Mixed Berry Buttermilk Scones

One of the best parts of heading up to the cottage is all the delicious food we get to eat. Even though our trips are only a few days long, they feel like mini vacations which also means letting ourselves pig out a little. When ordering some bread from work for the long weekend, Mom also wanted to throw in some scones to go with tea. The scones we make at the bakery are amazing but I decided to make some of my own this time, so I looked through my Pinterest boards and decided to follow this recipe.

Ingredients 

2 1/2 cups of all purpose flour

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

6 tbsp cold salted butter

1 cup buttermilk

1/3 cup frozen blueberries

1/3 cup frozen raspberries

Preheat the oven to 425 F. Whisk together the flour, sugar and baking powder. Cut the butter into small cubes and combine on medium-low speed until the mixture is crumbly. Mix in the buttermilk. Gently fold in the berries just until they're evenly distributed. Sprinkle a flat surface with flour and form the dough into a circle (for smaller scones make two) about 3/4 inch thick. Sprinkle some sugar overtop and cut the circle into 8 wedges. Place the wedges on a non-stick baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes until the bottoms are golden brown.

These were great for breakfast, lunch or a snack in between. I warmed them up in the microwave and spread a little bit of butter inside, but they are also great with jam, clotted cream or even plain - just as they are! For some added sweetness try adding in some white chocolate chips, or make your own fruit combinations with what you have!

Blueberry Banana Oat Muffins

I realize my last food post was muffins, but these muffins are different I promise - and there is no coconut in them so a pat-on-the-back goes to me for leaving the coconut behind (though I was very tempted to sprinkle a bit in). I love muffins because they are quick, cupcake-disguised breakfasts. These muffins, though aren't a whole lot like cupcakes except for their shape, are protein packed and sugar and butter-less but still oh so yummy. I've been on this healthy baking kick for a little while now and every time I try a new recipe I am excited about how delicious they still are. So far there has been a serious lack in cardboard taste and I am very grateful to say so!

I followed this recipe from Ambitious Kitchen but traded in some frozen blueberries instead and they came out great. They are dense, sweet and moist and make for a perfect breakfast on the run.

Ingredients

1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup rolled oats 

1 tbsp ground flax

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt
3 ripe bananas, mashed

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon honey

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 egg

1 egg white

1/3 cup plain greek yogurt

1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk

2/3 cup frozen blueberries, heaping

Preheat the oven to 350 F and grease a 12 cup muffin pan. Whisk together the flour, oats, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Toss the blueberries with 1 heaping tablespoon of the flour mixture and set aside. In a separate bowl, combine the banana, olive oil, honey and vanilla on medium speed with an electric mixer. Beat in the egg and egg white until well combined. Add in the greek yogurt and almond milk and beat on low speed until smooth. Add the banana mixture into the flour and combine just until it is mixed. Gently fold in the blueberries until distributed throughout. Scoop the batter into the muffin cups evenly. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

I ate a pair of these muffins with a little bit of butter and a side of fruit. It made for a great and filling start to my day. I would also try adding in walnuts, pecans or white chocolate chips for some extra texture and taste!

Tip: Try measuring the olive oil before the honey - this way when you measure the honey (with the same tablespoon) it will slip right off without any stickiness.