Lemon Lavender Whole Wheat Muffin Recipe | #Channyskitchen

Lemon Lavender Whole Wheat Muffins

This week, I had some unexpected “at home” time when my little one got sick (boo!). In Michigan, we are experiencing some very cool, fall-like weather (much to the chagrin of summer worshippers like me who aren’t QUITE ready for that). Still, it put me in a major cooking and baking mood, and I thought I would create a new muffin recipe that was hearty, low in fat and low in sugar as well.

Hope you enjoy!

Recipe yields 12 muffins. Nutritional information below.

INGREDIENTS

¾ tsp liquid stevia (or you could use ½ cup granulated sugar or sweetener of your choice, but remember, the calorie/macros in this recipe are adjusted for stevia. I use the handy conversion chart here.)

¾ cup nonfat Greek yogurt

1/3 cup plain applesauce (this is the same as one of the small, single servings which is what I always use. You’ll have about a spoonful left over. It can go directly in your mouth. J)

1 large egg (Vegan friends, check out this great article for replacement choices).

3 tsp. fresh grated lemon zest

2 tbsp. lemon juice

1 tsp vanilla extract

¼ tsp lemon oil or lemon extract

2/3 cup water

1 ½ cups whole wheat flour

¼ cup unbleached self-rising flour

¼ cup cornmeal (I used white)

3 tbsp. dried culinary lavender

2 tbsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

¼ tsp. salt

OPTIONAL:

Purple Granulated Sugar Topping

(Yeah, I couldn’t resist a little drop of artificial color for this because it looks pretty! But skip that if it makes you uncomfortable.)

1/8 cup granulated or coarse sugar (I used granulated because I never have coarse on hand. Oh well.)

3 drops red, 1 drop blue food coloring

2 drops lemon oil or extract

Mix food coloring on spoon before adding to sugar. After you've added the food coloring, smash the sugar around until the color is incorporated. Then add the lemon oil or extract and do the same.

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 400º. Grease 12 count muffin tin.

Mix wet ingredients (stevia, yogurt, applesauce, egg, lemon zest, lemon juice, lemon oil or extract and water) together well and set aside.

Mix dry ingredients (flours, cornmeal, dried lavender, balking powder, baking soda and salt) together.

Carefully stir or fold in wet mixture to dry mixture. Batter should be fairly thick—spoonable. Fill each hole in muffin tin to almost full.

Bake around 15-20 minutes, or until inserted toothpick comes clean, or your spider senses tell you the muffins are perfect. =)

When my muffins came out of the oven, I sprayed them lightly with butter flavored cooking spray, and sprinkled the sugar topping on them.

Then I ate one—while it was still steaming—with a big pat of butter. YUM!

CALORIE AND MACRO INFORMATION

Per serving size (1 muffin):

Calories:   103 calories

Fat:    .8g

Carbs:    19.8 g

Protein:    4.5 g

To V-Log or Not to V-Log...that is the question. =) Requesting reader feedback!

Can't see the video above? Please click HERE.

To V-Log or Not to V-Log...that is the question. 

Requesting reader feedback!

I've been slowly and steadily thinking about my (ever-so-late) rebranding to Mindful Grrl...and the type of content I'd like to offer from now on. Though the mission of my blog will be staying the same, I'm planning on adding some new features, but I'm having a hard time deciding what to tackle first.

That's where you come in...please watch the video above, and feel free to leave your thoughts in a comment below, or on my Facebook page!

What do you think?

Sharing is Caring: The Need for Online Connection

 

A recent work-out selfie I shared with my current fitness progress on Instagram

 

Sharing is Caring: The Need for Online Connection

 

Paulo Coehlo, author of the novel The Alchemist, once said “It's part of the human condition to want to share things." As emotional beings, we are fundamentally wired with the desire to connect with others, and be validated by them. The support of our peers is truly integral to our success. Yet, sometimes, when we share our lives with others, we’re chastised for it. Particularly by those who claim that the acceptance and support of other human beings doesn’t mean much to them (an assertion I’m not buying for a moment).


Anyone who has participated in social media over the last two or three years has likely been assaulted by supposed compulsory social rules, and soul-sucking “list articles” with titles like “Ten Things Never to Do On Facebook”. I’ve always been a little anti-establishment so I will admit, that kind of headline turns me off from the get go. Still, so do the sentiments behind the writing. Who am I to try and control what people like to share? Even if someone's habits are offensive, racist or marginalizing, I have options. Defriend. Buh-bye.

