Morning Glory Muffins

When I was a little girl I used to LOVE making muffins with my Mom on Saturday morning. Now I will be honest, this wasn't an every Saturday type of thing, but when she did decide to make muffins, I was right there stirring the buttermilk and helping measure the flour and oil and crack the eggs... well, you get the picture.

But now that I am older and wiser I realize that sometimes an ordinary muffin can really be a... vessel of sorts... to deliver important nutrients to my son and husband to get them through the day. Am I saying my Mom's muffins, loaded with oil and sugar and all purpose flour, were unhealthy? Well, not in so many words... but basically, if breakfast is supposed to be the most important meal of the day, why not pack some important vitamins into it, and heck, let's even hide a serving or two of fruits and veggies in there.

Oh and to go for the Trifecta: let's make them moist, savory, and irresistibly addictive...

How does that sound?

Yeah, I know!

Thus I began my search for the perfect "Morning Glory" muffin recipe. You know, those yummy muffins you can find at coffee shops and bakeries? Well I found a recipe that seemed... well... Okay. Just okay. It was packed with all the things that I didn't want in the first place: oil, white flour, tons of sugar, added fat, and just a fraction of the amount of fruits and veggies I wanted to see in my muffins.

So I fixed it.

It was pretty simple actually. I used one of my favorite recipes of all time, my mom's Carrot Bread/Zucchini Bread recipe, as inspiration. I traded the oil for all natural unsweetened applesauce. I swapped the white flour for whole wheat flour. I sprinkled in some wheat germ and flax seed. I added a ton of shredded carrots and apples. I added a handful of raisins and craisins. Oh and that pesky sugar problem? I swapped the almost 1.5 cups of white sugar for 1/2 cup brown sugar. And even at that I think it could use less (how does 1/3 cup sound compared to 1.5? I know, right?!). I made a few other changes to, and all in all, it was a brilliant success.

So after about 10 requests for this recipe via my Facebook, I decided to comply. Here you go! I hope you enjoy these as much as my husband, my picky 2 year old, and of course, ME!

Virginia's Morning Glory Muffins

2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 c packed brown sugar (1/3 if you want less sugar)
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
pinch or so of nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
2-3 cups shredded carrots (about 4-5 medium carrots, maybe more)
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup craisins
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 large granny smith apple - peeled, cored and shredded
3 eggs
1 c natural, unsweetened applesauce
2 Tablespoons molasses
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Sift together the dry ingredients, then fold in the carrots, apple, raisins, craisins, and nuts. This is when I sprinkle in some wheat germ and flax seed. I don't really measure, I just kind of shake it in until I think it looks like enough. If you really want a measurement, start with just 2 T the first time and then you can decide if you want to increase it or not.

Beat the eggs with the applesauce, molasses and vanilla... Then combine with the dry mixture. Spoon by 1/3 cup fulls into muffin cups (definitely use liners) and bake for about 22 minutes at 350.

There is a lot of shredding and grating involved, but if you have a food processor it makes easy work of it!

Also, it wouldn't be a "Like Mom Made" recipe if it wasn't customizable. And, OF COURSE it is!

You can feel free to swap out any combination of the mix ins.

In place of the applesauce you can use pureed pumpkin, a mashed banana, or if you REALLY have to, you can use the same amount of oil.

Don't like raisins? Toss in some dried cherries and replace the pecans with macadamia nuts.

Use zucchini in place of the carrots for a different texture and taste (more like Zucchini bread... yum!).

Change any kind of nut, dried fruit, or oil replacer that you can think of.

The possibilities are endless!

Enjoy! :)

Oh and to all my Mom readers: remember, this is a GREAT way to sneak extra veggies and fruit in to your child's diet... but they don't HAVE to know that! ;)

Gingerbread Muffins with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

Let me just sigh a contented sigh of yumminess...

*Sigh*

These things are pure heaven: seriously.

I had found a recipe vaguely resembling gingerbread muffins... I played with it until I found something that took me back to Christmastime in my childhood and knew I had done it right...

Then I wanted to dress the little guys up in something delicious and I had a bunch of oranges laying around, so I decided to give them some life and came up with a delicious cream cheese frosting with a hint of orange flavor.

It was a beautiful marriage...

So anyways, let me explain something really quick... The fact that I am about to share this particular recipe is a VERY BIG DEAL... This is one of those recipes that whenever I make these muffins (which I often pass off as cupcakes) and take somewhere, everyone wants to know my secret... to which I just smile and say "If I told you, it wouldn't be a secret anymore, now would it?"

Well, guess the secret is out. Here you go! Enjoy!

Most Amazing Incredible Super Delicious Gingerbread Muffins:

1/2 c water
1/4 c butter (go on and use the good stuff, you know you want to)
1 egg
1/4 c molasses
1/4 c sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 c all purpose flour, sifted (duh)
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger (gasp! surprise!)
1 tsp (or a little more) pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

Preheat your oven to 350... also, enlist help of little person or unsuspecting husband (boyfriend, friend, or whoever) to line muffin tins with the little baking cup things.. Just a note, I prefer to do mini muffins... they turn out better and are such a satisfying little treat.

Put the butter and water into a microwave safe bowl and microwave until melted. I usually do about 30 seconds at a time until it is bubbling.

Meanwhile, whisk the egg in a bowl until well beaten. Add sugar and molasses and whisk well. Add the water and butter mixture and vanilla and stir well again. Then sift the remaining ingredients on top of the liquid mixture. Slowly stir to combine the wet into the dry without over stirring.

Pour into prepared muffin cups and bake for about 10 minutes. (20 for regular sized muffins).




Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

1 package cream cheese, softened
1/4 c butter, softened
1 tablespoon of fresh squeezed orange juice
1 cup powdered sugar (or more depending on consistency, I think I ended up with about 2 cups or a little less)
1 tsp vanilla
lots of orange zest (as much or as little as you want, but the more the merrier I always say)


Okay, let me just point out that when I say "softened" I MEAN softened!!! Make sure you have these suckers out for enough time to be workable, but not like, melted or anything... If you forget to set them out, unwrap the cream cheese, set it on the plate, and microwave for like, 8 seconds. That should do it. Same thing with the butter but only for 5 seconds.

Cream the butter and cream cheese until creamy and whippy (is that a word?). Add the vanilla and orange juice and beat until blended. Sift in the powdered sugar and beat the crud out of it.. Then add in your zest and mix well.

I usually spoon the frosting into a sandwich baggy and use it like a piping bag... Just a tip, stick your baggy in a tall glass and fold the edges over it like a garbage bag in the can, then dump your frosting in it... much easier and less messy!!!

Enjoy!