M is for Muffin...

I have a sister who has recently began to change her family's diet. More whole grains, more fruits and vegetables. Less meats, dairy products, and processed foods. She's been really excited about their "new, improved health." But, she missing cookies. She and her husband are the world's best cookie makers. So, she asked me.

"What do you do to make cookies healthy?"

A few years ago, I would have said you increase whole grains and healthy fat (olive oil, nuts, etc.) and decrease sugar and other fats (butter and shortening.) And you get a mediocre cookie. Now that I have a kid with food allergies, substituting the eggs has become a whole new game. So my answer to her.... "Make muffins!" So if, on a rare occasion, we make cookies around here we stick with LOTS of good ole' basic cookie ingredients, butter, sugar, flour!

Muffins are easy to make, bake all at once, freeze well, and easy to clean up (if you use muffin cups.) You can eat them for a meal or a snack. And, they are very forgiving. It's easy change the type of flour, decrease sugar and fat, and substitute the eggs. Our muffin are usually pretty dense, but make a great breakfast food. Here's a favorite.

I borrowed this photo from here. Our muffins look just like this without the crumb topping.

Banana Muffins

• ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup Flaxseed Meal
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ½ salt
• 3 large bananas, mashed
• ½ cup applesauce
• ½ cup white sugar
• 1 egg (or a large dallop of plain or greek yogurt or sour cream or buttermilk)
• 3 tbls butter, melted or olive oil

Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, flax, cinnamon, and salt.

Combine bananas, applesauce, sugar, egg and butter in blender. Combine mixtures, and stir until moistened.

Scoop into muffin pans. Top with half pecan/brown sugar mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes.

Flaxseed Meal can be eliminated or substituted with wheat bran or wheat germ.

*Add pecans or walnuts if you like (we have nut allergies around here too although some of us love nuts.)
**Other types of muffins that we love are pumpkin chocolate chip, zucchini, and bran. Also, scones are becoming a favorite around here because they don't really need eggs.
***Egg substitutes that I like for baking muffins, scones, cupcakes, and pancakes are flaxseed meal, applesauce, buttermilk/sour milk, plain or greek yogurt, and/or sour cream. I usually use a combo of whatever I have on hand. Buttermilk is one of my favorites.