Monday, February 19, 2007

Full Meal Muffins

When I was working on Vegan Lunch Box, I came up with the idea of including a "Full Meal Muffin" recipe that would serve as a convenient, portable, inconspicuous lunch for older kids and teens that included fruits and vegetables. At the time I also wanted to include protein powder for a protein boost, but I was never satisfied with the texture and taste of the muffins with added powder.

After several unsuccessful attempts I decided to bag the muffin idea, but several of you emailed asking what had happened to it. So this week I dusted off my notes, kicked out the protein powder, and here it is! Even without the extra protein this is a nutritious main course at lunchtime: each muffin is filled with whole grains, banana, zucchini, iron- and calcium-rich blackstrap molasses, and omega-3-rich walnuts. They also contain no added sugar, salt, oil, soy, or wheat.

makes 12 muffins


1 cup whole spelt flour
1 cup barley flour (or use 1 cup white and 1 cup whole wheat flour in place of spelt and barley if you prefer)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 ripe bananas, peeled
3 tablespoons blackstrap molasses
½ cup apple juice, plus more as needed
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1 zucchini, finely grated (about 1 ½ cups)
½ cup finely chopped or ground walnuts
½ cup currants or raisins (optional, they add a touch of sweetness)


Preheat the oven to 375ยบ. Line a muffin tin with paper liners and spray with nonstick spray.

Combine both flours, cinnamon, baking powder, and baking soda in a mixing bowl and whisk together.

Place the bananas, blackstrap molasses, apple juice, and apple cider vinegar in a Vita-Mix or other blender and blend until smooth. Mix the wet and dry ingredients together, then fold in the zucchini, walnuts, and currants or raisins. Use a bit more apple juice if needed to wet all the flour.

Divide mixture evenly into the 12 lined muffin cups, and bake for 20 minutes, or until the top springs back to the touch. Remove muffins from the pan and cool on a wire rack.

Store in an airtight container or freeze in individual freezer bags to pull out and put into lunches as needed.

119 comments:

Marcie said...

Susan, Thank you for this recipe. This looks like a great breakfast option to me. Something to make on the weekend and have for the week! I'm glad you posted this.

Anonymous said...

Do you think it would be possible to replace the zucchini with pumpkin puree?

Jennifershmoo said...

You could try it but I worry that pumpkin puree would make the muffins too dense and moist. I think shredded carrot would be a better substitute.

K said...

It looks great, I can't wait to try it.

Do you think it would matter if I didn't use a blender?

Jennifershmoo said...

Sure, just mash the banana in a medium bowl with a fork then mix in the rest of the wet ingredients. It won't be as smooth so you'll have some lumps of banana in your muffin, that's all.

Anonymous said...

Another way to add easy protein to the muffin would be to include nuts! Slivered almonds sound good to me!

Anonymous said...

As my DD would say, "You rock!" These will absolutely become a staple in our home!! Thanks! :D

Unknown said...

Would these freeze/defrost well? Also, any ideas on making these gluten-free?

I'm thinking maybe 1/2 a cup of dried cranberries might be interesting in place of the raisins...

Thanks so much for the recipe Jennifer - these sound great!

Diana

Jennifershmoo said...

No thoughts on making them gluten-free, but they do freeze well.

Mama Fabun said...

Thanks for posting this! My little boy has pretty much never met a muffin he didn't like. Zucchini is a different story. I'll definitely give these a try! Unfortunately I forgot to pick up blackstrap molasses at Whole Foods last night. I KNEW there was something I forgot!

Anonymous said...

These look great! I can't wait to try them, and perfect timing for an oil-free Lenten recipe! My husband was just asking for some kind of conveniant, on-the-go food. He asked if pop tarts would be OK! I don't think you could pay me to buy pop tarts, but I think he'll be really pleased with this alternative.

Anonymous said...

Sounds yummy--would 2 cups white flour and regular molasses work?

Jennifershmoo said...

>>would 2 cups white flour and regular molasses work?

