Flourless Honey-Orange Chocolate Muffins - Perfect Breakfast for your Valentine

How could you go wrong with muffins that marry the best flavors: orange, honey and chocolate? These are divine with a delicate cup of Café au lait and freshly whipped cream cheese.

Carrot-Orange Muffins for a Winter Morning

Hearty and robust or delicate and cake-like, all muffins have a place on the morning table. Homemade jams and preserves go well with full-flavored muffins, while the more subtle ones need only sweet butter, a little crème fraîche, or perhaps a spoonful of jelly. Some muffins filled with berries, need no accompaniment at all.

Banana Oat Bran Muffins with Flax, Sesame Seeds

Line a basket or pretty dish with a gingham napkin and fill with muffins-hot, tender, and a little sweet. Breakfast is a delicious meal and muffins are one of the best things about it.

Zucchini Apple Muffins

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma

Zucchini-Apple Muffins

Note: Before using the zucchini in this recipe, rinse and dry, then cut off the stem end before shredding onto layers of paper towels to absorb some of the excess moisture.

Banana Coconut Muffins with Dried Blueberries and Hemp Seeds

Last Friday after a long walk in the park, I arrived home to a lovely package on my porch. The package was to me from Bob's Red Mill-)) I received the coconut flour, dried blueberries and hemp seeds. I started thinking of recipes immediately. What to make? Cookies, pancakes, cake… I decided to bake banana muffins using all three ingredients. The following muffin recipe is both delicious and easy to make and are ideal to be served as breakfast or healthy snack. Thank you very much, I am very pleased with the quality of the products!

Coconut Flour is a delicious, healthy alternative to wheat and other grain flours. It is very high in fiber, low in digestible carbohydrates, a good source of protein and gluten free. It lends baked goods an incomparably rich texture and a unique, natural sweetness.

Dried Blueberries have no sugar or additives of any kind, just the wonderful concentrated natural flavor of blueberries. They're simply sweet and plump blueberries that are great for snacking or right out of the bag. They are a great addition to muffins, pancakes, waffles, quick breads, cereal, snacks, or cookies.

Hulled Hemp Seeds is high in Omega-3 and Omega-6 essential fatty acids and an excellent source of protein- containing all of the essential amino acids.


Makes 6 regular sized muffins.

Ingredients:

• 4 large eggs room temperature (I used organic, free-range eggs)
• 2 Tbsp melted coconut oil (or melted butter)
• 2 mashed ripe bananas
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 tsp lemon extract
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 cup organic coconut flour (from Bob's Red Mill)
• 2 Tbsp almond meal
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 cup dried blueberries (all natural from Bob's Red Mill)
• 1 Tbsp hulled hemp seeds (from Bob's Red Mill)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375° F.

Thoroughly grease a 6 cup muffin tin with coconut oil or line with paper muffin liners.
Melt coconut oil. Make sure the other ingredients are at room temperature. Wisk the eggs, bananas, coconut oil, honey and lemon extract together. Add the coconut flour, almond flour, baking powder, and whisk together until smooth.



Fold in dried blueberries. Pour into muffin cups. Sprinkle with hemp seeds.

Bake at 375° F for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in a muffin comes out clean. Pop muffins onto a wire rack to cool, then store in a container and refrigerate. Flavor is best one day after baking.

Peach, Oatmeal and Apricot Jam Cupcakes or Muffins, You decide!

Honestly, I don’t know what the difference between Cupcakes is and Muffins. Do you? I like to hear your thoughts.

Makes: 20

Ingredients:

• 1 ¾ cups self-rising flour
• ½ cup oatmeal
• ½ cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup superfine sugar
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup peach juice
• ½ cup sour cream
• 20 canned peach halves or quarters in juice, drained
• ¼ cup peach or apricot jam

Note: I did not have sour cream so I used yogurt instead (1/2 cup), but not just a yogurt the Passion Fruit Greek Yogurt. It was amazing addition of the passion fruit to the cupcake.

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line 20 standard muffin cups with paper liners.

Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl, then add the oatmeal and make a well in the center. Melt the butter and sugar in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat.

Wisk the combined egg and peach juice into the sour cream. Add both the butter and the egg mixtures to the well in the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon until combined.

Divide the mixture evenly among the paper liners and place a peach half or quarter, cut side up, on the top of each cake. Bake 18-20 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the center of a cake.

Transfer onto a wire rack to cool. Heat the jam in a small saucepan until melted. Brush a little jam over each cake.

Butternut Squash, Apple and Walnut Muffins and The Last Pumpkin Field Trip

The Anxious Leaf: Autumn Short Stories - Fall
Once upon a time a little leaf was heard to sigh and cry, as leaves
often do when a gentle wind is about. And the twig said, "What is the matter, little leaf?" And the leaf said, "The wind just told me that one day it would pull me off and throw me down to die on the ground!"
The twig told it to the branch on which it grew, and the branch told it to the tree. And when the tree heard it, it rustled all over, and sent back word to the leaf, "Do not be afraid. Hold on tightly, and you shall not go till you want to."

