Savory Butternut Parmesan Muffins

I made up another small batch of savory muffins to go with our dinner one night this week. These butternut muffins with herbs and a little parmesan and cheddar were a wonderfully flavored side and matched well with our rosemary and garlic pan-fried lamb steaks, roasted cauliflower, and roasted brussels sprouts with garlic and walnuts. I had leftover roasted butternut squash from a couple of nights ago, which made these very easy to throw together,  just stuck them into the oven in the last 20 minutes of roasting the cauliflower and brussels sprouts.  

savory muffins full of roasted butternut squash, herbs,
 a little parmesan & cheddar cheese

Like the savory pepper cheddar oat muffins I posted last week, these butternut beauties are a fairly quick way to get a little homemade something on the table, even on busy nights. I remember coming home from school after late practices, starving, and realizing that mom had a batch of savory muffins in the oven to go with dinner. The smell of homemade bread of any sort baking in the oven is amazing, but I always liked muffins best.

packed with flavorful vegetables & topped with cheese = ideal savory muffin 

You could doctor these to suit whatever you have on hand, some chopped feta instead of cheddar and parmesan would be good, and rough chopped spinach stirred through would add some nice color. A little chopped bacon or prosciutto would also be amazing here--slightly sweet pumpkin always pairs well with salty cured meat. We can usually find prosciutto cured only with salt (no preservatives) in most grocery stores and delis-- try to use this instead of anything cured with sodium nitrate or sodium nitrite. The combination of half wholewheat and half wholegrain spelt flours worked beautifully, but feel free to experiment with your favorite flours.

There are only a couple of muffins in these photos because we ate the rest before I had a chance to pull out the camera... hope you get a chance to whip some up soon, then watch them disappear just as quickly as you made them!

Savory Butternut Parmesan Muffins

makes 6 muffins (double recipe for 12 muffins)

1/3 cup mashed, cooked butternut squash (or other pumpkin)

1/2 cup milk

1 egg

2 tablespoons oil (I used extra virgin olive oil)

1 tablespoon finely grated parmesan cheese

3 tablespoons finely grated cheddar (divided use)

1 cup flour (I used half whole wheat and half wholegrain spelt flour)

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

pinch of freshly ground sea salt

pinch of freshly ground pepper

1/4 teaspoon dried parsley

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

Preheat oven to 190C / 375F. Prepare a muffin tray (use paper liners sprayed with a little oil, or generously oil and flour the muffin cups directly).

In a large bowl, whisk together the mashed butternut, milk, egg, and oil. Add the parmesan and 2 tablespoons of the cheddar cheese, whisk well. Scatter the dry ingredients evenly over the butternut mixture. Mix just until combined (avoid overmixing to ensure a soft crumb).

Spoon the batter into the muffin tray, distributing evenly amongst 6 muffin cups. Sprinkle the top of the muffins with the remaining tablespoon of cheddar cheese. Bake at 190C / 375F for 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean and the tops are beginning to turn golden brown. Serve warm. 

Will keep in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Savory Pepper Cheddar Oat Muffins

This week has been full of busy nights, working a bit later than usual to stay on top of everything. It's weeks like this when what we eat for dinner matters most, fueling us through and keeping us healthy. But sometimes there just doesn't seem to be enough time or energy left in the day to prepare an entire dinner from scratch. As I mention often on this blog, we have allergies to preservatives and artificial food additives, so most processed foods aren't an option for us. This is a great thing! And it forces us to rely on whole/real food, but it can make shortcut meals more challenging.

