Hungry Janey: Muffins

Showing posts with label Muffins. Show all posts

Chocolate Squash Muffins

Few things delight me like vegetables where you least suspect them. Sneaky little squash, working its way into treat-like muffins? I love it!

I started with this recipe, submitted by a reader on Food.com. I had some leftover squash that I wanted to use, and I thought its velvety texture would be good in a muffin. I was right about the texture, and its sweetness worked very well with chocolate. You'd never know there were vegetables in this muffin! Why didn't I think of this for my series using Thanksgiving leftovers?!

1/4 C oil
1/4 C cocoa
1 C cooked & pureed squash (I used acorn, but butternut would be great too)
1 egg
1/2 C sugar
1 1/3 C flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cinnamon

Mix oil and cocoa until smooth. Add pureed squash, egg, and sugar. Stir well to combine. Whisk flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Fold wet ingredients into flour mixture until just combined. Do not over mix. Divide into lined or greased muffin tins. Sprinkle with coarse sugar, if desired. Bake at 400` for 25 minutes.

You could definitely put icing on these and call them a cupcake.

They are that chocolaty and delicious!

Banana Granola Muffins

I found this recipe from Just a Taste months ago via Pinterest, but for one reason or another, I neglected to share it. We absolutely love this recipe! It's become one of the main muffin recipes I make, along with our other favourites; blueberry zucchini and raspberry cream cheese. The granola adds a really great crunch!

3 over ripe bananas, mashed

1/4 C plain or vanilla yogurt

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

6 Tblsp butter, melted and cooled

3/4 C sugar

2 C flour

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 tsp baking soda

1 C granola (I use Special K granola. Simon loves it stirred in to his Greek yogurt too)

Mash bananas, then combine with yogurt, eggs, vanilla, and butter. Stir in sugar and mix well. Combine flour, salt, and baking soda. Stir the dry mixture into the wet mixture, and stir until almost combined (only about 10-12 strokes). Stir in granola just to distribute. Spoon into greased or lined muffin tins. Bake at 350' for about 25 minutes, until tops are golden and the center of the muffins springs back lightly with touched.

Rhubarb Muffins

I saw this recipe and gladly used the last little bit of rhubarb I had frozen from last year. Bring on this year's crop! These yummy muffins made me hungry for more rhubarb baking (especially my favourite rhubarb coffee cake).

2 C flour
3/4 C sugar
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 C sour cream (or plain yogurt)
8 Tblsp butter, melted and cooled
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 C rhubarb, finely chopped

Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Whisk the sour cream, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla until smooth. Lightly stir the sour cream mixture into the dry ingredients until just blended - don't overmix. Fold in rhubarb. Divide among 12 muffin cups. (This is a very thick batter, and it will fill the cups) Sprinkle each muffin with cinnamon and sugar. Bake at 400` for about 20 minutes, or until they test done.

I didn't intend to take this series of photos, but it's hilarious to see the results from three quickly snapped photos while the kids were in the kitchen. If it's not obvious, they loved them.

Morning Glory Bars

Are you thinking "Really, Jane? More baked goods this week?" I'm sure my husband thinks that everyday when he gets home from work and sees the counters filled with cooling muffins, scones, and breads. I'm expecting baby #3 any minute now, so I'm baking up a storm to fill our freezer with easy-to-grab snacks. What would happen if I didn't? Late-night nursing sessions would be fueled by handfuls of chocolate chips.
I kid you not - I've been there.

On to Morning Glory Bars! I got this recipe from a in my mother's huge collection of cookbooks. (I'll check the title and link to it shortly) They are healthy and delicious, and my toddlers think it's cake - which is a nice bonus!

1 1/2 C flour

1 1/2 C bran cereal

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp all spice

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/8 tsp salt

1 egg

3/4 C yogurt

1/2 C brown sugar

1/3 C vegetable oil

2 Tbsp molasses (or honey could be used)

1 1/2 C grated carrot

1/2 C raisins

Combine flour, bran, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, all spice in a large bowl. Whisk together egg, yogurt, brown sugar, vegetable oil, and molasses. Combine wet and dry mixtures until just moistened, then stir in grated carrot and raisins. Spread mixture into a greased 9X13 baking dish and bake at 350` for 25-30 minutes or until springs back lightly when touched. Cool completely in pan before cutting into bars.