 

From people griping about too many pictures of children (I LOVE seeing cute babies and sticky ice cream cones in my Facebook feed and I’m being totally serious) to complaints about friends who are going through emotional struggles and need a little more validation than usual (think about the close friend experiencing a divorce or loss of a loved one), people seem to expect that other’s sharing habits should please them, and by no means make their own private worlds feel threatened. They are the first in line to sit back and make snap judgments, and they are also often guilty of projecting their own insecurities onto those they may feel are happier, more successful, etc.

 

Image from 3.bp.blogspot.com

 

Give it a rest, Judge Judy.

Jade Mazarin, a board certified counselor and writer for PsychCentral, claims that humans are “looking for the approval of those closest to us on some level”. That desire for acceptance often extends to our friends online. We care about having their support; their understanding of our journey.
 

And it’s ok.
 

Yep, I’m talking about statuses, and selfies—and all of it. Contrary to popular belief and the viral outbreak of shared parody articles like the one claiming that excessive selfies are a psychological disorder (which is totally false), there’s nothing wrong with you if you enjoy sharing the beautiful pie you made for Thanksgiving dinner, your son’s A+ report card, or your recent weight loss transformation. In fact, as suggested by a 2013 article by Time, “Selfies Matter” for our sense of self in this modern world. Guess what? I’m high fiving you on the other side of the screen. I’m happy for you. I can be happy for you…
 

Because I’m happy with me.
 

Image from imnotsurewhattocallthis.files.wordpress.com
 

I’ve loved sharing my updates about body image, my honest and transparent progress with weight loss and increased fitness, and in general, my zest for life right now. Why wouldn’t I post a gym selfie? I’m loving #fitlife! I receive such wonderful support from friends and families. But once in a while, I’ll hear a passive aggressive comment or backhanded compliment about how I’m “seeking attention” for my accomplishments.
 

Yes, sharing can become problematic when a person’s only validation comes from external sources. In these cases, folks aren’t just looking for acceptance through Snapchat or Instagram. The trouble goes deeper than that. We see individuals in abusive and co-dependent relationships, getting manipulated by their employers, or disrespecting themselves in some fundamental way. People with mental illnesses like Narcissism might have concerning behaviors online. Perhaps, on a deep internal level, they just don't value themselves. And there’s always room for more exceptions.
 

But what about the rest of us, plugging away in our every day lives, trying to grow, and achieve new things? Whether it’s a Couch to 5k challenge or the cultivation of your new band, I’m rooting for you. On Bandcamp. And Facebook. And Instagram. And MyFitnessPal.  Furthermore, I refuse to feel guilty for sharing my accomplishments simply because it might make someone else feel insecure about their world. I can’t thrive in a space that requires me to place those kinds of limits on myself, for fear that I’ll snag someone else’s tripwire. It’s unrealistic. It stifles my own growth and positive vibes, which I enjoy extending to other human beings as part of a cycle of love that I’m manifesting.
 

 

So please, share away. And know that as I partake in that same activity, I wish you well and validate you as another human who feels an intrinsic desire to connect, meaningfully, through social networks.
 

Unless you’re trying to sell me something.
Please don't try to sell me something.
That changes everything. ;)
 

 

Image from www.pleated-jeans.com

SOURCES

Seeking to Be Understood: The Need for Approval

http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2011/12/19/seeking-to-be-understood-the-need-for-approval/

 

Taking Too Many Selfies? Don’t Worry, It’s Not a Disorder

http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2014/05/28/taking-too-many-selfies-dont-worry-its-not-a-disorder/

 

Why Selfies Matter

http://healthland.time.com/2013/09/06/why-selfies-matter/

#MeatlessMonday Healthy Recipe: Black Bean Fritters with Yogurt Horseradish Dill Sauce

These black bean cakes didn't make it to a proper photo shoot, lol! This shot is courtesy of my iPhone from my Instagram account. Follow my #MeatlessMonday posts there, or explore the hashtag #ChannysKitchen!

#MeatlessMonday Healthy Recipe: 

Black Bean Fritters with Yogurt Horseradish Dill Sauce

I’m back with another quick #MeatlessMonday recipe! This one is light, filling and full of protein. It also happens to be super tasty! I had some recipe requests when I shared the Instagram photo yesterday, so I thought I would share the recipe with everyone here.

Enjoy!

Black Bean Fritters

1 ½ cups (or one can) of cooked black beans. (I processed mine slightly but left them on the chunky side. You could totally do this with a potato masher).

½ cup whole wheat flour (I used King Arthur brand).

