Recipe request---Healthy muffins

[willibug]

My 3yo is going through one of those difficult-to-feed stages, but she seems to really go for muffins. She loves pumpkin muffins, for example. Can anyone give me any other recipes for healthy muffins so I can try to sneak some nutrients into her unnoticed? Thanks!

[gardenmommy]

Here are two of our favorite muffin recipes.

This one is from Laurel's Kitchen, and is really quick and easy. My 3 yr. old loves to help make these.
Cinnamuffins
1/4 cup oil
1/2 cup dark molasses (I use mostly molasses, and a little bit of honey, as it makes them just a little sweeter)
1 cup applesauce
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. cinnamon (I use closer to a whole tsp.)
pinch cloves (don't have any, so I substitute a little nutmeg)
1/2 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 375. Grease a 12 cup muffin tin. Mix the oil molasses, and applesauce. Mix together the dry ingredients. Combine wet and dry ingredients. Stir in the raisins. Drop into muffin cups and bake 18-20 min. Makes about 12 muffins.

This one is from my mom, so I'm not sure of the cookbook origin.
Banana Bran Muffins
1 cup flour
3 Tblsp. sugar
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup whole bran (as opposed to flakes, I suppose)
1 well-beaten egg
1 cup mashed very ripe banana
1/4 cup milk (I used a rice/soy combination)
2 Tblsp. oil

Preheat oven to 400. Grease muffin tin. Mix wet and dry ingredients separately, then combine. Drop into muffin cups, and bake 20-25 min. Makes 10-12 muffins.

When I made this one, I didn't have any bran, so I used 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour and 1/2 cup white flour. I had to add more milk to get the right batter consistency, but they turned out really well.

I hope this helps. Muffins are a favorite at our house because they are so easy, and my ds can help mix them and put them in the pan.

[bebe luna]

I have a bunch of muffin recipes. I'm not sure which ones you'd be interested in. I'll name a few, let me know if you're interested:

*Banana-nut muffins
*Pumpkin-spice muffins
*Bran muffins
*Cherry-almond muffins
*Cornmeal muffins
*Maple-walnut-thyme muffins
*3 Berry muffins
*Carrot cake muffins

Also, I like to make muffins w/ spelt, oat, or brown-rice flour, instead of wheat... and maple syrup or brown-rice syrup instead of sugar... and canola oil, Spectrum Spread, or apple sauce instead of butter or shortening... I've also been using egg alternatives. That way my ds can enjoy them also! Most recipes can be altered w/ success. Sometimes I add some flax meal or flax seeds. Walnuts and dried fruit can also be great healthy additions.

[Wildflower]

oooohhhh I'd be into the bran ones, epecially if they can be vegan. I try to use wheat alternatives, also, do you use wheat bran for these? I've been wondering if other kinds of bran, like oat or something, are as tasty as wheat bran, and if you can subsitute...thanks!

[Mama]

thats so funny!!

I was going to post my favorite applesauce muffin recipe but gardenmommy beat me to it!!!

Its the exact same recipe, isn't that funny!

I also sub the sugar for honey or rice syrup. I like to use other kinds of flour as well.

You can be very creative and healthy when it comes to sweet treats!!

happy eatin!!

Cece

[willibug]

Thanks everyone! They all sound yummy! Bebe Luna, I'd be interested in the cornmeal and the carrot cake ones. I'd appreciate the recipes, and it looks like others would, too!

[bebe luna]

Carrot Cake Muffins #1:
1 1/2 cups spelt flour
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. salt
2 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 cup apple sauce
3/4 cup soy or rice milk
egg replacer to equal 1 egg
3/4 cup grated carrot
1 tsp. grated fresh ginger
***Preheat oven to 350. Mix all dry ingrediants in one bowl. Mix wet ingrediants in another. Stir wet into dry and mix together until blended. Spoon into oiled muffin tins. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Carrot Cake Muffins #2:
2 cups spelt flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking pwdr.
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp each- cinnamon, all spice, & nutmeg
2 Tbsp. poppy seeds
2 cups grated carrot
1/3 cup oil
zest of 1 orange
1 cup orange juice
1/3 cup raisins
1/3 cup maple syrup
2/3 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
***Preheat oven to 350. Whisk together the oil & syrup, then whisk in orange zest and OJ. Then stir in raisins and carrots. In a seperate bowl sift dry ingrediants, then stir wet into dry. Fold in nuts. Spoon into greased tins and bake for 30-35 min.

Corn Muffins:
1 1/4 cup spelt flour
3/4 cup stoneground corn meal
4 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
egg replacer to equal 1 egg
2/3 cup soy or rice milk
1/3 cup lite olive oil or canola oil
***optional-
2 Tbsp. sweetener
or, 1/2 - 3/4 cup corn kernals
***Preheat oven to 425. Sift dry ingrediants together. In a seperate bowl blend wet ingrediants. Add wet to dry ingrediants and stir just enough to dampen all ingrediants. Spoon into oiled muffin tins. Bake 18-20 min.

Bran Muffins #1:
3 cups Oat bran
2 1/4 cups spelt flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup brown rice syrup
1/2 cup prune whip (soak prunes until soft- then process in blender w/ a little of soak water until creamy)
1 1/4 cup water
1 tsp. vinegar or lemon juice
1/2 cup raisins
***Preheat oven to 350. Sift dry ingrediants together in one bowl. Mix wet in another. Stir wet into dry until well mixed (don't overmix). Spoon into oiled muffin tins and bake for 40-45 min

Bran muffins #2:
1 cup spelt flour
3/4 cup oat bran
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup buttermilk or buttermilk substitute
egg replacer to equal 1 egg
1 Tbsp. oil
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tsp. vanilla
**optional- 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
Preheat oven to 350. Sift together dry ingrediants. mix wet in another bowl. Fold dry into wet. Mix well. Spoon into oiled muffin tins. Bake for 15-17 minutes.

[gardenmommy]

Mama, I absolutely love those applesauce muffins! They are so quick to make, I often make them to take to our LLL meetings. DH and DS love them, also, so when I make them for LLL, I have to double the recipe, otherwise there aren't enough for the meeting. Also, ds can help with the stirring and dropping into muffin tins. I really like the fact that they don't have any egg or dairy (ds likes the no egg part, that way he can snack on the batter!).

[amandah2]

Gardenmommy, I just made your cinnamuffins, and they are so delicious!
Thank you!