Category Archives: Muffins

Greek Yogurt Zucchini Bread/Muffins

November 12, 2020

My kids only love zucchini if it’s in a muffin (or cornbread) and these Greek Yogurt Zucchini Muffins have become a recent favorite. I make them a bit healthier by using half whole wheat flour and reducing the honey a bit. And then I let them sprinkle some mini chocolate chips on top (or you can add them to the batter) so they think they’re really getting a treat! Bonus: Leftovers keep great in the freezer. Just thaw and reheat for a quick snack.

Greek Yogurt Zucchini Bread/Muffins

INGREDIENTS

1/3 cup canola, vegetable, or melted coconut oil (I used grapeseed oil)
1/2 cup honey, maple syrup or agave (I reduced this to 1/3 cup honey)
1 large egg
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt (I used 2% Fage)
1 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (or half white whole wheat flour and half all-purpose flour)
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 cup shredded zucchini (about 1 medium)
2 tsp. orange zest (optional, but recommended)
up to 3/4 cup walnuts and/or chocolate chips (optional, we sprinkled some mini chocolate chips on top)

DIRECTIONS

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F and grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan or 12-cup muffin pan.
  2. Whisk the oil, honey/maple/agave, egg, yogurt, and vanilla together in a medium bowl until combined. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon together. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix with a large wooden spoon or rubber spatula until combined. Avoid over-mixing. Fold in the zucchini, orange zest (optional), and walnuts/chocolate chips (optional). NOTE: The batter will be thick but the zucchini will release moisture while it bakes.
  3. Spread batter into the prepared loaf pan or divide the batter among the muffin holes. Bake for 40-50 minutes for a loaf or about 15 minutes for muffins. Baking times vary, so keep an eye on yours. The bread/muffins are done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. (If you find the top of the bread is browning too quickly in the oven, loosely cover it with aluminum foil.)
  4. Remove the bread/muffins from the oven and set on a wire rack to cool. Cover and store leftover bread/muffins at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Makes 1 loaf or 12 muffins.

(Adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction)

Healthy Chocolate Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins

April 9, 2015

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A healthy double chocolate muffin today! I know it sounds unlikely, but these muffins are still light on sugar/fat/calories. They’re made with whole wheat flour (I added flax as usual), cocoa powder, and sweetened with honey and a few mini chocolate chips. The zucchini keeps them extra moist, as does a bit of coconut oil and applesauce. I’ve made half a dozen muffins now from Ambitious Kitchen and loved them all! Check out her site for lots more good-for-you treats.

p.s. High altitude adjustments included below.*

Healthy Chocolate Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins

INGREDIENTS

1 1/4 cups white whole wheat flour (I replaced 2 Tbsp. flour with ground flaxseed)
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 egg
1 cup shredded zucchini (about 1 medium zucchini)
1/4- 1/3 cup honey (I used 1/4 cup)
2 Tbsp. coconut oil, melted
1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk (or regular milk)
1/4 cup applesauce
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/4- 1/2 cup chocolate chips (I used 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly coat a muffin tin with cooking spray.

2. Squeeze shredded zucchini of excess water with a paper towel (or just use your hands).

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour (and flaxseed, if using), cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

4. In a separate bowl, whisk together coconut oil, honey, vanilla, egg and egg white until well combined. Add in zucchini, applesauce, and almond milk; mix again. Slowly add in dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Gently fold in chocolate chips.

5. Evenly divide batter into prepared muffin tin. Bake 18-22 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the middle of a muffin comes out clean. Remove muffins and transfer to wire rack to finish cooling.

*for high altitude: +1 Tbsp. flour, halve baking soda, +1 Tbsp. milk, increase baking temp to 375, and decrease baking time slightly

Makes 12 muffins.

(Adapted from Ambitious Kitchen)

Orange Blackberry Muffins

February 12, 2015

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I first made these muffins six years ago (almost to the date!) when I first started this blog. Back then I tried to healthify them by using whole wheat and cutting down the fat. And they turned out great. But these are really really wonderful as a dessert muffin- with all of that white flour and butter. They rise high are pillowy soft and fluffy. They’re stuffed with orange zest and juicy tart blackberries, which is balanced with honey and sweet citrus juice.

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I’ve been baking at high altitude for six months (we moved to Colorado Springs) and almost feel comfortable with it now. This is my go-to guide for adjusting baked goods. I’ll try to include any adjustments* I use when I post recipes from now on. If you ever have any questions about baking at altitude don’t hesitate to ask!

Orange Blackberry Muffins

INGREDIENTS

2 cups all-purpose flour (or 1 3/4 cup white whole wheat flour)
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 cup sugar + extra for sprinkling on top (optional)
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 navel orange, zested and juiced
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 large eggs
3 Tbsp. honey
1 cup fresh blackberries (or frozen, thawed and drained)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Lightly grease or line a 12 hole muffin tin.

2. Pour the orange juice into a large glass measuring cup or a bowl and pour in enough buttermilk to make 1 cup. Whisk in the eggs, honey and melted butter.

3. In a large bowl, rub sugar and orange zest together with fingertips until the sugar is moist and you can smell the orange. Whisk in the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and gently but quickly stir to blend. Stir in the blackberries. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups. Sprinkle each muffin with a bit of sugar (optional- I like how it forms a crispy crust).

