Sweet, savory and scrumptious muffins - recipes - includes related glossary - Cover Story

Vegetarian Times, May, 1995 by Lillian Kayte

The very idea of homemade muffins for breakfast evokes memories of lazy mornings when there was actually time to smell the coffee. Yet muffins, whether sweet with fruit or savory with herbs, aren't just for breakfast anymore. Hot from the oven, meltingly tender and dappled with butter or jam or both, they can make a special meal even more so. In fact, any quick-bread recipe is a batch of muffins waiting to happen. As with their bigger loaf-size cousins, the leavening agents used are baking powder and baking soda, which means that a batch of fresh hot muffins is only minutes away. Most of the following muffins can be made in 30 to 45 minutes, including baking time.

Making muffins that are good for you is easy. Substitute whole wheat pastry flour for the unbleached white flour. To reduce the fat, use this rule: Up to half the shortening, butter or margarine called for in a recipe can, be replaced with a fruit puree such as applesauce, jarred baby fruit or prunes. Pureed fruit is also helpful when reducing or eliminating sugar or other sweeteners, and nonfat plain yogurt can also be substituted for part or all of the fat.

The trick to turning out a tender high-rising muffin is to not work hard at it. Simply spoon the dry ingredients into a bowl, make a well, add the wet ingredients to the well, and then mix only until the dry ingredients are incorporated - too much stirring makes them tough.

Whether you enjoy sweet muffins at breakfast or savory ones with dinner, we know you'll have these recipes.

Blueberry Corn

Muffins

These golden muffins feature colorful blueberries and are deliciously cake-like.

1 1/4 cups unbleached white flour 1/2 cup cornmeal 2 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1/4 tsp. salt 3 Tbs. sugar 1 large egg, beaten 1 1/2 Tbs. canola oil 1 cup soy, rice or dairy milk (see

glossary) 1/3 cup frozen unsweetened apple

juice concentrate, thawed 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper muffin cups or oil, or spray with cooking spray; set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar.

In a separate bowl, combine egg, oil, milk and apple juice concentrate. Make a well in dry ingredients; pour in liquid ingredients all at once. Blend until well combined, leaving no dry spots; do not overmix. Lightly fold in blueberries. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full with batter.

Bake until golden brown and firm, the touch, about 20 minutes. Let cool in pan 5 minutes before serving. Makes 10 to 12 muffins.

PER SERVING: 147 CAL.; 3G PROT.; 3G FAT; 25G CARB.; 21 MG CHOL.; 193MG SOD.; 2G FIBER. OVO-LACTO

Raisin-date Bran

Muffins

About 10 years ago, there was a popular recipe for bran muffins: The batter would keep in the fridge for about 6 weeks, and every few days, you could use some to make a batch. This recipe is an adaptation, a favorite of Vegetarian Times subscriber Cindy Saunders, who asked if we could cut the fat. We did that, plus we cut the recipe back to a manageable 12 muffins. We've put the original quantities in parentheses; it makes enough batter for 5 dozen muffins.

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda (5 tsp.) 1/2 cup boiling water (2 cups) 2 Tbs. canola oil (1/2 cup) 2 Tbs. thick applesauce (1/2 cup) 1/4 cup sugar (1 cup) 1/4 cup brown sugar (1 cup) 1 egg, or equivalent Egg Replacer

(see glossary; 4 eggs or

equivalent) 1 cup low-fat or regular soy, rice or

dairy milk (see glossary) (1 quart) 1 Tbs. lemon juice (1/4 cup) 1 cup unbleached white flour (4 cups) 1/4 tsp. salt (1 tsp.) 1 cup bran cereal (4 cups) 1/2 cup bran cereal with raisins (2

cups) 1/2 cup chopped dates (2 cups)

Add baking soda to boiling water and stir; set aside to cool. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper muffin cups or oil, or spray with cooking spray; set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine oil, applesauce and sugars. Blend very well. Add egg; mix again. Add baking soda mixture, milk, lemon juice, flour, salt, cereals and dates. Mix well; allow to stand until dry ingredients absorb some liquid, about 5 minutes. Spoon batter into muffin cups; bake 25 minutes. Serve warm. Makes 12 muffins.

PER SERVING: 138 CAL.; 2G PROT.; 2G FAT; 26G CARB.; 0 CHOL.; 180MG SOD.; 3G FIBER. VEGAN/OVO-LACTO

Peanut Butter and

Jelly Muffins

Kids love these peanut butter-flavored muffins with jelly in the center. If you use natural peanut butter and jam, the muffins contain no refined sugar.

2 cups unbleached white flour 2 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. baking soda 2 large eggs, lightly beaten 3/4 cup chunky-style reduced-fat

or regular peanut butter 3/4 cup frozen unsweetened apple

juice concentrate, thawed 1/2 cup soy, rice or dairy milk (see

glossary) 1 Tbs. melted margarine 6 Tbs. strawberry or raspberry jam

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper muffin cups, or oil or spray muffin pan; set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder and baking soda; set aside. In another bowl, beat eggs and peanut butter together until smooth. Mix in apple juice concentrate, milk and melted margarine; beat until well blended.