Certainly, although you'll be missing out on the fiber and nutrition of the whole grains and blackstrap molasses. Blackstrap doesn't taste as sweet as regular molasses, but it is a good source of iron and calcium.

Anonymous said...

Can you taste the blackstrap molasses? My bf HATES it and one
of the few things he won't eat. Anything else in place....organic maple syrup perhaps?? Thanks.

Jennifershmoo said...

I don't really taste the molasses, it's not overwhelming. Maple syrup would be fine but again, you will be making the muffin sweeter and losing out on the nutrition.

Anonymous said...

I do not taste the molasses either.

The muffins are absolutely delicious! And that for something with only healthy ingredients... Thanks!

Anonymous said...

Dear Jennifer,

I also wanted to chime in with thanks for this wonderful recipe, and your site in general. I've been a vegetarian for years but found myself becoming overly reliant on processed foods. Your lunches have inspired me to be more creative with my meals, and to take the time to use fresh and healthier ingredients. Thanks again for all you do!

Anonymous said...

I'm out of apple cider vinegar and walnuts and I'm dying to make this for my preschooler. Is there a substitute for apple cider vinegar (white vinegar maybe) and can I use pecans instead of walnuts (I'm guessing yes?)? Thanks!

Jennifershmoo said...

Of course other nuts are a fine substitute, although walnuts are a good source of omega-3 fatty acids.

Re. the vinegar, I hesitate to say go ahead and use white. Apple cider vinegar has a mellowness and sweetness to it that complements the apple juice and doesn't stand out. I worry that other vinegar might taste too strong. But you're welcome to give it a try. Good luck!

Anonymous said...

Ok, those are good. Even my husband who doesn't like veggies (except corn and carrots) liked it. He said that putting vegetables in a muffin is just wrong. But he tried it and liked it.

Have to wait for Jr to give a verdict. But I will make them again. Had to leave the nuts out, Jr has an allergy.

Carol Anne said...

where does one find blackstrap molasses? At whole foods, all I could find was regular molasses.

Thanks!

Anonymous said...

I found mine at the regular grocery store.

Anonymous said...

I made these using spelt and oat flour, o.j. instead of apple juice, and dates in place of currants. They were delicious! I plan to make these often for my kids to take to school in their lunch boxes.

nihal said...

i seem to cannot find blackstrap molasses in here(another country, and here sugar is made of sugar beet not sugar cane (as i understand is the main source for blackstrap molasses), so do you think it would be the same effect if i sub it with grape molasses?

nihal said...

ohh.. holy moly.. spelt is also a mystery in here... :/ any suggestions?

Barbara said...

Great recipe! I tried it today, only changes were carrot instead of zucchini. I put in raisins. I even went out and bought blackstrap molasses for the first time.

They are tasty and filling. Thanks for a great recipe.

Barbara

The Princess/ Moonchild said...

Gah! I thought it was kamut and buckwheat flour in this recipe, and so I guess that's what I'm using, because that's what I bought. I have to wait for my bananas to ripen though... I'll let you know how it turns out.

~M said...

If you can figure out a way to make these gluten-free, I will be forever indebted to you. I have an all-purpose mix that I use (Pamela's) and it is great, but it would be great to have super nutritious flours instead for this super nutritious muffin. I was thinking maybe almond, buckwheat, quinoa, or amaranth flours could work. I plan on trying the recipe with 1.5 cups Pamela's and .5 cups blanched almond meal (aka flour). I'll let you know how it goes. Also, if you were making these mini muffins (like for preschoolers), how long would you bake for? Thanks - your site rocks!

K said...

Just wanted to report that I made these(without the food processer) and loved them. I had a couple each day for breakfast.
Thanks!!!

Jennifershmoo said...

Wow, I'm glad so many of you have been making and enjoying these! I'm glad I dusted the recipe off and tried again! :-)

Anonymous said...

This is my first recipie I've tried from this site and it turned out great. I used unbleached/whole wheat flour, no raisins, and carrots and they turned out great. We are taking these to a playdate tomorrow.

Anonymous said...

