Wednesday, June 13, 2007

WFMW - Full Meal Muffins


If your kids are anything like mine, it's not always easy to get them to sit down for a meal. For those grazing days, one solution that has earned its place in my regular repertoire is the Vegan Lunchbox's Full Meal Muffins. We're not vegan (or even vegetarian), but we sure love these delicious muffins. In fact, they've been asking for them for the past two days, so it looks like muffin-making is on today's agenda.

Jennifer developed them with the idea that they'd be an easy, convenient, nutritious main course. My kids love them because they think they're pulling one over on me and getting to eat junk food for a meal. I love them because I know that they're actually eating something super-healthy. I'm sneaky that way.


Reprinted from The Vegan Lunchbox
Makes 12 muffins

1 cup whole spelt flour
1 cup barley flour (or use 1 cup white and 1 cup whole wheat flour in place of spelt and barley if you prefer)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 ripe bananas, peeled
3 tablespoons blackstrap molasses
½ cup apple juice, plus more as needed
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1 zucchini, finely grated (about 1 ½ cups)
½ cup finely chopped or ground walnuts½ cup currants or raisins (optional, they add a touch of sweetness)

Preheat the oven to 375º. Line a muffin tin with paper liners and spray with nonstick spray.

Combine both flours, cinnamon, baking powder, and baking soda in a mixing bowl and whisk together. Place the bananas, blackstrap molasses, apple juice, and apple cider vinegar in a blender and blend until smooth. Mix the wet and dry ingredients together, then fold in the zucchini, walnuts, and currants or raisins. Use a bit more apple juice if needed to wet all the flour.

Divide mixture evenly into the 12 lined muffin cups, and bake for 20 minutes, or until the top springs back to the touch. Remove muffins from the pan and cool on a wire rack.Store in an airtight container or freeze in individual freezer bags to pull out and put into lunches as needed.

Extra tip from Robin - my daughter won't eat anything she even suspects of having vegetables or raisins in it, so I just puree those and the nuts really well right in with the rest of the ingredients, and voila, a nice even texture which can hide all sorts of secrets. Oh, and I have to make a double batch if I want any to freeze - they never last long enough otherwise.
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Check out Shannon's Rocks in My Dryer for more good tips.

4 comments:

Jane said...

I could really use these! I am trying to get more veggies in my diet and I would love a muffin meal for breakfast or lunch on the run!

mamabeck said...

You have NO idea how awesome your posting this today's WFMW is...

My MIL had worked up a recipe several years ago, that was similar to this. All of her recipes were lost in a house fire, and she'd asked me if I had a copy of her recipe still. I didn't, but have kept looking for one like it.

She also used the basic recipe and changed up the spices and additions, and put shredded chicken with corn and other veg, as well as sausage and cheese as well...

Thank you SO much! (printed this out for her...they don't have internet access)
beck

Cheri said...

These sound really good- especially in the summer time when you want something simple for supper.
Thanks for sharing!

Amy said...

Oh, yum. This sounds really good. My little one also gets a bit finicky around mealtimes, but she loves bread and sweet. These will go over really well.

Thank you for sharing the recipe!