Cherish Yesterday...Dream Tomorrow...Live Today

Sunday, January 8, 2012

Health-altering Muffin and a Giveaway

Happy New Year!  I have taken a little break from blogging but I missed you guys.  I want to start out by giving you a recipe that has really worked for me.  It is a muffin recipe that lowers cholesterol.  Mine went down 20 points just by having one of these for breakfast most mornings!  I am not a doctor so I can't make any promises but ask your doctor if it is ok to give this a try if you are battling high cholesterol.  I wanted to avoid medicine if possible.  I found this recipe in a magazine and made a few changes based on the research I had done.  This makes a dozen muffins and I freeze them and take them out day to day as I need them.  Combine in one bowl: 1 1/2 cups flour, 1 cup old-fashioned oats, 1/3 cup sliced almonds, 1 Tablespoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon each cinnamon and salt.  In another bowl beat: 2 eggs, 1 cup light vanilla soy milk, 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1/2 cup melted Benecol margarine.  Add to dry mixture and fold in 1/2 cup frozen or fresh blueberries.  Mix together and divide among 12 paper-lined cupcake cups.  Sprinkle with some oats and almonds.  Bake 17 minutes at 400 degrees.    I couldn't find the sticks of Benecol where I live so I melt 1/2 cup of the tub kind.  It works well.  The oats, blueberries, soy milk and Benecol are all great weapons in the fight against cholesterol.  Let me know if you try them and how they work for you.

  You aren't going to believe this, but this picture was taken today of one of my gardens.  Yes, everything is sleeping as it should be in January, but do you notice what is missing?  I live close to the Canadian border and I can't believe we have no snow.  We had a green Christmas which was devastating to me.  I lived in Florida for a while when I was a teenager and I hated Christmas without snow.  Also, if you remember, I am huge fan of snow days at the school I work at.  Well-I am waiting!  Many people around me are actually thrilled with the weather, but not me.  I look out my kitchen window and it looks like Easter is right around the corner.  We are still leaving our windows open a crack at night.  I keep thinking we will get hit hard when it does come.  I will keep you posted but in the mean time, I have decorated all over my house as I do every January with my huge snowman collection.  I usually leave them up until Easter decorations go up.  I have some snowmen I want to make.  It helps with the let-down that comes after Christmas decorations are packed away. 

 Last, but definitely not least, I have a giveaway for you.  I was so excited that I hit 100 followers.  When I started this blog, I had no idea I would meet so many great people.  I have enjoyed it so much.  So, I made one of those bags I have enjoyed making so much to give to one of you.  I also made a snowman pin(can you see him with his earmuffs on?) and I found this adorable sock monkey kit in a clearance bin at a local craft store.  I love his bee costume!  In order to win these three things, just be a follower and leave a comment saying so.  I will keep this giveaway open until next Sunday night. 

I hope you all have a great week.  I have made a resolution to try to answer more of your comments to my blog because I want you to know I appreciate each and every one!  Take care.   Nancy

14 comments:

  1. Nothing nicer than a fresh homemade muffin. This recipe sounds great. Thank you for sharing.
    I am now a follower of your blog and look forward to return visits. I invite you to join me as well on my blog at http://atastefultouch.blogspot.com
    Hugs, Gayle.

    ReplyDelete
  2. cute blog I am a new follower
    shopannies@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  3. Nancy, those must be wonder muffins! that's terrific that they did such a good job lowering your cholesterol!
    I'm with you on the snow at Christmas. Growing up in the north of England it was always cold - if not always snowy on Christmas Day. Now - I live in Cairns - tropical far north of Australia, and Christmas is in the middle of summer! We have a wonderful time in the pool and the sun, but it never feels quite like Christmas!

    Thanks for offering such a great giveaway too! I love your bags - and have been a follower for some time!

    Thanks for linking to a Round Tuit!
    Hope you have a fabulous week!
    Jill @ Creating my way to Success
    http://www.jembellish.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  4. Will try the muffins shortly - get too tempted when I go to the nearby bakery! These sound fabulous. Thanks for a good start to the new year.

    Will cross my fingers for snow your way - we've had absolutely no rain in California.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hi Nancy! Thanks so much for the muffin recipe. I too want to improve my cholesterol without meds and what better way to do it than with a muffin. I can't wait to try them. And thank you for the opportunity to win a giveaway. That is so generous of you. I will definitely be following your blog. I just found you at Sew Many Ways.

    ReplyDelete
  6. These muffins are going to be in Hubby's lunchbox at least 3x a week. Thank you for the recipe. He can't take any of the medications and we are having to do it all with diet. I collect snowmen, also. The pin would be a welcome addition! Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Happy to be a new follower :)

    The bag is gorgeous! I'll be making my hubby some of those muffins. They sound delish!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Great ideas!

    So glad that you decided to join our Pin'Inspiration Thursday party this week :-)

    ReplyDelete
  9. I need to try these muffins, thanks for sharing. The weather has been crazy, you mention you live near the Canadian border, my brother and family do to, in Peru, NY...
    A few blog friends and I introduced a new challenge idea Monday and it would be so fun if you want to join. If you have a second, check in at http://thespacebetweenblog.wordpress.com/2012/01/09/imagine-the-impossibilities-challenge/ to learn more, and feel free to email me if you have any questions! Your newest follower.
    Karah @ thespacebetweenblog

    ReplyDelete
  10. I'm a new follower! I love the bag! Thanks so much for the great recipe :)

    ReplyDelete
  11. Thank you for the recipe, I am going to give it a try. I would love to be entered in your contest for your fab giveaways! Thank you for the chance! Have a wonderful day ~ Pam

    ReplyDelete
  12. I featured your muffins on my blog this week. Thanks for linking up.

    Becca

    becca-homeiswheremystorybegins.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  13. This is really a nice information.Must necessary to share this blog . This will help to get full knowledge and help also for ours coming future and u also.
    hcg drops

    ReplyDelete
  14. Migraine headaches relief

    That is just some great material published right here. I thank you for terrific content material. Cheers!

    ReplyDelete