Hi Jennifer - I just wanted to share mine - I send this home with my students each September. It's not vegan originally, but you're the pro at vegan-izing things! This is exactly how I send it home, to cater to my omnivores and veg. students.

Lunch Muffins Re-Done
A healthy lunch or recess snack from your child's teacher

1½ cups semi-frozen broccoli, finely chopped
1½ cups cooked ham, vegetarian "shmeat" or equal measurement of veggies, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
½ cup grated parmesan cheese (or substitute)
6 eggs (or 10 egg whites or egg substitute)
½ cup canola oil
1¼ cup whole wheat flour
1 tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. parsley
½ tsp. thyme
1 tsp. garlic powder
Other herbs & spices to taste (I use way more of everything!)

Preheat oven to 375°F. In a large bowl, combine broccoli, ham, onion & cheese or cheese substitute. In another bowl, beat eggs/sub & blend in oil. Add dry ingredients. Beat until smooth. Stir in broccoli mixture until just blended. Spoon into greased muffin tins. Bake 20-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve warm or cold. Makes 12 large muffins. They freeze very well. Recipe doubles easily. I have added cauliflower, red and green peppers, hot sauce and a variety of other things to this recipe. Anything that’s healthy will do! I've also made pizza ones with veggie pepperoni & tomatoes with lots of italian herbs & spices.

I love this recipe because even I can't screw it up. You can make almost any substitutions and it's still delish!

If you have suggestions for veganizing or about my wording to make it more appropriate, my ears are open!

Anonymous said...

Just wanted to report back. I made these fabulous muffins last night... excellent! I confess I made several substitutions b/c my pantry wasn't well-stocked:
Wheat/white flour + flaxseed meal (instead of the spelt flour, etc)
Grated apple (instead of zucchini)
Honey and flaxseed oil (instead of molasses)
Ground almonds (instead of walnuts)
Diced prunes added to the blender mix (instead of raisins)
Sorry to butcher the recipe - it still worked great and they were delicious! Thank you!

Anonymous said...

i was just wondering if i could use a combination of spelt and kamut flours - i've eliminated all wheat flours from my home, and have been using spelt and kamut in place of a white and whole wheat combo in most cases...haven't tried it with muffins yet...
i have an extremely picky year and a half old son, and so i have to sneak vegetables into him in muffin or pancake form...

Jennifershmoo said...

>>i was just wondering if i could use a combination of spelt and kamut flours - i've eliminated all wheat flours from my home

The recipe calls for spelt and barley, which would still be wheat-free, but I'm sure spelt and kamut would be fine, too. Barley is another wheat-free flour that makes a nice wheat substitute in most recipes; perhaps you might give it a try, too.

Anonymous said...

oh yes, haha - i meant to ask if i could use kamut interchangeably with barley. oops. ;)
thank you for your quick response! i can't wait for my son to be old enough to actually enjoy eating more and more...right now he wants fruit and peanut butter toast 24-7. anything else is really hard to feed him...could be worse, i guess...

Kate said...

Thank you so much for this recipe! I made them a few days ago and theya re almost gone! I posted about them on my blog but I linked back to you.

Everyday Superhero said...

I made these yesterday and they are so good. However, I forgot to add the zucchini. Doh! So I topped the muffins with a bit and used the rest for soup. Next time I'll substitute carrots.
The Veggie Vixen (AKA Sweet Pea)

Anonymous said...

Thank you so much for this recipe. My family isn't vegan or even vegetarian but we are trying to eat better. I made these for the kids and they LOVED them and my kids can be picky. These will become a staple item for sure! Thanks!!

Denise said...

Can't wait to try these GREAT sounding muffins!! Thank you for all of the wonderful recipes and ideas!!
We have non-vegan relatives coming to visit for 2 weeks...and I want to expand our menu ideas to include some vegan modified Mexican dishes. Does anyone have a vegan version of: King Ranch Chicken Casserole and Chicken Enchiladas with Sour Cream Sauce?
Denise

Chef Jeena said...

Hi there, I love the blog it is very healthy :)



visit jeena's kitchen healthy recipe blog

Anonymous said...

