Carrot Apple Ginger Muffins

There seems to be something sub par about a weekday breakfast: something lazily poured into a bowl, quickly grabbed between coats of mascara and searching for keys, something cold.

A weekend breakfast easily out plays its weekday counterpart.

It slips into your morning and wakes you for the day with warm pancakes topped with fruit and drizzles of syrup or fluffy omelettes stuffed with veggies and spices, accompanied by endless cups of coffee enjoyed over conversation with friends, or better yet, in pajamas and bed.

Although I've always been quite a granola gal, lately I've been trying to give my weekday breakfasts a lesson from the weekend.

I'm a firm believe that breakfast should be delicious, easy, and healthy, but above all I believe it should exist, which is probably the worst part about weekday breakfast: it's SO easy to skip.

This batch of breakfast worthy muffins however is something you won't forget.  It's loaded with grated apple, carrot, whole wheat flour and a little spice to give your mornings a warm, filling feeling, but it's reduced in sugar content so you won't crash 2 hours later.

If you're a religious breakfast eater toss one in the microwave for a few seconds to enjoy as you run from room to room getting ready; if you're more the person who always forgets, toss the batch into ziploc bags at the beginning of the week so you can toss one or two into your bag for a mid-morning snack!

Carrot Apple Ginger Muffins

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

• 2 c whole wheat flour
• 1 t baking powder
• 1/2 t baking soda
• 1/2 t cinnamon, clove, tumeric
• 2 T chia seeds (optional)

Wet Ingredients

• 1 large sweet apple, grated
• 1 large carrot, grated
• 2 inches of ginger, grated
• 1/2 c packed brown sugar
• 1 c greek yogurt
• 1/3 c oil
• 1/3 c water
• 1 large egg

Combine

1. Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees and grease a muffin tin or line it with paper.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the dry ingredients together.
3. In separate mixing bowl, beat the egg then whisk in the brown sugar, greek yogurt, oil, and water.
4. Mix in the apple, carrot, and ginger then fold the wet ingredients into the dry until just mixed.
5. Scoop into the muffin tin and bake for 15-20 minutes.
6. Carefully transfer the muffins to a cooling rack and let cool for a few minutes before enjoying!
7. Note: these are best stored in the fridge due to their moisture content but will last on the counter for up to 5 days.

Zucchini Muffins

When creating muffins that are more muffiny and less cupcake-ish throwing in some vegetables is a helpful bet, as as summer comes to more of an end with each chilly morning, choosing some seasonal leftovers to add a pinch of warming spice to is a winning one.

In the Goldilocks-esque path that led me to these deliciously spiced, sweet but savory, zucchini raspberry muffins I learned a number of things about "throwing in" some vegetables that might help guide you one your own muffin ventures.

For starters, getting a little creative with what you're throwing in is a good thing.  Double veggies like half zucchini and half carrot, or serving the veggies with a side of fruit will result in some morning-altering deliciousness.

Be sure to restrain any heavy handedness with the mix ins though, as there is some truth in too much of a good thing being a bad thing, read: three cups of zucchini is WAY too much zucchini.

Secondly, use a wholesome flour like wheat or spelt as they will not only pack in lots of extra flavor and nutrition but they will also soak up the moisture from the mix-ins which will help you avoid a soggy mess.

Use a spatula to smooth the top of each muffin then sprinkle things on top of each prior to popping the tray in the oven.

Reach for some oats to add a rustic bakery feel, scatter some roasted pepitas or sunflower seeds for an extra savory crunch, or keep things simple and sprinkle with a little extra brown sugar or spice.

Whatever you choose, this easy trick will lead to some picture perfect treats that give your mornings an feel extra special.

Speaking of spice, feel free to branch out from the cinnamon.

I typically find that using multiple spices in the same recipe, like cinnamon with a little nutmeg or clove, create a multifaceted flavor that helps spice stand out.  There's no need to stop there however, because a hearty recipe like this can handle as large of a punch as you're comfortable with!  Reaching out for bolder spices, like cardamom and black pepper, or eye-catchingly colorful but flavorfully subtle ones like turmeric will help bring your batch to the next level.