½ cup diced peppers of your choice (I used red and yellow)

½ cup diced white onion or whatever you prefer
½ cup chopped baby spinach

2 tbsp egg whites OR leave this out to keep the fritters vegan (it doesn’t make too much difference).
2-3 tbsp water (may need a little more if you omit egg whites)

Salt, garlic powder, onion powder and lots of cumin to taste!

Mix all ingredients into a thick dough-like batter (not too runny, so watch the addition of water carefully) and form into patties with your hands. Using a greased pan (I used coconut oil spray) on medium to high heat, brown patties until crisp on both sides (usually takes around 8-10 minutes). This recipe yielded 9 fritters that were medium sized for me—and they were 70 calories a piece, with .3 grams of fat, 12.8 grams of carbs and 4 grams of protein each.

Serve with Greek yogurt horseradish dill sauce! (Recipe below)

Greek Yogurt Horseradish Dill Sauce

½ cup plain Greek yogurt (I used store brand non-fat)

3 tbsp creamy horseradish sauce

1 tbsp lemon juice

2 tbsp powdered dill weed

A few drops of stevia to taste (or a pinch of sugar)

Salt to taste

Cream all ingredients together. Serves 4-5. One serving is around 55 calories with 2.7 grams of fat, 2.4 grams of carbs, and 4.5 grams of protein.

Bon Appétit!

Take A Mental Picture {My Mindful July}

Slow down, take your shoes off, feel the dirt under your feet.

TAKE A MENTAL PICTURE

I didn’t blog once through the month of July. Not once.

That’s a first in almost four years. Even writing that sentence took a moment to sink in. Why, you might ask? It’s just a blog. No big deal.

Well, for this Type-A gal, not being able to “do it all” induces anxiety. I really thought I could—rebrand my blog, manage perfect grades in college, work full time, mommy full time, plan a wedding, write creatively, play my guitar and perform out and about, revamp my photography website, appear on the radio, etc.

And then, summer came. I wanted to sit at the beach. I wanted to grow tomatoes. I wanted to ride my bike with my fiancé to the coffee shop and pick out vegetables in the street. Without my Canon strapped to me.

Still, every time I marveled at the beauty in something, found an interesting trinket at the thrift store, or put together a fun secondhand outfit without tweeting, blogging or posting it, I felt a pang of guilt. Maybe even panic. As if I didn’t record this event digitally, it would disappear like a puff of smoke in to the sky.

I know that’s not true. In fact, living consciously and being mindful of my existence as it happens is something I’ve been working on for years, and as author Valerie Alexander says, “Why put a screen between you and your life?” However, in this digitally obsessed world, we need constant reminders to just live—even for a moment.

When it comes to memories, my mother’s stories are getting soft around the edges. Sometimes, she will tell me the same thing twice, or thrice, or…I’ll stop, because I know you’re reading, mom. =) Still, she’s always been a master at slowing down. Bringing a moment to a lull, she would take a “mental snapshot” so she could remember an instant forever on our family vacations, even if I was standing next to her with my trigger finger on the shutter button. The way the cotton sheets smelled off the line; the grooves in the knotty pine lining our family cabin. The shrieks of joy from my son's smiling face as he ran around the yard with popsicle juice streaking down his t-shirt; the pacifying sound of wind on Lake Huron.

Even though I often had a camera around my neck, sometimes I followed her advice, and powered it down, turning my face to the sun. I would close my eyes and relish a moment or two, and promise to keep the memory forever.

I tried to do this as much as possible in July. I still posted pics on Instagram, and I played around on Facebook. But I stopped recording and sharing my life on the blog, and I quit worrying about what I would put together next. I know that things will pick up for me where they left off; I’ll get my new website up, I’ll keep writing and taking pictures, and things will be better than ever. But this summer—before my life takes on massive change in the fall (marriage, graduating from college with my degree in PR)—I’m blogging casually, and enjoying the sunshine. I’ll be taking as many mental snapshots as I can, trying hard to be mindful, and I deeply encourage you to do the same.

Breathe.

Be Present.

Repeat.

I’m including a few pictures below of my life on Instagram as of late! 

Please feel free to follow me!

  

My lovely girlfriends threw me a darling tea party and bachelorette party! We even had a painting lesson. How fun, right? I'm SO blessed.

I saw Erykah Badu in concert. FINALLY. Mind. Blown. (Recap on that soon.)

I tried layering salads in mason jars. Success!

I enjoyed Moscow Mules with  my                          toes in the grass.

I achieved a total loss of 18 lbs since February, but I'm more proud of my non-scale victories.

I ran a 5k with my future  mother-in-law for the first time! =)

                                                            

Tell me about your recent mental snapshots (or pictures from your camera, too!) 

Comment below!