muffin

Honey Raisin Bran Muffins

/ jenniferdyck / 1 Comment

I would consider myself a classic baker. I enjoy recipes that are nostalgic, warm my heart and are tied with food memories. Trying new recipes is fun but I find that I always revert back to my basics, especially when I’m craving a taste of comfort.

Everyone needs a classic bran muffin in their repertoire. The original recipe came from my mom’s recipe box and I remember her baking these in my youth.

When these muffins come out of the oven they have that delicious slightly crusty muffin top.

The only real change I made was to add the dash of nutmeg, pinch of cloves and of course swap out that vegetable oil for canola.

If you plan to eat multiples of these babies in one day, be sure to drink your fluids so your digestive system keeps on flowing. Wheat bran is a source of insoluble fibre and while it moves through your digestive system doing it’s amazing work, if will absorb moisture. Don’t let it get stuck, stay hydrated.

From my kitchen to yours, fibre up and enjoy!
Jenn

Honey Raisin Bran Muffins

Ingredients:

2 cups milk
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 eggs
3/4 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup canola oil
1/2 cup liquid honey
3 cups wheat bran
2 cups raisins or dried cranberries
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1 Tbsp cinnamon
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
pinch of ground cloves

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350F and spray two muffin tins with canola oil cooking spray or line with muffin liners.
  2. In a large bowl mix together milk and lemon juice. Set aside for 5 min.
  3. After 5 min, mix in eggs, brown sugar, canola oil and honey until well combined. Stir in bran and raisins. Let sit for 10 min. Skipping the 10 minutes will leave your batter too runny, your raisins too hard and your bran gritty. Do not skip this step.
  4. In a separate bowl, whisk together; the flours, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, nutmeg and cloves.
  5. Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture and stir until just combined.
  6. Divide the batter into the prepared pans using a full 1/4 cup scoop. I usually get 24 plus 3 muffins. I know, a bit annoying. You can go back to top up evenly or bake off another round or invest in a mini loaf pan and you get a bonus snack for yourself.
  7. Bake in the preheated oven for 18-20 minutes or a toothpick comes out clean.
    Notes:
    -You can cut this recipe in half for 12-14 muffins.
    -Muffins freeze well.
    -Store your wheat bran in the freezer to extend shelf life once open. Wheat bran will go rancid once open and nobody enjoys a rancid bran muffin!

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Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

/ jenniferdyck / 1 Comment

We all have that one recipe we can recite by heart. The recipe that feels like a dash of this and a dash of that. You’ve made it so many times that you are not sure you even read the words on the card anymore.

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For me, it is Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins. They are a staple in my kitchen and it is not uncommon for me to be whipping up a batch at 9 pm on a Sunday night to fill lunch kits for the week.

But don’t worry, I’ve measured this recipe out and tested them umpteen times!

Here are my Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins!

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

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Ingredients:

  • 2 cups whole-wheat flour
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup ground flaxseed
  • 1 Tbsp cinnamon
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 6 medium bananas
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup canola oil
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 1 cup chocolate chips plus extra (optional)

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350F.  Prepare two muffin pans with parchment muffin liners or spray with canola oil. You are making 24 standard sized muffins.
  2. In medium size bowl, whisk together flours, flax, cinnamon, baking powder and baking soda.
  3. If you are using a stand mixer: to the stand mixer bowl add the bananas and beat. Add eggs, beat until well combined. Add canola oil and beat until well combined. Add sugar and vanilla then continue to beat until well combined.
    OR If using a regular second bowl, mash bananas, beat in eggs, beat in canola oil then beat in sugar and vanilla.
  4. Add dry ingredients to wet mixture and stir just to combine ingredients but not fully combined. Yes, this is backwards to a standard muffin method but I make mine in my stand mixer for less mess and simplicity and this works just great!
  5. Add 1 cup chocolate chips and stir just to combine ingredients.
  6. Add batter to prepared muffin pans using 1/4 cup self-releasing scoop.
    Optional: drop 2-3 chocolate chips or walnut pieces to the top of each muffin.
  7. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove from oven, let stand for 5 minutes. Remove from pans and let cool completely on a wire rack.

Notes:

If your bananas are ripe but you are not ready to make muffins; peel them and put into a resealable bag in your freezer. Keep adding bananas until you have 6 – now you are ready to bake!

Peeled, frozen bananas are also quick and easy for smoothies!

Storage:

Keep in a resealable container on the counter for 1-2 days or in the freezer for up to a month.

Always…Jenn

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

/ jenniferdyck / 2 Comments

A Taste of Fall

As the daylight shortens, the air chills and the leaves turn, I crave a taste of fall.