YUM! These were really good. My non-vegan family and frinds were fighting over them, even after I explained how healthy they were. I used flour instead of spelt and carrots in place of zuccini and I added chopped up pieces of apple. Thanks for the keeper!

Anonymous said...

This blog is great! I'm going to try some of your recipes this weekend!

Anonymous said...

Jennifer,
This is a bit off topic, but can you tell me the best material to use for making lunch box napkins (and really everyday napkins) for my kids. I was thinking just a 100% cotton or flannel material. What have you found to work best?

Thanks, Bonnie

Jennifershmoo said...

Hi, Bonnie -- I find 100% cotton works the best. :-)

Anonymous said...

Can you use all wholewheat flour? or 1/2 spelt 1/2 wholewheat?

Anonymous said...

i know i am a little late to the party, but i finally made these tonight and wanted to let you know how great they are! my husband is sort of a picky vegetarian but loves foods in muffin-form for some reason. :D and these were a big hit with him. i substituted carrots for the zucchini, so thanks for that recommendation, as well.

Anonymous said...

That sounds so delicious!
You should post it at http://daily-cook-book.blogspot.com!
It really sounds like the kind of recipes they are looking for!
I can't wait to try it!

Anonymous said...

these sound great, does anyone happen to have the nutrition info?

looney said...

I'd like the nutritional info, too, specifically the carb and fiber...diabetic husband...but I might just make these myself and if I do, I'll figure it out and post it...

sam-song said...

oh my! tonight is the second time i've made these. the first time i had to substitute some things that i didn't have. they turned out a bit soggy at the bottom, because i didn't squeeze the excess water out of the zucchini. or at least, that's what i think. this time, i made it as written, and they are so good! i just ate one right out of the oven. by the way, my fifteen month old just loves these! he'll eat a couple at a time. he does have a good appetite though. my hubby seemed to enjoy these too, so i hope he likes the second batch. i planted two zucchini plants in my garden, so i'll be making plenty more! thanks for sharing these recipes with us!

sam-song said...

I just entered the information into sparkrecipes.com, and this is the best I could come up with.
Calories 160.3
Total Carbohydrate 31.0 g
Dietary Fiber 3.9 g
Sugars 0.6 g

Hope that helps!

looney said...

Hi, for anyone who needs to know (diabetics), making them with White and Whole Wheat flour, "Carb Sense" apple juice, no raisins or currants added...there are about 18 net carbs per muffin if you make 12 full sized...I made 42 minis, about 5 net carbs per...also though me and my hubby love them, my son won't touch them! he won't eat anything with any kind of green-so I may try this with apples or carrots for him. WE're vegetarians, but we joke he's a fruitarian...

Joanna said...

I am enjoying your blog a lot. We have been Vegan for 6 months now and my 5 year old is doing well but she is at the point she needs to step it up a little. These muffins have been a great treat this afternoon on the beach! We have loads of zucchini from our garden so I am excited to read they freeze well. Thank you again~

Amber said...

Thanks so much for the recipe! I had no spelt on hand, and was out of wheat flour, so I used white flour and they came out great! My hubby and I are trying to transfer over to a mostly vegan dining environment at home and it's taking some getting used to. These were a great and flavorful option! Thanks again!

Jennifer Hudson said...

Thank you so much for this storehouse of wonderful sounding recipes!
My girl start school next week, and I am soooo looking for creative lunch ideas for them - school food is expensive & gross.
I found you while browsing for my 5 blogs for BlogDay '07, and have added you to my blog at http://design-my-handbag.com
Have a great weekend!
Jennifer
http://design-my-handbag.com

Anonymous said...

great post, thanx

Anonymous said...

A full meal? great!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the nice post!

Chef Jeena said...

Hi there you have a great blog,lovely recipes. Feel free to visit my blog too :) Click Here For Food Recipes

Anonymous said...

