banana protein muffins (gluten free)

let's be honest right up front: these muffins are not attractive.  in fact, they're pretty ugly as far as muffins are concerned . . . but this is a classic case of "don't judge a book by its cover" or in this instance, "please don't judge my unattractive muffins before you taste them!"

i found a variation of this recipe on instagram and i was intrigued because it incorporated banana, greek yogurt, almond meal, and coconut sugar.  those ingredients got me inspired.  i ended up making a bunch of changes, but still keeping the original essence of these muffins.  i created my own version which i'm calling "banana protein muffins" because they're packed full of protein thanks to the yogurt, two types of nuts, flaxseed, and powdered peanut butter.

i like that this is a mini recipe and only makes 6 muffins.  that way you don't have to commit to having a ton of muffins sitting on your kitchen counter looking at you.  i know they're ugly, but gosh, they sure are delicious!

banana protein muffins

prep time: 5 minutes

baking time: 25-27 minutes

yields: 6 muffins

adapted from dessert for two

ingredients:

1/4 cup peanuts

1/4 cup cashews

1/4 cup oats

1 tablespoon flaxseed meal

1 tablespoon powdered peanut butter

1 ripe banana, mashed

1/4 cup plain greek yogurt

1/4 cup coconut sugar

directions:

preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and line six muffin cups with paper liners.  in a food processor, combine the peanuts, cashews, oats, and flaxseed meal.  pulse until finely ground.  add the mixture to a large bowl along with the powdered peanut butter, mashed banana, yogurt, and sugar.  mix well until combined.

scoop the batter into the lined muffin cups and bake for 25-27 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the muffins comes out clean.  allow the muffins to cool in the pans for 5 minutes before removing them from the pans and allowing them to finish cooling on a wire rack.

enjoy!

love, laurie

morning glory muffins

there were some leftover apples on our counter that needed to be used up, so i decided to incorporate them into a batch of muffins this week.

ryan and i absolutely love this recipe for morning glory muffins.  it is from one of our all-time favorite cookbooks, and we have made it many times.  it never disappoints.  these muffins are packed with all sorts of goodness: carrots, apples, raisins, walnuts, and coconut.

they have a great deep, rich flavor thanks to the molasses, and they are moist thanks to the applesauce in them.  i really love that they are not sweet at all, which means you can enjoy them for breakfast.

morning glory muffins
prep time: 15 minutes
baking time: 25-30 minutes
yields: 1 1/2 dozen muffins
adapted from taste of home's complete guide to baking

ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 cup ground old-fashioned oats
2 teaspoons ground flax seed meal
1/2 cup coconut sugar
3 large eggs
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup molasses
3/4 cup applesauce
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 cups grated carrots
3 small apples, peeled, cored, and diced
1/2 cups chopped walnuts
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup flaked coconut

directions:
preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.  grease 18 muffins cups in 2 muffin pans.  in the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the flour, baking soda, ground oats, ground flax seed, and sugar.  in a separate bowl whisk together the eggs, oil, molasses, applesauce, and vanilla.  add the wet ingredients all at once to the dry ingredients.  mix just until incorporated.  gently fold in the carrots, apples, walnuts, raisins, and coconut.

spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pans.  bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean.  allow the muffins to cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing them from the pans and transferring them to a wire rack to finish cooling.

enjoy!

love, laurie

triple apple oat muffins

i needed to throw together a quick treat for a co-worker's birthday this week.  i was short on time, so i decided to whip up a batch of muffins.

it just so happened that we had a bowl full of fresh apples sitting on our kitchen table.  we also had a fresh container of apple cider in the fridge as well as some homemade applesauce in there too.  thus, triple apple oat muffins!

these muffins have such an amazing apple flavor.  how could they not?  they are really packed full of apple goodness!  they have diced apples, applesauce, and apple cider in them.  it's not possible to get much more apple favor than that!

the muffins have pieces of apples in every bite and they are wonderfully moist.  the oats give them a little something special too.  they are the perfect fall treat!

