Start your day off by doing right: choose Fair Trade sugar, chocolate, bananas and pecans for this recipe.

2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp quality vanilla extract
1 stick unsalted butter, room temp
2 large “spotty special” bananas, mashed
2 eggs, room temp
1/2 cup milk
1 dark chocolate bar, finely chopped
3/4 cup Equal Exchange pecans, chopped

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a muffin tin with canola oil. In a large bowl sift together the flour, baking powder and cinnamon.

Recipe courtesy of Brad Vifquain and the Menogyn Trail Cookbook, originally part of an article in the April-May 2005 Rollin’ Oats Journal about campfire cooking.

• 6 cups flour
• 2 cups cornmeal
• 2 cups oats
• 1 cup rye or whole wheat flour
• 3/4 cup bran
• 3/4 cup powdered milk
• 6 tablespoons baking powder
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 6 tablespoons shortening cut into dry ingredients
• water
• Optional: spices to suit your tastes

Variations:

• Sweet spices: cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, ground ginger, vanilla

• ½ cup blue cornmeal
• ½ cup whole wheat flour
• ½ cup rye flour
• 1½ teaspoons baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup blueberries
• Zest from one lemon

Butter inside and lid of 12-ounce coffee can or cylindrical pudding mold. In place of lid, butter piece of parchment paper or aluminum foil.

Shake up your St. Paddy’s Day with somewhat sweet and crunchy soda bread that’s not too salty.

• 2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/2 stick Organic Valley Unsalted Cultured Butter – cut into bits
• 2/3 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1/4 cup currants
• 1/4 cup sesame seeds (plus 1 tablespoon)
• 1 1/3 cups Organic Valley Cultured Lowfat Buttermilk

1 large iron skillet
1 sweet or red onion, diced
1 poblano pepper, diced
1 hot pepper, diced (optional)
1 cup fresh corn kernels
2 cups yellow corn meal
1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
4 eggs
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
1/2 stick butter

Heat butter over medium high heat. Saute onions, poblano pepper and hot pepper with a dash of salt. Cook until onions are translucent and fragrant.

Meanwhile, mix all dry ingredients together. Stir eggs into buttermilk and add to dry mixture.

From “Better Eating For Life, Step 10: Make Friends with Fat”

Makes 12

Ground flaxseed is used in this recipe, but don’t stop here. It makes a delicious topping on hot or cold cereal and on salads.

• 1 cup cranberries, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 cups orange juice, divided
• 2 2/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/2cup milled flaxseed
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. orange peel, grated
• 1/4 cup canola oil

From Better Eating For Life, Step One: Eat Whole Grains

Serves 12

• 2 cups whole-wheat flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• ½ tsp. salt
• ¼ cup butter
• ¾ cup milk