A New Week- A New Batch - Honey Muffins

Orange Glaze Drizzled Honey Muffins

Last weekend, Susan over at From Beyond My Kitchen Window made the most delectable and healthy muffins. I told her that I'd be getting out my mixing bowls and making them my muffin-of-the-week as soon as possible. Well, it's Sunday and it's a new week and I've just come home from being on the road for a week-long junket. Silent Bob and I took a road trip to Cleveland, Ohio. There was yummy (but not very healthy) food consumed on the road - can you say baseball park hotdogs, beers, deep-fried calamari, mango margaritas, cheesy enchiladas, and grilled paninis? Did we take pictures of food? Of course not! We were too busy stuffing our faces to think about photography ... sorry. On the way home, I got to thinking about making the muffins and of course, I started thinking of ways to change them up a bit ...

Memorabilia , music, and millions of memories ...

Yes, Cleveland rocked! SB and I had a great time touring the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, swilling beers at a Cleveland Indians/Boston Red Sox game, and walking around the Gateway district of the city.

Progressive Field, home of the Indians' Chief Wahoo ... I ask you ... PC?

Cleveland's modern architecture is interesting, the Civil War Soldier's Memorial is beautiful, and the park by the shore of Lake Erie was a relaxing spot to hang out.

Grey skies, fog, and interesting lines

Old soldiers and their guns ...

Great Lakes shipping museum along the inner harbor ...

One big boat!

Unfortunately, the Red Sox got trounced by the Indians and these Sox fans drove home feeling a bit blue over that, but we vowed to return to Cleveland again. The people were so friendly, the restaurants were varied and fun, and the lake is just beautiful. There's a lot to do there also ... they have a great symphony orchestra, a nice zoo, a good science museum, a natural history museum, theaters, three major sports teams. Like I said, Cleveland rocks! Food pictures, next time!

I guess these muffins will be a start at getting back to more fiber and less junk ... in a yummy way! With a big glass of orange juice, they will make breakfast a perfect start to the morning! I am switching up the raisins and putting in chopped dried pineapple with macadamia nuts ... just to play with the tropical element a bit more. I'm also switching out some of the whole wheat flour and adding in some wheat germ to increase the fiber a bit. Otherwise, this is Susan's recipe! Thanks, dearie, for the inspiration!

Because they are so bulky with the wheat germ and whole wheat flour, I felt they needed a bit more sweetness and a moist gooey finish, so I included a sweet orange sugar drizzle atop. You could easily leave it off. Click the link for Susan's blog for the original recipe or use the adapted recipe below. Either way, these are good muffins!

Honey Muffins

adapted from Susan’s recipe on FBMKW

Ingredients:

1¾ c. whole wheat flour
¼ c. wheat germ
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. salt
½ c. chopped dried pineapple
½ c. chopped macadamia nuts
2 eggs
¼ c. orange juice
½ c. canola oil
½ c. orange blossom honey
1 tsp. vanilla extract
zest of half an orange
1 c. shredded carrots

Glaze:

1 ½ c. confectioner’s sugar
zest of half an orange
orange juice enough to make a glaze that will drizzle

Making the Muffins:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350° F and line 15 muffin cups with paper liners.

2. In a deep mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, wheat germ, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.

3. In a large measuring cup, combine the oil, honey, orange juice, vanilla, and eggs. Beat to combine and break up the eggs.

4. Add all the wet ingredients at once and mix just until the batter forms.

5. Fold in the orange zest, pineapple pieces, carrots, and chopped nuts.

6. Spoon into the muffin cups, filling the cups ¾ of the way.

7. Bake for 20 minutes. While the muffins bake, make the glaze in a small bowl.

8. Remove and cool, then drizzle the glaze over the tops of the muffins with a fork.

9. Serve warm or reheat later in a warm oven.

Orange Glazed Honey Muffins - printer friendly

Oh, my! These muffins came out really well! So well, in fact, that I am linking them to Kristen's Your Recipe, My Kitchen Sunday blogshare. head over and see who else is sharing recipes that have inspired them!