Mmmmm... thank you for this recipe!! I made them last week and they are delicious! I eat one for dinner on the nights I have school and usually have a protien bar (which I'm trying to eliminate from my diet).
Yum yum!! My bananas weren't very ripe so I added a T of agave nectar and I added 1 shredded apple because we have an abundance of apples right now. Your suggested addition of raisins and walnuts were perfect.
Oh, and co-workers gobbled these up too, so now I have to make more. :) Thank you!!

Anonymous said...

Hello from Qatar!

I had no bananas so used 1/2 cup pureed chestnuts and 1/2 cup homemade applesauce. Added a little bit more flour for consistency. Also used dried cranberries instead of raisins.
Ooooooh these muffins are delicious...the difficult part is eating just one...

Unknown said...

These muffins are great! I made them for my husband, who is NOT a vegan, and he loved them! I love the fact that there is no soy or sugar in them. They are delicish!

Anonymous said...

do you have to put in the zucchini in, because i am not a huge fan of it.

Thanks!

Jennifershmoo said...

Please see the comments above on substitutions. You really can't taste the zucchini at all, but carrots would also work.

Chef Jeena said...

Hi there, this is such a wholesome recipe lots of healthy ingredients and so yummy too. I bet these muffins tasted delicious. :)

Anonymous said...

Hi Jennifer,

My name is Shannon and I'm the editorial assistant at Foodbuzz.com. I am very impressed with the quality of your posts and to that end, I’d like to invite you to be a part of our newly launched Foodbuzz Featured Publisher program. I would love to send you more details about the program, so if you are interested, please email me at Shannon@foodbuzz.com.

Cheers!

Shannon Eliot
Editorial Assistant, Foodbuzz.com
shannon@foodbuzz.com

P.S. I can't wait to try your muffins, and the vegan goldfish are a brilliant idea. Well done!

Coffee and Vanilla said...

I'm very happy to discover this blog... I'm not vegan, used to be vegetarian for many years...
I'm hosting this month Wholesome Lunchbox event and searching for ideas I found this website. I would love to have your entry to this event, it does not have to be new post, it can be lunchbox recipe you have already posted.

Have a good day, Margot

Anonymous said...

I am going to make these this weekend...one question, I'm trying to get more fats into my 16 month old. Can I add some kind of oil or fat to the recipe? Maybe coconut oil or plain old canola oil...? Also even though we don't have any nut allergies in the family I haven't introduced him to any nuts yet, so can I just leave out the walnuts?
Thanks!!

Jennifershmoo said...

Have you introduced seeds yet? They can usually be introduced before nuts; they would add some healthy fats and would be a good substitute for walnuts. Try chopped or lightly ground sunflower, pumpkin, or sesame seeds.

Anonymous said...

I was wondering if I could use all barley flour. I am cooking for someone who cant have wheat or spelt.

Thanks, T.

Jennifershmoo said...

I'm sure it would be fine. :-)

elisabeth said...

Any ideas for banana substitutions?

Anonymous said...

do you ever give presentations?

Jennifershmoo said...

Regarding banana substitutions, I think prune baby food or any kind of applesauce would be a good sub.

Regarding presentations, I've given a few vegan cooking demos in my time, but I don't generally give presentations and have never done one on lunches.

Anonymous said...

I must admit that I have never been a big fan of veg, (meat eater) but the other week I was having a barbecue and a friend threww some vegetables on and I must admit they were delicious and added to the meal, it made me rethink my views on healthy foods.

emily said...

These have changed my life and the lives of those around me. Seriously, I just keep making them. As soon as I finish a batch I get sad so I make more. Everyone who has tried them (vegan and non) has harassed me for more. We all have some sort of muffin dependency problem. I started feeling guilty about all the praise I was getting for them so I thought I'd pass it on to the deserving party. They're just so delicious -- especially toasted and covered with Earth Balance. I can't say enough good things about them. But I 'll stop here cause there are some muffins in the kitchen calling my name :)
Seriously, thanks so much for this recipe Jennifer!

Jennifershmoo said...

Wow, thank you, Emily! I'm so glad to hear it!!

Ginamarie said...

