What To Feed The Kids?

Like most moms, I want to feed my children healthy, wholesome foods, but there never seems to be enough time!   Furthermore, being a diabetic means I take healthy eating quite seriously.

After many sessions of trying various recipes, I came up with my own recipe for muffins that can serve as part of a meal or a snack for kids of all ages (even babies who have a few teeth!).

YOUR CHOICE MUFFINS

Makes approx 12 muffins

Dry Ingredients:

• 1 ¾ cup of dry base---a combo of a few: oats, whole wheat flour, whole wheat pastry flour, wheat germ, flax seed, cereal, etc.
• 1 ½ t baking powder
• ½ t baking soda
• ½ t salt
• 1/3 cup sugar

Wet Ingredients:

• 1 egg
• 1 cup of liquid---a combo of milk, soy milk, orange juice, pineapple juice, unsweetened applesauce, yogurt, etc.
• 2 T of olive or canola oil or 2 T of unsweetened applesauce
• 1 cup of chopped/diced/tidbits fruits and/or veggies (berries, peaches, pineapple, carrot, apple, etc.)

1:  Heat the oven to 400.   Grease or place cupcake holders in a cupcake pan.  As an alternative, grease a 9 x 13 glass baking dish (which I prefer because it’s easier to clean) and then after baking, cut your muffin "cake" into portions. 

2:  Combine dry ingredients in one bowl, wet ingredients in another.  

3:  Mix dry ingredients with wet ingredients.   Combine just until mixed---not until smooth.  A few lumps are fine!

4:  Pour into your pan on muffin cups and bake about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

5:   Serve and/or freeze extra.    (The muffins unthaw in about an hour---so they are great to take when traveling or eating out).  

Tips/Thoughts:

• Combos I’ve tried:  apple carrot muffins, pineapple flax seed, blueberry banana.  Have fun experimenting!
• Flax seed adds fiber and protein.   Make sure to buy ground (not whole); you can find it on the baking aisle in stores.  
• For optimal health, I purchase as many organic ingredients as possible including dairy (milk and eggs), fruit (regular fruit contains tons of pesticides), sugar, and oats.
• This recipe is perfect if you fruit that is almost too ripe, stale cereal, etc.