Harper’s Favorite Banana Muffins

If anyone knows Harper, you’ll know she has a HUGE sweet tooth! Uhhh… I wonder where she got that from?? 🙂

When she was younger and wasn’t talking yet, she’d sign “more” in sign language. With that said, “more” was one of her first few words. I guess she figured saying “more” might add a little emphasis to the sign language. Smart cookie she is!

A few weeks ago, Harper and I were at Grammy’s house (my mom/Harper’s grandmother). Grammy saw these quote-on-quote “healthy” muffins on feedly and was dying to try them. Technically, they are considered healthy since they have Greek yogurt and bananas in them, but with 1 1/4 cups of sugar, and 1 1/4 cups of canola oil, you be the judge on that one. Lol.

Healthy or not, Harper adored these muffins! She ate an entire mini muffin in a matter of minutes, and couldn’t stop asking for more! These muffins are very sweet, and almost taste like a cross between cake and a muffin. Go figure she liked them!!

Harper's favorite banana muffins

If you’re needing some chocolate in your life, feel free to add 1 cup mini chocolate chips. I may try that next time to change it up. You can also add chopped walnuts or pecans, but if you’re making these for a toddler, you may want to leave the nuts out.

Enjoy!

Harper’s Favorite Banana Muffins

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 20 mins

Total time: 30 mins

Serves: 24

Source: Adapted from Leite’s Culinaria

Ingredients

3 large eggs
1 1/4 cups (10 oz or 315 g) granulated sugar
1 1/4 cups (10 fluid oz or 310 milliliters) canola oil, plus more for the pan
2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 cups (13.5 oz or 360g) all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
Kosher salt
3 ripe, brown bananas, peeled and cut into chunks (about 1 lb.)
1/2 cup (2 oz or 60g) unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup (4 oz or 125g) plain Greek yogurt
1 cup (5 oz or 150g) chopped chocolate or mini chocolate chips, optional

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray two 12-cup standard muffin pans or two 24-cup mini muffin pans with nonstick cooking spray or butter them with oil.
In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the eggs, sugar, oil, and vanilla on high speed until well combined, about 2 minutes. Reduce the speed to low, add the flour, baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and beat again until well combined, about 2 minutes.
Increase the speed to medium, add the bananas, coconut, and yogurt, and beat for 1 minute. Reduce the speed to low or switch to a spoon, and add the chocolate chips. Mix until well combined.
Pour the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each 2/3 to 3/4 full.
Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out without any crumbs or wet batter clinging to it, 20-25 minutes for standard muffins or 15-20 minutes for mini muffins.
Turn the muffins out onto a wire rack and let cool for at least 10 minutes. (Muffins will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 1 month).

Morning Glory Muffins

We’re not even close to being done with winter, but I’m ready to start spring cleaning. Maybe it’s the fact that we all got some new Christmas outfits, or I just had to clean the attic up to fit the Christmas tree back in there, but I’m ready to do some cleaning out, throwing away, and giving away of some items.

A few weeks ago I decided to tackle the downstairs den and organize some shelves by our TV. In the shelves, I keep all our wedding pictures, birthday cards, sweet notes from Matt and other little keepsakes.

As I was going through our wedding stuff, I found several nice cards, and even a TWENTY DOLLAR gift card to Target!!! Who-hoo! Let’s hope after seven years the gift card is still good! 🙂

In another wedding card, I found this recipe for Morning Glory muffins from my dad’s coworker named Sandra Winfield. The recipe sounded delicious, so the next day I decided to whip these up.

I’ve tried a bunch of quick breads and muffins over the years, and by far, this is my FAVORITE morning glory muffin recipe ever! Not only is it the best of all the morning glory muffins, it will now be my go-to recipe for whenever I want a muffin!! They are that good.

morning glory muffins

The apple butter is the secret ingredient. It makes the muffins light, flavorful, sweet and super moist. With two whole cups of carrots, an apple, whole wheat flour, walnuts, and wheat germ sprinkled on top, you’ve got a hearty and pretty healthy muffin at that.

