Adventures in the Kitchen: Blueberry Scones

     

     What can blue do for you?
     If you read my last blog, you know that my adventures in "reading" this month have focused on healthy eating and basically what should or shouldn't be going in to our bodies.  One such power food to add to the must-eat list are blueberries.
     According to my latest Adventures in Reading, blueberries may be small, but they are gifted with many naturally-packaged health benefits.  Besides being low in fat and calories, they are high in Vitamin C, manganese, and fiber, and they contain phytonutrients that give them anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.  (For more good news about blueberries, be sure to check out  www.littlebluedynamos.com).
     With the winter months ahead and plenty of tea to be sipped in front of the fire, I played with a twist on an Amish favorite I've baked many a time here at the cabin.  Not only do these Blueberry Scones feature one of the most nutritionally-potent berries, but they also contain a combination of coconut oil and plain Greek yogurt ~ two more foods that offer your body some good stuff.
     Now, as an eater and exerciser, I do my best to stick to the "80-20 Rule".  That is, if one is regularly disciplined in combining healthy dietary choices with an efficient workout plan 80% of the time, then 20% of the time one can feel free to indulge a little.  In this recipe you will find a little bit of sugar as well, which, per cookie doesn't amount to much. (I've given up any kind of artificial sweetener.)
    So, if you are one to enjoy a bit of a sweet treat now and then, this one's got a lot in its favor and in its flavor. Simple ingredients, easy to make, and perfect with a warm cup of tea:)
    
    Here you go: 

     Blueberries ~ 1 cup
     Coconut Milk ~ 1/2 cup
     Greek Plain Non-fat Yogurt ~ 1 cup
     Brown Sugar ~ 3/4 cup
     White Sugar ~ 3/4 cup
     Eggs ~ 2
     Butter ~ 1 cup, softened
     Whole Wheat flour ~ 5 cups (100% whole!)
     Baking Powder ~ 2 tsp.
     Baking Soda ~ 1 tsp.

     Turn oven on to 375 degrees.  In a large mixing bowl, add the Greek yogurt, butter, eggs, vanilla, and sugars. Be sure all ingredients have been mixed together thoroughly, then add the coconut milk and the blueberries.
     Combine the flour, baking powder, and baking salt in a separate bowl.  Once mixed, gradually add the dry ingredients to the large bowl with creamed ingredients.  (Keep flour close by in case you need to add a little more.  The dough should not be sticky.)
     Drop evenly about an inch apart by teaspoon on a baking sheet.  Bake for 10 minutes or until a light brown. Makes about 5 dozen scones ~ enough to last all week for you to grab in the morning, have for at your break, or enjoy after dinner.
     Now light a candle, put on the tea, grab a book, and serve these scones up with your favorite blanket.

~ Have a Wonderful Week ~

Adventures in Reading? Master Your Metabolism

    Some time ago, I started a feature on the blog called Adventures in Reading.  The idea was to give me incentive to read more books, so I reasoned that starting a blog series would force me to sit and read more.
    That was some time ago.   
    
   (http://bridgetscabin.blogspot.com/2012/07/adventures-in-reading-left-to-tell-by.html)

