PYO Meal Series: Carrot Breakfast Muffins

We are featuring our next Pick Your Own (PYO) meal, Carrot Cake Breakfast Muffins. Craving a muffin…but wanting something nutrient-dense? These muffins are similar in style to the blueberry breakfast cookie, but because of the cake texture, they are lighter and fluffier. They contain whole wheat flour, oats, oat bran, carrots, and nuts which provides a whole lot of fibre. 

We have rows of carrots in the PYO patch ready to be harvested. Have you ever picked a carrot? They are challenging due to how deeply they grow and how tough they are to pull, yet so fun and rewarding when you finally wiggle them out! Come out to the farm and try for yourself!

Please tag us on Instagram (@thamesrivermelons) if you try this recipe!

Thames River Melons carrots!

Recipe

*Makes 24 muffins 

Ingredients

3 cups or ~5 medium Thames River Melons carrots, grated  

2 ½ cups unsweetened apple sauce (you can also substitute for crushed pineapple or mashed banana) 

4 large Thames River Melons farm fresh eggs

⅓ cup oat bran

2 ½ cups whole wheat flour

½ cup olive oil

4 tsp vanilla 

⅓ cup brown sugar 

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt 

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

1 ½  cups rolled oats

⅓ cup dark chocolate chips 

1 cup nuts of your choice (we used cashew and walnuts)

Here is what you will need!


Instructions 

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a standard muffin tin with paper liners or grease with oil/butter.

2. Add grated carrots to a large bowl, along with applesauce, eggs, olive oil, vanilla, and brown sugar. Whisk together well. 

Wet ingredients

3. Add flour, rolled oats, oat bran, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg to a bowl with the carrot mixture. Whisk together again to incorporate everything. 

Dry ingredients

4. Finally, fold in the chopped mixed nuts and chocolate chips. 

5. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling them about ¾ of the way. 

6. Bake until the tops of the muffins are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes or so.

7. Allow them to cool in the pan for 15 minutes before enjoying. 

Enjoy these Carrot Breakfast Muffins!

Cost 

PYO carrots are $1/lb. The 5 medium carrots or 3 cups is approximately 1 lb, which makes the total cost for vegetables in this recipe right around $1. What a deal!. 


Nutritional Density

These muffins would make a great back to school snack because they contain fibre and protein (for calculations, check out a similar example in our blog titled, Blueberry Breakfast Cookies).

Did you know that there are two types of fibre? Soluble and insoluble fibre. Food that contains a source of fibre typically has both types although some foods contain only one type of fibre. 

Soluble fibre

  • Dissolves in water and can form gels and can also be prebiotic and fermenting.

  • Sources: oats, chia and flax seeds, pectin in fruits like apple, orange and pear, onions, bananas, garlic, asparagus, and legumes. 

  • Benefits: can help reduce blood sugar and cholesterol and increase the function of your  gastrointestinal system (1).

Insoluble fibre

  • Does not dissolve in water and is more difficult to digest.

  • Sources: whole grains, celery strings, seed hulls, and corn kernel skins. 

  • Benefits: adds bulk to stools and decreases the risk of gastrointestinal disorders (1).

Overall, both types of fibre are important for a healthy diet.

Storage

These muffins will last for 4 days in an airtight container on the counter. 

You may also make ahead and freeze for up to 4 months in an airtight container or plastic bag, once cooked and cooled. Don't forget to name and date them! Grab and go, for an easy nutrient-dense snack. 

Waste Less Notes 

At the PYO patch you may decide to keep the carrot tops on the carrots and use them to make other recipes. Using carrot tops are a great way to reduce waste and incorporate greens into your diet. They taste similar to parsley and may be dried to create a beautiful herb or garnish! We have some recipes and ideas on how to cook with carrot tops on our blog. 

The carrot tops, roots, and peels may also be saved to make a homemade vegetable/bone broth. 

