Whole Wheat Coconut Cranberry Muffins

I posted this recipe long ago. I remembered them being 'okay' and a little dry. I decided to give it a shot again since I made chicken curry last night and had leftover coconut milk. I altered it to mostly qualify as 'real food' and I will say that the results were so incredibly good. I think I am in love with them all over and I am hoping the kids don't eat them so I can have them all over the next little while.

Whole Wheat Coconut Cranberry Muffins
Makes 10 muffins

2 C 100% whole wheat flour
2/3 C sucanat (organic cane juice)
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 C dried sweetened cranberries
2/3 C coconut milk
1/4 C coconut oil, melted
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Combine the dry ingredients in to a bowl. Add the wet ingredients and stir until combined. Spoon into muffin tin and bake for 20 minutes.
Slather with some butter while still warm and sit out on your porch swing in the gentle breeze and sunlight enjoying your breakfast.

Glazed Donut Muffins

These.are.amazing!!!

Glazed Doughnut Muffins
Printer Friendly Version

For the Muffins:

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup milk

For the Glaze:

• 3 tablespoons butter; melted
• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar; sifted
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 tablespoons hot water

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line 12 muffin cups with muffin liners or spray with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter, vegetable oil, and sugars till smooth. Beat in eggs, one at a time. With the mixer on low speed, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt and vanilla until just combined. Stir the flour into the butter mixture alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour and making sure everything is thoroughly combined.
3. Spoon batter into cups, filling the cups, and smooth tops. Divide batter equally among prepared muffin cups. Bake until muffin tops are a pale golden and springy to the touch, 15 to 17 minutes, rotating halfway through baking time. Cool muffins in muffin tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack and cool 10 minutes before glazing.
4. To make the glaze, In a medium bowl mix together the melted butter, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla and water. Whisk until smooth.
5. When muffins have cooled slightly, dip the muffin crown into the glaze and allow the glaze to harden. Once hardened, dip a second time  and allow to harden then serve.

Yields: 12 muffins

Banana Bran Mini muffins

Muffins, muffins, muffins. We love muffins at this house. However, we have been stuck in a muffin rut. If they have nuts or raisins or any vegetable in them there are usually complaints. But this morning I snuck in some nuts . No one even noticed and all those muffins were gone even before all the kids got up to eat them.

Banana Bran Muffins
1 C whole white wheat flour (we grind this ourselves)
1 C all bran cereal
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 c pecans- chopped very, very small. ;)
2 Lg bananas, mashed
1/2 C butter, softened
1/2 C brown sugar, firmly packed
1 egg

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and prepare a regular muffin tin or a mini muffin tin. Cream the banana and butter together. Add the brown sugar and egg and mix well. Add the dry ingredients. Spoon the batter into the muffin tin and bake for 20-25 minutes for 12 regular muffins and about 12-15 minutes for the mini muffins. These are GREAT with butter!

Tracies Applesause Muffins

Years ago I lived next to my oldest sister in some pretty sweet ghetto housing. Our kiddos would run back and forth between our houses, sometimes at 6 am, and it was fun to have her there. We loved to eat the muffins that you can buy at Costco. You know, the ones that are almost bigger than my head :) and have a caloric count of a million.
Well, Costco was far away so the quest became to recreate the apple cinnamon muffins that had the oat streusel on top.

And so this muffin was born. I still love them after all these years- I think it was about 10 years ago- and decided that it was impertinent to share the recipe. Thanks Trac!

Applesauce Streusel Muffins

1 2/3 C flour- I do 1 c wheat, 2/3 c white
3/4 C sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
Mix all these together. Then whisk in just until wet:
1 C applesauce
1/4 C oil
1 large egg white
1 T vanilla
Streusel:
1/2 C oats
1/4 C brown sugar
1 t cinnamon
2 T butter, softened
Mixed with a fork until crumbly

Put batter in 12 muffin cups and sprinkle with streusel. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.

TWD: Pumpkin Muffins

Anyone who has read this blog at all knows that I was pretty excited for today's recipe: Pumpkin muffins. I have a recipe that I already love and was excited for the chance to love another one. The recipe cam be found here. I only made a few changes to mine: I added raw pumpkins seeds in place of the nuts that it called for and I sprinkled the top of them with sugar crystals instead of sunflower seeds. I thought they were really good and got to share them with lots of people that I adore!