Spiced Zucchini Raspberry Muffins

Ingredients

Dry

• 1 1/2 c wheat flour
• 1 1/2 t baking powder
• 1/2 t baking soda
• 1/2 t salt
• 2 t cinnamon
• 1 t cardamom
• 1 t black pepper
• 1/2 t nutmeg
• 1/4 t coriander
• 1 c oats, old fashioned, raw
• 4 1/2 T butter

Wet

• 2 eggs
• 1/2  - 1 c brown sugar*
• 3/4 c milk
• 2 t vanilla extract

Add ins

• 1 c zucchini, grated
• 1 c frozen raspberries

Combine

1. Preheat the oven to 375 and grease a muffin tin.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices.
3. Add the oats to the bowl of a food processor with a metal blade and blend on medium speed for 1-2 minutes until the oats are tiny pieces.
4. Add the butter and blend on medium speed for 1 minute.
5. Add the flour to the food processor and blend again for 1 minute until the mixture is very fine crumbs.
6. Add the eggs and sugar to the large mixing bowl and whisk for 30 seconds.  Add the milk and vanilla and whisk again until combined.
7. Pour the dry ingredients from the food processor into the wet ingredients in the bowl.  Using a metal spoon, mix the ingredients until they start to combine, then add the zucchini and raspberries and mix until all ingredients are incorporated.
8. Scoop the mixture evenly into the muffin tin, use a spatula to smooth the tops of each muffin, sprinkle with extra oats if desired, and bake for 25-30 minutes.
9. Enjoy!

*For a more savory muffin use just 1/2 a cup of brown sugar, but if you prefer a more stereotypical bakery style muffin use the full cup.  If you're a monkey in the middle like me, use 3/4.

Banana Graham Muffins

There's something about the change of seasons that makes a baked good sound like all you need in life.

Although summer and fall are still fighting over who's taking the stage, the potential of my oven is already taking over my mind.


I've been dreaming of baked whole wheat donuts with chocolate ganache glaze, graham cupcakes layered high with marshmallow and fudge, pumpkin bread laced with fresh shredded apples, chocolate silk pie with nut crumble crust and baked meringue top, apple cobblers...

I decided to start nice and "simple" with some zucchini muffins.  After all, end of summer zucchini are taking over my fridge and it's still too hot to commit to something that needs to be baked longer than 20 minutes.

Of course, simple is an overstatement.

Somewhere between pureeing oats and walnuts with whole wheat flour for a wholesome base to looking up and realizing my eggs were whisked in one bowl while my butter and sugar another, I thought to myself "this is not your most graceful kitchen moment".  Needless to say I was not super surprised when I pulled a dozen over moist, over crumbly, un-bakeable, sunken topped muffins from the oven an hour later.

For every part of me that lacked surprise towards my soggy zucchini sponges, there were two parts of me filled with disappointment and just one teensy, tinsey part of me that was hopeful.

So I got my shit together and geared up for the next round: a trusted banana muffin recipe that had yet to fail me.

Banana Graham Muffins


Ingredients

Dry

• 1 c wheat flour
• 1/2 c wheat bran
• 1/4 c wheat germ
• 1 t baking powder
• 1/4 t baking soda
• 1/4 t salt
• 3 t cinnamon
• 1-2 t ginger
• 1/2 t nutmeg

Add-ins

• 1/2 c shredded coconut, unsweetened
• 1/2 c golden raisins
• 1/2 c walnuts, chopped

Wet

• 3 ripe bananas
• 3 lg eggs
• 1/2 c oil of choice
• 1 t vanilla
• 3/4 c brown sugar

Combine

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a muffin tin.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the dry ingredients until well mixed then stir in the add-ins.
3. In a separate bowl, use a fork to mash the bananas until smooth.  Break the eggs over the banana mash and use the fork to beat them a little, then use the fork to mix them into the bananas completely.
4. Add in the oil and vanilla and mix, then add in the brown sugar and stir until combined.
5. Make a crater in the middle of the dry mixture then pour the wet ingredients into the space.  Use a large spoon to slowly stir fold the dry ingredients into the wet until well mixed.
6. Use a spoon or quarter measuring cup to scoop portions into the tin.
7. Bake for 12-15 minutes until a toothpick poked into the center comes out clean.
8. Enjoy!

Choconana Muffins

There are two types of people in this world: the kind of person who starts every day with breakfast and the kind that doesn't.

As a member of the first group, I would say most of my morning jump starts consist of healthier fare like greek yogurt with fruit and nuts, avocado and eggs, or muesli prepped the night before.

So I'm always mind blown when I see breakfast make it's way to the latter group, as it usually consists of things I would only dream of eating for breakfast but not feel okay eating so early in the day.

Take for example the chocolate muffin.

I've considered this an impostor breakfast food for years but know many a person who will chow one down as a mid-morning "breakfast" without a second thought.

Healthy or not, chocolate for breakfast is every chocoholics dream.  As a member of both the breakfast lovers club and the chocoholics not-so-anonymous group I was tempted to figure out a way to make this "breakfast" desirable before lunch.

Luckily, I possess a pretty healthy banana bread recipe and thought a pretty healthy chocolate version was in order... you know, one that we can all call breakfast worthy.