Sandra – thanks for sending over the recipe. We all loved these and will be making them again!

morning glory muffins

So, next time you dread spring cleaning…. think of the positives. Like a treasure hunt, who knows what you may find. It may be cash, old photos, or even a new recipe to try! Enjoy.

Morning Glory Muffins

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 20 mins

Total time: 35 mins

Serves: 18 muffins

From: Sanda Winfield

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/4 cups white sugar
1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups grated carrots
1 apple – peeled, cored and and chopped
1 cup raisins
2 eggs
1/2 cup apple butter
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
2 Tbsp. chopped walnuts
2 Tbsp. toasted wheat germ

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly oil 18 muffin cups or coat with nonstick spray.
In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, apple butter, oil and vanilla.
In a large bowl, stir together flours, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Stir in the carrots, apples and raisins. Stir in apple butter mixture and mix until just moistened. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling them about 3/4 full.
In a small bowl, combine walnuts and wheat germ; sprinkle over the muffin tops.
Bake for 20 minutes, or until tops are golden and spring back when lightly pressed.

Sarah’s Pumpkin Muffins

Happy Birthday Sarah!! Today Sarah celebrates and turns 11-years old! In honor of my cousin Sarah, I thought I’d share with you her delicious pumpkin muffins.

When we were in Houston last week, my Aunt Jolene had made a batch of Sarah’s pumpkin muffins for Harper and I. Jolene actually doubles the recipe so she can use the whole can of pumpkin rather than throwing half the can away in the trash. Quick breads and muffins freeze well, so I’d suggest doing the same and freezing the leftovers if you can’t eat them all.

Sarah is Jolene’s 11-year old granddaughter and my cousin, and is sweet as can be. She loves playing with Harper and is the kind of person who would do anything for you. She is selfless and so giving, and at age 11, that is rare.

Sarah got this recipe from summer camp at Camp Ozark. They served these pumpkin muffins there and she loved them so much, that she sought out the recipe for them. The recipe happened to be in a cookbook they sold at the camp gift shop! Now Sarah makes these muffins all the time and we love them.

While Sarah doesn’t make these pumpkin muffins with a topping, you can add one if you wish. Jolene googled a cinnamon-sugar pecan streusel topping and added it to these muffins for a little extra sweetness. They are to die for!! If you want to go the healthy route, leave off the topping, but if you want them a little more decadent, feel free to add it!

baby — Harper loves walking. She even claps at herself while walking!

Enjoy!!

Sarah’s Pumpkin Muffins

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 20 mins

Total time: 30 mins

Serves: 12

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs at room temperature
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a standard muffin tin with nonstick spray.
In a large bowl, sift together flour, soda powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.
In a separate bowl, mix together pumpkin, sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla until blended. Add wet ingredients to flour mixture.
Pour batter into prepared muffin tins and bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Pumpkin Zucchini Bran Muffins

This past Friday my mom, her best friend Jenni, Harper, and I drove to Fort Worth for the Trinity Valley Quilter’s Quild Quilt Show – Sew Many Favorites.

My mom’s “Bring Me Flowers” quilt won first place!!! She is super talented and her quilts are absolutely gorgeous. Maybe someday I’ll win a blue ribbon in a quilt show.

In the meantime, I’ll just practice-practice-practice. I am a novice and just started sewing when Harper was born. So far I’ve made collegiate pillowcases (Texas A&M, Arkansas, and Oklahoma State), a baby quilt, and a Texas A&M pillowcase dress and Dallas Cowboys pillowcase dress for Harper.

Aggie pillowcase dress — Gig ‘Em Aggies! Harper in her Texas A&M pillowcase dress.

Dallas Cowboys pillowcase dress — Go Cowboys!

After returning from the quilt show, I tried one of these bran muffins that my mom made and wow are they delicious!

They aren’t your typical boring bran muffin recipe. Instead they’re made with shredded zucchini, pumpkin puree, flaxseed, whole wheat pastry flour, and coconut oil… all healthy ingredients for an actually ‘good-for-you’ bran muffin!

Credit goes to Jessica Merchant of “Seriously Delish: 150 Recipes for People Who Totally Love Food.” I’m not much on buying cookbooks since the Internet has so many of them listed, but Merchant’s cookbook is an exception. She has tasty, innovative recipes that are “lightened up”, but actually taste good.

