Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread/Muffins (Whole Wheat)

People like to talk about seasonal food, but with modern transportation and grocery stores, it's sometimes easy to forget that most of us do not live in an area where a wide variety of produce grows year-round.  And yet even though you can pretty much always get things like lettuce, carrots, bananas, and apples, in my area there are a few staple items that stand out during the seasons.  Like zucchini.  In the winter you might be able to find a couple of sad looking zucchinis on the shelf, but in the summer it seems like they are growing from every corner!  Whether it's the grocery store, the farmer's market, your CSA, or your garden, in some parts zucchini seems to be unavoidable in late summer.  Personally, zucchini is not my favorite vegetable, but I like it enough and find myself buying entirely too much.  Luckily, I have a few go-to recipes to use it up, both for easy meals and some freezer items for those winter days when we actually start to miss them again!

My favorite easy zucchini dinner is as part of a pasta toss - sauté some zucchini in olive oil, seasoned with salt, pepper, and basil...add some grape tomatoes if they're around...squeeze a lemon over the mixture once it's soft, along with a spoonful or two of tomato sauce, and add a ladle full of pasta cooking water to make more of a sauce if needed.  Serve over whole wheat pasta - so yummy!

But when it comes to storing the zucchini for the longer term, I have two other favorite recipes to share.  The first one up is this chocolate chip zucchini bread recipe I came across a few weeks back (hat tip to my friend Amanda at Vintage Savoir Faire!).  You might remember me mentioning this as one of our road trip snacks, and let me tell you, it is delicious!  Even packed with whole wheat and zucchini, this recipe is definitely a treat - sweet, moist, chocolaty (note that I've included amounts for slightly reduced sugar and chocolate if you want to make these a little less dessert like - I've tried both variations and the healthier version is just as delicious!).  Perfect for preserving some of that summer zucchini, if they last - I just made my third double batch because we just can't seem to keep these around.  I'm going to hide some of these in our extra freezer in the basement to see if we can make them last a little longer this time!

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread/Muffins (Whole Wheat)
adapted from King Arthur Flour

2 large eggs
1/3 cup honey (can reduce to 1/4 cup)

1/3 cup brown sugar (can reduce to 1/4 cup)
1/2 cup vegetable or melted coconut oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups white whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups shredded, unpeeled zucchini (about 1 medium zucchini)
1/2-1 cup dark chocolate chips (depending on how chocolaty you want it)
3/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional, I omitted)

Preheat the oven to 350.  Lightly grease a 9" x 5" loaf pan or muffin tins.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, honey, oil, sugar, and vanilla until smooth.  Add the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon, mixing with a spoon until well combined.  Stir in the zucchini, chocolate chips, and nuts (if using).

Pour the batter into the prepared pan.  Bake 55 to 60 minutes for bread, or 15-20 minutes for muffins (this will vary depending on what size muffin tins you use!), until bread/muffins are completely set on top, feel a little firm to the touch, and a tester inserted into the center comes out without any batter (a little melted chocolate is ok!).

Cool bread for a few minutes in the pan before removing to a rack to finish cooling completely.

Loaf of bread will keep well wrapped in foil for a few days on the counter, or stored long-term in the freezer.  Muffins that will not be eaten within a day or 2 are best kept in the freezer and thawed in the microwave or on the counter.

Makes one loaf, 12 standard muffins, or a lot of mini muffins.

Pumpkin Muffins

A few weeks ago I ended up with some free time with the munchkin while the peanut was napping.  My freezer stock on muffins was getting low and we were having company that weekend, so I thought a baking project might be fun.  When I asked her what kind of muffins we should make, she chose pumpkin.  Hmmm...I have been trying to find a recipe for wholesome pumpkin muffins for a long time, since most traditional recipes are loaded with sugar and fat.  First I tried this one which was kind of yucky, and then I found this one which is delicious and so healthy, but not entirely pumpkin.  When scanning through my muffin recipes, though, I realized my Whole Wheat Apple Muffins might be the perfect one to modify!

My only issue with a straight substitution of the 1 cup of apple sauce for 1 cup of pumpkin, though, was that I would likely end up throwing away half a can of pumpkin puree (yes, I know, I should be able to find another use for the rest of that pumpkin but the reality is I'm not always that organized!).  So I wondered what would happen if I just threw the whole thing in the batter...and voila!  The extra veggie puree just seems to make the muffins more moist, but didn't weigh them down at all.  I love these muffins, and the munchkin LOVES these muffins - she has requested them three times since the original batch!  Unlike most heavy pumpkin baked goods, these are light and almost flaky, barely sweet, and have just enough cinnamon to highlight the pumpkin without being overpowering.  Even hubby, who is not much of a pumpkin fan, isn't opposed to eating these - I'll take that as the highest compliment of all :)

Pumpkin Muffins

Dry Ingredients
2 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 rounded teaspoon cinnamon

Wet Ingredients
1/2 cup (1 stick) melted unsalted butter
1 14 oz can pumpkin
1 egg
1/2 cup plain yogurt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and prepare regular or mini-muffin cups by spraying with oil or lining with muffin papers.

In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. In another bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients. Pour wet mixture into dry mixture and fold together until just combined.

Fill muffin tins 3/4 full with batter. Bake for about 25 to 30 minutes for regular muffins (20 minutes for mini-muffins) or until muffins are puffed and turning golden brown on top. Serve warm if possible, or freeze once cool and warm in microwave just before serving.

Makes 14 regular or 28 mini-muffins

Chocolate Muffins

If you've been following my posts about the baby naming we hosted for our little peanut, you'll know I found a new chocolate muffin recipe to try out on my guests.   These muffins really could pass for dessert, but I figured for a special event, having some decadent choices to go with all of the savory bagel accompaniments and other dishes I served wasn't a bad thing.  And as it turns out, these muffins are fairly equivalent nutrition-wise to my other muffins, but the addition of chocolate chips fooled everyone into thinking they were indulging while eating a whole grain muffin with not a ton of sugar.

My only complaint about this recipe is that the muffins turn out a little crumbly (even though they are also moist and rich!).  I had a few casualties that fell apart as I was taking them out of the muffin cups, but we sure did enjoy the scraps, and until I find a way to help these hold together a little better (suggestions welcome!!), I am thrilled to add a recipe to my muffin collection that satisfies a serious chocolate craving without any guilt!

