Pumpkin Bran Muffins

I have made thousands of muffins in my kitchen as we eat muffins often.  They are so convenient for a snack, the kid's lunches, a quick breakfast.  I prefer to make them over cookies or cakes.  I also have a bit of attention deficit disorder when it comes to muffin recipes.  I rarely make the same one twice.  I'm always in search of something better and tastier.  These pumpkin bran muffins are an exception.  I have made them more than once and I will continue to make them regularly as they tick all my boxes for muffin goodness.  Moist, not too sweet, freeze well, use healthy ingredients, highly adaptable - all good things!  Plus this recipe has the added benefit of using an entire can of pumpkin (I hate only using a cup and then having to freeze the rest) and it makes a large batch (around 36).

 

Pumpkin Bran Muffins
(I know I got this from the Internet somewhere but can't find the source)

• 1 large can (796ml) pumpkin
• 1.5 cups sugar
• 1 cup oil
• 6 eggs
• 4 cups flour
• 2 cups oat or wheat bran
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1.5 tablespoons cinnamon
• 1.5 tablespoons baking soda
• 1.5 tablespoons baking powder
• 2 cups add ins - raisins, chocolate chips, nuts, etc

*Combine pumpkin, sugar, oil and eggs.
*Sift together dry ingredients.
*Add dry mixture into the wet mixture and stir until combined.
*Stir in add ins.
*Bake at 350 degrees for 22-25 minutes.

I use half white and half whole wheat flour and olive oil with good results in this recipe.  I've also used coconut palm sugar (I think that's what it's called) which gives them a deep, rich flavor.  I make these for my baby to eat but I don't add any add ins to his.

Enjoy!
- C :)

Pumpkin Zucchini Muffins

Another pumpkin recipe!!  Tis the season!  I was looking for a way to use of some of the abundance of zucchini that I have and this recipe fit the bill.  It not only used some zucchini, it also used my favorite fall ingredient - pumpkin!

These muffins came together quickly, freeze well and taste amazing.  They are very moist but not soggy.  The spices are just right and taste great with a cup of coffee.

Photo by me.

Pumpkin Zucchini Muffins
(adapted from Six Sister's Stuff)

• 3 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup pumpkin
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 1/2 cup applesauce
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 3 cups flour (I used white whole wheat)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 cups shredded zucchini
• 1 cup walnuts or pepitas

*Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line or grease muffin tin.
*Combine eggs and sugar.  Add pumpkin, butter, and vanilla.
*Combine dry ingredients in a second bowl.
*Gradually add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.
*Stir in zucchini and nuts/pepitas.
*Spoon into muffin tin until almost full.
*Bake for 20 - 25 minutes.

Enjoy!
-C :)

Lemon-Blueberry Yogurt Loaf

I'm not a huge fan of fresh blueberries.  Until this summer, I never bought them but my kids love them, so I've seen a lot of blueberries go through my kitchen.  I came across this amazing recipe on pinterest.  I pinned it months ago but thought of it recently.  I am so glad I did.  I've never used lemon zest before...  Weirdly enough, I always omit it in recipes I make.  I definitely won't be doing that again because through this recipe I realized the amazing 'lemonyness' it brings to this moist loaf.

Lemon-Blueberry Yogurt Loaf
(adapted slightly from Sweet Pea's Kitchen)

For the loaf:

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup yogurt
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup canola or olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen

*Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
*In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.
*In a large bowl, whisk together yogurt, sugar, eggs, lemon zest, vanilla and oil.
*Slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.
*In a separate bowl mix blueberries with 1 tablespoon flour.  Fold them into the batter.
*Pour into prepared pan and bake for 50 to 55 minutes until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.
*Let cool in pan 10 minutes, then cool on a wire rack over top of a plate or cookie sheet.
*While the loaf is cooling, prepare the lemon syrup.

For the Lemon Syrup:

• 1/3 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 1/3 cup sugar

*Stir lemon juice and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Cook until dissolved, then boil 3 minutes.
*Poke top and sides of cooling loaf with a toothpick.
*Brush with lemon syrup.  Repeat.
*Let the loaf cool completely.
*Prepare glaze.

For the Glaze:

• 1 cup icing sugar
• 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice

*Once loaf has cooled, whisk together icing sugar and lemon juice.  Glaze should be thick but pourable.
*Drizzle over cool loaf and let drip down the sides.
*Let glaze dry for approximately 15 minutes before serving.

This was the best thing I have eaten in a long time.  As soon as I tried it I made the same recipe into a batch of muffins.  They were equally as good.