And so the leaf stopped sighing, but went on nestling and singing. Every time the tree shook itself and stirred up all its leaves, the branches shook themselves, and the little twig shook itself, and the little leaf danced up and down merrily, as if nothing could ever pull it off. And so it grew all summer long, till October.
And when the bright days of autumn came the little leaf saw all the leaves around becoming very beautiful. Some were yellow and some scarlet, and some striped with both colors. Then it asked the tree what it meant. And the tree said, "All these leaves are getting ready to fly away, and they have put on these beautiful colors because of joy."
Then the little leaf began to want to go, too, and grew very beautiful in thinking of it, and when it was very gay in color it saw that the branches of the tree had no bright color in them, and so the leaf said, "O branches! why are you lead-color and we golden?"

"We must keep on our work-clothes, for our life is not done - but your clothes are for holiday, because your tasks are over," said the branches.
Just then a little puff of wind came, and the leaf let go, without thinking of it, and the wind took it up and turned it over and over, and whirled it like a spark of fire in the air, and then it dropped gently down under the edge of the fence, among hundreds of leaves, and fell into a dream, and it never waked up to tell what it dreamed about.

Butternut Squash, Apple and Walnut Muffins recipe adapted from Cannelle et Vanille

The cupcakes came out just perfect: airy, buttery and moist. The recipe would make a beautiful cake, too. I love the color of my creation, it's the autumn on my table. -)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 small butternut squash puree, peeled, seeded and diced
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup (100g) light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup (50 g) natural cane sugar
• 1/3 cup (80 ml) unsweetened coconut milk
• 1/3 cup (80 ml) coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup (70 g) garbanzo bean flour
• 1/2 cup (70 g) cake-flour
• 1/3 cup (45 g) almond meal
• 3 tablespoons (20 g) potato-starch (potato-starch is excellent in cakes, it makes them light)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 Gala apple, peeled and diced into 1/8-inch pieces
• 1 ounce (30 g) chopped walnuts

Direction:
Preheat oven to 350F (180C).
Steam the diced squash until tender, about 10 minutes. Puree it in the food processor and measure 1/2 cup (115 g). Reserve the rest for another use.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the butternut squash puree, eggs, light brown sugar, natural cane sugar, coconut milk, coconut oil and vanilla extract.
In a separate large bowl, whisk together the garbanzo bean flour, cake-flour, almond meal, potato starch, salt, baking soda and cinnamon. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry and whisk to combine. Fold in the diced apples and walnuts.
Pour the batter into the muffin molds or baking cups and bake for 18 to 20 minutes. Let them cool for a few minutes before serving. They will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Makes 12 muffins.

Creamy Roasted Eggplant Soup and Tomato, Cheese Muffins

Ingredients for Roasted Eggplant Soup:

•  2 eggplants, halved lengthwise
•  2 small onions, halved
•  2 carrots, halved
•  2 parsnips, halved
•  4 cloves garlic, peeled
•  2 tablespoons vegetable oil
•  1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
•  4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
•  1/8 tsp. ground coriander
•  1/2 cup heavy cream
•  crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
•  salt and pepper to taste

Ingredients for Tomato and Cheese Muffins:

• 6 Tbs. (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 4 small green onions, including 1 inch of the
•   tender green portion, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup garbanzo flour
• 3 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 1/4 cups milk
• 2 eggs
• 3 oz. shredded cheese ( I used Gouda cheese)
• 2 plum tomatoes, diced

Directions for Roasted Eggplant Soup:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Place carrots, parsnips, eggplant, onion and garlic on a baking sheet and brush with oil.
Roast in preheated oven until very tender and brown in spots,35-45 minutes.
Scoop out eggplant pulp and discard skin. Cut carrots and parsnips into chunks. Place vegetables in a large heavy saucepan with thyme and chicken broth. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce heat and simmer until onion is very tender, 30 minutes.



Puree in batches in a food processor or blender. Return to low heat and stir in cream. Bring to a simmer, thinning with more broth, if necessary. Season with coriander, salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with goat cheese and chopped fresh thyme.



Directions for Tomato and Cheese Muffins:
Preheat an oven to 400°F. Grease 10 standard muffin cups with butter or butter-flavored nonstick cooking spray.
In a bowl, stir together the all-purpose and garbanzo flours, baking powder and salt.
In another bowl, whisk together the milk, melted butter and eggs until blended. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture, then pour in the milk mixture and the butter mixture. Stir just until evenly moistened, using no more than 15 to 20 strokes. The batter will be thick and lumpy.



Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each half full. Place 1 or 2 tomato chunks and chopped green onions on top and gently press into the batter. Cover the green onions and tomato with batter until level with the rim of the cup. Place grated cheese in the center of each filled cup.
Bake until the muffins are golden, dry and springy to the touch, 18 to 22 minutes. Do not over bake. To check the muffins, carefully lift a muffin from the pan; the sides should be browned. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool for 5 minutes. Unmold the muffins. Serve warm or at room temperature.