It’s been quite the weekend – and since it’s Thursday already I guess the weekend has become an entire week. It was BC day here in Canada, celebrating out beautiful province of British Columbia which means a three day weekend, that somehow turned into an entire week. It has gone by so fast! It’s already the weekend again tomorrow. The past long weekend was a three day party. A friend of Adams got married – over three days! There was a Friday night party at the Grooms house, Saturday night was the ceremony which was larger than some peoples receptions! There were 500 people, catered appetizers during the ceremony and a delicious dinner following it! There was a delicious array of Indian food – butter chicken galore! Although, the 1st two days of celebration was vegetarian. Then on the reception day – meat! It was all very delicious. The ceremony and reception were beautiful and the weekend was awesome! We had lots of fun in the photo booth!

However, after eating until I popped all weekend I needed something a little bit different. After the appetizers, samosas, butter chicken..and the dessert! Ooooh the dessert. There was a big dessert buffet at the reception, and of course Wedding Cake! I was so excited. I hadn’t been to a wedding in 7 years! Yes, really. So I was super excited. And especially not since I had started my blog, so I was really looking forward to seeing the wedding cake and of course, eating it! It was scrumptious. It was a yellow butter cake, with lemon butter cream frosting. It was so light and perfect.

After all that, I needed something to get me back on track to healthier eating. One of my favorite muffins are bran! There is just something about a dense delicious raisin bran muffin. I just recently bought a large bag of whole wheat flour and I’ve begun using it for everything! I made really yummy whole wheat pancakes with blueberries Sunday morning. I’ve used it in all my cookie recipes now – It adds a dense nutty flavor to any baking. So I went on a mission to find the perfect bran muffin. There were some that used molasses, some that didn’t and some the cut up banana’s and added it to the mix. I took some ideas and made them my own. They are very delicious! And just what you need after a weekend of indulging!

Mix the flour and bran

Double yolkers! Adam’s mom bought me extra large eggs – as you can see compared to a regular one. And each has two yolks in it.

Make a well for the ingredients

And mix it up just enough – care to not over mix

Fill up your muffin cups so they will make a nice round mound on top – and bake!

Whole Wheat Raisin Bran Muffins

Ingredients

2-1/8 cups Whole Wheat flour
2-1/4 cups Wheat bran
2 teaspoons Baking soda
2-3 Medium Ripe Bananas – Mashed
1 cup Butter, room temperature
2 Large Eggs
1 cup Brown Sugar
2 Cups Raisins ( any kind will do )
1-2 Tbs. Milk
Dash of Cinnamon and or Nutmeg

Directions:

1. Position rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350° C.
2. Boil about 1/2 cup of water. Place the raisins in a small bowl and pour hot water over top. This will plump the raisins and make them moist.
3. In the large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, wheat bran, baking soda and cinnamon/nutmeg.
4. In another mixing bowl, whisk together the mashed banana and the softened butter until mixed. It’s ok if it is lumpy. Add the eggs and brown sugar and mix until thoroughly combined.
5. Drain the raisins of excess water if there is any left over.
6. In the large mixing bowl of dry ingredients, make a well in the center using a wooden spoon or spatula. Pour in the liquid ingredients, including the raisins. Gently fold the flour mixture into the banana mixture from side to side, just until combined. Don’t over mix. If it looks a little dry, feel free to add the 1-2 tbs. of milk until it reaches a slightly better consistency.
7. Scoop the batter into the muffin cups using two spoons or a scoop.
8. Bake in the preheated oven for 23 to 25 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.Cool in the pan, and then transfer to cooling rack. You can store them in a container for a few days after, or wrap well and freeze.

Enjoy!

I had this craving for poppy seeds. Can you even really have a craving for poppy seeds?? I don’t think it’s something someone usually craves, seeing as how it doesn’t really have a taste to it unless it’s a part of something else of course. At first I had thought about making a lemon poppy seed bundt cake, but seeing as how I’ve started working at the restaurant this week I now know that working in a restaurant = no breaks. Literally. I worked for 7 hours on my feet, in high heels, and a skirt for 7 hours straight without sitting, eating or checking my cell phone. It was hard. Very hard. Considering I’m used to working in an office from 9-5 with a nice cushy hour long lunch break, for which I usually would have gone home to eat and let the dog out. But, this job is in a couple towns over and through a tunnel so I can’t exactly come home for a bite to eat, and I couldn’t even if I wanted to.

I had never really thought about it before but of course waitresses and servers don’t have a scheduled lunch break because you constantly have tables to wait on, and no one can cover your section because they have their own section to work. Most of the girls show up to work early to order something to eat, or stick around after their shift to chow down. I actually feel bad because I haven’t actually eaten anything from the restaurant before, except a few cocktails. But that being said, I realized that I needed to sneak in a snack like a granola bar that I could take a 5 minute break to quickly eat it. Of course, I wouldn’t think of going out to buy a snack, I would make one. Also, a certain somebody has just gotten home this morning from a trip to Vegas for his friends stag and is quite tired. I’m sure he could use a little snack later and maybe bring a couple to work tomorrow. Currently, he is sleeping. Maybe the aroma of lemon poppy seed muffins could wake him from his spell. (more…)

Now that’s one jam packed muffin!! Oh and yes, I lived through my first ( and possibly last! I hope not!! ) Merritt Mountain Music Festival! Hopefully they keep the music going for next year, as this was the 17th annual one and they are possibly canceling it next year due to, what else, money. But I’ve heard that they may have found a sponsor for it which is great!

After a weekend of sitting in a river all day and listening to music all night I needed to come home and bake something! Also, a friend of mine, also named Alysha, is coming to visit tonight and I thought some muffins for tomorrow morning’s breakfast would be good, since I work at 9.

I have been away these past two weekends, last weekend in Merritt, and the weekend before I had gone to Osoyoos. When we were driving home from Osoyoos (With a FULL tank of gas.. oh yes there’s a story! note to self: do not almost run out of gas in the middle of the forest near Manning Park – with bears – driving to Osoyoos and have to pull over a park ranger to follow you to the next gas station just in case you don’t make it – Mom!) Where was I? Oh yes, on our way home from Osoyoos with lots of gas, we stopped in Keremeos, The Fruit Stand Capital Of Canada! We brought home a few zucchini’s, squash, cherries, potatoes, apricots, apples, raspberry syrup..mmm…so I’ve had these large zucchinis and cherries lying around and this morning I thought I would put them to use. Don’t they look good together?? (more…)