*If you have room in the freezer, save a bag of vegetable scraps. When you have accumulated enough, then cook them down to make your favourite broth. 

Shredded too many carrots or have leftover carrots that you aren’t sure how to use? Not a problem, they are easy to freeze in a plastic bag to be used in your next baking recipe, or can be saved and used in the winter for soups, stews, and more. 

Modifications

This recipe may be modified to suit your needs. In terms of the nuts, you may use any nut or seed you have on hand, just make sure you chop them first.

You may also substitute the applesauce for  canned crushed pineapple or mashed banana.

All-purpose flour may also be used if that is what you have on hand, just note that the whole wheat flour does provide more nutrients than the all-purpose. 


Recipe modified from Cookie and Kate and photographed by dietetic interns Lexie Nobbs and Lise Wolyniuk and reviewed by Alex Chesney, RD

Reference:

  1. Alberta Health Service (2020). Fibre Facts. Alberta Health. Retrieved, August 19, 2024, from https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/assets/info/nutrition/if-nfs-fibre-facts.pdf

Pick Your Own Meal Series: Blueberry Breakfast Cookies

PYO Meal Series: Blueberry Breakfast Cookies

Today we are bringing you our fourth Pick Your Own (PYO) recipe and third one featuring blueberries. Yes, blueberries again… we couldn’t resist, when the bushes look this beautiful!

Thames River Melons Blueberry Bushes in the Height of Summer!

These cookies are a perfect on-the-go breakfast for those hectic weekday mornings, or just as delicious enjoyed on the porch, sipping tea or coffee. Not only are they delicious and convenient,but they are packed full of nutritional benefits, too! A serving of 2 cookies provides 8.5 grams of protein and 4.6 grams of fibre for 2 cookies. Flavourful and filling? A winning combination! Check out the nutritional density section of this blog post for more information. 

In addition, there is a convenience and meal prep benefit to this recipe as well. You do not have to bake them all at once! The dough may be rolled into the shape of a log, wrapped in plastic, and placed in the freezer. To bake, remove dough from the freezer the night before and place in the fridge to dethaw. You may cut the log into rounds and place on a baking sheet (similar to oatmeal or chocolate chip cookie dough). This would be a perfect item to prep for busy weekday mornings, or to give to a friend in need of a helping hand. Lastly, keep us in mind when sourcing your eggs, as we have fresh eggs for purchase in the farm shop. 

Please tag us on Instagram (@thamesrivermelons) if you try this recipe!

Ingredients Ready to go!

Recipe

Makes two dozen (24 cookies)  

Ingredients

1 cup butter 

1 cup packed brown sugar

2 Thames River Melons eggs

2 tsp of vanilla

2 cups whole wheat flour 

2 cups quick oats

⅓ cup oat bran

2 tsp of cinnamon 

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

½ tsp fine salt

½ cup dark chocolate chips

1 and ½ cups Thames River Melons blueberries

1 cup walnuts, chopped

Instructions 

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. 

2.  In a large bowl, whisk the butter and brown sugar for a minute or two, until pale and light. Whisk in the eggs and vanilla. The end product will be light and fluffy.  

3. In another bowl, stir together the flour, quick oats, oat bran, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Slowly or little by little, add the dry ingredients to the wet butter mixture. Once combined, fold in chocolate, nuts (and/or seeds) and blueberries. 

4. Drop large spoonfuls or scoops (aim for about ⅓ cup each) onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Flatten each cookie a bit with dampened fingers or a fork into patties about 1/2 -inch thick. 

5. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until set and pale golden around the edges but still soft in the middle. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. 

Cost 

PYO blueberries are $4.25/lb and this recipe calls for approximately ½ lb and a dozen eggs are $6.00. 

In total, the cost of the PYO blueberries is $2 and 2 farm fresh eggs is $1. 

