Cranberry-Orange Healthy Nut Muffins

If you don't like overly sweet muffins, this recipe might be what you're looking for.

1c organic rye flour

2c unbleached all-purpose flour

1T pumpkin pie spice

2T each: ground flax, chi seeds

1/2c each chopped: pecans, walnuts

1t each: salt, baking soda, baking powder

1T pure vanilla

1c coconut sugar

3 pasture raised eggs

3/4c each: single source EVOO

3/4c plain whole milk Greek Yogurt

2 whole Cutie mandarins - chopped

2c chopped fresh or frozen cranberries

Preheat your oven to 350°

Whisk the first group of dry ingredients together in the big glass bowl, then do the same with the next group in the other bowl. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry bowl. Mix well but quickly, only until all the flour is incorporated. Spoon into muffin cups and/or greased loaf pans. Bake the muffins about 20 minutes. The loaf pan will take an additional 5-10 minutes.

This made 24 muffins and a muffin loaf. Good for breakfast or a healthy snack. . .Lin 

Just-About-Everything Healthy Muffins

I'm trying to keep gluten and sugar minimized, but the cravings are sneaky and pop up from time to time. Usually when I don't have good healthy options in the house.

Today I typed in a list of ingredients I wanted to use and ~VOILA~ A.I. presented me with a great base recipe to expound upon! Preheat your oven to 375° Put the dry and wet ingredients in two large glass bowls and combine them well within each bowl:

1c unbleached, organic all purpose flour

3/4c organic rye flour

1/2c organic corn flour

1c chopped walnuts

1c unsweetened flaked coconut

2T ground flax seeds

2T chia seeds

1-1/2T baking powder

1-1/2T pumpkin pie spice

3/4t baking soda

3/4t sea salt

3/4c organic granulated cane sugar

2 lg. pasture raised eggs
1/2c raisins

1/2c fresh orange juice (or orange and lemon)

~ using 1 lg. navel orange

1/2c single origin EVOO

3/4c whole milk sour cream

2 whole Cutie Mandarin oranges - finely chopped

1c+ fresh or frozen whole cranberries - finely chopped

1t -1T pure vanilla

Preheat the oven to 375° 

Combine the wet and dry ingredients until totally incorporated, with a heavy silicone spatula. Fill the paper-lined muffin cups 3/4 full. Bake 18-20 minutes until golden brown and they pass the toothpick test. 

Today, at 3pm, when these cooled I decided I was really needing some Fika time — Ginger-Turmeric tea, a little smoked goat cheese and 2 big muffins. They are SO hearty, I should have stopped at 1. I'm normally not an afternoon break person, but I know my Scandinavian ancestors did this every day. . .and these muffins smelled wonderful 😊

Fika is a Swedish term for a mid-morning or afternoon break, alone or with a neighbor or friend.

Today it's just me, but tomorrow these will go with me to my Tuesday morning Bible study. These turned out so well and are a healthy snack. . .Lin

Cranberry-Orange-Pecan Muffins

In a big glass bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients:

1c corn flour

2c all purpose flour

1T pumpkin pie spice

1t baking powder

1t baking soda

1t salt

1-1/2c chopped pecans

In a smaller bowl, whisk together:

3 lg. eggs

1T Mexican vanilla

1-1/4c brown sugar

3/4c single source EVOO

3/4c Chobani plain full fat Greek yogurt

When the egg mixture is smooth, stir in the fruit:

2-1/2T finely chopped mandarin orange peel

1c chopped mandarin orange segments

1c chopped frozen or fresh cranberries

Pour the egg and fruit mixture into the bowl of dry ingredients. Mix with a silicone spatula, being careful not to over-mix  Spoon into paper lined muffin tins and bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes. Mmmm your house will smell like a bakery 😃 . . . Lin

Cranberry-Rhubarb-Walnut Muffins

Preheat your oven to 350°. In a big mixing bowl, stir the following together until well combined:

2c chopped fresh or frozen rhubarb

1c chopped fresh or frozen cranberries

1c chopped walnuts

3/4c whole milk, plain Greek yogurt

1-1/2c brown sugar

1-2T white Balsamic vinegar

1c extra virgin olive oil

1-2T Mexican vanilla

3 eggs

When these are well combined, add the dry ingredients:

2c unbleached all purpose flour

1/2c whole wheat flour

1-2T pumpkin pie spice

1t each: salt, baking soda, baking powder

Mix well with a big wooden spoon or silicone spatula, then spoon into paper lined muffin tins. Bake about 20 minutes until they spring back when touched in the center, or pass the 'toothpick test.' Makes 24 muffins. These are great for breakfast or an anytime-snack. . .Lin

Cranberry Orange Banana Walnut Cake-Bread

1c corn flour

1c toasted oat flour

1c all purpose flour

1T pumpkin pie spice

1/2T baking soda

1/2T baking powder

1t salt

1c walnuts - chopped

Preheat the oven to 350° Butter and sugar a 8"x12"x2" glass baking pan with turbinado or coconut sugar.

