HEALTHY CINNAMON & RAISIN BISCUITS

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When we would take the usual summer road trip, one treat we ate at least once on the trip was a Hardee’s Cinnamon and Raisin biscuit.  Now for my friends not familiar with this southern fast-food chain, I don’t even know if it’s counter-part (Carl’s Junior) makes the same morning menu, you’ll just have to trust me. These were a treat!

The two things that I now find ‘wrong’ with them are: the cost and the almost total lack of nutritional value…but boy were they good tasting!
I’ve come upon a way to make a MUCH healthier and less expensive version at home, while not skimping on the taste. Heart healthy canola oil replaces the shortening, freshly milled whole wheat replaces the dead bagged flour to up the fiber intake and the icing is a ‘light’ version that still has the thick sticky taste with out all the fat.

Hopefully you will agree and I also hope you give some variations a try! After all some wonderful creations come out of ‘happy accidents.’

As always, start off with freshly milled whole grains by using either your Wondermill or Wondermill Junior Deluxe.

HEALTHY CINNAMON & RAISIN BISCUITS
Makes about 12-18 depending on size

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees
Grease a cookie sheet

Dry Ingredients:
1 Cup freshly milled Hard White Wheat Flour
1 Cup freshly milled Soft White Wheat Flour
1 TBS Aluminum Free Baking Powder
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 C Organic Evap Cane Crystals

Wet Ingredients:
1/4 Cup Organic Canola or Grape Seed Oil
1 Cup Milk
1 tsp vanilla extract

Add ins:
1/2 Organic Raisins

Combine all dry ingredients with a whisk or fork in a large mixing bowl.
Combine wet ingredients in a small bowl or measuring cup.

Make a well in the dry bowl ingredients and pour in wet mix.

Mix until just combined (still will be lumpy, don’t over mix or you get a tough biscuit)

Then lightly mix in the ‘add ins’ until just combined.

You can turn these out on a floured surface and lightly ‘knead’ them no more than 20 times. Then cut with biscuit cutter. Otherwise…

Drop by ‘ice-cream scoop’ or large spoon size on greased cookie sheet.

Place them close together but not yet touching. The oven will help them rise nice and tall.

Bake on middle rack for 10-12 minutes.

Let tray cool on a cooling rack until just warm then top with the frosting.

Frosting:
4oz Light Cream Cheese
1/4 Cup Milk
1 tsp vanilla extract (or almond extract)
1 Cup Powdered sugar

Combine until smooth

Variation Options: Substitute dried dates for raisins and keep recipe as is.  Substitute almond extract for vanilla and dried blueberries for raisins. Super yummy!

Just play with your food a little bit!

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Donna Miller is a teacher, author, sought-after speaker and trainer. She has been a both guest and host on internet and broadcast radio talk-shows and in television interviews.

She is the hostess of “Your Preparation Station” on Preparedness Radio Network. She and her husband are the Organizers of WNC Preparedness Group in Asheville, NC.  She is an Adjunct Instructor for Frontier Christian University. She teaches local classes & ladies retreats for people to learn hands skills.

She and her husband are the founders of Millers Grain House and, Your Preparation Station and are on the board of PREPARE Magazine.

Joseph and Donna have been happily married for 27 years and have three adult children, and one daughter in-law.

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