Berry Muffins with Oats & Flaxseed

Flaxseed is my new healthy obsession. I have been trying to incorporate it in my baking and cooking whenever I can.

These muffins come together quickly, especially if you make mini ones. They are fantastic for breakfast on the go or a little mid-morning snack. They do taste best right after coming out of the oven as they are moist inside and crunchy on top, so I like to make a small batch (half the recipe) in the morning while everyone is still asleep. Otherwise, you can keep them in a sealed container in the fridge and microwave them for a few seconds.

Makes 30 mini-muffins or 12 to 15 regular muffins (based on a recipe in Cooking with Joy by Joy Bauer)

• 1 cup all-purpose flour = 120 g de farine type T55
• 1 cup old-fashioned oats = 80 g de flocons d'avoine
• ⅓ brown sugar (packed) = 65 g de cassonade
• ½ cup ground flaxseed or flaxseed meal = 50 g de graines de lin moulues (en magasins bio)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder = 1 cuillère à café de levure chimique
• 1 teaspoon baking soda = 1 cuillère à café de bicarbonate de soude
• ¼ teaspoon salt = une pincée de sel
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon = ½ cuillère à café de cannelle
• 8 oz. plain low-fat yogurt = 225 g de yaourt nature
• 1 egg = 1 oeuf
• 1 tablespoon canola oil = 1 cuillère à soupe d'huile de colza (ou autre huile neutre)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract = 1 cuillère à café d'extrait de vanille
• 1 cup small blueberries or finely chopped strawberries = 140 g de myrtilles ou de fraises coupées en petits morceaux
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar + ½ teaspoon cinnamon = 1 cuillère à soupe de cassonade + 1 cuillère à café de cannelle

 

Preheat oven to 400°F / 200° C.

In a large bowl, combine flour, oats, flaxseeds, baking powder and soda, salt and cinnamon.

In a separate bowl, combine yogurt, egg, canola oil and vanilla.
Stir into the dry ingredients and mix until well blended. Gently fold in the berries.
Spoon into greased or silicone muffin cups.
Sprinkle evenly with the cinnamon/sugar mixture.

Bake for about 10 minutes for mini muffins or 18 to 20 minutes for regular muffins.

Creamy Fresh Corn Salad

So glad I got back to VA just in time for an earthquake (on Tuesday) and a hurricane (for this week-end)! Yesterday was gorgeous though and I made this quick corn salad after returning from the pool.

Sweet summer corn does not require any cooking and therefore makes a great hot-weather side dish. Just shuck the ears, rinse with water and carefully run a knife through to cut the kernels off. Of course, in a pinch, frozen (and thawed) sweet corn will work too.

You can spice it up by adding some diced jalapeños or a dash of Tabasco sauce.

Serves 6-8

• ½ cup light sour cream = 60 g de crême fraiche (allégée)
• 1 ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce = 1 ½ cuillère à café de sauce Worcestershire
• Salt & pepper to taste = Sel et poivre
• About 3 cups fresh corn kernels (from 6 ears) = 350 g de maïs frais (environ 6 épis)
• 1 small red bell pepper, finely chopped = 1 petit poivron rouge, émincé
• About 6 green onions, finely chopped = 6 oignons verts, émincés

Combine sour cream, Worcestershire sauce and salt/pepper in a large bowl. Add corn, bell pepper and green onion and stir. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving. Enjoy!

Back... almost!

We just got back from two amazing weeks in the French Alps! I can't wait to start cooking again but this week is going to be spent catching up on a million things. So in the meantime, I thought you might enjoy a few pictures from my trip.

The local weekly market, where you can find traditional cheese

and charcuterie from Haute-Savoie, as well as honey and jams.

Some gorgeous views of my favorite spots.

On vacation...

... in the French Alps!

Cantaloupe Prosciutto and Mozzarella Brochettes

One of the things I love about food is that it can take you on a virtual trip. This appetizer will transport you to a summer day in Italy. Need I say more?

Serves 6

• 1 small Tuscan-style cantaloupe, rind removed, cubed = un petit melon, coupé en cubes
• 18 ciliegine* (mini mozzarella balls), drained = 18 ciliegine* (mini-boules de mozzarella fraiche)
• 6 thin slices Prosciutto di Parma (about 3 oz.), trimmed and cut in 2 or 3 strips and gathered into ruffles = 6 tranches de jambon de Parme (environ 85 g), coupées en 2 ou 3 dans le sens de la longueur
• 6 8-inch skewers = 6 brochettes en bois de 20 cm
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil = 2 cuillères à soupe d'huile d'olive
• A few fresh basil leaves, minced or shredded = quelques feuilles de basilic, ciselées
• Black pepper = Poivre noir

Alternate one cantaloupe cube, one mini mozzarella ball and one prosciutto ruffle and repeat until all skewers are done. This can be prepared a couple of hours ahead, covered and refrigerated. Bring back to room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.

Stir olive oil and basil. Arrange brochettes on a platter. Drizzle with basil oil and sprinkle with cracked black pepper. Enjoy!

Note: If you can't find ciliegine, just buy a large ball of fresh mozzarella and cube it. In that case, use a melon baller to scoop melon balls so you still get different shapes on the skewers, which makes for a nice presentation.

Balsamic Chicken with Tomatoes and Capers

This is a great dish to serve at a dinner party: quick prep and low maintenance cooking, yet sophisticated and delicious! Added bonus: it will fill your kitchen with wonderful aromas as the chicken roasts in the oven. I love it with sautéed eggplant and zucchini, and a nice glass of wine -- red or white would work well.

Serves 4

• 4 chicken breasts (organic if possible) = 4 escalopes de poulet
• 4 Roma tomatoes, diced = 4 tomates Roma, coupées en dés
• 2 tablespoons capers = 2 cuillères à soupe de câpres
• ¼ cup balsamic vinegar = 60 ml de vinaigre balsamique
• 1 tablespoon olive oil = 1 cuillère à soupe d'huile d'olive
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar = 2 cuillères à soupe de cassonade
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme = 1 cuillère à café de thym séché
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano = 1 cuillère à café d'origan séché
• Black pepper = poivre noir

Preheat oven to 400°F / 200°C.

Place chicken breasts in a baking dish. Combine tomatoes, capers, balsamic vinegar, oil and sugar in a bowl. Pour over chicken. Sprinkle with thyme and oregano.

Bake for 25-30 minutes (until chicken is cooked through). Sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper before serving. Enjoy!