muffins once more...

After short period of disenchantment, I had to admit that muffins are, after all, the perfect solution for my sweet tooth. I also discovered that I can work everything and anything into these little cups, and, incidentally, they make even the most diet friendly recipe taste good. So, muffins and me resolved our issues and I started new habit of baking small batch every morning. With half closed eyes and still in my pj’s, I make my way to the kitchen to mix light batter and pop it into the oven. While I prepare breakfast, I keep one eye on fast growing golden spheres, to have them fresh and ready right when I finish brewing coffee. Now, this is the way to start a day!

While dieting, I discovered not so much a recipe, as a way of making a perfect batch of 6 medium muffins. I use hardly any oil and little sugar so they are nearly guilt free, which is a nice bonus.
My almost scientific method: 1 cup dry ingredients to roughly 1 cup wet ingredients – depending on how liquid they are. For example if I use milk, I would make it 2/3 – ¾ cup, but if I go with greek yogurt, I use full cup.
I usually use ½ cup flour, 1 tsp baking powder and 3-6 tsp sugar. The rest differs almost every day. I discovered that pudding powder gives really tasty results. Otherwise I add shredded coconut, various nuts, oats, powdered muesli – anything really. Wet ingredients give even more freedom of choice. I always use 1 egg and sometimes 1 – 2 tsp oil mixed with greek yogurt, blended fruits or vegetables, juice, tea, coffee, soda…  Traditionally,  I mix wet and dry ingredients separately and then stir together with a spoon. Baking time, depending on the oven, is 15-20 min. I’m happy to report that, so far, it hasn’t failed even once.


these are just few of them:

 Apple and cinnamon:
dry: 3/4 cup flour
       1 tsp baking powder
       4 tsp brown sugar
       2tsp cinnamon
       top the cup with almond powder
wet: 1 egg
        2tsp oil
        few drops vanilla essence
        top the cup with greek yogurt
        1 cubed apple
sprinkle with powdered sugar when cooled

Apple and oats

dry: 1/2 cup flour
       1 tsp baking powder
       pinch of salt
       2 tsp brown sugar 
       top the cup with oats
wet: 1 egg
       1 blended apple
       2 tsp honey
       top cup with greek yogurt

 Coconut pudding muffins
dry: 1/2 cup shredded coconut
       1 tsp baking powder
       5 tsp sugar
       pinch of salt
       2 tbsp of flour
       top cup with vanilla pudding powder
wet: 1 egg
       1/2 cup greek yogurt
       1 tbsp oil
       top 3/4 cup with coconut milk
* these muffins are extremely delicate

Pudding powder muffins
dry: 1/2 cup flour
       1 tsp baking powder
       4 tsp sugar
       pinch of salt
       top cup with vanilla pudding powder
wet: 1 egg
       2tsp oil
       top cup with greek yogurt
sprinkle each cupcake with dark cocoa and mix gently with chopstick, bake, cover with instant coconut milk dissolved in 2 tsp of water

 Zucchini muffins
 dry: 3/4 cup flour
      5 tsp sugar
      1 tsp baking powder
       top cup with powdered muesli
      pinch of green food colouring
wet: 1 egg
       1/2 cup blended zucchini
       few drops of lemon essence
       top cup with greek yogurt
mix, bake,when cooled cover with mascarpone mixed with lemon juice and powdered sugar

Strawberry muffins
dry: 1/2 cup flour
       1 tsp baking powder
       4 tsp sugar
       top cup with vanilla pudding powder
       pinch of food colouring
wet: 1 egg
       2tsp oil 
       few drops of vanilla essence
       top cup with greek yogurt
place strawberry inside each muffin, then bake

Blueberry lemon muffins
dry: 1/2 cup flour
       1 tsp baking powder
       2 tsp sugar
       pinch of salt
       top cup with vanilla pudding powder
wet: 1 egg
       2tsp oil 
       4 tbsp blueberry jam
       top cup with greek yogurt
 bake, when cooled top with mascarpone whisked with lemon juice and powdered sugar

Blueberry muffins
dry: 1/3 cup wholewheat flour
       1 tsp baking powder
       3 tsp sugar
       pinch of salt
       top cup with regular flour
wet: 2 eggs
       2tbsp oil 
       top cup with greek yogurt
in muffin form drop 1 tsp of muffin batter, 1 tsp of blueberry jam and top with batter 

Orange muffins ( my absolute favorite)
dry: 1/2 cup flour
       1 tsp baking powder
       5 tsp sugar
       pinch of salt
       top cup with vanilla pudding powder
wet: 1 egg
       1 tbsp oil 
       juice from 2 oranges
       top 3/4 cup with greek yogurt
 bake then sprinkle with shredded white chocolate and orange peels mixed with 2-3 tsp of orange juice

Raspberry cream cheese muffins
dry: 1 tsp baking powder
       5 tsp sugar
       pinch of salt
       top cup with flour
wet: 1 egg
       2tbsp oil 
       top cup with greek yogurt
 + 3 tsp cream cheese and 3tsp raspberry jam
in muffin tin drop 1 tsp batter, 1 tsp cream cheese mixed with raspberry jam and top up with batter

Raspberry muffins
dry: 1/2 cup flour
       1 tsp baking powder
       3 tsp sugar
       pinch of salt
       top cup with vanilla pudding powder
wet: 1 egg
       2 tbsp raspberry jam
       top cup with greek yogurt
fill muffin tin with batter then drop 1 tsp of jam in the middle. when cooled, top with whipped cream

 Lemon, chocolate chip muffin
dry: 1/2 cup flour
       1 tsp baking powder
       3 tsp sugar
       pinch of salt
       top cup with vanilla pudding powder
wet: 1 egg
       4 tbsp of lime or lemon curd
       top cup with greek yogurt
+ 1/4 cup chocolate chip
when cooled, top with whipped cream whisked with lemon juice