I’ll be making these again soon since they were soooo good! Since it’s pumpkin season, grab a jar of Muirhead Pecan Pumpkin Butter from Williams-Sonoma to smear on these, and you’re good to go!

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Zucchini Bran Muffins

Prep time: 20 mins

Cook time: 20 mins

Total time: 40 mins

Serves: 12

Source: Seriously Delish: 150 Recipes for People Who Totally Love Food by Jessica Merchant

Ingredients

1 cup oat bran
1 cup milk
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
2/3 cup loosely packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup ground flaxseed
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup freshly grated zucchini
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
1 large egg
2 tsp. vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin tin with liners and set aside.
Place the wheat bran on a baking sheet in a thin layer. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes to toast the bran, shaking the pan once or twice during baking. Remove the pan from the oven and add the bran to a bowl. Pour the milk over the top of it and let it sit for 5 minutes.
In large bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, flaxseed, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt, In another bowl, stir together the zucchini, pumpkin puree, coconut oil, egg and vanilla extract. Add the wet wheat bran to the pumpkin mixture and stir to combine.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until just combined. Do not over-mix. Fill each muffin liner almost full. Bake the muffins until the tops are set, 20 to 22 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and let cool slightly.

Whole Grain Morning Glory Muffins

Good morning!! If you’re looking for a healthy muffin with EVERYTHING in it, you’ve met your match.

My sister found this recipe via Cookie Monster Cooking for these hearty whole grain morning glory muffins and we all just fell in love with them. Brittany lives a lifestyle of eating wholesome ingredients and zero processed foods, and these passed her test!

Honestly I can say that these are the best tasting “healthy” muffin I’ve ever eaten. Loaded with shredded carrots, grated apple, coconut oil, pure maple syrup and honey for sweetness, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg for flavor, unsweetened coconut, walnuts, and raisins; these muffins aren’t lacking in the ingredient list.

While they are a bit time intensive to shred the carrots, grate the apple, and measure out the long list of ingredients, they are well worth it. Feel free to double the recipe and freeze some for later; they still taste delicious.

Enjoy!

Whole grain morning glory muffins

Whole Grain Morning Glory Muffins

Prep time: 20 mins

Cook time: 17 mins

Total time: 37 mins

Serves: 12

Source: Cookie Monster Cooking

Ingredients

1 cup white whole wheat flour
1/4 cup oat bran
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. sea salt
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 large egg
1/3 cup melted coconut oil
2/3 cup milk or almond milk
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 Tbsp. orange zest
1/2 cup shredded carrot
1/2 cup grated apple
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
1/4 cup chopped walnuts, plus more for sprinkling on tops

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a muffin pan with liners. Set aside.
Whisk together the white whole wheat flour, oat bran, all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg in a medium bowl. In another medium bowl, whisk together the egg, coconut oil, milk, honey, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and orange zest. Add to the bowl with the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Gently fold in the carrot, apple, raisins, coconut, and walnuts.
Divide the batter evenly in the prepared muffin tins, filling each about 2/3 to 3/4 of the way full. Sprinkle the tops with additional chopped walnut, if desired.
Bake for about 15-17 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into middle comes out clean. Let cool for about 5 minutes, then remove the muffins to a wire rack to cool completely.

Golden Morning Muffins

If you’re looking for a wholesome muffin with EVERYTHING in it, you’re in luck! We saw these printed in the paper and couldn’t wait to try them.

Literally these muffins have tons of good stuff in them! You’ll get your veggies in with the carrots and parsnips, your fruit from the pineapple and apple, and lots of crunch with pepitas or walnuts or pecans, your choice!

You can save yourself time if you get a helper to grate the carrots and apple, but otherwise these are easy to make.

Enjoy!

