I always say that it was my baking that wooed Eric hook, line, and sinker.
![20100830-IMG_1709 20100830-IMG_1709](/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/20100830IMG_1709_thumb.jpg)
You might be surprised but, it wasn’t my sarcastic teasing, astounding ability to trip over invisible objects, or occasional snorting when I laugh that wooed him.
Nope.
It was the baking.
![20100830-IMG_1710 20100830-IMG_1710](/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/20100830IMG_1710_thumb.jpg)
[Although, might I add the above mentioned ‘qualities’ grew on him like a bad weed. He now lives to see me trip and snort when I laugh. He is cruel like that.]
Back in high school and university, I used to bake Eric a huge batch of muffins almost every week and he would snack on them around the clock, fueling himself through classes and late night binges of World of Warcraft.
I know. *swoon.
The only difference between now and then is that back then I used muffin mixes from a bag and now I make them from scratch, but in all seriousness, those muffin mixes do make a mean muffin!
However, I learned that making muffins from scratch is much, much cheaper. And quite easy too. :)
The week before Eric proposed to me, I made him a particularly delicious batch of muffins. They had strawberries and banana and a pinch of magic.
From then on, they were called the love muffins.
Upon first bite, they cast a love spell over the person eating them. Use at your own risk….
[print_this]
![](/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/20100830IMG_1723_thumb.jpg)
15 min
25 min
40 min
9 large or 12 small muffins
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole grain spelt flour
- 3/4 cup unbleached white flour
- 1/4 tsp. Himalayan sea salt
- 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup Sucanat (or brown sugar)
- 1/2 cup toasted pecans
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. aluminum-free baking powder
- 1.5 tbsp. ground chia seed (or flax) + 1/4 cup water
- 1.25 cup almond milk
- 2 heaping tbsp. coconut butter
- 3 tbsp. nut butter
- 2 tbsp. pure maple syrup
- 1 large banana mashed, left a bit chunky
- 3/4 cup strawberries, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F.
- Grease a muffin tin and set aside.
- In a small bowl mix the ground chia and water and set aside.
- In a large bowl mix all dry ingredients (flours, salt, cinnamon, Sucanat, pecans, baking soda + powder). Set aside.
- In a medium sized bowl, mix all wet ingredients (chia + water mixture, milk, warmed coconut butter, nut butter, mashed banana, maple syrup). Mix well.
- Add wet to dry and stir.
- Fold in chopped strawberries, reserving 1/4 of them to sprinkle on top of muffins.
- Scoop mixture into muffin tin and sprinkle on remaining strawberries.
- I made 9 large muffins and I baked them for 25 minutes at 375F. Alternatively you can make 12 smaller muffins too. Baking time might need to be adjusted.
[/print_this]
![20100830-IMG_1729 20100830-IMG_1729](/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/20100830IMG_1729_thumb.jpg)
These taste down right dreamy.
![20100830-IMG_1717 20100830-IMG_1717](/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/20100830IMG_1717_thumb.jpg)
Now be warned, the love spell only lasts until the last muffin is consumed! Then, the spell will be broken and your magic carriage will turn into a pumpkin.
![20100830-IMG_1724 20100830-IMG_1724](/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/20100830IMG_1724_thumb.jpg)
But you know what they say, when life gives you pumpkin make scuffins.
Have you ever wooed someone with your cooking or baking? Do you have any signature dishes that make ‘em weak in the knees?
I’d like to think my bf likes my baking too–he always seems thrilled when I make anything, so I’m taking that as a good sign! These muffins look great, no wonder Eric proposed :)
I also woo my mom through baking too, but she always responds with “nooo! you’re going to make me eat too much!!!” hehe
I like the idea of strawberries baked into a recipe – they add a really nice texture.
Those look fabulous. I will soon make those decedant looking muffins. I made the scalloped tomato and basil dish, it was good but I am pretty sure mine wasn’t life changing, I think raw sugar I used was to blame.
The strawberries look like they held up really well in the muffins. sometimes they get too mushy.
Such a cute story! The pics are seriously so good Angela! Talk about some strawberries.:) I make reasons to bake every other day and My best recipe is for my husband too, mainly. Every Sunday I make the same batch of cookies for us. I have mastered the recipe to our liking to where they are PERFECT everytime and I have not shared it with anyone for years now. Do you do that, btw? Have one recipe that is just for you and noone else? That is my best recipe, “to make em weak in the knees”, good ol chocolate chip cookies. :)
These look amazing and super yummy. I may just have to try these on my boyfriend… ;)
Does Eric still play WoW? My boyfriend has been playing for years and also does computer stuff for a living. I think they’d be BFFs! ;)
i just love that they’re called love muffins! you just won MY heart with that one :)
Hi! These look great, but what can I substitute for coconut butter?
Wow! Those are beautiful pictures.
My hubby doesn’t admit it, but I suspect my husband got married to me so that he can enjoy healthy home-made cooking and baking every day (I’m obsessed with making everything from scratch – even such things as spice mixes or granola).
I don’t have a special recipe, though my hubby always reminds me how I made him a stew and lamb was tough as anything and he could not eat it (I was just learning how to cook :)))
I vote for a post on picture taking as well!
oh these muffins look dreamy! i love to cook and bake for my H2B! and he defo loves it for sure!
Oh these muffins look so yummy! I will be adding them to my ever-extending list of things to bake. ;-)
Unfortunately, fresh strawberries are already long out of season here, but I guess they would work with frozen ones from the summer, too.
I want to be a good baker, but I don’t know if I have it in me :) That’s why I keep reading foods blogs. Hoping it will rub off on me! The muffins look so fabulous!
whoaaaa those look DANG delicious!! i love the fresh strawbs in there!
Hey Ange, what a heart-warming story! My man especially loves it when I make him potato chips (with garlic powder and nutritional yeast haha) but honestly, he loves everything I put in front of him and I am pretty sure it’s why he loves me as much as he does ;)
btw I tried to share a picture with you on your post about what you would like to tell your younger self, but the link didn’t work
http://img838.imageshack.us/img838/6062/37530143944965617848100.jpg
should be fine now!
xx sabine
I love this story! And the recipe looks very good too…
These are so pretty. I’m sure they’re tasty too. I think my husband wishes I’d woo him with baked goods. But I can’t make them since I’d eat them all at once. My self-control fades when I’m faced with baked goods.
Umm – wow – those sound incredible! They are also beaauutiful!!
Those muffins look seriously DELICIOUS! I don’t know if the boy likes muffins, but maybe love muffins would work with him? lol
How many bananas do you use?