There are a couple of local, Australian organic soups on grocery store shelves that I've been buying a bit more often lately to have on hand for busy nights. The soup flavors are creative, with generous portions of vegetables, and they're filling enough to leave us both satisfied. One night this week I grabbed a couple of these soups and decided to make a bit of an effort with homemade muffins to serve alongside. It took very little time to throw the ingredients together and put them in the oven as soon as we got home from work. By the time we'd washed the mixing bowl, set the table, and warmed up the soups, the muffins were ready to eat, and made our shortcut soup dinner taste homemade.

small batch savory muffins with oats, pepper, herbs, and cheddar

The hubs is looking over my shoulder as I write this post and insists that *mustard is the main drawcard* for these muffins, and that I should call them Mustard Cheese Muffins. Such a man. This guy eats mustard from a spoon. I kindly overruled and insisted back that Mustard Cheese Muffins is perhaps not the most attractive recipe title. But he does have a point-- the little bit of mustard in these savory muffins, along with the mix of freshly ground pepper, herbs, and shredded cheese, really does make them stand out. Oats are always a winner at our house (heart healthy!), and I loved the soft but hearty texture of part spelt / part wholewheat flour.

savory pepper and cheddar oat muffins with a tiny hint of mustard: delicious dinner accompaniment

I've only baked these in a small batch (six muffins), but I'm sure doubling the ingredients will work fine to bake a full dozen. They're best eaten warm, so serve straight out of the oven, or reheat in the microwave for a few seconds. Whip up a tray of these savory, cheese-topped muffins for your next weeknight dinner, and enjoy fresh-from-the-oven, homemade taste even on your busiest days!

Savory Pepper Cheddar Oat Muffins 
makes 6 muffins (double recipe for 12 muffins)

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon rolled oats (not instant)
3/4 cups milk (any fat content will do)
1 - 2 teaspoons prepared mustard (to taste)
1 egg white, slightly beaten
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3/4 cups flour (I used 1/2 cup spelt flour & 1/4 cup wholewheat flour)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground sea salt
1/2 - 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper (to taste)
1/4 cup plus one tablespoon shredded cheddar cheese

Prepare 6 cups in a muffin tin (use paper liners or lightly grease and flour) and preheat oven to 190C / 375F.

In a small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon oats and 1 tablespoon shredded cheese. This will be your muffin topping: set aside.

In a large bowl, combine 1/2 cup oats and the milk. Add egg white and olive oil, and mix well. Add remaining ingredients (flour through 1/4 cup shredded cheese), and stir until just combined.

Distribute the batter evenly amongst the 6 prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle the top of each muffin with the oat-cheese mixture. Bake at 190C / 375F for 18-20 mins, until muffins begin to turn golden brown around the edges and a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out with only a few crumbs. Serve warm.

Sweet Potato Molasses Muffins

Mid-November does not equal fall here in the Antipodes, but with all of the recipes and photos online of pumpkin, spice-filled delights, this American is craving a little Thanksgiving flavor.  I wish I'd made these last week when my wonderful parents-in-law were in town, but between birthday celebrations, watching the hubs perform at the Opera House (yep, he's pretty amazing), and visiting Sydney's best beaches and restaurants, we didn't have a chance.

The mum-in-law and I did combine our collective baking skills to recreate a family favorite cake of hers: chocolate yum cake.  We baked a gluten-free chocolate spice cake in a bundt pan, covered it with a mixture of honey, cream, and poppyseeds, and slathered a melted chocolate layer over the top. If she gives permission I may post a version here, it's different and delicious.

Back to fall flavors... I had half of a sweet potato and a ripe banana I needed to use up, so I scanned the web for muffin recipes and ended up adapting Kathy's vegan cinnamon pumpkin muffins over at HealthyHappyLife. The results were perfect: beta carotene blast from the sweet potato, aromatic spices, and the deep undertones of molasses.  Plus, these muffins have a great texture and bake up nice and tall.

sweet potato molasses muffins hot out of the oven

They can easily be made gluten-free by using all g-f flour, and vegan by using almond or soy milk in place of the dairy milk. Happy fall to folks in the northern hemisphere!

Sweet Potato Molasses Muffins
adapted from HappyHealthyLife
makes 12 muffins

2 cups flour (I used approx. 1 c spelt flour, 1 c gluten-free blend, and few teaspoons almond meal)
pinch of ground sea salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon allspice or cloves
1 tablespoon natural or brown sugar
1 1/4 cups cooked, mashed sweet potato
1/4 cup skim milk (or almond milk, soy milk, etc)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons agave or brown rice syrup
2 tablespoons molasses
1 'flax egg' (1/4 cup warm water + 1 tablespoon ground flaxseeds, let sit, stir till thick)
1/4 cup mashed ripe banana (or applesauce)
2 tablespoons rice bran oil (or other vegetable oil)

Preheat oven to 175C / 350F, and line a muffin tin with muffin cups or squares of parchment paper. Spray the inside of each paper liner lightly with oil.