Golden Morning Muffins

Prep time: 20 mins

Cook time: 20 mins

Total time: 40 mins

Serves: 2 dozen

Adapted from “Flavor Flours” by Alice Medrich

Ingredients

3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cardamon
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
1/2 cup golden raisins
1 grated apple
1 cup canned crushed pineapple
1 cup grated carrot
1/2 cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
3 large eggs
1 cup canola oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Instructions

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large bowl, whisk together sugars, flour, cinnamon, cardamon, baking soda, and salt. Add coconut, raisins, apples, pineapple, carrots and pipettes, stirring to combine.
In another bowl, whisk eggs, oil and vanilla together. Scrape mixture into bowl with dry ingredients and stir until combined.
Divide batter among muffin pans lined with muffin liners. Each liner will be 2/3 full. Place in oven and bake until wooden toothpick or skewer comes out clean, about 20-25 minutes. Let cool 15 minutes, then remove from pan.

Notes

You may substitute toasted walnuts or pecans for the pepitas. You can also add in 1 cup grated parsnip.

Blueberry Crumb Muffins

One of Matt’s favorite things in this world are blueberry muffins. He along with his college roommates Chance and Trevor would eat these on a regular basis. Being college kids, and guys for that matter, they would buy the $0.99 muffin mix variety. It was a certain brand too. I can’t remember if it was Duncan Hines or Pillsbury, etc. but Matt knows…. Chance and Trevor once made him return the box one time because he bought the wrong brand!!

Matt was craving blueberry muffins the other day, and since he didn’t specify I buy muffin mix, I thought I would make some from scratch.

There’s something to say for Google, because I did one search for “blueberry muffins” and found a recipe called “To Die For Blueberry Muffins“. While the recipe is the same, I changed the name because I thought Blueberry Crumb Muffins were more fitting due to the topping.

The muffins really are “to die for”, as they very sweet, easy to make, and have a delectable buttery crumb topping. They taste like gourmet muffins you would order at Starbucks or a coffee shop! Plus, more than likely you will have all the ingredients already in your pantry.

These are definitely a good recipe to have when you’re in a bind and need a quick muffin recipe. Even though deep down Matt likes his box muffin mix better (he must associate wonderful college life memories with those muffins lol), he still really enjoyed these and went back for seconds.

Enjoy!

Blueberry streusel muffins

Blueberry Streusel Muffins

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 25 mins

Total time: 35 mins

Serves: 8

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
1 cup fresh blueberries
1/2 cup white sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease muffin cups or line with muffin liners.
TO MAKE BLUEBERRY MUFFINS: Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 3/4 cup sugar, salt and baking powder. Place vegetable oil into a 1 cup measuring cup; add the egg and enough milk to fill the cup. Mix this with flour mixture. Fold in blueberries.
Fill muffin cups right to the top and sprinkle with crumb topping mixture.
TO MAKE CRUMB TOPPING: Mix together 1/2 cup sugar, 1/3 cup flour, 1/4 cup butter, and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon. Mix with fork, and sprinkle over muffins before baking.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Notes

Source: All Recipes

Pumpkin Yumkins

Fall is my favorite season of the year for many reasons.

Number 1: Aggie Football (okay, this may be Matt’s number 1, but I’ve gotten a whole lot more interested in football since marrying him). Yesterday we even went to College Station for the A&M vs. Auburn game. Tough loss for us Ags, but great weather and lots of fun!

A&M football team walking into the stadium.

Number 2: Cooler weather. Texas is known for our brutally hot summers, so when we start getting some cooler nights and mornings come October, we all get really excited.

Number 3: Candy corn. Need I say more?

Number 4: Pumpkins!! I LOVE pumpkins! I love decorating my house with pumpkins, and I love eating pumpkin. Here’s just a few of my favorite recipes: pumpkin bread, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin rolls, pumpkin whoopie pies, pumpkin butter bars, pumpkin butter granola, pumpkin oatmeal …you get the idea.

Spoon batter into muffin cups almost to the top. Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Since my mom knows how much I like pumpkin, she decided to make these pumpkin yumkins just for me (okay, I let Matt eat some) this weekend.

The recipe is from one of our favorite cookbooks: Pastry Queen: Royally Good Recipes from the Texas Hill Country’s Rather Sweet Bakery & Cafe by Rebecca Rather. Everything in this cookbook is just like the author: down-home yet grand, and familiar yet one-of-a kind. From Texas Big Hair tarts to fried pies to cookies, I’m ready to try just about all of Rather’s recipes.