Chocolate Muffins
adapted from Steph Chows

Dry Ingedients

3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1/3 cup cocoa powder

1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

Wet Ingredients
1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce
1/2 cup canola oil

1 egg

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350, and grease a mini-muffin tin.

In a medium bowl, whisk together dry ingredients.  In a separate larger bowl, whisk together wet ingredients.  Add dry mixture to wet ingredients, stirring to combine, and then gently mix in chocolate chips.

Divide batter into 24 mini-muffin cups, and bake for about 16 minutes (20 minutes for standard muffins) until tops are firm to touch.  Let cool in tin before gently removing.

Makes 24 small mini-muffins

Quinoa Muffins

Yes, another muffin recipe.  I fully admit that I have a crazy obsession with muffins, but I just love that it is so easy to make a snack suitable for kids and grown-ups with wholesome ingredients that keeps beautifully in the freezer.  Really, what could be better?

I've been wanting to try these for a while...quinoa keeps showing up on lists of super-foods due to the high quality protein, fiber, and vitamins it contains.  It's one of those foods I always say I'm going to eat more often, but when it comes down to it, it's just not my favorite grain (with this notable exception).  But I was intrigued by the idea of putting it in a muffin, and besides, I'm trying to squeeze in as much cooking as possible before the little peanut growing in my belly makes her entrance into the world (due date is only 4 weeks away!).  I am hoping to have a few more recipes to share in the coming weeks before I fall off the grid for a little while...

I am glad I decided to give these a try, because they are really tasty!  They bake up to be nice and rounded, are incredibly moist, and just sweet enough.  You can definitely taste the quinoa, but despite my general aversion, I think it adds a nice flavor to the muffin.  Hubby said he couldn't detect it, but was a huge fan of these muffins, too (the munchkin, not so much - oh, well - can't win them all!).  For those of you who like mix-ins, these would probably taste great with dried fruit or nuts as well - let me know if you find a winning combination :)

If you look carefully, you can actually see the little grains of quinoa!

Quinoa Muffins
adapted from Enlightened Cooking

1 cup quinoa, rinsed in a mesh sieve
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup dried fruit or nuts (optional; I omitted)
3/4 cup milk (I used 1%, whole would be fine too)
2/3 cup agave (or honey or maple syrup)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 large egg
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350.  Spray muffin tins with oil.

Bring quinoa and 2 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan set over medium-high heat. Reduce to a simmer; cover, and cook 15-20 minutes until water has been absorbed and quinoa is tender.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and optional add-ins.

In another bowl, whisk together the milk, agave, oil, egg, vanilla, and cooked quinoa (it's probably a good idea to let the quinoa cool a few minutes, but mine was definitely still warm when I mixed it in).  Add milk mixture to flour mixture, and stir just until combined. Divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups.

Bake approximately 15 minutes for minis and 20 minutes for standard muffins or until muffins feel cooked through and are lightly brown on the outsides. Cool muffins in pan for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
 
Makes 32 mini muffins, 16 standard muffins, or a combination of the 2 :)

Oatmeal Muffins

Oats are a food I am always trying to get more of into my diet.  I tried having oatmeal for breakfast every day, but I can't quite get into it - every once in a while I like it, but I always get sucked back in by my GoLean Crunch addiction!  Oatmeal cookies are great, but as healthy as they are, they are still a cookie, and not something I should be eating every day.  But what about an oatmeal muffin?  By now if you've spent any time reading my blog you should be well aware of my obsession with muffins, but only one of my muffin recipes has oats as an ingredient, and it's not the star. 

So I've been on the lookout for a good recipe, but nothing has come across my computer that meets all of my criteria (100% whole grains, moderate sugar, moderate healthy fats).  I ended up deciding some experimentation would be required.  I started with a recipe on Simply Recipes and made a ton of changes - whole wheat pastry flour instead of all purpose, yogurt instead of buttermilk (which I never have on hand), oil instead of butter, more oats, less sugar, and increased flavor punch since I left out all of the nuts and dried fruits. 

The first batch failed to rise due to some faulty thinking on my part, but after a little research I had some ideas on adjustments for round 2.  This batch just came out of the oven and while they are still on the small side, they got a nice little dome on top and are absolutely delicious.  Moist, sweet, buttery (even though there's no butter!), flavorful...and they're healthy on top of all that!  Between this recipe and my recent Healthier Oatmeal Cookies, I have come to believe that brown sugar and oats are meant to go together.  Seriously, I think this might be my favorite muffin yet.  Try them.  And that's all I have to say about that.  :)

Oatmeal Muffins
adapted generously from Simply Recipes

Dry Ingredients
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon (rounded) of cinnamon

Wet Ingredients
1/2 cup (scant) brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup (scant) vegetable oil
1 cup plain yogurt (I used 1%)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg

Preheat the oven to 400°F and grease a muffin tin.

In a large bowl, whisk together dry ingredients.  In another bowl, whisk together wet ingredients.  Pour the wet ingredients into the dry mixture and stir with a large spoon just until combined.

Scoop into prepared muffin tray and bake 12-13 minutes for mini-muffins (I haven't tried standard size but I'd imagine they'd need closer to 20 minutes) or until a little brown around the edges and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the tray for a minute or two before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes 24 small mini-muffins

Cornbread (Muffins)

---This post is part of my Canadian Thanksgiving series---

I've already told you about the Classic Lasagna I made to serve upon arrival for our Thanksgiving weekend guests, but I thought one more home-cooked meal (in addition to the big Thanksgiving feast!) was warranted that weekend.  Lunch the day after our big meal seemed like a good time to have something I made, but again, it had to be freezable in advance since there was no way I was going to feel like cooking anything that day!  I looked through my Recipe Index and decided that Chili was a good option - freezes beautifully, and pretty much everyone likes it. 

As an added touch, I decided to make some cornbread to go along with it.  I've made cornbread muffins in the past, but I was not blown away - they were tasty in chili but a little dry, so I thought it was worth trying out a new recipe.  Plus, hubby had requested cornbread that had actual pieces of corn in it, so I had to do some digging to see if it was as simple as throwing in some frozen corn, or if I needed to make any other modifications.  After going in a lot of circles, I ended up being inspired by 2 posts from Smitten Kitchen.  The primary one my creation was based on is intended as more of a breakfast muffin, but she recommended cutting the sugar a bit which I thought would make it more chili appropriate.  The other post inspired the cheese and jalepeno I ended up adding, although she doesn't even seem to like the base recipe herself, so I thought a combo was in order!

