Fresh cranberries are making their appearance in the produce section in grocery stores throughout the country. Full of antioxidants, Vitamin A and Vitamin C; they are a super food. As shared in the November 2016 issue of Living Richly, we enjoy making fresh cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving…only we eat it more like a gelatin salad rather than an accompaniment on the plate.
This month’s recipe is why we’ll be picking up several extra bags of cranberries to stock the freezer. Without a doubt, Cranberry Pecan Muffins are one of our family’s favorite breakfasts. Of course, how could you go wrong at any time of day with hot muffins, fresh from the oven, topped with a pat of butter oozing into the muffin and down the sides? That question needs no answer. We enjoy these muffins year-round.
The lemon zest in this muffin adds a lovely dimension to the fresh flavor…you can use a few drops of lemon extract if you’re in a hurry, just know it’s not the same.
So, give these muffins a try while fresh cranberries are in season. Then you can decide how many extra bags of cranberries you’ll need to pick up at the store.
Cranberry Pecan Muffin Recipe:
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ½ cup milk
- 1 egg, slightly beaten
- ½ cup sugar
- zest of one lemon (or a few drops of lemon extract)
- 1 1/2 cup flour (I use ¾ cup whole wheat and ¾ cup white)
- 2 ¼ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup chopped pecans
- ¾ cup cranberries
With a wire whisk, mix together oil, milk, egg, sugar and lemon zest.
Stir together dry ingredients. Then gently stir into wet ingredients until moistened.
Add chopped pecans and chopped fresh or frozen cranberries. (I use a nut chopper to chop first the pecans, then the cranberries.)
Spoon batter into greased muffin pans. Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes, until an inserted wooden toothpick comes out clean. Remove from pans and serve. Makes about 10 regular size muffins.