Whisk together the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl (flour through sugar).  In a medium sized bowl, mix the wet ingredients thoroughly (milk through oil).

Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and stir in the wet ingredients.  If you're baking with gluten-free flours, there's no need to worry about overmixing (as you won't activate the gluten which can make the mixture tough), but if you're baking with gluten-containing flours, be sure to just mix until ingredients are incorporated, even if a few lumps of flour remain.

Spoon batter into prepared muffin tin, filling almost to the top.  Bake at 175C / 350F for 18-23 minutes, until done.  There should be a crisp, thick outer shell, and no crumbs should remain on a toothpick when inserted.  Allow to cool before serving.

These will keep for a couple of days, covered, at room temperature, or can be frozen and reheated in the microwave at 80% power for 15 second intervals.

Light Pear Muffins

Most of the recipes I post on this blog are pretty healthy, but these delicious muffins are really healthy.  The only sources of fat and cholesterol are three egg whites and a half cup of skim milk (and a smidge from the ground flaxseed)... no oil, no butter, no yolks.  There's also no added sugar.  Rather, they're sweetened with pear/applesauce and honey.  And since the whipped egg whites are folded in during the last step, the texture is a bit lighter than usual.  These moist muffins make great breakfast or snack food, especially with a little low fat cream cheese spread on top.

light pear muffins: moist, healthy, and pefectly spiced

This recipe is adapted from Tea & Cookies, originally from Sophie Dahl.  I made a few changes, including using half a cup of pear puree (one little baby food jar) and half a cup of smooth applesauce (I'll just use all applesauce next time), and drastically cutting the honey from the original 3/4 cup to just a 1/4 cup.  They are still plenty sweet for my taste.  I had enough batter for a dozen plus six mini muffins (baked the mini muffins for just about 11 minutes).  Make some soon, and keep a few in the freezer for a quick-fix snack (defrosting in the microwave at about 80% power for 1.5 minute intervals till warmed through).

Light Pear Muffins
makes a baker's dozen (or a dozen plus a few mini muffins)

3/4 cups plain flour
3/4 cups whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
pinch of ground sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
dash of allspice
1/2 cup skim milk (or almond milk, soy milk, coconut milk, etc for dairy-free)
1 cup pear puree or applesauce (or combination of both)
1/2 cup honey
3 egg whites
1 pear, peeled and cut into chunks (I saved 12 thin half-slices for the tops)
1/2 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 375F/190C, and line a 12-cup muffin tin with muffin liners or parchment paper (or a light spray of oil and dusting of flour).  You may have a bit of extra batter... line a few mini muffin cups or one cup in another muffin tray if necessary.

Thoroughly whisk the dry ingredients together in a large bowl and make a well in the centre.  In a separate bowl (or a pyrex measuring cup), mix the milk, pear/applesauce, and honey.

Whisk the 3 egg whites in a medium sized bowl until they are slightly foamy.

Pour the milk/applesauce mixture into the dry ingredients and whisk just a few times until barely incorporated.  Add the chopped pear and raisins, stirring just a few times.  Fold in the egg whites only a few times, until just incorporated.

Spoon batter evenly into the muffin tin, topping each muffin with a thin sliver of pear, if desired.

Bake at 375F/190C for 23-25 minutes, until tops are just starting to turn golden brown and the top of a muffins springs back when touched.  Enjoy as they are, or split and spread with low fat cream cheese.

Coffee Cake Muffins with Pecan-Oatmeal Streusel

First post from the new kitchen! Still waiting on all my baking gear to arrive (two weeks to go!), but we've made do pretty well with the bare minimum. For the past week we've had Texan friends of friends staying with us: our first houseguests in our new home! We've had a great time getting to know them and showing them the sites (and tastes) of this beautiful city.