I ended up making 2 versions - a cornbread muffin with cheddar and jalepeno, and then, because I'm a wimp and really can't handle jalepeno at all, a plain cornbread with just the frozen corn.  In the plain version, I also experimented with replacing the all-purpose flour with whole wheat pastry flour.  In both cases I did not have buttermilk, so I used a combination of plain whole milk yogurt and 1% milk mixed with a little vinegar to make a sort of homemade buttermilk (see note below).  The texture and moisture in the muffins was definitely better, but it's hard to say whether it was because of the cheese, the all-purpose flour, or the fact that I had no idea how long to bake the cornbread and may have overdone it a bit (I adjusted the directions below accordingly!).  That being said, I thought the plain whole wheat version was great, and if I hadn't been doing a side-by-side comparison I would have had no complaints.  Next time I make this I'll probably use the whole wheat flour, but also add cheese and leave out the jalepenos :)   

Cornbread (Muffins)
adapted from Smitten Kitchen

1 cup all-purpose flour or whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal, preferably stone-ground
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk (or 1/2 cup plain yogurt + 1/2 cup milk or "homemade buttermilk"*)
1/4 cup honey
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 large egg

Optional add-ins
1 cup corn kernels – fresh, frozen or canned (in which case they should be drained and patted dry)
1 cup shredded cheddar (approx 4 oz)
1 small jalepeno, diced very fine

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter or spray the 12 molds in a regular-size muffin pan or fit the molds with paper muffin cups (or grease an 8x8 baking pan).

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  In a small bowl, whisk the buttermilk (or equivalent), honey, melted butter, oil, egg and yolk together until well blended. Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and, with the whisk or a rubber spatula, gently but quickly stir to blend.  Gently fold in optional add-ins.

Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups or pour into baking pan.

Bake for 15 to 18 minutes for regular muffins, 12 minutes for mini muffins, or 20-25 minutes for an 8x8 pan, or until the tops are golden and a thin knife inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean.  Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for 5 minutes before carefully removing muffins/bread.

Makes 12 regular muffins, 24 minis, or 16 pieces of cornbread

* To make "homemade buttermilk", mix 1 tablespoon vinegar with enough low-fat milk to make a cup, and let sit for about 10 minutes.  In this recipe, I think just a yogurt/milk combo would work just fine, too!

Carrot Coconut Muffins

Ok, I'll admit it right up front, this is the third time I'm posting a variation of this recipe - first as carrot cupcakes, and the second time as carrot zucchini muffins.  But I promise, these muffins keeps getting healthier AND better, so even if you're sick of hearing about them, I want to remember what I did! 

If you recall, one of my complaints about this recipe is that I found the muffins to be very sticky.  I thought maybe it was due to the agave, but substituting mostly granulated sugar didn't seem to help.  Then, when I re-read the recipe this time I had an epiphany - these muffins are practically fat free!  There is fat in the shredded coconut, but very little in the batter (only from the egg yolks) - no wonder they stuck!  I would have liked to replace the apple sauce with canola oil this time to see what would happen, but I am moving next week and trying to clear out my pantry, which meant I was down to about 1 tablespoon of canola oil.  Instead, I finished up my canola oil, filled up to 1/4 cup with olive oil, and then kept apple sauce for the other 1/4 cup.

I was also interested in cutting the sugar in this recipe, so since I am out of agave as well, I decided to use all brown sugar (pantry is really bare - I'm out of regular sugar, too!)  The third change was in the shredding of the carrots.  I tend to buy baby carrots, but have found they are basically impossible to grate by hand and a total pain in the tush to grate with the food processor (I end up with huge chunks of carrot in the bowl - anyone else have this problem??).  So instead, this time I just threw the carrots in with the chopping blade and processed until I practically had a puree.  And the final change was to cut back 3 eggs to 2 because, well, I just couldn't figure out how these muffins could possibly need 3 whole eggs!

And the outcome?  As you have probably already guessed, total success - muffins did not stick at all, even without liners, but still got nice and brown on the outside while maintaining a moist interior.  They are different from a carrot cake in that you can't see the shredded carrot, but I actually like that they have a more traditional muffin texture.  They are also definitely less sweet than the original, but again, I am ok with that given that I'm using these as a muffin instead of a cupcake (if I were making cupcakes with the glaze, I might keep the sugar at 3/4 cup while still using some oil in place of applesauce).  I hope you enjoy these - please let me know what you think!

Carrot Coconut Muffins
adapted from me!

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups grated (or very finely processed) carrots (approximately 1 lb)
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup sugar (I used packed brown; regular granulated should work, too!)
2 eggs
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350. Line a muffin tin with paper liners or spray with oil.

In a medium bowl, whisk together whole wheat pastry flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt. In a large bowl, mix together carrots, coconut, sugar, eggs, oil, applesauce and vanilla. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir just until well blended.

Pour batter into prepared muffin tins. Bake for approximately 20 minutes for mini-muffins (regular muffins will probably take about 25 minutes, although I didn't test this myself) until brown on top and a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in pan for a few minutes and then remove to cool completely on a rack.

Makes 24 mini-muffins (should make 12 standard size)

Coconut Muffins - Update

Hi everyone!  A couple of weeks ago I told you about the Coconut Muffin recipe I found on Sweet + Natural.  Well, I'm happy to report that they have become one of the munchkin's favorites, and mine, too!  I really want to make them part of my regular rotation, but was still a little concerned because they had about 25% more sugar than I normally like to see in an everyday muffin.  So I decided to make them again, cutting the maple syrup and replacing the missing liquid with apple sauce.  They just came out of the oven and I can't tell the difference at all! 

I also made about 1/3 of the batch with some dried pineapple that I soaked in hot water for the hubby, who really prefers mixed textures in his muffins.  These came out great, too, so if your more of a mix-in type, feel free to give this a try!

I doubled the recipe this time since the munchkin has been eating them like crazy, so I'm posting the doubled version with my changes below.

Coconut Muffins
(with less sugar)

2 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut
2 eggs
1 cup light coconut milk
3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup maple syrup
3/4 cup dried pineapple, cut into small pieces and soaked in hot water (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350. Spray 1 1/2 muffin pans with cooking spray and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together whole wheat pastry flour, coconut flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and shredded coconut. In a separate, larger bowl, whisk together egg, coconut milk, applesauce, vanilla extract and maple syrup until well blended. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just blended, and gently stir in pineapple if using.

Spoon into prepared pans.  Bake for 12 minutes for mini-muffins, or 16-18 minutes for standard muffins.
 
Makes 24 mini + 6 standard muffins (or equivalent: 1 standard = 2 minis)

Coconut Muffins

This weekend, hubby's sister and her husband are coming to NYC for an anniversary weekend getaway.  They'll be staying with us Friday night, and then moving to a hotel for the next 2 nights (not sure why they don't consider staying on a hard pull-out couch in a room with no door and getting woken up by the munchkin at 6am to be ideal accomodations, but to each his own! ;).  We're going out for dinner Friday night, which means I only get to make one meal for them - breakfast.  Our entertaining has declined dramatically since the munchkin was born, which means when I do actually have people over, it's a great excuse to find new exciting recipes to try. 

I thought I'd serve a couple of muffin choices along with some kind of eggs and potatoes (details still TBD, but hopefully if I'm successful you'll be hearing about it next week!), and I have had Macaroon Muffins from Sweet + Natural on my "to make" list since, well, the day they were posted!  The only thing holding me back was that they have a little more sugar than I normally go for in an every day muffin, which is why entertaining was the perfect reason to give them a try.   I LOVE coconut.  So 3 different kinds of coconut in one muffin?  How could that not be good? 

I am happy to report that this recipe does not disappoint one bit.  They are light and a little bit sweet with a nice subtle coconut flavor (not nearly as overpowering as I thought it might be) and the most amazing buttery texture.  They actually remind me of my Whole Wheat Apple Muffins, except for the key difference that these have absolutely no butter in them!  The shredded coconut does have a good bit of fat in it, but that is countered by the light coconut milk, the coconut flour which has minimal fat but all of the fiber and protein in coconut, and applesauce to eliminate the need for oil.  I think these may become a part of the regular muffin rotation in my house after all, possibly with a little pineapple thrown in next time?  I'll keep you posted, but in the mean time if you like coconut at all I highly recommend you give these a try!

Coconut Muffins
adapted from Sweet + Natural

1 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 cup coconut flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1 egg
1/2 cup light coconut milk
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup maple syrup

Preheat the oven to 350. Spray muffin pan with cooking spray and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together whole wheat pastry flour, coconut flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and shredded coconut.  In a separate, larger bowl, whisk together egg, coconut milk, applesauce, vanilla extract and maple syrup until well blended. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just blended.

Spoon into prepared pans (and top with extra shredded coconut if you want...I chose to keep them simple!) Bake for 12 minutes for mini-muffins (or 16-18 minutes for standard muffins according to the original recipe).

Makes 16-20 mini or 8 standard muffins

Blueberry Bran Muffins

Way back in December, I told you about a yummy Bran Muffin recipe I found.  And while these were really tasty, they were a wee bit on the heavy side.  Ok, so they were a lot heavy.  I think the combination of bran and stone ground wheat flour made them really dense, so ever since I discovered whole wheat pastry flour, I've been dying to try these again.  And am I ever glad I did!

But before I tell you to just sub the pastry version in my original recipe, I have to admit that as hard as I try, it seems as though I am incapable of making only one change at a time.  In this instance my reasoning was purely circumstantial.  First of all, earlier this week I made my favorite Broccoli Slaw recipe which requires a half cup of buttermilk, which left me with 3 1/2 cups to find good uses for!  The other problem was that my brown sugar was hard as a rock (even with my fancy terra cotta thingy in it!), and I know there are all sorts of tricks for fixing that but I just couldn't be bothered for 2 measly tablespoons.

All this means that the resulting muffins are lower in fat and sugar, AND taste better!  As I hoped, they are much lighter.  They are not particularly sweet - they really benefit from the sweetness in the blueberries, so I'd definitely recommend including fruit.  But the texture is really nice, and I personally enjoy the more pure taste of bran.  These are especially delicious warm with a shmear of butter.  I hope you enjoy!

Bran Muffins

adapted from me!

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/2 cups wheat bran
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
2 tablespoons brown sugar (optional)
2 cups low-fat buttermilk or yogurt
1 egg
1/2 cup honey or agave
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 cup frozen blueberries (optional, or other frozen/dried fruit)

Preheat oven to 425F degrees.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (flour, bran, salt, baking soda and sugar).

In a second larger bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, egg, honey, and butter. Add the dry ingredients and fold in until everything comes just together. Fold in add-ins. Do not overmix!

Either grease a mini-muffin tin (I sprayed with canola oil) or line the tin with small muffin papers. Fill each 3/4 full (mine were filled nearly to the brim). Bake 12 minutes, until muffins are golden on top and cooked through. You can also make larger muffins in a standard size muffin pan, you just need to bake them about 5 minutes longer.

Makes about two dozen mini bran muffins or one dozen larger ones

Carrot Zucchini Muffins

Well, I'm sad to report that my recent Whole Wheat Zucchini Muffins, which I said may be perfect, are not - while I still stand by the deliciousness and healthfulness claims, they have the fatal flaw of being completely rejected by the munchkin.  And while hubby thought it was good news that there would be more left for him, a big reason I make muffins is so that I can have healthy snacks on hand for the munchkin.  I'm pretty sure that the reason she didn't like them was the walnuts and cranberries, so I decided to make a similar veggie-packed muffin without the mix-ins.  I could have remade the same recipe, but I have been wanting to make my Carrot Cupcakes again as a muffin (i.e., no glaze), so I thought maybe I could use that recipe and replace half of the carrots with zucchini.  And while I was at it, I decided to play around with an agave-sugar mixture instead of all agave in order to test a hypothesis that agave makes things brown a lot and also leads to stickiness.

In the end I didn't quite solve the stickiness problem, but they sure came out tasty.  Next time I'll try without any agave and possibly cut down on the sugar amount altogether (they have a moderate amount, but are pretty sweet anyway).  In the mean time I'd just recommend greasing the pan really well or using muffin liners when you make these, because the result is delicious and packed with wholesome ingredients.  And they even passed the munchkin test - what more can I say :)

Carrot Zucchini Muffins
adapted from me!

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups grated carrots
1 1/2 cups grated zucchini
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/4 cup agave nectar
1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350. Line 1 1/2 muffin tins with paper liners or spray well with oil (I got 24 mini + 6 standard muffins).

In a medium bowl, whisk together whole wheat pastry flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt.  In a large bowl, mix together carrots, zucchini, coconut, agave, eggs, applesauce and vanilla. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir just until well blended. Pour batter into prepared muffin cups. Bake for approximately 18-20 minutes for mini and 25 minutes for regular muffins until brown on top and a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in pans.
 
Makes the equivalent of 18 standard or 36 mini muffins

Whole Wheat Zucchini Muffins

I have very stringent criteria when it comes to muffin recipes - because I like to always have muffins on hand in my freezer as a wholesome snack for my whole family, I'll generally only make ones that are actually healthy. So when I'm looking at recipes, I look for whole grains (no refined flour if possible), moderate sugar (approximately 1/2 cup for a 12 muffin recipe), and moderate fat (1/2 cup or less for a 12 muffin recipe, and oil instead of butter if possible).

I think these criteria are perfectly reasonable, but apparently I'm in the minority because it's very hard to find recipes that meet all of them.  Which is why I was excited when I came across a recipe for zucchini muffins on a food blog I just discovered called Kalyn's Kitchen.  I made some slight changes to the original - replaced an agave and splenda blend with all agave, and used a combo of walnuts and cranberries instead of pecans. I also used whole wheat pastry flour instead of white whole wheat flour, and put them in the oven hoping that they would actually taste good.

I think I may have found the perfect wholesome muffin.  Not only did last night's creation meet all of my basic criteria, but they also included a fruit, veggie, and a nut with healthy omega-3's.  Oh, and they tasted delicious - moist, sweet, and flavorful.  Hubby even declared them one of his favorites.  Could you ask for anything more in a breakfast or snack?

Whole Wheat Zucchini Muffins
adapted from Kalyn's Kitchen

1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup Agave nectar
1 1/2 cups grated zucchini (I got this from 2 small zucchini, about 2/3 pound total)
1/3 cup canola oil
1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
good pinch of salt
1 cup mix-ins (I used half chopped walnuts, half dried cranberries; pecans are suggested in the original recipe)

Preheat oven to 350F.  Spray a mini-muffin tin with oil or line with papers.

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon and nutmeg.

Grate zucchini by hand or using a food processor, then gently squeeze grated zucchini to remove some of the water. Measure 1 1/2 cups (packed) zucchini for this recipe, and if you have extra, freeze it for another time.

In a medium-sized bowl, beat egg, then mix in vanilla and agave. Stir in the grated zucchini, then the oil. Sprinkle baking soda and salt over the top of this and mix in.

Stir dry ingredients into the zucchini mixture, then fold in mix-ins.

Scoop into muffin tins (I was able to get 20 mini-muffins, but you could stretch it to a full 24 minis or 12 standard muffins).  Bake 15-20 minutes for mini-muffins (probably 25-30 for standard, although I didn't try this), or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Note that agave makes baked goods brown quite a bit, so make sure they are cooked through when you take them out.  Let muffins cool a few minutes in the muffin tin, then remove and cool a few minutes more.

Makes approximately 20-24 mini-muffins

Banana Wheat Germ Muffins Revisited

Back in December, I made Banana Wheat Germ Muffins from Weelicious.  The were delicious, but my only complaint was that they didn't contain 100% whole grains - there was a cup of all purpose flour along with the cup of wheat germ.  Wheat germ is packed with nutrients, so the recipe probably works out to be as  wholesome as whole wheat muffins, but I'm greedy so I wanted to see if we could do better!  I just made these muffins again, but this time I replaced a half cup of the flour with whole wheat pastry flour, and I could not tell the difference!  Next time I'll try all whole wheat pastry flour and see if they still hold up.

The other change I made this time was to skip the hand mixer, as per my friend Julie's advice.  I just whisked the dry ingredients, then the wet, and added dry to wet in 3 stages.  This switch is up to you - the hand mixer's not that hard to clean, but I store mine on a shelf that I can't reach without a step stool, and the whisk is right on my countertop, so this approach is much easier for me (another example of my lazy chef approach!).

Here's the updated recipe:

Banana Wheat Germ Muffins

1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup toasted wheat germ
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 medium very ripe bananas*
1/2 cup agave
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 large egg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray muffin tin with non-stick spray or line with cups.

In a small bowl, whisk together flours, wheat germ, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

In a large bowl, mash the 3 bananas with a fork. Add agave, oil, vanilla, and egg and whisk together until well combined and fairly smooth (small bits of banana are fine). Add dry ingredients in 3 stages and quickly whisk together until just combined. Do not over-mix.

Fill prepared muffin cups 3/4 full with batter. Bake 15 minutes for mini muffins or 20 minutes for regular muffins, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Makes 24 mini or 12 standard muffins

*Freezing bananas to use in baking works really well!  I peel mine and dump them in a zip top bag in the freezer, and defrost on the counter or in the microwave when I need them.  Note that a lot of the juices come out when they defrost, so make sure you add those juices back into the recipe.

Whole Wheat Apple Muffins

Mmmm...that's all I have to say after tasting these muffins right out of the oven.  They are so yummy, I can't wait to serve them to company tomorrow!

But before I tell you more about the muffins, I really want to thank all of you who are out there reading my ramblings and letting me inspire you to cook - I have gotten more notes than I ever expected from people who are actually interested in what I have to say!  And for those of you who don't know me in real life, I'd love to hear from you, too - feel free to comment on the blog or write to me at my new e-mail address, alissa@simplywholesomekitchen.com.  I want to know how my recipes turned out for you, if you made any changes that worked (or didn't work!), other recipes you think I might like, or just general thoughts :)

The reason now seemed like the right time to mention my wonderful readers is that not one, but two of you thought of me when you saw this muffin recipe, and I am so appreciative!  Mark Bittman wrote an article in the NY Times about how to make whole wheat muffins actually taste good instead of heavy and chewy.  Upon close inspection, this recipe is admittedly not as healthy as most of my muffin recipes - there's a little extra sugar and a half cup (one whole stick!) of butter.  But they do include 100% whole wheat flour instead of a refined flour mix, and have fruit or veggies in them, and butter is a wholesome ingredient that really isn't evil in moderation, so I thought they were worth a try.  Plus, I actually worry that my munchkin eats a diet that's too low in fat, so this is a good recipe for her.

