Berry Good Breakfast Muffins

True story, inspired by "If You Give a Moose a Muffin", if you're coming to my house, I am going to make sure that there is coffee.  And if there is coffee you'll probably want something to eat. And if you're going to eat something it might as well be a muffin.  And if people are going to be eating muffins, I am going to be baking them.

That is the story behind these Berry Good Breakfast Muffins, we had people coming over at 7am (*I know!  That is crazy early!) and I thought 7am visits deserve muffins.  But, these muffins shouldn't be cloyingly sweet, or filled with butter and chocolate.  They should be a healthy breakfast is a small paper cup.

Berry Good Breakfast Muffins Ingredients

adapted from Joy the Baker's Raspberry and Jam Muffins

1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour

1 1/4 cups dry oatmeal

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 cup unsweetened apple sauce

1/2 cup nonfat Greek Yogurt

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 egg

2 tablespoons raspberry jam (I use no sugar added)

1 cup chopped blackberries

In a large bowl add all of the dry ingredients, flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon and with fork blend together.

In a separate bowl add all of the wet ingredients, egg, yogurt, apple sauce and sugar.  With that same trusty fork blend these ingredients.  There is something to be said about a recipe that doesn't require, or isn't made any easier by using an electric blender.

When the wet ingredients are blended all the pieces will be fully incorporated and smooth.  Slowly add the wet to the dry and incorporate together and whisk together so everything is one big batter.

I used blackberries because that is what I had on hand.  I chopped them up so that the juice would flow throughout each bit and because blackberries are bigger and have a stronger flavor than blueberries (another delicious option).  Really any fruit works here.

With each scoop of jam I broke it apart into smaller chunks within the batter and very gently folded it in without turning the batter a pretty shade of pinkish purple. 

Set these little breakfast bites into a 375 degree oven for 16 minutes.  The batter makes 18 muffins, so you might want to invite people over at 7am to share these with and enjoy!

Pear Cranberry Muffins

 This weekend I finally got back to baking.  After the holidays I didn't have a lot of baking interest, which is not to say I wasn't still consuming baked goods by the handful, I was.  In any case, I wanted to foray back into the flour, sugar, butter and eggs with a healthy and seasonal pick.

Pear Cranberry Muffins 

Ingredients

1/4 + 1/8 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon of salt
 

2 tbsp unsalted butter

2 tbsp nonfat Greek yogurt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 egg

1/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup fresh squeezed orange juice

zest of one orange

1 cup chopped Bosc Pear

1/4 cup chopped fresh cranberries

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Set oven to 350 degrees, bake for 25  minutes
 

This looks like maybe a lot of ingredients, but it is really pretty simple, and very easy, and beyond delicious.  Yes, I received comments like "this is the best muffins you've ever made!".  So, what are you waiting for?

In a small saucepan melt the 2 tbsp of butter, and set aside to cool.  In a small bowl whisk the egg and then add the Greek yogurt and continue to whisk.  At this stage is may start to resemble cottage cheese, do not worry.  Slowly add the cooled, but melted butter and the sugar and continue to whisk.  

Now the egg mixture is a beautiful creamy golden color.  At this time add the fresh squeeze orange juice, the zest and the vanilla, give this a good whisk and set aside.

In a separate bowl mix the flours, baking powder, baking soda and spices.  Set this aside and move onto the chopping of the pears, cranberries and walnuts.

Create a well in the flour bowl and pour in the egg mixture and mix enough to fully incorporate the dry and wet ingredients.   With a spoon mix in the the chopped pears, cranberries and walnuts.

With a large spoon scoop the batter into muffin cups and bake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees.

These muffins are a delight, full of moisture, seasonal fruits and low in calories.  Secret: These beat those packages 100 calories vita-muffins in flavor, and health!

Sweetness for the New Year

Growing up there were certain food pairings that always went together: peanut butter and jelly, Oreo cookies and milk, apples and honey.  As the Jewish High Holiday season approaches, my mind and my appetite starts to shift away from blueberries and peaches and to autumn's bounty of apples.  

On Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, it is traditional to dip apples into honey for it signifies the wish for sweetness in the coming year - but really any reason is a good reason to mix apples with sweetness.  The holiday season is always filled with multiple meals, treats and often overindulging, this healthier take on a traditional apple cake will set the year off on a healthier and sweet note, and that's what I always wish for good health and sweetness.  

Whole Wheat Apple Muffins, adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients: 

1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup of apple sauce
1/3 cup granulated sugar
 2 tbsps dark brown sugar, packed
1 large egg
1 cup non-fat greek yogurt
2 large apples, coarsely chopped

Preheat the oven to 450°F.

I have to start off by saying that I played with the ingredients for this recipe to create something lighter, and more sponge cake like than a traditional dense muffin - although I do love a good muffin.  

Let's get started, all of the dry ingredients are in one bowl.  Because I subbed out half of the butter, I halved the amount of all-purpose flour and added half a cup of cake flour to help keep the fluffiness.  I also used less sugar than the original recipe called for because of the natural and added sugars in apple sauce.  As a side note, we just got fresh cinnamon, and the aroma is amazing.

In a separate bowl mix the butter, apple sauce, and sugars.  When the butter is broken up enough - it won't look like normal creamed butter and sugar because the liquid content of the apple sauce, don't worry.  Now blend in the egg.  It still is not going to be pretty, don't worry.  Now add in the yogurt.  I use non-fat, sugar free Greek yogurt, because I don't want to add extra sugars that are hidden in most yogurts.

After you blend the yogurt it will resemble what you probably expected the mixture to look like all along - phew!  Slowly add the dry ingredients to to the wet mixture.

Time to get to the apples.  I am partial to granny smith apples.  I use them for my apple pies or just for snack.  I love their tart flavor and crisp bite.  I am sure you could use your favorite variety.  Make sure to eat some apples a long the way, that's what I did.

With a large spoon mix in the apples.  I have to warn you at this point the batter is sticky, and not at all like a traditional cake dough.  It more closely resembles a cookie dough.  Don't worry about it.  Seriously, apples and sugar and yogurt and flour is not something to worry about.

Plop large spoonfuls of the batter into muffin cups or if you run out of papers as I did eventually just make small balls on a cookie tray.  For extra sweetness you can sprinkle a bit of brown sugar on top of the muffins.

Pop these into a 450 degree oven for 10 minutes, and then lower the oven temperature to 400 degree for another 5 minutes.  That is it.  It is a fast, fast baking recipe.  Kind of perfect for the holiday season when you are cooking/basting/baking all day and don't have time to slave over dessert - and probably even better to save for yourself for a treat the next day.

Wishing you good baked goods, health and happiness.