Hi Jennifer~
Two questions:

1. What are your thoughts on using agave in addition to (or instead of) the blackstrap molasses?

2. I would like to use this as the basis for a cake, for my 2 year old's bday party. Think it will work and if so, what type of sugar free icing would you recommend?

I've looked for wholesome sugar-free cake, muffin, icing ideas all over the internet and am coming up short. :((

Ginamarie

Jennifershmoo said...

Hi, Ginamarie,

1. Agave would be a fine substitute. It would make the muffins a bit sweeter than the molasses.

2. I'm a bit concerned that trying to bake the batter as a large cake won't work as well as baking it as cupcakes. It may not bake through the middle or rise as well. I haven't tried it, though, so who knows? In any case cupcakes baked in cute cupcake liners are an excellent birthday treat (I actually prefer them, because you don't have to slice them into servings).

As to sugar-free icing, lots of ideas here:

*vegan cream cheese mixed with fruit spread

*nut butter mixed cocoa or carob powder, and maybe some agave (you are using agave, yes?)

*fresh squeezed orange juice mixed with a bit of maple syrup or agave and brushed on the cake while still warm makes a nice glaze

*instead of frosting you might top a cake with fresh fruit like blueberries, raspberries, mandarin oranges, etc. in a pretty design (you can use a bit of nut butter or mashed fruit to get them to stick if need be)

*there are tofu frosting recipes out there that use maple syrup.

Hope that helps! :-)

Ginamarie said...

I LOVE the icing ideas, and the cupcake ideas. The only cupcake recipes I have found so far have sugar. Do you also recommend agave as as substitue in those? If so, what ratio of agave should I use per cup of sugar and will I have to account for the fact that it is liquid?

Jennifershmoo said...

Well, I don't actually "recommend" agave over other sweeteners. You asked if you could use agave instead of molasses in this recipe, and I'm sure that would be fine. But I don't personally use agave as a substitute for other sweeteners in recipes, so I can't say how it would work as a substitute for crystalline sugar.

I did a quick search, and an agave website said to use ¾ cup agave nectar per 1 cup other sweetener.

Personally, if I was avoiding sugar I would look for a healthy muffin recipe with some natural sweetness from fruit. Then I would top them with something cute and call them cupcakes! :-)

toro said...

Hi,I am Japanese, but the translation read.
Just read the hungry.
I also mainly sweets recipes written blog.
I would like to exchange information with each other.
Because of the link to your blog.
If you would like, my blog also links please.
ICE CREAM JAZZ~SWEETS in Japan~

Anonymous said...

I haven't read all the replies yet, but a way to boost the protein content is to replace 1 tbsp of flour in each cup of flour with a tbsp of soy flour. I do this too my muffins all the time. It makes them more perishable though. Ya gotta either eat 'em all up or refrigerate them. HTH!

Ginamarie - Mom to Dane said...

Another way to increase the protein count is to sprinkle Red Star Nutritional Yeast in them. It also has so many other nutrients in them and a small amount doesn't effect the taste of them.

Queen Bee said...

Yum! I've made quite a few different "healthy" muffins and these are the best. Only substitute I made was grape juice for apple since I didn't have any. The kiddos enjoyed them and the husband was pleased. Success!

Anonymous said...

Hi Jennifer, I am recently vegan and so is my 5yo, your site is a true BOON. I made your muffins up with a couple of subs (carrot and pear in place of zucchini). I was a bit "meh" as i was expecting them to be sweeter, but my 5 year old daughter LOVED them. She was SO rapt. Thank yo so much!! I will be using this recipe to experiment with as it is really easy and you can TASTE the goodness.
PS, I mixed some ground walnuts, almonds, pumpkin seeds and flax seeds with some rice malt and "iced" them, OMG it was muffin heaven. Thanks!

IsamarDesigns said...

These muffins look wonderful! I've tried something similar from Cathe Olsen's book where I added zucchini into some carrot raisin muffins and had great success with getting my ultra picky two year old to eat veggies. I've been thinking about ways to up the protein in your muffin recipe and I was wondering if substituting some pureed silken tofu for one of the bananas would work? Is the banana for binding the ingredients or for sweetening the muffins? I'm off to go try your recipe as is before I start messing around and changing things! Thanks for the wonderful blog!