The combination of pumpkin, cinnamon and nutmeg with a touch of chocolate in these Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins hits the spot.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins | www.jenniferdyck.com

More Pumpkin Please

It was my goal to pack in 2 cups of pumpkin puree into one batch of 24 muffins. One pie pumpkin can yield upwards of 4-6 or more cups of puree. Most recipes I was testing only used 1/2 cup to 1 cup of pumpkin and so began my journey.

These are not large muffins and they are also not too sweet. If you have a sweet tooth you’ll want to increase the chocolate chips or add an extra 1/4 cup of sugar.

I add 2-3 chocolate chips to the top of each muffin before baking (as indicated in the recipe below).  This trick catches the eyes of my children and has them gobbling down a batch in no time.

I’ve been making and tweaking this muffin recipe for a few seasons and I hope you enjoy them as much as my family.

Pumpkin Puree

It starts with the right pumpkin or the right can.

Canned: an economical and convenient option. Be sure to buy 100% pure pumpkin. Do not buy pumpkin pie filling, buy only 100% pure pumpkin. Canned pumpkin pie filling already has seasoning added and sometimes added sugar. Purchase 100% pure pumpkin so you can control the flavour and sweetness.

Make your own: my personal favourite. Making your own puree starts with acquiring the right variety of pumpkin. Sugar pumpkins or pie pumpkins are the two names I seek out. They are typically small and round, the flesh is thicker, has more flavour and they are not as watery. You can eat the large pumpkins sold mainly for decorations and carving but your end result will not be as delicious. Fellow Professional Home Economist (PHEc) Getty Stewart has an excellent “How to Make and Freeze Pumpkin Puree” instructional post. Go check it out!

Now, go to the kitchen and bake something delicious!

Always…Jenn

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins | www.jenniferdyck.com

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 Tbsp wheat germ
  • 1 Tbsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 2 cups pumpkin puree
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup canola oil
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2/3 cup chocolate chips, plus a few extra

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350F.  Prepare pan(s) with parchment muffin liners.
  2. In medium size bowl, whisk together flours, wheat germ, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and nutmeg.
  3. In a second bowl, beat together pumpkin, sugar, canola oil, eggs and vanilla.
  4. Add wet ingredients to flour mixture and stir just to combine ingredients.
  5. Add 2/3 cup chocolate chips and stir just to combine ingredients.
  6. Add batter to prepared muffin pans using leveled 1/4 cup measure. Drop 2-3 chocolate chips to the top of each muffin.
  7. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove from pans and let cool on a wire rack.

Notes:

Regular muffins – makes 24 if you are precise with the 1/4 cup measure.  If not, you might get a couple less.

Mini muffins – makes 48 if you are precise with a 2 tsp scoop.  Bake at 350F for 12-14 minutes.

Storage:

Keep in a resealable container on the counter for 1-2 days or in the freezer for up to a month.

Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

/ jenniferdyck / 1 Comment

Chocolate Zucchini Muffins | www.jenniferdyck.comIt’s zucchini time!  On the Prairies from late July until the end of August it’s zucchini season.

Did you know these summer squash can grow up to 1 meter long!?

Stop in at any farm yard or visit an urban garden enthusiast at this time of year and I’m sure you’ll leave toting a zucchini too large to fit in your fridge.

I like to make them into delicious cakes, loafs, muffins and other baked treats.  Save the small tender ones for grilling and eating raw.  You can also grate and freeze extra zucchini for winter baking or for adding into sauces and soups.

Here is our family favourite recipe for Chocolate Zucchini Muffins.

Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

Chocolate Zucchini Muffins | www.jenniferdyck.com

Ingredients:

  • 2 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour
  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder
  • 2 Tbsp wheat germ
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup canola oil
  • 1/2 cup 1% milk
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 cups shredded zucchini
  • 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350F.  Prepare pan with parchment muffin liners.
  2. In medium size bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, wheat germ, cinnamon, baking soda and baking powder.
  3. In a second bowl, beat together sugar, canola oil, milk, eggs and vanilla.
  4. Add wet ingredients to flour mixture and stir just to combine ingredients.
  5. Add zucchini and chocolate chips and stir just to combine ingredients.
  6. Add batter to prepared muffin pans using leveled 2 Tbsp (30 mL) measure.
  7. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove from pans and let cool on a wire rack.

Notes:

Mini-muffins – makes 24.  Bake at 350F for 12-14 minutes.

Storage:

Keep in a resealable container on the counter for 1-2 days or in the freezer for up to a month.