Lemon Muffins

Ingredients:

2 cups sugar
4 tbsp butter (1/2 stick)
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp lemon extract (or I used 5-6 drops lemon essential oil instead)
2/3 cup of fresh lemon juice
1 cup oil (I used canola)
6 eggs
zest of two lemons

3 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
Sugar Sprinkles (optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix sugar, butter, vanilla, lemon extract, lemon juice, oil, eggs and lemon zest. Add in and mix flour, baking powder, baking soda.  Put cupcake liners in muffin tin.  Fill to about 2/3 full.  I sprinkled sugar sprinkles on top of the muffins before baking.  Bake until cupcakes are done (don't overbake).  I think I baked them for 11-15 minutes but time will vary based on your oven.  You can also make this in a bread pan but you'd need to cook it longer and grease the pan first.  I did it both ways and like the muffins a lot more.  This recipe was originally supposed to be a copycat recipe for the Starbucks Lemon Loaf but I altered it a little and didn't use the glaze they suggested.  If you want to try the glaze, it is 2 cups powdered sugar, 4 tbsp skim milk, and 1 tsp lemon extract (or a few drops of lemon essential oil).  Combine those ingredients and pour over the cooled muffins or loaf.

Quinoa Spuffins

You may be asking yourself, "What the heck is a SPUFFIN?"  Well, I made up that term.  Since my son and I can't eat normal wheat/white flour, we have to use alternative ones.  Even though I have a wheat intolerance, spelt is fine in moderate amounts for some reason.  But when you bake with spelt, the texture is thicker and more dense.  Thus, I call spelt muffins, "spuffins!"  They also go with my old nickname which is Spam-a-lama-ding-dong :)

Ingredients:

 1 Cup of uncooked Quinoa, rinsed (will use 2 cups of the cooked quinoa & have some leftover)

1/4 Cup of unsweetened applesauce (I just dumped in a single serving applesauce container that I put in my kids’ lunches)

1-3/4 Cup of gluten free all-purpose flour (spelt, rice flour, GF flour, ground oats, or whatever you like)

1/4 Cup of ground flax

1/8 Cup Chia seeds

1/2 Cup of brown sugar (maybe honey or raw sugar instead?)

1 teaspoon of baking powder

1/2 teaspoon of baking soda

2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon

¼ to ½ teaspoon cardamom

¼ to ½ teaspoon nutmeg

3/4 Cup of almond milk (could use coconut, soy, or cow’s milk)

1 Large Egg

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Directions:

1.                  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray muffin tins with cooking spray and set aside. 

2.                  Bring 2 cups of water to a boil.  Add one cup of quinoa and cook on medium for about 12 minutes or until water is absorbed.  Turn off stove.  Stir and then leave it covered for 15 minutes away from stove.

3.                  In a medium size bowl, mix together sugar, egg, almond milk, flax, chia, applesauce, and spices. Mix in only 2 cups of the cooked quinoa (save any extra for another use or meal). 

4.                  Add flour(s), baking powder, baking soda and vanilla.

5.                  Divide batter evenly into a 12 muffin greased tin. Bake until toothpick comes out clean and tops are firm to touch. Approximately 20 minutes. Don’t overcook.

6.                  Depending on what flour(s) you use, the muffins will be pretty thick and heavy but delicious.  Served warm smothered with butter (or at least that is how my teenage boys and hubby like them).  These will spoil quickly due to the very fresh ingredients to eat within a day or two or store in the freezer.  I used 1 cup of spelt flour and 3/4 cup of brown rice flour because we're not allergic to those.

7.                  You can add nuts, raisins, diced fruit, chocolate chips, etc. if desired.  Probably about ½ cup if you do that.  They taste good plain though.

Nutritional Information for 1 muffin: (12 muffins per recipe)
Calories - 185
Carbs - 25
Fats - 5 (healthy fat though)
Protein - 6
Sugars - 6

Spelt Muffins

1 1/4 cup almond milk
3 Tbsp. milled flax seed
9 Tbsp. water
(note, you can use 3 eggs instead of the flax seed and water)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp. coconut oil (or other oil of choice)
Cinnamon to taste
Cardamom to taste
1 Tbsp. baking powder
2 1/4 cups spelt flour

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Spray Pam on muffin tin.  Mix all ingredient together except for spelt flour and baking powder.  Add dry ingredients and mix just until moistened.  Put evenly in 12 muffins tins and bake for around 12 minutes or until done.

3 Weight Watchers PointsPlus Points per muffin

Low-Fat Strawberry Banana Oat Muffins

1 1/2 cups wheat or white flour (or mix of both)
1 cup Coach's oatmeal (or regular oatmeal)
1/2 to 3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 ripe bananas, mashed
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup skim milk
1/4 cup egg substitute or 1 egg or 2 egg whites
2 tablespoons Canola oil
1 cup strawberry, diced

Directions:
 1 Preheat oven to 350.
2 Mix all wet ingredients and oats in a bowl and let sit for a while.
3 Add all dry ingredients.
4 Spray a 12 hole muffin pan with cooking spray.
5 Fill muffins 3/4 full and place in oven for 12-13 minutes or until not gooey.

Everyone LOVED these muffins, even my picky eater.  They are moist because of the bananas and strawberries.

Strawberry Banana Muffins

Yields 12 muffins
Serve hot from the oven and be ready for compliments!
1 -1/4cups whole wheat pastry flour
3/8 teaspoon Stevia Extract Powder
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 egg
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup mashed banana (1 large banana)
3/4 cup chopped fresh strawberries

Oil the muffin cups. In a mixing bowl stir together flour, stevia, baking powder, and cinnamon. Make a depress ion to receive the liquid ingredients. Using a separate bowl, mix together egg, water, and oil. Add to the flour mixture and stir. Add banana and strawberries -and stir just until combined.

Spoon batter into the muffin cups. Bake in a preheated oven at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until golden.

Low-fat Bran Muffins

1 cup flour (you can try part wheat flour for more fiber)
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups 100% bran cereal
1 ¼ cups milk (I use nonfat milk)
1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 egg
½ cup applesauce

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon in large bowl. Mix cereal, milk and sugar in another bowl; let stand 5 minutes. Stir in egg and applesauce. Add to flour mixture; stir just until moistened. (Batter will be lumpy). Spoon batter into muffin pan sprayed with no stick cooking spray, filling each cup 2/3 full.

Bake 18-20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.
Makes 12.