Carrot Ginger Muffins

Sigh. How I love muffins. They freeze well and make a perfect breakfast or snack on the go. They're easy to make and easy to make healthy! I just can't get enough.

Several months ago, I received the quarterly newspaper from my local Natural Foods Co-Op and right away, hungrily eyed a recipe for Ginger Carrot Muffins. I liked that it used carrots, which are always available and cheap, and as for ginger, I'm always hearing about how good it is for you. Last night I finally got around to making them and it was worth the wait.

I loved the way these muffins smelled, that spicy ginger and a touch of citrus. I used my food processor to make quick work of the carrot grating. Peeling the carrots and ginger is optional but not necessary. The texture was great as is, but next time I will for sure add some candied ginger and walnuts. The chunkier, the better, as far as I'm concerned. I tweaked the original recipe a little; here is my my version. The recipe made 18 muffins, enough for several weeks of breakfast and snacks. Hooray!

Ginger Carrot Muffins

3/4 c. white sugar
3/4 c. brown sugar
2 eggs
1.5 t. vanilla extract
Zest and juice of 1 orange
2/3 c. milk
1 t. fresh ginger
8 T. butter, melted (1 cube)
3 c. whole wheat pastry flour
2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
2 t. cinnamon
3 c. grated carrots (about 5-6)
1/4 c. candied ginger (chopped) (optional)
1/2 c. chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350F.  In a medium bowl, mix together the sugars, eggs, vanilla, orange zest and juice, milk and ginger until well combined. Stir in melted butter.

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, and cinnamon. Mix to combine. Add grated carrot and optional candied ginger and walnuts (if using) and stir to coat. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in liquid mixture. With a wooden spoon, stir until combined and moistened. Do not overmix.

Spray a muffin tin with nonstick spray or line cups with paper liners. Divide batter evenly among the cups. (Mine made 18.) Bake on the middle rack until muffins are golden brown, and top of the muffins bounce back when you press on them - about 20-25 minutes.

Set on a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes. Remove the muffins from the tin and let them cool another 10 minutes (if you can wait that long- I couldn't!).

Pumpkin Muffins with Everything Good

Happily, this week I discovered that the pumpkin I have been storing on my front porch since our harvest in October was still in good eating condition! I started off the slaughter of the pumpkin with Dorie Greenspan's recipe for Pumpkin Stuffed with Everything Good. Bread, cheese, cream, bacon and chives... How could you go wrong? Just a wedge for dinner and we were full.

Then came this morning. I always feel like Saturday morning calls for a real breakfast, since I don't necessarily get one during the work week. What could be more appropriate than pumpkin muffins? I have a great recipe to share - it's even relatively healthy, with half whole wheat flour. Olive oil, dried cranberries, apples and walnuts made it hearty enough to fill you up for a while. (Two muffins at 11:00am and I was good till dinner! True story.) In a tribute to Dorie, the grand dame of French cookery, I'll call these Pumpkin Muffins with Everything Good.

Pumpkin Muffins with Everything Good

1 1/4 c. whole wheat flour
1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. cardamom
Dash of: ginger, cloves, and nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
2 eggs
1/2 c. olive oil
1 c. pumpkin puree
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. chopped apple
1/2 c. chopped walnuts
1/2 c. dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 350f. Grease a 12-muffin tin.

In a bowl, combine all dry ingredients and whisk together. In another bowl, combine the wet ingredients and whisk together. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, then stir in the apples, walnuts, and cranberries.

Bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to wire rack to finish cooling.

Turn Leftover Jam Into A Quick Breakfast

I would estimate that my current supply of jam should last me the next several years. Our refrigerator always contains several varieties of jams and preserves at any given time, and I am always open to new ways to use up this surplus.

Like many working couples, we are always rushing out the door in the morning. So when I came across a recipe for healthy jam-filled muffins that can be frozen ahead of time and thawed for a fast morning meal, I had to try it! (Actually, I used to make a similar muffin with all-purpose flour, before my days of whole grain worship!) I totally forgot to add nuts to the top of them, but they were still tasty, and would be ideal for a light breakfast/snack. I used blueberry lavender jam - delicious!

Jam-Filled Muffins

2 1/4 c. whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 large eggs
1/4 c. packed brown sugar
1 c. buttermilk (or 1 c. milk + 1 tsp. lemon juice)
1/4 c. orange juice
1/4 c. olive oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
jam of your choice

walnuts

Preheat oven to 400F. Coat 12 muffin cups with cooking spray.

