Muffin of the Week

I have to laugh every time I do this.  I have an idea about making something and I will find a recipe and start to throw ingredients in the bowl and realize I have no business making this recipe because I don’t have 75% of the ingredients!  This was the case last night as I was making my muffin of the week.  I had gotten a recipe from my friend Kate who I used to work with for Flax Seed Morning Glory Muffins.  It called for Fiber One cereal, (I didn’t have that) chopped apple ( I didn’t have that), brown sugar (I didn’t have that) and coconut (I didn’t have that) canola oil ( I didn’t have that), vanilla (I didn’t have that!).  I actually did laugh out loud in my kitchen because I said to myself “Why are you trying to make these muffins when you don’t have the ingredients?”  But, I figured at least I had an idea of a recipe, and I certainly could come up with some substitutes.  What came out was quite a surprise; they were sweet, moist and delicious!

Flax Seed Morning Glory Muffins (my version)
·         2 Servings Optimum Slim cereal (pulsed in my magic bullet to resemble flour)*I’m sure you could use any other high fiber cereal too
·         2/3 cup skim milk
·         1 cup all purpose flour
·         ¾ cup ground flax meal (you can buy it already ground up)
·         1 small banana – mashed
·         2 carrots, shredded
·         1/2 cup sugar
·         3 ounces yogurt (any flavor) – I used cherry pomegranate
*    3 tablespoons chocolate chips
·         3 tsp. baking powder
·         1 tsp. ground cinnamon
·         ½ tsp salt
·         1 egg

Add all the ingredients into a big bowl.  I stirred it with a spoon for about a minute.  I sprayed a muffin tin with Pam and then divided the batter into 12 muffins.  I cooked it at 350 degrees for about 17 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. 

Each muffin is:

·        163 calories
·         3.4 fat
·         3.2 fiber
I brought a few extra to some of my co-workers and they thought they tasted great!  So, the next time you decide to make something from a recipe but don’t have all the ingredients, improvise and you might come out with something better than the original recipe!