Nutritional Density

Breakfast cookies are typically larger, lower in sugar, and higher in protein and fibre compared to a typical cookie.  These ones are filled with high-fibre oats, oat bran, and whole wheat flour and contain nuts, and fruit (dried, fresh, or frozen). Seeds may also be included. They are commonly consumed as a quick and easy breakfast snack. 

These particular creations highlight the in-season blueberries and contain a reasonable amount of protein and fibre considering they are a cookie!

*Please note, the nutrients per ingredient are based on 1 cup. In some cases, the recipe calls for less than 1 cup or 2 cups. Refer to the ingredient list to find out exactly how the protein and fibre amounts were calculated. 

Storage

These cookies will keep for 4-5 days on the counter, stored in an airtight container. If there are any left over after this, you can freeze them!

Modifications

This recipe may be modified to suit your needs. 

You may use frozen berries instead of fresh. 

You may use all-purpose flour instead of whole wheat, or half all-purpose and half whole wheat (but this will significantly decrease the nutrient content, making them a less desirable breakfast option).

As far as sweetener, you may use any of the options suggested in the recipe, or if you are trying to reduce your sugar intake you may use none at all, as the blueberries provide sweetness. 

You may also omit the chocolate chips completely, and replace with more nuts or seeds.

You may use a different nut (or sub for a seed, in case of allergies) - examples include chopped almonds, pumpkin seeds.




Recipe inspired by and modified by dietetic interns Lise Wolyniuk and Lexie Nobbs, from Cookies I have loved, by Julie Van Rosendaal, photographed by dietetic interns Lexie Nobbs and Lise Wolyniuk, and reviewed by Alex Chesney, RD



Reference:

Health Canada. (2023). Canadian Nutrient File. Government of Canada. Retrieved July 27, 2024, from https://food-nutrition.canada.ca/cnf-fce/newSearch.

Pick Your Own Meal Series: Blueberry Dutch Baby

Today we are featuring our third Pick Your Own (PYO) meal, a Blueberry Dutch Baby. The Thames River Melons blueberry bushes are in full production at this point in the season. This recipe is a delicious breakfast or dessert option that incorporates these in-season blueberries, plus it’s high in protein thanks to the 8 eggs, whole wheat flour, and whole milk that it contains. Keep us in mind when sourcing your eggs, as we have fresh eggs for purchase in our on-farm market. 

An important recipe note: the key to the success of this recipe is a very hot skillet and oven.

Please tag us on Instagram (@thamesrivermelons) if you try this recipe!

*Serves 8 

Ingredients

8 Thames River Melons eggs

2- 2.5 cups Thames River Melons blueberries

1 cup whole milk or 2% milk 

5 tbsp butter 

1/3 cup of Thames River Melons honey, granulated sugar, or maple syrup

1 cup all-purpose flour 

*we used whole wheat to increase the protein and fibre content 

*another option is to use half all-purpose and half whole wheat

2 tsp of vanilla

2 tsp of cinnamon 

1 tsp salt 

The juice of half a lemon and the zest of one lemon 

Optional, confectioners sugar to dust

Instructions 

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Over low/medium heat on the stovetop, place a 12 inch cast iron skillet while you prepare the batter. As noted above, a very hot oven is key to the success of this recipe!

2. Melt three tablespoons of butter in the skillet, then transfer to a blender. 

3. In the blender, add the milk, flour, eggs, sweetener of choice (honey/sugar/maple syrup), vanilla, salt, cinnamon, lemon juice + zest, and mix on medium for 30-40 seconds or until smooth. Do not overblend!

4. Turn the heat up to medium-high and put the remaining butter in the skillet. Let the butter melt, add the blueberries, and give the skillet a shake. 

5. Once the blueberries are bubbling, pour the batter over them and transfer the skillet to the oven right away. Bake until the Dutch baby is puffed and golden, about 15 to 18 minutes, depending on the oven.

6. Remove the skillet from the oven, and dust with confectioners sugar, if you wish or zest the remaining of the lemon peel. Cut and serve with more maple syrup.