Enjoy!
-C :)

Cherry Coconut or Cherry Almond Muffins

Sorry for the long silence!  I hope that I can make it up with some good recipes!

Nothing says summer to me than a big bowl of cherries.  I have always eaten them fresh but this year decided to experiment with baking them.  What a great discovery!  I love the tartness of the cherries with the sweetness of baking.  Today I'm going to post one muffin recipe with two options - either cherry almond or cherry coconut.  Both are delicious!

Cherry Almond (left) & Cherry Coconut (right)

Cherry Muffins
(adapted from Cinnamon Spice & Everything Nice)

• 2 cups white, unbleached or white whole wheat flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 heaping cup pitted cherries, coarsely chopped
• 6 tablespoons butter, softened
• 2/3 cup sugar or 1/2 cup honey
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1/2 cup sour cream or yogurt
• for Coconut version: 1/2 cup unsweetened flaked coconut
• for Almond version: 1/2 cup slivered almonds & 1 teaspoon almond extract

*Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Prepare a muffin tin.
*In a small bowl whisk flour, baking powder and salt.
*Toss cherries with 1 tablespoon flour and set aside.
*In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add eggs and vanilla (and almond extract if making the almond version).  Beat 3 minutes.
*By hand alternate mixing in flour and milk.
*Fold in sour cream, cherries and coconut or almonds.
*Spoon into muffin tin, filling almost full.  Sprinkle with coconut or almonds.
*Bake 18-22 minutes.
*Cool in pan for 5 minutes and then put on wire racks to cool.

I also made a batch of mini muffins with no coconut.  The kids loved them.

Enjoy!
-C :)

Apple Pecan Pumpkin Muffins

I have been itching to dig into the big box of apples I brought home from my parents farm a few weeks ago but unseasonably warm weather has stopped me from doing anything productive or fall-like in the kitchen.  The weather today took a tiny (as in it is not above 25 degrees) turn towards fall, so I decided to turn on the oven and peel some apples.  I am glad that I did!!  As I took my first bite of these muffins that embody fall, I may have cooled off a few degrees!  The kids really enjoyed these too, although I did skip the pecans in theirs as G's school is nut free.




Image by me, can't you tell?


Apple Pecan Pumpkin Muffins

• 1.5 cups pumpkin
• 0.5 cups oil
• 4 eggs
• 1.5 cups brown sugar
• 0.75 cups white sugar
• 0.5 teaspoon maple flavoring
• 1.5 teaspoons vanilla
• 1.5 teaspoons cinnamon
• 2.25 cups flour (I used half whole wheat and half white)
• 1.5 teaspoons baking powder
• 0.75 teaspoons baking soda
• 0.75 teaspoons salt
• 1.5 cups apples, peeled and chopped
• 0.75 cup pecans

*Combine wet ingredients in a large bowl.
*Mix dry ingredients in a smaller bowl.
*Add dry into wet.  Add apples and nuts.
*Scoop into greased muffin tins or liners (3/4 full).
*Bake @ 350 for 15-20 minutes.

Enjoy!
Happy Thanksgiving to my fellow Canadian readers!!

-C :)

Chocolate Zucchini Muffins (Cupcakes)

These are likely my all time favorite muffin recipe.  They are super moist, super chocolatey and super good.  Lately I have been taking one to work, popping it in the microwave to make it all warm and gooey and enjoying it during my coffee break at work.  That means that in the last 9 days I have eaten 9 muffins, no wonder my scrub pants are getting tight!  (That also means in the last 9 days I have worked 9 shifts in a row.  I kind of think I deserved the muffins!)

This recipe comes from a cookbook created by the church I grew up in.  I love cookbooks like that.  You know everyone who put the recipes in and can pretty much guarantee that the recipes will be good (as long as you make the ones put in by the good cooks)!

Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

• 2 1/2 cups flour (I use 1 1/2 cups white, 1 cup whole wheat)
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup cocoa
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• 1 cup chopped nuts
• 3/4 cup oil
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 2 cups grated zucchini (fresh or frozen)

1.  Combine all the dry ingredients including the chocolate chips and nuts.
2.  Mix wet ingredients together.  Combine with dry ingredients.
3.  Stir in zucchini.
4.  Place in 350 degree oven for 15-20 minutes.

I hope that you enjoy these as much as I do.  If there is one recipe that I have made over and over, it would be this one!  Mom always gives me big overgrown zucchini so that I can grate it up and freeze it for the winter.

Enjoy!
- Carla :)