Monday, January 9, 2012

Ugly Duckling Muffins, for work

With the first full work week of 2012 ahead (not to mention the first 12 hour work day), I thought I might want something more than containers of cut up fruit on hand.

These Ugly Duckling Muffins were the result.


A hybrid of my Apple and Zucchini Muffins and Carrot, Apple and Sultana muffins, these Ugly Ducklings are very low in sugar (and fat), can almost count as a vegetable serve, and are perfect for just about any time of the day.

I think I still like the Apple and Zucchini / Carrot, Apple and Sultana varieties best in their original forms, but these make a nice change and certainly deliver nutritionally. The low sugar content is not something I've tried before, but the apple sauce and natural sugars were enough to give a slight sweetness, and in the aftermath of Christmas, lower sugar still seems appealing.


As the name suggests, though, you do have to look past their appearance.



Ugly Duckling Muffins

A mix of apple, carrot and zucchini, with just a hint of sweetness and lots of goodness

Vegan, low in sugar and low in fat

Makes 16

Print recipe

Ingredients
1 cup plain flour
1 cup plain wholemeal flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp mixed spice
1 - 2 tbsp brown sugar (I used 1 tbsp; use more to taste)

2 tbsp chia seeds soaked in 1 cup of water for at least 10 minutes
1/2 cup sweetened apple sauce
2 tbsp soy milk (or milk of choice)
1 tsp vanilla

1 medium zucchini, grated
2 small carrots, grated
1 small apple, grated
1 small apple, chopped

Method
Preheat the oven to 180'C and prepare muffin tins.

Soak the chia seeds in water and grate the zucchini, carrot and 1 apple (I used the grater attachment on a food processor). Chop the second apple.

Combine the dry ingredients (flours, baking powder, baking soda, spice, sugar) in a very large bowl.

Add the soaked chia seeds and water, apple sauce, soy milk and vanilla. Mix thoroughly. The mixture will seem quite dense at this stage.

Add the grated zucchini, carrots and apple, and the chopped apple. Mix thoroughly.

Divide between 16 regular muffin pans.

Bake for 20 minutes at 180'C, then reduce the heat to 160'C and bake for an additional 10 minutes. The muffins should be just set in the middle and slightly brown on top.

Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, before removing and cooling completely.


Moist, apple scented, and with a hint of carrot (no detectable zucchini), these are perfect with a cup of tea. The fact that they are good for you whilst still being enjoyable to eat is a bonus.


Just don't judge on appearance!



What's the ugliest product to come out of your kitchen? (I have a few!)

23 comments:

  1. I think they're kind of pretty! They look like coconut haystacks. Definitely would want to add some fat, though... maybe in the form of almond butter. (Tricked you! You thought I'd say peanut butter :P )

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  2. I had to jump in as soon as I saw this, because despite your tricking tendencies (who knew sometimes you'd say something other than peanut butter?! ;) ) I ate one of these with almond butter on it just today! I can whole-heartedly recommend that approach, although I like them plain too.

    It did occur to me that baking low fat muffins and then adding fat might be called a little odd, but I'm rather taken with it.

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  3. Not odd. Fat is awesome. We should all embrace it more :D

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  4. I would love these for snacks - and they would be great for babies - most of my low sugar eggless muffins were made when sylvia was little - but I could do with some for work snacks - maybe once I get over the christmas baking - can you believe I still have an embarrassing amount of christmas baking still about the house!

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  5. I like the concept... I think I'd make healthier muffins with fat and fruit (to sweeten instead of sugar), and find a way to axe the flour---maybe almond meal in place of it? And since I'm not vegan, I'd do it with an eggy base, too... but the point is well-made! Baking need not involve KILOS of sugar and non-nutritive ingredients!

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  6. I (try to) always have muffins in the freezer that we can bring in for morning tea at work, but sometimes I get bored of our usuals. This recipe looks great for our little lunches.

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  7. No judgement here.. I love carrot cake/ muffins with big hunks of carrot in them.
    As a vegan teenager I used to make brownies that were SO good but would not stay together at all.. I'd make them for friends and tell them to eat with a fork.

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  8. Well yes, my darling like minded Canberrian, but I could have just put it *in* the muffins you see :D I rather like this separate approach though. So much so that I'm now viewing muffins in an entirely new light, and as a medium for nut butters to be eaten.

    I'm thinking warm banana ones with peanut butter would be good...

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  9. I'm impressed that you still have an embarrassing amount! I'm a little embarrassed that ours is all gone. Plenty of chocolate, but baking is all eaten...

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  10. Teehee, I love that you like this but have a complete adaptation in mind from start to finish ;) But you're right, the point is really that there are SO many ways to make healthy muffins.

    Incidentally, given that the added sugar to these was only 1 tbsp actual sugar and the sweetened apple sauce, it would be very easy to just drop that 1tbsp and use regular apple sauce. I'm not certain how much those things really contributed, over and above the sweetness of the apple, and you could use dried fruit if you wanted things sweeter.

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  11. So much better than a spoon. Can't eat a spooon!

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  12. Hey, I think I commented here yesterday. Has it disappeared on purpose?

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  13. Oh bother, and sorry! No! Not at all - I had a serious panic yesterday when none of my comments were appearing. They were in Blogger and in Disqus but not showing on the blog. I thought I'd fixed it and got everything back but clearly some may have got lost in the process. Many apologies, and thanks for taking the time to let me know!

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  14. No judgement here.. I love carrot cake/ muffins with big hunks of carrot in them.
    As a vegan teenager I used to make brownies that were SO good but would not stay together at all.. I'd make them for friends and tell them to eat with a fork.

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  15. I (try to) always have muffins in the freezer that we can bring in for morning tea at work, but sometimes I get bored of our usuals. This recipe looks great for our little lunches.

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  16. Re-posted by me because it got lost in a glitch...

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  17. I (try to) always have muffins in the freezer that we can bring in for morning tea at work, but sometimes I get bored of our usuals. This recipe looks great for our little lunches.

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  18. Re-posted by me because it got lost in a glitch...

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  19. I just found it and one other and re-posted them below...sorry again, I really do appreciate getting comments and am conscious this isn't great reinforcement for doing so!

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  20. Hey, that's okay! I didn't think I posted anything that would be deleted for rudeness or anything like that, so I was pretty sure it was a glitchy thing, which is why I let you know :)

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