Whisk all the dry ingredients together in a big glass bowl.

3 lg. eggs

2/3c light olive oil

2/3c plain Greek yogurt

1c turbinado sugar

3 chopped 'CUTIE' oranges

1 lg. banana

1T vinegar

1T Mexican vanilla

1c whole cranberries - chopped

Put the eggs, and everything else in this group, in a large glass container - except the cranberries. Mix this with an immersion blender.

Rough chop the cranberries with a hand food chopper, then stir them in. Combine this with the dry ingredients, mixing well and quickly, by hand. Pour into the pan and bake for 50 minutes. Cool for an hour before serving.

This is great for breakfast, a snack or dessert. . .Lin

Kumquat and Cranberry Sauce

40 lg. kumquats

¾c frozen cranberries

This amount of fruit = 4c

~ no kumquats? - you can use cuties

~ a lemon and cranberries instead

½t pumpkin pie spice

½t ground cardamom

¾t black pepper

1c water

1c light brown sugar

1c organic cane sugar

These kumquats grew on a great little tree I bought recently.    Shown before and after cutting off the fruit and pruning the tree.  

After harvesting and pruning

These are  3-4 times bigger than those you'll find in the grocery store. Those look like orange grape tomatoes. The big ones have seeds, the little ones won't. Either buy or pick some if you have access to a tree. At first, about a month ago, I had many orange ones. Since I live in Minnesota, the tree doesn't get enough sun this time of the year. Mine aren't totally ripe but were really good anyway!




Spray them with a 50/50 solution of white vinegar and warm water.  Scrub, rinse well, then let them dry.

This next part takes time. Cut up the kumquats, into small pieces. The entire fruit is used, just remove the seeds. Once the fruit is prepared, sprinkle it with the pepper and spices.

Simmer the water and sugar 5 minutes then add the fruit.  Simmer another 10-12 minutes, then pour everything into a colander over another pot, stir this gently to get all the liquid into the pan.  Simmer that another 5 minutes to evaporate more of the liquid.  Add the fruit once again and bring up the heat to steaming.  Pour into 2 pint jars and another small one.  Seal and store in the refrigerator.

This is great over vanilla ice cream or served with fish, pork, turkey or chicken. . .Lin

Cranberry-Orange Waldorf Relish

2c fresh cranberries

3 clementines

1 Granny Smith apple

3/4c sugar

1/2±t fresh ground black pepper

1c celery heart

3/4c walnuts

(I decided not to use the raisins)

Using a food processor, grind up the cranberries, apple and oranges.  You may need to peel the apple for it to grind up well.  Transfer to a medium bowl and stir in the sugar and pepper.  Next, either process or finely chop the celery and walnuts then add to the bowl.  Make this at least several hours beforehand, or the day before, to blend the flavors. . .Lin

My Go-To Smoothie

3/4c pineapple juice

3/4c plain Greek yogurt

3/4c fresh or frozen cranberries

1/2T raw, organic honey

1/2T ground cinnamon

2 chunks of candied ginger

Combine everything in a blender, blend for a couple minutes and serve.

If you look up these individual ingredients, you'll find this is packed with antioxidants, anti-inflammatories. . .AND it tastes really good. . .Lin

Carrot-Cranberry-Banana Smoothie

1 med. carrot - scrubbed and sliced

3/4c fresh or frozen cranberries

1 sm.-med. banana

1c plain Greek yogurt

3/4c or more cherry juice

Combine all in the blender container.  Cover and pulse a few times to get the blending started.  If it doesn't blend easily, add a little more juice.  Blend on medium or high for a minute or so.  Pour and serve.  Makes 2 big glasses. . .Lin

Cranberry-Orange Relish

12oz. pkg. fresh cranberries

1 big seedless orange

1c sugar

Using a food processor or grinder, grind cranberries and orange together including the orange peel.  Transfer to a pretty crystal bowl and stir in the sugar.  Stir a while to help the sugar disolve.  You could do a Waldorf variation on this by adding a chopped Granny Smith apple, celery and chopped walnuts.  Another of my favorites that is not an original but definitely a seasonal favorite.

Nancy's Cranberry Festival

This is my daughter's really good version of my mom's old holiday cranberry sauce recipe.  She's an artistic, creative cook and improvises even more than I do.  Sooo, here it is. . .Good luck!  :o)

1-1/2c  sugar

1c  orange juice

1c  water

mace      3 shakes

nutmeg  3 shakes

ginger    2 shakes

vanilla    2 second swirl

bitters     2 baby  shakes

1 orange - zest and half the orange

4c  cranberries

"Bring the first 3 ingredients, spices, vanilla, bitters and orange zest to a boil.  Add cranberries, peel the orange, cut 1/2 into really small pieces and eat the other half - or save it for your lunch tomorrow.

Bring back to a boil then simmer until it starts to thicken.  The longer you boil it, the thicker it gets.  Pour into a pretty bowl, cover and chill it on the cold, cement garage floor.  It's best served with meat". . .My Daughter Nancy (a.k.a. Dandelion Pudding)