Lemon Blueberry Ricotta Muffins

I had some ricotta in the fridge (leftover from the seafood lasagna) that I wanted to use. I generally just use ricotta with pasta, but I spotted this recipe for muffins and thought it sounded interesting. They didn't rise to have as nice a presentation as some other muffin recipes we like, but they had a great taste and texture.

1 C ricotta cheese
2 eggs
1 C milk
1 Tblsp vanilla
1 Tblsp lemon juice
4 Tblsp butter, melted and cooled
2 C flour
3/4 C white sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tblsp lemon zest
1 1/2 C blueberries

Whisk the ricotta cheese. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Add milk, vanilla, lemon juice, and butter. Mix well.

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and lemon zest. Add to the wet mixture and stir until just combined. Fold in the blueberries. (Do not over mix this mixture or the muffins will be tough when baked.)

Divide in lined or greased muffin tins nad bake at 350' for 30 minutes, or until lightly browned on the edges and testing clean.

Blueberry-Yogurt Muffins

My friend Natalia shared this recipe with me quite a while ago, but I've neglected to share it with all of you. These muffins are light, delicious, and a very healthy grab-and-go snack or breakfast.

2 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup orange juice
2 tblsp vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup of vanilla yogurt
1 large egg
1 1/2 cups blueberries

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl; make a well in center of mixture. In a separate bowl, combine orange juice, oil, vanilla, yogurt and egg; add to dry ingredients, stirring just until moist. Gently fold in blueberries. Spoon batter into prepared pans. Bake at 400` for 15-20 minutes.

Weight Watcher's Chocolate Chip Chocolate Muffins

A friend shared this recipe with me, but the copy she sent didn't cite the original source, and I didn't find it in a quick search. I'll be sure to check with her an update this post, but until then...enjoy!

1 Cup unsweetened apple sauce
1/2 Cup white sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract (I omitted)
1 Tblsp canola oil
3/4 Cup whole-wheat flour
1/3 Cup cocoa
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 Cup chocolate chips

Combine apple sauce, sugar, vanilla, almond extract, and oil. Stir well and set aside to allow sugar to dissolve. Sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Combine with wet ingredients, and fold in chocolate chips. Spray muffin tin with non stick spray (or use one of my fave kitchen items - silicone muffin liners). Divide batter to make 9 muffins. Bake at 375` for 20 minutes, or until firm to the touch.

Lemon Muffins

Shared with me by "Blog-less Laura", this recipe for glazed lemon bread is a little piece of heaven. Recently, I've been making it in mini-loaf pans and skipping the glaze so they can serve as yummy breakfast muffins. If you are looking for an indulgent bread to serve with tea, look no further than the original recipe! If you are looking for an easy citrus breakfast muffin, keep reading.

1 2/3 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
2 large eggs
2 tsp lemon zest
1/2 cup milk

Beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Add lemon zest. Combine dry ingredients. Mix in dry ingredients into butter mixture alternately with milk. Pour batter into prepared muffin (or mini-loaf) pan. Bake approximately 20-25 minutes or until done.

Blueberry Cream Cheese Muffins

Remember when I shared my love of Cooking Light's Raspberry Cream Cheese Muffins? I have made these muffins about six times since. No joke. They are that good! And you know what else is delicious? A blueberry substitution. What is even sweeter? I got an amazing deal on some frozen blueberries a few weeks ago. I see a lot of these muffins in my future. :)

1/3 C cream cheese
2 1/2 tbsp butter, softened
1/2 C sugar
3/4 tsp vanilla
1 large egg
1 C flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 C milk
1 cup frozen blueberries

Beat cream cheese and butter in a large bowl until well blended. Add sugar, vanilla, and egg. Beat until fluffy.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add to cream cheese mixture, alternating with milk. Fold in blueberries.

Spoon batter into prepared muffin pan. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until done. Yeilds 12 small-ish muffins.

Raspberry Cream Cheese Muffins

These muffins were adapted from this recipe from Cooking Light . Unfortunately, my changes make them a little less healthy because I was working with ingredients that I already had. I look forward to trying the original recipe sometime soon. These muffins taste like a coffee shop treat!

1/3 C light cream cheese
2 1/2 tbsp butter, softened
1/2 C sugar
3/4 tsp vanilla
1 large egg
1 C flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 C milk
1 cup frozen raspberries

Beat cream cheese and butter in a large bowl until well blended. Add sugar, vanilla, and egg. Beat until fluffy.

