Cranberry Orange Wheat Germ Muffins

Sometimes being a Psychology major is really interesting, and by interesting I mean entertaining. The other night in one of my lectures a comical situation arose- at least the class thought so. We were watching clips in class and attempting to diagnose the possible disorder displayed. One of the choices was Trichotillomania, or hair pulling disorder. A brave soul raised her hand and asked the TA if feeling gratification from pulling another's hair was also a disorder. She then went on to explain that she loves pulling other people's hair, especially her brother's leg hair. The entire class burst into laughter and disbelief that someone would say this aloud. It was an unexpected conversation for all. Although sometimes unexpected things, like combinations, can be for the better rather than the uncomfortable. You might not expect wheat germ in your muffins, but they are a great way to start the day that can be full of unexpected surprises and laughter.

Servings: about 10 muffins

Ingredients:
1 cup of milk
1 egg
1 cup of wheat germ
1 cup of whole wheat flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
4 tablespoons brown sugar
4 tablespoons of oil
1/3 cup dried cranberries
Juice and zest of one orange

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Beat together the egg and milk. Then add in the wheat germ and allow it to sit to soak up the moisture. Then add in the flour, baking soda, sugar, and oil. Next mix in the orange zest, orange juice, and dried cranberries.

In a lined muffin tin, fill each cup about 3/4 of the way full. Sprinkle some dried cranberries on top. Place into the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes.

Enjoy!

Cinnamon Roll Chocolate Chip Cookies

In honor of Valentines day I wanted to make heart shaped cookies. I attempted to mold the cookie dough, but honestly they ended up looking like little penis cookies, which I guess could be entertaining and follow some theme on the "love holiday." In the end I just decided on normal round cookies, but theses cookies are far from normal. In lieu of my beau's love of cinnamon and cookies, I wanted to make these cinnamon roll chocolate chip cookies in hope of winning his heart again and again through his stomach. I mean my mother always told me a way to a man's heart is through his stomach and never accept a ring unless it's in a blue box with a white ribbon. Whether celebrating Valentines with a special someone or watching porn while eating cheez-whiz on crackers and crying on the inside, these cookies are a perfect way to warm anyone's heart and make you feel a little bit better.

Adapted from: Bakingdom

Servings: about 32 cookies

Ingredients:
1 1/4 sticks of melted butter
3/4 cup of brown sugar
1/2 cup of granulated sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups of flour
1 cup of chocolate chips

For the filling:
1/4 stick of butter melted
1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon
 1/2 cup sugar
 1/4 + 1/8 cup flour

Directions:
Combine the butter and the sugars. Then add in the vanilla and eggs. Next mix in the baking soda and salt. In small batches add in the flour. Lastly stir in the chocolate chips.

Set the cookie dough aside. In a small bowl combine the melted butter, cinnamon, sugar, and flour. Add more sugar and flour if needed in order to reach a clumpy consistency.

Lay out a piece of plastic wrap and spread the cookie dough out in a rectangular shape. Spread the cinnamon filling in the middle of the cookie dough. Using the help of the plastic roll up the cookie dough into a log. Place the log into the fridge for at least one hour.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Take the cookie dough out of the fridge. Slice the dough in 1/2 inch thick rounds. Place the dough into the oven for 8-10 minutes, until the cookies are golden brown. Allow to the cookies to slightly cool and then move to a wire rack for them to fully cool.

Enjoy!

Curried Chickpeas, Tomatoes, and Spinach Millet Salad

Sometimes things happen for a reason and sometimes recipes pop into your head. My past week has been a roller-coaster ride, so it only seemed natural to cook up something to stabilize my hectic week. I was evicted (to be ever so dramatic) from the lease I was suppose to sign for the upcoming school year for silly reasons that made me laugh and cry. I guess they're missing out on eating my food (boo-hoo). I then went out to hear  music at a place where only a few people were lingering, the amp was too loud, and a artist hung around in the back sketching. Accompanied by sad fried food, I once again craved cooking. I then met my boyfriends grandparents and ate an ever so disappointing salad, followed by Super Bowl Sunday which was filled with nachos, wings, and ice cream cake. After that I am pretty sure I couldn't breathe and had to go to bed and hope to eventually digest my food. From odd food intakes to inhaling food till I cannot breath, I only craved the produce sitting away in my fridge asking to be eaten. Lately I have been trying to make food that is easy for on the go, since the only classes I have are two back-to-back night classes. Even though the mass amount of snow canceled class- a bit of cooking always cures a snow day. From my food adventures and craving to yours, enjoy the new recipe in good health, better places to sign a lease, and avoiding mass amounts of snow to shovel.

Servings: 4-5

Ingredients:
1/2 cup of millet
1 can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 shallot
3 cups of cherry tomatoes, halved
3 cups of chopped spinach
2 teaspoons of cumin seed
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon of chili powder
1 teaspoon of garam marsala
2 teaspoons of curry powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions:

Add 1/2 cup of millet to 1 1/2 cups of water. Bring the millet and water to a boil and then lower to a simmer. Cover the pot and allow the millet to cook for 15-20 minutes.

Sauté the shallot and cumin seeds. Once fragrant add in the chickpeas and tomatoes. Allow them to cook for a few minutes. Then add in the spinach and cook until the spinach is slightly wilted and then remove from heat. Then add in the spices and mix. Add salt and pepper to taste. Then mix in the cooked millet.

Enjoy!