I think “muffin” was one of my son’s first words. He says it even before he fully wakes up from a nap and it’s hard to keep him down to one per day. I’ve been baking muffins for many years, but I only learned recently that the trick to jumbo muffins is to fill the tins over the top (not 2/3 full as most recipes suggest).

My favourite recipes are those that can be adapted in so many ways that they almost never taste the same. To keep it healthy (and kid friendly), whenever a recipe calls for flour I use a combination of whole wheat, all purpose, and wheat germ, plus some flaxseed. I keep a large bag of this combo flour in my fridge and use it in cookies, pancakes, bread, and muffins. My husband was recently diagnosed with high blood pressure, and was told to cut salt out. I was surprised to learn that you could buy no sodium baking powder and baking soda. We use Featherweight. 

My preschooler is going through a meataterian phase (can a phase last two years?). She won’t eat fruit or vegetables in their bare naked state. These muffins have both, plus no added sugar or salt. I call them Cinnamon Muffins, because my daughter associates cinnamon with yummy. (When it’s time to add the cinnamon, make sure your picky eater is around to help!)

Recipe for Jumbo Cinnamon Muffins after the jump.

Jumbo Cinnamon Muffins

• 3 cups combo flour (you can skip the white and just use 2 whole wheat and 1 wheat germ)
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ginger
• 1+cup mashed/pureed/or grated fruit or veggie (pumpkin, apple, carrot, zucchini, banana…if you use banana reduce or forget the honey)
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup milk (dairy or no-dairy)
• 1 egg (or equivalent of flax egg replacer)
• 1/4 cupblackstrap molasses
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/2 cup raisins (or dried fruit)
• 1/2 cup pecans, almonds, walnuts (optional-we sometimes use yummy sugar free chocolate chips)

You know how to make muffins. Mix wet. Mix dry. Combine. (Raisins and nuts in last.)

Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes.

This recipe makes about a dozen, but I always double it and freeze half of the muffins. Each muffin is about 6 g of protein. I love that my kids don’t get that crazy sugar high and low after this snack. These muffins are a healthy breakfast substitute for mom and dad on those mornings when we run out of time to feed ourselves.

By the way, has anybody tried these muffin baking cups? I use a lot of cooking spray.

Related Posts on Healthy Muffins

• Have you Met the Muffin Man?
• Organic Blueberry Oat Muffins
• Seasonal Eating Ode to the Local Fall Pumpkin

[This post was written by Tara Benwell.]