Some days you just wake up and want a muffin and a nice BIG cup of coffee. This was one of those mornings. Luckily, it’s also a weekend morning so I was able to enjoy all of the above, in the comfort of my PJ’s and completely homemade. Whenever I get a hankering for muffins, it’s usually for carrot raisin or bran muffins. Some people might protest and say that if it has vegetables in it, it’s not a “real muffin”. Well, most store bought muffins are really just cupcakes without frosting or generic blueberry. Neither of which are very appealing to me. I love to bake, and I do love a good muffin, but I need my PROTEIN in the morning to get going. Protein and a large cup of coffee. That’s where these little guys are a life saver for me. I use chickpea flour, which has higher protein that other flours, greek yogurt, AND walnuts! It’s got everything you need: protein, carbs, healthy fats, it’s filling, convenient and delicious. I don’t taste the chickpea flour but I love the extra protein that these little guys pack in!
Well she’s at it again… the one who can’t rest when she’s sick! What can I say!? I was tasted up for a carrot raisin muffin and there were carrots in the fridge! Now, on a note to my future self, baby carrots are NOT the optimum for baking and I’m actually amazed that I didn’t grate my fingers in the process! But, as I previously stated, in my defense that’s all that was in the fridge and I was in no condition to be baking… let alone traipsing out to the store in the Seattle rain! So, I worked with what was in the pantry!
I cut the original recipe in half since my other half doesn’t enjoy vegetables in his baked goods and I can’t..er… shouldn’t eat a dozen by myself in a week. Although after tasting one fresh out of the oven just now, I’m pretty sure I could happily live off of these and soy foam americanos for at LEAST the next week. These are THE best muffins I think I’ve ever made! And let me tell you, I’ve made a LOT of muffins in my lifetime! They were perfectly moist yet dense and hearty enough that I wasn’t reaching for a second just to feel full. The balance between the walnut, carrot and raisin to “bread” ratio was superb!
When it comes to breakfast, I start with my “protein” and build around that. Garbanzo bean flour has twice the protein that other flours have and mixed with the other goodies in the muffin, it’s just a perfect delight to grab in the morning and doesn’t leaving me reaching for a loaf of bread by 10am or feeling bad about eating a muffin for breakfast! One of these guys with some yogurt or cottage cheese and a coffee and you’ve got a happy morning!
I was short on eggs and long on garbanzo bean flour so I figured I’d noodle around with the recipe a bit. After all, I strongly believe that recipes are simply “ratio guidelines” for us to play with! And I like raisins so I threw a few handfuls in there! When it comes to “wet” ingredients in baking recipes I cook a lot “to taste” making sure to keep the same ratio of wet to dry ingredients while making sure to keep an eye on the leavening agents. I learned that last one the hard way, you don’t want to omit those or you’ll have dense flat baked goods!
Ingredients
1 1/2 c Garbanzo Bean Flour
1/2 c wheat bran
1/2 c brown sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 c + 2 tbsp apple sauce
2/3 cup vanilla soy yogurt
2 1/2 cups grated carrots
chopped walnuts & raisins to taste
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350° F. Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl. Add the remaining ingredients, one at a time, and stir to blend. Spoon into oiled muffin tins or paper muffin cups. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.
Nutritional Value
Calories
Fat(g)
Sat Fat(g)
Cholesterol(g)
Sodium(mg)
Potassium (mg)
Total Carbs (g)
Dietary Fiber (g)
Sugar(g)
Protein (g)
1 Dozen
175
2
0.75
3.75
346
226
31.5
6.6
16.8
8.6
Half Dozen
351
4.5
1.5
7.5
692
451
63
13
34
17
Variations:
Any flour can be used, but keep an eye on the baking time if you’re using whole wheat as it tends to burn quicker
1/4 c apple sauce replaced one egg
2 tbsp apple sauce replaced 2 tbsp oil
I added raisins to my recipe since I like them, but you can omit or add whatever other ingredients you wish (coconut, chocolate chips, other nuts, etc)
You hear it all the time, “Breakfast is a very (or sometimes MOST) important meal” but so is hitting the snooze button! I love simple recipes that fit into my fast paced lifestyle. I found this recipe in the wonderful Martha Stewart’s recipe vaults, and I made a few tweaks for my food allergies.
Made the first batch and I’m proud to say that the taste testers not only survived (phew) but they got raving review’s and a multiple request to be made again! Now that makes a bakers heart happy!
Quick and easy breakfast idea: Make these on a weekend and individually wrap a few and freeze the rest. You can quickly warm one or two up in the microwave and put a almond butter on it for some protein and out the door you go!
Healthy Banana Blueberry Muffins From: Everyday Food
(Adapted for my allergies)
Ingredients:
1 c. whole wheat flour
3/4 c. all purpose flour
1/4 c. wheat germ
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 c. substituted butter for apple sauce
1/3 c. sugar (I usually cut out the granulated sugar)
1/3 c. brown sugar
2 eggs
2 rape bananas, one mashed and one in chunks
1/3 c. substituted milk for soy milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. blueberries
1/3 cup coconut (my own addition)
Directions
Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees F.
Whisk flours, wheat germ, baking soda, salt together and set aside.
Mix apple sauce and sugars in a medium sized bowl. I usually omit the granulated sugar if a recipe calls for both white and brown.
Add in eggs at one at a time, careful to not over beat with each addition.
In a separate bowl, mash mashed banana and fold in the cut banana pieces, soy milk and vanilla.
Combine the flour mixture and the banana mixture until both are just blended. Be careful to not overwork the batter.
Fold in coconut and blueberries. If you are using frozen blueberries make sure you allow them to thaw and drain the berries out of the juice.
Pour batter into prepared muffin and bake in pre-heated oven. Turn the pan half way through cooking time to ensure even baking. Cook for 25-28 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.
Some days you just wake up and want a muffin and a nice BIG cup of coffee. This was one of those mornings. Luckily, it’s also a weekend morning so I was able to enjoy all of the above, in the comfort of my PJ’s and completely homemade. Whenever I get a hankering for muffins, it’s usually for carrot raisin or bran muffins. Some people might protest and say that if it has vegetables in it, it’s not a “real muffin”. Well, most store bought muffins are really just cupcakes without frosting or generic blueberry. Neither of which are very appealing to me. I love to bake, and I do love a good muffin, but I need my PROTEIN in the morning to get going. Protein and a large cup of coffee. That’s where these little guys are a life saver for me. I use chickpea flour, which has higher protein that other flours, greek yogurt, AND walnuts! It’s got everything you need: protein, carbs, healthy fats, it’s filling, convenient and delicious. I don’t taste the chickpea flour but I love the extra protein that these little guys pack in!
