This Dame Cooks

If you’re not one to eat breakfast first thing in the morning then muffins are the perfect grab-n-go for that first coffee break. Healthy oats or bran buds mixed in the batter with fresh blueberries, chunks of bananas, dried figs, cranberries or dates, and nuts or seeds will fill you up and not out.  They’re loaded with fiber and energy for busy people.  The fat content of these muffins is as low as 2 oz for a batch of 6 Texas-sized muffins, if you use low-fat yogurt or buttermilk. The sugar content, those empty calories, is down to 1/2 cup so they’re not too sweet or too bland. Alternately, use agave nectar or honey for a more natural sweetener that cooks without a chemical after-taste.

The use of yogurt or buttermilk helps the baking powder and soda really perform. The muffins are tender, light and fluffy yet not crumbly. Make up a few batches for next week. They freeze beautifully in a ziplock bag or wrap them individually in foil and freeze. Just pop them in the microwave for 1 minute to warm.

This recipe is for 6 Texas-sized muffins, or 12 regular sized muffins. Be sure to check your oven temperature before baking.  If your oven is too hot muffins will be crispy on outside.  If your oven is too cool the muffins will be tough or worse yet undercooked in the center.   Adjust your oven to achieve the recommended temperature of 375° F.   If you bake without muffin tin liners, butter or spray the muffin cups just on the bottom.  The sides need not be greased so the batter clings to the sides and climbs higher during the baking.

Ingredients for basic muffins:

• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tsp baking power
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1-1/4 cups yogurt or buttermilk
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil or melted butter
• 1 egg
• 1 cup fruit
• 1/2 nuts

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 375° F.  Butter or spray bottoms of muffins cups.
2. Mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl.
3. Mix all wet ingredients in a medium bowl.
4. Toss fruit and nuts with 1 Tbsp flour
5. Add wet mixture to dry mixture and fold 10 or 12 times to mix.  Mix should be lumpy
6. Fold in fruit and nuts.
7. Divide batter among muffins cups.  Bake for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned and top springs back when gently pressed.  May use a toothpick or skewer to test inside.  (Bake 12-15 minutes for regular sized muffins and 2-3 minutes longer if using cup liners.)
8. Remove muffins from tin to a cooling rack.  Serve while warm with butter, honey, clotted cream or jam.
9. When completely cool, place muffins in freezer safe container for storage.  If used within 2 weeks, muffins will taste fresh and need minimal warming or just thawed to be enjoyed.

Variations:

1. Figgy Oatmeal Muffins: Soak 1 cup of quick-cooking oats in wet ingredients and use only 1 cup of flour.  Add chopped figs and 1/2 cup chopped almonds to dry mixture.  Sprinkle with sesame seeds before baking.
2. Date Nut Orange Muffins:  Use 1 cup yogurt and 1/4 cup orange juice in wet mixture.  Add zest of half an orange, 1 cup chopped dates, 1/2 cup chopped pecans to dry mixture.  When baked, dip top of each muffin in orange juice and press in a bowl of sugar laced with orange zest.
3. Blueberry Muffins:  Add 1 tsp of vanilla to wet mixture.  Toss 1 cup of blueberries with 1 Tbsp flour and add to batter.  When baked, brush top of each muffin with butter and dip in bowl of cinnamon sugar.

Blueberry and Date Nut Orange Muffins