This is a healthy muffin recipe that is adapted from bestselling cookbook Spilling the Beans. Pureed white beans add extra fibre and nutrition to the muffins, as does the different flours and ground flaxseed. The ingredients sound a little strange, but the muffins are tasty with a moist texture. Organic ingredients are preferable if possible.
Multigrain Carrot Muffins
1 cup organic whole wheat flour
1/3 cup oat flour
1/3 cup millet flour
1/3 cup buckwheat flour
1/4 cup ground flaxseed
3/4 brown sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups grated carrots
1 apple, unpeeled coarsely grated
1/2 cup currants
1 cup white beans
1 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup sunflower or safflower oil
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tin with paper liners.
In a large bowl. mix together the flours, ground flaxseed, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, and sugar. Add the carrots, apple and carrot and combine.
In a food processor, puree the white beans. Add buttermilk, oil, eggs and vanilla and process until smooth.
Add buttermilk mixture to flour and carrot mixture. Stir until just combined.
Fill muffin cups until almost full. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the tops are springy to the touch. Makes up to 18 muffins.
Enjoy the same day, refrigerate for 2-3 days or freeze. The muffins have a short shelf life due to the organic ingredients.
Sleeker Food Courts
I have recently noticed that food courts in office buildings and malls are starting to become nicer environments. I saw this in malls in the US and here in downtown Toronto. They look sleeker all around, the lighting is bright to offset the underground location, and there is more variety of food on offer. My curiosity and a bit of lunchtime hunger finally got me to try Amaya Express for lunch yesterday. Amaya is a restaurant that I have really enjoyed, so I have been intrigued by the concept of their Express locations, which seem to be popping up everywhere. I had a samosa and some saag paneer. The samosa was warm, reasonably tender and slightly flaky, but was lacklustre in its seasoning in its filling of mainly potato. The accompanying sauce was too cold in temperature and too sweet in taste. The saag paneer was decent, but again lacking complexity in its spicing. I would try the ‘healthy’ combos of rice, veg and curry the next time, but I think I can only expect so much from a fast food setting.
For a great healthy food court lunch spot in downtown Toronto, check out:
http://trainerspicks.blogspot.ca/2012/04/iq-food.html
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Posted in commentary, Review, Toronto
Tagged food courts, Food trend