4. Bake in the preheated oven for about 15-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for 5 minutes before carefully removing each muffin.

*at high altitude: + 2 Tbsp. flour, halve baking powder and baking soda, – 1 Tbsp. sugar, + 2 Tbsp. buttermilk, increase oven temp to 400 F, decrease baking time by several minutes

Makes 12 muffins.

(Adapted from Genesis of a Cook)

Pumpkin Zucchini Muffins

October 19, 2014

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Pumpkin season it is so pumpkin muffins I bake. Clara and I have been devouring these spiced pumpkin and zucchini filled muffins all week. As usual, they’re whole wheat and minimally sweetened with honey (and chocolate chips if you wish- I just tossed a few on top as a treat). And they’re easily made dairy-free by using coconut oil and almond milk (I tested them this way).

Pumpkin Zucchini Muffins

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour (I replaced 1/4 cup flour with ground flaxseed)
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg
pinch of cloves
pinch of ginger
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup shredded zucchini, squeezed of excess moisture
1/3 cup honey
1 Tbsp. olive or coconut oil
1 egg
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk or unsweetened almond milk
1/2 cup chocolate chips (I just sprinkled a few on top)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 12 cup muffins pan with cooking spray.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger.

3. In a separate large bowl combine pumpkin, zucchini, honey, oil, egg, and vanilla until well combined and smooth. Whisk in almond milk. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Gently fold in chocolate chips (if using), reserving a few for sprinkling on top.

4. Bake in preheated oven for about 18 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for several minutes before removing muffins from the pan to the wire rack to finish cooling.

Makes 12 muffins.

(Adapted from Ambitious Kitchen)

Coconut Banana Muffins

January 9, 2014

coconut banana muffins

I can’t remember for sure (as it has been 20+ years) but being a toddler must be tough. Learning to move and communicate with a tiny awkward body. Constant tumbles. Constant rejection. Constantly sick and snotty. It must be frustrating figuring out a new world. Finding out that world isn’t fair.

Most of my day revolves around a miniature being who is so full of life and energy and so fed up with it at the same time. One minute I’m being smothered in hugs and kisses and the next I’m ducking swinging arms and legs amidst wails of despair. (It must be diaper changing time again.) She’s so sweet and innocent and meanwhile clever and mischievous and I never know what I’ll get.

coconut banana muffin

I consider myself a pretty nice mama. I patiently walk in to her bedroom in the middle of almost every night, to give her a hug and a kiss, a sip of water, and lay her back down to sleep. I cook her breakfast, lunch, and dinner and try my hardest to not throw a tantrum when she doesn’t eat. I spend hours at the park and on the floor playing blocks and drawing beside her and reorganizing the drawers she’s emptied. I set limits and stick her in time-out when she loses it. (Which she then begs for anytime I’m making her do something she doesn’t want to be doing. -i.e. diaper changing.) I’m her nurse, stylist, chef, maid, teacher, therapist, and punching bag.

And I love it. I lover her. But what I’m really saying is that some most days being a mama is tough and exhausting. But I’m guessing that being under two (or three, etc.) is hard too. And just like my little Clara, who can’t seem to remember that her potty is for poo-poo and not for stashing toys, I need reminding. That she’s not out to get me. That she needs me. And that she’s allowed to have bad days too.

coconut oil banana muffins

Anytime I ask Clara what she wants for a snack (which isn’t often, I usually decide what we eat) she’s guaranteed to say one of three things: “chi-chi’s” (cheerios), “oie” (orange), or muffie (muffin). (And she begs for pizza every night. I don’t blame her.) She’s loves her muffins and I love that I can stuff them full of healthy things: oatmeal, whole grains nuts/seeds, fruit (banana, raisins, whatever is in season) and even veggies such as carrots and zucchini.

Today we have coconut banana muffins. I always make my muffins low-sugar (so beware, if you want a dessert-type muffin you’ll want to increase the amount of sugar) and usually low-fat by swapping out the oil for yogurt or applesauce. This time I left in the coconut oil because it adds so much flavor and has nutrient benefits. And instead of whole wheat flour, I used spelt. It’s still whole grain but makes for an even lighter, more tender muffin. Stock up on spelt- it makes some amazing bread and baked goods! There’s a bit of tang from the sour cream/yogurt and texture from the coconut. And they’re just sweet enough with banana and brown sugar and cinnamon.

Coconut Banana Muffins

INGREDIENTS

1 3/4 cup whole spelt flour (or white whole wheat flour)
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1/2 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
2 large eggs
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 cup mashed ripe banana (about 2 large bananas)
1/4-1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut + extra for topping (If you use sweetened coconut you could reduce the sugar further)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Line with muffin liners or lightly grease a 12 cup muffin pan.

2. In a large bowl, whisk to combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. In a separate bowl, whisk to combine the brown sugar, coconut oil, sour cream or yogurt, eggs, vanilla, and mashed banana. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until just combined. Stir in the coconut. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pan.

3. Bake in preheated oven for about 15 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool in the pan for several minutes before removing muffins from the pan onto a wire rack to cool completely.

(NOTE: These muffins freeze well. Reheat at room temperature or in the microwave.)

Makes 12 muffins.

(Adapted from The Green Forks)