This morning we cooked up a big breakfast, including these coffee cake muffins. I saw a recipe on Cooking Light for a coffee cake that grabbed my attention because it included toasted oats-- what a great concept! I adapted the recipe for muffins, reduced the sugar and cholesterol, amped up the cinnamon, and subbed pecans for walnuts. The result is a light and deliciously spiced muffin that perfectly evokes Texas weekend brunches.

coffee cake muffins hot out of the oven

I used self-raising all-purpose and whole-wheat flours because that's what I had on hand. If you have plain flours just add 1 teaspoon of baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda to the dry ingredients. For a large cake instead of muffins, just bake the batter in a greased 9-inch round springform pan. Enjoy!

oatmeal, cinnamon, brown sugar, and pecan goodness

Coffee Cake Muffins with Pecan-Oatmeal Streusel
Makes eleven muffins or one 9-inch round cake


3/4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats, divided
1 cup self-raising all-purpose flour
1/4 cup self-raising whole-wheat flour
(if you don't have self-raising flours, add 1 tsp baking powder and 1/2 tsp baking soda)
pinch of salt
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup packed brown sugar, divided
1/3 cup vegetable oil (rice bran oil works well, and is good for you)
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup low-fat natural yogurt
1/4 cup coarsely chopped pecan
1 teaspoon cinnamon, divided
1 tablespoon chilled butter


Preheat oven to 350F/ 175C. Spray a 12-cup muffin tray or a 9-inch round springform pan with cooking spray.


Spread the chopped pecans on a baking sheet and bake at 350F/ 175C for 7-8 minutes, until fragrant and browning. Remove and set the pecans in a small bowl.


Spread out the oats on a baking sheet and bake at 350F/ 175C for 7-8 minutes. Reserve 1/4 cup of the toasted oats. Pour the rest of the oats into a large bowl and add the other flours (plus baking soda and powder if not using self-rising flours), salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of the cinnamon; mix well.


In another large mixing bowl, beat together the granulated sugar, half of the brown sugar (about 2 tablespoons), and the vegetable oil. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla.


Add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture alternately with the yogurt, beginning and ending with flour. Stir only a few times with each addition, some lumps will remain-- do not overmix! Spoon the batter evenly into 11 of the greased muffin cups (you will get a nice, big, rounded muffin by distributing into only 11 of the 12 muffin cups).


Add the reserved 1/4 cup of toasted oats, the rest of the brown sugar (about 2 tablespoons), and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon to the reserved toasted pecans. Mix with a fork. Add the tablespoon of butter rub the mixture with your fingers until the butter is evenly distributed.


Sprinkle a big spoonful of the pecan-oatmeal streusel on top of each portion of muffin batter (or sprinkle evenly over the entire cake pan if using a 9-inch round springform pan), patting down lightly with your fingers to anchor the nuts into the batter.


Bake the muffins at 350F/ 175C for 18-20 minutes (or bake for 38-40 minutes if baking in a 9-inch round pan), until risen and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.


Cool for at least 6 minutes so that the muffins slide easily out of the pan when you run a knife around the edges. Or, if baking as a large cake, cool for at least 10 minutes, then remove the sides of the springform pan. Serve immediately. These muffins store well in an airtight container for 2-3 days.

Red Currant and Orange Muffins

The fruit and vegetable stall that I pass every day coming to and from home is showcasing bright red currants right now, and I finally caved and added some to my grocery bags the other day.  I thought about making a red currant cake or tart, inspired by the beautiful pictures on Cannelle et Vanille, but in the end I turned to my favorite quick baking fix: muffins.  

I bake a batch of muffins almost once a week, playing with different fruit (or vegetables), flours, and sweeteners.  They're great to have on hand for breakfast, a snack, or dessert, and you can doctor a recipe to make them pretty wholesome and healthy.  If you feel like an entire dozen is too much, bake the whole batch, then place half in a freezer bag or foil and freeze.  To thaw, just heat a muffin in the microwave on high for about 15 seconds.    

fresh batch of red currant and orange muffins

This is one of my favorite muffin adaptations, the texture and flavor are wonderful.  I substituted extra virgin olive oil for the usual butter, added orange juice and rind, and used lots of milk and natural yogurt to make a very tender and moist crumb.  The tiny red currants are sweetened by the orange flavors, vanilla, and a combination of natural cane and white sugar.  Make sure to only mix the wet and dry ingredients until just combined-- some lumps of flour may remain.  This way you'll end up with a light, tender muffin.  

