Commercially prepared muffins can be real diet disasters. More cake than muffin, they are usually huge (3 to 4 servings) high in calories, and full of unhealthy ingredients. A single-serving muffin, the size of one you would make at home in a standard 12-cup muffin pan, can fit into a healthy eating plan, especially if it’s packed with nutritious ingredients like whole-wheat flour, flax, fruit, nuts and eggs.
But it’s important not to go overboard in your desire to create healthier baked goods, or else you can end up with muffins that are dry, tasteless and/or rubbery.
If you enjoy muffins for breakfast, use these tips and strategies to whip up a mightier version. Be forewarned, a standard size homemade muffin may seem skimpy if you are accustom to the jumbo variety.
A generous eater myself, I was shocked when I first learned about portion control. (Thank you Weight Watchers) Did you know an English muffin is considered two servings of bread? (Let’s not even talk about a serving of pasta!)
These will be a bit heavier and less sweet than the typical bakery muffin too.
Tips for Making Mighty Muffins
- Decrease the fat, but not completely. Usually just 1/4 cup of butter or oil per batch is enough to keep your muffins moist and tender.
- Use whole wheat pastry flour. It’s much lighter than regular whole-wheat flour while retaining the healthy antioxidant-rich bran and germ. King Arthur white wheat flour is a great choice.
- Use healthy omega-3 rich nuts such as walnuts or almonds.
- Substitute 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce or some other fruit or vegetable puree for 1/2 cup of oil. This will increase the nutrition, moisture, tenderness and natural sweetness of your mightier muffins.
- Look for recipes that include ground flax, another great source of omega-3 fats.
- Use an ice cream scoop to fill the muffin cups. It’s much faster and neater.
Fruity Flax Muffins Recipe
I made these muffins this morning. I didn’t have 1 1/2 cups of bran flakes cereal and wasn’t motivated to run to the market, so substituted with what was in the pantry (3/4 cup Kashi 7-grain flakes and 3/4 cup crushed Weetabix) and opted for a combination of chopped dried dates, apricots, raisins, and cranberries.
The results were good; a moist, tasty fruit filled muffin with nutrition boosts of whole-wheat flour, flax and carrot puree. They didn’t rise quite as much as I would have liked so may bump up the baking powder to 1 tablespoon next time.
Fruity Flax Muffin Recipe
- 1 1/2 cups bran flakes cereal
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
- 1/2 cup ground flax seed
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup non-fat buttermilk
- 1/2 cup honey or maple syrup
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 1/2 cup carrot or squash puree (I use baby food)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 1/2 cups dried cranberries, blueberries, dates, apricots, raisins or combination
- 2 tablespoons whole flax seed (optional)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Coat muffin pans with cooking spray.
Combine the first nine ingredients in a large bowl.
Whisk the eggs, buttermilk, honey and oil together in a second bowl.
Add liquid to dry ingredients and stir just until moistened.
Stir in dried fruit.
Divide the batter equally among the muffin cups.
Sprinkle with whole flaxseed if desired.
Bake for 12-18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Cool for 5 minutes before removing to wire racks.
Makes 18 muffins
Nourishing Note: Muffins are best when eaten the day they are baked. Most freeze well. Just wrap individually in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag. Ready and waiting, pull one out and defrost it the evening before or give it a quick heat in the toaster oven or microwave.
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