The beauty of this recipe is that it's flexible - you can use the base for whatever kind of whole wheat muffins you want - read Bittman's article for more ideas!  I chose to make an apple version, and they are amazing.  As it turns out, there's a reason people who make yummy food use lots of butter - there is no taste quite like it!  These muffins are moist, light, and leave a hint of butter in your mouth, but are not greasy like so many of the muffins you'll buy.  And just like other muffins, they freeze and defrost beautifully, so they're perfect to have onhand.  I would be interested in reducing the butter and/or sugar a bit, though, so I may experiment in the future - please let me know if you have any ideas on the best way to make modifications!

I think hubby's getting a little bored of taking pictures of muffins!!

Whole Wheat Apple Muffins
adapted from the NY Times

2 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
2/3 cup sugar (you may need more if using a veggie that's not sweet)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 rounded teaspoon cinnamon (optional, or replace with another spice if using another fruit/veggie)
1/2 cup (1 stick) melted unsalted butter
1 cup unsweetened apple sauce (or whatever fruit or vegetable you want)
1 egg
1/2 cup buttermilk or yogurt (I always have plain whole milk yogurt around, so that's what I used, but low fat should work, too!)
1/2 cup apple, peeled and diced into 1/4-1/2 inch pieces (I think I may have been closer to 2/3 cup and that was still ok; use whatever add-in you want)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and prepare 12 regular or 24 mini-muffin cups by spraying with oil or lining with muffin cups.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. In another bowl, whisk together the melted butter, apple sauce, egg and yogurt.  Pour wet mixture into dry mixture and fold together; add apple pieces and stir until just combined. 

Fill muffin tins or liners with batter.  Bake for about 25 to 30 minutes for regular muffins (18-20 minutes for mini-muffins) or until muffins are puffed and turning golden brown on top.  Serve warm if possible, or freeze once cool and warm in microwave just before serving.

Makes 12 regular or 24 mini-muffins

Banana Pumpkin Oat Muffins

Back in December, I told you about the Pumpkin Bran Muffins that I made for the day after Thanksgiving: I liked the texture, but wasn't happy with the flavor, presumably because I didn't put in the full amounts of spices.  Well, I'm sad to report that after trying them a second time and sticking to the recipe, I'm still not happy with the taste.  Hubby and the munchkin also didn't love them, so I need to find a new pumpkin muffin recipe!

The next stop is Sweet + Natural.  She has 2 pumpkin muffin recipes: the first one, Spiced Pumpkin Honey Muffins, looks delicious but has more sugar (honey) than I'm looking for in a muffin recipe.  Her Pumpkin Banana Oat Muffins, on the other hand, have less sugar and have the added benefit of more fruit, flax seeds (go omega-3's!), and oats!  Since I like muffins to be a truly wholesome snack, not a dessert, my choice of which to try first was easy.

And overall, these were a success!  They are moist, flavorful, and hardy, although in my opinion the banana was a stronger flavor than the pumpkin (which is why I changed the name around), so I don't quite have a pumpkin muffin recipe yet.  This was my first time cooking with flax seed meal, and I'm so excited to have a good recipe.  The only thing I might change is to use quick cooking oats (I used rolled) because the oats did stay a little crunchy, but they also add some texture which isn't a bad thing.  Hubby, who is generally opposed to all things pumpkin, said that they are good but he'd probably like them even better if they had raisins or nuts in them - he's a fan of muffins that are filled with "stuff" :)  But he can stick to his favorite granola muffins if he wants because the munchkin and I are gobbling these up just the way they are!

Banana Pumpkin Oat Muffins
adapted from Sweet + Natural

Dry Ingredients
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup oats
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon

"Wet" Ingredients
1 15 ounce can of pumpkin
2 ripe bananas, mashed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
3/4 cup flax seed meal
2/3 cup maple syrup

Preheat the oven to 375.  Spray muffin tins with non-stick spray.

In a small bowl, whisk together dry ingredients.  In a separate, larger bowl whisk together "wet" ingredients (flax seed meal isn't really wet, but for some reason it goes in that bucket!) until well blended.  Add dry ingredients to large bowl and stir until just combined. 

Fill each muffin cup to be about 3/4 full, and bake 15 minutes for mini-muffins and 20 minutes for regular muffins.

Makes approx 30 mini or 15 regular muffins (I got 24 mini + 3 regular)

Carrot Cupcakes with Yogurt Glaze

Today we had plans to go visit some friends who just bought a beautiful house out in the 'burbs, and I volunteered to bring dessert.  Obviously I decided this was the perfect opportunity to try baking something new, and I immediately started scouring some classic sources - Smitten Kitchen (this recipe in particular) and my Baked cookbook (fabulous birthday present with my favorite brownies!), both of which are full of truly decadent choices.  I figured this visit was a special occasion, worthy of indulgence.

And then hubby had to go and remind me of my commitment to finding healthier choices.  He asked if there wasn't something I could make that would be both delicious AND worthy of calling wholesome?  I had to take on the challenge, and I am so glad I did...because after some internet searching I came across a food blog that I am so excited about - Sweet + Natural.  This blog contains tons of recipes for the most delicious sounding baked goods which contain all wholesome ingredients - no refined flour or sweeteners, and substitutions for healthier fat sources and levels.  I was so overwhelmed by the choices that I e-mailed my friend to help narrow things down for today, but I have a list of new recipes to try!

The winner for today's dessert was carrot cake with yogurt glaze.  The only modifications I made were to convert to cupcakes (shorter cooking time and half the glaze because I only needed to coat 1 layer) and to use 3 whole eggs instead of 2 whole + 2 whites because I hate throwing away an extra egg.  Plus, the recipe was already low-fat so I didn't mind a little extra in the 3rd yoke.  Overall these were a huge success!  The cake was incredibly moist and flavorful, and the yogurt glaze added just enough tang and sweetness without being overpowering.  Plus, the cupcakes have the same low amount of added sugar (1/2 cup for 12 muffin equivalent) as most of my healthy muffin recipes and are packed with vegetables and whole grains, so I felt totally comfortable giving them to the munchkin without the glaze and was excited when she gobbled one up! 

The only issue I had was that the cupcakes stuck to their papers more than I would have expected, but my friend in Brooklyn just sent me an article that suggests it may just be due to the agave in the recipe.  And the good news was that they stuck less the next day after fully cooling than right after I made them. 

