The MakeMeThinner Support Forum

[Arklahoma]

Just found this recipe on another MF board and thought I would share. I don't have any vanilla shakes so I can't try until my next order.


LEMON POPPYSEED MUFFINS: 3 packets oatmeal, 1 packet vanilla shake, 2 packs Splenda, 3/4 tsp baking powder, 2 tsp lemon extract, 1 tbsp poppy seeds, 1/4 cup lemon juice, 1 cup water. Mix, spoon into muffin tins, bake at 350 degrees for 33 minutes. We make 8 full size (kind of flat, though) muffins, so two muffins per serving

[MusicalMomma]

hmmmm sounds good!

Ya know...all the "muffins" come out flat...which got e to wondering...if we added a little baking soda, would that help fluff them up a bit?

I KNOW next to NOTHING about baking....so maybe one of our expert bakers could help out with this inquire.

[Pashta]

Baking soda is sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3).

When it is mixed with an acid liquid it releases the gas carbon dioxide (CO2):
NaHCO3 + H+ -----> Na+ + H20 + CO2
(soda) (acid) (sodium) (water) (gas)

Sure, you've seen this- when you mix baking soda with vinegar or lemon juice it fizzes. The fizzing is release of the CO2 bubbles. The same thing happens when you add baking soda to a recipe. If you notice carefully, recipes that use baking soda for leavening always have an acid somewhere. It might be obvious, such as vinegar (in muffins? bleah), lemon juice, sour milk or buttermilk. The acid might be hidden- for example honey and molasses are acidic. Cream of tartar is a DRY acid that might be called for in a recipe; it cannot react with the baking soda until liquid is added.
The problem with baking soda is that it releases the gas all at once! So if the cake batter sits around for a while before you get it in the oven or it you beat the batter too much, the leavening will be lost and your baked goods will be flat. You don't want to add too much, either, because the taste is rather salty and you'd have to add more acid too. If you don't have enough acid to react with the baking soda you won't release the gas, plus your cake or muffins will have a bitter or soapy taste because of the unreacted bicarbonate.

There are some times, though, when an fast rate of gas release is desired. In that case, ammonium bicarbonate or ammonium carbonate can be used. This is advantageous for eclairs, cream puffs, and some cookies, espcially where a quick spring is needed before the product spreads in the oven. The reaction with ammonium bicarbonate is:

NH4HCO3 -----> NH3 + H20 + CO2
Here, ammonia (NH3) is produced. This produces a distinctive smell during baking, which dissipates so is mostly gone from the finished product. Ammonium bicarbonate or carbonate are rarely used in the home because they don't store well and lose their action quickly.

Baking powder is a combination of baking soda plus a few other things, most importantly a dry acid.
When the baking powder is mixed in a batter with the wet ingredients, the dry acid and the baking soda can then react together and release carbon dioxide.

There are different types of baking powders.

Single-acting baking powders are characterized by the type of acid they include. Tartrate baking powders contain both cream of tartar (potassium acid tartrate) and tartaric acid. These create gas quickly when combined with baking soda in the presence of liquid, so the batter must be cooked quickly or it will go flat. Phosphate baking powders contain either calcium phosphate or disodium pyrophosphate (source of sodium pyrophosphate). They work a little slower than the tartrate baking powders, but most of the gas is still created outside of the oven and therefore can be lost. S.A.S. baking powders have sodium aluminum sulfate (alum) as the acid. S.A.S. baking powders react slowly at room temperature and release more of the gas when heated. The phosphate and tartrate baking powders react rapidly at room temperature to release the leavening gas, which means that the batter has to be cooked quickly after the liquid ingredients have been added. On the other hand, the S.A.S. baking powders are better for products that will sit a while before being cooked. The problem with S.A.S. powders is that they have a bitter taste. They are used in combination with other leavening agents so not as much is needed. S.A.S. is often used in D.A. powders.

Double-acting (D.A.) baking powders are the most common type of baking powder in US supermarkets. The first "action" refers to the release of gas when the baking soda in the powder reacts with an acidic liquid. D.A. baking powders contain a dry acid which does not react with the baking soda in the powder until water is added; at that point the baking soda dissolves, the acid dissolves, and the two can now mix and the reaction shown above occurs.

The second "action" refers to the release of gas when the batter is heated in the oven or on a griddle. This relies on the presence of the slower acting acid, S.A.S. which only combines with soda when the temperature increases.

I had some fun testing the gas-forming behavior of these powders with some simple experiments, which would probably bore most of you so I put it in a separate link!

When you read the container of powder, cornstarch is listed as the major ingredient. The cornstarch has three purposes: 1) it helps keep the product dry and free-flowing, 2) it helps keep the bicarbonate and acid dry (and therefore separate) so they don't react during storage, and 3) it helps bulk up the powder for easier measuring and standardization.

Well!! You learn something new everyday eh? LOL.
So, I guess we need to cook them right away for maximum rise.

[Arklahoma]

Just wanted to let you guys know that I just made these and I thought they were just awful. I followed the recipe to the letter and the consistency was just too thin. The lemon taste was "off" kind of like spoiled lemon or something.

The sad thing is that I had to buy several ingredients to try these and I really hated them. Save your $$$ or try them at your own risk!

[Shana]

Thanks for posting that!
I found the same recipe last night, wrote it down & was seriously considering whipping up a batch today - I think I'll skip it now

[Unca_Tim]

Must be because the recipe came from that "other" Medifast board.

[Mom23]

Must be because the recipe came from that "other" Medifast board.

[Shana]

Must be because the recipe came from that "other" Medifast board.

lol but you're not biased or anything, are ya?

[Unca_Tim]

me?

nahhhhh....

[ChiNut]

This is THE best Medifast forum.

[Arklahoma]

[QuirkyIQ]

Who cares which forum or message board we're getting our support from? We're all on this journey to change/better our lifestyles and can use as much positive reinforcement--and ideas, etc.--as possible. I just joined this forum because one of my recipe buddies from "that other" forum shared it with me. I really like it, thus far, but really hope you were kidding with the negative comments.

Having said that, I made these muffins over the weekend and I, personally, like them very much. A nice lady in PA posted it, originally. We all have different tastes...I think it's worth experimenting a little if it means we'll stick with the program.

Have a good week, all.

[alohacate]

Aloha Quirky,
Rest assured all comments here are dosed with ounces of love and care. Please do not be offended by "our" quirkey (did I spell that right?) humor. This forum has been my life line thus far and for me it is my "One and Only"!!

[Arklahoma]

Who cares which forum or message board we're getting our support from? We're all on this journey to change/better our lifestyles and can use as much positive reinforcement--and ideas, etc.--as possible. I just joined this forum because one of my recipe buddies from "that other" forum shared it with me. I really like it, thus far, but really hope you were kidding with the negative comments ...

Hey, QuirkyIQ ~ Nice to meet you!!! Please take all of our comments with a grain of salt. We have a great time on this board and are dissing no one. We just like to have fun. Hope you'll stick around and have some fun with us!!!

[QuirkyIQ]

Aloha Quirky,
Rest assured all comments here are dosed with ounces of love and care. Please do not be offended by "our" quirkey (did I spell that right?) humor. This forum has been my life line thus far and for me it is my "One and Only"!!

Thank you for the response! I feel much better, now.