Gingerbread Muffins

I've been really in the mood for muffins lately! I also love making the little mini muffins, cause for some reason, I feel like I can eat a few more without feeling guilty...lol! I've taken this recipe from the book "Set For Life" and adapted it to make it a little more healthy than it already is :) I love this book and most all of the recipes in it are very healthy and very yummy!

Gingerbread Muffins

1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour or spelt

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon soda

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ginger

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1 tablespoon 100% apple juice concentrate

1 egg

1/4 cup applesauce

1/4 cup molasses

1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt or buttermilk (to make your own buttermilk, 1 Tablespoon vinegar to 1 cup milk. Let stand for 5 minutes or so)

Mix dry ingredients. Blend wet ingredients. Combine and whisk only until dry ingredients are moist. Fill nonstick muffin pans 2/3 full. Bake at 400. Large muffins 14 minutes. Small muffins (bite size) 12 minutes. Enjoy!

Oatmeal Bread

This is one of my favorite bread recipes! I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Oatmeal Bread

1 1/2 boiling water

1 cup oatmeal

Combine these two ingredients and set aside.

2 cups warm water

2 tablespoons yeast (I use Saf Instant)

1/4 cup honey (optional, if you omit, use more molasses)

1/4 to 1/2 cup molasses

1/4 cup olive oil

2 teaspoons salt

7 cups wheat or spelt flour

1 cup white bean flour

1-2 cups more wheat flour, if needed

Combine water, yeast, honey, molasses, olive oil in your mixer. Mix gently until combined. Add Oatmeal Mixture, then add all flour at once and salt. Mix on a low speed until combined. If dough is still wet, add more flour until the dough cleans the sides of the bowl. I like my dough more soft than dry. If your dough is too dry, it will fall. Add more oil (not water) to your dough until it softens somewhat. Mix on Medium speed for 5-8 minutes. Shape into loaves using oil or water on your hands to prevent sticking. Makes 2-3 loaves. Bake @ 350 for 30 minutes.

Oatmeal and boiling water; set aside.

Water, oil, yeast, molasses, honey

Flour & Salt all added at once

Dough after 7 cups wheat & 1 cup white flour added (still too wet)

After two more cups of flour added, dough is cleaning sides of bowl. Not too dry. Remember to mix for 5-8 minutes after dough cleans side of bowl.

Shaped into loaves and set to rise until double (about 30 minutes)

Ready to go into oven (above)