Quick and Easy Strawberry Muffins

Who doesn't like strawberries???? I am sure most of us love strawberries. We can serve strawberries in anyway we like, be it sweet or savory bakes or dishes. Strawberry jam is our favorite jam. Whenever hubby happens to see strawberries on offer, he is sure to buy some for us and also for me to make jam. In case you also like homemade strawberry jam, you can also try this very easy homemade jam.

Homemade Strawberry Jam

That day, I happened to see one of the many recipes which I have bookmarked in one of my many cook books collection. It's blueberry muffins which seemed to be so easy. (In fact, this recipe has been in my KIV files for quite sometimes and it just slipped my mind until I by chanced saw it, hehehe...) But, I did not have any blueberries. Strawberries?? YES, there were some in the fridge. So, what I did was to substitute it with strawberries.

Well, I am glad I substituted it with strawberries

This Quick and Easy Strawberry Muffins is great when you have unexpected guests, and also ideal for satisfying a craving for baked treats.

Quick and Easy Strawberry Muffins

Recipe adapted from Popular Cupcakes & Muffins (Bluberrry Muffins page 102)

Ingredients :  (my modification in red)

- 250gm all-purpose flour

- 2 tsp baking powder

- 110gm superfine sugar

- 125gm fresh strawberries (cut into small pieces)

- 160ml milk

- 125g butter (melted)

- 1 egg (lightly beaten)

- cut 6 strawberries into half (make 12 pcs)

- some icing sugar 

cut fresh strawberries

Method :

1)  Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a standard muffin pan or line with paper liners.

2)  Sift flour, baking powder and sugar into a large bowl.  Stir in strawberries.  Make a well in center of dry ingredients.

3)  Combine milk, butter and egg.  Mix into dry ingredients, until just combined.

4)  Spoon mixture into prepared pan until to two-thirds full. Arrange halved strawberry on top of the batter.  Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until skewer inserted in the center of a muffin tests clean.

5)  Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cook completely.

6)  Sprinkle some icing sugar onto the muffins.

Goes well with a cup of hot tea or coffee

If you like strawberries as well as muffins, then this recipe is a keeper

Have a fabulous week ahead and happy baking!

I am linking this post with Cook-Your-Books #18 @ kitchen flavours

and

"My Treasured Recipes #3 - Taste of Autumn (Oct/Nov 2014)" hosted by Miss B of Everybody Eats Well In Flanders and co-hosted by Charmaine of Mimi Bakery House.

as well as

http://kitchendreaming.com/5/post/2014/11/happy-holidays-link-party-week-3.html

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Mulberry Yogurt Cake and Health Benefits of Mulberry

We love mulberries, especially homegrown ones.  Fresh mulberries are succulent and delicious. Besides having it fresh, you can also make jam or dessert with these very delicious fruits.  The whole plant of mulberry is edible and it has many health benefits.

My delicious and succulent homegrown mulberries

Facts About Mulberries:
Mulberries are a natural food colorants due to their rich dark potential color and can be used as a natural food dye instead of toxic synthetic artificial dyes that can cause many health problems. Mulberries are considered an important food remedy in Chinese medicine and are a traditional folk remedy in many countries where mulberries have been eaten for hundreds of years. Mulberries are also an ancient fruit of Asia and known in medicinal folklore as a remedy for ringworm, insomnia, arthritis, and tapeworm.

Health Benefits of Mulberries:
1) Great source of Nutrients – Mulberries are an excellent source of vitamin B, vitamin C, vitamin K, and iron. They are also a good source of dietary fiber, protein, riboflavin, phosphorus, magnesium, folic acid, and potassium. These vitamins are function as co-factors and help body in the metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins and fats.

2) Antioxidant - Mulberries contain antioxidant powers that lessen the damage caused by free radicals. According to the University of Texas Health Science Center – mulberries contain one special antioxidant that has recently been touted for its anti-aging and longevity abilities –“Resveratrol. Resveratrol is an polyphenol flavonoid antioxidant that is also found in red grapes a red wine. The power of the antioxidants in mulberries can also help to prevent cancer and aid in treatment of existing cancer.

3) Anti-Inflammatory - Practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine have used mulberry as a remedy for inflammation. A recent Romanian study discovered that a curcumin and mulberry leaf combination may be a new lead into natural remedies for inflammation.

