A Rainbow of Healthy Muffins

While updating my recipe index recently, I noticed that I have shared more muffin recipes than any other yummy dish. So, I thought I'd put together a "best of" post, so you can enjoy a colourful variety of muffins together in one place.

I love muffins because they are a yummy, healthy treat and I usually like to pack them full of wholesome ingredients. They make the perfect healthy kids snack, containing a decent serving of carbohydrate, maybe a portion of dairy and usually a fruit or vegetable serve too.

Best of all - muffins are easy to make and usually can be beaten by hand, (no washing up of beaters required!) in fact the less muffins are mixed the more luscious the end result.

Here are a Rainbow of Muffins, all including a fruit or vegetable, to inspire you to get your muffin on! All these muffins are "picky eater approved", having been devoured by my picky eater (Mr 4) when he usually refuses to eat pretty much all the vegetables/fruit contained within the muffins. Enjoy!

Red

I found these Berry Oat Muffins with a Crunchy Cornflake Topping were difficult to resist. The topping tastes so much richer and calorie dense than the healthy ingredients it's made of. They're crunchy and sweet and your kids will love them!

Orange

These Gluten Free Pumpkin Muffins were made over Passover, a time when I'm always looking for healthy ways for the kids to snack, while incorporating some healthy veg into their diet. The ground almonds work so well, they are so light that you wouldn't even know they are gluten free.

Yellow

I've been enjoying cooking with Quinoa lately, and found these Quinoa, Corn and Oat Muffins to be both delicious and nutritious.

I served the muffins in a cute Muffin Tin Meal and the boys LOVED them!

Green

These Zucchini and Banana Muffins contain pureed Zucchini along with sweet Banana and were a huge hit in our house.

Pink

I made these Beetroot and Chocolate Muffins when I found myself with a kilo of Beetroot which was calling out to be cooked with.  I also made Beetroot and Lamb Burgers and Beetroot, Coconut and Tofu Risotto with my surplus Beetroot.

Writing this post has inspired me to come up with so many more yummy muffin combinations. But I'd love to hear from you - what is your favorite muffin flavor? 

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Quinoa, Corn and Oat Muffins

I've been experimenting a lot with Quinoa recently - in the past few weeks I've shared recipes for Coconut Chicken with Quinoa and Vegetables and Quinoa Porridge. My latest experiment involved cooking the hearty grain and mixing them into Quinoa, Corn and Oat Muffins. 

Quinoa, Corn and Oat Muffins are Gluten Free and Dairy Free, which makes them perfect for those who suffer from food allergies. They can also be the star of a wholesome meatless meal, like this Muffin Tin Meal I prepared for the kids. I served the Muffins along with roasted carrots and pumpkin and mandarin segments.

The taste of Quinoa definitely dominates these muffins, and works really well with the corn and oats - flavor combinations I'd like to explore in further cooking adventures. When you prepare these muffins, you'll find that the batter is pretty moist, don't be alarmed, the muffins set perfectly when cooked and remain moist and delicious.

Quinoa, Corn and Oat Muffins
3/4 Cup Quinoa
1 Cup Water
3 Eggs
1/4 Cup Brown Sugar
1 Cup Corn Kernels
2/3 Cup Rolled Oats
1/2 teaspoon Salt

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a 12 cup muffin tin with muffin liners. 
2. Rinse and drain the quinoa thoroughly. Place the quinoa and water in a small saucepan over medium heat on the stove top.
3. Bring the quinoa up to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes or until the quinoa is cooked.
4. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until foamy and then whisk in the brown sugar.
5. Mix the Quinoa into the whisked eggs and then stir through the corn kernels, oats and salt. Stir until all the ingredients are well combined.
6. Distribute the muffin mixture between the prepared muffin liners and place in the oven for 25 minutes or until golden and firm.


Makes 12

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I'd love to hear from you - how do you enjoy your Quinoa?

Zucchini and Banana Muffins

When making baked treats for the boys, I like to include a fruit or vegetable in the recipe. They way, their morning or afternoon snack adds just a little to their daily fruit and vegetable intake. These Zucchini and Banana Muffins contain both a fruit and a vegetable. They also happen to be moist and sweet and you don't even notice the zucchini flavor, which is great if your little one is a picky eater like mine. You can simply sell them as Banana Muffins, because you can see a banana chunk here and there and kids love bananas, right?!

In preparation for the Zucchini and Banana Muffins, I boiled 2 Zucchini's until they were soft and then blended them in my Mini Food Processor. I used half the pureed Zucchini for this recipe and mixed the other half with avocado to make a richly nutritious Zucchini and Avocado Spread, in the same way at the Spinach and Avocado Spread I shared last week. Just as with last week, he happily ate a number of Zucchini and Avocado Sandwiches.

