Omega-3 blueberry and banana muffins

Last week, a good friend stopped by with a bag of Natunola shelled flax kernel and proclaimed, “You’re the healthiest person I know, so I thought you’d figure out something awesome to do with this!”  Well, if that’s not an invitation for working some magic in my kitchen, I don’t know what is!

This flax kernel stuff is quite cool.  It is produced by means of a new shelling technique which does not require refrigeration of the finished product (see my earlier blog post on Almond butter lifesavers, in which I recommend that you freshly grind your flax seed so that the oils are preserved).  This company also makes ground flax meal which, remarkably, doesn’t require refrigeration either.  A revolution in healthy food production!  Bring it on, I say!  They also support Buy Canadian First which is admirable in itself.

I produced these muffins and brought a plate of them over to my parents, who are not only healthy eaters but also discerning foodies.  My Mom had breast cancer 13 years ago and has had 2 Tbsp of ground flax every day of her life since then (she even takes it on vacation with her — there’s some dedication).  Her sweet and healthy self loved these muffins and my Italian Dad did, too.  He, however, put a fair bit of margarine on them, but hey, there’s only so much I can do!  I got the Valentine’s Day liners at my local BulkBarn (4.99 for 24, but they’re so darn cute).

Omega-3 blueberry and banana muffins

2 cups quick (not instant!) oatmeal
2 cups flour (I used Pamela’s gluten-free, though you could use whatever you have hanging around, or even mix 1 cup regular flour and 1 cup whole wheat flour for more fibre)
1/2 cup Natunola Health’s Delight Shelled Flax Kernel
1/2 cup ground flax seed (I used my own, though you can get it from this Natunola company)
1Tbsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup agave nectar
5 past-their-prime bananas, mashed up
egg replacer for 4 eggs
1/2 cup applesauce
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

Oven:  375F
Prepare your muffin tins with cute liners or prepare them with spray.

Mix your dry ingredients in a bowl:  oatmeal, flour, flax seed, flax kernel, baking soda, baking powder, salt and dry part of the egg replacer.

Mix your wet ingredients in a bowl:   agave nectar, bananas, applesauce, water for egg replacer

Combine the wet and dry ingredients, then add the blueberries

Put batter in the muffin tins — these muffins don’t rise a whole lot because they are quite dense, so fill them up fairly high in the cup of the tins.

Bake for 22 minutes or until a knife inserted into the muffins come out clean.

Here’s a picture of the Natunola flax kernels that I used:

I did some investigating and these can be purchased at:

Highland Farms
Bruno’s Fine Foods
Fiesta Farms

Or, if enough of us go to our local health food stores, we can make it available in our own neighborhoods!  Please ask (I will be doing so without delay)!  Better yet, if you’re local, come on by to my place and I’ll dish out the half cup that you need and we can have a cup of tea!

Going to a Superbowl party?

If you’re headed out on Sunday night, try this roasted guacamole. This guac is a step above the usual mashed-up version. Everyone I’ve ever made this for wants the recipe and to date I’ve let it be elusive. Till now!

I strongly suggest busting out some Boston from back in the day — all I want is to have my peace of mind! I thought of old friends and our trip to the Gahdin (the old one with obstructed views) while I was getting this together.

Here’s what you need:

1/4 c diced red onion (I make mine about 1 cm long and about 3-4 mm wide)
1 cup frozen peaches and cream corn
1/2 tsp ground cumin
2 garlic cloves, pressed (I use the Pampered Chef garlic press)
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 avocado (half it, pit it, peel and slice into small cubes)
8-10 cherry or grape tomatoes (I used orange ones in the photo above, though I’ve made it with red and it looks even better)
juice of 1/2 lemon (about 3 Tbsp)
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp chopped cilantro or parsley (whichever you have hanging around)
salt and pepper

Preheat your broiler to high.

In a bowl, mix the frozen corn (no need to defrost), chopped red onion, cumin, garlic, and olive oil.  Spread it all onto a baking pan (preferably a metal one — stoneware doesn’t work great for roasting vegetables, I find).  Roast for 8 minutes, stirring it up every 2 minutes.  (I set the timer for 2 minutes so that I don’t get involved in something else and forget!)  When it is nice and golden brown, remove it from the oven and let it cool off.

Combine the chopped avocado, tomatoes, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar and chopped herbs in a bowl.  Add the roasted vegetables, some salt and pepper, and stir it up.  You can cover it and refrigerate it until serving or put it out right away.  Serve with corn chips.