4) Lower Your Blood Pressure - According to the March 2008 issue of the “American Journal of Clinical Nutrition” mulberries health benefits include a positive affect on blood circulation and lower your blood pressure, make you less susceptible to blood clots, strokes, help to prevent heart disease, and lower cholesterol.

5) Weight Loss Benefits - Mulberries can help you lose weight because 1 cup of raw mulberries has only 60 calories, is high in fiber, and has a high water content.

6) Immune System Support – Mulberries are beneficial for the immune system. They contain alkaloids that activate macrophages. Macrophages are white blood cells that stimulate the immune system, putting it on high active alert against health threats.

7) Retina Protection for your Eyes – Mulberries contain Zea-xanthin, an important dietary carotenoid selectively concentrates into the retinal macula lutea, where it thought to provide antioxidant functions and protects the retina from the harmful ultraviolet rays through light-filtering actions.

8) Help Anemia – Because of their high iron content mulberry juice may help those that suffer from anemia.

9) Regulates Blood Sugar –This amazing fruit helps to regulate the blood sugar levels and prevents diabetes. More formal research is needed, but mulberry is thought to contain compounds that support balanced blood sugar levels. Traditional medicine in China, Trinidad and Tobago have all used mulberry leaves to promote balanced blood sugar levels.

10) Good for Digestion – Because mulberries are high in fiber it acts as a mild laxative.Eating mulberries on an empty stomach with a glass of water helps to treat constipation. Adding mulberries to your regular diet can help to prevent indigestion.

For more info on mulberry, please click -->here  

We used to eat mulberries fresh or make it into juice or dessert, however, this time I choose to make cake with it.  I am glad I give this a try as it turned our very delicious and this recipe is a keeper too!

This recipe is adapted from Lovely Butter Cakes page 20 with some minor modifications in red.

Ingredients :

- 150g margarine (I used butter)

- 130g caster sugar (I used 120g)

- 3 eggs

- 200g self-raising flour

- 50g blackcurrant (I used 60g  mulberries)

- 100g yogurt

Method :

1)  Beat butter and sugar till light and fluffy.

2)  Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

3)  Fold in self-raising flour in batches and mix well.

4)  Lastly pour in yogurt and mulberries and mix.

5)  Pour batter into 8x3x3 baking mould.

6) Bake at preheated oven at 170c for 40 minutes or till skewer inserted comes out clean.

Great for tea time or breakfast

I am linking this post to "My Treasured Recipes #3 - Taste of Autumn (Oct/Nov 2014)" hosted by Miss B of Everybody Eats Well in Flanders & co-hosted by Charmaine of Mimi Bakery House

and Cook-Your-Books #17 @ kitchen flavours

To receive new updates, do LIKE SIMPLY BEAUTIFUL AND HEALTHY LIVING on FACEBOOK. Thanks for visiting my blog and leaving me comments. I really appreciate all your visits and comments! Have a nice day :)

Zucchini Carrot Loaf

When I first saw Phong Hong's Zucchini bread, I told myself, wow, this is great! Why???? Well, I like zucchini and another main reason is that this recipe is healthy and so easy to make. Being so excited, I baked it the following day and I am glad that I did it without any procrastination. We like the bread/cake so much that I baked it again for a karaoke session with a group of childhood friends.

However, for this get-together, instead of a loaf, I baked it into 'cupcakes'; reason was for easy handling and besides, this is also great as party food.

The loaf is soft and moist and taste like a cake

However, the 'cupcake' is not too moist and soft and taste more like bread

Which one do you like?

Zucchine Bread
Recipe source : adapted from Phong Hong (with some minor modification)

Ingredients :
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 200g self-raising flour
- 50g sugar (due to the addition of raisins, I reduced the sugar)
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 cup grated zucchini
- 1 cup grated carrot
- 1 cup of mixed raisins

Method :
1. In a large bowl, mix sugar, eggs and vanilla until well combined.
2. Stir in the grated zucchini and carrot. Then followed by the oil. Mix till well blended.
3. Sift in flour 1/3 at a time over no. 2 and mix well.
4. Add raisins, cinnamon and nutmeg.  Mix well.
5. Pour batter into a lined or greased 4" x 9" x 3" loaf pan or cupcake/muffin cups.
6. Bake in a preheated oven at 160C for 40 to 45 minutes (for loaf) or 180C for 20 minutes (for muffin or cupcake cups) or until cooked; depending on individual oven temperature.
7. Let cool in pan for about 10 mins before unmoulding onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Do head over to Phong Hong's Bake for her original recipe. Do give this a try and you will love it.