Combine flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Add to cream cheese mixture, alternating with milk. Fold in raspberries.

Spoon batter into prepared muffin pan. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until done. Yeilds 12 small-ish muffins.

Grapefruit Muffins

We eat a lot of muffins in this house - at least a batch a week. They are just such a quick and healthy snack to grab on the way out the door, and my kids will eat anything in muffin form. I had a bunch of grapefruit from a big sale, and I wanted to do something other than eat it raw. It was so hard to find grapefruit recipes online! I couldn't find anything that looked both appealing and healthy, so I improvised. This is a combination of several recipes for other citrus muffins that I found both online and in a few cookbooks.

2 C flour
2 t baking powder
1/4 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1/2 C white sugar
2 T grapefruit zest
3/4 C freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
1/2 melted butter
2 eggs
1/2 C ground flax seed

Combine dry ingredients. Wisk zest, juice, butter, eggs, and flax. Stir into dry ingredients until just blended. Spoon into 12 lined muffin tins. Bake at 350` for approximately 20 minutes.

I put a little streusel topping before baking the muffins pictured, but I would leave that out next time, so I left it out of the recipe above.

Carrot Raisin Bran Muffins

I picked up this great book at the library. I have oodles of things bookmarked, but this is the first recipe I actually tried. And I already have late fines on the book. Oops! Oh well, this recipe is worth it.

1 C Natural Bran
1 C Buttermilk
2 Large Eggs
1/2 C Unsweetened Applesauce
1/3 C Vegetable Oil
3/4 C Packed Brown Sugar
1 1/4 C All-Purpose Flour
1/2 C Whole-Wheat Flour
2 tsp Baking Powder
1 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Salt
1 1/2 C Grated Carrot
1/2 C Chopped Pitted Dates, Raisins, or Cranberries (I used raisins)

Combine first 6 ingredients in one bowl. Combine the dry ingredients in another bowl, and toss with the carrot and raisins until coated. Add flour mixture to bran mixture and stir until just combined. Spoon into 18 prepared muffin cups. Bake at 400' for 20-22 minutes.

Blueberry Muffins

I'm really not that into blueberry muffins. I have my favourite go-to muffins (cran-apple and banana-chocolate-chip), but I don't make bluberry muffins very often because I don't have a really great recipe. Isaac loves bluberry muffins though, so I've been experimenting with a few different ones lately. Here's the latest one we tried. I still don't think it's *the* recipe I'm looking for, but it's the best one yet. Do you have a fave? Share it with me!

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cup milk
1-1/2 cups blueberries

In bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. In separate bowl, cream butter with sugar; beat in eggs one at a time. Gradually stir in milk (mixture may appear curdled). Make a well in centre of dry ingredients; pour in liquid and stir just until moistened. Gently fold in blueberries.
Spoon into large paper-lined or well-greased muffin cups, filling to top. Bake in 375°F (190°C) oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until tops are firm to the touch.

"BabyFit" Blueberry Muffins

I found this recipe at babyfit.com eons ago, but I didn't make it until recently. They were a hit with Isaac (our muffin connoisseur)

1 cup unsweetened blueberries, fresh or frozen
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/4 cup oil
1/2 cup skim milk
1 tsp sugar for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 400° F. Lightly spray a muffin tin with vegetable spray. In a large bowl, sift flour, baking powder and 1/3 cup sugar together.In a small bowl, combine egg, oil and milk. Pour all at once into dry ingredients. Stir just enough to blend. Gently stir in blueberries. Pour batter into prepared muffin tin, filling each cup 2/3 full. Sprinkle lightly with 1 teaspoon sugar (I also sprinkled with oatmeal) and bake 17 minutes, or until light brown. Allow muffins to cool 2 minutes before removing from pan. Makes 12 muffins.

Yogurt Berry Muffins

It was a rainy day here today, which translated into a lot of time in the kitchen. I found this recipe online and just changed a few little things: I used vanilla yogurt and a combination of blueberries and cranberries.

Normally, I'm really particular about making our muffins really healthy - and I think that 1 cup of sugar is too much for 12 muffins that already have sweetened yogurt - but I did it anyway. And they are delicious!

I agree with the reviewers on the recipe site - the dough is so thick! Use a larger mixing bowl than you think you will need because you will need a lot of stirring room.