Jen-Jen said...

Do you think that using gluten free flours, such as rice flour, would work for this recipe?

Huncut Knitter said...

How about substituting some of the flour for chickpea flour? I usually substitute a few tablespoons in for flour when I am cooking breads, muffins cake etc. Well actually, I use a mix of different flours depending on what I have on hand, but usually it's a mix of white, wheat, millet, quinoa, and chickpea. It boosts the protein and nutrition content, and although the batter will have a definite "beany" taste (licking the spoon isn't as fun) once it's cooked you can't taste it at all, or it may give it a very light kind of nutty taste if you put a lot in. btw I love these recipes!

Kristie said...

I'm a vegetarian (recent convert) and am debating the vegan lifestyle for me and my 2 kiddos. While researching different recipes I came across this one and though it would perfect for the 18-month-old who refuses to eat veggies. I made them tonight and I hope that tomorrow, for breakfast, he will gobble this up. I enjoyed the muffin very much. Thank you for posting this and other recipes. It helps to know that someone else had made these recipes and is living the lifestyle you are contemplating.

Ginamarie - Mom to Dane said...

Kristi~
I have been a vegetarian for the past 13 years but was a vegan for 11 years before that. I am raising my son on a vegan diet. He's an amazingly healthy kid- never ever sick and is a great eater. I think the trick is starting them out very early on vegan foods so you don't have any "battle of the wills" over them wanting to eat yogurt, cheese sticks, Goldfish crackers, etc... that their friends may be eating. And try not to use many meat replacements as the ingredients are not that healthy. Snack ideas: Plain beans, cherry tomotoes, nuts, homeade nut balls, Sun burgers, nut butters, etc...

This is a great site for recipes that can be easily converted. And consider using Raw Light colored Agave in place of sugar in recipes. Good luck!

Anonymous said...

Hmmm...I like the idea of a mega-meal-muffin but hmmm...I don't know. Does it taste good?

Blueberries said...

Thank you for this recipe. I made these muffins using carrots instead of courgettes (zuchinis as they're called in America) and they tasted divine.

Anonymous said...

WOW Almost waay too many comments on this particular one...so why not one more? Rather than substiute grated carrot for the zucchini(for the person who asked if one could substitute pumpkin puree for the zucch) you could still stick with pumpkin if you like the idea of pumpkin BUT GRATE THE PUMPKIN! Twould be yummy also!

Anonymous said...

Hi Jennifer,
I am having a difficult time finding vegan sugar as it's my understanding that cane sugar is processed via charred animal bones.

Can you share with us the brand of vegan sugar you use when baking and where we can purchase it?
Thanks! :)

Jennifershmoo said...

Here's a good article about whether sugar is vegan or not:

http://www.vegsource.com/jo/qa/qasugar.htm

If you want to avoid all white sugar, look for unbleached cane crystals in health food stores or the health food section of your grocery store (mine carries it in the bulk bins).

P.S. This recipe (Full Meal Muffins) doesn't contain any sugar.

Holly @ Domestic Dork said...

In response to the person wondering if you could use pumpkin...yes!

I made a triple batch this week and substituted pumpkin puree for *some* of the zucchini (as well as using some w/ applesauce for *some* of the banana because I didn't have enough). It turned out just fine. I make mine with mostly w.w. flour and a little white flour, just FYI. And I also add a lot more spices (all spice, nutmeg, cloves, etc.) which went well with the pumpkin.

Elizabeth Leigh said...

I make a new vegan recipe each week from a cookbook, the internet, a friends recipe, etc. Now, I've made these muffins several times and keep on loving them! I make up a full batch and freeze 4 of them. The other 8 I eat throughout the week. A great breakfast to take to work which is what i do! I don't do well with nuts so i subbed sunflower seeds and otherwise followed the recipe exactly as its written. Great stuff!!

Anonymous said...