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

Muffin Wednesday!!! The pick this morning was pumpkin cream cheese muffins. My picky eater wanted cream cheese muffins (anyone have a good recipe?) but all I could find was pumpkin cream cheese muffins- BONUS!!! I think my kids have resigned themselves to the fact that pumpkin is a regular part of their diets now.

These are yummy- so yummy that I ate three (YIKES)! But I love both pumpkin and cream cheese so what else could it be but yummy?

Pumpkin Cream cheese muffins

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons brown sugar

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 1/3 cups canned pumpkin
1/3 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease and flour 18 muffin cups, or use paper liners.
To make the filling: In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese until soft. Add egg, vanilla and brown sugar. Beat until smooth, then set aside.
For the muffin batter: In a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Make a well in the center of flour mixture and add eggs, pumpkin, olive oil and vanilla. Beat together until smooth.
Place pumpkin mixture in muffin cups about 1/2 full. Then add one tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture right in the middle of the batter. Try to keep cream cheese from touching the paper cup. Top it with more batter.
Bake at 375 degrees F (195 degrees C) for 20 to 25 minutes.

Peanut Butter and Banana Nutella Muffins

When I first saw the recipe I remembered my new unrequited love for Nutella and figured it would be worth a shot. These are time consuming, but totally worth it. Unless you are the picky eater who enjoys his plain banana muffins above all other creations...sigh! Cake for breakfast anyone?

Peanut Butter and Banana Nutella Muffins

Makes 24

~1.5 cups all-purpose flour

~1 cup whole wheat flour

~1 teaspoon baking soda

~1 teaspoon salt
~1/2 teaspoon baking powder

~1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

~1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

~1/2 cup ground flax seed

~3/4 cup sugar

~1/2 cup plain yogurt

~1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

~1 cup peanut butter

~3 large eggs

~1 tablespoon vanilla extract

~4 ripe bananas, peeled and coarsely mashed

~Nutella, about 6 Tbsp, enough for 3/4 tsp per muffin

1. Line 18 muffin cups with paper liners, or spray with baking spray such as Baker's Joy. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

2. Whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, wheat germ and ground flax seed in a medium bowl to blend. Beat the sugar, applesauce, sour cream, eggs, vanilla, and peanut butter in a large bowl to blend. Stir in the banana. Add the dry ingredients and stir just until blended.

3. Fill the bottom of each muffin cup with one heaping scoop of batter and spread with the back of the scoop to cover the bottom. Drop about 3/4 tsp of nutella onto the center of each cup. Follow with another heaping scoop of batter, making sure to surround the heart of nutella with batter. Bake the muffins on the middle rack until the tops are golden brown and a tester inserted into the center comes out with no crumbs attached (but maybe a little streak of nutella!), about 20-25 minutes. Transfer the muffins to a rack and cool slightly. The muffins are great warm, but if they are saved for later, a few seconds in the microwave should bring back the the warm gooey heart.

Nutritional Information (...ready?): Calories - 176; Total Fat - 6.1 g; Sat. Fat - 1.7 g; Cholesterol - 30 mg; Sodium - 158 mg; Carbohydrates -27g; Fiber - 2g; Sugar - 10 g; Protein - 4.6 g.

Coconut Cranberry Muffins

This morning was a new muffin recipe morning. See, every Wednesday is Muffin Wednesday at our house. The day we celebrate a new morn with a cakelike confection that we can get away with eating for breakfast because we label it 'muffin'!
My picky eater loves banana muffins. So much so that when he sees a different muffin on the cooling rack he immediately wages a silent protest. This morning, like most mornings it went like this: He walks into the kitchen, looks at the muffins, walks over to the menu posted on the fridge and reads what kind they are. Then he walks out of the kitchen and lays on the couch. He continues his protest despite me telling him to eat and reminding him that every time he tries a new one he likes it. Finally when there are only one or two left he figures he better eat and then takes the muffins and eats. This morning he ate them but picked out all the cranberries- booger!