Cost 

In total, the cost of PYO blueberries is $4.25 and 8 farm fresh eggs is $4. 

PYO blueberries are $4.25/lb and a dozen eggs are $6.00. 

Nutritional Density

1 cup of blueberries provides 2.6 grams of fibre and 9.7 milligrams of vitamin C (1). 

Protein per serving of this dish is 10 grams (6.3g from eggs, 2.6g from whole wheat flour, and 1g from whole milk). 

  • 6.3 grams of protein per 1 large egg, therefore 1 serving contains 6.3 grams (1). 

  • 20.8 grams of protein per 1 cup of whole wheat flour, therefore. 1 serving has 2.6 grams of protein from the flour (1). 

  • 8.1 grams of protein per 1 cup of whole milk and 1 serving has 1 gram of protein (1). 

Fun Fact: anthocyanin is an antioxidant that gives blueberries their blue colour. Oxidation is a chemical reaction that damages our cells (2). Antioxidants like the ones found in blueberries, can help mitigate this by reducing the damage (2). 

Storage

The Dutch baby will keep in the fridge for 2 days, but it is best eaten right after baking!

Modifications

This recipe may be modified to suit your needs. 

You may use frozen berries instead of fresh. 

You may use all-purpose flour instead of whole wheat, or half and half. 

As far as sweetener, you may use any of the suggested or if you are trying to reduce your sugar intake you may use none at all, as the blueberries provide sweetness. 

Recipe photographed by dietetic interns Lexie Nobbs and Lise Wolyniuk. Recipe derived and modified from Alexandra's Kitchen (https://alexandracooks.com)and photographed by dietetic interns Lexie Nobbs and Lise Wolyniuk, and reviewed by Alex Chesney, RD

References:

  1. Health Canada. (2023). Canadian Nutrient File. Government of Canada. Retrieved July 24, 2024, from https://food-nutrition.canada.ca/cnf-fce/newSearch.

  2. Pruteanu, L. L., Bailey, D. S., Grădinaru, A. C., & Jäntschi, L. (2023). The Biochemistry and Effectiveness of Antioxidants in Food, Fruits, and Marine Algae. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland), 12(4), 860. https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox12040860

Stuffed & Air-Fried Zucchini Blossoms

Squash blossoms are found in the cuisine of many cultures, such as Italian and Mediterranean dishes. Often referred to as delicacies, they are typically only found at farmers’ markets, so try to get your hands on them while you can!

Stuffed squash/zucchini blossoms may not be familiar to everyone, but they make for a unique appetizer or addition to many dishes. Our suggestion is to be creative and make them your own! That’s exactly how we approached developing the following recipes, grabbing whatever ingredients we had in the garden and trying a number of unique combinations.

Ingredients: Batter

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup water, room temperature

Tip: Prepare the batter with oat flour to make the recipe gluten-free/ Celiac-friendly.

Ingredients: Filling

1 block cream cheese

+ additional spices, herbs, fruits and vegetables (5 variations listed below)

Tip: To have softer cream cheese to work with, remove the block from the fridge about two hours prior.

1. Chocolate Strawberry Cheesecake (4 blossoms)

4 large strawberries

1 teaspoon honey

Topping:

1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted

icing sugar

2. Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake (4 blossoms)

1 tablespoon pumpkin spice

1 teaspoon honey

3. Herb & Garlic (4 blossoms)

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

scant ½ teaspoon dried thyme

1 onion slice, chopped

salt & pepper (to taste)

4. Spicy Dill (4 blossoms)

3 tablespoons fresh dill, finely chopped

½ teaspoon red pepper chili flakes

5. Jalapeño (4 blossoms)

2 green onion tops, chopped

1 jalapeño, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

salt & pepper (to taste)

Instructions

  1. Prepare all ingredients according to the suggestions above (e.g., mince, dice, etc.) and set aside.

  2. Gently rinse blossoms with water and dry with a paper towel. It’s okay to open the petals (even if they tear a bit) to ensure there aren’t any bugs. The entire flower is edible, but most people remove the bud from the inside (called the stamen) and the stem from the base of the flower.