Whisk flour, baking powder, and baking soda in a large bowl.

Whisk eggs and brown sugar in a medium bowl until smooth. Add buttermilk, orange juice, oil and vanilla; whisk to blend. Add to the dry ingredients and mix with a rubber spatula just until moistened.

Scoop half the batter into the prepared pan. Drop a generous teaspoonful of jam into the center of each muffin. Spoon on the remaining batter, filling each muffin cup completely. Top each muffin with walnuts.

Bake muffins until tops are golden brown and spring back when touched lightly, 15-20 minutes. Loosen edges and turn muffins out onto a wire rack to cool slightly before serving.

Crystallized Ginger

I would like to say a word concerning crystallized ginger. Call me out of touch, but I hadn't heard of this ingredient until earlier this year, when I read Molly Wizenberg's book "A Homemade Life". There, the author mentions a banana bread into which she tucks chocolate and yes, chunks of crystallized ginger.

Found either with the spices, or for my local grocery store, in the bulk food bins, crystallized ginger is sweeter and less potent than ginger in its raw form. This makes it perfect for adding a spicy, sweet note to baked goods.

My favorite recipe so far using this ingredient has been the Ginger Peach muffins from Kim Boyle's "Good to the Grain" cookbook. You can find the recipe here. I made a batch yesterday using the lazy (wo)man's method- jarred ginger and frozen peaches, which seemed to make no difference as the finished product was still heavenly. The oat flour and pieces of crystallized ginger in the batter adds an unexpected element. Topped with an almost caramelized slice of sweet peach, the muffins are addictive and best the day they are made, but also freeze well. I expect they will become a go-to snack/breakfast for me until they are gone. And at the present rate of consumption, that day will not be far away.

To Die For Blueberry Muffins

When I was young, muffins meant a box of Jiffy brand. Sometimes it was banana nut, and sometimes it was blueberry flavored. Then, later, my mom moved on to Duncan Hines brand. But I can honestly say that I have no memory of ever eating fresh muffins made from scratch.

So when I first tasted a warm muffin made with fresh, juicy blueberries, topped with a cinnamon streusel, it came as a bit of a revelation. Also, possibly the best thing anyone has ever conceived of as a breakfast food. This is the best recipe I have ever tried for homemade blueberry muffins. Treat yourself over the weekend to something fantastic like these muffins - you earned it!

Note: You can use frozen blueberries instead of fresh. Just bake a little more towards the 25 minute mark.

To Die For Blueberry Muffins
From Allrecipes.com

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup white sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons 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 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease muffin cups or line with muffin liners.

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 in the preheated oven, or until done.

How to Eat A Healthy Breakfast Every Day

Breakfast: The most important meal of the day. Also the most disregarded and least heralded meal of the day, because everybody wants a few more hours of sleep. One of my solutions is to bake a big batch of muffins one night and freeze them. Then, on a busy weekday morning, I take out one or two muffins, heat ‘em up, spread them with some butter (or butter spread) and enjoy with a glass of soy milk/herbal tea.

Here is the best recipe I’ve ever tried for bran muffins. They’re delicious and good for you, what with the rolled oats (note: old-fashioned, NOT quick), wheat bran and whole wheat flour! I like to experiment with it, though it's perfect as it is, to try to boost the nutrition even more. Last night, I made a batch but added shredded carrot for added vitamin A and some ground flaxseed meal for extra Omega 3's, lignans, and fiber. Yum!

Bran Muffins

2 ½ tsp. baking soda
½ c. hot water
1 c. rolled oats
1 c. wheat bran
1 c. whole wheat flour
2 c. unbleached flour
1 ½ tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. salt
2 eggs
½ c. oil
1 c. brown sugar
2 ½ c. buttermilk
handful of raisins (optional)
handful of toasted walnut (optional)

Preheat oven to 350F. Coat 24 muffins tins with oil and set aside (or line with muffin liners). Combine the hot water and baking soda in a small bowl and set aside.

Whisk oats, bran, wheat flour, unbleached flour, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl to blend. In a separate large bowl, mix oil, brown sugar, buttermilk and eggs lightly. Add the hot water mixture and flour mixture, as well as raisins and walnuts if desired, and stir to incorporate.

Divide muffins into 24 muffin tins and bake for 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffin comes out clean. Cool in a rack for five minutes.