Good Morning Muffins

It’s no accident that two of the first handful of food posts I’ve written on this blog are muffin recipes. I make them nearly every week, because I find them to be just about the perfect quick breakfast and snack food: simple to make, adaptably healthy, and easily transportable.

But there’s one recipe I go back to again and again; in fact, I’ve been making and tweaking it for years now. It started out as Diane Rattray’s recipe on the Southern Food section at About.com, but I’ve altered it to make it a bit lighter and healthier. I’ve also experimented with different mix-ins, and three fall-friendly variations are my family’s faves.

I call them Good Morning Muffins because they include the components I want in a muffin for my boys before a long school day:

Tasty: The boys never refuse these muffins, and usually ask for seconds.

Higher fiber: Using part whole wheat flour bulks up the fiber content.

Fruit-and-veggie-rich: Shredded or small-diced produce adds a vitamin boost.

Protein: Milk and an egg supply some protein; a side of yogurt, egg, sausage, or a smoothie adds even more.

(Relatively) Low Sugar: Now, 2/3 cup isn’t nothing, but they do contain proportionally lower sugar than a lot of the “healthy” muffin recipes out there.

Good structure: These muffins often have to travel in the car with us. While many muffins are crumb bombs waiting to explode, this really holds together, while still tasting tender.

Quick and easy to make: Need I say more?

Really, the only part that takes a bit of time is shredding or dicing of the veggies, but a food processor makes quick work of that, with ingredients to spare for your next batch. I peel and blitz or finely dice a few fruits or veggies (a couple apples and carrots, two pears, or two sweet potatoes) at a time, and then freeze 1 1/2 cup portions in small freezer-safe, labeled baggies to grab whenever a muffin-making mood strikes. (A trick for keeping the diced pears or shredded apples white, if that’s important to you: soak them in a bowl of water with a couple tablespoons of salt for a minute or two, then rinse before bagging them.)

You can also make a double batch of the muffins and freeze them. They’ll thaw on the counter overnight and taste fresh-baked.