Beans, Beans the Magical Fruit...

I made some muffins for breakfast yesterday and again today using the same basic recipe (different add ins) with one very healthy and frugal adaptation.  I replaced the oil with bean puree.

I made the bean puree from dry navy beans I cooked in my crock pot over night.  This morning, I threw them in the blender and added just enough water to make them a pour-able consistency.  The recipe called for 1/4 cup of oil which was replaced with 1/4 cup of the bean puree.

Just place the unused bean puree in a jar in your refrigerator for all your baking needs, and replace the amount of oil the recipe calls for with an equal amount of bean puree.

The only difference I notice is that the muffins are much more filling and stick to your ribs.  My family did not suspect a thing.  The only thing they said was that the muffins were good.

Soaking then rinsing your beans before cooking them eliminates that uncomfortable gas problem.

You can use any type of beans to make your puree.  I just recommend matching the color of beans to the desired finished product. Black beans may work in chocolate cake, but wouldn't work in this recipe.  

Even canned beans would be healthier and more filling than oil.   Dry beans of course would be your most frugal and healthy option.

Here is an easy basic Muffin Recipe:

Basic Muffins

2 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg, beaten
1 cup milk
1/4 cup oil (or bean puree)

Mix ingredients together. Spoon into greased muffin cups, 2/3 full. Bake at 400° for 20-25 minutes. Makes about 12-15 muffins.

Add In's

Bacon or Ham – Reduce sugar to 2 Tbsp. and add 1/2 cup chopped bacon or ham
Blueberries – 1 cup
Cherries or cranberries – 2/3 cup of cherries or cranberries, mixed with 2 Tbsp. of sugar first
Dried fruit – 1/2 cup apricots, currants, peaches, figs, prunes, raisins or dates
Nuts – 1/3 cup chopped
Cheese – 1/2 cup grated cheese and 1/8 tsp. paprika 

If you are using dried fruit in you muffins there is no need to reconstitute it before adding it to your batter which causes the fruit to disintegrate in your muffin.  The batter reconstitutes your fruit just fine and gives you a much better end result.

I served grapes with my muffins this morning.  Where I live, it is difficult to get organic grapes so to remove the pesticides, I soak the fruit in a pot of cold water with about a cup of white vinegar in it and swirl it around for a few minutes.  Then, I rinse the fruit in cold tap water and let it drain before serving.  You would not believe the grime left in the water when your done.  This picture doesn't show it, but trust me, the water was grimy!

Post note on Nov 6th... my cornbread came out awesome using beans instead of oil!