healthy, whole wheat, blackberry, yogurt bread!

Here's another really simple and healthy quick bread recipe for you! As you can see i'm on a blackberry kick right now. I am fortunate enough to have wild blackberry bushes on my property, so free blackberries all summer! I love picking my own fresh fruit, and experimenting with different, fresh recipes. Not only are these berries delicious, but also really good for you. Low calorie and packed with antioxidants. :) This bread is very dense and moist. I really enjoy this one. Perfect for summer.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan (or 1/2 cup neutral oil, like canola)
• 2 cups blackberries 
• 1 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar (or use a no calorie sugar subsitute like splenda or truvia. i used truvia.)
• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup Greek Yogurt, room temperature

                                                                  Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan and line with parchment, leaving a 2-inch overhang on all sides; butter parchment. 
• puree blackberries with 1 tablespoon sugar. (Use a fork to gently mash them down. Leave a couple of bigger pieces/chunks of berries. They taste great to bite into.) 
• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder.
•  In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat together butter (or oil) and 1 1/4 cups sugar until light and fluffy, 5 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla and beat to combine, scraping down bowl as needed. With mixer on low, add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with Greek yogurt, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
•  Pour the blackberry/sugar mixture into the flour mixture. Mix until incorporated. DO NOT OVER MIX.
• Pour into prepared loaf pan and bake for about an hour. You want the top to be golden brown. Insert and tooth pick and it should come out clean. Let cool in pan for about 5 minutes, then move to cooling rack to cool the rest of the way.

Healthy, low calorie oatmeal, banana, blackberry bake.

I decided to try the new oatmeal bake craze. They always look really good and simple to make. Of course, I decided to come up with a lighter/healthy version of one. This is a really simple and delicious. hearty breakfast that would be great for a brunch or a holiday. It takes about 10 minutes to throw together. Another 35 to bake. The ingredients are all very affordable. I'd say under $5 for an entire pan, that could easily feed 5 people. Under an hour for a delicious, healthy breakfast and very little prep work!

Blackberry banana oatmeal bake:
                   
 ingredients:

• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/2 cups blackberries {any berries work}
• 2 cups non fat milk
• 1 large egg
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract2 ripe bananas, peeled, sliced.

directions:

• Preheat oven to 375°F and generously spray the inside of a 10-1/2 by 7 inch baking dish with cooking spray and place on a baking sheet.
• In a large bowl, mix together the oats, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, salt,  2 cups of the berries. (Save the other 1/2 cup of berries,  for the top of the oatmeal).
• In another large bowl, whisk together the milk, egg, butter and vanilla extract.
• Add the oat mixture to prepared baking dish. Arrange the remaining berries on top,  Add the banana slices to the top then pour the milk mixture over everything. Gently shake the baking dish to help the milk mixture go throughout the oats.
• Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until the top is nicely golden brown and the milk mixture has set. For an extra tasty top, sprinkle a tablespoon or so of extra brown sugar. (i used a combination of splenda/cinnamon to sprinkle over the top.  it tasted great. your choice.