Orange Cranberry Scones

A few months back I shared my recipe for blueberry scones. One of the reasons I love this recipe is how they are lightly sweetened and not as dense as many scones can be. So this weekend I decided to try changing up the recipe to replace the blueberries with dried cranberries and orange zest. I also had some oat flour in the pantry so I thought I'd throw that in as well. Finally, I added an orange glaze to enhance the orange flavor of the scones.

The result was delightful! The oat flour provided a heft to the scones without compromising the airiness that I've come to expect from this recipe. The next time you need to bring breakfast to a function, you should consider bringing these scones. You won't be disappointed.

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Orange Cranberry Scones


Ingredients
3 cups flour (I used 1 cup oat flour and 2 cups whole wheat flour)
2 tablespoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons sugar
1 stick butter, softened
17 ounces lowfat Greek yogurt (I used 0% Fage)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup dried cranberries
zest of an orange
4 tablespoons orange juice
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons powdered sugar

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl combine the flour, 

baking powder,

salt

and sugar. 

Whisk together to fully incorporate. 

Cut the softened butter into pieces and add to the flour mixture. 

Using your whisk, or pastry cutter if you have one, cut the butter into the flour until well blended.

Gently fold in the greek yogurt and vanilla until well blended. 

Finally, fold in the dried cranberries and orange zest.

Spoon the mixture onto a greased baking sheet. (Should make 12-14 scones) 

Place in the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes until the tops are golden brown. 

While the scones are baking, combine the powdered sugar

 and orange juice in a small bowl.

 Whisk to combine.

Remove from the oven and brush the tops with the orange glaze.

Let cool and serve with fresh coffee or a nice cup of tea.

Fruit Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing

Now that Thanksgiving is behind us, we can look forward to Christmas. That means Christmas decorations, Christmas parties, Christmas cookies, and so on. Unfortunately, statistics show that the average American gains one pound in the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas largely due to the amount of food consumed at parties and cookies and treats enjoyed when at home.

To help you avoid that dreaded pound, I present to you a delicious fruit salad that would be a welcome addition to your Christmas Party spread. By cutting the fruit fresh, rather than using the canned variety, your salad will not only look fresh but you will avoid the sugary syrup that are often included in the cans. The poppy seed dressing elevates the salad to something special, more than just simply cut fruit. I hope you will enjoy this as much as I do.

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Fruit Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing


Ingredients
2 bananas, sliced
2 apples, chopped
2 oranges, cut into slices
2 cups green grapes
2 cups pineapple chunks
1 cup white distilled vinegar
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
1 tablespoon poppy seeds

Instructions

Pour the cup of vinegar into a large measuring cup and add the sugar. 

Add the oil and stir to combine.

Pour into a food processor.

Add the mustard

and poppy seeds.

Turn on the food processor and run for about a minute to fully blend.

Set aside.

Add the bananas,

apples,

oranges,

grapes, and pineapples into a bowl.

Toss to mix.

Cover with saran wrap and set in the fridge until ready to serve. Immediately before serving pour the poppy seed dressing over the fruit, or place in mini pitchers on the table for guests to dress the fruit themselves.