triple apple oat muffins
prep time: 15 minutes
cooking time: 10 minutes
baking time: 20 minutes
yields: 12-14 muffins
adapted from annie's eats

ingredients:
4 tablespoons salted butter
2 medium apples
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons apple cider, divided
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 large egg
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/2 cup old fashioned oats

directions:
preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.  melt the butter in a small pan over medium heat.  swirl occasionally until the butter is a deep golden brown color, be careful to to burn it.  once browned, remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

peel, core, and dice the apples.  add the apples to a skillet over medium heat with 2 tablespoons of the apple cider, 1/4 of the cinnamon, and the nutmeg.  cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples are softened (about 8-10 minutes). remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

in the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together the sugar, vanilla, applesauce, egg, and remaining 1/3 cup of the apple cider.  mix in the cooled melted butter.  in a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, allspice and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon.  add the sifted dry ingredients all at once to the batter along with the oats.  mix just until combined.  use a spatula to fold in the cooked apples.

scoop the batter into the cups of a greased muffin pan.  top with a few oats.  bake for 20 minutes until the muffins are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the middle of the muffins comes out clean.  allow the muffins to cool in the pans for 5 minutes before removing them from the pans and transferring them to a wire rack to finish cooling.

enjoy!

love, laurie

gingerbread doughnut muffins

last week we had to make a treat to bring into work for our co-worker's birthday.  instead of making cupcakes or cookies, we decided to make muffins.

as soon as i found the recipe for these gingerbread muffins i just knew that i had to make them.

these muffins have the perfect texture.  they are soft and moist.  the combination of the spices and the molasses give them such a great flavor too.  it was like taking a bite right into the holiday season.

the cinnamon-sugar topping on these muffins reminds me of cinnamon-sugar doughnuts.  thus, the name gingerbread doughnut muffins.

these muffins are a great seasonal treat.  they were a huge hit at work, and they were the perfect companion to a cup of coffee.

we absolutely loved them and we can't wait to make them again!

gingerbread doughnut muffins
prep time: 10 minutes
baking time: 16-18 minutes
yields: 24 muffins
adapted from annie's eats

muffin ingredients:
8 tablespoons (1 stick) salted butter, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup molasses
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 1/3 cup cold water

topping ingredients:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons salted butter, melted

directions:
preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.  line two muffin pans with paper liners.  in the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes).  add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.  mix in the molasses.  in a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and spices.  mix in half of the dry ingredients, just until incorporated.  add the second half of the dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated.  with the mixer on low speed, gradually add the water.  beat well until no lumps remain.  spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pans, approximately 3-4 tablespoons of batter for each muffin.  bake for 16-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean.  allow the muffins to cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing them from the pans and transferring them to a wire rack to finish cooling.

after the muffins have cooled completely, whisk together the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.  one at a time, brush the top of each muffin with melted butter, then dip the muffins into the cinnamon-sugar mixture to coat the tops of each muffin evenly with a thin layer of the mixture.

enjoy!

love-laurie

mini lemon poppy seed muffins

i've mentioned before that i am the birthday/event girl at work.  whenever there is a birthday/event everyone turns to me to bring baked goods into work.  i'm still not totally sure how i inherited this job, but it is mine nonetheless.

i try to balance out what i bring into work.  the last event we had at work was my co-worker's birthday and i made chocolate chip cookies.  however, right after that birthday, i needed to bring in another treat for a different co-worker's last day.  (i'm really going to miss her by the way.)  instead of doing two sweet treats back-to-back, i decided to make muffins instead.

whole muffins present a bit of a problem in a work setting.  people don't seem to want to eat large muffins (or cupcakes) at work, so i have started making mini ones instead.  let me tell you, mini muffins (or cupcakes) are perfect for the office environment.  they are practically bite size.

on to the muffins . . . can you tell i have been on a lemon kick lately?  i just love lemon recipes when the weather is warm and the sun is shining.  i think this recipe is going down as my favorite lemon poppy seed cake/muffin recipe.  it's that good.  the muffins are moist, not dry.  they are light and fluffy, not dense.  they are tart, not too sweet.  they are just perfect.  the addition of the poppy seeds adds just the right amount of crunch too.

you could make these as regular sized muffins, you just need to adjust the baking time a bit.  you could also make this recipe in a loaf pan too.  slices of the loaf would look just lovely with the poppy seeds sprinkled throughout.

these muffins would be perfect for an office event, or a brunch.  their little size makes them just right for large parties (or for popping in your mouth on the go!).  

