I always say that it was my baking that wooed Eric hook, line, and sinker.
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.
[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….
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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.
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These taste down right dreamy.
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.
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?
My hubster LOVES muffins. The first year we were married I found a cute little muffin cookbook in a gift shop in Mystic, CT. Every recipe was delish. We started a tradition of homemade soup with homemade muffins once a week. He still talks about that even 27 years later. Thanks to you, I have found a lot of substitutions for making these recipes a little healthier (flax eggs, spelt flour, sucanat, etc.) Thanks for all the great recipes you share.
Where are the bananas in the recipe? I have read it a few times and I don’t see them.
Banana??? Where’s the banana????
These pictures are absolutely amazing! Love the story behind them too. I’m making them today.
This one time in college I had made pot roast for a church function. There were leftovers, and a few days later I added some soy sauce and other seasonings (I originally left the meat bland. It was my first attempt!) and gave it to my husband (then-boyfriend) in a bowl served over rice. The first thing he said after eating it was, “I’M MARRYING THIS WOMAN!”
I cook a lot more often now that we’re out of the dorms and all. And he loves just about anything I feed him. I know he will never leave me, because then I wouldn’t cook for him! ;)
My husband enjoys everything I cook or bake for him. But then he is also the least picky person in the entire world when it comes to food. The kind of person who would eat dinner even if I burned it to a crisp and say “thanks hun.” :)
My husband tells me he was smitten from the moment he met me, and I didn’t really start really cooking until we were together about 8 or 9 months, but I have to say cooking probably has deepened our love! My hubby loves coming home to my healthy meals, and I’ve helped him get over long-held prejudices he’s had to certain foods, like beets and avocado. I also pack our lunches to save money and provide healthy options (I also have lots of food allergies so it’s just easier to pack). I like to experiment with raw and vegan foods and he usually likes what I make.
My husband definitely likes my tacos and my tortilla soup, as well as my salads. I used to work at a salad and sandwich bar at college so I’m pretty good at salads! :-)
these muffins look fab and i love all the ingredients…did you add banana?
Aw, yummm! Really love the photos : )
What an adorable story! you wooed your man… hehe :)
I most certainly didn’t woo my man with my cooking – if anything, his toleration of my mad inventions (pasta with mustard, ketchup, sliced american cheese, soy sauce and onion… it was the worst!) made me love HIM! i’ve improved a lot, thankfully, and as you maybe know, i’m trying to be even better. I love cooking and love together!
Dustin loves applesauce muffins. Which is odd because I stole that recipe from an ex’s mom! :) I have a vegan cookie recipe that he loves and I caught him saying that they were the best cookies ever. When I pointed it out, he denied it, but let’s face it…vegan baked goods are downright delicious.
Before being vegan, I would make Chicken a la range, which is applesauce used in place of water with a box of cornbread stuffing, and wrapped in a chicken breast like a burrito. Bake with butter on top and serve with this homemade orange sauce. It’s divine.
I am wondering where the banana is too :)
Also, any substitutes for coconut butter? Do you also think it would be okay to just leave the nuts out? Thanks :)
Beautiful photography! Your muffins are going to replace my love of strawberry cupcakes! Can’t wait to try them! And happy anniversary!
First of all, I cannot wait to try those muffins! : ) They look DELICIOUS.
Second, I’m just learning my way around the kitchen now, but the boys in my building love it when I cook potatoes. I don’t do anything too special with them, just a little olive oil and some rosemary and bake them for a little bit, but if I make them as an appetizer for a dinner party, they are gone in seconds. Maybe I need to buy more potatoes! No one has fallen in love with me over my cooking yet, but as I said, I’m still learning! :D
As someone who has ALOT of food allergies, especially to lots of artificial foods and colorings, etc, its so great to see people like myself who take pride in the foods they put into their bodies! I love your blog and all your recipes! =) Continue blogging forever!
Fun story! No big deal about the pumpkin, it’s almost that season anyway, after all!
I tried to make these muffins and my husband said they were terrible! Help how do you make them taste good? They kind of tasted salty and I am not sure what I did wrong!
IM SO sorry I forgot to add the banana in the recipe! I’m sure that was it. It has been added now.
I made these without banana and with avocado instead of Coconut Butter and they are delicious still – cant wait to try with Banana!
I love it! It’s like engagement chicken for vegans! (And that engagement chicken totally “worked” for 2 of my friends haha). They look great!
Is it possible to make these without the banana? Any suggestions for another fruit, or if I do just plain strawberry, will the consistency be off? I ask because as much as I love banana, the hubby is unfortunately allergic. :(
*crossing fingers* I can bake pre-mixes, ace that… but this was a hilarious first time bake from scratch. Almost religious asking my cooking angels to gather me some baking angels and please let them turn out… I started to bake until I realized there were no bananas… he he I scooped it out and added them in! Waiting for the time to go off… hoping that I won’t kill them if I sincerely forgot the baking soda :S Oh well! It’s our one year anniversary so regardless I know he’ll appreciate it! Thanks so much for putting up this post :)
Sincerely,
Fanta