My Morning Pick-Me-Up: Whole-Wheat Cranberry Scones

The other morning I when I woke up, my eyes fought angrily with my body. They wanted to keep sleeping, but my body, namely my stomach, was determined to wake up. The harsh, -41 winds were blowing hard against the patio door, whistling loudly.

I was in need of a pick-me-up.

The solution: a batch of fresh-baked scones (for my belly) and some Black Keys (to drown out the howling wind).

This, accompanied with a cup of tea and my usual fruit smoothie, was just what I needed.

How do you get started in the morning?

Whole-Wheat Cranberry Scones
Makes 12

Ingredients:
2 cups whole-wheat flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
A pinch of sea salt
2 tablespoons salted butter
1 cup skim milk
1 tablespoon fat-free sour cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Zest of one orange
1 cup cranberries
1 tablespoon granulated sugar

Instructions:
1) Preheat oven to 415 degrees Fahrenheit and line a cookie sheet with parchment.
2) In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt together. Add butter, milk, sour cream, vanilla, and orange zest. Stir until combined. Add cranberries and mix until incorporated.
3) Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and, using your hands, shape it into a rectangle, about 6x10 inches in size, about 1 inch thick. Use a large knife to cut it into 12 equally-sized pieces, and place them on the lined baking sheet, at least one inch apart. Sprinkle with sugar.
4) Bake in preheated oven for about 10 minutes, or until the scones turn golden brown. Serve warm.

* Note: These scones are not sweet, so they are best served with sweet cream or jam. If you prefer the scones themselves to be sweet, feel free to add ¼ cup sugar (when you are whisking the dry ingredients), or add ½ cup chopped white chocolate.