Banana Walnut Muffins {AIP and Paleo}

These muffins were inspired by the delightful blog Fed and Fulfilled's recipe for Paleo Pumpkin Spice Muffins.  The Pumpkin Spice muffins were in heavy rotation in our house for several months and I started to play with variations. What I love is that the base ratio of wet and dry ingredients is on point and can be easily customized. It's difficult to find Paleo and AIP recipes that can boast such a trait!

Paleo Pumpkin Spice Muffins {AIP}

I just have to share this awesome awesome awesome recipe for pumpkin spice muffins. What makes them exceptional is that they're Paleo and can even be AIP compliant if you don't use any egg. The ingredients are easier on your body because they don't have a ton of carbs and sugars. They're made with tigernut flour which is a root vegetable and is full of potassium and iron!

Peanut Butter and Jam Muffins - Gluten Free and Vegan

This post is going to start with a forewarning to those of you who play video games: do not buy "Arkham Knight." It will consume hours and the attention of loved ones. My hubby played it non-stop over the course of the past drizzly weekend here in Virginia. It's not exactly cheerful. He hasn't been this captivated since, "Last of Us." Yes, the title alone implies yet another feel-good time!

Aside from the persistent sound of the Joker and Batman in the background, it has been a non-stop barrage of rain over the past two weeks. There have been tornado to flood warnings, never-before seen leaks in the basement, and soggy walks with our little Remington (post to follow). Rain, rain, go away! Or at least go to the West coast where they were having droughts!



If you need a little sunshine, make your own with these tasty Peanut Butter and Jam Muffins from Minimalist Baker. Honestly, I don't recall how these even got onto my list of things to bake - it was a spur of the moment decision fueled by a longing for an amazing peanut butter and jelly muffin. Yes, this is a longing of mine.

When I was a kid, my mom used to swing by this cute coffee shop in historic Occoquan, VA. It's been many moons and has since closed. They had the most eclectic collection of nick-knacks everywhere and a room decorated with tons of mugs. On weekends, they would have live music and the tiny shop would be brimming with people. I was too young to enjoy the coffee but what I did passionately adore were the yogurt muffins. We used to buy them by the dozen in an assortment of flavors, my two favorites being Cappuccino and the (you guessed it) Peanut Butter and Jelly.

As the fates would have it... I have been so lucky as to run into my old friend, the Cappuccino muffin, at our usual coffee hang out, Java Loco, about two week ago. I recognized it on sight and stared. Could it be? The little kid in me remembered the wrapper. It was love all over again at first bite. The hubby was skeptical... what's the big deal about this damn muffin? Then he had a bite. And understood the awesome.

I learned that the brand is actually a New York based company, Morrison Pastry Corporation. They have since discontinued my dear Peanut Butter and Jelly muffin due to peanut allergy concerns. *hangs head* 

 

These muffins, however, have helped soften the blow. They taste nothing like my old favorite but that's okay. They are far healthier than the Morrison variety and are vegan and gluten free. They are addictive, hearty, packed with flavor, and provide a dose of protein. 

I used raspberry jam but go with what you love. I used the serve-yourself peanut butter from Wholefoods because well.. that's what we had. Baking with less-processed peanut butter takes some elbow grease if there's separation so I recommend using a more creamy variety. You could always sprinkle in some crushed peanuts in the batter or top!

May this muffins bring you joy and happy tummy! For the recipe, check out Minimalist Baker's post on Peanut Butter and Jelly Muffins!

Teenie Cake's Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins with Pepita Crunch

You win yet again, Starbucks. In terms of coffee, the only drink that keeps you in my good graces is a long standing love for bitter iced lattes. There's nothing quite like angry espresso paired with a sweet treat. The bakery department is where you've caught my eye.  

First it was the lemon bars... creamy and tart with a crumbly crust. We're talking full bars, not the minis they serve now to be health conscious. The bars vanished only to be substituted with black bottom cupcakes. These cupcakes were my study companions throughout college. For every chapter of Health Psychology outlined- I allowed myself a single bite as a reward. To my sorrow, they too vanished from the menu.

