Incredible Muffins for the Morning
After reading about them in the WSJ weekend edition, my wife Meg decided to prepare these delicious muffins with lots of healthy ingredients like carrots, raisins, apples, and parsnips. She substituted unsweetened shredded coconut for sweetened coconut because that’s what we had on hand, and I don’t think it made any difference.
I started Mark Bittman’s VB6 or Eat Vegan Before 6:00 dietary lifestyle (diet) this weekend, which I’ll be discussing more after I try it for a few weeks, but I couldn’t resist one of these muffins Saturday morning. They just looked and smelled too good.
Now, the remaining muffins are sitting on the counter in a zip-lock bag, and I’m doing everything I can to keep my hungry eyes and hands off them. This is a great basic recipe for those who are just trying their hand at making muffins for the first time. You combine the wet ingredients, add them to the dry ingredients, and put the mixture into a muffin pan. Bake, cool, and you’re ready to eat.
History
The history of muffins can be traced back to ancient times, and the concept has evolved over centuries. Here’s a brief overview:
Origins: The word “muffin” is believed to have originated in the early 18th century, derived from the French word “moufflet,” meaning soft bread. The earliest versions were more like what we now call English muffins, small, round, flat yeast-leavened bread cakes.
American Evolution: Muffins took a different form in the United States. American-style muffins are typically quick bread, leavened with baking powder or baking soda instead of yeast. By the 19th century, recipes for muffins started to appear in cookbooks. These muffins were often sweetened and included ingredients like fruits and nuts.
Popularity Growth: They gained popularity in the 20th century, with commercial mixes becoming available, making it easier for people to bake them at home. The 1970s and 1980s saw a significant rise in the popularity of muffins, and they became a staple in coffee shops and bakeries.
Varieties and Innovation: Over time, various regional and cultural variations of muffins emerged. Different ingredients, flavors, and styles became popular. Healthy variations, incorporating ingredients like whole wheat flour, oats, and seeds, also gained popularity as people became more conscious of their dietary choices.
Continued Evolution: Today, they come in various flavors, shapes, and sizes. They can be sweet or savory, and bakers often experiment with unique combinations of ingredients. Muffins remain a popular breakfast or snack item, enjoyed at home and from various food establishments.
Morning Muffins Recipe
Equipment
- Muffin tin
Ingredients
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup sugar
- ¼ cup dark brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup shredded unsweetened coconut
- 1 cup grated carrot
- 1 cup grated parsnip
- ½ cup golden raisins
- 1 apple grated
- 1 cup canned crushed pineapple
- ½ cup chopped lightly toasted pecans or walnuts
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup canola oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Prep the Ingredients
- Get all the ingredients together so you don't have to run for this and that once you get started.
- Grate the apple, carrots and parsnip.
- Toast the nuts if you didn't start with toasted ones first.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F
Make the Muffins
- You need two bowls and a muffin tin to make these muffins. Start by whisking together the flour, sugars, cinnamon, cardamon, baking soda and salt in the larger of the two bowls.
- Next add the shredded coconut, grated carrots, parsnips, apple and then the pineapple along with the roasted nuts.
- In the other bowl, whisk to combine the eggs, oil, and vanilla extract.
- Transfer this mixture to the larger bowl with the dry ingredients and stir to combine all the ingredients.
- Using muffin liners placed in each spot of the muffin pan, divide the muffin batter into the liners. You only want to fill the liners ⅔'s full to allow for the expansion when the muffins cook.
- Place the muffin pan into the oven and bake for about 35 minutes or until you can stick a wooden toothpick into the center of a muffin and it comes out clean.
- Let the muffins cool, remove from the muffin pan and serve.
4 Responses
Wow–vegan during the day! I could probably do that (although I do love cheese so very much)! Two of our Fearless Friends are vegan. You should consult with Marly and Kathy!
Love the sound of the muffins, too!
Thank Jenni. Not only vegan but nothing processed or cooked although I’m not sure how long I’ll last with that. Lot’s of fruits and smoothies for breakfast and salads for lunch. I’ll let you know how I like it in a couple of weeks. The actual diet I believe is just vegan until 6pm and then anything you want, but I heard an interview with Mark Bittman on NPR and I thought he said he eats just raw foods during the day. I have to go back and re-listen to the interview.
I’m fascinated that 1 cup of parsnip is included. Very intriguing! What discipline to eat only one!!
Maybe I need to back and sample a few more to comment on the taste of parsnip in these muffins. To be honest, I had no idea there were parsnips in them until my wife told me after.