Overall, I cannot wait to try more of the recipes on Sweet + Natural - I'll keep you posted on how they turn out!

Carrot Cupcakes with Yogurt Glaze

adapted from Sweet + Natural

Cake:

3 cups grated carrots

1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

3/4 cup agave nectar

3 eggs

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon cloves

1/2 teaspoon salt

Yogurt Glaze:

3/4 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt

1/4 cup agave nectar

1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat the oven to 350.  Line 1 1/2 12-cup muffin tins with paper liners (recipe makes 18 standard cupcakes).

In a large bowl, mix together carrots, coconut, agave, eggs, applesauce and vanilla. In a separate bowl, mix together whole wheat pastry flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir until well blended. Pour batter into prepared muffin cups. Bake for approximately 20-25 minutes until brown on top and a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in pans.

While the cupcakes are cooling, make yogurt glaze by whisking together all ingredients except the walnuts.

Once the cupcakes are cool, poke holes in them using a fork (this allows the glaze to seep in) and remove from pans.  Place on a piece of parchment or wax paper and pour a thin coating of yogurt glaze on each cupcake.  Sprinkle with chopped walnuts. 

Makes 18 cupcakes.

Banana Wheat Germ Muffins

Before you even say it, yes, I'm posting another muffin recipe.  And there will likely be several more - I am on such a muffin kick these days!  I absolutely love having homemade muffins in my freezer at all times, but I need some variety so that we don't get bored.  Which is why even though I have some winners already (see bran muffins and granola muffins), I'm still trying out different recipes.

My most recent experiment came from my list of Weelicious recipes to try - banana muffins.  She promised this recipe was as good as traditional buttery, sugary banana bread, but it's incredibly healthy.  And you know what?  They're actually super tasty!  I happen to be surrounded by banana bread at the moment, so it's easy to compare, and the biggest difference is that these muffins are very light - they do not have the same moist density of traditional banana bread.  That being said, they are really sweet without having a lot of sugar, and they have the added benefit of wheat germ!  Wheat germ is packed with nutrients and fiber, so I'm always excited to find a new way to use it.

This recipe also uses agave syrup instead of regular sugar, as do many Weelicious recipes.  I've posted a few recipes with agave so far, so this is probably a good time to share my opinion that nutritionally, I think it's impossible to say that one is better than the other.  Some people argue that agave has a lower glycemic index so therefore it's better for us, and others argue that it's higher in fructose which makes it worse.  I think basically we don't know, and it really depends on what you're eating it with and in what quantities.  That being said, I think there are a couple of advantages to agave:  first, it's less refined which may make it better for the environment and add some nutritional value.  But more importantly, while it has the same calories per teaspoon as sugar (approx 16), it's much more sweet, so you can include less of it to achieve the same level of sweetness.

So overall, I highly recommend this recipe.  Not sure I'd use it for bread because I think you'd miss the dense texture, but it makes a really great, light, sweet muffin.

Banana Wheat Germ Muffins
adapted from Weelicious

1 Cup All Purpose Flour
1 Cup Wheat Germ
1 Tsp Baking Soda
1/2 Tsp Baking Powder
1 Tsp Salt
3 Medium Very Ripe Bananas
1/2 Cup Agave
3 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
1 Tbsp Vanilla
1 Large Egg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray muffin tin with non-stick spray or line with cups. 

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, wheat germ, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

In a large bowl, mash the 3 bananas with a fork.  Add agave, oil, vanilla, and egg and beat using a hand mixer (or standing mixer) until well combined and fairly smooth (small bits of banana are fine).  Add dry ingredients in 3 stages and gently mix on low until just combined.  Do not over-mix.

Fill prepared muffin cups 3/4 full with batter.  Bake 15 minutes for mini muffins or 20 minutes for regular muffins, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Makes 24 mini or 12 standard muffins

Whole Grain Overload - Pancakes and Granola Muffins

As you know, last weekend I made corn bread muffins which contain buttermilk in them.  The problem with buttermilk is that you can't buy less than a quart, and I've yet to see a recipe that uses more than a cup and a half, which inevitably means leftovers.  Well, tonight I found not one, but TWO uses for the two and a half cups I had left from last weekend!

First off, whole grain buttermilk pancakes.  SO yummy.  I tried two different brands of whole grain pancake mix, neither of which was enjoyable, before searching out a recipe to make from scratch.  There are a few more I'd like to try (like this one in the NY Times this week), but I made the one below for the second time tonight, and it is a total winner.  I would be very happy to order these in a restaurant, even if I wasn't trying to be healthy!  They are flavorful and fluffy without being dry.  Last time I made them I threw the extras in the freezer, and after a quick pop in the toaster oven they were a perfect snack or side dish for the munchkin - I put a dab of butter on them for her, but they barely need a thing.  Not that I ever turn down maple syrup, but you get the idea :)

Then, because I am still searching out the best healthy muffin recipes, I had to try one in the same NY Times article I mentioned above about eating more whole grains for breakfast.  This recipe has all whole wheat flour (instead of half all-purpose like many recipes I've seen), and also includes granola for extra heartiness.  We belong to a CSA in NYC, and in addition to the great produce, I got really excited about some of the "extras" we were able ot order from regional producers.  I have bought meat, poultry, eggs, honey, maple syrup, and granola.  The granola was delicious, but I haven't been sure how to eat it.  I think it probably goes best with yogurt, but I'm not a huge yogurt fan, and I was always nervous about eating it on it's own because it's so calorie dense and easy to overeat.  So this recipe got me really excited as a way to use some of my delicious granola!  I overcooked them a drop because I converted the timing from full size muffins and apparently they needed a lot less time, but they are still really tasty.  Hearty but not heavy - the texture is actually really nice, a bit surprising given how healthy they are.  And while I'm not generally a big raisin fan, they help these to stay really moist.  I would definitely make them again!  The only problem is the seeds that were in my granola might be a bit tough for the munchkin to manage, but I'm sure hubby and I will do a good job of finishing off this batch without her help :)

Here are the recipes:

Whole Wheat Buttermilk Pankcakes
adapted from Cooking Light

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups low-fat buttermilk
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large egg
1 large egg white
Butter

Whisk together flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. In a smaller bowl, whisk together buttermilk, oil, egg, and egg white.  Add the wet ingredients to add to flour mixture and stir until just combined.

