back to school muffins •

I was roused from my bed this morning with the sweet sounds of intense bickering emerging from the main bath. Yes, it’s that wonderful time of year. The days become cooler, the notebooks are new, the backpack is packed, sitting at attention by the front door. The mornings become...well, hell. One of my indulgences of motherhood is to let my girls have a pretty laid back summer holiday. This tends to come back and bite me when school starts. I cringe listening to the shrieks of indignation coming from one daughter about the wearing of her clothes without permission. The other brings up the usage of her personal hair gel or mascara. My husband sheepishly ducks and quickly scoots out the house, avoiding the whole scene. The last thing I want to hear from them in the morning is the lack of food for breakfast. I spent last weekend filling the freezer with waffles and other quick-to-grab goodies. If you, unlike me, are feeling energetic at that time of day, a little icing made with cream cheese would be a perfect topping for these muffins. Or you can just do what I do, put out a plate of cream cheese with a knife.

Back to School Muffins •

Whisk together in a medium mixing bowl:

1/2 cup vanilla soy milk

1 cup wet okara (this is referring to the okarastraight from your machine, not drained or dried)

1/3 cup canola oil

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup vanilla yogurt

1-1/2 cup grated carrots

Sift together in a large mixing bowl:

1-1/4 cups unbleached white flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 cup yellow cornmeal

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ginger

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup brown sugar, tightly packed

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

Toss in:

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup chopped raisins

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

Pour liquid ingredients into dry ingredients, mixing until just combined. DO NOT OVER MIX. Fill your muffin tins with enough paper liners for 16 muffins, or generously grease and flour your tins. Spoon the batter into the liners about two-thirds full. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until lightly brown. You can test them with a wooden toothpick; if it comes out clean take them out. Depending on the wetness of your okara, the baking times might be slightly different. Cool for 10 minutes, take muffins out of tins and place on wire racks to cool completely. If you use paper liners, you must cool the muffins completely or the muffins will stick to the liner. Makes one and a half dozen.

chocolate banana muffins •

I’m tired, I’m lazy...so here’s the recipe.

Okara Chocolate Banana Muffins •

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Whisk together in a large mixing bowl:

1 cup wet okara (this is referring to the okara straight from your machine)

1/4 cup vanilla soy milk

1/4 cup canola oil

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 small bananas (peeled, of course)

Sift together in a large mixing bowl:

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup unbleached white flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup cocoa

1 cup chocolate chips

Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined. DO NOT OVER MIX. Fold in one cup of chocolate chips. Line your muffin tins with paper liners. Fill the liners 2/3 of the way with batter. Bake muffins 20 to 25 minutes. Makes approximately 18 muffins.

okara pb&j muffins •

Lunch making is a snap with these peanut butter and jam muffins. My darlings make their own lunches for school, usually. My job as their mother is to nag, nag, NAG them the night before. “Did you make your lunch?” “I WILL, Mom, after this game...it’s almost over”. Mom goes about her business, completely forgetting that the question was even asked until five minutes before bedtime. “Well, looks like you will have to get up early and make it before school”. Yeah, right...like that’s going to happen! They run off to school the next morning, and call you to tell you that they forgot their lunch. You mean the lunch that was never made? Do I let them starve to teach them a lesson, or do I quick make a lunch before I leave for work and drop it off? OH! The Mommy Guilt! I am chock-full of it. I used Concord Grape preserves on this batch, without the optional topping. These muffins will make short work out of making lunch, a great grab-it-and-go muffin for children or Mommies. 

