Whiteley Creek Homestead

A while back I gave each of my daughters a copy of one of my favorite cookbooks titled Smart Muffins by Jane Kinderlehrer. I have made many of the recipes in the book, but Heather recommended one that I hadn't tried yet. Oh, are they good! They are so very light with a hint of spice and packed with nutrition thanks to the mashed pinto beans… yes, beans in muffins. You'd never know it unless I told you… which I did, so now you know. Besides the peaches and prunes, there is no additional sweetener except a miniscule 2 tablespoons honey or molasses.

 
You can use either buttermilk or yogurt. I used some of my homemade yogurt.

 
I like to use a whisk to first mix the dry ingredients, then I whisk the wet ingredients. Next, I switch to a wooden spoon to mix the dry with the wet.

Peachy Beany Muffins

1 cup cooked pinto beans

2 tbsp olive oil (I use *red palm oil.)

2 tbsp honey or molasses (Blackstrap molasses are an excellent source of calcium).

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

2 tbsp yogurt or buttermilk

1 cup diced peaches (1 large) If using frozen, then dice, measure, spread out on a plate, and set in a sunny window while measuring the remaining ingredients. It’ll be unthawed by the time you are ready for it.

½ cup diced prunes (I subbed one 2.5 oz pureed baby food prunes for diced prunes on a whim one morning to trim time. The end product was extremely tender and moist. It has become a permanent substitution.)

¼ cup chopped nuts

½ cup flour of your choice

2 tbsp wheat germ (I have subbed ground flax seed, hemp seed, or mesquite flour.)

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

½ tsp cinnamon

¼ tsp nutmeg

¼ tsp ground cloves

Using a food processor, puree the beans with the oil, honey or molasses, egg, and vanilla. Scrape into a bowl and add the yogurt or buttermilk, peaches, prunes, and nuts. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, wheat germ, baking powder, baking soda, and spices. Preheat the oven to 375°. Stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients just until mixed. Don’t overmix. Spoon the mixture into 9-12 regular muffin cups. (I've found that filling 9 cups is the right amount of batter to produce slightly rounded tops post-baking.) To prevent deflation, just plop the batter and don't spread. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. *Some processed foods are made with palm kernel oil which is extracted from the seed. "Palm oil" is made from the fruit. See http://www.eatingwell.com/nutrition_health/nutrition_news_information/palm_oil_vs_palm_kernel_oil for a comparison of the two oils and palm oil's benefits.