You could just grate 1 Zucchini needed for the recipe if you know your kids will eat it that way. I just knew I had the greatest chance of Mr 3 consuming the muffins if there weren't green specks in them!

These muffins last really well for a few days. In fact after 24 hours I found it MUCH easier to remove the muffin liners and the flavor had developed somewhat. Of course the day they were made we ate over half of them. Well, the kids helped me bake the muffins, so were waiting near the oven and the moment they were cool enough they each wanted one and another... so yes, it's a little challenging for muffins to last more than a couple of days anyways. 

Zucchini and Banana Muffins
1 and 1/2 Cups Self Raising Flour
1/2 Cup Rolled Oats
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
3 Eggs
1/4 Cup Oil
1/2 Cup Milk
1 Banana, Mashed
1 Zucchini, Cooked and Pureed or Grated Raw

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and place muffin liners in a 12 cup muffin tin.
2. In a large bowl, mix the flour, oats and sugar until well combined.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, oil and milk.
4. Mix the banana and zucchini into the egg mixture.
5. Pour the egg mixture over the dry, flour mixture and stir until just combined, careful not to over-mix or your muffins will become stiff. 
6. Divide the mixture between the prepared muffin tin and place in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until browned and cooked through,
7. Allow to cool in the muffin tin and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.


Makes 12 Muffins

What you'll need to help you make these yummy Zucchini and Banana Muffins:

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Remember, I'm hosting the 1st ever "Breakfast Ideas Mondays". If you've created a delicious Breakfast Recipes recently that you'd like to share, or know another blogger who has, please post them on the new link party (or point the brilliant blogger in my direction)! Thanks :-)
  

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I'd love to hear from you - tell me the sneaky tricks you use get your picky eater to eat their veg.

Gluten Free Pumpkin Muffins

These Gluten Free Pumpkin Muffins are also Kosher for Passover, which is what lead me to come up with a recipe for muffins that the boys can have for snacks and meals during the Passover period.

These are full of wholesome and nutritious ingredients - ground almonds, pumpkin and eggs. The perfect solution when you feel your kids have had one too many pieces of Matzo. 

I served 2 mini muffins as part of the boys lunch, in a Passover version of a Muffin Tin Meal. Instead of a muffin tin, I used some cute muffin liners I found and also included some Cucumber Stars and Green Apple Birds.

The muffins are so easy to make. You simply mix together the dry ingredients and wet ingredients separately. Mr 3 helped me whisk the wet ingredients, he just loves to use my balloon whisk and help me bake.

Then you simply pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and mix together to form a lumpy batter. The less you mix the better texture your muffins will be.

The cooked muffins have an orange hue and are incredibly moist and sweet.

Gluten Free Pumpkin Muffins
2 Cups Ground Almonds
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
2 Eggs
1/4 Cup Oil
1 Cup Mashed Pumpkin
1/2 Cup Milk

1. Preheat oven to 180°C and line a 12 hole muffin tin or two 12 hole mini muffin tins (as I did) with muffin liners. 
2. In a large bowl, combine the ground almonds, cinnamon and sugar.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and then whisk in the oil, pumpkin and milk.
4. Pour the wet mixture over the dry mixture and stir until just combined.
5. Divide the batter between the muffin holes.
6. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until browned and firm.


To recreate the Gluten Free Pumpkin Muffins and Muffin Tin Meal, you'll need:

I found the combination of Pumpkin and Almonds to be a particularly yummy flavor combination. What's your favorite muffin flavor combination? 

March Reflections

March was such a busy month that I thought today would be a great day to take stock and reflect back on all the Yummy Inspirations March Creations!

Most Popular Post
I'll start with the most popular post for the month of March - which happened to be this Green Muffin Tin Meal that I prepared for Mr 21 months. The Muffin Tin Meal includes Zucchini Hash Browns, Cucumber Hearts and Kiwi Fruit Circles. I can see why you guys clicked through to see more about this Muffin Tin Meal - it's simply irresistible!

Most Pinned Item
Through the month of March I started a love affair with Pinterest and am slowly updating all my earlier posts with Pin It buttons. In the meantime, it's interesting to discover what becomes popular on Pinterest and what receives a few lonely pins! This Meat and 3 Vegetables Muffin Tin Meal was the most Pinned Post for the month of March. Yet another inviting Muffin Tin Meal that was prepared for Mr 21 Months. My laziness showed a little with the inclusion of Cheerios as his carb content... shhh!

Vegetable Adventures
Through the 2nd half of the month, I experimented with Sweet Potato and Beetroot - broadening my kids (and my) eating horizons in the process.

These Tuna and Sweet Potato Burgers were a huge hit with the family, and were featured on A Little Nosh's Tastetastic Thursday. 

 
My March Personal Favorite Recipe...
Just has to be the Red Quinoa and Chocolate Chip Cookies, they were decadently chocolatey, yet low in sugar and fat, and even better - full of fibre and protein. Simply put - a richly nutritious cookie that's actually good for you! The cookies also received acclaim of their own by being featured in both A Little Nosh's Tastetastic Thursday and Teaching "Good" Eaters - Food Adventure Friday. Thanks to you both for sharing the Cookie Love!

Finally, with Passover under a week away, there is still time to grab yourself a copy of my eBook, published just a few weeks ago, a yummy collection of Low Fat, Low Sugar Passover Dessert Recipes, including Passover Cake Pops and Passover Granola!

I've got a number of recipes I'm working on, can't wait to share them with you. Am sure it's going to be another huge month. Have a Happy Month of April.

4 Beautiful Beetroot Recipes

Over the past week I've shared with you four delicious, beautiful beetroot recipes, including both sweet and savory delights.

The week started on "Meatless Monday" with a nourishing Beetroot, Coconut and Tofu Risotto.

I fed the risotto to Mr 21 months as part of an inviting Muffin Tin Meal, which is a brilliant method of introducing new foods to a fussy eater.

Next we had Beetroot and Lamb Burgers, the beetroot really brought out the sweet notes of the lamb and has been dubbed "The Best Burgers EVER" by Mr Yummy!

Moving onto the sweeter side, these Beetroot and Chocolate Muffins were a hit with the kids. They elicited a slew of "Yummy's" and "Mmmmmmm's" from my fussy Mr 3.

And finally, I shared a recipe for luminously pink Mini Beetroot Pancakes. They were tummy, though the color says it all really!

As you can see, these Beetroot Recipes celebrate the vegetable's versatility and may just introduce your kids, and maybe even you, to a new flavor. 

Beetroot and Chocolate Muffins

Earlier in the week I did promise you another Beetroot Recipe. It's taken me a couple of attempts to get this recipe just right, so it's taken an extra few days to bring the Beetroot Recipe to you. I've come to the conclusion that equal volumes of chocolate and beetroot (as opposed to more beetroot than chocolate or vice-versa) is the perfect recipe for Beetroot and Chocolate Muffins. I can now confidently share this delicious recipe with you, knowing that the results are even fussy-eater approved.

The melted chocolate really masks the beetroot, so it's just the deep color which gives some clue that there is a secret ingredient hidden within. I'm not condoning deceiving your children though, I do believe it's important to teach them to openly eat their fruit and vegetables - and Mr 3 knowingly will eat raw carrots each and every day. He simply turns his nose up at other vegetables and refuses to (knowingly) put most other vegetables to his lips.  It doesn't stop me trying. While experimenting with vegetables I show them to him raw and we chat about where they grow and why they are good for you. (still doesn't mean he'll eat them, but I like to educate!)

That's where muffins like these Beetroot and Chocolate Muffins and my Bran & Sweet Potato Muffins from last week come in handy. The muffins mean that as part of his daily snack, he's consuming vegetables containing a wider variety of nutrients thank he normally would.

As mentioned in the recipes for Beetroot and Lamb Burgers and Beetroot, Coconut and Tofu Risotto, when peeling and grating Beetroot, make sure you have your disposable gloves on. I have forgotten, well, been lazy, a couple of times during my Beetroot experimentation and have paid the consequences with pink-stained fingers!

Beetroot and Chocolate Muffins
3 Eggs
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
100g Beetroot, peeled and finely grated
100g Chocolate, Melted
1/4 Cup Oil
1/2 Cup Milk
1 and 3/4 Cups Self Raising Flour

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a 12 cup muffin tin with muffin liners. 
2. In  large bowl, beat together the eggs and sugar until thick and creamy.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the beetroot, chocolate, oil and milk.
4. Pour the Beetroot and Chocolate Mixture over the Eggs and beat until combined.
5. Sift the flour over the Beetroot and Chocolate Mixture and quickly fold through until just combined.
6. Divide the mixture between the 12 muffin liners and place in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until firm. 
7. Serve spread with a little Homemade Jam or Cream Cheese. 

The testing and re-testing for this recipe resulted in an abundance of Beetroot in my kitchen, so I ended up experimenting with other Beetroot Recipes. Stay tuned to discover the next Beetroot installment.  

"Beetroot and Chocolate Muffins bring kids closer to eating a daily rainbow of vegetables." (<–Tweet This)

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