Bake Off

 

I love to bake! And to experiment, too. After watching the "The Great British Bake Off" on Netflix, I've realized how much knowledge I already have in my mind's arsenal. And it's given me the confidence to be a little more adventurous. I must admit though, that the producer's attempts at inserting corny comedians into the mix riles me.

Yes, the results of my creative efforts do 'show' in my physique, but I mean, how else would I know if my food explorations were any good if I didn't try them? Since my GP didn't chastise me about my weight gain at my annual physical this month, I think that eating the products of my labor are ... deserved! (As an aside, he DID compliment me on my cholesterol index - saying I had values that most people would love to have! Of course I told him it's because I eat healthy food and no processed, convenience stuff, but I declined to mention my baking craze ... okay, so I admit, this was just a ruse to boast about my triglycerides and good cholesterol values. How silly and vain am I to be so flattered by his comment!).

So here is one of my healthy experiments. I used mashed bananas instead of the cup of sugar this recipe called for, and it's made solely with wholegrain flour. No sugar at all. They make a delicious breakfast muffin, warmed in the microwave for a few seconds and then moistened with a dab of butter:

Nutty Wheat Muffins
1 cup boiling water
1 cup raisins
1 cup mashed bananas
1 Tbsp soft margarine
2 cups wholewheat meal
1 tsp Baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 -1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt

Pour boiling water over raisins and allow to cool slightly. Mix the mashed bananas and margarine together.
Add the wholewheat flour, and sifted baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Make a well in the center and pour in the raisin mixture. Mix well.
Spoon the batter into greased muffin tins and bake for 20 minutes in a 350 F oven.
Serve hot, sliced and buttered.