cream until stiff peaks form.  Then, add in 1/2 tsp. corn syrup (this will help the whipping cream keep its form).  Whip again. 

Carefully fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture.  Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container until you are ready to serve. 

To assemble, gather up 6-8 small serving glasses or bowls.  Place 3-4 T crushed graham crackers in the bottom of the dish and lightly press with the back of the table spoon. 

Scoop 1-2 T of cream cheese filling over the top. 

Drizzle over 3-4 T of the berry sauce over the cream cheese filling. 

Serve chilled. 

Enjoy!

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