There are two pastries left that make me wide eyed with joy, and they're both seasonal. For the winter, it's all about the cranberry bliss bar. In the fall, pumpkin rules and the king is the Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins! I set out searching the internets for a copy-cat recipe.

This search brought me to Teenie Cake's cooking blog! She created her own version based off of the Starbucks muffin. Glee! You can see that I commented on this recipe all the way back in 2010. It never left the radar and this fall, I found the perfect time to make them: our engagement pictures.

I brought them along for the shoot, which was done by Rick (a Sullivan family friend and growing professional photographer) and his cousin. I offered them as a small token of appreciation to the awesome camera crew who in turn snuck in a few snapshots. 

Don't mind the awkward picture, we were too busy stuffing our faces to care about the camera at this point. Everybody loved them! Even my mom said, "you made these?" They are triple threat with muffin, filling, and topping. There's a whole cup of pumpkin filling in the batter and the usual spice suspects (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves). Note, the recommended pumpkin is the filling version- not the straight canned pumpkin. Pumpkin pie filling already has the spices mixed into it which only helps deepen the flavor. The texture is moist and soft with a nice density. There's no granulated sugar-  it's straight brown sugar which gives that rich color. 

The filling is a combination of cream cheese, cottage cheese, and a touch of sour cream. The lemon zest is a crucial element to this filling. It's not overly sweet and is fun to eat around. I used the ENTIRE mix because I didn't want anything to go to waste. I also baked them in these jumbo cupcake tins. As you can see... this made for some mega muffins. Ohhhh darnnnn....

And finally, my favorite element: the pepita crunch. Pepita is a fancy word for pumpkins seeds. Simply toss them in some egg white and sugar! A few minutes in the oven and you have a delectable touch to an already yummy muffin. Mike's not too keen on pumpkin seeds and even he kept them on top. Heck, I saved some on the side as a snack.

If you feel so inclined, a little simple syrup helps seal in the moisture. Boil 1/2 cup water with 1/2 cup granulated sugar. Stir until dissolved completely. Allow it to cool and then brush on top of muffins. Hooray for home-made baking adventures!

For the full recipe, check out Teenie Cake's blog! Thanks again Teenie for another great culinary treat!

Rhubarb, Walnut, and Chia Seed Muffins

Breakfast muffins are a win... breakfast muffins with rhubarb are a must. I love rhubarb fiercely and am always looking for new ways to work with it. I've tried pie and pancakes, but the all the time favorite is still Rhubars. Naturally, these muffins from Scandi Foodie  caught my eye.

Rhubarb has an amazing construct. It looks and feels like celery when fresh. The texture immediately softens when warmed and becomes a gooey surprise. It has a natural sweetness, make sure you buy vibrant red stalks, that reminds me of lemon.  It is kind of like incorporating tiny pockets of jam!

Chia seeds add a nutritional dynamic. I don't find their taste to be noticeable. Maybe a faint nuttyness but for the most part, I need to see the seeds to realize it's even in the mix.  Don't let their manners fool you though. They have an extremely high concentration of omega 3 acids; one serving has 18 percent of the recommended daily calcium and 4 grams of protein; they are a great source of fiber and potassium; and they're low in cholestrol and sodium. Why NOT want to huff these down? I added extra to the mix.

Pack in the punch with walnuts. These nuts are powerhouse with more omega 3's, protein, and the highest level of antioxidants in the nut kingdom. They're rich in flavor, so if you're not a big walnut person, trade them out with almonds or hazelnut. 

I made a few adjustments to the mix to make them even "healthier" such as cutting back on the sugar and upping the walnuts, chia seeds, and rhubarb. Overall, the flavor is well... nutty. Blame this on the combination of walnuts, chia seeds, and spelt flour. They're great for breakfast or as a snack.