Choconana Muffins

Ingredients

Dry ingredients:

• 1 1/2 c wheat flour
• 1/3 c unsweetened cocoa
• 1/4 c dark brown sugar
• 1 t baking powder
• 1/2 t baking soda
• 1 t cinnamon
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 c walnuts, chopped (optional)

Wet ingredients:

• 2 lg eggs
• 1/3 c coconut oil
• 3 lg bananas, very ripe
• 1 t vanilla
• 1/4 c unsweetened almond milk

Combine

1. Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees and grease a muffin tin.
2. In a large mixing bowl whisk together the dry ingredients.
3. In a small mixing bowl use a large fork to mash the bananas, leaving some chunks if desired, then whisk in the eggs, then whisk in the rest of the ingredients.
4. Use the fork to mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until well combined but not over-mixed.
5. Scoop 1/4 cups of the batter into the muffin tin and bake for 12-15 minutes or until cooked through.
6. Enjoy!

Savory Muffins

When a muffin is sweet it's very reminiscent of eating a cupcake.  When a muffin is savory, however, it tastes like something that can actually pass as breakfast.

A few years ago I came across a perfect muffin recipe for the fall and winter that was not your typical batch of pumpkin muffins.  They were full of butternut squash, spinach, and feta: flavors that were ideal for chasing away the winter blues.

Now that Spring is here (kind of), there is a less of a need to chase away the winter blues and more of a need to give the sun a wide armed welcome instead.

This weeks version of Sunshine's whole wheat welcome banner comes with chunks of sun-dried tomatoes, minced kale, and sharp white cheddar backed by hints of sweet basil and spicy mustard seeds to seal the deal.

The cloudy side of this recipe is that if your heat is still on you really don't want to leave these out at room temperature for longer than 3-4 days because cheese, greens, and overly hot apartment - yuck!

The sunny side of this recipe is that if you let the muffins cool to room temperature completely then place them in a freezer safe tupperware, you can freeze them for up to a month and microwave them for a minute or two before enjoying!

Sun-dried Tomato, Cheddar, and Kale Muffins

Ingredients:

Dry Ingredients:

• 2 c wheat flour
• 2 T sugar
• 1 T mustard seeds
• 1 T dried basil or oregano
• 1 T baking soda
• Salt and pepper to taste

Mix Ins:

• 1 c of sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
• 2 c of kale or spinach, finely chopped
• 1/2 c sharp white cheddar, grated

Wet Ingredients:

• 3 large eggs
• 1 c milk
• 1/4 c olive oil

Combine

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and grease a muffin tin with shortening or oil.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.
3. Add in sun-dried tomatoes and stir well, making sure to break apart any pieces that clump together.
4. In a separate mixing bowl, beat the eggs then whisk in the milk and oil.
5. Add the kale and cheddar to the wet ingredients, then combine the wet and dry mixtures.
6. The resulting batter should look a little more liquid than what is typical for a muffin but not quite as liquid as a cake batter.
7. Drop 1/4 cup measurements into each muffin cup.
8. Bake for approximately 20 minutes until the muffins are cooked through.
9. Tip each muffin on it's side and let it cool.
10. Enjoy!

Gingy Muffys

I few months ago I was inspired by a recipe from Green Kitchen Stories and made these amazing Cranberry Cacao Almond Muffins.

They came out a perfect texture and flavor for a hearty breakfast muffins and I almost immediately knew I wanted to try making them again with a few more alterations. 

These muffins are perfect because they have a hearty and healthy feeling created by the oats and nuts.  They're not too heavy but still have a chewy, sturdy texture that will fill you up and can also hold up against some serious flavor.  Which is how I knew it would be the perfect background for a version made with bran and jam-packed with ginger!

If you are a ginger lover this recipe will sing to your soul as powdered ginger and turmeric are mixed into the flour base to give it a nicely distributed spice, while chunks of candied ginger add some extra bite.  Needless to say, this is a recipe that will definitely wake you up on a cellular level in the morning - enjoy!

Ginger Bran Muffins

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients:

• 1 c walnuts
• 1 c raw oats
• 1/3 c bran
• 1/3 c wheat flour
• 1 t baking powder
• 1/2 t baking soda
• 1/2 t cardamom
• 2 t turmeric
• 1 t cinnamon
• 2 t ginger, powdered
• 1/2 t salt
• 2 T chia seeds
• 1/2 c candied ginger pieces, chopped

Wet Ingredients:

• 3 eggs
• 1/2 c dark brown sugar
• 5 oz whole fat greek yogurt
• 3 tablespoons oil of choice
• 1 t vanilla extract
• 1/3 c almond milk

