I got a hankering to make some muffins for breakfast and wanted to try something a little different than my typical banana walnut. I saw this recipe in Eating Well when I was a subscriber. For 5 bucks a year I got a great deal but the magazine was pretty boring and uninteresting. I guess you really do get what you pay for. However, after doing some searching for a muffin recipe to try this one resurfaced and I decided to give it a try. I first saw it when I subscribed to the magazine and tore it out to try it but never did.
It's not very quick or very economical to make. Nor are they very WW friendly... That being said they are very tasty and would be perfect for a special occasion such as Mother's Day brunch. Sweet, savory, and tangy, they taste best fresh from the oven or warmed up in the toaster oven.
Ingredients: Serves 12
3/4 cup crumbled soft goat cheese or reduced fat cream cheese
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract, divided
2 cups flour (I used 1 cup whole wheat 1 cup white)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 large egg white
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup low fat buttermilk
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/4 cups chopped dried figs
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
Method:
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Line 12 (1/2-cup) muffin cups with paper liners or coat with cooking spray.
- Thoroughly combine goat cheese (or cream cheese), honey, lemon zest and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Whisk flour , baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Lightly beat eggs and egg white in a medium bowl; add brown sugar and the remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla and whisk until the sugar is dissolved, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in buttermilk and oil until smooth. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined; do not overmix. Fold in figs.
- Spoon half the batter into the prepared muffin cups. Add 1 generous teaspoon of the reserved cheese filling to the center of each muffin, and cover with the remaining batter. (The filling should not be visible.) Sprinkle the muffins with sugar.
- Bake the muffins until the edges start to brown and the tops spring back when gently pressed, 13 to 15 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool.
Cost:$6.50 total, .55 per muffin
Time: 40 minutes active, 15 minutes inactive
Nutrition Facts: Amount Per Serving
272 calories
9 g fat
44 g carbohydrates
6 g protein
3 g fiber
Weight Watcher Points +: 7 points per muffin