  3. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour and water to create the batter. Set aside for at least 10 minutes.

  4. Preheat air fryer to 370°F.

  5. For each flavour variation, combine all ingredients together in a small bowl and fill each blossom with about 1 ½ tablespoons of the mixture. To make the filling step easier, transfer your filling to a piping bag. If you don’t own one of these, don’t worry! You can make a quick & easy at-home version by filling a Ziploc bag and snipping off one corner.

  6. After the blossoms are filled, carefully coat the outside with batter. Although a bit messy, we found it easiest to do this by hand. Try your best to close the flower so that the filling doesn’t run out when frying.

  7. Evenly coat the air-fryer basket with olive oil and lay down 6 battered blossoms, ensuring they’re evenly spaced. You may be able to fit more depending on the size of your basket.

  8. Fry for 12 min, carefully flipping halfway.

    Tip: After frying, if the blossoms are stuck to the bottom of the basket, give them 10 min to cool and they will be easier to remove.

Recipe developed by Alissa Debruyne and Emma Van der Burg, 2023 Dietetic Interns

Chocolate Zucchini Loaf

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/3 cup hemp seeds

½ cup chopped pecans (optional)

½ cup cocoa powder

1 tsp baking soda

½ tsp baking powder

¾ cup sugar

3 eggs

¾ cup canola oil

2 tsp vanilla extract

3 cups grated zucchini (unpeeled)

½ cup chocolate chips (add more or less, depending on preference)

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 ̊ F.

  2. Grease two small loaf tins and line with parchment paper.

  3. In a large bowl, whisk together flours, hemp seeds, pecans, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt and sugar.

  4. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs. Add the oil, vanilla, and zucchini.

  5. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated.

  6. Fold in the chocolate chips. Divide between the loaf pans.

  7. Bake for 45–55 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the middle.

NOTE: the batter will seem quite dry at first but keep mixing and you should end up with a thick, wet batter

Yogurt Coated Strawberries

Ingredients:

Strawberries, halved

Vanilla Greek yogurt

Instructions:

  1. Dip the halved strawberries in Greek yogurt with a toothpick and place them on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper

  2. Place baking sheet in freezer for 1-2 hours, or overnight if desired.

  3. Remove from pan and store in an airtight bag or container until ready to consume.

NOTE:Some Greek yogurts are thicker than others but use a yogurt that you like

Roasted Cinnamon Muskmelon

Ingredients

1 muskmelon

1 tablespoon honey

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

  2. Wash the muskmelon with a produce brush. Cut off the outside skin and cut the muskmelon into curved slices.

  3. Combine the muskmelon, honey, and cinnamon in a medium-sized bowl.

  4. Place the mixture on the baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, flipping the muskmelon halfway. The muskmelon slices should be hard around the edges and softer on the inside.

  5. Wait 5 minutes for the muskmelon to cool then serve on yogurt, ice cream, or by itself! You can eat the muskmelon cold or hot and for breakfast, a snack, or dessert.

Recipe developed and photographed by dietetic internship student Amy Campbell.

Rhubarb Custard Bars

What a strange time of year — spring is clearly here, and we’ve had some gloriously warm & sunny days! But we’ve also had some very chilly, windy, and rainy ones. It seems to go back and forth, teasing us with warmth, then sending us running back inside with the cold.

This mix of temperatures allows for time with the oven on, though! And turning on the oven inevitably leads to baking for me. This week I whipped up some rhubarb custard bars: a delicious combination of creamy, tangy, and sweet flavours. If you can, try to snag a corner bar, as they get extra caramelization, and are even more delicious.

