Hearty Spice Muffins

Not the best photo. These taste much better than they look. Brown foods aren't very photogenic.

Remember those spice cakes made with tomato soup from back in the day? Here's a muffin that also calls for a can of tomato soup. No, it doesn't taste like tomato. It's rich and spicy, and it will make you think harvest time. Add chopped nuts, if desired.


Kari's Hearty Spice Muffins (makes 12 muffins)


Egg substitute for 2 eggs:
2 tbsp flax meal
6 tbsp water

Dry ingredients:
1 cup white whole wheat flour
1 cup unbleached flour
1/4 cup oats
1 cup turbinado sugar
4 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp fresh grated nutmeg

Wet ingredients:
1 can condensed tomato soup
4 ounce unsweetened applesauce (1 individual size container)
1/4 cup orange juice (or apple juice)
2 tbsp molasses
1/2 tsp vanilla

Add-ins:
1/2 cup raisins, soaked to plump in hot water if desired (or other dried fruit)
1/2 cup chopped nuts, optional

Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray muffin tin with cooking spray.

In small bowl, combine flax meal and water; set aside.

In large mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients: whole wheat flour, unbleached flour, oats, turbinado sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg.

In small bowl, combine wet ingredients: flax mixture, tomato soup, applesauce, orange juice, molasses, and vanilla.

Stir wet mixture into dry mixture, then stir in raisins.

Divide batter between 12 muffins cups. Bake for 30 minutes.


Note: These are fairly sweet. If you prefer less sweetness, you might try reducing the sugar by a few tablespoons. Maybe add a little more flax meal to replace it, so the batter isn't too runny. The raisins add sweetness, too, as does the fruit juice. The juice could be replaced with water or soy milk or nut milk or coffee or whatever liquid you like.

If you experiment with alternate ingredients or pans or whatever, feel free to post your results in the comments so others (is that an echo?) may benefit from your courage. ::grin::

Indian-Spiced Potatoes and Cauliflower

Last night's dinner: Indian-Spiced Potatoes and Cauliflower, gai lan sauteed with garlic, apple chutney, and paratha. The chutney recipe can be found here. It is delicious!


Kari's Indian-Spiced Potatoes and Cauliflower

1/2 Tbsp oil
1 tsp Indian seed mixture*
1 medium onion, diced
4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut in bite-size pieces
2 cups cauliflower florets, cut bite-size pieces
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp Indian red chilli powder (or you could use cayenne)
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup canned diced tomato (or you could use fresh)
1 cup water
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 tsp garam masala
cilantro garnish, optional

Place potatoes and cauliflower in a microwave safe bowl; add about 1/4 cup water, cover, and cook 5 minutes.

In large heavy pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add Indian seed mixture. When seeds pop, add onion. Saute over medium heat 3-4 minutes, til onion begins to brown. Add garlic, cumin, coriander, turmeric, chilli powder, and salt. Cook and stir to toast spice, then stir in tomatoes. Cook 2 minutes, then stir in water. Bring to boil. Add potatoes and cauliflower. Reduce heat, cover, and cook 15 to 20 minutes until vegetables are very tender and sauce thickens. Add peas and cook a couple minutes until peas are hot. Before serving, stir in garam masala. Adjust seasoning to taste. Garnish with chopped cilantro if desired. Serve with your favorite flatbread, sauteed greens, and chutney.

*Indian seed mixture appears in Indian Vegetarian Cooking at Your House by Sunetra Humbad and Amy Schafer Boger, M.D.. It consists of one part each sesame and cumin seeds, and two parts black mustard seed.

Note: This is kid-friendly, not overly-spicy. For a hotter spice, add more chilli or cayenne, or use Sriracha chili sauce at the table.