Okara PB&J Muffins •

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Whisk together in a medium mixing bowl:

1 cup wet okara (this is referring to the okara straight from your machine)

1-1/2 cups vanilla yogurt

1 cup crunchy peanut butter

1/4 cup safflower oil

1/4 cup dark brown sugar

Sift together in a large mixing bowl:

3 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1-1/2 cups unbleached white flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 ground flaxseed meal

1/2 teaspoon salt

Set aside:

3 to 4 tablespoons fruit jam

3 tablespoons chopped peanuts - optional for topping

1 tablespoon sugar - optional for topping

Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined. DO NOT OVER MIX. Line your muffin tins with paper liners. Fill the liners 1/3 of the way with batter. Make a small dent in the center of the batter and place 1 teaspoon of fruit jam inside of the dent. Spoon batter on top of jam to equal 2/3 full. Mix the chopped peanuts and sugar together and sprinkle on top if desired. Bake muffins 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown.

UPDATE! Just made a batch with Apple Butter instead of jam/jelly. The eldest darling declared them to be her favorite so far.

okara cherry-almond muffins •

We like to have muffins on hand to be able to grab a quick breakfast. These muffins were rated a ten by the little darlings. Unfortunately, they didn’t last very long. Especially when tart red cherries are mom’s favorite fruit. I am lucky enough to be able to buy a gallon bucket of frozen cherries from Door County, Wisconsin at my local grocery store. It is especially handy when March rolls around, and we still have a foot of snow on the ground! A little bit of summer to keep us going until we can get some fresh ripe fruit...

Okara Cherry-Almond Muffins •

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

In a medium mixing bowl whisk together:

1/2 cup vanilla soymilk

1 cup wet okara (this is referring to the okara straight from your machine)

1/4 cup canola oil

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1/2 cup vanilla yogurt

1/4 cup honey

In a large mixing bowl sift together:

2 cups unbleached white flour

1/4 cup ground flaxseed 

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup brown sugar, tightly packed

4 teaspoons baking powder

Add in 1/2 cup almonds, finely chopped

(Reserve 2 tablespoons for topping if desired)

Toss in 1 cup tart red cherries. If frozen, thaw, drain and pat dry and then add to dry ingredients. 

Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, mixing until just incorporated. Line muffin tins with paper liners and fill 2/3 full. Top muffins with a mixture of 2 tablespoons finely chopped almonds and 2 tablespoons sugar. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown.

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dried apple okara muffins •

I am a better baker than a cook, which isn’t saying much. I had to start somewhere so I decided to start with something not too ambitious...muffins. My kids have to be at school at 7:30 a.m. Not leave for school at that time but actually be sitting at their desks, eager and Ready To Learn. I am sure there are plenty of early risers out there, but I am not one of them and neither are my darlings. Needless to say, the kids are on their own for breakfast. I try to make my muffins as healthy as I can get away with and have them actually eat them. I have a wonderful mother who stills enjoys canning, freezing, and drying fruits and vegetables. Since I provided her with grandchildren she repays me in sharing her bounty. I have her to thank for some delicious dried apple slices. These muffins are moist and keep well in a covered container when completely cool.

Dried Apple Muffins •

Whisk together in a medium mixing bowl:

1/2 cup vanilla soy milk

1 cup wet okara (this is referring to the okara straight from your machine, not drained or dried)

1/4 cup canola oil

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup vanilla yogurt

Sift together in a large mixing bowl:

2 cups unbleached white flour

1/4 cup ground flaxseed meal

1 teaspoon  cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup brown sugar, tightly packed

4 teaspoons baking powder

Toss in:

 

1 cup chopped dried apples

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

Pour liquid ingredients into dry ingredients, mixing until just combined. DO NOT OVER MIX. Fill your muffin tins with enough paper liners for 16 muffins, or generously grease and flour your tins.  Spoon the batter into the liners about two-thirds full.* Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until lightly brown. You can test them with a wooden toothpick; if it comes out clean take them out. Depending on the wetness of your okara, the baking times might be slightly different. Cool for 10 minutes,  take muffins out of tins and place on wire racks to cool completely. If you use paper liners, you must cool the muffins completely or the muffins will stick to the liner. Makes one and a half dozen.

*One of the items I would have a hard time living without in my kitchen is my stainless steel scoop from Pampered Chef®. It makes filling muffin tins so easy.