The loaf tasted like fruit cake

Whereas the 'cupcakes' is more towards like bread

It tastes even better after one or two days

Do have a great week ahead and cheers :)

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Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

For those of you who have been following my blog, you might have noticed that I have taken a new interest, that is baking.  Honestly speaking, after my few quite successful (ahem...) in baking, I am thrilled as well as my family.

Even my friends are excited (cos' they got to be my guinea pigs besides my family!) and their expression would be like "Wow, you can BAKE???" or "Never know you have interest in baking..... blah..blah....".

I have also tried various cupcakes which is very easy and even my girls have no problem trying their hands in it.  This Chocolate Chip Cupcakes is my first cupcakes experience and we like it very much.  Since then, we have fun creating different flavor of cupcakes according to our palate and stay tuned for more cupcakes to come.

Recipe source : Wokking Mum (with minor modification)

Ingredients :

- 220 gm butter (soften)

- 180 gm sugar

- 4 eggs

- 220 gm self-raising flour

- 150 chocolate chip

- 1tsp vanilla

Method :

1)  Cream butter and sugar till light and fluffy.

2)  Add 1 egg at a time and continue beating.

3)  Add vanilla and mix well.

4)  Add in flour and beat well till mixture is smooth and pale.

5)  Fold in chocolate chip till combined.

6)  Spoon batter into muffin cups.

7)  Bake for 20 minutes in pre-heat oven at 180 Celcius.

8)  Cool on rack.

Easy peasy cupcakes 

Great to serve it for breakfast or tea time

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Canadian Lemon Pound Loaf

Know what?  I am in cloud nine ever since yesterday!  A dear friend, Shane, gave this Canadian Lemon Pound Loaf recipe to me quite sometimes back and I have doubts that I am able to bake it successfully.  Still remember my Elvis Presley's Favorite Pound Cake where I failed at my first attempt and only succeeded thereafter?  Yes, I have this fear and doubts and worst of all, no self-confidence to try my hand at this Canadian Lemon Pound Loaf.  So, in order to have more baking skill practices, I have tried baking a few easy peasy cakes and they did give me quite good results.  Hence, yesterday, I told myself, it's time for me to give a try on this Lemon Pound Loaf.

My family members are thrilled (ahem..) to see that I can produce a cake like this and are very excited too.  While I was clicking away at my "beyond my expectation cake", hubby also busy clicking away and sharing it with his sisters and nieces.

As usual, my cake still cracks but to me, it's perfectly ok as long as the cake is delicious and beautiful.

See.... get what I mean?  This lemon pound loaf is very moist, soft, lemony and beautifully glazed with sweet, tangy lemon icing.

Recipe source : Shane (with minor adjustment)

Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 eggs
- 2 tbsp grated lemon rind
- 1 tbsp  lemon juice (I used 1.5 tbsp)
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1.5 cups all-purpose flour (I used superfine flour)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp baking soda

- 1/4 baking powder
- 1/2 cup light sour cream (I used Greek yogurt)
Glaze:
- 1/2 cup icing sugar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice (I used 1.5 tbsp)

Method :
1)  In large bowl, beat butter with sugar until fluffy; beat in eggs, 1 at a time.

2)  Beat in lemon rind, lemon juice and vanilla.

3)  In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder; stir into butter mixture alternately with sour cream/yogurt, making 3 additions of dry ingredients and 2 of sour cream.

4)  Scrape into greased and floured 9x5 inch loaf pan.

5)  Bake in 160°C oven until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Let it cool in pan on rack for 10 minutes.

6)  Turn out onto rack; let it cool completely.

Glaze:
In a small bowl, whisk sugar with lemon juice; pour over cake, spreading over top and letting the icing drip down sides.

This cake if wrap in plastic wrap can be stored for up to 2 days or wrap in heavy-duty foil and freeze for up to 1 month.

This Canadian Lemon Pound Loaf is a very wonderful versatile cake.  You may serve it as a snack, breakfast, dessert or for tea time.

If you like cakes, then, this recipe is a keeper!

If I can do it, so CAN YOU!!!!

Thanks for stopping by and do have an awesome week ahead :)

*Shane, the first song is specially dedicated to you :)*

To receive new updates, do LIKE SIMPLY BEAUTIFUL AND HEALTHY LIVING on FACEBOOK. Thanks for visiting my blog and leaving comments. I really appreciate all your visits and comments! Have a nice day :)