Pumpkin season it is so pumpkin muffins I bake. Clara and I have been devouring these spiced pumpkin and zucchini filled muffins all week. As usual, they’re whole wheat and minimally sweetened with honey (and chocolate chips if you wish- I just tossed a few on top as a treat). And they’re easily made dairy-free by using coconut oil and almond milk (I tested them this way).
Pumpkin Zucchini Muffins
INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour (I replaced 1/4 cup flour with ground flaxseed)
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg
pinch of cloves
pinch of ginger
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup shredded zucchini, squeezed of excess moisture
1/3 cup honey
1 Tbsp. olive or coconut oil
1 egg
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk or unsweetened almond milk
1/2 cup chocolate chips (I just sprinkled a few on top)
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 12 cup muffins pan with cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger.
3. In a separate large bowl combine pumpkin, zucchini, honey, oil, egg, and vanilla until well combined and smooth. Whisk in almond milk. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Gently fold in chocolate chips (if using), reserving a few for sprinkling on top.
4. Bake in preheated oven for about 18 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for several minutes before removing muffins from the pan to the wire rack to finish cooling.
I can’t remember for sure (as it has been 20+ years) but being a toddler must be tough. Learning to move and communicate with a tiny awkward body. Constant tumbles. Constant rejection. Constantly sick and snotty. It must be frustrating figuring out a new world. Finding out that world isn’t fair.
Most of my day revolves around a miniature being who is so full of life and energy and so fed up with it at the same time. One minute I’m being smothered in hugs and kisses and the next I’m ducking swinging arms and legs amidst wails of despair. (It must be diaper changing time again.) She’s so sweet and innocent and meanwhile clever and mischievous and I never know what I’ll get.
I consider myself a pretty nice mama. I patiently walk in to her bedroom in the middle of almost every night, to give her a hug and a kiss, a sip of water, and lay her back down to sleep. I cook her breakfast, lunch, and dinner and try my hardest to not throw a tantrum when she doesn’t eat. I spend hours at the park and on the floor playing blocks and drawing beside her and reorganizing the drawers she’s emptied. I set limits and stick her in time-out when she loses it. (Which she then begs for anytime I’m making her do something she doesn’t want to be doing. -i.e. diaper changing.) I’m her nurse, stylist, chef, maid, teacher, therapist, and punching bag.
And I love it. I lover her. But what I’m really saying is that some most days being a mama is tough and exhausting. But I’m guessing that being under two (or three, etc.) is hard too. And just like my little Clara, who can’t seem to remember that her potty is for poo-poo and not for stashing toys, I need reminding. That she’s not out to get me. That she needs me. And that she’s allowed to have bad days too.
Anytime I ask Clara what she wants for a snack (which isn’t often, I usually decide what we eat) she’s guaranteed to say one of three things: “chi-chi’s” (cheerios), “oie” (orange), or muffie (muffin). (And she begs for pizza every night. I don’t blame her.) She’s loves her muffins and I love that I can stuff them full of healthy things: oatmeal, whole grains nuts/seeds, fruit (banana, raisins, whatever is in season) and even veggies such as carrots and zucchini.
Today we have coconut banana muffins. I always make my muffins low-sugar (so beware, if you want a dessert-type muffin you’ll want to increase the amount of sugar) and usually low-fat by swapping out the oil for yogurt or applesauce. This time I left in the coconut oil because it adds so much flavor and has nutrient benefits. And instead of whole wheat flour, I used spelt. It’s still whole grain but makes for an even lighter, more tender muffin. Stock up on spelt- it makes some amazing bread and baked goods! There’s a bit of tang from the sour cream/yogurt and texture from the coconut. And they’re just sweet enough with banana and brown sugar and cinnamon.
Coconut Banana Muffins
INGREDIENTS
1 3/4 cup whole spelt flour (or white whole wheat flour)
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1/2 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
2 large eggs
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 cup mashed ripe banana (about 2 large bananas)
1/4-1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut + extra for topping (If you use sweetened coconut you could reduce the sugar further)
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Line with muffin liners or lightly grease a 12 cup muffin pan.
2. In a large bowl, whisk to combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. In a separate bowl, whisk to combine the brown sugar, coconut oil, sour cream or yogurt, eggs, vanilla, and mashed banana. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until just combined. Stir in the coconut. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pan.
3. Bake in preheated oven for about 15 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool in the pan for several minutes before removing muffins from the pan onto a wire rack to cool completely.
(NOTE: These muffins freeze well. Reheat at room temperature or in the microwave.)
My mom and sister stopped for a short visit on their cross-country road trip at the beginning of the month. (They were actually on their way from Virginia- my home- to Canada, via Chicago and Utah and Idaho. Quite the expedition. I wasn’t a bit jealous of the drive but somewhat of the destination. My mom grew up in Alberta and it’s been forever since I’ve been to visit. Her small hometown of High River- what a fitting name- was recently devastated by floods and my parents were heading to lend a hand to my family there.)
During her stay my mom generously stocked us up on groceries from Costco, to include an enormous (as is everything from said store) amount of plums. Italian prune plums exactly. They are marvelous for snacking, but we three can only eat so many so fast. Threatened by their impending expiration, I was searching for another way to use them. And then I remembered this muffin recipe from my Smitten Kitchen Cookbook. (Which I adore and cook from obsessively lately.)