mini lemon poppy seed muffins
prep time:  10 minutes
baking time: 25-30 minutes
yields: 36 mini muffins

ingredients:
8 tablespoons salted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 large lemons
1/2 cup skim milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon poppy seeds

directions:
preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

in the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy (about 3-4 minutes).  add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  sift the flour, baking powder, and baking soda into a large bowl.  zest and juice the lemons.  finely chop the lemon zest and add it to a bowl with the lemon juice.  whisk the milk and vanilla into the lemon juice.

add half of the wet ingredients to the butter and sugar mixture and beat well to combine.  add half of the dry ingredients to the mixture and beat well to combine.  repeat with the second half of the wet and dry ingredients (ending with the dry ingredients).  beat well.  stir in the poppy seeds.

spoon the batter (approximately 1 tablespoon per mini muffin) into a well-greased mini muffin pan.  bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of one of the muffins comes out clean.  once baked, allow the muffins to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before removing them from the pan and transferring them to a wire rack to finish cooling.

enjoy!

love, laurie

mini oatmeal flax seed muffins with chocolate chips

for mother's day brunch this past weekend we made two different types of mini muffins.  in addition to our mini banana walnut muffins, we also made mini oatmeal flax seed muffins with chocolate chips.

these muffins are hearty muffins . . . and they are (mostly) healthy for you too!

they remind me a little bit of bran muffins.  they have a mixture of white whole-wheat flour and all-purpose flour.  they are loaded with oats and ground flax seed meal too.  there is also just a hint of coffee in them which adds a great flavor.

to make them just a little bit naughty, we added big chocolate chunks to them.  these muffins were super easy to make, and they were ready in no time.  they were a great addition to our brunch menu!

mini oatmeal flax seed muffins with chocolate chips
prep time: 5-10 minutes
baking time: 16-18 minutes
yields: 12 mini muffins
adapted from pastry affair

ingredients:
1/4 cup white whole-wheat flour
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup ground flax seed meal
1/4 cup old-fashioned oats
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon decaffeinated instant coffee
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup skim milk
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large egg
1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chunks (or chocolate chips)

directions:
preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.  in a large bowl, sift together both flours.  add the flax seed meal, oats, sugar, instant coffee, baking soda, and salt.  stir to combine the dry ingredients.  add the milk, oil, and egg to the dry ingredients and mix well until all of the ingredients are evenly combined.  stir in the chocolate chunks.

spoon the batter (approximately 1 tablespoon per mini muffin) into a well-greased mini muffin pan.  optional: sprinkle additional oats on top of the muffins.  bake for 16-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of one of the muffins comes out clean.  once baked, allow the muffins to cool in the pan for about 5 minutes before removing them from the pan and transferring them to a wire rack to finish cooling.

enjoy!

love, laurie

mini banana walnut muffins

one of my favorite things that we made for mother's day brunch this past weekend was our banana walnut muffins.  since we knew that there would be a lot of food for brunch, we decided to make these muffins miniature, and they were just the right size.

these muffins have a great banana flavor.  they have a touch of sweetness, but they are not too sweet for breakfast/brunch.  the walnuts in them also provide a great crunch.  if you're not a fan of walnuts, you could always eliminate the walnuts or substitute a different type of nut instead.  (i bet these muffins would be great with few chocolate chips in them too!)

these mini banana walnuts muffins are the perfect addition to a breakfast/brunch gathering!

mini banana walnut muffins
prep time: 5-10 minutes
baking time: 16-18 minutes
yields: 20 mini muffins

ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup granulated sugar
6 tablespoons salted butter, melted
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 ripe bananas
1/3 cup chopped walnuts

directions:
preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.  sift the flour and baking soda into in a large bowl.  add the sugar, melted butter, egg, and vanilla.  beat well with an electric hand mixer until combined.  in a separate bowl mash the bananas with a fork.  add the bananas to the mixture and beat well.  stir in the chopped walnuts.

spoon the batter (approximately 1 tablespoon per mini muffin) into a well-greased mini muffin pan.  optional: add additional chopped walnut pieces on top of each muffin.  bake for 16-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of one of the muffins comes out clean.  once baked, allow the muffins to cool in the pan for about 5 minutes before removing them from the pan and transferring them to a wire rack to finish cooling.

enjoy!

love, laurie