A muffin you can feel good about?

It exists.

I’ve been buying the PlantStrong Foods cornbread muffin mix for a year or so. I like to make pumpkin cornbread muffins from a recipe by PlantStrong Foods.

A few weeks ago, I followed the package instructions to make cornbread muffins without the pumpkin. They were OK. I wasn’t excited.

So I decided to experiment and create a recipe of my own.

How does this story end?

My muffins turned out great. They’re colorful. They’re fun to eat.

I was proud of myself for stepping out of my recipe-following comfort zone.

How do you feel about experimenting in the kitchen?

*Jimmy Nardello sweet red peppers, Union Square Greenmarket*

What makes this recipe special?

Peppers (hot and sweet) are in season at the farmers’ market.

On a trip to the farmers’ market last week, I picked up a jalapeno pepper and a sweet red pepper. The red pepper was most likely a Jimmy Nardello pepper, but I forgot to take a picture of the sign!

What’s in it?

1 package PlantStrong Foods cornbread muffin mix (or gluten free mix)

Ingredients:
organic whole wheat flour, organic dates, organic whole yellow cornmeal, leavening, salt

2/3 cup frozen corn

1 jalapeno pepper

1/2 tsp salt

2 tbsp nutritional yeast

1 1/2 cups plant milk

4 ounces apple sauce

1 small sweet red pepper (optional)

*PlantStrong Foods cornbread muffin mix*

Cooking instructions

Review both the instructions on the muffin mix package and my instructions below.

Thaw frozen corn kernels
Preheat oven
Thinly slice jalapeno and red peppers, set aside
Combine muffin mix, salt, nutritional yeast, apple sauce and plant milk in a large mixing bowl
Fold in corn, jalapeno and red pepper
Add batter to muffin cups and bake!

All in, this is no more than 1 hour of your time for 12-14 muffins.

Shopping list

PlantStrong Foods cornbread muffin mix

Order online
I like keeping this stocked in my pantry

Plant milk

I used PlantStrong Foods oat and walnut milk, available at Whole Foods & online
Any favorite plant milk works

Unsweetened apple sauce

The cups are exactly 4 ounces, perfect for this recipe
Go for a larger glass jar if you prefer avoiding plastic

Frozen corn

No salt added

Nutritional yeast

Stocked in my pantry at all times
High in B vitamins
Cheesy, umami

Jalapeno pepper

Raw and fresh from the produce section or your local farmers’ market
I removed the seeds
Handle with care — use gloves or Google search tips for handling hot peppers

Sweet red pepper

Raw and fresh from the produce section or your local farmers’ market
You can omit, or try using a thinly sliced bell pepper

*365 Whole Foods Market unsweetened, organic apple sauce*

Equipment

Silicone muffin cups

I won’t hide it. You’ll have to wash muffin cups. It’s worth it!

Baking sheet

Mixing bowl

Nutrition

serving size: 1 muffin

Calories — 150
Fiber — 4 g
Sugars — 9 g, including 7.25 g added sugars
Fat — <1 g
Saturated fat — 0g
Protein — <1 g

Calcium — 135 mg
Potassium — 201 mg
Sodium — 306 mg

What else do you get?

Iron, B vitamins, vitamins A, C, D, E, K, copper, magnesium, manganese, phosphorous, selenium, zinc

*Jalapeno peppers, Union Square Greenmarket*

Cooking notes

Like it spicy? Try adding an additional jalapeno pepper.
Concerned about sodium? Omit the 1/2 teaspoon salt.
The sodium in the muffin mix (190 mg) is close to our target of sodium = calories.

I wish it wasn’t so, but there’s not a store-bought muffin I know of that is both fun to eat and also nutritious.

If you find one, let me know.

I eat two of these in one sitting. No concerns.
If I felt like a third? Still, no concerns. 🌱

Thanks for reading!

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Eat more plants. 🥦 Hydrate.🚰 Move.🤸 Prioritize sleep. 🛌

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Recipe from the PPb. test kitchen: jalapeno cornbread muffins