Just what is pumpkin “yumkin” you ask?

In Rather’s cookbook, she describes having found this recipe in her grandmother’s things but couldn’t ever remember making them. The unusual name caught her (and our) attention so she decided to make them. It turns out, the yumkins are a cross between a muffin and a cupcake, all dressed up with orange-flavored cream cheese frosting.

When Dad brought these over to us last night at 10:30 pm, I only intended on eating a bite but that didn’t happen…. This is probably my all-time favorite pumpkin recipe ever!!

The orange-flavor cream cheese frosting is genius and pairs perfectly with the yumkins. What may surprise you is that there are no spices in this recipe: no pumpkin spice, no allspice, no cinnamon and no cloves. However, the can of pumpkin, brown sugar, dates and cream cheese frosting create the perfect fall recipe to serve during the holidays. Enjoy!

Let muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool 30 minutes before frosting.

pumpkin yumkins — Coat the tops of the cool yumkins with cream cheese frosting and enjoy!

Pumpkin Yumkins

Prep time: 20 mins

Cook time: 20 mins

Total time: 40 mins

Serves: 1 dozen

Source: “The Pastry Queen: Royally Good Recipes from the Texas Hill Country’s Rather Sweet Bakery and Cafe” by Rebecca Rather

Ingredients

YUMKINS
1 cup pecans
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 large egg
1 (15 ounce) can pure pumpkin
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup chopped dates
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature
1 tsp. freshly squeezed orange juice
2 cups powdered sugar
Zest of 1 orange, preferably organic

Instructions

TO MAKE THE YUMPKINS: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Arrange the nuts on a baking sheet in a single layer and toast for 7 to 9 minutes, until golden brown and aromatic. Cool the nuts, and then coarsely chop.
Grease 12 standard-size muffin cups with butter or cooking spray. Using a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl on medium speed about 1 minute. Add the egg and beat on medium speed for 1 minute. Add the pumpkin and vanilla and beat until combined. Stir in the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Stir in the dates and pecans. The batter will be thick.
Spoon the batter into muffin cups just to the top. Bake about 20 minutes, until the muffins are firm to the touch or a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Cool the muffins in the pan for 5 minutes, then invert them onto racks to cool for 30 minutes before frosting.
TO MAKE THE FROSTING: Using a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and orange juice on medium speed about 20 seconds. Add the powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time, beating until incorporated after each addition. Stir in the orange zest.
Coat the tops of the cooled yumkins with frosting. Do no wrap until the frosting has set, about 45 minutes. Well-wrapped yumkins will keep about 3 days at room temperature.

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Blueberry Sweet Muffins

Taking advantage of summer blueberries, I finally got around to making these blueberry sweet muffins, a recipe I had been eyeing out of Southern Living Comfort Food: A Delicious Trip Down Memory Lane.

But before I get to the muffins, somebody pinch me!! 63 degrees in Dallas, TEXAS in the middle of August???? I couldn’t believe it! So, instead of sleeping in late on this Saturday morning, I figured I better take advantage of the nice weather and go for a run.

Morning runs are the best despite getting up at the crack of dawn. 🙂 However, once I’m up, I’m good to go for the rest of the day!

texas sunrise — Enjoying the cool weather and sunrise. Gorgeous view except for the power lines!

The great thing about these muffins is that they are a cinch to whip up. After running, I didn’t have much patience for waiting around for breakfast, and was able to get these on the table in under 30 minutes from start to finish!

The recipe is almost effortless, plus I can almost guarantee you’ll have all the ingredients in your pantry.

Start by whisking the egg, milk and oil together in a small bowl.

blue — Combine the flour, soda, sugar and salt together in a medium bowl.

I actually substituted white whole wheat flour for the all-purpose flour. I think using 100% all-purpose would taste better, but they say white whole wheat is better for you, thus I wanted to try it out.

So what’s the difference between whole wheat flour and white whole-wheat flour? It’s the type of wheat used. White whole wheat flour is made with white wheat, which lacks bran color. It is milder in flavor and lighter in color. Nutritionally it is the same. Think of white whole wheat flour as a sort of albino version. To learn more, click HERE.

