Fig Nugget Muffins
Perfect for a lazy Sunday morning, these not-too-sweet grain-rich muffins have a surprise center “nugget” of gooey honey and figs, eliminating the need for jam or butter. Freeze leftovers for a midweek breakfast treat.
From EatingWell: May/June 1997, The Essential EatingWell Cookbook (2004)
Yield: 1 dozen muffins
Active Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Ingredients
Fig Nugget Muffins
- 1/2 cup packed dried figs, preferably Calimyrna
- 2 tablespoons chopped hazelnuts, or walnuts
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon orange juice
- 1 tablespoon honey
Muffin batter
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg white
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 cup nonfat plain yogurt
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated orange zest
- 1/3 cup orange juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup oat bran
- 1 cup whole-wheat flour
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons chopped hazelnuts, or walnuts
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat 12 muffin cups with cooking spray.
- To prepare fig nuggets: Combine figs, hazelnuts (or walnuts) and cinnamon in a food processor; pulse until the figs are finely chopped. Add orange juice and honey and pulse until the mixture forms a paste. Set aside.
- To prepare muffin batter: Whisk egg, egg white and brown sugar in a medium bowl until smooth. Add yogurt, oil, orange zest, orange juice and vanilla and whisk until blended. Stir in oat bran.
- Whisk whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the dry ingredients; add the wet ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula until just combined. Spoon about half the batter into the prepared muffin cups. Place a scant tablespoon of the reserved fig mixture in the center of each muffin. Top with remaining batter. Sprinkle with nuts.
- Bake the muffins until the tops are golden brown and spring back when touched lightly, 15 to 25 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Loosen edges and turn muffins out onto a wire rack to cool.
Nutrition Per muffin:
229 calories; 7 g fat (1 g sat, 4 g mono); 18 mg cholesterol; 41 g carbohydrates; 6 g protein; 4 g fiber; 174 mg sodium; 155 mg potassium.
2 1/2 Carbohydrate Serving
Exchanges: 3 other carbohydrate, 1 1/2 fat
