blissful eats with Tina Jeffers: millet muffins with roasted strawberries
Hello, it's so nice to be here! I was so honored when Mrs. French offered me the opportunity to post on her beautiful Bliss. I'll be stopping by once a week to share some of my favorite recipes and kitchen experiments with you!
Cooking for me is way more than the act of eating. I take immense pleasure in feeding those around me. It's my way of showing that I care and my attempt to make the act of eating a memory that will stick with someone long after the meal is over.
I try use the best ingredients I can, and living in Portland, Oregon it's pretty easy to find locally grown, organic products with our abundance of farmers markets. My other passion is gardening and I definitely choose a lot of my recipes based on what is available from my backyard. There is nothing more satisfying than planting a seed, watching it grow and then cooking it up into a delicious dish you can share with loved ones. Even if you don't have the space for a large garden a few herbs on a windowsill or a single tomato plant on a sunny balcony can be so gratifying. I'm so excited to have this opportunity to share my love of growing, cooking and most importantly eating with all of you, so let's get cooking!
I'm not very good about getting up early enough for breakfast on most mornings, I love the snooze button and it loves me. I find it really helps to whip up a batch of muffins on the weekend and then I can freeze them, pop them in the microwave and have a delicious and healthy breakfast on the go for those mornings I'm rushing out the door. These millet muffins really fit the bill, moist, crunchy, slightly, sweet and with the addition of the roasted strawberries they become something really special.
Millet is a totally new ingredient for me, one I never would have tried if I hadn’t seen this amazing recipe in one of my new favorite cookbooks, Super Natural Everyday by Heidi Swanson. The recipes are unfussy, unique and shows that good food, made with wholesome ingredients can be satisfying and delicious. I love to lose myself in the dreamy photography and it makes me feel like I am sitting in the kitchen with a cherished friend.
Thanks for taking the time to read the recipe, you should try them, they are delicious! If you like what you see, I'm blogging about my adventures in the kitchen here at scalingbackblog.com. Come by for a visit if you get the chance, I'd love to have the company!
Millet Muffins with roasted strawberries
from Super Natural Everyday by Heidi Swanson
Ingredients:
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
- 1/3 cup raw millet
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 cup plain yogurt
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1/2 cup honey
- grated zest and 2 tablespoons juice from 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons turbinado sugar
Method:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a 12 cup muffin pan with liners.
In a small skillet lightly toast the millet over med-low heat for 5-10 minutes until golden brown and fragrant and put in a medium bowl. Add the millet, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and whisk until well combined. In another bowl, whisk together the yogurt, eggs, butter, honey, lemon zest and juice until smooth. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until the flour is just incorporated. Divide the batter among the muffin cups, spooning a heaping 1/4 cup into each one. Sprinkle the tops of the muffins with the turbinado sugar.
Bake for about 15 minutes, until muffin tops are slightly golden. Let cool for 5 minutes and serve with the roasted strawberries
Roasted strawberries
Ingredients:
- 8 ounces small to medium strawberries, hulled
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea-salt
- a few drops of balsamic vinegar
Method:
Preheat the oven to 375 with a rack in the middle of the oven.
It's important to use a rimmed baking sheet for this recipe, it's messy and you don't want to lose any of the delicious juices! Line your baking sheet with parchment paper.
Cut each strawberry in half. In a medium bowl whisk the maple syrup, olive oil and salt together, add the berries and very gently toss them until they are coated. Arrange the berries in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
Roast for about 40 minutes until the juices thicken, but don't let them burn.
While still warm, scrape the berries and juices into a small bowl and add the balsamic to taste. These are great on the muffins, but would be delicious with some greek yogurt or even better on ice cream!