These muffins are plump with plums and speckled with poppy seeds. They’re rich and moist and healthy too! I replaced the butter (browned butter would have been divine but I knew Clara and I would be eating way too many for the next few days and wanted to feel good about it) with unsweetened applesauce and cut the sugar in half. 1/4 cup brown sugar was enough (the applesauce and a dusting of turbinado on top contributed as well) for a lightly sweet muffin. And I used all whole wheat flour with no problem. Even lightened up they turned out absolutely delicious! If plums are scarce I bet you could use any available stone fruit with similar results- pears, apricots, pluots. Oh, and they freeze great. So if you have some self control and don’t devour them all immediately, you can pop them in the microwave for a warm homemade muffin anytime!
Plum Poppy Seed Muffins
INGREDIENTS
6 Tbsp. melted butter, browned and cooled (I replaced the butter with 6 Tbsp. unsweetened applesauce)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup brown sugar (or honey or pure maple syrup)
up to 1/4 cup white sugar (I omitted)
3/4 cup sour cream or plain whole-milk yogurt (or even buttermilk- you want something tangy)
1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour (or a mixture of whole wheat and all-purpose flours)
3/4 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. fine grain (table) salt
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
pinch nutmeg
2 Tbsp. poppy seeds
2 cups pitted and diced plums (from about 3/4 lb. Italian prune plums, though any variety would do)
turbinado sugar, for topping (optional)
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan or coat with cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl whisk together the egg and sugars. Stir in the butter (or applesauce) and sour cream (or yogurt). In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and poppy seeds. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir until just combined and still a bit lumpy. Fold in the plums.
3. Divide batter among the prepared muffins cups. Sprinkle with a small amount of turbinado sugar (optional). Bake for 15-18 minutes in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool in the pan for several minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
Oh, my my my. These are good. But my conscience won’t let me recommend them to you without a disclaimer: they are nothing but dessert! So sweet and sinful (and butter-full) that I can’t justify them as anything else. But go ahead, devour them anyway. You shouldn’t be having browned butter blueberry muffins for breakfast every day. But once can’t hurt, right?!
I had never browned butter before. And it scared me a little. I kept a close watch on the saucepan, and, after what seemed like too long, voila!, the butter turned brown! A glorious golden brown with an astonishing aroma. It gives these cupcakes muffins a distinguished taste. I’m not sure how well frozen berries would hold up in this recipe. I do have one trick to share: before adding your berries to the batter, dust them lightly with flour. This prevents them from sinking to the bottom. You will have picture perfect muffins with evenly distributed blueberries!
Browned Butter Blueberry Muffins
INGREDIENTS
7 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1/3 cup whole milk or buttermilk (or low-fat milk works, too)
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
2 cups fresh blueberries (frozen in a pinch)
Crumb topping (makes more than you’ll need):
3 Tbsp. cold unsalted butter, but into tiny cubes
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3 1/2 Tbsp. sugar
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line muffin pan with paper or foil liners.
2. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Keep an eye on the butter. Melt and cook down the butter until little brown bits appear in the pan. The crackling will subside and butter will begin to brown fairly quickly after that. Keep a close eye. Remove from heat.
3. Whisk milk, egg, yolk and vanilla until combined. Add the brown butter and stir to combine.
4. Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl Add milk and butter mixture all at one and stir gently to combine. Gently but thoroughly fold in the blueberries.
5. Divide the batter among muffin cups and spread evenly.
6. To make the topping combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and rub together with your fingertips until crumbly. Sprinkle evenly over the batter in the cups.
7. Bake until golden and crisp and a wooden pick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 18-20 minutes. Cool in pan on a rack for 15 minutes then remove from the pan. Serve warm or at room temperature.
I think my love of muffins is in my genes. One of my little sisters (I have three!) started cooking and posting recipes on her blog recently. As of when I checked today, 8 of her 40 posts (that’s 1 in 5, or 20% if you like to do math, like me) were muffin recipes. (And that doesn’t count the pumpkin bread, banana bread, etc. that could be easily mistaken for muffins in a different form.) Luckily, she too likes to eat healthy. And so most of her muffins contain whole wheat and other nutritious things. Like I said, muffins must run in the family.
It had been far too long since I spent the afternoon whisking together a bowl of muffin batter, impatiently staring through the oven door as the muffins formed their peaks under the heat, and then helped myself to two or three long before they cooled properly. And that’s how it went today. These were soft and moist, flecked with chunks of walnut and shreds of zucchini. One of my favorite healthful snacks to have on hand. (I freeze whatever I don’t devour instantly and reheat them throughout the week.)
Zucchini Walnut Spice Muffins
INGREDIENTS
2 cups white whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour (or use all whole wheat flour)
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice (I used 1/2 tsp. allspice + 1/4 tsp. nutmeg + 1/4 tsp. cloves)
1/2 cup brown sugar (you can add up to 1/4 cup more sugar, but I thought they were plenty sweet)
2 eggs
1/4 cup canola oil (I replaced with 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce)
3/4 cup milk
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups zucchini, grated
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly grease or line a 12-cup muffin pan.
2. In a small bowl, whisk to combine flours, baking powder, salt, and spices. In a large bowl, whisk to combine sugar, eggs, oil (or applesauce), milk, and vanilla. Slowly stir to combine the wet and dry ingredients (don’t overmix). Fold in the zucchini and walnuts.
3. Spoon batter into the prepared muffin pan. Bake in preheated oven for 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.
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