Easy Strawberry Muffins

strawberry muffins
I somehow believed that muffins were extremely difficult to make. Hence, I never even attempted to make them in the past. This all changed after I watched an episode of the Barefoot Contessa. Ina Garten is one of my favorite chefs on the Food Network and her recipes have never let me down. She made these muffins look so easy to prepare, I had to make them the next day! In less than 40 minutes, I had delicious, warm muffins to enjoy with my cup of coffee. They were so moist on the inside, but had a nice sugary crunch on the outside. This is due to mixing in the sugar at the very last moment.

I made two tweaks to Ina’s recipe: I added whole wheat flour and vanilla extract. If you don’t have whole wheat flour or prefer not to use it, simply use all-purpose flour instead. This recipe is great to use for a muffin “base” as well. Just follow the recipe to make the batter and use other kinds of fruit instead. You could make blueberry, apple, banana nut or even chocolate chip muffins. The possibilities are endless!  Continue reading

“Healthier” Strawberry Rhubarb Cobbler


Sadly, summer is coming to an end. So why not celebrate the last few weeks of summer by baking this yummy, and healthier, strawberry rhubarb cobbler?! I rarely bake because I prefer savory over sweet, but I wanted to take advantage of strawberries and rhubarb being in season during the summer months. I’ve been playing around with this recipe for quite some time now; however, I think I’ve finally nailed it! I made this cobbler a little healthier by using whole wheat flour, oats, and less butter. Don’t worry, the flavors are all still there :)! It’s a great recipe because you can use virtually any fruits you like, such as berries, plums, or peaches. I even made this cobbler with frozen berries and it came out just as delicious.

I portioned this recipe for 6 to 8 servings because it’s slightly more labor intensive. Basically, you’ll want to enjoy the fruits of your labor for a few days ;). Plus, what’s better than having homemade dessert readily available for a few nights? You can store this cobbler in the refrigerator for about 5 days.

Give this recipe a try and let summer go out with a bang! This would also be a great dessert to make for a Labor Day picnic or barbecue. Continue reading