Brown Soda Bread

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 3/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 3/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 tablespoon caraway seeds, lightly crushed in mortar with pestle
• Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 450°.

Lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flours, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl; stir with a whisk. Make a well in center of mixture. Add buttermilk to flour mixture; stir until blended (dough will be sticky). Turn dough out onto a generously floured surface; knead lightly 4 to 5 times. Shape dough into a 4-inch round loaf; place on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Cut a 1/4-inch-deep X in the top of the dough.

Bake at 450° for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 400° (do not remove bread from oven); bake 15 minutes or until loaf sounds hollow when tapped. Cool on a wire rack.

1 loaf, 6 servings (serving size: 1 slice)

adapted from Cooking Light

Morning Muffins

• 1/2 cup whole-grain pastry flour
• 3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
• 1/4 cup Splenda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 large egg
• 2 medium carrots, grated
• 1/4 cup currants

1. Heat oven to 375F. Line a 12-compartment muffin pan with cupcake liners. Whisk together pastry flour, whole-wheat flour, sugar substitute, and baking soda. In a large measuring cup, mix cream, oil, and egg.

2. Pour wet ingredients into flour mixture, stir just to combine. Stir in carrots and currants.

3. Pour batter into muffin pan. Bake about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Let rest 5 minutes, turn out onto a rack to cool completely.

Nutrition info (per serving): 13.5 grams carbohydrates, 11.5 grams net carbs, 2 grams fiber, 3 grams protein, 12.5 grams fat, 172 calories

from Atkins for Life

Yield: 12 servings

Golden Northern Cornbread

• 1 cup yellow or white stone-ground or water-ground cornmeal
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 4 teaspoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 2/3 cup buttermilk
• 2/3 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus extra softened butter for greasing pan

1. Adjust oven rack to center position and heat to 425 degrees. Grease a 9-by-9-by-2-inch metal pan.

2. Stir cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt in large bowl. Push dry ingredients up side of bowl to make a well.

3. Crack eggs into well and stir lightly with wooden spoon, then add buttermilk and milk. Stir wet and dry ingredients quickly until almost combined. Add melted butter; stir until ingredients are just combined.

4. Pour batter into greased pan. Bake until top is golden brown and lightly cracked and edges have pulled away from side of pan, about 25 minutes.

5. Transfer pan to wire rack to cool slightly, 5 to 10 minutes. Cut cornbread into squares and serve warm. (Pan can be wrapped in foil up to 1 day. Reheat cornbread in a 350-degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes.)

variation: Omit sugar. After adding butter, quickly fold in 1 cup (2 1/2 ounces) shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese.

9 servings