Around Christmas these would also work well with fresh or frozen cranberries. Enjoy!


Red Currant and Orange Muffins
makes 12 muffins


2 cups all-purpose flour (for some of this you may substitute 1/2 cup or even 1 cup of whole wheat flour if you have it)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground sea salt
1/2 cup sugar (use 1/4 cup refined white sugar and 1/4 cup natural, unrefined cane sugar if you have it)
1 egg
3/4 cups milk
1/4 cup natural, low-fat yogurt
juice and grated zest from 1 large orange (about 1/4 cup juice and 1 1/2 teaspoons zest)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup red currants


In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  


In another bowl, use a whisk to mix the sugar and egg well so that you beat some air into the mixture.  Add the egg, milk, yogurt, orange juice and zest, olive oil and vanilla, mixing well with the whisk.  


Pour the wet ingredients into the flour mixture, and stir with the whisk just until combined.  Some lumps of flour may remain.  Add the currants and carefully stir them in, stirring only 2-3 times.  


Divide batter into a greased and floured 12-cup muffin tin.  Bake at 350F/ 175C for 16-18 minutes, until risen and beginning to turn golden brown on top.

Cornbread Muffins

The wholesome texture of cornbread embodies home cooking. Whip up a batch of cornbread muffins to go with any dish and the whole meal immediately feels 'made from scratch'. These muffins can be made savory or sweet, spicy or mild: whatever you're in the mood for.

Purists (including my Southern mother) use a cast-iron skillet, which produces a crispy crust and makes the bread perfect for crumbling into chilli or stew. I like to make cornbread in a muffin tin so I can pile a steaming platter of the golden bread in the center of the table and let everyone help themselves. I also add a little plain yogurt to the mixture, making the muffins more moist than the crumbly cornbread you may have tried in the past, and adding a little more zing to bring out the tartness of the buttermilk.

I've listed some suggested variations of this basic recipe at the end of this post. If you're cooking gluten-free, substitute 1/2 cup gluten-free flour for the 1/2 cup flour.

Cornbread Muffins

makes 1 dozen

1 1/2 cups cornmeal (I like to use yellow cornmeal, but white will do, too)

1/2 cup flour (substitute 1/2 cup gluten-free flour if cooking gluten-free)

1 tblsp sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 eggs

1 cup buttermilk (if you don't have buttermilk on hand, just add about a tsp of white vinegar to the measuring cup, then pour in 1 cup of milk, and let it sit for 5 minutes)
2 tblsp plain low-fat yogurt

1/4 cup vegetable oil

Combine the dry ingredients.  Make a well in the center, and add the eggs, milk, yogurt, and oil.  Whisk it all together just until combined.  Pour into a 12-cup greased or lined muffin tin (or into a greased 9 x 9 inch baking pan).  Bake at 400 F/ 200 C for 18-20 minutes, until risen and just turning golden brown on top.

Variations

Jalepeno Cheesy Cornbread Muffins

Add 1 or 2 seeded and chopped jalepenos (depending on how much heat you can handle), 1/4 tsp hot sauce (Tobasco), and 1/2 cup of shredded cheddar cheese to the liquid ingredients.  Proceed as directed.

Sweet Cornbread Muffins

Instead of 2 tblsp sugar, add 6 tblsp sugar to the dry ingredients, and proceed as directed. These are especially good served with butter and honey.

Rosemary Parmesan Cornbread Muffins

Add 1 tsp dried rosemary, 1/2 tsp dried oregano, and 1/4 cup of freshly grated parmesan to the dry ingredients.  Proceed as directed.

Cornbread Veggie Muffins

After you've mixed the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, fold in 1/2 cup canned corn, 1 small shredded zucchini (courgette), and half of a finely chopped red bell pepper.  Proceed as directed.