Fig and Pistachio Corn Muffins

Om nom nom, figs are delicious, and also in season (according to the shelves of the grocery store; I have little to know farming knowledge, so you should absolutely question the source).  If you are a fellow MAhole, it appears they are on sale at Whole Foods Markets this week, 2 pints for $6, and you should definitely get two packs so you'll have one to snack on when you cook the other, right?  

I don't know where, why, or how this idea came into my head, but I couldn't stop wondering if fig would work in a corn muffin, so I decided to throw caution and $7 of figs to the wind.  My first attempt was pretty solid, though I skimped on added sugars because I wasn't quite sure what the figs would do to overall sweetness.  While eating one, I had a brain wave: would pistachio be a good addition?  Short answer: yes.  Long answer: also yes.  These came out fairly delicious, as well as pretty, if I do say so myself.  They are especially delicious when you put half a jar of almond butter on top, but that's an expensive and messy habit, so stick with a normal sized schmear of almond butter, fig jam, honey, butter, your own idea, or nothing!  

Fig and Pistachio Corn Muffins

My one piece of feedback, courtesy of the one and only PopTart is that they are a little dry (little does he know I ran 1 tbsp short of a cup on of cornmeal and subbed medium grind polenta, mwhahaha).  If you prefer them a little less crumbly, I'd test a 1:1 ratio of cornmeal and flour instead of the .75:1.25 listed here, and use a kefir with a fat percentage that is not nonfat.  Let me know if you do!  

We've dilly dallied long enough.  Here be the recipe for your relatively quick, easy, and healthy muffin delights!

Fig and Pistachio Cornbread Muffins

Makes 12 muffins

Fig and Pistachio Corn Muffins

Zucchini Bran Muffins

Zucchini Bran Muffins

I don’t have a reading inspiration for this recipe - I just made a really great thing I want to gift to the Internets.  Terribly sorry to ruin your Tuesday with that news.  I just happen to love bran muffins, and weirdly often find myself embarrassed by them.  Their reputation gives the impression they are the old man of the muffin family, or something.  They’re not the family dog everyone loves, like blueberry, or your zippy mom, like a lemon poppy, or a corn safe bet, like your dad, or cool and trendly like your popular older siblings (donut muffins) or even like the hot cousin blowing into town at the holidays (I’m looking at you, pumpkin).  They’re just kind of there, sitting heavily in the back of the case.  But I love them.  I truly, madly, deeply do.  I’ve loved them since I was a kid, and they were DEFINITELY not cool, because who coats a bran muffin in sugar, like all the fancy blueberry muffins the other kids would fight over after sitting through a Sunday morning church service?  

Soon you will be delicious Zucchini Bran Muffins.

I also love this time of year for the bountiful crop of zucchini that you can find at your local farmers market, or even grocery store.  I enjoy zucchini bread half as much as I enjoy the actual vegetable, which is to say an indecent amount.  When I started thinking about how much I love both of these things on a long run, it only made sense to put them together.  Let’s just call it a wild success; pretty sure this is one of the top five things my brain has ever made my hands cook.  My mouth seems to believe that this recipe will be one I make for years to come.  They are beyond delicious, filled with flavor, and presumably healthy from all the nutrients in the vegetables, grains, nuts, and fruit (just play along, guys).  They’re basically all you need aside from a strong cup of coffee on a cool, August morning (or ever).  Get cooking!

So soon. 

Zucchini Bran Muffins:
Proudly elevating Bran Muffins from Old Man status to Hawt Young Thang status (since 2013)

Notes:

• I consulted a few sources, and then, shocker, went rogue.  If you’d like to consult too, check out Shipyard Galley’s Zucchini Muffins, The Farmgirl Fare's Zucchini Bran Muffins, The Back in the Day Bakery Cookbook's Carrot Golden Raisin Muffins, and The Joy of Cooking’s recipe for Bran Muffins.
• I used golden raisins because I thought they’d be a nice, visual contrast, and are slightly larger and chewier.  You can use regular raisins, dates, or another dried fruit of your choosing.
• For nut allergies, I’ve got a few ideas.  I’d suggest either doubling the dried fruit (or trying two different kinds), omitting them entirely, using the equivalent in dried coconut or grated carrot, or (crazy) going for chocolate.  
• Allegedly, this batter will keep for four days, refrigerated.  I’m also contemplating the potential for freezing it.  I didn’t try either (how could I wait?!), but want to; it sounds like a great gift idea!

Zucchini Bran Muffins

Recipe below: