Muffins Recipe

Home-baked bread and muffins are irresistible, and generally much healthier than the shop-bought varieties.  If you can't grind your own flour, buy the freshest stoneground wholewheat flour you can find.  Most baked goods freeze well.

Raisin-Bran Muffins

These are especially good straight from the oven for breakfast - for variety, try replacing half the brown sugar with molasses.

Ingredients

• 600g (1 1/4lb) plain wholewheat flour
• 100g (3 1/2oz) bran
• 150g (5oz) raisins
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 6 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/2 litre (1 pint) water
• 6 tablespoons oil

Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas Mark 5.  Lightly oil the muffin tins.  In a large bowl, mix the wholewheat flour, bran, raisins, salt, baking powder, and brown sugar together.  In another large bowl, combine the water and oil.  Add the dry mixture to the water and oil mixture, and fold them together quickly until the dry ingredients are evenly mixed and just moistened.  Do not overmix, as this will make the muffins heavy.

Spoon the mixture into the oiled muffin tins, and bake for 20-30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the centre of a muffin comes out clean.  Leave the muffins to cool slightly in the tin before removing, but serve while still warm for that fresh-baked flavour.

Makes 12 muffins.

Savoury Cheese Muffins

These unusual savoury muffins are a treat with any soup at lunchtime.

Ingredients

• 100g (3 1/2oz) grated carrot
• 600g (1 1/4lb) plain wholewheat flour
• 100g (3 1/2oz) sweetcorn
• 100g (3 1/2oz) finely chopped courgette
• 150g (5oz) grated vegetarian Cheddar cheese
• 2 teaspoons dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• black pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1 x 400g (14oz) tin tomatoes or 500g (1lb) fresh tomatoes, liquidized or mashed
• 200ml (7fl oz) water
• 4 tablespoons oil

Topping:

•  100g (4oz) grated vegetarian Cheddar cheese
• 1-2 teaspoons dried oregano

Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas Mark 5.  Lightly oil sufficient muffin tins.  In a bowl, mix the grated carrot with the flour, sweetcorn, courgette, cheese, basil, oregano, baking powder, salt, black pepper, and sugar.  In another bowl, mix the tomatoes, water, and oil together.  Add the dry ingredients to the wet, and fold together until they are evenly mixed and just moistened.

Spoon the mixture into the oiled muffin tins.  Combine the remaining grated cheese and the oregano, and sprinkle over the top of the muffins.  Bake for 30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the centre of a muffin comes out clean.
Make 20-24 muffins.

Variations: Try adding fresh rosemary or thyme for another delicious flavour.  Vegans can use soya cheese instead of Cheddar.


Source from Yoga Mind & Body - Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre