Sunday, February 19, 2012

Blueberry Coconut Muffins

Coconut oil is really my chosen oil to bake with. It adds a richness of flavor while being truly the most heart healthy oil there is.

WET
3/4 cups safflower or melted coconut oil
1 cup maple syrup
3 eggs or 6 egg whites or 6 Tbl ground flax seed whisked with 12 Tbl water (set aside)
1 1/2 tsp grated lemon rind
2 Tbl vanilla

DRY
4 cups whole wheat flour (or spelt)
1 1/8 cups shredded unsweetened coconut
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 cups blueberries- fresh, frozen or defrosted

Pre heat oven to 350F/175C.

Whisk all WET ingredients together.

Mix together flour, coconut and baking powder & soda.
Blend into WET ingredients.
Gently stir in blueberries.

The batter will be thick and delicious.
If you prefer a runnier batter, add some soy milk to get to the texture of batter you are used to.

Spoon batter into greased or papered muffin tins.
Bake at 350F/175C for about 30 minutes but check after 20. Bake until a skewer or knife comes out clean.

Spicy Apple Muffins

Another one from my very first whole foods baking book. Smile :)
Makes 2 dozen muffins that taste like autumn... even in February!

WET
2 cups apple cider
2 cups chopped dried apples
1 cup chopped fresh apple (optional)
1 cup safflower or melted coconut oil
3/4 cup maple syrup
2 TBL lemon juice
4 beaten egg whites or 2T ground flax seed whisked with 5T water.

DRY
4 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup dry soy milk powder
2 1/2 TBL baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 Tbl cinnamon
1 Tbl nutmeg
1 Tbl allspice

Pre Heat oven to 350F/175F
Soak dried apples in half of the cider and set aside.
Whisk flax seed into water. Set aside to thicken and get gooey and egg like.
Whisk together remaining WET ingredients.

Sift together DRY ingredients.

Make a well in the dry ingredients and whisk in ALl the WET ingredients including the flax seed mixture if using, and remaining apple cider. Using as few strokes as possible.
Then add in the dried apples and cider.

Pour into greased or papered muffin tins.
Bake at 350F/175C for 30 minutes.
Test with a fork.

Raspberry Muffins

This recipe was my very first venture into whole food baking. Just reading the ingredients brings me back to weekends "studying" by the streams in Sedona, AZ. They must have been pretty good to keep my changing recipes all these years! John, these are for you!

Raspberry Muffins

DRY
2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cups dry soy milk powder
1 tsp alum free baking powder
1 tsp baking soda

WET
3/4 cup maple syrup
3/8 cup melted coconut oil (or any other high fat veg oil)
1 1/4 tsp lemon juice (or more to taste)
3/4 tsp lemon peel- grated
1 beaten egg OR 1 Tbl ground flax seeds whisked with 2 Tbl water

1/2 large package frozen rasberries

PreHeat oven 350F/175C
Whisk together all WET ingredients until emulsified.
In a bowl, mix all DRY ingredients.
Pour WET ingredients into DRY and FOLD in gently.
Stir in frozen rasberries.
Bake at 350F for approx 15 minutes.

You can bake this as a loaf if desired.