Blueberry Bran Muffins

We were at my favourite coffee shop last week, and I ordered a carrot muffin. Isaac was very interested in it, so I decided to give him a bite. He ended up eating more of the muffin than I did. I came home with the plan to make some healthy muffins that he could enjoy with this lunch. I found this muffin recipe the other day, and they are great...especially for a healthy snack!

I don't have a picture of the actual muffins because, although they taste good, mine turned out as ugly as sin. Here's a picture of Isaac eating one though! I swear he was enjoying it, but the camera brought a grimace out of him.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Excited to make use of my new mini-muffin pans, and not wanting to waste an open can of pumpkin pie filling, I made these muffins today. I just get so excited over seasonal food - no matter which season :)

3/4 C white sugar
1/4 C vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 C canned pumpkin pie filling
1 1/2 C all-purpose flour
3/4 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1 t nugmeg
2 t cinnamon
1/2 C semisweet chocolate chips

Mix sugar, oil, eggs. Add pumpkin. In separate bowl mix together the baking flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices and salt. Add wet mixture and stir in chocolate chips. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake at 400' for 25 minutes for regular muffins, or 15 minutes for mini muffins

Apple Spice Muffins

We are still working our way through all the apples we picked before Thanksgiving, so I had to use them in this week's muffins. I found this recipe in one of those compilation fundraising cookbooks - one that my older brother sold to raise money for his grade nine trip. Pretty random, but I remembered having read an apple muffin recipe so I had to seek it out.

2 C flour
1/4 C sugar
3 1/2 t baking powder
3/4 t salt
1 t cinnamon
1/4 t nutmeg
1 C chopped peeled apple
1 egg, beaten
1 C milk
1/4 C oil

Blend dry ingredients, then stir in apple. Make a well in the centre. Combgine wet ingredients and pour into well. Stir until just combined. Fill 12 muffin tins and bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes.

These were a little too cakey for me muffin tastes, so next time I would use some whole-wheat flour, and increase the amount of apple and cinnamon. Josh liked them as-is, but he would eat the rug if I put it on a plate.

Muffin Madness

Trying to kill some 'waiting for baby' time and thinking ahead to 'too busy to cook' time, I made a slew of snacks yesterday to freeze. I made two of my faves: the recipes and pictures for my cranberry-apple muffins and my banana-chocolate chip are already posted here. I also tried two new ones: Power Hungry Muffins (I think I got the recipe from someone on thenest.com, but I didn't note who), and Yogurt Strawberry biscuits (which I created from a recipe for strawberry yogurt scones that I had found online).

PowerHungry Muffins

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup dried cranberries

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

3 tsp cinnamon (plus extra for sprinkling)

4 egg whites

1 cup honey

1 cup vanilla yogurt

2 ripe bananas, mashed

2 tsps vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease muffin tins. In large bowl, stir together dry ingredients. In medium bowl, whisk together wet ingredients. Carefully fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fill each muffin cup 3/4 full. Sprinkle tops with cinnamon and a little brown sugar, if desired, and bake about 12 minutes or until done.

Yogurt Strawberry Biscuits

1 ½ cups all purpose flour

2/3 cup whole wheat flour

2 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. baking soda

¼ tsp. salt

1 cup homemade strawberry jam

2/3 cup vanilla yogurt

3 Tbsp. butter, melted

2 Tblsp orange juice

1 large egg white, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 400°. Combine flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Combine jam, yogurt, butter, orange juice, and egg white; add to flour mixture, stirring until just moist. Drop by spoonful onto a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake for 20 minutes or until lightly browned.

Super-fantastic-crazy-great Muffins

Whenever I take these muffins someplace, people ask me for the recipe, and are floored at how healthy they are. We are addicted to them...

1 Egg
¾ C Skim Milk
3 Tbs Oil
½ C White Sugar
1 Medium apple - peeled and chopped (I use Cortland)
¾ C cranberries (I use frozen, and usually add more like 1 cup)
1 C Oats
1 C Flour (I use whole-wheat when making them for us)
¼ tsp Salt
1 Tbs Baking Powder
½ tsp Nutmeg
2 tsp Cinnamon

Beat egg, milk, oil, and sugar. Stir in apples and cranberries. Combine dry ingredients and stir in with the wet mixture. Bake at 400` for 15-20 minutes.

I had the nutrional information for this recipe in its original state, but I tweaked it a little...still looking for a good website that will calculate that stuff for me. If anyone knows of one, please pass the URL along! :)

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