âThe Bestâ for nothing?) I created them when I was baking for a café and they sold like nobodyâs business. They truly are perfect in every way.
1¾ cups all-purpose flour
1¼ cups sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground or freshly grated nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
â teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup pureed pumpkin (Fresh or from a can; do not use pumpkin pie mix)
½ cup soy milk
½ cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons molasses
Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a twelve-muffin tin.
Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and spices. In a separate bowl, whisk together pumpkin, soy milk, oil, and molasses. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix.
Fill the muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick or knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
Â
VARIATION
Fold in a cup of either chopped fresh cranberries or chopped walnuts, or a mixture of the two.
Apple Pie-Crumb Cake Muffins
MAKES 1 DOZEN MUFFINS
Â
The grated and chopped apples create an apple pie filling in the center of the muffin. Itâs a nice surprise to an already sweet and spicy treat.
Â
FOR MUFFINS:
1½ cups flour
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground allspice
â teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup apple cider
â cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup grated apple
½ cup chopped apple (¼-inch pieces)
FOR TOPPING:
¼ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup brown sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
Pinch of salt
3 tablespoons canola oil
Prepare the topping by mixing all the dry topping ingredients together in a small bowl. Drizzle the oil in while mixing with your fingertips until crumbs form. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 375°F, lightly grease a twelve-muffin tin.
In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt. Create a well in the center and add the apple cider, oil, and vanilla. Mix, then fold in the grated and chopped apple.
Fill each muffin cup two-thirds full. Sprinkle the crumb topping over each muffin. Bake for 22 minutes.
SOUPS
Sometimes I double these recipes and make a big batch to either freeze or eat throughout the week. I love making soup for several reasons, like itâs delicous and fast, but the biggest impetus is that everything goes in one pot and there arentâs a gazillion dishes to clean up (or let sit in the sink for a week) afterward. All of these soup recipes are hearty enough to be meals, with some rice or good crusty bread.
Carrot Bisque
SERVES 8
Â
Iâve never been crazy about carrot soups, they always seemed a little too skimpy and health-foody for me. But this slightly sweet, incredibly creamy and hearty carrot soup changed all that. Itâs easy to make, to boot.
3 pounds carrots, peeled and diced into a little smaller than ½-inch pieces
1 large onion, chopped
2 tablespoons peanut oil (vegetable oil will do)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon curry powder
½ teaspoon salt
A few dashes fresh black pepper
3 cups vegetable broth, or 1 bouillon cube dissolved in 3 cups water
1 (13-ounce) can coconut milk
1 tablespoon maple syrup
In a stockpot over low-medium heat, cook the carrots and onions in the peanut oil for 7 to 10 minutes; cover and stir occasionally. You want the onions to brown but not to burn, although if they burn a little bit itâs not the end of the world. Add the garlic, curry, salt, and pepper; sauté for 1 more minute. Add the 3 cups of broth, cover, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the carrots are tender.
Add the coconut milk and bring to a low boil. Turn the heat off. Use a handheld blender to puree
1¾ cups all-purpose flour
1¼ cups sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground or freshly grated nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
â teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup pureed pumpkin (Fresh or from a can; do not use pumpkin pie mix)
½ cup soy milk
½ cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons molasses
Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a twelve-muffin tin.
Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and spices. In a separate bowl, whisk together pumpkin, soy milk, oil, and molasses. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix.
Fill the muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick or knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
Â
VARIATION
Fold in a cup of either chopped fresh cranberries or chopped walnuts, or a mixture of the two.
Apple Pie-Crumb Cake Muffins
MAKES 1 DOZEN MUFFINS
Â
The grated and chopped apples create an apple pie filling in the center of the muffin. Itâs a nice surprise to an already sweet and spicy treat.
Â
FOR MUFFINS:
1½ cups flour
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground allspice
â teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup apple cider
â cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup grated apple
½ cup chopped apple (¼-inch pieces)
FOR TOPPING:
¼ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup brown sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
Pinch of salt
3 tablespoons canola oil
Prepare the topping by mixing all the dry topping ingredients together in a small bowl. Drizzle the oil in while mixing with your fingertips until crumbs form. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 375°F, lightly grease a twelve-muffin tin.
In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt. Create a well in the center and add the apple cider, oil, and vanilla. Mix, then fold in the grated and chopped apple.
Fill each muffin cup two-thirds full. Sprinkle the crumb topping over each muffin. Bake for 22 minutes.
SOUPS
Sometimes I double these recipes and make a big batch to either freeze or eat throughout the week. I love making soup for several reasons, like itâs delicous and fast, but the biggest impetus is that everything goes in one pot and there arentâs a gazillion dishes to clean up (or let sit in the sink for a week) afterward. All of these soup recipes are hearty enough to be meals, with some rice or good crusty bread.
Carrot Bisque
SERVES 8
Â
Iâve never been crazy about carrot soups, they always seemed a little too skimpy and health-foody for me. But this slightly sweet, incredibly creamy and hearty carrot soup changed all that. Itâs easy to make, to boot.
3 pounds carrots, peeled and diced into a little smaller than ½-inch pieces
1 large onion, chopped
2 tablespoons peanut oil (vegetable oil will do)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon curry powder
½ teaspoon salt
A few dashes fresh black pepper
3 cups vegetable broth, or 1 bouillon cube dissolved in 3 cups water
1 (13-ounce) can coconut milk
1 tablespoon maple syrup
In a stockpot over low-medium heat, cook the carrots and onions in the peanut oil for 7 to 10 minutes; cover and stir occasionally. You want the onions to brown but not to burn, although if they burn a little bit itâs not the end of the world. Add the garlic, curry, salt, and pepper; sauté for 1 more minute. Add the 3 cups of broth, cover, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the carrots are tender.
Add the coconut milk and bring to a low boil. Turn the heat off. Use a handheld blender to puree
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