For breakfast I shove tons of goodness in smoothies- he likes those no matter what. Sometimes on the weekends his dad takes him out to the local bagel shop for an egg and cheese and a muffin to share. So the other day when he rejected my tasty banana oat pancakes and asked for a muffin, it made me think about muffins and how that could be a vehicle for good stuff.
What does he like about muffins? The crunchy top (who doesn't love a muffin top? In their baked goods, that is. Never fun around the waist ;) ), a little sweetness, studded with something good like a blueberry. Requirements. Ok.
So I decided to make a healthy muffin recipe that can take on a variety of changes based on what I have in my fridge and pantry.
The basic elements of a muffin:
FLOUR
FAT
SUGAR
LEAVENER
TOPPINGS (OPTIONAL)
Baking is science, so some things don't work well. Here are some options:
FLOUR: I like to mix it up and not make it solely all-purpose. There are tons of flours out there will more nutritional content than white flour, all work a little differently in baked goods so it helps to have the right balance.
FAT: any will do. I use coconut oil in this recipe but you can easily swap it for another oil, melted butter, or cut half the fat and add fruit puree or yogurt. Just know that those last two swaps will change the batter quite a bit.
SUGAR: I use maple syrup but any can work- agave, honey, molasses, brown sugar...I like dark sugars for a more complex flavor but white is fine, too.
LEAVENER: I've been making these with silken tofu for added protein along with baking powder and baking soda, but you can obviously use an egg or, again, fruit puree with the baking powder & soda.
LIQUID: You'll need some sort of liquid to thin out the batter and also a little acid to activate the baking soda. Fruit or veggie juice, milk, milk substitute like almond or coconut, along with lemon juice or vinegar will work.
TOPPINGS: For veggies I've tried any of these fresh & grated: carrot, zucchini, pumpkin or squash. For fruit I've tried apple, peach (needs to be a semi-hard one), pear (again, pretty firm)...you can also try frozen fruit or dried fruit, nuts and seeds.
Cheese is totally optional.
SPICE: You don't need to add these ones, I just happen to like them. Fennel has a lot of health benefits (antibacterial, aids digestion) as does cinnamon (same, and lowers blood sugar levels). I use the sweeter ceylon cinnamon which also has very low Courmarin levels.
If you're curious: http://www.bfr.bund.de/en/faq_on_coumarin_in_cinnamon_and_other_foods-8487.html
And some tips:
FLOUR: Try half all purpose or gluten-free flour with 1/4 high protein flour like whole wheat, multigrain (I whiz oats or rolled multgrain in my coffee grinder or food processor), soy, amaranth...and another 1/4 a starch like tapioca, potato, sweet potato, corn...
But by all means just use all of one flour. I just like to mix it up for variety, texture and nutrition.
DRY MIX: no need to sift your flours but it helps to sift the baking soda and then get a whisk in there to incorporate and aerate the mix a bit. Never tasty to wind up with a lump of dryness in your moist muffin.
TOPPINGS: toss the shreds in the dry mix well so that it's completely coated before adding the wet. This will keep the muffins from being too soggy! If you'd like to use frozen fruit by all means do, just don't let them defrost before baking and do that same- coat in the dry mix. Dried fruit and nuts don't need this step.
WET MIX: take a minute to whisk the wet ingredients before adding to the dry. Better distribution, even muffins. And once you add the wet, don't mix very long, just until the dry is mixed, then let your batter sit for 2 mins. You'll see it get a little puffy, ready to be portioned and baked. That's the baking soda reacting to the acid and giving your muffins lift!
By now you're like, get me my recipe already! Ok ok, here it is:
Cheddar Apple Zucchini Muffins
preheat oven to 350 degrees
DRY MIX:
1/2c all purpose flour
1/4c whole wheat flour
1/4c tapioca flour
1/2Tbsp baking powder
1/4tsp baking soda
1/2tsp cinnamon
1/4tsp ground fennel
1/4tsp salt
TOPPING MIX:
the measuring isn't too precise. I used 1/4 apple and 1/4 zucchini the first time I made this. Then squeeze some lemon juice or vinegar over it all. Set aside 1/2c grated cheddar plus a little extra for the tops
WET MIX:
1/4c yogurt
1/8c tofu or 1/2 egg (why so little? All the other wet stuff in this recipe makes it so)
1/8c unsweetened apple juice
1/4c maple syrup
1/8c coconut oil
(I just layer this all in a wet measuring cup- the total wet ingredients equal almost 1 cup/ 7oz)
Add dry mix to the bowl, toss in toppings til coated, add your wet mix and fold in with a spatula til incorporated. Let mix sit for a couple mins and scoop (you could use a spoon, but I happen to prefer a spring-loaded ice cream scoop) into lined or oiled muffin tins. Top with a little more cheese if you like and bake for 20-35 mins depending on muffin size (I've been making minis); bake until golden brown on top and not mushy in the center. Let cool and enjoy! These last up to about a week in the fridge, just pop them in the toaster oven if you've got one to crisp them back up.
I know it's a lot of ingredients but like I said, I'm trying to get more nutrition in my toddler and they can be simplified if you like. Just think of the main components that you'll need and change it up!
These come out crisp on the outside, kinda spongy soft inside (the starch helps with that), salty and sweet from the cheese with the fruit.
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