WebMD Feature from "Shape" Magazine

By Roscoe Betsill

No need to eat calorie-packed muffins. When you want something really yummy, try these easy sweets under 300 calories.

Having breakfast is a key part of a successful weight-loss plan. Studies show it helps you control hunger, so you consume fewer calories all day long. But your overall savings hinge on your choice of morning meal. You’ll be ahead of the game if you have a 200-calorie bowl of bran flakes versus a 480- calorie bran muffin (they really can have that many), but some days, cereal just won’t cut it. “Denying yourself the thing you’re craving often backfires—you just end up eating more later on anyway,�?says Carrie Levin, author of The GoodEnough to Eat Breakfast Cookbook. Our solution?

Indulge in a healthier breakfast treat, one you make yourself. “You keep the calories and fat low when you control the ingredients,�?says Levin. The three recipes here are easy for even novice bakers to whip up, and best of all, they have less than 300 calories. Now there’s something to start your day off right.

ORANGE–POPPY SEED MUFFINS

These are the perfect grab-and-go treats. They’re best served within a day or two, but they freeze well.

Serves 12
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes

1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
3 tablespoons poppy seeds
1�? cup light brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2�? cup nonfat yogurt
1�? cup canola oil
1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest (from one medium orange)
1�? cup orange-juice concentrate

GLAZE (OPTIONAL)

1�? cup confectioners�?sugar
1 tablespoon frozen orange juice concentrate

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-inch muffin baking tin with paper cupcake liners (or spray lightly with cooking spray).

In a large mixing bowl, sift together both flours, baking powder, and poppy seeds. In another mixing bowl, whisk together brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, yogurt, oil, orange zest, and orange-juice concentrate.

Using a rubber spatula, fold the wet ingredients into the dry, just enough to combine. The batter will be very thick.

Divide the batter among the muffin cups with a tablespoon, filling each about two-thirds. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out dry. Cool on a wire rack.

If using glaze, blend confectioners�?sugar with the orange-juice concentrate. Drizzle over muffins and serve.

Nutrition score per serving

(one muffin): 179 calories, 7 g fat (33% of calories), <1 g saturated fat, 25 g carbs, 4 g protein, 2 g fiber, 88 mg calcium, 1 mg iron, 66 mg sodium

PUMPKIN-SPICE BREAD

Use canned pumpkin, not pumpkin pie mix in this recipe; the latter contains added sugar and more than twice the calories.

Serves 8 to 10
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 55 minutes

1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1�? teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1�? teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 pinch salt
1�? cup molasses
1�? cup light brown sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 egg
1�? cup nonfat yogurt
1�? cup canola oil
2 tablespoons shelled pumpkin seeds

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly spritz a 9" x 5" loaf pan with vegetable-oil spray and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine both flours, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt. In another mixing bowl, whisk together the molasses, brown sugar, pumpkin, egg, yogurt, and oil.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir with a wooden spoon just to combine. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the pumpkin seeds on top.

Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean. Place pan on a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes before turning bread out of pan onto a rack to cool completely.

Nutrition score per serving

(one slice): 283 calories, 9 g fat (30% of calories), 1 g saturated fat, 44 g carbs, 6 g protein, 3 g fiber, 93 mg calcium, 3 mg iron, 176 mg sodium

BREAKFAST ENERGY BARS

You can substitute walnuts for the almonds in this recipe—and you’ll add heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids.

Makes 12 bars
Prep time: 12 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes

2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 pinch salt
2�? cup brown-rice syrup
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 egg
1�? cup dried fruit, any combination of raisins, dried cranberries,or chopped apricots or dates
1�? cup slivered almonds

Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a 9-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil and spritz foil with vegetable-oil spray. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine oats, flour, sesame seeds, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
In another bowl, stir together rice syrup, oil, and egg. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir to combine. Mix in dried fruits and slivered almonds.

Spread batter into the prepared pan, evening it out as much as possible with a rubber spatula.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until lightly browned and firm to the touch in the center. Cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack before inverting onto a cutting board.

Using a sharp serrated knife, cut into quarters, then cut each quarter into three bars. These keep for several days, stored in an airtight container.

Nutrition score per serving

(one bar): 223 calories, 7 g fat, (27% of calories), <1 g saturated fat, 38 g carbs, 5 g protein, 4 g fiber, 45 mg calcium, 2 mg iron, 65 mg sodium

slim down any breakfast treat

Shaving calories and fat from any muffin or quick-bread recipe doesn’t have to mean losing flavor. Here, cookbook author Carrie Levin shares her tips for making treats tasty and good for you too.

Try them in your own recipes.

1. Use less oil: Usually you can replace about half the oil called for in a recipe with applesauce or another fruit purée (prune works especially well). It helps muffins and quick breads stay moist.
2. Change the milk: Substitute 1 percent for whole milk. This switch saves about 50 calories per cup.
3. Cut back on nut: Use half the amount indicated in the recipe or eliminate them altogether. Nuts have about 200 calories per quarter cup.
4. Mix carefully: When you combine the wet and dry ingredients in muffins and quick breads, use just a few gentle strokes. You want to blend the ingredients, not beat them. It won’t lower the calorie count, but it will improve the texture�?especially important with low fat recipes. Over-mixed muffins and quick breads are dense and tough.

 

http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/guilt-free-breakfast-treats?ecd=wnl_wlw_121507