I am not much of a morning person. I mean I do like that time of day, especially in the summer, but I am not at my fully functioning best. So my morning routine is simple and involves the least amount of decision making possible.
To that end I go pretty quickly to a cup of coffee and an oatmeal muffin (made every twelve days of an afternoon so I always have one available). Well, yesterday it was time to make the muffins but I didn't have any applesauce, which I use in place of oil. I was out of bananas, a logical sub.
One good habit I picked up during COVID isolation was not running out to the store every time I needed one item for something so I made a different substitution. Stay with me here -- I had some cooked beets in the fridge so I put them in the blender and used them instead of applesauce.
The batter was a rather distressing pink. I have actually made a chocolate cake with beets before. The chocolate disguises the beet red. The muffins browned in the oven so as a finished product they didn't look weird. Beets are sweet so I cut back on the 1/2 cup of brown suger. I added ground flax and protein powder, some walnuts and cranberries. I tell myself
they are healthy and they taste like my muffins so I am happy to have breakfast planned for the next twelve days.
That looks great. But I tend to be lazy and hate to bake, so I eat ready made food such as cereal or crackers with Guacamole. If I had those muffins in my kitchen, I would eat 2, not 1. LOL.
ReplyDeleteYour muffin breakfast sounds good... although I'm not too sure about the beets. DH and I have a slice of Artisan bread (the kind varies) lathered with lots of real butter and sea salt with our coffee (or tea) every morning. We buy a different home-made bread each week so we have enough to get by until the next shop. We've never been big breakfast eaters - although we do splurge and have eggs or pancakes (on occasion).
ReplyDeleteVery enterprising of you! (But I think I'd stick with the applesauce for the future.)
ReplyDeleteWhat a nice save and beets are full of sugar. I kind of like the shade and with the add ins, they should be really healthy. Well done.
ReplyDeleteI've never liked cooked beets and would only eat a couple of pickled beets (my mom loved them), but I think I'd be okay with them in muffins. Why not? Your modifications sound quite tasty. Enjoy!
ReplyDeleteWell, that worked ! :-)
ReplyDeleteNot all my experiments do, but these came out quite nicely.
DeleteI like the way you think! I would like the pink muffins, I bet I could convince myself they were strawberry. Especially before coffee.
ReplyDeleteI am the same way with food. I stretch those shopping trips and have a running list in my head to use up leftovers.
How creative. I hate beets so that would not be something I'd think of. But good to know because I always have them for my hubby. I have used all the other things for substitutes though. Do you taste the beets? Or like the applesauce it just does its job and you don't really taste it.
ReplyDeleteI don't taste the beets and I would choose them over bananas for that very reason.
DeleteWow! You are an amazing baker. I would never have thought of substituting beets for apple sauce. I baked muffins for the family today too. I baked blueberry muffins though and it's not as healthy as yours, I'm afraid.
ReplyDeleteBlueberries are healthy! I sometimes add them to my basic oatmeal recipe.
ReplyDeleteTotally cool! I've made raspberry muffins and they turn out purple, which is fine for my Kansas State kids that "bleed purple" with their devotion to their alma mater. Linda in Kansas
ReplyDeleteSounds like a good idea to me. I like beets, pickled, hot, or cold but note you say their flavor is undetectable in the muffins so you have the benefit of them nutritionally. I miss not being able to bake some as i once did.
ReplyDeleteWhat a tasty substitute! I would love to taste that!
ReplyDeleteI love this idea! Beets are a super food so I'll give this a try. I think I can use my zucchini recipe and just sub the beets in.
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