works of "art" {Whole Wheat Muffins with variations}

We love muffins at my house.  The problem is agreeing on what kind of muffins to make.  So I decided to make a basic muffin mix, and let the girls (and their cousin) "customize" their own muffins.

We had blueberries, raisins, chocolate chips, and sprinkles!  Everything is better in kid world with sprinkles.  I wish they still did that for me.  Maybe if I sprinkle some Xanax on my muffins....

Can you tell which ones the girls did?

They may have gotten carried away with the sprinkles....

but what they didn't know....is that they were also getting some veggies!  Yep, it's very easy to add just about any pureed veggie in a muffin mix.  I prefer carrots or squash, but green beans is all I had, so that's what I used.  It changed the color a little, but they had so many chocolate chips and sprinkles, they didn't notice!  It sounds nasty, but you don't actually taste the vegetables.  Which, of course, is the best way to eat them.  Just kidding.  Not really.

Whole Wheat Muffins 

(basic muffin recipe; adapted from Allrecipes)

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup white sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 cup plain nonfat yogurt

1 cup skim milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup chopped walnuts  (optional - we omitted)

1 t. cinnamon

*4 oz jar baby food or pureed veggies (optional)

 

Directions

1.Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 12 cup muffin tin, or line with paper liners.   I had enough to make a few mini muffins as well.

2.In a large bowl, stir together the unbleached and whole wheat flours, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg, cinnamon. In a separate bowl, stir together the yogurt, milk, pureed vegetables and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, and mix until just blended. Fold in the walnuts. Spoon batter into the prepared muffin cups.

3.Bake for 18 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the top springs back when lightly touched. Cool in the muffin pan on a wire rack.


Hope everyone enjoys their Labor Day!  wow, I can't BELIEVE it's September already.  How did that happen?  Did I go on a bender and totally miss July? August?  However, I love Fall.  I just wish I had lost the 10 lbs that I wanted to lose over the summer, so I could gain them back over the upcoming holidays.  Yeah, my thought process is a little screwed up, but I don't want to deprive myself during the holidays (or any other time for that matter).  Maybe I'll lose some weight Saturday, while attempting to run (probably mostly walk) my first 5K.  Yikes.