Rhubarb, Walnut, and Chia Seeds Muffins

slightly modified from Scandi Foodie

175g raw caster sugar or rapadura sugar
50 ml olive oil
2 teaspoons natural vanilla extract
1 large, free-range egg
250ml buttermilk (or 250ml milk + 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice)
245 g rhubarb, cut into 1 cm dice
80g walnuts, roughly chopped
300g white spelt flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
450g chia seeds

1 tablespoons rapadura sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 390F and prepare a 12-cup muffin tin.

Mix the sugar, olive oil, vanilla, egg and buttermilk in a large mixing bowl. Stir in the rhubarb and the walnuts. Combine the flour, baking powder, bicarb soda and chia seeds in a small bowl.

Sprinkle the dry ingredients over the rest of the batter and fold everything together quickly until just blended. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin and sprinkle each muffin with the sugar and cinnamon mixture.

Bake the muffins in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes. Serve warm.

Apple-Carrot Bran Flaxseed Muffins!

You can imagine the heartache when I discovered that not all breakfast foods are healthy. I had put blind faith into the food industry. The word "cake" and the end of "pan" should have been an indicator. My first hint of truth was years ago when I was a barista at Starbucks. The "reduced fat" berry coffee cake was a favorite. It was, after all, reduced fat and had fruit in it. Perfect! Until another barista saw me merrily pecking away at a slice. She raised an eyebrow and told me to check out the nutrition label on the box. I was stunned. If that's reduced fat, I can only imagine full throttle!

As delicious as a blueberry muffin is and the fat kid joy a cheese danish evokes, I try to keep it healthy in the morning. It's the first thing entering your body. You wouldn't fuel an expensive car with low grade gasoline, right? Treat your body the same. You don't want to be that ol' beat up ghetto mobile with the broken speedometer running on fumes- you're worth so much more!

As a compromise between flavor and my love for a good muffin, I decided to try this tasty muffin recipe on the side of the Bob's Red Mill flaxseed bag. Flax seeds are packed with fiber and omega 3s. I like to sprinkle flaxseed into pancakes and smoothies. It adds a slightly nutty, natural flavor.

This muffin is packed full of good things: whole wheat flour, flax seed, oat bran, carrots, nuts, and apples. It calls for a full cup of brown sugar but I cut down because the raisins provide pockets of sweetness. As always, tailor to your liking!

So next time you feel that muffin urge come ah-creeping, try these bad boys out. They're filling, satisfying, and easy to make!

Apple-Carrot Bran Flaxseed Muffins

from Bob's Red Mill

1-1/2 cups Whole Wheat Flour
3/4 cup Flaxseed Meal
3/4 cup Oat Bran Cereal
1 cup Brown Sugar
2 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
2 tsp Cinnamon
1-1/2 cups finely shredded Carrots
2 peeled and shredded Apples
1/2 cup Raisins (optional)
1 cup chopped Nuts
3/4 cup Milk
2 beaten beaten Eggs
1 tsp Vanilla

Mix together flour, Flaxseed Meal, oat bran, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl.

Stir in carrots, apples, raisins (if desired) and nuts. I like using the food processor! Combine milk, beaten eggs and vanilla. Pour liquid ingredients into dry ingredients. Stir until ingredients are moistened. DO NOT OVER MIX.

Fill muffin cups 3/4 full. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes.

Yield: 15 medium muffins

Apple Bran Muffins

Food is bribery.

I don't know how it happened, but I was deemed project manager for the production of a video for the company. It was an in-house endeavor and we were given little direction. Nothing overtly complicated, until we started writing the scripts and planning logistics. Seriously, some days I work for the coolest office. Some days.

The entire process was a blast. It required creativity and thinking outside the box- two things which come naturally. But what really made this amazing was the team: young gentlemen with digital art and videographer backgrounds. These guys are awesome!! Everyone is so positive and fun, it's like someone called recess!

The best time for filming is as early as possible for the natural light. I cringed realizing what that meant- but not too many people get to say, "sorry guys- I gotta go in early for the shoot." To soften the blow, I told them I would make muffins which, to their surprise, I did. There was much rejoicing! That morning, they were quickly destroyed and puppy dog eyes were made for more. Seriously... greatest team to work with. I heart you guys.