Combine

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Dip a paper towel into some shortening and use it to grease a muffin tin.
2. Dump the walnuts into a food processor and blend on medium speed for 2 minutes until they are minced.
3. Add in the oats and blend for another minute or two, until the mixture is consistently sized.
4. Detach the processor bowl from the base and remove the blade.  Stir in the bran, flour, baking powder and soda, spices, chia seeds, and candied ginger pieces.
5. In a small metal mixing bowl whisk the eggs, add the sugar and whisk again for 1-2 minutes, the fold in the yogurt, oil, vanilla, and milk.
6. Using a metal spoon stir the egg mixture into the bowl of the food processor.  Note: the batter should be much more liquid than a typical muffin batter.
7. Evenly distribute the batter into the muffin tin and bake for approximately 20 minutes until a toothpick comes out mostly clean.
8. Transfer to a cooling rack for a few minutes and enjoy!

Monday Muffins

When baking I sometimes find myself thinking "how the shit is this going to come together?"

Usually if you're thinking something looks wrong while making a recipe, you are right.   Batter that is too clumpy or too runny is hard to fix but I've come up with a few guidelines that have helped me improve my baking.

First off, make sure you're measuring your flour correctly!  Reading this method from Sally's Baking Addiction completely revolutionized my baking adventures.

Although it's tempting to cut the sugar, cut the oil, add wheat flour - don't change a recipe too much the first time you try it!  Until you know what product you're manipulating, you're better off waiting until the next time you make it.  When that time comes around make sure you compare your adjustments to a recipe that is tried and true.

Know what flavors and textures you like and try to bring them into your baking.  It's the only way to make a recipe your own and you're guaranteed to like the product better - especially if it doesn't come out perfectly the first time you make it!

While making this recipe I kind of broke rule two but stuck hard to rules one and three.

I started with this recipe from Green Kitchen Stories, and compared it to my favorite blueberry muffin recipe to make sure my changes weren't going to be drastically different from a recipe I know works out.

The results were so great that I tried one, immediately ate another, then quickly froze half of the batch so I could make sure some would last for breakfast next week!

Cranberry Cacao Almond Muffins

Dry Ingredients

• 1 c almonds
• 1 c old fashioned oats
• 1/3 c cacao nibs, raw and unsweetened
• 2/3 c wheat flour
• 1 t baking powder
• 1/2 t baking soda
• 1/2 t cardamom
• 1 t cinnamon
• 1/2 t salt
• 2 T chia seeds
• 1/2 c cranberries

Wet ingredients

• 3 medium eggs, beaten
• 1/2 c brown sugar
• 5 oz greek yogurt
• 3 oz oil
• 1 t vanilla
• 1/4 c milk

Combine

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and use a towel and a dab of shortening to grease a muffin tin.
2. Drop the almonds, oats, and cacao nibs into your food processor and blend on medium speed for ~3 minutes, until mixture consists of large crumbs.
3. Remove the blade, then whisk in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cardamom, cinnamon, salt, and chia seeds until evenly combined.  Toss in the cranberries and whisk again making sure the cranberries don't clump.
4. Beat the eggs in a separate bowl.  Whisk in the brown sugar, then gently fold in the yogurt, oil, vanilla, and milk.
5. Fold the wet and dry ingredients together.
6. Drop 1/4 cups of the batter into your muffin tin.
7. Bake for 20 minutes or until cooked through.
8. Enjoy!

Getting Through the Week

I know, who in their right mind turns their oven on in 90 degree weather to bake muffins?

Trust me, when I say these simultaneously light, fluffy, hearty, healthy muffins are worth it.  Especially if you have a case of the summertime struggles causing you to hit the snooze button one too many times and to drag through the afternoon - these muffins are exactly what you need to get through the week   Plus, they only take about 30 minutes to make from start to finish.

So go ahead and hit the snooze button again knowing you'll still have time to grab one of these for breakfast on the go..... just don't forget to save one for an afternoon snack!

Blueberry and Bran Muffins

(adapted from the How to Cook Everything cookbook)

Ingredients

• 1 c all purpose or whole wheat flour
• 1 c bran
• 1/3 c sugar
• 1/2 t cardamom
• 1/2 t cinnamon
• 1/4 t coriander
• 3 t baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 3 T oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 t vanilla
• 1 c milk (almond or soy will also work)
• 1 c blueberries, fresh or frozen
• 1/2 c chopped almonds

Combine

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and grease a muffin tin or use muffin liners.
2. In a large mixing bowl whisk the flour, bran, sugar, spices, baking powder, and salt until well combined.
3. In a separate mixing bowl whisk the oil, eggs, vanilla, and milk.
4. Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture and add the blueberries and almonds.  Use a spatula to fold the mixture together until just combined.
5. Measure 1/4 cup of the mixture into each well of a muffin tin and bake for 15-20 minutes.
6. Let cool before enjoying!