Coconut syrup

Divine. What more can I say?

1/4 cup butter *see note   
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 Tbsp light corn syrup
1 cup sugar        
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp coconut extract
1/4 cup shredded coconut (optional)

Place butter, buttermilk, corn syrup, and sugar in a pot. Then turn stove on medium and stir until butter melts and sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil and boil one minute. Remove from heat and add soda, flavoring, and coconut. It will bubble up; just continue to stir and give it a few minutes for the 'fizz' to reduce before serving.

*You can substitute extra virgin coconut oil for the butter. Very delicious. Coconut oil is a saturated fat like butter, but it is all healthy fat and no cholestrol! It works great in this recipe. I also love to spread it on my toast instead of butter. Delicious!

Sourdough Waffles

I have a recipe for Overnight Waffles on here that is quite similar. This recipe is MUCH healthier than that one and I think it tastes just as good!

1 teaspoon instant yeast
2 cups whole wheat flour (whole wheat pastry flour makes for a very good texture. You can buy it in bulk at Winco.)
1 Tablespoon sugar, splenda, or honey

1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups water
2 Tablespoons canola oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3 egg whites or 1/2 cup liquid egg whites

1. Before going to bed, combine the dry ingredients and stir in the wet ingredients except for the eggs. The mixture will be loose. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside overnight at room temperature

2. Preheat the waffle iron and spray with cooking spray if needed. Beat the whites until they hold soft peaks. Stir them gently into the batter. Batter may be thin.

3. Pour batter onto the waffle iron and bake until the waffle is done, usually 3 to 5 minutes, depending on your iron. Serve immediately or keep warm for a few minutes in a low oven.

Coconut Banana Bread with Lime Glaze

If you like banana bread, coconut, and lime, you are going to LOVE this combination of flavors!  This banana bread is moist, healthy, and delicious. If you don't like coconut, just leave it out. The bread will still be fabulous. And if you don't have a lime, use a lemon instead!

Coconut Banana Bread with Lime Glaze

from www.ourbestbites.com, who adapted it from Cooking Light
 

1 cup white flour

1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 4 large)

1/4 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
3 Tbsp apple juice or milk*
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup coconut

Topping: 2 Tbsp additional coconut
Glaze: 1/2 cup powdered sugar whisked with 1 1/2 Tbsp fresh lime or lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt together and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until blended.  Add eggs and beat to combine.  Add banana, sour cream or yogurt, apple juice (or milk), and vanilla.  Beat until blended. Add flour mixture and beat at a low speed until just combined.  Stir in 1/2 cup coconut.

Pour batter into a 9×5″ loaf pan that has been sprayed with non-stick spray.  Sprinkle additional 2 Tbsp coconut on top.

Bake in the oven for about 1 hour or until a knife or skewer inserted in center comes out clean. Note: Check bread after about 40 minutes.  If the top has browned and the coconut pieces are looking toasty, cover top of bread lightly with a piece of foil.  Continue baking until done.

When done, remove pan from oven.  Let cool on a cooling rack for about 10 minutes and then carefully remove from pan.  Whisk powdered sugar and lime juice together for the glaze and then drizzle over top.    Cool for another 15 minutes before slicing.

Pumpkin French Toast Bake

I adapted this recipe from www.twocoasttable.com. I love pumpkin and this recipe is like having pumpkin pie for breakfast, only without the guilt!
 

Pumpkin French Toast Bake

1 medium loaf whole wheat bread

6 large eggs

1 cup milk

1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree

1 Tbsp vanilla

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp cloves

1 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cut bread into small cubes. Add all ingredients (except bread cubes) into a large bowl and mix well. Add bread cubes and moisten well.  (You may need to add more milk if your pumpkin puree is really thick.) Pour into greased 7x11 pan (or another 2 quart baking dish). Bake for 50-60 minutes. Serve with buttermilk syrup (recipe below).  You can prepare this the night before and refrigerate it overnight. Take out of the fridge 30 minutes before baking and bake for an hour.

Belgian Waffles

I got this recipe from BYU magazine. It is by Kelsey Nixon of "Kelsey's Essentials" on the cooking channel. I just LOVE waffles and this is a really good basic recipe.

1 cup buttermilk
2 eggs (separated)
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled (I used Smart Balance Spread)
1 cup flour (I used half white and half wheat flour--no one will know!)
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 Tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon

    Preheat waffle iron. In a large mixing bowl, (save your stand mixer for the egg whites below) whisk together the buttermilk, egg yolks, vanilla, and butter until thoroughly combined. In a separate mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Stir into the buttermilk mixture.
    In another bowl, whip the egg whites with an electric mixer until stiff. Fold into the batter.
    Spoon waffle batter onto the hot waffle iron and cook until golden brown. Serve with fruit or try the buttermilk syrup recipe below!

Buttermilk Syrup

From my friend Michelle Lloyd. This is the most ridiculously delicious syrup ever! It has kind of a butterscotch flavor. Keep this recipe on hand for any type of waffles, pancakes, or french toast.

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 c sugar

1 Tbsp corn syrup

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp vanilla

Bring butter, buttermilk, sugar, and corn syrup to a boil in a deep pot. Take off heat. Add baking soda and vanilla. The mixture will bubble up. Stir until it settles.

Carrot Cake Muffins (aka: Hidden Veggie Muffins)

I made up this recipe based on a carrot cake recipe. But you see, the carrot cake recipe called for 1 1/2 CUPS of OIL and 2 CUPS of sugar. Yikes. This version actually has 5 different fruits and veggies in it and is very low in fat. And they are yummy! (Your kids will eat them if you don't down them all first!)

1 cup mashed or pureed sweet potatoes or pumpkin
1/4 cup canola oil
3/4 cup sugar (increase to 1 cup if using pumpkin)
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup white flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 Tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup shredded coconut
1 1/2 cups shredded carrots
1 1/2 cups shredded zucchini
(you can use 3 cups of either carrots or zucchini if you don't have both on hand)
1 can (13.5 oz) crushed pineapple, drained
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
1 cup dark chocolate chips (optional)
1 cup raisins or craisins (optional)

In a large bowl, thoroughly combine sweet potatoes, oil, sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Mix dry ingredients (flours, cinnamon, soda, baking powder, and salt) together in a separate bowl with a wire whisk (instead of sifting) and add to the first mixture. Stir in coconut, carrots, zucchini, pineapple, and any optional mix-ins. (Batters may vary on how "wet" they are based on variation in sweet potatoes and other veggies. You may need to add extra flour if too thin or add some of the reserved pineapple juice if too thick.) Pour into lined muffin tins (approx 24) and bake at 350 for about 20 minutes.