I found this recipe on a popular baking blog, and made a few tweaks: added some oats to the crust for extra texture and a bump of fibre, halved the sugar in the filling, and added vanilla for an increased depth in flavour. Although these adjustments do make these bars a little more healthy, they’re definitely still a dessert. And that’s okay! There’s more than enough room for desserts in our diets. It’s all about balance: maybe don’t eat the whole tray, but enjoy one or two without guilt, just enjoyment!

They don’t take long at all to whip up, but you do have to have some patience to allow them to fully cool and set. It’s worth the wait, though! Give them a try and let me know what you think.

Rhubarb+Bars+2.jpg

Ingredients

For the crust

1 cup all-purpose flour

½ cup oats

3/4 cup cold butter, cubed

1/4 cup sugar

For the filling

3 large eggs, beaten

¾ cup white sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup flour

1/2 tsp salt

4 cups rhubarb, diced

2 tablespoons icing sugar (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 F. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, oats, and sugar. Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

  2. Pat the crumbs into a well greased 9 x 13 in baking pan. Bake the crust at 350 F for 10-12 min or until lightly browned.

  3. While the crust is in the oven, mix together eggs, sugar, vanilla, flour and salt.

  4. Gently stir in the diced rhubarb. Pour the rhubarb mixture over the hot crust. Return bars to the hot oven. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the filling is set and no longer jiggly

  5. Cool for 30 mins on the counter and then refrigerate until chilled before cutting into bars.

  6. Before serving, sprinkle with icing sugar for an extra hint of sweetness and a pretty final touch.

Recipe modified from http://chocolatewithgrace.com/rhubarb-bars/ by Alex Chesney, RD

Oatmeal-Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies

Chilly winter days were made for baking, don’t you think? There’s nothing I love more than hunkering down in my kitchen with some music playing in the background while I mix up some dough and roll it out. It’s soothing and comforting, and the end result is so delicious. This week I wanted to bake something that featured one of our jams, and thumbprint cookies immediately came to mind. They’re quick and easy, and super cute. Although these fall firmly into the treat category, this recipe features oats and whole wheat flour for a bump of fibre. Give them a try and let me know what you think!

Thumbprint cookies to share.jpg

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Bake Time: 10 minutes:

Makes: 3 dozen bite-sized cookies

Ingredients

1 ¾ cups old-fashioned oats, divided

¾ cups whole-wheat flour

1 teaspoon ground ginger

½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

¼ cup packed brown sugar

¼ cup white sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/3 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)

¼ cup Thames River Melons raspberry jam

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350⁰F. Prepare a large baking sheet (or two smaller ones) by lining with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.

  2. Grind ½ of the oats into a finely ground flour using a food processor, high-speed blender, or spice grinder. Transfer to a medium-sized bowl.

  3. Add the flour, remaining oats, ground ginger, and salt to the oat flour and whisk to combine.

  4. Next, beat together the butter and sugars using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or an electric hand mixer. Use medium speed, and beat until light and fluffy (approximately 1 minute).

  5. Add the egg and beat thoroughly. Then, beat in the vanilla.

  6. Next, slowly add the flour mixture on low speed and beat until just incorporated.

  7. Finally, gently fold in the walnuts (if using).

  8. Using a spoon or small cookie scoop, measure about 1 tablespoon of dough from the bowl. Roll the dough between the palms of your hand to form a ball and place on the prepared cookie sheet(s).

  9. Continue to scoop and roll, placing the balls of dough approximately 2 inches apart.

  10. Use your thumb to press down on the middle of the dough ball. Fill each with a dab of raspberry jam.

  11. Place the prepared cookie sheets into the preheated oven and bake for 5 minutes. Then, rotate the baking sheet from front to back (and between racks if using two pans!) and continue baking for another 3 to 4 minutes, until cookies are set but still soft.

  12. Remove the cookies from the oven and cool for 1 to 2 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack to fully cool.

  13. Store in an airtight container for 4 to 5 days. Enjoy!

Recipe modified from The Kitchn by Alex Chesney, RD