This recipe is unusual in that it has no nuts; but if you want, just add 3/4 C coarsely chopped nut of your choice (e.g. walnuts, pecans, almonds). I use muffins to use up stuff lying around, which at this point in time is a big bag of sugar frosted flakes. If you don't have that, just substitute half the amount called for with oatmeal (quick or traditional) which is what I would typically have used if not trying to get rid of the cereal. (Picture/base recipe)

If you decide you want to toast the quinoa, pour enough to cover the bottom of a cast iron frying pan (about 2T) one layer deep, turn heat to moderate. Shake periodically to prevent burning, turn heat off when browned.

Then wash and grate the apple. If you have one those rectangular graters, you want to use the side with the big holes, that are about 1/3" (1cm) in diameter. Lop 1.5 to 2" piece of peel off the side of the apple with a knife and start grating the exposed flesh, working your way around the fruit until only the core is left. Chop the lopped peel finely (or just eat it). Any kind of apple, fresh or slightly wrinkled, will do.

Next, peel and mince (or finely grate) the fresh ginger. 3 T is a good sized hunk, roughly a 1" diameter piece 3" (25x75mm) long. There's no need to be exact. If you don't have fresh ginger root, substitute 1T dried for the 3T fresh.

Ingredients:

• DRY: (lg mixing bowl)
• 1-1/4 t baking powder
• 1/2 t salt
• 1-1/2 t ground cinnamon
• scant 1/4 t ground star anise^[1]
• 7-8 aggressive grinds of fresh black pepper
• 3 T refined sugar
• 1 C whole wheat flour^[2]
• 1 C sugar frosted flakes (or 1/2 C rolled oats)
• 2 T ground flax (optional)
• 2 T toasted quinoa (optional)
• WET: To liquid measuring C, add
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 T/1 oz canola oil (or other liquid/melted fat of your choice)
• 1 T molassus
• 3 oz (6T) milk, any type
• SEMI-WET: chopping board, assemble:
• 1 (small or medium) grated apple (granny smith preferred)
• 3 T minced ginger
• 3/4 C raisins, (or chopped dates or figs, or whatever dried fruit you have lying around)

Method. See notes above.

• Start toasting quinoa
• grate apple
• mince ginger
• preheat oven to 375F
• add leavening, spices and sugar to mixing bowl; grind out any lumps if needed (I use the bottom of a 1/2 C measure)
• add remaining dry ingredients—flour, cereal, flax and quinoa (if using) in mixing bowl and mix (I use the same half cup measure for that;)
• assemble egg, oil & molassus in liquid measuring cup; mix evenly^[3]
• add wet to dry
• pour milk in measuring C, stir (this helps to get egg and molassus out of liquid measure without all that tedious spatulating) & add to batter
• Mix wet and dry till just wetted. Do not worry if a little flour is still dry. The apple will take care of that. (If it doesn't add 1T more of milk; how much liquid you need depends on your flour, honestly.)
• Add apple, ginger, dried fruit and nuts and mix
• spray 12 C muffin tin generously with pam, or oil cups—this will give your muffins the crispy brown outsides as well as making them easy to remove. The oil shouldn't pool, but pan should be generously coated.
• distribute batter amongst 12 cups
• bake 18 minutes at 375 (convection setting) or until golden brown.

Additional notes. I typically put 1/4 C, or 4T sweeteners total in my muffins, plus whatever sugar is in the fruit (apple & raisins, or in this case, the candied ginger^[4] .) The cereal didn't really seem to add that much, but feel free to adjust sugar up or down; worst case scenario, eat with jam!

Unless otherwise noted, text, image and objects depicted therein copyright 1996--present sylvus tarn.