To finish making the muffins, you’ll pour the wet ingredients into the dry ones, and stir until just combined. Then you’ll fold in your blueberries. That’s it! Then just scoop the batter into lined muffin cups and bake for 20 minutes.

Bake at 400 degrees F for 20-25 minutes.

Let the muffins cool slightly in the pan, then transfer them to a wire rack and let them cool completely.

I like mine hot so that I can drizzle them with some Colorado honey. Enjoy!!

blueberry muffins

For those living in Dallas, did you enjoy the cooler weather this morning? What is your favorite breakfast muffin?

Blueberry Sweet Muffins

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 20 mins

Total time: 30 mins

Serves: 10

Recipe adapted from Southern Living Comfort Food: a delicious trip down memory lane

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I used white whole wheat flour)
1/ 2 cup sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 cup milk (I used skim)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 large egg
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
1 Tbsp. sugar

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Combine first 4 ingredients in a large bowl; make a well in center of mixture.
Stir together milk, oil, and egg; add to dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened. Fold in blueberries.
Spoon into greased or paper-lined standard muffin pans, filling two-thirds full. Sprinkle batter with 1 tablespoon of sugar.
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until muffins are golden. (I baked mine at 375 degrees F in a convection oven for 20 minutes). Remove from pans immediately and cool on wire racks.

Zucchini Muffins

HAPPY ST. PATRICK’S DAY!!! In all actuality, I did not make these muffins because of the Irish holiday…however, it just so happens that zucchini is green in color, so it makes for quite a fitting blog post. 🙂

Last week, Julie, a coworker and also one of my best friends, had made mention that she loves Starbucks’ Walnut Zucchini Muffins. Unfortunately, Starbucks discontinued making them, and replaced them with a Morning Glory Muffin instead, if I’m not mistaken.

It got me thinking… I’ve NEVER eaten a zucchini muffin!

After having Julie reassure me that a muffin filled with zucchinis could actually taste good, (remember, zucchinis are vegetables) I thought I’d give them a whirl this weekend to see what I thought.

SUCCESS is all I can say. 🙂

The combination of brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg make for a warm, delicious and sweet muffin that pairs extremely well with the zucchini.

Extra cinnamon-sugar is sprinkled on the top of the muffins to add a little crunch on top, for those folks with cinnamon-toast crunch cravings!

Matt loved these and asked me if they were healthy. (You can tell he likes something when he asks about the calorie and fat count… it means he wants a second or even third helping!)

So, are they healthy? Well….sort of. They do have 1 1/2 cups of zucchini in them. However they contain quite a bit of sugar. You could probably use a sugar substitute if you’re looking to cut back on calories.

I will say, I scoured the web for the best looking zucchini muffin recipe and this one from Eat, Live, Run looked the best. While another Pinterest photo of a zucchini muffin caught my eye, it called for 2 sticks of butter – a big fat “NO” for me. I’m not much of a butter fan, just ask my mother-in-law Paula! 🙂

Ready to get started??

Combine flour, sugars, salt powder, cinnamon and nutmeg.

Grate 1 1/2 cups worth of zucchini.

Combine eggs, vanilla, oil and zucchini.

Fold zucchini mixture in with dry mixture and be careful not to overwork the batter.

Fill paper muffin liners 3/4 full with batter.

Bake for 25 minutes at 375 degrees F or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the muffin comes out clean.

Let cool slightly.

Look at that lovely muffin! Take a big bite and enjoy. I like to drizzle mine with a little bit of honey. I hear honey is good for your immune system. :0

Zucchini Muffins

Serves: 12

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 cups grated zucchini (about two small-medium sized zucchinis)
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/3 cup canola oil
2 tsp. baking powder
Cinnamon and sugar for sprinkling on top

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, sugars, salt, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine the grated zucchini, eggs, vanilla, and oil. Stir well to combine and then gently stir into the flour mixture. Be careful not to overwork this – it will lead to dense muffins.
Fill paper-lined muffin tins about 3/4 of the full with batter and then sprinkle cinnamon and sugar on each. Bake for about 25 minutes or until golden and a toothpick inserted in center of muffin comes out clean.

Notes

Source: Eat, Live, Run