This was the end product: super moist, healthy-ish, delicious apple bran muffins. I wanted something that would give us pep- not a sugar rush. These really are yummy and have a nice balance of nutrition and flavor. They make a fantastic snack or breakfast. I made the larger sized muffins (6 tin tray) to get the full muffin effect. They're really easy to make! Mix dry and wet ingredients. No rocket science here.

Note: I had to get the what bran at Whole Foods.

PS Sorry for the lack of pix but like I said... it was an early video shoot!!

Apple Bran Muffins

slightly adapted from Obsessed with Baking

3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup wheat bran
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 egg
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1 cup of chopped apple
1 tablespoon oats
1/3 cup raisins (optional)
Sprinkle tops lightly with brown sugar or maple sugar for additional crunch (optional)

Preheat oven to 375, grease or line muffin tins. I used 6 large muffin tins but it works in the regular muffin tins as well.

Mix flour, wheat bran, baking powder, spices, and salt in a bowl.

Whisk applesauce, egg, oil, brown sugar until combined. Add chopped apples and raisins into wet mixture.

Fold wet mixture into dry mixture until combined. Divide evenly among tins.

Sprinkle  tops lightly with brown sugar or maple sugar for additional crunch (optional) and the oats.

Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted the center comes out clean. Keep and eye on them!

Let the muffins cool in the tin for 5 minutes before removing to cool on an oven rack.

Millet Muffins

The Air Force Classic bike race was this past weekend. It was held in Crystal City, VA and closed a good chunk of road. They gave participants 3.5 hours to bike their hearts out around the course. One lap was about 8 or 9 miles. If you did 6 laps, you got a silver metal. For the gold, you had to do 8 laps. Pretty vicious.

I've never been to one of these events and honestly- it was pretty cool. Hardcore riders are fashion savvy and their outfits match their bikes. It kind of reminded me of silly bboys who make sure their laces match their hats. Everyone was throwing water bottles as they went, I almost got hit! I learned all about the power of the peloton!

The boyfriend is a little monster and went into this without training. He did his 6 laps in under 3.5 hours and called it a day (you rock navi bun bun). I sat on the sidelines, sipping water, and chilling with his fam. Hard work, no?

To help recover those worked muscles, I came home and whipped up some Millet Muffins. Pair whole wheat with millet grain and you have a good punch of protein... exactly what an athlete needs after burning a sh*t ton of calories.

The ingredients in these muffins are simple and natural. No sugar- just honey! The consistency is dense- not heavy- and resemble corn bread in texture. These are fantastic because they're not super sweet and have a slight hint of lemon. Plus- they're easy to make and on the healthy end of the spectrum.

Top these awesome muffins with peanut butter if you want to amp the protein count. Drizzle honey for sweetness. If you really want to make them fancy though- make this simple boozey strawberry topping. It's baked in the oven and the strawberry juices sing when paired with port wine. It's like making a mini sangria topping. Recipe to follow!

And remember to share! I passed on some to a neighbor who was nice and mowed my lawn the other day. Muffins for allllllllll! Hip hip- hooray!

Millet Muffins
by 101 cookbooks

2 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/3 cup raw millet
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 cup softened unsalted butter
2 eggs
1/2 cup honey
1 cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Zest of one lemon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line 12 muffin tins or butter them.

Mix the dry ingredients in a separate bowl.

Mix the wet ingredients in another bowl.

Combine together. Mix until just incorporated. Heap into muffin tins to the rim. Bake for 15 minutes, just till tops crack. Let them sit for 5 minutes in the tin then allow them to cool on a baking rack.

Ginger Peach Muffins

At times, there are alarming parallels between my place of business and the television program "The Office." We have our Angela. Michael. Nothing quite like Dwight- thank God. We do the awkward monthly birthdays, ice cream cake included even though one person is lactose intolerant. I think the writers could get some material off of us. That's not necessarily a bad thing... necessarily.

One of these characters happens to be a six foot giant who loves food. We talk about cooking all the time. In the winter, he rolled up to the office with fresh oysters in the back of his truck for a makeshift tail gate party. He's a little rough around the edges but cooking is his idea of unwinding. You can imagine my delight when he showed up with a basket of fresh, white peaches.


White peaches are exquisite. They're sweet and fall right off the pit when you cut them. They don't need any fan fair or frippery- they're perfect as they are. I took a handful home and they were gone in seconds. I stared at the remaining peach. How could I make this love affair linger? If I ate it, it would be over- a one night stand. I needed to create something with this romance so it would last. Thank you Good to the Grain.

These muffins are delicious. I didn't think I would like them so much! Hell, I didn't know what to expect- muffins are not really my thing. These though? Oh wow. It's got a healthy base- wheat and oats. It's moist and soft. The peach on top is like instant jam- gooey and smooth. Every bite is a little different because of the brown sugar and crystallized ginger. There's just a touch of honey on top too! Ginger hearts Peach.

This recipe is an adaptation from Good to the Grain. The original version can be found on White on Rice. I substituted the Oat Flour with Wheat Flour + Almond Meal and compensated with a few tablespoons of oat.

Note: Remember the muffin mantra.... Thou shalt not over mix.

Peach Topping

1 large White Peach
1 tablespoon unsalted Butter
1 tablespoon Honey
1 teaspoon freshly grated Ginger

Dry Mix

1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
3/4 cups all-purpose flour, unbleached
1/4 cup almond meal
2-3 tablespoons oats (instant or regular)
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup light brown Sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon sea salt or kosher

Wet Mix

3/4 stick (85g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
3/4 cups milk
1/2 cup sour cream
1 large egg
2 tablespoons freshly grated Ginger
3 tablespoons crystallized ginger, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease baking tins and set aside. I used large muffin tins and came out with 8 muffins.

For the Peach Topping.... Halve the peach and remove pit. Slice into 1/4″ slices.

Add 1 T butter, honey, and 1 t fresh ginger to a medium saute pan. Place pan over medium heat. When warm, stir to combine & gently simmer for @ 2 min. Add peach slices, carefully toss to combine & set aside.

For the muffin... In a large bowl, sift together all of the dry mix ingredients. After working flours through sifter, pour any remaining dry ingredients.

Combine all of the wet mix ingredients together in a bowl, whisking until well combined. With a spatula, gently combine the wet mix with the dry mix, stirring until just combined.

Using an ice cream scoop or two large spoons, fill baking tins until slightly mounding. Lay a couple peach slices on each muffin, pressing them slightly into the batter.

Spoon the peach topping juices over the peaches and place tray into middle rack in the oven. Bake for 24-28 minutes, or until golden, peaches caramelized, and a toothpick comes our clean from testing the center of the muffins. Mine took exactly 24 minutes. Remove from oven.

While still hot, gently pop each muffin out of the tins and lay them on their side in the cups to allow them to cool. And ta da- heavenly muffins!

Coconut-Banana Muffins

What started as banana bread evolved into banana muffins. I wanted to switch it up so I made some edits to this classic. Lil brown sugar here... some shredded coconut there... bam! These muffins are tasty, light, and moist. This is a simple balance of banana and coconut. Plus, it's easy to make.
Preheat to 350 degrees and line cupcake tins (makes 24).

Cake:
1 stick margarine, softened
3/4 cups sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs, beaten
3 large bananas, mashed
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon coconut extract
1/3 cup sweetened shredded coconut
Pinch of salt

Topping:

1/3 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon softened butter

Cream together margarine and sugars in bowl. Add the eggs and bananas. Sift flour and soda together into batter, blending thoroughly. Stir in remaining ingredients. Make sure the bananas aren't super yellow. Pour into lined cupcake tin.
For the topping... mix the ingredients in a bowl. Do not melt the butter! You want it to be crumbly. It's easiest if you roll together with your hands until it become crumbly. Sprinkle generous amount on top of each muffin.
Bake for about 15 minutes. Perfect for on the go breakfast or a little snack at work. I brought these in to the office and they demolished.
I'm not quite sure why Bruce felt the need to glare at the unattainable muffin... But he did.