Fit Friday - Muffins and Motivation

It is a holiday Fit Friday! Ruthie from Cooking with Ruthie is here with a fun muffin recipe for you to try out. After that check out the fit tips for this week, staying on track during this holiday season.

Orange Raisin Muffins a lovely combination of savory and sweet~ the perfect addition to any meal!  Orange Raisin Muffins on www.cookingwithruthie.com a lovely combination of savory and sweet!
 Orange Raisin Muffins are a traditional german muffin that I first enjoyed in culinary school. . . they were fabulous!  I love to make recipes a little "skinnier" when I can, I figure that since no one can ever tell + I'd rather save the calories= it's a win-win!! Orange Raisin Muffins on www.cookingwithruthie.com a lovely combination of savory and sweet!
 I made our Orange Raisin Muffins skinnier by replacing most of the butter with low-fat neufatchel cream cheese.  This one of my favorite ways to reduce calories and fat in recipes.  I replace 1/3-1/2 the fat with neufatchel cream cheese,  low-fat sour cream, or applesauce.   It's an awesome trick :)  Orange Raisin Muffins on www.cookingwithruthie.com a lovely combination of savory and sweet!



Orange Raisin Muffins
Recipe Type: Breakfast
Author: Ruthie
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 18
Ingredients
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1/2 cup neufatchel cream cheese
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tablespoon rum
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 3 tablespoon low-fat milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 1/4 cups flour
  • 1/4 cup ground almonds
  • 1 tablespoon grated orange rind
  • 1/4 cup raisins
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
  2. Coat muffin tin pans with cooking spray; set aside.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, combine butter, cream cheese, and sugar.
  4. Beat in eggs, rum, vanilla, and milk.
  5. In a medium bowl, mix together cinnamon, baking powder, and flour.
  6. Add flour mixture to butter mixture all at once, mix until 80% incorporated.
  7. Gently mix in almonds, orange rind and raisins.
  8. Pour batter into prepared muffin tins; filling half full.
  9. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until nicely browned.
  10. Serve warm or cold.
  11. Enjoy!

Orange Raisin Muffins will go great with dinner or fabulous for breakfast with eggs. 


  Fit Friday and the Holiday Season, for some those may be opposing ideas but they don't have to be. The holiday season does not have to coincide with a sugar coma and and a butt that can't seem to find motivation to get off the couch. I have given a list of tips in the past, but today I wanted to focus on one thought, one tip Keep Your Eye On The Prize.

Keeping your eye on the prize first means you need a prize, you need a goal. I started a 20 week marathon training program this week, one of the reasons I picked a 20 week program vs a 16 week program was because I wanted to the structure early on. I wanted a plan that would get me through some of the chaos.

During this busy, treat filled time of year you may need lots of little goals leading up to a bigger goal. Small goals should still follow the SMART goal format. Not just "I won't eat too much." Instead focus on something specific and positive, "I am going to enjoy one piece of grandma's turtle chocolates."

With your goals in mind use some friend time to work on goals together, go for a run instead of or before your annual get together at your favorite local restaurant. Or go Christmas shopping together, this may help with lowering the stress level, and therefore sugar/wine intake, as your hurry through procrastinated shopping.












Enjoy your holiday season, but remember, it isn't the end of the world. There will be more mashed potatoes another day, my baby hasn't quite learned this one yet. And great goals await you in the new year.



Much Love and Peace~ 

    Nichole and Ruthie  

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