Coconut-Cranberry Muffins

2 cups all-purpose flour

2/3 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup sweetened dried cranberries

2/3 cup light coconut milk

1/4 cup butter, melted (Next time I am going to try coconut oil)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 large egg, lightly beaten

2 teaspoons sugar

1/2 cup white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375
Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 3 ingredients (through salt) in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Stir in cranberries and white chocolate; make a well in center of mixture. Combine coconut milk and next 4 ingredients (through egg), stirring well with a whisk. Add to flour mixture, stirring just until moist.
Place 12 muffin cup liners in muffin cups. Spoon batter into lined cups. Sprinkle evenly with 2 teaspoons sugar. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes or until muffins spring back when touched lightly in center. Remove muffins from pans immediately; place on a wire rack.

Honey Oatmeal Muffins

These are a good and healthy alternative to regular muffins. They are not very sweet though. So if you are expecting sweetness you'll need to put something in the middle of them- like Nutella (my new favorite)!!!
Honey Oatmeal Muffins
- Makes 12 muffins -

Ingredients
1 cup rolled oats
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/3 cup honey
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
Directions
Combine oats, flours, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and soda; mix well. Beat eggs, honey, milk and oil together; mix well. Pour honey mixture over dry ingredients; mix only until moistened. Spoon into oiled muffin tins. Bake at 375°F for 20 to 30 minutes or until wooden pick inserted near center comes out clean.
Nutritional Information Per Serving
Protein: 5 g Fat Total: 6.5 g Sodium: 178 mg Carbohydrates: 26 g Calories from Fat: 32% Cholesterol: 36 mg Calories: 179 Dietary Fiber: 2.5 g

Peanut Butter Banana Muffins

It's muffin Wednesday again and this one is so good. Even my pickiest eater loved it. But once again I just have to tease you with the picture and my description because it is copyrighted. This one comes from Jessica Seinfelds book- this is recipe #2 that we have tried- and it did not fail to please. Could be because of the 1 c of brown sugar in them, but I digress!

The combination of peanut butter, banana, and carrot puree is amazing. They are moist and filling- which might be from them using only 100% whole wheat. They wouldn't win a contest for best pictured muffin, but don't let looks deceive.

I wonder...if you really want the recipe either buy her book or call me and I will dictate it over the phone for you. That isn't infringing, is it?

Janet's Banana Bread

This is a recipe that I got from one of my favorite imaginary friends! My kids LOVE this as a muffin and actually prefer this over every other muffin I have ever made on Muffin Wednesday! So simple and so yummy.
Janet’s Banana Bread
3 large very ripe bananas, mashed
1 c sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 egg
1/4 c butter, melted
1 1/2 c. sifted flour (We do 3/4 c white, 3/4 c wheat)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 c. nuts optional

Mash bananas, mix in sugar. Mix in egg. Mix in (very well) the melted butter. Sift dry ingredients into separate bowl, add to wet and stir just until mixed. Stir in nuts if desired. Turn into greased loaf pan, bake at 350º about 1 hour, or until done. For muffins put in 12 muffin cups and bake for 15-20 minutes

Pumpkin Flax muffins

This is one recipe that I can say I invented. Healthy muffins and tastey too. I love these muffins in the Fall, actually I love them anytime!

Pumpkin Flax Muffins

1 1/2 C bran flakes, crushed
1 C whole wheat flour
1/2 C white flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg
3/4 C pumpkin
1 C buttermilk
3/4 C honey
1/4 C olive oil
1/4 C flax seed
1/2 C pumpkin seeds
1/2 C pecans (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together all the dry ingredients. Whisk together the wet and then add them to the dry ones. Put in muffin tins. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Makes 18 muffins.
cal:157, fat:5g, fiber:3g, protein: 3g

Banana BlueberryMuffins- no refined sugars!

This is one of my favorite healthy muffins. The flavors are BEST the day after you make them.

Banana Blueberry Muffins

2 banana's mashed

2 lg egg whites

3/4 c frozen unsweetened apple juice concentrate, thawed or 3/4 c honey

2 c whole wheat flour(I do half white, half wheat)

1/2 c rolled oats

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 c butter- melted

1 c blueberries- unsweetened

Beat banana's til smooth add egg whites and beat until frothy. Add apple juice or honey and mix well. Add flour, oats, baking powder and soda and mix. Add melted butter and beat well. Gently fold in blueberries. Makes 16 muffins. Bake 325 for 25-30 minutes.