    I must confess, I am not someone to sit and read books much ~ and I've tried.
    (In fact, my effort has pretty much left me in awe of a third-grade classmate and reading fiend who cranked out about a hundred Scholastic paperbacks a month!)
    But, I do love a good story and learning new and sometimes life-changing information, so I have accepted that the best way for me to take it all is something different from the beautifully-bound books on the shelves of Barnes & Noble or even the popular and convenient Kindle.
     Instead, I listen to books on audio while I am busy about the cabin, or  when I am driving, cleaning, folding laundry, cooking...you name it.
     My audio-listening program of choice is Audible.com, which I came across as a book gift-giver and a workout DVD-buyer on Amazon.  There are different plans, but I opted for the free trial followed by a $14.95 per month fee, allowing me one monthly downloadable audio book and others at discount prices.  If I get one book per month (the credits get stored until they are used), I basically pay half price since a typical audio book goes for about $30.
     The first book I listened to, while painting my son's room one summer, was the incredible Left To Tell (featured in the above link). It inspired me to listen to its author, Immaculee Ilibagiza,  in person, and I now await the movie telling her unbelievable account of surviving the Rwandan genocide.  
     Since being hooked on Ilibagiza's New York Times Bestseller, I have taken in all kinds of interesting fare.
     This month, I am going with a completely different genre as I listen and re-listen to Jillian Michael's Master Your Metabolism.
     True, it may not seem like the best time of year to be listening to what might be considered a weight loss book.  With two weeks to go before Thanksgiving ~ and the whole sweet month of December ahead ~ reading a book about healthy eating may not seem altogether timely.
     But with every New Year being rung in with hopeful resolutions, I think it's a great time to do some homework on what should and should not be going in to our bodies from maybe the most trusted source in the business.
    In a nutshell, Jillian breaks the book down into three parts: Remove, Restore, and Rebalance.  She tells you what to get rid of, what to make as core foods, and the dos & don'ts throughout the day (how many meals, how far apart, how much sleep to get, etc.)  
     One of the reasons the audio book works here is Jillian's delivery.  She makes it easy to listen to explanations of the various hormones that, when thrown out of whack, can make feeling, looking, and being healthy from the inside out almost impossible.  I am not so sure I would have stuck with written version.  (With my reading track record...probably not.)
    Also nice about the download is that it comes with a PDF file that supplements the audio book with reminders and recipes ~ and even a shopping list so you have the right things on your shelves.
    I have listened once through and am about to begin again just to have a greater comprehension of some of the more involved explanations of the three and a half hour download.  I am definitely finding it worth the time.
     Thus, the audio book remains my "reading" of choice:)

~ Have a Wonderful Day ~
Related Links: 

Amazon Reviews of Master Your Metabolism
for your reading pleasure

Jillian Michaels Recipes on Pinterest

Game Day/Night Potato Skins

     

     So tonight's College Football match up between #3 Oregon and #5 Stanford sends us into Football Weekend mode just a bit early. 

      What better occasion to make these Game Day/Night Potato Skins to serve family and friends settling in on this fine fall evening to catch one of the week's most highly anticipated gridiron contests?

Here you go:

     This version is gluten-free and casein-free, but regular ingredients with either can easily be swapped in and out if neither of these food allergies is an issue for you or your guests:

          Potatoes ~ 16 medium, washed

          Butter ~ 2 to 3 tablespoons (I am using Earth Balance Buttery Spread)

          Cheese ~ 1 to 1.5 cups (cheddar or, if casein-free, use a package of Daiya cheddar-style, shredded)

          Bacon ~ 16 ounces of your preferred variety

          Green Onions ~ 1 stalk

     Begin by cooking the bacon, leaving the grease in the large skillet.  Set the bacon aside to blot on paper towels. (I always cook all the bacon to account for household bacon-lovers who slip a few strips while you are not looking.  Plus, I always give one or two to Harley.)
     Preheat the over to 425 degrees.  While heating oven, roll potatoes around in bacon grease, make a small slit on top of each, and set on cookie sheet.  Bake for 45 minutes.
     While baking, wash and chop the green onions and continue to protect bacon.  Set aside onions.
     When potatoes are baked, let cool for 10 to 15 minutes, then slice in half.  Scoop out the potatoes, leaving very little in each half. (Set aside this extra potato in a container to be used for hash browns in the morning or mashed with a dinner later in the week.)
     Melt the butter with a little bit of bacon grease (if desired) in a mug for 30 seconds or so in the microwave.  Using a spoon, pour a little into each of the potato skin "bowls", then sprinkle each with sea salt.  Put back into the oven for 8 to 10 minutes until crisp.
     When ready, take out of oven and sprinkle with cheese of choice.  I generally lay a quarter piece of bacon strip on each, but using bacon bits is also a good way to go.  Top with green onions and put back into oven.
     These house favorites will be ready in less than five minutes.  You can serve with sour cream, salsa, Greek yogurt, or guacomole:)

~ Have a wonderful football weekend~