What could be substituted for the raisins for sweetness? My oldest doesn't do raisins, thanks!

Unknown said...

I am not a vegetarian but need to eat them because of health problems. I have been looking for recipes that use vegetables but hide them. the muffin recipes sound like they might work for me. will try and report back

Not 2 years old but still picky

Misty said...

Has anyone substitued anything for the Banana? I don't have any banana (plus i really don't like banana LOL) but I can't think of a good substitute?

Anonymous said...

I made these today, but substituted dried apricots for the currants/raisins and also I only used spelt flour. The muffings turned out very dense and moist, could it be because of the flour? They are VERY sweet I think, so next time I'll use raisins instead of apricots ;)

Awesome recipe for a quick breakfast on the go!

Thanks,
Soph

Jennifershmoo said...

Oh yes, it's definitely that spelt flour. I find in most recipes I need to adjust the flour up by a significant amount if I'm substituting spelt.

That said, they will never be as light and fluffy as a muffin made with cake flour and eggs, so adjust your expectations accordingly.

Anonymous said...

Jennifer-
I've recently been reading about the many health benefits of coconut flour, especially for vegans. Have you baked with it? If so, do you have a link to any recipes that you have posted, so we can try them?? I've tried baking with it but haven't been successful. I find it delicious but hard to work with. :(
Thanks! :)
Ginamarie

Jennifershmoo said...

No, I'm afraid I have never tried working with coconut flour. It sounds interesting! I've heard about the health benefits of coconut, too, but have only cooked with coconut milk and shredded coconut. Also I recently discovered coconut water as a sports drink, and I love it!

Anonymous said...

Yes, it is fabulous. And compared to traditional (icky) sports drinks (Gatorade, etc...) coconut water surpasses them all in minerals and potassium, etc...! :)

Anonymous said...

Jennifer, thanks for the heads up about the flour. I will use a flour mixture next time.
I had to freeze half of the batch before my family ate them all! :)
Soph

Anonymous said...

Thank you for the recipe! My 15 month old loves them!

Unknown said...

These muffins are awfully mouth-watering! And would keep me busy in the kitchen, again. My cousins are going to visit our place next week. I think this would be just perfect for them and these muffins sound so tasty.

Unknown said...

OMGosh...these are the bomb...eating one hot and trying to type...YUMMMMMMMMMM!!!! Keep up the amazing work...Judy

shawnaisoff2oz said...

I just tried making the full meal muffins and they didn't seem to fully cook. The outside cooked and looked beautiful but the inside was gooey and dense. They still had great flavor. I used spelt and white flour and all the other listed ingredients. Any ideas?

Iron Chef said...

Here is one recipe that i wish you can try because its very delicious "Bean Bacon Broils Recipe" full recipe at Bean Bacon Broils Recipe

Mama2two said...

I made these last night. Was fun!
I didn't have spelt or barley flour so used what I had - whole wheat pastry flour and oat flour.
But just like "shawnaisoff2oz" said - mine too weren't cooked all the way. Well I made mini muffins and those were fine but the regular size muffins were gooey inside.
Was it supposed to be 2 cups of flour total or 3 cups? Maybe that's what we did off?
Thanks for the recipe! I LOVE things like this - packed with nutrients and no one knows! =)

Rumela said...

Thanks for the muffin recipe. Last summer I ate them at a birthday party and has been looking for an authentic recipe ever since. Now I will be able to make them myself. Thank you for shearing your post.

Thanks

Rumela
my site

Christine said...

Hi Jennifer,
Thanks so much for sharing your recipe. These muffins were a big hit with me and my sis! I actually documented the process on my blog :)
I am going to try and make some vegan pumpkin muffins next...have you had any experience baking a pumpkin flavored vegan muffin? Cheers!
Christine

Jennifershmoo said...

Hi Hot Mama!

Glad you're enjoying the muffins! Yes, I have a fantastic recipe for pumpkin muffins, one of my favorites and a big crowd pleaser:

http://shmooedfood.blogspot.com/2005/09/pumpkin-carob-chip-muffins.html

:-)

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