Heat a nonstick griddle or nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Once hot, lightly butter (tear the paper off one end of a stick of butter and just quickly go over the pan).  Drop spoonfuls onto your griddle (I used a 3 tbsp cookie scoop - the batter is thick so this worked well for me.)  Flip pancakes when the tops are bubbling and edges look cooked.  The second side cooks very quickly so don't go far.

Pancakes can be kept warm in a 200 degree oven.  They also freeze well - wait until they are cool, wrap individual portions in plastic wrap, and store in a zip top bag.

Makes approximately 12-14 pancakes 



Granola Muffins
adapted from The New York Times

1 cup granola (I had maple blueberry flax and was nervous it would give a funny taste, but you can't tell at all, which leads me to believe you can use any granola you want!)
1/2 cup low-fat milk
1 cup golden raisins
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup buttermilk or yogurt
1/4 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Combine the granola and milk in a bowl and let sit for 30 minutes.  Meanwhile, cover the raisins with hot water and soak for 15 minutes. Drain and pat dry with a towel.

Preheat the oven to 375ºF with a rack in the middle. Spray muffin tin with non-stick spray.

Sift dry ingredients (whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt) into a small bowl.  (I have found that stone ground whole wheat flour is really annoying to sift, so the second time I made this recipe I just whisked the dry ingredients together and the muffins still came out great!)

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, honey, buttermilk or yogurt, canola oil and vanilla. Quickly whisk in the flour, then fold in the granola/milk mixture and raisins. Combine well.

Distribute batter into muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 of the way full.  Bake until lightly browned, 10-12 minutes for mini-muffins or 20 to 25 minutes for full size (this is according to the original recipe - I only made the minis).  Cool in the tins until you can handle the muffins and then remove them to finish cooling on a plate or rack.

Freeze any muffins that will not be eaten in a day or so in a zip-top bag and defrost in the microwave when needed.

Makes 12 regular or 24 mini-muffins

Bran Muffins

Over the past few weeks, I have become obsessed with muffins.  You can pack so many healthy ingredients into them, they are the perfect size and texture for babies, there are tons of variations, and they don't take much time at all to make!  Plus, they freeze beautifully so it's easy to make a batch, throw them in the freezer, and pop them in the microwave for 30 seconds whenever we need them.  I even bought myself a fancy mini-muffin tin at Williams-Sonoma to make them even more fun to bake :)

I've experimented with a few recipes (see my cornbread muffins for example), but my favorite so far are these bran muffins.  I have made them plain, with raisins, and with dried blueberries (see picture below!), and they all taste great!

Bran Muffins
adapted from 101 Cookbooks

2 cups stone ground whole wheat flour*
1 1/2 cups wheat bran
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 cups full fat yogurt
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup honey (or agave - I subbed agave because babies under the age of 1 can't have honey)
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 cup of add-ins of your choice - raisins, chopped dried fruit, nuts, etc (optional)

Preheat oven to 425F degrees.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (flour, bran, salt, baking soda and sugar).

In a second larger bowl, whisk together the yogurt, egg, honey/agave, and butter.  Add the dry ingredients and fold in until everything comes just together. Fold in any optional add-ins.  Do not overmix!

Either grease a mini-muffin tin (I sprayed with canola oil) or line the tin with small muffin papers. Fill each 3/4 full (mine were actually practically overflowing before baking).  Bake 10 -15 minutes, until muffins are golden on top and cooked through. You can also make larger muffins in a standard size muffin pan, you just need to bake them about 5 minutes longer.

Makes about two dozen tiny bran muffins or one dozen larger ones.

*See updated recommended recipe here!

Chili and Cornbread Muffins

In addition to hosting a birthday brunch for the munchkin last weekend, my in-laws were staying with us for the weekend.  We got a babysitter and went out after the baby's bedtime Friday night, but Saturday night we decided to stay in.  My goal was to find something that everyone liked but could be made ahead so that I didn't have to first start cooking after my daughter's birthday party.  The menu I came up with was chili with corn bread muffins and a tossed salad. 

I have made turkey chili twice before, and the result was good, but tasted more like a meat sauce than chili.  So this time I made a few changes:  I doubled the chili powder, added cumin, and used beef instead of turkey because I had enough grass-fed ground beef in my freezer to double the recipe.  Increasing the spices definitely helped, but I'd imagine the recipe would still work just as well with turkey.

Cornbread is something I've never made before, but after looking at the ingredient lists of some premade ones I decided it was worth the effort!  I made cornbread muffins in a mini-muffin tin earlier in the week and froze them in a freezer bag.  Saturday night I just popped a bunch in the microwave on a plate and we had "fresh" cornbread!  The recipe I found is fairly healthy - low in sugar, no butter, and has whole grain corn meal.  They were a drop on the dry side, but tasted delicious warm with a shmear of butter and dipped in chili.

Here are the recipes:

Chili
adapted from Food Network

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped sweet onions (approx. 1 small onion)
1 tablespoon minced garlic (approx. 1 large clove)
1 pound ground turkey or lean beef
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes with juices
1 (16-ounce) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce (this is half the original amount - I am very sensitive to heat, so I prefer to use less in the chili and then serve Tabasco on the side for those who prefer hotter food)
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon dried basil (my crushed tomatoes had basil so I left this out)
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 cups low-sodium chicken stock (or less, especially if you're limited on cooking time)

In a large skillet, saute onions and garlic in olive oil over medium heat until onions are translucent. Add ground meat and cook until browned.

Add remaining ingredients and stir well to combine. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 hour or until desired thickness, stirring occasionally.

This tastes better the next day, so it is a great choice to make ahead!  I assume it would also freeze well, although we never seem to have enough to bother :)

Makes 4-5 bowls

Mini-Cornbread Muffins*
from Weelicious

1 3/4 Cup Cornmeal
3/4 Cup Flour
1 Tbsp Baking Powder
1 Tsp Baking Soda
1/2 Tsp Salt
1/4 Cup Agave
1 1/2 Cup Buttermilk
2 Eggs
1/4 Cup Vegetable Oil

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Mix the first 5 dry ingredients in a bowl.
3. Whisk the remaining wet ingredients in a separate bowl until thoroughly combined.
4. Pour the cornmeal mixture into the wet ingredients and thoroughly combine with a whisk.
5. Pour into 24 greased mini muffin cups.
6. Bake for 15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted inside.
7. Cool and serve.

Makes 24 mini-muffins

*Check out this recipe for another cornbread option!